Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Complications of Pedicle Screw Fixation in Reconstructive Surgery of the Cervical Spine

Study Design. Retrospective evaluation of complications in 180 consecutive patients with cervical disorders who had been treated by using pedicle screw fixation systems. Objectives. To determine the risks associated with pedicle screw fixation in the cervical spine and to emphasize the importance of preoperative planning and surgical techniques in reducing the risks of this procedure. Summary of Background Data. Generally, pedicle screw fixation in the cervical spine has been considered too risky for the neurovascular structures. There have been several reports describing the complications of lateral mass screw–plate fixation. However, no studies have examined in detail the complications associated with cervical pedicle screw fixation. Methods. One hundred eighty patients who underwent cervical reconstructive surgery using cervical pedicle screw fixation were reviewed to clarify the complications associated with the pedicle screw fixation procedure. Cervical disorders were spinal injuries in 70 patients and nontraumatic lesions in 110 patients. Seven hundred twelve screws were inserted into the cervical pedicles, and the locations of 669 screws were radiologically evaluated. Results. Injury of the vertebral artery occurred in one patient. The bleeding was stopped by bone wax, and no neurologic complication developed after surgery. On computed tomographic (CT) scan, 45 screws (6.7%) were found to penetrate the pedicle, and 2 of 45 screws caused radiculopathy. Besides these three neurovascular complications directly attributed to screw insertion, radiculopathy caused by iatrogenic foraminal stenosis from excessive reduction of the translational deformity was observed in one patient. Conclusions. The incidence of the clinically significant complications caused by pedicle screw insertion was low. Complications associated with cervical pedicle screw fixation can be minimized by sufficient preoperative imaging studies of the pedicles and strict control of screw insertion. Pedicle screw fixation is a useful procedure for reconstruction of the cervical spine in various kinds of disorders and can be performed safely.
Mes2, a MADF‐containing transcription factor essential for Drosophila development

The development of the Drosophila mesoderm is initiated by the basic helix‐loop‐helix transcription factor twist. We identified a gene encoding a putative transcription factor, mes2, in a screen for essential mesoderm‐expressed genes that function downstream of twist. Mes2 protein belongs to a family of 48 Drosophila proteins containing MADF domains. MADF domains exist in worms, flies, and fish. Mes2 is a nuclear protein first produced in trunk and head mesoderm during late gastrulation. At later embryonic stages, mes2 is expressed in glia of the central and peripheral nervous systems, and in tissues derived from the head mesoderm. We have identified a null mutation of mes2 that leads to developmental arrest in first instar larvae. Increased production of Mes2 in multiple embryonic and larval tissues almost always causes lethality. The ubiquitous or epidermal misexpression of mes2 in the embryo causes a dramatic loss of epidermal integrity resulting in the failure of dorsal closure. Our data show that the precise regulation of mes2 expression is critical for normal development in Drosophila and implicate Mes2 in the regulation of essential target genes. Developmental Dynamics 235:3387–3395, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design and Experimental Verification of a 0.19 V 53 μW 65 nm CMOS Integrated Supply-Sensing Sensor With a Supply-Insensitive Temperature Sensor and an Inductive-Coupling Transmitter for a Self-Powered Bio-sensing System Using a Biofuel Cell

In this paper, we present a self-powered bio-sensing system with the capability of proximity inductive-coupling communication for supply sensing and temperature monitoring. The proposed bio-sensing system includes a biofuel cell as a power source and a sensing frontend that is associated with the CMOS integrated supply-sensing sensor. The sensor consists of a digital-based gate leakage timer, a supply-insensitive time-domain temperature sensor, and a current-driven inductive-coupling transmitter and achieves low-voltage operation. The timer converts the output voltage from a biofuel cell to frequency. The temperature sensor provides a pulse width modulation (PWM) output that is not dependent on the supply voltage, and the associated inductive-coupling transmitter enables proximity communication. A test chip was fabricated in 65 nm CMOS technology and consumed 53 μW with a supply voltage of 190 mV. The low-voltage-friendly design satisfied the performance targets of each integrated sensor without any trimming. The chips allowed us to successfully demonstrate proximity communication with an asynchronous receiver, and the measurement results show the potential for self-powered operation using biofuel cells. The analysis and experimental verification of the system confirmed their robustness.
STUDYING THE FEEDBACK CHANNEL IN TRANSFORM DOMAIN WYNER-ZIV VIDEO CODING *

Wyner-Ziv (WZ) video coding – a particular case of distributed video coding (DVC) – is a new video coding paradigm based on two major Information Theory results: the Slepian-Wolf and Wyner-Ziv theorems. Recently, practical WZ video coding solutions were proposed with promising results. Many of the solutions available in the literature make use of a feedback channel (FC) to perform rate control at the decoder. In this context, this paper intends to analyse the impact of the feedback channel in transform domain WZ video coding, notably through a number of metrics such as the frequency the feedback channel is used as well as its associated rate. Also a study is presented on the quality evolution of the decoded frames as more parity bits are requested via the feedback channel. Finally, the codec performance is also analyzed in terms of the compression factor at bitplane/band level. Analysing the behaviour of the metrics above is important not only to understand the feedback channel impact but also to design new tools to improve the overall codec performance.
Two distinct phenotypes of asthma in elite athletes identified by latent class analysis

Abstract Introduction: Clusters of asthma in athletes have been insufficiently studied. Therefore, the present study aimed to characterize asthma phenotypes in elite athletes using latent class analysis (LCA) and to evaluate its association with the type of sport practiced. Methods: In the present cross-sectional study, an analysis of athletes’ records was carried out in databases of the Portuguese National Anti-Doping Committee and the Norwegian School of Sport Sciences. Athletes with asthma, diagnosed according to criteria given by the International Olympic Committee, were included for LCA. Sports practiced were categorized into water, winter and other sports. Results: Of 324 files screened, 150 files belonged to asthmatic athletes (91 Portuguese; 59 Norwegian). LCA retrieved two clusters: “atopic asthma” defined by allergic sensitization, rhinitis and allergic co-morbidities and increased exhaled nitric oxide levels; and “sports asthma”, defined by exercise-induced respiratory symptoms and airway hyperesponsiveness without allergic features. The risk of developing the phenotype “sports asthma” was significantly increased in athletes practicing water (OR = 2.87; 95%CI [1.82–4.51]) and winter (OR = 8.65; 95%CI [2.67–28.03]) sports, when compared with other athletes. Conclusion: Two asthma phenotypes were identified in elite athletes: “atopic asthma” and “sports asthma”. The type of sport practiced was associated with different phenotypes: water and winter sport athletes had three- and ninefold increased risk of “sports asthma”. Recognizing different phenotypes is clinically relevant as it would lead to distinct targeted treatments.
Signaling and Immunoresolving Actions of Resolvin D1 in Inflamed Human Visceral Adipose Tissue

Persistent activation of the innate immune system greatly influences the risk for developing metabolic complications associated with obesity. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of the specialized proresolving mediator (SPM) resolvin D1 (RvD1) to actively promote the resolution of inflammation in human visceral adipose tissue from obese (Ob) patients. Using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry–based metabololipidomic analysis, we identified unbalanced production of SPMs (i.e., D- and E-series resolvins, protectin D1, maresin 1, and lipoxins) with respect to inflammatory lipid mediators (i.e., leukotriene B4 and PGs) in omental adipose tissue from Ob patients. In parallel, high-throughput transcriptomic analysis revealed a unique signature in this tissue that was characterized by overactivation of the IL-10 signaling pathway. Incubation of inflamed Ob visceral adipose tissues and human macrophages with RvD1 limited excessive activation of the IL-10 pathway by reducing phosphorylation of STAT proteins. Of interest, RvD1 blocked STAT-1 and its target inflammatory genes (i.e., CXCL9), as well as persistent STAT3 activation, without affecting the IL-10 anti-inflammatory response characterized by inhibition of IL-6, IL-1β, IL-8, and TNF-α. Furthermore, RvD1 promoted resolution by enhancing expression of the IL-10 target gene heme oxygenase-1 by mechanisms dependent on p38 MAPK activity. Together, our data show that RvD1 can tailor the quantitative and qualitative responses of human inflamed adipose tissue to IL-10 and provide a mechanistic basis for the immunoresolving actions of RvD1 in this tissue. These findings may have potential therapeutic implications in obesity-related insulin resistance and other metabolic complications.
TNF receptor family signaling in the development and functions of medullary thymic epithelial cells

Thymic epithelial cells (TECs) provide the microenvironment required for the development of T cells in the thymus. A unique property of medullary thymic epithelial cells (mTECs) is their expression of a wide range of tissue-restricted self-antigens, critically regulated by the nuclear protein AIRE, which contributes to the selection of the self-tolerant T cell repertoire, thereby suppressing the onset of autoimmune diseases. The TNF receptor family (TNFRF) protein receptor activator of NF-κB (RANK), CD40 and lymphotoxin β receptor (LtβR) regulate the development and functions of mTECs. The engagement of these receptors with their specific ligands results in the activation of the NF-κB family of transcription factors. Two NF-κB activation pathways, the classical and non-classical pathways, promote the development of mature mTECs induced by these receptors. Consistently, TNF receptor-associated factor (TRAF6), the signal transducer of the classical pathway, and NF-κB inducing kinase (NIK), the signal transducer of the non-classical pathway, are essential for the development of mature mTECs. This review summarizes the current understanding of how the signaling by the TNF receptor family controls the development and functions of mTEC.
A note on derivations of Murray–von Neumann algebras

Significance In this article, derivations of algebras of unbounded operators acting on a Hilbert space are discussed. Derivations appear as the generators of one-parameter groups that express the symmetries and dynamical evolution of quantum-mechanical systems. One can see this relation to derivations by examining Dirac's Program for a mathematical formulation of the fundamentals of quantum mechanics. A Murray–von Neumann algebra is the algebra of operators affiliated with a finite von Neumann algebra. In this article, we first present a brief introduction to the theory of derivations of operator algebras from both the physical and mathematical points of view. We then describe our recent work on derivations of Murray–von Neumann algebras. We show that the “extended derivations” of a Murray–von Neumann algebra, those that map the associated finite von Neumann algebra into itself, are inner. In particular, we prove that the only derivation that maps a Murray–von Neumann algebra associated with a factor of type II1 into that factor is 0. Those results are extensions of Singer’s seminal result answering a question of Kaplansky, as applied to von Neumann algebras: The algebra may be noncommutative and may even contain unbounded elements.
Comparison of the Costs and Recovery Profiles of Three Anesthetic Techniques for Ambulatory Anorectal Surgery

BackgroundGiven the current practice environment, it is important to determine the anesthetic technique with the highest patient acceptance and lowest associated costs. The authors compared three commonly used anesthetic techniques for anorectal procedures in the ambulatory setting. MethodsNinety-three consenting adult outpatients undergoing anorectal surgery were randomly assigned to one of three anesthetic treatment groups: group 1 received local infiltration with a 30-ml mixture containing 15 ml lidocaine, 2%, and 15 ml bupivacaine, 0.5%, with epinephrine (1:200,000) in combination with intravenous sedation using a propofol infusion, 25–100 &mgr;g · kg−1 · min−1; group 2 received a spinal subarachnoid block with a combination of 30 mg lidocaine and 20 &mgr;g fentanyl with midazolam, 1–2-mg intravenous bolus doses; and group 3 received general anesthesia with 2.5 mg/kg propofol administered intravenously and 0.5–2% sevoflurane in combination with 65% nitrous oxide. In groups 2 and 3, the surgeon also administered 10 ml of the previously described local anesthetic mixture at the surgical site before the skin incision. ResultsThe mean costs were significantly decreased in group 1 ($69 ± 20 compared with $104 ± 18 and $145 ± 25 in groups 2 and 3, respectively) because both intraoperative and recovery costs were lowest (P < 0.05). Although the surgical time did not differ among the three groups, the anesthesia time and times to oral intake and home-readiness were significantly shorter in group 1 (vs. groups 2 and 3). There was no significant difference among the three groups with respect to the postoperative side effects or unanticipated hospitalizations. However, the need for pain medication was less in groups 1 and 2 (19% and 19%vs. 45% for group 3;P < 0.05). Patients in group 1 had no complaints of nausea (vs. 3% and 26% in groups 2 and 3, respectively). More patients in group 1 (68%) were highly satisfied with the care they received than in groups 2 (58%) and 3 (39%). ConclusionsThe use of local anesthesia with sedation is the most cost-effective technique for anorectal surgery in the ambulatory setting.
Differential Expression of Three Flavanone 3-Hydroxylase Genes in Grains and Coleoptiles of Wheat

Flavonoid pigments are known to accumulate in red grains and coleoptiles of wheat and are synthesized through the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) is a key enzyme at a diverging point of the flavonoid pathway leading to production of different pigments: phlobaphene, proanthocyanidin, and anthocyanin. We isolated three F3H genes from wheat and examined a relationship between their expression and tissue pigmentation. Three F3Hs are located on the telomeric region of the long arm of chromosomes 2A, 2B, and 2D, respectively, designated as F3H-A1, F3H-B1, and F3H-D1. The telomeric regions of the long arms of the chromosomes of homoeologous group 2 of wheat showed a syntenic relationship to the telomeric region of the long arm of rice chromosome 4, on which rice F3H gene was also located. All three genes were highly activated in the red grains and coleoptiles and appeared to be controlled by flavonoid regulators in each tissue.
3-D Kinematical Conservation Laws (KCL): Equations of Evolution of a Surface

We discuss various aspects of the KCL of Giles, Prasad and Ravindran (GPR) (1995) in 3-space dimensions. These are equations of evolution of a moving surface $\Omega_t$ and are derived on the assumption that the motion of the surface is isotropic so that we can associate a simpler form of the ray velocity $\mbox{\boldmath{$\chi$}}=m \mathbf{n}$ at a point of $\Omega_t$, where ${\bf n}$ is unit normal of $\Omega_t$ and $m$ is a scalar independent of ${\bf n}$. These equations are the most general equations in conservation form, governing the evolution of a {\bf propagating} surface $\Omega_t$ with singularities which we call {\bf kinks} and which are curves across which the normal $\mathbf{n}$ to $\Omega_t$ and amplitude $w$ on $\Omega_t$ are discontinuous. Following GPR, we discuss the jump relations across a kink and some of their properties. The amplitude $w$ of $\Omega_t$ is related to the normal velocity $m$ of $\Omega_t$ and this relation is to be determined from the physical laws governing the evolution of $\Omega_t$. We derive a simpler system of six differential equations from KCL and show that the KCL system is equivalent to the ray equations for $\Omega_t$. The six independent equations and an energy transport equation involving $w$ (in a simplified model) form a completely determined system of seven equations, which has a pair of nonzero eigenvalues and five zero eigenvalues. The dimension of the eigenspace associated with the multiple eigenvalue $0$ is $4$ i.e., this eigenspace is not complete. For an appropriately defined normal velocity, the two nonzero eigenvalues are real when $m>1$ and pure imaginary when $m<1$. Though determination of the eigenvalues is extremely complicated, our results on eigenvalues and eigenvectors have been obtained indirectly by a transformation and are also supported by numerical solution of the 7th degree characteristic equation. We shall present the numerical solutions of examples of propagating surfaces using this theory in subsequent papers.
Non‐homologous end‐joining proteins are required for Agrobacterium T‐DNA integration

Agrobacterium tumefaciens causes crown gall disease in dicotyledonous plants by introducing a segment of DNA (T‐DNA), derived from its tumour‐inducing (Ti) plasmid, into plant cells at infection sites. Besides these natural hosts, Agrobacterium can deliver the T‐DNA also to monocotyledonous plants, yeasts and fungi. The T‐DNA integrates randomly into one of the chromosomes of the eukaryotic host by an unknown process. Here, we have used the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as a T‐DNA recipient to demonstrate that the non‐homologous end‐joining (NHEJ) proteins Yku70, Rad50, Mre11, Xrs2, Lig4 and Sir4 are required for the integration of T‐DNA into the host genome. We discovered a minor pathway for T‐DNA integration at the telomeric regions, which is still operational in the absence of Rad50, Mre11 or Xrs2, but not in the absence of Yku70. T‐DNA integration at the telomeric regions in the rad50, mre11 and xrs2 mutants was accompanied by gross chromosomal rearrangements.
SNM1B/Apollo in the DNA damage response and telomere maintenance

hSNM1B/Apollo is a member of the highly conserved β-CASP subgroup within the MBL superfamily of proteins. It interacts with several DNA repair proteins and functions within the Fanconi anemia pathway in response to DNA interstrand crosslinks. As a shelterin accessory protein, hSNM1B/Apollo is also vital for the generation and maintenance of telomeric overhangs. In this review, we will summarize studies on hSNM1B/Apollo's function, including its contribution to DNA damage signaling, replication fork maintenance, control of topological stress and telomere protection. Furthermore, we will highlight recent studies illustrating hSNM1B/Apollo's putative role in human disease.
Bio-mimetic impedance control of an EMG-controlled prosthetic hand

This paper proposes a new control method of an externally powered prosthetic hand based on a skeletal muscle model. This method consists of two steps: in the first step, a joint of a prosthetic hand to be driven is selected based on the EMG pattern discrimination using a neural network. Then, muscular contraction levels of flexors and extensors are estimated using other neural networks and used for an impedance control of the prosthetic hand in the second step. In the experiments, natural feeling of the prosthetic control similar to that of a human arm is realized using the neural networks and the impedance control.
The Role of Electrostatic Interactions in the Regulation of the Membrane Association of G Protein βγ Heterodimers*

In this paper we report calculations of electrostatic interactions between the transducin (Gt) βγ heterodimer (Gtβγ) and phospholipid membranes. Although membrane association of Gtβγ is due primarily to the hydrophobic penetration into the membrane interior of a farnesyl chain attached to the γ subunit, structural studies have revealed that there is a prominent patch of basic residues on the surface of the β subunit surrounding the site of farnesylation that is exposed upon dissociation from the Gtα subunit. Moreover, phosducin, which produces dissociation of Gtβγ from membranes, interacts directly with Gtβγ and introduces a cluster of acidic residues into this region. The calculations, which are based on the finite difference Poisson-Boltzmann method, account for a number of experimental observations and suggest that charged residues play a role in mediating protein-membrane interactions. Specifically, the calculations predict the following. 1) Favorable electrostatic interactions enhance the membrane partitioning due to the farnesyl group by an order of magnitude although Gtβγ has a large net negative charge (−12). 2) This electrostatic attraction positions Gtβγ so that residues implicated in mediating the interaction of Gtβγ with its membrane-bound effectors are close to the membrane surface. 3) The binding of phosducin to Gtβγ diminishes the membrane partitioning of Gtβγ by an order of magnitude. 4) Lowering the ionic strength of the solution converts the electrostatic attraction into a repulsion. Sequence analysis and homology model building suggest that our conclusions may be generalized to other Gβγ and phosducin isoforms as well.
Automatic Recognition of Famous Artists by Machine

The paper addresses the question whether it is possible for a machine to learn to distinguish and recognise famous musicians (concert pianists), based on their style of playing. We extract a number of low-level features related to expressive timing and dynamics from the original audio CD recordings by famous pianists, and apply various machine learning algorithms to the task of learning classifiers based on these features. Experiments show that the computer can learn to identify the performer in a new recording with a probability significantly higher than chance, despite the fact that the features only capture a very limited amount of information about a performance. An analysis of the learned classifiers reveals a number of performance features that seem particularly relevant to style differentiation, and an application of the classifiers to music of a very different style shows that the machine seems to have captured truly fundamental aspects of artistic style. One limitation of the current approach is that sequential information is totally ignored, and we briefly report on ongoing work that tries to address this problem via an interesting conversion of music performances to strings.