Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complications and predictive factors for the successful treatment of flatback deformity (fixed sagittal imbalance).

STUDY DESIGN This is an analysis of consecutive cases of flatback deformity (fixed sagittal imbalance), treated by one of two surgeons at a university hospital. OBJECTIVE To define factors that contribute to results with treatment of flatback syndrome, classify types of sagittal deformities, and discuss complications. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA There are few reports that detail the results and complications of current instrumentation and osteotomy techniques for correction of fixed sagittal deformities. METHODS Twenty-eight patients treated with osteotomies for sagittal imbalance were eligible for 2-year minimum follow-up (average, 3.6 years). Patients were classified (segmental imbalance, Type 1; or global imbalance, Type 2) and evaluated by upright radiographs, chart review, and a questionnaire. RESULTS Twenty-eight (100%) patients returned the questionnaire, and 28 had current radiographs. Five treatment groups were evaluated based on osteotomy type (anterior, posterior [Smith-Petersen], both, or pedicle subtraction) and use of anterior structural grafting. All patients were treated with modern bilateral hook-rod-screw constructs. Mean correction at the osteotomy levels was 25 degrees for Type 1 deformities and 30 degrees for Type 2 (P < 0.05). Sagittal correction averaged 6.6 cm in Type 2 deformities (P < 0.05). Questionnaire analysis showed a significant and persistent reduction in subjective pain level. There were seven patients with 11 total complications and no neurologic deficits. Associations among patients who were not satisfied with their results (n = 4) included insufficient sagittal correction (P = 0.045), pseudarthrosis (P = 0.045), coronal imbalance, and four or more medical comorbidities (P = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS Satisfaction with the results of treatment may be reduced in patients with four or more major co-existent medical problems, insufficient sagittal correction, and resultant pseudarthrosis.
Race and Ethnicity in the Era of Emerging Pharmacogenomics

Race and ethnicity are terms that are commonly used to categorize subjects in medical research. Advances in genetics and the emerging discipline of pharmacogenomics have brought these terms under scrutiny, with arguments either for the continued use or for the abandonment of these terms generating strong views. As pharmacogenomics research develops, we may find that more accurate and specific descriptions of relevant variation in genes will reduce the value that these imprecise descriptors have in predicting how people will respond to drug therapies.
initio molecular dynamics study of elasticity of akimotoite MgSiO 3 t mantle conditions

The thermo-elastic properties of MgSiO3 akimotoite at mantle pressure and temperature conditions are reported based on ab initio molecular dynamic simulations. A third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation at a reference temperature of 2000 K is defined by K0 = 158 GPa, K ′ 0 = 3.7, G0 = 85.7 GPa, G′ 0 = 4.5, ccepted 11 November 2008
Bone Mineral Density in End-Stage Renal Disease Patients: Association with Wasting, Cardiovascular Disease and Mortality

Background: Bone and mineral disorders may contribute to extraosseous ossifications and cardiovascular disease (CVD) in end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients. We have investigated the relationship between bone mineral density (BMD) and inflammation, wasting, CVD and mortality in ESRD patients. Methods: BMD (dual energy X-ray absorptiometry) and biochemical, nutritional and inflammatory markers were assessed in 277 incident ESRD patients (GFR 7.1 ± 0.2 ml/min) who were then followed prospectively for a mean of 27 (range 1–60) months. Carotid plaques were determined in 103 patients. Results: Patients with carotid plaques, clinical manifestation of CVD and wasting (assessed by subjective global assessment) had significantly lower BMD than their counterparts. Low BMD was associated with high all-cause and cardiovascular mortality. Even after adjustment for several confounders and risk factors, all-cause (HR = 2.1, CI: 1.1–3.9, p = 0.02) and cardiovascular (HR = 2.8, CI: 1.2–6.3, p = 0.02) mortality remained significantly associated with low BMD. Conclusions: Low BMD is associated with wasting and CVD, and is an independent predictor of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in ESRD patients.
Histopathologic outcome of neoadjuvant image-guided therapy of hepatocellular carcinoma.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The best curative treatment for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is liver transplant (LT), with the limitation to either a solitary lesion < 5 cm or up to three lesions < 3 cm each. Arresting tumor growth or downstaging to make patients eligible for LT can be obtained by neoadjuvant treatments such as transarterial chemoembolization (TACE), selective internal radiation therapy (SIRT), chemical or radiofrequency ablation (RFA). We evaluated the histopathologic response in explant specimens to neoadjuvant image-guided therapy of HCC prior to LT. METHODS Twenty-eight patients with 39 HCC nodules eligible for LT underwent neoadjuvant image-guided therapy 1-393 days prior to transplant. Treatment included TACE (5 nodules), SIRT (7 nodules), RFA (12 nodules), chemical ablation (3 nodules) combined TACE and acetic acid injection (1 nodule) and combined TACE and RFA (11 nodules). 19/28 patients not transplanted within 30 days had interval MRI and 3 patients with progressive disease were retreated. RESULTS Residual viable tumor was seen in 42% of patients with post-treatment imaging. Explant pathology revealed viable tumor in 35 of 39 (90%) treated nodules and somewhere in the explanted liver in all patients. Viability and/or progression of the treated tumor was noted in 5/5 nodules treated with TACE, 6/7 with SIRT, 11/12 with RFA, 2/3 with chemical ablation and 11/12 with combined treatment. CONCLUSION Viable local or remote tumor was identified on explanted liver in the majority of patients with HCC after neoadjuvant therapy, despite apparent successful treatment on MRI.
Living will completion in older adults.

BACKGROUND In December 1991, the Patient Self-Determination Act required health care institutions to provide incoming patients with information about living wills (LWs). Although LWs have been legalized in the majority of states, the number of people with a completed LW remains low. This study was designed to learn some of the reasons that so few people have an LW. METHODS With the use of the health belief model, a questionnaire was designed to characterize the group that already had a completed LW and to identify the barriers older adults perceive in their completion of an LW. Older adults (aged 65 to 90 years) who dined at 10 local nutrition sites were asked to participate. Of the 214 subjects with usable responses, 15% already had executed an LW, 66% planned to complete an LW, and 86% wanted to have an LW. By means of multiple regression and discriminant analysis, the characteristics that defined each group were statistically determined. RESULTS Two characteristics described those who already had an LW: they were highly educated and did not consider the LW form too long for its purpose. The older adults who planned to complete an LW identified two barriers impeding them: family issues and a need for assistance in completing the form. The majority of the older adults (61%) desired that their physicians initiate discussions with them about an LW. CONCLUSIONS Conclusions from these data yield recommendations for health care providers toward implementing the act; physician-initiated discussions, community programs, and available information and assistance are needed.
False-positive Rate of the Immunoperoxidase Stains for MART1/MelanA in Lymph Nodes

MART1 and MelanA are considered sensitive markers of melanocytic differentiation and are used to increase the detection of melanoma micrometastases in sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs). However, the false-positive rates of these two antibodies have not been adequately evaluated. We examined 217 lymph nodes (LNs) from patients with no history of melanoma: 117 SLNs from breast cancer patients, 79 LNs from other nonmelanoma malignancy patients, and 21 reactive LNs. Capsular melanocytic nevi were identified in 5 SLNs from 5 breast cancer patients by both antibodies. Two of these 5 SLNs with capsular nevus also contain MART1- and MelanA-positive cells within the lymph node parenchyma. Individual immunoperoxidase-positive cells were also identified within the parenchyma of lymph nodes without capsular nevus (9 LNs with MART1 and 3 LNs with MelanA). The false-positive rate is 5.1% for MART1 and 2.4% for MelanA. In conclusion, MART1- or MelanA-positive cells may be present in lymph nodes from patients without melanoma. Therefore, MART1- and MelanA-positive cells in SLNs from melanoma patients, without corresponding atypia or hematoxylin and eosin findings, should be interpreted with caution.
Outpatient Surgical Management of Arthrofibrosis After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Surgery

We present a consecutive series of nine patients who were referred to us because of arthrofibrosis (loss of >15° of extension) after intraarticular anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using autogenous patellar ten don (eight patients) or semitendinosus (one patient) graft. Eight patients had surgery within 2 weeks of injury. All patients had been immobilized in flexion after the anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction and they had failed to improve despite vigorous physical therapy and other closed methods of treatment. The mean time from anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction to the subse quent surgery was 10.2 months (range, 3 to 14). The patients underwent an outpatient arthroscopic anterior scar resection, notchplasty, a closed knee manipulation for flexion, and extension casting. Serial daily extension cast changes allowed the patients to obtain full exten sion, which was maintained by a bivalved extension splint for bedtime use. Flexion was actively sought by aggressive outpatient physical therapy. All patients ex cept one noted near-normal ultimate range of motion. One patient could only attain 10° short of flat extension at the end of his rehabilitation and was considered a failed result. At final followup (mean, 31 months), no patient complained of symptoms of instability, all had a normal gait, and all but one were able to return to athletic activities.
Outbreaks of non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli infection: USA

SUMMARY Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infections are increasingly detected, but sources are not well established. We summarize outbreaks to 2010 in the USA. Single-aetiology outbreaks were defined as ⩾2 epidemiologically linked culture-confirmed non-O157 STEC infections; multiple-aetiology outbreaks also had laboratory evidence of ⩾2 infections caused by another enteric pathogen. Twenty-six states reported 46 outbreaks with 1727 illnesses and 144 hospitalizations. Of 38 single-aetiology outbreaks, 66% were caused by STEC O111 (n = 14) or O26 (n = 11), and 84% were transmitted through food (n = 17) or person-to-person spread (n = 15); food vehicles included dairy products, produce, and meats; childcare centres were the most common setting for person-to-person spread. Of single-aetiology outbreaks, a greater percentage of persons infected by Shiga toxin 2-positive strains had haemolytic uraemic syndrome compared with persons infected by Shiga toxin 1-only positive strains (7% vs. 0·8%). Compared with single-aetiology outbreaks, multiple-aetiology outbreaks were more frequently transmitted through water or animal contact.
RANGIFERINE BRUCELLOSIS ON BAFFIN ISLAND

The standard tube agglutination test (STAT) and the complement fixation test (CFT) were used to assess the seroprevalence of antibodies to Brucella spp. in caribou (Rangifer tarandus) from three populations on Baffin Island, Canada. During late winter from 1983 to 1986, sera from 17 of 40 North Baffin (43%), 11 of 33 Northeast Baffin (33%) and 12 of 82 South Baffin (15%) adult caribou had antibodies in the STAT at 1:50 or the CFT at 1:5. Seroprevalence increased as caribou matured with one (4%) of 25 calves, four (13%) of 31 yearlings, and 40 (26%) of 155 adult caribou being positive. However, seroprevalence did not differ with sex in any age class. Positive antibody titers were higher in adult females sampled in May, 3 to 4 wk before parturition, than in adult females sampled in late March and April. The strength of positive titers did not differ with the time of sampling among adult males. Pathologic signs of brucellosis were found in three (13%) of 23 caribou that were assumed to have active infections (caribou with CFT titers > 1:160). Brucella suis biovar 4 was isolated from 24 (60%) of 40 caribou from which lesions were submitted. Between 1986 and 1990, the annual incidence of reported human (Homo sapiens) cases averaged 3.4 (34:100,000) on Baffin Island.
Cerebellar Involvement in Motor Learning

For decades, cerebellar research has been guided by the central hypothesis that plasticity at synapses in the cerebellar cortex mediates motor learning. This hypothesis has been challenged especially strongly in recent years by data that contradict the original theories of cerebellar motor learning. These data form the basis for strong arguments to the contrary and have inspired new, non-motor theories of cerebellar function. We consider key data that are contrary to the motor learning hypothesis and develop the argument that both old and new data are best explained by extending, rather than rejecting, the basic tenets of the original motor learning theories of cerebellar function. NEUROSCIENTIST 3:303–313, 1997
Hybrid channel estimation for MIMO relay systems with Doppler offset influences

The design of the channel estimation method in a multiple‐input multiple‐output (MIMO) relay system plays a highly crucial role in deciding the overall system performance. For the realistic scenarios specifically, with fast time‐varying channel conditions due to highly mobile communicating nodes, the degree of accuracy to which the channel estimates are obtained for MIMO relay systems influences the communication system reliability significantly. However, most of the channel estimation approaches proposed in literature for MIMO relay systems assume that the Doppler offset contributed by highly mobile nodes is already known to the receiver, ignoring the resulting nonlinear system dynamics. Hence, a novel hybrid algorithm is proposed to address the issue of time‐varying channel estimation under fast‐fading channel condition with Doppler offset influences contributed by high‐mobility communicating nodes for a 1‐way 2‐hop MIMO amplify‐and‐forward relaying system. The problem is first formulated as a nonlinear state‐space model, and then an algorithm is developed to estimate the individual source‐to‐relay and relay‐to‐destination channels in the presence of the associated dynamic Doppler offset. In the proposed method, a set of superimposed orthogonal pilots is used for aiding in the updation of the channel gains, since Kalman filter–based updation may lead to accumulation of estimation and prediction error. A detailed computational complexity analysis of the proposed hybrid algorithm is presented, which shows that the algorithm has moderate computational complexity with a good performance in fast time‐varying channel conditions with high node mobility in a dual‐hop MIMO relay system.
Synthesis of high quality zinc-blende CdSe nanocrystals and their application in hybrid solar cells

Oleic acid (OA) modified zinc-blende cadmium selenium nanocrystals (NCs) with different diameters, 3–5 nm, have been prepared. We find that the morphology and fluorescent properties of the samples are related to the preparation conditions such as the chain-length and concentration of the cadmium precursor as well as the concentration of OA. The hybrid solar cells based on the obtained spherical CdSe NCs as an acceptor and Poly(2-methoxy-5-(2′-ethylhexoxy)-p-phenylenevinylene) (MEH-PPV) as a donor show an energy conversion efficiency (ECE) as high as 0.85%, three times higher than that reported before for spherical CdSe NCs/conjugated polymer hybrid solar cells. When poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) is used as the donor phase instead of MEH-PPV, the energy conversion efficiency increases up to 1.08%. The solar cell based on CdSe NCs/conjugated polymer has the potential to open up new production technologies for hybrid solar cells based on semiconductor NCs.
Patterns of Benzodiazepine use in Great Britain as Measured by a General Population Survey

In a general population survey by Gallup in Great Britain of 4148 subjects, 7.7% had taken benzodiazepines within the last year (male:female ratio 106:212). Younger subjects tended to take anxiolytics for shorter periods compared with older subjects, who often took hypnotics chronically. This pattern was most marked among females. Dosage escalation, tolerance, high daily dose usage, and hoarding were not common. A substantial proportion of current users had experienced difficulty in stopping their medication. Withdrawal problems were associated with being older than 45 years and consuming benzodiazepines for over 12 months. This lends support to the idea of benzodiazepine dependency. However, the appropriateness of long-term therapy for chronic symptoms cannot be ruled out.
An Intrabody Based on a Llama Single-domain Antibody Targeting the N-terminal α-Helical Multimerization Domain of HIV-1 Rev Prevents Viral Production*

The human immunodeficiency virus, type 1 (HIV-1)-encoded Rev protein is essential for the expression of late viral mRNAs. Rev forms a large organized multimeric protein-protein complex on the Rev response element of these viral mRNA species and transports them from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, exploiting the CRM1-mediated cellular machinery. Here we report the selection of a nanobody, derived from a llama heavy-chain only antibody, that efficiently blocks the assembly of Rev multimers. The nanobody inhibits HIV-1 replication in cells and specifically suppresses the Rev-dependent expression of partially spliced and unspliced HIV-1 RNA. In HIV-susceptible cells, this nanobody thus has potential as an effective anti-HIV agent using genetic immunization strategies. Its binding site was mapped to Rev residues Lys-20 and Tyr-23 located in the N-terminal α-helical multimerization domain. In the presence of this nanobody, we observed an accumulation of dimeric Rev species, supporting a head-to-head/tail-to-tail molecular model for Rev assembly. The results indicate that the oligomeric assembly of Rev follows an ordered stepwise process and identify a new epitope within Rev that could guide strategies for the development of novel HIV inhibitors.
Fcγ Receptor IIIa Single‐Nucleotide Polymorphisms and Haplotypes Affect Human IgG Binding and Are Associated With Lupus Nephritis in African Americans

To investigate whether the Fcγ receptor IIIa–66L/R/H (FcγRIIIa‐66L/R/H) polymorphism influences net effective receptor function and to assess if the FCGR3A combined genotypes formed by FcγRIIIa‐66L/R/H and FcγRIIIa‐176F/V, as well as copy number variation (CNV), confer risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis.
Changes in the prevalence of hypertension and obesity in a rural area of Japan.

A systematic epidemiological study was conducted on 40 to 64 year old male inhabitants of an agricultural village in Kyushu in 1958 and 1977. The study investigated the prevalence of obesity and its relationship to hypertension. 1) The mean body weight of the subjects at each body height was significantly higher in 1977 than in 1958. The prevalence of obesity based on relative body weight was significantly higher in 1977. This increase was especially pronounced in the 40-49 age group. 2) The prevalence of hypertension was nearly the same in lean, intermediate, and obese body types in 1958. There was a general increase in the number of hypertensive subjects in 1977, and the increase was greater in the obese group than in the other two groups . 3) The mean serum cholesterol levels were not different among the different body types in 1961. In 1977, significantly higher cholesterol values within the normal range were obtained in the obese group than in the lean group, especially at 40-49 and 50-59 years of age. No difference was noted in the prevalence of hypercholesterolemia (above 250 mg/dl) . These observations indicate that changes in the health and disease structure of Japan have resulted from the modifications in the Japanese life style such as diet.
ANALYZING AND VISUALIZING COSMOLOGICAL SIMULATIONS WITH ParaView

The advent of large cosmological sky surveys—ushering in the era of precision cosmology—has been accompanied by ever larger cosmological simulations. The analysis of these simulations, which currently encompass tens of billions of particles and up to a trillion particles in the near future, is often as daunting as carrying out the simulations in the first place. Therefore, the development of very efficient analysis tools combining qualitative and quantitative capabilities is a matter of some urgency. In this paper, we introduce new analysis features implemented within ParaView, a fully parallel, open-source visualization toolkit, to analyze large N-body simulations. A major aspect of ParaView is that it can live and operate on the same machines and utilize the same parallel power as the simulation codes themselves. In addition, data movement is in a serious bottleneck now and will become even more of an issue in the future; an interactive visualization and analysis tool that can handle data in situ is fast becoming essential. The new features in ParaView include particle readers and a very efficient halo finder that identifies friends-of-friends halos and determines common halo properties, including spherical overdensity properties. In combination with many other functionalities already existing within ParaView, such as histogram routines or interfaces to programming languages like Python, this enhanced version enables fast, interactive, and convenient analyses of large cosmological simulations. In addition, development paths are available for future extensions.
Pineal melatonin and the innate immune response: the TNF‐α increase after cesarean section suppresses nocturnal melatonin production

Abstract: The nocturnal surge of melatonin is the endocrine expression of the circadian system and is essential for organizing the timing of various endogenous processes. Previous works suggest that, in the beginning of a defense response, the increase in circulating tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) leads to a transient block of nocturnal melatonin production and promotes a disruption of internal time organization. In the present paper, the concentration of melatonin and cytokines [TNF‐α, interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), interleukin (IL)‐2, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐10, IL‐12] in the colostrum (postdelivery day 3) and in the milk (postdelivery days 10, 15, 20 and 30) obtained at midday and midnight from mothers who gave birth by vaginal or cesarean section were compared. The nocturnal melatonin surge observed 3 days after vaginal delivery was absent after cesarean section. IL‐12 presented no daily variation in either case, while daily variations in IFN‐γ, IL‐10, IL‐4 and IL‐5 were observed after vaginal delivery and cesarean section. On the other hand, the increase in TNF‐α after cesarean section resulted in suppression of the nocturnal melatonin surge. Daily variation of IL‐2 was only observed after recovery of the nocturnal melatonin surge, 30 days after cesarean section. The present paper supports the hypothesis of a cross‐talk between the pineal gland and the immune system, which could represent a putative immune–pineal axis.