Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Transcranial Doppler Systolic Flow Index and ICP-Derived Cerebrovascular Reactivity Indices in Traumatic Brain Injury.

The purpose of our study was to explore relationships between transcranial Doppler (TCD) indices of cerebrovascular reactivity and those derived from intracranial pressure (ICP). Goals included: A) confirming previously described co-variance patterns of TCD/ICP indices, and B) describing thresholds for systolic flow index (Sx; correlation between systolic flow velocity [FVs] and cerebral perfusion pressure [CPP]) associated with outcome. In a retrospective cohort of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients: with TCD and ICP monitoring, we calculated various continuous indices of cerebrovascular reactivity: A) ICP (pressure reactivity index [PRx]: correlation between ICP and mean arterial pressure [MAP]; PAx: correlation between pulse amplitude of ICP [AMP] and MAP; RAC: correlation between AMP and CPP) and B) TCD (mean flow index [Mx]: correlation between mean flow velocity [FVm] and CPP; Mx_a: correlation between FVm and MAP; Sx: correlation between FVs and CPP; Sx_a: correlation between FVs and MAP; Dx: correlation between diastolic flow velocity [FVd] and CPP; Dx_a: correlation between FVd and MAP). We assessed the relationships via various statistical techniques, including: principal component analysis, agglomerative hierarchal clustering, and k-means cluster analysis (KMCA). We performed sequential χ2 testing to define thresholds associated with outcome for Sx/Sx_a. Outcome was assessed at 6 months via dichotomized Glasgow Outcome Score (GOS): A) Favorable (GOS 4 or 5) versus Unfavorable (GOS 3 or less), B) Alive versus Dead. We analyzed 410 recordings in 347 patients. All analyses confirmed our previously described co-variance of Sx/Sx_a with ICP-derived indices. Sx displayed thresholds of -0.15 for unfavorable outcome (p < 0.0001) and -0.20 for mortality (p < 0.0001). Sx_a displayed thresholds of +0.05 (p = 0.019) and -0.10 (p = 0.0001) for alive/dead and favorable/unfavorable outcomes. TCD systolic indices are most closely associated with ICP indices. Sx and Sx_a likely provide better approximation of ICP indices, compared with Mx/Mx_a/Dx/Dx_a. Sx provides superior outcome prediction, versus Mx, with defined thresholds.
Full-Breadth Analysis of CD8+ T-Cell Responses in Acute Hepatitis C Virus Infection and Early Therapy

ABSTRACT Multispecific CD8+ T-cell responses are thought to be important for the control of acute hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, but to date little information is actually available on the breadth of responses at early time points. Additionally, the influence of early therapy on these responses and their relationships to outcome are controversial. To investigate this issue, we performed comprehensive analysis of the breadth and frequencies of virus-specific CD8+ T-cell responses on the single epitope level in eight acutely infected individuals who were all started on early therapy. During the acute phase, responses against up to five peptides were identified. During therapy, CD8+ T-cell responses decreased rather than increased as virus was controlled, and no new specificities emerged. A sustained virological response following completion of treatment was independent of CD8+ T-cell responses, as well as CD4+ T-cell responses. Rapid recrudescence also occurred despite broad CD8+ T-cell responses. Importantly, in vivo suppression of CD3+ T cells using OKT3 in one subject did not result in recurrence of viremia. These data suggest that broad CD8+ T-cell responses alone may be insufficient to contain HCV replication, and also that early therapy is effective independent of such responses.
China's Economic Reforms: Chronology and Statistics

At the end of the twentieth century, the People's Republic of China faces stark trade policy choices. Market reforms implemented since 1978 have brought commercial strength and bright expectations for future prosperity. However, they have also brought China to the point where trading partners insist on commitments to liberal, internationally recognized trading principles. These calls come at a time when China is seeking to enter the World Trade Organization (WTO), is negotiating bilateral trade agreements with Europe, United States and its emerging neighbors, and is working out the terms of its participation in the ambitious Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
Vision rehabilitation for visual-vestibular dysfunction: the role of the neuro-optometrist.

INTRODUCTION This article discusses, in a clinically relevant format, the importance of including a neuro-optometrist as a member of the management team for patients with balance disorders. PURPOSE To review the importance of vision and visual processing for maintaining a sense of balance and equilibrium and the role of the neuro-optometrist in the overall rehabilitation of patients with balance disorders SUMMARY Dizziness, balance problems and the sensation that the space world is moving (vertigo) are one of the most commonly reported problems in general medical practice. Persons with a central nervous system injury or other idiopathic causes of visual processing problems or who have functional vision problems that are not adequately managed, often experience extreme difficulty with balance and movement, as well as with their perception of space. Consequently, the patient often experiences difficulty functioning in an environment with excessive visual stimulation such as a grocery store or shopping mall. Symptoms of disequilibrium, vestibular and balance problems are commonly a result of VOR disturbance secondary to an inner ear problem and an unstable binocularity. CONCLUSION The combination of neuro-optomertic rehabilitative therapy and balance therapy will result in a is an effective treatment for reducing or resolving these symptoms.
Relationships Matter: Social Networks Influencing Hispanic American Cadets' Decision to Participate in a University ROTC Program

Relationships Matter: Social Networks Influencing Hispanic American Cadets’ Decision to Participate in a University ROTC Program Marc E. Boberg Department of Educational Leadership and Foundations, BYU Doctor of Education The Armed Forces of the United States and specifically the U.S. Army seek to have a racial/ethnic mix of officers (leaders) who match the racial/ethnic mix of the soldiers they lead and the country they defend. Currently Hispanic Americans are under-represented in the officer corps especially at senior levels. Social network theory was used to facilitate understanding a potential officer candidate’s network of alters (people they interact with) and their relationships when they are seeking to make decisions related to enrolling in college and Army ROTC. When making the decision to enroll in Army ROTC, there is a complex social network of multiple alters who influence those decisions. This study identified those actors and defined the types of relational embeddedness (social relationships which demonstrate dyadic interaction, personal relationships and/or social capital) each role had in their relationship with the ego resulting in influencing their decisions to enroll in college and Army ROTC. This qualitative research engaged 31 Hispanic American cadets enrolled in Army ROTC at four universities and compared them to a representative group of non-Hispanic American cadets using UCINet and NVIVO software. The findings provide insight about the Hispanic American cadets’ social network of influence and the level of relational embeddedness which defined the relationships. The findings indicate the need for those who seek out the best candidates (recruiters) to educate the members of a candidate’s social network about the opportunities for future officers and the process to access college education and leader development training through programs like Army ROTC. Some alters have greater relational embeddedness and could provide greater positive influence on identifying the best candidates for officer accessions programs, but few members of the network have actual experience in ROTC, as officers, or in any capacity in the Armed Forces, making it difficult for them to provide informed guidance unless they are educated by people knowledgeable about the military. The greatest application of this research is that it will assist Professors of Military Science and others tasked to find and recruit Hispanic American cadets as future officers who beyond the actual candidate they should be engaging to influence the best quality and an increase in quality of officer candidates. The research is also potentially powerful for other organizations seeking to better understand decision making by young people and their social networks of influence which impact those decisions.
Sequencing Analysis of Mycoplasma gallisepticum Wild Strains in Vaccinated Chicken Breeder Flocks

Mycoplasma gallisepticum (MG) infection is still of continuing economic concern in commercial broiler breeder chicken flocks in Egypt. MG infection continues to emerge despite the application of vaccination programs in breeder flocks. This prompted flock surveillance including MG isolation and molecular characterization of the circulating MG strains. The present study was concerned with 15 broiler breeder flocks of different ages (5-51 weeks). Three flocks were apparently healthy and 12 flocks were diseased. The aim of the study was to characterize the MG strains recovered from tracheal swabs. Four positive MG DNA extracts identified by rt-PCR and confirmed by isolation were subjected to sequencing of the mgc2 gene and intergenic spacer region (IGSR). The current molecular study demonstrated the presence of 3 different wild-type MG strains (RabE1-08, RabE2-09 and RabE3-09) in vaccinated diseased flocks, while the fourth strain (RabE4-08), which was isolated from a nonvaccinated apparently healthy breeder flock, scored 100% of homology and similarity to the F-strain vaccine by the sequence analysis of mgc2 and IGSR. It can be assumed that the vaccine F strain, which is supposed to replace field strains not only failed to do that, but also infected nonvaccinated flocks. Accordingly, there is a need to revise the control program including vaccine strategy in parallel with biosecurity measures.
Reviewing Impacts of Foreign Direct Investments on the Macroeconomic Performance of Developing Countries

Throughout the past two decades, many countries around the world have experienced substantial growth in their economies, driven by inflow of the foreign capital especially in the form of foreign direct investment (FDI). The share of net FDI in world GDP has grown five-fold through recent years, making the impact and consequences of FDI on economic growth a subject of ever-growing interest. The paper contributes in this context, by analyzing the impacts of impact of foreign direct investment on economic growth, if any, in Sudan during the period (1982-2007), also to investigate how to attract the required flow of FDI that is enough to fill saving-investment gap to sustain economic growth. With the hypothesis that sustained efforts to promote political and macroeconomic stability and implement essential structural reforms, and the policies of aligning some emerging markets has encouraged the inflow of FDI to Sudan in different sectors. The important findings are that FDI helps to promote economic growth in the Sudan, i.e. there is clear evidence of a one-way causality from FDI to economic growth for the whole period, in the sense that FDI have a significant positive effect on the GDP Growth, for it promotes exports and so balance of payments, provision of job opportunities and enhancing the quality of labor and production. However, the study finds that it is difficult to construct accurate and comparable measures of FDI data by sector for the Sudan as in most developing countries over several decades. Moreover, the tendency of major sources to present FDI data in broad aggregates limits the study of effects or impacts. The main recommendations are that the investment climate in the country must be improved through appropriate measures to keep pace with global economics developments, Government needed to establish a proper investment map serving the objectives of economic growth and developments consists of all data that may needed by foreign investors, supported by the necessary infrastructures. Government must develop and improve the periodic statistics concerning investment, foreign capital flows and sources of capital. Future researches in this area should analyze the causal link in a multivariate VAR analysis to account for other vital determinants of FDI and GDP growth.
Anatomical aspects of postintubational subglottic stenosis

The subglottic regions of 54 human adult male and female larynges were studied with regard to anatomical aspects of postintubational stenosis. Fourteen specimens were impregnated with curable polymers and cut into 600–800 μm sections along different planes. Forty formalin‐fixed hemilarynges were dissected. Measurements of the upper cricoid lamina and the thickness of the endocricoid soft tissues were taken for statistical analysis. Immediately beneath the glottis, the upper part of the cricoid lamina consists of two lateral plates with an average angle of 110°. Distally, the cricoid adopts a more and more rounded lumen. At the level of the cricothyroid joint, the definite airway lumen is always laterally narrowed by a prominent thickening of the endocricoid soft tissue. Large amounts of loose connective tissue facilitate the development of edema in case of injury in this region. Dorsally, the submucous stratum is smaller and consists mainly of dense connective tissue. The blood vessels are fixed to the cricoid perichondrium by collagenous fibers. Any pressure applied from the airway lumen will force the vessels against the nonresilient cartilage, resulting in occlusion and ischemia. These pathophysiologic mechanisms are important for the development of early laryngeal damage during endotracheal intubation, possibly resulting in posterior stenosis due to scarring later on. © 1995 WiIey‐Liss, Inc.
Enteropathogenic Escherichia coli infection leads to appearance of aberrant tight junctions strands in the lateral membrane of intestinal epithelial cells

Infection of intestinal epithelial cells with enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) disrupts tight junction (TJ) architecture and barrier function. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of EPEC on TJ protein interactions and localization. Human intestinal epithelial cells (T84) were infected for 1, 3 or 6 h with EPEC. To probe the TJ protein–protein interactions, co‐immunoprecipitations were performed. The associations between ZO‐1, occludin and claudin‐1 progressively decreased after infection. Corresponding morphological changes were analysed by immunofluorescence confocal microscopy. Tight junction proteins progressively lost their apically restricted localization. Freeze‐fracture electron microscopy revealed the appearance of aberrant strands throughout the lateral membrane that contained claudin‐1 and occludin as determined by immunogold labelling. These structural alterations were accompanied by a loss of barrier function. Mutation of the gene encoding EspF, important in the disruption of TJs by EPEC, prevented the disruption of TJs. Tight junction structure normalized following eradication of EPEC with gentamicin and overnight recovery. This is the first demonstration that a microbial pathogen can cause aberrant TJ strands in the lateral membrane of host cells. We speculate that the disruption of integral and cytoplasmic TJ protein interactions following EPEC infection allows TJ strands to form or diffuse into the lateral plasma membrane.
Governance Mechanisms, Corporate Disclosure, and the Role of Technology

This paper explores a firm's reliance on internal and external governance mechanisms, recognizing that the choice of one instrument relative to the other is itself part of the governance policy of the firm. Starting from the premise that firms' disclosure policies can foster external scrutiny and takeover activity we show that such external instruments then become substitutes for internal monitoring and restructuring. We also argue that, since technological progress affects the returns to internal and external information acquisition, its incidence on firms' disclosure policy drives the relative effectiveness of the two governance mechanisms. Specifically, we show that improvements in dissemination technology lead to more disclosure and more successful external governance, but less board monitoring and internal restructuring. By contrast, general advances affecting information processing have the opposite effect unless they only enhance internal processing capabilities such as performance measurement and reporting systems, in which case they increase voluntary disclosure. We also find that firms' disclosure policies fall short of the social optimum, thus providing a rationale for regulation that sets and enforces minimal disclosure standards. Our results are robust to the introduction of agency conflicts between shareholders and their boards, although divergent interests reduce the overall effectiveness of technological advances in fostering good governance. Throughout we discuss empirical implications and lessons for the design of corporate-governance arrangements.
Clinical Beneficial Effects of Using Crystalloid only in Recipients of Living Donor Liver Transplantation

Objective: Liver transplantation (LT) is a major surgery associated with intraoperative massive fluid shift, which is usually replaced by crystalloid, 5% albumin (colloid) and blood products. We studied 15 patients from 477 consecutive recipients of adult living donor liver transplantation. Each patient received crystalloid only during LT. Whether LT provides any clinical benefit is not clear and must be determined. Methods and Patients: The anesthesia records of 477 adult LDLT were reviewed retrospectively. The patients were divided into three groups according to the fluids received. Group I (GI) had received blood products, 5% albumin and crystalloid, group II (GII) received 5% albumin and crystalloid, and group III (GIII) received crystalloid only. The characteristic intraoperative variable and postoperative acute rejection and survival rate were compared amongst groups by using One Way ANOVA post hoc with Bonferroni and by Ficher’s Exact test and Chi-square χ2 test. Results and Conclusions: GIII had less intraoperative ascites and blood loss; they also had more stable hemodynamics. Furthermore, they could be extubated significantly earlier than GI, and the one- and three-year survival rates were excellent, with 100% in GIII, while that of GI and GII were 94.1%, 90.5% and 98.6%, 94.5%, respectively.
Ribosomal and non‐ribosomal resistance to oxazolidinones: species‐specific idiosyncrasy of ribosomal alterations

A derivative of Mycobacterium smegmatis, which carries only one functional rRNA (rrn) operon, was used to isolate mutants resistant to the ribosome‐targeted antibiotic linezolid. Isolation and characterization of linezolid‐resistant clones revealed two classes of mutants. Ribosomes from class I mutants are resistant to oxazolidinones in an in vitro peptidyl transferase assay, indicating that resistance maps to the ribosome component. In contrast, ribosomes from class II mutants show wild‐type susceptibility to a linezolid derivative in vitro, pointing to a non‐ribosomal mechanism of resistance. Introduction of a wild‐type ribosomal RNA operon into linezolid‐resistant strains restored linezolid sensitivity in class I mutants, indicating that resistance (i) maps to the rRNA and (ii) is recessive. Sequencing of the entire rrn operon identified a single nucleotide alteration in 23S rRNA of class I mutant strains, 2447G → T (Escherichia coli numbering). Introduction of mutant rrl2447T into M. smegmatis rrn– resulted in a linezolid‐resistant phenotype, demonstrating a cause–effect relationship of the 2447G → T alteration. The 2447G → T mutation, which renders M. smegmatis linezolid resistant, confers lethality in E. coli. This finding is strong evidence of structural and pos‐sibly functional differences between the ribosomes of Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. In agreement with the results of the in vitro assay, class II mutants show a wild‐type sequence of the complete rRNA operon. The lack of cross‐resistance of the class II mutants to other antibiotics suggests a resistance mechanism other than activation of a broad‐spectrum multidrug transporter.
GABA transporter 1 tunes GABAergic synaptic transmission at output neurons of the mouse neostriatum

GABAergic medium‐sized striatal output neurons (SONs) provide the principal output for the neostriatum. In vitro and in vivo data indicate that spike discharge of SONs is tightly controlled by effective synaptic inhibition. Although phasic GABAergic transmission critically depends on ambient GABA levels, the role of GABA transporters (GATs) in neostriatal GABAergic synaptic transmission is largely unknown. In the present study we aimed at elucidating the role of GAT‐1 in the developing mouse neostriatum (postnatal day (P) 7–34). We recorded GABAergic postsynaptic currents (PSCs) using the whole‐cell patch‐clamp technique. Based on the effects of NO‐711, a specific GAT‐1 blocker, we demonstrate that GAT‐1 is operative at this age and influences GABAergic synaptic transmission by presynaptic and postsynaptic mechanisms. Presynaptic GABABR‐mediated suppression of GABA release was found to be functional at all ages tested; however, there was no evidence for persistent GABABR activity under control conditions, unless GAT‐1 was blocked (P12–34). In addition, whereas no tonic GABAAR‐mediated conductances were detected in SONs until P14, application of a specific GABAAR antagonist caused distinct tonic outward currents later in development (P19–34). In the presence of NO‐711, tonic GABAAR‐mediated currents were also observed at P7–14 and were dramatically increased at more mature stages. Furthermore, GAT‐1 block reduced the median amplitude of GABAergic miniature PSCs indicating a decrease in quantal size. We conclude that in the murine neostriatum GAT‐1 operates in a net uptake mode. It prevents the persistent activation of presynaptic GABABRs (P12–34) and prevents (P7–14) or reduces (P19–34) tonic postsynaptic GABAAR activity.
Basophil activation tests: time for a reconsideration

Challenges in in vitro allergy diagnostics lie in the development of accessible and reliable assays allowing identification of all offending allergens and cross-reactive structures. Flow-assisted analysis and quantification of in vitro activated basophils serves as a diagnostic instrument with increasing applications developed over the years. From the earliest days it was clear that the test could constitute a diagnostic asset in basophil-mediated hypersensitivity. However, utility of the basophil activation test should be reassessed regarding difficulties with preparation, characterization and validation of allergen extracts; availability and the potential of more accessible diagnostics. Today, the added value mainly lies in diagnosis of immediate drug hypersensitivity. Other potential indications are monitoring venom-immunotherapy and follow-up of natural history of food allergies. However, results in these nondiagnostic applications are preliminary. We review the most relevant clinical applications of the basophil activation test. Some personal comments and views about perspectives and challenges about flow-assisted allergy diagnosis are made.