Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of Antiangiogenic Treatment Efficacy by Iron Oxide Enhanced Parametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Rationale and Objectives:Tools for monitoring modern target-specific antiangiogenic and antivascular therapies are highly desirable because treatment strategies are time consuming, expensive, and yet sometimes ineffective. Therefore, the aim of this experimental study was to evaluate the predictive value of steady-state ultrasmall particles of iron oxide (USPIO; SH U 555 C)-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for early assessment of antivascular tumor-treatment effectiveness. Methods:Mice were inoculated with an HT-1080 fibrosarcoma xenograft and subjected to target-specific antivascular therapy using a selective thrombogenic vascular-targeting agent (truncated tissue factor fused to RGD peptide) or saline as control. Four to 8 hours after treatment, the USPIO-induced change in the transverse relaxation rate &Dgr;R2* was measured by MRI, and the vascular volume fraction (VVF) was calculated by calibrating &Dgr;R2* of the tumor by &Dgr;R2* of muscle tissue. Treatment response was defined by histologic grading of vascular thrombosis and tumor necrosis. Results:After thrombogenic treatment, half of the HT-1080 xenograft-bearing animals showed only minor (=nonresponder) whereas the other half showed extensive tumor thrombosis (=responders). For responders, a significant decrease of &Dgr;R2* and VVF was observed compared with the control group (&Dgr;R2*: controls: 16 ± 1 s−1 vs. responder: 4 ± 2 s−1; P < 0.001) whereas &Dgr;R2* and VVF remained nearly unchanged for nonresponders (&Dgr;R2*: nonresponder 14 ± 2 s−1). VVF and &Dgr;R2* values correlated inversely with the histologic grading of vascular thrombosis and tumor necrosis (VVF: r = −0.8; &Dgr;R2*: r = −0.71; P < 0.01). Conclusion:USPIO-enhanced MRI allows a noninvasive, early assessment of treatment efficacy of thrombogenic vascular-targeting agents.
Optimal Protection Coordination for Microgrids Considering N $-$1 Contingency

Usually, protection coordination problems are solved under the assumption that the network topology is fixed. Yet, in practice, any power system can encounter changes in the network topology due to transient events. These transient events can be in the form of line or generation source outage. Furthermore, in the presence of distributed generation, the network topology can change depending on whether the system is operating in the grid-connected or islanded mode. Thus, it is essential to consider all possible network topologies while designing a protection scheme for distribution systems with distributed generation (DG). In this paper, the protection coordination problem is solved to determine the optimal relay settings considering N$-$ 1 contingency, which can result from a single line, DG unit, or substation outage. In addition, the relays are designed taking into account both grid-connected and islanded operation modes. The problem has been formulated as a mixed integer nonlinear programming problem including coordination constraints corresponding to the various possible outages. The proposed approach is tested on a 9-bus radial distribution system and on the IEEE 14-bus meshed distribution system, both equipped with DG units.
Safety and efficacy of simultaneous colorectal ESD for large synchronous colorectal lesions

Abstract Background and study aims Multiple large colorectal lesions are sometimes diagnosed during colonoscopy. However, there have been no investigations of the feasibility of simultaneous endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for multiple lesions. This study aims to reveal the strategy of simultaneous ESD for multiple large colorectal lesions. Patients and methods 246 patients who underwent ESD for 274 colorectal lesions were retrospectively evaluated in this study. Fifty-one large colorectal lesions among 23 patients were treated by ESD simultaneously (simultaneous group), and 223 patients were treated with ESD for a single lesion (single group). Results En-bloc resection and curative resection rates did not differ. Compared with the single group, each procedure time was faster (31.8 ± 23.6 min vs. 45.8 ± 44.8, P = 0.002), but total procedure time was significantly longer in the simultaneous group (70.6 ± 33.4 vs. 45.8 ± 44.8 min, P = 0.01). Rates of adverse events including bleeding and perforation were not higher in the simultaneous group but the mean blood pressure, incidence of bradycardia and the amount of sedative drug used during ESD were significantly higher in the simultaneous group. Multiple logistic regression analysis identified non-experienced physician, lesion size ≥ 40 mm and submucosal fibrosis as an independent risk factor for procedure duration (≥ 90 min) (Odds ratio 11.852, 18.280, and 3.672; P < 0.05, respectively). Conclusions Simultaneous ESD for multiple synchronous colorectal lesions is safe and feasible compared with single ESD and can reduce the burden to patients, length of hospital stay and medical expense. These results need to be elucidated by further studies.
Outcome following removal of TPLO implants with surgical site infection

Summary Objective To evaluate the outcome of surgical site infection (SSI) associated with tibial plateau levelling osteotomy (TPLO) implants following treatment by medical management alone or implant removal with or without the administration of antibiotic medication. Animals Ninety dogs (104 TPLO surgical procedures). Methods Records of dogs that had undergone TPLO implant removal due to SSI were reviewed. Outcome following treatment with antibiotic medications without implant removal, and treatment with implant removal with and without the administration of antibiotic medications was evaluated. Results Treatment of SSI with antibiotic medication alone failed in 88.9% (64/72) of the dogs. The clinical signs of SSI resolved in 94.9% (74/78) of the dogs treated with implant removal (with and without the administration of antibiotic medication postimplant removal). The effect of administration of antibiotic medication on outcome of treatment of the SSI by implant removal was not significant. The rate of SSI associated with the Synthes implant was higher than with the Slocum implant, but not the New Generation implant. Conclusion Implant removal with or without the administration of antibiotic medication post-implant removal for treatment of TPLO SSI provided superior outcome compared to treatment with antibiotic medications without implant removal. Clinical significance Implant removal should be considered for TPLO SSI that have not responded to appropriate medical management. Further investigation of the various TPLO implants and their effects on postoperative infection rate is warranted.
Effects of prolonged loud reading on normal adolescent male voices.

PURPOSE The purpose of this article was to test the effects of vocal loading in healthy, peripubescent teenage boys. It was hypothesized that select acoustic measures, ratings of physical appearance of the larynx, and self-ratings of physical effort and vocal quality in the experimental group would significantly change in response to 2 hr of prolonged loud reading. METHOD In this prospective, repeated measures study, 25 boys aged 13-16 years were randomly assigned to either an experimental group (2 hr of continuous loud reading) or a control group (silent reading with brief periods of conversation). Pre-post acoustic, videoendoscopic, and perceptual data including self-ratings were collected. Postreading recovery changes were tracked by monitoring average reading fundamental frequency (F0) and intensity for 20 min following cessation of the reading task. RESULTS The experimental group demonstrated statistically significant differences before and after prolonged loud reading for three variables: F0 (p < .01), self-ratings of vocal quality (p < .01), and physical effort (p < .01). No pre-post changes were evident in the control group. In the experimental group, posttest return of F0 to pretest levels occurred within 20 min. Self-ratings revealed that the boys felt that their voice quality worsened and physical effort increased during the experimental task. Expert ratings did not detect any significant differences in either the perceptual quality of the experimental group's voices or their videoendoscopic images. IMPLICATIONS These findings demonstrate that prolonged loud reading can induce temporary but measurable changes in F0 and in self-perception of vocal function in adolescent males who are experiencing a period of rapid laryngeal growth. The underlying mechanism for these changes remains unclear and warrants continued investigation. Furthermore, the results suggest that in the pubescent male population, comparable vocal loading tasks encountered in daily use should not result in long-term negative effects.
Clonal anergy to staphylococcal enterotoxin B in vivo: selective effects on T cell subsets and lymphokines

Injection of bacterial superantigens such as staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB) in adult mice results in initial proliferation of SEB‐responsive Vβ8+ T cells followed by induction of a state of non‐responsiveness frequently referred to as clonal anergy. We show here that SEB‐induced anergy involves selective changes in lymphokine production and that it affects CD4+ Vβ 8+ and CD8+ Vβ 8+ T cells in different fashions. Whereas both CD4+ Vβ 8+ and CD8+ Vβ 8+ cells from anergic mice exhibit strongly reduced proliferative capacity and interleukin(IL)‐2 production upon restimulation with SEB either in vivo or in vitro the CD8+ subset from SEB‐injected mice produces other lymphokines (such as interferon(IFN)‐γ) at normal or slightly increased levels in response to SEB. Changes in the levels of production of IL‐2 and IFN‐γ protein correlated well with mRNA accumulation both in vivo and in vitro. Collectively these data suggest that superantigen‐induced anergy involves selective changes in signal transduction and/or gene regulation in T lymphocytes.
Carbon Nanotube Cathodes for Electron Gun

Two carbon nanotubes cold cathodes, employable in electron guns for linear vacuum tubes (traveling-wave tubes, Klystron), are realized considering an extracting grid in two different configurations: integrated or externally mounted. The electron field emission of the two cathodes is measured to compare the two devices. In an external extracting grid, a transparency of 72% and a maximum current density of 3.2 <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">${\rm mA}/{\rm cm}^{2}$</tex></formula> are obtained, whereas in the integrated grid device, a transparency of 75% and a maximum current density of 74 <formula formulatype="inline"> <tex Notation="TeX">${\rm mA/cm}^{2}$</tex></formula> are obtained. The high transparency achieved makes the two cathodes attractive for low power consumption vacuum tubes.
ABERRANT REWARD CENTER RESPONSE TO PARTNER REPUTATION DURING A SOCIAL EXCHANGE GAME IN GENERALIZED SOCIAL PHOBIA

Generalized social anxiety disorder (GSAD) is characterized by excessive fear of public scrutiny and reticence in social engagement. Previous studies have probed the neural basis of GSAD often using static, noninteractive stimuli (e.g., face photographs) and have identified dysfunction in fear circuitry. We sought to investigate brain‐based dysfunction in GSAD during more real‐world, dynamic social interactions, focusing on the role of reward‐related regions that are implicated in social decision‐making.
RTA-408 Protects Kidney from Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury in Mice via Activating Nrf2 and Downstream GSH Biosynthesis Gene

Acute kidney injury (AKI) induced by ischemia-reperfusion is a critical conundrum in many clinical settings. Here, this study aimed to determine whether and how RTA-408, a novel oleanane triterpenoid, could confer protection against renal ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) in male mice. Mice treated with RTA-408 undergoing unilateral ischemia followed by contralateral nephrectomy had improved renal function and histological outcome, as well as decreased apoptosis, ROS production, and oxidative injury marker compared with vehicle-treated mice. Also, we had found that RTA-408 could strengthen the total antioxidant capacity by increasing Nrf2 nuclear translocation and subsequently increased Nrf2 downstream GSH-related antioxidant gene expression and activity. In vitro study demonstrated that GSH biosynthesis enzyme GCLc could be an important target of RTA-408. Furthermore, Nrf2-deficient mice treated with RTA-408 had no significant improvement in renal function, histology, ROS production, and GSH-related gene expression. Thus, by upregulating Nrf2 and its downstream antioxidant genes, RTA-408 presents a novel and potential approach to renal IRI prevention and therapy.
Tolerogenic plasmacytoid DC

Plasmacytoid DC (pDC) are type‐I IFN‐producing cells known for their capacity to promote anti‐viral innate and adaptive immune responses. Despite their potent anti‐viral function, when compared with conventional DC, pDC exhibit poor immunostimulatory ability and their interaction with T cells often favors the generation of Treg. pDC are activated primarily in response to ssRNA and ssDNA through TLR7 and TLR9, respectively, but also through TLR‐independent mechanisms. Non‐lymphoid tissue pDC, such as those residing in the airways, gut, and liver, play a significant role in regulating mucosal immunity and are critical for the development of tolerance to inhaled or ingested antigens. Herein we discuss properties that define tolerogenic pDC and how their unique characteristics translate into an ability to regulate immunity and promote the development of tolerance. We cover the importance of pDC during intrathymic Treg development and the maintenance of peripheral tolerance, as well as their regulatory role in transplantation, autoimmunity, and cancer. We highlight recent findings regarding danger‐associated molecular pattern and PAMP signaling in the regulation of pDC function, and how the ability of pDC to promote tolerance translates into the potential clinical applications of these cells as therapeutic targets to regulate immune reactivity.
Evaluation of the learning management system using students’ perceptions

Background: Learning Management System (LMS) is a web-based system designed to support teaching and learning at an institution. The capabilities of any LMS are required to be evaluated to detect the room for improvement. This study aimed at discovering the students’ perceptions of the functions of the LMS at Iran University of Medical Sciences (IUMS). Methods: This qualitative study included 15 students of two master programs of Biostatistics and Medical Librarianship during the fall semester of 2015. The participants were asked to write down their perceptions of the experiences they had while using the LMS and classify them based on two categories of "Advantages and Drawbacks". Framework Analysis technique was used to analyze the views. Results: The themes emerging from the ‘Advantages’ included advantages for the students, advantages for the teachers, and advantages for both; however, those from the ‘Drawbacks’ were found to be technical and nontechnical problems. Conclusion: The major debated points in the comments comprised the students’ positive accounts of the Forum section, and their complaints of the frequent glitches recurring in the system as well as some constructive problems such as inefficient tools for typing in English. Some all-inclusive inferences concerning the methodology of the study have also been pointed out in the final section.
Emergency Department Crowding Predicts Admission Length-of-Stay But Not Mortality in a Large Health System

Background:Emergency department (ED) crowding has been identified as a major threat to public health. Objectives:We assessed patient transit times and ED system crowding measures based on their associations with outcomes. Research Design:Retrospective cohort study. Subjects:We accessed electronic health record data on 136,740 adults with a visit to any of 13 health system EDs from January 2008 to December 2010. Measures:Patient transit times (waiting, evaluation and treatment, boarding) and ED system crowding [nonindex patient length-of-stay (LOS) and boarding, bed occupancy] were determined. Outcomes included individual inpatient mortality and admission LOS. Covariates included demographic characteristics, past comorbidities, severity of illness, arrival time, and admission diagnoses. Results:No patient transit time or ED system crowding measure predicted increased mortality after control for patient characteristics. Index patient boarding time and lower bed occupancy were associated with admission LOS (based on nonoverlapping 95% CI vs. the median value). As boarding time increased from none to 14 hours, admission LOS increased an additional 6 hours. As mean occupancy decreased below the median (80% occupancy), admission LOS decreased as much as 9 hours. Conclusions:Measures indicating crowded ED conditions were not predictive of mortality after case-mix adjustment. The first half-day of boarding added to admission LOS rather than substituted for it. Our findings support the use of boarding time as a measure of ED crowding based on robust prediction of admission LOS. Interpretation of measures based on other patient ED transit times may be limited to the timeliness of care.
Music Intervention With Reminiscence Therapy and Reality Orientation for Elderly People With Alzheimer Disease Living in a Nursing Home: A Pilot Study

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an 8-week nursing intervention consisting of 2 weekly sessions of music and reminiscence therapy together with the application of reality orientation techniques. Our expectation at the onset of the study was that listening to music that was familiar and connected with the memory of past events would, due to the music's emotional impact, stimulate memory associations, leading, in turn, to a positive effect on depression and anxiety in people living with dementia. We carried out a pre-/posttest intervention design with a sample of 19 patients divided into 2 groups—a 10-patient control group and a 9-patient intervention group—in a nursing home in Spain. Goldberg tests for depression and anxiety have been assessed at baseline and postintervention in both groups. Our results confirm the valuable effect of music therapy and reminiscence therapy together with reality orientation techniques on depression in patients with mild Alzheimer disease. Our study may constitute an important starting point for further research on nursing interventions based on the provision of music and/or reminiscence therapy together with reality orientation techniques that is implemented on a daily basis in nursing homes.
Concurrent Enrollment Programs and Acquired Social Capital for Students from Impoverished Backgrounds: An Examination of High School and College Outcomes

Poverty has been linked to reduced workforce opportunities, reduced collegegoing rates, increased social-emotional challenges, and even negative health consequences. Postsecondary educational opportunities, offered during high school, that contribute to the acquisition of social capital may improve academic outcomes for students from impoverished backgrounds. The Colorado concurrent enrollment legislation, provides one opportunity for students to enroll in college level coursework and receive college credits with tuition being paid through state funding while in high school. Concurrent enrollment (CE) programs support the college application, financial aid and enrollment processes. Most importantly, they also support the development of social networks that may foster beneficial secondary and postsecondary outcomes. This dissertation examines the participation and representation rates of free and reduced lunch (FRL) students in CE programs at the state and local level. Next, the impact of CE participation on secondary and postsecondary outcomes in students from impoverished backgrounds is examined. The quasi-experimental research design included a matched control group generated by logistic regression and propensity score matching techniques. A sensitivity analysis was conducted to estimate unaccounted for variance that may have
Depression, stress and anxiety in medical students: A cross-sectional comparison between students from different semesters.

OBJECTIVE To compare the prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress in medical students from all semesters of a Brazilian medical school and assess their respective associated factors. METHOD A cross-sectional study of students from the twelve semesters of a Brazilian medical school was carried out. Students filled out a questionnaire including sociodemographics, religiosity (DUREL - Duke Religion Index), and mental health (DASS-21 - Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale). The students were compared for mental health variables (Chi-squared/ANOVA). Linear regression models were employed to assess factors associated with DASS-21 scores. RESULTS 761 (75.4%) students answered the questionnaire; 34.6% reported depressive symptomatology, 37.2% showed anxiety symptoms, and 47.1% stress symptoms. Significant differences were found for: anxiety - ANOVA: [F = 2.536, p=0.004] between first and tenth (p=0.048) and first and eleventh (p=0.025) semesters; depression - ANOVA: [F = 2.410, p=0.006] between first and second semesters (p=0.045); and stress - ANOVA: [F = 2.968, p=0.001] between seventh and twelfth (p=0.044), tenth and twelfth (p=0.011), and eleventh and twelfth (p=0.001) semesters. The following factors were associated with (a) stress: female gender, anxiety, and depression; (b) depression: female gender, intrinsic religiosity, anxiety, and stress; and (c) anxiety: course semester, depression, and stress. CONCLUSION Our findings revealed high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms in medical students, with marked differences among course semesters. Gender and religiosity appeared to influence the mental health of the medical students.
Simplified Averaged Models of DC–DC Power Converters Suitable for Controller Design and Microgrid Simulation

This paper presents simplified nonlinear averaged large-signal and linear small-signal models of the three basic dc-dc converter topologies, boost, buck, and noninverting buck-boost, respectively, operating in peak current-mode control. Models have been derived for the continuous and discontinuous conduction mode. The modeling methodology used is the equivalent current injected method. The derived models have been compared to the existing full-order large-signal nonlinear models and have been found to exhibit simulation time reduction by a few magnitudes in complex distributed power systems, such as today's popular microgrids. The models developed have been experimentally verified on a custom-built 120-W boost converter prototype, showing great accuracy in steady state and in dynamical behavior in all operating points, as determined by the output resistance.
Rhizodeposition stimulated by elevated CO2 in a semiarid grassland

Summary • Rhizodeposition, or the addition of C from roots to soil C pools, is expected to increase if net primary production is stimulated and some excess C is allocated below-ground. We investigated the effects of 5 yrs of elevated CO2 on below-ground C dynamics in a native, C3–C4 grassland ecosystem in Colorado, USA. • Cylinder harvests following each growing season and monolith excavation at the end of the experiment provided data on root biomass, root C : N ratios, and root and soil δ13C values. We applied an isotopic mixing model to quantify new soil C inputs on elevated and ambient CO2 treatments. • Root biomass increased by 23% and root C : N ratios increased by 26% after 5 yrs of elevated CO2. Species-specific differences were found in root residence times, which ranged from 6 to 8 yrs. • Rhizodeposition was roughly doubled in elevated compared with ambient CO2 chambers, at 83 ± 16 versus 35 ± 9 g C m−2 yr−1 over the last 4 yrs of the experiment (t-test, P = 0.006). Net C sequestration will depend on how decomposition rates are altered by elevated CO2.