Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gait Analysis of Adult Paraplegic Rats after Spinal Cord Repair

This study presents a novel detailed method of analysis of rat gait and uses this method to demonstrate recovery of forward locomotion patterns in adult rats made paraplegic by surgical spinal cord transection and subjected to a novel strategy for spinal cord repair. Six normal rats were compared to five animals in which the cord was transected at T8-T9, and a 5-mm segment of the spinal cord removed, and to seven animals in which, following spinal cord transection and removal of a spinal cord segment, multiple intercostal peripheral nerve bridges were implanted, rerouting pathways from white to gray matter in both directions. The implanted area was filled with fibrin glue containing acidic fibroblast growth factor. Details of the repair strategy have been published (H. Cheng, Y. Cao, and L. Olson, 1996, Science 273: 510-513). Gait analysis was carried out 3 and 4 months after surgery and once in the normal animals. Animals were allowed to walk across a runway with a transparent floor. Each test consisted of five trials, and each trial was videorecorded from underneath. Using frame-by-frame playback, individual footprints were then recorded regarding location and order of limb use, as well as step quality (degree of weight bearing, etc.). These data allowed measuring runway transit time, five different measures of step numbers, all possible temporal patterns of limb use, stride length, and base of support. Transected controls remained paralyzed in the hindlimbs with only occasional reflex hindlimb movements without weight bearing. Animals subjected to the full repair procedure were significantly faster than the controls, used their hindlimbs for 25-30% of the movements, and regained several of the specific limb recruitment patterns used by normal rats. Taken together, the gait analysis data demonstrate remarkable recovery of coordinated gait in the repaired animals, which was significantly better than controls for all relevant parameters, while at the same time clearly inferior to normal rats for most of the examined parameters. We conclude that normal rats use a multitude of interchangeable step sequence patterns, and that our spinal cord repair strategy leads to recovery of some of these patterns following complete spinal cord transection. These data suggest functionally relevant neuronal communication across the lesion.
Mycobacterium marinum persists in cultured mammalian cells in a temperature-restricted fashion

We have explored the relatively rapidly growing animal and human pathogen Mycobacterium marinum as an experimental model for mycobacterial pathogenesis. M. marinum, which has a lower temperature for optimal growth than does Mycobacterium tuberculosis, has a much shorter generation time and can be safely studied in ordinary laboratory facilities and examined in multiple animal infection models. We have established an in vitro assay for its interaction with eukaryotic cells and shown that it persists in these cells in a temperature-specific fashion that correlates with its ability to cause disease in vivo at lower temperatures. Additionally, preliminary evidence that M. marinum causes a chronic disease with some features resembling tuberculosis in frogs of the species Rana pipiens is presented.
Recombination: the good, the bad and the variable

Recombination, the process by which DNA strands are broken and repaired, producing new combinations of alleles, occurs in nearly all multicellular organisms and has important implications for many evolutionary processes. The effects of recombination can be good, as it can facilitate adaptation, but also bad when it breaks apart beneficial combinations of alleles, and recombination is highly variable between taxa, species, individuals and across the genome. Understanding how and why recombination rate varies is a major challenge in biology. Most theoretical and empirical work has been devoted to understanding the role of recombination in the evolution of sex—comparing between sexual and asexual species or populations. How recombination rate evolves and what impact this has on evolutionary processes within sexually reproducing organisms has received much less attention. This Theme Issue focusses on how and why recombination rate varies in sexual species, and aims to coalesce knowledge of the molecular mechanisms governing recombination with our understanding of the evolutionary processes driving variation in recombination within and between species. By integrating these fields, we can identify important knowledge gaps and areas for future research, and pave the way for a more comprehensive understanding of how and why recombination rate varies.
Synergetic and higher order sliding mode control of blood glucose regulation in diabetes patients

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disorder of carbohydrate metabolism due to relative or absolute insulin deficiency. This latter can be best handled in an automatic procedure. It's essential that control used in such a scheme be robust to any kind of disturbances and parameters uncertainties. In this paper, Bergman's minimal model is used as a starting point in an effort to regulate efficiently glucose level using synergetic control which is then compared to the application of second order sliding mode. These two proven robust control techniques can handle adequately uncertainties to a great extent through their invariance properties. Our contribution shows that synergetic methodology provides better performance. It is obvious that obtaining system parameters exact values is unrealistic in most biological systems, therefore all model parameters will be considered uncertain. Parametric uncertainty will be exploited in developing a control scheme based on a closed-loop feedback strategy. The behavior of the obtained controller is analyzed on its ability to track a normoglycemic in presence of disturbance and perturbed parameters. A comparative study of the application of the two techniques is carried out showing through simulation results that the synergetic control approach offers stronger robustness in performance compared to sliding mode control, despite disturbances.
Subtle source of contamination in spectrophones.

The laser illuminated spectrophone has proved itself to be a sensitive instrument for measuring absorption of electromagnetic radiation by gases. Kerr and Atwood were the first to use laser sources in conjunction with the spectrophone device. Absorptivities as low as 10 cm to 10 cm were measured using pulsed ruby and continuous CO2 lasers. The original concept of the spectrophone was developed by Bell. Rather than measuring a ratio of output power to
Qualidade Informacional Contábil das Companhias de Tecnologia da Informação Listadas na BM&FBOVESPA Information Quality of Accounting in Technological Information Enterprises Listed in the BM&FBOVESPA

Accounting information may be seen as the final product of accounting information systems, planned to help users to make their decisions. In this context, this study aims to quantify the quality level of the accounting information of companies operating in the sector of information technology, listed in the BM&BOVESPA, through a descriptive study with documental proceeding and quantitative analysis of the data. The Financial Statements and Annual Reports of those information technology enterprises were analyzed, and the results didn’t show a good performance in accounting quality. Only one of those enterprises was above average, measured by the Botosan (1997) scale of accounting level evidences.
The Permotriassic branchiosaurid Tungussogyrinus Efremov , 1939 ( Temnospondyli , Dissorophoidea ) from Siberia restudied

The newt-like branchiosaurids mostly lived in Permocarboniferous lakes of Laurussia. Thousands of specimens are known from the Saar-Nahe Basin and the Thuringian Forest Basin in Germany. Nearly all branchiosaurid species are characterised by neotenic characters. They kept larval features in mature stages, e.g. external gills and branchial denticles. The family Branchiosauridae consists of five genera and about 20 species plus subspecies. The oldest species is Branchiosaurus salamandroides Fritsch, 1876 from the Westphalian D (Late Pennsylvanian, Moscovian) of Nýřany in the Czech Republic as opposed to Tungussogyrinus bergi Efremov, 1939 from the Permotriassic of Siberia as the last survivor of the dissorophoid family Branchiosauridae. Tungussogyrinus bergi was found in the lower part of the Bugarikta Formation together with fishes, conchostracans, ostracods, charophyte algae, and other plant remains. Shishkin (1998) pointed out that the ostracod and conchostracan composition, as well as the data on charophytes and the presence of Eoperleidus Sytchevskaya, 1999, a member of the Triassic fish family Perleididae, are indicative for an Early Triassic age (and that is most probable), while the spore-pollen assemblage supports a Late Permian age of the basal Bugarikta Formation. Efremov (1939) described the holotype specimen and in the same year, Bystrow (1939) figured this specimen again. The taxonomic assignment of Tungussogyrinus Efremov, 1939 remained controversial and the specimen has been identified as a branchiosaurid (Efremov 1939; Olson 1962; Shishkin 1998), a lepospondyl amphibian (Efremov 1953), a brachyopid member (Efremov 1939; Romer 1947, 1966; Shishkin 1964; Cosgriff 1969; Kuhn 1965), an indeterminable larva of a rhachitomous labyrinthodont (Shishkin 1973; Boy 1974), and a dissorophoid temnospondyl without clear branchiosaurid synapomorphy (Schoch & Milner 2008). In 1989, I had the opportunity to study newly collected material of Tungussogyrinus in the Paleontological Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (PIN) in Moscow. Except for a dentition with tricuspid teeth, I was not able to find any significant differences to other branchiosaurids. Shishkin (1998) described selected specimens of the new material and pointed out that Tungussogyrinus is no brachyopid but a true branchiosaurid amphibian. In 2002, I restudied all available specimens of Tungussogyrinus, which allowed for a detailed redescription of this Siberian branchiosaurid with many new, important features, which will be presented in the following.
Further delineation of 9q22 deletion syndrome associated with basal cell nevus (Gorlin) syndrome: Report of two cases and review of the literature

Basal cell nevus syndrome (BCNS; Gorlin syndrome) is an autosomal dominant disorder, characterized by a predisposition to neoplasms and developmental abnormalities. BCNS is caused by mutations in the human homolog of the Drosophila patched gene‐1, PTCH1, which is mapped on chromosome 9q22.3. Nonsense, frameshift, in‐frame deletions, splice‐site, and missense mutations have been found in the syndrome. Haploinsufficiency of PTCH1, which is caused by interstitial deletion of 9q22.3, is also responsible for the syndrome. To date, 19 cases with interstitial deletion of long arm of chromosome 9 involving the region of q22 have been reported. We describe two unrelated patients with some typical features of BCNS associated with deletion of 9q21.33‐q31.1 and determined the boundary of the deletion by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) clones. The results showed that the size of deletions is between 15.33 and 16.04 Mb in patient 1 and between 18.08 and 18.54 Mb in patient 2. Although the size and breakpoints were different from those of previously reported cases, the clinical features are common to patients with 9q22 deletion associated with BCNS. Delineation of the 9q22 deletions and further consideration of the genes responsible for the characteristic manifestations may provide insight into this newly recognized deletion syndrome.
Electrocorticographic desynchronization after application of visceral and somatic noxious stimuli in urethane-anesthetized rats: effect of intrathecal administration of tachykinin (NK 1 or NK 2) receptor antagonists.

We investigated the electrocortical (E.Co.G) correlates of visceral (topical capsaicin application or overdistension of the urinary bladder) and somatic (perineal pinching) painful stimulation in urethane-anesthetized rats and their modulation by intrathecal application of selective tachykinins receptors (NK 1 and NK 2) antagonists. Vesical overdistension or topical capsaicin on the bladder serosal surface produced an immediate and lasting E.Co.G. desynchronization resembling a cortical arousal. A second application of capsaicin was ineffective. Bladder contraction induced by topical acetylcholine did not alter E.Co.G. A desynchronized E.Co.G. was also induced by pinching of the perineal area of the rat. Intrathecal administration of lidocaine at lumbosacral level abolished the E.Co.G. desynchronization induced by both visceral and somatic noxious stimulation. On the other hand capsaicin-induced or over-distension (but not pinching-induced) E.Co.G. desynchronization disappeared in animals systemically pretreated with capsaicin or after intrathecal administration of NK 1 tachykinin receptor antagonists such as the peptide GR 82334 or the nonpeptide RP 67580, whereas the inactive enantiomer RP 68651 or the nonpeptide NK 2 antagonists SR 48968 were ineffective. In conclusion, the experimental model described herein, allowing a quantitative analysis of the E.Co.G. correlates of visceral and somatic noxious stimulation in urethane-anesthetized rats, provides evidence for a specific neural pathway carrying bladder-arising visceral (both mechanical and chemical) nociception that uses pelvic capsaicin-sensitive afferents projecting to NK 1 (but not NK 2) bearing spinal neurons and that ultimately leads to activation of cortical areas.
The Natural History of Hepatic Metastases from Colorectal Cancer: A Comparison with Resective Treatment

Five-year survival after resection of hepatic metastases from colorectal cancer is 25%. Although resection palliates some patients who do not live that long, 50% of patients so treated are not helped at all. Until ignorance of a cancer's real stage is resolved by improved techniques, the evaluation and choice of therapy can be based only upon knowledge of the natural history of untreated metastases and determinants of prognosis derived from treated patients. Analysis of the survival rates of 252 patients who had biopsy proven, unresected hepatic metastases that were the only evidence of residual disease shows the extent to which natural history, rather than resection, may determine length of survival—and indicates the need for critical analysis of 2− and 3-year survival rates reported after any therapy. Study of 141 patients who had hepatic metastases resected shows that the stage of the primary lesion, being female, and the absence of extrahepatic metastases are significant determinants of favorable prognosis after resection of hepatic metastases.
Successful single-word writing treatment: Experimental analyses of four cases

Background: Individuals with severe aphasia may fail to regain spoken language, so that treatment should target other communication modalities such as writing. There is relatively limited documentation of successful writing treatment, particularly in individuals with severe aphasia. Aims: The present study was designed to examine treatment outcomes in response to two writing treatment protocols intended to rebuild single-word vocabulary for written communication. Methods & Procedures: Writing treatments were implemented with four individuals who had significant aphasia and severe agraphia. Two participants received Anagram and Copy Treatment (ACT) which involved arrangement of component letters and repeated copying of target words, along with a homework programme called Copy and Recall Treatment (CART) that included copying and recall of target words. The other two participants received the homework-based CART only. Single-subject multiple-baseline designs were used with sets of words sequentially targeted for treatment. Outcomes & Results: All four participants responded positively to treatment. Three of the participants had severely limited spoken language, so that mastery of written words provided a much-needed means of communication. The fourth participant, who had adequate spoken language for face-to-face conversation, employed his improved spelling for written messages such as e-mail. Conclusions: Single-word writing abilities may improve with treatment despite long times post onset and persistent impairments to spoken language.
MinimizingMorbidity inMicrovascular Surgery Small-Caliber Anastomotic Vessels andMinimal Access Approaches

RESULTS Eighty-nine flaps in 86 patients met inclusion criteria. Fifty flaps used the facial artery and vein distal to the facial notch, and 33 flaps used the superficial temporal vascular system. Six flaps used the angular artery and vein. A variety of flap donor sites were included. In most cases, free tissue transfer was indicated for the reconstruction of defects secondary to extirpation of malignant neoplasia. Overall success rate was 97.7% with 2 instances of total flap loss and 1 partial loss. One patient had transient nerve weakness (frontal branch), which resolved during a follow-up of 9 months.
Dimensions of Technology Trustworthiness and Technology Trust Modes

Trust is important in personal as well as business relationships because it reduces perceptions of social complexity, uncertainty and risk (Luhmann, 1979; Molm, Takahashi, & Peterson, 2000). Just as with interpersonal trust, users often perceive factors of uncertainty with technology too, such as security, privacy and performance. Recognizing the importance of trust beyond interpersonal contexts, recent research extended trust to the context of trust in technology artifacts (Kim & Prabhakar, 2004; Mcknight, Carter, Thatcher, & Clay, 2011; Paravastu, Gefen, & Creason, 2014; Wang & Benbasat, 2005, 2007). This article reviews the past research in the area of technology trust and trustworthiness constructs and tries to integrate technology trust constructs and the usefulness and perceived ease of use constructs proposed in Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) (Davis, 1989) that predict technology usage. This article extrapolates and extends interpersonal trust modes to software artifacts and proposes a comprehensive model of technology trust, trustworthiness, and technology trust modes, and discusses the implications of relationships among those constructs.
von Willebrand factor: the old, the new and the unknown

Summary. von Willebrand factor (VWF) is a protein best known from its critical role in hemostasis. Indeed, any dysfunction of VWF is associated with a severe bleeding tendency known as von Willebrand disease (VWD). Since the first description of the disease by Erich von Willebrand in 1926, remarkable progress has been made with regard to our understanding of the pathogenesis of this disease. The cloning of the gene encoding VWF has allowed numerous breakthroughs, and our knowledge of the epidemiology, genetics and molecular basis of VWD has been rapidly expanding since then. These studies have taught us that VWF is rather unique in terms of its multimeric structure and the unusual mechanisms regulating its participation in the hemostatic process. Moreover, it has become increasingly clear that VWF is a more all‐round protein than originally thought, given its involvement in several pathologic processes beyond hemostasis. These include angiogenesis, cell proliferation, inflammation, and tumor cell survival. In the present article, an overview of advances concerning the various structural and functional aspects of VWF will be provided.
Some components affecting the precision of corneal thickness measurement performed by optical pachometry

Abstract With the Haag‐Streit pachometer attached to a Haag‐Streit 900 slit‐lamp, 29 normal individuals were examined by repeated measurements on two separate days by the same observer. A statistical variance component model admitted three components of variance to be separated and estimated as SD: The biological day to day variation (0.006 mm), the variation attributed to the slit‐lamp adjustment (0.005 mm), and the variation derived from the adjustment of the pachometer (0.013 mm). Knowing these components an optimum practical procedure of examination can be established.
An Efficient Neighbor-Aware Protocol for SNET Formation

A wireless mobile sensor network is a collection of wireless mobile hosts forming nodes that are communicating without the aid of any centralized administration or standard support services. Nodes are classified as sensor nodes and router. Some nodes act both as sensors and routers. While traditional MAC protocols must balance between throughput, delay, and fairness concerns, WSN MAC protocols place an emphasis on energy efficiency as well. Schedule-based MAC protocols have been proposed for WSN. A common theme through all these protocols is putting radios to a low-power "sleep mode" either periodically or whenever possible when a node is neither receiving nor transmitting. In this paper, we propose a novel cluster-based infrastructure creation protocol, namely: the Neighbor-Aware Clusterhead (NAC). We investigate the performance of the NAC protocol under different sleep scheduling protocols and compare it against another cluster-based protocol. In NAC protocol nodes are synchronized with their clusterheads and are allowed to go sleep mode in order to conserve their energy without degrading the performance of the network. The network is divided into clusters managed by a clusterhead. The simulation results show that NAC protocol has a good potential to be a good candidate protocol for SNET.
Treating children ages 3-6 who have speech sound disorder: a survey.

PURPOSE In a national survey, speech-language pathologists (SLPs) were asked about service delivery and interventions they use with children ages 3-6 who have speech sound disorder (SSD). METHOD The survey was e-mailed to 2,084 SLPs who worked in pre-elementary settings across the United States. Of these, 24% completed part or all of the survey, with 18% completing the entire survey. RESULTS SLPs reported that they provided children ages 3-6 who had SSD with 30 or 60 min of treatment time weekly, regardless of group or individual setting. More SLPs indicated that they used traditional intervention than other types of intervention. However, many SLPs also reported using aspects of phonological interventions and providing phonological awareness training. Fewer SLPs indicated that they used nonspeech oral motor exercises than in a previous survey ( Lof & Watson, 2008). Recently graduated SLPs were no more familiar with recent advances in phonological intervention than were their more experienced colleagues. Discussion This study confirms previous findings ( Mullen & Schooling, 2010) about the amount of service provided to children ages 3-6 who have SSD. Issues related to the use of traditional and phonological intervention with children who have phonological disorder are discussed, along with concerns related to evidence-based practice and research needs.
Vagal nerve stimulation for epilepsy

Editor,—It is timely that “Archivist” has taken an interest in vagal nerve stimulation for epilepsy. The comments do not suggest however that Archivist was fully informed. It is true to say that the mechanism by which the effect is achieved is not known, but there is considerable animal evidence that both serotoninergic and noradrenergic pathways from afferent vagus terminations to the thalamus are involved.1 …