Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A planar zeroth-order resonator antenna using a left-handed transmission line

A novel planar antenna based on the zeroth order resonator (ZOR) which resonates with an infinite wavelength is studied. Since the resonant frequency of the ZOR antenna is determined not by the physical resonator length hut by LCvalues loaded in the resonator, the antenna size can he arbitrary regardless of the operation frequency and, therefore, one can have I freedom in radiation pattern design. A small-sued four-unitsell ZQR antenna with 75% foot print area reduction compared with a conventional patch antenna with a broad radiation pattero is demonstrated at 4.88 GHz with a broad radiation.
Incidence of work and non-work related disability claims in Brazil.

BACKGROUND Sickness benefit claims are an important economic burden to society. This study aims to determine the incidence of sickness benefit claims in Brazil in 2008, exploring the role of economic activity. METHODS Population-based study on sickness claims lasting longer than 15 days of sickness absence granted to private sector employees. Data on gender, age, economic activity, diagnosis, and work-relatedness were collected. RESULTS The annual incidence of sickness benefits was 421.8/10,000 jobs, 435.4 for males and 452.0 for females. There were 3.5 times more non-work-related than work-related claims. The main diagnoses were injuries, musculoskeletal disorders, and mental disorders. Rates increased with age up to 59 years. Economic activity 37-Sewage had the highest incidence of non-work-related and work-related claims. CONCLUSION The incidence of sickness benefits is higher among female and older workers. Economic activities show great variability of sickness benefit rates, work-relatedness, diagnostic categories, and gender.
Review of prescribed treatment for children with asthma

EDITOR,--Analysis of a computerised prescribing database showed that 9362 children were prescribed some form of preventive treatment for asthma. Of these, 1358 received sufficient repeat prescriptions to suggest that they were consistently receiving prophylactic treatment.1 Several weaknesses in this analysis limit the interpretation and conclusions reported. Firstly, the author assumes that all children remained on the practice list for a whole year. Morton-Jones and Pringle estimated that …
Computerized Tomography Imaging Features of Head Injury in Abuja, Nigeria’s Capital

Background: Trauma is global health epidemic and associated head injury is a major contributor to the high mortality. This necessitates the urgent use of neuroimaging for early diagnosis and patient care. Computer Tomography CT, scan is the imaging modality of choice in emergency situations because of its image acquisition speed and ability to accurately detect fractures and intracranial bleeds. Aim: To document the CT imaging findings in head trauma patients in Abuja, Nigeria’s Federal capital. Methods: A retrospective, cross-sectional study of findings in 319 head trauma Nigerians visiting a referral hospital in the Federal Capital Territory Abuja from January 2014-October 2016. Numerical and graphical descriptors were used to summarize the data. In all statistical tests, significance level was set at an alpha level of 0.05. Results: The mean age of the patients was 32.7±17 years with most between the ages of 24 – 35 years (n=99, 31.0%). More males than females participated in the study in a ratio of 5.8:1. Road traffic accident, RTA was the commonest cause occurring in 280 (87.8%) cases (male=240, female=40), especially in the third and fourth decades. Original Research Article Itanyi and Kolade-Yunusa; BJMMR, 20(6): 1-9, 2017; Article no.BJMMR. 31880 2 271(84.9%) had abnormal CT findings while 48(15.1%) were recorded as normal. The most prevalent abnormal findings were complex lesions (including more than one type of intracranial pathology) in 112 (35.1%) cases. Hemorrhagic contusion was the commonest intracranial lesion in 65 (21%) patients cases while extra axial cerebrospinal space heamorrhages were the least detected in 3 (0.9%) cases. There were 132 (41.4%) recorded cases of fracture with only 25(8.8%) occurring without an associated intracranial lesion. Conclusion: RTA is a major cause of head injury in the most productive age group in our environment with CT scan as an invaluable imaging tool in the investigation and management of these patients.
Community structure analysis of soil ammonia oxidizers during vegetation restoration in southwest China

Soil ammonia oxidizers play a critical role in nitrogen cycling and ecological restoration. The composition and structure of soil ammonia oxidizers and their impacting factors were studied in four typical ecosystem soils, tussock (T), shrub (S), secondary forest (SF), and primary forest (PF), during vegetation restoration in the Karst region of Southwest China. The composition and structure of the ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA) communities were characterized by sequencing the amoA and arch‐amoA genes, respectively. The diversity of soil ammonia oxidizers (except in S) and plant Shannon diversity index gradually increased with vegetation restoration, and the ammonia oxidizer communities differed significantly (p < 0.001). Amplicons of AOA from the Nitrososphaera cluster dominated all four ecosystem soils. AOB Nitrosospira cluster 3b only appeared in PF and SF soils, while Nitrosospira cluster 3a species were found in all soils. Changes in AOB paralleled the changes in soil ammonium content that occurred with vegetation restoration. Redundancy analysis showed that the distribution of dominant AOB species was linked to pH, soil urease activity, and soil C/N ratio, whereas the distribution of dominant AOA species was mainly influenced by litter nitrogen content and C/N ratio. These results suggested that the composition and structure of the AOB community were more sensitive to changes in vegetation and soil ammonium content, and may be an important indicator of nitrogen availability in Karst ecosystem soils.
Terminal Processes in the Anaerobic Degradation of an Algal-Bacterial Mat in a High-Sulfate Hot Spring

The algal-bacterial mat of a high-sulfate hot spring (Bath Lake) provided an environment in which to compare terminal processes involved in anaerobic decomposition. Sulfate reduction was found to dominate methane production, as indicated by comparison of initial electron flow through the two processes, rapid conversion of [2-14C]acetate to 14CO2 and not to 14CH4, and the lack of rapid reduction of NaH14CO3 to 14CH4. Sulfate reduction was the dominant process at all depth intervals, but a marked decrease of sulfate reduction and sulfate-reducing bacteria was observed with depth. Concurrent methanogenesis was indicated by the presence of viable methanogenic bacteria and very low but detectable rates of methane production. A marked increased in methane production was observed after sulfate depletion despite high concentrations of sulfide (>1.25 mM), indicating that methanogenesis was not inhibited by sulfide in the natural environment. Although a sulfate minimum and sulfide maximum occurred in the region of maximal sulfate reduction, the absence of sulfate depletion in interstitial water suggests that methanogenesis is always severely limited in Bath Lake sediments. Low initial methanogenesis was not due to anaerobic methane oxidation.
Laryngeal Mask Airway for Airway Control during Percutaneous Dilatational Tracheostomy

Percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy is a common bedside procedure in critical care for patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. The traditional technique requires withdrawal of the endotracheal tube to a proximal position to facilitate tracheostomy insertion, but this carries the risk of inadvertent extubation and does not prevent cuff rupture. Use of a supraglottic airway such as the laryngeal mask airway may avoid these risks and could provide a safe alternative to the endotracheal tube. We present an appraisal of the literature to date. We found reasonable evidence to show improved ventilation and bronchoscopic visualisation with the laryngeal mask airway, but this has not been translated into improved outcome. There is currently insufficient evidence to draw conclusions about the safety of the laryngeal mask airway during percutaneous dilatational tracheostomy.
New nucleoside analogs for patients with hematological malignancies

Introduction: In the last few years, several new purine and pyrimidine nucleoside analogs have been synthesized and made available for both preclinical studies and clinical trials. Areas covered: This article summarizes recent achievements in the mechanism of action, pharmacological properties and clinical activity and toxicity as well as the emerging role of newer purine and pyrimidine nucleoside analogs potentially active in lymphoid and myeloid malignancies. A literature review was conducted from the MEDLINE database PubMed for articles in English. Publications from 2000 to October 2010 were scrutinized. The search terms used were clofarabine, nelarabine, forodesine, 8-chloroadenosine, LMP-420, azacitidine, decitabine, sapacitabine, troxacitabine, thiarabine and zebularine in conjunction with hematologic malignancies, leukemia and lymphoma. Conference proceedings from the previous 5 years of the American Society of Hematology, European Hematology Association, and American Society of Clinical Oncology were searched manually. Additional relevant publications were obtained by reviewing the references from the chosen articles. Expert opinion: Several new nucleoside analogs are currently under investigation in preclinical and clinical studies concerning hematological malignancies. Clofarabine, nelarabine, azacitidine and decitabine have been recently approved for the treatment of leukemias and/or myelodysplastic syndromes. Other agents including forodesine, 8-chloroadenosine, LMP-420, sapacitabine, troxacitabine, thiarabine and zebularine seem to be promising for the treatment of lymphoid and myeloid malignancies. However, definitive data from ongoing and future clinical trials will aid in better defining their status in the treatment of hematological disorders.
Maximizing Revenues of Perishable Assets with a Risk Factor

This article presents a risk-sensitive pricing model to maximize sales revenue of perishable commodities with fixed capacity and finite sales horizon. The model assumes a pair of predetermined prices and the Poisson demand process whose intensity is a decreasing function of price. When optimizing the expected revenue, management takes business risk into account by adding a penalty (or premium) to the objective function. We solve the continuous-time model with the exact solution in closed form. We further analyze the influence of risk attitude on optimal policies.
Neuroendocrine tumors of the lung: an update.

CONTEXT The 2004 World Health Organization (WHO) classification recognizes 4 major types of lung neuroendocrine tumors: typical carcinoid, atypical carcinoid, small cell lung cancer, and large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma. Markedly different prognostic implications and treatment paradigms for these tumors underscore the importance of accurate pathologic diagnosis. OBJECTIVE To detail the clinical and pathologic features of lung neuroendocrine tumors, with emphasis on diagnostic criteria, differential diagnoses, and application of immunohistochemistry. The emerging evidence for the utility of Ki-67 (MIB1) in the diagnosis of lung neuroendocrine tumors, particularly in small biopsy and cytology, is emphasized. DATA SOURCES The 2004 WHO classification, other published literature, and primary material from the author's institution. CONCLUSIONS The current WHO classification of neuroendocrine tumors is based on morphologic features in combination with precisely defined mitotic rate and absence or presence of necrosis. Ki-67 (MIB1) is emerging as a useful ancillary tool in the diagnosis of these tumors. Continued research efforts are needed to identify additional immunohistochemical and molecular biomarkers that can serve as ancillary diagnostic tools and as potential therapeutic targets for these diseases.
Solution Structure of the NaV1.2 C-terminal EF-hand Domain*

Voltage-gated sodium channels initiate the rapid upstroke of action potentials in many excitable tissues. Mutations within intracellular C-terminal sequences of specific channels underlie a diverse set of channelopathies, including cardiac arrhythmias and epilepsy syndromes. The three-dimensional structure of the C-terminal residues 1777-1882 of the human NaV1.2 voltage-gated sodium channel has been determined in solution by NMR spectroscopy at pH 7.4 and 290.5 K. The ordered structure extends from residues Leu-1790 to Glu-1868 and is composed of four α-helices separated by two short anti-parallel β-strands; a less well defined helical region extends from residue Ser-1869 to Arg-1882, and a disordered N-terminal region encompasses residues 1777-1789. Although the structure has the overall architecture of a paired EF-hand domain, the NaV1.2 C-terminal domain does not bind Ca2+ through the canonical EF-hand loops, as evidenced by monitoring 1H,15N chemical shifts during aCa2+ titration. Backbone chemical shift resonance assignments and Ca2+ titration also were performed for the NaV1.5 (1773-1878) isoform, demonstrating similar secondary structure architecture and the absence of Ca2+ binding by the EF-hand loops. Clinically significant mutations identified in the C-terminal region of NaV1 sodium channels cluster in the helix I-IV interface and the helix II-III interhelical segment or in helices III and IV of the NaV1.2 (1777-1882) structure.
Tailored interventions based on sputum eosinophils versus clinical symptoms for asthma in children and adults.

BACKGROUND Asthma severity and control can be measured both subjectively and objectively. Sputum analysis for evaluation of percentage of sputum eosinophilia directly measures airway inflammation, and is one method of objectively monitoring asthma. Interventions for asthma therapies have been traditionally based on symptoms and spirometry. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of tailoring asthma interventions based on sputum analysis in comparison to clinical symptoms (with or without spirometry/peak flow) for asthma related outcomes in children and adults. SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register of Trials, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE and reference lists of articles. The last search was on 31 October 2006. SELECTION CRITERIA All randomised controlled comparisons of adjustment of asthma therapy based on sputum eosinophils compared to traditional methods (primarily clinical symptoms and spirometry/peak flow). DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Results of searches were reviewed against pre-determined criteria for inclusion. Three sets of reviewers selected relevant studies. Two review authors independently assessed trial quality extracted data. Authors were contacted for further information but none were received. Data was analysed as "treatment received" and sensitivity analyses performed. MAIN RESULTS Three adult studies were included; these studies were clinically and methodologically heterogenous (use of medications, cut off for percentage of sputum eosinophils and definition of asthma exacerbation). There were no eligible paediatric studies. Of 246 participants randomised, 221 completed the trials. In the meta-analysis, a significant reduction in number of participants who had one or more asthma exacerbations occurred when treatment was based on sputum eosinophils in comparison to clinical symptoms; pooled odds ratio (OR) was 0.49 (95% CI 0.28 to 0.87); number needed to treat to benefit (NNTB) was 6 (95% CI 4 to 32). There were also differences between groups in the rate of exacerbation (any exacerbation per year) and severity of exacerbations defined by requirement for use of oral corticosteroids but the reduction in hospitalisations was not statistically significant. Data for clinical symptoms, quality of life and spirometry were not significantly different between groups. The mean dose of inhaled corticosteroids per day was similar in both groups and no adverse events were reported. However sputum induction was not always possible. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Tailored asthma interventions based on sputum eosinophils is beneficial in reducing the frequency of asthma exacerbations in adults with asthma. This review supports the use of sputum eosinophils to tailor asthma therapy for adults with frequent exacerbations and severe asthma. Further studies need to be undertaken to strengthen these results and no conclusion can be drawn for children with asthma.
The New York University Pediatric Heart Failure Index: a new method of quantifying chronic heart failure severity in children.

OBJECTIVE The assessment of the severity of heart failure in pediatric patients is handicapped by the subjectivity of diagnostic parameters. This study evaluated the feasibility of a new standardized heart failure index, the New York University Pediatric Heart Failure Index (NYU PHFI), to quantify the degree of heart failure in a selected pediatric population. METHODS AND RESULTS The index is a weighted, linear combination of scores based on symptoms, physical signs, and medical regimen. Overall, healthy children (n = 12) scored very low (0 to 2) on this index. Mean scores of children (<2 years; mean age, 4.8 months; n = 12) with a left-to-right shunt lesion declined from 11.4 (SD +/- 4.1, P <.001, 2-tailed test) before surgery to 1.8 (SD +/- 1.3) after surgical correction of their cardiac defects. The average inter-observer correlation coefficient was 0.95 (P <.001), despite a wide range of scores. CONCLUSIONS The NYU PHFI appears to be a reliable and convenient instrument for measuring heart failure severity in children. These initial results support further testing in broader diagnostic and age groups and over longer periods.
Increased cytosolic Ca(2+) concentration in endothelial cells by calmodulin antagonists.

Many functions of endothelial cells are Ca(2+)/calmodulin dependent, whereas the role of calmodulin in the regulation of cytosolic Ca(2+) ([Ca(2+)](i)) remains largely unexplained. In the present study, effects of various calmodulin antagonists on [Ca(2+)](i) were investigated in cultured aortic endothelial cells loaded with the Ca(2+)-sensitive dye fura-2/AM, and were compared with those of calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaM kinase II) inhibitors. The calmodulin antagonists W-7, calmidazolium and fendiline provoked dose-dependent increases in [Ca(2+)](i). However, the CaM kinase II inhibitors KN-93 and lavendustin C had no effect on [Ca(2+)](i). In the absence of extracellular Ca(2+), pretreatment of cells with bradykinin (BK) and thapsigargin completely prevented W-7-stimulated increase in [Ca(2+)](i). Alternatively, pretreatment with W-7 also completely blocked BK- and thapsigargin-stimulated increases in [Ca(2+)](i). The time course of the Ca(2+)-response in W-7 treated cells was identical to that in thapsigargin-treated cells, but not that in BK-stimulated cells, suggesting that calmodulin antagonists could share a common signaling pathway with thapsigargin to increase [Ca(2+)](i) in endothelial cells. These findings indicate that calmodulin is involved in the regulation of [Ca(2+)](i), and may play an important role in the uptake of Ca(2+) to intracellular stores.
El reparto con fracciones mediante “escenarios didácticos”

El presente reporte de investigacion trata de una propuesta en la que se aborda el diseno de una intervencion experimental para la ensenanza-aprendizaje del reparto con fracciones a traves de “escenarios didacticos”, los que propician que los ninos ideen diversas estrategias de reparto. Se trabajo con un grupo de cuarto grado de primaria en la ciudad de Mexico. Las preguntas de investigacion son: 1) ? En que medida la intervencion en la ensenanza-aprendizaje de las fracciones, en situaciones de reparto y a traves de “escenarios didacticos”, ayuda a la adquisicion de nociones (primeras ideas acerca de: la identificacion de todos discretos y continuos, la distribucion o reparto, la relacion parte-todo, la particion, ideas intuitivas de orden y equivalencia) necesarias para la comprension de la fraccion? 2) Los ninos, al confrontar sus estrategias para dar solucion a problemas de reparto con fracciones ? superan las dificultades en la comprension de la fraccion?
Maternal medical compromise during pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes

Abstract Objective: To examine the outcomes of pregnancy and newborn following an event of maternal medical compromise during pregnancy. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on all patients hospitalized following an event of medical compromise during pregnancy. Medical compromise was divided to acute or chronic bleeding, major or complicated operations, and admission to intensive care unit (ICU). Data collected included maternal, fetal, neonatal and child’s follow-up. Results: The study included 51 pregnant patients and 58 fetuses. The study group had increased risk of preterm deliveries (35.0 versus 6.5%, p < 0.001), cesarean delivery (55.0 versus 22.7%, p < 0.001) and low Apgar scores (5.0 versus 0.45%, p = 0.002). Patients with acute bleeding had higher rates of cesarean sections, preterm deliveries, admissions to neonatal ICU and neonatal mortality. Two cases of fetal abnormalities included brain abnormalities and pericardial effusion. Three terminations of pregnancies were performed: two in patients in ICU due to severe maternal medical condition and one in the fetus with brain abnormalities. Conclusions: Maternal medical compromise during pregnancy increases the risk for preterm deliveries, cesarean delivery and low Apgar scores. Acute bleeding was the main cause of medical compromised and with the higher rates of adverse outcomes.
Apoptosis gene expression and death receptor signaling in mitomycin-C-treated human tenon capsule fibroblasts.

PURPOSE To examine the effect of mitomycin-C on the expression of apoptosis genes in human Tenon capsule fibroblasts and to evaluate whether death receptor signaling modulates mitomycin-C cytotoxicity. METHODS Bcl-2, Bax, Bcl-x, Fas (CD95) and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor expression was determined by flow cytometry in control and mitomycin-C-treated Tenon fibroblasts. Fibroblast death was quantified using a lactate dehydrogenase release assay. The effect of Fas and TNF-receptor signaling was evaluated using Fas-specific antibodies and soluble TNF-alpha. RESULTS Tenon fibroblasts constitutively express Bcl-2, Bax, and Bcl-x in culture. Mitomycin-C (0.4 mg/mL) induced a small but consistent increase in the expression of all three proteins. Tenon fibroblasts express low levels of Fas but are resistant to the effects of Fas-receptor ligation. Mitomycin-C (0.01-1.0 mg/mL) led to a significant increase in Fas expression at all concentrations tested (P < 0.01). Pretreatment with mitomycin-C (0.4 mg/mL) rendered fibroblasts susceptible to agonistic anti-Fas monoclonal IgM antibodies (50-500 ng/mL) and led to a further 50% reduction in viable fibroblasts at 48 hours, compared with mitomycin-C alone (P < 0.05). Antibodies that block the Fas receptor did not inhibit mitomycin-C-induced apoptosis. CONCLUSIONS Mitomycin-C alters apoptosis gene expression and primes fibroblasts to the effects of Fas receptor ligation. Factors other than the level of Fas receptor expression modulate the response to Fas receptor signaling. Determining the signals that regulate fibroblast apoptosis may help to refine therapeutic strategies for switching off the subconjunctival healing response and maintaining intraocular pressure control.