Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Noncontact Specular and Confocal Microscopy for Evaluation of Corneal Endothelium

Purpose: To compare endothelial cell analysis obtained by noncontact specular and confocal microscopy, using the Konan NSP-9900 and Nidek ConfoScan4 systems, respectively. Methods: Three groups including 70 healthy eyes, 49 eyes with Fuchs endothelial corneal dystrophy (FECD), and 78 eyes with glaucoma were examined with both the Konan NSP-9900 specular microscope and the Nidek ConfocScan4 confocal microscope. Certified graders at the Doheny Image Reading Center compared corneal endothelial images from both instruments side by side to assess image quality. Endothelial cell density (ECD) measurements were calculated and compared using three different modalities: (1) each instrument's fully automated analysis; (2) each instrument's semiautomatic analysis with grader input; and (3) manual grading methods by certified grader. Results: All normal eyes yielded gradable endothelial images, and most but not all glaucomatous eyes yielded images with high enough image quality to allow grading. In addition, in corneas with severe FECD, poor image quality precluded ECD grading by specular microscopy in 20 eyes (40.8%) but in only 4 (8.2%) confocal images from the same eyes. For the gradable images, the ECD values obtained using the manual grading method from either device were comparable with no statistically significant difference (P>0.05) between specular and confocal devices. Machine-generated ECD values were significantly different from manual results, measuring greater in all cases with specular microscopy. Machine-generated ECD values from confocal microscopy also differed significantly from manual determinations, but not in a consistent direction. Semiautomatic methods for both instruments obtained clinically acceptable ECD values. Conclusions: Automatic machine-generated ECD measurements differed significantly from manual assessments of corneal endothelium by both specular and confocal microscopy, suggesting that automated results should be used with caution. But ECD values derived manually were comparable between the two devices in both normal and glaucomatous eyes, suggesting that manually graded images from the two instruments can be used interchangeably for reliable ECD measurements. Because of a higher proportion of gradable images, confocal microscopy may be superior to specular microscopy for ECD measurements in FECD.
Use of a prospective risk analysis method to improve the safety of the cancer chemotherapy process.

OBJECTIVE To perform a risk analysis of the cancer chemotherapy process, by comparing five different organizations. To quantitatively demonstrate the usefulness of centralization and information technologies, to identify residual risks that may be the target of additional actions. STUDY DESIGN A reengineering of the process started in 1999 and was planned to be finished in 2006. The analysis was performed after the centralization and at the beginning of information technologies integration. SETTING Two thousand two hundred beds university hospital, with medical, surgical, haematological, gynaecological, geriatric, paediatric oncological departments. Twelve thousand cancer chemotherapies each year. METHODS According to the failure modes, effects and criticality analysis (FMECA) method, the failure modes were defined and their criticality indexes were calculated on the basis of the likelihood of occurrence, the potential severity for the patients, and the detection probability. Criticality indexes were compared and the acceptability of residual risks was evaluated. RESULTS The sum of criticality indexes of 27 identified failure modes was 3596 for the decentralized phase, 2682 for centralization, 2385 for electronic prescription, 2081 for electronic production control, and 1824 for bedside scanning (49% global reduction). The greatest improvements concerned the risk of errors in the production protocols (by a factor of 48), followed by readability problems during transmission (14) and product/dose errors during the production (8). Among the six criticality indexes remaining superior to 100 in the final process, two were judged to be acceptable, whereas further improvements were planned for the four others. CONCLUSIONS Centralization to the pharmacy was associated with a strong improvement but additional developments involving information technologies also contributed to a major risk reduction. A cost-effect analysis confirmed the pertinence of all developments, as the cost per gained criticality point remained stable all over the different phases.
Heralding manifestations of basilar artery occlusion with lethal or severe stroke

Background: Basilar artery occlusion usually causes severe disability or death. Until the recent developments in local intra-arterial or systemic intravenous fibrinolysis, interest in early diagnosis was low because there was no satisfactory treatment. Thus there is little information about the initial phase of the disease. Objective: To report on the early clinical features and patterns of evolution of severe symptomatic basilar artery occlusion. Methods: 24 patients with established basilar artery occlusion (confirmed by angiography or at necropsy) were reviewed retrospectively, focusing on the early clinical aspects and time course of the disease. Results: The most common initial symptoms were motor deficits (16/24, including facial palsies), articulatory speech difficulties (15/24), vertigo, nausea or vomiting (13/24), and headaches (10/24). The most frequent objective initial findings were motor deficits (22/24), facial palsies (19/24), eye movement abnormalities (15/24), lower cranial nerve deficits (15/24), altered level of consciousness (12/24), and bilateral extensor plantar responses (9/24). Onset of the disease was gradual in nearly all patients and in half the warning signs were present for up to two months before the final stage. Headaches and visual disturbances were early signs, while speech difficulties and motor deficits were late signs. Once permanent neurological deficits were present, the final illness was reached within six hours in 41%, between six and 24 hours in 32%, and in two to three days in 27%. Conclusions: All the patients reviewed presented some symptoms and signs pointing to brain stem involvement. Only 8% (2/24) had an acute course with no adequate warning signs.
Improving Wind Farm Dispatch in the Australian Electricity Market With Battery Energy Storage Using Model Predictive Control

This paper presents a novel wind farm dispatch control scheme by integrating a battery energy storage system (BESS) to manage the amount of net energy generation sold to the electricity market. The scheme is based on model predictive control to ensure the optimal operation of BESS in the presence of practical system constraints. The proposed scheme follows a decision policy to efficiently sell more energy at peak demand/price times and store it at off-peak periods in compliance with the electricity rules of the Australian National Electricity Market. The performance of the proposed control scheme is assessed under different scenarios in terms of a key performance index and earning comparison from power sale using actual wind farm and electricity price data.
[Evaluation of the cholesterol-lowering effectiveness of pantethine in women in perimenopausal age].

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death also in women. Their incidence, rapidly growing in the peri-menopausal period, is related to serum levels of total cholesterol and its LDL fraction. It was also shown that the peroxidation of LDL is an additional factor in the genesis of atherosclerotic vascular disease. As long-term treatments with synthetic lipid-lowering drugs may cause undesirable side effects, while pantethine is known to be well tolerated, we treated 24 hypercholesterolemic women (total serum cholesterol greater than or equal to 240 mg/dl), in perimenopausal age (range: 45-55 years, mean +/- SD = 51.6 +/- 2.4) with 900 mg/day of pantethine. This is a precursor of coenzyme A, with an antiperoxidation effect in vivo, and our aim was to confirm its lipid lowering activity in this particular type of patients. After 16 weeks of treatment, significant reductions of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol and LDL-C/HDL-C ratio could be observed. No remarkable changes of the main laboratory parameters (fasting blood sugar, B.U.N., creatinine, uric acid) were seen. Efficacy percentages of the treatment were about 80%. None of the patients complained of adverse reactions due to the treatment with pantethine. In conclusion, we suggest that pantethine should be considered in the long-term treatment of lipid derangements occurring in the perimenopausal age.
Labor earnings dynamics in post-stabilization Brazil

This paper analyzes both the levels and evolution of wage inequality in the Brazilian formal labor market using administrative data from the Brazilian Ministry of Labor (RAIS) from 1994 to 2009. After the covariance structure of the log of real weekly wages is estimated and the variance of the log of real weekly wages is decomposed into its permanent and transitory components, we verify that nearly 60% of the inequality within age and education groups is explained by the permanent component, i.e., by time-invariant individual productive characteristics. During this period, wage inequality decreased by 29%. In the rst years immediately after the macroeconomic stabilization (1994􀀀1997), this decrease is explained entirely by reductions in the transitory component, suggesting that the end of the macroeconomic instability was a relevant factor in reducing inequality. In the second sub-period (1998􀀀2009), the decrease is mostly explained by reductions in the permanent component. Finally, we show that education and age account for a sizable share of the permanent component (54% on average).
Experience with Longitudinal Intestinal Lengthening and Tailoring

Over a 16-year period, 20 neonates and infants with short-bowel syndrome underwent longitudinal intestinal lengthening and tailoring because of a dysfunctional dilated jejunum. There was no operative mortality, and morbidity was limited to 2 hemiloop anastomotic stenoses and 1 spontaneously resolving air and bile leak. Long-term survival was 45%. Survivors had >40 cm residual jejunum and a greater number also retained their ileocaecal valve and a longer colonic length. They underwent bowel lengthening at a later time and had minimal hepatic dysfunction. 7 of 9 survivors established full enteral nutrition. These children could be regarded as self-selected survivors with residual bowel dysfunction who had come through the hazardous neonatal phase with minimal hepatic injury. Non-survivors often had <40 cm jejunum and limited distal colon. Death was commonly due to end-stage liver failure. It is likely that the severely reduced gut-associated lymphoid tissue contributed to increased bacterial translocation from the dilated bowel and early onset of progressive liver injury. It is possible to conclude that bowel lengthening should be offered only to self-selected survivors with residual bowel dysfunction and minimal liver injury. It seems, however, even more appropriate, to offer early bowel tailoring and lengthening with its recognized reduction in stasis and bacterial translocation, improved absorption and enhanced intestinal adaption, particularly to those high-risk neonates with <40 cm of dilated jejunum with a view to reducing the risk of infection and lethal hepatic injury, thereby improving their chances for quality survival.
Mutual transrepression of Fos and the glucocorticoid receptor: involvement of a functional domain in Fos which is absent in FosB.

In this study, we show that Fos protein can repress transactivation by the glucocorticoid receptor (GR). In addition, we demonstrate that GR is capable of inhibiting, in a hormone‐dependent fashion, Fos‐mediated transactivation of AP‐1 dependent transcription. Moreover, repression of the serum response element by Fos is abolished by the GR in the presence of hormone. Transrepression of glucocorticoid mediated induction involves a region of Fos, located between amino acids 40 and 111, to which no function has been previously assigned, and which is poorly conserved among Fos, FosB and Fra‐1. In agreement with this finding, FosB is not capable of transrepressing GR activation of transcription, representing the first functional difference between Fos and FosB. We have mapped the domain of the GR which is required for repression of AP‐1 dependent transcription, to the region of central DNA binding domain. Our results suggest that Fos and the GR may form transcriptionally inactive complexes and point to a regulatory interrelationship between different signal transduction pathways.
One-Dimensional Printing of Recyclable Robots

Recent advances in three-dimensional (3-D) printing are revolutionizing manufacturing, enabling the fabrication of structures with unprecedented complexity and functionality. Yet biological systems are able to fabricate systems with far greater complexity using a process that involves assembling and folding a linear string. Here, we demonstrate a 1-D printing system that uses an approach inspired by the ribosome to fabricate a variety of specialized robotic automata from a single string of source material. This proof-of-concept system involves both a novel manufacturing platform that configures the source material using folding and a computational optimization tool that allows designs to be produced from the specification of high-level goals. We show that our 1-D printing system is able to produce three distinct robots from the same source material, each of which is capable of accomplishing a specialized locomotion task. Moreover, we demonstrate the ability of the printer to use recycled material to produce new designs, enabling an autonomous manufacturing ecosystem capable of repurposing previous iterations to accomplish new tasks.
Awareness and Attitudes towards Biotechnology Innovations among Farmers and Rural Population in the European Union

The paper analyses the impact that European Union (EU) farmers’ and rural population’s awareness of biotechnology innovations and access to/trust in information on these issues (amongst other a priori determinants) have on their perceptions of risks and benefits of the applications of biotechnology innovations, and attitudes towards their implementation in practice. We employ structural equation models (SEM) with observed and latent variables. SEM is a statistical technique for testing and estimating relationships amongst variables, using a combination of statistical data and qualitative causal assumptions. We use an Eurobarometer dataset (2010) about awareness/acceptance of biotechnology innovations and run SEM models for ten EU countries, which include older and newer Member States. The variables included are socio-demographics, access to biotechnology information, trust in information sources on biotechnology innovations, attitudes towards the importance and impact of science and technology on society, perceptions of the risks and benefits of the applications of biotechnology innovations and attitudes towards their implementation in practice. Results between the different EU countries are comparable and, alongside other determinants, trust in information sources will significantly impact perceptions of risks and benefits of the applications of biotechnology innovations, and attitudes towards their implementation in practice. This underlines the importance of information and knowledge to acceptance of biotechnology innovations, which should be a key point on policy-makers’ agenda of developing the economic and environmental efficiency in the agricultural sector and rural sustainability in Europe. Increasing awareness of biotechnology innovations that safeguard people and the environment in order to enable informed debate and decisions will help enhance sustainability of rural areas.
Bidirectional Silencing and DNA Methylation-sensitive Methylation-spreading Properties of the Kcnq1 Imprinting Control Region Map to the Same Regions*

The mechanisms underlying the phenomenon of genomic imprinting are poorly understood. Accumulating evidence suggests that imprinting control regions (ICR) associated with the imprinted genes play an important role in creation of imprinted expression domains by propagating parent-of-origin-specific epigenetic modifications. We have recently documented that the Kcnq1ICR unidirectionally blocks enhancer-promoter communications in a methylation-dependent manner in Hep-3B and Jurkat cell lines. In this report we show that the Kcnq1 ICR harbors bidirectional silencing and methylation-sensitive methylation-spreading properties in a lineage-specific manner. We fine map both of these functions to two critical regions, and loss of one these regions results in loss of silencing as well as methylation spreading. The cell type-specific functions of the Kcnq1 ICR suggest binding of cell type-specific factors to various cis elements within the ICR. Fine mapping of the silencing and methylation-spreading functions to the same regions explains the fact that the silencing factors associated with this region primarily repress the neighboring genes and that methylation occurs as a consequence of silencing.
Proteolytic activity of a clinical isolate of Cryptococcus neoformans

A clinical isolate of Cryptococcus neoformans was grown on essential salts medium without (NH4)2SO4 and supplemented with bovine serum albumin as the sole carbon and nitrogen source. Growth on this medium resulted in secretion of proteolytic enzymes by the organism. The secretion of protease enzymes was inhibited by (NH4)2SO4 and glucose. Proteolytic activity may be a factor in virulence and pathogenicity of C. neoformans.
Neuropathologic and neuroinflammatory activities of HIV‐1‐infected human astrocytes in murine brain

The balance between astrocyte and microglia neuroprotection and neurotoxicity defines the tempo of neuronal dysfunction during HIV‐1‐associated dementia (HAD). Astrocytes maintain brain homeostasis and respond actively to brain damage by providing functional and nutritive neuronal support. In HAD, low‐level, continuous infection of astrocytes occurs, but the functional consequences of thisinfection are poorly understood. To this end, human fetal astrocytes (HFA) and monocyte‐derived macrophages (MDM) were infected with HIV‐1DJV and HIV‐1NL4‐3 (neurotropic and lymphotropic strains respectively) and a pseudotyped Vesicular Stomatitis Virus (VSV/HIV‐1NL4‐3) prior to intracranial injection into the basal ganglia of severe combined immunodeficient mice. Neuropathological and immunohistochemical comparisons for inflammatory and neurotoxic activities were performed amongst the infected cell types at 7 or 14 days. HIV‐1‐infected MDM induced significant increases in Mac‐1, glial fibrillary acidic protein, ionized calcium‐binding adapter molecule 1, and proinflammatory cytokine RNA and/or protein expression when compared with HSV/HIV‐1‐ and HIV‐1‐infected HFA and sham‐operated mice. Levels of neuron‐specific nuclear protein, microtubule‐associated protein 2, and neurofilament antigens were reduced significantly in the brain regions injected with human MDM infected with HIV‐1DJV or VSV/HIV‐1. We conclude that HIV‐1 infection of astrocytes leads to limited neurodegeneration, underscoring the early and active role of macrophage‐driven neurotoxicity in disease. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Öffentliche Rechenschaftslegung Als Instrument Zur Stärkung Des Bürgervertrauens (Public Accountabilty as an Instrument for Citizen Trust)

Under New Public Management (NPM) we have seen an expansion of public accountability despite the fact that it is an ambiguous, complex, elusive, fragmented and heterogeneous concept. Public management has not only resulted in bureaucratic accountability being augmented by managerial accountability but also in greater awareness of political accountability which refers to the relationship between public sector entities and citizens or voters. If we look at the relationship between public accountability and citizen trust, there are authors, who regard public accountability as a crucial factor for improving citizens’ trust (Kim 2005, p. 622; Fard/Rostamy 2007, p. 322). In contrast, by applying the principal agent theory, it can be argued that public accountability is mistrust-driven and therefore directed at identifying shortcomings in the performance of politicians or public managers. A further group regards it as ironic that NPM aimed at improving citizen trust but has institutionalized distrust into the public sector by introducing a complex system of contracts, fragmentation, short-term explicit standards of performance, numerous audits and inspection mechanisms.
Gastrostomy Tube Feeding in Children with Epidermolysis Bullosa: Consideration of Key Issues

Abstract: Complications of severe forms of epidermolysis bullosa (EB) almost invariably lead to chronic malnutrition, jeopardizing immune status, growth, iron status, bone health, wound healing, and quality of life. Although gastrostomy tube (G‐tube) feeding has successfully addressed the difficulties of providing nutrition and medications in some children attending our center, others have developed problems such as abdominal distension, poor feed tolerance, and leakage of gastric contents with persistent localized skin ulceration, posing enormous challenges to skin management and nutritional maintenance. Suspicions that G‐tube placement and feeding cause or exacerbate these problems has led to a decline in placements at our center over the last 10 years. We therefore recognized that it should not be rejected without due consideration of why some patients seem more prone to complications than others. Thus, information on selected issues and outcomes of G‐tube placement was obtained from records of 66 patients undergoing surgery between 1989 and 2008. The complex interrelationships of the sequelae of severe EB, changes in practice over 20 years and lack of data for patients treated early in the series make it impossible to draw firm conclusions at this stage, however, our scrutiny provides valuable information on which to base debate and future studies. It also offers well as useful insights for fellow professionals involved in nutrition support in children with severe EB.
Deconjugation of Bile Salts by Bacteroides and Clostridium

Deconjugation of bile salts by four strains of Bacteroides and four strains of Clostridium was studied by use of resting cells and cell‐free culture supernatants. Bacteroides strains yielded active cells but showed relatively low bile salt hydrolase (BSH) activity in the culture supernatants while the reverse was the case for the spore‐forming clostridial strains.