Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Progression of isolated tricuspid regurgitation late after mitral valve surgery for rheumatic mitral valve disease.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS OF THE STUDY Severe tricuspid regurgitation (TR) may develop late after mitral valve surgery without significant mitral stenosis, regurgitation and other causes of left heart failure. The study aim was to investigate severe isolated TR late after mitral valve surgery for rheumatic mitral valve disease. METHODS A total of 208 patients who underwent mitral valve surgery (valve replacement in 121, commissurotomy in 62, valvuloplasty in 25) was investigated. The mean (+/-SD) follow up was 13+/-6 years. Severe isolated TR was defined clinically by elevated venous pressure, and echocardiographically by grade 4+ TR without significant mitral stenosis, regurgitation, other causes of left heart failure, pulmonary hypertension or rheumatic tricuspid valve. RESULTS Severe isolated TR was identified in 30 patients (14%) at four to 24 years after mitral valve surgery. All patients had atrial fibrillation. Of these patients, 23 had medical treatment and seven had tricuspid valve surgery. Three of the medically treated patients were in NYHA class IV and died from multiple organ failure at three to seven years after severe TR was diagnosed. Among surgically treated patients, four were in NYHA class IV and had postoperative complications (one early death, one late death), while three NYHA class II/III patients had very few postoperative complications. CONCLUSION Severe isolated TR was detected in 14% of patients after mitral valve surgery. It is important to detect patients with progressive heart failure and to indicate earlier reoperation in order to prevent significant late mortality.
Anti-Fatigue Activity of Extracts of Stem Bark from Acanthopanax senticosus

In the present study, we investigated the anti-fatigue activity in male Kunming mice of extracts of stem bark from Acanthopanax senticosus (ASSE) using a forced swimming test. Mice were divided into four groups (three ASSE administered groups and the control group). The control group were gavaged with distilled water and ASSE administered groups were gavaged with ASSE (100, 200 and 400 mg/kg). After four weeks, a forced swimming test was performed and the biochemical parameters related to fatigue were examined. The results suggested that ASSE could extend the swimming time to exhaustion of the mice, as well as increase the tissue glycogen contents, while decreasing the blood lactate and serum urea nitrogen contents. This indicated that ASSE had anti-fatigue activity and could elevate the exercise tolerance.
Devoir épistémique, marqueur modal ou évidentiel?

Patrick Dendale : « Epistemic devoir, modal or evidential marker ? » ; It is generally recognized that the French verb devoir has deontic and epistemic senses. We focus on the epistemic sense and claim that the basic value of epistemic devoir is an evidential one whereas the modal values (probability, quasi-certainty) actually derive from it. We consider the nature of evidential devoir to be inferential and show how inference is to be understood as a complex operation including the search for premisses and the evaluation of competing conclusions.
Evaluating the efficacy of Salsalate on prediabetic and diabetic patients with fatty liver: A randomized clinical trial

Objective: Nearly two-third of the patients with type 2 diabetes have degrees of fatty liver; this may induce some side effects in them. This study aimed to find effect of salsalate on treatment of steatohepatitis and correlation of fatty liver with metabolic syndrome in the setting of impaired glucose metabolism. Methods: In a double-blind randomized trial within two distinct groups, i.e., recently diagnosed diabetics and prediabetic cases allocated in two arms of the intervention to receive 3 g salsalate or placebo. All cases underwent glucose and lipid level studies and liver ultrasound study. Findings: Out of 46 patients with diabetes, 34 (74%) had fatty liver in ultrasound; this ratio was 75% in 113 prediabetic cases. Relative frequency of fatty liver stages did not differ between diabetics and prediabetics. Within diabetics, mean aspartate aminotransferase (AST) level of fatty liver cases (23 ± 7 IU/dl) was higher than others (18 ± 3 IU/dl) (P < 0.05). Changes in transaminase levels following intervention did not significantly differ, comparing drug and placebo arms in two subgroups. Conclusion: According to the findings, if diabetes could be assumed as the logical consequence of prediabetic state, it seems that fatty liver did develop before this preliminary status. In this study, salsalate could not change biochemical markers of fatty liver significantly.
Iranian EFL Writing Assessment: The Agency of Rater or Rating Scale?

The present study explores the practice of Iranian raters in the EFL writing assessment context of the country. For this aim, early in the study a questionnaire developed by the researcher was administered to thirty experienced raters from ten major state universities in Iran. Later, five of the raters were chosen to participate in a follow-up think aloud session aimed to further explore the rating process. Findings of the questionnaire casted doubt on the existence of an explicit rating scale in the context. The following think aloud protocols further revealed that despite the apparent superiority of the raters in the rating process, neither the raters nor the rating scale-as two central components of the performance assessment- had a real agency in the Iranian EFL rating context. Lack of a common rating scale caused the raters to draw on ad hoc rating criteria and raters’ idiosyncratic practices resulted by a missing rater training component created a context in which the construct of writing ability is greatly underrepresented. Along with locating the sources of the issue in both the rating scale and the raters, this study emphasizes that Iranian raters are in urgent need of training and constant monitoring programs to acquire rating expertise over time. As a requirement for the training programs, development of an explicit rating scale is strongly encouraged in the context.
Learning Blind Deconvolution

In this work, we propose a novel prior term for the regularization of blind deblurring methods. The proposed method introduces machine learning techniques into the blind deconvolution process. The proposed technique has sound mathematical foundations and is generic to many inverse problems. We demonstrate the usage of this regularizer within Bayesian blind deconvolution framework, and also integrate into the latter a method for noise reduction, which was previously proposed in the context of non-blind astronomical image deblurring, thus creating a complete blind deconvolution method. The application of the proposed algorithm is demonstrated on three-dimensional images acquired by a wide-field fluorescence microscope, where the need for blind deconvolution algorithms is indispensable, yielding excellent results.
Adherence to medication.

The full benefit of many effective medications will be achieved only if patients adhere to prescribed treatment regimens. Unfortunately, applying terms such as “noncompliant” and “nonadherent” to patients who do not consume every pill at the desired time can stigmatize them in their future relationships with health care providers. This article on medication adherence (or compliance) reviews strategies to assess and enhance this important aspect of patient care.
OUTER RETINAL TUBULATION IN ADVANCED AGE-RELATED MACULAR DEGENERATION: Optical Coherence Tomographic Findings Correspond to Histology

Purpose: To compare optical coherence tomography (OCT) and histology of outer retinal tubulation (ORT) secondary to advanced age-related macular degeneration in patients and in postmortem specimens, with particular attention to the basis of the hyperreflective border of ORT. Method: A private referral practice (imaging) and an academic research laboratory (histology) collaborated on two retrospective case series. High-resolution OCT raster scans of 43 eyes (34 patients) manifesting ORT secondary to advanced age-related macular degeneration were compared to high-resolution histologic sections through the fovea and superior perifovea of donor eyes (13 atrophic age-related macular degeneration and 40 neovascular age-related macular degeneration) preserved ⩽4 hours after death. Results: Outer retinal tubulation seen on OCT correlated with histologic findings of tubular structures consisted largely of cones lacking outer segments and lacking inner segments. Four phases of cone degeneration were histologically distinguishable in ORT lumenal walls, nascent, mature, degenerate, and end stage (inner segments and outer segments, inner segments only, no inner segments, and no photoreceptors and only Müller cells forming external limiting membrane, respectively). Mitochondria, which are normally long and bundled within inner segment ellipsoids, were small and scattered within shrunken inner segments and cell bodies of surviving cones. A lumenal border was delimited by an external limiting membrane. Outer retinal tubulation observed in closed and open configurations was distinguishable from cysts and photoreceptor islands on both OCT and histology. Hyperreflective lumenal material seen on OCT represents trapped retinal pigment epithelium and nonretinal pigment epithelium cells. Conclusion: The defining OCT features of ORT are location in the outer nuclear layer, a hyperreflective band differentiating it from cysts, and retinal pigment epithelium that is either dysmorphic or absent. Histologic and OCT findings of outer retinal tubulation corresponded in regard to composition, location, shape, and stages of formation. The reflectivity of ORT lumenal walls on OCT apparently does not require an outer segment or an inner/outer segment junction, indicating an independent reflectivity source, possibly mitochondria, in the inner segments.
Iris-pupil thickness based method for determining age group of a person

Soft biometric attributes such as gender, ethnicity and age can be determined from the iris images. Pupil size plays an important factor in iris template aging. In this study, statistical experiments are performed to find out confidence interval for Iris-Pupil thickness of different age groups such as children, youth and senior citizen. Significant group differences have been observed by applying statistical techniques such as Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the Tukey's pairwise comparison test. The results of the study conclude that the proposed methodology can be employed to determine age group of a person from the available iris images. Based on the study results, we argue that performance of an iris recognition system can be enhanced by identifying age group of the persons from their iris images.
Preventing Suicide in Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Prisoners: A Critique of U.K. Policy

Abstract Suicide is a global problem in prisons. As in society generally, gay men in prison have a higher risk of attempting suicide compared with their heterosexual peers. The Howard League for Penal Reform Sex in Prison Commission 2015 reveals a pervasive culture of consensual and coercive sexual relations, with gay men more likely to be targeted for unsolicited sex. Research shows an inadequate institutional response to such abuse. Victims of sexual assault in prison have high rates of psychological problems, which can lead to self-harm and suicide. The Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork procedure to assess and manage risk of suicide in prisoners, however, makes no reference to the needs of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender prison population, despite national policy and best practice guidance that advocates an individualized approach to suicide risk with due consideration of vulnerable group status. This article argues that the Assessment, Care in Custody and Teamwork procedure should be tuned to the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender prisoners are not exposed to the double jeopardy of sexual assault and related suicidal tendencies.
Telehealth interventions versus center-based cardiac rehabilitation of coronary artery disease: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) is an evidence-based recommendation for patients with coronary artery disease (CAD). However, CR is dramatically underutilized. Telehealth interventions have the potential to overcome barriers and may be an innovative model of delivering CR. This review aimed to determine the effectiveness of telehealth intervention delivered CR compared with center-based supervised CR. Method Medline, Embase, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in the Cochrane Library and the Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), were searched to April 2014, without language restriction. Existing randomized controlled trials, reviews, relevant conference lists and gray literature were checked. Randomized controlled trials that compared telehealth intervention delivered CR with traditional center-based supervised CR in adults with CAD were included. Two reviewers selected studies and extracted data independently. Main clinical outcomes including clinical events, modifiable risk factors or other endpoints were measured. Results Fifteen articles reporting nine trials were reviewed, most of which recruited patients with myocardial infarction or revascularization. No statistically significant difference was found between telehealth interventions delivered and center-based supervised CR in exercise capacity (standardized mean difference (SMD) –0.01; 95% confidence interval (CI) –0.12–0.10), weight (SMD –0.13; 95% CI –0.30–0.05), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (mean difference (MD) –1.27; 95% CI –3.67–1.13 and MD 1.00; 95% CI –0.42–2.43, respectively), lipid profile, smoking (risk ratio (RR) 1.03; 95% CI 0.78–1.38), mortality (RR 1.15; 95% CI 0.61–2.19), quality of life and psychosocial state. Conclusions Telehealth intervention delivered cardiac rehabilitation does not have significantly inferior outcomes compared to center-based supervised program in low to moderate risk CAD patients. Telehealth intervention offers an alternative deliver model of CR for individuals less able to access center-based cardiac rehabilitation. Choices should reflect preferences, anticipation, risk profile, funding, and accessibility to health service.
Predicting mortality in systemic Wegener's granulomatosis: a survival analysis based on 93 patients.

OBJECTIVE To determine predictors of survival of patients with systemic Wegener's granulomatosis (WG). METHODS We retrospectively studied 93 patients (median age 52 years, male/female ratio 1.7) with systemic WG. All subjects received cytotoxic drugs. Survival was evaluated as a function of the main clinical and laboratory parameters and 2 disease activity scores assessed at diagnosis. Statistical analyses used the multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression model. RESULTS The mean followup was 4.5 years; 25 (27%) patients died. According to univariate analysis, a pejorative prognostic value was attributed to serum creatinine >160 micromole/liter (P < 0.001); age >52 years (P < 0.002); absence of ear, nose, and throat (ENT) involvement (P < 0.001); and hemoglobin < or =11.8 gm/dl (P = 0.02). Multivariate analysis retained age >52 years (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.40, P = 0.04) as an independent predictor of poor outcome, whereas the presence of ENT involvement was associated with a longer survival (HR = 0.31, P = 0.02). CONCLUSION Our results suggest that an older age and the absence of ENT involvement at diagnosis independently predict an increased risk of mortality for WG patients. These findings could indicate that the prognosis of WG might be governed by the balance between the granulomatosis as opposed to the vasculitic disease process.
Sensitivity of the Present-Day Climate to Freshwater Forcing Associated with Antarctic Sea Ice Loss

Abstract The role played by Southern Hemisphere sea ice in the global climate system is explored using an earth system climate model of intermediate complexity. An ensemble of experiments is analyzed in which freshwater forcing equivalent to a complete 100-yr meltback of Southern Hemisphere sea ice is applied to a model run that simulates the present climate. This freshwater forcing acts to mildy subdue Southern Ocean deep overturning, reducing mean Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) export by 0.5 Sv (1 Sv ≡ 106 m3 s−1) in the ensemble average. The decreased convective overturning cools the surface waters, thereby increasing sea ice volume and thus forming a negative feedback that stabilizes Antarctic sea ice. In contrast, the reduced convective overturn warms subsurface waters in the Southern Ocean, which, combined with the imposed freshening, results in a reduction in the meridional steric height gradient and hence a slowdown of the Antarctic Circumpolar Current (ACC). The reduction in ACC strength is, howev.
Tumour necrosis factor-α gene promoter polymorphism in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Tumour necrosis factor(TNF)-alpha levels are elevated in airways of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and may contribute to its pathogenesis. A guanine to adenine substitution at position -308 of the TNF-alpha gene promoter (TNF1/2) has been associated with chronic bronchitis of various aetiologies in a Taiwanese population. The authors performed a study investigating association of the polymorphism with smoking-related COPD in Caucasians. Frequencies of TNF1/2 alleles in 86 Caucasians (52 males) with COPD were compared with 63 (52 males) asymptomatic smoker/exsmoker control subjects and a population control of 199 (99 males) blood donors. Genotyping was performed by the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism technique on genomic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) obtained from peripheral blood. There were no significant differences in TNF1/2 allele frequencies between groups: 0.85/0.15 in COPD, 0.85/0.15 in smoker control subjects, 0.83/0.17 in population control subjects. Within the COPD group there was no association of TNF1/2 alleles with indices of airflow obstruction (% predicted forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) and % predicted FEV1/vital capacity ratio) nor gas transfer (% predicted carbon monoxide transfer coefficient and % predicted carbon monoxide diffusing capacity of the lung). It is concluded that: 1) the tumour necrosis factor gene promoter allele does not influence the risk of developing chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in a Caucasian population of smokers; and 2) there is no association of the tumour necrosis factor gene promoter genotype with severity of airflow obstruction nor degree of emphysema in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.
Antenna performance measurements using wireless sensor networks

In this paper, we present the results of an experimental test methodology that was used to characterize the performance of various test antennas (commercially available and developed in-house) within a wireless sensor network node. The test method employed measures the relative performance of a number of test antennas when incorporated within a wireless sensor network node in an open-field test environment. This methodology was explored, as a means of obtaining a simple qualitative assessment of antenna performance compared to accurate, but expensive RF test hardware and anechoic chamber testing. The measured results yield some useful qualitative data in terms of antenna performance that can help in comparing and selecting a particular antenna for a wireless sensor network, as well as helping to identify cases in which detailed RF test measurements and equipment may be required for more accurate characterization
Low Unstimulated Salivary Flow and Subjective Oral Dryness: Association with Medication, Anxiety, Depression, and Stress

Medication and psychological processes may affect salivary flow and cause subjective oral dryness. The importance of these factors is unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of medication, anxiety, depression, and stress with unstimulated salivary flow and subjective oral dryness. We studied 1202 individuals divided into three groups, and controls. Intake of medication was evaluated. Anxiety, depression, and stress were assessed. Unstimulated salivary flow < 0.1 mL/min and subjective oral dryness were significantly associated with age, female gender, intake of psychotropics, anti-asthmatics, and diuretics. Unstimulated salivary flow < 0.1 mL/min and no subjective oral dryness were significantly associated with age, intake of antihypertensives, and analgesics. Subjective oral dryness and unstimulated salivary flow > 0.1 mL/min were significantly associated with depression, trait anxiety, perceived stress, state anxiety, female gender, and intake of antihypertensives. Age and medication seemed to play a more important role in individuals with hyposalivation, and female gender and psychological factors in individuals with subjective oral dryness.
Improving cesium selectivity of bentonites by heat treatment.

Selectivity for Cs was improved by heating montmorillonites to 600 to 700 deg C. The optimum temperature depends on the saturating cation and bentonite type. For montmorillonites heated in this temperature range and at higher temperatures, clay - solution contact time was an important consideration. Sorption characteristics over a wide range of C s concentration were investigated; the results suggested a multifunctional exchange reaction for the 600 deg C calciummontmorillonite and a simple mass action reaction for the oven- dried calcium - montmorillonite. The study of the influence of heating periods at 600 deg C for calcium-montmorillonite showed that longer heating periods resulted in a decreasing degree of initial sorption; however, Cs sorption gradually increased with solution-clay contact time and eventually exceeded the cesium sorption of oven-dried samples. (auth)
fMRI of human somatosensory and cingulate cortex during painful electrical nerve stimulation

Functional MRI (fMRI) can detect changes from resting levels of blood flow and oxygenation during task performance (i.e. activation). We used a simple electrical nerve stimulation technique together with fMRI to study pain processes in the human cortex. Images of the primary somatosensory (SI) and cingulate cortex (Cg) were obtained from subjects during stimulation at painful and non-painful intensities. Stimuli that evoked non-painful tingling sensations activated the contralateral SI but not Cg. Stimuli that evoked painful sensations activated both the contralateral SI and Cg. These data indicate that fMRI can detect pain-related changes in SI and Cg evoked by electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves. These findings add to the evidence for a role of SI and Cg in human pain processes and provide a simple method of stimulus delivery for its study.