Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age-Dependent Exacerbation of White Matter Stroke Outcomes: A Role for Oxidative Damage and Inflammatory Mediators

Background and Purpose— Subcortical white matter stroke (WMS) constitutes up to 30% of all stroke subtypes. Mechanisms of oligodendrocyte and axon injury and repair play a central role in the damage and recovery after this type of stroke, and a comprehensive study of these processes requires a specialized experimental model that is different from common large artery, gray matter stroke models. Diminished recovery from stroke in aged patients implies that damage and repair processes are affected by advanced age, but such effects have not been studied in WMS. Methods— WMS was produced with focal microinjection of the vasoconstrictor N5-(1-iminoethyl)-L-ornithine into the subcortical white matter ventral to the mouse forelimb motor cortex in young adult (2 months), middle-aged (15 months), and aged mice (24 months). Results— WMS produced localized oligodendrocyte cell death with higher numbers of apoptotic cells and greater oxidative damage in aged brains than in young-adult brains. Increased expression of monocyte chemotactic protein-1 and tumor necrosis factor-&agr; in motor cortex neurons correlated with a more distributed microglial activation in aged brains 7 days after WMS. At 2 months, aged mice displayed increased white matter atrophy and greater loss of corticostriatal connections compared with young-adult mice. Behavioral testing revealed an age-dependent exacerbation of forelimb motor deficits caused by the stroke, with decreased long-term functional recovery in aged animals. Conclusions— Age has a profound effect on the outcome of WMS, with more prolonged cell death and oxidative damage, increased inflammation, greater secondary white matter atrophy, and a worse behavioral effect in aged versus young-adult mice.
Studies of Interfacial Interaction between Polymer Components on Helical Nanofiber Formation via Co-Electrospinning

Helical fibers in nanoscale have been of increasing interest due to their unique characteristics. To explore the effect of polymer type on helical fiber formation, three polymer systems, Poly(m-phenylene isophthalamide) (Nomex)/polyurethane (TPU), polystyrene (PS)/TPU and polyacrylonitril (PAN)/TPU are used to fabricate helical nanofibers via co-electrospinning. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Zeta potential were employed to investigate the interfacial interaction between the two phases of the polymer system. The larger rigidity differential of Nomex and TPU leads to a larger interfacial interaction. The hydrogen bonds help to increase the interfacial interaction between Nomex and TPU components. The attractive force between the chloride-ions contained in Nomex molecules and the free charges on the solution surface lead to a longitudinal interfacial interaction in the Nomex/TPU system. The analysis results provide the explanation of the experimental results that the Nomex/TPU system has the greatest potential for producing helical nanofibers, while the PS/TPU and PAN/TPU systems cannot fabricate helical fibers effectively. This study based on the interfacial interaction between polymer components provides an insight into the mechanism of helical fiber formation.
ICN based shared caching in future converged fixed and mobile network

The explosion of mobile multimedia and Internet-of-things (IoT) services implies strong requirements for seamless switching among various types of networks. Thus, to offer true ubiquitous Internet connection, a Fixed and Mobile Converged (FMC) network architecture is essential for the future 5G network. Such a convergent network can not only improve the utilization of network resources, but also inspire new add-on services for FMC network operators. In this paper, we introduce a shared caching overlay based on Information Centric Networking (ICN). It is deployed on top of the FMC network and controlled by the FMC network operator to offer Caching as a Service (CaaS) to Over-The-Top (OTT) service providers and virtual network operators. Business analysis and performance evaluation will highlight the benefits of deploying such a controlled Shared Caching System (SCS) over an FMC network.
The charged exciton in an InGaN quantum dot on a GaN pyramid

The emission of a charged exciton in an InGaN quantum dot (QD) on top of a GaN pyramid is identified experimentally. The intensity of the charged exciton exhibits the expected competition with that of the single exciton, as observed in temperature-dependent micro-photoluminescence measurements, performed with different excitation energies. The non-zero charge state of this complex is further supported by time resolved micro-photoluminescence measurements, which excludes neutral alternatives of biexciton. The potential fluctuations in the vicinity of the QD that localizes the charge carriers are proposed to be responsible for the unequal supply of electrons and holes into the QD.
N ov 2 01 2 Entanglement , fractional magnetization and long-range interactions

Andrea Cadarso, 2 Mikel Sanz, Michael M. Wolf, J. Ignacio Cirac, and David Pérez-Garćıa Instituto de F́ısica Fundamental, IFF-CSIC, Serrano 113-bis, 28006 Madrid, Spain Departamento de Análisis Matemático, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 24040 Madrid, Spain Max Planck Institut für Quantenoptik, Hans-Kopfermann-Str. 1, 85748 Garching, Germany Department of Mathematics, Technische Universität München, 85748 Garching, Germany
Access to Care, Treatment Ambivalence, Medication Nonadherence, and Long‐Term Mortality Among Severely Hypertensive African Americans: A Prospective Cohort Study

African Americans living in poor neighborhoods bear a high burden of illness and early mortality. Nonadherence may contribute to this burden. In a prospective cohort study of urban African Americans with poorly controlled hypertension, mortality was 47.6% over a median follow‐up of 6.1 years. Patients with pill‐taking nonadherence were more likely to die (hazard ratio, 1.80; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.18–2.76) after adjustment for potential confounders. With regard to factors related to nonadherence, poor access to care such as difficulty paying for medications was associated with prescription refill nonadherence (odds ratio [OR], 4.12; 95% CI, 1.88–9.03). Pill‐taking nonadherence was not associated with poor access to care; however, it was associated with factors related to treatment ambivalence including lower hypertension knowledge (OR, 2.97; 95% CI, 1.39–6.32), side effects (OR, 3.44; 95% CI, 1.47–8.03), forgetfulness (OR, 3.62; 95% CI, 1.78–7.34), and feeling that the medications do not help (OR, 2.78; 95% CI, 1.09–7.09). These data suggest that greater access to care is a necessary but insufficient remedy to the disparities experienced by urban African Americans with hypertension. To achieve its full promise, health reform must also address treatment ambivalence.
Fracture of the Entire Posterior Process of Talus Associated with Subtalar Dislocation: A Case Report

This is a case report of a 52-year-old woman who sustained a medial subtalar dislocation with fracture of the posterior process of the talus in a traffic accident. After closed reduction of the subtalar dislocation, tomography demonstrated that the talus fracture involved the entire posterior process and the posterior portion of the talar body. The fracture of the talus was treated with an open reduction and miniscrew fixation. At follow-up examination 32 months later, the functional and radiographic results were graded as good. The proposed mechanism of this case was a forced plantarflexion and inversion acting simultaneously on the subtalar joint. This was different from an isolated medial subtalar dislocation, which was caused by an inversion.
Surface molecules involved in the adherence of recombinant interferon‐gamma (rIFN‐γ)‐stimulated human monocytes to vascular endothelial cells

During an inflammatory reaction, an increased number of circulating monocytes adhere to the endothelial cells (EC) of the vessel wall. This process is mediated by molecules located on the surface of monocytes and EC. Locally released Inflammatory mediators can modulate monocyte EC interaction. In an earlier study we reported that stimulation of monolayers of cultured venous EC with rIFN‐γ enhanced their adhesiveness for monocytes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of rIFN‐γ on peripheral blood monocytes with regard to the expression of surface molecules and the binding to non‐stimulated or cytokine‐stimulated EC. Flow cytometric analysis demonstrated that monocytes stimulated with 500 U/ml rIFN‐γ for 24 h showed increased expression of CR3 (CDIIb;CD18), p150,95 (CD11c/CD18) and Fc‐γ (CD64); the expression of LFA‐1 (CD11 la/CD18). L‐selectin, CD14 and VLA‐4 (CD49d/CD29) did not change or was slightly reduced. Upon stimulation with rIFN‐γ monocytes showed an enhanced binding to both nonstimulated or rIFN‐γ‐stimulated EC. This was even more pronounced when EC had been stimulated with rIL‐lα for 24 h. The increased binding of rIFN‐γstimulated monocytes to rIL‐lα‐stimulated EC was further analysed. Studies with MoAbs against adhesion molecules on monocytes revealed that the binding of rIFN‐γ‐stimulated monocytes, hut not that of non‐stimulated monocytes, to rIL‐lα stimulated EC was inhibited by about 30–60% with MoAbs against CD11a. CDllb, CD18, L‐selectin or CD14. MoAbs againsi CD11c or CD49d had little or no effect. From these results, we conclude that exposure of monocytes to rIFN‐γ enhances their adhesiveness to cytokine‐stimulated EC by a mechanism which involves CD11a/CD18, CD11b/CD18, CD14 and L‐selectin on monocytes.
Industrial Resources of Indochina

The development of the natural resources of French Indochina for industrial growth has played a small role in the economy of the country. Handicraft industries have, until recently, produced all manufactured articles. A few modern industries have developed under French control, but French policy has discouraged colonial industries that might compete with exports from France.
Serial Lactate Determinations for Prediction of Outcome After Cardiac Arrest

Abstract: We investigated the relationship between lactate clearance and outcome in patients surviving the first 48 hours after cardiac arrest. We conducted the study in the emergency department of an urban tertiary care hospital. We analyzed the data for all 48-hour survivors after successful resuscitation from cardiac arrest during a 10-year period. Serial lactate measurements, demographic data, and key cardiac arrest data were correlated to survival and best neurologic outcome within 6 months after cardiac arrest. Parameters showing significant results in univariate analysis were tested for significance in a logistic regression model. Of 1502 screened patients, 394 were analyzed. Survivors (n = 194, 49%) had lower lactate levels on admission (median, 7.8 [interquartile range, 5.4-10.8] vs 9 [6.6-11.9] mmol/L), after 24 hours (1.4 [1-2.5] vs 1.7 [1.1-3] mmol/L), and after 48 hours (1.2 [0.9-1.6] vs 1.5 [1.1-2.3] mmol/L). Patients with favorable neurologic outcome (n = 186, 47%) showed lower levels on admission (7.6 [5.4-10.3] vs 9.2 [6.7-12.1] mmol/L) and after 48 hours (1.2 [0.9-1.6] vs 1.5 [1-2.2] mmol/L). In multivariate analysis, lactate levels at 48 hours were an independent predictor for mortality (odds ratio [OR]: 1.49 increase per mmol/L, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.17-1.89) and unfavorable neurologic outcome (OR: 1.28 increase per mmol/L, 95% CI: 1.08-1.51). Lactate levels higher than 2 mmol/L after 48 hours predicted mortality with a specificity of 86% and poor neurologic outcome with a specificity of 87%. Sensitivity for both end points was 31%. Lactate at 48 hours after cardiac arrest is an independent predictor of mortality and unfavorable neurologic outcome. Persisting hyperlactatemia over 48 hours predicts a poor prognosis.
Adenosine-stress dynamic myocardial perfusion imaging with second-generation dual-source CT: comparison with conventional catheter coronary angiography and SPECT nuclear myocardial perfusion imaging.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to evaluate the feasibility of adenosine-stress dynamic myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) with 128-MDCT dual-source CT for detecting myocardial ischemia in comparison with conventional catheter coronary angiography and nuclear MPI. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirty patients (21 men and nine women; mean [± SD] age, 59.2 ± 7.6 years) prospectively underwent a combined stress CT perfusion and CT angiography (CTA) examination. Complete time-attenuation curves of the myocardium were acquired with prospectively ECG-triggered axial images at two alternating positions. Myocardial blood flow (MBF) was quantified according to dynamic CT perfusion, and MBF values of normal and abnormal segments were compared. Findings on CT perfusion were compared with those for stress and rest SPECT. Perfusion defects according to CT were correlated to flow-obstructing stenosis detected on CTA and catheter coronary angiography. RESULTS On stress CT perfusion, 19 patients (63%) and 83 of 504 segments (16%) had perfusion abnormalities. There was a significant difference in MBF values between normal (142.9 ± 30.6 mL/100 mL/min) and hypoperfused (90.0 ± 22.8 mL/100 mL/min) segments (p < 0.001). With nuclear MPI results as a comparison, the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of CT perfusion for identifying segments with perfusion defects were 0.85, 0.92, 0.55, and 0.98, respectively. On a per-vessel basis, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value for detecting flow-obstructing stenosis were, respectively, 1.00, 0.757, 0.541, and 1.00 for CT perfusion; 0.90, 0.514, 0.346, and 0.947 for CTA; and 0.90, 0.814, 0.581, and 0.966 for CT perfusion combined with CTA. CONCLUSION Adenosine-stress CT perfusion detects myocardial perfusion defects in good correlation with nuclear MPI. CT perfusion combined with CTA improves the diagnostic accuracy for identifying flow-obstructing stenosis compared with CTA alone.
H3K27me3 Profiling of the Endosperm Implies Exclusion of Polycomb Group Protein Targeting by DNA Methylation

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins act as evolutionary conserved epigenetic mediators of cell identity because they repress transcriptional programs that are not required at particular developmental stages. Each tissue is likely to have a specific epigenetic profile, which acts as a blueprint for its developmental fate. A hallmark for Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2) activity is trimethylated lysine 27 on histone H3 (H3K27me3). In plants, there are distinct PRC2 complexes for vegetative and reproductive development, and it was unknown so far whether these complexes have target gene specificity. The FERTILIZATION INDEPENDENT SEED (FIS) PRC2 complex is specifically expressed in the endosperm and is required for its development; loss of FIS function causes endosperm hyperproliferation and seed abortion. The endosperm nourishes the embryo, similar to the physiological function of the placenta in mammals. We established the endosperm H3K27me3 profile and identified specific target genes of the FIS complex with functional roles in endosperm cellularization and chromatin architecture, implicating that distinct PRC2 complexes have a subset of specific target genes. Importantly, our study revealed that selected transposable elements and protein coding genes are specifically targeted by the FIS PcG complex in the endosperm, whereas these elements and genes are densely marked by DNA methylation in vegetative tissues, suggesting that DNA methylation prevents targeting by PcG proteins in vegetative tissues.
Influence of the suprastructure on the peri-implant tissues in beagle dogs.

The purpose of this study was to compare clinical, radiographic and histological differences around titanium oral implants loaded with either acrylic-veneered metal or ceramo-metal fixed prostheses. Five beagle dogs were used in this investigation. At the beginning of the study, all mandibular premolars and first molars were extracted. After 3 months of healing, 2 Brånemark implants were installed on each side of the mandibles. Three months later, abutments were inserted on each implant and a daily oral hygiene regime was initiated. One month after abutment connection, the implants on one side of the mandible were restored with an acrylic-veneered metal fixed prosthesis, whereas, on the other side a ceramo-metal fixed prosthesis was inserted. The prostheses were constructed in occlusion with the maxillary first molars. The following clinical parameters were measured around each implant at this time (i.e., baseline), and thereafter, at monthly intervals up to 5 months: Plaque Index; Gingival Index; implant mobility (using the Periotest); probing depth and clinical attachment level (using the Florida Probe). In addition, standardized radiographs were taken at baseline and 5 months after insertion of the prostheses and evaluated by subtraction radiography. Another Brånemark fixture was installed on each side of the mandibles 3 months before the end of the study. These implants remained unloaded and submerged for the entire study period. Five months after prosthesis insertion, the animals were killed, and implants with their supporting peri-implant tissues were processed for histological evaluation. Analyses of the clinical, radiographic and histometric parameters revealed no significant differences between the acrylic-veneered and ceramometal loaded implants. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
SPERM COMPETITION MECHANISMS, CONFIDENCE OF PATERNITY, AND THE EVOLUTION OF PATERNAL CARE IN THE GOLDEN EGG BUG (PHYLLOMORPHA LACINIATA)

Abstract Theoretical models predict how paternal effort should vary depending on confidence of paternity and on the trade-offs between present and future reproduction. In this study we examine patterns of sperm precedence in Phyllomorpha laciniata and how confidence of paternity influences the willingness of males to carry eggs. Female golden egg bugs show a flexible pattern of oviposition behavior, which results in some eggs being carried by adults (mainly males) and some being laid on plants, where mortality rates are very high. Adults are more vulnerable to predators when carrying eggs; thus, it has been suggested that males should only accept eggs if there are chances that at least some of the eggs will be their true genetic offspring. We determined the confidence of paternity for naturally occurring individuals and its variation with the time. Paternity of eggs fertilized by the last males to mate with females previously mated in the field has been determined using amplified fragment length polymorphisms (AFLPs). The exclusion probability was 98%, showing that AFLP markers are suitable for paternity assignment. Sperm mixing seems the most likely mechanism of sperm competition, because the last male to copulate with field females sires an average of 43% of the eggs laid during the next five days. More importantly, the proportion of eggs sired does not change significantly during that period. We argue that intermediate levels of paternity can select for paternal care in this system because: (1) benefits of care in terms of offspring survival are very high; (2) males have nothing to gain from decreasing their parental effort in a given reproductive event because sperm mixing makes it difficult for males to reach high paternity levels and males are left with no cues to assess paternity; (3) males cannot chose to care for their offspring exclusively because they can neither discriminate their own eggs, nor can they predict when their own eggs will be produced; and (4) males suffer no loss of further matings with other females when they carry eggs. Thus, our findings do not support the traditional view that paternal investment is expected to arise only in species where confidence of paternity is high. The results suggest that females maximize the chances that several males will accept eggs at different times by promoting a mechanism of sperm mixing that ensures that all males that have copulated with a female have some chance of fathering offspring, that this probability remains constant with time, and that males have no cues as to when their own offspring will be produced.
Two Compact Codes for Rectangular Drawings with Degree Four Vertices

A rectangular drawing is a partition of a rectangle into a set of rectangles. Rectangular drawings have many important applications including VLSI layout. Since the size of rectangular drawings may be huge, compact encodings are desired. Several compact encodings of rectangular drawings without degree four vertices are known. In this paper, we design two compact encodings for rectangular drawings with degree four vertices. We give 2m = 6f − 2n4 + 6 bits and 5f − 5 bits encodings for rectangular drawings, where m is the number of edges, f is the number of faces, and n4 is the number of vertices with degree four.
La factibilidad política de las reformas del sector social en América Latina

Durante las dos ultimas decadas, en la region de America Latina se ha procurado reformar las instituciones y las politicas sociales a fin de mejorar la equidad, la eficiencia y la calidad de la provision y financiamiento publicos de bienes y servicios sociales. En este estudio se analiza la dimension politica de las reformas, particularmente los factores que intervienen en su factibilidad, y se definen para tal fin areas de la economia politica y de las politicas publicas relevantes. Se hace una breve revision de la literatura y se propone un marco conceptual de analisis de las variables mas importantes. Entre estas ultimas, se exponen las relacionadas con el contexto politicoinstitucional, el proceso de reforma desde una perspectiva de politicas publicas, y las estrategias de los reformadores. El modelo disenado se aplica en tres estudios de caso: la iniciativa de reforma de la seguridad social en Mexico (1994-2000);; la iniciativa de reforma del sector salud en Guatemala (1996-2000);, y la iniciativa de reforma del sector educacion en la Republica Dominicana (2000-2004);. En su elaboracion se utilizaron como fuentes de informacion estudios previos elaborados para la Universidad de Harvard y el Banco Interamericano de Desarrollo. El analisis comparativo de los tres casos muestra la relevancia de la dimension politica en la viabilidad de las reformas sociales. En cuanto a los retos enfrentados en la transformacion de los servicios sociales, se hace enfasis en la necesidad de establecer un balance entre las consideraciones de gobernanza —las capacidades institucionales y tecnicas de los paises para desarrollar sus agendas de cambio— y las consideraciones de gobernabilidad (la capacidad de los paises para enfrentar a los grupos de interes que defienden el statu quo);. Son estas ultimas las que han comenzado a cobrar importancia en el debate internacional sobre la efectividad de las iniciativas para el desarrollo y el combate a la pobreza. En respuesta a ello, el trabajo se enfoca en el papel politico que la provision de servicios sociales ha tenido en la region. Desde esta nueva lectura, se plantea que una reforma no solo viene a modificar el modus operandi del sector social, sino que afecta tambien el papel de intermediacion politica que dicho sector ha tenido en las relaciones Estado-sociedad. Con este estudio se busca contribuir a los esfuerzos por indagar y disenar maneras mas expeditas de incorporar este tipo de analisis al debate, formulacion e implementacion de reformas sociales, asi como al quehacer de la comunidad internacional que apoya estos procesos.