Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Medical expulsive therapy as an adjunct to improve shockwave lithotripsy outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Modern shockwave lithotripsy (SWL) is associated with inferior results compared with the original Dornier HM3. To enhance SWL outcomes, improved patient selection based on radiographic features and modulation of shockwave delivery rate have been used. A growing body of evidence demonstrates the positive effect of medical expulsive therapy (MET) to improve spontaneous passage of urinary calculi. The purpose of this review is to tabulate the current available data that examine the addition of MET to SWL to enhance outcomes. MATERIALS AND METHODS MEDLINE was searched with a strategy developed in conjunction with a medical librarian. Trials were included if patients were randomized to receive either a medical expulsive agent or placebo or standard therapy after SWL. Study quality was assessed according to the Cochrane Renal Group criteria. The data were analyzed using RevMan meta-analysis software. Subgroup analysis was performed with respect to MET agent used, stone size, and duration of follow-up. RESULTS Four randomized trials were identified. MET agents varied, with two trials using tamsulosin, one using nifedipine, and a single trial using Phyllanthus niruri extract. Two trials included patients with renal calculi, one had patients with ureteral calculi, and the fourth included patients with both ureteral and renal calculi. The pool results of the four trials included 212 patients who received MET and 206 who received placebo. The absolute risk difference of a successful outcome after SWL with the addition of MET was significantly superior to control at 17% (95% confidence interval [CI] 9%-24%); means six patients need to be treated with MET to prevent a single unsuccessful SWL of six (95% CI 4-11). The effect of MET post-SWL was even more pronounced for stones larger than 10 mm with an absolute risk difference of 26% (95% CI, 9%-43%). CONCLUSIONS MET post-SWL results in a significant increase in successful treatment outcomes. Further powered, randomized studies are encouraged.
Effects of the Tibetan Plateau on the Asian summer monsoon: a numerical case study using a regional climate model

To understand impacts of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) upon the Asian summer monsoon (ASM), including both the Indian summer monsoons (ISM) and East Asian summer monsoons (EASM), a series of numerical experiments using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) regional spectral model (RSM) are conducted with various TP heights ranging from the flat surface (1.2 km) to 140% of the actual height. It was found that an increase in the TP height leads to an increase in the simulated ISM precipitation over northern India and conversely a decrease in the height leads to a decrease in precipitation. This sensitivity is associated with both the thermal and dynamical effects of the TP; however, although the ISM precipitation over India is affected by the changes in atmospheric circulation, it is not directly affected by the thermal effect. The thermal effect of surface heating plays a role in developing positive vorticity with a consequent increase in monsoon precipitation over northern India. The width of the plateau also seems to be associated with the intensity of the sensitivity for the ISM region. For the EASM region, the orographic effect caused by changes in the lower‐atmospheric circulation and its link with upper‐atmospheric circulation are crucial to the monsoon circulation and precipitation. With increased TP height, the monsoon precipitation moves inland in a northwestward direction, which qualitatively follows the previous findings based on general circulation models (GCMs), but with a detailed dynamical mechanism in linkage between the lower‐ and upper‐atmospheric circulation in the regional climate modelling (RCM) framework in this study. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
Thalamic terminal morphology and distribution of single corticothalamic axons originating from layers 5 and 6 of the cat motor cortex

We investigated the axonal morphology of single corticothalamic (CT) neurons of the motor cortex (Mx) in the cat thalamus, using a neuronal tracer, biotinylated dextran amine (BDA). After localized injection of BDA into the Mx, labeled CT axons were found ipsilaterally in the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN), the ventroanterior–ventrolateral complex (VA‐VL), the central lateral nucleus (CL), the central medial nucleus, and the centromedian nucleus, but with the primary focus in the VA‐VL. The terminals in the VA‐VL formed a large laminar cluster, which extended approximately in parallel with the internal medullary lamina. The laminar organization mirrored morphologic features of single CT axons. We reconstructed the trajectories of 25 single CT axons that arose from layer V (16 axons) or layer VI (9 axons) and terminated in the VA‐VL. Terminals of single CT axons that originated from both layer V and layer VI were confined within a laminar structure about 700 μm thick, suggesting the existence of laminar input organization in the VA‐VL. Otherwise, the two groups of the CT axons showed contrasting features. All of the CT axons derived from layer VI gave rise to a few short collaterals to the TRN and then formed extensive arborization with numerous small, drumstick‐like terminals in the VA‐VL. On the other hand, the CT axons arising from layer V gave rise to collaterals whose main axons descended into the cerebral peduncle. Each collateral projected to the VA‐VL or CL without projection to the TRN and formed a few small clusters of giant terminals. The two groups of CT neurons in the same cortical column had convergent rather than segregated termination in the VA‐VL. However, the terminals of layer VI CT neurons were distributed diffusely and widely in the VA‐VL, whereas the terminals of layer V CT neurons were much more focused and surrounded by the terminals of the former group. These contrasting features of the two types of CT projections appear to represent their different functional roles in the generation of motor commands and control of movements in the Mx. J. Comp. Neurol. 437:170–185, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Acceptability of Four Transformer Top-Oil Thermal Models—Part I: Defining Metrics

Eventually, the prediction of transformer thermal performance for dynamic loading will be made using models distilled from measured data, rather than models derived from transformer heat-run tests. Which model(s) will be used for this purpose remains unclear. In this paper, we introduce metrics for measuring the acceptability of transformer thermal models. For a model to be acceptable, it must have the qualities of adequacy, accuracy, and consistency. We assess model adequacy using the metrics: prediction R2 and plot of residuals against fitted values. To assess model consistency, we use the variance inflation factor (which measures multicollinearity), condition number, eigenstructure, parameter sensitivity, and the standard deviation of model parameters and predicted maximum steady-state load (SSLmax). To assess model accuracy, we use the comparison of model parameters with nominal values and error duration curves. Other metrics of interest are also introduced. In a companion paper, these metrics are applied to the four models defined in this paper and a relative ranking of the acceptability of these models is presented.
Gamma oscillatory amplitude encodes stimulus intensity in primary somatosensory cortex

Gamma oscillations have previously been linked to pain perception and it has been hypothesized that they may have a potential role in encoding pain intensity. Stimulus response experiments have reported an increase in activity in the primary somatosensory cortex (SI) with increasing stimulus intensity, but the specific role of oscillatory dynamics in this change in activation remains unclear. In this study, Magnetoencephalography (MEG) was used to investigate the changes in cortical oscillations during four different intensities of a train of electrical stimuli to the right index finger, ranging from low sensation to strong pain. In those participants showing changes in evoked oscillatory gamma in SI during stimulation, the strength of the gamma power was found to increase with increasing stimulus intensity at both pain and sub-pain thresholds. These results suggest that evoked gamma oscillations in SI are not specific to pain but may have a role in encoding somatosensory stimulus intensity.
The mechanism of resveratrol-induced vasorelaxation differs in the mesenteric resistance arteries of lean and obese rats.

Resveratrol has been shown to induce vasorelaxation. In this study, we investigated the mechanism(s) of resveratrol-induced vasorelaxation in resistance mesenteric arteries from male lean and dietary-induced obese rats. Compared with lean rats, arteries from dietary-obese rats showed significant (P<0.001) endothelial dysfunction, as indicated by a decrease (>20%) in maximal acetylcholine-induced vasorelaxation. Resveratrol (5-35 micromol/l) induced concentration-dependent relaxation of mesenteric arteries preconstricted with noradrenaline (8 micromol/l) or KCl (125 mmol/l) from both lean and dietary-obese rats. There were no significant differences between the two groups, achieving a maximum relaxation of >95% at a concentration of 35 micromol/l. In noradrenaline-preconstricted arteries from lean rats, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME; 100 and 300 micromol/l) caused a significant (P<0.01) concentration-dependent rightward shift in reseveratrol activity, with no effect on maximal responses. However, L-NAME (100 and 300 micromol/l) did not alter the effects of reseveratrol on arteries from dietary-obese rats, giving superimposed concentration-responses curves. Indomethacin was also ineffective in altering resveratrol activity in arteries from both lean and dietary-obese rats. In noradrenaline-precontracted arteries from dietary-obese rats, responses to resveratrol were not attenuated by endothelial denudation, indicating an action independent of the endothelium. This study indicates that: (a) the maximal effects of resveratrol on resistance arteries from lean and dietary-obese rats are not effected by endothelial dysfunction, and (b) the effects of resveratrol in lean animals (where endothelial function is not impaired), but not in dietary-obese rats, are mediated via NO.
Investigation of mechanisms for routing in mobile ad-hoc network

Mobile networks allow a more flexible model of communication than traditional networks. Unlike cellular mobile networks, mobile ad-hoc networks do not have any fixed communication infrastructure. For an action connection, the end host as well as the intermediate nodes can be mobile and therefore routes are subject to frequent disconnections. The goal of mobile ad-hoc networking is to extend mobility into the chain of autonomous mobile domains, where a set of nodes form the network routing infrastructure in an ad-hoc manner. Absence of a fixed infrastructure in mobile ad-hoc network poses a number of different types of challenges to this area. Typical challenges include limited bandwidth, power constraint, security, routing, hidden terminal problems and corroboration of mobile devices. Routing in mobile ad-hoc networks is achieved through the mutual cooperation of mobile devices that form a chain of routes between two mobile nodes. Frequent topology changes, limited bandwidth and battery power of mobile nodes make routing a challenging issue in mobile ad-hoc networks. Internet protocols [109] are considered efficient to support routing in fixed mobile networks. However, current research shows their weak performance over mobile ad-hoc networks. Design of routing protocols for mobile ad-hoc networks have so far taken approaches similar to the routing protocols used in wired networks. Variations of link-states or source routing protocols or combinations of both have been reported. Most of these protocols are based on one of two techniques i. e. tables driven or on demand routing protocols [102]. Current literature [44] shows different weaknesses in the existing schemes. Taking the routing problem as the basis, this project investigated routing mechanisms for mobile adhoc networks. This thesis proposed the Mobile ad-hoc on Demand Data Delivery protocol (MAODDP) as a routing solution for mobile ad-hoc networks. The key features of MAODDP is the establishment of route and data delivery simultaneously one after the other. MAODDP deals some of the routing related issues along side routing. It is designed to minimize reaction to topological changes and uses a combination of sequence numbers and broadcast ID to ensure the freshness of routes. MAODDP is loop-free, self-starting, and can scales to different sizes of mobile ad-hoc networks. MAODDP offers quick adaptation to dynamic link conditions, low processing and memory overhead, low network utilization, and determines routes to the destinations within the mobile ad-hoc network. MAODDP functional model has been developed in Java and evaluated on the Scalable Wireless Network Simulator (SWANS). Seven different sets of experiments were conducted under various network environments. MAODDP found to be applicable in all types of network. The Protocol showed an impressive data delivery ratio with minimum consumption of available memory. MAODDP compared against AODV and DSR, where it performed well in comparison with each of these schemes.
Saccade Generation by the Frontal Eye Fields in Rhesus Monkeys Is Separable from Visual Detection and Bottom-Up Attention Shift

The frontal eye fields (FEF), originally identified as an oculomotor cortex, have also been implicated in perceptual functions, such as constructing a visual saliency map and shifting visual attention. Further dissecting the area’s role in the transformation from visual input to oculomotor command has been difficult because of spatial confounding between stimuli and responses and consequently between intermediate cognitive processes, such as attention shift and saccade preparation. Here we developed two tasks in which the visual stimulus and the saccade response were dissociated in space (the extended memory-guided saccade task), and bottom-up attention shift and saccade target selection were independent (the four-alternative delayed saccade task). Reversible inactivation of the FEF in rhesus monkeys disrupted, as expected, contralateral memory-guided saccades, but visual detection was demonstrated to be intact at the same field. Moreover, saccade behavior was impaired when a bottom-up shift of attention was not a prerequisite for saccade target selection, indicating that the inactivation effect was independent of the previously reported dysfunctions in bottom-up attention control. These findings underscore the motor aspect of the area’s functions, especially in situations where saccades are generated by internal cognitive processes, including visual short-term memory and long-term associative memory.
Effects of Stimulant Medication on Cognitive Performance of Children with ADHD

The effect that treatment with stimulant medication has on the intellectual performance of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) was examined. Thirty-one children diagnosed with ADHD were given a WISC-III before any treatment was implemented. At least 1 year later, children were retested. At this time, 24 of the children were taking stimulant medications. Children receiving medications had significant increases in IQ scores, but no changes were found for those not taking medications. Changes in IQ scores were moderately related to parents’ perceived efficacy of the medication and parent-reported compliance with medication but were not strongly related to changes in parent-reported ADHD symptoms.
Conditional replacement for improved coding efficiency in fine-grain scalable video coding

A new motion compensation (MC) scheme for fine-grain scalable video coding is proposed. This new scheme uses two MC loops, one for the base layer and one for the enhancement layer. A technique called conditional replacement (CR), which adaptively selects between the base layer and enhancement layer prediction for each enhancement layer DCT coefficient, is used to simultaneously improve coding efficiency and reduce prediction drift, as compared to a scheme that always uses the enhancement layer prediction. A new CR architecture that. uses reference frames stored in the spatial domain, unlike the DCT-domain CR architecture previously proposed for frequency scalability, is presented. Whereas a straightforward implementation of a "spatial-domain" CR would require two extra DCTs for each block, the new architecture uses only one extra DCT per block.
Indexing and Querying XML Data for Regular Path Expressions

With the advent of XML as a standard for data representation and exchange on the Internet, storing and querying XML data becomes more and more important. Several XML query languages have been proposed, and the common feature of the languages is the use of regular path expressions to query XML data. This poses a new challenge concerning indexing and searching XML data, because conventional approaches based on tree traversals may not meet the processing requirements under heavy access requests. In this paper, we propose a new system for indexing and storing XML data based on a numbering scheme for elements. This numbering scheme quickly determines the ancestor-descendant relationship between elements in the hierarchy of XML data. We also propose several algorithms for processing regular path expressions, namely, (1) -Join for searching paths from an element to another, (2) -Join for scanning sorted elements and attributes to find element-attribute pairs, and (3) -Join for finding Kleene-Closure on repeated paths or elements. The -Join algorithm is highly effective particularly for searching paths that are very long or whose lengths are unknown. Experimental results from our prototype system implementation show that the proposed algorithms can process XML queries with regular path expressions by up to an or
The Behavioral Effects of Minimum Wages

The prevailing labor market models assume that minimum wages do not affect the labor supply schedule. We challenge this view in this paper by showing experimentally that minimum wages have significant and lasting effects on subjects' reservation wages. The temporary introduction of a minimum wage leads to a rise in subjects' reservation wages which persists even after the minimum wage has been removed. Firms are therefore forced to pay higher wages after the removal of the minimum wage than before its introduction. As a consequence, the employment effects of removing the minimum wage are significantly smaller than are the effects of its introduction. The impact of minimum wages on reservation wages may also explain the anomalously low utilization of subminimum wages if employers are given the opportunity of paying less than a minimum wage previously introduced. It may further explain why employers often increase workers' wages after an increase in the minimum wage by an amount exceeding that necessary for compliance with the higher minimum. At a more general level, our results suggest that economic policy may affect people's behavior by shaping the perception of what is a fair transaction and by creating entitlement effects.
Light scattering by single ice crystals of cirrus clouds

In situ measurements of angular scattering intensities (ASIs) related to single ice crystals of cirrus clouds were obtained for the first time with the airborne Polar Nephelometer instrument. These observations were performed in the southern mid‐latitudes during the INCA project. The analysis of the data shows that the well marked peaks of the ASIs are undoubtedly attributed to quasi‐specular reflections from crystal facets and the refracted rays passed through the ice crystals. Emphasizing that it is not enough to know the shape of the crystal, but also the internal structure is of great importance. Ray tracing simulations reproduce most of the observed ASIs features. The model of surface roughness, which assumes the Weibull statistics, enables to reproduce the quasi‐specular external reflection from crystal facets. It follows from the retrievals that the surface of the crystals was deeply rough and the amount of the internal inclusions (air bubbles) was quite high.
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor – A Major Player in Stimulation-Induced Homeostatic Metaplasticity of Human Motor Cortex?

Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) of the human motor hand area (M1HAND) can induce lasting changes in corticospinal excitability as indexed by a change in amplitude of the motor-evoked potential. The plasticity-inducing effects of rTMS in M1HAND show substantial inter-individual variability which has been partially attributed to the val66met polymorphism in the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) gene. Here we used theta burst stimulation (TBS) to examine whether the BDNF val66met genotype can be used to predict the expression of TBS-induced homeostatic metaplasticity in human M1HAND. TBS is a patterned rTMS protocol with intermittent TBS (iTBS) usually inducing a lasting increase and continuous TBS (cTBS) a lasting decrease in corticospinal excitability. In three separate sessions, healthy val66met (n = 12) and val66val (n = 17) carriers received neuronavigated cTBS followed by cTBS (n = 27), cTBS followed by iTBS (n = 29), and iTBS followed by iTBS (n = 28). Participants and examiner were blinded to the genotype at the time of examination. As expected, the first TBS intervention induced a decrease (cTBS) and increase (iTBS) in corticospinal excitability, respectively, at the same time priming the after effects caused by the second TBS intervention in a homeostatic fashion. Critically, val66met carriers and val66val carriers showed very similar response patterns to cTBS and iTBS regardless of the order of TBS interventions. Since none of the observed TBS effects was modulated by the BDNF val66met polymorphism, our results do not support the notion that the BDNF val66met genotype is a major player with regard to TBS-induced plasticity and metaplasticity in the human M1HAND.
Electroporation of cynomolgus monkey embryonic stem cells

Efficient genetic modification of primate embryonic stem (ES) cells is essential for the application for both basic and preclinical research. The transfection efficiency of primate ES cells is reportedly lower than that of mouse ES cells. Cynomolgus monkey ES cells provide a powerful model for understanding human development and disease. We evaluated electroporation as a method to introduce foreign genes into cynomolgus monkey ES cells. Our examination has allowed us to establish a protocol producing about 100 stably transfected clones from 107 cynomolgus monkey ES cells. Differences in efficiency, however, were observed for other ES cell lines. We compared the transcriptional activities of the PGK‐1, CMV, and SV40 promoters in cynomolgus monkey ES cells generating efficient G418 selection. Although the PGK‐1 and SV40 promoters efficiently drove neo gene expression, the CMV promoter was significantly less transcriptionally active in cynomolgus monkey ES cells. Using this electroporation method, we established fluorescent cynomolgus monkey ES cell lines. These cells may be useful tools for tracing grafted cells in transplantation studies using a variety of functional cells derived from cynomolgus monkey ES cells. genesis 37:180–187, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.