Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clostridium septicum Infection and Malignancy

Evidence mounts favoring the relationship, albeit unexplained, between Clostridium septicum infection and malignancy, particularly hematologic or intestinal malignancy. Seven patients with C. septicum gangrene or sepsis have been treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital in the years 1977–79. All of these patients have had associated malignant disease: four patients had colon adenocarcinomas, two patients had acute myeloblastic leukemias, and one patient had breast carcinoma. In six of the seven patients, the malignancy was in an advanced state; the breast carcinoma showed no evidence of recurrence after mastectomy, 17 years earlier. A bowel portal of entry is postulated in five patients. Despite prompt use of appropriate antibiotics, the only survivors were two of the four patients, who underwent early extensive debridement. These results suggest that, in the patient with C. septicum infection, malignancy should be sought; that, in the septic patient with known malignancy, C. septicum should be considered; and that, in the absence of external source in the patient with clostridial myonecrosis or sepsis, the cecum or distal ileum should be considered a likely site of infection. Increased awareness of this association between C. septicum and malignancy, and aggressive surgical treatment, may result in improvement in the present 50–70% mortality rate.
Association of gastro-oesophageal reflux and chronic rhinosinusitis: systematic review and meta-analysis.

INTRODUCTION Gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) has been implicated in the development of chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). The association of GORD with CRS is systematically assessed from the medical literature. METHODOLOGY Embase and MEDLINE were searched using a comprehensive strategy limited to English language and Human subjects. Any study with original data on the experimental, diagnostic, treatment or prognostic association of CRS with GORD was included. Studies without a control group, case reports and review articles were excluded. RESULTS The search returned 958 records, with an additional 10 found from bibliographic lists; this produced 32 studies. The included studies (n=32) consisted of studies reporting pathogenic factors (n=20), epidemiological association (n=8), prognostic interactions (n=3), and a combination of these outcomes (n=1). Potential pathogenic roles for GORD in CRS were supported; CRS subjects had greater prevalence of intranasal Helicobacter pylori and acid reflux than subjects without CRS. CRS is more prevalent in GORD sufferers than those without GORD. Evidence is conflicting for GORD as a factor in CRS treatment failure. CONCLUSION The results support a significant association of GORD with CRS. Physicians should be cognizant of the potential for acid and non-acid reflux as a driving factor in CRS.
UNMIX Methods Applied to Characterize Sources of Volatile Organic Compounds in Toronto, Ontario

UNMIX, a sensor modeling routine from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), was used to model volatile organic compound (VOC) receptors in four urban sites in Toronto, Ontario. VOC ambient concentration data acquired in 2000–2009 for 175 VOC species in four air quality monitoring stations were analyzed. UNMIX, by performing multiple modeling attempts upon varying VOC menus—while rejecting the results that were not reliable—allowed for discriminating sources by their most consistent chemical characteristics. The method assessed occurrences of VOCs in sources typical of the urban environment (traffic, evaporative emissions of fuels, banks of fugitive inert gases), industrial point sources (plastic-, polymer-, and metalworking manufactures), and in secondary sources (releases from water, sediments, and contaminated urban soil). The remote sensing and robust modeling used here produces chemical profiles of putative VOC sources that, if combined with known environmental fates of VOCs, can be used to assign physical sources’ shares of VOCs emissions into the atmosphere. This in turn provides a means of assessing the impact of environmental policies on one hand, and industrial activities on the other hand, on VOC air pollution.
Pricing and Hedging Options in Energy Markets Using Black-76

We prove that the prices of options on forwards in commodity markets converge to the Black-76 formula when the short-term variations of the logarithmic spot price are a stationary Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process and the long-term variations are following a drifted Brownian motion. The convergence rate is exponential in the speed of mean reversion and time to delivery of the underlying forward from the exercise time of the option. This can be applied to energy markets like electricity and gas to argue for the use of Black-76 in pricing of options, although the spot prices may show large spikes. Furthermore, we prove that the quadratic hedging strategy converges in a similar fashion to the delta-hedge in the Black-76 model. Our results are illustrated with a numerical example of relevance to energy markets.
Electric Policy Simulation Based on Computable General Equilibrium Model

Besides the simulation of electric power policy itself, electric power policy modeling simulates the impacts of electric power policy on other trades as well as the impact of the policies of other trades on electric power industry. On the strength of nonlinear equations, computable general equilibrium (CGE) describes the supplying and demanding relationship between the sectors of economic system, so it offers a very useful method for electric power policy simulation. In this paper, the principal equation modules of CGE are presented; on the basis of sorting out eleven electric power consumption sectors from industrial sectors, the structure of social accounting matrix (SAM) for electric power simulation is described; according to the present situation of RMB revaluation, by use of the input output table of the year of 2002 a SAM is designed; by use of general algebraic modeling system (GAMS), a CGE model used to analyze the impact of change in exchange rate on electric power industry is constructed and the fluctuation of electric power consumption of these sorted out sectors is analyzed while the exchange rate of RMB is reduced by one percent and three percent respectively.
Risk of prostate cancer in low‐dose aspirin users: A retrospective cohort study

A growing body of evidence indicates that use of low‐dose aspirin (LDA) reduces the risk of certain adenocarcinomas. While there are several and consistent findings on the protective effect of LDA on colorectal and other cancers, few and conflicting evidence is available on prostate cancer (PCa). The aim of this study was to assess whether LDA reduces the incidence rate of PCa. We conducted a nationwide, population‐based, retrospective cohort study by using Health Search IMS Health Longitudinal Patient Database (HSD). Patients with ischemic cardio‐ or cerebrovascular disease (index date) were identified. Time‐dependent multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were adopted to estimate Hazard Ratios (HRs) and related 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) of PCa associated with use of LDA. The exposure was lagged by one year to consider the latency of drug effect on the outcome onset. Within a cohort 13,453 patients, the overall incidence rate of PCa was 2.5 per 1,000 person‐years. Use of LDA was associated with a decreased incidence rate of PCa (HR = 0.64; 95% CI: 0.48–0.86), which was primarily driven by a frequency of LDA use equal to or higher than twice per week (HR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.43–0.83). Such an association was more pronounced (HR = 0.43; 95% CI: 0.21–0.91) when LDA was used for five or more years. Our findings indicate that LDA use might be associated with a reduction of risk of PCa in patients with cardio‐ or cerebrovascular diseases.
A population-based study of the association between pathological gambling and attempted suicide.

The association between pathological gambling and attempted suicide was examined using data from a prevalence study conducted in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The sample size was 7,214, the questionnaire was the Diagnostic Interview Schedule, and diagnoses were made on a lifetime basis according to DSM-III criteria. Logistic regression analysis was performed, with attempted suicide as the dependent variable. The odds ratio for pathological gambling was statistically significant (odds ratio = 4.91; 95% confidence interval = [1.41,17.1]) when major depression was the only comorbid mental disorder in the model. As terms for additional mental disorders were included, pathological gambling ceased to be statistically significant. It was concluded that a history of pathological gambling is associated with previous attempted suicide, and that the association may be due to a common factor--"mental illness. "
Epitope mapping and characterization of the infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus glycoprotein, using fusion proteins synthesized in Escherichia coli

A characterization of the antigenic determinants (epitopes) of the glycoprotein (G) of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus was made by expressing different regions of the G gene in Escherichia coli. A cDNA copy of the G gene was divided into four fragments by TaqI digestion, and the fragments were subcloned into pATH vectors, placing the expression of each G gene fragment under control of the trpE promoter. The resulting plasmids, pXL2, pXL3, and pXL7, encoded trpE-G fusion proteins subsequently detected with anti-infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus sera by Western immunoblots. A comparison of reactivities of the fusion proteins encoded by these plasmids was made by Western immunoblot and radioimmunoassay with a number of anti-G specific monoclonal antibodies (MAbs). The nonneutralizing MAb 136J reacted with the trpE-G fusion protein encoded by pXL3 and fusion proteins encoded by plasmids p52G and p618G, which were described in previous studies (R. D. Gilmore, Jr., H. M. Engelking, D. S. Manning, and J. C. Leong. Bio/Technology 6:295-300, 1988). Another nonneutralizing MAb, 2F, bound to the pXL3 fusion protein, and the neutralizing MAb RB/B5 recognized the pXL7 fusion protein. All fusion proteins were tested as vaccines in rainbow trout fry. Although significant protection was induced by all fusion proteins, the pXL3 fusion protein was most effective as a vaccine.
Periodized Plyometric Training is Effective for Women, and Performance is Not Influenced by the Length of Post-Training Recovery

Ebben, WP, Feldmann, CR, VanderZanden, TL, Fauth, ML, and Petushek, EJ. Periodized plyometric training is effective for women, and performance is not influenced by the length of post-training recovery. J Strength Cond Res 24(1): 1-7, 2010-This study evaluated the effectiveness of a periodized plyometric training program and the impact of the duration of the post-training recovery period on countermovement jump performance. Fourteen women subjects participated in a 6-week periodized plyometric training program. Ten women subjects served as non-training controls. All subjects' countermovement jump height, peak power, and body mass were assessed before and 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 days after training. Kinetic data were obtained via a force platform using the average of 3 repetitions of the countermovement jump for each testing session. Jump height was 25.0% greater (p ≤ 0.05) after training with no difference (p > 0.05) between recovery periods of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 days, for the training group. Peak power was 11.6-14.3% (p ≤ 0.001) greater after training for the training group with no difference (p > 0.05) between recovery periods of 2, 4, 6, 8, or 10 days. Analysis revealed no significant difference (p > 0.05) for jump height or peak power from pre- to posttest for the control group. Practitioners should prescribe periodized plyometric programs with decreasing volume and increasing intensity to improve jump performance without a need for a post-training recovery period.
Temperature and Chemical Sensors Based on FIB-Written Carbon Nanowires

Carbon nanowires written by focused ion beam on diamond surface are novel nanostructures with interesting electronic properties. In this communication, carbon nanowire structures working as temperature and chemical sensors are reported. The sensor structures were made as arrays of carbon nanowires written by a 30 keV focused ion beam on polycrystalline CVD diamond films. The electronic structure of a carbon nanowire array is discussed as multiple unipolar heterodiodes graphite-diamond-graphite (G-D-G). The energy barrier of the G-D-G diodes has been found of a value 0.25 eV. The structures exhibited changes in conductance when measured at different temperatures or when put in proximity of some volatile liquids. This temperature and chemical sensitivity is explained by the activation of the charge carrier flow over the G-D barrier caused by temperature or by the charge of the analyte molecules adsorbed on the surface of the structure. The temperature response of the sensors in the range from 40 to 140 is exponential at a rate of 0.11 . The chemical sensitivity has been found selective and particularly pronounced for water vapor. The advantages of the novel carbon nanowire sensors are their blindness to visible light, compatibility with carbon nanotechnology, simplicity and reproducibility of fabrication. The all-carbon nature of the sensors implies their applicability in medicine and biology.
Constraint‐induced Movement Therapy for Hemiplegic Children With Acquired Brain Injuries

ObjectiveTo evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) for impaired upper extremity (UE) function in children with acquired brain injury (ABI). DesignMultiple case studies. SettingInpatient pediatric rehabilitation. ParticipantsSeven consecutive ABI rehabilitation admissions with hemiparesis were recruited without regard to injury etiology, age, or cognitive capacities. Main Outcome MeasureThe actual amount of use test (AAUT) was used to evaluate change in UE function. AAUT amount of use (AOU) and quality of movement (QOM) scales were obtained at baseline and follow-up. ResultsAOU and QOM item improvements were significant, as were changes in activities of daily living. The effect sizes for these changes were large. ConclusionsStringent CIMT training, previously only implemented with adults, can be used effectively with children when everyday elements of a child's life are integrated into adult protocols. The use of child-friendly UE shaping exercises, “pushed into” activities by professional therapists as well as trained teachers, paraprofessionals, and parents, was supported. Effects of impairment, injury, and behavior on outcomes are discussed. Larger controlled studies with additional outcome measures are indicated.
Evaluation of three methodologies for assessing work activity during computer use.

The overall goal of this study was to evaluate three separate methodologies for gathering work activity information among computer users. These methodologies included worker self-report, work sampling, and activity monitoring. A repeated measures design was employed whereby data were collected simultaneously on each subject (n = 51) across three consecutive workdays. Exposure information gathered included keying time, mouse usage, and time spent performing various work tasks (i.e., writing, proofreading, handling documents). Subjects were recruited to represent a wide range of keyboard activity and mouse usage. The study found that worker self-reports overestimated actual keyboard usage by a factor of approximately 1.5 for workers using the keyboard an average of 4 hours per day to a factor of 4 for workers using the keyboard an average of 30 min per day. On average, there was an approximate twofold difference between worker self-reported keying time and that obtained via activity monitoring and work sampling. This trend was similar with regard to time spent using the computer mouse. Worker self-reported mouse usage was approximately twofold higher than that obtained via activity monitoring or work sampling. Self-reported exposure information not only resulted in different estimates, but showed greater variance compared with the other methodologies. The results of this study suggest that the use of worker self-reported exposure information on keying time and mouse usage may not represent an accurate account of time spent performing these tasks. In the context of epidemiological studies work sampling and/or activity monitoring would be more suitable methodologies for obtaining such information.
Groin injuries in professional rugby league players: a prospective study

Altogether, 100 uninjured professional rugby league players were evaluated over a 2-year period. Their height, body mass, sum of skinfolds, girths and bone diameters were recorded. A Cybex 340 isokinetic dynamometer was used to determine peak torque, work, power, endurance ratios and peak torque ratios of the hip abductors and adductors (5 repetitions at 0.52 and 2.08 rad · s− 1; 20 repetitions at 3.66 rad · s− 1) and knee flexors and extensors (4 repetitions at 1.04 and 3.14 rad · s− 1; 30 repetitions at 5.22 rad · s− 1). Hip abduction and adduction were also assessed with the hip in external rotation. Discriminant function analysis was conducted on all predictor variables to develop a multivariate predictive model capable of classifying players with a high degree of accuracy into groups with and without a groin injury. The model consisted of eight variables and correctly classified 91.7% of the non-injured players and 90.5% of the injured players. The correct classification for the model as a whole was 91.4%. The aetiological factors identified as being related to injury of the groin musculotendinous unit included abduction and adduction-with-rotation peak torque, angle of adduction and abduction-with-rotation peak torque, strength ratio of hip muscle groups, bilateral difference in extension peak torque, femur diameter and body mass.
Pelvic paraganglioma: a rare and unusual clinical presentation of paraganglioma

Paraganglioma of the urinary bladder is a rare tumour of the urinary bladder causing palpitation, headache, paroxysmal hypertension, tachycardia, blurring of vision and haematuria. Patients may present with these exaggerated symptoms during or just after micturition. We present a case of a 15-year-old girl who presented to us with accelerated hypertension, headache, palpitation and blurring of vision. On the basis of a positive family history, laboratory investigations and imaging studies, she was diagnosed to have an extra-adrenal paraganglioma. Complete enucleation of the tumour with preservation of the bladder was done. This case is reported because of the rarity of the disease in urology.
A Hybrid Approach for Receiving Antennas: Concepts and Applications

The long-standing problem of constructing an accurate equivalent circuit for receiving antennas by handling both the absorbed and scattered powers for all kinds of antennas, is addressed. By combining the electrical properties of the antenna with its radiating and scattering characteristics, it is shown that the input impedance, radiation pattern and vectorial effective height are three essential parameters to which the open-circuit scattering parameter (new) should be added. The antenna's power budget is then established and applied to various kinds of antennas. Theoretical results showed a perfect agreement with the method of moment (MoM) and the finite integration technique (FIT) over a large frequency-range under various conjugate-matched loads. It comes out that good radiating antennas are good scatterers as well but, without a precise power budget calculation, it is not evident to predict whether an antenna would absorb more or less than it scatters. Thin-metallic structure directive antennas (TMSDA) appear to be the best candidates to absorb more than they scatter under matching conditions. The two-element Yagi antenna can reach an absorption efficiency of 65%, while the pyramidal horn achieves only 12% maximum. The dipole is confirmed at 50%-absorption efficiency.
Neuropathological Profile of Mild Cognitive Impairment From a Population Perspective

Whether the neuropathological profile of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) reflects an intermediate state between normal aging and dementia is not clear. Identifying which phenomena initiate disease and which occur secondary to the neuropathological process is important for targeted disease prevention. Current definitions of MCI include amnestic (aMCI), nonamnestic (nMCI), and multidomain (mMCI) subtypes. In an unbiased population-based cohort of brain donors, we have determined how many individuals fulfill these criteria in the period leading up to death [n=10 (5 multidomain MCI, 4 amnestic MCI, 1 nonamnestic MCI)]. All MCI cases were collapsed into 1 group and we tested whether their pathologic profile, including markers of Alzheimer disease (AD) and vascular disease (VD), is intermediate to individuals (matched for age, sex, and education) without cognitive impairment (n=20) or dementia (n=20). The main findings are of a significant linear trend in the odds of neuritic plaques (entorhinal/hippocampus), atrophy (hippocampal and cortical), infarcts, and small vessel disease (SVD) with increased cognitive impairment. Neuropathologically, MCI is complex, with 10% of MCI brains classified as normal, 10% as VD, 10% as AD, and 40% as mixed AD/VD, with the remaining showing other pathologies. Rather than pure pathologic changes, several different factors seem to contribute to the impairment of MCI. In MCI, both AD and non-AD pathology should be considered as possible intervention targets.