Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Clinical and Radiological Outcomes of Lumbar Interbody Fusion Using a Combination of Hydroxyapatite and Demineralized Bone Matrix and Autografts for Lumbar Degenerative Spondylolisthesis

Study Design Prospective, cohort, non-inferiority study. Purpose This study evaluated the clinical and radiological outcomes of interbody fusion using a combination of demineralized bone matrix (DBM) and hydroxyapatite (HA). Overview of Literature The use of autografts remains a gold standard in lumbar interbody fusion, but the limited availability and donor site morbidity encourages the use of bone substitutes. In addition to autografts, a combination of HA and DBM is being increasingly use for lumbar interbody fusion. However, there are no data on the clinical and radiological outcomes of this procedure. Methods We examined 35 patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis who underwent transforaminal interbody fusion. Autografts were used in 18 patients, and 17 patients received a combination of HA and DBM. Clinical outcomes were evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) for back and leg pain, Oswestry disability index (ODI), and Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores at 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Fusion was evaluated using computed tomography images obtained at 12 months postoperatively. Results The mean ODI, JOA, and back and leg pain VAS scores increased significantly in both groups. However, the VAS, JOA, and ODI scores did not differ significantly between the two groups (p=0.599, p=0.543, and p=0.780, respectively). The fusion rates at 1 year postoperatively were 77.8% and 76.5% in the autograft and HA+DBM groups, respectively (p=0.99). Conclusions The clinical and radiological outcomes of using a combination of HA and DBM in lumbar interbody fusion were not inferior to those of using autografts. A combination of HA and DBM can be considered as an alternative in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis requiring surgery.
A DRD1 Polymorphism Predisposes to Lung Cancer among Those Exposed to Secondhand Smoke during Childhood

Lung cancer has a familial component which suggests a genetic contribution to its etiology. Given the strong evidence linking smoking with lung cancer, we studied miRNA-related loci in genes associated with smoking behavior. CHRNA, CHRNB gene families, CYP2A6, and DRD1 (dopamine receptor D1) were mined for SNPs that fell within the seed region of miRNA binding sites and then tested for associations with risk in a three-stage validation approach. A 3′UTR (untranslated region) SNP in DRD1 was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer among individuals exposed to secondhand smoke during childhood [OR, 0.69; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.60–0.79; P < 0.0001]. This relationship was evident in both ever (OR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.62–0.88; P = 0.001) and never smokers (OR, 0.61; 95% CI, 0.47–0.79; P < 0.0001), European American (OR, 0.65; 95% CI, 0.53–0.80; P < 0.0001), and African American (OR, 0.73; 95% CI, 0.62–0.88; P = 0.001) populations. Although much remains undefined about the long-term risks associated with exposure to secondhand smoke and heterogeneity between individuals in regard to their susceptibility to the effects of secondhand smoke, our data show an interaction between an SNP in the 3′UTR of DRD1 and exposure to secondhand smoke during childhood. Further work is needed to explore the mechanistic underpinnings of this SNP and the nature of the interaction between DRD1 and exposure to secondhand smoke during childhood. Cancer Prev Res; 7(12); 1210–8. ©2014 AACR.
Localized generalization error model for Multilayer Perceptron Neural Networks

In this work, the localized generalization error model (L-GEM) for multilayer perceptron neural network (MLPNN) is derived. The L-GEM is inspired by the fact that a classifier should not be required to recognize unseen samples that are very different from the training samples. Therefore, evaluating a classifier by very different unseen samples may be counter-productive. In the L-GEM, the ldquolocalrdquo is defined by the difference between feature values of unseen samples and training samples is less than a given real value (Q). The L-GEM provides an upper bound of the mean-square-error of unseen samples ldquolocalrdquo to the training dataset. As the generalization capability of a MLPNN is the key evaluation criterion of a successful training of MLPNN, we select the number of hidden neurons of a MLPNN using the L-GEM. The experimental results on four UCI datasets show that the proposed L-GEM yields better MLPNNs with higher generalization power (testing accuracy) and smaller number of hidden neurons.
Hyperglycemia Decreases Glucose Uptake in Type I Diabetes

It has recently been postulated that hyperglycemia per se may contribute to insulin resistance in diabetes. To examine this possibility directly, we measured glucose uptake after 24 h of hyperglycemia (281 ±16 mg/dl) and normoglycemia (99 ± 6 mg/dl) in 10 type I (insulin-dependent) diabetic patients (age 33 ± 3 yr, relative body wt 102 ± 3%) treated with continuous subcutaneous insulin infusion. Hyperglycemia was induced by an intravenous glucose infusion, whereas saline was administered during the control day. During both studies the patient received a similar diet and insulin dose. After hyper- and normoglycemia, a primed continuous infusion of insulin (40 mU · m−2 · min−1) was started, and plasma glucose was adjusted to and maintained at 142 ± 2 and 140 ± 2 mg/dl, respectively, during 60–160 min of insulin infusion. The rate of glucose uptake after hyperglycemia averaged 8.3 ± 1.1 mg · kg−1 · min−1, which was lower than the rate after the normoglycemic period (10.1 ± 1.2 mg · kg−1 · min−1, P < .001). In conclusion, short-term hyperglycemia reduces glucose uptake in type I diabetic patients. Thus, part of the glucose or insulin resistance in these patients may be caused by hyperglycemia per se.
Automated image segmentation of haematoxylin and eosin stained skeletal muscle cross‐sections

The ability to accurately and efficiently quantify muscle morphology is essential to determine the physiological relevance of a variety of muscle conditions including growth, atrophy and repair. There is agreement across the muscle biology community that important morphological characteristics of muscle fibres, such as cross‐sectional area, are critical factors that determine the health and function (e.g. quality) of the muscle. However, at this time, quantification of muscle characteristics, especially from haematoxylin and eosin stained slides, is still a manual or semi‐automatic process. This procedure is labour‐intensive and time‐consuming. In this paper, we have developed and validated an automatic image segmentation algorithm that is not only efficient but also accurate. Our proposed automatic segmentation algorithm for haematoxylin and eosin stained skeletal muscle cross‐sections consists of two major steps: (1) A learning‐based seed detection method to find the geometric centres of the muscle fibres, and (2) a colour gradient repulsive balloon snake deformable model that adopts colour gradient in Luv colour space. Automatic quantification of muscle fibre cross‐sectional areas using the proposed method is accurate and efficient, providing a powerful automatic quantification tool that can increase sensitivity, objectivity and efficiency in measuring the morphometric features of the haematoxylin and eosin stained muscle cross‐sections.
Defense mechanisms in severe adolescent anorexia nervosa.

OBJECTIVE To compare ego defense mechanisms in adolescents with anorexia nervosa and other major psychiatric disorders, to defenses in healthy adolescents. METHOD Thirty-seven patients with anorexia nervosa, 30 with major depressive disorder, 20 with obsessive-compulsive disorder, 53 with borderline personality disorder, 60 with schizophrenia, and 81 healthy controls were assessed with Pfeffer's Ego Defense Scale. RESULTS Regression, denial, projection, repression, introjection, and total defenses were common to all psychiatric patients and distinguished them from normal adolescents. In addition to these defenses, anorectic patients also used intellectualization more frequently than normal adolescents and psychiatric patients. They used sublimation more than other psychiatric patients. Patients with disorders, apart from obsessive-compulsive disorder, that are considered to be often comorbid with anorexia did not have different defense than schizophrenic patients. CONCLUSIONS Anorectic adolescents overutilize relatively more mature defenses than do psychiatrically ill adolescents, and they overutilize immature defenses compared with normal adolescents. This combination of mature and immature defenses may be related to the uniquely heterogeneous ego functioning seen in anorectic patients, and it may provide insight into the nature of the psychopathology of anorexia nervosa. It also could have important psychotherapeutic and prognostic value.
Isolation and identification of Sclerotinia stem rot causal pathogen in Arabidopsis thaliana

A new stem rot disease is found to occur naturally on Arabidopsis plants in greenhouses of Fuzhou, China. In order to identify its pathogen, we conducted a series of fungal isolation and purification, plant reinoculation, and ascus and ascospore induction from the sclerotia. The isolate caused typical water-soaked lesions after reinoculation and produced sclerotia both on Arabidopsis plants and culture medium plates, and the sclerotia could be induced to produce discal apothecia and 8 binucleate ascospores per ascus. These disease symptom and fungal morphology data revealed that the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary was the pathogen for Arabidopsis stem rot. To confirm this, we further amplified its large subunit ribosomal DNA (LSU rDNA) by polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and compared the sequence with the known LSU rDNA sequences in GenBank. The results show that the sequence shares the highest identities with the LSU rDNAs of different S. sclerotiorum strains. Taking all these data together, we concluded that the fungus that caused the Arabidopsis stem rot is S. sclerotiorum (Lib.) de Bary. This is the first report that Arabidopsis is naturally infected by S. sclerotiorum.
Advertising and Alcoholic Drink Demand in the UK: Some Further Rotterdam Model Estimates

In two recent papers Duffy (1989) and Selvanathan (1989) present estimates of the effect of advertising on alcoholic drink demand in the UK. Although the reported estimates of the advertising elasticities are very small, it might be thought that this could be a result of certain deficiencies in the two studies. For example, annual data are used by both authors and this may be the least suitable frequency at which to detect advertising effects. In this article we review the effects upon re-estimates of the advertising elasticities of changes in various implicit assumptions underlying the Duffy-Selvanathan studies. In this sensitivity analysis we find that the results obtained cast even greater doubts than ever held before upon the view that the marked expansion in alcoholic drink consumption since World War II owes anything at all to total drink advertising.
Responsive Pricing Newsvendor Networks with Discretionary Commonality

Discretionary commonality is a form of operational flexibility used in multi‐product manufacturing environments. Consider a case where a firm produces and sells two products. Without discretionary commonality, each product is made through a unique combination of input and production capacity. With discretionary commonality, one of the inputs could be used for producing both products, and one of the production capacities could be used to process different inputs for producing one of the products. In the latter case, the manager can decide, upon the realization of uncertainty, not only the quantities for different products (outputs) but also the means of transforming inputs into outputs. The objective of this study is to understand how the firm's value, its inventory levels for inputs and capacity levels for resources are affected by the demand characteristics and market conditions. In pursuing this research, we extend Van Mieghem and Rudi (2002)'s newsvendor network model to allow for the modeling of product interdependence, demand functions, random shocks, and firm's ex post pricing decision. Applying the general framework to the network with discretionary commonality, we discover that inventory and capacity management can be quite different compared to a network where commonality is non‐discretionary. Among other results, we find that as the degree of product substitution increases, the relative need for discretionary commonality increases; as the market correlation increases, while the firm's value may increase for complementary products, the discretionary common input decreases but the dedicated input increases. Numerical study shows that discretionary flexibility and responsive pricing are strategic substitutes.
Bladder Storage and Emptying Disorder Frequencies in Hemorrhagic and Ischemic Stroke Patients with Bladder Dysfunction

Background: Bladder dysfunction is common in stroke patients and it has a considerable impact on their lives. The objective of this study was to investigate the frequencies of urine storage and emptying disorders in hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke patients with persistent bladder dysfunction. Methods: A total of 48 stroke patients who underwent urodynamic tests because of persistent bladder dysfunction were evaluated retrospectively. Urine storage and emptying disorder frequencies were determined and compared in hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke subgroups. Results:Storage disorder frequencies were 73.3 and 63.6% in hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke groups, respectively (p > 0.05), while emptying disorder frequencies were 13.3 and 51.5% (p < 0.02). Conclusions: Evaluation of the stroke type may be helpful in the determination of the type of urinary dysfunction and in choosing the appropriate bladder management strategy, but further studies with larger sample sizes are needed.
Divergent regulation of angiopoietin‐1 and ‐2, Tie‐2, and thrombospondin‐1 expression by estrogen in the baboon endometrium

Estrogen has an important role in the reconstruction of a new vascular network in the endometrium during each menstrual cycle; however, the underlying mechanisms are incompletely understood. Angiopoietin‐1 (Ang‐1) promotes vessel assembly, whereas Ang‐2 and thrombospondin‐1 (TSP‐1) cause vessel breakdown. To determine the potential effect of estrogen on the expression of these angioregulatory factors in the endometrium, Ang‐1, Ang‐2, TSP‐1, and Tie‐2 receptor mRNA levels were assessed by real‐time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction in glandular epithelial and stromal cells isolated from the endometrium of ovariectomized baboons treated acutely with estradiol. Corresponding protein expression was assessed by immunocytochemistry and the proximity ligation assay (PLA) during advancing stages of the baboon menstrual cycle. Serum estradiol levels in ovariectomized baboons were 400 pg/ml within 4–6 hr of estradiol treatment. Ang‐1 mRNA levels in glandular epithelial cells increased threefold (P < 0.01) within 4 hr of estradiol administration. In contrast, TSP‐1 mRNA levels decreased four‐ to fivefold (P < 0.01) in endometrial glandular epithelial and stromal cells 4–6 hr after estradiol, whereas Ang‐2 and Tie‐2 expression was unaltered. Immunostaining for Ang‐1 increased, TSP‐1 decreased, and Ang‐2 and Tie‐2 were unaltered in the endometrium during the secretory compared with the proliferative phase of the cycle. Endometrial Ang‐1 protein expression, quantified by PLA, increased 10‐fold (P < 0.05) between the early proliferative and late proliferative/mid‐secretory phases of the menstrual cycle in association with the rise in estrogen. In summary, estrogen induced a rapid, divergent, and cell‐specific change in expression of angiostimulatory and angioinhibitory growth factors in the endometrium of the nonhuman primate. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 77: 430–438, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Unequal Impact of Price Changes in Indonesia

The main idea of this study is to determine the impact of relative inflation on poverty incidents and to investigate whether inflation inequality has occurred in Indonesia. Interesting results were found at regional level. Firstly, Jakarta had different poverty response with respect to price increases. Processed food and transportation inflation were more imperative for the poor in Jakarta. Secondly, the poor in province with low poverty figures were more prone to inflation. In general, the results show that food inflation has the major adverse impact on the poor. Moreover, we found that inflation in Indonesia has not been pro-poor.
Cybernetically sound organizational structures I: de Sitter's design theory

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to use de Sitter's design theory to show how organizational structures can be designed so as to attenuate organizational disturbances and amplify regulatory potential. It is argued that organizational structures with low values on so‐called design‐parameters are themselves no source of disturbances and have the required built‐in regulatory potential.Design/methodology/approach – Key concepts from de Sitter's design theory are introduced and used to show how structures can attenuate disturbances and amplify regulatory potential.Findings – The analysis in this paper deepens our understanding of the role of organizational structures for dealing with organizational complexity, and of the design parameters that should be manipulated to achieve structural attenuation and amplification.Practical implications – Having a structure permitting organizations to attenuate and amplify is a crucial condition for organizational viability. This paper provides guidelines for the desig.
20+ yr without leukemic or fibrotic transformation in essential thrombocythemia or polycythemia vera: predictors at diagnosis

Objectives: The current study identified patients with either essential thrombocythemia (ET) or polycythemia vera (PV) who have survived for at least 20 yr without the development of either acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS) or myelofibrosis (MF) and compared their presenting features with those in whom these complications occurred in the first 10 yr of disease.
The differential role of alcohol expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy in problem and nonproblem drinkers.

OBJECTIVE The present study aimed to examine the discriminatory ability of alcohol expectancies and drinking refusal self-efficacy and to identify the differential role of these constructs in social and problem drinkers. METHOD Drinkers (N = 276) were self-selected from general (n = 185) and clinical (n = 91) populations to complete a 40-minute questionnaire that asked about alcohol expectancies, drinking refusal self-efficacy, consumption, degree of dependence and demographics. RESULTS The results showed that in social drinkers both the expectancy and self-efficacy constructs were reliably able to discriminate between types of drinker. Expectancy was related to consumption in social drinkers, but did not appear to account for a significant proportion of the variance in problem drinkers. CONCLUSIONS The findings are discussed in terms of a two-process model of drinking behavior that suggests that expectancies operate differently in social and problem drinkers.
Target Ratcheting, Short-Term Salaries and the Ratchet Effect

This paper analyzes the relation between target ratcheting and the ratchet effect. Empirical results are mixed about the extent to which target ratcheting leads to a ratchet effect. My contention is to show that short-term salaries mediate the relation between ratcheting targets and the ratchet effect. Anecdotal evidence indicates that firms differ in the amount of periods for which they keep salaries fixed. Accordingly, I distinguish between long-term and short-term salaries depending on whether salaries consider past performance. Firms have to adjust salaries and/or targets for retention purposes after persistent shocks in the economic environment. The analysis suggests that 1) short-term salaries can dampen, increase or even completely offset ratchet effects induced by ratcheting targets, and 2) the extent of the ratchet effect is independent of asymmetries of target adjustments after positive and negative variances if a firm applies short-term salaries. These insights help to explain the mixed evidence about the ratchet effect and provide new arguments for empirical studies in the field of target ratcheting.
Dynamic contrast enhanced magnetic resonance imaging aids the surgical management of invasive lobular breast cancer.

AIMS Infiltrating Lobular Carcinoma (ILC) accounts for 5-10% of all breast cancers and is associated with subtle clinical and mammographic changes. It is also frequently multifocal and traditional diagnostic methods are unable to reliably detect this preoperatively. The aim of the study was to evaluate the efficacy of current imaging modalities compared with dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (DCE-MRI) in the evaluation of ILC. METHODS Data from women with ILC treated between 1996 and 2000 who had undergone preoperative triple assessment and DCE-MRI was analysed. The diagnostic accuracy and the detection of multifocal disease for each modality was assessed and any changes in clinical management following DCE-MRI were recorded. RESULTS Twenty-one women (mean age 57, range 43-72 years) were recruited. The sensitivity of X-ray mammography, ultrasound, clinical assessment, fine needle aspiration cytology or core biopsy and DCE-MRI was 90.5, 87.5, 76.2, 85.7 and 95.2% respectively. DCE-MRI identified all the patients with subsequently histologically proven multifocal disease (n=11) with PPV and NPV of 100 and 95.2% respectively. X-ray mammography and ultrasound combined identified only 27% (n=3/11) with PPV and NPV of 100 and 55.6% respectively. Management was changed in 24% (5/21) of the cases following DCE-MRI. CONCLUSION DCE-MRI has a higher sensitivity than other imaging modalities and is able to accurately delineate multifocal disease not evident on conventional imaging. DCE-MRI should therefore be used for accurate staging prior to surgery for invasive lobular breast cancer.
Construction and Block Error Rate Analysis of Polar Codes Over AWGN Channel Based on Gaussian Approximation

Polar codes are usually constructed to minimize the upper bound of a block error ratio (BLER). In this paper, we discuss the estimation of the exact BLERs of polar codes as well as the construction of polar codes. Assuming that successive cancellation (SC) decoding is employed, we present a method for estimating the exact BLER of polar codes with the help of Gaussian approximation (GA). A new algorithm is proposed to construct polar codes, aimed at minimizing the exact BLER, instead of the upper bound of the BLER. Analysis indicates that the new method is less complex than the existing methods. It is also shown that the estimation results match the simulations well.