Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Relative 8q gain predicts disease‐specific survival irrespective of the TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion status in diagnostic biopsies of prostate cancer

Screening tools have greatly improved prostate cancer (PCa) detection, but the disease course is heterogeneous, and standard clinicopathological parameters do not fully discriminate aggressive from indolent tumors. To evaluate the prognostic value of the TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion gene combined with chromosome arm 8q relative gain in diagnostic biopsies of PCa, we studied a consecutive series of 200 diagnostic needle biopsies from patients with 10‐year disease‐specific survival data. TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion gene status and relative 8q gain were assessed by fluorescent in situ hybridization in whole formalin fixed paraffin‐embedded biopsies. The TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion gene was detected in 43.5% of PCa and was associated with lower Gleason score (P = 0.045), whereas relative 8q gain was present in 48% of PCa and was associated in high‐Gleason score (P < 0.001). ERG rearrangement alone was not associated with clinical outcome, whereas relative 8q gain predicted worse disease‐specific survival in PCa patients both with and without the TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion gene (P < 0.001), independently of Gleason score, clinical stage, and treatment modality. We conclude that relative 8q gain in diagnostic needle biopsies is a poor prognostic factor independent of the TMPRSS2‐ERG fusion gene status and of standard clinicopathological parameters. © 2011 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Kommunaler Finanzausgleich in Bayern. Überprüfung der Sachgerechtigkeit des derzeitigen Verteilungsmodus der Gemeindeschlüsselzuweisungen im bayerischen kommunalen Finanzausgleich

Ziel des vom FiFo angefertigten Gutachtens zum kommunalen Finanzausgleich in Bayern ist die Untersuchung der Ergebnisgerechtigkeit der geltenden Regelungen zur Berechnung der Gemeindeschlusselzuweisungen sowie der Systematik des geltenden Verteilungsschlussels. Neben einem Uberblick uber den bayerischen Finanzausgleich und einer Darstellung des Status quo des bayerischen Gemeindeschlusselzuweisungssystems finden sich in dem Gutachten insbesondere eine Prufung der gegenwartigen Bedarfsermittlung und Steuerkraftberechnung sowie gangbare Weiterentwicklungsoptionen. Die zudem erfolgte Analyse der Abschopfungsquote erlaubt daruber hinaus einen genaueren Blick auf die Funktionsweise und Anreizwirkungen des Finanzausgleichssystems. Konkret kommt der Gutachter dabei zu folgenden Ergebnissen: · Eine Anpassung bei der Bedarfsermittlung erscheint sinnvoll. Die derzeitige Hauptansatzstaffel ist am unteren Rand tendenziell zu differenziert und am oberen Rand nicht differenziert genug. · Eine verbesserte Bedarfsmessung wurde auf die Erganzungsansatze fur strukturschwache Gemeinden und fur Soziallasten verzichten bzw. sie modifizieren. Alternativ bietet sich die Zahl der Bedarfsgemeinschaften nach SGB II an. Zentralitatsfunktionen konnten mithilfe eines Bedarfsindikators zur Zahl der Einpendler pro Einwohner und der Zahl der Studenten je Einwohner berucksichtigt werden. · Von einer Verwendung fiktiver Einkommensteuerbeteiligungsbetrage pro Kopf sowie einer abgestuften Anrechnung der Einkommensteuereinnahmen sollte abgesehen werden. Das Abstellen auf die tatsachlichen Einkommensteuereinnahmen erhoht die Transparenz und Konsistenz des Systems. · Bezuglich der Realsteuern empfiehlt der Gutachter eine Teilanrechnung zu 10% in Kombination mit einer Erhohung des Nivellierungshebesatzes auf 330. · Die auserst hohe Komplexitat und Undurchsichtigkeit des Schlusselzuweisungssystems uberlagert die Anreizwirkungen auf Gemeinden. Dies durfte in Verbindung mit einer hohen Abschopfungsquote dafur sorgen, dass in vielen Gemeinden Bayerns die eigene Steuerpolitik nicht in einem Ausmas fuhlbar ist, wie es die gemeindliche Steuerautonomie verlangt.
Regional and age variations in growing tendon

Gastrocnemius tendons of 10 White Leghorn chickens at 6, 8, and 12 weeks of age were divided into proximal, middle, and distal portions to assess regional variability in composition and growth. Body weight increases ∼ 150% during the period examined, whereas the lateral gastrocnemius muscle and tendon increase ∼ 193% and 227%, respectively. No significant changes in cellularity (DNA concentration) or hydroxypyridinium (OHP) crosslinks occur with increasing age. Hydroxyproline (HYP) concentration increases by 12 weeks of age, as hexuronate, glucosamine, and galactosamine decrease. Composition shows some regional variation: the distal region of the tendon has a lower HYP concentration, and increased GAGs and OHP crosslinks compared to either the proximal or middle regions, which do not differ from each other. The mean collagen fibril diameter increases with age, but the oldest tendons also contain more small diameter fibrils (<40 nm). There is a unimodal fibril distribution at all three ages, although this has broadened by 12 weeks. The data from this study suggest that rapid tendon growth occurs throughout the time period examined and that changes characteristic of mature tendon, such as increased OHP crosslink concentration, have not yet developed in hatchlings because of the large amount of new tissue being produced. Whereas all three regions of the tendon are similar in size, composition of the distal region differs from that of the proximal and middle regions, suggesting that this portion of the tendon should be avoided when sampling a tendon. © 1994 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A novel “open‐form” structure of sortaseC from Streptococcus suis

A novel ‘‘open-form’’ structure of sortaseC from Streptococcus suis Guangwen Lu, Jianxun Qi, Feng Gao, Jinghua Yan, Jiaqi Tang, and George F. Gao* 1 CAS Key Laboratory of Pathogenic Microbiology and Immunology (CASPMI), Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), Beijing 100101, China 2Graduate University, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China 3National Laboratory of Macromolecules, Institute of Biophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China 4 School of Life Sciences, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610064, Sichuan, China 5Department of Epidemiology, Research Institute for Medicine of Nanjing Command, Nanjing 210002, China 6 China-Japan Joint Laboratory of Molecular Immunology and Molecular Microbiology, Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China 7 Beijing Institutes of Life Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
A Human Factors Approach to the Assessment of the Mobility of Blind Pedestrians

Improving the mobility of blind pedestrians will require the application of methods developed by human factors specialists. Mobility must be recognized as a complex skill, the analysis of which will provide the information that is needed for the design of mobility aids, the development of training methods, and the evaluation of both. This paper suggests some of the requirements of a method for assessing the mobility of blind pedestrians. In so far as possible, mobility should be studied in a situation that provides both experimental control and reasonable fidelity to those situations in which the mobility task is ordinarily performed. Measures should be independent of the mobility aid used by the blind pedestrian. They should be operationally defined. They should assess behaviors that lead to the realization of the terminal objective of the mobility task. Finally, measures should be included that permit valid inferences concerning the perceptual and cognitive processes upon which mobility depends, so that a more adequate theory of mobility can be developed.
Auswirkungen familienpolitischer Instrumente auf die Fertilität: internationaler Vergleich für ausgewählte Länder. Studie im Auftrag der Robert Bosch Stiftung

In allen OECD-Landern sind die Geburtenraten in den letzten vierzig Jahren erheblich gesunken. Trotz dieses gemeinsamen Trends kann aber sowohl in der zeitlichen Entwicklung als auch im aktuellen Stand des Geburtenverhaltens eine erhebliche Heterogenitat beobachtet werden. Deutschland, Spanien und Italien weisen deutlich niedrigere Geburtenraten auf als Frankreich, das Vereinigte Konigreich und die skandinavischen Staaten. Alle Lander setzen politische Masnahmen ein, um die Einkommensposition von Familien zu verbessern. Wenngleich diese Masnahmen in der Regel verteilungspolitisch motiviert sind, kann erwartet werden, dass diese auch die Geburtenziffern beeinflussen.
Designing wellness interventions and applications

In recent years, we have seen a large explosion of wellness interventions and technology applications focused on human's well-being with the intention of helping people avoid needing medical care. Given the increasing emergence of wellness applications, there is a need to integrate existing diverse research endeavors and discuss key challenges and opportunities for next generation wellness interventions and applications. In this SIG, we bring together researchers and practitioners in the wellness field to develop a shared understanding of existing approaches around the wellness interventions and applications and identify key synergies, opportunities, and challenges for future research that lead to successful wellbeing.
Prediction of Adoption Versus Euthanasia Among Dogs and Cats in a California Animal Shelter

The purpose of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate determinants of adoption of cats and dogs from a large municipal animal shelter. The subjects were 4,813 cats and 3,301 dogs impounded by the Sacramento County Department of Animal Care and Regulation and offered for adoption September 9, 1994 to May 26, 1995. The study constructed models predicting the conditional probability of adoption using logistic regression and a final multiple logistic regression model from variables found to be important predictors of adoption. Age, sex, coat color, and reason for relinquishment were major determinants of adoption in cats. Age, sex, coat color, reason for relinquishment, breed, purebred status, and injury status were major determinants of adoption in dogs. Shelter personnel could utilize this information to increase the adoption of frequently overlooked animals. Alternatively, shelters could use this to focus their resources on animals with characteristics the public prefers.
Restriction enzyme analysis of the virulence plasmids of VapA-positive Rhodococcus equi strains isolated from humans and horses

Restriction enzyme digestion patterns of the large virulence plasmids of 8 human and 37 foal isolates of virulence-associated protein (VapA)-positive Rhodococcus equi strains from different sources were compared. Foal isolates came from five continents. Digestion with EcoRI divided these plasmids into three closely related types, and digestion with BamHI divided them into three major types which corresponded to the EcoRI types. The only EcoRI and BamHI type 3 plasmid was from a single foal isolate obtained from Japan. There are thus two major but related virulence plasmids in isolates from foals. Geographic differences were noted, since foal isolates with the EcoRI type 1 plasmid digestion pattern tended to come mostly from the United States, Canada, European countries, India or Zimbabwe and foal isolates with EcoRI type 2 pattern tended to come mostly from Latin American countries. Only 8 of 38 different human isolates, mostly from AIDS patients, were VapA positive, in contrast to 37 of 42 foal isolates. VapA-positive isolates from humans possessed virulence plasmids of either EcoRI type 1 or EcoRI type 2. These results confirm that only a small proportion of human patients with R. equi infections acquire foal virulent R. equi.
Interface Vessels on Color/Power Doppler US and MRI: A Clue to Differentiate Subserosal Uterine Myomas from Extrauterine Tumors

Purpose In subserosal myomas, vessels are often demonstrated between the masses and the uterus. This study was performed to assess the usefulness of demonstrating these vessels in differentiating subserosal myomas from extrauterine tumors on color or power Doppler US (CDUS/PDUS) and MRI. Method This retrospective study included 41 patients with subserosal myomas and 27 patients with solid extrauterine tumors. The incidence and shape of these vessels seen on CDUS/PDUS and MRI were compared in the myoma and extrauterine tumor groups. Results The interface vessels were demonstrated in 39 of 41 subserosal myomas (18 on CDUS/PDUS, 14 on MRI, 7 on both), whereas they were seen in only 3 of 27 extrauterine tumors (1 on CDUS/PDUS, 2 on MRI). These three extrauterine tumors were ovarian malignancies that directly invaded the uterus. The shapes of these interface vessels were 7 intervening, 12 crossing, and 20 mixed in the myoma group, whereas they were mixed in all three extrauterine tumor groups. The sensitivity/specificity of this finding in differentiating subserosal myomas and extrauterine tumors was 100/92%, 91/91%, and 95/89%, respectively, with CDUS/PDUS, MRI, and either CDUS/PDUS or MRI. Conclusion Observation of the interface vessels between the uterus and juxtauterine masses seems to be a useful clue in differentiating subserosal myomas from extrauterine tumors.
PREMIER—A Trial of Lifestyle Interventions for Blood Pressure Control: Intervention Design and Rationale

Interventions encouraging adoption of healthy diets and increased physical activity are needed to achieve national goals for preventing and treating hypertension, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and other chronic diseases. PREMIER was a multicenter clinical trial testing the effects of two lifestyle interventions on blood pressure control, compared with advice only. Both interventions implemented established national guidelines for blood pressure control (weight loss, reduced sodium and alcohol intake, and increased physical activity), and one intervention also included the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) diet. Both interventions focused on behavioral self-management, motivational enhancement, and personalized feedback. This article describes the design and evaluation approaches for these interventions. Evaluation of multicomponent lifestyle change interventions can help us understand the benefits and difficulties of making multiple lifestyle changes concurrently and the effects such changes can have on blood pressure, particularly in minorities at higher risk for hypertension.
Reconciliation patterns among stumptailed macaques: a multivariate approach

This study focused on two aspects of the dynamics of reconciliation in stumptailed macaques, Macaca arctoides. First, we investigated the combined effects of multiple variables (i.e. sex, age, rank, conflict intensity, outcome, or number of participants, interopponent distance, kinship and friendship) on the occurrence of reconciliation. Second, we investigated whether opponents used different behaviour patterns in their postconflict reunions depending on the characteristics of their conflicts or their relationship with their opponents. We studied a multimale, multifemale group of 38 stumptailed macaques housed in a large outdoor compound. Three types of data were collected: (1) instantaneous scan sampling of contact sitting to infer 'friendship'; (2) ad libitum data on bared-teeth and teeth-chattering displays to infer dominance rank; (3) 10-min focal observations during postconflict (PC) and matched control (MC) periods in which we recorded interopponent distance at the beginning of the observation and all aggressive and affiliative behaviours between former opponents. Our study confirmed the high conciliatory tendency of stumptailed macaques previously reported for other groups. A stepwise logistic regression revealed that initial interopponent distance in PC, friendship and kinship were the only factors that independently contributed to explain the occurrence of reconciliation. Two main clusters of postconflict behavioural patterns emerged: allogrooming+contact sitting and sociosexual behaviours (e.g. hold-bottom). It is hypothesized that postconflict allogrooming and contact sitting may be used for the maintenance of valuable relationships, whereas sociosexual behaviours may be used more indiscriminately by any pair of opponents as a buffering mechanism to prevent immediate recurrence of aggression. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Anti-hypertensive drugs as disease-modifying agents for Parkinson's disease: evidence from observational studies and clinical trials.

BACKGROUND Current treatment for Parkinson's disease (PD) is focused on relieving symptoms, at present there is nothing that is widely accepted to halt or slow disease progression. Potential neuroprotective or disease modifying agents have been identified from preclinical studies. One such group of compounds are anti-hypertensive drugs. OBJECTIVES 1) Do anti-hypertensive drugs prevent the onset of PD? (primary prevention)2) Are anti-hypertensive drugs disease modifying agents in PD, do they slow the progression of disease once PD is established? (secondary prevention)3) What are the adverse effects of taking anti-hypertensive drugs for patients with PD? SEARCH METHODS Electronic databases including trial registers were searched, complemented with handsearching of conference proceedings and searching the citations of key articles (updated May 2011). Authors were contacted, to provide additional information, where necessary. SELECTION CRITERIA For the primary prevention review, primary prevention trials and observational studies (cohort and case control studies) were sought. Participants were free of PD when exposure to anti-hypertensive drugs was assessed. For the secondary prevention review, clinical trials in patients with well defined PD were sought. Two people independently selected studies for inclusion using predetermined criteria. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Data were abstracted from the source papers and methodological quality was assessed independently by two review authors. Results for both reviews were dealt with descriptively. MAIN RESULTS Two cohort studies and four case control studies met the inclusion criteria for the primary prevention review. The two cohort studies found no effect of exposure to calcium channel blockers on the risk of developing PD. Three case control studies looked at the effects of exposure to calcium channel blockers and beta blockers on the risk of developing PD but the assessment periods of exposure were markedly different prior to PD onset, and different subclasses of drugs were examined, so results were not comparable. A protective effect of centrally acting calcium channel blockers was found in one study.Two trials and one ongoing trial met the inclusion criteria for the secondary prevention review. Each completed trial examined a different class of anti-hypertensive drug. The ongoing trial is examining the effects of the calcium channel blocker isradipine on motor symptoms and disease progression. It follows an earlier tolerability study. The results are due in the year 2012.Adverse effects were noted in all included trials and included intolerability to the drugs and worsening PD symptoms. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is currently a lack of evidence for the use of antihypertensive drugs for either the primary or secondary prevention of PD. More observational studies are required to identify potential drugs to go forward for safety and tolerability studies in people with early PD. The results of the ongoing trial will help inform further research.
Positive predictive values of selected clinical signs associated with skull base fractures.

BACKGROUND The goal of this study was to determinate the positive predictive values of selected clinical signs for skull base fractures and associated intracranial lesions. METHODS EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN Clinical and radiological data were collected prospectively for all patients with selected clinical signs of skull base fractures, and their admission criteria were: 1) recent head injury story; 2) presence of one or more of following clinical signs: unilateral or bilateral blepharohaematoma, bloody otorrhea, and Battle's sign. SETTING Emergency service of a institutional hospital. PATIENTS One hundred forty two patients with the selected clinical signs for skull base fracture. RESULTS Frontal bone fractures were the most frequent in patients with selected clinical signs. Battle's sign (100%) and unilateral blepharohaematoma (90%) were the signs with higher positive predictive values for skull base fractures; bilateral blepharohaematoma (70%) and bloody otorrhea (70%) were those with less values. The positive predictive values of the selected signs for intracranial lesions (acute extradural haematoma, pneumocephalus, brain contusion, brain sweLling, and acute subdural haematoma) were: unilateral and bilateral blepharohaematoma with positive predictive values of 85% and 68%, respectively; Battle's sign was 66%; and bloody otorrhea was 46%. For patients at admission on the 13-15 Glasgow Coma Scale only, the positive predictive values for that intracranial lesions were: blepharohaematoma=78%; Battle's sign=66%; and bloody otorrhea=41%. CONCLUSIONS Our data demonstrated that the selected signs of skull base fractures have high positive predictive values for the presence of skull fracture and intracranial lesions, even in those patients classified in the Glasgow Coma Scale between 13 and 15. This indicates that all patients with the selected clinical signs should be submitted to computerized tomography of skull and with bone window, with the aim to detect associated lesions.
Chlorophyll-protein complexes from thylakoids of a mutant barley lacking chlorophyll b.

Modifications of the type and concentration of detergents and buffers used for thylakoid extraction and gel electrophoresis have provided improved resolution of chlorophyll-protein complexes in mutant barley which lacks chlorophyll b. The use of sodium deoxycholate in the gels and in the solubilization of thylakoids reduced the amount of free chlorophyll significantly. Three chlorophyll-a–protein complexes were resolved from mutant barley; two of these (CP1a and CP1) represent the reaction centre complex of photosystem 1, while the third complex, CPa, is the presumed reaction centre of photosystem 2. The fluorescence emission band of mutant barley complex CPa at 684 nm and the low fluorescence yield are consistent with expected characteristics of a reaction centre complex of photosystem 2. More chlorophyll (60 %) is associated with the reaction centre complex of photosystem 1 than with the presumed reaction centre complex of photosystem 2 (30%), and these amounts are double those found in the corresponding complexes of normal barley. It is proposed that the smaller photosynthetic unit of mutant barley thylakoids has twice as much chlorophyll a in photosystem 1 as in photosystem 2, and this chlorophyll is associated only with the two reaction centre complexes which are in direct contact. The sodium deoxycholate method may be useful for the resolution of pigment complexes from other thylakoids with inherently fragile photosystems.
CNV Analysis Using TaqMan Copy Number Assays

Copy number variations are important polymorphisms that can influence the expression of genes within and close to the rearranged region. This allows transcription levels to be higher or lower than those that can be achieved by control of transcription of a single copy. Recently, copy number variations have been associated with genetic diseases such as cancer, immune diseases, and neurological disorders. TaqMan copy number assays are designed to detect and measure copy number variation in the human genome using real‐time polymerase chain reaction and unquenching of fluorescent probes for the target sequence. Curr. Protoc. Hum. Genet. 67:2.13. 1‐2.13. 10 © 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.