Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complications in spinal cord stimulation for treatment of angina pectoris. Differences in unipolar and multipolar percutaneous inserted electrodes.

Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) has become a well established treatment for ischaemic nociceptive pain condition such as angina pectoris. In patients not suitable candidates for coronary bypass grafting or intraarterial invasive technique (i.e. PTCA and Stent) SCS is an alternative. The purpose was to record the complications: electrode fracture, infection, electrode migration, and technical equipment failure, which occurred during long-term spinal cord stimulation (SCS). Of 60 patients with severe angina pectoris and not candidates for angioplastic or coronary bypass surgery, 22 had monopolar and 38 had quadripolar spinal cord electrodes positioned percutaneously. The patients were followed with 1 to 4 month intervals in a 4 year period, and all complications were recorded. Infection was seen in 5% and electrode fracture was seen in 3% of the patients. The most frequent complication was electrode displacement, which required operation (23%). The incidence of this complication was statistically lower in patients with quadripolar electrodes than in patients with monopolar electrodes (p < 0.003). All displacements occurred within 1 year after implantation. The lower frequency of displacements, which required reoperations, seen among the multipolar electrodes, was due to the possibility of noninvasive changes of electrode combinations to optimize the topography of stimulation. Changes of electrode combination in connection with small migrations were necessary in 29% of the patients with multipolar electrodes. Therefore, there was no significant difference between frequency of migration for patients with monopolar or quadripolar epidural stimulation electrodes (p = 0.31). When SCS was used for treatment of anginal pain, the frequency of electrode tip migrations was high, but the use of multipolar electrodes gave the possibility to compensate for the migration, and to avoid surgical replacement.
Sensorimotor gating in manic and mixed episode bipolar disorder.

OBJECTIVES Few studies have examined acoustic startle sensorimotor gating in bipolar disorder (BPD) despite the fact that patients with BPD have exhibited inhibitory dysfunctions on a variety of early information processing tasks. The present study aimed to expand the current literature through the investigation of electromyographic (EMG) measures of acoustic startle prepulse inhibition (PPI) in manic and mixed episode BPD. METHODS Fourteen manic and 21 mixed episode BPD patients were compared to 32 healthy controls on acoustic startle measures of PPI using a 120-ms lead interval. RESULTS Prepulse inhibition did not significantly differ across diagnostic groups (manic, mixed, control), and the presence of psychosis in the patient sample was not significantly related to PPI levels. With respect to startle response characteristics, patients in the mixed phase of the disorder showed prolonged prepulsed startle latency and attenuated responses to both probe-alone and prepulsed probes, though no differences in startle habituation were found across diagnostic groups. CONCLUSIONS Although PPI deficits were not observed in either BPD sub-group, attenuated probe-alone and prepulsed startle magnitudes and reduced prepulse-induced latency facilitation in the mixed episode group is consistent with evidence that the mixed phase of BPD is associated with a more severe clinical outlook than other stages of the disorder. The absence of attenuated PPI in the patient sample may be due to the low incidence of psychosis in the BPD groups, though further studies are required to systematically assess the effects of symptom factors and clinical phase on sensorimotor gating in BPD.
Storage of ram semen at 5 °C: effects of preservation period and timed artificial insemination on pregnancy rate in ewes

Artificial insemination (AI) using chilled ram semen has not been adopted in Uruguay yet, probably due to a lack of information about the use of this technology in the country. This study evaluated the fertility rate obtained in Merino ewes inseminated with ram semen stored at 5 °C in a TRIS-based extender in Uruguayan field conditions. The effect of storage period of semen (Experiment 1) and different times of artificial insemination (Experiment 2) were studied. In Experiment 1, fresh semen was diluted in a TRIS-based extender to a concentration of 200 x 106 spermatozoa/0.2 ml. Semen, maintained at low temperature, was used for cervical insemination at spontaneous estrus, soon after collection (n = 87), or 12 (n = 75) or 24 hours (n = 84) after collection. The cooling-rate curve was adjusted at 0.25 oC/minute, and semen was cooled until it reached a temperature of 5 °C. In Experiment 2, semen was processed in a similar fashion to that of Experiment 1. Estrus was synchronized using a Short-Term Protocol using a progestagen treatment (6 days) with injection of a prostaglandin F2 alpha analogue at sponge insertion and equine chorionic gonadotropin (250 IU) at sponge removal. Insemination was performed 12 hours after estrus detection (n = 49) or at a fixed time (TAI) of 48 (n = 49), 54 (n = 47), or 48 and 54 hours (n = 47) after sponge withdrawal. Conception rate (pregnant ewes/inseminated ewes) and pregnancy rate (pregnant ewes/treated ewes) were evaluated 35-40 days after insemination using transrectal ultrasonography. In Experiment 1, conception rate was lower (34.5%; P 0.05) for the 12-hour storage group when compared to the control group (50.4%). In Experiment 2, a single TAI at 48 hours after sponge withdrawal resulted in a pregnancy rate similar to AI performed after detection of estrus (34.7% versus 34.7%, respectively). The TAI at 54 hours resulted in the lowest (10.6%; P < 0.05) pregnancy rate and the double TAI (48 and 54 hours) was intermediate (23.4%). Overall results showed that an acceptable conception rate was achieved when AI was performed after detection of estrus using semen stored at 5 °C for 12 hours in a TRIS-based extender. In addition, it is possible to avoid estrus detection by using a single TAI 48 hours after a Short-Term Protocol without affecting pregnancy rate.
Monoamine Oxidase and Free Tryptophan in Human Plasma: Normal Variations and Their Implications for Biochemical Research in Affective Disorders

A methodological study of healthy subjects was conducted to investigate factors influencing plasma free tryptophan and platelet monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity. The following changes were found during the menstrual cycle: free tryptophan was lower during the "ovulatory" phase than during the "premenstrual" phase, MAO activity was 20% lower during the "premenstrual" phase as compared with the "neutral" phase (days: menses-24 to -1). During pregnancy MAO activity was also lower than the values found six weeks postpartum. MAO activity in women was significantly higher than in men and exhibited greater variability. A circadian rhythm for free tryptophan was observed (minimum at midday, maximum at midnight). No diurnal variation in MAO activity could be established. Preliminary data from untreated endogenous depressive patients showed no difference in free tryptophan concentrations at 8 a.m. or 4 p.m. from control values.
Carrier trapping and recombination: the role of defect physics in enhancing the open circuit voltage of metal halide perovskite solar cells

One of the greatest attributes of metal halide perovskite solar cells is their surprisingly low loss in potential between bandgap and open-circuit voltage, despite the fact that they suffer from a non-negligible density of sub gap defect states. Here, we use a combination of transient and steady state photocurrent and absorption spectroscopy to show that CH3NH3PbI3 films exhibit a broad distribution of electron traps. We show that the trapped electrons recombine with free holes unexpectedly slowly, on microsecond time scales, relaxing the limit on obtainable open-circuit voltage (VOC) under trap-mediated recombination conditions. We find that the observed VOCs in such perovskite solar cells can only be rationalized by considering the slow trap mediated recombination mechanism identified in this work. Our results suggest that existing processing routes may be good enough to enable open circuit voltages approaching 1.3 V in ideal devices with perfect contacts.
Design and Evaluation of an Energy-Delay-Area Efficient Datapath for Coarse-Grain Reconfigurable Computing Systems

This paper presents the architecture and complete VLSI implementation of a high data throughput, energy and area efficient data path targeted for DSP and multimedia applications. The architecture presented here is extremely flexible and can be easily extended to process 8-16-32 bit operands. For the initial analysis and design, three different implementations of the reconfigurable data path using static, dynamic domino and D3L logic styles were implemented to evaluate the performance of the proposed architecture in static as well as dynamic design domains. This paper presents complete evaluations of the architecture, along with an analysis of every design decision from the lowermost level. The proposed architecture can be easily extended to generalized N-bit operations. This is demonstrated through the custom implementation of 8-16 and 32 bit versions.
Performance of well known packet scheduling algorithms in the downlink 3GPP LTE system

This paper investigates the performance of well known packet scheduling algorithms developed for single carrier wireless systems from a real time video streaming perspective. The performance evaluation is conducted using the downlink third generation partnership project long term evolution (3GPP LTE) system as the simulation platform. This paper contributes to the identification of a suitable packet scheduling algorithm for use in the downlink 3GPP LTE system supporting video streaming services. Simulation results show that, in the downlink 3GPP LTE system supporting video streaming services, maximum-largest weighted delay first (M-LWDF) algorithm outperforms other packet scheduling algorithms by providing a higher system throughput, supporting a higher number of users and guaranteeing fairness at a satisfactory level.
Infrequent Transmission of HIV-1 Drug-Resistant Variants

Transmission of drug-resistant variants is influenced by several factors, including the prevalence of drug resistance in the population of HIV-1-infected patients, HIV-1 RNA levels and transmission by recently infected patients. In order to evaluate the impact of these factors on the transmission of drug-resistant variants, we have defined the population of potential transmitters and compared their resistance profiles to those of newly infected patients. Sequencing of pol gene was performed in 220 recently infected patients and in 373 chronically infected patients with HIV-1 RNA >1000 copies/ml. Minimal and maximal drug-resistance profiles of potential transmitters were estimated by weighting resistance profiles of chronically infected patients with estimates of the Swiss HIV-1-infected population, the prevalence of exposure to antiviral drugs and the proportion of infections attributed to primary HIV infections. The drug-resistance prevalence in recently infected patients was 10.5% (one class drug resistance: 9.1%; two classes: 1.4%; three classes: 0%). Phylogenetic analysis revealed significant clustering for 30% of recent infections. The drug-resistance prevalence in chronically infected patients was 72.4% (one class: 29%; two classes: 27.6%; three classes: 15.8%). After adjustment, the risk of transmission relative to wild-type was reduced both for one class drug resistance (minimal and maximal estimates: odds ratio: 0.39, P<0.001; and odds ratio: 0.55, P=0.011, respectively), and for two to three class drug resistance (odds ratios: 0.05 and 0.07, respectively, P<0.001). Neither sexual behaviour nor HIV-1 RNA levels explained the low transmission of drug-resistant variants. These data suggest that drug-resistant variants and in particular multidrug-resistant variants have a substantially reduced transmission capacity.
Adaptive fuzzy control of nonlinear time-delay systems

This paper is concerned with the problem of adaptive fuzzy control for nonlinear systems with an unknown time delay and unknown control gain. Using an appropriate Lyapunov-Krasovskii functional, uncertainty of the unknown time delay is compensated for, and then the Fuzzy logic system in Mamdani type is utilized to approximate the unknown nonlinear function. By the use of Lyapunov stability theorem, the proposed adaptive fuzzy controller guarantees that all the signals in the closed-loop system are bounded and the system output eventually converges to a neighborhood of the desired reference signal. An advantage of the proposed control scheme lies in that only an adaptive parameter is needed to be updated online. Simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed scheme.
Comparison of VSC based HVDC and HVAC interconnections to a large offshore wind farm

The integration of large offshore wind farms to the relatively small Irish transmission system is challenging, one major concern is fault ride through capability. To reflect this the Irish grid code has recently been modified to include new requirements on transmission connected wind farms. In this paper, a large offshore wind farm is modelled using DIgSILENT PowerFactory simulation package. The wind technology used is active stall regulated wind turbines driving fixed speed asynchronous generators. Two different types of interconnections are modelled and compared, a voltage source converter, VSC, based HVDC link and an AC cable interconnection. Transmission faults are simulated in each system, the response examined and results presented; particular attention is given to the fault ride through capability of each system.
Advances in visible light communication technologies

Visible light communication is a new way of wireless communication using visible light. Typical transmitters used for visible light communication are visible light LEDs and receivers are photodiodes and image sensors. We present new applications which will be made possible by visible light communication technology. Location-based services are considered to be especially suitable for visible light communication applications.
Going beyond 2D: following membrane diffusion and topography in the IgE-Fc[epsilon]RI system using 3-dimensional tracking microscopy

The ability to follow and observe single molecules as they function in live cells represents a major milestone for molecular-cellular biology. Here we present a tracking microscope that is able to track quantum dots in three dimensions and simultaneously record time-resolved emission statistics from a single dot. This innovative microscopy approach is based on four spatial filters and closed loop feedback to constantly keep a single quantum dot in the focal spot. Using this microscope, we demonstrate the ability to follow quantum dot labeled IgE antibodies bound to FcεRI membrane receptors in live RBL-2H3 cells. The results are consistent with prior studies of two dimensional membrane diffusion (Andrews et al., Nat. Cell Biol., 10, 955, 2008). In addition, the microscope captures motion in the axial (Z) direction, which permits tracking of diffusing receptors relative to the "hills and valleys" of the dynamically changing membrane landscape. This approach is uniquely capable of following single molecule dynamics on live cells with three dimensional spatial resolution.
Long distance directed axonal growth from human dopaminergic mesencephalic neuroblasts implanted along the nigrostriatal pathway in 6‐hydroxydopamine lesioned adult rats

Dissociated ventral mesencephalon of 6 to 8‐week‐old human embryos were implanted by stereotaxic injection at different sites along the nigrostriatal pathway in adult rats, previously subjected to a 6‐hydroxydopamine lesion of the intrinsic mesotelencephalic dopamine pathways. The recipients were immunosuppressed by daily injections of cyclosporin A to prevent rejection. At 13–20 weeks after transplantation, the implanted human neurons and their associated fiber outgrowths were visualized with a species‐specific antibody recognizing human, but not rat, intermediary neurofilaments (HNF). From implants placed in the host rostral mesencephalic region, HNF‐positive axonal projections were, seen to extend in large numbers rostrally along the medial forebrain bundle and the internal capsule, and ramify within the caudate putamen, the ventral striatum and the amygdaloid nuclei (a distance of about 5–6 mm), and more sparsely in the frontal cortex and the olfactory bulb (a distance of about 10 mm). From implants placed in the internal capsule, abundant HNF‐positive axons extended in the rostral, but not caudal, direction along the myelinated fiber bundles into the caudate putamen and the ventral striatum. Tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunohistochemistry revealed that the vast majority of the rostrally projecting HNF‐positive axons were also TH‐positive, and that the graft‐derived axons gave rise to dense TH‐positive terminal networks, above all in large areas of the previously denervated caudate putamen. From control implants of cortical neuroblasts, axonal projections were seen along the medial forebrain bundle and the internal capsule, but the axons were TH‐negative and showed only sparse projections to the striatal areas. Instead, dense projections were seen, e.g., in the frontal cortex.
Clinical Significance of CDH13 Promoter Methylation in Serum Samples from Patients with Bladder Transitional Cell Carcinoma

H-cadherin (CDH13; also known as T-cadherin), which functions as a tumour suppressor, is frequently silenced by promoter methylation in human cancers including bladder transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). This study investigated the clinical significance of methylation of the CDH13 gene promoter in serum from patients with bladder TCC. Methylation status of CDH13 in serum samples from 127 patients with primary bladder TCC and 41 healthy volunteers (controls) was examined by methylation-specific polymerase chain reaction. CDH13 methylation was found in 39 patients with bladder TCC (30.7%) but in no controls. CDH13 methylation was significantly associated with advanced tumour stage, high-grade tumour, large tumour size, tumour recurrence and poor prognosis. The results suggested that CDH13 methylation in serum may be a potential predictive biomarker for malignancy in bladder TCC, and an independent pre-therapeutic predictor of outcome. Demonstration of CDH13 methylation in serum may facilitate in the prediction of which patients require more aggressive additional post-operative systemic therapy.
Evidence and patterns in lung response after fetal tracheal occlusion: clinical controlled study.

PURPOSE To prospectively assess changes in lung volume in fetuses with isolated severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) after fetoscopic endoluminal tracheal occlusion (FETO) compared with those in fetuses with CDH of variable severity who were expectantly managed. MATERIALS AND METHODS Informed consent was obtained for this ethics committee-approved study. Forty fetuses with severe CDH (lung-to-head ratio < 1 and intrathoracic liver) who underwent FETO and 18 fetuses with CDH of variable severity who were expectantly managed were longitudinally followed up by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging volume measurements. Fetuses born prior to 32 weeks were excluded from the study. For those undergoing FETO, lung volume responsiveness was defined as the proportionate increase in observed-to-expected (O/E) ratio of total fetal lung volume (TFLV) at 2-5 weeks after FETO compared with the pre-FETO value. Changes in lung volume were compared by using the Mann-Whitney U test. Regression analysis was used to investigate the effect of pre-FETO O/E ratio of TFLV, gestational age at FETO and at delivery, lung volume responsiveness, occlusion period, side of CDH, and balloon removal prior to delivery on survival. Correlation between post-FETO lung volume responsiveness and gestational age at FETO was performed by using linear regression analysis. RESULTS A total of 260 MR imaging examinations were performed. For expectantly managed fetuses, O/E ratio of TFLV remained unchanged during gestation, whereas it significantly increased after FETO. Regression analysis demonstrated that pre-FETO O/E ratio of TFLV and lung volume responsiveness at 3.3 weeks after FETO provided significant independent prediction of postnatal survival. There was a significant negative association between lung volume responsiveness and gestational age at FETO. CONCLUSION In fetuses with CDH, pre-FETO O/E ratio of TFLV and lung volume at 3.3 weeks after FETO provide independent prediction of postnatal survival. SUPPLEMENTAL MATERIAL http://radiology.rsnajnls. org/cgi/content/full/2522081955/DC1.
Generation of Large Numbers of Independently Transformed Fertile Barley Plants

A rapid, efficient, and reproducible system to generate large numbers of independently transformed, self-fertile, transgenic barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants is described. Immature zygotic embryos, young callus, and microspore-derived embryos were bombarded with a plasmid containing bar and uidA either alone or in combination with another plasmid containing a barley yellow dwarf virus coat protein (BYDVcp) gene. A total of 91 independent bialaphos-resistant callus lines expressed functional phosphinothricin acetyltransferase, the product of bar. Integration of bar was confirmed by DNA hybridization in the 67 lines analyzed. Co-transformation frequencies of 84 and 85% were determined for the two linked genes (bar and uidA) and for two unlinked genes (bar and the BYDVcp gene), respectively. More than 500 green, fertile, transgenic plants were regenerated from 36 transformed callus lines on bialaphos-containing medium; albino plants only were regenerated from 41 lines. T0 plants in 25 lines (three plants per line) were analyzed by DNA hybridization, and all contained bar. Most contained the same integration patterns for the introduced genes (bar, uidA, and the BYDVcp gene) as their parental callus lines. Transmission of the genes to T1 progeny was confirmed in the five families analyzed by DNA hybridization. A germination test of immature T1 embryos on bialaphos-containing medium was useful for selecting individuals that were actively expressing bar, although this was not a good indicator of the presence or absence of bar. Expression of bar in some progeny plants was indicated by resistance to the herbicide Basta. The T1 plants were in soil approximately 7 months after bombardment of the immature embryo.
Regime Shifts in Asian Equity and Real Estate Markets

This paper applies a new statistical technology for identifying regime shifts to analyze recent data on real estate and equity markets in eight developing Far Eastern countries in the 1992-1998 time period. We find that regime shifts in volatility occur in the summer of 1997; however, most of the regime shifts in returns occur in the spring of 1998. While the clustering of regime breaks does not seem to follow any obvious pattern, the country's exposure to trade and firm leverage are important. An analysis of Granger causality suggests that, in most cases, equity returns cause real estate returns but the converse is not true. We also find two-way causality in volatility, suggesting that a common factor drives volatility in these markets. Finally, we provide evidence that the regime shifts generally imply higher relative risk for real estate securities after the estimated breaks. Copyright 2002 by the American Real Estate and Urban Economics Association.