Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma: An analysis of clinical characteristics and outcome patterns

Background Primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma is an extremely rare entity. There is no accumulated knowledge about the clinical characteristics and therapeutic strategies for this tumor. This study aimed to systematically review the available literature to investigate the clinicoradiologic and clinicopathologic characteristics, treatment, and outcomes in patients with primary cardiac leiomyosarcoma. Methods We identified 79 instances derived from 72 unique reports and carefully analyzed all clinical presentations, imaging, pathology, treatments, and outcomes. Results The mean age at onset was 48 years. A symptom of obstruction was the most frequent complaint at diagnosis. Routine imaging methods such as echocardiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging had high sensitivity in diagnosis. The tumor has a poorer life expectancy than its counterparts in other sites. The 5-year overall survival and recurrence-free survival rates were 25.4% and 14.7%, respectively. Overall survival was affected by age, surgery, and adjunctive chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Conclusions Our findings suggest that primary cardiac leiomyosarcomas tend to be biologically more aggressive compared to their counterparts in other sites. However, complete resection and adjunctive chemotherapy or radiotherapy may help to increase the life expectancy.
Low-cost adsorption materials for removal of metals from contaminated water.

Batch equilibrium and dynamic column studies were undertaken to compare the metal-removal capabilities of two natural, low-cost materials (dried, crushed brown seaweed and shrimp shells) with a commercially available strong acid cation exchange resin (CER). All media maintained structural and hydraulic integrity over the duration of the column experiments. The batch tests showed that the low-cost materials demonstrated high adsorption capacities and affinities to Pb, Cu, Cd and Zn, but were slightly outperformed by the CER. Metal removal by each media was far superior to that reported for other types of low cost materials. Fixed beds of each media reduced concentrations of the target metals in a synthetic drainage water solution to levels below reference values measured at a case study site. This result suggests that any of the materials tested have the potential to completely remove impacts of a point source of metal contamination on the local water regime at the site. The CER column sustained the longest service time without large-scale breakthrough of any metal.
Dome growth at Mount Cleveland, Aleutian Arc, quantified by time series TerraSAR‐X imagery

Synthetic aperture radar imagery is widely used to study surface deformation induced by volcanic activity; however, it is rarely applied to quantify the evolution of lava domes, which is important for understanding hazards and magmatic system characteristics. We studied dome formation associated with eruptive activity at Mount Cleveland, Aleutian Volcanic Arc, in 2011–2012 using TerraSAR‐X imagery. Interferometry and offset tracking show no consistent deformation and only motion of the crater rim, suggesting that ascending magma may pass through a preexisting conduit system without causing appreciable surface deformation. Amplitude imagery has proven useful for quantifying rates of vertical and areal growth of the lava dome within the crater from formation to removal by explosive activity to rebirth. We expect that this approach can be applied at other volcanoes that host growing lava domes and where hazards are highly dependent on dome geometry and growth rates.
Complement Activation in Patients With Congestive Heart Failure: Effect of High-Dose Intravenous Immunoglobulin Treatment

Background—Increasing evidence implicates innate immunity in the pathogenesis of congestive heart failure (CHF). In the present study, we examined the possible role of complement, an important part of innate immunity, in CHF. Methods and Results—Complement activation was analyzed in systemic and coronary circulation in 39 patients with CHF and 20 healthy control subjects. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled study, we have recently reported that high-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) improves left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in these patients. To examine if this improvement was related to IVIG-induced effects on complement, we also examined complement activation during induction (first week) and maintenance therapy (6 months) with IVIG or placebo. Our main findings were: (1) We found enhanced systemic complement activation involving classic, alternative, as well as terminal pathway in patients with CHF compared with healthy control subjects. (2) Particularly enhanced complement activation was found in coronary sinus, representing venous drainage from the heart. (3) The systemic complement activation was further enhanced during IVIG but not during placebo therapy, particularly during induction therapy. (4) Although IVIG improved LVEF in patients with CHF, the degree of IVIG-mediated complement activation was negatively correlated with this improvement of LVEF. Conclusions—This study further supports the involvement of innate immunity in the pathogenesis of CHF. Our findings suggest that complement may be added to the list of possible therapeutic targets in CHF and that future studies with specific complement inhibitors may be of interest in this disorder.
Characterisation of left ventricular function by tissue Doppler imaging technique in newly diagnosed, untreated hypertensive subjects

Background Hypertension results in structural and functional changes in the heart. Early detection of abnormalities of cardiac structure and function is important in the assessment and treatment of hypertensive subjects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of the tissue Doppler echocardiographic technique in characterising diastolic and systolic functions in untreated native black African hypertensive subjects. Materials and methods Forty consecutive, newly diagnosed, untreated hypertensives with adequate conventional echocardiographic (2-D, M-mode, transmitral and pulmonary Doppler flow velocities) and tissue Doppler echocardiographic images were recruited into the study. The control subjects were apparently normal individuals. Each arm of the study consisted of 21 male and 19 female subjects. Results The two groups were comparable by age (48.6 ± 11.35 years in the hypertensives vs 48.1 ± 11.33 years in the controls; p = 0.844) and gender distribution (M/F: 21/19 in both groups). Other baseline characteristics, except for blood pressure parameters, which were predictably higher in the hypertensive subjects, were comparable between the two groups. The hypertensive subjects had a lower systolic myocardial velocity (Sm) and early diastolic myocardial velocity (Em) in comparison with the controls (p = 0.033 and p = 0.018, respectively). The late diastolic myocardial velocity (Am) was comparable in the two groups (p = 0.430). Conclusions Tissue Doppler echocardiography demonstrates diastolic dysfunction relatively early in native African hypertensives and may be useful for detecting subtle deterioration in systolic function.
A Normative Examination of Ensemble Learning Algorithms

Ensemble learning algorithms combine the results of several classifiers to yield an aggregate classification. We present a normative evaluation of combination methods, applying and extending existing axiomatizations from social choice theory and statistics. For the case of multiple classes, we show that several seemingly innocuous and desirable properties are mutually satisfied only by a dictatorship. A weaker set of properties admit only the weighted average combination rule. For the case of binary classification, we give axiomatic justifications for majority vote and for weighted majority. We also show that, even when all component algorithms report that an attribute is probabilistically independent of the classification, common ensemble algorithms often destroy this independence information. We exemplify these theoretical results with experiments on stock market data, demonstrating how ensembles of classifiers can exhibit canonical voting paradoxes.
Efficacies of Controlling Morning Blood Pressure and Protecting the Kidneys by Treatment With Valsartan and Nifedipine CR or Valsartan and Amlodipine (MONICA Study)

Background It is controversial whether a single-pill fixed-dose combination of angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker and calcium channel blocker (CCB) is effective for all types of hypertension. Methods Thirty-five patients with uncontrolled blood pressure (BP) under treatment with valsartan 80 mg/day or amlodipine 5 mg/day were enrolled. They were randomly divided into two treatment groups: a single-pill fixed-dose combination of valsartan 80 mg/day and amlodipine 5 mg/day in the morning (VA group), or valsartan 80 mg/day in the morning and nifedipine CR 20 mg/day at night (VN group), and treated for 16 weeks. If the patient did not reach the target office BP at 8 weeks, they received double doses of CCBs. Results In the VN group, morning diastolic BP was significantly lower than the respective values in the VA group at 8 weeks. The percentage of patients who required a double dose of CCB in the VN group was significantly lower than that in the VA group. At 16 weeks, the BP levels in both groups were significantly reduced. Urinary albumin/creatinine at 16 weeks was significantly less than that at 0 weeks in the VN group. Conclusion Combination therapy with valsartan and nifedipine CR may help to control morning BP and protect the kidneys.
Response of Reinforcing Wires to Compressive States of Stress

A theoretical investigation of the compressive response of a wire embedded in an elastic matrix is reported. In the first section con sideration is given to the beam-column behavior of an initially crooked wire embedded in a matrix which is subjected to a state of uniaxial stress. A plot of the effective stiffness of the wire as a function of the wire's initial crookedness is given. Secondly, con sideration is given to the possibility of buckling, within the matrix, of a compressively loaded straight wire. A plot of the buckling load of the wire as a function of the ratio of the wire's and matrix's shear moduli is given. Two procedures are developed for the pre diction of the lateral support offered to the wire by the matrix. Both procedures are developed by treating the matrix as a three- dimensional elastic solid, however, only the first of the two meth ods completely satisfies the displacement continuity requirements between the wire and the matrix. This research was supported under subcontract to the Stanford Research Institute, Menlo Park, California, under prime contract no. N123 ( 60530)-55641A with the U. S. Naval Ordinance Test Station, China Lake, California.
One Small Step for Rhinos, One Giant Leap for Wildlife Management- Imaging Diagnosis of Bone Pathology in Distal Limb

Chronic foot disease poses a threat to the general health, represents a tremendous clinical challenge, and often is a reason for euthanasia in captive megaherbivores, among them the elephant and rhinoceros. Nevertheless, apart from the elephant, foot pathology is handled as being confined only to soft tissues whereas bone pathology is often overlooked. As a case in point, the authors selected the second largest mammal on land, the rhinoceros. We performed a computed tomographic (CT) study using the highest resolution available in veterinary world, followed by digital radiography of eight distal limbs from two white and one Indian rhinoceroses. Our study demonstrated that bone pathology in rhinoceroses’ foot is present and in large numbers, yet none of these were diagnosed ante mortem. Even when the animals were euthanized due to foot problems, the decision was based on soft tissue pathology rather than orthopedic reasons. Even more worrying is the fact that the largest number of osteopathologies was present in one of the white rhinoceroses that showed no discernable related clinical signs. This study describes for the first time the existence of bone pathology in white rhinoceros foot, in addition to the two previously described rhinoceros species - Indian and black rhinoceroses. Furthermore, the chronic foot disease reported for the Indian rhinoceros in our study was not restricted to soft tissue structures as was presumed ante mortem but included severe bone pathology. New evidence suggesting that osteopathology in rhinoceroses’ distal limb is more widespread than it was thought before could force us to rethink of radiographic diagnosis in captive megaherbivores as routine examination incorporated into their health management. The anticipated improvements in radiologic examinations in megaherbivores will increase the effectiveness of their management and husbandry and open the way for improved animal welfare and better wildlife conservation.
Charpy impact testing of metallic selective laser melting parts

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a layer-additive manufacturing technology which makes it possible to create fully functional parts directly from standard metals without any intermediate binders or any additional post-processing steps. During SLM, a high-intensity laser beam selectively scans a powder bed according to the CAD data of the part to be produced and powder particles are completely melted. SLM is capable of producing near full density parts with an almost infinite geometric freedom. However, the mechanical properties obtained with SLM may differ from the ones of bulk material. In this study, Charpy impact tests are applied on the samples produced by SLM from different materials; Ti-6A1-4V, AISI 316L (X2CrNiMo18-14-3) and maraging steel 300 (X3CoMoTi18-9-5). The influence of the building axis as well as of various heat treatments applied on the samples after SLM is investigated. The evolution of the microstructures of the sample parts is also studied.
Fatigue Behavior of RC Beams Strengthened with GFRP Sheets

The objective of the presented study is to examine the effects of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) composite rehabilitation systems on the fatigue performance of reinforced concrete beams. Experiments were conducted on beams with and without GFRP composite sheets on their tensile surfaces. The specimens were 152 × 152 × 1,321 mm reinforced concrete beams with enough transverse reinforcement to avoid shear failure. The results of this study indicate that the fatigue life of reinforced concrete beams with the given geometry, subjected to the same cycling load, can be significantly extended through the use of externally bonded GFRP composite sheets. An interesting finding is that, although the fiber strengthening system increases the fatigue life of the beams, the failure mechanism, fatigue of the steel reinforcement, remains the same in both strengthened and nonstrengthened beams. Thus, it is possible to predict the fatigue life of a cyclically loaded beam using existing fatigue models.
Toxic Hydrogen Sulfide and Dark Caves: Phenotypic and Genetic Divergence Across Two Abiotic Environmental Gradients in Poecilia mexicana

Abstract Divergent natural selection drives evolutionary diversification. It creates phenotypic diversity by favoring developmental plasticity within populations or genetic differentiation and local adaptation among populations. We investigated phenotypic and genetic divergence in the livebearing fish Poecilia mexicana along two abiotic environmental gradients. These fish typically inhabit nonsulfidic surface rivers, but also colonized sulfidic and cave habitats. We assessed phenotypic variation among a factorial combination of habitat types using geometric and traditional morphometrics, and genetic divergence using quantitative and molecular genetic analyses. Fish in caves (sulfidic or not) exhibited reduced eyes and slender bodies. Fish from sulfidic habitats (surface or cave) exhibited larger heads and longer gill filaments. Common-garden rearing suggested that these morphological differences are partly heritable. Population genetic analyses using microsatellites as well as cytochrome b gene sequences indicate high population differentiation over small spatial scale and very low rates of gene flow, especially among different habitat types. This suggests that divergent environmental conditions constitute barriers to gene flow. Strong molecular divergence over short distances as well as phenotypic and quantitative genetic divergence across habitats in directions classic to fish ecomorphology suggest that divergent selection is structuring phenotypic variation in this system.
Theoretical predictions on the clustering of SCUBA galaxies and implications for small-scale fluctuations at submillimetre wavelengths

This paper investigates the clustering properties of Submillimetre Common User Bolometric Array (SCUBA) selected galaxies within the framework of a unifying scheme relating the formation of quasi-stellar objects and spheroids. The theoretical angular correlation function is derived for different bias functions, corresponding to different values of the ratio Mhalo/Msph between the mass of the dark halo and the final mass in stars. SCUBA sources are predicted to be strongly clustered, with a clustering strength increasing with mass. We show that the model accounts for the clustering of Lyman-break galaxies, seen as the optical counterpart of low- to intermediate-mass primeval spheroidal galaxies, and is also consistent with the observed angular correlation function of extremely red objects. Best agreement is obtained for Mhalo/Msph=100. We also consider the implications for small-scale fluctuations observed at submillimetre wavelengths by current or forthcoming experiments aimed at mapping the cosmic microwave background (CMB). The predicted amplitude of the clustering signal in the 350-GHz channel of the Planck mission strongly depends on the halo-to-bulge mass ratio and may be of comparable amplitude to primary CMB anisotropies for multipole numbers l≳50.
The murky world of the COX-2-selective agents

The exceptionally successful marketing of the first-line cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX2)-selective agents was largely driven by theoretical promise provided by scientists to the pharmaceutical industry. Many of the proposed advantages of the COX2-selective agents over conventional non-selective non-steroid anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) have materialised. However, other promises and concepts that drove the original development of these drugs have turned out to be incorrect. It is in particular the gastrointestinal safety data have been questioned. This is certainly far less clear-cut than what was expected. It is our intention to review and highlight some of the more controversial data that our dear “opinion leaders” so often fail to mention. It is also interesting to review other data and ideas that seem to be scientifically based at first glance, but on closer examination appear to be misinformation that was generated and disseminated by the “opinion leaders”.
On the nature of red galaxies: the Chandra perspective

We present the X-ray properties of the extremely red objects (ERO) population observed by Chandra with three partially overlapping pointings (up to ≈90 ks) over an area of ≈500 arcmin 2 , down to a 0.5-8 keV flux limit of ≈10 ―15 erg cm ―2 s ―1 . We selected EROs using a multi-band photometric catalog down to a K S -band magnitude of ≈19.3 (Vega system); 14 EROs were detected in X-rays, corresponding to ≈9% of the overall X-ray source population (149 X-ray sources) and to ≈5% of the ERO population (288). The X-ray emission of all X-ray detected EROs is consistent with that of an active galactic nucleus (AGN) (≥3.5 × 10 42 erg s ―1 at photometric redshifts z > 1), in agreement with previous X-ray observations, with an indication of increasing absorption between the three X-ray brightest EROs and the 11 X-ray faintest EROs. We take advantage of the good spatial resolution and limited background provided by Chandra to place constraints on the population of the X-ray undetected EROs by a stacking analysis. Their stacked emission, whose statistical significance is 5. 7σ in the observed 0.5-8 keV band, provides an upper limit to the average intrinsic absorption at z = 1 of 2.5 x 10 22 cm ―2 and corresponds to a rest-frame 0.5-8 keV luminosity of 8.9 x 10 41 erg s ―1 . We estimate that any accretion-related X-ray emission to the stacked signal is likely "diluted" by emission due to hot gas in normal galaxies and star-formation activity in dust-enshrouded galaxies at high redshift.
Use of Long-Acting Somatostatin Analogue (Lanreotide) in an Adolescent with Diazoxide-Responsive Congenital Hyperinsulinism and Its Psychological Impact

Congenital hyperinsulinism (CHI) is a common cause of hypoglycaemia due to unregulated insulin secretion from pancreatic β cells. Medical management includes use of oral diazoxide (a KATP channel agonist) and daily injectable octreotide (somatostatin analogue) therapy. However, diazoxide is associated with severe sideeffects such as coarse facies, hypertrichosis and psychosocial/compliance issues in adolescents. Lanreotide (a long-acting somatostatin analogue) is used in adults with neuroendocrine tumours; however, its role in patients with CHI has not been well described. A 15-year-old girl with diazoxide-responsive CHI had severe hypertrichosis secondary to diazoxide and subsequent compliance/psychosocial issues. She was commenced on 30 mg of lanreotide every 4 weeks as a deep subcutaneous injection, in an attempt to address these issues. She was able to come off diazoxide treatment 2 months after starting lanreotide. Presently, after 2.5 years of lanreotide treatment, her blood glucose control is stable with complete resolution of hypertrichosis. Clinically significant improvements in the self-reported Paediatric Quality of Life (PedsQL) questionnaire and Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ) were reported after 1 year on lanreotide. No side effects were found, and her liver/thyroid function and abdominal ultrasound have been normal. We report the first case on the use of lanreotide in an adolescent girl with diazoxide-responsive CHI with significant improvement of quality of life.
Eating ‘attentively’ reduces later energy consumption in overweight and obese females

Attentional and memory processes underpin appetite control, but whether encouraging overweight individuals to eat more ‘attentively’ can promote reductions in energy consumption is unclear. In the present study with a between-subjects design, a total of forty-eight overweight and obese females consumed a fixed lunchtime meal. Their ad libitum energy intake of high-energy snack food was observed during a second laboratory session that occurred later that day. In the focused-attention condition, participants ate their lunch while listening to audio instructions that encouraged them to pay attention to the food being eaten. In a control condition, participants ate while listening to an audio book with a neutral (non-food-related) content. To test whether focused attention influenced food intake via enhancing the memory of the earlier consumed meal, we measured the participants' memory of their lunchtime meal. Ad libitum snack intake was approximately 30 % lower for participants in the focused-attention condition than for those in the control condition, and this difference was statistically significant. There was limited evidence that attention decreased later food intake by enhancing memory representation of the earlier consumed meal. Eating attentively can lead to a substantial decrease in later energy intake in overweight and obese individuals. Behavioural strategies that encourage a more ‘attentive’ way of eating could promote sustained reductions in energy intake and weight loss.