Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Regrowth of Axons within Tissue Defects in the CNS Is Promoted by Implanted Hydrogel Matrices That Contain BDNF and CNTF Producing Fibroblasts

In this study we demonstrate the potential for combining biocompatible polymers with genetically engineered cells to elicit axon regrowth across tissue defects in the injured CNS. Eighteen- to 21-day-old rats received implants of poly N-(2-hydroxypropyl)-methacrylamide (HPMA) hydrogels containing RGD peptide sequences that had been infiltrated with control (untransfected) fibroblasts (n = 8), fibroblasts engineered to express brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) (n = 5), ciliary neurotrophic factor (CNTF) (n = 5), or a mixture of BDNF and CNTF expressing fibroblasts (n = 11). Fibroblasts were prelabeled with Hoechst 33342. Cell/polymer constructs were inserted into cavities made in the left optic tract, between thalamus and superior colliculus. After 4-8 weeks, retinal projections were analyzed by injecting right eyes with cholera toxin (B-subunit). Rats were perfused 24 h later and sections were immunoreacted to visualize retinal axons, other axons (RT97 antibody), host astrocytes and macrophages, donor fibroblasts, and extracellular matrix molecules. The volume fraction (VF) of each gel that was occupied by RT97(+) axons was quantified. RT-PCR confirmed expression of the transgenes prior to, and 5 weeks after, transplantation. Compared to control rats (mean VF = 0.02 +/- 0.01% SEM) there was increased ingrowth of RT97(+) axons into implants in CNTF (mean VF = 0.33 +/- 0.19%) and BDNF (mean VF = 0.62 +/-0.19%) groups. Axon growth into hydrogels in the mixed BDNF/CNTF group (mean VF = 3.58 +/- 0.92%) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than in the BDNF or CNTF fibroblast groups. Retinal axons exhibited a complex branching pattern within gels containing BDNF or BDNF/CNTF fibroblasts; however, they regrew the greatest distances within implants containing both BDNF and CNTF expressing cells.
WPA guidance on steps, obstacles and mistakes to avoid in the implementation of community mental health care

This paper provides guidance on the steps, obstacles and mistakes to avoid in the implementation of community mental health care. The document is intended to be of practical use and interest to psychiatrists worldwide regarding the development of community mental health care for adults with mental illness. The main recommendations are presented in relation to: the need for coordinated policies, plans and programmes, the requirement to scale up services for whole populations, the importance of promoting community awareness about mental illness to increase levels of help-seeking, the need to establish effective financial and budgetary provisions to directly support services provided in the community. The paper concludes by setting out a series of lessons learned from the accumulated practice of community mental health care to date worldwide, with a particular focus on the social and governmental measures that are required at the national level, the key steps to take in the organization of the local mental health system, lessons learned by professionals and practitioners, and how to most effectively harness the experience of users, families, and other advocates.
Sensemaking in collaborative networks: Creating and balancing activities in open business models

The purpose of the study is to advance research on open business models as activity systems (Zott and Amit, 2010) in collaborative networks. We utilise Bradley's (1995) theory of exchange behaviour to discuss how new joint activities can be explored and how existing activities can be redesigned to strengthen collaboration between companies. To enable this discussion, we delve into the sensemaking literature and theory from loosely coupled systems. Our discussion leads to the development of the balanced activity system (BAS) model. The paper's key contribution is the prescriptive BAS model, which can be used strategically in collaborative networks to redesign or create new joint activities.
The World Bank World Development Report 1993: Investing in Health: Reveals the burden of common mental disorders, but ignores its implications

The annual World Development Report which the World Bank produces has for the first time focused upon health issues. Central to its 1993 report Investing in Health was an analysis of the “global burden of disease”, addressing both mortality and morbidity. Previous attempts to prioritise health problems on a worldwide scale have focused on mortality, so common mental disorders have not appeared to be significant. The method of measuring the burden of disease described here has highlighted neuropsychiatric disorders, particularly depression, which accounts for around 30% of neuropsychiatric disorders. Neuropsychiatric diseases account for 5.7% of the total burden of disease for women in the developing world, and rank fifth in this respect. In the rest of the world, they account for 13.3% of the total burden of disease for women, and rank third. Prioritising health interventions is crucial given the scarce resources available. Sufficient evidence now exists to warrant greater emphasis on common mental disorders.
Detection of Hidden Structures in Nonstationary Spike Trains

We propose an algorithm for simultaneously estimating state transitions among neural states and nonstationary firing rates using a switching state-space model (SSSM). This algorithm enables us to detect state transitions on the basis of not only discontinuous changes in mean firing rates but also discontinuous changes in the temporal profiles of firing rates (e.g., temporal correlation). We construct estimation and learning algorithms for a nongaussian SSSM, whose nongaussian property is caused by binary spike events. Local variational methods can transform the binary observation process into a quadratic form. The transformed observation process enables us to construct a variational Bayes algorithm that can determine the number of neural states based on automatic relevance determination. Additionally, our algorithm can estimate model parameters from single-trial data using a priori knowledge about state transitions and firing rates. Synthetic data analysis reveals that our algorithm has higher performance for estimating nonstationary firing rates than previous methods. The analysis also confirms that our algorithm can detect state transitions on the basis of discontinuous changes in temporal correlation, which are transitions that previous hidden Markov models could not detect. We also analyze neural data recorded from the medial temporal area. The statistically detected neural states probably coincide with transient and sustained states that have been detected heuristically. Estimated parameters suggest that our algorithm detects the state transitions on the basis of discontinuous changes in the temporal correlation of firing rates. These results suggest that our algorithm is advantageous in real-data analysis.
Minding and mending the gap: Social psychological interventions to reduce educational disparities.

BACKGROUND Achievement gaps continue to garner a great deal of attention both in academic and in popular circles. Many students continue to struggle despite broad educational reforms aimed at narrowing these gaps in learning and performance. AIMS In this article, we review a number of social psychological interventions that show promise in reducing gaps in achievement, not by addressing structural barriers to achievement, but by helping students cope with threats to their identity that impair intellectual functioning and motivation. For example, interventions involving meditation, role models, emotional reappraisal, growth mindsets, imagining possible selves, self-affirmations, belongingness and cooperative learning have been shown to ameliorate threats to identity and raise achievement. We describe and evaluate these social psychological interventions. ARGUMENTS Many achievement gaps involve a psychological predicament: a threat to one's social identity or to one's sense of belonging. Students' implicit theories - how they mind the gap - can act as barriers to their success. By helping students cope with these threats, these theory-based interventions represent a genuine advance in the way schools may reduce gaps in achievement. CONCLUSION These interventions show how students' educational success depends partly on fluid aspects of context - how tasks are framed, who else is in the room, or what they believe about intelligence. Because of this fluidity, these interventions may not work in all settings. Achievement gaps are ultimately caused by a variety of factors, both objective and subjective that produce inequality. The research reviewed here suggests that even without changes in objective barriers to success, brief psychological interventions can narrow what many see as intractable gaps in academic achievement.
Efficacy and Safety of Saffron Supplementation: Current Clinical Findings

Saffron (Crocus savitus) is a Middle-Eastern herb with strong antioxidant properties. Its major constituents, safranal, crocin, and crocetin, are also antioxidants and bear structural similarities to other well-known natural antixodant substances, such as zeaxanthin. Given the role of oxidative stress in many diseases, considerable interest has been shown into the potential role of saffron supplementation as a treatment for a range of diseases. In vitro and animal studies have provided evidence that saffron and its constituents may be potent therapies for a range of pathologies, including Alzheimer's disease, age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and cardiac ischemia. Whether these findings translate into clinical efficacy, however, has as of yet been incompletely assessed. This makes assessing the role of saffron supplementation in these diseases difficult. Here, we review the current human clinical evidence supporting saffron supplementation as a treatment for a range of pathologies and the underlying science supporting its use.
Constitutive expression of CCR2 chemokine receptor and inhibition by MCP‐1/CCL2 of GABA‐induced currents in spinal cord neurones

In the CNS, immune‐like competent cells (microglia and astrocytes) were first described as potential sites of chemokine synthesis, but more recent evidence has indicated that neurones might also express chemokines and their receptors. The aim of the present work was to investigate further, both in vivo and in vitro, CC Chemokine Family Receptor 2 (CCR2) expression and functionality in rat spinal cord neurones. First, we demonstrated by RT–PCR and western blot analysis that CCR2 mRNA and protein were present in spinal extracts. Furthermore, we showed by immunolabelling that CCR2 was exclusively expressed by neurones in spinal sections of healthy rat. Finally, to test the functionality of CCR2, we used primary cultures of rat spinal neurones. In this model, similar to what was observed in vivo, CCR2 mRNA and protein were expressed by neurones. Cultured neurones stimulated with Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein‐1 (MCP‐1)/CCL2, the best characterized CCR2 agonist, showed activation of the Akt pathway. Finally, patch‐clamp recording of cultured spinal neurones was used to investigate whether MCP‐1/CCL2 could modulate their electrophysiological properties. MCP‐1 alone did not affect the electrical properties of spinal neurones, but potently and efficiently inhibited GABAA‐mediated GABAergic responses in these neurones. These data constitute the first demonstration of a modulatory role of MCP‐1 on GABAergic neurotransmission and contribute to our understanding of the roles of CCR2 and MCP‐1/CCL2 in spinal cord physiology, in particular with respect to nociceptive transmission, as well as the implication of this chemokine in neuronal adaptation or dysfunction during neuropathy.
[Neuropsychological predictors of reading ability in Spanish].

INTRODUCTION Learning how to read has been associated with different types of linguistic and non-linguistic skills. However, few studies have looked at the association between neuropsychological test performance and reading skills at different ages during childhood. AIM To analyze the association between neuropsychological test scores and reading performance, and to investigate the influence of age, gender and type of school (public or private) over reading test performance. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The sample included 625 6 -to-15 year old children (207 Colombians, 418 Mexicans; 277 boys, 348 girls). The following cognitive abilities were assessed: reading speed and reading comprehension and attention, memory (coding and recall), perception, visuospatial and conceptual abilities and executive functions. RESULTS The best neuropsychological test predictor for reading speed was Letter Cancellation, and for reading comprehension was Memory for a Story. Children from private schools performed better in most reading tests than children from public schools. Differences between boys and girls were observed in only two reading tests. CONCLUSION Reading speed correlates mainly with attentional skills and reading comprehension with verbal memory. Reading abilities in school age children are influenced mainly by age and type of school and little by gender.
Practical experiences on the necessity of external validation

The validity of prognostic models is an important prerequisite for their applicability in practical clinical settings. Here, we report on a specific prognostic study on stroke patients and describe how we explored the prediction performance of our model. We considered two practically highly relevant generalization aspects, namely, the model's performance in patients recruited at a later time point (temporal transportability) and in medical centers different from those used for model building (geographic transportability). To estimate the accuracy of the model, we investigated classical internal validation techniques and leave‐one‐center‐out cross validation (CV). Prognostic models predicting functional independence of stroke patients were developed in a training set using logistic regression, support vector machines, and random forests (RFs). Tenfold CV and leave‐one‐center‐out CV were employed to estimate temporal and geographic transportability of the models. For temporal and external validation, the resulting models were used to classify patients from a later time point and from different clinics. When applying the regression model or the RFs, accuracy in the temporal validation data was well predicted from classical internal validation. However, when predicting geographic transportability all approaches had difficulties. We observed that the leave‐one‐center‐out CV yielded better estimates than classical CV. On the basis of our results, we conclude that external validation in patients from different clinics is required before a prognostic model can be applied in practice. Even validating the model in patients recruited merely at a later time point does not suffice to predict how it may fare with regard to another clinic. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A study of environmental factors affecting nurses’ comfort and protection in wearing N95 respirators during bedside procedures

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To investigate room temperature and relative humidity affecting nurses' comfort and protection in wearing N95 respirators during clinical bedside procedures. BACKGROUND N95 respirators are most commonly used to protect healthcare workers against airborne diseases. The elastic head straps required for tight-fit may cause headache, facial pain and/or ear lobe discomfort. Although some past fit test results showed that these respirators are likely to fit comfortably, in reality, any discomfort from use may influence negatively their appeal and acceptability and thus lower their effectiveness to protect the wearers. DESIGN This study used a comparative study design to compare nurses' comfort and protection in wearing N95 respirator during clinical nursing procedures. METHOD The participants (84) were first-year undergraduate nursing students from a university in Hong Kong. They were divided randomly into four groups (A, B, C and D), with 21 in each group. In this study, they performed the Personal Respirator Sampling Test (PRST), a self-developed portable, real-time fit test method based on the conventional fit test set-up. After this, they were asked to complete a usability questionnaire, which was used to record their evaluations of the six perceptions of comfort of wearing N95 respirators. RESULTS The participants expressed being comfortable with the respirators at warm temperatures of 20 to 24°C. For those participants in Group A who had performed fit tests and fit checks, they did not feel hot nor had difficulties with breathing. However, they did feel tightness in the respirators and experienced discomfort on their ear lobes. CONCLUSION Room temperature is the significant factor affecting the comfort in wearing N95 respirators. It is noteworthy that any discomforts from wearing respirators will negatively influence their appeal and proper use. Without doubt, comfortable fit makes healthcare workers more likely use respirators, hence complying with occupational health and safety regulations. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE N95 respirator wearer's comfort is affected by room temperature. Wearer's comfort can affect his/her morale in performing bedside procedures in clinical practice.
Induction of Apoptosis by Apo-2 Ligand, a New Member of the Tumor Necrosis Factor Cytokine Family*

Cytokines in the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) family regulate development and function of the immune system. We have isolated a new member of this family, designated Apo-2 ligand (Apo-2L), via an expressed sequence tag. Apo-2L is a 281-amino acid protein, related most closely to Fas/Apo-1 ligand. Transfected Apo-2L is expressed at the cell surface with its C terminus exposed, indicating a type II transmembrane protein topology. Like Fas/Apo-1 ligand and TNF, the C-terminal extracellular region of Apo-2L (amino acids 114-281) exhibits a homotrimeric subunit structure. Soluble Apo-2L induces extensive apoptosis in lymphoid as well as non-lymphoid tumor cell lines. The effect of Apo-2L is not inhibited by soluble Fas/Apo-1 and TNF receptors; moreover, expression of human Fas/Apo-1 in mouse fibroblasts, which confers sensitivity to induction of apoptosis by agonistic anti-Fas/Apo-1 antibody, does not confer sensitivity to Apo-2L. Hence, Apo-2L acts via a receptor which is distinct from Fas/Apo-1 and TNF receptors. These results suggest that, along with other family members such as Fas/Apo-1 ligand and TNF, Apo-2L may serve as an extracellular signal that triggers programmed cell death.
The Interaction of Functional and Dysfunctional Emotions During Balance Beam Performance

The interaction between functional and dysfunctional emotions, as one of the major tenets of the Individual Zones of Optimal Functioning (IZOF) model (Hanin, 2000), was studied in a sport specific setting. Fourteen female gymnasts performed three attempts of a compulsory balance beam routine at three different heights. Heart rate and self-report of functional and dysfunctional emotions were measured during each routine. These data revealed the effectiveness of inducting emotions by manipulating height. Also, performance decreased on the most challenging condition, (i.e., the first attempt on the highest height). Moderated hierarchical regression analysis revealed a significant interaction between functional and dysfunctional emotions only when the dysfunctional emotion level was low.
Genetic Dissection of the Effects of Stimulatory and Inhibitory IgG Fc Receptors on Murine Lupus1

Immune complex (IC)-mediated tissue inflammation is controlled by stimulatory and inhibitory IgG Fc receptors (FcγRs). Systemic lupus erythematosus is a prototype of IC-mediated autoimmune disease; thus, imbalance of these two types of FcγRs is probably involved in pathogenesis. However, how and to what extent each FcγR contributes to the disease remains unclear. In lupus-prone BXSB mice, while stimulatory FcγRs are intact, inhibitory FcγRIIB expression is impaired because of promoter region polymorphism. To dissect roles of stimulatory and inhibitory FcγRs, we established two gene-manipulated BXSB strains: one deficient in stimulatory FcγRs (BXSB.γ−/−) and the other carrying wild-type Fcgr2b (BXSB.IIBB6/B6). The disease features were markedly suppressed in both mutant strains. Despite intact renal function, however, BXSB. γ−/− had IC deposition in glomeruli associated with high-serum IgG anti-DNA Ab levels, in contrast to BXSB.IIBB6/B6, which showed intact renal pathology and anti-DNA levels. Lymphocytes in BXSB. γ−/− were activated, as in wild-type BXSB, but not in BXSB.IIBB6/B6. Our results strongly suggest that both types of FcγRs in BXSB mice are differently involved in the process of disease progression, in which, while stimulatory FcγRs play roles in effecter phase of IC-mediated tissue inflammation, the BXSB-type impaired FcγRIIB promotes spontaneous activation of self-reactive lymphocytes and associated production of large amounts of autoantibodies and ICs.
[Adjuvant effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation in propofol-fentanyl anesthesia in partial mastectomy].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the adjuvant effect of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) in propofol-fentanyl anesthesia in partial mastectomy. METHODS Ninety patients undergoing partial mastectomy were randomly divided into 3 groups (n=30), namely group A with propofol-fentanyl anesthesia (PFVA), group B with PFVA and TEAS at Hegu-Laogong and Neiguan-WaiGuan acupoints, and group C with PFVA and TEAS at Hegu-Laogong, Neiguan-Waiguan, and bilateral Jianjing acupoints. The bispectral index (BIS), heart rate (HR), saturation of pulse oxygen (SpO2), blood pressure (BP), the reaction of patients to the incision and awakening quality were observed at different time points. Blood samples were obtained from the dorsal artery of the foot to determine the levels of adrenaline and beta-endorphin using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay before TEAS (entry into the OR in group A) and at 30 min after TEAS (30 min after entry into the OR in group A), 5 min after incision, end of the surgery and awakening. RESULTS Thirty minutes after TEAS (or 30 min after entry into the OR in group A), BIS, BP and HR were all decreased significantly in groups B and C (P<0.05) but remained stable in group A (P>0.05). The plasma propofol concentration of groups B and C were significantly lower than that in group A, and group B had the highest plasma propofol concentration (P<0.05). The total dose of propofol in groups B and C were decreased by 19% and 27% in comparison with that in group A, respectively. Compared with the basal value, the content of beta-endorphin in groups B and C increased obviously 30 min after TEAS, being the highest in group C (P<0.05); the adrenaline level in groups B and C remained stable after TEAS (P>0.05). CONCLUSION TEAS provides an adjuvant effect in propofol-fentanyl anesthesia and obviously enhances the analgesia effect.