Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Treatment Selection Protocol for Recurrent Ovarian Cancer Patients: The Role of FDG-PET/CT and Staging Laparoscopy

Objective: To investigate the best diagnostic and staging strategy for recurrent ovarian cancer. Methods: The negative predictive value, specificity, positive predictive value, sensitivity, and accuracy rates of the fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose positive emission tomography computed tomography (FDG-PET/CT) and staging laparoscopy in identifying surgically treatable/untreatable patients are assessed in a consecutive series of 70 recurrent ovarian cancer cases. Moreover, the diagnostic performance of each staging procedure in the evaluation of the number of nodules is analyzed. Results: The negative predictive value of the FDG-PET/CT was 83.3%, whereas the positive predictive value was 76.9%. Specificity was 55.6%, whereas sensitivity was 93.0%. Accuracy rate was 78.6%. Negative predictive value, specificity, positive predictive value, sensitivity, and accuracy rate of staging laparoscopy were 88.9, 64.0, 80.8, 95.0 and 83.1%, respectively. Combined radiological and laparoscopic evaluation showed a negative predictive value of 88.9%, a specificity of 59.3%, a positive predictive value of 78.8%, a sensitivity of 95.3%, and an accuracy rate of 81.4%. The number of nodules identified by FDG-PET/CT corresponded in only 23 patients (40.3%) at laparotomy, whereas 15 of 30 patients were correctly diagnosed (50.0%) by staging laparoscopy. Conclusions: The combination of FDG-PET/CT and staging laparoscopy has a significant effect on the multimodal approach to the population of patients with recurrent ovarian cancer. Such techniques should be considered complementary, because of the potential of each one to identify a different setting of the disease.
The frequency of multiple paternity predicts variation in testes size among island populations of house mice

Polyandry generates selection on males through sperm competition, which has broad implications for the evolution of ejaculates and male reproductive anatomy. Comparative analyses across species and competitive mating trials within species have suggested that sperm competition can influence the evolution of testes size, sperm production and sperm form and function. Surprisingly, the intraspecific approach of comparing among population variation for investigating the selective potential of sperm competition has rarely been explored. We sampled seven island populations of house mice and determined the frequency of multiple paternity within each population. Applying the frequency of multiple paternity as an index of the risk of sperm competition, we looked for selective responses in male reproductive traits. We found that the risk of sperm competition predicted testes size across the seven island populations of house mice. However, variation in sperm traits was not explained by sperm competition risk. We discuss these findings in relation to sperm competition theory, and other intrinsic and extrinsic factors that might influence ejaculate quality.
Validity of Swanepoel's Method for Calculating the Optical Constants of Thick Films

Optical constants, dispersion and oscillator parameters of di erent thicknesses of amorphous Ge25Cd5Se70 lms have been deposited onto glass substrates using thermal evaporation technique. The optical constants have been investigated by optical spectrophotometry measurements. The straight forward analysis proposed by Swanepoel, which is based on the use of the extremes of the interference fringes has been used in order to derive the refractive index and the lm thickness in μm range. The refractive index could be extrapolated by the Cauchy dispersion relationship over the whole spectral range, which extended from 400 to 2500 nm. It is observed that, refractive index n increases with the lm thickness. The possible optical transition is found to be allowed indirect transition with energy gap increase from 1.915 to 1.975 eV with increasing lm thickness. The dispersion of the refractive index is discussed in terms of the Wemple DiDomenico single oscillator model. The interband oscillator wavelength, the average oscillator strength, and the optical conductivity were estimated for di erent thicknesses of amorphous Ge25Cd5Se70 lms.
Listening in the Dips: Comparing Relevant Features for Speech Recognition in Humans and Machines

In recent years, automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems gradually decreased (and for some tasks closed) the gap between human and automatic speech recognition. However, it is unclear if similar performance implies humans and ASR systems to rely on similar signal cues. In the current study, ASR and HSR are compared using speech material from a matrix sentence test mixed with either a stationary speech-shaped noise (SSN) or amplitude-modulated SSN. Recognition performance of HSR and ASR is measured in term of the speech recognition threshold (SRT), i.e., the signal-to-noise ratio with 50% recognition rate and by comparing psychometric functions. ASR results are obtained with matched-trained DNN-based systems that use FBank features as input and compared to results obtained from eight normal-hearing listeners and two established models of speech intelligibility. For both maskers, HSR and ASR achieve similar SRTs with an average deviation of only 0.4 dB. A relevance propagation algorithm is applied to identify features relevant for ASR. The analysis shows that relevant features coincide either with spectral peaks of the speech signal or with dips of the noise masker, indicating that similar cues are important in HSR and ASR.
FATTY ACID METABOLISM IN SEGMENTS OF RAT INTESTINE.

The in vitro metabolism of albumin-bound palmitic acid-1-C 14 by segments of small intestine was studied. Tissue uptake, esterification, and oxidation of the fatty acid were measured separately and found to respond independently to altered incubation conditions. Uptake was reversible, and did not require glucose or oxygen. It was not inhibited by fluoride or arsenate. Esterification required both glucose and oxygen, but was unaffected by insulin. It was depressed by succinate and almost completely inhibited by fluoride and arsenate. Oxidation was a minor fate for fatty acid. It was independent of glucose but inhibited by succinate, fluoride, and arsenate. Sodium taurocholate stimulated uptake, but not esterification, as has been previously reported. The possible significance of the reversible tissue uptake reaction is discussed.
MIR‐27a regulates the TGF‐β signaling pathway by targeting SMAD2 and SMAD4 in lung cancer

The transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) signaling pathway is associated with carcinogenesis and various biological processes. SMAD2 and SMAD4, which are putative tumor suppressors, have an important role in TGF‐β signaling. The aberrant expression of these genes is implicated in some cancers. However, the mechanisms of SMAD2 and SMAD4 dysregulation are poorly understood. In this study, we observed that miR‐27a was upregulated in lung cancer cell lines and patients. In addition, SMAD2 and SMAD4 genes were identified as targets of miR‐27a by several target prediction databases and experimental validation. Functional studies revealed that miR‐27a overexpression decreased SMAD2 and SMAD4 mRNA and protein levels. Furthermore, miR‐27a contributed to cell proliferation and invasion by inhibiting TGF‐β‐induced cell cycle arrest. These results suggest that miR‐27a may function as an oncogene by regulating SMAD2 and SMAD4 in lung cancer. Thus, miR‐27a may be a potential target for cancer therapy.
Pancreatic, hepatic, splenic, and mesenteric mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN) are lumped together as extraovarian MCN

Mucinous cystic neoplasms (MCN) of the pancreas are mucin‐producing cystic tumors with an ovarian‐like stroma (OLS). In the present study MCN were obtained from 27 patients. These MCN were derived from 22 pancreas, three livers, spleen, and mesentery. MCN in various organs have common clinicopathological profiles, being unilocular or multilocular cystic tumors, with a fibrous capsule and lined by mucin‐secreting epithelium associated with an underlying subepithelial OLS. The OLS showed strong positivity for α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) and vimentin and weak, focal positivity for desmin. Both estrogen receptors and progesterone receptors were expressed in the nuclei of OLS cells. In addition, 20 ovarian MCN and 13 normal ovaries were studied with particular attention to the stroma. The stroma of ovarian MCN was strongly immunopositive for α‐SMA and vimentin and focally positive for desmin, whereas normal ovarian stroma was immunonegative for both α‐SMA and desmin. The OLS of MCN mentioned here was similar to the septa of ovarian MCN but not to ovarian stroma. In conclusion, MCN in various organs should be lumped together as ‘extraovarian’ MCN. The OLS was identified on the basis of myofibroblastic proliferation both in response to neoplastic development and dependent on hormones.
Treatment of Accommodative Insufficiency with Plus Lens Reading Addition: is +1.00 D Better than +2.00 D?

Purpose: The aim of the present study was to evaluate if +2.00 D lens reading addition has the same effectiveness as +1.00 D reading addition in the treatment of accommodative insufficiency (AI). Methods: Initially 22 subjects (mean age 11.8 years, ±3.54 SD) with AI were included in the study. The treatment was given according to a randomization list; 11 subjects were given +1.00 D reading addition and the other 11 were given +2.00 D reading addition, for 8 weeks of treatment. The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to evaluate the subjective degree of asthenopia before and after treatment. Results: The results showed a statistical significant improvement of the accommodative amplitude with +1.00 D reading addition after 8 weeks of treatment. In the +2.00 D reading addition group the improvement of accommodative amplitude was not significant. The reduction in VAS score was significant in both groups. Discussion: The results indicate that +2.00 D reading addition does not exercise the accommodative system in the same amount as +1.00 D reading addition to improve the accommodative amplitude. We therefore recommend that +2.00 D reading addition is not used for treatment of AI.
Can Attenuation of the Perioperative Stress Response Prevent Intermediate or Long-term Cardiovascular Outcomes among Patients Undergoing Noncardiac Surgery?

Editor’s Note: This is the second in a series of four Editorial Views on long-term outcomes after anesthesia and surgery. This series adds to other recent Editorial Views in ANESTHESIOLOGY and includes a discussion of broadening our research outside of the operating room to prevention of wound infections, cancer spread, cardiovascular morbidity and mortality, chronic postsurgical pain, and rare complications. ANESTHESIOLOGY will sponsor special sessions in 2010 on the topic of long-term outcomes at annual meetings of the Japanese Society of Anesthesiologists, the European Society of Anesthesiology, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists.
Fever therapy for general paresis

It is difficult for most physicians today to imagine treating infectious diseases, such as syphilis, without the availability of antibiotics. Before penicillin, syphilis was so common that it had its own specialty, syphilology, which had close ties to dermatology. Late complications of syphilis occurred much more frequently, and none was more feared by patients and physicians than the syndrome of general paresis. Fever therapy, either by malaria therapy or ‘‘artificial fever,’’ was the treatment of choice for general paresis in the pre-penicillin era. The introduction and evolution of this unusual treatment are reviewed.
Sport-Specific Practice and the Development of Expert Decision-Making in Team Ball Sports

The role of sport-specific practice in the development of decision-making expertise in the sports of field hockey, netball, and basketball was examined. Fifteen expert decision-makers and 13 experienced non-expert athletes provided detailed information about the quantity and type of sport-specific and other related practice activities they had undertaken throughout their careers. Experts accumulated more hours of sport-specific practice from the age of 12 years onwards than did non-experts, spending on average some 13 years and 4,000 hours on concentrated sport-specific practice before reaching international standard. A significant negative correlation existed between the number of additional activities undertaken and the hours of sport-specific training required before attaining expertise, suggesting a functional role for activities other than sport-specific training in the development of expert decision-making.
Transcription Elongation Factor ELL2 Drives Ig Secretory-Specific mRNA Production and the Unfolded Protein Response

Differentiation of B cells into Ab-secreting cells induces changes in gene transcription, IgH RNA processing, the unfolded protein response (UPR), and cell architecture. The transcription elongation factor eleven nineteen lysine-rich leukemia gene (ELL2) stimulates the processing of the secreted form of the IgH mRNA from the H chain gene. Mice (mus musculus) with the ELL2 gene floxed in either exon 1 or exon 3 were constructed and crossed to CD19-driven cre/CD19+. The B cell–specific ELL2 conditional knockouts (cKOs; ell2loxp/loxp CD19cre/+) exhibit curtailed humoral responses both in 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl–Ficoll and in 4-hydroxy-3-nitrophenyl acetyl–keyhole limpet hemocyanin immunized animals; recall responses were also diminished. The number of immature and recirculating B cells in the bone marrow is increased in the cKOs, whereas plasma cells in spleen are reduced relative to control animals. There are fewer IgG1 Ab-producing cells in the bone marrow of cKOs. LPS ex vivo–stimulated B220loCD138+ cells from ELL2-deficient mouse spleens are 4-fold less abundant than from control splenic B cells; have a paucity of secreted IgH; and have distended, abnormal-appearing endoplasmic reticulum. IRE1α is efficiently phosphorylated, but the amounts of Ig κ, ATF6, BiP, Cyclin B2, OcaB (BOB1, Pou2af1), and XBP1 mRNAs, unspliced and spliced, are severely reduced in ELL2-deficient cells. ELL2 enhances the expression of BCMA (also known as Tnfrsf17), which is important for long-term survival. Transcription yields from the cyclin B2 and the canonical UPR promoter elements are upregulated by ELL2 cDNA. Thus, ELL2 is important for many aspects of Ab secretion, XBP1 expression, and the UPR.
A profile of human immunodeficiency virus seroconcordant/serodiscordant couples

Introduction: Heterosexual route is the most common mode of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) transmission among married couples in India. The aim of the study was to determine HIV seroconcordance and serodiscordance among couples when one of the partners is HIV positive. Materials and Methods: A retrospective study which included HIV positive married cohabiting cases was carried out at the Department of Skin-VD, Medical College, Baroda. Detailed history of high-risk sexual behavior, blood transfusion (BT) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) was taken. All the cases were examined for the presence of STIs and all males were examined for circumcision. The spouses of these cases were tested for HIV to know the seroconcordance/serodiscordance. Results: A total of 66 HIV positive cases were studied which included 34 males and 32 females. Forty-five cases had seropositive spouses that consisted of 20 out of 34 HIV positive males and 25 out of 32 HIV positive females. History of STI was present in 13 cases. History of BT in one of the spouses was present in 15 of 45 seroconcordant couples while in 6 out of 21 serodiscordant couples. Among 34 HIV positive males, circumcision was present in 8 cases out of which 6 were serodiscordant. Discussion: About 68% concordance suggests continued intramarital transmission probably due to lack of spousal communication and late testing. In cases having transfusion transmitted HIV, seroconcordance rate was found to be high. Such cases are usually asymptomatic and hence tested late but continue to transmit HIV by unprotected sexual activity.
Comparison of two methods of femoral tunnel preparation in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction: a prospective randomized study.

PURPOSE To prospectively compare therapeutic effect of femoral tunnel preparation through the tibial tunnel and the anteromedial (AM) portal in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. METHODS Between June 2008 and October 2010, 76 patients underwent single-bundle ACL reconstruction by autogenous grafting of semitendinosus and gracilis tendon. All cases were randomly divided into two groups according to the method of femoral tunnel preparation: transtibial (TT) group (n=38) and anteromedial (AM) group (n=38). Lysholm knee score and the KT-1000 anterior laxity at 30° of pre-and post-operation were assessed for two groups. RESULTS Sixty-five patients (TT group, 34; AM group, 31) were followed up for more than 12 months, with a follow-up rate of 86%. The Lysholm knee score and the KT-1000 anterior laxity 12 months after operation were significantly better than before reconstruction. The Lysholm knee score and the KT-1000 anterior laxity were not significantly different between the TT and AM groups after operation. CONCLUSION Femoral tunnel preparation through tibial tunnel or the anteromedial portal in single-bundle anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction shows same therapeutic effects.
Medial rectus rupture; a rare condition with an unusual presentation.

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Renal echo-3D and microalbuminuria in children of diabetic mothers: a preliminary study

Maternal diabetes has assumed epidemic relevance in recent years and animal studies have provided some evidence that it may cause abnormalities in renal development and a reduction in nephron endowment in the offspring; however, human data are lacking. The renal cortex contains ∼95% of the glomeruli and its volume could be taken as a surrogate measure of glomerular number; based on this assumption, we measured renal cortex volume and in addition, microalbuminuria in a homogeneous sample of 42 children of diabetic (pregestational, n = 13, and gestational, n = 29) mothers, compared with 21 healthy children born of non-diabetic mothers. The offspring of diabetic mothers showed a significant reduction of renal cortex volume and higher albumin excretion compared with controls, possibly attributable to a reduction in the number of nephrons and the difference was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Although further studies on a larger sample are necessary, our preliminary findings suggest that maternal diabetes may affect renal development with sequelae later in life, requiring closer monitoring and follow-up. Furthermore, the importance of strict maternal diabetes management and control must be emphasized.
ON THE CULTURE AND GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY OF THE GREEN SULFUR BACTERIA

Green sulfur bacteria were first obtained in pure culture and studied under controlled conditions by van Niel (1930, 1931). He isolated several strains which, on the basis of their morphology, were identified as Chlorobium limicola Nadson (1912). Physiologically the species was characterized as strictly anaerobic, obligatorily photosynthetic, requiring H25 for growth. The sulfide was quantitatively oxidized to sulfur with concomitant reduction of C02. The asimilatory process could be approximately expressed by the equation:
Effects of US Quantitative Easing on Emerging Market Economies

We estimate international spillover effects of US Quantitative Easing (QE) on emerging market economies. Using a Bayesian VAR on monthly US macroeconomic and financial data, we first identify the US QE shock with non-recursive identifying restrictions. We estimate strong and robust macroeconomic and financial impacts of the US QE shock on US output, consumer prices, long-term yields, and asset prices. The identified US QE shock is then used in a monthly Bayesian panel VAR for emerging market economies to infer the spillover effects on these countries. We find that an expansionary US QE shock has significant effects on financial variables in emerging market economies. It leads to an exchange rate appreciation, a reduction in long-term bond yields, a stock market boom, and an increase in capital inflows to these countries. These effects on financial variables are stronger for the "Fragile Five" countries compared to other emerging market economies. We however do not find significant effects of the US QE shock on output and consumer prices of emerging markets.
Soluble CD14 receptor expression and monocyte heterogeneity but not the C-260T CD14 genotype are associated with severe acute pancreatitis

Objective:Soluble CD14 is derived from a membrane glycoprotein, and it enhances endothelial cytokine responses to lipopolysaccharide. We studied the role of soluble CD14 in the pathogenesis of the systemic inflammatory response associated with acute pancreatitis, to determine whether altered expression was due to a functional C-260T polymorphism in the CD14 promoter gene or altered monocyte heterogeneity. Design:Prospective case-matched study. Setting:Tertiary pancreatic treatment unit in the United Kingdom. Subjects:Patients with pancreatitis and controls. Interventions:DNA from 117 patients with pancreatitis (34 severe) and 263 controls underwent CD14 genotyping using restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction. Measurements and Main Results:Peripheral venous blood samples at 24 and 72 hrs after the onset of abdominal pain were analyzed for sCD14 levels. Isolated peripheral blood mononuclear cells were phenotyped for CD14/CD16 receptor expression using immunofluorescence flow cytometry. Disease severity was assessed using Atlanta criteria, Acute Physiology Scores, and C-reactive protein. Soluble CD14 levels were higher in severe (24-hr median, 66.6 ng/mL; 72-hr median, 72.2 ng/mL) compared with mild attacks (24-hr median, 50.7 ng/mL; 72-hr median, 49.7 ng/mL, p < .001), although the latter was similar to controls (median, 51 ng/mL). Furthermore, soluble CD14 levels correlated with Acute Physiology Scores (p < .001) and C-reactive protein (p = .01). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells CD14++ (p = .008), CD14+/16+ (p = .003), and CD16++ (p = .015) receptor densities were all increased in severe attacks at 24 hrs. Early CD14+/16+ receptor density correlated with sCD14 (p < .001), Acute Physiology Scores (p < .001), and C-reactive protein (p = 0.006). The CD14 genotype prevalence in acute pancreatitis was similar to controls and failed to correlate with any variables studied. Conclusions:Increased soluble CD14 expression is associated with the systemic inflammatory response to acute pancreatitis and an expansion of the proinflammatory CD14+/CD16+ monocyte subset. Its targeted disruption may afford some benefit in preventing the development of systemic complications.