Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Histological and immunohistochemical study of the ovaries and oviducts of the juvenile female of Caiman latirostris (Crocodilia: Alligatoridae)

The purpose of this study was to examine the ovaries and the oviduct of juvenile females of the broad-snouted caiman, Caiman latirostris (Daudin, 1802), using light microscopy, histochemical and immunocytochemical techniques. The ovarian cortex was observed to contain groups of germinative cells and abundant previtellogenic follicles at different stages of development. In previtellogenic follicles, the oocyte was surrounded by a single cuboidal layer of granulosa cells, supported by the theca layer. The theca was formed by a concentric layer containing collage nous fibers, predominantly type I, and several smooth muscle fibers. The inner perivitelline layer appeared as a narrow basophilic region between the oocyte and the granulosa. The ovarian medullary region of loose connective tissue contained blood and lymphatic vessels, as well as numerous lacunae, being covered by a simple squamous epithelium, supported by a thin layer of connective tissue. The oviduct of C. latirostris showed five histologically distinct regions: infundibulum, magnum, isthmus, uterus and vagina. The infundibulum was composed of an irregularly folded mucosa covered by a simple columnar epithelium with the presence of ciliated cells, weakly reactive to PAS staining. In the magnum, the mucosa was highly folded, and pseudostratified columnar epithelium contains mucous cells, which reacted positively to PAS staining. The isthmus was lining by an epithelium of ciliated and non-ciliated secretory cells, but no gland was visualized in mucosa. In the uterus, the folded mucosa was composed of a simple epithelium of high cylindrical cells and the lamina propria, which was predominantly formed by strongly birefringent fibers, but yellow-green weakly birefringent fibers were also present. The epithelium of the vagina contained intensely ciliated and non-ciliated cells, both of which were positive to PAS staining and no gland was observed in this region. Although the ovary and the oviduct showed some morphological particularities, they are similar to other crocodilians.
Conditions for Patient Participation and Non-Participation in Health Care

This study explored patients' experiences of participation and non-participation in their health care. A questionnaire-based survey method was used. Content analysis showed that conditions for patient participation occurred when information was provided not by using standard procedures but based on individual needs and accompanied by explanations, when the patient was regarded as an individual, when the patient's knowledge was recognized by staff, and when the patient made decisions based on knowledge and needs, or performed self-care. Thus, to provide conditions for true patient participation, professionals need to recognize each patient's unique knowledge and respect the individual's description of his or her situation rather than just inviting the person to participate in decision making.
A new noise-constrained normalized least mean squares adaptive filtering algorithm

This paper proposes a new noise-constrained normalized least mean squares (NC-NLMS) adaptive filtering algorithm and studies its mean and mean square convergence behaviors. The new NC-NLMS algorithm is obtained by extending the noise-constrained LMS (NC-LMS) algorithm of Wei, which was proposed to explore the prior information on the noise variance in identifying unknown finite impulse response channels. It gives rise to a variable step-size LMS algorithm that is capable of achieving better tradeoff between the requirements to maximize convergence rate and to minimize misadjustment. Using a novel transformation approach, a new NC-NLMS algorithm is derived based on the NC-LMS framework. Additionally, robust statistics technique is employed to improve the robustness of the NC-NLMS algorithm in impulsive noise environment. Simulation shows that the proposed NC-NLMS offers improved performance than the NC-LMS algorithm due to the data normalization and its robust version can achieve satisfactory performance against impulse noise. Extension to the least M-estimate (LMM) and normalized least M-estimate (NLMM) algorithms were also proposed.
Sentiment Classification of Social Media Content with Features Generated Using Topic Models

This paper presents a method for using topic distributions generated from topic models as features for performing sentiment analysis on documents. This will be tested in the social media domain, specifically Twitter. The proposed approach allows for the mapping from word space to topic space which allows for less fea- tures to be needed and also reduces computational complexity. Multiple machine learning algorithms will be used to test the topic model generated features and a number of different versions of test corpus will be used, including unigrams, bi- grams, part-of-speech tagging and adjectives only. The method proposed will also be compared to other notable topic-sentiment methods such as the aspect-sentiment unification model and the joint sentiment/topic model. The results show that using topic distributions can improve the accuracy of classification algorithms, however, the performance can be dependent on the algorithm used and the initial features used. Additionally, we show that using only topics as features outperforms the hy- brid topic-sentiment models.
Lung cancer treatment decisions: patients’ desires for participation and information

This study examined responses of 21 lung cancer outpatients to questions about their desired and actual levels of involvement in treatment decisions, and about information needed for treatment decision‐making. A ‘treatment trade‐off’ interview was used to assess patients’ preferences for hypothetical treatment options. Desired roles in decisions are examined in relation to treatment preference and information needs. Forty‐three percent of patients recalled desiring an active/collaborative role in their real treatment decision. For 29% of patients, there was a discrepancy between their recalled desired role and their recalled actual role; in each of these cases the patient had been less involved in the decision than they had desired. At the time of the interview (mean 26 months post‐treatment), 57% of patients desired an active or collaborative role in treatment decisions. The majority of patients rated the following types of information as ‘essential’ to treatment decisions: details of the treatment regimen, early and late side‐effects, survival, and effects of treatment on disease symptoms. The data suggest that: we should be attentive to the individual's desired role in treatment decisions at each step of care to avoid a mismatch between desired and actual involvement; desired role in decision‐making does not predict treatment preference; and patients generally want a wide variety of information on treatment options in order to participate in treatment decisions. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The practice of anaesthesia—a stressor for the middle‐aged?

Surveys conducted in the United Kingdom over the last few years have revealed decreased job satisfaction and increased anxiety and depression in both hospital specialists and general practitioners. Anaesthesia is perceived to be a stressful specialty and there is evidence, albeit patchy, that certain stress‐associated conditions are more common in anaesthetists. The ‘middle years’, seem to be a danger period. The analogy between the work of anaesthetists and airline pilots is often drawn and the principles underlying the assessment and maintenance of pilot competence could be adopted in anaesthesia. While outcome studies are numerous much less attention has been paid to the structure and process of anaesthtic practice. Models for studying these aspects have been developed for investigating stress in general practitioners and doctors in training. Even minor degrees of professional impairment may place patients at risk and an investigation into the effects of the specialty on those who practise it is justified.
Travelling for radiation cancer treatment: Patient perspectives

Radiation treatment for cancer requires patients to receive frequent administrations and attend the treatment facility on a daily basis for several weeks. Travelling for radiation treatment has the potential to add to the distress an individual may be feeling. This study utilized in‐depth interviews to capture 118 patients' perspectives about travelling for cancer treatment. Four themes emerged during the analysis of the data: (1) waiting was the most difficult part of the experience; (2) the idea of travelling for treatment was distressing; (3) travelling for treatment was tiring and posed difficulties for patients; and (4) being away from home had both benefits and drawbacks. Given the inevitability of travelling for radiation treatment, and the issues that arises for patients, supportive strategies need to be designed and implemented. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increasing dose intensity of anthracycline antibiotics improves outcome in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia

To understand the effect of dose concentration in the overall survival of AML, we conducted a study on the efficacy and toxicity of a drug combination where the dose of daunorubicin was intensified. For this analysis, the outcome of patients entered into two consecutive prospective trials was compared. Inclusion criteria in both arms were identical and consisted of primary AML in adults. Treatment protocol for Cape Town Regimen 4 (CTR‐IV) comprised of cytarabine infusion (100 mg/m2) and etoposide (100 mg/m2), injection daily for 7 days in combination with daunorubicin (45 mg/m2) on days 1, 2, and 3. Patients achieving remission were given two further courses of the same chemotherapy and received allogeneic or autologous transplantation. CTR‐V was a similar treatment program, except that daunorubicin was escalated on days 1, 2, and 3 to 75 mg/m2 during induction and to 60 mg/m2 during a single consolidation. Patients were also offered stem cell transplantation. Between 1990 and 1997, 78 patients (median age 33; range 13–67 years) fulfilled entry criteria and received CTR‐IV. From 1998 onwards, 35 patients (median age 36; range 15–66 years) were prospectively enlisted into the CTR‐V trial. The patient population in CTR‐V had fewer Caucasian individuals (P = 0.02) and had significantly lower presentation hemoglobin (P = 0.0002). Following initiation of induction chemotherapy, 40 patients failed to respond. Among these, 10 patients demised before day 28. Another 30 (25/69 CTR‐IV and 5/32 in CTR‐V groups; P = 0.01) had leukemia that was resistant to chemotherapy, and all died. Remission was achieved in 59% of patients treated with CTR‐IV and 77% of those receiving CTR‐V (P = 0.03). CR occurred with a single course in 64% versus 88% (P = 0.02), respectively. There were no differences in the toxicity profile between these two combinations. Disease recurred in 50% and 28% (P = 0.07) of patients. For the 113 individuals, median follow up is 254 (range 19–4,451) and 304 (12–1,702; P = 0.03) days. Survival is 23% and 40%, respectively, favoring patients treated with CTR‐V (log rank; P = 0.03). Cox regression analysis showed that treatment group (P < 0.001), FAB type, hemoglobin level, and platelet count were independent factors for response to chemotherapy. Older age and not undergoing myeloablative therapy were the only adverse factors for survival. We conclude that increase in the treatment dose of daunorubicin in patients with AML led to a higher remission rate, particularly with a single course of chemotherapy and had an equivalent toxicity profile. This therapeutic modification is also likely to result in substantial reduction in patient stay in hospital and in the overall expenditure. Am. J. Hematol. 76:319–329, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neutron Yield Scaling With Inductance in Plasma Focus

Neutron yield is enhanced by reduction of the short-circuit plasma focus inductance L<sub>0</sub>, which in turn increases the pinch current I<sub>pinch</sub>. Numerical experiments are carried out to optimize the neutron production using the Lee model on small plasma focus devices (several kilojoules), such as UNU/ICTP PFF, NX2, and LDiana. The maximum neutron yield is obtained for each L<sub>0</sub> with a combination of gas pressure as well as anode length and radius (Y<sub>n</sub> versus z<sub>0</sub>, p<sub>0</sub> and a at fixed L<sub>0</sub>). The numerical experiments confirm the limitation effect of I<sub>pinch</sub>, and suggest an optimum L<sub>0</sub> in the range of 10-20 nH. Finally, the neutron yield is scaled with system inductance.
Adaptation of cardiac morphology and function to endurance and strength training

Left ventricular (LV) dimensions and function and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2 max) were measured in endurance‐trained (10 male, m, 10 female, f), strength‐trained athletes (8 m, 10 f) and untrained subjects (9 m, 10 f). LV dimensions were measured using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and echocardiography and the results were equal irrespective of method. Endurance‐trained m and f had significantly higher LV volumes and mass than both strength‐trained and controls. No VO2 max or dimensional differences were seen between strength‐trained and untrained subjects. In endurance‐trained males, LV volumes and mass/kg bw were higher than in endurance‐trained females. There was no significant gender difference for strength‐trained or untrained subjects regarding body weight‐related heart dimensions. It is concluded that LV dimensions and volumes are strongly dependent on oxygen transport capacity in normal subjects practising different modes of training, and that the gender differences, if LV dimensions are related to aerobic work capacity, are smaller than previously reported.
Modulatory effects of Azadirachta indica on benzo(a)pyrene-induced forestomach tumorigenesis in mice.

AIM To evaluate the chemopreventive effects of aqueous Azadirachta indica (A indica) leaf extract (AAILE) against benzo(a)pyrene [B(a)P]-induced forestomach tumorigenesis in Balb/c mice. METHODS Female Balb/c mice were divided into four groups of 10-12 animals each. For induction of forestomach tumors, starting from d 14 of the experi-ment, mice of B(a)P and B(a)P+A indica groups were given intra-gastric instillations of B(a)P (40 mg/kg), twice a week for four weeks. Mice of A indica and B(a)P+A indica groups were orally administered with AAILE (100 mg/kg), two weeks prior to B(a)P instillations till the end of the experiment. After 22 wk of the first B(a)P instillation, mice were sacrificed and the forestomachs were analyzed for development of tumors, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and histopathology. RESULTS Tumor incidence was observed to be 100% in mice that received only B(a)P. However, treatment with AAILE reduced the tumor incidence by 58.4% as observed in mice of B(a)P+A indica group when compared to that of B(a)P group. Similarly, the tumor burden and multiplicity were seen to decrease by 87.3% and 69.6% respectively in mice of B(a)P+A indica group when compared to those of B(a)P group. Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that AAILE treatment itself did not cause any abnormalities on the surface architecture of forestomach epithelium. In tumorous forestomach, surface disruption was observed. Over the forestomach tumors of B(a)P group of mice certain rounded structures were seen in addition to closely placed tongue-shaped squamous cells. Interestingly, these rounded structures were not observed in B(a)P + A indica group of mice. Histopathalogically, the tumors were identical and diagnosed to be papillomas. Mice from control and A indica groups of mice did not develop any forestomach tumors and showed normal histo-architecture. CONCLUSION The present data suggest that A indica exerts chemopreventive effects against B(a)P-induced forestomach tumors in murine model. Because of lack of toxicity and ubiquitous bioavailability, A indica may play a promising role in future drug discovery and development as far as chemoprevention of cancer is concerned.
Future goal setting, task motivation and learning of minority and non-minority students in Dutch schools.

BACKGROUND Cross-cultural research on minority school achievement yields mixed findings on the motivational impact of future goal setting for students from disadvantaged minority groups. Relevant and recent motivational research, integrating Future Time Perspective Theory with Self-Determination Theory, has not yet been validated among minority students. AIMS To replicate across cultures the known motivational benefits of perceived instrumentality and internal regulation by distant future goals; to clarify when and how the future motivates minority students' educational performance. SAMPLE Participants in this study were 279 minority students (100 of Turkish and 179 of Moroccan origin) and 229 native Dutch students in Dutch secondary schools. METHODS Participants rated the importance of future goals, their perceptions of instrumentality, their task motivation and learning strategies. Dependent measures and their functional relations with future goal setting were simultaneously validated across minority and non-minority students, using structural equation modelling in multiple groups. RESULTS As expected, Positive Perceived Instrumentality for the future increases task motivation and (indirectly) adaptive learning of both minority and non-minority students. But especially internally regulating future goals are strongly related to more task motivation and indirectly to more adaptive learning strategies. CONCLUSION Our findings throw new light on the role of future goal setting in minority school careers: distant future goals enhance minority and non-minority students' motivation and learning, if students perceive positive instrumentality and if their schoolwork is internally regulated by future goals.
Initial Evaluation of the Acute and Chronic Multiple Ligament Injured Knee

Abstract Multiple ligament injuries of the knee are rare, and severe injuries are often present following a knee dislocation. Appropriate initial evaluation and management is of critical importance for maximizing the potential outcome and avoiding disastrous consequences associated with these difficult injuries. While many of these injuries present acutely in an emergency department or clinic, presentation on a delayed basis is not uncommon. Injuries can present in a variety of situations, such as an isolated knee injury in an athlete or as part of a multisystem-injured trauma patient. In this publication, we review the etiology, classification, and comprehensive initial evaluation of the acute and chronic multiple-ligament injured knee.
Quantitative analysis of mast cells in oral submucous fibrosis

Back ground: On the Indian subcontinent, the use of smokeless tobacco in various forms is very popular. Oral submucous fibrosis is a chronic condition of the oral mucosa, which results in a marked rigidity with progressive inability to open the mouth and has an increased risk of undergoing carcinomatous changes about four to eight percent. Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate whether early recognization and subsequent prevention of its transformation into an advanced stage would assist in early treatment of this condition. Method : This study was undertaken by retrieving the records and the paraffin blocks of the confirmed cases of 30 oral submucous fibrosis and 10 normal buccal mucosa as control. Two sets of sections were obtained. One set subjected to Toluidine Blue staining and the other set subjected to Hematoxylin & Eosin. Result: The mast cell response in oral sub mucous fibrosis was reported to be high in the early stages where the reaction of the tissue to the irritant is strong. As the disease advances tissue becomes less reactive, gets hyalinized and occasionally shows degeneration where the mast cells are reduced and are often even fewer than in the normal mucosa. Conclusion: Since this disease is known to be prevalent in India due to the habits, the study was conducted to observe different histopathological features and the occurrence of mast cells in various grades of Oral Sub Mucous fibrosis. This study also emphasizes the role of mast cells and its
Haemostatic changes caused by i.v. regional anaesthesia with lignocaine.

The various components of i.v. regional anaesthesia (IVRA), that is ischaemia, tourniquet compression and the presence of high concentrations of local anaesthetics in the blood vessels of the extremity, may affect haemostatic mechanisms. We performed a cross-over study in 10 healthy male volunteers to examine the role of lignocaine in IVRA on several haemostatic variables, and those indicating fibrinolysis and platelet function in particular. Venous blood samples were obtained from the test arm and the opposite arm before IVRA, at the time of tourniquet cuff deflation and 30 min thereafter. Metal needle punctures were used, and for the sample from the test arm at the time of cuff deflation, cuff pressure was reduced from 300 mm Hg to individual mean arterial pressure. The IVRA technique included exsanguination by arm elevation and axillary artery compression, inflation of the tourniquet cuff for 20 min and deflation of the cuff in one step (after obtaining the venous sample). Each subject received, in random order, either 0.5% lignocaine 3 mg kg-1 or the corresponding volume of saline i.v. All fibrinolysis markers, that is, D-dimer, tissue plasminogen activator antigen (t-PA antigen), tissue plasminogen activator activity (t-PA activity), plasminogen activator inhibitor activity (PAI) and protein C indicated enhanced fibrinolysis by IVRA, but only t-PA antigen and PAI showed greater changes in the lignocaine compared with the saline group in the exposed arm at the time of cuff deflation. Platelet function tests (ADP-induced platelet aggregation, beta-thromboglobulin and thrombelastogram (TEG)) indicated no differences between the lignocaine and saline groups. Although IVRA appeared to induce some platelet dysfunction, there was a small increase in TEG amplitude indicative of improved fibrin-platelet interaction in the lignocaine-exposed arm at the time of cuff deflation. We conclude that the presence of high i.v. lignocaine concentrations (median 144.4 micrograms ml-1 in cubital veins at the end of the tourniquet time) potentiated ischaemia-induced fibrinolysis activation during IVRA. Concomitant platelet dysfunction was not aggravated by lignocaine.