Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of complete and incomplete excision of deep infiltrating endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE To compare the efficacy and safety of complete and incomplete excision of deep infiltrating endometriosis (DIE). METHODS Ninety-three women who underwent complete excision (n=55) or incomplete surgery of DIE (n=38) between January 2011 and December 2013 were included in this retrospective cohort study. Surgical data, and follow-up information of the patients were analyzed. RESULTS Eighty-five women (91.4%) returned for their follow-up after the operation. The mean follow-up time was 18.3±8.7 months. The complete excision group had a significantly higher complication rate than the incomplete excision group (9.1% VS 0%, P<0.001). The decrease of visual analog scale (VAS) scores were more significant (5.6±3.9 VS 2.9±3.3, P=0.001), and the postoperative recurrence rate is significantly lower (3.9% VS 35.3%, P=0.000) in the complete excision group than that in the in-complete surgery group. The palliative incomplete excision had a comparable pregnancy rate and comparable quality of life in most aspects, except psychological score. And in the in-complete excision patients, administration of post-operative GnRH agonist had a post-treatment improvement of VAS score similar with the complete excision patient (4.5±3.2 versus 5.6±3.9, P=0.272). However, the recurrence rate were still significantly higher (29.4% VS 3.9%, P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS Comparing with incomplete excision, the complete excision of DIE significantly decreased the post-operative pain and the recurrence rate. Although incomplete excision with post-operative GnRHa is efficient with respect to pain, the side effects of the drugs and the recurrence rate after cessation of the drugs must be considered. So complete excision of DIE is the first surgical treatment of choice.
Conjugation of ß-Adrenergic Antagonist Alprenolol to Implantable Polymer-Aescin Matrices for Local Delivery

The sustained release of alprenolol, a s-adrenergic antagonist, could be beneficial for the treatment of various heart diseases while reducing the side effects resulting from its continuous use. The novel and branched copolymers uniquely composed of biodegradable components (lactide and glycolide) have been synthesized using natural and therapeutically-efficient s-aescin-initiator, and consequently characterized to determine their structures and physicochemical properties. The obtained matrices were not cyto- and genotoxic towards bacterial luminescence, protozoan, and Salmonella typhimurium TA1535. The copolymers release the drug in vitro in a sustained manner and without burst release. The value of the drug released was strongly dependent on the copolymer composition and highly correlated with the hydrolytic matrices’ degradation results.
D1-Like Dopamine Receptor Activation Modulates GABAergic Inhibition But Not Electrical Coupling between Neocortical Fast-Spiking Interneurons

Dopamine, acting through D1 receptors, is thought to play an important role in cognitive functions of the frontal cortex such as working memory. D1 receptors are widely expressed in fast-spiking (FS) interneurons, a prominent class of inhibitory cells that exert a powerful control of neuronal firing through proximal synapses on their postsynaptic targets. FS cells are extensively mutually interconnected by both GABAA receptor-mediated synapses and gap junction-mediated electrical synapses, and networks of FS cells play a crucial role in the generation of rhythmic synchronous activity. Although recent studies have documented the effects of dopamine modulation of neocortical synaptic connections among excitatory cells and between excitatory and various inhibitory cells, the effects of dopamine receptor activation on GABAergic and electrical interactions among FS cells is not known. To resolve this, we recorded from pairs of FS cells in the infragranular layers of mouse neocortical slices and tested the effects of D1-like (D1/D5) receptor activation on these connections. We found that D1-like receptor activation modulated GABAergic but not electrical connections between them. A D1-like receptor agonist preserved the strength of electrical coupling but reduced the amplitude of IPSPs and IPSCs between FS cells. Our results suggest that D1-like receptor activation has synapse-specific effects within networks of FS cells, with potential implications for the generation of rhythmic activity in the neocortex.
Multispectral analysis of the brain using magnetic resonance imaging

The authors demonstrate an improved differentiation of the most common tissue types in the human brain and surrounding structures by quantitative validation using multispectral analysis of magnetic resonance images. This is made possible by a combination of a special training technique and an increase in the number of magnetic resonance channel images with different pulse acquisition parameters. The authors give a description of the tissue-specific multivariate statistical distributions of the pixel intensity values and discuss how their properties may be explored to improve the statistical modeling further. A statistical method to estimate the tissue-specific longitudinal and transverse relaxation times is also given. It is concluded that multispectral analysis of magnetic resonance images is a valuable tool to recognize the most common normal tissue types in the brain and surrounding structures.
The Effects of Repeated Reading, Paired Reading, and Demonstration on Reading Fluency

jv CHAPTER ONE: THESIS PROPOSAL The Problem. 1 Importance and Rationale of the Study. 1 Background of the Problem.3 Statement of Purpose.9 Definitions of Terms. 10 Limitations of the Study. 12 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW Introduction.13 Repeated Reading as a Method to Improve Reading Fluency. 14 Introduction. 14 Definition of Repeated Reading. 14 A Brief History of Repeated Reading.15 Early Research in Repeated Reading.17 Effects of Repeated Reading on Reading R ate . 21 Effects of Repeated Reading on Word Recognition.23 Effects of Repeated Reading on Comprehension.25 Effects of Repeated Reading on Motivation.26 Why Repeated Reading is Effective. 27 Paired Reading as a Method to Improve Reading Fluency.30 Introduction. 30 Definition of Paired Reading.30 i A Brief History of Paired Reading. 31 Effects of Paired Reading. 33 Why Paired Reading is Effective. 34 Demonstration as a Method to Improve Reading Fluency.36 Introduction.36 Definition of Demonstration.36 A Brief History of Demonstration. 38 Effects of Demonstration. 40 Why Demonstration is Effective. 41 Conclusion. 43 CHAPTER THREE: THESIS REPORT Introduction. 46 Subjects. 47 Setting.49 Materials.49 Procedures. 50 Data Collection.54 Results.56 Discussion. 60 Dissemination of Data.66 Conclusion. 67 REFERENCES. 68 A P P E N D IC E S Appendix A: Norm-Referenced Reading Rates.78 Appendix B: Sample of Teacher Notes From a 100 Word Passage. 80 Appendix C: Sample of Student Self-Evaluation Form.81 Appendix D: Sample of Teacher Notes During the Rereading of a Short Passage. 83 Appendix E: Sample of Teacher Notes During a One Minute Reading. 84 Appendix F: Classroom Applications of Repeated Reading.85 Appendix G: Classroom Applications of Paired Reading. 89 Appendix H: Classroom Applications of Demonstration. 90 Appendix I: Permission to Conduct the Study.93 Appendix J: Copyright Permission.96 DATA FORM. 97
Predictors of caregiver distress among palliative home care clients in Ontario: Evidence based on the interRAI Palliative Care

Abstract Objective: This study examines predictors of caregiver distress among community-based palliative care clients. Analyses are based upon interRAI Palliative Care (interRAI PC) assessment data from palliative home care programs in three regions in Ontario, Canada. Method: The study sample involved all community-based palliative care clients in Ontario who were assessed with the interRAI PC as part of normal clinical practice during pilot implementation of the instrument between 2007 and 2009 (N = 3,929). The assessments were performed by trained case managers and were used as the basis for determining service needs to be addressed through services contracted from provider agencies. The main study outcome of interest was the presence of one or more indicators of caregiver distress: helper(s) unable to continue caring activities; primary informal helper expresses feelings of distress, anger, or depression; family or close friends report feeling overwhelmed by person's illness. Results: Caregiver distress was evident among about 22% of palliative home care clients. Multivariate analyses identified included clinical instability (Changes in Health, End Stage disease, Signs and Symptoms [CHESS] scale), depressive symptoms, cognitive impairment, and positive outlook as significant client-level predictors. Significant caregiver characteristics included hours of informal care. Three service use/provider variables were significant predictors of caregiver distress: the specific home care agency, hospitalizations in the last 90 days, and nursing visits. Significance of results: Caregiver distress affects approximately one in five palliative care clients in the community. This may lead to a number of adverse outcomes for the caregiver and client. The experience of distress is affected by client, caregiver, and agency characteristics that are readily identified by the interRAI PC assessment instrument. The present results point to the need for a care planning protocol that may be used on a targeted basis for clients experiencing or at elevated risk of caregiver distress.
Infiltrative T regulatory cells in enucleated uveal melanomas.

PURPOSE The role of T regulatory (Treg) cells in blunting immune response to cancer appears to be significant, but the presence of Treg cells in uveal melanoma has not been extensively examined. We therefore evaluated the presence of tumor-infiltrating Treg cells in uveal melanomas. METHODS A retrospective search of Mayo Clinic records from 2000 to 2005 was performed to identify cases of eyes enucleated as a consequence of uveal melanoma. Histologic examination included location of the tumor, presence of emissary canal invasion, direct sclera extension, extraocular extension, cell type and predominant cell type, mitotic figures per 40 high-power fields, lymphocytic tumor invasion, necrosis, microvascular pattern, and presence of CD3, CD4, CD25, and Foxp3cells. Factors obtained by chart review were also evaluated, including clinical size and ultrasound thickness of tumor before enucleation, patient age at time of enucleation, systemic evaluation for metastatic disease both before and after enucleation, monosomy 3, and systemic status at last patient visit. RESULTS Of 42 enucleated eyes, 17 (40.5 %) were found to have lymphocytic infiltrate and 5 (11.9%) were considered positive for the presence of Treg cells (CD3+CD4+CD25+Foxp3+ or CD3+CD4+CD25-Foxp3+). Thus 29.4% (5 of 17) of those with lymphocytic infiltates had Treg cells, and 4 of the 5 with Treg cells had a large lymphocytic infiltrate (>1400 CD3 cells). When using "death due to disease" as the hazard ratio (HR) end point, the HR for presence of CD3 was 5.5 (P = .03) and for clinical size, 1.2 (P = .03). Furthermore, when using "presence of metastasis" as the end point, the HR for presence of CD3 was 3.6 (P = .05) and for clinical size, 1.3 (P = .003). CONCLUSION Though T lymphocyte infiltration is a bad prognostic indicator, Treg cells are rarely seen in enucleated choroidal melanoma, so their local effect may be limited in contradistinction to other cancers.
African American Ethnic and Class-Based Identities on the World Wide Web: Moderating the Effects of Self-Perceived Information Seeking/Finding and Web Self-Efficacy

The web is a potentially powerful tool for communicating information to diverse audiences. Unfortunately, all groups are not equally represented on the web, and this may have implications for online information seeking. This study investigated the role of class-and ethnic-based identity in self-perceived web-based information seeking/finding and self-efficacy. A questionnaire is administered, asking African Americans about their class and ethnic identities and web use to test a conceptual model predicting that these identities are positively related to web-based information seeking and web self-efficacy, which are then positively related to web-based information finding. Gender and previous web experience are expected to moderate the relationships. Structural equations modeling of these data support most of the predictions and indicate that these identities influence perceptions of online information seeking.
Perfusion of the skin’s microcirculation after cold‐water immersion (10°C) and partial‐body cryotherapy (−135°C)

Investigations of the perfusion of the skin's microcirculation with laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) after cold treatments are rare. Therefore, the aim of this study was to compare the effects between cold‐water immersion (CWI) conduction and partial‐body cryotherapy (PBC) convection on perfusion of the microcirculation and skin temperature on the thigh.
Efficient geographic routing in multihop wireless networks

We propose a new link metric called normalized advance (NADV) for geographic routing in multihop wireless networks. NADV selects neighbors with the optimal trade-off between proximity and link cost. Coupled with the local next hop decision in geographic routing, NADV enables an adaptive and efficient cost-aware routing strategy. Depending on the objective or message priority, applications can use the NADV framework to minimize various types of link cost.We present efficient methods for link cost estimation and perform detailed simulations in diverse scenarios. Our results show that NADV outperforms current schemes in many aspects: for example, in high noise environments with frequent packet losses, the use of NADV leads to 81% higher delivery ratio. When compared to centralized routing under certain settings, geographic routing using NADV finds paths whose cost is close to the optimum.
Corporate Valuation and the Resolution of Bank Insolvency in East Asia

We examine the valuation effect of a bank's insolvency on related industrial firms. Our sample includes 31 insolvent banks in Indonesia, Korea, and Thailand that serve as main creditors for 269 publicly traded companies. Our findings suggest that a bank relationship adds value to a firm, and that investor confidence in bank-related firms depends on investors' certainty in the continuity of the banking relationship. Announcement of a bank closure, preceding liquidation and resulting in a complete loss of ties with the main creditor, leads to discounts in the market value of related firms. Announcement of nationalization, preceding recapitalization and new management, is associated with short- and long-term positive abnormal performance of related firms. Announcement of a foreign sale is associated with initial value discounts, but longer-term market premiums as investors revise their expectations of the effect of foreign capital and expertise. The announcement of a domestic merger, which may continue the banking relationship but adds neither capital nor new management, has no consistent short- or long-term effect on market value. Significant cumulative returns for fifty days following our event date suggest that bank ownership has real effects on the performance of related firms above initial expectations. We also explore but do not find support for alternative explanations of our results.
NEGATIVE AFFECTIVITY: A MODEL OF UNDERSTANDING PSYCHOSOCIAL RISK FOR IMPAIRMENT IN CARDIAC AUTONOMIC FUNCTION

The dispositional tendency to experience negative emotions may underlie correlated psychological risk factors for coronary heart disease (CHD). Here, we examined the relative contribution of variance shared by depression, anxiety, and anger (i.e. negative affect) and the variance unique to each negative affective disposition in predicting cardiac autonomic function as indexed by heart rate variability (HRV). The sample included 653 community volunteers (51.0% female; 15.8% Black) ages 30-54 (M= 43.8 + 7.1). Latent constructs of depression, anxiety, and anger were each measured by three scales from well-validated self-report questionnaires. Indices of HRV were derived from a 5-minute segment of continuous ECG recording and included high frequency (HF-HRV), low frequency (LF-HRV), and the ratio of LF to HF (LF:HF-HRV) power components. Factor analysis/multiple regression and structural equation modeling analyses were employed with covariate-adjustment for age, sex, race, education, BMI, smoking status, SBP, and DBP. At the single-trait level of analysis, examination of depression, anxiety, and anger individually showed depression to predict reduced HF-HRV and LF-HRV and increased LF:HF-HRV, anxiety to predict reduced HF-HRV and LF-HRV, and anger to be unrelated to any HRV index. However, a more complex pattern of relations emerged when the common (i.e. negative affect) and unique effects of depression, anxiety, and anger on HRV were evaluated simultaneously. First, the relation of depression to HRV indices was partially accounted for by negative affect, though variance unique to depression also predicted HF-HRV independently. Secondly, the relation of anxiety to HRV indices was fully accounted for by negative affect. Thirdly, anger emerged as an independent predictor of increased HF-HRV, suggesting the variance that anger shares with depression and anxiety predicts reduced HF-HRV and the variance that is unique to anger predicts increased HF-HRV. In sum, negative affect explains the common effects of psychosocial risk factors for CHD on cardiac autonomic function with unique aspects of depression and anger related independently to reduced and increased vagal modulation of heart rate, respectively. These findings underscore the importance of examining multiple negative affective dispositions in the same analysis to differentiate the elements of these traits that are specifically cardiotoxic.
Legal interpretation in expert systems

A legal expert system expresses as a set of formal rules the norms found in the provisions of a statute or regulation, in case law or other legal texts. The process of constructing the system involves interpreting these legal texts and recasting each of them into one or more formal legal rules. The primary sources of law or law-formulations, to use Susskind’s term [Susskind 87, 36-37, 124], must be transformed into law-statements—statements about what the content of the law is—and these in turn must be translated into a formal language as rules of inference which Susskind terms legal productions. These transformations take place outside the context of specific cases, that is without reference to concrete legal problems those rules are designed to solve. The construction of a legal expert system involves two conceptual steps: to identify the legal norms that a statute conveys and to express these norms as formal rules. Several strategies have been proposed for this transformation process. Some consist of a rather straightforward transposition of law texts into formal language at the expense of a substantial loss of meaning of the legal concepts involved; others call for a subtler and more complex legal analysis. In all cases, however, what is at stake is the interpretation of legal documents. The problem of interpreting legal documents is well known to lawyers. In legal usage, the term interpretation is employed when the meaning of a legal text, typically a statutory provision, has to be assessed in a concrete situation. In constructing expert systems, one must interpret legal documents ahead of such concrete applications. This interpretation can only be provisional. The best one can do in constructing the knowledge base is to foreclose as few as possible of the meanings for particular provisions one may ultimately want to consider in concrete situations. Conversely, when using the system in a particular situation, one may want to consider different interpretations and their
Essais sur l'influence des aspects comportementaux et environnementaux sur les décisions des entreprises

Cette these comporte quatre essais dont les deux premiers, s’appuyant sur les fondements theoriques de la finance comportementale de l’entreprise, montrent dans quelle mesure les societes francaises tirent avantage des erreurs de jugement systematiques des investisseurs. Nous etudions dans le premier essai les consequences du biais de familiarite sur la structure du capital. En particulier, nous montrons que les entreprises associees a un sentiment de familiarite eleve, notamment parmi les petites capitalisations, ont un actionnariat individuel plus large. Ce resultat souligne l’interet economique pour l’entreprise d’augmenter sa visibilite et de consolider sa notoriete dans le temps. Le deuxieme essai traite de la politique de dividende sous l’hypothese des « catering incentives ». Il s’agit de tester si les entreprises sont davantage incitees a distribuer du dividende lorsque les titres payeurs se negocient avec une prime par rapport aux non-payeurs. Nous validons cette hypothese et mettons en evidence que les dirigeants francais font preuve d’un opportunisme court-termiste accru en cas de faible controle familial ou de forte participation institutionnelle dans le capital. Les deux derniers essais s’interessent aux comportements decisionnels des entreprises face aux enjeux du changement climatique. Ils se situent dans un contexte international. Le troisieme essai, notamment, teste la pertinence des strategies d’eco-efficience, via la reduction des emissions de carbone, sur la performance financiere a l’occasion d’operations de fusions-acquisitions. Les resultats tranchent en faveur de la rationalite economique de ces strategies et affirment la possibilite pour la firme d’envisager une relation gagnant-gagnant avec son environnement. Le quatrieme essai, consacre a l’etude de la communication environnementale volontaire, demontre l’interet croissant des parties prenantes pour ce type d’information : les entreprises les plus exposees mediatiquement, les plus endettees et celles qui entrent dans le cadre des nouvelles reglementations environnementales sont les plus transparentes en matiere de reporting environnemental. De plus, les entreprises les moins eco-efficientes tendent a communiquer davantage sur leur empreinte ecologique, traduisant une recherche de legitimite aupres des parties prenantes.
Contrast-enhanced CT for differentiation of ovarian metastasis from gastrointestinal tract cancer: stomach cancer versus colon cancer.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of our study was to determine whether the CT findings of ovarian metastasis from stomach cancer differ from those of ovarian metastasis from colon cancer. CONCLUSION On contrast-enhanced CT scans, ovarian metastatic lesions from stomach cancer appear more solid than, more frequently have dense enhancement of the solid portion, and are smaller than ovarian metastatic lesions from colon cancer.