Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Staging Laparoscopy in Patients With Extrahepatic Biliary Carcinoma: Analysis of 100 Patients

ObjectiveTo evaluate the benefit of staging laparoscopy in patients with gallbladder cancer and hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Summary Background DataIn patients with extrahepatic biliary carcinoma, unresectable disease is often found at the time of exploration despite extensive preoperative evaluation, thus resulting in unnecessary laparotomy. MethodsFrom October 1997 to May 2001, 100 patients with potentially resectable gallbladder cancer (n = 44) and hilar cholangiocarcinoma (n = 56) were prospectively evaluated. All patients underwent staging laparoscopy followed by laparotomy if the tumor appeared resectable. Surgical findings, resectability rate, length of stay, and operative time were analyzed. ResultsPatients underwent multiple preoperative imaging tests, including computed tomography scan, ultrasound, magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography, and direct cholangiography. Laparoscopy identified unresectable disease in 35 of 100 patients. In the 65 patients undergoing open exploration, 34 were found to have unresectable disease. Therefore, the overall accuracy for detecting unresectable disease was 51%. There was no difference in the accuracy of laparoscopy between patients with gallbladder cancer and hilar cholangiocarcinoma. Laparoscopy detected the majority of patients with peritoneal or liver metastases but failed to detect all locally advanced tumors. In patients undergoing biopsy only, laparoscopic identification of unresectable disease significantly reduced operative time and length of stay compared with patients undergoing laparotomy. The yield of laparoscopy was 48% in patients with gallbladder cancer (56% in those who did not undergo previous cholecystectomy), but only 25% in patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma. However, in patients with locally advanced but potentially resectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma, the yield of laparoscopy was greater, 36% (12/33, T2/T3 tumors) versus 9% (2/23, T1 tumors). ConclusionsLaparoscopy identifies the majority of patients with unresectable hilar cholangiocarcinoma or gallbladder carcinoma, thereby reducing both the incidence of unnecessary laparotomy and the length of stay. The yield of laparoscopy is lower for hilar cholangiocarcinoma but can be improved by targeting patients at higher risk of occult unresectable disease. All patients with potentially resectable primary gallbladder cancer and patients with T2/T3 hilar cholangiocarcinoma should undergo staging laparoscopy before surgical exploration.
Weight Optimization in Recurrent Neural Networks with Hybrid Metaheuristic Cuckoo Search Techniques for Data Classification

Recurrent neural network (RNN) has been widely used as a tool in the data classification. This network can be educated with gradient descent back propagation. However, traditional training algorithms have some drawbacks such as slow speed of convergence being not definite to find the global minimum of the error function since gradient descent may get stuck in local minima. As a solution, nature inspired metaheuristic algorithms provide derivative-free solution to optimize complex problems. This paper proposes a new metaheuristic search algorithm called Cuckoo Search (CS) based on Cuckoo bird’s behavior to train Elman recurrent network (ERN) and back propagation Elman recurrent network (BPERN) in achieving fast convergence rate and to avoid local minima problem. The proposed CSERN and CSBPERN algorithms are compared with artificial bee colony using BP algorithm and other hybrid variants algorithms. Specifically, some selected benchmark classification problems are used. The simulation results show that the computational efficiency of ERN and BPERN training process is highly enhanced when coupled with the proposed hybrid method.
ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF NEWCASTLE DISEASE VIRUS FROM OSTRICHES (STRUTHIO CAMELUS) IN EGYPT

Newcastle disease (ND) is a highly contagious disease of poultry that causes high mortality in poultry of all ages as well as in young ostriches. Therefore, this study was designed in order to explore ND in ostriches in Egypt. Samples from died ostriches were collected from different farms in five localities (AL-I smailia, AL-Behera, AL-Sharkia, Helwan and Cairo) and were examined by inoculation in SPF embryonated chicken eggs. Newcastle disease virus (NDV) was isolated from kidney samples collected from AL-Ismailia farm (13/23). Negative NDV isolation was recorded from other farms. Interestingly, Intracerebral pathogenicity index (ICPI) of NDV isolate was 0.8 that indicated virulence of this virus while the isolate had the lentogenic motif 111G-R-N-Q-G-R-L117 at the cleavage site of fusion protein. To the best of our knowledge, this study seems to be the first report of NDV isolation from ostriches in Egypt.
Guideline for the Management of Insulin

The successes of interventions to obtain weight loss and prevent relapse are limited. Moreover, comorbidities like type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and gout, have so far been treated as separate diseases, although mounting evidence shows that these morbidities are consequences of the failing metabolism due to insulin resistance. Weight loss, in other words treating obesity, improves comorbidities and improves quality of life. Treatment of obesity and its comorbidities is a multidisciplinary matter. It can be done in primary care. It should be widely recognized that a low carbohydrate diet and exercise are the two main aspects of treatment that lead to the desired result: considerable weight loss and diminishment of comorbidities, visible through improvement of blood parameters and improved quality of life. Because of the complexity of the diet a large role in management is fit for dietitians, supported by psychologists, physiotherapists and exercise trainers. Family physicians and nurse practioners need to be aware of the important role diet and lifestyle play. In insulin resistance medication is not the preferred treatment; it should be avoided as much as possible. By accepting this challenge in primary care, health professionals can change the prevalence and consequences of obesity and its comorbidities, thus reducing health care costs considerably. Persons that are insulin resistant may regain their health through these measures. They will always stay insulin resistant to a certain extent, and cannot eat normal quantities of carbohydrates that are commonly used and advised in general dietary guidelines.
Biochemical Evaluation of Antidiabetic Activity of Cocos nucifera Flowers in STZ Induced Diabetic Rats

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder of multiple aetiologies resulting in drastic elevation of blood glucose under both fasting and postprandial conditions, which leads to multiple complications. Currently available drugs are unsuccessful for the treatment of diabetes due to their undesirable side effects Hence, search for novel drugs, especially from plant origin continues. Cocos nucifera have been used in traditional medicine around the world to treat numerous ailments. The present study is aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic and antioxidant nature of Cocos nucifera flowers extract in STZ induced diabetic rats. Phytochemical analysis of the fruit extract revealed the presence of phytoingredients such as alkaloids, flavonoids, saponins, tannins, diterpenes, triterpenoids, glycosides and phenols. Oral administration of Cocos nucifera flower extract (300 mg/kg b.w/day) to diabetic rats for 30 days significantly reduced the levels of blood glucose, glycosylated hemoglobin, urea, uric acid and creatinine. The altered levels of serum amino transferases and alkaline phosphatase were normalized upon treatment with the fruit extract. The observed decrease in the levels of plasma protein in the diabetic rats was elevated to near normal by the extract treatment. The level of glycogen content, the altered activities of glycogen synthase and glycogen phosporylase was improved upon treatment with the extract. The antioxidant competence was improved upon extract treatment. The results of the present study indicate that the flower extract is nontoxic and possess antidiabetic and antioxidant potential.
Modeling the Dose Rate Response and the Effects of Hydrogen in Bipolar Technologies

A physical model describing the dose rate response and the effect of hydrogen in bipolar technologies is presented. The model uses electron-hole pair recombination and competing hydrogen reactions to explain the behaviors of bipolar devices and circuits at different dose rates. Dose-rate-dependent computer simulations based on the model were performed, and the results provide excellent qualitative agreement with the dose rate data taken on both gated lateral pnp bipolar test transistors and LM193 bipolar dual-voltage comparators. The model presented in this paper can be used to explain a variety of factors that can influence device dose rate response in bipolar technologies.
Stochastic resonance in globally coupled nonlinear oscillators.

We consider a network of globally coupled nonlinear overdamped oscillators subject to state on noise and a weak periodic modulation. Assuming that one of the oscillators relaxes to its steady state on a time scale far slower than the remaining oscillators in the network, we obtain its dynamics from the coupled stochastic differential equations describing the system, via adiabatic elimination. The bifurcation properties of this «reduced oscillator» model are discussed, together with cooperative stochastic effects (e.g., stochastic resonance) that result from the presence of the modulation
Physician language ability and cultural competence

AbstractOBJECTIVE: We studied physician-patient dyads to determine how physician self-rated Spanish-language ability and cultural competence affect Spanish-speaking patients’ reports of interpersonal processes of care. SETTING/PARTICIPANTS: Questionnaire study of 116 Spanish-speaking patients with diabetes and 48 primary care physicians (PCPs) at a public hospital with interpreter services. MEASURES: Primary care physicians rated their Spanish ability on a 5-point scale and cultural competence by rating: 1) their understanding of the health-related cultural beliefs of their Spanish-speaking patients; and 2) their effectiveness with Latino patients, each on a 4-point scale. We assessed patients’ experiences using the interpersonal processes of care (IPC) in diverse populations instrument. Primary care physician responses were dichotomized, as were IPC scale scores (optimal vs nonoptimal). We analyzed the relationship between language and two cultural competence items and IPC, and a summary scale and IPC, using multivariate models to adjust for known confounders of communication. RESULTS: Greater language fluency was strongly associated with optimal IPC scores in the domain of elicitation of and responsiveness to patients, problems and concerns [Adjusted Odds Ratio [AOR], 5.25; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.59 to 17.27]. Higher score on a language-culture summary scale was associated with three IPC domains — elicitation/responsiveness (AOR, 6.34; 95% CI, 2.1 to 19.3), explanation of condition (AOR, 2.7; 95% CI, 1.0 to 7.34), and patient empowerment (AOR, 3.13; 95% CI, 1.2 to 8.19)—and not associated with two more-technical communication domains. CONCLUSION: Physician self-rated language ability and cultural competence are independently associated with patients’ reports of interpersonal process of care in patient-centered domains. Our study provides empiric support for the importance of language and cultural competence in the primary care of Spanish-speaking patients.
IMITATE: An intensive computer-based treatment for aphasia based on action observation and imitation

Background: Neurophysiological evidence from primates has demonstrated the presence of mirror neurons, with visual and motor properties, that discharge both when an action is performed and during observation of the same action. A similar system for observation–execution matching may also exist in humans. We postulate that behavioural stimulation of this parietal-frontal system may play an important role in motor learning for speech and thereby aid language recovery after stroke. Aims: The purpose of this article is to describe the development of IMITATE, a computer-assisted system for aphasia therapy based on action observation and imitation. We also describe briefly the randomised controlled clinical trial that is currently underway to evaluate its efficacy and mechanism of action. Methods & Procedures: IMITATE therapy consists of silent observation of audio-visually presented words and phrases spoken aloud by six different speakers, followed by a period during which the participant orally repeats the stimuli. We describe the rationale for the therapeutic features, stimulus selection, and delineation of treatment levels. The clinical trial is a randomised single blind controlled trial in which participants receive two pre-treatment baseline assessments, 6 weeks apart, followed by either IMITATE or a control therapy. Both treatments are provided intensively (90 minutes per day). Treatment is followed by a post-treatment assessment, and a 6-week follow-up assessment. Outcomes & Results: Thus far, five participants have completed IMITATE. We expect the results of the randomised controlled trial to be available by late 2010. Conclusions: IMITATE is a novel computer-assisted treatment for aphasia that is supported by theoretical rationales and previous human and primate data from neurobiology. The treatment is feasible, and preliminary behavioural data are emerging. However, the results will not be known until the clinical trial data are available to evaluate fully the efficacy of IMITATE and to inform theoretically about the mechanism of action and the role of a human mirror system in aphasia treatment.
A New Rossby Wave–Breaking Interpretation of the North Atlantic Oscillation

This paper proposes the hypothesis that the low-frequency variability of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) arises as a result of variations in the occurrence of upper-level Rossby wave–breaking events over the North Atlantic. These events lead to synoptic situations similar to midlatitude blocking that are referred to as high-latitude blocking episodes. A positive NAO is envisaged as being a description of periods in which these episodes are infrequent and can be considered as a basic, unblocked situation. A negative NAO is a description of periods in which episodes occur frequently. A similar, but weaker, relationship exists between wave breaking over the Pacific and the west Pacific pattern. Evidence is given to support this hypothesis by using a two-dimensional potential-vorticity-based index to identify wave breaking at various latitudes. This is applied to Northern Hemisphere winter data from the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40), and the events identified are then related to the NAO. Certain dynamical precursors are identified that appear to increase the likelihood of wave breaking. These suggest mechanisms by which variability in the tropical Pacific, and in the stratosphere, could affect the NAO.
Fuel-Type Identification Using Joint Probability Density Arbiter and Soft-Computing Techniques

This paper presents a new method for fuel-type identification by combining the joint probability density arbiter and soft-computing techniques. Extensive flame features were extracted both in the time and frequency domains from each flame oscillation signal and formed an original feature data vector. Orthogonal and dimension-reduced feature data were obtained by using the principal component analysis technique. In order to identify the fuel type, the joint probability density arbiter and soft-computing models were established for each known fuel type by using the orthogonal features. Then, the joint probability density arbiter model was used to determine whether the type of fuel is new or not, and one of the soft-computing models (either a neural network model or a support vector machine model) was used to identify the fuel type if the fuel was one of the known types. Experiments were carried out on an industrial boiler. Four types of coal were tested, and the average success rates of fuel-type identification were higher than 97% in 20 trials. The experimental results demonstrated that the combination of the joint probability density arbiter and one of the two soft-computing techniques was effective in identifying the fuel types (either new or not).
Amdahl chip delay test system

The design and implementation of an automatic chip delay test system (CDTS) are described. CDTS has been in use at Amdahl Corporation for over a year and has generated delay tests for about 180 designs ranging from 1000 to 30000 gates, achieving high fault coverage. These designs contain sequential logic and memory elements like random access memories (RAMs). CDTS uses a new scheme for applying delay tests in sequential circuits. The fault model and the delay test generation algorithm used by CDTS are described, and the results of production runs are presented. <<ETX>>
Visualization of Rule Behaviour in Active Databases

One of the characteristics of database systems is the ability to efficiently handle large amounts of information. This characteristic must apply also when rules are introduced into database systems, resulting in so-called active database systems. Hence, active database systems need to manage both a large amount of data and many rules. One ofthe problems with large sets of rules is the complexity of interaction between rules. A rule that is perfectly workable by itself may in the interaction with other rules produce serious malfunctions. To prevent such situations, a rule debugger is needed, preferably a visual one. In this paper we introduce Adela, a rule visualization tool suitable for the relational data model. We introduce a multilevel rule concept, which is important when, for example, rule visualization tools need to display how rules are related to the data model and the data instances. Three different levels within the multilevel rule concept are provided: model level, rule level, and instance level. An event/rule trace tree is introduced to display: i) the context in which rules are fired, and ii) the execution states of rules. A data trace is introduced in order to display what is happening to data instances when they are manipulated by rules. We also address issues such as scalability of rule visualization tools, and on-line rule visualization tools, which in real time show what is happening in active databases.
Attention Following Pediatric Head Injury: A Developmental Perspective

This study investigated the relations between age at injury (AAI) and attentional functioning, and intellectual and academic achievement following pediatric head injury. The theoretical framework of attention proposed by Mirsky, Anthony, Duncan, Ahern, and Kellam (1991) provided the basis for this analysis, and the profile of attention found in uninjured children was evaluated for this sample. Thirty-three moderately head-injured individuals were recruited, with AAI ranging from 1 to 12 years. First, the development of attentional skills in this closed head injury (CHI) sample was found to be comparable to that of Mirsky et al.'s model. Second, AAI did not predict outcome and appeared not to be associated with the finding of mildly delayed acquisition of spelling and arithmetic skills. Also, AAI did not predict the behavioral symptoms of inattention present in this sample as indicated by parental report. It may be that AAI only influences development following severe CHI in which there is permanent cerebral pathology.
Early IL‐10 production is essential for syngeneic graft acceptance

We performed a comparative study and evaluated cellular infiltrates and anti‐inflammatory cytokine production at different time‐points after syngeneic or allogeneic skin transplantation. We observed an early IL‐10 production in syngeneic grafts compared with allografts. This observation prompted us to investigate the role of IL‐10 in isograft acceptance. For this, we used IL‐10 KO and WT mice to perform syngeneic transplantation, where IL‐10 was absent in the graft or in the recipient. The majority of syngeneic grafts derived from IL‐10 KO donors did not engraft or was only partially accepted, whereas IL‐10 KO mice transplanted with skin from WT donors accepted the graft. We evaluated IL‐10 producers in the transplanted skin and observed that epithelial cells were the major source. Taken together, our data show that production of IL‐10 by donor cells, but not by the recipient, is determinant for graft acceptance and strongly suggest that production of this cytokine by keratinocytes immediately upon transplantation is necessary for isograft survival.
CONTRIBUTION A LA CAO OPTIMSEE DES MACHINESELECTRIQUES, APPLICATION AU MOTEUR LINEAIRE A INDUCTION

Ce travail concerne la CAO optimisee des machines electriques, appliquee au moteur lineaire a induction. Il comprend le principe, les etapes et les differents approches et outils de la CAO des machines electriques. Il met le point sur les differents outils d’analyse (modeles analytiques et numeriques) des machines electriques et les techniques d’optimisation (deterministes et stochastiques) utilisees pour la CAO des actionneurs electromecaniques. Differentes etapes a suivre pour concevoir le plus efficacement possible un moteur electrique de facon generale en utilisant un outil de CAO optimisee seront presentees. Cela consiste tout d’abord a choisir la structure la mieux adaptee a une application donnee ou la plus utilisee tout simplement, puis a optimiser le dimensionnement de cette structure. Ensuite, il sera montre que le moteur lineaire a induction pouvait trouver une place interessante parmi les differents systemes de traction electrique a mouvement lineaire. En effet, meme s’il semble etre penalise par la presence d’effets d’extremites, comparativement a son homologue rotatif, une optimisation de sa conception peut permettre d’obtenir une solution relativement competitive. En application de cette methodologie, on a elu et presente le moteur lineaire a simple induction, parmi les differentes structures possibles du moteur lineaire a induction, qui semble etre le plus utilise. Deux types d’outils d’analyse en 2D du moteur lineaire a induction, a savoir un modele analytique base sur la methode des couches et un modele numerique base sur la methode des elements finis, ont ete presentes et valides. Pour realiser la deuxieme etape de la conception, quelques techniques d’optimisation stochastiques, a savoir la methode de Monte-Carlo, la methode du recuit simule et la methode des algorithmes genetiques, afin d’ameliorer les performances d’un moteur lineaire a simple induction initial, ont ete appliquees. Une deuxieme alternative d’optimisation composee de deux strategies deterministes (a savoir la methode enumerative et la methode SQP), a ete utilisee pour optimiser la CAO d’un moteur lineaire a induction. Enfin, la technique SQP a ete combinee avec les algorithmes genetiques et a abouti a des resultats interessants du point de vue efficacite de determination de l’optimum global d’une maniere tenace et precise. Dans les deux cas, quelques performances d’un moteur lineaire initial ont pu etre ameliorees, a savoir le facteur KW/KVA (produit du facteur de puissance et du rendement) et le rapport de la force de demarrage au poids du moteur, tout en respectant un ensemble de contraintes structurelles et physiques, pour assurer la faisabilite de la conception