Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison between radiofrequency with contact force-sensing and second-generation cryoballoon for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation catheter ablation: a multicentre European evaluation.

AIMS Whether pulmonary vein isolation (PVI) for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) using contact force (CF)-guided radiofrequency (RF) or second-generation cryoballoon (CB) present similar efficacy and safety remains uncertain. METHODS AND RESULTS We performed a multicentre study comparing procedural safety and arrhythmia recurrence after standardized PVI catheter ablation for PAF using CF-guided RF ablation (Thermocool(®) SmartTouch™, Biosense Webster; or Tacticath™, St Jude Medical) (CF group) with second-generation CB ablation (Arctic Front Advance™, Medtronic) (CB group). Overall, 376 patients (mean age 59.8 ± 10.4 years, 280 males) were enrolled in 4 centres: 198 in CF group and 178 in CB group. Procedure was shorter for CB group than for CF group (109.6 ± 40 vs. 122.5 ± 40.7 min, P = 0.003), but fluoroscopy duration and X-ray exposure were not statistically different (P = 0.1 and P = 0.22, respectively). Overall complication rate was similar in both groups: 14 (7.1%) in the CF group vs. 13 (7.3%) in the CB group (P = 0.93). However, transient right phrenic nerve palsy occurred only in CB group (10 patients, 5.6%; P = 0.001 vs. CF group) and severe non-lethal complications (embolic event, tamponade, or oesophageal injury) occurred only in CF group (5 patients, 2.5%; P = 0.03 vs. CB group). No periprocedural death occurred in either group. Single-procedure freedom from any atrial arrhythmias at 18 months post-ablation was comparable in CF group and CB group (76 vs. 73.3%, respectively, log rank P = 0.63). CONCLUSION Pulmonary vein isolation using CF-guided RF and second-generation CB leads to comparable single-procedure arrhythmia-free survival at up to 18 months with similar overall complication rate.
Endoscopic endonasal posterior clinoidectomy

Background: Posterior clinoidectomy is a useful procedure for maximizing exposure to the interpeduncular cistern via transcranial approaches for basilar tip aneurysms and select intracranial tumors. The value of posterior clinoidectomy during endonasal endoscopic transclival surgery is not well described. Methods: We performed endoscopic endonasal transsphenoidal extradural bilateral posterior clinoidectomy and dorsum sella removal on five silicon-injected cadaveric heads. The dorsum sella was split in the midline and removed from medial to lateral until the posterior clinoids were encountered. The posterior clinoid was dissected from the medial wall of the cavernous sinus and mobilized medially in order to detach it from the ligaments and carefully fractured it from the bony attachment to the petrous apex and carotid canal. Following this, the clival and dorsum sella dura was opened to expose the interpeduncular cistern and its contents. Results: The technical feasibility of endoscopic endonasal extradural posterior clinoidectomy was reproduced in all five cadaveric specimens. This technique was performed without damaging the vital structures, including preservation of the pituitary gland. After performing bilateral posterior clinoidectomy, the retrosellar dura was opened, allowing good visualization of the contents of the prepontine and interpeduncular cistern. Conclusion: We describe the technique of endoscopic endonasal extradural posterior clinoidectomy. We believe this approach is best suited for retrosellar pathology located in the interpeduncular cistern and is a useful adjunct to the transclival approach to increase the field of view and maximize the extent of resection.
Methylphenidate modifies the motion of the circadian clock Lamotrigine in mood disorders and cocaine dependence Cortical glutamate in postpartum depression Evidence for a long-lasting compulsive alcohol seeking phenotype in rats

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When Markers Meet Marketing: Ethnicity, Race, Hybridity, and Kinship in Genetic Genealogy Television Advertising

The essay explores issues pertaining to genetics vs. culture in understandings of kinship, hybridity as a disruptor of essentialist conceptions of race, the fetishization of ethnicity and culture, racist misuses of genetic science, processes of racialization, and counter-hegemonic resistance. Thirty- and sixty-second television advertisements airing in the U.S. from the 23andMe and AncestryDNA genetic genealogy testing services are analyzed in this context. The investigation demonstrates that genetic ancestry testing providers are well aware that their enterprise is premised on belief in the superiority of biological kinship and that hybridity is mobilized primarily as a marketing opportunity with ethnic components signified in shorthand by fetishized objects. Moreover, the categories of race and ethnicity presented in the ads give cover to racist abusers of genetic science, as the ads are consistent with socially constructed racial classifications. While maintaining this consistency, the categories are subject to adjustment based on the expectations of consumers. Resistance is possible in the use of genetic ancestry by descendants of African slaves to make localized connections to Africa, something that conventional genealogy seldom provides.
Dissociation of Cortical and Single Unit Activity in Spoken and Signed Languages

Based on stroke and other lesion data, the cortical organization of sign language has been shown to be in the verbal language-dominant hemisphere. However, finer detail of the cortical organization of sign language is not readily available. Intraoperative cortical mapping of spoken and American Sign Language (ASL) was performed in a hearing patient proficient in ASL undergoing an awake operation for intractable epilepsy. We found the dissociation of essential cortical language sites for spoken and signed languages, the relationship of these sites to the interpretation of ASL, and the importance of the anterior temporal lobe in the language-dominant hemisphere for proper ASL handshapes. Single unit recordings in the anterior temporal lobe, at a site later identified to be important in handshape formation, showed sustained activity during naming with superimposed increases in activity during overt speech.
Cross-Sectional Relationships Between Household Food Insecurity and Child BMI, Feeding Behaviors, and Public Assistance Utilization Among Head Start Children From Predominantly Hispanic and American Indian Communities in the CHILE Study

Associations between food insecurity and overweight/obesity, feeding behaviors, and public food assistance utilization have been explored to a greater extent among adults and adolescents than among young children. This cross-sectional study examines a subset of pre-intervention implementation data (n = 347) among families participating in the Child Health Initiative for Lifelong Eating and Exercise (CHILE) study conducted in rural New Mexico among predominantly Hispanic and American Indian Head Start centers. No significant relationships emerged between food insecurity and child overweight/obesity, certain feeding behaviors, or public food assistance utilization. Additional research is necessary to understand relationships between food insecurity and child overweight/obesity status, use of public assistance benefits, and certain feeding behaviors among rural preschool-aged children in predominantly Hispanic and American Indian communities.
Strategies for Increasing Mammography Screening in Primary Care in Chile: Results of a Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: Breast cancer is the cancer with the highest incidence among women in Chile and in many Latin American countries. Breast cancer screening has very low compliance among Chilean women. Methods: We compared the effects on mammography screening rates of standard care, of a low-intensity intervention based on mail contact, and of a high-intensity intervention based on mail plus telephone or personal contact. A random sample of 500 women with the age of 50 to 70 years registered at a community clinic in Santiago who had not had a mammogram in the past 2 years were randomly assigned to one of the three intervention groups. Six months after randomization, participants were re-evaluated for their compliance with mammography screening. The outcome was measured by self-report and by electronic clinical records. An intention to treat model was used to analyze the results. Results: Between 92% and 93% of participants completed the study. Based on electronic records, mammography screening rates increased significantly from 6% in the control group to 51.8% in the low-intensity group and 70.1% in the high-intensity group. About 14% of participants in each group received opportunistic advice, 100% of participants in the low- and high-intensity groups received the mail contact, and 50% in the high-intensity group received a telephone or personal contact. Conclusion: A primary care intervention based on mail or brief personal contact could significantly improve mammogram screening rates. Impact: A relatively simple intervention could have a strong impact in breast cancer prevention in underserved communities. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(9); 2254–61. ©2010 AACR.
Events of wound healing/regeneration in the canine supraalveolar periodontal defect model.

AIM The objective of this research was to elucidate early events in periodontal wound healing/regeneration using histological and immunohistochemical techniques. METHODS Routine critical-size, supraalveolar, periodontal defects including a space-providing titanium mesh device were created in 12 dogs. Six animals received additional autologous blood into the defect prior to wound closure. One animal from each group was killed for analysis at 2, 5, 9, 14 days, and at 4 and 8 weeks. RESULTS Both groups behaved similarly. Periodontal wound healing/regeneration progressed through three temporal phases. Early phase (2-5 days): heterogeneous clot consolidation and cell activation in the periodontal ligament (PDL) and trabecular bone was associated with PDL regeneration and formation of a pre-osteoblast population. Intermediate phase (9-14 days): cell proliferation (shown by PCNA immunostaining)/migration led to osteoid/bone, PDL and cementum formation. Late phase (4-8 weeks): primarily characterized by tissue remodelling/maturation. Fibrous connective tissue from the gingival mucosa entered the wound early, competing with regeneration. By day 14, the wound space was largely filled with regenerative and reparative tissues. CONCLUSION Activation of cellular regenerative events in periodontal wound healing/regeneration is rapid; the general framework for tissue formation is broadly outlined within 14 days. Most bone formation apparently originates from endosteally derived pre-osteoblasts; the PDL possibly acting as a supplementary source, with a primary function likely being regulatory/homeostatic. Blood accumulation at the surgical site warrants exploration; supplementation may be beneficial.
Conceptualizing the past and present to see a new potential for the future: a UDL aligned job search strategy survey for individuals with hidden disabilities

Recent graduates that identify as having a disability struggle more than their peers in obtaining employment. A cross-Canada study conducted in 2013 estimated there to be over 42,000 unemployed post-secondary graduates with disabilities. Reports on post-secondary graduate unemployment rates and studies related to university and job search experiences do not differentiate between visible and non-visible disability. The complicated history of the disability experience needs to be kept in mind when considering the needs of individuals with disabilities and ways we can take positive steps forward in an evidence-based way. There is also a need to better understand the experiences and employment rates of people with non-visible disabilities. The purpose of this thesis is to develop a tool to assess job search experiences for university graduates with non-visible disabilities, the intention is to design the tool in such a way that it can be used by the individual as well as for conducting research. By designing a duel purpose tool, it can be helping individuals with hidden disabilities now while also contributing to the research processes that will help in building a better future. A 3-part questionnaire was developed by taking the principles of universal design for learning from the classroom into the job search process. The tool consists of an interchangeable demographic section, one is meant for research while the other is designed in a more personal support way. The second section is a questionnaire meant to reflect on work and job search experiences survey. The final section is a UDL aligned checklist that is designed to scale responses. By using the principles of UDL there will be multiple means of accessing the assessment/research material, understanding the content, and expressing circumstances. This tool purpose will serve as a step toward more progressive inclusion by providing benefits to participants and providers alike combined with the multiple options for format delivery.
Increased monocyte‐mediated cytostasis of lymphoid cell lines in breast and lung cancer patients

Peripheral blood mononuclear cells of most normal adults and patients with breast or lung cancer were found to inhibit [3H]thymidine uptake by lymphoid cell lines in a growth inhibition assay. At effector target cell ratios between 5:1 and 20:1, lung cancer patients and breast cancer patients, when compared to normal individuals, demonstrated significantly greater inhibition of [3H] thymidine uptake by a human lymphoid cell line (F‐265). The effector cells were adherent and were probably monocytes. Sephadex G‐10 column passage or adherence to plastic removed most growth‐inhibitory activity. Adherent cells recovered from plastic flasks (88–94% monocytes) were strongly growth‐inhibitory. Lung cancer patients receiving BCG immunotherapy were found to have an apparently increased activity compared to patients not treated with BCG. The possible mediation of the growth inhibition by release of prostaglandins was suggested by the reduced cytostatic effects in the presence of indomethacin. Growth‐inhibitory activity was not species‐restricted, since human effector cells and also effector cells from tumor‐bearing mice were reactive against the human target cell and against a murine lymphoma line (RBL‐5). Natural killer (NK) cells did not appear to contribute appreciably to the observed cytostasis, since the levels of their activities did not correlate, and human NK cells are non‐adherent and have little reactivity against F‐265 or RBL‐5. The inhibition of [3H]thymidine uptake by target cells was demonstrated to be a good reflection of actual inhibition of proliferation, since incubation of adherent cells from cancer patients with F‐265 resulted in similar degrees of reduction in the number of target cells and in [3H]thymidine uptake.
Lipoteichoic acid induces secretion of interleukin-8 from human blood monocytes: a cellular and molecular analysis

Invasion by gram-positive and gram-negative bacterial organisms is characterized immunopathologically by the activation of mononuclear phagocytic cells, leading to the elaboration of macrophage-derived regulatory and chemotactic factors, and the resultant influx of inflammatory leukocytes. Little is known regarding the mechanisms by which gram-positive organisms initiate macrophage activation and subsequent inflammation. In this investigation, we postulated that lipoteichoic acid (LTA) purified from two different gram-positive bacterial species was an important signal for the expression of chemotactic cytokines from human peripheral blood monocytes (PBM). In initial experiments, we demonstrated that cell-associated interleukin-8 (IL-8) was expressed by mononuclear phagocytes present in inflamed areas of endocardium in cases of acute Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis. We next demonstrated that LTA purified from either Staphylococcus aureus or Streptococcus pyogenes induced the time- and dose-dependent expression of IL-8 mRNA and protein from human PBM. The expression of IL-8 mRNA from LTA- but not lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-treated PBM was superinduced by concomitant treatment with cycloheximide, indicating that the expression of IL-8 mRNA from LTA-treated PBM was negatively controlled by repressor proteins. Furthermore, mRNA stability studies indicated that IL-8 mRNA was less stable in the presence of LTA than in the presence of LPS. Our findings indicate that LTA can induce the secretion of the polymorphonuclear leukocyte chemotactic factor IL-8 and that LTA may be an important cellular mediator of inflammatory cell recruitment that characterizes immune responses to gram-positive bacterial infections.
Job Polarization, Skill Mismatch and the Great Recession

This paper shows that job polarization has a persistent negative effect on employment opportunities, labor mobility and skill-to-job match quality for mid/low-skilled workers, in particular during downturns. I introduce a model generating an endogenous mapping between skills and jobs, that I estimate to match solely occupational dynamics during the Great Recession, a major episode of polarization in the US economy. Yet, this is sufficient for the model to replicate well the reallocation patterns of all workers on the job ladder and the mismatch dynamics observed in the data. Comparison with the planner solution reveals that 1/4 of mismatches is efficient and attenuates polarization and unemployment over the cycle.
Nichtlineare Identifikation des Luftpfads von aufgeladenen Dieselmotoren und automatisierter AGR-/VTG-Reglerentwurf (Nonlinear Identification of the Air Path of Turbo-charged Diesel Engines and an Automated EGR/VGT-Controller Design)

In diesem Beitrag wird im ersten Teil ein systematisches Vorgehen zur Identifikation des Luftpfades (Luft- und Abgastrakt) von Dieselmotoren auf Basis einer dynamischen Motorvermessung vorgestellt. Dafür werden lokal lineare Modelle mit Ausgangsfehlerschätzung verwendet. Mit dem identifiziertenModell erfolgt im zweiten Teil eine automatisierte Parametrisierung der Luftmassenstrom- und Ladedruckregelung. A systematic procedure is introduced for the identification of the air path (air- and exhaust manifold) of diesel engines, by means of dynamic engine measurements. Local linear models in output error configuration are used. Furthermore, an automated calibration of the feedback-controllers is presented for the air mass flow and the charging pressure. Schlagwörter: Nichtlineare Identifikation, lokal lineare Modelle, Ausgangsfehler, Ladedruck-/Luftmassenstrom-Regelung
Diagnostic value of single-source dual-energy spectral computed tomography for papillary thyroid microcarcinomas.

BACKGROUND Ultrasound (US) and computed tomography (CT) are common diagnostic imaging methods for detecting and diagnosing papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC). However, single-source dual-energy spectral computed tomography (spectral CT) reduces beam hardening artefacts and optimizes contrast, which may add value in detecting PTMC. OBJECTIVE To investigate values of applying single-source dual-energy spectral CT for diagnosing PTMCs, in comparison with high frequency ultrasound and conventional polychromatic images. METHODS Thirty-one patients with suspected PTMC underwent contrast-enhanced dual-energy spectral CT. The images were analyzed by two experienced radiologists. Noise and contrast-noise-ratio (CNR) were compared between conventional CT and spectral CT. Ultrasonography was also performed by an experienced radiologist with a 7 to 12-MHz linear array transducer. Detection and diagnostic sensitivity were determined and compared. RESULTS Forty-six pathologically-confirmed PTMC lesions were detected in 31 patients. Spectral CT had lower noise and higher CNR than conventional CT (P < 0.05). US detected more tumors (45/46 [97.8%] than conventional CT images (40/46 [87.0%]) or spectral CT images (44/46 [95.7%]). Among them, 30 (65.2%), 36 (78.3%), and 40 (87.0%) lesions were diagnosed correctly by conventional CT, spectral CT and US, respectively. Spectral CT had higher sensitivity than conventional CT (P = 0.031). However, there was no significant difference between spectral CT and US diagnostic sensitivities (P = 0.125). CONCLUSION Single-source dual-energy spectral CT was superior to conventional polychromatic images and similar to high frequency ultrasound in detecting and diagnosing for PTMCs. CT had advantages in detecting level VI and VII lymph nodes. Spectral CT and US provided good results for PTMC, and aid preoperative diagnosis.
Determination of the di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate NOAEL for reproductive development in the rat: importance of the retention of extra animals to adulthood.

Deriving No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) or benchmark dose is important for risk assessment and can be influenced by study design considerations. In order to define the di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) dose-response curve for reproductive malformations, we retained more offspring to adulthood to improve detection of these malformations in the reproductive assessment by continuous breeding study design. Sprague-Dawley rats were given a dietary administration of 1.5 (control), 10, 30, 100, 300, 1000, 7500, and 10,000 ppm DEHP. Male pups were evaluated for gross reproductive tract malformations (RTMs) associated with the "phthalate syndrome. " DEHP treatment had minimal effects on P0 males. There was a statistically significant increase in F1 and F2 total RTMs (testis, epididymides, seminal vesicle, and prostate) in the 7500-ppm dose group and F1 10,000-ppm dose group. The 10,000-ppm exposed F1 males did not produce an F2 generation. The NOAEL for F1 and F2 RTM combined data, because in utero exposures were similar, were 100 ppm (4.8 mg/kg/day), which was close to the 5% response benchmark dose lower confidence limit of 142 ppm. The utility of evaluating more pups per litter was examined by generating power curves from a Monte Carlo simulation. These curves indicate a substantial increase in detection rate when three males are evaluated per litter rather than one. A 10% effect across male pups would be detected 5% of the time if one pup per litter was evaluated, but these effects would be detected 66% of the time if three pups per litter were evaluated. Taken together, this study provides a well-defined dose response of DEHP-induced RTMs and demonstrates that retention of more adult F1 and F2 males per litter, animals that were already produced, increases the ability to detect RTMs and presumably other low-incidence phenomena.