Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Minimally invasive management of huge ovarian cysts by laparoscopic extracorporeal approach

Abstract Laparoscopy has been widely performed in adnexal surgery for benign masses. For large adnexal masses, laparoscopy has not been commonly used and laparotomy remains the gold standard due to several technical difficulties in the former, including a limited surgical field, risk of unintended cyst rupture during the insertion of the Veress needle or trocar, and the possibility of malignancy. Recent advances in laparoscopic techniques have offered acceptable options for performing laparoscopy in patients with very large adnexal cysts. We performed ovarian cystectomy of huge ovarian cysts via a laparoscopic extracorporeal approach through an umbilical single-site incision, successfully minimizing the possibility of cyst contents leaking into the peritoneal cavity. Use of a single-site incision at the umbilicus for huge adnexal cystic masses appears safe and spares the additional costs of using conventional surgical instruments. It is also cosmetically effective and highly appreciated by patients because it results in minimal abdominal scarring.
nab-paclitaxel/carboplatin induction in squamous NSCLC: longitudinal quality of life while on chemotherapy

Background Longitudinal data on the impact of treatment on quality of life (QoL) in advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are limited. In this palliative setting, treatment that does not deteriorate QoL is key. Here we report longitudinal QoL in patients with squamous NSCLC, receiving ≤4 cycles of nab-paclitaxel/carboplatin combination chemotherapy. Methods Patients received nab-paclitaxel 100 mg/m2 days 1, 8, 15 + carboplatin area under the curve 6 mg•min/mL day 1 (q3w) for four cycles. QoL was assessed by the Lung Cancer Symptom Scale (LCSS) and Euro-QoL-5 Dimensions-5 Levels (EQ-5D-5L) at baseline and each cycle (day 1). Results Two-hundred and six lesion-response-evaluable patients completed baseline + ≥1 postbaseline QoL assessment and were QoL evaluable. LCSS average total score and symptom burden index improved from baseline throughout four cycles. In the LCSS pulmonary symptoms score, 46% of patients reported clinically meaningful improvement (≥10 mm visual analog scale) from baseline. Individual EQ-5D-5L dimensions remained stable/improved in ≥83% of patients; ≈33% reported complete resolution of baseline problems at least once during four cycles. Generally, responders (unconfirmed complete/partial response) had higher scores vs nonresponders. Conclusion In patients with squamous NSCLC, four cycles of nab-paclitaxel/carboplatin demonstrated clinically meaningful QoL improvements, with greater benefits in responders vs nonresponders.
Modeling UX Ursae Majoris: An Abundance of Challenges

We present a system model for optical and far-UV spectra of the nova-like variable UX UMa involving a white dwarf, secondary star, gas stream, hot spot, and accretion disk using our code BINSYN and based on an initially adopted system distance. Calculated SED intensity data successfully fit successive tomographically extracted annuli longward of the Balmer limit but require a postulated “iron curtain” shortward of the Balmer limit that is applied to the annulus section closest to the secondary star, while postulated recombination emission fills in the model SED shortward of the Balmer limit and is applied to the annulus section more remote from the secondary star. The same model fits UBV 1954 light curves by Walker and Herbig. Fits to HST FOS spectra are approximate but require assumed time-variable changes in the SED. Comparable effects, possibly involving variable absorption, afflict FUSE spectra. Fits to IUE spectra by the model show time-dependent residuals that indicate changes in the accretion disk temperature profile, possibly indicative of a slightly variable from the secondary star. Using model-based component light contributions and the improvement on the Bailey relation by Knigge we determine the system distance and mass transfer rate.
An Empirical Study of Software Architects' Concerns

When designing for a group of professionals, it is important to know their work practice. This is well-known and practised, e.g., in agile software development in which customers are involved in development work, but less so when the professionals are software engineers or in particular software architects. In the SA@Work project, we have extensively studied software architect work at four Danish companies using both qualitative and quantitative approaches. In this paper, we report on concerns (analysis, design, evaluation, realization, management, and interaction) that software architects have in their work. Our lessons learnt are software architecture work (in the setting that we studied) is as much about non-technical as technical work, that architecture is often found "in the small" and that architects vary widely in type. Furthermore, we point to lessons for future research and development of software architecture techniques.
Lightweight and ultralightweight RFID mutual authentication protocol with cache in the reader for IoT in 5G

As one of the core techniques in 5G, the Internet of Things is more interested than ever. Furthermore, radio frequency identification RFID plays a crucial role in Internet of Things development. Although the low-cost RFID system has wide prospect, it has to face with huge challenges because of potential security risks, privacy problems, and efficiency because of its restrictions on processing, storage, and power in RFID tags. One of the possible solutions in secure authentication of the low-cost RFID system is the lightweight RFID authentication protocol. A lightweight RFID mutual authentication protocol with cache in the reader is proposed in this paper, named LRMAPC. The LRMAPC can greatly reduce the computational and transmission cost. Especially, it can reduce computational costs greatly when a large number of tags want to be authenticated. We prove the correctness of LRMAPC using GNY logic. Compared with some existing works, LRMAPC achieves higher efficiency and stronger security. Furthermore, we developed LRMAPC into ULRMAPC, an ultralightweight RFID mutual authentication protocol with cache in the reader. Compared with SASI and Gossamer protocols, ULRMAPC also achieves higher efficiency and stronger security in storage and computation cost. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A New Schöenfiles Motion parallel manipulator

Schöenfiles Motion parallel manipulators can have wide industrial applications. However, the types of such manipulator are very few. This work utilize a recently developed technology, the pattern analysis of transform matrices, to parametrically synthesize a new parallel manipulator with Schöenfiles Motion. The patterns of transform matrices are closely related to the motion subgroup. Special geometric conditions are found to degenerate the constraint equations and yield the desired mobility.
Estimating Time Preferences from Convex Budgets

Experimentally elicited discount rates are frequently higher than what one would infer from market interest rates and seem unreasonable for economic decision-making. Such high rates have often been attributed to present bias and hyperbolic discounting. A commonly recognized bias of standard elicitation techniques is the use of linear preferences for identification. When attempts are made to correct this bias with additional experimental measures, researchers find exceptional degrees of utility function curvature. We present a new methodology for identifying time preferences, both discounting and utility function curvature, from simple allocation decisions. We estimate annual discount rates substantially lower than normally obtained, dynamically consistent discounting, and limited though significant utility function curvature.
Cholestyramine influences meal-stimulated pancreaticobiliary function and plasma cholecystokinin independent of gastric emptying and food digestion.

BACKGROUND Cholestyramine enhances gallbladder emptying and plasma cholecystokinin responses to oral ingestion of a mixed meal. It is not known whether this effect occurs independently of alterations in gastric emptying or maldigestion of nutrients. METHODS We perfused 15 g of an amino acid meal intraduodenally for 60 min in seven healthy volunteers, once with and once without cholestyramine. Intraduodenal perfusion of saline with or without cholestyramine (6 g/h) was started 60 min before the amino acid meal and continued for 2 h. RESULTS Cholestyramine markedly enhanced the incremental plasma cholecystokinin response to the meal from 36 +/- 12 to 139 +/- 25 pmol/l x 60 min (P < 0.005), incremental amylase output from 2.4 +/- 0.7 to 5.7 +/- 0.7 kU/h (P < 0.05), and incremental integrated gallbladder contraction from 1948 +/- 235 to 2840 +/- 189% x 60 min (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The enhancing effect of cholestyramine on postprandial gallbladder contraction, pancreatic enzyme secretion, and plasma cholecystokinin release is not dependent on gastric emptying rates or appropriate digestion of nutrients.
Immediate versus delayed quitting and rates of relapse among smokers treated successfully with varenicline, bupropion SR or placebo

Aims We assessed to what degree smokers who fail to quit on the target quit date (TQD) or lapse following TQD eventually achieve success with continued treatment. Design A secondary analysis of pooled data of successful quitters treated with varenicline (306 of 696), bupropion (199 of 671) and placebo (121 of 685) from two identically-designed clinical trials of varenicline versus bupropion sustained-release and placebo. Setting Multiple research centers in the US. Participants Adult smokers (n = 2052) randomized to 12 weeks drug treatment plus 40 weeks follow-up. Measurement The primary end-point for the trials was continuous abstinence for weeks 9–12. TQD was day 8. Two patterns of successful quitting were identified. Immediate quitters (IQs) were continuously abstinent for weeks 2–12. Delayed quitters (DQs) smoked during 1 or more weeks for weeks 2–8. Findings Cumulative continuous abstinence (IQs + DQs) increased for all treatments during weeks 3–8. Overall IQs and DQs for varenicline were (24%; 20%) versus bupropion (18.0%, P =0.007; 11.6%, P <0.001) or placebo (10.2%, P <0.001; 7.5%, P <0.001). However, DQs as a proportion of successful quitters was similar for all treatments (varenicline 45%; bupropion 39%; placebo 42%) and accounted for approximately one-third of those remaining continuously abstinent for weeks 9–52. No gender differences were observed by quit pattern. Post-treatment relapse was similar across groups. Conclusions Our data support continuing cessation treatments without interruption for smokers motivated to remain in the quitting process despite lack of success early in the treatment.
“Managing identities” and parental disclosure of HIV sero-status in Zimbabwe

Drawing from a small sample of HIV infected respondents, this paper examines parents’ perceptions on the decision to disclose or not to disclose their HIV sero-status to their children. It explores how parents control the information in the interactional ritual with their children. The paper uses Goffman's concept of dramaturgy to analyse how parents manage and control disclosure within a context where HIV and AIDS is associated with stigma. Disclosure is a strategic encounter in which the interactants (parents) manage to create a desired identity or spoil an identity. Qualitative research incorporating focus group discussions and in-depth interviews was used to examine the perceptions of parents who are HIV positive on disclosure of their status to their children. Such a methodological approach allows for a nuanced understanding of the context in which decision to disclose status happens. The study findings show that in a social context involving parents and children as actors there are complex expectations which affect parental disclosure of HIV sero-status to their children. The desire to manage an expected identity militated or enabled disclosure in a parental relationship.
Sex-Specific Determinants of Left Ventricular Mass in Pre-Diabetic and Type 2 Diabetic Subjects

OBJECTIVE— Obesity and hypertension are regarded as the most important determinants of left ventricular mass in the community. Little is known about sex-specific influences of obesity, hypertension, and other risk factors on left ventricular mass in pre-diabetic or diabetic subjects. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS— We examined how body composition, blood pressure, and other factors are related to left ventricular structure in elderly subjects (mean age 62 years, 88% of women postmenopausal) with pre-diabetes (impaired fasting glucose or impaired glucose tolerance; n = 112) and diabetes with (n = 181) and without (n = 213) overt cardiovascular disease (CVD). RESULTS— Neither microalbuminuria nor physical activity was significantly associated with left ventricular mass. In pre-diabetic as well as diabetic subjects with CVD, mainly BMI and fat mass, particularly in women, were correlated with left ventricular mass. In the diabetic group without overt CVD, fat mass was only slightly correlated with left ventricular mass. In the latter group waist-to-hip-ratio, and, only in men, systolic blood pressure, glucose, and A1C were moderately correlated with left ventricular mass. Multiregression analysis over all groups again revealed fat mass as the main determinant of left ventricular mass in women. In women but not men obesity was associated with a significantly increased prevalence of concentric left ventricular hypertrophy. CONCLUSIONS— In pre-diabetic and diabetic elderly subjects fat mass is the major determinant of left ventricular mass in women but not in men. These results may partly explain sex differences in CVD mortality in obese elderly diabetic subjects and underscore the need for activities focused on weight reduction.
Low-Dose Oral Mini-Pulse Dexamethasone Therapy in Progressive Unstable Vitiligo

Background: The course of vitiligo is unpredictable. If the disease is spreading rapidly, the progression can be controlled with the use of systemic steroids daily or in pulsed form. The present study was planned to assess the efficacy of low-dose dexamethasone oral mini-pulse therapy in progressive unstable vitiligo. Materials and Methods: In this retrospective study, the case records of patients with vitiligo during the period from January 2006 to December 2010 were studied. Patients who had progressive unstable disease were included. These patients were administered oral dexamethasone 2.5 mg per day on 2 consecutive days after breakfast in a week. The patients were asked to come for regular follow-up to assess the arrest of disease activity, relapse of disease activity, and adverse effects. Results: A total of 444 patients were analyzed. In 408 (91.8%) patients, arrest of disease activity was achieved at a mean duration of 13.2 ± 3.1 weeks. In addition, some repigmentation of the lesions was seen in all patients after a mean of 16.1 ± 5.9 weeks. During the follow-up, 50 of 408 (12.25%) patients experienced one or two episodes of relapse in disease activity, which were treated with reinstitution of low-dose dexamethasone oral mini-pulse therapy. The mean disease-free survival (DFS) until the first relapse was 55.7 ± 26.7 weeks, and the mean DFS until the second relapse was 43.8 ± 7.2 weeks. Adverse reactions such as weight gain, lethargy, and acneiform eruptions were observed in 41 (9.2%) patients. Conclusion: Low-dose oral mini-pulse dexamethasone therapy is a good option for arresting progressive unstable vitiligo with minimal adverse effects.
Comparing the Dynamics of Kidney and Liver Transplantation Waiting List in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil

was fatal in one. In addition, another two recipients developed graft versus host disease. Accordingly, preservation of the native spleno-pancreaticoduodenal complex is a valuable option for the appropriate multivisceral recipients. Kareem M. Abu-Elmagd Intestinal Rehabilitation and Transplantation Center Thomas E. Starzl Transplantation Institute University of Pittsburgh Medical Center Pittsburgh, PA
Genome-wide patterns of population structure and admixture in West Africans and African Americans

Quantifying patterns of population structure in Africans and African Americans illuminates the history of human populations and is critical for undertaking medical genomic studies on a global scale. To obtain a fine-scale genome-wide perspective of ancestry, we analyze Affymetrix GeneChip 500K genotype data from African Americans (n = 365) and individuals with ancestry from West Africa (n = 203 from 12 populations) and Europe (n = 400 from 42 countries). We find that population structure within the West African sample reflects primarily language and secondarily geographical distance, echoing the Bantu expansion. Among African Americans, analysis of genomic admixture by a principal component-based approach indicates that the median proportion of European ancestry is 18.5% (25th–75th percentiles: 11.6–27.7%), with very large variation among individuals. In the African-American sample as a whole, few autosomal regions showed exceptionally high or low mean African ancestry, but the X chromosome showed elevated levels of African ancestry, consistent with a sex-biased pattern of gene flow with an excess of European male and African female ancestry. We also find that genomic profiles of individual African Americans afford personalized ancestry reconstructions differentiating ancient vs. recent European and African ancestry. Finally, patterns of genetic similarity among inferred African segments of African-American genomes and genomes of contemporary African populations included in this study suggest African ancestry is most similar to non-Bantu Niger-Kordofanian-speaking populations, consistent with historical documents of the African Diaspora and trans-Atlantic slave trade.
Cardiac Fibro-Adipocyte Progenitors Express Desmosome Proteins and Preferentially Differentiate to Adipocytes Upon Deletion of the Desmoplakin Gene.

RATIONALE Mutations in desmosome proteins cause arrhythmogenic cardiomyopathy (AC), a disease characterized by excess myocardial fibroadipocytes. Cellular origin(s) of fibroadipocytes in AC is unknown. OBJECTIVE To identify the cellular origin of adipocytes in AC. METHODS AND RESULTS Human and mouse cardiac cells were depleted from myocytes and flow sorted to isolate cells expressing platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α and exclude those expressing other lineage and fibroblast markers (CD32, CD11B, CD45, Lys76, Ly(-6c) and Ly(6c), thymocyte differentiation antigen 1, and discoidin domain receptor 2). The PDGFRA(pos):Lin(neg):THY1(neg):DDR2(neg) cells were bipotential as the majority expressed collagen 1 α-1, a fibroblast marker, and a subset CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein α, a major adipogenic transcription factor, and therefore, they were referred to as fibroadipocyte progenitors (FAPs). FAPs expressed desmosome proteins, including desmoplakin, predominantly in the adipogenic but not fibrogenic subsets. Conditional heterozygous deletion of Dsp in mice using Pdgfra-Cre deleter led to increased fibroadipogenesis in the heart and mild cardiac dysfunction. Genetic fate mapping tagged 41.4±4.1% of the cardiac adipocytes in the Pdgfra-Cre:Eyfp:Dsp(W/F) mice, indicating an origin from FAPs. FAPs isolated from the Pdgfra-Cre:Eyfp:Dsp(W/F) mouse hearts showed enhanced differentiation to adipocytes. Mechanistically, deletion of Dsp was associated with suppressed canonical Wnt signaling and enhanced adipogenesis. In contrast, activation of the canonical Wnt signaling rescued adipogenesis in a dose-dependent manner. CONCLUSIONS A subset of cardiac FAPs, identified by the PDGFRA(pos):Lin(neg):THY1(neg):DDR2(neg) signature, expresses desmosome proteins and differentiates to adipocytes in AC through a Wnt-dependent mechanism. The findings expand the cellular spectrum of AC, commonly recognized as a disease of cardiac myocytes, to include nonmyocyte cells in the heart.
Performance Effects of Repetition Specific Gluteal Activation Protocols on Acceleration in Male Rugby Union Players

Abstract Warm-up protocols have the potential to cause an acute enhancement of dynamic sprinting performance. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of three repetition specific gluteal activation warm-up protocols on acceleration performance in male rugby union players. Forty male academy rugby union players were randomly assigned to one of 4 groups (control, 5, 10 or 15 repetition gluteal activation group) and performed 10 m sprints at baseline and 30 s, 2, 4, 6 and 8 min after their specific intervention protocol. Five and ten meter sprint times were the dependent variable and dual-beam timing gates were used to record all sprint times. Repeated measures analysis of variance found no significant improvement in 5 and 10 m sprint times between baseline and post warm-up scores (p ≥ 0.05) for all groups. There were no reported significant differences between groups at any of the rest interval time points (p ≥ 0.05). However, when individual responses to the warm-up protocols were analyzed, the 15 repetition gluteal activation group had faster 10 m times post-intervention and this improvement was significant (p = 0.021). These results would indicate that there is no specific rest interval for any of the gluteal interventions that results in a potentiation effect on acceleration performance. However, the individual response analysis would seem to indicate that a 15 repetition gluteal activation warm-up protocol has a potentiating effect on acceleration performance provided that the rest interval is adequately and individually determined.
EO-1 Hyperion Re(cid:2)ectance Time Series at Calibration and Validation Sites: Stability and Sensitivity to Seasonal Dynamics

— This study evaluated Earth Observing 1 (EO-1) Hyperion re(cid:2)ectance time series at established calibration sites to assess the instrument stability and suitability for monitoring vegetation functional parameters. Our analysis using three pseudo-invariant calibration sites in North America indicated that the re(cid:2)ectance time series are devoid of apparent spectral trends and their stability consistently is within 2.5–5 percent throughout most of the spectral range spanning the 12+ year data record. Using three vegetated sites instrumented with eddy covariance towers, the Hyperion re(cid:2)ectance time series were evaluated for their ability to determine important variables of ecosystem function. A number of narrowband and derivative vegetation indices (VI) closely described the seasonal pro(cid:3)les in vegetation function and ecosystem carbon exchange (e.g., net and gross ecosystem productivity) in three very different ecosystems, including a hard-wood forest and tallgrass prairie in North America, and a Miombo woodland in Africa. Our results demonstrate the potential for scaling the carbon (cid:2)ux tower measurements to local and regional landscape levels. The VIs with stronger relationships to the CO parameters were derived using continuous re(cid:2)ectance spectra and included wavelengths associated with chlorophyll content and/or chlorophyll (cid:2)uorescence. Since these indices cannot be calculated from broadband multispectral instrument data, the opportunity to exploit these spectrometer-based VIs in the future will depend on the launch of satellites such as EnMAP and HyspIRI. This study highlights the practical utility of space-borne spectrometers for characterization of the spectral stability and uniformity of the calibration sites in support of sensor cross-comparisons, and demonstrates the potential of narrowband VIs to track and spatially extend ecosystem functional status as well as carbon processes measured at (cid:2)ux towers.