Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The precondition particle: A unified analysis of German denn

German has a rich system of discourse particles—expressions that help speakers with organizing and “navigating” a discourse, typically by linking an utterance to the epistemic states of the interlocutors (Zimmermann 2011). For the most part, however, the formal semantics literature has focused on only a subgroup of discourse particles, namely those particles whose distribution is limited to declarative sentences.1 They are commonly treated as indicating something about the status of the information conveyed by the declarative (McCready 2012). But this perspective doesn’t straightforwardly extend to particles that appear, either predominantly or exclusively, in interrogative clauses, since questions, as opposed to assertions, don’t primarily convey information but rather request it. Denn is a particle that appears predominantly in interrogatives. It is licensed both in polar interrogatives like (1) and wh-interrogatives like (2) (Thurmair 1989). Moreover, it can appear in certain conditional antecedents like (3) (Brauße 1994, Csipak & Zobel 2016).
Trigeminal neuralgia: the diagnosis and management of this excruciating and poorly understood facial pain

Trigeminal neuralgia is defined as sudden, usually unilateral, severe, brief, stabbing recurrent episodes of pain within the distribution of one or more branches of the trigeminal nerve, which has a profound effect on quality of life. The diagnosis is made on history alone, and time needs to be taken to elicit the key features and differentiate from toothache or one of the trigeminal autonomic cephalalgias. Most trigeminal neuralgia is idiopathic, but a small percentage is due to secondary causes—for example, tumours or multiple sclerosis—which can be picked up on CT or MRI. Recently published international guidelines suggest that carbamazepine and oxcarbazepine are the first-line drugs. There is limited evidence for the use of lamotrigine and baclofen. If there is a decrease in efficacy or tolerability of medication, surgery needs to be considered. A neurosurgical opinion should be sought early. There are several ablative, destructive procedures that can be carried out either at the level of the Gasserian ganglion or in the posterior fossa. The only non-destructive procedure is microvascular decompression (MVD). The ablative procedures give a 50% chance of patients being pain free for 4 years, compared with 70% of patients at 10 years after MVD. Ablative procedures result in sensory loss, and MVD carries a 0.2–0.4% risk of mortality with a 2–4% chance of ipsilateral hearing loss. Surgical procedures result in markedly improved quality of life. Patient support groups provide information and support to those in pain and play a crucial role.
Extracellular S100A1 Protein Inhibits Apoptosis in Ventricular Cardiomyocytes via Activation of the Extracellular Signal-regulated Protein Kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2)*

S100A1 is a Ca2+-binding protein of the EF-hand type that belongs to the S100 protein family. It is specifically expressed in the myocardium at high levels and is considered to be an important regulator of cardiac contractility. Because the S100A1 protein is released into the extracellular space during ischemic myocardial injury, we examined the cardioprotective potential of the extracellular S100A1 protein on ventricular cardiomyocytes in vitro. In this report we show that extracellularly added S100A1 protein is endocytosed into the endosomal compartment of neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes via a Ca2+-dependent clathrin-mediated process. S100A1 uptake protects neonatal ventricular cardiomyocytes from 2-deoxyglucose and oxidative stress-induced apoptosis in vitro. S100A1-mediated anti-apoptotic effects involve specific activation of the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) pro-survival pathway, including activation of phospholipase C, protein kinase C, mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase 1, and ERK1/2. In contrast, neither transsarcolemmal Ca2+ influx via the L-type channel nor protein kinase A activity seems to take part in the S100A1-mediated signaling pathway. In conclusion, this study provides evidence for the S100A1 protein serving as a novel cardioprotective factor in vitro. These findings warrant speculation that injury-dependent release of the S100A1 protein from cardiomyocytes may serve as an intrinsic mechanism to promote survival of the myocardium in vivo.
Effect of Infectious Bursal Disease Virus Insult on Iron, Copper, and Zinc Concentration in Liver, Bursa of Fabricius, Spleen, Pancreas, and Serum of Chickens

Abstract The effect of a systemic disease on the dynamics of iron, zinc, and copper in chickens fed ad libitum was examined by infecting 10-day-old specific pathogen-free chickens with infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV). Liver, bursa of Fabricius, pancreas, spleen, and serum were sampled in 10 controls and 10 challenged chickens at 3-day intervals postinfection (PI) for 15 days. The samples were analyzed using atomic absorption spectroscopy. Serum levels were similar to that reported in the literature. Concentrations of iron and zinc did not change significantly in the pancreas, but there was an increase in copper in infected pancreatic tissue on days 9 and 15 PI. Iron concentration in the spleen showed a significant increase on days 6, 9, and 15 PI, whereas zinc was only significantly increased on day 15 PI. There was no significant change in copper concentrations in the spleens of infected chickens vs. controls. This finding is in line with previously reported data. The results showed that the liver was not a major tissue where iron and zinc were sequestered, as previous data have shown in mammals. Instead, the bursa of Fabricius had significantly increased levels of both iron and zinc in infected tissue vs. control tissue from 9 days PI on. Furthermore, the bursa had increased levels of copper in the latter portion of the study. These findings suggest that the bursa of Fabricius rather than the liver is the major organ for metallic ion sequestering during IBDV infection.
Heat‐shock–mediated conditional regulation of hedgehog/gli signaling in zebrafish

Background: Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is required for embryogenesis and continues to play key roles postembryonically in many tissues, influencing growth, stem cell proliferation, and tumorigenesis. Systems for conditional regulation of Hh signaling facilitate the study of these postembryonic Hh functions. Results: We used the hsp70l promoter to generated three heat‐shock–inducible transgenic lines that activate Hh signaling and one line that represses Hh signaling. Heat‐shock activation of these transgenes appropriately recapitulates early embryonic loss or gain of Hh function phenotypes. Hh signaling remains activated 24 hr after heat shock in the Tg(hsp70l:shha‐EGFP) and Tg(hsp70l:dnPKA‐BGFP) lines, while a single heat shock of the Tg(hsp70l:gli1‐EGFP) or Tg(hsp70l:gli2aDR‐EGFP) lines results in a 6‐ to 12‐hr pulse of Hh signal activation or inactivation, respectively. Using both in situ hybridization and quantitative polymerase chain reaction, we show that these lines can be used to manipulate Hh signaling through larval and juvenile stages. A ptch2 promoter element was used to generate new reporter lines that allow clear visualization of Hh responding cells throughout the life cycle, including graded Hh responses in the embryonic central nervous system. Conclusions: These zebrafish transgenic lines provide important new experimental tools to study the embryonic and postembryonic roles of Hh signaling. Developmental Dynamics 242:529–539, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Neuronal necrosis after middle cerebral artery occlusion in Wistar rats progresses at different time intervals in the caudoputamen and the cortex.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Most brain lesions that develop after an artery is occluded evolve from an initial stage of "ischemic injury" (probably reversible) to an infarct or an area where most neurons become necrotic. There is scant information on the time that must elapse after the arterial occlusion for neurons to undergo irreversible injury. The objective of these experiments was to chart the time course and the topographic distribution of the neuronal necrosis that follows the occlusion of a large cerebral artery. METHODS One hundred fifty-one adult rats (including 15 controls) were used in this study. One hundred forty-seven had the right middle cerebral artery occluded for variable periods ranging from 30 minutes to 7 days. After processing the brains for histology, a meticulous structural evaluation of each specimen, including quantitation of necrotic neurons, was followed by a detailed statistical analysis of the neuronal counts. RESULTS Few neurons in isolated sites showed morphological signs of necrosis during the initial 4 hours; the first significant increase in the percentage of necrotic neurons (15%) was observed within the territory of the occluded artery after 6 hours (P < .05); 12 hours after the arterial occlusion most neurons (65%) had become necrotic (P < .0001). Pannecrosis involving neurons, glial cells, and blood vessels was observed at 72 to 96 hours. However, even at this time pannecrosis involved only the preoptic area and the lateral putamen; a few intact neurons remained visible in the cortex, and scattered necrotic neurons could be identified beyond the edges of the "area of pallor," which does not become clearly demarcated until 4 to 5 days after the arterial occlusion. CONCLUSIONS There is a predictable progression in the development of neuronal necrosis after a permanent arterial occlusion. Irreversible changes appear first in the caudoputamen and then spread to the cortex. The causes for the progression of the lesion are not known; however, therapeutic interventions that start within the first 1 to 2 hours after the arterial occlusion may alter the histopathologic responses to this form of injury. It remains to be determined whether the extent of the neurological deficit induced by an arterial occlusion correlates with the number of necrotic neurons.
The role of hope in psychotherapy with older adults

The positive impact of psychotherapy upon the mental health problems of older people is increasingly accepted. However little attention has been paid to the role of hope in working therapeutically with older adults. Three relevant bodies of literature, namely adult psychotherapy, hope in older adulthood, and coping with chronic and terminal illness, provide a starting point for examining the therapeutic uses of hope. However, it is argued that these literatures cannot provide a sufficiently comprehensive conceptualisation of hope in psychotherapy with elders. Firstly, it is considered that hope in therapy is directly affected by key experiences of ageing, namely: facing physical and/or cognitive deterioration and facing death. Also, these three bodies of literature have tended to dichotomise hope as either beneficial and adaptive or dysfunctional and maladaptive. A developmental perspective is used to critique this dichotomy and a clinical framework is provided which examines the role and utility of hope in older adult psychotherapy from a more integrated viewpoint embedded in the client's life history. The framework is comprised of three types of ‘hope work’: ‘facilitating realistic hope,’ ‘the work of despair’ and ‘surviving not thriving’. Suggestions are made about how this work may be carried out and with whom.
A new triazole, voriconazole (UK-109,496), blocks sterol biosynthesis in Candida albicans and Candida krusei

Voriconazole (UK-109,496) is a novel triazole derivative with potent broad-spectrum activity against various fungi, including some that are inherently resistant to fluconazole, such as Candida krusei. In this study we compared the effect of subinhibitory concentrations of voriconazole and fluconazole on sterol biosynthesis of fluconazole-resistant and -susceptible Candida albicans strains, as well as C. krusei, in an effort to delineate the precise mode of action of voriconazole. Voriconazole MICs ranged from 0.003 to 4 microg/ml, while fluconazole MICs ranged from 0.25 to >64 microg/ml. To investigate the effects of voriconazole and fluconazole on candidal sterols, yeast cells were grown in the absence and presence of antifungals. In untreated C. albicans controls, ergosterol was the major sterol (accounting for 53.6% +/- 2.2% to 71.7% +/- 7.8% of the total) in C. albicans and C. krusei strains. There was no significant difference between the sterol compositions of the fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant C. albicans isolates. Voriconazole treatment led to a decrease in the total sterol content of both C. albicans strains tested. In contrast, exposure to fluconazole did not result in a significant reduction in the total sterol content of the three candidal strains tested (P > 0.5). Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis revealed profound changes in the sterol profiles of both C. albicans strains and of C. krusei in response to voriconazole. This antifungal agent exerted a similar effect on the sterol compositions of both fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant C. albicans strains. Interestingly, a complete inhibition of ergosterol synthesis and accumulation of its biosynthetic precursors were observed in both strains treated with voriconazole. In contrast, fluconazole partially inhibited ergosterol synthesis. Analysis of sterols obtained from a fluconazole-resistant C. albicans strain grown in the presence of different concentrations of voriconazole showed that this agent inhibits ergosterol synthesis in a dose-dependent manner. In C. krusei, voriconazole significantly inhibited ergosterol synthesis (over 75% inhibition). C. krusei cells treated with voriconazole accumulated the following biosynthetic intermediates: squalene, 4,14-dimethylzymosterol, and 24-methylenedihydrolanosterol. Accumulation of these methylated sterols is consistent with the premise that this agent functions by inhibiting fungal P-450-dependent 14alpha-demethylase. As expected, treating C. krusei with fluconazole minimally inhibited ergosterol synthesis. Importantly, our data indicate that voriconazole is more effective than fluconazole in blocking candidal sterol biosynthesis, consistent with the different antifungal potencies of these compounds.
Risk management in the preanalytical phase of laboratory testing

Abstract The clinical laboratory is no longer its own limited ecosystem, as it is increasingly integrated with patient care, assisting diagnosis, monitoring therapies and predicting clinical outcomes. Although efforts and resources are continuously focused to achieve a satisfactory degree of analytical quality, there is clear evidence that the preanalytical phase is much more vulnerable to uncertainties and accidents, which can substantially influence patient care. Most errors within the preanalytical phase result from system flaws and insufficient audit of the operators involved in specimen collection and handling responsibilities, leading to an unacceptable number of unsuitable specimens due to in vitro hemolysis, clotting, insufficient volume, wrong container, contamination and misidentification. A reliable approach to overcome this problem entails prediction of accidental events (exhaustive process analysis, reassessment and rearrangement of quality requirements, dissemination of operating guidelines and best-practice recommendations, reduction of complexity and error-prone activities, introduction of error-tracking systems and continuous monitoring of performances), an increase in and diversification of defenses (application of multiple and heterogeneous systems to identify non-conformities), and a decrease in vulnerability (implementation of reliable and objective detection systems and causal relation charts, education and training). This policy, which requires integration between requirements and design, full commitment and interdepartmental cooperation, should make laboratory activity more compliant to the inalienable paradigm of total quality in the testing process. Clin Chem Lab Med 2007;45:720–7.
Measurements of anomalous skin effect in 1 THz band

Influence of the anomalous skin effect on the surface resistance in 1 THz band is investigated experimentally. Scattering parameters of a 2-inch uni-cast WR-1.0 waveguide made of gold are measured in 0.75-1.1 THz band with a vector network analyzer, and the surface resistance are calculated. It is shown that the surface resistance is proportional to the frequency to power of 0.57, which is between the cases of the classical skin effect and the anomalous skin effect and the surface resistance is in the transition from the classical skin effect region to the anomalous skin effect region.
Pediatric abdominal injury patterns generated by lap belt loading.

BACKGROUND Abdominal injuries can occur in children wearing adult seat belts during motor vehicle crashes. The particular anatomic structures injured may depend on the position of the seat belt, but this relationship has never been quantified in a controlled setting. METHODS Thirty-four dynamic tests, designed to replicate crash loading, were performed on a validated porcine model of the 6-year-old human abdomen. The lap belt was positioned initially at either an "upper" or "lower" location on the abdomen. Detailed posttest necropsies identified all resulting injuries, which were then correlated to the initial position of the seat belt. The utility of using the presence or absence of an abdominal abrasion to predict internal abdominal injuries was also investigated. RESULTS The injury frequency distributions from upper and lower abdominal belt loading were found to be significantly different (p < 0.01). Upper abdominal loading most commonly produced splenic lacerations and rib fractures, whereas lower abdominal loading resulted primarily in injuries to the large and small intestines. The presence of an abdominal abrasion was found to be a fairly specific (Sp = 0.86) but not very sensitive (Sn = 0.33) predictor of internal injuries of moderate severity. CONCLUSIONS The relative frequency of each injury coupled with the presence or absence of an abdominal abrasion ("seat belt sign") should aid clinicians during their evaluations of children involved in motor vehicle crashes with possible occult abdominal trauma. In addition, the presence of a seat belt sign may have greater utility ruling in potentially occult abdominal injuries rather than excluding them.
Differences in Tumor Type in Low-stage Versus High-stage Ovarian Carcinomas

Although there are recognized differences in the type of ovarian carcinomas between those tumors diagnosed at low versus high stage, there is a lack of data on stage distribution of ovarian carcinomas diagnosed according to the current histopathologic criteria from large population-based cohorts. We reviewed full slide sets of 1009 cases of 2555 patients diagnosed with ovarian carcinoma that were referred to the British Columbia Cancer Agency over a 16-year period (1984 to 2000). On the basis of the reviewed cases we extrapolated the distribution of tumor type in low-stage (I/II) and high-stage (III/IV) tumors. We then compared the frequencies with those seen in a large hospital practice. The overall frequency of tumor types was as follows: high-grade serous—68.1%, clear-cell—12.2%, endometrioid—11.3%, mucinous—3.4%, low-grade serous—3.4%, rare types—1.6%. High-grade serous carcinomas accounted for 35.5% of stage I/II tumors and 87.7% of stage III/IV tumors. In contrast, clear-cell (26.2% vs. 4.5%), endometrioid (26.6% vs. 2.5%), and mucinous (7.5% vs. 1.2%) carcinomas were relatively more common among the low-stage versus high-stage tumors. This distribution was found to be very similar in 410 consecutive cases from the Washington Hospital Center. The distribution of ovarian carcinoma types differs significantly in patients with low-stage versus high-stage ovarian carcinoma when contemporary diagnostic criteria are used, with consistent results seen in 2 independent case series. These findings reflect important biological differences in the behavior of the major tumor types, with important clinical implications.
Age- and Gender-Specific Smoothed Waist Circumference Percentiles for Kuwaiti Adolescents

Objective: To ascertain abdominal obesity prevalence (waist circumference, WC) in adolescents and to develop smoothed WC percentile charts for Kuwaiti adolescents for public health use. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study of 4,219 healthy Kuwaiti male and female secondary school students between the ages of 11–19 years was examined. Adolescents were drawn from all geographical regions of the country, as part of the Kuwait Nutrition Surveillance Program (KNSP). The KNSP consists of yearly data collections of variables, including weights, heights, and WCs and several sociodemographic variables. LMS regression was used to develop smoothed WC percentile curves. The final percentile curves presented are the result of smoothing three age-specific curves, termed lambda (L), mu (M), and sigma (S) for each gender. Results: Between 5.9 and 12.8% of females and 8.0–30.3% males had WC values ≧90th percentile. Moreover, the mean WC of males was consistently higher than those of females at each age and the percent of adolescents who exceed the 90th percentile increased with age in males, but not in females. Conclusion: Mean WC was higher in males than in females at every age. In most cases, two to three times greater percentages of males, compared to females, equaled or exceeded the 90th percentile, a value frequently associated with higher cardiovascular risk. These results indicate the urgent need to reduce abdominal obesity, an important indicator of the metabolic syndrome, in Kuwaiti adolescents.
Automatic measurement of early gestational sac diameters from one scan session

Gestational sac (GS) diameters are commonly measured by routine ultrasound in early pregnancy. However, manually searching for the standardized plane of GS (SPGS) and measuring the diameters are time-consuming. In this paper, we develop a three-stage automatic solution for this procedure. In order to precisely and efficiently locate the position of GS in each frame, a coarse to fine GS detection scheme based on AdaBoost algorithm is explored. Then, an efficient method based on local context information is introduced to reduce the false positives (FP) generated by the above detection process. Finally, a database (DB) guided spectral segmentation is proposed to separate GS region from the background for further diameters measurement. Experiments carried out on 31 videos show that by using the proposed methods, the number of SPGS searching error is only one, and the average measurement error is 0.059 for the length diameters and 0.083 for the depth diameters.