Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of remifentanil and alfentanil during anaesthesia for patients undergoing direct laryngoscopy without intubation.

BACKGROUND Remifentanil and alfentanil are opioids often used during direct laryngoscopy (DL). This prospective, randomized study compared these agents with respect to haemodynamic and Bispectral Index (BIS) responses, glottic visualization, and rapidity of recovery (spontaneous ventilation, eye opening) in DL without intubation. METHODS A total of 60 patients undergoing DL were randomized into two groups: remifentanil (R) and alfentanil (A). Anaesthesia was induced with propofol 2.5 mg kg(-1) and the opioid was administered 1 min later (R=2 microg kg(-1) or A=30 microg kg(-1) over 30 s). DL was commenced 1 min after (corresponding to 3 min after the beginning of induction). Glottic visualization, opioid and/or propofol re-injection, spontaneous ventilation recovery, and eye opening were recorded. RESULTS During DL, mean arterial pressure (MAP) increased by 6% in the R group vs 20% in the A group (P<0.05) when compared with post-induction values without affecting heart rate or BIS. No significant difference was observed between groups with respect to glottic exposure, opioid and/or propofol re-injection, and spontaneous ventilation recovery (mean (SEM) 3.8 (0.6) min, R group vs 3.2 (0.7) min, A group, NS) or eye opening (7.1 (1.1) min, R group vs 7.4 (0.9) min, A group, NS). Thirty minutes after postanaesthesia care unit (PACU) admission, MAP returned to its pre-induction value in the R group (104 (3) vs 109 (3) at baseline, NS), whereas in the A group MAP remained significantly lower at this time point (96 (4) vs 106 (3) at baseline, P<0.05). CONCLUSION This study showed that only remifentanil prevented MAP increase without adverse effects such as bradycardia during DL, and prevented MAP decrease 30 min after PACU admission.
Magnetic resonance spectroscopic determination of a neuronal and axonal marker in white matter predicts reversibility of deficits in secondary normal pressure hydrocephalus

Background: Normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) is considered to be a treatable form of dementia, because cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) shunting can lessen symptoms. However, neuroimaging has failed to predict when shunting will be effective. Objective: To investigate whether 1H (proton) magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy could predict functional outcome in patients after shunting. Methods: Neurological state including Hasegawa’s dementia scale, gait, continence, and the modified Rankin scale were evaluated in 21 patients with secondary NPH who underwent ventriculo-peritoneal shunting. Outcomes were measured postoperatively at one and 12 months and were classified as excellent, fair, or poor. MR spectra were obtained from left hemispheric white matter. Results: Significant preoperative differences in N-acetyl aspartate (NAA)/creatine (Cr) and NAA/choline (Cho) were noted between patients with excellent and poor outcome at one month (p = 0.0014 and 0.0036, respectively). Multiple regression analysis linked higher preoperative NAA/Cr ratio, gait score, and modified Rankin scale to better one month outcome. Predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity for excellent outcome following shunting were 95.2%, 100%, and 87.5%. Multiple regression analysis indicated that NAA/Cho had the best predictive value for one year outcome (p = 0.0032); predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity were 89.5%, 90.0%, and 88.9%. Conclusions: MR spectroscopy predicted long term post-shunting outcomes in patients with secondary NPH, and it would be a useful assessment tool before lumbar drainage.
The effects of drug therapy on radiographic progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Results of a 36-week randomized trial comparing methotrexate and auranofin.

OBJECTIVE To determine the effects of drug therapy (methotrexate [MTX] versus auranofin [AUR]) on radiographic progression in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS We conducted a 9-month randomized, multicenter, double-blind trial comparing MTX and AUR. Standardized radiographs of the hands and wrists were obtained at baseline and at completion of the study. Four experienced bone radiologists graded the radiographs for erosions, joint space narrowing, erosion healing, and reparative bone formation. RESULTS Two hundred eighty-one patients were enrolled in the study. Radiographs were available on 167 of the 183 who completed the trial. After 9 months of therapy, there was a significantly greater worsening of the erosion score in the AUR group (mean +/- SEM change of 1.67 +/- 0.4) compared with the change in the MTX group (0.60 +/- 0.3) (P = 0.040). There was also a significantly greater worsening of the joint space narrowing score in the AUR group compared with the MTX group (1.36 +/- 0.3 versus 0.42 +/- 0.2) (P = 0.007). There was no difference demonstrated between groups in healing of erosions or in reparative bone formation. CONCLUSION The rate of radiographic progression in patients with RA, as measured by erosion score and joint space narrowing score, was demonstrated to be lower in those treated with MTX, as compared with AUR, over a 36-week period.
ANT COLONY OPTIMISATION FOR JOB SHOP SCHEDULING

A recent adaptive algorithm, named Ant System, is introduced and used to solve the problem of job shop scheduling. The algorithm was first introduced by Dorigo, Maniezzo and Colorni in 1991 and is derived from the foraging and recruiting behaviour observed in an ant colony. It can be applied to combinatorial optimisation problems. This paper outlines the algorithm’s implementation and performance when applied to job shop scheduling. The algorithm parameter settings seem to play a crucial role in its efficiency and determine the quality of solutions. In this paper we present some statistic analysis for parameter tuning and we compare the quality of obtained solutions for well-known benchmark problems in job shop scheduling.
Anal lesions: any significant prognosis in Crohn's disease?

Aim: Work‐up of anoperineal lesions usually includes indices of clinical activity as well as diagnostic criteria of Crohn's disease but their prognostic implication remains unclear. This prospective study was conducted in order to evaluate the overall incidence of anoperineal lesions and their relation to the natural history of underlying intestinal Crohn's disease with special reference to the steroid‐dependent state of the patients. Patients and methods: One hundred and one patients (46 males, 55 females, aged 34 ±14 years; range: 15‐79) were consecutively referred to our institution (May 1991 to May 1994) for intestinal symptoms related to Crohn's disease (mean duration 66±66 months). They all underwent a proctological examination regardless of perineal symptoms. The Cardiff classification was used to describe anoperineal lesions. Patients with anal lesions (64) differed from those without (37): male predisposition (53% vs. 32%, P<0.05), more frequent rectal involvement (75% vs. 24%, P<0.001) and more acute lesions observed at proctoscopic examination (42% vs. 16%, P< 0.05). Age of onset, surgical past history of Crohn's disease, colonic or ileal involvement, or Harvey‐Bradshaw score were not different between groups. Results: Patients with anal ulceration (43) as compared to patients having anal involvement without ulceration experienced pain more frequently (constant pain: 56 vs. 14%; defecatory pain: 35 vs. 19%) and a more severe evolution of intestinal (40 vs. 22%, P< 0.05) and anal (42 vs. 12%, P<0.05) involvement. In those with an aggressive ulceration (U2, 28 patients), daily stool frequency (5.1 ±3 vs. 3.6±2.5, P <0.05) and clinical score (9 ±5 vs. 7±3) were more pronounced. Steroid therapy dependency occurred more frequently in the group with anal ulceration (35 vs. 16% and 40 vs. 17%, respectively, P< 0.05). Similar associations were observed for cases of anal involvement (34 vs. 5%, P< 0.01) and azathioprine was more frequently required (39 vs. 5%, P<0.01) than in those free of anal lesions. During follow‐up, eight other patients required azathioprine (steroid dependence in six) and seven of them had anal lesions at referral. At the endpoint of the study, one out of two patients with anal lesions required azathioprine most often due to steroid dependency of the intestinal involvement (30/64 vs. 4/37, P<0.005). Conclusion: Anal ulcerations are a reliable severity index of Crohn's disease in both short‐ and long‐term prognosis but their link to the steroid status of the intestinal disease remains unclear.
SkQ1 treatment and food restriction — two ways to retard an aging program of organisms

Effects of the mitochondria-targeted antioxidant SkQ1 and food restriction are compared. In both cases there is a remarkable increase in the median lifespan of organisms belonging to many different taxonomic ranks. Essentially, both SkQ1 treatment and restriction in food intake retard development of numerous adverse traits of senescence. This relationship could be predicted assuming that SkQ1 and food restriction inhibit the execution of an aging program. It is hypothesized that food restriction is perceived by organisms as a signal of starvation, which can be catastrophic for the population. Under these conditions, the organism switches off an aging program that is favorable for evolvability of the species but counterproductive for the individual. Unfortunately, food restriction is accompanied by some other effects, e.g., constant anxiety and attempts to scan as large a space as possible looking for food. Such side effects seem to be absent in the case of inhibition of the aging program by SkQ1.
The Anthropic Landscape of String Theory

In this lecture I make some educated guesses, about the landscape of string theory vacua. Based on the recent work of a number of authors, it seems plausible that the lanscape is unimaginably large and diverse. Whether we like it or not, this is the kind of behavior that gives credence to the Anthropic Principle. I discuss the theoretical and conceptual issues that arise in developing a cosmology based on the diversity of environments implicit in string theory.
Numerical Examination of Electromagnetic Field Properties in a Cylindrical Periodic Slow Wave Structure

The previous studies of backward wave oscillators (BWOs) have been restricted in the operation at the fundamental axisymmetric TM mode. However, nonaxisymmetric operations of BWO are observed in the experiments and become important. In this work, the Rayleigh-Bessel (R-B) method is improved in order to analyze the nonaxisymmetric as well as axisymmetric fields in a periodic slow-wave structure (SWS). This method is based on the Rayleigh hypothesis, whose limit has been argued extensively. For the X-band SWS, the modulation depth is about 4 times of the theoretically established limit of the Rayleigh hypothesis. We compare the R-B method with another one based on a numerical integration of Maxwell equations, which is free from the Rayleigh hypothesis. The field properties derived by the R-B method show some singularities inside the corrugation due to the Rayleigh hypothesis. However, regardless the singularities, the dispersion characteristics and the fields outside the corrugation are in very good agreement with those by the numerical integration. The validity of the R-B method is discussed.
Minimum degree conditions for the Overfull Conjecture for odd order graphs

The Overfull Conjecture states that a graph G with 3∆(G) ≥ n(G) is Class 2 if and only if it has a ∆(G)-overfull subgraph. M. Plantholt showed that the Overfull Conjecture is true for graphs with even order and high minimum degree. In this paper we look at graphs with odd order and show under which restrictions the Overfull Conjecture holds true for these.
The Influence of a Retail Firm’s Geographic Scope of Operations on Its International Online Sales

ABSTRACT While previous research has advocated the use of online sales channels as a driver for international expansion, the nature of the relationship between e-commerce and international sales is still unexplored. The purpose of this paper is to create a parsimonious model where we investigate whether, and to what extent, strategies pertaining to the geographical scope of international operations moderate the effect that online sales channel adoption has on international sales of retail firms. Based on a sample of 562 Swedish retail firms, using a multiple regression method, we are able to demonstrate that online sales channel adoption has a positive effect on international sales. The effect is, however, negatively moderated by geographical export scope. The study contributes to research focusing on e-commerce in internationalizing retailing firms by specifically demonstrating that strategic considerations related to the geographical scope of operations are likely to have significant effects on their international sales performance.
Acoustic Feature Extraction Using Perceptual Wavelet Packet Decomposition for Frog Call Classification

Frog protection has become increasingly essential due to the rapid decline of its biodiversity. Therefore, it is valuable to develop new methods for studying this biodiversity. In this paper, a novel feature extraction method is proposed based on perceptual wavelet packet decomposition for classifying frog calls in noisy environments. Pre-processing and syllable segmentation are first applied to the frog call. Then, a spectral peak track is extracted from each syllable if possible. Track duration, dominant frequency and oscillation rate are directly extracted from the track. With k-means clustering algorithm, the calculated dominant frequency of all frog species is clustered into k parts, which produce a frequency scale for wavelet packet decomposition. Based on the adaptive frequency scale, wavelet packet decomposition is applied to the frog calls. Using the wavelet packet decomposition coefficients, a new feature set named perceptual wavelet packet decomposition sub-band cepstral coefficients is extracted. Finally, a k-nearest neighbour (k-NN) classifier is used for the classification. The experiment results show that the proposed features can achieve an average classification accuracy of 97.45% which outperforms syllable features (86.87%) and Mel-frequency cepstral coefficients (MFCCs) feature (90.80%).
Bootstrapping from Game Tree Search

In this paper we introduce a new algorithm for updating the parameters of a heuristic evaluation function, by updating the heuristic towards the values computed by an alpha-beta search. Our algorithm differs from previous approaches to learning from search, such as Samuel's checkers player and the TD-Leaf algorithm, in two key ways. First, we update all nodes in the search tree, rather than a single node. Second, we use the outcome of a deep search, instead of the outcome of a subsequent search, as the training signal for the evaluation function. We implemented our algorithm in a chess program Meep, using a linear heuristic function. After initialising its weight vector to small random values, Meep was able to learn high quality weights from self-play alone. When tested online against human opponents, Meep played at a master level, the best performance of any chess program with a heuristic learned entirely from self-play.
Metabolic flux-driven sialylation alters internalization, recycling, and drug sensitivity of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) in SW1990 pancreatic cancer cells

In prior work we reported that advanced stage, drug-resistant pancreatic cancer cells (the SW1990 line) can be sensitized to the EGFR-targeting tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) erlotinib and gefitinib by treatment with 1,3,4-O-Bu3ManNAc (Bioorg. Med. Chem. Lett. (2015) 25(6):1223-7). Here we provide mechanistic insights into how this compound inhibits EGFR activity and provides synergy with TKI drugs. First, we showed that the sialylation of the EGFR receptor was at most only modestly enhanced (by ∼20 to 30%) compared to overall ∼2-fold increase in cell surface levels of this sugar. Second, flux-driven sialylation did not alter EGFR dimerization as has been reported for cancer cell lines that experience increased sialylation due to spontaneous mutations. Instead, we present evidence that 1,3,4-O-Bu3ManNAc treatment weakens the galectin lattice, increases the internalization of EGFR, and shifts endosomal trafficking towards non-clathrin mediated (NCM) endocytosis. Finally, by evaluating downstream targets of EGFR signaling, we linked synergy between 1,3,4-O-Bu3ManNAc and existing TKI drugs to a shift from clathrin-coated endocytosis (which allows EGFR signaling to continue after internalization) towards NCM endocytosis, which targets internalized moieties for degradation and thereby rapidly diminishes signaling.
Parental Psychiatric Disorders Associated With Autism Spectrum Disorders in the Offspring

OBJECTIVE. Autism is a developmental disorder defined by impaired social interaction, communication, and behavior. Causes and correlates of autism are largely unknown, but elevated frequencies of psychiatric disorders and distinct personality traits have been reported among the family members of individuals with autism. Linkage of data from Swedish registries was used to investigate whether hospitalization for psychiatric conditions was higher among parents of children with autism compared with control subjects. METHODS. Data sources included the Swedish Medical Birth Register (child's birth), the Swedish Multi-Generation Register (linking parents to children), and Swedish Hospital Discharge Register (hospitalization records). Children born between 1977 and 2003 who had a hospitalization record indicating autism before 10 years of age (n = 1227) were matched with 30 693 control subjects from the Swedish Medical Birth Register by gender, year of birth, and hospital. Parent diagnoses were based on an inpatient hospital diagnostic evaluation and included schizophrenia, other nonaffective psychoses, affective disorders, neurotic and personality disorders and other nonpsychotic disorders, alcohol and drug addiction and abuse, and autism. Odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were estimated by using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for child's age, gender, hospital of birth, parents’ age, country of birth and socioeconomic status, and diagnosis of a mental disorder in the other parent. RESULTS. Parents of children with autism were more likely to have been hospitalized for a mental disorder than parents of control subjects. Schizophrenia was more common among case mothers and fathers compared with respective control parents. Depression and personality disorders were more common among case mothers but not fathers. CONCLUSIONS. This large population study supports the potential for familial aggregation of psychiatric conditions that may provide leads for future investigations of heritable forms of autism.
Direct comparative effects of isoflurane and desflurane in isolated guinea pig hearts.

The aim of this study was to test if myocardial and coronary vascular effects of desflurane and isoflurane were similar in the isolated heart. The cardiac effects of these anesthetics were examined in 12 guinea pig hearts perfused in a retrograde manner. Spontaneous heart rate, atrioventricular (AV) conduction time, systolic left ventricular pressure and coronary flow were measured. To differentiate direct vasodilatory effects of these anesthetics from an indirect metabolic effect due to autoregulation of coronary flow, O2 delivery (DO2), myocardial O2 consumption (MVO2) and percent O2 extraction were also monitored. Isoflurane and desflurane were injected directly into sealed bottles containing oxygenated perfusate solution. Each heart was perfused randomly with these anesthetics. Anesthetic concentrations in the perfusate were 0.28 +/- 0.02 and 0.52 +/- 0.02 mM for isoflurane and 0.59 +/- 0.01 and 1.02 +/- 0.09 mM for desflurane (mean +/- standard error of the mean). Calculated vapor concentrations were 1.3 and 2.5 vol % for isoflurane and 6.8 and 11.8 vol % for desflurane which correspond to approximately 1 and 2 MAC in vivo. Each anesthetic similarly decreased heart rate and prolonged AV conduction time in a concentration-dependent manner. Left ventricular pressure (control 93 +/- 4 mmHg) decreased by 11 +/- 1% and 24 +/- 2% with isoflurane and by 15 +/- 1% and 30 +/- 2% with desflurane. The decreases in heart rate and pressure were accompanied by decreases in MVO2 of 12 +/- 2% and 30 +/- 3% with isoflurane and of 19 +/- 3% and 40 +/- 4% with desflurane from a control of 57 +/- 2 microliters.g-1.min-1. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Potential of Chilopsis Linearis for Gold Phytomining: Using Xas to Determine Gold Reduction and Nanoparticle Formation Within Plant Tissues

This study reports on the capability of the desert plant Chilopsis linearis (Cav.) Sweet (desert willow) to uptake gold (Au) from gold-enriched media at different plant-growth stages. Plants were exposed to 20, 40, 80, 160, and 320 mg Au L−1 in agar-based growing media for 13, 18, 23, and 35 d. The Au content and oxidation state of Au in the plants were determined using an inductively coupled plasma/optical emission spectrometer (ICP/OES) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), respectively. Gold concentrations ranging from 20 to 80 mg Au L−1 did not significantly affect Chilopsis linearis plant growth. The concentration of gold in the plants increased as the age of the plant increased. The Au concentrations in leaves for the 20, 40, 80, and 160 mg Au L−1 treatments were 32, 60, 62, and 179 mg Au kg−1 dry weight mass, respectively, demonstrating the gold uptake capability of desert willow. The XAS data indicated that desert willow produced gold nanoparticles within plant tissues. Plants exposed to 160 mg Au L−1 formed nanoparticles that averaged approximately 8, 35, and 18 Å in root, stem, and leaves, respectively. It was observed that the average size of the Au nanoparticles formed by the plants is related to the total Au concentration in tissues and their location in the plant