Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[CAS of the paranasal sinuses--technology and clinical experience with the Vector-Vision-Compact-System in 102 patients].

INTRODUCTION Functional endonasal sinus surgery has gained significant importance in the treatment of chronic inflammatory sinus disease over the past 20 years. Still, the risk of jeopardizing adjacent structures, i. e. the anterior skull base, optic nerve or carotid artery, is increased, especially in revision cases. Several attempts have been made in the past to reduce the risk of iatrogenic injuries due to this kind of surgery and to increase the safety of the procedure, one of them being the introduction and clinical application of image guided and computer assisted surgery (CAS) respectively. A new method of patient registration for the CAS is the non-contact laser registration (z-touch trade mark laser). The main advantage of the laser registration device, is that it is no longer necessary to equip the patient with special markers or with a headset for the registration scan, therefore additional CT scans can be avoided. MATERIAL AND METHODS In this study we summarize our experience with the Vector Vision compact navigation system. The study population contained 102 patient, treated over a period of 18 months (Sept. 2000 - Dez. 2001). The indications for the CAS were mainly revision operations of recurrent nasal polyps, mucoceles or other chronic rhino-sinus diseases, especially of the frontal sinus. In 35 cases the headset registration was applied, in all other cases we used the z-touch trade mark laser registration. RESULTS The preoperative planning time was significantly lower for z-touch trade mark laser registration ( 5,2 min) compared to the headset registration ( 20,2 min), the set-up-time in the operation room was nearly the same, 7 min for z-touch trade mark laser registration and 6 min for headset registration. The most important criterion for CAS, of course, is accuracy during surgery; here we also observed an increased accuracy for the z-touch trade mark laser registration. CONCLUSIONS Our data confirm earlier observations indicating that CAS enhances safety during endoscopic sinus surgery especially in revision cases. In addition it might be a helpful adjunct for the beginner and even advanced surgeon during routine sinus procedures. Nevertheless, CAS should not be misinterpreted as a substitute for thorough and meticulous studying of this delicate area including cadaver studies. Our results further demonstrate that the faster and simple registration method allows us to use the system more frequently, thereby increasing the number of navigated cases. The accuracy we can achieve varies between 0.9 and 2.4 mm, with a mean value of 1,3 in the x- and y-axis and 1,4 in the z-axis. In addition it is also possible to use imaging data sets obtained prior to the intent to operate. This not only reduces the cost for imaging studies, but also minimizes the manpower needed to place the fiducials, organize and perform additional acquisition of images.
DNA Damage Checkpoints Inhibit Mitotic Exit by Two Different Mechanisms

ABSTRACT Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) governs cell cycle progression, and its kinase activity fluctuates during the cell cycle. Mitotic exit pathways are responsible for the inactivation of CDK after chromosome segregation by promoting the release of a nucleolus-sequestered phosphatase, Cdc14, which antagonizes CDK. In the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae, mitotic exit is controlled by the FEAR (for “Cdc-fourteen early anaphase release”) and mitotic exit network (MEN) pathways. In response to DNA damage, two branches of the DNA damage checkpoint, Chk1 and Rad53, are activated in budding yeast to prevent anaphase entry and mitotic exit, allowing cells more time to repair damaged DNA. Here we present evidence indicating that yeast cells negatively regulate mitotic exit through two distinct pathways in response to DNA damage. Rad53 prevents mitotic exit by inhibiting the MEN pathway, whereas the Chk1 pathway prevents FEAR pathway-dependent Cdc14 release in the presence of DNA damage. In contrast to previous data, the Rad53 pathway negatively regulates MEN independently of Cdc5, a Polo-like kinase essential for mitotic exit. Instead, a defective Rad53 pathway alleviates the inhibition of MEN by Bfa1.
A Study of the Role of the Maintained-Discharge Parameter in the Divisive Normalization Model of V1 Neurons

The divisive normalization model [Heeger, 1992] accounts successfully for a wide range of phenomena observed in single-cell physiological recordings from neurons in primary visual cortex (V1). Using mathematical analyses and simulation experiments, we investigated the role of the maintained-discharge (base firing rate) parameter in this model. We developed an implementation that can take grayscale images as inputs and applied it to the types of visual stimuli used in a comprehensive suite of published physiological studies. We found that three empirical phenomena are closely associated with the maintained-discharge parameter: (A) the existence of inhibitory regions in the receptive fields of simple cells in V1, (B) the supersaturation effect in the contrast sensitivity curves, and (C) the narrowing/widening of the spatial-frequency tuning curves when the stimulus contrast decreases. The model predicts two patterns of these phenomena: One possibility is that a neuron can show A, B, and widening (C); the other possibility is to show not-A, not-B, and narrowing (C). This interdependence is a potentially falsifiable prediction of the divisive normalization model.
COM analysis for LSAW filters

This paper presents a modified COM - based analysis for LSAW ladder and coupled resonator filters. The acoustic sources between the adjacent elements (transducers and gratings) are taken into account by using a gap-type cell instead of a traditional electrode-type cell. Mutual capacitances between the elements are calculated from an electrostatic analysis. The Y-matrix of the device is obtained by a combination of P-matrix cascading and the circuit analysis. The presented analysis is applied to the devices with chirped and apodized elements. A good agreement between calculated and experimental results is demonstrated.
Predicting future healthcare costs: how well does risk-adjustment work?

PURPOSE Risk-adjustment is designed to predict healthcare costs to align capitated payments with an individual's expected healthcare costs. This can have the consequence of reducing overpayments and incentives to under treat or reject high cost individuals. This paper seeks to review recent studies presenting risk-adjustment models. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH This paper presents a brief discussion of two commonly reported statistics used for evaluating the accuracy of risk adjustment models and concludes with recommendations for increasing the predictive accuracy and usefulness of risk-adjustment models in the context of predicting future healthcare costs. FINDINGS Over the last decade, many advances in risk-adjustment methodology have been made. There has been a focus on the part of researchers to transition away from including only demographic data in their risk-adjustment models to incorporating patient data that are more predictive of healthcare costs. This transition has resulted in more accurate risk-adjustment models and models that can better identify high cost patients with chronic medical conditions. ORIGINALITY/VALUE The paper shows that the transition has resulted in more accurate risk-adjustment models and models that can better identify high cost patients with chronic medical conditions.
In‐vitro and in‐vivo assays for angiogenesis‐modulating drug discovery and development

In the past 35 years, significant findings have been made in relation to angiogenesis, and how this usually normal physiological function is converted into an abnormal state in cancer. To search for agents that can inhibit angiogenesis, and thereby prevent a tumour from proliferation and spread that is ultimately fatal to the patient, various in‐vitro assays have been developed. In addition, older assays have been refined usually into high throughput screening formats, mainly by the biopharmaceutical industry in their attempts to develop novel therapeutic molecules and maintain a pipeline of lead candidates. The central aim is to extract more accurate data that would facilitate the birth of innovative mechanisms to defeat aberrant angiogenesis in‐vivo. At the same time, better in‐vivo models have been established, with the goal to mimic as close as possible the natural progression of various types of neoplasms in response to a good angiogenic response. More clinically relevant models are needed as anti‐angiogenesis drug discovery and drug development companies fast track their lead molecules from preclinical investigations to phase I clinical trials.
Linkage analysis for the diagnosis of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease, and for the determination of genetic heterogeneity in Italian families

Sixty‐eight individuals from six Italian families in which autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is segregating, were typed in DNA polymorphisms linked to the PKD1 locus on chromosome 16. A total of ten probes were used: 3′ HVR, HMJ1, EKMDA, GGG1, 26–6, VK5B, 218EP6, 24.1, CR1090, and 41.1. Zmax was 4.502 at theta = 0.082 between ADPKD and 3′ HVR, and 4.382, 1.947, and 1.576 between ADPKD and GGG1, 26.6, and 218EP6, respectively, at theta = 0.0. No clear evidence of genetic heterogeneity was found. Multipoint analyses were consistent with linkage to PKD1. Twenty‐nine diagnoses and 16 exclusions made by ultrasonography were confirmed by genotype determinations; in two clinically uncertain cases, DNA analysis predicted one individual as being affected and the other unaffected.
A scalable analytical model for the ESD N-well resistor

We have proposed a simple analytical model for the N-well resistor up to the turnover point in the I-V characteristic of the device. A simple and accurate method of extraction of the parameters used on which this model is based has also been proposed. Furthermore, the scalability of these parameters has also been studied. The model and its scalability have been verified with experimental data.
Pruning Duplicate Nodes in Depth-First Search

Best-first search algorithms require exponential memory, while depth-first algorithms require only linear memory. On graphs with cycles, however, depth-first searches do not detect duplicate nodes, and hence may generate asymptotically more nodes than best-first searches. We present a technique for reducing the asymptotic complexity of depth-first search by eliminating the generation of duplicate nodes. The automatic discovery and application of a finite state machine (FSM) that enforces pruning rules in a depth-first search, has significantly extended the power of search in several domains. We have implemented and tested the technique on a grid, the Fifteen Puzzle, the Twenty-Four Puzzle, and two versions of Rubik's Cube. In each case, the effective branching factor of the depth-first search is reduced, reducing the asymptotic time complexity.
Physical activity during pregnancy in normal-weight and obese women: Compliance using pedometer assessment

The objectives of this prospective study were to compare physical activity in 70 normal-weight women with a body mass index (BMI) 20–25 kg/m2, and 70 obese with a BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2, before and during pregnancy, and to compare compliance using the pedometer. Physical activity before pregnancy was assessed by questionnaires and during pregnancy by a pedometer worn on 7 consecutive days every 4th week. Obese women were less physically active than normal-weight women both before (p < 0.05) and during pregnancy (p < 0.0012). Both the compliance and the physical activity gradually declined during gestation. The change in physical activity could be described by a significant interaction between BMI group, gestational age (p < 0.007) and the day of the week (p < 0.001) when using ANOVA and interaction analysis. Maternal weight gain was larger in the normal-weight than in the obese women, but lower in the non-compliant obese women compared with the compliant (p < 0.05).
Classical Music Clustering Based on Acoustic Features

In this paper we cluster 330 classical music pieces collected from MusicNet database based on their musical note sequence. We use shingling and chord trajectory matrices to create signature for each music piece and performed spectral clustering to find the clusters. Based on different resolution, the output clusters distinctively indicate composition from different classical music era and different composing style of the musicians.
Incorporating patients' assessments into objective structured clinical examinations.

INTRODUCTION There is a need to improve the validity of performance assessments and to develop better ways of identifying and assessing what students actually do in practice. Incorporating patients' assessments into OSCEs has the potential to offer both an expert assessment of aspects of the doctor-patient interaction and improve validity. Therefore, we held a trial using simulated patient (SP) assessments in history-taking, explaining and communication skills stations in third year OSCEs. METHODS SPs made two separate ratings of each student they saw in the OSCE. Examiners graded students using checklists and an overall 'borderline' grade. SP and examiners' marks were subject to statistical analysis. RESULTS The reliability of the SP ratings was . 77. The reliability of the SP borderline grades was . 68. The reliability of the ratings and grades combined was . 86. SPs reached consensus on the characteristics of high and low performing students. CONCLUSIONS SP assessments are reliable. Statistical analysis demonstrated that SPs and clinicians are assessing different aspects of students' performance. We concluded that, due to our approach to working with SPs, their assessments increased validity.
Cytoskeleton and Vesicle Mobility in Astrocytes

Exocytotic vesicles in astrocytes are increasingly viewed as essential in astrocyte‐to‐neuron communication in the brain. In neurons and excitable secretory cells, delivery of vesicles to the plasma membrane for exocytosis involves an interaction with the cytoskeleton, in particular microtubules and actin filaments. Whether cytoskeletal elements affect vesicle mobility in astrocytes is unknown. We labeled single vesicles with fluorescent atrial natriuretic peptide and monitored their mobility in rat astrocytes with depolymerized microtubules, actin, and intermediate filaments and in mouse astrocytes deficient in the intermediate filament proteins glial fibrillary acidic protein and vimentin. In astrocytes, as in neurons, microtubules participated in directional vesicle mobility, and actin filaments played an important role in this process. Depolymerization of intermediate filaments strongly affected vesicle trafficking and in their absence the fraction of vesicles with directional mobility was reduced.
Skilled Labor Job Mobility during the Second Industrial Revolution

We analyze the job matching process for 19th-century labor markets using a lengthy panel dataset of naval officer careers. Estimates of a dynamic model indicate that an increase in job tenure or an increase in the distribution of external wage offers increases the probability of job separation. On the other hand an increase in internal relative wage offers decreases the probability of separation. The accumulation of job-specific human capital has relatively non-existent effects on mobility choices with the exception of skills related to technological or engineering aptitude. Aside from testing the job matching hypothesis, our results have important implications for policy makers who evaluate incentives designed to retain their best human capital. This is particularly applicable for understanding the price incentives for military and other personnel, but it should also matter for economies attempting to retain skilled workers as they experience rapid technological change.
Eight Weeks of Resistance Training Can Significantly Alter Body Composition in Children Who Are Overweight or Obese

McGuigan, MR, Tatasciore, M, Newton, RU, and Pettigrew, S. Eight weeks of resistance training can significantly alter body composition in children who are overweight or obese. J Strength Cond Res 23(1): 80-85, 2009-The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of an 8-week resistance training program on children who were overweight or obese. Forty-eight children (n = 26 girls and 22 boys; mean age = 9.7 years) participated in an 8-week undulating periodized resistance training program for 3 d·wk−1. Measures of body composition via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry, anthropometry, strength, and power were made before and after the training intervention. There was a significant decrease in absolute percent body fat of 2.6% (p = 0.003) and a significant increase in lean body mass of 5.3% (p = 0.07). There were no significant changes in height, weight, body mass index, total fat mass, or bone mineral content. There were significant increases in 1-repetition maximum squat (74%), number of push-ups (85%), countermovement jump height (8%), static jump height (4%), and power (16%). These results demonstrate that the resistance training program implemented produces significant changes in body composition and strength and power measures, as well as being well tolerated by the participants. An undulating periodized program provides variation and significantly increases lean body mass, decreases percent body fat, and increases strength and power in children who are overweight and obese.
Organization of Twisting Lamellar Crystals in Birefringent Banded Polymer Spherulites: A Mini-Review

In this mini-review, we summarize the evidences of lamellar twisting in the birefringent banded polymer spherulites demonstrated by various characterization techniques, such as polarized optical microscopy, real-time atomic force microscopy, micro-focus wide angle X-ray diffraction, etc. The real-time observation of lamellar growth under atomic force microscopy unveiled the fine details of lamellar twisting and branching in the banded spherulites of poly(R-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-17 mol% R-3-hydroxyhexanoate). Organization of the twisting lamellar crystals in the banded spherulites was revealed as well. The lamellar crystals change the orientation via twisting rather than the macro screw dislocations. In fact, macro screw dislocation provides the mechanism of synchronous twisting of neighboring lamellar crystals. The driving force of lamellar twisting is attributed to the anisotropic and unbalanced surface stresses. Besides molecular chirality, variation of the growth axis and the chemical groups on lamellar surface can change the distribution of the surface stresses, and thus may invert the handedness of lamellar twisting. Thus, based on both experimental results and physical reasoning, the relation between crystal chirality and chemical molecular structures has been suggested, via the bridge of the distribution of surface stresses. The factors affecting band spacing are briefly discussed. Some remaining questions and the perspective of the topic are highlighted.
MIMO array for space division duplex

We propose a novel self-interference cancellation (SIC) technique for space-division-duplex (SDD) multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) array. The proposed SIC approach is as follows; first, an one-rank channel matrix, called a SI matrix in the paper, having only one dominant mode is formed between multiple transmitting (Tx) and receiving (Rx) antennas in a same SDD array. Then, the Tx/Rx ports are spatially isolated by cutting off the dominant mode giving eigenweight excitation to either the Tx or Rx array, that is, SIC is achieved at a cost of only one degree of freedom (DOF). For this SIC approach, we present a simple analog implementation using a cuboidal array configuration for the one-rank SI matrix and hybrid couplers for the eigenweight excitation. In this paper, theoretical aspects of the proposed technique are mainly focused on, and some numerical results are given demonstrating a good SIC effect even in some practical models.
Origin of Haemophilus influenzae R factors

The Haemophilus influenzae R plasmids specifying resistance against one, two, or three antibiotics which have emerged in different parts of the world were shown to have closely related but not identical plasmid cores. The gene for ampicillin resistance in the H. influenzae plasmid pKRE5367 is part of a transposon similar to Tn3, which was transposed from pKRE5367 onto RSF1010 in Escherichia coli. An indigenous H. influenzae plasmid (pW266) was isolated. Its properties correspond to those of the H. influenzae R plasmids, except for the presence of a drug resistance transposon. The in vitro-generated H. influenzae R plasmids carrying an ampicillin resistance transposon, a tetracycline resistance transposon, and a transposon for combined tetracycline-chloramphenicol resistance resembled the natural isolates. The findings support the hypothesis that the R plasmids of H. influenzae are of multiclonal evolutionary origin.
Scraping versus videodermatoscopy for the diagnosis of scabies: a comparative study.

Sir, The standard technique for diagnosis of human scabies is by microscopic examination of scales obtained by skin scraping, using a needle in order to ®nd the female mite in her burrow. Epiluminescence microscopy allows in vivo detection of the mite, and consists of skin lesion observation via stereomicroscope after the application of oil and a slide between the lens and the skin (1, 2). We carried out a comparative study of scraping vs. videodermatoscopy in 38 patients suspected of being infested with scabies (age range 1 month to 81 years).
Compact coplanar waveguide-fed Ultra-wideband MIMO antenna with half slot structure

In this paper, a compact multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO) antenna is proposed for Ultra-wideband (UWB) applications. The proposed MIMO antenna is comprised by two symmetrically placed half slot antenna elements which one side of the slot is open to the air. Two antenna elements share the same ground plane, and each opening of the half slot gapes to the opposite directions. For covering the entire UWB frequency band, coplanar waveguide-fed structure is utilized in the antenna. This feeding mechanism is prone to generating multiple resonant frequencies and realizing the compact construction. The impedance bandwidth is sensitive to the shape of the radiator. To realize good impedance matching, a fine-tuned ellipse-shaped radiator, which is with semi-major axis 4.8mm and semi-minor axis 3.74 mm, is obtained through numerous optimizations and experiments. The reflection coefficient decreases at the high frequency, because the currents are concentrated on the edge of the slot, and the dielectric loss leads to the loss of energy. To achieve good isolation performance at lower UWB frequency, a fork-shaped slot is etched on the ground, at the center of the bottom. The fork-shaped slot effectively suppresses the currents flowing on the same ground plane, and the mutual coupling of 3-5 GHz reduces from -8 dB to -15 dB below. The overall size of the proposed antenna is only 23 × 18mm2. The results show that the achieved impedance bandwidth (|S11|, |S22| <; -10 dB) is from 3 to 12.6 GHz, and the mutual coupling is lower than -15 dB. The antenna also contains stable gain and omni-directional radiation patterns. The proposed compact MIMO antenna with effective UWB performance is competitive for portable UWB MIMO devices.