Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intra-operative Graft Blood Flow Measurements for Composite and Sequential Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Objectives Intraoperative assessment of coronary artery bypass grafts (CABG) anastomotic quality can be performed using transit-time flowmetry (TTF). The aim of this study was to compare on- versus off-pump coronary graft TTF and early postoperative outcomes. Materials and methods Between January 2009 and January 2010, 521 distal graft flows were assessed using TTF measurements in 253 consecutive patients undergoing primary isolated CABG surgery. Data were analyzed using multilevel models accounting for clustering among surgeons and grafts performed in the same patient. Results Mean age was 66 ± 10 years and 22% were female (n = 55) with 34% diabetics (n = 86) and 40% pre-operative myocardial infarction (MI) (n = 101). The surgeries were performed off-pump in 67% (n = 170) with sequential vein grafts in 57% (n = 144) of patients. Off-pump patients had higher pre-operative left ventricular ejection fractions (LVEF), fewer urgent surgeries, fewer distal anastomoses, and fewer sequential vein grafts (all p<0.001). Intra-operative coronary graft TTF measurements were lower in sequential vein grafts performed off-pump versus on-pump. More patients in the on-pump group needed milrinone or dobutamine 24-48 h postoperatively (p = 0.005). Independent predictors of lower TTF included female gender and off-pump surgery, whereas predictors of better TTF were pre-operative MI, larger coronary diameter at the site of the distal anastomosis, and sequential vein grafting. Conclusions Lower intra-operative TTF measurements were found in sequential vein grafts in offpump CABG. However, off-pump patients experienced similar short-term outcomes compared to on-pump patients.
The dopaminergic innervation of the ventral striatum in the rat: A light‐ and electron‐microscopical study with antibodies against dopamine

Dopamine (DA) in the dorsal and ventral striatum is associated with different aspects of locomotor activity control. The ventral striatum may form an interface between the limbic system and the extrapyramidal motor system. The distribution of dopaminergic fibers in this interface position was studied in detail with a method applying antibodies against DA. Furthermore, the ultrastructural morpholohy of the DA fibers was examined by means of immuno‐electron microscopy. The results show that DA immunoreactivity is distributed over the ventral striatum in a highly compartmentalized fashion. In jthe dorsal striatum few compartments were found. The DA fibers in the ventral striatum establish mainly symmetric synaptic contacts, preferably with dendritic shafts and spines. The results are discussed in relation to previous data concerning the light and electron‐microscopic identification of catecholaminergic fibers in the ventral and sorsal striatum.
Cancer and longevity--is there a trade-off? A study of cooccurrence in Danish twin pairs born 1900-1918.

BACKGROUND Animal models and a few human studies have suggested a complex interaction between cancer risk and longevity indicating a trade-off where low cancer risk is associated with accelerating aging phenotypes and, vice versa, that longevity potential comes with the cost of increased cancer risk. This hypothesis predicts that longevity in one twin is associated with increased cancer risk in the cotwin. METHODS A total of 4,354 twin pairs born 1900-1918 in Denmark were followed for mortality in the Danish Civil Registration System through 2008 and for cancer incidence in the period 1943-2008 through the Danish Cancer Registry. RESULTS The 8,139 twins who provided risk time for cancer occurrence entered the study between ages 24 and 43 (mean 33 years), and each participant was followed up to death, emigration, or at least 90 years of age. The total follow-up time was 353,410 person-years and, 2,524 cancers were diagnosed. A negative association between age at death of a twin and cancer incidence in the cotwin was found in the overall analyses as well as in the subanalysis stratified on sex, zygosity, and random selection of one twin from each twin pair. CONCLUSIONS This study did not find evidence of a cancer-longevity trade-off in humans. On the contrary, it suggested that longevity in one twin is associated with lower cancer incidence in the cotwin, indicating familial factors associated with both low cancer occurrence and longevity.
DNN adaptation for recognition of children speech through automatic utterance selection

This paper describes an approach for adapting a DNN trained on adult speech to children voices. The method extends a previous one, based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence between the original (adult) DNN output distribution and the target one, by accounting for the quality of the supervision of the adaptation utterances. In addition, starting from the observation that by gradually removing from the adaptation set the sentences with higher WERs significant performance improvements can be achieved, we also investigate the usage of automatic selection of adaptation utterances. For determining transcription quality we investigate the use of confidence estimates of recognized hypotheses. We present experiments and related results achieved on an Italian data set of children's speech. We show that the proposed DNN adaptation approach allows to significantly reduce the WER on a given test set from 14.2% (corresponding to using the non adapted DNN, trained on adult speech) to 10.6%. It is worth mentioning that the latter result has been achieved without making use of any training data specific of children's speech.
Relaxation and diastole of the heart.

In the present review, we adopted the viewpoint of the physiologist looking at the global function of the heart, during relaxation and diastole, as an integrated muscle-pump system. We first focused our attention on properties of relaxation and diastole at the subcellular (SR, contractile proteins), cellular, and multicellular scales of cardiac muscle and then at the scale of the ventricle and intact global heart. At each lower scale we derived properties from experimental facts and examined the extent to which these properties could be extrapolated conceptually to the higher scale. From this muscle-pump approach, we learned that a general and fundamental property of relaxation of the heart as a muscle-pump system is load dependence, i.e., the mutually independent behavior of the time patterns of slow force decline and pressure fall and of rapid lengthening and rapid filling. Load dependence is found at all hierarchic scales, irrespective of whether it is examined under strictly isotonic-isometric or isometric-isotonic or auxotonic loading conditions and despite often substantial nonuniformity. Relaxation is governed by the interaction of the loading conditions and the two major determinants of the inactivation process, i.e., Ca2+ reuptake by the SR and the properties of the contractile proteins. Load dependence is the mere mechanical expression of the unequal contribution, during the two phases of relaxation, of these three interacting determinants of relaxation (load, SR, and contractile proteins). During force decline in isolated muscle and pressure fall in the ventricle, the properties of the contractile proteins predominate over load and SR; during muscle lengthening and rapid ventricular filling, load and SR become more important. As the relative importance of the phenomena above is different during pressure fall in comparison to rapid filling, it is not surprising that directional changes in pressure fall may not predict those in filling. We also saw that the overall time pattern of pressure fall in contrast to rapid filling may sometimes be markedly altered, e.g., with simultaneous increases in peak-dP/dt, indicating more rapid early pressure relaxation, and prolonged time constant tau, indicating slower late pressure relaxation, or vice versa. From this muscle-pump approach, it should also be remembered that optimal efficiency of the heart limits the extent to which nonuniformity may exist. At all hierarchic scales, variations in the degree of nonuniformity, however small, constitute an important physiological modulator of performance throughout systole and diastole. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Determination of the prevalence and severity of metacarpophalangeal joint osteoarthritis in Thoroughbred racehorses via quantitative macroscopic evaluation.

OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence and severity of osteoarthritis in the metacarpophalangeal joints of Thoroughbred racehorses via development and validation of a quantitative macroscopic evaluation system. SAMPLE POPULATION Metacarpophalangeal joints from 50 Thoroughbred racehorses. PROCEDURES Joints were collected from horses that died or were euthanized within 60 days of racing. Metacarpophalangeal joints were assessed for osteoarthritic degeneration by use of macroscopic and histologic scoring systems, polarized light microscopy, and cartilage biochemical analysis. The global macroscopic score for the entire metacarpophalangeal joint was based on factors that reflected the size and severity of lesions as well as the involvement of weight-bearing surfaces. RESULTS One-third of all 2- and 3-year-old horses had partial-or full-thickness cartilage lesions and osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis severity increased until age 6 in this population. Significant correlations were found between macroscopic grade and age, cause of death, glycosaminoglycan depletion, and loss of superficial cartilage zone polarized light intensity. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE The macroscopic system devised for this study had good correlations with quantitative methods. Two-and 3-year-old horses had full-thickness cartilage lesions that may have been career limiting. Year-to-year attrition and a small population of older horses may have led to underestimation of the prevalence of osteoarthritis in older horses. The macroscopic scoring system was reliable when used by nonexpert and expert users.
Towards a Secure Web: Critical Vulnerabilities and Client-Side Countermeasures (Bedreigingen en beveiligingsmaatregelen voor een veilig web)

As the web keeps on expanding, so does the interest of attackers who seek to exploit users and services for profit. The last years, users have witnessed that it is hard for a month to pass without news of some major web-application break-in and the subsequent exfiltration of private or financial data. At the same time, attackers constantly register rogue domains, using them to perform phishing attacks, collect private user information, and exploit vulnerable browsers and plugins. In this dissertation, we approach the increasingly serious problem of cybercrime from two different and complementary standpoints. First, we investigate large groups of web applications, seeking to discover systematic vulnerabilities across them. We analyze the workings of referrer-anonymizing services, file hosting services, remote JavaScript inclusions and web-based device fingerprinting, exploring their interactions with users and third-parties, as well as their consequences on a user’s security and privacy. Through a series of automated and manual experiments we uncover many, previously unknown, issues that could readily be used to exploit vulnerable services and compromise user data. Second, we study existing, well-known, web application attacks and propose client-side countermeasures, that can strengthen the security of a user’s browsing environment without the collaboration, or even awareness, of the web application. We propose countermeasures to defend against session hijacking, SSL stripping, and malicious, plugin-originating, cross-domain requests. Our countermeasures involve near-zero interaction with the user after their installation, have a minimal performance overhead, and do not assume the existence of trusted third-parties.
Treatment of post‐transplant premalignant skin disease: a randomized intrapatient comparative study of 5‐fluorouracil cream and topical photodynamic therapy

Background Organ transplant recipients (OTR) are at high risk of developing nonmelanoma skin cancer and premalignant epidermal dysplasia (carcinoma in situ/ Bowen's disease and actinic keratoses). Epidermal dysplasia is often widespread and there are few comparative studies of available treatments.
A chaotic neural network-based algorithm for relational structure matching

The matching of relational structures is a problem of prominent importance in pattern recognition research. Since this problem can be transformed into the equivalent problem of finding the maximum clique, the largest sub-graph whose vertices are mutually connected, in a derived association graph, all algorithms, which can solve the maximum clique problem well, will inevitably solve the relational structure matching problem effectively. In this paper, an algorithm based on a chaotic neural network is proposed to solve the relational structure matching problem by finding the maximum clique in the association graph. From detailed analysis, we draw the conclusion that, unlike the conventional Hopfield neural network, the chaotic neural network can avoid getting stuck in local minima and thus yield excellent solution in finding the maximum clique in a given graph. Experimental results also verify that this algorithm is more effective than the conventional Hopfield neural network-based algorithm in solving the relational structure matching problem and thus has a profound application potential in pattern recognition.
Product Differentiation,Price War and Collusion

Price war often occurs among China's enterprises.This paper discusses the reason of price war from the relationship of product differentiation and collusion.We prove that it is more difficult for firms to collude in prices when the degree of product differentiation is smaller.Hence,the way to price war is to make the product differentiation larger through improving the competence of independent innovation.
Robotic surgery for endometrial cancer: comparison of perioperative outcomes and recurrence with laparoscopy, vaginal/laparoscopy and laparotomy.

INTRODUCTION Comparison of perioperative outcomes and recurrence in patients undergoing primary surgical treatment for endometrial cancer by robotics, laparoscopy, vaginal/laparoscopy, or laparotomy approaches. METHODS Prospective analysis of 67 patients undergoing robotic surgery for endometrial cancer between March 2004 and December 2007. Comparison was made with similar patients operated between November 1999 and December 2006 by laparoscopy (37 cases), laparotomy (99 cases) and vaginal/laparoscopy approach (vaginal hysterectomy, bilateral adnexectomy/laparoscopic lymphadenectomy) (47 cases) and matched by age, body mass index (BMI), histological type and International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians (FIGO) staging. RESULTS Mean operating times for patients undergoing robotic, laparoscopy, vaginal/laparoscopy or laparotomy approach were 181.9, 189.5, 202.7 and 162.7 min, respectively (p = 0.006); mean blood loss was 141.4, 300.8, 300.0 and 472.6 ml, respectively (p <0.001); mean number of nodes was 24.7, 27.1, 28.6, and 30.9, respectively (p = 0.008); mean length of hospital stay was 1.9, 3.4, 3.5 and 5.6 days, respectively (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in intra- or postoperative complications among the four groups. The conversion rate was 2.9% for robotics and 10.8% for the laparoscopy group (0.001). There were no differences relative to recurrence rates among the four groups: 9%, 14%, 11% and 15% for robotics, laparoscopy, vaginal/laparoscopy, and laparotomy, respectively. CONCLUSION Robotics, laparoscopy and vaginal/laparoscopy techniques are preferable to laparotomy for suitable patients with endometrial cancer. Robotics is preferable to laparoscopy due to a shorter hospital stay and lower conversion rate and preferable to vaginal/laparoscopy due to a reduced hospitalization.
Leg stiffness modulation during exhaustive stretch‐shortening cycle exercise

The present study examined the effects of muscle activity modulation on leg stiffness during an exhaustive stretch‐shortening cycle (SSC) exercise in eight male subjects. Reaction force, electromyography (EMG) of the soleus (Sol), gastrocnemius (Ga) and vastus lateralis (VL) muscles and sledge seat position were recorded during the SSC exercise, consisting of 100 maximal intermittent drop jumps followed by a continuous submaximal jumping until exhaustion, on a sledge apparatus. Metabolic loading was determined by measuring blood lactate (La). No change was found in leg stiffness during the maximal jumps, whereas the subsequent submaximal jumping induced a significant reduction by 27±12% (P<0.05). Leg stiffness was closely related to the EMG ratio between the braking and push‐off phases in Sol (r=0.81, P<0.05) and particularly in Ga (r=0.98, P<0.001) (but not in VL, r=0.64, NS) at the end of the submaximal jumping. Furthermore, the post‐exercise La was significantly associated with the EMG ratio at the end of the submaximal jumping in Sol (r=−0.88, P<0.01) and Ga (r=−0.98, P<0.001). These results indicate that activity modulation between the braking and push‐off phases in the triceps surae muscle, particularly in Ga, plays an important role in leg stiffness adjustments during fatiguing SSC exercise. It is suggested that efficient activity modulation (i.e. high EMG ratio) of the triceps surae muscle during an intensive fatiguing SSC exercise may postpone the exhaustion and development of metabolic fatigue.
Can quantitative sensory testing move us closer to mechanism-based pain management?

OBJECTIVE This review summarizes the scientific literature relating to the use of quantitative sensory testing (QST) for mechanism-based pain management. DESIGN A literature search was undertaken using PubMed and search terms including quantitative sensory testing, pain, chronic pain, response to treatment, outcome measure. SETTINGS AND PATIENTS Studies including QST in healthy individuals and those with painful disorders were reviewed. MEASURES Publications reported on QST methodological issues including associations among measures and reliability. We also included publications on the use of QST measures in case-control studies, their associations with biopsychosocial mechanisms, QST measures predicting clinical pain, as well as predicting and reflecting treatment responses. RESULTS Although evidence suggests that QST may be useful in a mechanism-based classification of pain, there are gaps in our current understanding that need to be addressed including making QST more applicable in clinical settings. There is a need for developing shorter QST protocols that are clinically predictive of various pain subtypes and treatment responses without requiring expensive equipment. Future studies are needed, examining the clinical predictive value of QST including sensitivity and specificity for pain classification or outcome prediction. These findings could enable third-party payers' reimbursement, which would facilitate clinical implementation of QST. CONCLUSIONS With some developments, QST could become a cost-effective and clinically useful component of pain assessment and diagnosis, which can further our progress toward the goal of mechanism-based personalized pain management.
Asynchronous learning networks: an information-technology-based infrastructure for engineering education

This paper describes the state of the art in the field of asynchronous learning networks (ALNs). Widespread adoption of ALN methods is expected to transform the way engineering education is conducted. Information-technology-enabled communication and dissemination capabilities are likely to impact the economics of engineering education, access to engineering education,the roles of faculty and students, timing and methods of education, the development of students' technical and communication skills, and the ways that traditional engineering students and lifelong learners interact with industry and alumni.
A pathogenic glutamate‐to‐aspartate substitution (D296E) in the pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 subunit gene PDHA1

In a patient with fatal neonatal lactic acidosis due to pyruvate dehydrogenase deficiency, the only potential mutation detected was c.888C>G in PDHA1, the gene for the E1α subunit of the complex. This would result in a substitution of glutamate for aspartate (D296E). Pathogenicity of this minor alteration in amino acid sequence was demonstrated by expression studies. By comparing the mutant sequence with the known structures of the E1 components of pyruvate dehydrogenase and the closely related branched chain α‐ketoacid dehydrogenase, an explanation for the profound consequences of the mutation can be proposed. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identifying Synonymous Expressions from a Bilingual Corpus for Example-Based Machine Translation

Example-based machine translation (EBMT) is based on a bilingual corpus. In EBMT, sentences similar to an input sentence are retrieved from a bilingual corpus and then output is generated from translations of similar sentences. Therefore, a similarity measure between the input sentence and each sentence in the bilingual corpus is important for EBMT. If some similar sentences are missed from retrieval, the quality of translations drops. In this paper, we describe a method to acquire synonymous expressions from a bilingual corpus and utilize them to expand retrieval of similar sentences. Synonymous expressions are acquired from differences in synonymous sentences. Synonymous sentences are clustered by the equivalence of translations. Our method has the advantage of not relying on rich linguistic knowledge, such as sentence structure and dictionaries. We demonstrate the effect on applying our method to a simple EBMT.
The evolution of bourgeois, parasitic, and cooperative reproductive behaviors in fishes.

Among vertebrate classes, fishes exhibit by far the greatest variability in competitive and cooperative behaviors in male reproduction. Scramble competition between reproductive males is one possibility. Another possibility occurs when resources, mates, or locations can be monopolized, in which case males may invest in primary access to fertilizations by adopting a "bourgeois" strategy, or they may employ alternative mating tactics to evade the reproductive monopoly of other males. Adaptations in morphology, physiology, and behavior to bourgeois and alternative phenotypes are highly divergent. Here I review the functional characteristics that differ between bourgeois and parasitic phenotypes, and discuss the variability of alternative reproductive tactics at the levels of plasticity, determination, and selection. Examples will illustrate the importance of ecology, and will suggest that variation in reproductive tactics is largely adaptive. Behavioral solutions to competition for mates and fertilizations often involve agonistic behavior and conflict, but also cooperation among competitors (e.g., when subordinate males pay a price to bourgeois males for gaining access to fertilizable eggs). Application of molecular genetic tools has helped to uncover intricate sexual and social relationships in various fish species, including species that display some of the most complex reproductive and social patterns known among the vertebrates.