Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endoscopic Assisted Microsurgical Resection of Lateral Ventricular Choroid Plexus Papillomas in Children

© 2015 Egyp an Journal of Neurosurgery. All rights reserved Background: Choroid plexus tumors arise mainly in children. Their blood supply is from the choroidal arteries in the form of a pedicle. These tumors represent surgical challenge owing to their vascularity and the relatively low blood volume especially in infants, necessitating early control of the vascular pedicle. Endoscopic assisted microsurgery had proven beneficial in resecting many intra-ventricular masses. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the endoscopic assisted microsurgical resection of choroid plexus papillomas focusing on clinical outcome, extent of resection, the extent of cortical incision and the need for brain retraction. Patients and Methods: Sixteen choroid plexus papillomas in fifteen children with widely dilated ventricles were operated upon between 2007 and 2014. All cases had an ini al a empt of endoscopic coagulation and detachment of the vascular pedicle followed by microsurgical excision of the mass. The extent of the cortical incision and the need to use self-retaining brain retractors were documented. Clinical outcome was assessed in the early postoperative period and after one month. Magnetic resonance imaging was performed three months postoperatively for all patients. Results: Endoscopic coagulation and detachment was achieved completely in fourteen tumors and partially in one tumor. Failure of coagulation in the remaining tumor was due to its huge size and failure to mobilize it. Total excision was achieved in all cases. Two patients developed transient weakness and one patient developed postoperative seizures. Hydrocephalus needed insertion of a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt in twelve patients. Smaller cortical incisions were performed and no self-retaining brain retractors were needed in cases with complete endoscopic coagulation. Conclusion: Endoscopic coagulation and detachment of the vascular pedicle followed by microsurgical resection of choroid plexus papillomas provides adequate and safe tumor resection with smaller cortical incisions and minimal brain retraction.
THE MASS–METALLICITY AND FUNDAMENTAL METALLICITY RELATIONS AT z > 2 USING VERY LARGE TELESCOPE AND SUBARU NEAR-INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY OF zCOSMOS GALAXIES

In the local universe, there is good evidence that, at a given stellar mass M, the gas-phase metallicity Z is anti-correlated with the star formation rate (SFR) of the galaxies. It has also been claimed that the resulting Z(M, SFR) relation is invariant with redshift—the so-called “fundamental metallicity relation” (FMR). Given a number of difficulties in determining metallicities, especially at higher redshifts, the form of the Z(M, SFR) relation and whether it is really independent of redshift is still very controversial. To explore this issue at z > 2, we used VLT-SINFONI and Subaru-MOIRCS near-infrared spectroscopy of 20 zCOSMOS-deep galaxies at 2.1 < z < 2.5 to measure the strengths of up to five emission lines: [O ii] λ3727, Hβ, [O iii] λ5007, Hα, and [N ii] λ6584. This near-infrared spectroscopy enables us to derive O/H metallicities, and also SFRs from extinction corrected Hα measurements. We find that the mass–metallicity relation (MZR) of these star-forming galaxies at z ≈ 2.3 is lower than the local Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) MZR by a factor of three to five, a larger change than found by Erb et al. using [N ii]/Hα-based metallicities from stacked spectra. We discuss how the different selections of the samples and metallicity calibrations used may be responsible for this discrepancy. The galaxies show direct evidence that the SFR is still a second parameter in the MZR at these redshifts. However, determining whether the Z(M, SFR) relation is invariant with epoch depends on the choice of extrapolation used from local samples, because z > 2 galaxies of a given mass have much higher SFRs than the local SDSS galaxies. We find that the zCOSMOS galaxies are consistent with a non-evolving FMR if we use the physically motivated formulation of the Z(M, SFR) relation from Lilly et al., but not if we use the empirical formulation of Mannucci et al.
Variable rate QAM for mobile radio

Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) schemes which vary the number of modulation levels in accordance with the mobile radio fading channel variations are investigated. Important parameters considered are the fading rate and the block size used. We describe how the adaptive QAM modems can be employed and consider their use in a DECT-like TDD packet structure. System performance in the presence of cochannel interference is also considered. Simulations show that the variable rate system has about 5 dB improvement in channel SNR over a fixed 16-level QAM system for BER's between 10/sup -2/ and 10/sup -5/ and channel SNR's between 25 and 40 dB. >
Fine needle aspiration cytology in young women with breast cancer: diagnostic difficulties

Background: Breast carcinoma is the most common malignancy in women worldwide. Though fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) plays an important role in preoperative diagnosis, there may be diagnostic delays in affected young women due to a lower index of suspicion. Methods: The files of the Departments of Pathology, Singapore General Hospital, Singapore, and Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong, were searched for cases of breast carcinoma in women aged 35 years or less. Those with prior FNA procedures comprised our study group. The FNA smears were reviewed and classified into five categories: inadequate, benign, equivocal, suspicious, malignant. The findings were correlated with subsequent histology. Results: Thirty‐four women aged 35 years and below underwent 35 FNACs, with one woman having bilateral FNA procedures. Upon review, one (2.9%) was classified as inadequate, one (2.9%) benign, five (14.3%) equivocal, five (14.3%) suspicious, 21 (60%) malignant and slides were not available for review for two (5.6%) cases. For six benign and equivocal cytological diagnoses, subsequent histology disclosed pure ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS, 1 case), mucocoele‐like lesions with DCIS (2 cases), invasive and in situ ductal carcinoma with neuroendocrine features (1 case) and two cases of invasive ductal carcinoma. Conclusion: Diagnostic difficulties in cytological interpretation of aspirates from breast carcinoma in young women may lead to unwanted delays, which occurred in six (17.6%) of 34 women in our series. Low grade cancers posing a pitfall in cytological diagnosis have to be considered.
Evaluation of a novel vesicular stomatitis virus pseudotype‐based assay for detection of neutralizing antibody responses to SARS‐CoV

Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS)‐coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) is the causative agent of SARS. The S protein of SARS‐CoV is a major target for neutralizing antibodies (Nabs) in infected patients. We developed a neutralization assay using a recombinant vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) bearing SARS‐CoV‐S protein (VSV‐SARS‐St19). A total of 56 serum samples collected from 22 healthcare workers in the Hanoi French Hospital during the SARS epidemic in 2003 were evaluated and compared to the conventional neutralizing assay using infectious SARS‐CoV. The results of the neutralization assay using VSV‐SARS‐St19 pseudotype showed good correlations with those using infectious SARS‐CoV. The newly developed neutralization assay was more sensitive to low antibody titers in serum samples. Thus, the VSV‐SARS‐St19 is a useful tool for detecting Nabs against SARS‐CoV. J. Med. Virol. 78:1509–1512, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Paint and Earth: Constructing Hunter-Gatherer History in the uKhahlamba-Drakensberg, South Africa

Aron Mazel has been researching rock art since the 1970s. Aron’s rock art publications have covered the distribution of painted themes, the representation of domestic animals in rock art, seasonality, colonial rock art, chronology and dating, integrating rock art and excavation datasets to improve our understanding of uKhahlamba-Drakensberg hunter-gatherer history, and the public presentation and management of this vulnerable resource. Aron is based at the International Centre for Cultural and Heritage Studies, Newcastle University, and is a research associate at the School of Geography, Archaeology & Environmental Studies, University of the Witwatersrand, aron.mazel@newcastle.ac. uk
Modernism without Modernity: The Rise of Modernist Architecture in Mexico, Brazil, and Argentina, 1890-1940

Why did machine-age modernist architecture diffuse to Latin America so quickly after its rise in Continental Europe during the 1910s and 1920s? Why was it a more successful movement in relatively backward Brazil and Mexico than in more affluent and industrialized Argentina? After reviewing the historical development of architectural modernism in these three countries, several explanations are tested against the comparative evidence. Standards of living, industrialization, sociopolitical upheaval, and the absence of working-class consumerism are found to be limited as explanations. As in Europe, Modernism diffused to Latin America thanks to state patronage and the professionalization of architects following an engineering model.
Propofol Attenuates Peroxynitrite-mediated DNA Damage and Apoptosis in Cultured Astrocytes: An Alternative Protective Mechanism

Background:The concentration of peroxynitrite in the brain increases after central nervous system injuries. The authors hypothesized that propofol, because of its particular chemical structure, mitigates the effects of peroxynitrite-mediated oxidative stress and apoptosis by the induction of heme oxygenase (HO)-1 in primary cultured astroglial cells. Methods:Primary cultured astroglial cells were incubated for 18 h with a known peroxynitrite donor (3 mm SIN-1) in the presence or absence of propofol (40 &mgr;m, 80 &mgr;m, 160 &mgr;m, and 1 mm). The protective effects of propofol were evaluated by 3(4,5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)2,5-diphenyl-tetrazolium bromide cytotoxicity assay, lactic dehydrogenase release, DNA ladderization by Comet assay, and caspase-3 activation by Western blot analysis. Results:Appropriate propofol concentrations (ranging from 40 &mgr;m to 1 mm) significantly increased HO-1 expression and attenuated SIN-1–mediated DNA ladderization and caspase-3 activation. The protective effects of propofol were mitigated by the addition of tin mesoporphyrin, a potent inhibitor of HO activity. The addition of a specific synthetic inhibitor of nuclear factor &kgr;B abolished propofol-mediated HO-1 induction, suggesting a possible role of this nuclear transcriptional factor in our experimental conditions. Conclusions:The antioxidant properties of propofol can be partially attributed to its scavenging effect on peroxynitrite as well as to its ability to increase HO-1 expression at higher concentrations, a property that might be relevant to neuroprotection during anesthesia.
Detection of rubella-specific immunoglobulin G: comparison of the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and an automated microparticle enzyme immunoassay (IMx)

An automated microparticle enzyme immunoassay (IMx Rubella IgG Antibody Assay; Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, Ill.) was compared with a conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) for detection of rubella-specific immunoglobulin G (IgG) in 400 consecutive antenatal patients. There was complete agreement between the two tests in this population, which had a positivity rate of 99% for rubella-specific IgG antibodies. The performance of the IMx was also evaluated at the cutoff zone by assaying 64 selected antenatal serum samples with low or negative rubella antibody titers as determined by ELISA. Overall, the IMx was found to be a specific, sensitive assay for the detection of rubella-specific IgG and is virtually fully automated for easy performance.
Pre-operative obesity does not predict poorer symptom control and quality of life after lumbar disc surgery

Abstract Purpose: We aimed to determine whether there was a difference in post-operative symptomatic control and quality of life (QoL) between patients who were obese (BMI >30) and non-obese (BMI <30) pre-operatively. This information may inform the decision making of Physicians and patients whether to proceed to surgery for management of symptomatic lumbar disc prolapse. Methods: We conducted a prospective questionnaire-based study of QoL and symptom control in 120 patients with postal follow-up at 3 and 12 months after lumbar disc surgery. This study was conducted in two United Kingdom regional neurosurgical units, with ethical approval from the North of Scotland Research Ethics Service (09/S0801/7). Results: 120 patients were recruited; 37 (34.5%) were obese. Follow up was 71% at 3 months and 57% at 12 months. At recruitment, both obese and non-obese patient groups had similar functional status and pain scores. At 3 and 12 months, non-obese and obese patients reported similar and significant benefits from surgery (e.g. 12 month SF-36 80.5 vs. 68.8, respectively). In non-obese and obese patients, time to return to work was 47.5 days and 53.8 days, respectively, (p = .345). After 12 months all QoL scores were significantly improved from pre-operative levels in both groups. Conclusions: Obese patients derive significant benefit from lumbar discectomy that it is similar to the benefit experienced by non-obese patients. Obese individuals may achieve excellent results from discectomy and these patients should not be refused surgery on the basis of BMI alone.
Evaluation of selective dorsal rhizotomy for the reduction of spasticity in cerebral palsy: a randomized controlled trial

Selective dorsal rhizotomy (SDR) is widely used to treat spasticity in children with diplegic cerebral palsy (CP) but has never been shown conclusively to improve functional outcome. The study was designed to measure changes in gross motor function in children 1 year following rhizotomy compared with a control group receiving equivalent physiotherapy. (PT) and occupational therapy (OT) with the exception that the rhizotomy group initially underwent a 6‐week postoperative in‐patient therapy program. Twenty‐four children (mean age 58 months) with mild to moderate CP with spastic diplegia were randomly assigned to a therapy‐only control group (CG) (N=12) or rhizotomy and therapy group (RG) (N=12). The Gross Motor Function Measure (GMFM) was administered at the baseline, 6‐, and 12‐month assessments. Extremity tone, range of motion (ROM), biomechanics of the ankle‐stretch reflex, isometric contraction, and temporal gait components were also evaluated. GMFM scores in the RG improved by 12.1 percentage points versus 4.4 percentage points in the CG (P<0.02). RG knee arid ankle tone was significantly reduced (P<0.005), associated with increased passive ankle ROM (P<0.001), and decreased soleus EMG reflex activity on forced dorsiflexion (P<0.008). Foot‐floor contact pattern improved in the RG compared with the CG (P<0.05). In conclusion, SDR combined with PT and OT leads to significantly greater functional motor improvement at 1 year following surgery compared with PT and OT alone. This was achieved in part through reduced knee and ankle tone, increased ankle dorsiflexion ROM, and more normal foot‐floor contact during walking.
Nurse Staffing, Care Delivery Model, and Patient Care Quality

Little research has been conducted examining the linkages between nurse staffing and care delivery models in relation to patient care quality. Nurses in this study perceive that an all-RN staffing model is associated with better quality outcomes for patients, and that staffing models that include professional and unregulated staff may pose a challenge for unit-based communication and the coordination of care. Patient care delivery models were also important predictors of the quality outcomes studied.
DC Discharges in Atmospheric Air and Their Transitions

We present images and basic characteristics and describe transition mechanisms between three dc discharges in atmospheric air point-to-plane or point-to-water gap. With increasing applied voltage, a streamer corona transits to a transient spark: a repetitive spark with very short (~100-ns) current pulses (~1 A) of very limited energy. With an appropriate ballast resistor, this transient regime evolves into a pulseless glow discharge. These three discharges generate nonequilibrium plasmas of high chemical activity interesting for environmental and biomedical applications.
Review of Asian experience of thermal ablation techniques and clinical practice

The field of image-guided tumour ablation has gained great attention from Asian physicians because it represents a safe and effective technique for many commonly seen tumours in this population, showing minimal morbidity and excellent local control rates. Based on the current survey data from Asian physicians who are currently performing image-guided tumour ablation, thermal ablation has been mainly performed for patients with unresectable liver tumours. Radiofrequency ablation has replaced many other local ablation techniques such as microwave or ethanol ablation in treating small focal hepatic tumours for the last 5 years. Surgery and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization also have a unique role as curative and palliative treatment options for patients with more extensive tumour burden. Although radiofrequency ablation represents a paradigm shift in local therapy, more sophisticated strategies to enhance the therapeutic efficacy are necessary and more randomized and controlled investigations to estimate its clinical benefit are warranted.
Stability of Amorphous Indium–Tungsten Oxide Thin-Film Transistors Under Various Wavelength Light Illumination

Amorphous indium-tungsten oxide (a-IWO) thin-film transistors (TFTs) were prepared by the RF-sputtering method, and their electrical stability under various conditions of wavelength light illumination was investigated. It was found that the electrical stability of the devices was dependent on the light wavelength and the illumination time. The analysis reveals that the improvement of the light illumination stability of the a-IWO-TFTs is ascribed to the oxygen vacancies transition between V<sub>O</sub>-V<sub>O</sub><sup>+</sup> and V<sub>O</sub>-V<sub>O</sub><sup>2+</sup> under different wavelength illuminations.
Attachment and growth of human keratinocytes in a serum‐free environment

Using a serum‐free system, we have investigated the influence of human fibronectin (HFN) and selected growth factors (GF) on the attachment and growth of normal human keratinocytes in vitro. Single‐cell suspensions of keratinocytes from near‐confluent primary plates, plated on 5–10 μg/cm2 HFN, showed approximately 30–40% attachment after 2–24 hours of incubation at 37°C, compared with 4–6% attachment on uncoated platic plates. Percentage of attached cells was independent of seed density, tissue donor age, in vitro culture age, or medium composition, while subsequent cellular proliferation was strongly dependent on these factors. Keratinocytes grown on an adequate HFN matrix in a previously described hormone‐supplemented medium (Maciag et al., 1981a) achieved four to eight population doublings over 7–12 days at densities ≥ 104 cell/cm2. Removal of most GF individually from the medium had little or no effect on growth, while removal of epidermal growth factor (EGF) alone reduced growth by 30–35% and removal of bovine brain extract (BE) alone reduced growth by approximately 90%. Conversely, EGF alone in basal medium supported approximately 10% control growth, BE alone supported 30–40% control growth, and the combination of EGF and BE approximately 70%. In addition to its major effect on proliferation in this system, BE was necessary to preserve normal keratinocyte morphology and protein production. These findings expand earlier observations that HFN facilitates keratinocyte attachment in vitro and that a brain‐derived extract can exert a major positive influence on cultured keratinocytes.
Fluid–structure interaction study on the performance of flexible articulated caudal fin

In this paper, the propulsive performance of a flexible articulated caudal fin is investigated by fluid–structure interaction. The caudal fin is composed of two links which are connected by a hinge. One link is driven by pitching motion while the other one moves passively. Five cases of link flexibility are investigated, namely, the rigid–rigid case, the medium flexible–medium flexible case, the flexible–flexible case, the rigid–flexible case and the flexible–rigid case. Their fluid field and structure deformations are analysed and hydrodynamic forces are compared. It is found that the rigid–rigid caudal fin produces larger thrust force than other cases with a low-pitching frequency, while the rigid–flexible case performs better with a higher frequency. The mean thrust force increases with the frequency in our experiments, however, for the medium flexible–medium flexible case, an optimal frequency exists. Besides, the effect of the hinge stiffness is studied. It is seen that the medium flexible–medium flexible case exhibits a striking performance. When the hinge stiffness decreases, its mean thrust force increases and possesses larger amplitude while the forces of other cases decrease. These results can guide the design of flexible propeller with links and will be useful for the development of flexible underwater robots. Graphical Abstract
WAVE PROPAGATION IN CONTINUOUS PERIODIC STRUCTURES : RESEARCH CONTRIBUTIONS FROM SOUTHAMPTON , 1964 – 1995

After brief reference to some early studies by other investigators, this paper focuses mainly on methods developed at the University of Southampton since 1964 to analyze and predict the free and forced wave motion in continuous periodic engineering structures. Beginning with receptance methods which have been applied to periodic beams and rib–skin structures, it continues with a method of direct solution of the wave equation. This uses Floquet’s principle and has been applied to beams and quasi-one-dimensional periodic plates and cylindrical shells. Sample curves of the propagation and attenuation constants pertaining to these structures are presented. A limited discussion of the transfer matrix then follows, after which the method of space-harmonics is introduced as the method best suited to the prediction of sound radiated from a vibrating periodic structure. Reviewed next are some theorems and variational principles relating to periodic structures which have been developed at Southampton, and which form a basis for finding natural frequencies of finite structures or for computing free and forced wave motion by energy methods. This has led to the finite element method (in its standard and hierarchical forms) being used to study wave motion in genuine two-dimensional and three-dimensional structures. Examples of this work are shown. The method of phased array receptance functions is then introduced as possibly the easiest way of setting up exact equations for the propagation constants of uniform quasi-one-dimensional periodic structures. A summary is finally presented of the limited and early work performed at Southampton on simple disordered periodic structures. 7 1996 Academic Press Limited