Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CT histogram analysis in pathologically proven adrenal masses.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to evaluate a histogram analysis method for distinguishing adrenal adenomas from metastases, pheochromocytomas, and adrenocortical carcinomas on CT. MATERIALS AND METHODS A pathology database was searched, and 335 adrenalectomies from 1995 to 2002 were identified. CT images were available for retrospective review in 187 patients (93 males, 94 females; age range, 15-84 years; mean age, 55.2 years) with 208 adrenal masses. This included 112 adenomas in 104 patients, 48 metastases in 39 patients, 40 pheochromocytomas in 36 patients, and eight adrenocortical carcinomas in eight patients. Histogram analysis was performed using a circular region of interest for mean attenuation, number of pixels, number of negative pixels (< 0 H), and percentage of negative pixels by two interpreters. Areas of necrosis were excluded from measurements. Observer agreement was calculated. RESULTS In 72 of 76 (94.7%) and 63 of 72 (87.5%) adenomas, respectively, interpreters found attenuation values greater than 10 H contained negative pixels on unenhanced CT scans. None of the enhanced adenomas had mean attenuation less than or equal to 10 H, but 24 (38.7%) and 28 (45.2%), respectively, had negative pixels. Negative pixels were present in unenhanced and enhanced metastases, pheochromocytomas, and carcinomas. Using a 5% or 10% negative pixel threshold value to diagnose adenoma improved specificity but diminished sensitivity. Specificity for a 10% negative pixel threshold was approximately 88% for unenhanced CT scans and 99% for enhanced CT scans, with sensitivities of 71% and 12%, respectively. CONCLUSION Although specificity for the diagnosis of adenomas on enhanced CT scans with histogram analysis was high when a 10% negative pixel threshold was used, low sensitivity likely limits clinical usefulness.
Lower Extremity Manifestations of Spasticity in Chronic Spinal Cord Injury

The prevalence of various manifestations of spasticity from questionnaire responses and from clinical examination of chronic spinal cord injured patients is reported. Extensor spasms, flexor withdrawal spasms, and clonus were reported by most subjects. Those with incomplete lesions reported more interference with activities, more pain, and less functional usefulness, than did those with complete lesions. Extensor spasms were reported to interfere more with transfers, whereas flexor withdrawal spasms were reported to be more frequent at night and to interfere more with sleep. Increased muscle tone was observed more often in extensor than in flexor muscles. Those with incomplete lesions had more hypertonus and more limited passive joint movements than did those with complete lesions. Flexor withdrawal reactions and extensor spasms were also more pronounced in those with incomplete lesions, particularly those with Frankel grade C lesions.
Postoperative recovery from posterior communicating aneurysm complicated by oculomotor palsy.

BACKGROUND Oculomotor palsy is a common complication in patients with posterior communicating aneurysm. This study was conducted to investigate the postoperative recovery of patients with posterior communicating aneurysm complicated with oculomotor palsy and to analyze the factors influencing length of recovery. METHODS From 2000 to 2006, 148 patients with posterior communicating aneurysm were treated at our hospital, with 74 of them having concurrent unilateral oculomotor palsy. All of the patients underwent craniotomy after the diagnosis by means of whole-brain digital subtraction angiography (DSA). The patients were divided into two groups for observation of postoperative recovery during the follow-up period. Patients in group A were treated with simple pedicle clipping of the aneurysm while patients in group B were treated with pedicle clipping of the aneurysm and decompression of the oculomotor nerve. RESULTS Of the 40 patients in group A, 20 underwent surgery within 14 days and completely recovered from oculomotor palsy in 10 - 40 days. Fourteen patients underwent surgery within 14 - 30 days, of whom 12 completely recovered within 30 - 90 days and 2 cases recovered incompletely. The remaining six patients underwent surgery after more than 30 days; of these, four patients recovered completely and two recovered incompletely. Of the 34 cases in group B, 15 underwent surgery within 14 days and completely recovered from oculomotor palsy in 10 - 40 days. Sixteen patients underwent surgery in 14 - 30 days, of whom 14 completely recovered in 30 - 90 days and 2 recovered incompletely. The remaining three patients underwent surgery after more than 30 days, of whom two patients recovered completely and one recovered incompletely. CONCLUSIONS Early diagnosis and surgical treatment of patients with unilateral oculomotor palsy induced by posterior communicating aneurysm are important to full postoperative recovery of the oculomotor nerve. No correlation was found, however, between decompression of the oculomotor nerve, such as excision or puncture of the aneurysm, and postoperative recovery time.
An automated medical history system. Experience of the Lahey Clinic Foundation with computer-processed medical histories.

A mailed questionnaire that can be batch-processed by computer can maintain the editing, formatting, summarizing, and data storage advantages of on-line systems at a lower expense. More than 40,000 patient questionnaires have been processed, and the questionnaire is a routine part of the clinic health care system. Data are given showing increasing physician acceptance and use of the questionnaire. Time savings per patient visit are noted. There are physician-oriented advantages as well as the multiple advantages to the patient when completing the questionnaire in the quiet of his own home.
Data-Driven News Generation for Automated Journalism

Despite increasing amounts of data and ever improving natural language generation techniques, work on automated journalism is still relatively scarce. In this paper, we explore the field and challenges associated with building a journalistic natural language generation system. We present a set of requirements that should guide system design, including transparency, accuracy, modifiability and transferability. Guided by the requirements, we present a data-driven architecture for automated journalism that is largely domain and language independent. We illustrate its practical application in the production of news articles about the 2017 Finnish municipal elections in three languages, demonstrating the successfulness of the data-driven, modular approach of the design. We then draw some lessons for future automated journalism.
P2Y12 receptor inhibitors for secondary prevention of ischemic stroke

Introduction: Ischemic stroke (IS) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide. The P2Y12 receptor plays a critical role in the formation of a stable thrombus leading to ischemic complications. Therefore, P2Y12 receptor inhibitors constitute a major antiplatelet strategy in the secondary prevention of IS. Areas covered: We searched articles about P2Y12 receptor inhibitors and stroke in PubMed published until December 2014. This is a comprehensive review of the role of P2Y12 receptor inhibitors alone and in combination with aspirin in the secondary prevention of noncardioembolic stroke. Expert opinion: The potential benefit of more potent antiplatelet therapy for secondary stroke prevention must be weighed against the risk of bleeding in patients with IS. Short-term (≤ 3 months) dual antiplatelet therapy with clopidogrel and aspirin that is initiated early after IS or transient ischemic attack due to large artery atherosclerosis appears most efficient.
Inflammatory mammary carcinoma with metastasis to the brain and distant organs in a spayed Shih Tzu dog

Inflammatory mammary carcinoma (IMC) is a specific type of rare, very aggressive, and highly metastatic mammary cancer in both human beings and dogs. A 10-year-old female spayed Shih Tzu dog was diagnosed with secondary IMC. At necropsy, brain metastasis of mammary neoplastic cells was observed in tissues of the cerebrum and cerebellum. Metastases were also found in other distant organs such as heart, lung, liver, spleen, and inguinal lymph node. There is limited data about the metastasis of IMC and its pattern. The current report of IMC with brain metastases contributes to the understanding of metastatic IMC.
EFFECT OF FRESNEL PRISM DISPERSION ON CONTRAST SENSITIVITY FUNCTION *

Abstract— Fresnel prisms are often used in orthoptics for binocular anomalies and in low vision for visual field defects. These prisms are made of optical polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and this material increases chromatic dispersion and produces a loss of contrast. In this study, the effect of chromatic dispersion on contrast sensitivity is determined. Contrast thresholds over a wide range of spatial frequencies are obtained on a number of subjects with the use of Fresnel prisms ranging from 5 to 30 prism dioptres. As predicted there is a decrease in visual acuity and cut‐off spatial frequency threshold as prism power increases. Similarly, a decrease in contrast sensitivity at high and medium spatial frequencies is recorded.
Compulsory Voting Can Increase Political Inequality: Evidence from Brazil

One of the most robust findings on political institutions is that compulsory voting (CV) reduces the participation gap between poorer and wealthier voters. We present evidence that in Brazil, the largest country to use such a rule, CV increases inequality in turnout. We use individual-level data on 140 million Brazilian citizens and two age-based discontinuities to estimate the heterogeneous effects of CV by educational achievement, a strong proxy for socioeconomic status. Evidence from both thresholds shows that the causal effect of CV on turnout among the more educated is at least twice the size of the effect among those with less education. To explain this result, which is the opposite of what is predicted by the existing literature, we argue that nonmonetary penalties for abstention primarily affect middle- and upper-class voters and thus increase their turnout disproportionately. Survey evidence from a national sample provides evidence for the mechanism. Our results show that studies of CV should consider nonmonetary sanctions, as their effects can reverse standard predictions.
Recurrent MYOD1 mutations in pediatric and adult sclerosing and spindle cell rhabdomyosarcomas: Evidence for a common pathogenesis

Sclerosing and spindle cell rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) are rare types of RMS recently reclassified as a stand‐alone pathologic entity, separate from embryonal RMS (ERMS). Although sclerosing and spindle cell RMS share clinical and morphologic features, a pathogenetic link based on shared molecular alterations has not been established. Spindle cell RMS in children have been associated with a less aggressive clinical course compared to adults. Recently, recurrent MYOD1 mutations were described in 44% of adult spindle cell RMS, but no pediatric tumors or sclerosing RMS were studied for comparison. Thus, we investigated 16 RMS (5 sclerosing and 11 spindle cell) in children and adults for the presence of MYOD1 mutations by targeted Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Remarkably, all 5 sclerosing RMS and 4 of 11 spindle cell RMS showed the MYOD1 p.L122R hot‐spot mutation. Of the five pediatric tumors, 2/2 sclerosing RMS and 2/3 spindle cell RMS showed MYOD1 mutations. Three of nine MYOD1‐mutant RMS showed coexistent PIK3CA mutations, while no MDM2 amplifications were identified. All four pediatric MYOD1‐mutated RMS patients died of the disease at 12–35 months following diagnosis. In conclusion, spindle cell and sclerosing RMS show recurrent MYOD1 mutations, in keeping with a single pathologic entity, regardless of age at presentation. This group however, is distinct from the infantile RMS associated with NCOA2 fusions. Although our study suggests that pediatric MYOD1‐mutant RMS follow an aggressive behavior with high mortality, further studies are required to confirm this finding. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of substrate binding and catalysis in the potential antibacterial target N‐acetylglucosamine‐1‐phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU)

N‐Acetylglucosamine‐1‐phosphate uridyltransferase (GlmU) catalyzes the first step in peptidoglycan biosynthesis in both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. The products of the GlmU reaction are essential for bacterial survival, making this enzyme an attractive target for antibiotic drug discovery. A series of Haemophilus influenzae GlmU (hiGlmU) structures were determined by X‐ray crystallography in order to provide structural and functional insights into GlmU activity and inhibition. The information derived from these structures was combined with biochemical characterization of the K25A, Q76A, D105A, Y103A, V223A, and E224A hiGlmU mutants in order to map these active‐site residues to catalytic activity of the enzyme and refine the mechanistic model of the GlmU uridyltransferase reaction. These studies suggest that GlmU activity follows a sequential substrate‐binding order that begins with UTP binding noncovalently to the GlmU enzyme. The uridyltransferase active site then remains in an open apo‐like conformation until N‐acetylglucosamine‐1‐phosphate (GlcNAc‐1‐P) binds and induces a conformational change at the GlcNAc‐binding subsite. Following the binding of GlcNAc‐1‐P to the UTP‐charged uridyltransferase active site, the non‐esterified oxygen of GlcNAc‐1‐P performs a nucleophilic attack on the α‐phosphate group of UTP. The new data strongly suggest that the mechanism of phosphotransfer in the uridyltransferase reaction in GlmU is primarily through an associative mechanism with a pentavalent phosphate intermediate and an inversion of stereochemistry. Finally, the structural and biochemical characterization of the uridyltransferase active site and catalytic mechanism described herein provides a basis for the structure‐guided design of novel antibacterial agents targeting GlmU activity.
Anergy to tuberculin in sarcoidosis is not influenced by high prevalence of tuberculin sensitivity in the population.

BACKGROUND AND AIM To study the pattern of tuberculin sensitivity and its interpretation to diagnose sarcoidosis in the presence of a high prevalence of Mantoux positivity in the general population in India. METHODS Tuberculin sensitivity was examined in two groups of subjects: Group I included 50 newly diagnosed patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis and two control subjects with pulmonary ailments other than sarcoidosis or tuberculosis for each case; Group II included 62 new patients with sarcoidosis and 130 healthy volunteers as control subjects. Mantoux test was performed using 1 TU tuberculin. The test was repeated with 5 TU tuberculin for those cases and controls who were anergic to 1 TU among the group II subjects. Sensitivity and specificity for a "negative Mantoux test" in sarcoidosis were calculated at different cutoff points. The influence of prior BCG vaccination status on the performance of Mantoux test was also studied. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Forty-six (92%) of the 50 patients with sarcoidosis in Group I and 55 of the 62 (88.7%) in Group II did not show any reaction to Mantoux test, compared to 32 (32%) and 21 (16.2%) controls, respectively in groups I and II (P < 0.001). Thirty-nine (70.9%) of the 55 patients and 6 (28.6%) of the 21 controls from the group II subjects who were tested again with 5 TU did not show any reaction. A negative Mantoux test had a high sensitivity value at all the cut off points for the diagnosis of sarcoidosis. BCG vaccination administered during childhood had no correlation with a negative Mantoux reaction. CONCLUSIONS Tuberculin anergy in sarcoidosis is not influenced by the rate of Mantoux positivity in the general population. A positive Mantoux test (irrespective of the size of reaction) in a suspected case of sarcoidosis should arouse strong suspicion of an alternate or an additional diagnosis of tuberculosis.
Exercise and Self-Esteem: Validity of Model Expansion and Exercise Associations

The purpose of this research was to test expansion of the Exercise and Self-Esteem Model (EXSEM) to include two levels of perceived physical competence as operationalized by the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP). Female aerobic dancers (N = 216, age M = 38.4) were administered a Self-Esteem scale (SE), the PSPP to assess a general Physical Self-Worth (PSW), and more specific subdomains of perceived Sport Competence (Sport), Physical Condition (Cond), Attractive Body (Body), and Strength (Stren). Subjects also completed self-efficacy scales for jogging, sitting, and aerobic dancing. Confirmatory factor analysis supported model measurement as hypothesized, %2 = 1,154.88, df = 681, comparative fit index (CFI) = . 913, root mean square residual (RMSR) = . 047. Structural equation modeling (SEM) supported EXSEM component relationships as proposed. Further SEM associating two exercise self-reports with EXSEM again displayed satisfactory fit indices and explained up to 27.6% of exercise variance. It was conc.
Fit, Flexibility and Performance in Manufacturing: Coping with Dynamic Environments

This research develops the notion of environmental fit and flexibility and illustrates the importance of such fit empirically using survey data from 101 manufacturing firms. Two dimensions of environmental dynamism are identified and the fit between them and different approaches to flexibility are assessed. Hierarchical regressions provide evidence that flexibility is a stronger predictor of performance in more dynamic environments. Specifically, presence of the unpredictability or the volatility aspects of environmental dynamism each warrant the use of different types of manufacturing flexibility strategies. Statistical results are interpreted with the caveat that while implemented capability must be used to study performance effects, this study uses perceived importance scales for flexibility.
Fault diagnosis of practical proton exchange membrane fuel cell system using signal-based techniques

In the past few decades, hydrogen fuel cells have been suggested as an alternative energy source and engineered for a range of applications including automotive, stationary power, and consumer electronics. However, the durability and reliability of hydrogen fuel cells still remain major hurdles for its wider application. Several researchers have investigated the diagnosis of faults in fuel cell systems, various techniques have been performed to detect and isolate fuel cell faults using different measurements, including current, fuel cell voltage, polarization curve, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, etc. However, in practical fuel cell systems, a series of sensors will be used to capture the system performance, thus the information contained in these sensors should be fully utilized for reliable diagnostic results. In this paper, a diagnosis procedure will be applied to practical fuel cell systems under the combined load condition. After collecting a series of measurements from the system, two techniques, principle component analysis (PCA) and Fisher linear discriminant analysis (LDA), are used to reduce the dimension of the original dataset, then coefficients are extracted from the reduced dataset using wavelet packet (WP) transform to form features for diagnosis. Results demonstrate that with the proposed procedure, different states of fuel cell system can be distinguished with good quality.
Transforming growth factor β1 (TGFβ1) regulates CD44V6 expression and activity through extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)-induced EGR1 in pulmonary fibrogenic fibroblasts

The appearance of myofibroblasts is generally thought to be the underlying cause of the fibrotic changes that underlie idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. However, the cellular/molecular mechanisms that account for the fibroblast-myofibroblast differentiation/activation in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis remain poorly understood. We investigated the functional role of hyaluronan receptor CD44V6 (CD44 containing variable exon 6 (v6)) for differentiation of lung fibroblast to myofibroblast phenotype. Increased hyaluronan synthesis and CD44 expression have been detected in numerous fibrotic organs. Previously, we found that the TGFβ1/CD44V6 pathway is important in lung myofibroblast collagen-1 and α-smooth-muscle actin synthesis. Because increased EGR1 (early growth response-1) expression has been shown to appear very early and nearly coincident with the expression of CD44V6 found after TGFβ1 treatment, we investigated the mechanism(s) of regulation of CD44V6 expression in lung fibroblasts by TGFβ1. TGFβ1-mediated CD44V6 up-regulation was initiated through EGR1 via ERK-regulated transcriptional activation. We showed that TGFβ1-induced CD44V6 expression is through EGR1-mediated AP-1 (activator protein-1) activity and that the EGR1- and AP-1-binding sites in the CD44v6 promoter account for its responsiveness to TGFβ1 in lung fibroblasts. We also identified a positive-feedback loop in which ERK/EGR1 signaling promotes CD44V6 splicing and found that CD44V6 then sustains ERK signaling, which is important for AP-1 activity in lung fibroblasts. Furthermore, we identified that HAS2-produced hyaluronan is required for CD44V6 and TGFβRI co-localization and subsequent CD44V6/ERK1/EGR1 signaling. These results demonstrate a novel positive-feedback loop that links the myofibroblast phenotype to TGFβ1-stimulated CD44V6/ERK/EGR1 signaling.
Reproduction in feral horses: an eight-year study.

The reproductive rate and foal survival of the free-ranging ponies on Assateague Island National Seashore were studied for 8 years, 1975 to 1982. Most (52%) of the 86 foals were born in May, 13% were born in April, 22.6% in June, 10.4% in July, and less than 1% in August and September. The mean foaling rate was 57.1 +/- 3.9% and the survival rate was 88.3 +/- 3.6%. Forty-eight colts and 55 fillies were born (sex ratio 53% female). Mares less than 3 years old did not foal and the foaling rate of 3-year-old mares was only 23%, that of 4-year-old mares was 46%, that of 5-year-old mares was 53%, and 6-year-old mares was 69%. The relatively poor reproduction rate was believed to be a consequence of the stress of lactating while carrying a foal when forage quality on the island was low. The hypothesis was supported by the higher reproductive rate (74.4 +/- 2.4%) of the ponies in the Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on the southern part of the island. Their foals are weaned and sold in July each year. Despite the low reproductive rate on Assateague Island National Seashore , the number of ponies increased from 43 to 80, a 90% increase in the 8-year period or greater than 10%/yr. There were 24 deaths and 8 dispersals from the study area.