Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Correlation between posterior offset of femoral condyles and sagittal slope of the tibial plateau

The aim of this study was to address, in normal knees, the variability of posterior offset of femoral condyles and tibial slope, and the presence of any correlation between the two that might be needed to achieve an adequate joint motion in flexion. Magnetic resonance images of normal knees of 80 subjects, 45 males and 35 females, with a mean age of 38.9 years, were analysed. Measurements were performed by two independent observers using an imaging visualization software. The tibial slope averaged 8 and 7.7 °, on the medial and lateral sides, respectively (P = 0.2); the mean posterior offset of femoral condyles was 27.4 and 25.2 mm on the two sides, respectively (P = 0.0001). The variation coefficient of the condylar offset and tibial slope was 11.5 and 38%, respectively. In the medial compartment, a significant correlation was found between the femoral condylar offset and the tibial slope, while the same was not observed in the lateral compartment of the knee. Magnetic resonance imaging allows the assessment of tibial slope and femoral condylar offset in the medial and lateral side separately, taking into account any difference between the two compartments. The sagittal tibial slope exhibits a greater variability compared with the posterior offset of femoral condyles. The correlation found, in the medial compartment, between the tibial slope and femoral condylar offset suggests that the reconstitution of the proper morphology of the posterior part of the knee joint may be necessary to obtain a full range of motion in flexion after total knee replacement.
PENGARUH STRATEGI DIVERSIFIKASI DAN KARAKTERISTIK PERUSAHAAN TERHADAP KINERJA PERUSAHAAN

The purpose of this study is to empirically study the effect of diversification strategy and firm characteristic to firm value. The population used in research were all the manufacture companies registered in BEI during the period 2006-2008. The samples used in research were 102 companies. Independent variable used in research were diversivication level, leverage, earning growth, size, age, price to book value, and return on asset and Dependent variable was excess value. The result of this study using compare mean analysis finds that there is no different of excess value from single segment company and multy segment company. The result of this study using multiple regression finds that only two variables (diversification level and size) that significantly affect the excess value with level of significance 5 percent
The Diversification Puzzle: The Role of Asymmetric Information and Insider Trading in Pakistan

While corporate diversification is a fundamental issue both in the management literature and in corporate policy, the question that remains is whether it destroys or enhances firm value. This empirical study of the corporate diversification–value relationship for Pakistani firms looks at the role of asymmetric information and insider trading over a 10-year sample period, 2005–14. Using the industrial entropy index and purchase ratio to capture corporate diversification and insider trading, respectively, the study provides empirical evidence that questions the agency theory-based explanation of the corporate diversification–value relationship. Our results show that, in cases of asymmetric information, insiders increase the purchase of their firms’ shares in the open market when diversification is high. This contradicts the corporate diversification–value destruction stance of agency theory as well as the idea that outside investors’ undervaluation occurs due to information asymmetries. These results have strategic implications for corporate diversification strategies and are relevant to firm managers, regulators and shareholders.
A Tube Seepage Meter for In Situ Measurement of Seepage Rate and Groundwater Sampling

We designed and evaluated a “tube seepage meter” for point measurements of vertical seepage rates (q), collecting groundwater samples, and estimating vertical hydraulic conductivity (K) in streambeds. Laboratory testing in artificial streambeds show that seepage rates from the tube seepage meter agreed well with expected values. Results of field testing of the tube seepage meter in a sandy‐bottom stream with a mean seepage rate of about 0.5 m/day agreed well with Darcian estimates (vertical hydraulic conductivity times head gradient) when averaged over multiple measurements. The uncertainties in q and K were evaluated with a Monte Carlo method and are typically 20% and 60%, respectively, for field data, and depend on the magnitude of the hydraulic gradient and the uncertainty in head measurements. The primary advantages of the tube seepage meter are its small footprint, concurrent and colocated assessments of q and K, and that it can also be configured as a self‐purging groundwater‐sampling device.
Assessment of individual radionuclide distributions from the Fukushima nuclear accident covering central-east Japan

A tremendous amount of radioactivity was discharged because of the damage to cooling systems of nuclear reactors in the Fukushima No. 1 nuclear power plant in March 2011. Fukushima and its adjacent prefectures were contaminated with fission products from the accident. Here, we show a geographical distribution of radioactive iodine, tellurium, and cesium in the surface soils of central-east Japan as determined by gamma-ray spectrometry. Especially in Fukushima prefecture, contaminated area spreads around Iitate and Naka-Dori for all the radionuclides we measured. Distributions of the radionuclides were affected by the physical state of each nuclide as well as geographical features. Considering meteorological conditions, it is concluded that the radioactive material transported on March 15 was the major contributor to contamination in Fukushima prefecture, whereas the radioactive material transported on March 21 was the major source in Ibaraki, Tochigi, Saitama, and Chiba prefectures and in Tokyo.
Leaf Shrinkage with Dehydration: Coordination with Hydraulic Vulnerability and Drought Tolerance1[C][W][OPEN]

Leaf shrinkage is a potential driver of leaf hydraulic vulnerability, especially under mild stress, and carries strong ecological implications. Leaf shrinkage with dehydration has attracted attention for over 100 years, especially as it becomes visibly extreme during drought. However, little has been known of its correlation with physiology. Computer simulations of the leaf hydraulic system showed that a reduction of hydraulic conductance of the mesophyll pathways outside the xylem would cause a strong decline of leaf hydraulic conductance (Kleaf). For 14 diverse species, we tested the hypothesis that shrinkage during dehydration (i.e. in whole leaf, cell and airspace thickness, and leaf area) is associated with reduction in Kleaf at declining leaf water potential (Ψleaf). We tested hypotheses for the linkage of leaf shrinkage with structural and physiological water relations parameters, including modulus of elasticity, osmotic pressure at full turgor, turgor loss point (TLP), and cuticular conductance. Species originating from moist habitats showed substantial shrinkage during dehydration before reaching TLP, in contrast with species originating from dry habitats. Across species, the decline of Kleaf with mild dehydration (i.e. the initial slope of the Kleaf versus Ψleaf curve) correlated with the decline of leaf thickness (the slope of the leaf thickness versus Ψleaf curve), as expected based on predictions from computer simulations. Leaf thickness shrinkage before TLP correlated across species with lower modulus of elasticity and with less negative osmotic pressure at full turgor, as did leaf area shrinkage between full turgor and oven desiccation. These findings point to a role for leaf shrinkage in hydraulic decline during mild dehydration, with potential impacts on drought adaptation for cells and leaves, influencing plant ecological distributions.
GLRM: An improved grid-based load-balanced routing method for WSN with single controlled mobile sink

Different from the previous duster-based structure, in this paper, we present a grid-based load-balanced routing method (GLRM) that aims to use a controlled sink to achieve load-balance in a non-uniform distributed network. Cell-header election of each cell is based on three parameters, i.e. the number of data packets that nodes need to relay, the Euclidean distance to the mid-point of cells and residual energy of each node, respectively. The GLRM also considers other factors that waste battery power, such as packet collision. Simulation results demonstrate that our routing method has shown better performance.
Altered expression and functions of serotonin 5‐HT1A and 5‐HT1B receptors in knock‐out mice lacking the 5‐HT transporter

By taking up serotonin (5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐HT) released in the extracellular space, the 5‐HT transporter (5‐HTT) regulates central 5‐HT neurotransmission. Possible adaptive changes in 5‐HT neurotransmission in knock‐out mice that do not express the 5‐HT transporter were investigated with special focus on 5‐HT1A and 5‐HT1B receptors. Specific labelling with radioligands and antibodies, and competitive RT‐PCR, showed that 5‐HT1A receptor protein and mRNA levels were significantly decreased in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), increased in the hippocampus and unchanged in other forebrain areas of 5‐HTT–/– vs. 5‐HTT+/+ mice. Such regional differences also concerned 5‐HT1B receptors because a decrease in their density was found in the substantia nigra (−30%) but not the globus pallidus of mutant mice. Intermediate changes were noted in 5‐HTT+/– mice compared with 5‐HTT+/+ and 5‐HTT–/– animals. Quantification of [35S]GTP‐γ‐S binding evoked by potent 5‐HT1 receptor agonists confirmed such changes as a decrease in this parameter was noted in the DRN (−66%) and the substantia nigra (−30%) but not other brain areas in 5‐HTT–/– vs. 5‐HTT+/+ mice. As expected from actions mediated by functional 5‐HT1A and 5‐HT1B autoreceptors, a decrease in brain 5‐HT turnover rate after i.p. administration of ipsapirone (a 5‐HT1A agonist), and an increased 5‐HT outflow in the substantia nigra upon local application of GR 127935 (a 5‐HT1B/1D antagonist) were observed in 5‐HTT+/+ mice. Such effects were not detected in 5‐HTT–/– mice, further confirming the occurrence of marked alterations of 5‐HT1A and 5‐HT1B autoreceptors in these animals.
The epidemiology of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma

Summary Non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) includes a group of more than 20 different malignant lymphoproliferative diseases that originate from lymphocytes. Rates of NHL have increased dramatically over the past few decades, although the rate of increase has recently slowed. It is now the sixth most common cancer in Australia. Globally, it is somewhat more common in men than in women, and rates are highest in North America and Australia. The causes of the increase in NHL rates are largely unknown. The best described risk factor for NHL is immune deficiency; rates of NHL are greatly increased, with relative risks of 10–100 or more, in people with immune deficiency associated with immune suppressive therapy after transplantation, HIV/AIDS, and congenital conditions. In addition, some NHL subtypes are associated with specific infections. These include immune‐deficiency‐associated central nervous system NHL (Epstein‐Barr virus); gastric mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue NHL (Helicobacter pylori); adult T‐cell leukemia/lymphoma (human T‐lymphotrophic virus type 1) and body cavity‐based lymphoma (human herpesvirus 8). However, these specific infections account for a very small proportion of total NHL incidence. In addition to immune deficiency and infection, other immune‐related conditions are increasingly being recognised as related to NHL risk. Specific autoimmune conditions, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythema, Sjogren's syndrome, psoriasis and coeliac disease are associated with moderately increased risk of NHL. On the other hand, allergic and atopic conditions and their correlates such as early birth order, appear to be associated with a decreased risk of NHL. A variety of other exposures are less strongly related to NHL risk. These include occupational exposures, including some pesticides, herbicides, and solvents. Recently, two studies have reported that sun exposure is associated with a decreased risk of NHL. Smoking appears to be weakly positively associated with risk of follicular NHL, and alcohol intake is associated with a decreased risk of NHL. The pooled analysis of several case‐control studies of NHL risk that are currently in the field promises to help clarify which of these risk factors are real, and will contribute to the elucidation of the mechanisms of how disorders of the immune system, and other factors, are related to NHL risk.
Atrial fibrillation in the acute, hypercapnic exacerbations of COPD.

OBJECTIVE Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been associated with a high frequency of arrhythmias. Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most common arrhythmias and causes substantial morbidity and mortality. Emerging risk factors for the development of AF include a variety of breathing disorders like COPD. Few studies have analyzed the role of reduced lung function and respiratory acidosis in predicting AF. Aim of the current study was to investigate the role of hypercapnia, pulmonary systolic hypertension and lung function impairment in COPD patients, as risk factors for atrial fibrillation development. PATIENTS ANDV METHODS We evaluated a population of individuals consecutively hospitalized for COPD exacerbation and hypercapnic respiratory failure between January 2012 and January 2013; among them we selected a subgroup of patients presenting a paroxysmal episode of atrial fibrillation. All patients underwent pulmonary function tests, haemogasanalysis, electrocardiogram and transthoracic echocardiography. RESULTS Among the 193 subjects evaluated, 35 individuals with AF and COPD were enrolled in the study. Risk of new AF was higher in those subjects with lower FEV1 and higher PaCO2 values, also there was a significantly increased prevalence of AF in patients with higher value of Pulmonary Artery Systolic Pressure (PASP), obtained by transthoracic echocardiography. Linear correlation between variables revealed a direct relationships between hypercapnia and PASP and left and right atrial areas. CONCLUSIONS Impaired pulmonary function, hypercapnia and high values of PASP are independent predictors of incident AF.
Biomolecule-Functionalized Smart Polydiacetylene for Biomedical and Environmental Sensing

Polydiacetylene (PDA) has attracted interest for use as a sensing platform in biomedical, environmental, and chemical engineering applications owing to its capacity for colorimetric and fluorescent transition in response to external stimuli. Many researchers have attempted to develop a tailor-made PDA sensor via conjugation of chemical or biological substances to PDA. Here, we review smart bio-conjugates of PDA with various biomolecules such as carbohydrates, lipids, nucleic acids, and proteins. In addition, materialization and signal amplification strategies to improve handling and sensitivity are described.
Parametric model‐based statistics for possible genotyping errors and sample stratification in sibling‐pair SNP data

The detection of genotyping errors, based on apparent Mendelian incompatibilities in a sample of sib‐pairs, is a complicated problem. In the case of a single marker and unknown parental genotypes, all combinations of sib‐pair genotypes are self‐consistent. Moreover, the observed deviation from equilibrium genotype frequencies may result from genotyping errors as well as from the sample's stratification. This in turn, may profoundly affect the results of association and linkage analyses, and therefore an estimation of these factors should be done beforehand. Here we present several parametric models, and using likelihood ratio statistics, we suggest a method of combined analysis of genotyping errors and a sample stratification for randomly ascertained sib‐pair single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) data. Specifically, we implemented two models of genotyping errors in either heterozygotes or homozygotes, and two models of sample stratification resulting from either the presence of families of different ethnic origin (e.g., a population admixture) or from a different ethnic origin of the parents in the family (e.g., intermarriage). The power of this method was established by Monte Carlo data simulation. The results clearly suggest that the proposed method is most efficient for detecting genotyping errors in heterozygotes, a common error caused by incorrect SNP data interpretation. We also provide an example of its application to real data. Genet. Epidemiol. 34:26–33, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clopidogrel anti-platelet effect: An evaluation by optical aggregometry, impedance aggregometry, and the Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA-100™)

Platelet aggregation inhibition by clopidogrel may be suboptimal in 4–30% of patients. Traditionally, optical aggregometry is used to assess clopidogrel's anti-platelet effects by inhibition of ADP-induced aggregation in platelet rich plasma. Red blood cells are an important source of ADP and, thus, are known to modulate platelet function. Because the whole blood aggregation by impedance method assesses platelet function in a physiological milieu, we compared clopidogrel response by this method with the optical method in platelet rich plasma (PRP) and the Platelet Function Analyzer (PFA-100™). Platelet function studies were performed in 17 healthy subjects at baseline and after 10 days of clopidogrel intake (75 mg/day). Optical and impedance aggregometry were performed after addition of ADP (10 and 20 µM) and collagen (1 and 2 µg/mL). For PFA-100™ analysis, whole blood closure time was measured in collagen-coated cartridges with ADP and epinephrine. All subjects except one showed a decrease in ADP-induced aggregation using both aggregation methods. However, ADP-induced platelet aggregation was significantly inhibited when assessed in whole blood as compared to the optical method (71 ± 34% vs. 34.2 ± 23%, p = 0.0002); this suggests that whole blood aggregometry is more sensitive in the detection of clopidogrel effect in the presence of red cells, which are known to modulate platelet function. The PFA-100™ ADP closure time was slightly prolonged above the reference interval in only 5/17 (29%) subjects, suggesting that this instrument is not able to detect clopidogrel effect. We conclude that whole blood aggregation appears to be more sensitive in detecting clopidogrel effect compared with the platelet rich plasma method; the PFA-100™ was unable to detect clopidogrel effect in the majority of the subjects.
Electrophysiological mechanisms of spontaneous termination of sustained monomorphic reentrant ventricular tachycardia in the canine postinfarction heart.

BACKGROUND The electrophysiological mechanisms of spontaneous termination of sustained monomorphic ventricular tachycardia (SMVT), in the postinfarction heart, generally considered secondary to a reentrant mechanism, have not been fully investigated. METHODS AND RESULTS Epicardial activation maps of spontaneous termination of 20 different episodes of SMVT (lasting 30 seconds to 10 minutes) from 8 dogs, 4 to 5 days after one-stage ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery, were analyzed with the use of 254 bipolar electrode recordings with high density (2.5 to 2.8 mm between bipolar electrodes) in the ischemic zone. All ventricular tachycardias (VTs) were due to circus movement reentry with a characteristic figure-8 configuration. Termination always occurred when the two circulating wave fronts blocked in the central common pathway (CCP). Two basic mechanisms of spontaneous termination were observed: (1) In 15 episodes, acceleration of conduction occurred in parts of the reentrant circuit and was associated with slowing of conduction and finally conduction block in the CCP. Acceleration of conduction occurred in the last few cycles of VT both at the outer border of the arcs of functional conduction block in the "normal" myocardial zone and at the pivot points to the entrance to the CCP. When acceleration of conduction was compensated on a beat-to-beat basis by an equal degree of slowing in the CCP, there was no discernible change in the cycle length of the VT in the ECG. In some episodes, the termination of the original reentrant circuit was followed by the development of a different, slower reentrant pathway that lasted for one or a few cycles prior to termination. (2) In 5 VT episodes, the activation wave front in the CCP abruptly broke across a stable arc of functional conduction block, resulting in premature activation of the CCP and conduction block. CONCLUSIONS Distinct electrophysiological changes always preceded spontaneous termination of stable SMVT. The electrophysiological basis for acceleration of conduction in parts of the reentrant circuit during the last few beats prior to termination and of the abrupt reactivation across a stable arc of block remains to be determined.
Human chromosome 1 satellite 3 DNA is decondensed, demethylated and transcribed in senescent cells and in A431 epithelial carcinoma cells

Constitutive heterochromatin mainly consists of different classes of satellite DNAs and is defined as a transcriptionally inactive chromatin that remains compact throughout the cell cycle. The aim of this work was to investigate the level of condensation, methylation and transcriptional status of centromeric (alphoid DNA) and pericentromeric satellites (human satellite 3, HS3) in tissues (lymphocytes, placenta cells) and in cultured primary (MRC5, VH-10, AT2Sp) and malignant (A431) cells. We found that alphoid DNA remained condensed and heavily methylated in all the cell types. The HS3 of chromosome 1 (HS3-1) but not of chromosome 9 (HS3-9) was strongly decondensed and demethylated in A431 cells. The same observation was made for aged embryonic lung (MRC5) and juvenile foreskin (VH-10) fibroblasts obtained at late passages (32nd and 23rd, respectively). Decondensation was also found in ataxia telangiectasia AT2Sp fibroblasts at the 16th passage. One of the manifestations of the disease is premature aging. The level of HS3-1 decondensation was higher in aged primary fibroblasts as compared to A431. The HS3-1 extended into the territory of neighbouring chromosomes. An RT-PCR product was detected in A431 and senescent MRC5 fibroblasts using primers specific for HS3-1. The RNA was polyadenylated and transcribed from the reverse chain. Our results demonstrate the involvement of satellite DNA in associations between human chromosomes and intermingling of chromosome territories. The invading satellite DNA can undergo decondensation to a certain level. This process is accompanied by demethylation and transcription.