Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An evaluation of the TPGF protocol implementation over NS-2

Wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs) is one of the hotest topic nowadays which attracts more and more researchers as being an interdisciplinary research interest. Its cost decreases continuously due to advances in micro-electromechanical systems, and the proliferation and progression of wireless communications. However, the transmission of multimedia information must satisfy QoS criteria which increases energy consumption. This issue should be taken into consideration in the protocol design for WMSNs. In this paper, we propose an implementation and an evaluation of the TPGF routing protocol (Two Phase geographical Greedy Forwarding) over the network simulator NS2. The TPGF module over NS-2 is available for the research community. In this evaluation, we compare the TPGF performances with two other protocols: the well known AODV protocol and the EA-TPGF protocol (our previous work on an extension of the TPGF protocol which takes into account the remaining energy of nodes during the process of path identification). The performance metrics measured to evaluate the QoS of each protocol are: delay, PDR, remaining energy of each node at the end of the communication and the standard deviation of remaining energy. Simulations show promising results in terms of network life extension when TPGF is used.
Nox 4-derived reactive oxygen species mediate cardiomyocyte injury in early type 1 diabetes

Rita M. Maalouf,* Assaad A. Eid,* Yves C. Gorin, Karen Block, Gladys Patricia Escobar, Steven Bailey, and Hanna E. Abboud Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center and South Texas Veterans Healthcare System, San Antonio, Texas; Faculty of Natural and Applied Sciences, Notre Dame University, Louaize, Lebanon; and Department of Anatomy, Cell Biology and Physiology, Faculty of Medicine, American University of Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon
Alopecia areata: Clinical presentation, diagnosis, and unusual cases

Alopecia areata (AA) is a nonscarring hair loss disorder with a 2% lifetime risk. Most patients are below 30 years old. Clinical types include patchy AA, AA reticularis, diffuse AA, AA ophiasis, AA sisiapho, and perinevoid AA. Besides scalp and body hair, the eyebrows, eyelashes, and nails can be affected. The disorder may be circumscribed, total (scalp hair loss), and universal (loss of all hairs). Atopy, autoimmune thyroid disease, and vitiligo are more commonly associated. The course of the disease is unpredictable. However, early, long‐lasting, and severe cases have a less favorable prognosis. The clinical diagnosis is made by the aspect of hairless patches with a normal skin and preserved follicular ostia. Exclamations mark hairs and a positive pull test signal activity. Dermoscopy may reveal yellow dots. White hairs may be spared; initial regrowth may also be nonpigmented. The differential diagnosis includes trichotillomania, scarring alopecia, and other nonscarring hair loss disorders such as tinea capitis and syphilis.
Versican G1 Domain and V3 Isoform Overexpression Results in Increased Chondrogenesis in the Developing Chick Limb In Ovo

Previous work has shown that versican proteoglycan is highly expressed in the extracellular matrix of precartilage limb mesenchyme. Although much of versican's role in chondrogenesis has been attributed to its glycosaminoglycan complement, N‐ and C‐terminal G1 and G3 domains of versican have been shown to possess distinct functions when expressed ectopically. This study was undertaken to test the hypothesis that overexpression of the versican G1 domain and short V3 isoform, comprised of only G1 and G3, in the chick wing in ovo would result in increased chondrogenesis, suggesting function for discrete versican domains in limb skeletal development. Recombinant adenoviruses encoding G1 and V3 proteins were microinjected into proximal HH19–25 chick wing buds which resulted in significant enlargement of humeral primordia at HH35. Enhanced cartilage deposition appeared due to increased chondrogenic aggregation as a result of recombinant G1 or V3 overexpression, further implicating versican in early stages of limb development. Anat Rec 293:1669–1678, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reply to low expression of chloride channel accessory 1 predicts a poor prognosis in colorectal cancer: The question is still open

than TYMS. Gut. 2015;64:111-120. 3. Avan A, Avan A, Maftouh M, Ghayour Mobarhan M, Shahidsales S, Gholamin S. Biomarker analysis in CLEOPATRA: searching for a sensitive prognostic factor in breast cancer. J Clin Oncol. 2015;33:1711-1712. 4. Maitland ML, Ratain MJ, Cox NJ. Interpreting P values in pharmacogenetic studies: a call for process and perspective. J Clin Oncol. 2007;25:4513-4515. 5. Lawrie LC, Curran S, McLeod HL, Fothergill JE, Murray GI. Application of laser capture microdissection and proteomics in colon cancer. Mol Pathol. 2001;54:253-258. 6. Wasserkort R, Kalmar A, Valcz G, et al. Aberrant septin 9 DNA methylation in colorectal cancer is restricted to a single CpG island. BMC Cancer. 2013;13:398. 7. Sotiriou C, Piccart MJ. Taking gene-expression profiling to the clinic: when will molecular signatures become relevant to patient care? Nat Rev Cancer. 2007;7:545-553. 8. Avan A, Caretti V, Funel N, et al. Crizotinib inhibits metabolic inactivation of gemcitabine in c-Met-driven pancreatic carcinoma. Cancer Res. 2013;73:6745-6756. 9. Voskoglou-Nomikos T, Pater JL, Seymour L. Clinical predictive value of the in vitro cell line, human xenograft, and mouse allograft preclinical cancer models. Clin Cancer Res. 2003;9:4227-4239.
Lower Incidence of Transcranial Doppler and Symptomatic Vasospasm After Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage and Aneurysm Clipping in the Elderly Patient?

BACKGROUND:Vasospasm is the major cause of morbidity and mortality after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage. It is well known that the vasoreactivity decreases with advancing age, but it is not well investigated in a large patient cohort whether, as a consequence, the incidence of vasospasm is lower in elderly patients. OBJECTIVE:To investigate whether transcranial Doppler vasospasm, delayed ischemic neurological deficits, and vasospasm-associated ischemic lesions are less frequent in older patients. METHODS:Seven hundred fifty-eight patients who suffered from subarachnoid hemorrhage were included in this study. Clinical presentation, Hunt and Hess score, Fisher grade, incidence of vasospasm, neurological deficits and ischemic lesions on radiographic imaging, transcranial Doppler blood flow velocities, medical complications, and outcome were registered. RESULTS:Four hundred seventy-eight patients < 60 years of age and 280 patients ≥ 60 years of age were identified; 55.2% of the younger and 25.7% of the older age group developed post-hemorrhagic vasospasm (P < .001). Older patients developed less vasospasm (P = .00), fewer neurological deficits (P < .001), and fewer ischemic lesions on computed tomography imaging (P = .06). On the other hand, older patients had significantly worse outcomes than younger patients (P = .01) and more frequently died of medical complications (P = .01). CONCLUSION:Vasospasm, delayed ischemic neurological deficits, and vasospasm-associated ischemic lesions are more likely to occur in patients < 60 years of age than in older patients. The lower incidence of vasospasm and vasospasm-related ischemia in the elderly patient does not translate into better outcome because of the higher rate of fatal medical complications in patients ≥ 60 years of age.
Neuro teaching: An impact to performance

This study investigates the causes of poor academic performance among university students. Records indicate that some subjects have failure trends over the years while others do not. The survey on 295 students indicates the existence of knowledge gap between lecturers and students in various cognitive skills during the teaching and learning process resulting to non-conformance to quality standards. Probable internal and external factors have been observed, identified and analyzed for corrective stance by the team. Some alternative teaching approaches have been applied, understudied and tested. Results indicate that Neuro Teaching brings about better students' performance more specifically in those subjects with perennial negative trends.
Performance Assessment of a Nested-PCR Assay (the RAPID BAP-MTB) and the BD ProbeTec ET System for Detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis in Clinical Specimens

ABSTRACT The performance of a nested PCR-based assay (the RAPID BAP-MTB; AsiaGen, Taichung, Taiwan) and the BD ProbeTec ET (DTB) system (Becton Dickinson, Sparks, Md.) for detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis was evaluated with 600 consecutive clinical samples. These samples, including 552 respiratory specimens and 48 nonrespiratory specimens, were collected from 333 patients treated at National Taiwan University Hospital from September to October 2003. The results of both assays were compared to the gold standard of combined culture results and clinical diagnosis. The overall sensitivity and specificity of the RAPID BAP-MTB assay for respiratory specimens were 66.7% and 97.2%, respectively, and for the DTB assay they were 56.7% and 95.3%, respectively. The positive and negative predictive values for the RAPID BAP-MTB were 74.1% and 96.0%, respectively, and for the DTB assay they were 59.6% and 94.7%, respectively. For smear-negative samples, the sensitivity of the RAPID BAP-MTB and DTB assays was 57.1% and 40.5%, respectively. The RAPID BAP-MTB assay produced 14 false-positive results in 14 samples, including one of the six samples yielding Mycobacterium abscessus, one of the six samples yielding Mycobacterium avium intracellulare, one sample from a patient with a history of pulmonary tuberculosis with complete treatment, and three samples from three patients with a previous diagnosis of tuberculosis who were under treatment at the time of specimen collection. Among the 48 nonrespiratory specimens, the RAPID BAP-MTB assay was positive in one biopsy sample from a patient with lumbar tuberculous spondylitis and one pus sample from a patient with tuberculous cervical lymphadenopathy. Our results showed that the RAPID BAP-MTB assay is better than the DTB assay for both respiratory specimens and nonrespiratory specimens. The overall time for processing this assay is only 5 h. In addition, its diagnostic accuracy in smear-negative samples is as high as in smear-positive samples.
Geomorphic structure of tidal hydrodynamics in salt marsh creeks

This paper develops a geomorphological theory of tidal basin response (tidal instantaneous geomorphologic elementary response, or TIGER) to describe specific characteristics of tidal channel hydrodynamics. On the basis of the instantaneous unit hydrograph approach, this framework relates the hydrodynamics of tidal watersheds to the geomorphic structure of salt marshes and, specifically, to the distance traveled by water particles within the channel network and on the marsh surface. The possibility of determining the water fluxes from observations of geomorphic features is an appealing approach to the study of tidally driven flow rates. Our formulation paves the way to the application of recent results on the geomorphic structure of salt marshes and tidal networks to the determination of marsh creek hydrology. A case study shows how the asymmetry in the stage‐velocity relation and the existence of velocity surges typical of the tidal hydrographs can be explained as an effect of the delay in the propagation of the tidal signal within the marsh area.
Effect of low-level treatment with an 80-Hz pulsed infrared diode laser on mast-cell numbers and degranulation in a rat model of third-degree burn.

BACKGROUND DATA Low-level laser therapy (LLLT) has been reported to be capable of changing mast cell numbers and degranulation in experimental burns in rats. OBJECTIVE We conducted a study of the influence of LLLT on mast cells in a rat model of third-degree burn. METHODS In this study we divided 48 rats equally into two groups of 24 rats each. Third-degree burns were inflicted at three different locations on each rat in each group. The first burn site on rats in group I was treated with 890-nm pulsed laser, 75W peak, 80 Hz, 180 ns, average power 1mW, illuminated area 1 cm(2), 1 mW/cm(2), 856 sec, 0.924 J/cm(2). The second burn site on both groups of rats was treated with 0.2% nitrofurazone cream. Mast cell numbers and degranulation at each burn site on each group of rats were then assessed at 4, 8, 13, and 20 days after the infliction of burns. RESULTS Analysis of variance on day 4 showed that the total numbers of mast cells were significantly lower at the laser-treated burn sites than at other burn sites on both groups of rats. On day 8 the total numbers of mast cells were again significantly lower at the laser-treated burn sites than at other burn sites, and on day 13, the numbers of both types 1 and 2 mast cells were significantly lower at the laser-treated burn sites than at other burn sites. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that LLLT can significantly decrease total numbers of mast cells during the proliferation and remodeling phases of healing in a rat model of third-degree burn.
Single-Incision Laparoscopic Splenectomy Versus Conventional Multiport Laparoscopic Splenectomy

Background. The authors report their experience with single-incision laparoscopic splenectomy (SLS) and compare postoperative outcomes of conventional multiport laparoscopic splenectomy (MLS) with SLS in patients with spleen sizes ≤15cm. Methods. Demographic, intraoperative, and postoperative data were analyzed retrospectively and compared between patients who underwent MLS from June 20, 2006, to July 9, 2009 (MLS group, 18 patients) and those who underwent SLS from July 28, 2009, to November 2, 2010 (SLS group, 16 patients). Results. Blood loss was significantly greater in the SLS group than in the MLS group (206.25 ± 142.45 vs 111.11 ± 99.58 mL, respectively; P = .047). The Numeric Pain Rating Scale in the SLS group was significantly lower than in the MLS group (3.81 ± 0.91 vs 4.56 ± 1.29, respectively; P = .041). There were no significant differences between the groups for other variables. Conclusions. SLS is a feasible method with good cosmetic benefit and equivalent clinical outcomes as compared with MLS.
All Work and no Play? Understanding the Needs of Children with Caring Responsibilities

This article draws on research with children who provide care for parents with serious mental health problems and signals ongoing research that uses photographic participation methods with these groups of vulnerable children. The intention of this article is to highlight the need to move away from popular and simplistic representations of children with caring responsibilities (young carers) as victims of their parents’ illnesses, as ‘little angels’ whose caring work is condoned through rewards or as (exploited) informal domestic workers whose childhoods are inevitably compromised by the caring activity they undertake. Recommendations are made for generating deeper understanding about the lives and needs of children who are affected by parental impairment that is congruent with the thrust of current UK policy, Every Child Matters and the 2004 Children Act. � 2007 The Author(s). Journal compilation � 2007 National Children’s Bureau.
Sex chromatin pattern in seminiferous tubule dysgenesis and other testicular disorders: relationship to true hermaphrodism and to Klinefelter's syndrome, with a review of gonadal ontogenesis.

THE discovery by Ban and his associates of a sex difference in the interphase nuclei of somatic cells in certain mammals (2–6), including primates, has provided a long-needed practical method for assessing the sex chromosome constitution. Since this technique was first applied in man in 1953 (7), modifications (8–11) and several new developments have been reported (12–17). In the investigation of anomalies of sex development, clinical application of Barr's method has produced important results (7, 18–23). Apart from its ancillary role in diagnosis, cytologic sexing, or the determination of sex by chromatin pattern, has contributed significantly to our understanding of the disordered development in these afflictions (23, 24). Recently, chromosomal sex has been studied in testicular disorders. Nelson (25), Plunkett and Ban (26, 27), and Bradbury, Bunge and Boccabella (28) were the first to describe a female chromatin pattern in apparent males with Klinefelter's syndrome. Subsequently, this finding has been .
N2O5 Oxidizes Chloride to Cl2 in Acidic Atmospheric Aerosol

Molecular chlorine (Cl2) is an important yet poorly understood trace constituent of the lower atmosphere. Although a number of mechanisms have been proposed for the conversion of particle-bound chloride (Cl‐) to gas-phase Cl2, the detailed processes involved remain uncertain. Here, we show that reaction of dinitrogen pentoxide (N2O5) with aerosol-phase chloride yields Cl2 at low pH (<2) and should constitute an important halogen activation pathway in the atmosphere.
O efeito de priming sintático no processamento de sentenças ativas e passivas do português brasileiro

Priming sintatico e a facilitacao no processamento de uma sentenca posterior, quando uma sentenca com a mesma estrutura foi processada anteriormente. Nas linguas naturais em geral, na oralidade, produzimos mais frases na voz ativa (88% em ingles, 92% em holandes e 89,5% em portugues brasileiro, por exemplo – SEGAERT et al. 2011; PINCKERING & BRANIGAN, 1998) do que na voz passiva. Entretanto, sentencas passivas e outras estruturas transitivas tambem sao produzidas. E possivel estimular a producao de estruturas passivas (ou de estruturas infrequentes), como “A mulher foi ajudada pelo homem”, se for dado ao falante, em um momento anterior, um prime passivo, como a sentenca “O menino foi fotografado pela menina”. O efeito de priming sintatico ocorre quando, ao ser induzido, em um primeiro momento, a produzir uma frase na voz passiva, o falante gera, em um segundo momento, uma sentenca tambem na voz passiva, indicando que essas duas sentencas tem uma relacao estrutural entre si. Neste trabalho, investigamos o efeito de priming sintatico na producao de sentencas ativas e passivas de criancas e adultos falantes de portugues brasileiro (PB). Nosso experimento e baseado no paradigma de priming sintatico na producao de sentencas de Segaert et al. (2011), feito com adultos holandeses. Os participantes do presente estudo sao criancas de 8 e 9 anos regularmente matriculadas em escolas publicas vinculadas ao Projeto ACERTA (Avaliacao de Criancas Em Risco de Transtorno de Aprendizagem), do Instituto do Cerebro do Rio Grande do Sul, e adultos estudantes de graduacao da Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Rio Grande do Sul e da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do sul. Os objetivos desta pesquisa sao (i) investigar o processamento sintatico de sentencas ativas e passivas de criancas e adultos atraves do efeito de priming sintatico; (ii) verificar, pela primeira vez em portugues brasileiro, a existencia do efeito de priming sintatico em estruturas ativas e passivas do PB; (iii) analisar a frequencia de sentencas passivas e ativas na linguagem oral em portugues brasileiro; (iv) comparar a producao de sentencas passivas de criancas e adultos; e (v) verificar se o efeito de priming sintatico pode ser explicado pela teoria cognitiva de Implicit Learning (CHANG; DELL; GRIFFIN; BOCK, 2000; CHANG; DELL; BOCK, 2006). Os resultados indicam a proporcao de 89,5% de sentencas ativas e 10,5% de sentencas passivas na producao oral em PB; a producao de passivas de adultos e maior do que a das criancas que utilizam, alem da passiva, outras estruturas para topicalizar o participante afetado pelo evento. A producao de passivas curtas e longas com verbos agentivos parece ser produtiva nas criancas falantes de PB deste estudo; a maior producao de passivas por adultos parece estar relacionada a leitura e a escrita. O efeito de priming sintatico se manifestou significativamente em criancas e nao foi encontrado em adultos falantes do PB, o que parece ser mais uma evidencia de que priming sintatico e implicit learning.
Transverse thoracic diameter in frontal chest radiographs of an adult Nigerian population.

BACKGROUND Normal standards for thoracic dimensions that are available in our environment are often based on studies conducted on Caucasians. Application of such published data to a Nigerian population may lead to erroneous conclusions in terms of clinical implication. OBJECTIVE Our study aimed to establish age and sex specific transverse thoracic diameter (TD) for our environment. SUBJECTS AND METHODS The TD of 303 males and females aged between 20 and 93 were obtained in a cross sectional study at a tertiary hospital. RESULTS The mean values for the 20-39, 40-59 and the 3 60-year-old males were 29.6, 29.0, 27.8 cm respectively. The corresponding values for females were 26.3, 27.1 and 25.1 cm. Males had significantly larger thoracic diameter than females. The largest mean TD in males and females were in the 20-39 and 40-59 age groups respectively. The TD had a significant positive correlation with weight, height, body mass index and body surface area. The best correlations were with body surface area and weight. CONCLUSIONS Nigerians have a smaller TD than Caucasians. Smaller TD in Nigerians is likely to be responsible for their high cardiothoracic ratios in comparison with Caucasians or Asians.
Diagnostic accuracy of the ROCHE Septifast PCR system for the rapid detection of blood pathogens in neonatal sepsis—A prospective clinical trial

Introduction Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis remains a major challenge in neonatology. Most molecular-based methods are not customized for neonatal requirements. The aim of the present study was to assess the diagnostic accuracy of a modified multiplex PCR protocol for the detection of neonatal sepsis using small blood volumes. Methods 212 episodes of suspected neonatal late onset sepsis were analyzed prospectively using the Roche SeptiFast® MGRADE PCR with a modified DNA extraction protocol and software-handling tool. Results were compared to blood culture, laboratory biomarkers and clinical signs of sepsis. Results Of 212 episodes, 85 (40.1%) were categorized as “not infected”. Among these episodes, 1 was false positive by blood culture (1.2%) and 23 were false positive by PCR (27.1%). Of 51 (24.1%) episodes diagnosed as “culture proven sepsis”, the same pathogen was detected by blood culture and PCR in 39 episodes (76.5%). In 8 episodes, more pathogens were detected by PCR compared to blood culture, and in 4 episodes the pathogen detected by blood culture was not found by PCR. One of these episodes was caused by Bacillus cereus, a pathogen not included in the PCR panel. In 76/212 (35.8%) episodes, clinical sepsis was diagnosed. Among these, PCR yielded positive results in 39.5% of episodes (30/76 episodes). For culture-positive sepsis, PCR showed a sensitivity of 90.2% (95%CI 86.2–94.2%) and a specificity of 72.9% (95%CI 67.0–79.0%). Conclusion The Roche SeptiFast® MGRADE PCR using a modified DNA extraction protocol showed acceptable results for rapid detection of neonatal sepsis in addition to conventional blood culture. The benefit of rapid pathogen detection has to be balanced against the considerable risk of contamination, loss of information on antibiotic sensitivity pattern and increased costs.