Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Learning Curve for a Laparoscopic Appendectomy by a Surgical Trainee

Purpose The laparoscopic appendectomy has been a basic part of the principal of a more complex laparoscopic technique for the surgical trainee. As the number of laparoscopic appendectomies performed by surgical trainees has increased, we are trying to check the stability of, which is controversial, and the learning curve associated with a laparoscopic appendectomy. Methods We studied the demographics, histologic diagnoses, operative time, the number of complicated cases, and hospital duration of one hundred and three patients who underwent an open appendectomy (group A, 53) or a laparoscopic appendectomy (group B, 50) retrospectively through a review of their medical records. The learning curve for the laparoscopic appendectomy was established through the moving average and ANOVA methods. Results There were no differences in the operative times (A, 64.15 ± 29.88 minutes; B, 58.2 ± 20.72 minutes; P-value, 0.225) and complications (A, 11%; B, 6%; P-value, 0.34) between group A and group B. Group B was divided into group C who underwent the operation in the early period (before the learning curve) and group D who underwent the operation in the later period (after the learning curve). The average operative time for group C was 66.83 ± 21.55 minutes, but it was 45.25 ± 10.19 minutes for group D (P-value < 0.0001). Although this difference was statistically significant, no significant difference in the complication rate was observed between the two groups. Conclusion A laparoscopic appendectomy, compared with an open appendectomy, performed by a surgical trainee is safe. In this study, the learning curve for a laparoscopic appendectomy was thirty cases.
Rotavirus Surveillance in Kisangani, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Reveals a High Number of Unusual Genotypes and Gene Segments of Animal Origin in Non-Vaccinated Symptomatic Children

Group A rotavirus (RVA) infections form a major public health problem, especially in low-income countries like the Democratic Republic of the Congo (COD). However, limited data on RVA diversity is available from sub-Saharan Africa in general and the COD in particular. Therefore, the first aim of this study was to determine the genetic diversity of 99 RVAs detected during 2007–2010 in Kisangani, COD. The predominant G-type was G1 (39%) and the most predominant P-type was P[6] (53%). A total of eight different G/P-combinations were found: G1P[8] (28%), G8P[6] (26%), G2P[4] (14%), G12P[6] (13%), G1P[6] (11%), G9P[8] (4%), G4P[6] (2%) and G8P[4] (1%). The second aim of this study was to gain insight into the diversity of P[6] RVA strains in the COD. Therefore, we selected five P[6] RVA strains in combination with the G1, G4, G8 (2x) or G12 genotype for complete genome analysis. Complete genome analysis showed that the genetic background of the G1P[6] and G12P[6] strains was entirely composed of genotype 1 (Wa-like), while the segments of the two G8P[6] strains were identified as genotype 2 (DS-1-like). Interestingly, all four strains possessed a NSP4 gene of animal origin. The analyzed G4P[6] RVA strain was found to possess the unusual G4-P[6]-I1-R1-C1-M1-A1-N1-T7-E1-H1 constellation. Although the majority of its genes (if not all), were presumably of porcine origin, this strain was able to cause gastro-enteritis in humans. The high prevalence of unusual RVA strains in the COD highlights the need for continued surveillance of RVA diversity in the COD. These results also underline the importance of complete genetic characterization of RVA strains and indicate that reassortments and interspecies transmission among human and animal RVAs strains occur regularly. Based on these data, RVA vaccines will be challenged with a wide variety of different RVA strain types in the COD.
Monitoring the coral disease, plague type II, on coral reefs in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands.

In July 1997, conspicuous white patches of necrotic tissue and bare skeleton began to appear on scleractinian corals in several bays around St. John, US Virgin Islands. Analysis of diseased coral tissue from five different species confirmed the presence of a Sphingomonas-like bacterium, the pathogen for plague type II. To date, 14 species of hard corals have been affected by plague type II around St. John. This disease was monitored at Haulover and Tektite Reefs at depths of 7-12 meters. The study site at Tektite Reef has > 50% cover by scleractinian corals with 90% of hard corals being composed of Montastraea annularis. Monthly surveys at Tektite Reef from December 1997 to May 2001 documented new incidence of disease (bare white patches of skeleton) every month with associated loss of living coral and 90.5% of all disease patches occurred on M. annularis. The frequency of disease within transects ranged from 3 to 58%, and the area of disease patches ranged from 0.25 to 9000 cm2. The average percent cover by the disease within 1 m2 ranged from 0.01% (+/- 0.04 SD) to 1.74% (+/- 9.08 SD). Photo-monitoring of 28 diseased corals of 9 species begun in September 1997 at Haulover Reef revealed no recovery of diseased portions with all necrotic tissue being overgrown rapidly by turf algae, usually within less than one month. Most coral colonies suffered partial mortality. Very limited recruitment (e.g., of Agaricia spp., Favia spp. and sponges) has been noted on the diseased areas. This coral disease has the potential to cause more loss of live coral on St. John reefs than any other stress to date because it targets the dominant reef building species, M. annularis.
A Detailed Cardiovascular Characterization of Obesity Without the Metabolic Syndrome

Objective—Although obesity without metabolic disturbances has been regarded as harmless, we have recently shown that obese subjects without the metabolic syndrome (MetS) has an increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disorders and mortality during long-term follow-up. To investigate the basis for that increased risk, we studied the impact of obesity without MetS on multiple markers of subclinical CV disease. Methods and Results—At age 70, 1016 subjects were investigated in the Prospective Investigation of the Vasculature in Uppsala Seniors study. According to body mass index (BMI)/MetS status, they were categorized as normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m2) without MetS (National Cholesterol Education Program criteria, n=319), normal weight with MetS (n=19), overweight (BMI 25 to 29.9 kg/m2) without MetS (n=333), overweight with MetS (n=94), obese (BMI ≥30 kg/m2) without MetS (n=102), and obese with MetS (n=118). Several different measurements of endothelial reactivity, arterial compliance (plethysmography and ultrasound), carotid artery atherosclerosis, and echocardiography were performed, and 7 markers of coagulation/fibrinolysis were measured. Subjects with obesity without MetS showed impaired vasoreactivity, a more echolucent carotid artery wall, increased left ventricular mass and function together with impaired coagulation/fibrinolysis compared with normal-weight subjects without the MetS (P<0.05 to 0.001). The majority of these disturbances were also seen in overweight subjects without the MetS. Conclusion—In contrast to some previous studies, our data do not support that obesity without MetS is a benign condition, because obesity without MetS was associated with impairments in multiple markers of subclinical CV disease. This was also the case for overweight subjects without the MetS.
Platelet–leukocyte interaction and platelet activation in migraine: a link to ischemic stroke?

Objectives: Migraine has been identified as an independent risk factor for ischemic stroke. Both neurogenic inflammation and platelet activation have been linked to the pathophysiology of migraine. Increased platelet activation results in up-regulation of specific binding to leukocytes which promotes pro-inflammatory leukocyte secretion and their tethering to endothelium, a mechanism that has been demonstrated in stroke and which could provide a link to migraine. We aimed to determine whether platelet–leukocyte aggregation is increased in migraine patients outside an acute attack. Methods: Seventy two patients with migraine according to IHS criteria were compared to a control group (n = 72). Whole blood flow cytometry was used to quantify the activation dependent P selectin on the platelet, and to assess the fraction of platelets bound to the different leukocyte subsets. Results: Migraine patients showed significantly more platelet–leukocyte aggregates compared to the control subjects (p = 0.003). This effect was driven by an increased polymorphonuclear cell–platelet aggregation (p = 0.003) whereas platelet aggregation with monocytes and lymphocytes was not. Platelet activation was also increased (p = 0.001). Conclusions: In migraine pro-inflammatory platelet adhesion to leukocytes occurs during the headache free interval similar to that seen in acute coronary and cerebrovascular syndromes. This may suggest a link between migraine and stroke on a cellular level.
Bulk elastic moduli and solute potentials in leaves of freshwater, coastal and marine hydrophytes. Are marine plants more rigid?

The flexibility of plant cell walls is characterized by bulk modulus of elasticity (ϵ); which is an important component of how plants maintain adequate water continent. For example, plants with rigid tissues (high ϵ) that accumulate solutes may better tolerate drought or saline soils. This concept is termed the ‘cell water conservation hypothesis. ’ While it is generally held that marine plants have higher ϵ, no study has considered that notion across a number of species residing in marine and coastal habitats. The finding from this study show that aquatic marine plants do maintain rigid tissues with lower osmotic potentials (relative to freshwater plants), and support the tenets of the cell water conservation hypothesis
Signatures of founder effects, admixture, and selection in the Ashkenazi Jewish population

The Ashkenazi Jewish (AJ) population has long been viewed as a genetic isolate, yet it is still unclear how population bottlenecks, admixture, or positive selection contribute to its genetic structure. Here we analyzed a large AJ cohort and found higher linkage disequilibrium (LD) and identity-by-descent relative to Europeans, as expected for an isolate. However, paradoxically we also found higher genetic diversity, a sign of an older or more admixed population but not of a long-term isolate. Recent reports have reaffirmed that the AJ population has a common Middle Eastern origin with other Jewish Diaspora populations, but also suggest that the AJ population, compared with other Jews, has had the most European admixture. Our analysis indeed revealed higher European admixture than predicted from previous Y-chromosome analyses. Moreover, we also show that admixture directly correlates with high LD, suggesting that admixture has increased both genetic diversity and LD in the AJ population. Additionally, we applied extended haplotype tests to determine whether positive selection can account for the level of AJ-prevalent diseases. We identified genomic regions under selection that account for lactose and alcohol tolerance, and although we found evidence for positive selection at some AJ-prevalent disease loci, the higher incidence of the majority of these diseases is likely the result of genetic drift following a bottleneck. Thus, the AJ population shows evidence of past founding events; however, admixture and selection have also strongly influenced its current genetic makeup.
Discrete multiscale Bayesian image reconstruction

Statistical and discrete-valued methods can substantially improve the reconstruction quality by incorporating prior information about both the imaging system and the object being imaged. A statistical method shown to perform well in the tomographic setting is Bayesian MAP estimation. However, computing the MAP estimate in the tomographic domain is a computationally involved optimization problem. Furthermore, discrete-valued MAP reconstruction requires accurate knowledge of the density or emission levels in the cross-section. In this paper we present an efficient multiscale algorithm for discrete-valued MAP reconstruction including estimation of the discrete levels. Experimental results indicate that the multiscale algorithm has improved convergence behaviour over fixed scale reconstruction and is more robust with respect to local minima.
Crossing Minimization Problems of Drawing Bipartite Graphs in Two Clusters

The crossing minimization problem is a classic and very important problem in graph drawing (Pach, Toth 1997); the results directly affect the effectiveness of the layout, especially for very large scale graphs. But in many cases crossings cannot be avoided. In this paper we present two models for bipartite graph drawing, aiming to reduce crossings that cannot be avoided in the traditional bilayer drawings. We characterize crossing minimization problems in these models, and prove that they are NP-complete.
Changes in locomotor and foraging skills in captive‐born, reintroduced golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia rosalia)

The behavior of reintroduced, captive‐born animals is understudied, limiting the scientific understanding and utility of reintroduction as a conservation tool. This work describes changes in locomotor and foraging behaviors in captive‐born golden lion tamarins over the first 18 months after their release into the wild. The subjects included 73 individuals living in and around the Poco das Antas Biological Reserve in Brazil between 1984 and 1996. The differences between animals that survived 6 months after release and those that did not indicate that initial deficiencies in locomotor and foraging abilities are related to survival. Behavioral changes in both juvenile and adult individuals during the first 6 and 18 months after release appear to be primarily related to locomotor abilities; however, the effect of provisioning on foraging abilities is unknown. Juvenile animals showed a larger number of changes relative to adults during the first 6 and 18 months, suggesting that placing tamarins into complex environments early in development may promote the expression of natural behaviors and increase survival opportunities after their release. However, when this is not possible, the best mechanism for reintroducing adult members of this species involves intensive post‐release support rather than pre‐release training, which confers few behavioral advantages. Recommendations for future reintroductions with this and other species include introducing animals to complex environments early in development, and collecting data systematically. Am. J. Primatol. 62:1–13, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lefschetz Fibrations on Compact Stein Manifolds

Here we prove that up to diffeomorphism every compact Stein manifold W of dimension 2n+2>4 admits a Lefschetz fibration over the two-disk with Stein regular fibers, such that the monodromy of the fibration is a symplectomorphism induced by compositions of right-handed Dehn twists along embedded Lagrangian n-spheres on the generic fiber. This generalizes the Stein surface case of n=1, previously proven by Loi-Piergallini and Akbulut-Ozbagci. More precisely, we show that up to Liouville isomorphism any Weinstein domain W admits a compatible compact convex Lefschetz fibration with Weinstein regular fibers and with the same monodromy description stated above. Moreover, the induced convex open book supports the induced contact structure on the boundary of W.
A three-state model for the regulation of telomerase by TERRA and hnRNPA1

Telomeres, the physical ends of eukaryotic chromosomes, are transcribed into telomeric repeat-containing RNA (TERRA), a large non-coding RNA, which forms an integral part of telomeric heterochromatin. In vitro, naked TERRA molecules are efficient inhibitors of human telomerase, base-pairing via their 5′-UUAGGG-3′ repeats with the template sequence of telomerase RNA, in addition to contacting the telomerase reverse transcriptase protein subunit. In vivo, however, TERRA-mediated inhibition of telomerase can be prevented by unknown mechanisms. Also, heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A1 (hnRNPA1) has been implicated in telomere length control. In vivo, TERRA is partially associated with hnRNPA1, and hnRNPA1 is also detected at telomeres. We demonstrate that on binding of TERRA, hnRNPA1 can alleviate the TERRA-mediated inhibition of telomerase. However, when in excess over TERRA, hnRNPA1 becomes itself an inhibitor of telomere extension, on binding of the telomeric DNA substrate. Yet, hnRNPA1 has no notable direct effects on the telomerase catalysis. Our in vitro results suggest that TERRA-mediated telomerase inhibition may be prevented by hnRNPA1 in vivo. Telomere extension by telomerase may require balanced levels of TERRA and hnRNPA1 at telomeres. Thus, TERRA and hnRNPA1 can function as a bimolecular regulator to turn telomerase and the telomere on and off.
Text compression via alphabet re-representation

We consider re-representing the alphabet so that a representation of a character reflects its properties as a predictor of future text. This enables us to use an estimator from a restricted class to map contexts to predictions of upcoming characters. We describe an algorithm that uses this idea in conjunction with neural networks. The performance of this implementation is compared to other compression methods, such as UNIX compress, gzip, PPMC, and an alternative neural network approach.
Stream bank and sediment movement associated with 2008 flooding, South Fork Iowa River

Stream bank erosion can damage riparian systems and impact the use of water downstream. Risks of bank erosion increase during extreme flood events, and frequencies of extreme events may be increasing under a changing climate. We assessed bank erosion within the South Fork Iowa River (SFIR) watershed caused by 2008 flooding, which set flood stage records in many eastern Iowa streams. Bank positions before and after 2008 were digitized using rectified aerial infrared imagery and overlaid. Differences in stream bank lines were mapped as polygons; those <4 m (13 ft) wide were deleted to eliminate polygons possibly formed by digitizing error. A high-resolution (2 m [6.6 ft] grid) elevation model was used to map elevation changes associated with both erosional and depositional polygons. We estimated that along three streams (SFIR, Tipton Creek, and Beaver Creek) with watershed areas of 20,000 to 36,500 ha (49,000 to 90,150 ac), the 2008 floods widened the channels by 0.5 to 1.1 m (1.6 to 3.6 ft), and about 8.5 ha (21 ac) of land was lost to become part of these channels. The volume and mass losses associated with this movement totaled 117,000 m3 (153,000 yd3), which comprised on average 1.1 Mg m−1 (1 Mg m−1 = 1.01 tn yd−1) of stream length. Below the Tipton Creek confluence, the middle SFIR (58,500 ha [144,500 ac]) was widened by more than 4.4 m (14.4 ft), with about 8.1 Mg (8.9 tn) of sediment lost per meter of stream. The 2008 floods substantially altered these channels, but using images from helicopter flights from late 2008 and 2009, we found evidence that where riparian buffers were kept in ungrazed, grassy vegetation, there was less bank erosion than where grazed pastures lined these channels. Riparian management systems may reduce stream bank erosion even under extreme flooding.
Near-Far Resistant Synchronization for UWB Communications

This paper proposes a symbol-level synchronization technique for ultra-wideband (UWB) communications in networks without power control. The near-far problem dramatically degrades the performance of synchronization for UWB communications. The technique is based on an easy-to-implement procedure to suppress the interfering waveforms from high-power users without requiring knowledge of their spreading codes. The technique includes two operations, a "suppression" operation, and a subsequent dimension detection operation that determines the desired user's code phase during acquisition in the receiver. Simulation results are provided that show the improved performance of the near-far resistant synchronization procedure proposed in this paper for up to two high-power and four equal-power interfering users when compared to the best alternative from the literature.
Use of the Farnsworth—Munsell 100‐Hue test in the examination of congenital colour vision defects

Results for the Farnsworth‐Munsell 100‐Hue test are reported for 238 male subjects with congenital colour vision defects (47 protanopes, 17 protanomalous trichromats, 57 deuteranopes and 117 deuteranomalous trichromats). The results are analysed in terms of the error score and the presence of an axis of confusion. A wide range of results is obtained in each diagnostic group and the error score cannot be used to distinguish between dichromats and anomalous trichromats. Approximately 50% of subjects with anomalous trichromatism obtain error scores less than 100 without an axis of confusion. These subjects could be mistakenly identified as having normal colour vision if pseudoisochromatic and colour matching tests are not employed. The prime use of the F‐M 100 Hue test is in vocational guidance.
Comparison of the ABI 7700 System (TaqMan) and Competitive PCR for Quantification of IS6110 DNA in Sputum during Treatment of Tuberculosis

ABSTRACT Mycobacterium tuberculosis can persist in sputum for long periods of time after the initiation of antituberculosis chemotherapy. The purpose of this study was to determine whether quantitative estimates of M. tuberculosis DNA in sputum correlate with the numbers of viable bacilli and thus measure the therapeutic response of patients during treatment. Two methods of M. tuberculosis DNA quantification were examined by using DNA isolated from sputum specimens serially collected during the course of chemotherapy. A competitive PCR assay was compared to an automated system of real-time quantification with the ABI Prism 7700 Sequence Detection System (TaqMan). The ABI 7700 system uses standard PCR in conjunction with a fluorogenic probe in which the intensity of fluorescence is proportional to the amount of target DNA present. The results showed that both PCR systems are reproducible and accurate. The amounts of M. tuberculosis DNA quantified in sputum corresponded well with the numbers of acid-fast bacilli (AFB) counted by microscopy. Before initiation of antituberculosis therapy, measures of AFB, M. tuberculosis DNA, and cultivable bacilli were similar, suggesting that quantification of DNA is a good method for measuring the initial bacillary load. However, the rate of disappearance of both AFB and M. tuberculosis DNA did not correlate with the decline in cultivable bacilli in the specimen; therefore, these tests are not appropriate for monitoring treatment efficacy.