Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Type III and IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair: results of a trifurcated/two-graft technique.

OBJECTIVE Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAA) repair continues to present a surgical challenge because of obligate intraoperative visceral, renal, and spinal cord ischemia. A novel two-graft technique with a trifurcated graft for sequential visceral revascularization followed by a second graft for inline aneurysm reconstruction minimizes this endorgan ischemia. We herein present our updated experience with this approach for repair of type III and type IV TAAs. METHODS Thirty-two patients (mean age, 70 years) underwent nonemergent repair of extent III (12 patients) and IV (20 patients) TAAs between March 1996 and October 2001. Repair was achieved with a trifurcated graft for uninvolved descending thoracic aorta-to-celiac/superior mesenteric/renal artery bypass with an additional tube or bifurcated graft for inline aneurysm reconstruction. Adjunctive cerebrospinal fluid drainage was used in the last six patients. Six patients had a solitary kidney, and six had previous infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. RESULTS Mean visceral ischemia times were as follows: celiac artery, 12 minutes; superior mesenteric artery, 12 minutes; left renal artery, 10 minutes; and right renal artery, 33 minutes. The creatinine level at discharge was not significantly different from the preoperative level (1.7 versus 1.3; P =.10). Two patients (6.3%) had transient renal failure; however, the permanent renal failure rate was zero. No patient with a solitary kidney had renal dysfunction develop. Paraplegia occurred in two patients (6.3%), one of whom had prior abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and neither of whom had cerebrospinal fluid drainage. Prolonged ventilatory support (>2 days) was necessitated in six patients (19%). The perioperative mortality rate was 6.3% (two patients). The mean follow-up period was 22 months, with a life-table survival rate of 76% at 36 months. Maintenance of preoperative functional status was achieved in 92% (23/25 patients) of long-term survivors. CONCLUSION Type III and IVTAA repair with a trifurcated graft for sequential visceral revascularization followed by a second graft for inline aneurysm reconstruction provides short visceral, renal, and spinal cord ischemia times and leads to low rates of endorgan ischemic damage and paraplegia. Preoperative functional status is maintained in most survivors. These results compare favorably with other methods of TAA repair, and this technique presents a useful option in thoracoabdominal aortic reconstruction.
Social Network Analysis for Cluster-Based IP Spam Reputation

Purpose – IP reputation systems, which filter e‐mail based on the sender's IP address, are located at the perimeter – before the messages reach the mail server's anti‐spam filters. To increase IP reputation system efficacy and overcome the shortcomings of individual IP‐based filtering, recent studies have suggested exploiting the properties of IP clusters, such as those of Autonomous Systems (AS). Cluster‐based techniques can enhance accuracy and reduce false negative rates. However, clusters generally contain enormous amounts of IP addresses, which hinder cluster‐based systems from reaching their full spam filtering potential. The purpose of this paper is exploitation of social network metrics to obtain a more granular, i.e. sub‐divided, view of cluster‐based reputation, and thus enhance spam filtering accuracy.Design/methodology/approach – The authors examined the performance of various social network metrics, including nodal degree, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality and valued graphs, to fin.
Obliquely arranged feed waveguide for alternating-phase fed single-Layer slotted waveguide array

An alternating phase fed waveguide array with an oblique arrangement of feed waveguide is proposed. It belongs to single-layer waveguide arrays developed by the authors. Conventional arrays with radiation waveguides arranged perpendicularly to the feed waveguide suffer from accumulated reflection from coupling windows after round-trip propagation at the input port. In the proposed oblique arrangement, the reflections from each coupling window will not accumulate in phase but be diffused away out of phase. First, the design of obliquely arrayed T-junctions is conducted using two-dimensional finite element method (FEM). Then basic operations of the reflection canceling as well as improved voltage standing-wave ratio at the antenna input are confirmed by experiments. Almost the same radiation patterns and gain as the conventional arrays are observed in the measurements
Germanium v/s silicon Gate-all-around junctionless nanowire transistor

In this paper, we have analyzed and evaluated Germanium and Silicon Gate-all-around junctionless transistor (GAA-JLT) transistors. We have compared the various analog and digital device performance parameters such as drain current Id, on-current Ion, off-current Ioff, on-current to off current ratio Ion/Ioff, drain induced barrier lower (DIBL), sub-threshold slope (SS), transconductance gm, transgeneration factor (TGF) and cut-off frequency fT are investigated using numerical device simulator 3-D ATLAS version 2.10. 18.R. Extensive device simulations show Ge-GAA-JLT transistors has improvement in some dc device performance parameters as compared to Si-GAA-JLT transistors for both digital as well as analog applications. Ge-GAA-JLT shows the major improvement in terms of DIBL, lower threshold voltage and slight decrease in SS also. Hence, Ge-GAA-JLT is found to have improvement in device performance as compared with Si-GAA-JLT.
STUDIES OF HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS BY THE GEL DIFFUSION TECHNIQUE. II. THE CHARACTERIZATION OF VIRAL AND SOLUBLE PRECIPITATING ANTIGENS.

Summary Using gel diffusion technique, four precipitating antigens were found in preparations of herpes simplex virus. These antigens differed in their particle size, rate of diffusion in agar, density, chromatographic behavior, electrophoretic mobility and susceptibility to the destructive effects of various physical and chemical agents. All of these antigens elicited neutralizing antibodies when injected in laboratory animals.
Suppression of c-Src activity by C-terminal Src kinase involves the c-Src SH2 and SH3 domains: analysis with Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The kinase activity of c-Src is normally repressed in vertebrate cells by extensive phosphorylation of Y-527. C-terminal Src kinase (CSK) is a candidate for the enzyme that catalyzes this phosphorylation. We have used budding yeast to study the regulation of c-Src activity by CSK in intact cells. Expression of c-Src in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which lacks endogenous c-Src and Y-527 kinases, induces a kinase-dependent growth inhibition. Coexpression of CSK in these cells results in phosphorylation of c-Src on Y-527 and suppression of the c-Src phenotype. CSK does not fully suppress the activity of c-Src mutants lacking portions of the SH2 or SH3 domains, even though these mutant proteins are phosphorylated on Y-527 by CSK both in vivo and in vitro. These results suggest that both the SH2 and SH3 domains of c-Src are required for the suppression of c-Src activity by Y-527 phosphorylation.
Novel Flux-Regulatable Dual-Magnet Vernier Memory Machines for Electric Vehicle Propulsion

In this paper, two novel flux-regulatable dual-magnet vernier memory machines (DM-VMMs), which incorporate the flux-memorizable concept and vernier structure, are proposed and implemented as in-wheel motor drives for electric vehicle (EV) applications. The proposed dual-magnet configurations employ flux-modulated poles to perform large torque production in low-speed region, namely the “magnetic gearing” effect. Moreover, the flexible flux-controllability can be readily achieved to expand high-speed constant-power region by temporarily applying current pulse to magnetize/demagnetize aluminum-nickel-cobalt (AlNiCo) magnets. The configurations and operating principle of the two DM-VMMs with similar dimensions are discussed. The electromagnetic characteristics of the machines are comprehensively analyzed and quantitatively compared by time-stepping finite element method (TS-FEM) coupled with nonlinear parallelogram hysteresis model (NPHM), which verifies the feasibility of the proposed machine topologies.
Invasions and stable isotope analysis – informing ecology and management

Stable isotope analysis has increasingly been used to answer ecological questions. However, despite their potential, stable isotopes have rarely been used to assist with managing invasions. Here we discuss some of the principles behind the use of stable isotope analyses. We also review how stable isotopes can aid our understanding of the threats posed by invasive species, and the mechanisms by which some species successfully invade new environments. We then show how information from stable isotopes can be used to evaluate and refine ongoing management actions from an early stage in eradication attempts. We highlight the potential for such approaches to rapidly and simply provide detailed ecological information. We conclude that this technique can be used not only to inform our understanding of the problems caused by invasive species, but also to facilitate conservation and resource management objectives for wildlife populations.
Upstream G gamma-globin and downstream beta-globin sequences required for stage-specific expression in transgenic mice

The human G gamma-globin and beta-globin genes are expressed in erythroid cells at different stages of human development, and previous studies have shown that the two cloned genes are also expressed in a differential stage-specific manner in transgenic mice. The G gamma-globin gene is expressed only in murine embryonic erythroid cells, while the beta-globin gene is active only at the fetal and adult stages. In this study, we analyzed transgenic mice carrying a series of hybrid genes in which different upstream, intragenic, or downstream sequences were contributed by the beta-globin or G gamma-globin gene. We found that hybrid 5'G gamma/3'beta globin genes containing G gamma-globin sequences upstream from the initiation codon were expressed in embryonic erythroid cells at levels similar to those of an intact G gamma-globin transgene. In contrast, beta-globin upstream sequences were insufficient for expression of 5'beta/3'G gamma hybrid globin genes or a beta-globin-metallothionein fusion gene in adult erythroid cells. However, beta-globin downstream sequences, including 212 base pairs of exon III and 1,900 base pairs of 3'-flanking DNA, were able to activate a 5'G gamma/3'beta hybrid globin gene in fetal and adult erythroid cells. These experiments suggest that positive regulatory elements upstream from the G gamma-globin and downstream from the beta-globin gene are involved in the differential expression of the two genes during development.
Performance analysis of FCM based ANFIS and ELMAN neural network in software effort estimation

One of the major challenges confronted in the software industry is the software cost estimation. It is very much related to, the decision making in an organization to bid, plan and budget the system that is to be developed. The basic parameter in the software cost estimation is the development effort. It tend to be less accurate when computed manually. This is because, the requirements are not specified accurately at the earlier stage of the project. So several methods were developed to estimate the development effort such as regression, iteration etc. In this paper a soft computing based approach is introduced to estimate the development effort. The methodology involves an Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) using the Fuzzy C Means clustering (FCM) and Subtractive Clustering (SC) technique to compute the software effort. The methodology is compared with the effort estimated using an Elman neural network. The performance characteristics of the ANFIS based FCM and SC are verified using evaluation parameters.
The molecular chaperone calnexin is expressed on the surface of immature thymocytes in association with clonotype‐independent CD3 complexes.

Immature thymocytes express clonotype‐independent CD3 complexes that, when engaged by anti‐CD3 antibodies, can signal CD4‐CD8‐ thymocytes to differentiate into CD4+CD8+ cells. Clonotype‐independent CD3 complexes consist of CD3 components associated with an unknown 90 kDa surface protein. We now report the surprising finding that this 90 kDa surface protein is the molecular chaperone calnexin, an integral membrane protein previously thought to reside only in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). We found that calnexin‐CD3 complexes escaping to the cell surface utilize interchain associations distinct from those utilized by calnexin‐CD3 complexes remaining within the ER. Specifically, we demonstrate that carbohydrate‐mediated luminal domain interactions that are necessary for formation of most internal calnexin‐CD3 complexes destined to be expressed on the cell surface, and we provide evidence that cytoplasmic domain interactions between calnexin and CD3 epsilon chains mask calnexin's ER retention signal, permitting calnexin and associated proteins to escape ER retention. Thus, the present study demonstrates that partial T cell antigen receptor complexes can escape the ER of immature thymocytes in association with their molecular chaperone to be expressed at low levels on the cell surface where they may function as a signaling complex to regulate thymocyte maturation.
Skin Replication Procedure for the Scanning Electron Microscope

Ani improved method for preparing polyethylene replicas of skin from silicone rubber molds was developed for examination in the scanning electron microscope. Electro micrographs of the replicas compare favorably to those of fixed tissues from the same animal. Because of the great depth of field of the scanning electron microscope, both loosely attached epidermal cells and the background epidermal surface can be seen simultaneously in sharp focus, thus providing, a more complete picture of the topography of skin.
The detection of oviduct-specific proteins in the baboon (Papio anubis).

Oviducts obtained from cycling baboons were first flushed with saline, then minced and cultured in the presence of L-[3H] leucine. The flushings, tissue culture media, and solubilized tissues were analyzed by electrophoresis for secretory products that were oviduct-specific. The fluorographs of one-dimensional 7.5% slab gels demonstrated that a macromolecule of Mr 130,000 was present in the tissue culture medium of oviducts obtained during the mid-to late follicular stages, and absent during the mid-to late luteal stages. Two-dimensional analysis revealed that the Mr 130,000 band consisted of one basic protein and two acidic proteins. The basic protein formed the major component of this band and was the protein either absent or greatly reduced in intensity during the luteal stage. A macromolecule with similar electrophoretic properties was present in silver-stained, two-dimensional gels of follicular stage flushings, and absent in both luteal stage flushings and follicular stage serum. Two other macromolecules (Mr approximately equal to 160,000 and 88,000) appeared to be secretory products that were oviduct-specific. While both were present at all stages of the menstrual cycle, the Mr 160,000 protein showed a midcycle intensification, and the Mr 88,000 protein showed a midluteal stage intensification. Thus, the synthetic ability of baboon oviduct tissue and macromolecular content of the oviduct lumen changed with the stage of the menstrual cycle. The major alteration was in the synthesis and secretion of the Mr 130,000 basic macro-molecule, which was the major protein present during the follicular stage of the cycle. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Two Pathways for Glutamate Biosynthesis in the Syntrophic Bacterium Syntrophus aciditrophicus

ABSTRACT The anaerobic metabolism of crotonate, benzoate, and cyclohexane carboxylate by Syntrophus aciditrophicus grown syntrophically with Methanospirillum hungatei provides a model to study syntrophic cooperation. Recent studies revealed that S. aciditrophicus contains Re-citrate synthase but lacks the common Si-citrate synthase. To establish whether the Re-citrate synthase is involved in glutamate synthesis via the oxidative branch of the Krebs cycle, we have used [1-13C]acetate and [1-14C]acetate as well as [13C]bicarbonate as additional carbon sources during axenic growth of S. aciditrophicus on crotonate. Our analyses showed that labeled carbons were detected in at least 14 amino acids, indicating the global utilization of acetate and bicarbonate. The labeling patterns of alanine and aspartate verified that pyruvate and oxaloacetate were synthesized by consecutive carboxylations of acetyl coenzyme A (acetyl-CoA). The isotopomer profile and 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy of the obtained [13C]glutamate, as well as decarboxylation of [14C]glutamate, revealed that this amino acid was synthesized by two pathways. Unexpectedly, only the minor route used Re-citrate synthase (30 to 40%), whereas the majority of glutamate was synthesized via the reductive carboxylation of succinate. This symmetrical intermediate could have been formed from two acetates via hydration of crotonyl-CoA to 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA. 4-Hydroxybutyrate was detected in the medium of S. aciditrophicus when grown on crotonate, but an active hydratase could not be measured in cell extracts, and the annotated 4-hydroxybutyryl-CoA dehydratase (SYN_02445) lacks key amino acids needed to catalyze the hydration of crotonyl-CoA. Besides Clostridium kluyveri, this study reveals the second example of a microbial species to employ two pathways for glutamate synthesis.
Primary Patency of Long-Segment Self-Expanding Nitinol Stents in the Femoropopliteal Arteries

Purpose: To report a retrospective cohort study of nitinol stent implantation in patients at high risk for restenosis owing to long-segment (≥10 cm) femoropopliteal disease. Methods: Sixty-five consecutive patients with peripheral artery disease underwent long-segment (≥10 cm) femoropopliteal stent implantation using self-expanding nitinol stents after initial failure of plain balloon angioplasty (i.e., residual stenosis >30% or a flow-limiting dissection). Patients were followed for first occurrence of in-stent restenosis, defined as a >50% lumen diameter reduction by color-coded duplex sonography, with angiographic confirmation. Results: Cumulative median length of the stented segments was 16 cm (interquartile range [IQR] 12–25, absolute range 10–40) using up to 5 overlapping stents. During the median 8-month follow-up (IQR 6–11), no early thrombotic reocclusions occurred within 30 days, but 26 (40%) patients developed an in-stent restenosis. Cumulative freedom from restenosis at 6 and 12 months was 79% and 54% overall, respectively; at the same time periods, the rates were 84% and 71% in nondiabetic patients (n=41) versus 68% and 22% in diabetics (n=24) (adjusted hazard ratio 3.8, p=0.01). Cumulative stent length and number of implanted stents were not associated with restenosis. Conclusion: Midterm restenosis after long-segment femoropopliteal stenting using self-expanding nitinol stents remains a major problem, particularly in patients with diabetes mellitus. The midterm results in nondiabetics are encouraging.
High-dose atorvastatin after stroke or transient ischemic attack.

Background Statins reduce the incidence of strokes among patients at increased risk for cardiovascular disease; whether they reduce the risk of stroke after a recent stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) remains to be established. Methods We randomly assigned 4731 patients who had had a stroke or TIA within one to six months before study entry, had low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels of 100 to 190 mg per deciliter (2.6 to 4.9 mmol per liter), and had no known coronary heart disease to double-blind treatment with 80 mg of atorvastatin per day or placebo. The primary end point was a first nonfatal or fatal stroke. Results The mean LDL cholesterol level during the trial was 73 mg per deciliter (1.9 mmol per liter) among patients receiving atorvastatin and 129 mg per deciliter (3.3 mmol per liter) among patients receiving placebo. During a median follow-up of 4.9 years, 265 patients (11.2 percent) receiving atorvastatin and 311 patients (13.1 percent) receiving placebo had a fatal or nonfatal stroke (5-year absolute reduction in risk, 2.2 percent; adjusted hazard ratio, 0.84; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.71 to 0.99; P=0.03; unadjusted P=0.05). The atorvastatin group had 218 ischemic strokes and 55 hemorrhagic strokes, whereas the placebo group had 274 ischemic strokes and 33 hemorrhagic strokes. The five-year absolute reduction in the risk of major cardiovascular events was 3.5 percent (hazard ratio, 0.80; 95 percent confidence interval, 0.69 to 0.92; P=0.002). The overall mortality rate was similar, with 216 deaths in the atorvastatin group and 211 deaths in the placebo group (P=0.98), as were the rates of serious adverse events. Elevated liver enzyme values were more common in patients taking atorvastatin. Conclusions In patients with recent stroke or TIA and without known coronary heart disease, 80 mg of atorvastatin per day reduced the overall incidence of strokes and of cardiovascular events, despite a small increase in the incidence of hemorrhagic stroke. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00147602 [ClinicalTrials.gov].).
Shuttle Walk Tests as Outcome Measures: Are Two Incremental Shuttle Walk Tests and Two Endurance Shuttle Walk Tests Necessary?

This study was undertaken in people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease to determine differences in incremental shuttle walk test distance and endurance shuttle walk test time when two of each shuttle test were performed before (n = 53 participants) and after an exercise training program (n = 31 participants) and whether the results altered program outcomes. There was a significant increase in incremental shuttle walk test distance between the two incremental shuttle walk tests before (P < 0.001) and after training (P < 0.01). There was no significant difference in the endurance shuttle walk test time between the two endurance shuttle walk tests before (P = 0.95) or after training (P = 0.07). There was a significant increase in both incremental shuttle walk test distance and endurance shuttle walk test time after training (all P < 0.01); however, the increase was greater if the better of the two tests was reported at both time points. The incremental shuttle walk test should be performed twice before and after an exercise training program. This does not seem to be necessary for the endurance shuttle walk test; however, improvement after training was greater if the better of two endurance shuttle walk tests were used to evaluate program outcomes.
CONTINUED NEGLECT OF RURAL AND REMOTE NURSING IN AUSTRALIA : THE LINK WITH POOR HEALTH OUTCOMES

Difficulties facing Australian rural and remote nurses first emerged decades ago and recent Australian Federal Government rural health strategies have promised improvements in health outcomes. However closer scrutiny of the funding allocation supporting these claims reveals that although nurses provide the majority of health care, they receive only a small fraction of funding support. Successive rural health strategies have continued to overlook nurses’ concerns regarding the nurse practice environment interface. This persistent lack of political support stifles organisational support for the nursing role, resulting in frustration, resignation and diminished health care delivery. Meanwhile, rural and remote population health outcomes fail to show signs of improvement. INTRODUCTION