Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
CHRONIC COR PULMONALE

The term “cor pulmonale” is still very popular in the medical literature, but its definition varies and there is presently no consensual definition. Forty years ago an expert committee of the World Health Organization1 defined cor pulmonale as “hypertrophy of the right ventricle resulting from diseases affecting the function and/or structure of the lungs . ”. This pathological definition is in fact of limited value in clinical practice. It has been proposed to replace the term “hypertrophy” by “alteration in the structure and function of the right ventricle”. It has also been proposed to define clinically cor pulmonale by the presence of oedema in patients with respiratory failure. Finally, as pulmonary arterial hypertension is “the sine qua non” of cor pulmonale,2 we believe that the best definition of cor pulmonale is : pulmonary arterial hypertension resulting from diseases affecting the structure and/or the function of the lungs; pulmonary arterial hypertension results in right ventricular enlargement (hypertrophy and/or dilatation) and may lead with time to right heart failure. A new diagnostic classification of pulmonary hypertension was developed by a group of experts in 19983 and is presented on table 1. In our opinion cor pulmonale corresponds to the third part of this classification (pulmonary hypertension associated with disorders of the respiratory system and/or hypoxaemia) and must be distinguished from pulmonary venous hypertension (part 2), and also from primary pulmonary hypertension (part 1) and from thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (part 4). View this table: Table 1 New diagnostic classification of pulmonary hypertension3 This article reviews the current state of knowledge about pulmonary hypertension resulting from disorders of the respiratory system and/or from chronic hypoxaemia. We will only consider chronic cor pulmonale. Particular emphasis will be placed on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is by far the main cause of cor pulmonale. Pulmonary …
Using modified nodal analysis to cavity-mode resonances for PCB power-bus structures with discrete capacitors

In this paper, we propose the use of the modified nodal analysis (MNA) method to rederive cavity-mode equation of PCB power-bus structures with discrete capacitors. In some frequency, it shows impedance inaccuracies in the traditional double summation to calculate the transfer impedances for the studied PCB power-bus structures with discrete capacitors. Using our proposed method, we not only achieve the accuracy superiority but also accomplish the computational efficiency. The theoretical results are well confirmed by measurement and electromagnetic simulation software tool.
Naive T cells proliferate strongly in neonatal mice in response to self-peptide/self-MHC complexes

Adult naive T cells, which are at rest in normal conditions, proliferate strongly when transferred to lymphopenic hosts. In neonates, the first mature thymocytes to migrate to the periphery reach a compartment devoid of preexisting T cells. We have extensively analyzed the proliferation rate and phenotype of peripheral T cells from normal C57BL/6 and T cell antigen receptor transgenic mice as a function of age. We show that, like adult naive T cells transferred to lymphopenic mice, neonatal naive T cells proliferate strongly. By using bone-marrow transfer and thymic-graft models, we demonstrate that the proliferation of the first thymic emigrants reaching the periphery requires T cell antigen receptor-self-peptide/self-MHC interactions and is regulated by the size of the peripheral T cell pool.
Navigational skills correlate with hippocampal fractional anisotropy in humans

Individuals vary widely in their ability to orient within the environment. We used diffusion tensor imaging to investigate whether this ability, as measured by navigational performance in a virtual environment, correlates with the anatomic structural properties of the hippocampus, i.e., fractional anisotropy. We found that individuals with high fractional anisotropy in the right hippocampus are (a) faster in forming a cognitive map of the environment, and (b) more efficient in using this map for the purpose of orientation, than individuals with low fractional anisotropy. These results are consistent with the role of the hippocampus in navigation, and suggest that its microstructural properties may contribute to the intersubject variability observed in spatial orientation. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Indications and outcome of abdominal myomectomy in University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital: Review of ten year

Background: Abdominal myomectomy is a common modality of treatment for large and symptomatic uterine fibroid in women who wish to retain their fertility. Though frequently performed the procedure may still be associated with complications. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review of all patients who had abdominal myomectomy from January 1999 to December 2008 at the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital. Information on the Sociodemographic characteristics, indication for the myomectomy, uterine size, pre and post operative packed cell volume (PCV), intraoperative findings, cadre of surgeon, duration of hospital stay and complications were obtained. Results: The rate of abdominal myomectomy was 3.34%. Majority of the patients (79.8%) aged 30–49 years, and most (58.9%) were nulliparas. Abdominal mass (63.7%), menorrhagia (57.7%), and subfertility 55.2% were the leading indications for abdominal myomectomy. Complications were seen in 10.9% of the cases, 55.5 % of which were wound infections. Clinical and intra operative factors associated with complications included menorrhagia (P=0.003), estimated blood loss (EBL) ≥500mls (P=0.005) and post operative PCV of <30% (P=0.081). Conclusion: Complication rate after myomectomy was low with menorrhagia and EBL ≥ 500 mls being significantly associated with development of complication.
A study on estimating blood pressure during body postural change based on pulse transit time

We are interested in healthcare for a bed ridden patient. Although a bed ridden patient in the hospital can be led to a circulatory disorder or a serious secondary disease, it is still difficult to give an adequate healthcare service for the patient due to side effects. Thus, we focus on the method of measuring the continuous and non-invasive bio signal in order to provide important insight into the patient's overall physical condition. In this paper, we estimate the blood pressure during the change of body posture based on the pulse transit time. Accordingly, we newly propose the measurement system and the equation for estimating the blood pressure, and then prove the effectiveness through the experiment of changing the body posture. Through all of results, we found that it is possible to estimate the blood pressure during the change (45 and 75 deg) of body posture with the continuous (5 min) and non-invasive method by monitoring the condition of patient.
AFFECT REGULATION IN WOMEN WITH BORDERLINE PERSONALITY DISORDER TRAITS

Affect dysregulation is considered a defining feature of borderline personality disorder (BPD). In spite of this, there is a dearth of empirical research that examines affect regulation among persons with BPD. The present study examined the relationship between specific dimensions of affect regulation and borderline traits in a sample of 39 patients. Participants were administered the Personality Diagnostic Questionnaire–Revised to assess the degree of borderline traits and the Affect Intensity Measure and Affect Control Scale to assess dimensions of affect regulation, selected based on the biosocial theory of BPD. Results from hierarchical regression analyses indicated that level of affect intensity and affect control were significantly associated with number of BPD traits, even after controlling for level of depression. Findings for affect control remained significant even after controlling for affect intensity. These results, consistent with biosocial theory of BPD, suggest that persons with BPD experience emotions more intensely and have greater difficulty in controlling their affective responses.
Supporting access to STEM subjects in higher education for students with disabilities using remote laboratories

Remote laboratories have developed to an extent that they are now regularly used in the teaching and learning of the STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects within higher education institutions. The available resources of these remote laboratories and the user experience are usually designed with ease of access for students who do not have a disability - either a mental impairment or physical disability. However, the learning experience can be different between students who do not have a disability and students who have a disability. Therefore, the design of the learning experience should consider all potential users and be set-up so that a disability is not a barrier to full participation. This paper will consider the design and role of the remote laboratory in the student learning experience and will consider how the remote laboratory can be set-up to provide full access to all students.
Depresión en la vejez : evaluación, variables implicadas y relación con el deterioro cognitivo

Se ha evaluado la depresion y el deterioro cognltlvo en una muestra de ancianos con una un conjunto de pruebas que incluye tests neuropslcologicos, la escala de depresion del Cenins de Estudios Epidemiologicos (CES-D) y la que utiliza los criterios del DSM-lll-R. Las dos escalas muestran un gran coincidencia en la evaluacion de la depresion. La prevalencia de la depresion disminuye con la edad hasta los 80 anos, momento en el que se invierte la tendencia, es mayor en las mujeres, en los que viven en una residencia y en los que tienen un nivel de estudios mas bajo. A partir de los 80 anos aumenta el diagnostico conjunto depresion-demencia y la probabilidad de confusion en el mismo, sobre todo en los sujetos con un nivel de estudios bajo, por lo que se apunta la necesidad de que en los estudios sobre la depresion en la vejez se incluyan pruebas neuropsicologicas, especialmente de recuerdo demorado, fluidez verbal, memoria logica y metamemoria, para diferenciar ambos estados.
Technology Forecast for Electrical Vehicle Battery Technology and Future Electric Vehicle Market Estimation

Electric Vehicle (EV) battery technologies is a limiting factor for the wide spread diffusion of electric vehicles. EV battery’s energy density compared to fossil fuels is still very low, thus EV’s have still stringent driving range with voluminous, heavy and high cost batteries. Automotive OEM’s are trying to estimate the future of batteries to do their plans related to electric vehicle manufacturing. This article attempts to estimate the future of EV batteries and mainly that of Li_Ion, Li_S and Li_Air Technologies which seem to be the most promising Technologies as of today. The article explains in detail the methodology used, and the results with an estimation of future EV market as a result of the EV battery development time scale.
Optimal Reachability and a Space-Time Tradeoff for Distance Queries in Constant-Treewidth Graphs

We consider data-structures for answering reachability and distance queries on constant-treewidth graphs with n nodes, on the standard RAM computational model with wordsize W=Theta(log n). Our first contribution is a data-structure that after O(n) preprocessing time, allows (1) pair reachability queries in O(1) time; and (2) single-source reachability queries in O(n/log n) time. This is (asymptotically) optimal and is faster than DFS/BFS when answering more than a constant number of single-source queries. The data-structure uses at all times O(n) space. Our second contribution is a space-time tradeoff data-structure for distance queries. For any epsilon in [1/2,1], we provide a data-structure with polynomial preprocessing time that allows pair queries in O(n^{1-\epsilon} alpha(n)) time, where alpha is the inverse of the Ackermann function, and at all times uses O(n^epsilon) space. The input graph G is not considered in the space complexity.
Type IV traffic ATPase TrwD as molecular target to inhibit bacterial conjugation

Bacterial conjugation is the main mechanism responsible for the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes. Hence, the search for specific conjugation inhibitors is paramount in the fight against the spread of these genes. In this pursuit, unsaturated fatty acids have been found to specifically inhibit bacterial conjugation. Despite the growing interest on these compounds, their mode of action and their specific target remain unknown. Here, we identified TrwD, a Type IV secretion traffic ATPase, as the molecular target for fatty acid‐mediated inhibition of conjugation. Moreover, 2‐alkynoic fatty acids, which are also potent inhibitors of bacterial conjugation, are also powerful inhibitors of the ATPase activity of TrwD. Characterization of the kinetic parameters of ATPase inhibition has led us to identify the catalytic mechanism by which fatty acids exert their activity. These results open a new avenue for the rational design of inhibitors of bacterial conjugation in the fight against the dissemination of antibiotic resistance genes.
Position Estimation for Control of a Partially-Observable Linear Actuator

In this work, we propose and compare position estimation approaches to enable control of a low cost linear actuator with partially observed states. Our goal is to use machine learning techniques to obviate the need for expensive hardware while still being able to achieve precise and accurate actuation to arbitrary target positions. We analyze the performance of regression methods for this task and evaluate their application to feedback control in comparison to controllers with ground truth position. We find that regression methods achieve the required position estimation accuracy, and a simple linear model integrated into feedback control performs well on our control task given hardware limitations. These results demonstrate that a machine learning approach can enable precise actuation with our lower-fidelity hardware.
Isolation of a Methylocystis strain containing a novel pmoA-like gene.

Abstract A type II methanotrophic bacterium (Methylocystis strain SC2) was isolated from a polluted aquifer and identified based on morphology and on 16S rRNA gene phylogeny. Primers targeting the particulate methane monooxygenase subunit A gene (pmoA) were used to obtain a PCR product from DNA extract of strain SC2. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of this PCR product demonstrated that strain SC2 contained two very different pmoA-like genes. One gene (pmoA1) had very high sequence homology to pmoA genes of other type II methanotrophic bacteria (identical amino acid sequence to pmoA of some other Methylocystis strains). The second gene (pmoA2) possessed only 73% identity with the first gene at the nucleotide level and 68.5% identity (83% similarity) at the amino acid level. The presence of both pmoA-like genes was verified by developing specific oligonucleotide probes for each and using these in Southern hybridisation of genomic DNA. Purity of the culture was exhaustively verified with a variety of methods to ensure that both genes were present in a single genospecies. These included microscopic examination, plating on various media, denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis of PCR products of the 16S rRNA gene (universal to bacteria) and of the methanol dehydrogenase alpha-subunit gene mxaF (universal to methylotrophic bacteria), and whole-cell hybridisation with fluorescently labelled 16S rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes specific for the genera Methylosinus and Methylocystis, or specific for strain SC2. Reverse transcription PCR of extracted RNA suggested that the novel pmoA2 gene was not expressed during growth under standard conditions used for the cultivation of these bacteria. The presence of multiple, diverse pmoA-like genes in a single genospecies of methanotrophic bacteria implies that pmoA must be cautiously applied as a phylogenetic marker in cultivation-independent molecular ecology studies.
A Hybrid Structure for Data Aggregation in Wireless Sensor Network

In recent years, wireless sensor networks have been used for various applications such as environmental monitoring, military and medical applications. A wireless sensor network uses a large number of sensor nodes that continuously collect and send data from a specific region to a base station. Data from sensors are collected from the study area in the common scenario of sensor networks. Afterward, sensed data is sent to the base station. However, neighboring sensors often lead to redundancy of data. Transmission of redundant data to the base station consumes energy and produces traffic, because process is run in a large network. Data aggregation was proposed in order to reduce redundancy in data transformation and traffic. The most popular communication protocol in this field is cluster based data aggregation. Clustering causes energy balance, but sometimes energy consumption is not efficient due to the long distance between cluster heads and base station. In another communication protocol, which is based on a tree construction, because of the short distance between the sensors, energy consumption is low. In this data aggregation approach, since each sensor node is considered as one of the vertices of a tree, the depth of tree is usually high. In this paper, an efficient hierarchical hybrid approach for data aggregation is presented. It reduces energy consumption based on clustering and minimum spanning tree. The benefit of combining clustering and tree structure is reducing the disadvantages of previous structures. The proposed method firstly employs clustering algorithm and then a minimum spanning tree is constructed based on cluster heads. Our proposed method was compared to LEACH which is a well-known data aggregation method in terms of energy consumption and the amount of energy remaining in each sensor network lifetime. Simulation results indicate that our proposed method is more efficient than LEACH algorithm considering energy consumption.
How Immersive Virtual Environments Foster Self-Regulated Learning

Over the past decade, immersive virtual environments have been increasingly used to facilitate students’ learning of complex scientific topics. The non-linearity and open-endedness of these environments create learning opportunities for students, but can also impose challenges in terms of extraneous cognitive load and greater requirements for self-regulated learning (SRL). SRL is crucial for academic success in various educational settings. This chapter explores how the Immersive Virtual Assessments (IVAs), an immersive virtual environment designed to assess middle school students’ science inquiry skills, fostered SRL. Our analyses combining educational data mining techniques with multilevel analysis indicated that students developed self-regulatory behaviors and strategies as they used IVAs. Experience with IVAs prepared students to adopt more efficient note-taking and note-reviewing strategies. Students also learned to exploit more available sources of information by taking and reviewing notes on them, in order to either solve inquiry problems, or to monitor their solutions.
Randomized, comparative study of the effectiveness of three different techniques of interscalene brachial plexus block using 0.5% ropivacaine for shoulder arthroscopy.

BACKGROUND Interscalene brachial plexus block is an effective regional anesthesia technique for shoulder surgeries. The superiority of the popular ultrasound-guided blocks over peripheral nerve stimulator-confirmed blocks remains unclear. In this study the efficacy of these different block techniques was compared. METHODS This prospective, randomized, clinical study included 109 patients (ASA grades I-III) who receive 20 mL 0.5% ropivacaine with ultrasound-guided blocks (U group), peripheral nerve stimulator-confirmed blocks (N group), or ultrasound-guided and peripheral nerve stimulator-confirmed blocks (dual guidance; NU group) for elective shoulder arthroscopy. Block onset time, duration, and effectiveness on the Lovett rating scale were assessed. RESULTS There was no statistically significant intergroup difference in duration of block performance, irrespective of the technique (P = 0.232). Onset time of complete warmth sensation loss (P < 0.001) and muscle strength abolition (P < 0.001) was significantly longer and mean Lovett rating scale score distribution was significantly higher in the N group than in the other groups (P < 0.001). These findings show a statistically significant correlation between the performance of the used block technique and the necessity of conversion to general anesthesia because of insufficient block in the N group (58.54%) than in the U (24.44%) and NU (19.57%) groups. CONCLUSIONS Peripheral nerve stimulator-confirmed needle placement is not necessary to ensure effectiveness of ultrasound-guided blocks, which is expressed as a lack of necessity of conversion to general anesthesia. Nevertheless, the dual guidance technique is recommended to reduce the risk of complications and might be considered the regional anesthesia of choice for shoulder surgery.
Transcriptional Activation of the Integrated Chromatin-Associated Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Promoter

ABSTRACT The regulation of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) gene expression involves a complex interplay between cellular transcription factors, chromatin-associated proviral DNA, and the virus-encoded transactivator protein, Tat. Here we show that Tat transactivates the integrated HIV-1 long terminal repeat (LTR), even in the absence of detectable basal promoter activity, and this transcriptional activation is accompanied by chromatin remodeling downstream of the transcription initiation site, as monitored by increased accessibility to restriction endonucleases. However, with an integrated promoter lacking both Sp1 and NF-κB sites, Tat was unable to either activate transcription or induce changes in chromatin structure even when it was tethered to the HIV-1 core promoter upstream of the TATA box. Tat responsiveness was observed only when Sp1 or NF-κB was bound to the promoter, implying that Tat functions subsequent to the formation of a specific transcription initiation complex. Unlike Tat, NF-κB failed to stimulate the integrated transcriptionally silent HIV-1 promoter. Histone acetylation renders the inactive HIV-1 LTR responsive to NF-κB, indicating that a suppressive chromatin structure must be remodeled prior to transcriptional activation by NF-κB. Taken together, these results suggest that Sp1 and NF-κB are required for the assembly of transcriptional complexes on the integrated viral promoter exhibiting a continuum of basal activities, all of which are fully responsive to Tat.
Elevated seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 among men with prostate cancer.

Background. To investigate any epidemiological association between human herpesvirus (HHV)-8 and prostate cancer, we determined the prevalence of HHV-8 seropositivity among prostate cancer case and control subjects in the United States and Trinidad and Tobago.Methods. Antibodies against HHV-8 were detected in 2 independent laboratories using either indirect immunofluorescence assay (IFA) or a combination of enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and IFA.Results. Among 138 Tobago men with prostate cancer, HHV-8 seroprevalence was 39.9%-significantly higher than that among 140 age-matched control subjects (22.9%; P=.003; odds ratio [OR], 2.24; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.29-3.90). Among 100 US men with prostate cancer, seroprevalence was 20%-significantly higher than that of 177 blood donors (5.1%; P=.001; OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.91-11.65) and higher than that of 99 men with cancer not related to HHV-8 (13%; P=.253; 95% CI, 0.77-3.54). Conclusions. HHV-8 seropositivity is elevated among men with prostate cancer compared with control subjects, which suggests that HHV-8 plays a role in the development of prostate cancer.