Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neural oscillation, network, eloquent cortex and epileptogenic zone revealed by magnetoencephalography and awake craniotomy

Background: Magnetoencephalography (MEG) is a method of functional neuroimaging. The concomitant use of MEG and electrocorticography has been found to be useful in elucidating neural oscillation and network, and to localize epileptogenic zone and functional cortex. We describe our early experience using MEG in neurosurgical patients, emphasizing on its impact on patient management as well as the enrichment of our knowledge in neurosciences. Materials and Methods: A total of 10 subjects were included; five patients had intraaxial tumors, one with an extraaxial tumor and brain compression, two with arteriovenous malformations, one with cerebral peduncle hemorrhage and one with sensorimotor cortical dysplasia. All patients underwent evoked and spontaneous MEG recordings. MEG data was processed at band-pass filtering frequency of between 0.1 and 300 Hz with a sampling rate of 1 kHz. MEG source localization was performed using either overdetermined equivalent current dipoles or underdetermined inversed solution. Neuromag collection of events software was used to study brain network and epileptogenic zone. The studied data were analyzed for neural oscillation in three patients; brain network and clinical manifestation in five patients; and for the location of epileptogenic zone and eloquent cortex in two patients. Results: We elucidated neural oscillation in three patients. One demonstrated oscillatory phenomenon on stimulation of the motor-cortex during awake surgery, and two had improvement in neural oscillatory parameters after surgery. Brain networks corresponding to clinico-anatomical relationships were depicted in five patients, and two networks were illustrated here. Finally, we demonstrated epilepsy cases in which MEG data was found to be useful in localizing the epileptogenic zones and functional cortices. Conclusion: The application of MEG while enhancing our knowledge in neurosciences also has a useful role in epilepsy and awake surgery.
Mitochondrial DNA Instability and Peri-Implantation Lethality Associated with Targeted Disruption of Nuclear Respiratory Factor 1 in Mice

ABSTRACT In vitro studies have implicated nuclear respiratory factor 1 (NRF-1) in the transcriptional expression of nuclear genes required for mitochondrial respiratory function, as well as for other fundamental cellular activities. We investigated here the in vivo function of NRF-1 in mammals by disrupting the gene in mice. A portion of the NRF-1 gene that encodes the nuclear localization signal and the DNA-binding and dimerization domains was replaced through homologous recombination by a β-galactosidase–neomycin cassette. In the mutant allele, β-galactosidase expression is under the control of the NRF-1 promoter. Embryos homozygous for NRF-1 disruption die between embryonic days 3.5 and 6.5. β-Galactosidase staining was observed in growing oocytes and in 2.5- and 3.5-day-old embryos, demonstrating that the NRF-1 gene is expressed during oogenesis and during early stages of embryogenesis. Moreover, the embryonic expression of NRF-1 did not result from maternal carryover. While most isolated wild-type and NRF-1+/− blastocysts can develop further in vitro, the NRF-1−/− blastocysts lack this ability despite their normal morphology. Interestingly, a fraction of the blastocysts from heterozygous matings had reduced staining intensity with rhodamine 123 and NRF-1−/− blastocysts had markedly reduced levels of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). The depletion of mtDNA did not coincide with nuclear DNA fragmentation, indicating that mtDNA loss was not associated with increased apoptosis. These results are consistent with a specific requirement for NRF-1 in the maintenance of mtDNA and respiratory chain function during early embryogenesis.
Enfermería de Salud Mental: El arte y la ciencia del cuidar.

Los profesionales de enfermeria estamos trabajando, desde hace decadas, en la construccion de conocimiento cientifico y evidencia empirica para poder afirmar con robustez que la enfermeria es una ciencia. Sin embargo, cuando a ello le unimos el arte, los cuidados de enfermeria pasan a ser de un nivel superior. Interviene no solo el conocimiento y el razonamiento critico sino tambien la sensibilidad, el respeto y la proximidad hacia el ser humano en los momentos en que necesita ayuda.Para estar bien preparado cientificamente es necesaria la formacion continuada y la investigacion. El concepto fundamental a desarrollar es el Long Life Learning-Formacion a lo Largo de toda la Vida. Y manteniendo presente que la investigacion es el instrumento fundamental para potenciar la parte cientifica del cuidar. En este sentido, todo profesional de enfermeria debe realizar investigacion, en su quehacer profesional, intentando realizar una atencion basada en cuidados efectivos, de calidad, que proporcionen el mayor grado de satisfaccion posible tanto a los beneficiarios como a quien los administra, y sin obviar que todo proceso de cuidados tambien tiene un coste que hay que gestionar. Pero es evidente que no todos los profesionales de enfermeria tienen el mismo nivel de formacion en investigacion. Y no todos han de desarrollar la competencia investigadora en el mismo grado de profundidad y amplitud. Sin embargo, la formacion y la investigacion por si solas no garantizan la calidad del cuidar. Es necesario anadir el ingrediente artistico del cuidar. Cuidar es un arte. Ayudar a las personas cuando ellas no pueden hacerlo por si solas es un arte. Y hay profesionales que tienen mas arte que otros.
Psychopathology risk transmission in children of parents with substance use disorders.

OBJECTIVE Children of fathers with substance use disorders are at increased risk for psychopathology, including conduct disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), major depressive disorder, and anxiety disorders. This study examined the distinct influences of parent substance use disorder and other psychopathology in the transmission of the risk for psychopathology to their children. METHOD The subjects were 1,167 children (ages 6-14 years; 62% were male, 38% were female) from 613 families recruited according to a high-risk paradigm. Of these families, 294 had fathers with a substance use disorder (high-risk group), and 319 had fathers without a substance use disorder or other mental disorder (low-risk group). In all families, father, mother, and children were directly assessed. Mixed-effects ordinal regression analyses controlled for the nested data structure. RESULTS For conduct disorder, ADHD, major depression, and anxiety disorders, the results indicated that the predominant predictor of specific mental disorders in offspring was a history of the corresponding disorders in both parents. CONCLUSIONS These results support specific parent-child transmission for childhood psychopathology.
Effects of premium discount on workers' compensation claims in agriculture in Finland.

BACKGROUND The objective of this study was to measure changes in injury claim rates after a premium discount program was implemented in the Finnish farmers' workers' compensation insurance. We focused on measures that could indicate whether the changes occurred in the true underlying injury rate, or only in claims reporting. METHODS Monthly injury claim rates were constructed at seven disability duration levels from January 1990 to December 2003. We conducted interrupted time series analyses to measure changes in the injury claim rates after the premium discount was implemented on July 1, 1997. Three additional policy change indicators were included in the analyses. RESULTS The overall injury claim rate decreased 10.2%. Decreases occurred at four severity levels (measured by compensated disability days): 0 days (16.3%), 1-6 days (14.1%), 7-13 days (19.5%), and 14-29 days (8.4%). No changes were observed at higher severity levels. Minor injuries had a seasonal pattern with higher rates in summer months while severe injuries did not have a seasonal pattern. CONCLUSIONS The premium discount decreased the overall claim rate. Decreases were observed in all categories up to 29 disability days. This pattern suggests that under-reporting contributes to the decrease but may not be the only factor. The value of the premium discount is lower than the value of a lost-time claim, so there was no financial reason to under-report lost-time injuries. Under-reporting would be expected to be greatest in the 0 day category, but that was not the case. These observations suggest that in addition to under-reporting, the premium discount may also have some preventive effect.
Antiproliferative and Apoptotic Effects of Novel Anti-ROR1 Single-Chain Antibodies in Hematological Malignancies

Receptor tyrosine kinase–like orphan receptor (ROR) proteins are a conserved family of tyrosine kinase receptors that function in developmental processes including cell survival, differentiation, cell migration, cell communication, cell polarity, proliferation, metabolism, and angiogenesis. ROR1 has recently been shown to be expressed in various types of cancer cells but not normal cells. Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of single-chain Fragment variable (scFv) antibodies provide potential therapeutic advantages over whole antibody molecules. In the present study, scFvs against a specific peptide from the extracellular domain of ROR1 were selected using phage display technology. The selected scFvs were further characterized using polyclonal and monoclonal phage enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), soluble monoclonal ELISA, colony PCR, and sequencing. Antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of selected scFv antibodies were also evaluated in lymphoma and myeloma cancer cell lines using MTT and annexin V/PI assays. The results of ELISA indicated specific reactions of the isolated scFvs against the ROR1 peptide. Colony PCR confirmed the presence of full-length VH and Vκ inserts. The percentages of cell growth after 24 h of treatment of cells with individual scFv revealed that the scFv significantly inhibited the growth of the RPMI8226 and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) cells in comparison with the untreated cells (p < 0.05). Interestingly, 24-h treatment with specific scFv induced apoptosis cell death in the RPMI8226 and CLL cells. Taken together, our results demonstrate that targeting of ROR1 using peptide-specific scFv can be an effective immunotherapy strategy in hematological malignancies.
Eradication of HIV by Transplantation of CCR5-Deficient Hematopoietic Stem Cells

Today, 30 years after the onset of the HIV pandemic, although treatment strategies have considerably improved, there is still no cure for the disease. Recently, we described a successful hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in an HIV-1–infected patient, transferring donor-derived cells with a natural resistance against HIV infection. These hematopoietic stem cells engrafted, proliferated, and differentiated into mature myeloid and lymphoid cells. To date, the patient has not required any antiretroviral treatment, more than 4 years after allogeneic transplantation. In the analysis of peripheral blood cells and different tissue samples, including gut, liver, and brain, no viral load or proviral DNA could be detected. Our report raises the hope for further targeted treatment strategies against HIV and represents a successful personalized treatment with allogeneic stem cells carrying a beneficial gene. However, this case has ignited a controversy regarding the question of whether this patient has achieved complete eradication of HIV or not. Here we give an update on open questions, unsolved aspects, and clinical consequences concerning this unique case.
Plane-strain Bulge Test for Thin Films

The plane-strain bulge test is a powerful new technique for measuring the mechanical properties of thin films. In this technique, the stress-strain curve of a thin film is determined from the pressure-deflection behavior of a long rectangular membrane made of the film of interest. For a thin membrane in a state of plane strain, film stress and stain are distributed uniformly across the membrane width, and simple analytical formulae for stress and strain can be established. This makes the plane-strain bulge test ideal for studying the mechanical behavior of thin films in both the elastic and plastic regimes. Finite element analysis confirms that the plane-strain condition holds for rectangular membranes with aspect ratios greater than 4 and that the simple formulae are highly accurate for materials with strain-hardening exponents ranging from 0 to 0.5. The residual stress in the film mainly affects the elastic deflection of the membrane and changes the initial point of yield in the plane-strain stress-strain curve, but has little or no effect on further plastic deformation. The effect of the residual stress can be eliminated by converting the plane-strain curve into the equivalent uniaxial stress-strain relationship using effective stress and strain. As an example, the technique was applied to an electroplated Cu film. Si micromachining was used to fabricate freestanding Cu membranes. Typical experimental results for the Cu film are presented. The data analysis is in good agreement with finite element calculations.
Chemical Genetics of Zipper-interacting Protein Kinase Reveal Myosin Light Chain as a Bona Fide Substrate in Permeabilized Arterial Smooth Muscle*

Zipper-interacting protein kinase (ZIPK) has been implicated in Ca2+-independent smooth muscle contraction, although its specific role is unknown. The addition of ZIPK to demembranated rat caudal arterial strips induced an increase in force, which correlated with increases in LC20 and MYPT1 phosphorylation. However, because of the number of kinases capable of phosphorylating LC20 and MYPT1, it has proven difficult to identify the mechanism underlying ZIPK action. Therefore, we set out to identify bona fide ZIPK substrates using a chemical genetics method that takes advantage of ATP analogs with bulky substituents at the N6 position and an engineered ZIPK capable of utilizing such substrates. 32P-Labeled 6-phenyl-ATP and ZIPK-L93G mutant protein were added to permeabilized rat caudal arterial strips, and substrate proteins were detected by autoradiography following SDS-PAGE. Mass spectrometry identified LC20 as a direct target of ZIPK in situ for the first time. Tissues were also exposed to 6-phenyl-ATP and ZIPK-L93G in the absence of endogenous ATP, and putative ZIPK substrates were identified by Western blotting. LC20 was thereby confirmed as a direct target of ZIPK; however, no phosphorylation of MYPT1 was detected. We conclude that ZIPK is involved in the regulation of smooth muscle contraction through direct phosphorylation of LC20.
Linking Image Segmentation to 3D Mesh Generation Based on Medical Images

Medical image segmentation and 3D mesh generation are the two critical challenges for numerical analysis based on medical images. Seamlessly linking different segmented results to appropriate mesh generation algorithms should be greatly beneficial for automatic and rapid finite element modeling from medical images. We present the interface representation models between segmentation and mesh generation algorithms and briefly discuss the input requirements of several well-established meshing algorithms.
Pulmonary alveolar proteinosis: four cases.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to present the evolution of four patients presenting pulmonary alveolar proteinosis and treated at the State University of Londrina School of Medicine. We focus on the importance of whole-lung lavage as the treatment of choice. METHODS A retrospective study of four patients, three females and one male, 22 to 34 years old, presenting similar histories of progressive dyspnea and dry cough. The final diagnosis was established through open-lung biopsy. Three of the patients underwent whole-lung lavage in the Department of Surgery. The procedures were performed under general anesthesia and using a double-lumen endotracheal tube. RESULTS One patient presented spontaneous regression of the pulmonary alveolar proteinosis without the need for whole-lung lavage. In the other three cases, the number of lavages varied: in one patient, a single unilateral lavage resulted in complete remission of the bilateral process; in another patient, three lavages yielded no significant improvement; in the remaining patient, four lavages provided intervening periods of transient improvement. CONCLUSION In the cases evaluated, whole-lung lavage proved an efficient treatment for pulmonary alveolar proteinosis. Although some patients presented a certain resistance to the procedure, it might lead to complete remission of the disease in others.
Identification of polymorphisms in cancer patients that differentially affect survival with age

The World Health Organization predicts that the proportion of the world's population over 60 will almost double from 12% to 22% between 2015 and 2050. Ageing is the biggest risk factor for cancer, which is a leading cause of deaths worldwide. Unfortunately, research describing how genetic variants affect cancer progression commonly neglects to account for the ageing process. Herein is the first systematic analysis that combines a large longitudinal data set with a targeted candidate gene approach to examine the effect of genetic variation on survival as a function of age in cancer patients. Survival was significantly decreased in individuals with heterozygote or rare homozygote (i.e. variant) genotypes compared to those with a common homozygote genotype (i.e. wild type) for two single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs11574358 and rs4147918), one gene (SIRT3) and one pathway (FoxO signalling) in an age-dependent manner. All identified genes and pathways have previously been associated with ageing and cancer. These observations demonstrate that there are ageing-related genetic elements that differentially affect mortality in cancer patients in an age-dependent manner. Understanding the genetic determinants affecting prognosis differently with age will be invaluable to develop age-specific prognostic biomarkers and personalized therapies that may improve clinical outcomes for older individuals.
“Modified Alvarado Scoring System” In Diagnosis Of “Acute Appendicitis” In Adult

Introduction: The most common cause of surgical emergencies in the world is Acute Appendicitis. Appendicitis when progressing to perforation, has a higher mortality and morbidity, hence appendicitis has to be operated if the diagnosis is probable but not to wait still it is certain. Acute appendicitis is diagnosed by thorough clinical examination. Modified Alvarado scoring system was designed so that to reduce negative Appendicectomy rate hence to reduce the morbidity and mortality. Aim Of The Study : To evaluate sensitivity and efficiency of “Modified Alvarado Scoring System” in diagnosis of “Acute Appendicitis” in Adults. Methodology: A prospective study of 100 patients, with a clinical diagnosis of Acute Appendicitis admitted in the Department of General Surgery of Tirunelveli Medical College, was conducted during a period from December 2012 To August 2013. Conclusion: From present study it can be concluded that high scores of 7-9 in Modified Alvarado score is dependable aid in early diagnosis of acute appendicitis in men but it is not the same far as women are concerned due to other conditions mimicking appendicitis like ureteric colic, mesenteric adenitis, ruptured ectopic pregnancy, pelvic inflammatory disease, etc.
Evaluation of hafnium nitride and zirconium nitride as Hot Carrier absorber

The Hot Carrier (HC) solar cell aims to tackle a major loss in conventional solar cells by collecting the hot carriers before they thermalise. The calculated efficiency of the HC solar cell is very close to the limiting efficiency for an infinite tandem cell. The HC solar cell requires an absorber with a low electronic band gap so that it can absorb a large fraction of the solar spectrum. Importantly the absorber must sufficiently slow down the rate of carrier cooling so that adequate time is available to collect the hot carriers. In this work the main mechanisms of carrier cooling and possible approaches to restrict these mechanisms will be discussed. Hafnium nitride and zirconium nitride are presented as potential absorber materials for HC solar cells. Besides a large “phononic band gap” suitable to block the main carrier cooling mechanism, these materials have reasonable abundance to allow large scale implementation. Recent work on the fabrication of these materials at UNSW will also be presented.
Osseous coagulum collected in bone traps: potential for bacterial contamination and methods for decontamination.

Because of its excellent osteogenic potential, autogenous bone is the preferred grafting material for dental procedures; however, bone collected in osseous coagulum traps is subject to contamination by oral bacteria. This study assessed bacterial contamination of osseous coagulum and tested treatments for reducing contamination. Fifty bone samples from patients undergoing implant osteotomy procedures were collected in osseous coagulum traps, divided into groups of 10, and rinsed with normal saline, 0.12% chlorhexidine, or 50 mg/mL tetracycline. Twenty control samples received no treatment. The bone samples were plated in triplicate on selective and differential media to assay aerobic and anaerobic bacteria and potential bacterial pathogens, including staphylococci, streptococci, enterics, and black-pigmented bacteria (BPB). Inoculations were performed with an Autoplate 4000, and plates were incubated at 37 degrees C either aerobically or in a Coy anaerobic chamber. Bacteria were isolated from all samples. In control samples, the mean colony-forming units (cfu) per milliliter of suspended osseous coagulum was 6.5 x 10(4) +/- 9.6 x 10(4) in aerobic cultures and 4.8 x 10(4) +/- 6.9 x 10(4) in anaerobic cultures. Viridans streptococci were isolated from 46 samples, with a mean of 2.9 x 10(4) +/- 4.1 x 10(4) cfu/mL. Enterics were in 16 samples with cfu ranging from 200 cfu/mL to 3.4 x 10(4) cfu/mL. Mannitol nonfermenting staphylococci were found in one sample at 106 cfu/mL. BPB were not isolated. A Mann-Whitney U test with significance set at P = . 05 determined that the only statistically significant reductions in bacterial numbers occurred in tetracycline-treated samples of anaerobic bacteria (5-fold decrease, P = .02) and aerobic bacteria (6-fold decrease, P = .01). Tetracycline treatments effected a 7-fold decrease in streptococci, but the difference was not significant (P = .07). These data indicate significant bacterial contamination of bone collected in osseous coagulum traps and justify further research into methods for eliminating that contamination.
Building Blocks for Plant Gene Assembly1[W][OA]

The MultiSite Gateway cloning system, based on site-specific recombination, enables the assembly of multiple DNA fragments in predefined order, orientation, and frame register. To streamline the construction of recombinant genes for functional analysis in plants, we have built a collection of 36 reference Gateway entry clones carrying promoters, terminators, and reporter genes, as well as elements of the LhG4/LhGR two-component system. This collection obeys simple engineering rules. The genetic elements (parts) are designed in a standard format. They are interchangeable, fully documented, and can be combined at will according to the desired output. We also took advantage of the MultiSite Gateway recombination sites to create vectors in which two or three genes can be cloned simultaneously in separate expression cassettes. To illustrate the flexibility of these core resources for the construction of a wide variety of plant transformation vectors, we generated various transgenes encoding fluorescent proteins and tested their activity in plant cells. The structure and sequence of all described plasmids are accessible online at http://www.psb. ugent.be/gateway/. All accessions can be requested via the same Web site.