Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Evaluation of the Ruiz-Mora Procedure: Long-term Follow-up

The Ruiz-Mora procedure has been advocated for treatment of congenital overlapping fifth toes, fifth hammertoe, and clavus deformities. This study evaluated the results of the Ruiz-Mora procedure in 12 patients with an average follow-up of more than 4 years. The data indicate the majority of patients are satisfied with the results of the procedure. Unacceptable cosmesis was the primary complaint of all dissatisfied patients. Assessment of preoperative versus postoperative symptoms indicate an improvement in symptoms as well as maintenance of stability and function. The average shortening of the toe was 12.8 mm. This presented no functional problems to the patients. Three patients had transient skin healing problems which resolved with local care. Based on this series, the Ruiz-Mora procedure is effective in dealing with the problem of the cock-up fifth hammertoe and is associated with few complications. Because of patient dissatisfaction with cosmesis, consideration should be given to showing patients postoperative photographs of the procedure before surgery and reserving this procedure for salvage of iatrogenic cock-up deformities, recalcitrant hard corns, and congenital cock-up deformities.
Fusion events lead to truncation of FOS in epithelioid hemangioma of bone

Epithelioid hemangioma of bone is a locally aggressive vascular neoplasm. It can be challenging to diagnose because of the wide histological spectrum, which can make it difficult to differentiate from other vascular neoplasms such as epithelioid hemangioendothelioma or epithelioid angiosarcoma. COBRA‐FISH karyotyping identified a balanced t(3;14) translocation. Transcriptome sequencing of the index case and two other epithelioid hemangiomas revealed a recurrent translocation breakpoint involving the FOS gene, which was fused to different partners in all three cases. The break was observed in exon 4 of the FOS gene and the fusion event led to the introduction of a stop codon. In all instances, the truncation of the FOS gene would result in the loss of the transactivation domain (TAD). Using FISH probes we found a break in the FOS gene in two additional cases, in none of these cases a recurrent fusion partner could be identified. In total, FOS was split in 5/7 evaluable samples. We did not observe point mutations leading to early stop codons in any of the 10 cases where RNA was available. Detection of FOS rearrangement may be a useful diagnostic tool to assist in the often difficult differential diagnosis of vascular tumors of bone. Our data suggest that the translocation causes truncation of the FOS protein, with loss of the TAD, which is thereby a novel mechanism involved in tumorigenesis. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genome-wide Identification and Expression Analysis along the Leaf developmental Gradient of the Sigma Factor Gene Family in Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) -

Sigma factors are necessary for the initiation of transcription by RNA polymerase in bacteria and plastids of plants. In plants, a small family of nuclear genes is responsible for encoding the sigma factor proteins. In this study, a genome-wide identification and expression analysis of leaf gradient in millet (Setaria italica) were performed to characterize sigma factor genes and their proteins. By applying several bioinformatics tools, we identified chromosome locations of seven sigma factor genes in millet and their protein 3D structures. All these proteins contained three conserved domains of σ-70 family. These Sigma factor genes have a closer phylogenetic relationship with their orthologs in maize than that in rice. The digital gene expression (DGE) analysis along the millet leaf developmental gradient indicated that Sisig1, Sisig5, Sisig6 showed extremely high expression levels in leaf middle and tip regions. Combining the conservation analysis of residues of each sigma factor protein with the DGE profiles of these proteins, it reveals that Sisig5 plays the housekeeping role compared with other Sisig proteins. Our study will facilitate the future research on crop evolution and the functional studies of sigma factor genes in millet.
An Improved Method for Detecting Functional Faults in Semiconductor Random Access Memories

This paper presents an efficient test procedure for the detection of simultaneously present functional faults in semi-conductor random access memories (RAM's). The proposed procedure detects modeled types of functional faults using 36N + 24N log2N operations, which is an improvement over existing techniques. The testing process is twofold: first, it detects simple functional faults by a linear address marching. Second, it detects more complex types of functional faults by a nonlinear address sequencing approach. Simulation results to support the testing procedure are also presented.
Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Subarachnoid Blood Volume, Mortality Rate, Neuronal Death, Cerebral Blood Flow, and Perfusion Pressure in Three Different Rat Models

OBJECTIVETo investigate which of three subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) models is the most suitable for studies of pathological and pathophysiological processes after SAH. METHODSSAH was induced in rats via intracranial endovascular perforation (perforation model), blood injection into the cisterna magna (300 &mgr;l), or blood injection into the prechiasmatic cistern (200 &mgr;l). The subarachnoid blood volume was quantitatively measured. Cerebral blood flow (CBF) (as assessed with laser Doppler flowmetry), intracranial pressure, and mean arterial blood pressure were recorded for 90 minutes after SAH. Mortality was recorded, and neuronal death was assessed in animals that survived 7 days after SAH. RESULTSThe subarachnoid blood volume was close to the injected amount after prechiasmatic SAH. In the other models, the volume varied between 40 and 480 &mgr;l. The mortality rates were 44% in the perforation SAH group, 25% in the prechiasmatic SAH group, and 0% in the cisterna magna SAH group; the corresponding values for neuronal death were 11, 44, and 28%. Cerebral perfusion pressure approached baseline values within 5 minutes after SAH in all three models. CBF decreased to approximately 35% of baseline values immediately after SAH in all groups; it gradually increased to normal values 15 minutes after SAH in the cisterna magna SAH group and to 60 and 89% of baseline values 90 minutes post-SAH in the perforation and prechiasmatic SAH groups. CBF was significantly correlated with the subarachnoid blood volume. CONCLUSIONThe prechiasmatic SAH model seems to be the most suitable for study of the sequelae after SAH; it produces a significant decrease in CBF, an acceptable mortality rate, and substantial pathological lesions, with high reproducibility. The CBF reduction is predominantly dependent on the amount of subarachnoid blood.
Research Commentary - Moving Beyond the Single Site Implementation Study: How (and Why) We Should Study the Biography of Packaged Enterprise Solutions

The single site implementation study is an invaluable tool for studying the large-scale enterprise solution. Together with constructivist frameworks and ethnographic approaches it has allowed the development of rich local pictures of the immediate and adaptive response by user organizations to the take-up of what are, today, often generic packaged systems. However, to view the packaged enterprise solution principally at the place where the user encounters it also has limitations. It produces somewhat partial understandings of these complex artifacts. In particular, it downplays important influences from other sites and time frames. This paper argues that if we are to understand the full implications of enterprise solutions for organizations then we should study their “biography. ” This idea points to how the career of workplace technology is often played out over multiple time frames and settings. To understand its shaping therefore requires scholars to go beyond the study of technology at a single locale or moment and, rather, attempt to follow it through space and time. The paper develops two ideas to aid this kind of study. We discuss better spatial metaphors that might help us explore the hybrid and extended spaces in which packaged software systems develop and evolve. We also review improved temporal understandings that may capture the multiple contemporary and historical time frames at play. The paper concludes by discussing some possible research directions that a focus on the biography of a technology might allow.
The Parkinson’s disease sleep scale: a new instrument for assessing sleep and nocturnal disability in Parkinson’s disease

Background: No formal instruments are available for quantifying sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease. Objective: To develop a new sleep scale to quantify the various aspects of nocturnal sleep problems in Parkinson’s disease, which may occur in up to 96% of affected individuals. Methods: Employing a multidisciplinary team approach, a visual analogue scale was devised addressing 15 commonly reported symptoms associated with sleep disturbance in Parkinson’s disease—the Parkinson’s disease sleep scale (PDSS). In all, 143 patients with Parkinson’s disease completed the PDSS, covering the entire spectrum of disease from newly diagnosed to advanced stage. As controls, 137 age healthy matched subjects also completed the scale. Test–retest reliability was assessed in a subgroup of subjects. The Epworth sleepiness scale was also satisfactorily completed by 103 of the patients with Parkinson’s disease. Results: PDSS scores in the Parkinson group were significantly different from the healthy controls. Patients with advanced Parkinson’s disease had impaired scores compared with early/moderate disease. Individual items of the scale showed good discriminatory power between Parkinson’s disease and healthy controls. Relevant items of the PDSS correlated with excessive daytime sleepiness. The scale showed robust test–retest reliability. Conclusions: This appears to be the first description of a simple bedside screening instrument for evaluation of sleep disturbances in Parkinson’s disease. A combination of subitems may help identify specific aspects of sleep disturbance, which in turn may help target treatment.
Inhibitory effect of the DA uptake blocker GBR 12909 on sodium channels of hippocampal neurons

The effect of the selective dopamine uptake inhibitor GBR 12909 on TTX-sensitive sodium channels of cultured hippocampal neurons was investigated using whole cell patch-clamp technique. GBR 12909 dose-dependently inhibited sodium currents evoked by trains of depolarizing pulses with an IC50 of 6.3 μM. A weaker inhibition (IC50 = 17–35 μM) could be observed when currents were evoked by either single pulse depolarization or from hyperpolarized holding membrane potential. These data indicate that the extent of inhibition caused by GBR 12909 depends on the physiological activity pattern of neurons. Our results suggest that caution is needed for the interpretation of data when GBR 12909 is used for the inhibition of dopamine uptake at concentrations above the submicromolar range.
Analysis of 94 candidate genes and 12 endophenotypes for schizophrenia from the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia.

OBJECTIVE The authors used a custom array of 1,536 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) to interrogate 94 functionally relevant candidate genes for schizophrenia and identify associations with 12 heritable neurophysiological and neurocognitive endophenotypes in data collected by the Consortium on the Genetics of Schizophrenia. METHOD Variance-component association analyses of 534 genotyped subjects from 130 families were conducted by using Merlin software. A novel bootstrap total significance test was also developed to overcome the limitations of existing genomic multiple testing methods and robustly demonstrate significant associations in the context of complex family data and possible population stratification effects. RESULTS Associations with endophenotypes were observed for 46 genes of potential functional significance, with three SNPs at p<10(-4), 27 SNPs at p<10(-3), and 147 SNPs at p<0.01. The bootstrap analyses confirmed that the 47 SNP-endophenotype combinations with the strongest evidence of association significantly exceeded that expected by chance alone, with 93% of these findings expected to be true. Many of the genes interact on a molecular level, and eight genes (e.g., NRG1 and ERBB4) displayed evidence for pleiotropy, revealing associations with four or more endophenotypes. The results collectively support a strong role for genes related to glutamate signaling in mediating schizophrenia susceptibility. CONCLUSIONS This study supports use of relevant endophenotypes and the bootstrap total significance test for identifying genetic variation underlying the etiology of schizophrenia. In addition, the observation of extensive pleiotropy for some genes and singular associations for others suggests alternative, independent pathways mediating pathogenesis in the "group of schizophrenias. "
Mental illness as a predictor of satisfaction with inpatient care at Veterans Affairs hospitals.

OBJECTIVE Patient satisfaction ratings are increasingly being used as an indicator of quality of care. However, satisfaction scores do not account for differences in satisfaction among patients that may be attributable to sociodemographic characteristics or type of illness rather than to the quality of service delivery. This study examines the role of psychiatric diagnosis in satisfaction with inpatient care delivered at Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) hospitals. METHODS Data were taken from a large national VA customer feedback survey of patients discharged from VA hospitals between June 1 and August 31, 1995 (N=38,789). Analyses examined whether patients discharged with a psychiatric diagnosis were less satisfied with care than those discharged with a nonpsychiatric diagnosis. RESULTS Patients with a psychiatric diagnosis were less satisfied with their care, regardless of whether they were treated in a psychiatric treatment program or a medical unit, and this relationship remained after the analysis adjusted for other determinants of satisfaction. The association between low satisfaction and psychiatric diagnosis was more pronounced among nonblack patients. CONCLUSIONS The results suggest the need for caution in using patient satisfaction measures to compare mental health programs and other health care programs.
Depressed mood amplifies heart-related symptoms in persistent and paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients: a longitudinal analysis--data from the German Competence Network on Atrial Fibrillation.

AIMS There is limited evidence of an association between the burden of atrial fibrillation (AF)-related symptoms and depressed mood (DM). We used follow-up data from two randomized trials to relate AF symptoms, perceived AF burden, and DM. METHODS AND RESULTS Baseline data on 319 persistent AF patients from the Flec-SL trial and 244 paroxysmal AF patients from the ANTIPAF trial were available. Data on 400 patients were available at 6-month follow-up. Depressed mood was measured using the major depression inventory, AF symptoms using the AF Symptom Checklist. Generalized estimating equation models were used to assess the association between symptom burden and DM. At baseline, 194 patients (35.2%) reported DM, 294 (52.2%) reported severe AF symptom burden. Burden from all symptoms except fainting was significantly elevated in patients with DM. An improvement in DM from baseline to follow-up was associated with reduced symptom burden [odds ratio (OR) = 2.06; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.22-3.51]. Patients with DM had three-fold increased odds of severe symptom burden after adjustment for perceived AF-frequency and -duration, sex, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disorder (COPD) (OR = 3.19; 95% CI: 2.65-8.45). Women reported significantly more severe symptom burden than men (OR = 1.44; 95% CI: 1.36-1.95). Uneasiness, nausea, and shortness of breath were most strongly associated with DM. The effect of DM on nausea was more pronounced for men (P(interaction) = 0.041). Perceived AF-frequency and -duration were not associated with DM (P = 0.717 and 0.236, respectively). CONCLUSION Depressed mood is associated with AF symptom burden over 6 months after adjustment for perceived frequency and duration of AF episodes, COPD, and sex.
Análise filogenética de Anochetus Mayr, 1961 e Odontomachus Latreille, 1804 (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Ponerinae) e revisão taxonômica de Anochetus para a região Neotropical

As formigas dos generos Anochetus e Odontomachus pertencem a um dos maiores clados da subfamilia Ponerinae. Uma filogenia molecular recente para a subfamilia Ponerinae sugeriu que o genero Anochetus e membro da tribo Ponerini e que seu grupo irmao e o genero Odontomachus. Nesse estudo a monofilia da subfamilia foi fortemente suportada, porem as relacoes entre os generos pertencentes a tribo Ponerini, bem como Anochetus e Odontomachus nao foram bem estabelecidas. Aqui apresentamos uma analise filogenetica molecular mais detalhada, incluindo um maior numero de especies de ambos os generos e de diversas regioes biogeograficas, a fim de atestar suas relacoes. Obtivemos dados de sequencia de DNA de um gene mitocondrial (COI) e quatro genes de codificacao de proteinas nucleares (Wg, TOPI, LW Rh e CAD) para um total de 207 amostras para o grupo interno e 14 amostras para o grupo externo. Doze especies fosseis foram utilizadas para calibrar o tempo de divergencia e as analises biogeograficas. As analises bayesianas e de maxima verossimilhanca (RAxML e GARLI) apoiam fortemente a monofilia dos generos Anochetus e Odontomachus. Elas tambem apoiam fortemente nove grupos de especies de Odontomachus e 10 de Anochetus, que corroboram as hipoteses de Brown. As analises indicam que Odontoponera e o grupo irmao do clado Anochetus + Odontomachus, sugerindo que as formigas trap-jaw evoluiram a partir de um ancestral com mandibula curta. Anochetus + Odontomachus se originaram no inicio do Paleoceno (64.8 Ma), provavelmente nas regioes Neotropical, Afrotropical ou Indomalaia, onde irradiaram rapidamente nos ultimos 50 milhoes de anos, dispersando-se varias vezes pela Africa, Asia e Australia. A regiao Neotropical atualmente, conta com 26 especies, distribuidas do norte do Mexico ao norte da Argentina e algumas ilhas do Caribe. Com base em semelhancas morfologicas, Brown dividiu as especies neotropicais do genero Anochetus em cinco grupos: A. emarginatus, A. bispinosus, A. inermis, A. mayri e A. altisquamis. Desde entao, cinco novas especies foram descritas, quatro no grupo A. emarginatus e uma no grupo A. bispinosus, porem, sem tratamentos taxonomicos explicitos de caracteres compartilhados. Aqui, apresentamos a primeira revisao neotropical para Anochetus, apos quase 40 anos, levando tambem em consideracao os grupos de especies reconhecidos para o neotropico. Das 26 especies de Anochetus ate entao conhecidas, 22 foram redescritas baseadas no exame de material-tipo. Uma nova sinonimia e tres novas especies foram reconhecidas para a regiao Neotropical. As especies agora contam com chaves de identificacao para operarias, rainhas e machos e suas respectivas distribuicoes foram atualizadas. Anochetus agora conta com 28 especies e seis grupos de especies, sendo eles: A. altisquamis, A. bispinosus, A. emarginatus, A. hohenbergiae, A. inermis e A. mayri.
On a Sturm Sequence of Polynomials for Unitary Hessenberg Matrices

Unitary matrices have a rich mathematical structure that is closely analogous to real symmetric matrices. For real symmetric matrices this structure can be exploited to develop very efficient numerical algorithms and for some of these algorithms unitary analogues are known. Here we present a unitary analogue of the bisection method for symmetric tridiagonal matrices. Recently Delsarte and Genin introduced a sequence of so-called $\gamma_n$-symmetric polynomials that can be used to replace the classical Szego polynomials in several signal processing problems. These polynomials satisfy a three-term recurrence relation and their roots interlace on the unit circle. Here we explain this sequence of polynomials in matrix terms. For an $n\times n$ unitary Hessenberg matrix, we introduce, motivated by the Cayley transformation, a sequence of modified unitary submatrices. The characteristic polynomials of the modified unitary submatrices $p_k(z), k=1,2,\ldots,n$ are exactly the $\gamma_n$-symmetric polynomials up to a constant. These polynomials can be considered as a sort of Sturm sequence and can serve as a basis for a bisection method for computing the eigenvalues of the unitary Hessenberg matrix. The Sturm sequence properties allow identification of the number of roots of $p_n(z)$, the characteristic polynomial of the unitary Hessenberg matrix itself, on any arc of the unit circle by computing the sign agreements of certain related real polynomials at a given point.
Epidemiologic application of a standardized ribotype scheme for Vibrio cholerae O1

A standardized scheme of 27 different BglI ribotypes and subtypes of Vibrio cholerae O1 strains is proposed on the basis of data from 214 human and environmental strains isolated in 35 countries and 14 U.S. states over the past 60 years. The ribotype patterns obtained are reproducible and stable over time. Seven different but very similar ribotypes (1a to 1g) were observed among 16 strains of the classical biotype. Twenty ribotypes and subtypes were identified among 198 V. cholerae O1 strains of the El Tor biotype. Six different patterns were found among the strains causing the current seventh pandemic. Strains of ribotype 8 originated only in central African countries, while those of ribotype 3 originated mainly in Asia and the Pacific Islands. The most widely distributed strains were those of ribotype 6, which was subdivided into three very similar but still distinguishable subtypes. The present Latin American epidemic is caused by strains of ribotype 5. Strains of this ribotype were isolated from several other geographic locations but can be differentiated from the Latin American strains by other molecular methods. Strains associated with two documented environmental reservoirs exhibited three distinct ribotype patterns; those isolated from patients who ate food from the U.S. Gulf waters were all of ribotype 2, while the strains related to the northeast Australian rivers were of ribotypes 9 and 10. Nontoxigenic V. cholerae O1 strains originating in Latin America and the U.S. Gulf Coast did not form a specific cluster of ribotypes. Ribotyping in combination with other well-defined methods can assist in epidemiologic investigations, helping to trace the movement of strains and to identify their geographic origins.
Plasmodium vivax: detection of blood parasites using fluorochrome labelled monoclonal antibodies

A monoclonal antibody (MoAb) 2C6111 specific for Plasmodium vivax erythrocytic stages was shown to detect parasitized erythrocytes in blood samples collected in the field. This MoAb binds to the mature trophozoite, schizont and gametes of P. vivax and upon examination of 43 wild isolates no evidence of polymorphism was found. To search for P. vivax parasites in human blood a MoAb immunofluorescent test (MoAb‐IFT) was developed. The assay is based on the ability of fluorescein isothiocyanate labelled MoAb 2C6111 to combine with parasitized erythrocytes on thin blood smears. A preliminary field trial was carried out in Venezuela to determine the usefulness of MoAb‐IFT for the specific diagnosis of P. vivax malaria. Blood samples collected from malarious and non‐malarious individuals were examined both by standard microscopy of Giemsa stained thick blood smears (G‐TS) and MoAb‐IFT. The latter was specific and gave a 100% correlation with G‐TS. Sensitivity was close to that usually achieved with Giemsa stained blood films. ,