Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Toward understanding transverse relaxation in human brain through its field dependence

Apparent transverse‐relaxation rate constants (R †2 = 1/T †2 ) were measured in various regions of the healthy human brain using a multiecho adiabatic spin‐echo sequence at five different magnetic fields, 1.5, 1.9, 3, 4.7, and 7 T. The R †2 values showed a clear dependence on magnetic field strength (B0). The regional distribution of the R †2 was well explained by the sum of three components: (1) regional nonhemin iron concentration ([Fe]), (2) regional macromolecular mass fraction (fM), and (3) a region‐independent factor. Accordingly, R †2 = α[Fe] + βfM + γ, where coefficients α, β, and γ were experimentally determined at each magnetic field by a least square fitting method using multiple regression analysis. Although the coefficient α linearly increased with B0, β showed a quadratic dependence on top of a field‐independent component. The coefficient γ also increased slightly with B0 on top of a field‐independent component. The linear dependence of α on B0 was consistent with that observed for the transverse‐relaxation rate of water protons in ferritin solutions as found previously by others. The quadratic dependence of β on B0 was accounted for by isochronous and anisochronous exchange mechanisms using intrinsic‐relaxation parameters obtained from the literature. Magn Reson Med, 2012. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
On the trajectory tracking control of industrial SCARA robot manipulators

In this paper, the authors discuss, from an experimental point of view, the use of different control strategies for the trajectory tracking control of an industrial selective compliance assembly robot arm robot, which is one of the most employed manipulators in industrial environments, especially for assembly tasks. Specifically, they consider decentralized controllers such as proportional-integral-derivative-based and sliding-mode ones and model-based controllers such as the classical computed-torque one and a neural-network-based controller. A simple procedure for the estimation of the dynamic model of the manipulator is given. Experimental results provide a detailed framework about the cost/benefit ratio regarding the use of the different controllers, showing that the performance obtained with decentralized controllers may suffice in a large number of industrial applications, but in order to achieve low tracking errors also for high-speed trajectories, it might be convenient to adopt a neural-network-based control scheme, whose implementation is not particularly demanding.
Management of head trauma due to landmine explosions: From battle field to operation room

Abstract Background. Head injuries due to landmine explosions are not well studied and the management of such injuries is not documented, even though there is, unfortunately, a regrettably high incidence of such injuries in the military and in civilians. Methods. The data of 119 patients who underwent surgery for the head injuries due to landmine explosions were reviewed retrospectively. All of these patients were military personnel, and the mean age was 23 years. Results. A total 83 (69.7%) of the cases were injured by the anti-personnel devices and 36 (30.3%) by vehicle landmines. Fifty percent of the patients underwent surgery for depressed skull fracture, intraparenchymal foreign body, epidural haematoma or subdural haematoma. Six (0.05%) patients died in the emergency room. Conclusion. Landmine explosions can produce classic injury patterns from blunt and penetrating mechanisms to several organ systems, including the brain. They also produce unique injury patterns to the brain. Understanding this important difference is critical in management of these injuries. Early surgical treatment and appropriate management could save more lives.
A Life-Course Approach to Studying Transitions among Canadian Seniors in Couple-Only Households

Dans cette étude, j’ai établi les conditions, en lien avec divers facteurs, qui marquent le décès, le veuvage, le placement en établissement et une situation de cohabitation, entre 1994 et 2002, chez 1 580 personnes formant un échantillon canadien représentatif, et qui, au moment de la première entrevue de l’enquête, étaient âgées de 55 ans ou plus. Si, pendant le temps qu’a duré l’enquête, la majorité des répondants n’ont vécu que dans un ménage qui ne comportait qu’un couple, près de une personne sur quatre ayant vécu un changement dans son cadre de vie en a vécu un ou plusieurs autres par la suite. Mes résultats montrent que l’âge, les ressources financières et la santé sont des facteurs qui permettent de prédire un premier changement et une suite de changements. Des recherches supplémentaires seraient nécessaires pour nous permettre de mieux comprendre le processus du vieillissement.
Adjuvant 5-FU-Based Chemoradiotherapy for Patients Undergoing R-1/R-2 Resections for Pancreatic Cancer

Background: Pancreatic cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Among patients treated with surgery alone, liver metastasis occurs in up to 50%, peritoneal recurrence in 25%, and local recurrence occurs in 50–80% of all patients who underwent resection. Even after a macroscopically curative resection, tumour cells might be observed by microscopy at one or more edges of the resected specimen in 20–51% (R-1) which might account for the high local recurrence. Aim of the Study: An analysis was performed in 54 patients who underwent an irradical resection (R-1 and R-2) for pancreatic cancer. 33 patients were treated with chemoradiotherapy. To evaluate the effect of therapy on survival and recurrence, this group was retrospectively compared to a group of 21 patients that did not receive chemoradiotherapy. Methods: Radiotherapy consisted of 50 Gy external upper abdomen radiation in two courses of 3 weeks, concomitant with intravenous 5-FU 25 mg/kg/24 h continuously on the first 4 days of each treatment course. Follow-up was performed mainly by CT scanning and occasionally by US and was completed for all but 1 patient. Results: The treatment protocol was completed in all patients without complications. Local recurrence was found in 6 (18%) patients in the group of patients who received adjuvant therapy versus 16 (48%) patients in the group that did not receive adjuvant therapy (p = 0.001). The median survival time for the treated group was 12.8 vs. 13.7 months in the group that did not receive chemoradiotherapy (p = 0.9). Three (9%) patients are still alive 140, 88 and 70 months after receiving surgery and adjuvant treatment. Conclusion: Adjuvant chemoradiotherapy clearly gives a significant better local control. However, treatment with 5-FU and radiotherapy does not improve survival due to distant metastases. This therapy probably prolongs survival in only a few patients. More effective treatment methods have to be designed to prevent metastatic disease and improve survival.
Oxidative Stress in Periodontitis

Periodontitis is one of the most common oral infections induced by bacteria and bacterial products of dental plaque. Cigarette smoking is considered to be a risk factor for periodontitis. However, the exact mechanism by which smoking exerts its deleterious effects on periodontium remains unclear. Therefore the present study was planned to evaluate the relationship between cigarette smoking and periodontal damage in terms of the levels of free radicals and antioxidants. A total of 75 subjects were included in the study. Out of these, 25 were healthy controls, 25 were nonsmoker periodontitis patients and 25 were smoker periodontitis patients. All subjects were screened for serum lipid peroxide, nitric oxide and antioxidants such as superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase along with total antioxidant capacity. A significant increase in serum lipid peroxide and nitric oxide with a corresponding decrease in serum superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and total antioxidant capacity was observed in both groups of periodontitis patients. Further, it was noticed that the oxidant levels were significantly higher and antioxidants were significantly lower in smoker patients than non-smoker patients. Thus, smoking plays a pivotal role in enhancing oxidative burden in periodontitis.
Three types of bovine chromaffin cell Ca2+ channels: facilitation increases the opening probability of a 27 pS channel.

1. Cell‐attached patch recordings from bovine chromaffin cells were performed with 90 mM‐Ba2+ in the patch pipette and with isotonic potassium aspartate in the bathing solution to zero the membrane potential. Three different types of unitary Ca2+ channel activity could be distinguished in these recordings. 2. A 27 pS Ca2+ channel was distinguished by constructing amplitude histograms and measuring slope conductance. This channel activated over a broad range of potentials (depolarizations greater than ‐10 mV). 3. A second Ca2+ channel with a slope conductance of 14 pS could also be detected with amplitude histograms. This channel activated with depolarizations greater than ‐20 mV. 4. An 18 pS Ca2+ channel was observed infrequently indicating that this channel may carry only a small amount of the whole‐cell current. This 18 pS channel was sensitive to changes in holding potential. Depolarizing the patch to +10 mV from a holding potential of ‐80 mV elicited robust unitary activity. Changing the patch holding potential to ‐40 mV while maintaining test depolarizations to +10 mV completely inactivated the 18 pS channel. Neither the 25 pS nor the 14 pS Ca2+ channels were affected by changes in holding potential in the range from ‐80 mV to ‐40 mV, indicating the 18 pS channel was a different type of channel. As the 18 pS channel was observed so infrequently, no detailed studies of it were possible. 5. Chromaffin cell Ca2+ currents exhibited facilitation. Large pre‐depolarizations greatly augmented whole‐cell currents observed in these cells. Whole‐cell currents could double or triple after recruiting facilitation. The application of large pre‐depolarizations altered the gating behaviour of the 27 pS Ca2+ channel manifested as dramatically increased channel opening probabilities measured during subsequent test pulses. Large pre‐depolarizations induced unitary activity in the 27 pS Ca2+ channel similar to the long‐lived openings exhibited by L‐type Ca2+ channels in the presence of Bay K 8644. Large pre‐depolarizations did not change the gating behaviour of the 14 pS Ca2+ channel. 6. Repetitive depolarizations in the physiological range could also induce facilitation. At the single‐channel level facilitation was manifested as a striking increase in opening probability of the 27 pS Ca2+ channel. No effect of repetitive activity was observed on 14 pS channel gating. At the whole‐cell level, repetitive depolarizations dramatically increased the current observed. 7. Facilitation of 27 pS Ca2+ channel activity could be induced by changing the holding potential to a depolarized level (greater than or equal to ‐10 mV). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Modeling of a Thermo-chromatographic Pulse (TCP) as Radio-frequency (RF)-induced Selective Heating Effect

Abstract By utilizing the specific influence of water adsorption on the dielectric loss factor and, consequently, selective heating of the zeolite NaY in a radio-frequency (RF) electromagnetic field, a hot zone moving through the packed bed can be realized initiated by water injection. While the effect of water adsorption on RF heating and the phenomenon of the thermo-chromatographic pulse (TCP) itself were described in a previous paper, the present study presents a detailed model for the description and explanation of this effect. It involves the complex dependence of dielectric loss on temperature and moisture content, a diffusion model considering both hopping and Knudsen mechanisms and a power balance for a representative segment of the packed bed. The developed model was successfully applied to adequately describe various experimental situations observed for selective RF heating in a NaY zeolite bed.
Susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in vitro and antioxidant capacity in familial combined hyperlipidemia: comparison of patients with different lipid phenotypes

BACKGROUND. There is increasing evidence that oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) plays an important role in atherogenesis. AIM. To explore the LDL oxidizability and its determinants in familial combined hyperlipidemia (FCHL) patients with different phenotypes. METHOD. The study included 59 FCHL family members with different lipid phenotypes, 39 non-affected relatives, and 30 spouses as healthy controls. RESULTS. The lag time for LDL oxidation was significantly shorter in FCHL patients with different lipid phenotypes as compared to healthy controls. There were no significant differences in the propagation rate and conjugated diene formation and f -tocopherol content in LDL between the FCHL groups and healthy controls. Plasma concentrations of f -tocopherol in all FCHL patients and uric acid in FCHL patients with IIB and IV phenotypes were significantly higher than in healthy controls. Plasma total peroxyl radical trapping capacity measured (TRAP mea ) and TRAP calc tended to be higher in affected FCHL groups, but the difference was significant only for IIB phenotype. The peak LDL particle size in the combined group of FCHL patients was significantly smaller than in healthy controls. The lag time for LDL oxidation correlated significantly with LDL size both in the group of FCHL family members (r = 0.477, P < 0.001) and in the healthy controls (r = 0.482, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS. LDL from FCHL patients irrespectively of lipid phenotypes is more susceptible to oxidation in vitro than LDL from healthy controls. This increased susceptibility of LDL to oxidation in vitro seems to be attributed to the abundance of small dense LDL particles and not to the defect of antioxidant capacity in FCHL.
Parent versus Child Informants: Who Do We Choose?

OBJECTIVE: To prospectively evaluate the neuropsychological effect of levetiracetam (LVT) in comparison with carbamazepine (CBZ) and its efficacy and tolerability as a monotherapy in children with focal epilepsy. METHODS: A total of 121 out of 135 screened children (4–16 years) were randomly assigned to LVT or CBZ groups in a multicenter, parallelgroup, open-label trial. The study’s primary endpoints were defined as the end of 52 weeks of treatment, followed by analysis of changes observed in a series of follow-up neurocognitive, behavioral, and emotional function tests performed during treatment in the per protocol population. Drug efficacy and tolerability were also analyzed among the intention-to-treat (ITT) population (ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02208492). RESULTS: Eighty-one patients (41 LVT, 40 CBZ) from the randomly assigned ITT population of 121 children (57 LVT, 64 CBZ) were followed up to their last visit. No significant worsening or differences were noted between groups in neuropsychological tests, except for the Children’s Depression Inventory (LVT −1.97 vs CBZ +1.43, p = 0.027, [+] improvement of function). LVT-treated patients showed an improvement (p = 0.004) in internalizing behavioral problems on the Korean Child Behavior Checklist. Seizure-free outcomes were not different between the 2 groups (CBZ 57.8% vs LVT 66.7%, p = 0.317). CONCLUSIONS: Neither LVT nor CBZ adversely affected neuropsychological function in pediatric patients. Both medications were considered equally safe and effective as monotherapy in children with focal epilepsy. CLASSIFICATION OF EVIDENCE: This study provides Class II evidence that in patients with pediatric focal epilepsy, LVT, and CBZ exhibit equivalent effects on neuropsychological function.
Electrical signaling, stomatal conductance, ABA and Ethylene content in avocado trees in response to root hypoxia

Avocado (Persea americana Mill.) trees are among the most sensitive of fruit tree species to root hypoxia as a result of flooded or poorly drained soil. Similar to drought stress, an early physiological response to root hypoxia in avocado is a reduction of stomatal conductance. It has been previously determined in avocado trees that an extracellular electrical signal between the base of stem and leaves is produced and related to reductions in stomatal conductance in response to drought stress. The current study was designed to determine if changes in the extracellular electrical potential between the base of the stem and leaves in avocado trees could also be detected in response to short-term (min) or long-term (days) root hypoxia, and if these signals could be related to stomatal conductance (gs), root and leaf ABA and ACC concentrations, ethylene emission from leaves and leaf abscission. In contrast to previous observations for drought-stressed trees, short-term or long-term root hypoxia did not stimulate an electrical potential difference between the base of the stem and leaves. Short-term hypoxia did not result in a significant decrease in gs compared with plants in the control treatment, and no differences in ABA concentration were found between plants subjected to hypoxia and control plants. Long-term hypoxia in the root zone resulted in a significant decrease in gs, increased leaf ethylene and increased leaf abscission. The results indicate that for avocado trees exposed to root hypoxia, electrical signals do not appear to be the primary root-to-shoot communication mechanism involved in signaling for stomatal closure as a result of hypoxia in the root zone.
Organ Dose Estimates for Hyperthyroid Patients Treated with 131I: An Update of the Thyrotoxicosis Follow-Up Study

The Thyrotoxicosis Therapy Follow-up Study (TTFUS) is comprised of 35,593 hyperthyroid patients treated from the mid-1940s through the mid-1960s. One objective of the TTFUS was to evaluate the long-term effects of high-dose iodine-131 (131I) treatment (1–4). In the TTFUS cohort, 23,020 patients were treated with 131I, including 21,536 patients with Graves disease (GD), 1,203 patients with toxic nodular goiter (TNG) and 281 patients with unknown disease. The study population constituted the largest group of hyperthyroid patients ever examined in a single health risk study. The average number (±1 standard deviation) of 131I treatments per patient was 1.7 ± 1.4 for the GD patients and 2.1 ± 2.1 for the TNG patients. The average total 131I administered activity was 380 ± 360 MBq for GD patients and 640 ± 550 MBq for TNG patients. In this work, a biokinetic model for iodine was developed to derive organ residence times and to reconstruct the radiation-absorbed doses to the thyroid gland and to other organs resulting from administration of 131I to hyperthyroid patients. Based on 131I data for a small, kinetically well-characterized sub-cohort of patients, multivariate regression equations were developed to relate the numbers of disintegrations of 131I in more than 50 organs and tissues to anatomical (thyroid mass) and clinical (percentage thyroid uptake and pulse rate) parameters. These equations were then applied to estimate the numbers of 131I disintegrations in the organs and tissues of all other hyperthyroid patients in the TTFUS who were treated with 131I. The reference voxel phantoms adopted by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) were then used to calculate the absorbed doses in more than 20 organs and tissues of the body. As expected, the absorbed doses were found to be highest in the thyroid (arithmetic means of 120 and 140 Gy for GD and TNG patients, respectively). Absorbed doses in organs other than the thyroid were much smaller, with arithmetic means of 1.6 Gy, 1.5 Gy and 0.65 Gy for esophagus, thymus and salivary glands, respectively. The arithmetic mean doses to all other organs and tissues were more than 100 times less than those to the thyroid gland. To our knowledge, this work represents the most comprehensive study to date of the doses received by persons treated with 131I for hyperthyroidism.
A double‐blind study of superficial radiotherapy in chronic palmar eczema

The effect of superficial radiotherapy as an adjunct to topical therapy in recalcitrant chronic symmetrical palmar eczema was assessed in fifteen patients by randomly allocating active treatment to one palm while the other, which received simulated therapy, served as a control. There was a significantly better response to active treatment at I month but this difference was no longer apparent at 3 and 6 months.
Mucinous carcinoma of the breast: A pathologic study of 82 cases

A series of 82 consecutive cases of mucinous carcinomas of the female breast was investigated for their clinical, morphological, and histochemical features and for the influence of some tumor characteristics on its prognosis. Two groups, a “pure” subtype (n=58) and a “mixed” subtype (n=24), were considered, according to the absence or the presence of concomitant areas with typical infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Eighty patients were followed with an average of 7.4 years. The actuarial survival was 58.5% at 10 years. The group of pure mucinous carcinomas showed a statistically significant better prognosis (P=0.0007) than that of the group of mixed tumors, as well as a lower percentage of axillary nodal metastasis. Tumor dimension of both pure and mixed mucinous carcinomas influenced the prognosis, since patients with T1 tumors had longer survival than those with T2 tumors (P=0.05) and the latter showed less mortality than T3 tumor cases (P=0.036). Node‐negative patients also had a more favorable outcome with lower mortality than node positive patients (P=0.007). None of the T1 pure mucinous carcinomas had axillary metastasis, which may have implications for the surgical protocols. The evaluation of quantitative and qualitative content in mucosubstances did not correlate with the prognosis. However, sulfomucins were demonstrated in 30.5% of cases; this fact points to add breast carcinoma to the group of neoplasms that may present as a metastatic sulfomucin‐producing adenocarcinoma. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sequential treatment strategy for malignant pleural effusion in non-small cell lung cancer with the activated epithelial grow factor receptor mutation

Abstract With the advent of molecularly targeted therapy, it is necessary to reconsider the strategy for malignant pleural effusion in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutations. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of a two-line sequential treatment strategy in this patient subgroup. First-line treatment was gefitinib (250 mg/day) until disease progression. Second-line treatment was thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis followed by chemotherapy. Primary endpoints were the overall response and progression-free survival rates after first-line treatment, and the overall survival rate after first- and second-line treatment. Secondary endpoints were the success rate of thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis and gefitinib toxicity. Among the 76 patients enrolled, 61 (80%) were female and the median age was 62 years. The overall response rate after first-line treatment was 92.1% and median progression-free survival was 15 months. The success rate for thoracoscopic talc pleurodesis in 33 patients was 94%. Median follow-up was 35 months. Median overall survival was 39 months. The 1- and 3-year overall survival rates were 86.4% and 46.1%, respectively. The two-line sequential treatment strategy enhanced survival. These preliminary findings provide an insight into novel therapeutic models for malignant pleural effusion in NSCLC harbouring EGFR mutations.