Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evidence that host size determines liver size: Studies in dogs receiving orthotopic liver transplants

Orthotopic liver transplantation was performed in two groups of dogs; Group I animals consisted of large dogs that served as recipients of livers obtained from smaller dogs while Group II animals consisted of dogs that received liver from donor dogs of nearly the same size. The small‐for‐size livers transplanted into the Group I dogs rapidly increased in size over the course of 2 weeks until they achieved a size equal to that originally present in the larger recipient dogs. In contrast, the livers transplanted into dogs of the same size as the donors underwent some degree of atrophy. In both groups of animals, plasma levels of insulin and glucagon and hepatic (graft) activities of thymidine kinase and ornithine decarboxylase were followed serially. The only difference between the two groups of animals for these measures was that the ornithine decarboxylase activity rose to a greater degree in the liver that underwent graft enlargement. These data suggest that recipient size determines, at least in part, liver graft size once it is transplanted. These data also suggest that of the parameters followed, only ornithine decarboxylase activity parallels the finding of growth of the transplanted liver.
Propagation of electromagnetic waves through composite media

The propagation of electromagnetic waves through ceramics and composite materials is investigated in this work. The design of complex artificial materials has potential as a valuable tool for application to many new devices, such as high-resolution lenses and electromagnetic imaging devices, as well as for the improvement of currently existing ones. A technique is demonstrated for the characterization of ceramics and other dielectrics, at terahertz frequencies, with the use of terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz TDS). Composite materials comprised of complex scatterers, and in particular spherical resonators, are studied using the same system. In order to calculate the scattered fields from a large number of resonant spheres, a new technique is developed, based on the characteristic basis function method (CBFM). This technique improves the computational speed of the calculation, as well as allowing the solution of bigger scattering problems, with a larger number of larger sized spheres. Finally, a technique is developed that allows the characterization of an anisotropic material, at any angle of incidence, to provide all the material tensor coefficients of the material of interest. The material tensors of effective media are related to the structure of the medium’s lattice, and the importance of symmetry in the structure is demonstrated. A procedure is demonstrated that allows one to verify that the retrieved parameters are indeed those of the bulk material, by comparing eigenvectors of the extracted T -matrices. The procedure reveals that for many complex materials, such as dielectric resonators arrays, effective medium approximations do not apply, and so calculation techniques such as the CBFM, or the finite-difference time-domain method must be used to correctly determine the behavior of a composite.
A Global Statistical–Dynamical Tropical Cyclone Wind Radii Forecast Scheme

AbstractForecasts of tropical cyclone (TC) surface wind structure have recently begun to show some skill, but the number of reliable forecast tools, mostly regional hurricane and select global models, remains limited. To provide additional wind structure guidance, this work presents the development of a statistical–dynamical method to predict tropical cyclone wind structure in terms of wind radii, which are defined as the maximum extent of the 34-, 50-, and 64-kt (1 kt = 0.514 m s−1) winds in geographical quadrants about the center of the storm. The basis for TC size variations is developed from an infrared satellite-based record of TC size, which is homogenously calculated from a global sample. The change in TC size is predicted using a statistical–dynamical approach where predictors are based on environmental diagnostics derived from global model forecasts and observed storm conditions. Once the TC size has been predicted, the forecast intensity and track are used along with a parametric wind model to e.
Efficacy of platinum chemotherapy agents in the adjuvant setting for adenosquamous carcinoma of the pancreas.

BACKGROUND Pancreatic adenosquamous carcinoma (PASC) accounts for only 1-4% of all exocrine pancreatic cancers and carries a particularly poor prognosis. This retrospective study was performed to determine whether inclusion of a platinum agent as part of adjuvant therapy is associated with improved survival in patients with resected PASC. METHODS Records of all patients who underwent pancreatic resection at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1986 to 2012 were reviewed to identify those with PASC. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards modeling was used to assess for significant associations between patient characteristics and survival. RESULTS In total, 62 patients (1.1%) with resected PASC were identified among 5,627 cases. Median age was 68 [interquartile range (IQR), 57-77] and 44% were female. Multivariate analysis revealed that, among all patients (n=62), the following factors were independently predictive of poor survival: lack of adjuvant therapy [hazard ratio (HR) =3.6; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.8-7.0; P<0.001], margin-positive resection (HR =3.5; 95% CI, 1.8-6.8; P<0.001), lymph node involvement (HR =3.5; 95% CI, 1.5-8.2; P=0.004), and age (HR =1.0; 95% CI, 1.0-1.1; P=0.035). There were no significant differences between patients who did and did not receive adjuvant therapy following resection (all P>0.05). A second multivariable model included only those patients who received adjuvant therapy (n=39). Lack of inclusion of a platinum agent in the adjuvant regimen (HR =2.4; 95% CI, 1.0-5.8; P=0.040) and larger tumor diameter (HR =1.3; 95% CI, 1.0-1.6; P=0.047) were independent predictors of inferior survival. CONCLUSIONS Addition of a platinum agent to adjuvant regimens for resected PASC may improve survival among these high-risk patients, though collaborative prospective investigation is needed.
A Corpus-Based Analysis of Geometric Constraints on Projective Prepositions

This paper presents a corpus-based method for automatic evaluation of geometric constraints on projective prepositions. The method is used to find an appropriate model of geometric constraints for a two-dimensional domain. Two simple models are evaluated against the uses of projective prepositions in a corpus of natural language dialogues to find the best parameters of these models. Both models cover more than 96% of the data correctly. An extra treatment of negative uses of projective prepositions (e.g. A is not above B) improves both models getting close to full coverage.
Parallel variable-density particle-laden turbulence simulation

We have developed a fully parallel C++/MPI based simulation code for variable-density particle-laden turbulent flows. The fluid is represented through a uniform Eulerian staggered grid, while particles are modeled using a Lagrangian point-particle framework. Spatial discretization is second-order accurate, and time integration has a fourth-order accuracy. Two-way coupling of the particles with the background flow is considered in both momentum and energy equations. The code is fully modular and abstracted, and easily can be extended or modified. We have considered two different boundary conditions. We have also developed a novel parallel linear solver for the variable density Poisson equation that arises in the calculation.
Tow-Steered Panels With Holes Subjected to Compression or Shear Loads

Tailoring composite laminates to vary the fiber orientations within a fiber layer of a laminate to address non-uniform stress states and provide structural advantages such as the alteration of principal load paths has potential application to future low-cost, light-weight structures for commercial transport aircraft. Evaluation of this approach requires the determination of the effectiveness of stiffness tailoring through the use of curvilinear fiber paths in flat panels including the reduction of stress concentrations around the holes and the increase in load carrying capability. Panels were designed through the use of an optimization code using a genetic algorithm and fabricated using a tow-steering approach. Manufacturing limitations, such as the radius of curvature of tows the machine could support, avoidance of wrinkling of fibers and minimization of gaps between fibers were considered in the design process. Variable stiffness tow-steered panels constructed with curvilinear fiber paths were fabricated so that the design methodology could be verified through experimentation. Finite element analysis where each element s stacking sequence was accurately defined is used to verify the behavior predicted based on the design code. Experiments on variable stiffness flat panels with central circular holes were conducted with the panels loaded in axial compression or shear. Tape and tow-steered panels are used to demonstrate the buckling, post-buckling and failure behavior of elastically tailored panels. The experimental results presented establish the buckling performance improvements attainable by elastic tailoring of composite laminates.
MED12 methylation by CARM1 sensitizes human breast cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs

MED12 is methylated by CARM1, and methylated MED12 serves as a sensor for anticancer drug response in human breast cancer. The RNA polymerase II mediator complex subunit 12 (MED12) is frequently mutated in human cancers, and loss of MED12 has been shown to induce drug resistance through activation of transforming growth factor–β receptor (TGF-βR) signaling. We identified MED12 as a substrate for coactivator-associated arginine methyltransferase 1 (CARM1). Not only are the expression levels of CARM1 and MED12 positively correlated, but their high expression also predicts better prognosis in human breast cancers after chemotherapy. MED12 was methylated at R1862 and R1912 by CARM1, and mutation of these sites in cell lines resulted in resistance to chemotherapy drugs. Furthermore, we showed that the methylation-dependent drug response mechanism is distinct from activation of TGF-βR signaling, because methylated MED12 potently suppresses p21/WAF1 transcription. Cells defective in MED12 methylation have up-regulated p21 protein, which correlates with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients treated with chemotherapy. Collectively, this study identifies MED12 methylation as a sensor for predicting response to commonly used chemotherapy drugs in human cancers.
Biodegradation of Aliphatic-Aromatic Copolyesters by Thermomonospora fusca and Other Thermophilic Compost Isolates

ABSTRACT Random aliphatic-aromatic copolyesters synthesized from 1,4-butanediol, adipic acid, and terephthalic acid (BTA) have excellent thermal and mechanical properties and are biodegradable by mixed cultures (e.g., in compost). Over 20 BTA-degrading strains were isolated by using compost as a microbial source. Among these microorganisms, thermophilic actinomycetes obviously play an outstanding role and appear to dominate the initial degradation step. Two actinomycete strains exhibited about 20-fold higher BTA degradation rates than usually observed in a common compost test. These isolates were identified as Thermomonospora fusca strains. They appeared to be particularly suitable for establishment of rapid degradation tests and were used in comparative studies on the biodegradation of various polyesters.
The Spider Effect: Morphological and Orienting Classification of Microglia in Response to Stimuli in Vivo

The different morphological stages of microglial activation have not yet been described in detail. We transected the olfactory bulb of rats and examined the activation of the microglial system histologically. Six stages of bidirectional microglial activation (A) and deactivation (R) were observed: from stage 1A to 6A, the cell body size increased, the cell process number decreased, and the cell processes retracted and thickened, orienting toward the direction of the injury site; until stage 6A, when all processes disappeared. In contrast, in deactivation stages 6R to 1R, the microglia returned to the original site exhibiting a stepwise retransformation to the original morphology. Thin highly branched processes re-formed in stage 1R, similar to those in stage 1A. This reverse transformation mirrored the forward transformation except in stages 6R to 1R: cells showed multiple nuclei which were slowly absorbed. Our findings support a morphologically defined stepwise activation and deactivation of microglia cells.
Standards of Practice

INTRODUCTION Recognizing the legal, social, ethical, and technological factors that affect health care delivery, a professional association has a responsibility to develop standards of practice based upon the scope ofnursing practice. These standards provide for the protection of both the public and the profession. Establishing standards enables a profession to insure the quality of the provider's service to the consumer by gaining control of its practice. Standards of professional practice require ongoing revision because the scope of nursing practice changes, and the knowledge base becomes more refined. The format of this presentation of occupational health nursing standards is standard, rationale (interpretation), and criteria for determining achievement. The component related specifically to nursing practice is consistent with the nursing process, which is a systematic approach to nursing practice: assessment, planning, implementation, and evaluation.
A new moss genetics: targeted mutagenesis in Physcomitrella patens.

The potential of moss as a model system to study plant biology is associated with their relatively simple developmental pattern that nevertheless resembles the basic organization of the body plan of land plants, the direct access to cell-lineage analysis, their similar responses to plant growth factors and environmental stimuli as those observed in other land plants, and the dominance of the gametophyte in the life cycle that facilitates genetic approaches. Transformation studies in the moss Physcomitrella patens have revealed a totally unique feature for plants, i.e., that foreign DNA sequences integrate in the genome preferentially at targeted locations by homologous recombination, enabling for the first time in plants the application of the powerful molecular genetic approaches used routinely in bacteria, yeast, and since 1989, the mouse embryonic stem cells. This article reviews our current knowledge of Physcomitrella patens transformation and its unique suitability for functional genomic studies.
Platelet distribution width: a simple, practical and specific marker of activation of coagulation.

BACKGROUND Platelet indices are potentially useful markers for the early diagnosis of thromboembolic diseases. An increase in both mean platelet volume (MPV) and platelet distribution width (PDW) due to platelet activation, resulting from platelet swelling and pseudopodia formation was hypothesized. METHODS Platelet indices (MPV and PDW) in three groups of persons, using impedance and optical technology were measured. The first group consisted of patients with established platelet activation and healthy control subjects. The second study group included pregnant women in different trimesters of pregnancy. The effect of storage time on MPV and PDW in blood samples of a third group of randomly chosen patients was also assessed. RESULTS There was a significant increase in MPV (P<0.001) and PDW (P<0.001) in patients with confirmed platelet activation compared to healthy control subjects. Only PDW showed a significant increase from the first to the third trimester of pregnancy (P=0.009). Temporal changes of MPV and PDW over storage time revealed a significant increase in MPV (P<0.001), in contrast to a significant decrease in PDW (P<0.05). CONCLUSION MPV and PDW are simple platelet indices, which increase during platelet activation. PDW is a more specific marker of platelet activation, since it does not increase during simple platelet swelling.
DIRECTING ATTENTION EXTERNALLY IMPROVES CONTINUOUS VISUOMOTOR SKILL PERFORMANCE IN OLDER ADULTS WHO HAVE UNDERGONE CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS Conflict of Interest: The editor in chief has reviewed the conflict of interest checklist provided by the authors and has determined that the authors have no financial or any other kind of personal conflicts with this paper. Author Contributions: Ellen Smulders: study design, acquisition of subjects and data, analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of the letter. Wim van Lankveld: study concept and design, analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of the letter. Roland Laan: study design, acquisition of subjects, and preparation of the letter. Jacques Duysens: study concept and design, analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of the letter. Vivian Weerdesteyn: study concept and design, acquisition of subjects and data, analysis and interpretation of data, and preparation of the letter. Sponsor’s Role: None.
Dynamic changes of smooth muscle and endothelial markers in the early healing process of dacron vascular grafts in the dog, using RT-PCR

Previous studies of neointima formation on Dacron vascular grafts mainly focused on the late stages using immunohistochemistry staining for von Willebrand factor (vWF) and smooth muscle (SM) α-actin. However, it is impossible to use immunohistochemistry to study the early events of neointima formation, because graft samples lack sufficient cellular material. Therefore, we used reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to demonstrate dynamic changes of SM and endothelial markers during the early stages of neointima formation. Preclotted Dacron grafts were implanted in the descending thoracic aorta of 14 mongrel dogs. Specimens were retrieved at 1–4 weeks. Total RNAs were extracted from mid-portion of graft flow surfaces, and RT-PCR for vWF, SM myosin heavy chain (MHC), and SM α-actin were performed and expressed as a ratio to the ribosome s17 signal. SM MHC and vWF mRNA expression was low at 1–2 weeks but elevated at 3–4 weeks (P<0.05). However, SM α-actin mRNA levels were expressed consistently throughout the study period. At 3–4 weeks, vWF mRNA expression was inversely correlated to thrombus formation on the graft flow surface. Increased expressions of SM MHC and vWF mRNA corresponded to the formation of neointima and an endothelial layer at the later stages. However, SM α-actin mRNA expression did not vary during the healing process. The application of RT-PCR should permit further studies of gene regulation in the early vascular graft healing process in vivo. This model can also be used to study the molecular events that are involved in SM cell differentiation.
Familial Clustering of Migraine, Episodic Vertigo, and Ménière's Disease

Objective: To evaluate the association between migraine, episodic vertigo, and Ménière's disease in families. Study Design: Clinical report. Setting: University Neurotology Clinic. Patients: Index patients identified with Ménière's disease and migraine and their family members. Intervention: Structured interview to assess a diagnosis of migraine, episodic vertigo, and Ménière's disease in 6 families. Genotyping was performed on 3 sets of twins to analyze monozygosity or dizygosity. Main Outcome Measures: Clinical history of migraine, episodic vertigo, and Ménière's disease. Results: Six index patients and 57 family members were interviewed either by a senior neurologist in person or over the phone by a trained study coordinator. An additional 6 family members completed questionnaires by mail. All 6 index patients had Ménière's disease and migraine. Twenty-six (41%) of the 63 relatives met International Classification of Headache Disorders II criteria for migraine headaches. Thirteen (50%) of these 26 experienced migraine with aura. Three others experienced typical aura without headache. Seventeen (27%) of 63 family members experienced recurrent spells of spontaneous episodic vertigo. There was one twin pair in each of 3 families; 2 pairs were monozygotic and one was dizygotic. In each twin pair, one twin had migraine and Ménière's disease, whereas the other experienced migraine and episodic vertigo without auditory symptoms. Conclusion: The frequent association of episodic vertigo, migraine, and Ménière's disease in closely related individuals, including identical twins supports the heritability of a migraine-Ménière's syndrome, with variable expression of the individual features of hearing loss, episodic vertigo, and migraine headaches.
Directed Communication between Nucleus Accumbens and Neocortex in Humans Is Differentially Supported by Synchronization in the Theta and Alpha Band

Here, we report evidence for oscillatory bi-directional interactions between the nucleus accumbens and the neocortex in humans. Six patients performed a demanding covert visual attention task while we simultaneously recorded brain activity from deep-brain electrodes implanted in the nucleus accumbens and the surface electroencephalogram (EEG). Both theta and alpha oscillations were strongly coherent with the frontal and parietal EEG during the task. Theta-band coherence increased during processing of the visual stimuli. Granger causality analysis revealed that the nucleus accumbens was communicating with the neocortex primarily in the theta-band, while the cortex was communicating the nucleus accumbens in the alpha-band. These data are consistent with a model, in which theta- and alpha-band oscillations serve dissociable roles: Prior to stimulus processing, the cortex might suppress ongoing processing in the nucleus accumbens by modulating alpha-band activity. Subsequently, upon stimulus presentation, theta oscillations might facilitate the active exchange of stimulus information from the nucleus accumbens to the cortex.
What accuracy for 3D measurements with cameras?

We estimate the internal and external parameters of the camera, and simultaneously the distortion's parameters. Our aim is the selection of the best distortion model, using statistical test for the importance of distortion parameters. Also we examine the accuracy in camera parameter estimation and 3D reconstruction, in relation with the noise in the image. We answer the question "until which level of noise, is it possible to obtain a good camera parameter estimation, and from there a good reconstruction? ". Experiments are evaluated on simulated data and a rest is performed with real data.