Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recovery of Function in Anal Incontinence After Micro-Fragmented Fat Graft (Lipogems®) Injection: Two Years Follow Up of the First 5 Cases

ABSTRACT Anal incontinence is common and significantly diminishes quality of life. This work aims to investigate the therapeutical potential of regenerative lipofilling by lipoaspirated fat, washed and reduced in size by the new device Lipogems®, in patients affected by chronic fecal incontinence. 5 patients with fecal incontinence due to obstetric injury and anorectal-pelvic surgery were followed up for 24 months after grafting of an average of 90 cc of aspirated and microfragmented fat (Lipogems®) in the external, internal anal sphincters and around pudendal nerves. Wexner-Incontinence-Score and Fecal-Incontinence-Quality-of-Life-Scale were used before and after treatment together with digital exploration, proctoscopy, endoanal ultrasound and anorectal manometry. All patients observed an improvement both short and long term. The Wexner-IncontinenceScore improved from a preoperative mean of 14.0 to 3.4 at 3 months after treatment and remained stable up to 24 months. Anorectal manometry has reported over time significant improvements of pressure both at rest and in squeeze. Ultrasonography showed reabsorption of Lipogems tissue at 6 months and clear muscle repair at 12 and 24 months. Our preliminary results suggest that this regenerative lipofilling can improve symptoms of fecal incontinence due to muscular and neural local trauma. Further studies are necessary to clarify the underlying mechanism, but a paracrine action of the mesenchymal stem cells contained in the fat tissue or in the purified fat cells themselves is postulated, as at 6-12 months when ecography of transplanted fat shows that the injected material disappeared while the beneficial clinical effects continue to be present and improve over time.
An Insight Into Beneficial Pseudomonas bacteria

Pseudomonas is a widespread bacterial genus embracing a vast number of species. Various genosystematic methods are used to identify Pseudomonas and differentiate these bacteria from species of the same genus and species of other genera. Ability to degrade and produce a whole spectrum of compounds makes these species perspec‐ tive in industrial applications. It also makes possible to use various media, including wastes, for cultivation of Pseudomonas. Pseudomonads may be applied in bioreme‐ diation, production of polymers and low-molecular-weight compounds, biocontrol. Recent studies open up new frontiers for further use of Pseudomonas in various areas.
Intraoperative transit-time flow measurement in on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery: Single center experience.

Background This study aims to evaluate the effects of graft dysfunction detected by intraoperative transit-time flow measurement on the outcomes of on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Methods A total of 1,240 patients (856 males, 384 females; mean age 57.4±12.1 years; range, 47 to 74 years), who underwent isolated on-pump coronary artery bypass graft surgery via median sternotomy performed by the same surgical team, were reviewed retrospectively. With the introduction of transit-time flow measurement into practice at our clinic in 2006, all patients regularly underwent transit-time flow measurement during surgery in order to evaluate the graft patency. Interpretation of the data obtained using the transit-time flow measurement in patients who underwent surgery has directed our decision as to whether to perform graft revision. Patients were evaluated for early- and late-period mortality/ morbidity, perioperative and postoperative myocardial infarction, and intraaortic balloon requirement. Results A total of 3,596 grafts in the perioperative period was evaluated using transit-time flow measurement. Anastomosis/graft revision, new anastomosis/patch plasty to distal native artery or free left internal mammary artery graft was performed in 146 grafts of 143 patients in whom transittime flow measurement showed insufficient patency. Four of six patients who developed peri/postoperative myocardial infarction were found to have perioperative hypotension, ST elevation, and wall motion abnormality on transesophageal echocardiography before closure of the sternum. The flow was corrected by extending the short length of the grafts with insufficient flow after transit-time flow measurement and it was recorded that transit-time flow measurements were at normal values at these four grafts. Two patients developed acute myocardial infarction in the postoperative period and stent was applied in one vessel of each patient; however, one of these patients died. Sixteen patients were inserted intraaortic balloon pump, four of which being in the preoperative period. Revision surgery was performed due to bleeding in 56 patients and sternal infection in 12 patients. Of all patients, 28 (2.3%) died in the early postoperative period. Conclusion We believe that transit-time flow measurement may be an important tool in evaluating graft function and contribute to eliminate the causes of graft failure during surgery.
Prevalence and Impact of Peer Victimization Among Gifted Adolescents

Few studies directly examine the relationship between giftedness and peer victimization. Despite the limited available data, there is an abundance of prescriptive advice addressing the unique challenges for gifted students. Such advice derives from research on the psychosocial characteristics of gifted youth (at best) or outdated misperceptions of gifted youth as inherently vulnerable (at worst). The purpose of this dissertation was to elucidate the giftedness-victimization link by utilizing measurement and sampling that improve upon research to date. The first goal was to assess victimization frequency of gifted youth and make comparisons to similar non-gifted peers. The second goal was to examine whether victimization was more strongly tied to self-worth, anxiety, and depression for gifted youth compared to their non-gifted peers. At the outset of the study, it was hypothesized that no discernible differences would emerge between gifted and non-gifted students.Data for this dissertation were collected as part of the UCLA Middle School Diversity Project, a multisite longitudinal study of California middle school students from diverse ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds (N = 6,058). The analytical sample in the current study consisted of 2,888 students in Grade 6, 50% of whom had been identified for gifted and talented education (GATE) programs. The other 50% consisted of non-GATE students matched on potential covariates using propensity score analysis. Data were collected using surveys in which students reported their experiences with victimization, their self-perceptions, and symptoms of anxiety and depression.Contrary to the stated hypotheses, the results indicated that gifted students were victimized significantly less than non-gifted peers for almost every form of victimization. The exception was physical victimization, and several potential interpretations are offered. Analyses examining the impact of victimization were mixed. Victimization was more strongly linked to depressive symptoms for gifted students (b = .049), but significant differences did not emerge on measures of self-worth or anxiety. Although the need for future research is clear, these findings represent a meaningful expansion of knowledge in this area and help to refute simplistic characterizations of gifted youth.
Analysis of Temporal Relationships between Eye Gaze and Peripheral Vehicle Behavior for Detecting Driver Distraction

A car driver’s cognitive distraction is a main factor behind car accidents. One’s state of mind is subconsciously exposed as a reaction reflecting it by external stimuli. A visual event that occurs in front of the driver when a peripheral vehicle overtakes the driver’s vehicle is regarded as the external stimulus. We focus on temporal relationships between the driver’s eye gaze and the peripheral vehicle behavior. The analysis result showed that the temporal relationships depend on the driver’s state. In particular we confirmed that the timing of the gaze toward the stimulus under the distracted state induced by a music retrieval task using an automatic speech recognition system is later than that under a neutral state while only driving without the secondary cognitive task. This temporal feature can contribute to detecting the cognitive distraction automatically. A detector based on a Bayesian framework using this feature achieves better accuracy than one based on the percentage road center method.
Does Painful Heels in Ankylosing Spondylitis Demonstrate Distinctive Features on Plain Radiographs: A Study of 104 Cases

Received:February 13, 2017, Revised:March 12, 2017, Accepted:April 10, 2017 Corresponding to:Il-Hoon Sung, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hanyang University College of Medicine, 222-1 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763, Korea. E-mail:sungih@hanyang.ac. kr Copyright c 2017 by The Korean College of Rheumatology. All rights reserved. This is a Free Access article, which permits unrestricted non-commerical use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. Original Article pISSN: 2093-940X, eISSN: 2233-4718 Journal of Rheumatic Diseases Vol. 24, No. 2, April, 2017 https://doi.org/10.4078/jrd.2017. 24.2. 93
The Determinants of Inward Foreign Direct Investment in Business Services across European Regions

Castellani D. , Meliciani V. and Mirra L. The determinants of inward foreign direct investment in business services across European regions, Regional Studies. The role of forward linkages with manufacturing sectors and other service sectors as attractors of business services foreign direct investment (FDI) is studied at the regional level. Using data on 146 NUTS-2 regions, it is found that regions specialized in those (manufacturing) sectors that are high potential users of business services attract more FDI in the business services than other regions. Results are robust to the inclusion of the traditional determinants of foreign investments at the regional level as well as to controls for spatial dependence. The results suggest that regional policies aimed at attracting foreign investors in the business service industry might prove ineffective in the absence of a pre-existing local intermediate demand.
Effects of γ-Irradiation of Wild Thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) on the Phenolic Compounds Profile of Its Ethanolic Extract

Abstract The presented study revealed that there were changes in the phenolic compounds profile of extract of wild thyme (Thymus serpyllum L.) after γ-irradiation at the dose of 5 kGy. Ethanolic extracts of irradiated and non-irradiated herb were prepared and their compounds were analyzed by RP-HPLC-DAD technique. Between thirty two detected constituents, twelve phenolic compounds classified as hydroxybenzoic and hydroxycinnamic acids derivatives, flavones and flavanones were identified. Among them, caffeic acid derivatives and flavones predominated with the highest content of rosmarinic acid and luteolin-7-O-glucoside, respectively. Additionally, thymol was recognized in the analyzed extracts. γ-Irradiation slightly affected the quantitative profile of phenolic compounds of a wild thyme ethanolic extract. Only four constituents differed significantly (P<0.05) in terms of their content in the irradiated and non-irradiated samples. The content of phenolic acids (p-coumaric and caffeic acids) decreased and that of flavonoid aglycons (luteolin and eriodictyol) increased after the γ-ray treatment.
Biomechanical analysis of the contact phase in drop jumps performed in water and on dry land

DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.5007/1980-0037.2016v18n1p41 Plyometric training in the aquatic environment has been used as way of reducing loads through the action of buoyancy. However, little is known about the biomechanical characteristics of plyometric exercises in water, which can assist in the prescription of training in this environment. This study aimed to analyze the vertical component of the ground reaction force and contact duration of drop jumps (DJ) performed on land and at hip level water immersion. Participants were 22 male athletes (19.1 ± 3.7 years), who performed three maximum DJs in water and on dry land. Peak force and duration of braking and propulsion sub-phases of the DJ contact were analyzed with the use of two underwater force platforms, a 2-D waterproofed electrogoniometer, acquisition systems ADS2000-IP and TeleMyo 2400TG2, and a signal synchronizer. The effect of immersion was investigated through comparison tests for dependent samples (p <0.05). In water, the following results were observed: (a) reduction of 41.8% (p <0.001, d = 2.24) and 23.8% (p <0.001, d = 1.50) of peak forces during braking and propulsion sub-phases respectively; and (b) increase of 41.8% in the braking (p <0.001, d = 1.41) and 12.3% in the propulsion contact times (p = 0.006, d = 0.75). The aquatic environment can be an alternative when one aims to reduce the load during the DJ contact; however, the longer duration increasing of contact sub-phases in water at hip immersion may compromise the proper functioning of the stretch-shortening cycle in water.
Accelerated Gossip via Stochastic Heavy Ball Method

In this paper we show how the stochastic heavy ball method (SHB)–a popular method for solving stochastic convex and non-convex optimization problems–operates as a randomized gossip algorithm. In particular, we focus on two special cases of SHB: the Randomized Kaczmarz method with momentum and its block variant. Building upon a recent framework for the design and analysis of randomized gossip algorithms [20] we interpret the distributed nature of the proposed methods. We present novel protocols for solving the average consensus problem where in each step all nodes of the network update their values but only a subset of them exchange their private values. Numerical experiments on popular wireless sensor networks showing the benefits of our protocols are also presented.
Aberrant expression of casein kinase 1 δ ( CK 1 δ ) in cervical squamous cell carcinoma

Cervical cancer is one of the most common gynecological carcinoma, which seriously threaten the life and health of women globally. Previous studies have shown that β-catenin abnormalities in the expression and localization is closely related to the the pathogenesis and development of cervical cancer. In the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, casein kinase 1 (CK1) protein family had both inhibitory and activated functions. As one of the seven isoforms of the CK1 family, CK1δ function is poorly defined. Here, by using tissue microarray, we found that, compared with control (chronic cervicitis tissue), CK1δ protein expression level was significantly elevated in 88 cervical squamous cell carcinoma (CSCC) tissues (7.7% vs. 58.0%, P<0.001). The increased CK1δ expression was associated with deep cervical stromal invasion in patients with cervical cancer (P=0.015). Besides, the expression levels of CK1δ and β-catenin in cervical cancer tissues was positively correlated in CSCC tissues (P<0.001). Therefore, we hypothesized that CK1δ overexpression may contribute to cervical cancer progression through activating the Wnt/βcatenin signaling pathway. Based on above experimental results, we can get a deeper understanding of the role of CK1δ in the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and cervical cancer, and to find new biomarkers and therapeutic targets for the diagnosis of cervical cancer.
Vocal behaviour of Norwegian killer whales during carousel and seiner foraging on spring-spawning herring

Norwegian killer whales (Orcinus orca) use different techniques to forage on spring-spawning herring. Two of the commonly observed techniques are carousel feeding, a cooperative feeding method, and seiner feeding, a noncooperative method. During seiner foraging, large groups of whales forage on herring discards around the nets or on discarded by-catch of fishing boats. Very little is known about the acoustic behaviour during these foraging contexts. The aim of this study was to examine possible differences in killer whale acoustic behaviour during both foraging contexts using simple sound analysis techniques. Calling, echolocation, and tail-slap activities were measured and compared between foraging contexts. Of these, calling and tail-slap activities were higher during carousel feeding, whereas echolocation activity increased with the number of individuals, irrespective of foraging context. No call types were used exclusively during a particular foraging context. A difference in mean occurrence of one call type was detected; call type N21 occurred more often during seiner foraging than during carousel foraging contexts. We suggest that the sequence of call types, rather than the use of isolated call types, is of greater importance in the coordination of group movements during carousel foraging.
Far-wake meandering induced by atmospheric eddies in flow past a wind turbine

A novel algorithm is developed to calculate the nonlinear optimal boundary perturbations in three-dimensional incompressible flow. An optimal step length in the optimization loop is calculated without any additional calls to the Navier–Stokes equations. The algorithm is applied to compute the optimal inflow eddies for the flow around a wind turbine to clarify the mechanisms behind wake meandering, a phenomenon usually observed in wind farms. The turbine is modelled as an actuator disc using an immersed boundary method with the loading prescribed as a body force. At Reynolds number (based on free-stream velocity and turbine radius) $Re=1000$ , the most energetic inflow perturbation has a frequency $\unicode[STIX]{x1D714}=0.8$ –2, and is in the form of an azimuthal wave with wavenumber $m=1$ and the same radius as the actuator disc. The inflow perturbation is amplified by the strong shear downstream of the edge of the disc and then tilts the rolling-up vortex rings to induce wake meandering. This mechanism is verified by studying randomly perturbed flow at $Re\leqslant 8000$ . At five turbine diameters downstream of the disc, the axial velocity oscillates at a magnitude of more than 60 % of the free-stream velocity when the magnitude of the inflow perturbation is 6 % of the free-stream wind speed. The dominant Strouhal number of the wake oscillation is 0.16 at $Re=3000$ and keeps approximately constant at higher $Re$ . This Strouhal number agrees well with previous experimental findings. Overall the observations indicate that the well-observed stochastic wake meandering phenomenon appearing far downstream of wind turbines is induced by large-scale (the same order as the turbine rotor) and low-frequency free-stream eddies.
Waterbird breeding on salinas in Ria Formosa , southern Portugal

58 Salinas (saltworks) are particularly important for the estuarine waterbirds that breed in Mediterranean countries, where nesting habitats are often scarce. Here we analyze the use of habitats by waterbirds breeding in a salinas complex on the Ria Formosa in southern Portugal. The results should assist in determining the value of salinas for breeding waterbirds and in drawing up appropriate conservation prescriptions. The species recorded were Black-winged Stilt Himantopus himantopus, Pied Avocet Recurvirostra avosetta, Kentish Plover Charadrius alexandrinus, Little Tern Sterna albifrons, Mallard Anas platyrhynchos and Little Grebe Tachybaptus ruficollis. Our study suggests that each species chooses to use different ponds depending on water level and salinity. Knowledge of such patterns is useful in determining good conservation management. Salinas are man-made supratidal habitats that may provide suitable habitats for waterbirds to breed and forage (Britton & Johnson 1987, Velasquez & Hockey 1992, Erwin et al. 1994). Although they are generally located in estuarine areas, salinas are not influenced by tidal rhythms and the water levels change slowly (Velasquez 1992), making them regular and predictable habitats over time (Masero et al. 2000). These features mean that salinas are particularly important for estuarine waterbirds breeding in Mediterranean countries, where alternative breeding habitats are scarce. Despite their value for wildlife, the number of salinas has declined around the Mediterranean in recent decades due to the abandonment of salt production. Moreover there has been a change from traditional to industrial salt extraction methods, which affects their value as habitat for waterbirds. Together, these factors have resulted in a general loss of breeding habitat for estuarine waterbirds and have led to calls for the protection and favourable management of those areas that still provide adequate conditions. In Portugal, some large salinas remain in the estuaries of the rivers Tagus, Sado and Guadiana, and in Ria de Aveiro and Ria Formosa. As in other Mediterranean countries, salinas have declined in Portugal (Rufino & Neves 1992), and have totally disappeared in some small estuaries such as that of the river Mira. The value of Portuguese salinas for waterbirds has been often demonstrated, both as wintering and breeding habitats (Rufino et al. 1984, Bijlsma et al. 1985, Batty 1992, Neves & Rufino 1994). However, information on the factors that affect the suitability of these areas as breedWaterbird breeding on salinas in Ria Formosa, southern Portugal
Manipulated vs. Measured: Using an Experimental Benchmark to Investigate the Performance of Self-Reported Media Exposure

ABSTRACT Media exposure is one of the most important concepts in the social sciences, and yet scholars have struggled with how to operationalize it for decades. Some researchers have focused on the effects of variously worded self-report measures. Others advocate the use of aggregate and/or behavioral data that does not rely on a person’s ability to accurately recall exposure. Our study illustrates how an experimental design can be used to improve measures of exposure. In particular, we show how an experimental benchmark can be employed to (1) compare actual (i.e., manipulated) and self-reported values of news exposure; (2) assess how closely the self-reported items approximate the performance of “true” exposure in an empirical application; and (3) investigate whether a variation in question wording improves the accuracy of self-reported exposure measures.