Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Multiple arterial grafts. Radial versus right internal thoracic arteries.

BACKGROUND Left internal thoracic artery (LITA) grafts to the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) during coronary bypass surgery (CABG) have greater patency rates than saphenous vein grafts and reduce long-term cardiac morbidity and mortality rates. The benefits of multiple versus single arterial grafts and the role of different arterial conduits with respect to short- and medium-term outcome remains controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare the perioperative and intermediate-term results of: (1) patients receiving 2 arterial grafts versus 1 arterial graft and (2) patients receiving a right internal thoracic artery (RITA) versus a radial artery (RA) as the second arterial graft. METHODS AND RESULTS Retrospective analysis of prospectively gathered data on consecutive patients undergoing isolated CABG at our institution between 1989 and 1996 was conducted. The first section of the study compared outcomes for 1 arterial graft (LITA to LAD, n = 2333) versus 2 arterial grafts (LITA + RA or LITA + RITA, n = 378). The second section of the study compared outcomes for the RITA (n = 132) versus the RA (n = 171) as second arterial grafts since 1992, when the radial series was initiated. Part I: By multivariable stepwise logistic regression, the use of 1 arterial graft was associated with an increased incidence of perioperative cardiac morbidity and mortality (odds ratio 2.2, 95% confidence interval 1.4 to 3.3), with the use of our current patient selection criteria. Double-arterial graft patients had a nonsignificant trend toward increased intermediate-term actuarial survival (P = 0.12) and cardiac event-free survival (P = 0.09). Part II: Comparison of preoperative demographics revealed a higher incidence of diabetes (27% vs 11%, P < 0.001), peripheral vascular disease (16% vs 8%, P = 0.03), and elderly age (13% vs 2%, P = 0.001) in patients receiving an RA versus those receiving a RITA as the second arterial graft. Perioperative outcome analysis revealed a decreased intensive care unit stay in the RA versus RITA group (median 30.4 vs 36.2 hours, respectively, P = 0.005) but no significant difference in hospital length of stay. There was no significant difference in perioperative mortality or cardiac morbidity rates. RITA patients had a higher incidence of sternal wound infection (5.3% vs 0.6%, P = 0.01), however, and tended to have increased blood product transfusion rates (51% vs 40%, P = 0.06). CONCLUSIONS The use of 2 arterial grafts is safe, with a reduction in perioperative cardiac morbidity or mortality rates compared with 1 arterial graft after adjustment for other risk variables. When comparing RITA to RA as second arterial grafts, patients receiving an RA have a lower incidence of sternal wound infection and decreased transfusion requirements, with no difference in perioperative or intermediate-term cardiac morbidity or mortality rates.
How attentional boost interacts with reward: the effect of dopaminergic medications in Parkinson's disease

There is widespread evidence that dopamine is implicated in the regulation of reward and salience. However, it is less known how these processes interact with attention and recognition memory. To explore this question, we used the attentional boost test in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) before and after the administration of dopaminergic medications. Participants performed a visual letter detection task (remembering rewarded target letters and ignoring distractor letters) while also viewing a series of photos of natural and urban scenes in the background of the letters. The aim of the game was to retrieve the target letter after each trial and to win as much virtual money as possible. The recognition of background scenes was not rewarded. We enrolled 26 drug‐naïve, newly diagnosed patients with PD and 25 healthy controls who were evaluated at baseline and follow‐up. Patients with PD received dopamine agonists (pramipexole, ropinirole, rotigotine) during the 12‐week follow‐up period. At baseline, we found intact attentional boost in patients with PD: they were able to recognize target‐associated scenes similarly to controls. At follow‐up, patients with PD outperformed controls for both target‐ and distractor‐associated scenes, but not when scenes were presented without letters. The alerting, orienting and executive components of attention were intact in PD. Enhanced attentional boost was replicated in a smaller group of patients with PD (n = 15) receiving l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA). These results suggest that dopaminergic medications facilitate attentional boost for background information regardless of whether the central task (letter detection) is rewarded or not.
Identifying Patients at High and Low Risk of Cognitive Decline Using Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test among Middle-Aged Memory Clinic Outpatients

Objectives: To investigate whether application of cutoff levels in an episodic memory test (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test, RAVLT) is a useful method for identifying patients at high and low risk of cognitive decline and subsequent dementia. Methods: 224 patients with memory complaints (mean age = 60.7 years, mean MMSE = 28.2) followed-up at a memory clinic over ≈3 years were assigned retrospectively to one of three memory groups from their baseline results in RAVLT [severe (SIM), moderate (MIM) or no impairment (NIM)]. These groups were investigated regarding cognitive decline. Results: Patients assigned to SIM showed significant cognitive decline and progressed to dementia at a high rate, while a normal performance in RAVLT at baseline (NIM) predicted normal cognition after 3 years. Patients with MIM constituted a heterogeneous group; some patients deteriorated cognitively, while the majority remained stable or improved. Conclusions: The application of cutoff levels in RAVLT at baseline showed that patients with severely impaired RAVLT performance were at a high risk of cognitive decline and progression to dementia, while patients with normal RAVLT results did not show cognitive decline during 3 years. Furthermore, the initial degree of memory impairment was decisive in the cognitive prognosis 3 years later.
Critical care of the pediatric hematopoietic stem cell recipient in 2005

Abstract: Among the most challenging patients cared for in critical care medicine are the recipients of hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). HSCT is now widely used as a definitive therapy for the treatment of pediatric malignancies and inborn errors of metabolism. Critical care services are required for treatment of complications of HSCT. Formerly thought to have an essentially futile prognosis, outcomes from critical care of HSCT patients have demonstrated steady improvement in many areas during the past two decades. Improvements in the management of respiratory failure, sepsis, and multiple organ system failure have resulted from improvement in oncology and critical care practices. Herein, we review the methods available for outcomes prediction, recent advances in critical care of HSCT patients, and possible directions for future investigation.
Mesothelial cell clusters in endometrial biopsy: another possible source of diagnostic pitfall.

To the Editor: We read with interest 2 independent works that were recently published in the American Journal of Surgical Pathology describing artifactual changes in the endometrium due to air effects during different gynecologic procedures. Logani et al described vascular ‘‘pseudo invasion’’ secondary to increased intrauterine pressure during laparoscopic hysterectomy leading to mechanical transportation of endometrial tissue into blood vessels of myometrium. More recently, Unger et al first reported on uterine pseudolipomatosis possibly due to introduction/ insufflations of air with air trappings in 9.3% cases (28 out of 300) of hysterectomies. Uterine pseudolipomatosis consists of round-to-ovoid, clear, empty spaces, resembling adipocytes in the myometrium or around endometrial glands, on routine endometrial biopsies, as these originally described in colonic mucosa as pseudolipomatosis. We reviewed the last 100 consecutive endometrial biopsies performed at our Institution, and found uterine pseudolipomatosis with a frequency similar to the reporting of Unger et al (11%, Fig. 1A). Moreover, in 3 cases we observed several layers of normal calretinin and WT-1 positive mesothelial cells (Figs. 1B, D), a previously unreported phenomenon to our knowledge. The 3 patients were postmenopausal women (mean age, 67y), with abnormal uterine bleeding for endometrial polyps (2 cases) and nonspecific chronic endometritis. In 2 of these cases, mesothelial cells were admixed with normal adipose tissue. It is likely that the presence of mesothelial
Necrotizing bronchiolitis in influenza A of swine origin (H1N1).

To reduce mortality from swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) infection is one of the most important tasks of pulmonary physicians. Mauad and colleagues found that necrotizing bronchiolitis was a characteristic finding of fatal novel human influenza A (H1N1) infection in their autopsied cases (1). We encountered two patients with bronchiolitis caused by pandemic influenza A (H1N1) 2009 (2). Despite the absence of pathological confirmation, these patients were thought to have necrotizing bronchiolitis without diffuse alveolar damage, since high-resolution computed tomography chest scanning revealed only characteristic findings of bronchiolar diseases. Also, they were treated successfully with oral oseltamivir phosphate. Cells in bronchioles and alveoli can become infected with pandemic A (H1N1) 2009 influenza virus (3). Without adequate treatment, necrotizing bronchiolitis might become complicated by diffuse alveolar damage. Early intervention for swine-origin influenza A (H1N1) infection with antiviral agents will be required to prevent necrotizing bronchiolitis from becoming complicated with diffuse alveolar damage and reduce mortality from infection with influenza (H1N1).
Association of ERAP1, but not IL23R, with ankylosing spondylitis in a Han Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE The results of a recent genome-wide association study have shown that ERAP1 and IL23R are associated with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in Caucasian populations from North America and the UK. Based on these findings, we undertook the current study to investigate whether single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) covering the genes ERAP1 and IL23R are associated with AS in a Han Chinese population. METHODS A case-control study was performed in Han Chinese patients with AS (n = 527) and controls (n = 945) from Shanghai and Nanjing. All patients met the modified New York criteria for AS. The Sequenom iPlex platform was used to genotype cases and controls for 21 tag SNPs covering IL23R and 38 tag SNPs covering ERAP1. Statistical analysis was performed using the Cochran-Armitage test for trend. RESULTS Multiple SNPs in ERAP1 were significantly associated with AS (for rs27980, P = 0.0048; for rs7711564, P = 0.0081). However, no association was observed between IL23R and AS (for all SNPs, P > 0.1). The nonsynonymous SNP in IL23R, rs11209026, widely thought to be the primary AS-associated SNP in IL23R in Europeans, was found not to be polymorphic in Chinese. CONCLUSION Our results demonstrate that genetic polymorphisms in ERAP1 are associated with AS in Han Chinese, suggesting a common pathogenic mechanism for the disease in Chinese and Caucasian populations, and that IL23R is not associated with AS in Chinese, indicating a difference in the mechanism of disease pathogenesis between Chinese and Caucasian populations. This may result from the fact that rs11209026, the nonsynonymous SNP in IL23R, is not polymorphic in Chinese patients, providing further evidence that rs11209026 is the key polymorphism associated with AS (and likely inflammatory bowel disease and psoriasis) in this gene.
[Survival effect regarding earlier initiation of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS patients].

OBJECTIVE To compare the survival effect of initiation of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS patients at different stages so as to explore the best time of initiation with the treatment. METHODS Information regarding the dates of AIDS patient initially receiving the anti-retroviral therapy during 2007-2012 was collected from the Chinese HIV/AIDS Integrated Control System. According to the level of baseline immunology, all the participants were divided into earlier treatment group (baseline CD4(+) T cell counts between 350/µl and 500/µl) and conventional treatment group (baseline CD4(+) T cell counts ≤350/µl). Data was analyzed under Survival and Review methods. RESULTS A total number of 16 282 cases were selected. The mortality of conventional treatment group was obviously higher than the earlier treatment group (5.78/100 person year vs. 1.64/100 person year), and the median survival time was lower than the earlier treatment group (2.07 year vs. 3.15 year). The cumulative survival rate of the 6-year conventional treatment group was lower than the earlier treatment group (77.39% vs. 92.10%, χ(2) = 156.00, P < 0.01). By means of multi-variable analysis, we found that factors as age, gender, marital status, route of transmission, schedule on initial therapy, number of symptoms at the baseline etc. in the conventional treatment group were associated with survival time of patients after the ART initiation (P < 0.05), while gender, schedule for initial therapy, number of symptoms at baseline etc. in the earlier treatment group, were associated with survival time of patients after the initiation of ART (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Earlier initiation of antiretroviral treatment on AIDS patients could improve the survival rate and prolong the survival time.
Compact wideband microstrip bandpass filter for IF stage of millimeterwave systems

This research contribution highlights the design process of a compact wideband microstrip bandpass filter for IF stage of Millimeterwave Systems. The composite BPF technique is utilized in this publication for its wideband and compact nature. The filter structure consists of series hi-low impedance microstrip transmission lines and shunt shorted high-impedance stubs. The lengths and widths of these microstrip sections are optimized to obtain the desired bandpass filter characteristics. Additionally, 50 percent size reduction is achieved by the application of meandered structure to the high-impedance lines and stubs. The bandwith of the filter is 2.3GHz with pass band of 1-3.3GHz. The insertion loss of the filter is less than 1.2dB and return loss is better than 10dB in the 1 - 3.3GHz pass band. The 3-dB fractional bandwidth of filter is 120%. The upper out-of-band rejection is 25dB at 4.5GHz. The size of the filter is 1200mil × 440mil which is extremely small at the operating frequency band.
SCANNING ELECTRON MICROSCOPY OF THE HUMAN PLACENTA AND DECIDUAL SPIRAL ARTERIES IN NORMAL PREGNANCY

The spiral arteries supplying the human placenta at full term were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The technique employed allowed a detailed study of the surface structure of the terminal part of the vessels and the openings into the intervillous space of the placenta. Cells of two distinctly different sizes were found lining the internal surface of the spiral arteries and identified as endothelium and cytotrophoblast cells. The cytotrophoblast cells were also observed in the lumen of the spiral arteries. The surface of the basal villi of the placenta had a spongy appearance due to the abundant microvilli of the cytotrophoblast.
Accounting Conservatism and Externally Financed Growth

This study examines the relationship between accounting conservatism and externally financed firm growth. Previous research suggests the agency costs can limit access to external financing preventing firms from funding profitable growth opportunities. Since conservatism requires a higher degree of verification to recognize good news as gains than to recognize bad news as losses, it is often viewed as a governance mechanism that can help mitigate the agency cost such as capital rationing. Utilizing a sample of U.S. firms over the time period from 1987-2008, we find evidence of a positive relationship between conservative accounting and future externally financed growth. This is consistent with conservatism facilitating access to external financing and allowing firms to fund more positive NPV projects. Further, we find that the relation is stronger for long-term debt and equity than for short-term debt. Overall, our findings provide evidence of a potential benefit of conservative reporting, i.e., facilitating firm’s access to external financing to fund growth.
Computer Vision and Image Understanding

In murky water, the light interaction with the medium particles results in a complex image formation model that is hard to use effectively with a shape estimation framework like Photometric Stereo. All previous approaches have resorted to necessary model simpliﬁcations that were though used arbitrarily, without describing how their validity can be estimated in an unknown underwater situation. In this work, we evaluate the effectiveness of such simpliﬁed models and we show that this varies strongly with the imaging conditions. For this reason, we propose a novel framework that can predict the effectiveness of a photometric model when the scene is unknown. To achieve this we use a dynamic lighting framework where a robotic platform is able to probe the scene with varying light positions, and the respective change in estimated surface normals serves as a faithful proxy of the true reconstruction error. This creates important beneﬁts over traditional Photometric Stereo frameworks, as our system can adapt some critical factors to an underwater scenario, such as the camera-scene distance and the light position or the photometric model, in order to minimize the reconstruction error. Our work is evaluated through both numerical simulations and real experiments for different distances, underwater visibilities and light source baselines.
A Schwarz Preconditioner for a Hybridized Mixed Method

Abstract In this paper, we provide a Schwarz preconditioner for the hybridized versions of the Raviart-Thomas and Brezzi-Douglas-Marini mixed methods. The preconditioner is for the linear equation for Lagrange multipliers arrived at by eliminating the flux as well as the primal variable. We also prove a condition number estimate for this equation when no preconditioner is used. Although preconditioners for the lowest-order case of the Raviart-Thomas method have been constructed previously by exploiting its connection with a nonconforming method, our approach is different in that we use a new variational characterization of the Lagrange multiplier equation. This allows us to precondition even the higher-order cases of these methods.
Prediction of cognitive dysfunction after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest using serum neuron-specific enolase and protein S-100

Background: More than 50% of patients initially resuscitated from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest die in hospital. Objective: To investigate the prognostic value of serum protein S-100 and neuron-specific enolase (NSE) concentrations for predicting (a) memory impairment at discharge; (b) in-hospital death, after resuscitation from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest. Methods: In a prospective study of 143 consecutive survivors of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest, serum samples were obtained within 12, 24–48 and 72–96 hours after the event. S-100 and NSE concentrations were measured. Pre-discharge cognitive assessment of patients (n = 49) was obtained by the Rivermead Behavioural Memory Test (RBMT). The relationship between biochemical brain marker concentrations and RBMT scores, and between marker concentrations and the risk of in-hospital death was examined. Results: A moderate negative relationship was found between S-100 concentration and memory test score, at all time points. The relationship between NSE and memory test scores was weaker. An S-100 concentration >0.29 μg/l at time B predicted moderate to severe memory impairment with absolute specificity (42.8% sensitivity). S-100 remained an independent predictor of memory function after adjustment for clinical variables and cardiac arrest timing indices. NSE and S-100 concentrations were greater in patients who died than in those who survived, at all time points. Both NSE and S-100 remained predictors of in-hospital death after adjustment for clinical variables and cardiac arrest timing indices. The threshold concentrations yielding 100% specificity for in-hospital death were S-100: 1.20 μg/l (sensitivity 44.8%); NSE 71.0 μg/l (sensitivity 14.0%). Conclusions: Estimation of serum S-100 concentration after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest can be used to identify patients at risk of significant cognitive impairment at discharge. Serum S-100 and NSE concentrations measured 24–48 hours after cardiac arrest provide useful additional information.
A QUANTITATIVE CYTOCHEMICAL STUDY OF THE DNA CONTENT OF NEURONS OF RAT CEREBELLAR CORTEX 1

Abstract— Measurements of nuclear DNA content with quantitative cytochemical methods for determining amounts in single nuclei reveal tetraploid quantities of DNA in cerebellar Purkinje neurons of the rat, or twice the amount of nuclear DNA of rat somatic cells in general. The findings suggest that tetraploidy is probably a universal phenomenon among rat Purkinje cells. Granule and basket cells have a diploid DNA content.
Mbd1 Is Recruited to both Methylated and Nonmethylated CpGs via Distinct DNA Binding Domains

ABSTRACT MBD1 is a vertebrate methyl-CpG binding domain protein (MBD) that can bring about repression of methylated promoter DNA sequences. Like other MBD proteins, MBD1 localizes to nuclear foci that in mice are rich in methyl-CpG. In methyl-CpG-deficient mouse cells, however, Mbd1 remains localized to heterochromatic foci whereas other MBD proteins become dispersed in the nucleus. We find that Mbd1a, a major mouse isoform, contains a CXXC domain (CXXC-3) that binds specifically to nonmethylated CpG, suggesting an explanation for methylation-independent localization. Transfection studies demonstrate that the CXXC-3 domain indeed targets nonmethylated CpG sites in vivo. Repression of nonmethylated reporter genes depends on the CXXC-3 domain, whereas repression of methylated reporters requires the MBD. Our findings indicate that MBD1 can interpret the CpG dinucleotide as a repressive signal in vivo regardless of its methylation status.
Serum Cytokines and Cancer in Involuntary Weight Loss

Background Tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-6 may be associated with involuntary weight loss in patients with and without cancer. However, results of previous studies have been conflicting. We evaluated patients who had involuntary weight loss to determine cytokine levels and the correlation of these cytokines with weight loss, the association with inflammation, and the potential for use in cancer diagnosis. Materials and Methods In 290 consecutive patients with involuntary weight loss (74 patients [26%] with cancer and 216 patients [74%] without cancer), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and serum levels of C-reactive protein, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were determined. Results Higher ESR and levels of C-reactive protein, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were associated with cancer. The levels of TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 did not correlate with the amount of weight loss. In multivariable analysis, only ESR was associated with cancer. Conclusions In patients with involuntary weight loss, TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were associated with cancer but were not weight loss mediators.