Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Durable intermediate-to long-term outcomes after minimally invasive transiliac sacroiliac joint fusion using triangular titanium implants

Background Sacroiliac joint (SIJ) fusion (SIJF), first performed 95 years ago, has become an increasingly accepted surgical option for chronic SIJ dysfunction. Few studies have reported intermediate- or long-term outcomes after SIJF. Objective The objective of this study is to determine patient-based outcomes after SIJF for chronic SIJ dysfunction due to degenerative sacroiliitis or SIJ disruption at ≥3 years of follow-up. Methods Consecutive patients who underwent SIJF prior to December 2012 were contacted over phone or through email. Participants completed questionnaires in clinic, over phone or by email, regarding SIJ pain, activities related to SIJ dysfunction, and the Oswestry Disability Index. Charts were reviewed to extract baseline parameters and the clinical course of follow-up. Results One hundred seven patients were eligible and participated in this study. Mean (standard deviation) preoperative SIJ pain score was 7.5 (1.7). At mean follow-up of 3.7 years, the mean SIJ pain score was 2.6 (representing a 4.8-point improvement from baseline, P<0.0001) and the mean Oswestry Disability Index was 28.2. The ability to perform activities commonly impaired by SIJ dysfunction showed positive improvements in most patients. SIJ revision surgery was uncommon (five patients, 4.7%). Fourteen patients (13.1%) underwent contralateral SIJF during follow-up, 25.2% of patients had additional non-SIJ-related lumbar spine or hip surgeries during follow-up. Conclusion In intermediate- to long-term follow-up, minimally invasive transiliac SIJF was associated with improved pain, low disability scores, and improved ability to perform activities of daily living.
Expression of p-STAT3 in human colorectal adenocarcinoma and adenoma; correlation with clinicopathological factors

Background: The signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) is a key signalling molecule implicated in the regulation of growth and malignant transformation. Constitutive activation of STAT3 is seen in several tumour derived cell lines, and in a wide variety of human malignancies. Aims: To examine the relation between p-STAT3 (activated form of STAT3) expression and clinicopathological factors in human colorectal adenocarcinoma and adenoma. Methods: Immunohistochemical analyses were carried out on tissues from 44 colorectal adenomas and 95 colorectal adenocarcinomas, comprising 18 intramucosal carcinomas and 77 invasive carcinomas. Results: Seventy seven of these 139 samples (55.4%) showed immunoreactivity for p-STAT3. Positive staining for p-STAT3 was seen in 69 of the 95 carcinomas. Only eight of the 44 adenomas showed immunopositivity for p-STAT3, resulting in a significant difference between total adenocarcinomas and adenomas (p < 0.001). Among the 95 cases of colorectal adenocarcinoma, p-STAT3 immunoreactivity was significantly correlated with the depth of tumour invasion (p < 0.05), venous invasion (p < 0.05), lymph node metastasis (p < 0.05), and increasing stages of the Dukes’ classification (p < 0.01). Expression of p-STAT3 was detected by Western blot analysis in two different cultured human colorectal carcinoma cell lines and six colon carcinoma tissue samples obtained at surgery. Conclusion: This is the first study to report a significant correlation of p-STAT3 expression with the depth of tumour invasion. These findings suggest that p-STAT3 expression is an important factor related to carcinogenesis and/or tumour invasion of colorectal adenocarcinoma.
978-nm square-wave in an all-fiber single-mode ytterbium-doped fiber laser

A 978 nm single mode passively mode-locked all-fiber laser delivering square-wave pulses was demonstrated using a figure-8 cavity and a 75 cm commercial double-clad ytterbium-doped fiber. We found the three-level system near 978 nm was able to operate efficiently under clad pumping, simultaneously oscillation around 1030 nm well inhibited. The optimized nonlinear amplifying loop mirror made the mode locking stable and performed the square-pulses shaping. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first time to report the square-wave pulse fiber laser operating at 980 nm. The spectral width of the 978 mode-locked square pulses was about 4 nm, far greater than that of the mode-locked square pulses around 1060 nm reported before, which would be helpful to deeply understand the various square-wave pulses’ natures and forming mechanisms. Compared with modulated single-mode or multimode 980 nm LDs, this kind of 980 nm square-wave sources having higher brightness, more steeper rising and falling edge and shorter pulse width, might have potential applications in pumping nanosecond ytterbium or erbium fiber lasers and amplifiers.
Significant Alteration of Gene Expression in Wood Decay Fungi Postia placenta and Phanerochaete chrysosporium by Plant Species

ABSTRACT Identification of specific genes and enzymes involved in conversion of lignocellulosics from an expanding number of potential feedstocks is of growing interest to bioenergy process development. The basidiomycetous wood decay fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium and Postia placenta are promising in this regard because they are able to utilize a wide range of simple and complex carbon compounds. However, systematic comparative studies with different woody substrates have not been reported. To address this issue, we examined gene expression of these fungi colonizing aspen (Populus grandidentata) and pine (Pinus strobus). Transcript levels of genes encoding extracellular glycoside hydrolases, thought to be important for hydrolytic cleavage of hemicelluloses and cellulose, showed little difference for P. placenta colonizing pine versus aspen as the sole carbon source. However, 164 genes exhibited significant differences in transcript accumulation for these substrates. Among these, 15 cytochrome P450s were upregulated in pine relative to aspen. Of 72 P. placenta extracellular proteins identified unambiguously by mass spectrometry, 52 were detected while colonizing both substrates and 10 were identified in pine but not aspen cultures. Most of the 178 P. chrysosporium glycoside hydrolase genes showed similar transcript levels on both substrates, but 13 accumulated >2-fold higher levels on aspen than on pine. Of 118 confidently identified proteins, 31 were identified in both substrates and 57 were identified in pine but not aspen cultures. Thus, P. placenta and P. chrysosporium gene expression patterns are influenced substantially by wood species. Such adaptations to the carbon source may also reflect fundamental differences in the mechanisms by which these fungi attack plant cell walls.
Fabricação e caracterização de dispositivos fotovoltaicos utilizando filmes Langmuir-blodgett de polímeros com baixo valor de bandgap

The conjugated polymers applied as active layer in optoelectronic devices, have high technological potential and have been widely studied in recent decades. These materials can be processed in the form of thin films, and depending on the technique used one can obtain organized and highly reproducible films. One of the deposition techniques that can provide these properties is Langmuir Blodgett (LB) and Langmuir Schaefer (LS). This master 's work was designed to manufacture and characterize materials / films with potential for application in photovoltaic devices. The materials characterized for this purpose, were low bandgap value polymers: poly [(4,4-bis (2ethylhexyl) cyclopenta[2,1-b: 3,4-b '] dithiophene) 2,6-diyl-al(2,1,3benzothiadiazole) 4,7-diyl] PCPDTBT and poly [(4,4'-dioctyldithieno [3,2-b: 2 ', 3'd] silol-2,6-diyl) -alt(2,1,3-benzothiadiazol) -4,7] PDTSBT. For the production of ultrafine films, a study of surface pressure isotherms by area of the monomer (π-A) in a Langmuir trough was performed. The LB and LS techniques allowed the molecular processing of the materials through the information obtained from the isotherms (π-A). The optical characterizations (UV-Vis) were performed for analysis of the growth and organization of thin film layers. For the electrical measurements, a DC current source was used to obtain the electrical conductivity and photoconductivity of the films deposited by LB and LS on interdigitated electrodes. The films manufactured were used as active layers of the photovoltaic devices in a planar heterojunction, with structure basically formed by ITO / Polymer / PCBM / Aluminum. Measurements of current versus voltage density (J vs V) were performed under illumination of a Solar Simulator to calculate cell efficiency.
Adaptive Control Schemes For DC-DC Buck Converter

The switched-mode dc-dc converters are some of the most widely used power electronics circuits for its high conversion efficiency and flexible output voltage. Many control methods are developed for the control of dc-dc converters. It is observed that nature of DCDC converter is nonlinear and time variant systems, and does not lend them to the application of linear control theory. The performance of buck converter has been studied and is undertaken for their theoretical verification, graphical representation and Matlab simulation. From the linear controller PI, PID is considered and non linear controller sliding mode control is taken as control method. The paper work will highlights nonlinear aspects of buck converter, non linear controller like sliding mode controller and hybrid type of controller SMC PID. This will also focuses the benefits of non linear control.
Structure and Function of HLA-A*02-Restricted Hantaan Virus Cytotoxic T-Cell Epitope That Mediates Effective Protective Responses in HLA-A2.1/Kb Transgenic Mice

Hantavirus infections cause severe emerging diseases in humans and are associated with high mortality rates; therefore, they have become a global public health concern. Our previous study showed that the CD8+ T-cell epitope aa129–aa137 (FVVPILLKA, FA9) of the Hantaan virus (HTNV) nucleoprotein (NP), restricted by human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A*02, induced specific CD8+ T-cell responses that controlled HTNV infection in humans. However, the in vivo immunogenicity of peptide FA9 and the effect of FA9-specific CD8+ T-cell immunity remain unclear. Here, based on a detailed structural analysis of the peptide FA9/HLA-A*0201 complex and functional investigations using HLA-A2.1/Kb transgenic (Tg) mice, we found that the overall structure of the peptide FA9/HLA-A*0201 complex displayed a typical MHC class I fold with Val2 and Ala9 as primary anchor residues and Val3 and Leu7 as secondary anchor residues that allow peptide FA9 to bind tightly with an HLA-A*0201 molecule. Residues in the middle portion of peptide FA9 extruding out of the binding groove may be the sites that allow for recognition by T-cell receptors. Immunization with peptide FA9 in HLA-A2.1/Kb Tg mice induced FA9-specific cytotoxic T-cell responses characterized by the induction of high expression levels of interferon-γ, tumor necrosis factor-α, granzyme B, and CD107a. In an HTNV challenge trial, significant reductions in the levels of both the antigens and the HTNV RNA loads were observed in the liver, spleen, and kidneys of Tg mice pre-vaccinated with peptide FA9. Thus, our findings highlight the ability of HTNV epitope-specific CD8+ T-cell immunity to control HTNV and support the possibility that the HTNV-NP FA9 peptide, naturally processed in vivo in an HLA-A*02-restriction manner, may be a good candidate for the development HTNV peptide vaccines.
Extending orthogonal block codes with partial feedback

During the last few years a number of space-time block codes have been proposed for use in multiple transmit antennas systems. We propose a method to extend any space-time code constructed for m transmit antennas to m p transmit antennas through group-coherent codes (GCCs). GCCs make use of very limited feedback from the receiver (as low as 1 bit). In particular the scheme can be used to extend any orthogonal code (e.g., Alamouti code) to more than two antennas while preserving low decoding complexity, full diversity benefits, and full data rate.
Primate comparative neuroscience using magnetic resonance imaging: promises and challenges

Primate comparative anatomy is an established field that has made rich and substantial contributions to neuroscience. However, the labor-intensive techniques employed mean that most comparisons are often based on a small number of species, which limits the conclusions that can be drawn. In this review we explore how new developments in magnetic resonance imaging have the potential to apply comparative neuroscience to a much wider range of species, allowing it to realize an even greater potential. We discuss (1) new advances in the types of data that can be acquired, (2) novel methods for extracting meaningful measures from such data that can be compared between species, and (3) methods to analyse these measures within a phylogenetic framework. Together these developments will allow researchers to characterize the relationship between different brains, the ecological niche they occupy, and the behavior they produce in more detail than ever before.
Electronic Health Records Assimilation and Physician Identity Evolution: An Identity Theory Perspective

With the lack of timely and relevant patient information at the point of care increasingly being linked to adverse medical outcomes, effective management and exchange of patient data has emerged as a strategic imperative for the healthcare industry. Healthcare informaticians have suggested that electronic health record systems (EHRS) can facilitate information sharing within and between healthcare stakeholders such as physician practices, hospitals, insurance companies, and laboratories. We examine the assimilation of EHRS in physician practices through a novel and understudied theoretical lens of physicians' identities. Physician practices and the physicians that lead them occupy a central position in the healthcare value chain and possess a number of unique characteristics that differentiate them from other institutional contexts, including a strong sense of affiliation with other physicians, potent professional identities, and a desire for autonomy. We investigate two salient physician identities, those of careprovider and physician community, grounded in the roles physicians play and the groups with which they affiliate. We argue that these identities and their evolution, triggered by EHRS, manifest as both identity reinforcement and deterioration, and are important drivers of EHRS assimilation. We use survey data from 206 physician practices, spread across the United States, to test our theoretical model. Results suggest that physician community identity reinforcement and physician community identity deterioration directly influence the assimilation of EHRS. We further find that the effects of careprovider identity reinforcement and careprovider identity deterioration on EHRS assimilation are moderated by governmental influence. Theoretical and pragmatic implications of the findings are discussed.
Control of Pediatric Viral Diseases: Past Successes and Future Prospects

This presentation is dedicated to Dr. Albert Sabin, one of the great heroes of 20th century pediatric research, in recognition of his many significant contributions to the health of children and the distinction he has brought to American pediatrics and the American Pediatric Society. This Centennial Meeting is an appropriate occasion to celebrate the important role American pediatrics has played in bringing a number of important viral diseases under control. Preventive medicine has been a major activity of the American Pediatric Society and its members have made a disproportionately large contribution to the development of safe, effective viral vaccines. Currently, effective licensed vaccines are available for prevention of disease caused by 10 distinct human viruses or viral groups. The first of these vaccines, vaccinia virus, was developed by Jenner 190 years ago for the prevention of smallpox. Ninety years elapsed until the rabies virus vaccine was developed by Pasteur. During the last 50 years, the pace of discovery and development accelerated and vaccines for eight additional viruses or virus groups were added to our armamentarium. Members of the American Pediatric Society played an essential role in the development of vaccines for five of these eight viruses or virus groups: inactivated poliovirus vaccine, John Enders, Thomas Weller, and Frederick Robbins; live poliovirus vaccine, Albert Sabin; live measles virus vaccine, John Enders and Samuel Katz; live rubella virus vaccine, Hany Meyer and Stanley Plotkin; live adenovirus vaccine, Robert Chanock; and inactivated hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine, Saul Krugman. It should be noted that eight of the 10 viral diseases against which effective vaccines are now available are caused by viruses that produce a systemic infection. This is not surprising because small amounts of serum antibodies are usually highly effective in preventing disease caused by viruses that spread systematically. In contrast, the requirements for effective immunization against a topical infection in which virus produces its disease manifestations at the site of implantation are more demanding because locally produced mucosal antibodies and/or a high concentration of serum antibodies are needed for resistance.
Log-polar and polar image for recognition targets

We describe in this paper, data processing algorithms applied on radar image in order to extract feature descriptors and then to perform recognition task. Several kinds of descriptors can be used to acquire information about target characteristics from radar images such as ISAR (Inverse Synthetic Aperture Radar) images. This paper presents two types of vector descriptors extracted via two minds of transformed images so-called polar and log-polar images obtained respectively from the polar and log-polar mapping. In order to guarantee the invariance of some geometrical transformation, additional processing are proposed. In this paper, we present the polar and log-polar transformations and then the classification scheme adapted on correspondent polar and log-polar templates. In the classification step, log-polar and polar mapping results are compared using adapted classification scheme.
Relation of body fat distribution to femoral neck bone density and endometrial thickness in postmenopausal women

Objective. Menopause is associated with accelerated bone loss, a decrease in lean mass, an increase and redistribution of fat mass in the trunk region. Trunk obesity has been considered as a risk factor for endometrial cancer. We aimed to determine if body composition and fat distribution are determinants of femoral neck bone mineral density (BMD) and endometrial thickness in healthy postmenopausal women. Study design. Subjects were 40 healthy postmenopausal women with biopsy proven atrophic endometrium. Anthropometrical variables (total fat mass, trunk and leg fat masses, lean body mass and femoral neck BMD) were measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results. Femoral neck BMD was positively correlated with body mass index, total fat mass, trunk fat mass, leg fat mass and endometrial thickness, and negatively correlated with age, years since menopause and FSH levels. Trunk fat and age remained significant determinants of femoral neck BMD (R2 = 32.9 %, p < 0.001) and endometrial thickness was significantly associated with femoral neck BMD and oestradiol levels (R2 = 46.5%, p < 0.0001) on regression analysis. Conclusion. Truncal adiposity rather than overall adiposity or lean mass are more closely associated with femoral neck BMD and there is no relationship between subcutaneous fat mass and endometrial thickness in postmenopausal women.
Mussel selectivity for high-quality food drives carbon inputs into open-coast intertidal ecosystems

Filter-feeding invertebrates consume phytoplankton and detritus and therefore serve as important mediators of the exchange of materials from nearshore pelagic to intertidal benthic ecosystems. Here, we evaluated the linkages between nearshore and intertidal systems on tem- perate rocky reefs on the coasts of Oregon, USA, and New Zealand's South Island. We used dif- ferences in the concentrations of both nearshore particulate organic carbon and chlorophyll a (chl a), a proxy for phytoplankton availability, at different sites in Oregon and New Zealand to evaluate the influences of suspended particulate organic material (POM) quality and quantity on the rates of carbon inputs associated with intertidal mussels (Mytilus californianus in Oregon and Mytilus galloprovincialis in New Zealand). We also analyzed the carbon stable isotope ratios (δ 13 C) of intertidal mussels and nearshore POM to examine changes in mussel growth in carbon relative to changes in their potential food sources along gradients of POM quality (i.e. carbon-to- chlorophyll ratios, C:chl a). In both Oregon and New Zealand, the δ 13 C in mussel tissues did not change along a gradient of food quality, whereas the δ 13 C of the POM declined as food quality declined (i.e. C:chl a increased), suggesting that mussels were selectively consuming high-quality food. We also found that the availability of phytoplankton, a high-quality component of the POM, was a better predictor of mussel growth in carbon (mg C g �1 d �1 ) than the total concentration of particulate organic carbon, which includes both higher-quality phytoplankton and lower-quality detrital material. Our results highlight the necessity of considering POM quality while evaluating the role of filter-feeders as mediators of carbon inputs into intertidal systems.
Holography for fermions

The holographic interpretation is a useful tool to describe 5D field theories in a 4D language. In particular it allows one to relate 5D AdS theories with 4D CFTs. We elaborate on the 5D/4D dictionary for the case of fermions in AdS5 with boundaries. This dictionary is quite useful to address phenomenological issues in a very simple manner, as we show by giving some examples.
Long distance wireless mesh network planning: problem formulation and solution

Several research efforts as well as deployments have chosen IEEE802.11 as a low-cost, long-distance access technology to bridge the digital divide. In this paper, we consider the important issue of planning such networks to the minimize system cost. This is a non-trivial task since it involves several sets of variables: the network topology, tower heights, antenna types to be used and the irorientations, and radio transmit powers. The task is further complicated due to the presence of network performance constraints, and the inter-dependence among the variables. Our first contribution in this paper is the formulation of this problem in terms of the variables, constraints and the optimization criterion. Our second contribution is in identifying the dependencies among the variables and breaking-down the problem into four tractable sub-parts. In this process, we extensively use domain knowledge to strike a balance between tractability and practicality. We have evaluated the proposed algorithms using random input sets as well as real-life instances with success. We have been able to show detailed planning of network topology, required tower heights, antenna types, and transmit powers for the Ashwini project, a long distance WiFi network under deployment in Andhra Pradesh, India, In this case, we are able to achieve within 2% additional cost of a lower bound estimate.