Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Endovascular mechanical clot retrieval in a broad ischemic stroke cohort.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Our aim was to describe an expanded experience with endovascular mechanical embolectomy in a broad group of patients, including those not meeting entry criteria for the MERCI multicenter trials. METHODS We performed an analysis of all patients with ischemic stroke treated with the Merci Clot Retrieval Device at a single academic center outside of the Mechanical Embolus Removal in Cerebral Ischemia (MERCI) trials. RESULTS Twenty-four patients were treated with the device. Nine were MERCI trial ineligible: 4 received intravenous (IV) tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), 1 received IV tPA and was younger than 18 years of age, and 4 had time-to-treatment of longer than 8 hours. Mean age was 64 years (range, 14-89 years; 42% women). Median National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score was 21 (range, 11-30). Median symptoms-to-procedure-start time was 303 minutes (range, 85-2385 minutes). Recanalization (Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction, 2-3) was achieved in 15/24 (63%). In device-only patients, recanalization occurred in 10/16. In patients who failed IV tPA undergoing rescue embolectomy, recanalization was achieved in 4/5. Three patients unresponsive to device therapy received rescue intra-arterial tPA/abciximab; recanalization was achieved in 2/3. Recanalization was achieved in 3/4 patients in whom treatment was started longer than 8 hours after symptom onset. Asymptomatic hemorrhage occurred in 38%; symptomatic hemorrhage, in 8%. Three device fractures occurred; none worsened clinical outcome. In-hospital mortality was 17%; 90-day mortality, 29%. Good 90-day functional outcome (modified Rankin Scale, <or=2) was achieved by 25% (6/24). CONCLUSIONS Endovascular mechanical embolectomy is an effective means of achieving revascularization in patients with acute ischemic stroke, including patients with late treatment start and intravenous tPA failure. Device-based therapy achieved recanalization in nearly two thirds of patients and good clinical outcomes in one fourth, with symptomatic hemorrhage in less than one tenth.
ESMO-ESGO-ESTRO Consensus Conference on Endometrial Cancer

Abstract The first joint European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO), European SocieTy for Radiotherapy & Oncology (ESTRO) and European Society of Gynaecological Oncology (ESGO) consensus conference on endometrial cancer was held on 11–13 December 2014 in Milan, Italy, and comprised a multidisciplinary panel of 40 leading experts in the management of endometrial cancer. Before the conference, the expert panel prepared three clinically-relevant questions about endometrial cancer relating to the following four areas: prevention and screening, surgery, adjuvant treatment and advanced and recurrent disease. All relevant scientific literature, as identified by the experts, was reviewed in advance. During the consensus conference, the panel developed recommendations for each specific question and a consensus was reached. Results of this consensus conference, together with a summary of evidence supporting each recommendation, are detailed in this article. All participants have approved this final article.
Restoring Visual Acuity in Dynamic Conditions with a Vestibular Implant

Vestibular implants are devices designed to rehabilitate patients with a bilateral vestibular loss (BVL). These patients lack a properly functioning vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR), which impairs gaze stabilization abilities and results in an abnormal loss of visual acuity (VA) in dynamic situations (i.e., severely limiting the patient's ability to read signs or recognize faces while walking). We previously demonstrated that the VOR can be artificially restored in a group of BVL patients fitted with a prototype vestibular implant. This study was designed to investigate whether these promising results could be translated to a close-to-reality task, significantly improving VA abilities while walking. Six BVL patients previously implanted with a vestibular implant prototype participated in the experiments. VA was determined using Sloan letters displayed on a computer screen, in four conditions: (1) with the patient standing still without moving (static), (2) while the patient was walking on a treadmill at constant speed with the vestibular implant prototype turned off (systemOFF), (3) while the patient was walking on a treadmill at constant speed with the vestibular implant prototype turned on providing coherent motion information (systemONmotion), and (4) a “placebo” condition where the patient was walking on a treadmill at constant speed with the vestibular implant prototype turned on providing reversed motion information (systemONsham). The analysis (one-way repeated measures analysis of variance) revealed a statistically significant effect of the test condition [F(3, 12) = 30.5, p < 0.001]. Significant decreases in VA were observed with the systemOFF condition when compared to the static condition (Tukey post-hoc p < 0.001). When the vestibular implant was turned on, delivering pertinent motion information (systemONmotion) the VA improved to close to normal values. The improvement disappeared in the placebo condition (systemONsham) and VA-values also dropped significantly in this condition (Tukey post-hoc p < 0.001). These results are a significant step forward in the field, demonstrating for the first time in humans that gaze stabilization abilities can be restored with a vestibular implant prototype. The vestibular implant shows considerable promise of being the first-ever effective therapeutic alternative for patients with a BVL in the near future.
A CURVATURE BASED METHOD FOR COMBINING MULTI-TEMPORAL SAR DIFFERENTIAL INTERFEROMETRIC MEASUREMENTS

Considering multiple interferograms is a common practice in SAR differential interferometry. In fact, multitemporal SAR acquisitions are used for monitoring terrain displacements over a long period of time. Moreover, the use of multiple data sets can help reducing atmospheric artifacts in SAR interferometric measurements. Given a series of SAR acquisitions, when all the interferograms between consecutive dates are computed, consecutive differential phases (after phase unwrapping) can be simply summed to obtain the differential phases correspondent to all the possible time intervals (including the total one). More generally, to this goal it is not necessary that all the computed interferograms are time-consecutive, but it suffices that the differential phases of each possible time interval can be obtained through a linear combination of the computed ones, i.e. by the solution of a determined linear system of equations. It is common in typical cases (e.g. with ERS data), that not all the interferograms necessary to the goal above can be computed, unless one accepts that only few pixels (corresponding to point-like scatterers) remain coherent. In fact, spatial and temporal baselines can be very large. So, an under-determined linear system of equations is in generally available. Previous works proposed to solve this system by singular value decomposition, i.e., by assuming that the solution (i.e. the terrain displacement) has minimum velocity. In this work, a different assumption is exploited in order to find a determined solution to the problem of combining SAR multi-temporal differential interferometric measurements. The proposed approach is based on the idea that the solution should have minimum curvature. Tests performed on simulated and ERS real data confirm the validity of the method.
Screening of gene signatures for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis based on bioinformatics analysis

The current study aimed to identify gene signatures during rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA), and used these to elucidate the underlying modular mechanisms. Using the Gene Expression Omnibus database, the present study obtained the GSE7669 mRNA expression microarray data from RA and OA synovial fibroblasts (n=6 each). The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in RA synovial samples compared with OA samples were identified using the Linear Models for Microarray Analysis package. The Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analyses were performed using the Database for Annotation Visualization and Integrated Discovery. A protein-protein interaction network was constructed and the modules were further analyzed using the Molecular Complex Detection plugin of Cytoscape. A total of 181 DEGs were identified by comparing RA and OA synovial samples (96 up- and 85 downregulated genes). The significant DEGs in module 1, including collagen, type I, α 1 (COL1A1), COL3A1, COL4A1 and COL11A1, were predominantly enriched in the extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and focal adhesion pathways. Additionally, significant DEGs in module 2, including radical S-adenosyl methionine domain containing 2 (RSAD2), 2′-5′-oligoadenylate synthetase 2 (OAS2), myxovirus (influenza virus) resistance 1 (MX1) and ISG15 ubiquitin-like modifier (ISG15), were predominantly associated with immune function pathways. In conclusion, the present study indicated that RSAD2, OAS2, MX1 and ISG15 may be notable gene signatures in RA development via regulation of the immune response. COL3A1, COL4A1, COL1A1 and COL11A1 may be important gene signatures in OA development via involvement in the pathways of ECM-receptor interactions and focal adhesions.
Globalization, privatization, and vertical coordination in food value chains in developing and transition countries

Food and agricultural commodity value chains in developing and transition countries have undergone tremendous changes in the past decades. Companies and property rights have been privatized, markets liberalized, and economies integrated into global food systems. The liberalization and privatization initially caused the collapse of state-controlled vertical coordination. More recently, private vertical coordination systems have emerged and are growing rapidly as a response to consumer demand for food quality and safety on the one hand and the farms' production constraints caused by factor market imperfections. In this article we (1) demonstrate the importance of these changes, (2) discuss the implications for efficiency and equity, and (3) provide empirical evidence on the effects in several developing and transition countries. Copyright 2007 International Association of Agricultural Economists.
Seasonally resolved surface water Δ14C variability in the Lombok Strait: A coralline perspective

� 60.5%, and individual samples range from � 72% to 134%. The annual average postbomb maximum occurs in 1973 at 122%. The timing of the postbomb maximum is consistent with a primary subtropical source for the surface waters in the Indonesian seas. During the postbomb period, the coral records regular seasonal cycles of 5% to 20%. Seasonal high D 14 C occur during March–May (warm, low salinity), and low D 14 C occur in September (cool, higher salinity). The D 14 C seasonality is coherent and in phase with the seasonal D 14 C cycle observed in Makassar Strait. We estimate the influence of high D 14 C Makassar Strait (North Pacific) water flowing through the Lombok Strait using a two end-member mixing model and the seasonal extremes observed at the two sites. The percentage of Makassar Strait water varies between 16% and 70%, and between 1955 and 1990, it averages at 40%. The rich D 14 C variability has a biennial component reflecting remote equatorial Indian Ocean forcing and a component in the ENSO band, which is interpreted to reflect Pacific forcing on the D 14 C signature in
Compactifications of M-theory and their Phenomenological Consequences

We compactify the $M$ theory proposed by Horava and Witten on a Calabi-Yau manifold with a boundary ${S}_{1}{/Z}_{2}$. A no-scale-like K\"ahler potential, the superpotential, and the gauge kinetic function are obtained in this four-dimensional ${\mathrm{E}}_{6}\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{\mathrm{E}}_{8}$ model. We also study the general phenomenological consequences of the resulting $M$-theory-inspired model, which may include very light gravitinos, axions, and axinos.
Risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage in first degree relatives of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage: follow up study based on national registries in Denmark

Abstract Objective: To estimate the risk of occurrence of subarachnoid haemorrhage in first degree relatives (parents, siblings, children) of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage. Design: Population based cohort study using data from the Danish National Discharge Registry and the Central Person Registry. Subjects: Incident cases of subarachnoid haemorrhage admitted to hospital from 1977 to 1995 (9367 patients) and their first degree relatives (14 781). Main outcome measures: The incidence rate of subarachnoid haemorrhage was determined for the relatives and compared with that of the entire population, standardised for age, sex, and calendar period. This process was repeated for patients discharged from neurosurgery units, as diagnoses from these wards had high validity (93%). Results: 18 patients had a total of 19 first degree relatives with subarachnoid haemorrhage during the study period, corresponding to a standardised incidence ratio of 2.9 (95% confidence interval 1.9 to 4.6). Patients discharged from neurosurgery wards had a higher standardised incidence ratio (4.5, 2.7 to 7.3). Conclusions: First degree relatives of patients with subarachnoid haemorrhage have a threefold to fivefold increased risk of subarachnoid haemorrhage compared with the general population.
The perioperative time course and clinical significance of the chemokine CXCL16 in patients undergoing cardiac surgery

The chemokine CXCL16 and its receptor CXCR6 have been linked to the pathogenesis of acute and chronic cardiovascular disease. However, data on the clinical significance of CXCL16 in patients undergoing cardiac surgery with acute myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) are still lacking. Therefore, we determined CXCL16 in the serum of cardiac surgery patients and investigated its kinetics and association with the extent of organ dysfunction. 48 patients underwent conventional cardiac surgery with myocardial I/R and the use of cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) were consecutively enrolled in the present study. We investigated the peri‐ and post‐operative profile of CXCL16. Clinical relevant data were assessed and documented throughout the entire observation period. To identify the influence of myocardial I/R and CPB on CXCL16 release data were compared to those received from patients that underwent off‐pump procedure. Pre‐operative serum CXCL16 levels were comparable to those obtained from healthy volunteers (1174 ± 55.64 pg/ml versus 1225 ± 70.94). However, CXCL16 levels significantly increased during surgery (1174 ± 55.64 versus 1442 ± 75.42 pg/ml; P = 0.0057) and reached maximum levels 6 hrs after termination of surgery (1174 ± 55.64 versus 1648 ± 74.71 pg/ml; P < 0.001). We revealed a positive correlation between the intraoperative serum levels of CXCL16 and the extent of organ dysfunction (r2 = 0.356; P = 0.031). Patients with high CXCL16 release showed an increased extent of organ dysfunction compared to patients with low CXCL16 release. Our study shows that CXCL16 is released into the circulation as a result of cardiac surgery and that high post‐operative CXCL16 levels are associated with an increased severity of post‐operative organ dysfunctions.
I-RBAC: An Identity& Role Based Access Control Model

Role-based Access Control (RBAC) provides an efficient means of managing authorization of the system resources. In the implementation phase, access control should be strong and efficient based on user authentication information, so the RBAC mechanism commonly requires authentication as a prerequisite. By cooperating with identity-based cryptography, this paper first presents an identity& role based access control (I-RBAC) model which supports user's authentication internally. In our model, both aspect of user authentication and role-based authorization can be verified by a user's signature simultaneously. An implementation method of I-RBAC is also presented using a variant of an ID-based signature scheme due to Cha and Cheon.
Structural Inflation Persistence ∗

It is widely accepted that disinflations are costly, yet the New Keynesian Phillips curve offers a free lunch of lower inflation with no reduction in output. This paper explains why a more plausible model of price adjustment generates structural inflation persistence — inflation which cannot be eradicated costlessly. This happens when newer prices are stickier than older prices. Using a novel method of estimating a general model of price stickiness, this pattern of price adjustment is shown to be supported by the data. A better description of inflation dynamics is thus obtained without abandoning the assumption of optimizing, forward-looking firms with rational expectations. JEL Classification: E3
ADAPTIVE , PLANNING BASED , WEB SERVICE COMPOSITION FOR CONTEXT AWARENESS

The increasing complexity required for context awareness makes such applications difficult to write and adapt. In this paper, we present an architecture for building context aware applications as dynamically composed sequences of calls to fine granularity Web services, addressing the reactive behavior of pervasive environments. Different service compositions of such sequences will result from different contexts such as: devices available, bandwidth, time constraints, location, user requirements and profile. We implement and discuss a specific context aware dynamic service composition problem using the SHOP2 planning system and the BPEL4WS Web service composition technology.
A utility-oriented routing algorithm for community based opportunistic networks

Opportunistic network as a representative network evolved from social networks and ad hoc networks, has been on cutting edges in recent years. Due to its inherent characteristics serving for intermittent networking setting specifically, the opportunistic network has been also widely applied in the domain of Internet of Things (IoT). Many researchers have focused on the realistic mobility model and cost-effective routing scheme. Community as one of the most inherent attributes of the opportunistic network has been proved to be much helpful in simulating mobility traces of human society and selecting suitable message forwarders. This paper proposes a community-structured mobility model with consideration of geographical location preference and time-variance in human behavior patterns. Based on this model, a novel routing algorithm is presented by jointly considering utilities generated by social degree and relation. The results show that our routing scheme is able to improve success rate while control the routing cost and transmission delay into a reasonable range.
Rearchitecting Meta-modeling Foundation: A Formal Approach

Model-Driven Development (MDD) is based on the premise of giving software engineers the most suitable infrastructure, based on which they can easily construct and transform their artifacts. Several paradigms like linear four-layer infrastructure have been proposed to facilitate MDD requirements. Although recently proposed paradigms have their own advantages and superiority to the traditional paradigms, there is no formal foundation, by which they could be described. A category can be seen as a structure that formalizes a mathematician's description of a type of structure. Therefore, category theory is convenient for describing paradigm of the infrastructure. In this position paper, we provide a formal framework consisting categories of models to rearchitecting traditional linear meta-modeling paradigm to a category-based one. By adopting the paradigm, the dual classification problem arising from the need to capture both linguistic and ontological classification of model elements, could be formally clarified.
The Determinants of Private Domestic Investment in Nigeria

This study focalize the private domestic investment. The choice is to enable us study the implications of the policy shift of Nigerian government that placed emphasis on private sector as an engine of growth. The policy makers believe that private investment has a stronger and more favorable effect on growth than public investment, probably because private investment is more efficient and less closely associated with corruption. This study however analyzed the determinants of private investment in Nigeria using a time series data and an error correction mechanism. The paper discussed the trends in investment and also reviewed the literature on the topic. Empirical investigations showed that changes in real private investment in Nigeria are best explained by changes in political trend by a dummy variable representing political instability; macroeconomic instability and poor infrastructure. The econometric results suggested that political crises may have created a climate hostile to private investment in Nigeria. The overall measure of political and macroeconomic instability has been a major hindrance to private investment. The results suggested the need for the government to continue to develop the infrastructural base of the economy in order to boost the private sector.
The evolution of ΩHI and the epoch of formation of damped Lyman α absorbers

We present a study of the evolution of the column density distribution, f(N, z), and total neutral hydrogen mass in high column density quasar absorbers using candidates from a recent high-redshift survey for damped Lyman α (DLA) and Lyman-limit system (LLS) absorbers. The observed number of LLS [N(H_i) >1.6 × 10^(17) atom cm^(−2)] is used to constrain f(N, z) below the classical DLA definition of 2 × 10^(20) atom cm^(−2). The evolution of the number density of LLS is consistent with our previous work but steeper than previously published work of other authors. At z= 5, the number density of Lyman-limit systems per unit redshift is ∼5, implying that these systems are a major source of ultraviolet (UV) opacity in the high-redshift Universe. The joint LLS–DLA analysis shows unambiguously that f(N, z) deviates significantly from a single power law and that a Γ-law distribution of the form f(N,z) = (f_*/N_*)(N/N_*)^(−β)exp(−N/N_*) provides a better description of the observations. These results are used to determine the amount of neutral gas contained in DLAs and in systems with lower column density. Whilst in the redshift range 2–3.5, ∼90 per cent of the neutral H i mass is in DLAs, we find that at z > 3.5 this fraction drops to only 55 per cent and that the remaining ‘missing’ mass fraction of the neutral gas lies in sub-DLAs with N(H i) 10^(19)–2 × 10^(20) atom cm^(−2). The characteristic column density, N_*, changes from 1.6 × 10^(21) atom cm^(−2) at z 3.5, supporting a picture where at z > 3.5, we are directly observing the formation of high column density neutral hydrogen DLA systems from lower column density units. Moreover, since current metallicity studies of DLA systems focus on the higher column density systems they may be giving a biased or incomplete view of global galactic chemical evolution at z > 3. After correcting the observed mass in H i for the ‘missing’ neutral gas the comoving mass density now shows no evidence for a decrease above z= 2.
Extending neuro-evolutionary preference learning through player modeling

In this paper we propose a methodology for improving the accuracy of models that predict self-reported player pairwise preferences. Our approach extends neuro-evolutionary preference learning by embedding a player modeling module for the prediction of player preferences. Player types are identified using self-organization and feed the preference learner. Our experiments on a dataset derived from a game survey of subjects playing a 3D prey/predator game demonstrate that the player model-driven preference learning approach proposed improves the performance of preference learning significantly and shows promise for the construction of more accurate cognitive and affective models.