Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Performance and safety of holmium: YAG laser optical fibers.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Lower-pole ureteronephroscopy requires transmission of holmium:YAG energy along a deflected fiber. Current ureteroscopes are capable of high degrees of deflection, which may stress laser fibers beyond safe limits during lower-pole use. We hypothesized that optical fiber and safety measures differ among manufacturers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Small (200-273-microm) and medium-diameter (300-400-microm) Ho:YAG fibers were tested in a straight and 180 degrees bent configuration. Energy transmission was measured by an energy detector. Fiber durability was assessed by firing the laser in sequentially tighter bending diameters. The fibers were bent to 180 degrees with a diameter of 6 cm and run at 200- to 4000-mJ pulse energy to determine the minimum energy required to fracture the fiber. The bending diameter was decreased by 1-cm increments and testing repeated until a bending diameter of 1 cm was reached. The maximum deflection of the ACMI DUR-8E ureteroscope with each fiber in the working channel was recorded. The flow rate through the working channel of the DUR-8E was measured for each fiber. RESULTS The mean energy transmission differed among fibers (P < 0.001). The Lumenis SL 200 and the InnovaQuartz 400 were the best small and medium-diameter fibers, respectively, in resisting thermal breakdown (P < 0.01). The Dornier Lightguide Super 200 fractured repeatedly at a bend diameter of 2 cm and with the lowest energy (200 mJ). The other small fibers fractured only at a bend diameter of 1 cm. The Sharplan 200 and InnovaQuartz Sureflex 273T were the most flexible fibers, the Lumenis SL 365 the least. The flow rate was inversely proportional to four times the power of the diameter of the fiber. CONCLUSIONS Optical performance and safety differ among fibers. Fibers transmit various amounts of energy to their cladding when bent. During lower-pole nephroscopy with the fiber deflected, there is a risk of fiber fracture from thermal breakdown and laser-energy transmission to the endoscope. Some available laser fibers carry a risk of ureteroscope damage.
Rehabilitation of Visuospatial Cognition and Visual Exploration in Neglect: a Cross-over Study.

Right hemispheric brain damage is often accompanied by visual neglect of contralesional hemispace as well as profound visuospatial and visuoconstructive disorders. Despite some recent improvements in the treatment of neglect, few therapeutic approaches exist for disorders of visuospatial cognition and none has dealt with the question of how both disorders can be treated in combination. In the present cross-over rehabilitation study, thirteen neglect patients first received visual exploration training for six weeks followed by visuospatial training for four weeks. Eleven patients had a right-hemispheric lesion, 2 a left-hemispheric lesion. Ten subjects had parietal cortical lesions, 3 lesions were outside the parietal lobe. In the first treatment phase the patients received training, using computer controlled devices, intended to improve visual search and reading strategies. In the second phase of treatment, visual orientation discrimination was trained on a PC-monitor with verbal feedback by the therapist. Significant improvements were obtained after exploration training regarding the extent of visual search-field witbin the neglected hemifield, visual search performance in the whole visual field, reading time and reading errors but there was no change after visuospatial training for any of these measures. The reverse pattern was observed for visuospatial training: significant improvements were observed in line orientation judgements, clock perception, mental transposition of angles, horizontal writing and visuoconstructive abilities, but there was no change in any of these tests during exploration training. Feedback-based training of visual orientation discrimination revealed rapid (within 8-15 sessions) and stable improvements in this ability and a transfer to spatially related tasks.No significant correlations were obtained between training-related improvements and the time since brain damage for 9 of 10 tests, indicating that spontaneous recovery had no effect on the improvements during the two treatments. Likewise, no influence of age and gender on treatment progress was found. The phase-specific improvements in this study suggest that specific and differential treatment is necessary and effective for the treatment of visual exploration and visuospatial disorders in patients with visual neglect. Moreover, they indicate that feedback-based visual learning may prove an effective device in the neurorehabilitation of brain-damaged patients.
Challenges of Transferring Burn Victims to Hospitals: Experiences of Emergency Medical Services Personnel.

A thorough understanding of experiences of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) personnel related to the field transfer of burn victims can be used as a prerequisite of quality improvement of pre-hospital clinical care for these kinds of victims. The aim of the present study was to explore the experiences of EMS personnel during transferring burn victims. In this qualitative research, content analysis was performed to explore the experiences and perceptions of a purposeful sample of Iranian EMS personnel (n = 32). Data collection continued until a point of saturation was reached. Data was collected using in-depth semi-structured interview and field observations and analyzed by qualitative inductive content analysis.After data analyzing from experiences of pre-hospital emergency personnel during transferring burn victims 7 subcategories were developed and classified into three main categories as challenges of transferring burn victim including; risks during patient transfer, restrictions in the admission of burn victims and uncertainties about patient referral. This study showed that different factors affect the quality of pre-hospital clinical services to the field transfer of burn victims that should be considered to improve the quality of pre-hospital clinical care of burn victims in dynamic programs. Further investigation is needed to explore the process of these crucial services.
Speech Intelligibility Index (SII) and variation of speech signal intensity in hearing impaired children

Purpose: To compare aided speech intelligibility index (SII) values in different speech signal inputs (75, 65, and 55 dBNPS), generated from the verification process of hearing aids, under different hearing loss severities and configurations. Methods: 41 children aged between three and 80 months old were selected, totalizing 78 ears (after exclusion of four ears). Hearing loss was classified according to audibility groups and SII intervals. Two hundred and thirty-four (234) SII values were analyzed as per speech stimulus and with regard to groups and audibility intervals. Results: Movement of audibility groups along SII intervals was observed, which indicates variation associated with the input signal intensity, as well as with the distance between the sound source and the hearing aid microphone. Two equations were generated to predict SII values from input signal SII65. Conclusion: Lower levels of speech stimulus sound pressure produce lower levels of speech intelligibility. This difference is more pronounced in hearing-impaired persons, who present SII values between 36 and 55%.
Predominant recognition of human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) pX gene products by human CD8+ cytotoxic T cells directed against HTLV-I-infected cells.

We established long-term cell lines of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) specific for human T cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) from peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) of a patient with HTLV-I-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP), an HTLV-I-carrier with Sjögren syndrome, and an asymptomatic HTLV-I-carrier, by repeated stimulation with autologous HTLV-I-infected T cells in vitro. CTL derived from the patient with HAM/TSP expressed CD8 antigen, and their function was restricted by HLA-A2. They showed cytotoxic effects predominantly against the target cells expressing HTLV-I p40tax among the autologous B cell lines infected with vaccinia recombinants containing various HTLV-I genes which served as targets. These data are consistent with the previously reported findings that fresh PBL of HAM/TSP patients contain p40tax-specific CTL activity. Furthermore, CTL derived from the patient with Sjögren syndrome without neurological involvement also demonstrated cytotoxicity predominantly to p40tax. The cytotoxicity to the target cells experimentally expressing p40tax was blocked by unlabeled HTLV-I-infected cells possessing HLA-A2. HTLV-I-specific cytotoxicity was also inhibited by unlabeled B cells bearing p40tax. Thus, HTLV-I p40tax-specific cytotoxicity is mediated by the major CTL population activated by native HTLV-I antigens in patients with HAM/TSP or Sjögren syndrome. In contrast to the CTL of these patients, CTL similarly induced from the asymptomatic HTLV-I-carrier, which were highly cytotoxic to autologous HTLV-I-infected T cells, did not show significant levels of cytotoxicity to autologous B cells expressing p40tax. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Steroid‐sparing effect of omalizumab for allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis and cystic fibrosis

Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) is a complication commonly encountered in patients with CF that produces significant respiratory morbidity. Chronic airway colonization with Aspergillus induces strong inflammatory responses with high IgE levels. Current guidelines for therapy include prolonged courses of systemic corticosteroids as the main therapeutic strategy. However this has the potential to induce significant detrimental side effects in children. Omalizumab is a humanized monoclonal antibody directed against IgE that prevents its binding to high‐ and low‐affinity receptors on effector cells. It has been shown to be effective in improving asthma control in patients with a strong allergic component. We present our long term experience with the use of Anti‐IgE therapy in three children with CF and ABPA (mean age at start of therapy 14.2 years) who were steroid dependent. All three were already experiencing significant side effects from chronic steroid therapy. After the start of Omalizumab these children have experienced significant and sustained clinical improvements at the same time that they were discontinued from chronic systemic steroids. Our experience suggests that IgE blockade has tremendous potential as a strategy to control this disease in steroid dependent patients. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:607–610. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Influence of incubation temperature on hatching success, energy expenditure for embryonic development, and size and morphology of hatchlings in the oriental garden lizard, Calotes versicolor (Agamidae).

We incubated eggs of Calotes versicolor at four constant temperatures ranging from 24 degrees C to 33 degrees C to assess the effects of incubation temperature on hatching success, embryonic use of energy, and hatchling phenotypes that are likely to affect fitness. All viable eggs increased in mass throughout incubation due to absorption of water, and mass gain during incubation was dependent on initial egg mass and incubation temperature. The average duration of incubation at 24 degrees C, 27 degrees C, 30 degrees C, and 33 degrees C was 82.1 days, 60.5 days, 51.4 days, and 50.3 days, respectively. Incubation temperature affected hatching success, energy expenditure for embryonic development, and several hatchling traits examined, but it did not affect the sex ratio of hatchlings. Hatching success was lowest (3.4%) at 33 degrees C, but a higher incidence of deformed embryos was recorded from eggs incubated at this temperature compared to eggs incubated at lower temperatures. Most of the deformed embryos died at the last stage of incubation. Energy expenditure for embryonic development was, however, higher in eggs incubated at 33 degrees C than those similarly incubated at lower temperatures. A prolonged exposure of eggs of C. versicolor at 33 degrees C appears to have an adverse and presumably lethal effect on embryonic development. Hatching success at 24 degrees C was also low (43.3%), but hatchlings incubated at 24 degrees C did not differ in any of the examined traits from those incubated at two intermediate temperatures (27 degrees C and 30 degrees C). Hatchlings incubated at 33 degrees C were smaller (snout-vent length, SVL) than those incubated at lower incubation temperatures and had larger mass residuals (from the regression on SVL) as well as shorter head length, hindlimb length, tympanum diameter, and eye diameter relative to SVL. Hatchlings from 33 degrees C had significantly lower scores on the first axis of a principal component analysis representing mainly SVL-free head size (length and width) and fore- and hindlimb lengths, but they had significantly higher scores on the second axis mainly representing SVL-free wet body mass. Variation in the level of fluctuating asymmetry in eye diameter associated with incubation temperatures was quite high, and it was clearly consistent with the prediction that environmental stress associated with the highest incubation temperatures might produce the highest level of asymmetry. Newly emerged hatchlings exhibited sexual dimorphism in head width, with male hatchlings having larger head width than females.
Definitions and brief review of the types of information parents can contribute to accurate early detection Report

Half of all children with disabilities are not identified before school entrance. This precludes their participation in early intervention programs that have known value in reducing school drop out, criminality, increasing employment, and delaying child-rearing all of which accrue enormous costs to citizens. Although screening tests can greatly improve detection rates, these have not been popular in primary care due to test length, time constraints, and difficulty managing children’s behavior when hands-on measures are used. An alternative is to rely on parents’ concerns because these are not only accurate and efficient indicators of problems, but also because focusing on parents’ concerns makes visits relevant, engenders a much needed collaborative relationship in early detection, and increases the likelihood that parents will follow through with the recommendations of professionals. Nevertheless, careful attention must be paid to the wording of questions and use of parents’ concerns. Early detection is most effective when evidence-based decision-making guides professionals’ decisions. This review focuses on the use of parents’ concerns, meaning in their own words, to accurately detect and address developmental-behavioral (including social-emotional/ mental health) problems. Suggestions for future research are described throughout.
Statistical Thinking in quality improvement: use, difficulties and benefits of its implantation in industries of the Brazilian State of São Paulo

Paper aims: Identify the use of statistical thinking and techniques and their main difficulties and benefits in the Brazilian State of São Paulo industries. Originality: There are few empirical studies on the application of the statistical thinking and techniques which study their difficulties of implementation and their benefits in manufacturing companies. Research method: A web survey of a sample of 243 manufacturing companies. Main findings: The companies, in general, use some statistical principles and basic techniques for process control and improvement, however, companies that use principles and techniques more consistently have greater operational and team benefits. The main difficulties are associated to lack of culture and knowledge. Implications for theory and practice: The statistical application enables effective processes improvements and it is associated with motivation for further improvements, consolidation of improvement programs and culture of quality. This finding suggests managerial implications such as to plan actions to deploy and disseminate the culture of statistical thinking in an evolutionary way, training and support for use and to overcome barriers.
Four‐dimensional imaging and computer‐assisted track analysis of nuclear migration in root hairs of Arabidopsis thaliana

Nuclear migration is a fundamental mechanism necessary for the proper growth and development of many eukaryotic organisms. In this study root hairs of Arabidopsis thaliana were used as a research model to gain insight into the dynamics of nuclear migration. Root hairs are long tubular outgrowths of epidermal cells and are responsible for the uptake of water and nutrients. During the development of root hairs, the nucleus migrates into the hair after the bulge is formed. The position of the nucleus relative to the tip plays an essential role in the growth process. However, what is happening to the nucleus in full‐grown root hairs is still unclear. To study nuclear dynamics in living root hair cells, stably transformed plants with the fusion proteins Histone2B‐YFP and NLS‐GFP‐GUS were used. Four‐dimensional confocal laser scanning microscopy made it possible to monitor the exact position of the nucleus in different root hairs. To analyse the sequential positions of the nuclei in the root hairs, a new computer‐assisted method was developed. After track analysis a number of parameters could be extracted from the movies, such as the average speed, the amplitude, direction factor and the range of movement in the root hairs. Our results show that nuclei do not reach a final position in full‐grown root hairs and this sustained movement seems to be more similar in root hairs lying close to each other. Moreover, with this methodology it could be quantitatively demonstrated that the integrity of actin is necessary for nuclear movement.
Title Prospects for Human Erythrocyte Skeleton-Bilayer Dissociation during Splenic

Prospects of vesiculation occurring during splenic flow of erythrocytes are addressed via model simulations of RBC flow through the venous slits of the human spleen. Our model is multiscale and contains a thermally activated rate-dependent description of the entropic elasticity of the RBC spectrin cytoskeleton, including domain unfolding/refolding. Our model also includes detail of the skeleton attachment to the fluidlike lipid bilayer membrane, including a specific accounting for the expansion/contraction of the skeleton that may occur via anchor protein diffusive motion, that is, band 3 and glycophorin, through the membrane. This ability allows us to follow the change in anchor density and thereby the strength of the skeleton/membrane attachment. We define a negative pressure between the skeleton/membrane connection that promotes separation; critical levels for this are estimated using published data on the work of adhesion of this connection. By following the maximum range of negative pressure, along with the observed slight decrease in skeletal density, we conclude that there must be biochemical influences that probably include binding of degraded hemoglobin, among other things, that significantly reduce effective attachment density. These findings are consistent with reported trends in vesiculation that are believed to occur in cases of various hereditary anemias and during blood storage. Our findings also suggest pathways for further study of erythrocyte vesiculation that point to the criticality of understanding the biochemical phenomena involved with cytoskeleton/membrane attachment.
ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC EVIDENCE FOR EPIDERMAL GROWTH FACTOR RECEPTOR (EGF‐R)‐LIKE IMMUNOREACTIVITY ASSOCIATED WITH THE BASOLATERAL SURFACE OF GASTRIC PARIETAL CELLS

Epidermal growth factor (EGF), in addition to its effects on cell growth, has a suppressive effect on gastric hydrochloride secretion. We recently demonstrated EGF‐receptor (EGF‐R)‐like immunoreactlvity on human gastric parietal cells by light microscopy. To reveal further the localization of this reaction an immuno‐electron microscopical study was performed. 5281gG, an anti‐EGF‐R murine monoclonal antibody and a polyclonal anti‐EGF antibody were employed for immunostaining using the avidin‐biotin method. Positive reaction against 5281gG was shown mostly on the outer membrane of parietal cells, except in the apical portion. No reaction was observed on most of the intracytoplasmic membranes including intracellular canaliculi, endoplasmic reticulum and other membranous components. In the basillar portion, the 5281 gG‐positive parietal cell membrane formed labyrinthine interdigitations. No reaction against anti‐EGF was demonstrated in any of the gastric mucosal cells, although a reaction was clearly shown on salivary gland cells. These findings suggest a blood‐mediated direct action of EGF on parietal cells.
Endovascular treatment of intracranial unruptured aneurysms: systematic review and meta-analysis of the literature on safety and efficacy.

PURPOSE To report an updated, systematic review of medical literature from January 2003 to July 2008, on endovascular treatment (EVT) of intracranial unruptured aneurysms (UAs) (a) to assess the morbidity and case fatality rate of EVT of UAs, (b) to understand how bias can affect results, and (c) to estimate the efficacy of EVT by using reported digital subtraction angiographic (DSA) results and clinical follow-up events. MATERIALS AND METHODS This article was prepared in accordance with the Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies in Epidemiology and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The literature was searched by using PubMed and the EMBASE and Cochrane Library databases. Eligibility criteria were (a) explicit procedural mortality and morbidity rates; (b) at least 10 patients; (c) saccular, intradural, nondissecting UAs; (d) original study published in English or French between January 2003 and July 2008; and (e) a methodological quality score higher than 6, according to Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology criteria. End points included procedural mortality and morbidity, defined as a modified Rankin scale score of 3-6 at 1 month, and efficacy, estimated by using immediate and follow-up digital subtraction angiographic results, as well as delayed hemorrhagic events. RESULTS Seventy-one studies were included. Procedural unfavorable outcome was found in 4.8% (random-effect weighted average; 189 of 5044) of patients (99% confidence interval [CI]: 3.9%, 6.0%). Immediate angiographic results showed satisfactory occlusion in 86.1% (2660 of 3089) of UAs. Recurrences were shown in 321 (24.4%) of 1316 patients followed up for 0.4-3.2 years. Retreatment was performed in 9.1% (random-effect weighted average; 166 of 1699) of patients (99% CI: 6.2%, 13.1%). The annual risk of bleeding after EVT was 0.2% (random-effect weighted average; nine of 1395) of patients (99% CI: 0.1%, 0.3%), but clinical follow-up was short, limited to the first 6 months for 76.7% (n = 1071) of reported patients. CONCLUSION EVT of UAs can be performed with relative safety. The efficacy of treatment as compared with observation has not been rigorously documented.