Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long Term Outcome of Non-Dysraphic Intramedullary Spinal Cord Lipomas in Adults: Case Series and Review

Study Design It is a case series involving clinical presentation, radiological findings, surgical technique and long term outcome of Non-dysraphic intramedullary spinal cord lipomas in adults along with the review of the literature. Purpose The purpose of the study is to find out from our series as well as from literature what determines the long term outcome and how it can be improved in patients diagnosed to have intramedullary spinal cord lipomas. Overview of Literature Non-dysraphic spinal intramedullary lipomas in adults are extremely rare. Majority of cases occur in children and in cervico-dorsal regions. Only eight cases of dorso-lumbar spinal lipomas without spinal dysraphism in adults have been reported in the English literature till 2013. Methods Here we report our experience with three such cases in the dorsolumbar region and discuss the surgical technique and the long term outcome of such cases. Results Review of literature and from our own cases we conclude that long term outcome after surgery is determined by the preoperative neurological status. Conclusions Earlier surgical intervention with preserved neurological status results in better outcome. Radical subtotal excision without producing iatrogenic postoperative neurological deficit should be the goal of the surgery and it stabilizes the disease process in the long run. When early clinico-radiological signs of recurrence develop, such patient's to be reoperated immediately to prevent them from developing a fixed neurological deficit.
Attentional asymmetries in a visual orienting task are related to temperament

Spatial asymmetries are an intriguing feature of directed attention. Recent observations indicate an influence of temperament upon the direction of these asymmetries. It is unknown whether this influence generalises to visual orienting behaviour. The aim of the current study was therefore to explore the relationship between temperament and measures of spatial orienting as a function of target hemifield. An exogenous cueing task was administered to 92 healthy participants. Temperament was assessed using Carver and White's (1994) Behavioural Inhibition System and Behavioural Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales. Individuals with high sensitivity to punishment and low sensitivity to reward showed a leftward asymmetry of directed attention when there was no informative spatial cue provided. This asymmetry was not present when targets were preceded by spatial cues that were either valid or invalid. The findings support the notion that individual variations in temperament influence spatial asymmetries in visual orienting, but only when lateral targets are preceded by a non-directional (neutral) cue. The results are discussed in terms of hemispheric asymmetries and dopamine activity.
A Two-Field Quintessence Model

We study the dynamics of a quintessence model based on two interacting scalar fields. The model can account for the (recent) accelerated expansion of the Universe suggested by astronomical observations. Acceleration can be permanent or temporary and, for both scenarios, it is possible to obtain suitable values for the cosmological parameters while satisfying the nucleosynthesis constraint on the quintessence energy density. We argue that the model dynamics can be made consistent with a stable zero-energy relaxing supersymmetric vacuum. Recent observations of type Ia supernovae, together with Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) and cluster mass distribution data [1–3] indicate that the Universe is flat, in agreement with the inflationary prediction, accelerating and that the energy density of (baryonic plus dark) matter is smaller than the critical density. Thus, observations suggest that the dynamics of the Universe at present is dominated by a negative pressure component, the main candidates being a cosmological constant and a slowly-varying vacuum energy, usually referred to as dark energy or quintessence [4,5] (an evolving vacuum energy was discussed somewhat earlier, e.g. [6]). The main difference between the cosmological constant and quintessence scenarios is that, for quintessence, the equation of state parameter, wQ ≡ p/�, varies with time and approaches a present value wQ < −0.6, whilst for the cosmological constant, it remains fixed at w� = −1. Several quintessence models have been put foward, most of them based on a scalar field which was subdominant in the early Universe and, more recently, has started to dominate the energy density of non-relativistic matter. Theoretical suggestions include a scalar field endowed with exponential [7–10] or inverse power law potentials [11], the string theory dilaton in the context of gaugino condensation [12], an axion field with an almost massless quark [13], scalar-tensor theories of gravity [14], or one of the fields arising from the compactification process in the multidimensional Einstein-Yang-Mills system [15]. Some of these models address the “cosmic coincidence” problem i.e. the question of explaining why the vacuum energy or scalar field dominates the Universe only recently. In tracker models, the tracker field rolls down a potential according to an attractor-like solution to the equations of motion, causing the energy density of the quintessence field to track the equation of state of the background energy component independently of ini
Algorithm for estimating swirl angles in multi-intake hydraulic sumps

The paper has been withdrawn effective November 18, 2015. Hydraulic Pump sumps are designed to provide a swirl free flow to the pump. The degree of swirl is measured in physical model tests using a swirl meter and a quantity known as swirl angle is generally measured. The present paper presents a novel method to compute the bulk swirl angle using the local velocity field obtained from computational fluid dynamics data. The basis for the present method is the conservation of angular momentum conservation. By carrying out both numerical and experimental studies the novel swirl angle calculation method is validated. Further the effect of vortex suppression devices in reducing the swirl angle is also demonstrated.
Paediatric anaplastic large cell lymphoma with leukaemic presentation in children: a report of nine French cases

This study aimed to describe the clinical features and outcome of anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALCL) with leukaemic presentation in children. Among 267 patients included in the French paediatric ALCL database between 1989 and 2012, nine (3%) were described as having cytologically detectable circulating tumour cells. Clinical features combined fever (8/9), nodal and extra‐nodal disease (9/9), including hepato‐splenic (9/9) and lung involvement (7/9). The level of hyperleucocytosis ranged from 30 to 120 × 109/l, with 12–90% of tumour cells. Diagnosis relied on a lymph node biopsy, with a positive ALK+ antibody immunostain in all nine cases, a T‐cell immunophenotype in 7/9 cases and CD3 positivity in 5/9 cases. A small cell component was present in 6/9 cases. Only four patients achieved a complete remission with first‐line therapy and 3/4 relapsed. Four patients are alive with a median follow‐up of 31 months, two of them after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT), and five patients died, two of them of disease. In conclusion, ALCL with leukaemic presentation is very unusual and should be considered as high‐risk lymphoma requiring new therapeutic strategies. The respective role of new agents and allogeneic HSCT in first complete remission still has to be assessed.
Simple and efficient speaker comparison using approximate KL divergence

We describe a simple, novel, and efficient system for speaker comparison with two main components. First, the system uses a new approximate KL divergence distance extending earlier GMM parameter vector SVM kernels. The approximate distance incorporates data-dependent mixture weights as well as the standard MAP-adapted GMM mean parameters. Second, the system applies a weighted nuisance projection method for channel compensation. A simple eigenvector method of training is presented. The resulting speaker comparison system is straightforward to implement and is computationally simple— only two low-rank matrix multiplies and an inner product are needed for comparison of two GMM parameter vectors. We demonstrate the approach on a NIST 2008 speaker recognition evaluation task. We provide insight into what methods, parameters, and features are critical for good performance. Index Terms: speaker recognition
The Intensive Group Experience

From the combination of knowledge and actions, someone can improve their skill and ability. It will lead them to live and work much better. This is why, the students, workers, or even employers should have reading habit for books. Any book will give certain knowledge to take all benefits. This is what this the intensive group experience tells you. It will add more knowledge of you to life and work better. Try it and prove it.
Competition and the Structure of Vertical Relationships in Capital Markets

We show that information flows between investment banks and their clients affect relationships and that shocks to these flows affect corporate investment. Firms avoid sharing investment banks in their industry, but only when they engage in product market competition. This suggests that concerns about disclosure of confidential information to strategic rivals determine firms’ investment bank choices. Using exogenous shocks to information flows arising from bank mergers, we show that the desire to avoid sharing banks has a substantial effect on investment. These information effects help us understand how the investment banking industry is structured, how banks compete, and how prices are set.
Is a previous diagnosis of asthma a reliable criterion for asthma–COPD overlap syndrome in a patient with COPD?

Background Some patients share characteristics of both COPD and asthma. As yet, there is no gold standard to identify patients with the so-called asthma–COPD overlap syndrome (ACOS). Objective To describe the differences between ACOS patients and the remaining COPD patients, and to compare the clinical characteristics of patients diagnosed with ACOS by two different criteria: previous diagnosis of asthma before the age of 40 years; and the diagnostic criteria of the Spanish guidelines of COPD. Methods Multicenter, observational, cross-sectional study performed in 3,125 COPD patients recruited in primary care and specialized outpatient clinics. Patients with COPD and a history of asthma before the age of 40 years were diagnosed with ACOS and compared to the remaining COPD patients. Subsequently, ACOS patients were subdivided based on whether they fulfilled the Spanish guidelines of the COPD diagnostic criteria or not, and they were compared. Results ACOS was diagnosed in 15.9% of the patients. These patients had different basal characteristics compared to the remaining COPD patients, including a higher frequency of women and more exacerbations despite lower tobacco exposure and better lung function. They were more likely to have features of asthma, such as a positive bronchodilator test, higher peripheral eosinophilia, and higher total immunoglobulin E. Within the ACOS group, only one-third fulfilled the diagnostic criteria of the Spanish guidelines of COPD; these individuals were not significantly different from the remaining ACOS patients, except for having more exacerbations and poorer lung function. Conclusion ACOS patients diagnosed on the basis of a previous diagnosis of asthma differed from the remaining COPD patients, but they were similar to ACOS patients diagnosed according to more restrictive criteria, suggesting that a history of asthma before the age of 40 years could be a useful criterion to suspect ACOS in a patient with COPD.
Effect of thermocycling on bond strength and elasticity of 4 long-term soft denture liners.

STATEMENT OF PROBLEM Two problems found in prostheses with soft liners are bond failure to the acrylic resin base and loss of elasticity due to material aging. PURPOSE This in vitro study evaluated the effect of thermocycling on the bond strength and elasticity of 4 long-term soft denture liners to acrylic resin bases. MATERIAL AND METHODS Four soft lining materials (Molloplast-B, Flexor, Permasoft, and Pro Tech) and 2 acrylic resins (Classico and Lucitone 199) were processed for testing according to manufacturers' instructions. Twenty rectangular specimens (10 x 10-mm(2) cross-sectional area) and twenty cylinder specimens (12.7-mm diameter x 19.0-mm height) for each liner/resin combination were used for the tensile and deformation tests, respectively. Specimen shape and liner thickness were standardized. Samples were divided into a test group that was thermocycled 3000 times and a control group that was stored for 24 hours in water at 37 degrees C. Mean bond strength, expressed in megapascals (MPa), was determined in the tensile test with the use of a universal testing machine at a crosshead speed of 5 mm/min. Elasticity, expressed as percent of permanent deformation, was calculated with an instrument for measuring permanent deformation described in ADA/ANSI specification 18. Data from both tests were examined with 1-way analysis of variance and a Tukey test, with calculation of a Scheffé interval at a 95% confidence level. RESULTS In the tensile test under control conditions, Molloplast-B (1.51 +/- 0.28 MPa [mean +/- SD]) and Pro Tech (1.44 +/- 0.27 MPa) liners had higher bond strength values than the others (P <.05). With regard to the permanent deformation test, the lowest values were observed for Molloplast-B (0.48% +/- 0.19%) and Flexor (0.44% +/- 0.14%) (P <.05). Under thermocycling conditions, the highest bond strength occurred with Molloplast-B (1.37 +/- 0.24 MPa) (P <.05). With regard to the deformation test, Flexor (0.46% +/- 0.13%) and Molloplast-B (0.44% +/- 0.17%) liners had lower deformation values than the others (P <.05). CONCLUSION The results of this in vitro study indicated that bond strength and permanent deformity values of the 4 soft denture liners tested varied according to their chemical composition. These tests are not completely valid for application to dental restorations because the forces they encounter are more closely related to shear and tear. However, the above protocol serves as a good method of investigation to evaluate differences between thermocycled and control groups.
Role of ATM and the Damage Response Mediator Proteins 53BP1 and MDC1 in the Maintenance of G2/M Checkpoint Arrest

ABSTRACT ATM-dependent initiation of the radiation-induced G2/M checkpoint arrest is well established. Recent results have shown that the majority of DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) in G2 phase are repaired by DNA nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), while ∼15% of DSBs are slowly repaired by homologous recombination. Here, we evaluate how the G2/M checkpoint is maintained in irradiated G2 cells, in light of our current understanding of G2 phase DSB repair. We show that ATM-dependent resection at a subset of DSBs leads to ATR-dependent Chk1 activation. ATR-Seckel syndrome cells, which fail to efficiently activate Chk1, and small interfering RNA (siRNA) Chk1-treated cells show premature mitotic entry. Thus, Chk1 significantly contributes to maintaining checkpoint arrest. Second, sustained ATM signaling to Chk2 contributes, particularly when NHEJ is impaired by XLF deficiency. We also show that cells lacking the mediator proteins 53BP1 and MDC1 initially arrest following radiation doses greater than 3 Gy but are subsequently released prematurely. Thus, 53BP1−/− and MDC1−/− cells manifest a checkpoint defect at high doses. This failure to maintain arrest is due to diminished Chk1 activation and a decreased ability to sustain ATM-Chk2 signaling. The combined repair and checkpoint defects conferred by 53BP1 and MDC1 deficiency act synergistically to enhance chromosome breakage.
Sex Steroid Hormones in Serum and Tissue of Benign and Malignant Breast Tumor Patients

The ability of breast tumors to synthesize sex steroid hormones is well recognized and their local production is thought to play a role in breast cancer development and growth. The aim of this study was to estimate local intra-tumoral and circulating levels of Estrone (E1), Estrone Sulfate (E1S), Estradiol (E2), Estriol (E3), and Testosterone (T) in 33 pre- and postmenopausal women with primary breast cancer in comparison to 12 pre- and postmenopausal women with benign breast tumors. The mean levels of the studied sex hormones were higher in serum and tumor tissue of breast cancer women than those with benign breast tumors apart from Testosterone which showed a significant decrease in pre- and postmenopausal women with breast cancer (P < 0.001 for follicular phase, P < 0.001 for luteal phase, and P < 0.001 for postmenopausal). The levels of the five hormones were significantly higher intra-tumoral than in serum of both benign and malignant breast tumor women with E1S as the predominant estrogen. There was only a positive significant correlation between serum and tumor tissue levels of E1 (rs = 0.52, P < 0.05 for follicular; rs = 0.63, P < 0.05 for luteal and rs = 0.58, P < 0.05 for postmenopausal) and a significant correlation between serum and tumor tissue of T (rs = 0.64, P < 0.05 for follicular; rs = -0.51, P < 0.05 for luteal and rs = -0.81, P < 0.04 for postmenopausal).
Glycemic control from 1988 to 2000 among U.S. adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes: a preliminary report.

OBJECTIVE To describe the changes in demographics, antidiabetic treatment, and glycemic control among the prevalent U.S. adult diagnosed type 2 diabetes population between the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) III (1988-1994) and the initial release of NHANES 1999-2000. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The study population was derived from NHANES III (n = 1,215) and NHANES 1999-2000 (n = 372) subjects who reported a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes with available data on diabetes medication and HbA(1c). Four therapeutic regimens were defined: diet only, insulin only, oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) only, or OADs plus insulin. Multiple logistic regression was used to examine changes in antidiabetic regimens and glycemic control rates over time, adjusted for demographic and clinical risk factors. The outcome measure for glycemic control was HbA(1c). Glycemic control rates were defined as the proportion of type 2 diabetic patients with HbA(1c) level <7%. RESULTS Dietary treatment in individuals with diabetes decreased as the sole therapy from 27.4 to 20.2% between the surveys. Insulin use also decreased from 24.2 to 16.4%, while those on OADs only increased from 45.4 to 52.5%. Combination of OADs and insulin increased from 3.1 to 11.0%. Glycemic control rates declined from 44.5% in NHANES III (1988-1994) to 35.8% in NHANES 1999-2000. CONCLUSIONS Treatment regimens among U.S. adults diagnosed with type 2 diabetes have changed substantially over the past 10 years. However, a decrease in glycemic control rates was also observed during this time period. This trend may contribute to increased rates of macrovascular and microvascular diabetic complications, which may impact health care costs. Our data support the public health message of implementation of early, aggressive management of diabetes.
Analyzing the effectiveness and applicability of co-training

Recently there has been signi(cid:12)cant interest in supervised learning algorithms that combine labeled and unlabeled data for text learning tasks. The co-training setting [1] applies to datasets that have a natural separation of their features into two disjoint sets. We demonstrate that when learning from labeled and unlabeled data, algorithms explicitly leveraging a natural independent split of the features outperform algorithms that do not. When a natural split does not exist, co-training algorithms that manufacture a feature split may out-perform algorithms not using a split. These results help explain why co-training algorithms are both discriminative in nature and robust to the assumptions of their embedded classi(cid:12)ers
An investigation of factors affecting technology acceptance and use decisions by Australian allied health therapists

The research reported in this paper describes the development, empirical validation and analysis of a model of technology acceptance by Australian occupational therapists. The study described involved the collection of quantitative data through a national survey, with over 2000 responses and a longitudinal case study within the community health sector. Results provide qualitative and quantitative support for the proposed model and demonstrate the inadequacy of traditional models of technology acceptance when applied to the health sector. This work extends technology acceptance studies into new realms of the health sector and highlights the need for a broadening of health IT research, and particularly technology acceptance studies, to encompass a more holistic and inclusive view of those who work in healthcare in order to gain a greater understanding of its complexities and how IS implementation success can be enhanced in this arena
Characterization of a novel Entamoeba histolytica strain from Burkina Faso, Africa, possessing a unique hexokinase-2 gene

An Entamoeba histolytica strain (BF-841 cl1) that originated from Burkina Faso, Africa presented with novel, polymorphic genotypes of the serine-rich E. histolytica protein and the anodic hexokinase-2 (HXK-2) isoenzyme band, which showed less electrophoretic mobility than that of an E. histolytica reference strain [HM-1:IMSS cl6 (zymodeme (Z)-II)] by starch gel electrophoresis and isoelectric focusing (IEF). The HXK-2 gene of BF-841 cl1 had amino acid variations at four positions compared to the sequence of HM-1: IMSS cl6. These variations were absent from the sequences of four other E. histolytica strains with different zymodemes [KU27 (Z-II), SAW1627 (Z-IIα-), SAW755CR clB (Z-XIV), and KU2 (Z-XIX)]. The results of IEF showed no difference in the substrate specificity of HXK (HXK-1 and HXK-2) between BF-841 cl1 and the three reference E. histolytica strains (HM-1:IMSS cl6, SAW755 clB, and KU27). It was also confirmed that BF-841 cl1 was able to form liver abscesses in Syrian hamsters.
Collective behavior in cancer cell populations

In recent years the argument has been made that malignant tumors represent complex dynamic and self‐organizing biosystems. Furthermore, there is increasing evidence that collective cell migration is common during invasion and metastasis of malignant tumors. Here, we argue that cancer systems may be capable of developing multicellular collective patterns that resemble evolved adaptive behavior known from other biological systems including collective sensing of environmental conditions and collective decision‐making. We present a concept as to how these properties could arise in tumors and why the emergence of such swarm‐like patterns would confer advantageous properties to the spatiotemporal expansion of tumors, and consequently, why understanding and ultimately targeting such collectivity should be of interest for basic and clinical cancer research alike.