Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The frontal lobe and aggression

Frontal lesions often lead to psychosocial problems. It is not surprising that frontal lobe dysfunctions have been proposed to underlie antisocial behaviour in individuals without apparent lesions. However, physical aggression and violence have never been systematically related to acquired lesions. Whereas, traditional neuropsychological testing identifies problems in cognitive and emotional information processing, recent brain-imaging studies have revealed both the frontal structural and functional underpinnings of antisocial behaviour. Careful characterization of antisocial behaviour subtypes seems to indicate that cognitive-neuropsychological function is systematically poor in physical aggression and hyperactivity. Recent refinements point to biological and genetic moderators of that association.
Small bowel involvement by primary and secondary malignant melanoma Report of three cases and review of the literature

Malignant melanoma is known by its unpredictability to metastasise to practically any organ. Among gastrointestinal involvement, the small bowel is affected in 30 - 75 % of cases. Primary malignancies of the small intestine in general are unusual, thus malignant melanoma alone represents a significant proportion of all neo- plasms in the small bowel. Primary malignant melanoma of the small intestine was described only in few case reports. We describe three cases of small bowel involvement by primary and secondary malignant melanoma.
A Clos-Network Switch Architecture Based on Partially-Buffered Crossbar Fabrics

Modern Data Center Networks (DCNs) that scale to thousands of servers require high performance switches/routers to handle high traffic loads with minimum delays. Today's switches need be scalable, have good performance and-more importantly-be cost-effective. This paper describes a novel three-stage Clos-network switching fabric with partially-buffered crossbar modules and different scheduling algorithms. Compared to conventional fully buffered and buffer-less switches, the proposed architecture fits a nice model between both designs and takes the best of both: i) less hardware requirements which considerably reduces both the cost and the implementation complexity, ii) the existence of few internal buffers allows for simple and high performance scheduling. Two alternative scheduling algorithms are presented. The first is scalable, it disperses the control function over multiple switching elements in the Clos-network. The second is simpler. It places some control on a central scheduler to ensure an ordered packets delivery. Simulations for various switch settings and traffic profiles have shown that the proposed architecture is scalable. It maintains high throughput, low latency performance for less hardware used.
Phosphorylation of ERα at serine 118 in primary breast cancer and in tamoxifen-resistant tumours is indicative of a complex role for ERα phosphorylation in breast cancer progression

Oestrogen receptor-α (ERα) is an important prognostic marker in breast cancer and endocrine therapies are designed to inhibit or prevent ERα activity. In vitro studies have indicated that phosphorylation of ERα, in particular on serine 118 (S118), can result in activation in a ligand-independent manner, thereby potentially contributing to resistance to endocrine agents, such as tamoxifen and aromatase inhibitors. Here we report the immunohistochemistry (IHC) of S118 phosphorylation in 301 primary breast tumour biopsies. Surprisingly, this analysis shows that S118 phosphorylation is higher in more differentiated tumours, suggesting that phosphorylation at this site is associated with a good prognosis in patients not previously treated with endocrine agents. However, we also report that S118 phosphorylation was elevated in tumour biopsies taken from patients who had relapsed following tamoxifen treatment, when compared to pre-treatment biopsies. Taken together, these data are consistent with the view that S118 phosphorylation is a feature of normal ERα function and that increases in levels of phosphorylation at this site may play a key role in the emergence of endocrine resistance in breast cancer.
Surgical debridement alone does not adequately reduce planktonic bioburden in chronic lower extremity wounds.

OBJECTIVE It is commonly believed that sharp surgical debridement provides adequate bacteria control for local wound beds, despite limited supporting scientific evidence. We undertook a prospective study to evaluate the reduction in planktonic bacteria pre- and post-operative debridement in critically colonised wounds. METHOD Twelve patients, corresponding to 14 wounds, underwent debridement with either hydrodebridement or sharp steel debridement with pulse irrigation. Wound quantitative tissue cultures were taken pre- and post-debridement. There was no significant difference in wound aetiology or surface area between the two groups. RESULTS TThe bacterial counts before debridement were 1×107 colony-forming units per gram (CFU/g) in the hydrodebridement group vs 1.4×107 CFU/g in the sharp debridement group; and 2.5×106 CFU/g (hydrodebridement) vs 7.5×105 CFU/g (sharp) after debridement (p=0.41). The total bacteria reduction was 7.5×106 CFU/g after hydrodebridement vs 1.3×107 CFU/g after sharp steel debridement (p=0.37). The mean percentage of bacteria killed from baseline was 75% by hydrodebridement and 93% killed by sharp debridement (p<0.05). CONCLUSION Extensive operative debridement using either modality does not provide adequate immediate reduction in wound planktonic bioburden. However, all wounds appeared clinically appropriate for closure after debridement and postoperative antibacterial therapy. Postoperative antibacterial therapy may be imperative in cases of critically colonised wounds to achieve good outcomes. DECLARATION OF INTEREST The senior author receives research grant support from Healthpoint Biotherapeutics; KCI; Manuka Honey; Smith & Nephew; Medline Ind. , Macrocure; CODA. In addition the senior author is a consultant for: Smith & Nephew and KCI and medical consultant and reviewer for Macrocure. While the study as presented evaluates in part the efficacy of a commercial product from Smith & Nephew, no industry support for this study was sought or provided.
A factor analytic study of symptoms in acute schizophrenia

The three‐syndrome model of schizophrenic phenomenology has been well established in chronic illness. We report an attempt to replicate this concept in a sample of acutely unwell schizophrenic patients. Factor analysis was performed using PSE data collected within a week of admission from 114 patients who met DSMIII(R) diagnostic criteria for schizophrenia. Four main factors accounted for 58% of the variance. The first two factors closely resembled Liddle's disorganisation and psychomotor poverty syndromes. Hallucinations and delusions loaded separately under the third and fourth factors. To examine the validity of these four syndromes, the relationships between factor scores and other clinical data were examined. The disorganisation syndrome was associated with a history of multiple past admissions and a longer lifetime duration of in‐patient treatment.
Predictive Accuracy of Tissue Doppler Imaging for Assessment of Noninfarct Myocardial Region in Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Objectives: To investigate the value of pulsed tissue Doppler imaging (TDI) in order to predict significant coronary artery stenosis supplying the noninfarct region in patients after acute anterior myocardial infarction. Subjects and Methods: Transthoracic echocardiography and coronary angiography were performed on 220 patients with acute anterior myocardial infarction. The TDI-derived variables of the mitral valve annulus in the noninfarct region, systolic velocity (Sm), early diastolic velocity (Em) and late diastolic velocity (Am), were estimated in centimeters per second, and the Em/Am ratio was calculated. Results: Predictive indices revealed that the impaired TDI-derived variables, Sm, Em, Am and the Em/Am ratio, were an indicator for predicting significant coronary stenosis in the noninfarct region. Multivariate analysis revealed that the impaired Sm and Em velocities were significantly associated with age of the patients, coronary collaterals and infarct-related artery stenosis (p < 0.05). Receiver-operating characteristic curve data of TDI-derived variables for prediction of significant coronary stenosis revealed that the cut-off values of Sm, Em, Am and Em/Am ratio were 7.2 cm/s, 6.4 cm/s, 12.1 cm/s and 0.56, respectively. The ĸ coefficient value indicated that there was an agreement between coronary angiography and the TDI-derived variables Sm, Em, Am and Em/Am ratio in noninfarct regions (ĸ = 0.770, 0.731, 0.693 and 0.679, respectively). There was a significant correlation between the severity of coronary artery stenosis (independent variable) and impaired Sm and Em/Am ratio (dependent variables), y = 11.5 – 0.05x, r = –0.902, (p < 0.05), and y = – 0.14x + 1.87, r = –0.754, (p < 0.05), respectively. Conclusion: TDI can be used to identify patients with significant stenosis of the coronary arteries supplying the noninfarct region and consequently may be helpful in considering patients for coronary angiography in the early postinfarction period.
Algebraic Extraction of the Coupling Matrix of Cross-Coupled Filter of Given Topology

According to the theory of matrix similarity transformation, the coupling matrix of given Cascaded-triplet (CT) topology is extracted by algebraic method in this paper. The coupling matrix of eight-poles CT filter is extracted by this method. Results demonstrated the validity of algebraic extraction of coupling matrix of relatively high order filter.
Needle biopsy of the lung.

It is often extremely difficult to ascertain the nature of a lesion in the peripheral portion of the pulmonary parenchyma. Roentgenographic evidence of the presence of a region of increased density within a lung is always an indication for additional diagnostic procedures. Among those frequently utilized are examination of smears of sputum for organisms and malignant cells, cultures for bacteria and fungi, and bronchoscopy. All of these may fail to provide a definitive diagnosis, especially with lesions located distal to the secondary bronchi, and in recent years there has been an increasing tendency for physicians to recommend thoracotomy with biopsy resection of the lesion in such circumstances. There is a well-characterized group of cases, however, in which the latter may be neither desirable nor practical. The technique of using a needle passed through an intercostal space to obtain a fragment of diseased tissue from peripheral pulmonary lesions was described and
A fast and reliable method for monitoring of prophage‐activating chemicals

Bacteriophages, that is viruses that infect bacteria, either lyse bacteria directly or integrate their genome into the bacterial genome as so‐called prophages, where they remain at a silent state. Both phages and bacteria are able to survive in this state. However, prophages can be reactivated with the introduction of chemicals, followed by the release of a high number of phage particles, which could infect other bacteria, thus harming ecosystems by a viral bloom. The basics for a fast, automatable analytical method for the detection of prophage‐activating chemicals are developed and successfully tested here. The method exploits the differences in metabolic heat produced by Escherichia coli with (λ+) and without the lambda prophages (λ−). Since the metabolic heat primarily reflects opposing effects (i.e. the reduction of heat‐producing cells by lysis and enhanced heat production to deliver the energetic costs for the synthesis of phages), a systematic analysis of the influence of the different conditions (experimentally and in silico) was performed and revealed anoxic conditions to be best suited. The main advantages of the suggested monitoring method are not only the possibility of obtaining fast results (after only few hours), but also the option for automation, the low workload (requires only few minutes) and the suitability of using commercially available instruments. The future challenge following this proof of principle is the development of thermal transducers which allow for the electronic subtraction of the λ+ from the λ‐ signal.
Exploratory analysis of osteoarthritis progression among medication users: data from the Osteoarthritis Initiative

Background: We conducted an exploratory analysis of osteoarthritis progression among medication users in the Osteoarthritis Initiative to identify interventions or pathways that may be associated with disease modification and therefore of interest for future clinical trials. Methods: We used participants from the Osteoarthritis Initiative with annual medication inventory data between the baseline and 36-month follow-up visit (n = 2938). Consistent medication users were defined for each medication classification as a participant reporting at all four annual visits that they were regularly using an oral prescription medication at the time of the visit. The exploratory analysis focused on medication classes with 40 or more users. The primary outcome measures were medial tibiofemoral joint space width change and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) knee pain score change (12–36-month visits). Within each knee, we explored eight comparisons between users and matched or unmatched nonusers (defined two ways). An effect size of each comparison was calculated. Medication classes had potential signals if (a) both knees had less progression among users compared with nonusers, or (b) there was less progression based on structure and symptoms in one knee. Results: We screened 28 medication classes. Six medication classes had signals for fewer structural changes and better knee pain changes: alpha-adrenergic blockers, antilipemic (excluding statins and fibric acid), anticoagulants, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, antihistamines, and antineoplastic agents. Four medication classes had signals for structural changes alone: anti-estrogen (median effect size = 0.28; range = −0.41–0.64), angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (median effect size = 0.13; range = −0.08–0.28), beta-adrenergic blockers (median effect size = 0.09; range = 0.01–0.30), and thyroid agents (median effect size = 0.04; range = −0.05–0.14). Thiazide diuretics had evidence for symptom modification (median effect size = −0.12; range = −0.24–0.04). Conclusions: Users of neurovascular, antilipemic, or hormonal interventions may have less disease progression compared with nonusers.
Highly linear voltage-to-time converter based on injection locked relaxation oscillators

In this paper, a highly linear voltage to time converter is presented. It can be used as a brick in the architecture of time-domain analog-to-digital converter. It is based on injection locked oscillators as phase shifter. The injection locked oscillator is implemented using a relaxation oscillator that has been chosen for its high linearity compared to other conventional architectures. The analog-to-time domain converter is designed using 0. 18μm Partially Depleted Silicon On Insulator technology. It converts the analog information into time-domain information as a phase shift and it has a linearity range of 180°.
Timing, Localization, and Persistence of Colonization by Segmented Filamentous Bacteria in the Neonatal Mouse Gut Depend on Immune Status of Mothers and Pups

ABSTRACT As a member of the indigenous gut mucosal microbiota, segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) colonize the guts of a variety of vertebrates and invertebrates. They are potent microbial stimuli of the gut mucosal immune system. In the small intestines of mice and rats, it has been observed that SFB are absent during the suckling period and appear in high numbers shortly after weaning, then quickly retreat to the cecum and large intestine. In this study, we explored whether this microecological phenomenon resulted from the interaction between SFB and the passively acquired maternal mucosal immunity and/or the actively acquired mucosal immunity. We set up a mouse model by reciprocal crossings and backcrossings of SFB-monoassociated, formerly germ-free, immunocompetent (+/+) BALB/c mice and immunodeficient (scid/scid) mice to produce pups which are either immunocompetent (scid/+) or immunodeficient (scid/scid) and are born either to immunocompetent (scid/+) mothers or to immunodeficient (scid/scid) mothers. We monitored the number of SFB on the mucosa of the small intestine in the four different groups of mice after birth, as well as the level of passively acquired antibodies, the active gut mucosal immune responses, and immunoglobulin A (IgA) coating of SFB in the gut. The results showed that, irrespective of whether the pups were scid/scid or scid/+, SFB could be found earlier on the mucosa of the small intestine in pups born to scid/scid mothers, appearing from day 13 and rapidly reaching a climax around weaning time on day 28, compared to the significantly delayed colonization in the pups of scid/+ mothers, starting from day 16 and peaking around days 28 to 32. After the climax, SFB quickly declined to very low levels in the small intestines of scid/+ pups of either scid/scid mothers or scid/+ mothers, whereas they remained at high levels in scid/scid pups at least until day 70, the last observation time in this study. The dynamic changes in SFB colonization of the small intestines of the different groups of pups may be related to the dynamic changes in the levels of SFB coated with secretory IgA (sIgA), which resulted from the significantly different levels of sIgA obtained from the mothers' milk during the suckling period and, later, of self-produced sIgA in the small intestine. Nevertheless, it is evident that the timing, localization, and persistence of colonization of the neonatal gut by SFB depends on the immune status of both mothers and pups.
Pregnancy and the Risk of Teratogenicity

Summary: One in every 250 newborns is exposed to antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) in utero. Various studies have attributed a teratogenic effect to these AEDs, mainly consisting of major malformations, minor anomalies, intrauterine or postnatal growth failure, and psychomotor retardation. Prospective studies confirm the increased risk of major malformations. The absolute risk of 7–10% is about 3–5% higher than that in the general population. Barbiturates and phe‐nytoin (PHT) are particularly associated with congenital heart malformations, facial clefts, and some other malformations. Valproate (VPA) and carbamazepine (CBZ) are associated predominantly with spina bifida aperta (1–2 and 0.5–1.0% risk, respectively) and hypospadias. Bilateral radial aplasia is a rare but specific effect of VPA. Several studies identified additional risk factors, i.e., high daily AED dosage, high maternal serum AED concentrations, low folate levels, or po‐lytherapy [phenobarbital (PB) plus primidone (PRM) plus PHT or CBZ plus VPA plus PB with or without PHT]. The few prospective studies controlled for socioeconomic factors or that considered parental findings indicate that risk of specific cognitive defects rather than risk of overall mental retardation may be increased, that early growth retardation is followed by a catch‐up growth to normal, and that ocular hypertelorism and nail hypoplasia are the only minor anomalies causally related to PHT exposure. However, no final conclusions can be made. Genetic predisposition to the teratogenic side effects of AEDs plays a role, codetermining the recurrence risk if the woman has previously given birth to a child with a major malformation. The molecular genetic basis of this predisposition is unclear. No tests are yet available for identifying parents or fetuses at particularly high risk. Prevention of teratogenic AED side effects is possible by critical evaluation, before pregnancy, of the woman's need for AED therapy. If AED therapy cannot be avoided, it should be monotherapy with the lowest possible dosage. High peak levels should be avoided by dividing the daily dosage into at least two or three doses. The efficacy of folate supplementation alone in reducing teratogenic risks is unclear. In cases of obvious folate deficiency, treatment is required, but concomitant vitamin B12 deficiency should first be excluded or treated. Prenatal diagnosis should be offered. It may consist of fetal ultrasound examination during Week 18–20, and of afetoprotein analysis of amniotic fluid obtained during Week 16 if the mother is receiving VPA or CBZ. This should be discussed with the parents before the pregnancy. The choice of medication is made not only by balancing the therapeutic advantages and teratogenic risks of each AED or AED combination but also by considering the parental attitudes toward prenatal diagnosis and termination of pregnancy.
Identification and analysis of the maize P700 chlorophyll a apoproteins PSI-A1 and PSI-A2 by high pressure liquid chromatography analysis and partial sequence determination.

We recently described a pair of partially homologous maize chloroplast genes, one of which was shown to code for an apoprotein of the P700 chlorophyll a complex of photosystem I (Fish, L.E., Kück, U., and Bogorad, L. (1985) J. Biol. Chem. 260, 1413-1421). Two chlorophyll-free apoprotein bands from maize chlorophyll-protein complex I (CPI) can be resolved on lithium dodecyl sulfate (LDS)-urea polyacrylamide gels. Proteins in both bands react with antibodies prepared against CPI, but antibodies prepared against two synthetic peptides corresponding to predicted sequences of PSI-A1 react only with the upper band. The presence of products of the two genes, ps1A1 and ps1A2, in CPI was verified by analysis of cyanogen bromide (CNBr) fragments of the lower apoprotein band obtained from LDS-urea polyacrylamide gels by reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography. Amino-terminal sequencing of five CNBr fragments indicates that the lower band contains a product of the ps1A2 gene. The possibility of extensive processing was investigated because the apparent molecular masses of the maize CPI proteins are about 58-70 kDa on LDS-polyacrylamide gels rather than the predicted sizes of about 83 kDa. Antibodies against a synthetic peptide corresponding to a predicted sequence in PSI-A1 were used to determine that the amino-terminal end of PSI-A1 is intact beyond about position 52. The amino-terminal CNBr fragment of PSI-A2 was identified by sequencing, indicating that the amino-terminal end of PSI-A2 is not processed. The carboxyl-terminal CNBr fragment of PSI-A2 was also identified by sequencing. These results indicate that the PSI-A1 and PSI-A2 polypeptides are not extensively processed, although some processing at the carboxyl-terminal end has not been ruled out.