Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Programmatic Changes to Reduce Mortality and Morbidity in Humanitarian Congenital Cardiac Surgery

Background: This report documents the outcomes of cardiac surgical mission trips organized by the International Children's Heart Foundation (ICHF), a nongovernmental organization that provides congenital heart surgery services to the developing world, and discusses factors associated with a reduction of mortality and morbidity in this setting. Methods: A retrospective review of a prospectively maintained database was conducted to identify any patient who underwent surgical intervention during the course of an ICHF mission trip. Results: From 2008 to 2016, a total of 223 trips were made to 23 countries and 3,783 operations were performed. Over 40 unique types of operations were performed with repairs of atrial septal defects (ASDs; n = 479), ventricular septal defects (VSDs; n = 760), teratology of Fallot (n = 473), and ligation of patient ductus arteriosus (PDA; n = 242), comprising the majority of cases. Several organizational policy changes were instituted in 2015. These include the requirement of the host site to have a fully functional blood bank and access to medical subspecialties, the ICHF providing 24-hour intensivist coverage, and not performing surgery on patients weighing less than 10 kg until local capacity has been developed. The overall mortality rate fell to 2.3% from 8.1% after the implementation of these policies. The mortality for ASD repair, VSD repair, PDA ligation, and the repair of tetralogy of Fallot fell from 1.2% to 0%, 1.8% to 0%, 0% to 0%, and 5.6% to 5.1%, respectively. The reoperation rate fell from 11% to 3% and reoperation for a bleeding indication fell from 6% to 2%. Conclusions: Programmatic-level changes have been associated with reduced rates of mortality and morbidity in humanitarian congenital cardiac surgery.
Overlap syndromes with autoimmune hepatitis in chronic cholestatic liver diseases

Conditions exhibiting features of two different autoimmune liver diseases are commonly designated overlap syndromes, although there is no current agreement on what constitutes an overlap syndrome or specific diagnostic criteria. As in the classic autoimmune liver diseases, such as autoimmune hepatitis (AIH), primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), the etiology is unknown but presumed to be related to alterations of immune regulation. Distinction of these clinical entities is important for management as outcomes may differ from outcomes of patients with diagnosis of classic autoimmune liver diseases. Due to their presumed rarity, no large therapeutic trials are available and treatment of overlap conditions is empirical and based upon extrapolation of data from the primary autoimmune liver diseases. PBC–AIH overlap is the most frequently described overlap syndrome and may be associated with a poor prognosis. This may represent an important and unrecognized cause of resistance to ursodeoxycholic acid in patients with PBC. PSC–AIH overlap is less commonly reported. Prognosis may be better than in patients with PSC alone; however, worse than in patients with AIH alone. Further studies are needed for determining diagnosis, natural history and optimal therapeutic strategies of overlap syndromes of autoimmune liver disease.
Effects of Rice Straw Particle Size on Chewing Activity, Feed Intake, Rumen Fermentation and Digestion in Goats

Effects of particle size and physical effective fibre (peNDF) of rice straw in diets on chewing activities, feed intake, flow, site and extent of digestion and rumen fermentation in goats were investigated. A 4x4 Latin square design was employed using 4 mature Liuyang black goats fitted with permanent ruminal, duodenal, and terminal ileal fistulae. During each of the 4 periods, goats were offered 1 of 4 diets that were similar in nutritional content but varied in particle sizes and peNDF through alteration of the theoretical cut length of rice straw (10, 20, 40, and 80 mm, respectively). Dietary peNDF contents were determined using a sieve for particle separation above 8 mm, and were 17.4, 20.9. 22.5 and 25.4%, respectively. Results showed that increasing the particle size and peNDF significantly (p<0.05) increased the time spent on rumination and chewing activities, duodenal starch digestibility and ruminal pH, and decreased ruminal starch digestibility and NH 3 -N concentration. Intake and total tract digestibility of nutrients (i.e. dry matter, organic matter, and starch) and ruminal fermentation were not affected by the dietary particle size and peNDF. Increased particle size and peNDF did not affect ruminal fibre digestibility, but had a great impact on the intestinal and total tract fibre digestibility. The study suggested that rice straw particle size or dietary peNDF was the important influential factor for chewing activity, intestinal fibre and starch digestibility, and ruminal pH, but had minimal impact on feed intake, duodenal and ileal flow, ruminal and total tract digestibility, and ruminal fermentation.
Effect of antenna height on propagation characteristics under indoor stair environment

Novel path loss and delay spread models with antenna height dependency under indoor stair environment are proposed. According to the persons' posture and location of the mobile device, the antenna height is categorized as three levels: low, medium and high. The path loss is modeled by using minimum mean square error (MMSE) method; meanwhile, both of mean excess delay and RMS delay spread are modeled by maximum likelihood estimation (MLE). The proposed models reveal that higher antenna height corresponds to smaller path loss and delay spread. The accuracy and commonality of these models are guaranteed by the intensive experimental data of stairs with the similar structure.
Passive detection of polarization and relative phases for L-band microwaves

We propose a method of measuring the L-band microwave. An in-plane magnetized permalloy thin strip is selected as a passive sensor in an external magnetic field. By analyzing the sensor's L-band microwave-induced direct current response in field-swept mode, the polarization of microwave magnetic component and the relative phase can be obtained simultaneously in terms of magnetization dynamics, demagnetization effect and magnetic anisotropy.
TRIM38 Negatively Regulates TLR3/4-Mediated Innate Immune and Inflammatory Responses by Two Sequential and Distinct Mechanisms

Tripartite motif (TRIM)38 is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that was reported to regulate signaling in innate immune and inflammatory responses in certain cell lines. In this study, we show that Trim38 deficiency markedly increased TLR3- and TLR4-mediated induction of type I IFNs and proinflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6, in immune cells and in vivo. Trim38 deficiency also caused the mice to be more susceptible to death triggered by polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid, LPS, and Salmonella typhimurium. Mechanistically, TRIM38 catalyzed K48-linked polyubiquitination of the TLR3/4 adapter protein TIR domain–containing adapter-inducing IFN-β at K228 and promoted its proteasomal degradation in immune cells. Moreover, Trim38 was highly induced by type I IFNs, which then negatively regulated TNF-α/IL-1β signaling in IFN-β–primed immune cells, but not unprimed immune cells, by mediating degradation of Tab2 in a lysosomal-dependent process. These results suggest that Trim38 negatively regulates TLR3/4-mediated innate immune and inflammatory responses by two sequential and distinct mechanisms. This study increases our understanding of how the innate immune response is initiated during the early phase of infection to defend against microbial invasion and is efficiently terminated during the late phase to prevent excessive and harmful inflammatory responses.
Parents of patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder

Synopsis Family histories obtained from 27 patients with obsessive-compulsive disorder failed to find a single parent with the disorder. To augment the family history data the Leyton Obsessional Inventory was completed by a subset of 10 patients and by their 20 parents. Although as a group parents showed lower Leyton Obsessional Inventory symptom scores than their obsessional offspring, 3 parents who had not been identified by family history were distinguished by high symptom scores in the absence of significant resistance or interference.
Attempts to restore abduction of the paralyzed equine arytenoid cartilage. II. Nerve implantation (pilot study).

The purpose of this project was to attempt restoration of abduction of a recently experimentally denervated left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle by implanting a transected nerve-end into the paralyzed muscle. In six ponies the cut end of the second cervical nerve was implanted into a slit made in the left dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle. The nerve end was secured in place with one 5-0 polypropylene suture connecting the epineurium to the epimysium. The left recurrent laryngeal nerve was transected during this procedure. All six ponies showed signs of complete left laryngeal hemiplegia immediately after surgery. Postoperatively all ponies were evaluated qualitatively on a monthly basis by subjective examination for evidence of abduction of the arytenoid cartilages on endoscopy and quantitatively by measurement of the cross sectional area of the left and right half of the rima glottidis. Subjective endoscopic evidence of partial abduction was seen in four of the six ponies six months postoperatively. Measurement of the cross sectional area of the rima glottidis revealed a total loss of 38% of the area immediately postoperatively. There were no significant changes in cross sectional areas of the rima glottidis between the immediate postoperative evaluation to the six months postoperative evaluation. Gross postmortem examination revealed partial dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle atrophy as evidenced by a 24-55% decrease in muscle mass compared to the right dorsal cricoarytenoid muscle. Histopathological studies revealed regions with clusters of large muscle fibers. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
The Translational Significance of the Neurovascular Unit*

The mammalian brain is supplied with blood by specialized vasculature that is structurally and functionally distinct from that of the periphery. A defining feature of this vasculature is a physical blood-brain barrier (BBB). The BBB separates blood components from the brain microenvironment, regulating the entry and exit of ions, nutrients, macromolecules, and energy metabolites. Over the last two decades, physiological studies of cerebral blood flow dynamics have demonstrated that substantial intercellular communication occurs between cells of the vasculature and the neurons and glia that abut the vasculature. These findings suggest that the BBB does not function independently, but as a module within the greater context of a multicellular neurovascular unit (NVU) that includes neurons, astrocytes, pericytes, and microglia as well as the blood vessels themselves. Here, we describe the roles of these NVU components as well as how they act in concert to modify cerebrovascular function and permeability in health and in select diseases.
Investigation of the efficiency of intrastromal ring segments with cross-linking using different sequence and timing for keratoconus.

AIM To evaluate and compare the efficacy and stability of intrastromal corneal ring segment (ICRs) implantation with cross-linking (CXL) using different sequence and timing. METHODS In this single retrospective study, 86 keratoconic eyes subjected the ICRs implantation. We analyzed only 41 eyes that had complete follow-ups. They were divided into three groups: ICRs implantation was applied only (group normal), ICRs first followed by CXL immediately (group CXL-S), CXL first followed by ICRs long after (group CXL-B). The visual acuity, refractive results, keratometry were compared preoperatively and 1y postoperatively. Their differences among the three groups were also analyzed. RESULTS Group normal comprised 25 eyes, group CXL-S 8 eyes, and group CXL-B 8 eyes. There were improvements in the mean uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and the mean corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) compared preoperatively and 1y postoperatively {UDVA: 0.31 (P=0.030) logarithmic minimum angle of resolution [logMAR] group normal, 0.4 (P=0.020) group CXL-S, 0.45 (P=0.001) group CXL-B; CDVA: 0.21 logMAR (P=0.013) group normal, 0.30 (P=0.036) group CXL-S; 0.26 (P=0.000) group CXL-B}. The refractive and topographic outcomes also showed improvements. In terms of comparisons among the three groups, all the P values were above 0.05, showing no significant difference. But only group CXL-B had improvement in UDVA and CDVA for all the patients. CONCLUSION With safety and good visual outcomes, ICRs implantation is a viable alternative for keratoconus. No significant difference was found among these three groups.
Las concepciones sobre la competencia deportiva y los objetivos de logro

El objetivo de esta investigacion fue examinar las relaciones entre las concepciones acerca de la naturaleza de la competencia deportiva y los objetivos de logro en dos muestras de individuos con diferentes relaciones con el deporte. En el primer estudio participaron 498 atletas federados de ambos sexos (396 varones y 102 mujeres), con edades entre los 12 y los 33 anos. En lo segundo estudio participaron 576 estudiantes (309 varones y 268 mujeres), con edades entre los 12 y los 17 anos, que practicaban deporte pero no de modo competitivo. Las concepciones sobre la naturaleza de la competencia deportiva fueran evaluadas por el Conception of the Nature of Athletic Ability Questionnaire (CNAAQ, Sarrazin et al., 1995) y los objetivos de logro fueran evaluados por el Task and Ego in Sport Questionnaire (TEOSQ, Duda , Nicholls, 1989). La relacion entre las seis dimensiones del CNAAQ (es decir, talento natural, mejorable, estable, especifica, aprendizaje, y general) y las dos dimensiones del TEOSQ (tarea y ego) se investigo usando el analisis de la correlacion canonica que identifico en los dos estudios las dos mismas correlaciones canonicas estadisticamente significativas. La primera funcion canonica revelo que los atletas que creian mas en que la habilidad deportiva es una consecuencia del aprendizage, mejorable, y especifico tendian a ser mas orientados a la tarea. La segunda funcion canonica mostro que los atletas que creian mas en que la habilidad deportiva es un talento natural, estable, y general tendian a ser mas orientados al ego. Las implicaciones motivacionales y comportamentales de las dos funciones parecen ser completamente distintas. Mientras la primera parece constituirse como adaptativa a una practica deportiva regular y sistematica la segunda parece implicar exactamente lo opuesto.
Analysis of central mechanism of cognitive training on cognitive impairment after stroke: Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging study

Objective To investigate the central mechanism of cognitive training in patients with stroke, using resting state (RS) functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Methods Patients with stroke and executive function and memory deficit were randomized to receive computer-assisted cognitive training (treatment group; total 60 h training over 10 weeks) or no training (control group). All participants received neuropsychological assessment and RS fMRI at baseline and 10 weeks. Results Patients in the treatment group (n = 16) showed increased functional connectivity (FC) of the hippocampus with the frontal lobe (right inferior, right middle, left middle, left inferior and left superior frontal gyrus) and left parietal lobe at 10 weeks compared with baseline. Patients in the control group (n = 18) showed decreased FC of the left hippocampus–right occipital gyrus, and right hippocampus–right posterior lobe of cerebellum and left superior temporal gyrus. Significant correlations were found between improved neuropsychological scores and increased FC of the hippocampus with the frontal lobe and left parietal lobe in the treatment group only. Conclusions Increased RS FC of the hippocampus with the frontal and parietal lobes may be an important mechanism of cognitive recovery after stroke.
Discriminative value of biochemical markers of bone turnover in assessing the activity of Paget's disease

Clinical biochemical markers of bone turnover are usually increased in Paget's disease. However, the analysis of “new” markers, such as serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BAP), carboxy‐terminal propeptide of type I procollagen (PICP), tartrate‐resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), telopeptide carboxy‐terminal propeptide of type I collagen (ICTP), and urinary pyridinoline (PYR) and deoxipyridinoline (D‐PYR), may improve the diagnostic efficacy and the evaluation of Paget's disease compared with conventional markers, such as serum total alkaline phosphatase (TAP) and urinary hydroxyproline (HYP). To evaluate the diagnostic accuracy and the changes of biochemical markers of bone turnover according to Paget's disease activity, we measured the levels of all these markers in three groups of pagetic patients classified according to their serum TAP activity: G‐I, patients with serum TAP lower than 250 U/l (upper limit) (n = 15); G‐II, patients with serum TAP between 251 and 500 U/l (n = 18); and G‐HI, patients with serum TAP greater than 501 U/l (n = 26). Serum TAP and BAP showed the highest diagnostic accuracy among the markers of bone formation with a sensitivity of 78% and 84%, respectively, when the specificity was 100%. Urinary PYR was the most sensitive marker of bone resorption. Also, urinary PYR showed the highest proportion of increased values in pagetic patients (73%) compared with urinary HYP (64%), urinary D‐PYR (60%), serum ICTP (41%), or serum TRAP (39%). In pagetic patients with normal serum TAP activity (G‐I), serum BAP concentration was increased in 60% of patients, and urinary PYR was increased in 40% of patients. However, when serum TAP was greater than 500 U/l (G‐III), almost all markers of bone formation and resorption were increased. These results suggest that when Paget's disease activity is high, most biochemical markers of bone turnover are increased. However, when the disease activity is low, serum BAP and urinary PYR improve the detection of such disease. Moreover, the determination of serum TAP activity and, to a similar extent, serum BAP concentration associated with the measurement of urinary PYR excretion provides the best biochemical approach for assessing Paget's disease activity.
Identification of a Cardiac Sodium Channel Insensitive to Synthetic Modulators

Background: DPI 201-106 (DPI) was the first synthetic compound showing cardioselective modulation of voltage-gated sodium channels (VGSCs) resulting in a positive inotropic effect. Currently, the exact mode of action for this class of compounds is not known. Methods: Effects of different natural and synthetic sodium channel modulators were investigated in cardiac tissue of several species with conventional electrophysiologic methods. Results: In electrically driven cardiac tissues, all compounds investigated increased force of contraction (FC) and action potential duration (APD) with increasing concentrations except for DPI in cattle trabecular muscle, which demonstrated no effect. Interestingly, calculation of EC50 levels at 30% repolarization demonstrates that natural VGSC-ligands were highly potent in prolonging the APD in cattle whereas no positive trends could be obtained for DPI and SDZ 211-939 (SDZ) in cattle. Conclusions: These results demonstrate that the binding site for DPI and SDZ is distinct from sites 2 or 3 of the VGSC ox-subunit. Moreover, this is the first time that these compounds show no effect or even shortening of APD. This finding will enable the characterization of the mode of action and probably the binding site for synthetic VGSC-modulators.
Increased circulating myeloid-derived suppressor cells correlated negatively with Th17 cells in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives: Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) have recently been identified as an important mediator in inflammatory and autoimmune diseases through the production of arginase (Arg)-1 and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of MDSCs in the peripheral blood of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and evaluate their correlation with T-helper (Th)17 cells. Method: The frequency of MDSCs and Th17 cells and the mRNA expression of transcriptional factor RORγ-t and iNOS in the peripheral blood of RA patients and healthy controls (HC) were determined by flow cytometry and real-time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), respectively. Plasma levels of interleukin (IL)-17, IL-6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α, and Arg-1 were analysed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA). Results: Compared with HC, both the prevalence of circulating MDSCs and plasma Arg-1 increased significantly in RA patients. However, no significant difference was observed in the mRNA level of iNOS between RA patients and HC. The frequency of Th17 cells in RA patients was significantly higher than in HC but correlated negatively with the frequency of MDSCs and plasma Arg-1. A negative correlation between MDSCs and plasma TNF-α was also observed. However, the frequency of MDSCs was not correlated with plasma IL-6 and IL-17, nor with the mRNA level of RORγ-t. Conclusions: We found a negative correlation between increased circulating MDSCs and Th17 cells in RA patients, which may provide new insights into the mechanisms involved in RA.
A revision of Hypotrachyna subgenus Parmelinopsis (Parmeliaceae) in eastern North America

Abstract. A taxonomic revision of Hypotrachyna subgenus Parmelinopsis in eastern North America is presented based on molecular phylogenetic analyses of ITS and mtSSU data, extensive field observation and analyses of chemical and morphological data. Each species is described, illustrated with photographs, and the distribution in the region is mapped. An identification key is also presented. Eleven species are recognized: H. afrorevoluta, H. appalachensis, H. britannica, H. cryptochlora, H. horrescens, H. kauffmaniana, H. minarum, H. mcmulliniana, H. revoluta, H. showmanii and H. spumosa. Extensive discussion of prior studies is provided, particularly with respect to the delimitation of H. afrorevoluta and H. revoluta. Hypotrachyna kauffmaniana is described from the central and southern Appalachian Mountains and separated from H. afrorevoluta and H. revoluta by its ascending secondary lobes and pustulose soralia that are primarily confined to the secondary lobes. Hypotrachyna horrescens is shown to correspond to a taxon with narrow lobed, small thalli with ciliate isidia. Hypotrachyna mcmulliniana is described from material collected throughout southeastern North America that is chemically identical to H. horrescens but differs in having larger thalli and sparsely ciliate isidia. Hypotrachyna appalachensis is described to accommodate material previously referred to H. minarum but that differs in the production of 4,5-di-O-methylhiascic acid in high concentrations (vs. absent or present as a trace in H. minarum). Hypotrachyna britannica is reported for the first time from North America.