Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
GOGI APHASIA OR SEMANTIC DEMENTIA? SIMULATING AND ASSESSING POOR VERBAL COMPREHENSION IN A CASE OF PROGRESSIVE FLUENT APHASIA

Many patients with progressive fluent aphasia present with poor verbal comprehension and profound word-finding difficulties in the context of much better picture comprehension and object use. The Japanese term Gogi (literally “word-meaning”) aphasia matches this behavioural pattern. The alternative label of semantic dementia is most often used for these patients and this term emphasises a generalised degradation of conceptual knowledge that encompasses both verbal and nonverbal comprehension. The study presented here investigates whether progressive fluent aphasia has a functional impairment limited to the verbal domain (Gogi aphasia) or more widespread involvement of all conceptual knowledge (semantic dementia). We report data collected from a patient with progressive fluent aphasia, IW, who presented with profound word-finding difficulties and relatively poor word comprehension. The predictions of three theoretical interpretations of this pattern are investigated in a series of experimental tasks. We argue that IW's poor verbal comprehension and anomia cannot easily be explained as an impairment to either a semantic lexicon or a modality-specific verbal semantic system. Instead we favour an explanation in terms of a single impairment to a unitary semantic system within a framework that emphasises the underlying differences in the mapping between surface form and meaning, for words and pictures. We demonstrate how IW's pattern of data can be replicated in an implemented connectionist network that includes a systematic mapping for pictures but an arbitrary relationship for words. We conclude that although Gogi aphasia may be an accurate clinical description of the most striking features observed in progressive fluent aphasia, the disorder is primarily a progressive loss of conceptual knowledge—it is semantic dementia.
Content-aware 3D image retargeting for mobile devices

As the use of 3D multimedia contents has been popularized recently, next generation mobile devices are also expected to support the 3D contents. For displaying images on small-sized display panels of mobile devices, content-aware image retargeting has attracted a lot of interest due to its small quality loss of important contents in the images. In this paper, we present a novel content-aware 3D image retargeting method. In the proposed method, the depth information of the 3D image is exploited to impose the perceptual importance on the contents in the scene. Experimental results indicate that the proposed method can preserve important contents much better than the conventional methods using only the color intensity information.
An empirical study of ‘green’ workplace behaviours: ability, motivation and opportunity

Green human resource management contributes to an understanding of the role of human resource management (HRM) towards sustainability and environmental outcomes. This paper assesses employees’ environmental knowledge as well as self-perceptions of ability, motivation and opportunity (AMO) to practise green behaviours by operationalising the AMO framework towards a pro-environmental agenda. The study draws on a survey sample of 394 employees from five organisations in regional Australia. Key findings show that pro-environmental AMO are positively associated with green behaviours and that these are more prevalent at home than in the workplace. Further, line managers moderate the relationship between pro-environmental AMO and green behaviour although not the relationship between environmental knowledge and green behaviour. Such benchmark measurement informs HRM policies, practices and interventions and contributes to environmental management.
Zebrafish cnbp intron1 plays a fundamental role in controlling spatiotemporal gene expression during embryonic development

Cellular nucleic acid binding protein (CNBP) is a strikingly conserved zinc‐finger nucleic acid chaperone required for forebrain development. Its depletion causes forebrain truncation mainly as a consequence of a reduction in size of craniofacial structures and neural crest derivatives. The CNBP expression pattern is complex and highly dynamic, but little is known of the underlying mechanisms regulating its spatiotemporal pattern. CNBP expression is highly conserved between all vertebrates characterized. In this study we have combined comparative sequence analysis and in vivo testing of DNA fragments in zebrafish to identify evolutionarily constrained regulatory motifs that likely control expression of the cnbp gene in embryos. We found a novel exon sequence located 5′ upstream of the Exon1‐sequence reported in most databases, and two transcription start sites that generate two primary‐transcripts that differ in their 5′UTRs and expression profile during zebrafish embryonic development. Furthermore, we found a region inside the intron1 sequence that controls the cnbp developmental‐specific transcriptional activation. Conserved binding sites for neural crest transcription factors were identified in this region. Mutagenesis analysis of the regulatory region revealed that Pax6/FoxD3 binding sites are required for proper zygotic cnbp expression. This is the first study that identifies, in vivo, cis‐regulatory sequences inside intron sequences and typical neural crest transcription factors involved in cnbp spatiotemporal specific transcriptional control during vertebrate embryonic development. J. Cell. Biochem. 108: 1364–1375, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of eight polymorphic microsatellite loci for the leopard coralgrouper (Plectropomus leopardus Lacepède)

Eight polymorphic microsatellite loci were isolated and characterized from a microsatellite DNA‐enriched DNA library for the leopard coralgrouper (Plectropomus leopardus Lacepède, 1802), a popular food fish in the East Indies. These loci showed polymorphism information content ranging from 0.493 to 0.854, allele numbers ranging from 3 to 10, effective allele numbers ranging from 2.2 to 7.6, and observed and expected heterozygosities from 0.375 to 0.906 and 0.544 to 0.868 respectively. Thus, we expect that these markers will be useful for population genetic and breeding studies of the leopard coralgrouper.
An Answer to the Plant Variety Controversy in Chile

Chile has failed to ratify the 1991 International Convention for the Protection of New Varieties of Plants (UPOV) as stipulated in the free trade agreement (FTA) with the United States. Since Chile is amongst the US Priority Watch List countries, it is imperative for Chile to emanate a UPOV 1991-compliant law. The ratification of UPOV 1991, however, has encountered strong resistance within the country and it is not yet clear when and how Chile will adopt UPOV 1991 provisions. Through an analysis of legal and economic aspects of the domestic plant variety law, this paper explains that Chile should make better use of UPOV flexibilities and gives recommendations in order to accommodate the interests of all stakeholders.
Human immunodeficiency virus-specific cytotoxic responses of seropositive individuals: distinct types of effector cells mediate killing of targets expressing gag and env proteins

By using target cells that expressed isolated env, gag, p27nef, or p23vif molecules introduced by recombinant vaccinia viruses containing genes encoding these polypeptides, it was possible to identify env, gag, p27nef, and p23vif as cytolytic target antigens for freshly isolated blood cells from human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) seropositive patients. Most of the patients tested (95%) manifested a specific cytotoxic activity against vaccinia virus-env-infected target cells. The env-specific cytotoxic activity was not restricted by the major histocompatibility complex and was not mediated by T lymphocytes, as shown by the absence of blocking effect with an anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody and by the inefficiency of CD3+, CD8+, or CD4+ and CD8+ depletion to reduce the cytotoxic activity against the env-expressing target cells. In the same conditions, the cytotoxic activity specific for gag was abrogated and gag major histocompatibility complex-restricted cytotoxic T lymphocytes were detected in 85% of the subjects tested. Therefore, in a HIV-1 seropositive subject, distinct types of effector cells mediate the lysis of target cells expressing gag and env proteins.
Profit Rates in the Developed Capitalist Economies: A Time Series Investigation

This paper examines whether there is empirical evidence to support the hypothesis of a secular decline in the economy-wide profit rates, as predicted by classical economic theories. We specifically consider profit rates in the OECD economies based on the national accounts data contained in the Extended Penn World Table database. We use linear trend, Augmented Dickey-Fuller (ADF) tests, and allow for structural breaks and instabilities in the series. Our results suggest that profit rates in OECD economies exhibited a variety of patterns, including stochastic and deterministic trends, random walk, reversals, as well as stability. The secular decline (fluctuation around a falling deterministic trend) hypothesis is supported for Canada, Portugal and the USA, while secular rise is witnessed for Greece and Norway.
Interacting effects of the dopamine transporter gene and psychosocial adversity on attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms among 15-year-olds from a high-risk community sample.

CONTEXT Recent evidence suggests that gene x environment interactions could explain the inconsistent findings of association studies relating the dopamine transporter (DAT1) gene with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). OBJECTIVE To examine whether psychosocial adversity moderated the effect of genetic variation in DAT1 on ADHD symptoms in adolescents from a high-risk community sample. DESIGN Prospective cohort study. SETTING Data were taken from the Mannheim Study of Children at Risk, an ongoing longitudinal study of the long-term outcomes of early risk factors followed up from birth on. PARTICIPANTS Three hundred five adolescents (146 boys, 159 girls) participated in a follow-up assessment at age 15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Measures of ADHD symptoms according to DSM-IV were obtained using standardized structural interviews with adolescents and their parents. Psychosocial adversity was determined according to an "enriched" family adversity index as proposed by Rutter and Quinton. DNA was genotyped for the common DAT1 40-base pair (bp) variable number of tandem repeats (VNTR) polymorphism in the 3' untranslated region; 3 previously described single nucleotide polymorphisms in exon 15, intron 9, and exon 9; and a novel 30-bp VNTR polymorphism in intron 8. RESULTS Adolescents homozygous for the 10-repeat allele of the 40-bp VNTR polymorphism who grew up in greater psychosocial adversity exhibited significantly more inattention and hyperactivity-impulsivity than adolescents with other genotypes or who lived in less adverse family conditions (significant interaction, P = .013-.017). This gene x environment interaction was also observed in individuals homozygous for the 6-repeat allele of the 30-bp VNTR polymorphism and the haplotype comprising both markers. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide initial evidence that environmental risks as described by the Rutter Family Adversity Index moderate the impact of the DAT1 gene on ADHD symptoms, suggesting a DAT1 effect only in those individuals exposed to psychosocial adversity.
The Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire: a confirmatory factor analysis.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the factor structure of the Rivermead Post Concussion Symptoms Questionnaire (RPQ) among individuals seen as part of routine follow-up following traumatic brain injury. METHODS RPQ data from 168 participants was examined (mean age 35.2, SD 14.3; 89% with post traumatic amnesia duration<24 hours) six months after admission to an Accident & Emergency Department following TBI. Structural equation modelling was carried out to evaluate proposed models of the underlying structure of post-concussion symptoms (PCS). RESULTS The results support the existence of separate cognitive, emotional and somatic factors, although there was a high degree of covariation between the three factors. A two-factor model that collapsed the emotional and somatic factors together showed a similar goodness-of-fit to the data, whilst a one-factor model proved a poor fit. CONCLUSION The results support the notion of post-concussion symptoms as a collection of associated but at least partially separable cognitive, emotional and somatic symptoms, although questions persist regarding symptom specificity. The use of the RPQ is discussed, and classification bands for use in clinical practice are suggested.
CD8+ lymphocyte phenotype and cytokine production in long‐term non‐progressor and in progressor patients with HIV‐1 infection

In most HIV‐1‐infected patients, clinical and immunological progression develops within a few years. Few infected people, termed long‐term non‐progressors (LTNP), remain healthy and immunologically stable for a long time. The factors governing the maintenance of this condition are not well known, but it is conceivable that CD8+ lymphocytes, cells that play a central role in controlling in vitro HIV replication, may have a part in vivo in this process. The aim of this study was to characterize the phenotypic profile and the cytokine production of CD8+ cells in a group of LTNP patients who had stable CD4+ cell counts (>500/mm3) for at least 7 years. Their CD8+ absolute numbers were similar to a control group composed of HIV‐1+ patients who have a progressive decline of their CD4+ cell counts. However, our multiparameter immunofluorescence studies show that a clinical and immunologically stable condition is associated with the presence of a CD28+, CD95 strongly positive CD8+ population, while disease progression is marked by the CD28−CD95+CD8+ subset. Purified CD8+ cells from LTNP retain their ability to produce IL‐2, interferon‐gamma (IFN‐γ) and, to a lesser degree, to produce IL‐10 and IL‐4. In contrast, CD8+ cells from progressors are unable to secrete IL‐2 and IL‐10. Although CD8+ cytokine profile does not fit with the proposed T helper (Th)1/Th2 switch in progressive HIV infection, LTNP CD8+ T cells maintain their capacity to produce IL‐2 and IL‐10 (Th0‐like), a pattern very similar to that observed in normal HIV healthy controls. We suggest that CD8+ cells expressing CD28, CD95 and having a Th0‐like profile may be considered to be associated with long‐term survival.
Distinguishing the Roles of the Two Different cGMP-binding Sites for Modulating Phosphorylation of Exogenous Substrate (Heterophosphorylation) and Autophosphorylation of cGMP-dependent Protein Kinase*

The role of each of the two different cGMP-binding sites (referred to as slow and fast sites) of type I cGMP-dependent protein kinase (PKG) in altering the rate of catalysis of phosphorylation of exogenous substrates (heterophosphorylation) or the rate of autophosphorylation has not been resolved. In the present study, the cGMP concentration required for half-maximal activation (A50) of wild-type PKG type Iβ (WT) was 5-fold higher for heterophosphorylation than for autophosphorylation. cGMP occupation of the slow site was associated with an increase in the autophosphorylation rate, whereas occupation of the fast and slow site together was associated with a decrease in the autophosphorylation rate compared with the rate observed with occupation of the slow site alone. The contributions of each cGMP-binding site were investigated using PKG mutants containing substitutions of an invariant threonine residue that is critical for high affinity cGMP-binding in each site. Site-directed mutagenesis of Thr-317 of the fast site (T317A) increased the cGMP A50 for heterophosphorylation 4-fold at 30 °C, with nominal effect on cGMP A50 for autophosphorylation compared with WT. The analogous slow site mutation (T193A) increased the cGMP A50 for heterophosphorylation and autophosphorylation 32- and 64-fold, respectively. Compared with WT, the cGMP A50 of the double mutant (T193A/T317A) for heterophosphorylation was increased 300-fold, whereas the cGMP A50 for autophosphorylation was similar to that of T193A. Thus, occupation of both cGMP-binding sites of PKG is required for maximal stimulation of heterophosphorylation, whereas occupation of the slow site alone is sufficient for stimulation of the rate of autophosphorylation, and additional occupation of the fast site reduces this rate.
Long-term Results of Osteoarticular Allograft Reconstruction in C hildren with Distal F emoral Bone Tumors

Background: There is no consensus regarding the best method of reconstruction in pediatric population following the wide resection of malignant bone tumors. More exploration of the complications of osteoarticular reconstruction leads to less existing controversy of this type of reconstruction, which is the main point of this article. Methods: Long-term outcomes and complications of osteoarticular allograft reconstruction of primary distal femoral bone sarcomas in 22 children with mean age of 10.7 years old were reviewed in this study. Musculoskeletal Tumor Society (MSTS) scoring system was used for functional evaluation of the allografts. Results: With an average follow-up time of 81 months, the outcomes of 16 patients with allografts at the final follow up were evaluated. As expected, Limb length discrepancy (LLD) was observed in all patients (mean LLD= 2.73cm), which was significantly correlated to allograft survival time (P<0.001). Degenerative joint disease (DJD) was also seen in all patients and its grade was also significantly correlated to allograft survival time (P<0.001). The mean MSTS-score was 74% at the latest follow-up, ranging from 60% to 90%. Five and 10 year survival rate of allografts were found to be 93.3% and 62.2%, respectively. Conclusion: Osteoarticular allograft reconstruction could result in several complications including DJD. Despite its considerable biologic advantage over endoprosthesis, osteoarticular allograft reconstruction is a long-lasting but still a temporary solution before performing megaprosthesis. This allows patients to preserve their remaining physis for limb growth and become old enough for an adult megaprosthesis.
Primary aldosteronism: renaissance of a syndrome

Great strides have been made in our understanding of the pathophysiology of primary aldosteronism syndrome since Conn's description of the clinical presentation of a patient with an aldosterone‐producing adenoma (APA) more than 50 years ago. It is now recognized that the APA is just one of the seven subtypes of primary aldosteronism. APA and bilateral idiopathic hyperaldosteronism (IHA) are the most common subtypes of primary aldosteronism. Although most clinicians had thought primary aldosteronism to be a rare form of hypertension for more than three decades, it is now recognized to be the most common form of secondary hypertension. Using the plasma aldosterone to plasma renin activity ratio as a case‐finding test, followed by aldosterone suppression confirmatory testing, has resulted in much higher prevalence estimates of 5–13% of all patients with hypertension. In addition, there has been a new recognition of the aldosterone‐specific cardiovascular morbidity and mortality associated with aldosterone excess. Although thought to be daunting and complex in the past, the diagnostic approach to primary aldosteronism is straightforward and can be considered in three phases: case‐finding tests, confirmatory tests and subtype evaluation tests. Patients with hypertension and hypokalaemia (regardless of presumed cause), treatment‐resistant hypertension (three antihypertensive drugs and poor control), severe hypertension (≥ 160 mmHg systolic or ≥ 100 mmHg diastolic), hypertension and an incidental adrenal mass, onset of hypertension at a young age or patients being evaluated for other forms of secondary hypertension should undergo screening for primary aldosteronism. In patients with suspected primary aldosteronism, screening can be accomplished by measuring a morning (preferably between 0800 and 1000 h) ambulatory paired random plasma aldosterone concentration (PAC) and plasma renin activity (PRA). An increased PAC:PRA ratio is not diagnostic by itself, and primary aldosteronism must be confirmed by demonstrating inappropriate aldosterone secretion. Aldosterone suppression testing can be performed with orally administered sodium chloride and measurement of urinary aldosterone or with intravenous sodium chloride loading and measurement of PAC. Unilateral adrenalectomy in patients with APA or unilateral adrenal hyperplasia results in normalization of hypokalaemia in all these patients; hypertension is improved in all and is cured in approximately 30–60% of them. In bilateral adrenal forms of primary aldosteronism, unilateral or bilateral adrenalectomy seldom corrects the hypertension and they should be treated medically with a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist.
A memory efficient architecture of deblocking filter in H.264/AVC using hybrid processing order

In this paper, we propose a memory and performance optimized architecture to accelerate the operation speed of adaptive deblocking filter (DF) for H.264/JVT/AVC video coding. With the proposed processing order, we can reduce not only the number of internal buffer but also the size of the internal SRAM. Two 4×4 internal buffer with MUXs and a 32×16 internal SRAM are needed for the buffering operation of DF with I/O bandwidth of 32 bit. The filtering cycles of the proposed DF are 192 clocks in loading/storing and filtering operations. Proposed architecture can be processed in real-time for 1080HD (1920×1088@30fps) at a 70MHz clock frequency.
Recombination in recA cells between direct repeats of insertion element IS1

The IS1 sequences that flank the Tn9 chloramphenicol acetyltransferase gene as direct repeats recombine after transformation into an Escherichia coli recA strain. The recombination requires the lambda pL promoter on the plasmid. A plasmid that contains mutant IS1 elements does not recombine. These results indicate that this recombination requires an IS1-specific gene product. The recombinational activity of IS1 may resolve transient cointegrates formed during the transposition of IS1. I discuss a possible role for the lambda pL promoter.
The infectious complications of interventional radiology based procedures in gastroenterology and hepatology.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Many interventional radiology (IR) procedures are used to manage gastroenterological and hepatobiliary diseases. One of the most common complications of any IR procedure is infection. METHODS Literature published in English from January 1960 to August 2010 pertaining to the infectious complications of IR in gastroenterology and hepatology patients was examined by electronic search (Medline and the National Library of Medicine, Embase and the Cochrane Library). RESULTS Percutaneous transhepatic cholangiogram (PTC) and biliary drainage, trans-arterial chemoembolization (TACE), transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunting (TIPS), imaged guided drainage of an intra-abdominal abscess and radiologically inserted gastrostomy (RIG) are the most common IR procedures performed for gastroenterology and hepatology patients. Procedures such as PTC have a high rate of infection. Infectious complications of TACE and TIPS are uncommon but when they occur, they can be devastating. RIG procedures are also rarely complicated by infection and such infections are generally mild. Use of prophylactic antibiotics is recommended for most of the above procedures. CONCLUSION The increased availability of IR based gastrointestinal and hepatobiliary techniques means that their related infectious complications will inevitably become more common. It is vital that clinicians be aware of the aetiology, timing and treatment of any potential infections in the peri-procedure period.