Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparing transvaginally defined endometrial thickness with hysteroscopic and histopathologic findings in asyptomatic postmenopausal women.

PURPOSE To assess the diagnostic value of transvaginal sonography (TVS) measurement of the endometrium compared to hysteroscopic findings and histopathologic reports in order to facilitate clinical management in asymptomatic postmenopausal women with thickened endometrium. METHODS During the period between January 2000 and December 2008, a retrospective analysis was performed including cases of women who were preoperatively diagnosed with a sonographically thickened endometrium, while asymptomatic, and therefore underwent hysteroscopic and fractionated dilatation and curettage (D & C) under general anesthesia at the Second Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Aretaieion Hospital in Athens, Greece. In the present study we compare US, hysteroscopic and pathologic findings. RESULTS The mean age of the patients ranged between 54-74 years (mean age 65.2 +/- 6.8 years). In 108 cases, sonographically measured endometrial thickness ranged between 5 and 10 mm. In 59 cases, endometrial thickness ranged between 11 and 15 mm, whereas in 22 cases, between 16 and 20 mm and finally, in 13 cases endometrial thickness was more than 20 mm. Hysteroscopic examination revealed endometrial polyps in 161 cases, focal hyperplastic lesions in 28 cases, complete hyperplastic lesions in five cases while atrophy was found in five and cancer in three cases, respectively. Pathological results of the samples taken after hysteroscopy are as follows: in 169 cases (83.67%) in women with asymptomatic abnormal endometrial thickness, an endometrial polyp was present. Endometrial thickness in these cases patients was 10.9 +/- 7.5 mm. In patients with focal hyperplasia (22 cases), endometrial thickness was 7.2 +/- 0.5 mm but in patients with complete hyperplasia (5 cases) endometrial thickness was higher (12.3 +/- 5.1 mm). Finally, in three cases with endometrial carcinoma endometrial thickness was 15.5 +/- 7.8 mm. Six cases out of 28 described in our study were diagnosed as focal hyperplasia and two out of five cases as complete hyperplasia, whereas histological reports classified these cases as endometrial polyps. The other histological diagnoses confirmed hysteroscopic findings and thus provided the same results. CONCLUSIONS We recommend hysteroscopy to follow gynecological TVS when a thickened endometrium is found in asyptomatic postmenopausal women for better diagnostic and, in a later stage, therapeutic efficacy.
Title : The Influence of Tactical and Situational Variables on Offensive Sequences during Elite Football Matches Running title : Influence of Tactics on Offensive Sequences

This study examined the influence of tactical and s ituational variables on offensive sequences during elite football matches. A sample o f 68 games and 1694 offensive sequences from the Spanish La Liga, Italian Serie A , German Bundesliga, English Premier League and Champions League were analysed u sing chi-square and logistic regression analyses. Results revealed that countera ttacks (OR=1.44; 95% CI: 1.13 to 1.83; P<0.01) and fast attacks (OR=1.43; 95% CI: 1.11 to 1 .85; P<0.01) increased the success of an offensive sequence by 40% compared wi th positional attacks. The chance of an offensive sequence ending effectively in game s from the Spanish, Italian and English Leagues were higher than in the Champions L eague. Offensive sequences that started in the pre-offensive or offensive zones wer e more successful than those started in the defensive zones. An increase of 1 second in the offensive sequence duration and an extra pass resulted in a decrease of 2% (OR=0.98 ; 95% CI: 0.98 to 0.99; P<0.001) and 7% (OR=0.93; 95% CI: 0.91 to 0.96; P<0.001), respectively in the probability of its success. These findings could assist coaches in des gning specific training situations that improve the effectiveness of the offensive pro cess.
Review on Micro-encapsulated Phase Change Materials ( MEPCMs ) : Fabrication , Characterization and Applications

Copyright and reuse: The Warwick Research Archive Portal (WRAP) makes the work of researchers of the University of Warwick available open access under the following conditions. Copyright © and all moral rights to the version of the paper presented here belong to the individual author(s) and/or other copyright owners. To the extent reasonable and practicable the material made available in WRAP has been checked for eligibility before being made available.
Malta ON THE MODELLING OF NON-MONOTONOUS VISCOSITY DESCRIBING FEEDSTOCK BEHAVIOUR IN POWDER INJECTION MOULDING

Feedstocks used in the process of powder injection moulding characterized by the flow of highly filled (60 vol.%) compound into a mould cavity, sometimes exhibit nonmonotonous flow behaviour of viscosity in dependence on shear rate. A new 7-parameter rheological model was proposed and applied to the feedstock based on aluminium oxide powder and multicomponent partly water-soluble polymeric binder. Structural changes of the feedstock caused by shear deformation were quantified in terms of yield stresses obtained using the classical monotonous Herschel-Bulkley and Casson models. Unlike these models the newly proposed 7-parameter rheological model is valid in the whole shear rate range measured.
Chest Radiographs after Dilatational Percutaneous Tracheotomy: Are they Necessary?

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of routinely obtaining chest radiographs after standard open tracheotomy has been questioned. Recent literature would suggest that after a routine, uncomplicated tracheotomy, chest radiography is a low-yield procedure that incurs unnecessary expense. Percutaneous dilatational tracheotomy (PDT) is rapidly replacing open tracheotomy as the intensive care unit procedure of choice for airway management. Complication rates are equivalent between the two procedures. OBJECTIVE: We examined the value and cost-effectiveness of routine postoperative chest radiographs in patients undergoing PDT. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: The study was a prospective analysis of 54 consecutive PDTs performed at a tertiary care academic institution. RESULTS: Eighteen (33%) patients had chest radiographs obtained within 1 hour of PDT (6 at the request of the otolaryngology service); 35 (66%) underwent radiography more than 2 hours later at the request of the intensive care unit for reasons other than PDT. There were no incidents of pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, or tracheotomy tube malposition in any patient. Patients undergoing chest radiography within 1 hour of the PDT also had chest radiographs within 12 hours at the request of ICU staff for their underlying disease. CONCLUSIONS: Routine chest radiography after PDT is of low yield. Because most of these patients require chest radiographs for their underlying disease within 12 hours, a cost savings of approximately $13,500 would be realized in this patient population. SIGNIFICANCE: Routine chest radiography after PDT is unwarranted in most cases.
Examining the Relationship between Financial Development and International Trade in Croatia

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between financial development and international trade in Croatia over the period from the first quarter of 1997 and the last quarter of 2015. The autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bounds testing approach to cointegration is applied to examine the long-run and short-run relationships among the series. The research hypothesis is accepted and the relationship between financial development and international trade in Croatia is established and confirmed. The research results reveal unidirectional Granger causality from financial development to international trade at the 10% significance level, and negative long-run and the positive short-run relationships between financial developments and international trade in Croatia.
' Direct ' versus ' indirect ' approaches to Transparent Free Relatives

This paper reconsiders the analysis of Transparent Free Relatives proposed in Grosu (2003), sharpening and refining some of its aspects, and bringing into bolder relief its empirical and conceptual merits relative to analyses that view its impressionistic 'pivot' as an 'external Head. ' It is argued, by also marshalling novel arguments, that the analysis defended in this paper provides an empirically more adequate account of a number of syntactic and semantic properties of TFRs, as well as a conceptually more satisfactory perspective on other properties, which have no more than a definitional, i.e., stipulative, status within alternative approaches. It is also argued, contra Van Riemsdijk (2006), that Horn Amalgams do not have an impressionistic pivot at all, and that the only interesting property they share with TFRs is the possession of an internal equational structure.
Silver Sol and the Successful Treatment of Hospital Acquired MRSA in Human Subjects With Serious Ongoing Infection

The patented form of Silver Sol (US Patent # 7135195) has been shown to destroy bacteria, viruses and mold in vitro and living systems (23). Staphylococcus aureus can be completely destroyed by Silver Sol in as little as two minutes and in vitro studies show it will stay dead for 28 days (24). Rustum Roy Ph.D. reported that strains of resistant staph (MRSA) could be destroyed by the Silver Sol treatment in vitro (25). The University of Cal Berkely reports that Silver Sol can completely destroy in vitro forms of MRSA (Methicillin resistant staph aureus) and VRE (Vancomyocin resistant Enterococcus) at levels as low as 2.5 ppm in as little as 45 to 60 minutes (26). With MRSA continuing to mutate and sustain resistance to antibiotics, it is encouraging to report the findings from this study which demonstrate an all-natural opponent to this modern day plague. This study demonstrates the benefits of Silver Sol on human subjects with serious MRSA infections of the skin. These patients were hospitalized and contracted their MRSA infections while staying in the hospital. Patients wound size, depth and closure rates were photographed and digitized for weekly calculations that quantified the time to wound closure and overall seriousness of the infection. Before, during and after photos demonstrate a visual accounting of the benefit of the Silver Sol treatment. All treatments were given by the hospital medical staff where patients received silver sol gel sprayed topically on the wound twice daily and orally ingested 2 teaspoons of the liquid silver sol twice a day. The results of this study indicate that twice-daily treatment with silver sol gel (spray form) and twice-daily oral ingestion of liquid Silver Sol significantly improved treatments of hospital acquired MRSA infections in human subjects. The average time to closure improved, and patients taking silver sol reported a significant reduction in pain associated with the wound.
Choreographies at Home as Objects of Design

In traditional movement theories, the centre of movement has been the human body, whose specific movement patterns and qualities indicate psychological orientation and features of the mover’s inner life. However, we consider that these movement theories are not necessarily useful to capture dynamics of movement constellations which the moving body has with actual or virtual objects. In developing a novel choreographybased methodology we do not focus on single gestures and postures but affective connections or disconnections, patterns or routines people create with digital devices or physical objects at home environment on micro, local and macro levels. Author
Coated‐wall microreactor for continuous biocatalytic transformations using immobilized enzymes

Microstructured flow reactors are emerging tools for biocatalytic process development. A compelling design is that of the coated‐wall reactor where enzyme is present as a surface layer attached to microchannel walls. However, preparation of a highly active wall biocatalyst remains a problem. Here, a stainless steel microreactor was developed where covalent immobilization of the enzyme in multiple linear flow channels of the reaction plate was supported by a macroporous wash‐coat layer of γ‐aluminum oxide. Using surface functionalization with aminopropyl triethoxysilane followed by activation with glutardialdehyde, the thermophilic β‐glycosidase CelB from Pyrococcus furiosus was bound with retention of half of the specific activity of the free enzyme (800 U/mg), yielding a high catalyst loading of about 500 U/mL. This microreactor was employed for the continuous hydrolysis of lactose (100 mM) at 80°C, providing a space‐time yield of 500 mg glucose/(mL h) at a stable conversion of ≥70%. The immobilized enzyme displayed a half‐life of 15 days under the operational conditions. Due to the absence of hydrophobic solute‐material interactions, which limit the scope of microstructures fabricated from poly(dimethylsiloxane) for biocatalytic applications, the new microreactor was fully compatible with the alternate enzyme substrate 2‐nitro‐phenyl‐β‐D‐galactoside and the 2‐nitro‐phenol product resulting from its hydrolysis catalyzed by CelB.
Development of Dynamic Stability Criteria from Direct Seakeeping Simulations

Recent investigations have shown a demand for the introduction of additional criteria to the IMO-intact stability code, accounting for dynamic phenomena related to the behavior of ships in rough weather. The general need for such kind of criteria arises because modern ship designs suffer from specific phenomena in rough weather which were not as relevant for those designs relevant at the time the intact stability code was developed. This paper suggests a structure for these dynamic criteria. Within this proposed structure, one set of criteria will account for a minimum stability limit required to ensure that these standards will provide the ships with sufficient safety. For the development of this proposed set of criteria, validated tools and procedures are used that have been successfully used for ship designs with sufficient safety on one hand and without any competitive disadvantage on the other hand.
Reversals in Market Integration: A Funding Liquidity Explanation

This paper provides an explanation for reversals in global equity market integration through the funding liquidity channel. I show that financial market integration decreases as funding constraints bind more strongly, consistent with limits to arbitrage and increased home bias during funding distress periods. An International Margin-CAPM, which incorporates borrowing frictions of international investors in the form of investor-specific and country-specific margin constraints, explains how reversals occur as funding liquidity becomes scarce. Empirically, the betting against beta portfolios of the model that load on funding liquidity comove less across markets during global funding distress periods. This suggests that at these times funding liquidity risk is local in nature. A funding-liquidity segmentation indicator, constructed from the betting against beta portfolios, not only fits the previously documented evidence on market segmentation, but also explains reversals in integration in the absence of foreign investment barriers.
Joint Quantitative Imaging of Rayleigh and OH LIF Using Saturated and Linear Fluorescence

An experimental technique is described that enables quantitative evaluation of simultaneous 2-D temperature and OH radical distributions. The aim of this technique is to provide a quantitative investigation technique to be applied to the Piloted Premixed Vitiated Coflow Burner (PPVCB) described by Dunn et al. [4]. Significant effort has been made to eliminate errors that commonly plague the quantification of the OH Planar Laser Induced Fluorescence (PLIF) and Rayleigh signal. For the Rayleigh signal, factors such as laser power fluctuations, background reflections and non uniform cross section have been accounted for. A new model is presented allowing quantification of the OH mole fraction in both the linear, transition and saturated regimes of fluorescence. Demonstration of the experimental technique as a proof of principle in the PPVCB is presented.
Do Remittances Increase Agricultural Productivity? The Case of Ghana

Abstract: Over the last decades, remittances have significantly gained in importance for developing countries. Using recent household data, this thesis assesses the impact of remittances on agricultural productivity for the case of Ghana. Accounting for sample selection bias and endogeneity concerns, an overall positive but modest impact of remittances emerges. Yet, this estimate discerns crucial differences arising due to a household's socio-economic background. In particular, quartile regressions reveal a non-linear pattern, pointing to the strongest impact of remittances among lower-medium income classes. Further, this thesis estimates the impact of remittances on the expenditure on crop inputs as one potential channel to explain the differential impact of these monetary flows across income classes. As remittances are found to also influence crop expenditure stronger in lower income classes, this pattern complements the previous results. Our findings illustrate the need for a more comprehensive approach to assess the impact of remittances in the agricultural context. (Less)
Prosthesis-patient mismatch: definition, clinical impact, and prevention

Prosthesis-patient mismatch (PPM) is present when the effective orifice area of the inserted prosthetic valve is too small in relation to body size. Its main haemodynamic consequence is to generate higher than expected gradients through normally functioning prosthetic valves. This review updates the present knowledge about the impact of PPM on clinical outcomes. PPM is common (20–70% of aortic valve replacements) and has been shown to be associated with worse haemodynamic function, less regression of left ventricular hypertrophy, more cardiac events, and lower survival. Moreover, as opposed to most other risk factors, PPM can largely be prevented by using a prospective strategy at the time of operation.
Loss of Protein Kinase Cθ, Bcl10, or Malt1 Selectively Impairs Proliferation and NF-κB Activation in the CD4+ T Cell Subset1

The cytosolic proteins protein kinase Cθ (PKCθ), Bcl10, and Malt1 play critical roles in TCR signaling to the transcription factor NF-κB. Our data confirm that CD4+ T cells from PKCθ, Bcl10, and Malt1 knockout mice show severe impairment of proliferation in response to TCR stimulation. Unexpectedly, we find that knockout CD8+ T cells proliferate to a similar extent as wild-type cells in response to strong TCR signals, although a survival defect prevents their accumulation. Both CD4+ and CD8+ knockout T cells express activation markers, including CD25, following TCR stimulation. Addition of exogenous IL-2 rescues survival of knockout CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, but fails to overcome the proliferation defect of CD4+ T cells. CD4+ T cells from knockout mice are extremely deficient in TCR-induced NF-κB activation, whereas NF-κB activation is only partially impaired in CD8+ T cells. Overall, our results suggest that defects in TCR signaling through PKCθ, Bcl10, and Malt1 predominantly impair NF-κB activation and downstream functional responses of CD4+ T cells. In contrast, CD8+ T cells maintain substantial NF-κB signaling, implying the existence of a significant TCR-regulated NF-κB activation pathway in CD8+ T cells that is independent of PKCθ, Bcl10, and Malt1.
Estimating lung ventilation directly from 4D CT Hounsfield unit values.

PURPOSE Computed tomography ventilation imaging (CTVI) aims to visualize air-volume changes in the lung by quantifying respiratory motion in 4DCT using deformable image registration (DIR). A problem is that DIR-based CTVI is sensitive both to 4DCT image artifacts and DIR parameters, hindering clinical validation of the technique. To address this, the authors present a streamlined CTVI approach that estimates blood-gas exchange in terms of time-averaged 4DCT Hounsfield unit (HU) values without relying on DIR. The purpose of this study is to quantify the accuracy of the HU-based CTVI method using high-resolution (68)Ga positron emission tomography ("Galligas PET") scans in lung cancer patients. METHODS The authors analyzed Galligas 4D-PET/CT scans acquired for 25 lung cancer patients at up to three imaging timepoints during lung cancer radiation therapy. For each 4DCT scan, the authors produced three types of CTVIs: (i) the new method (CTV IHU¯), which takes the 4D time-averaged product of regional air and tissue densities at each voxel, and compared this to DIR-based estimates of (ii) breathing-induced density changes (CTV IDIR-HU), and (iii) breathing-induced volume changes (CTV IDIR-Jac) between the exhale/inhale phase images. The authors quantified the accuracy of CTV IHU¯, CTV IDIR-HU and CTV IDIR-Jac versus Galligas PET in terms of voxel-wise Spearman correlation (r) and the separation of mean voxel values between clinically defined defect/nondefect regions. RESULTS Averaged over 62 scans, CTV IHU¯ showed better accuracy than CTV IDIR-HU and CTV IDIR-Jac in terms of Spearman correlation with Galligas PET, with (mean ± SD) r values of (0.50 ± 0.17), (0.42 ± 0.20), and (0.19 ± 0.23), respectively. A two-sample Kolmogorov-Smirnov test indicates that CTV IHU¯ shows statistically significant separation of mean ventilation values between clinical defect/nondefect regions. Qualitatively, CTV IHU¯ appears concordant with Galligas PET for emphysema related defects, but differences arise in tumor-obstructed regions (where aeration is overestimated due to motion blur) and for other abnormal morphology (e.g., fluid-filled or peritumoral lung with HU ≳ - 600) where the assumptions of the HU model may break down. CONCLUSIONS The HU-based CTVI method can improve voxel-wise correlations with Galligas PET compared to DIR-based methods and may be a useful approximation for voxels with HU values in the range (-1000, - 600). With further clinical verification, HU-based CTVI could provide a straightforward and reproducible means to estimate lung ventilation using free-breathing 4DCT.