Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
C-Reactive Protein and 5-Year Survival in Type 2 Diabetes

OBJECTIVE To determine to what extent plasma C-reactive protein (CRP) values influence 5-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in type 2 diabetic individuals, independently of albumin excretion rate (AER) and other cardiovascular risk factors, and its incremental usefulness for predicting individual risk of mortality. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Measurements of CRP were performed in 2,381 of 3,249 (73.3%) subjects as part of the population-based Casale Monferrato Study. Its association with 5-year all-cause and cardiovascular mortality was assessed with multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling. The C statistic and measures of calibration and global fit were also assessed. RESULTS Results are based on 496 deaths in 11.717 person-years of observations (median follow-up 5.4 years). With respect to subjects with CRP ≤3 mg/l, those with higher values had an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.51 (95% CI 1.18–1.92) for all-cause mortality and 1.44 (0.99–2.08) for cardiovascular mortality. In normoalbuminuric subjects, respective HRs of CRP were 1.56 (1.13–2.15) and 1.65 (1.00–2.74), AER being neither a modifier nor a confounder of CRP association. In analysis limited to diabetic subjects without cardiovascular disease (CVD), adjusted HRs were 1.67 (1.24–2.24) for all-cause mortality and 1.36 (0.83–2.24) for cardiovascular mortality. The improvement in individual risk assessment was marginal when measured with various statistical measures of model discrimination, calibration, and global fit. CONCLUSIONS CRP measurement is independently associated with short-term mortality risk in type 2 diabetic individuals, even in normoalbuminuric subjects and in those without a previous diagnosis of CVD. Its clinical usefulness in individual assessment of 5-year risk of mortality, however, is limited.
Efficient Hidden-Surface Removal in Theory and Practice

A central problem in computer graphics is hidden-surface removal : given a set of objects (some of which may be moving continuously), a continuously-moving viewpoint, and an image plane, maintain the scene visible from the viewpoint as projected onto the image plane. Algorithms developed for this problem in computational geometry are theoretically efficient but are often difficult to implement. On the other hand, computer graphics techniques are designed to be fast in practice but may perform badly in the worst-case. In this thesis, we describe our efforts to bridge this gap between theory and practice in the context of hidden-surface removal. Three themes underlie our research: (1) the idea of analysing algorithms in terms of the geometric complexity of the input, which encourages the development of algorithms that are provably efficient for data sets that typically arise in practice, (2) the notion of a kinetic data structure, which is a mechanism for efficiently processing continuously-moving objects, and (3) object complexity, a model inspired by the performance characteristics of current graphics hardware, in which algorithms simply determine which objects are visible rather than compute exactly which portions of each object are visible. We first describe an algorithm for removing geometric and topological flaws, such as missing polygons and cracks, from the input. Next, we present our algorithm for hidden-surface removal, which is based on the novel idea of employing a kinetic data structure for ray-shooting to determine a small superset of the visible objects and efficiently maintain this set as the viewpoint moves continuously. In the last part of the thesis, we describe the Binary Space Partition (BSP), a hierarchical spatial decomposition we use to efficiently implement both our model repair and hidden-surface removal algorithms. We present our BSP construction algorithms, which work particularly well for architectural environments and terrain-like data sets.
Cultures of knowledge: Investigating intellectual property rights and relations in the pacific

Although often presented as inherently normative, Euro-American systems of intellectual property rights (IPRs) law are, like earlier systems of biological classification, best understood as particular, culturally defined systems for codifying knowledge employed to discipline objects, phenomena and social relations. Despite their partiality, such systems have successfully colonised new domains, recently underpinning a new uniform global regime for the protection of IPRs (GATT/WTO TRIPs). In this paper I reveal the central role that global institutions now play in accelerating the universalisation of specific “cultures of regulation”: acting as powerful vectors for the transmission of particular types of knowledge and arbiters of the “normative” bases of global regulatory regimes. Recent empirical evidence from the Pacific illustrates how the TRIPs regime facilitates the commodification and appropriation of intellectual, cultural and biological resources in that region and highlights the development of alternative sui generis systems of IPR protection that challenge the normativity and hegemony of this regime. The article serves as an entry point for further research into the geography of knowledge systems—the way in which the colonisation of certain regulatory systems and forms facilitates the pursuit of particular interests or sustains relations of domination.
Impact of Heparanase and the Tumor Microenvironment on Cancer Metastasis and Angiogenesis: Basic Aspects and Clinical Applications

Heparanase is an endo-β-D-glucuronidase that cleaves heparan sulfate (HS) side chains at a limited number of sites, activity that is strongly implicated with cell invasion associated with cancer metastasis, a consequence of structural modification that loosens the extracellular matrix barrier. Heparanase activity is also implicated in neovascularization, inflammation, and autoimmunity, involving migration of vascular endothelial cells and activated cells of the immune system. The cloning of a single human heparanase cDNA 10 years ago enabled researchers to critically approve the notion that HS cleavage by heparanase is required for structural remodeling of the extracellular matrix (ECM), thereby facilitating cell invasion. Heparanase is preferentially expressed in human tumors and its over-expression in tumor cells confers an invasive phenotype in experimental animals. The enzyme also releases angiogenic factors residing in the tumor microenvironment and thereby induces an angiogenic response in vivo. Heparanase up-regulation correlates with increased tumor vascularity and poor postoperative survival of cancer patients. These observations, the anticancerous effect of heparanase gene silencing and of heparanase-inhibiting molecules, as well as the unexpected identification of a single functional heparanase suggest that the enzyme is a promising target for anticancer drug development. Progress in the field expanded the scope of heparanase function and its significance in tumor progression and other pathologies such as inflammatory bowel disease and diabetic nephropathy. Notably, while heparanase inhibitors attenuated tumor progression and metastasis in several experimental systems, other studies revealed that heparanase also functions in an enzymatic activity-independent manner. Thus, point-mutated inactive heparanase was noted to promote phosphorylation of signaling molecules such as Akt and Src, facilitating gene transcription (i.e. VEGF) and phosphorylation of selected Src substrates (i.e. EGF receptor). The concept of enzymatic activity-independent function of heparanase gained substantial support by elucidation of the heparanase C-terminus domain as the molecular determinant behind its signaling capacity and the identification of a human heparanase splice variant (T5) devoid of enzymatic activity, yet endowed with protumorigenic characteristics. Resolving the heparanase crystal structure will accelerate rational design of effective inhibitory molecules and neutralizing antibodies, paving the way for advanced clinical trials in patients with cancer and other diseases involving heparanase.
Channel modeling, signal processing and coding for perpendicular magnetic recording

With the increasing areal density in magnetic recording systems, perpendicular recording has replaced longitudinal recording to overcome the superparamagnetic limit. Studies on perpendicular recording channels including aspects of channel modeling, signal processing and coding techniques are presented in this dissertation. To optimize a high density perpendicular magnetic recording system, one needs to know the tradeoffs between various components of the system including the read/write transducers, the magnetic medium, and the read channel. We extend the work by Chaichanavong on the parameter optimization for systems via design curves. Different signal processing and coding techniques are studied. Information-theoretic tools are utilized to determine the acceptable region for the channel parameters when optimal detection and linear coding techniques are used. Our results show that a considerable gain can be achieved by the optimal detection and coding techniques. The read-write process in perpendicular magnetic recording channels includes a number of nonlinear effects. Nonlinear transition shift (NLTS) is one of them. The signal distortion induced by NLTS can be reduced by write precompensation during data recording. We numerically evaluate the effect of NLTS on the read-back signal and examine the effectiveness of several write precompensation schemes in combating NLTS in a channel characterized by both transition jitter noise and additive white Gaussian electronics noise. We also present an analytical method to estimate the bit-error- rate and use it to help determine the optimal write precompensation values in multi-level precompensation schemes. We propose a mean-adjusted pattern-dependent noise predictive (PDNP) detection algorithm for use on the channel with NLTS. We show that this detector can offer significant improvements in bit-error-rate (BER) compared to conventional Viterbi and PDNP detectors. Moreover, the system performance can be further improved by combining the new detector with a simple write precompensation scheme. Soft-decision decoding for algebraic codes can improve performance for magnetic recording systems. In this dissertation, we propose two soft-decision decoding methods for tensor-product parity codes. We also present a list decoding algorithm for generalized error locating codes
Fitness Approximation In Evolutionary Computation - a Survey

Fitness evaluation is a basic operation in evolutionary computation. However, an explicit fitness function is not always available in real-world applications. In many cases, it is necessary to estimate the fitness function by constructing an approximate model. In this paper, a short survey on fitness approximation in evolutionary computation is given. Main issues like approximation models, model management schemes, learning methods as well as data sampling techniques are presented. Finally, interesting open problems are discussed.
Disease Politics and Medical Research Funding

In the 1980s and 1990s, single-disease interest groups emerged as an influential force in U.S. politics. This article explores their effects on federal medical research priority-setting. Previous studies of advocacy organizations’ political effects focused narrowly on direct benefits for constituents. Using data on 53 diseases over 19 years, I find that in addition to securing direct benefits, advocacy organizations have aggregate effects and can systemically change the culture of policy arenas. Disease advocacy reshaped funding distributions, changed the perceived beneficiaries of policies, promoted metrics for commensuration, and made cultural categories of worth increasingly relevant to policymaking.
Relationship Between Electrical Brain Responses to Motor Imagery and Motor Impairment in Stroke

Background and Purpose— New strategies like motor imagery based brain–computer interfaces, which use brain signals such as event-related desynchronization (ERD) or event-related synchronization (ERS) for motor rehabilitation after a stroke, are undergoing investigation. However, little is known about the relationship between ERD and ERS patterns and the degree of stroke impairment. The aim of this work was to clarify this relationship. Methods— EEG during motor imagery and execution were measured in 29 patients with first-ever monolateral stroke causing any degree of motor deficit in the upper limb. The strength and laterality of the ERD or ERS patterns were correlated with the scores of the European Stroke Scale, the Medical Research Council, and the Modified Ashworth Scale. Results— Mean age of the patients was 58±15 years; mean time from the incident was 4±4 months. Stroke lesions were cortical (n=8), subcortical (n=11), or mixed (n=10), attributable to either an ischemic event (n=26) or a hemorrhage (n=3), affecting the right (n=16) or left (n=13) hemisphere. Higher impairment was related to stronger ERD in the unaffected hemisphere and higher spasticity was related to stronger ERD in the affected hemisphere. Both were related to a relatively stronger ERS in the affected hemisphere. Conclusion— The results of this study may have implications for the design of potential poststroke rehabilitation interventions based on brain–computer interface technologies that use neurophysiological signals like ERD or ERS as neural substrates for the mutual interaction between brain and machine and, ultimately, help stroke patients to regain motor control.
Amelioration Effect of Zinc and Iron Supplementation on Selected Oxidative Stress Enzymes in Liver and Kidney of Cadmium-Treated Male Albino Rat

Cadmium (Cd) is a highly toxic, nonessential heavy metal with many industrial uses that can contribute to a well-defined spectrum of diseases in animals as well as in humans. The present study examines the effect of zinc (Zn) and iron (Fe) supplementation on oxidative stress enzymes in Cd-treated rats. Wistar strain male albino rats were treated with cadmium chloride (CdCl2) at a dose of 1/10th LD50/48 h, that is, 22.5 mg/kg body weight for 7, 15, and 30 days (d) time intervals. The 15d Cd-treated rats were divided into three groups. The first group received Zn (12 mg/kg), second group Fe (40 mg/kg) alone, and third group supplemented with both Zn and Fe and observed for 7, 15, and 30d. After the specific time intervals, rats were decapitated and oxidative stress enzymes like catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) were assayed in liver and kidney. Simultaneously lipid peroxidation (LPO) levels were also measured. A significant elevation in LPO levels with decreased activity levels of CAT, SOD, GPx, and GST were observed during Cd intoxication. With Zn and/or Fe supplementation, a significant reversal in the oxidative stress enzymes was observed. Our study reveals that combination of Zn and Fe supplementation is effective in detoxifying the Cd body burden from the test tissues.
Rapid Naming, Phonological Awareness, and Reading: A Meta-Analysis of the Correlation Evidence

This study provides a meta-analysis of the correlational literature on measures of phonological awareness, rapid naming, reading, and related abilities. Correlations (N = 2,257) were corrected for sample size, restriction in range, and attenuation from 49 independent samples. Correlations between phonological awareness (PA) and rapid naming (RAN) were low (.38) and loaded on different factors. PA and RAN were moderately correlated with real-word reading (.48 and .46, respectively). Other findings were that (a) real-word reading was correlated best (r values were .60 to .80) with spelling and pseudoword reading, but correlations with RAN, PA, vocabulary, orthography, IQ, and memory measures were in the low-to-moderate range (.37 to .43); and (b) correlations between reading and RAN/PA varied minimally across age groups but were weaker in poor readers than in skilled readers. The results suggested that the importance of RAN and PA measures in accounting for reading performance has been overstated.
Can Surgical Teams Ever Learn? The Role of Coordination, Complexity, and Transitivity in Action Team Learning

Recognizing that current theories of team learning do not apply to short-term action teams, we conceptualize how action teams may learn and test hypotheses regarding the performance-related effects of such learning, the mechanisms mediating such effects, and the conditions governing their magnitude. We operationalized the level of action team learning (ATL) in terms of the regularity and number of role-based, guided team reflexivity experiences of an action team's members. Testing our hypotheses on 250 surgical teams, we find that higher levels of ATL are associated with shorter surgical duration, with this effect mediated by team helping and workload sharing, particularly under conditions of greater team task complexity. Additionally, we find higher levels of ATL to be directly associated with a reduced number of adverse events in low-complexity surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Incidence of End-Stage Renal Disease Among Live Kidney Donors

Background. The increasing use of living kidney donors requires knowledge about long-term effects, especially number and causes of donors with end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Methods. A retrospective data analysis of 1,112 consecutive living kidney donors who underwent nephrectomy from 1965 until 2005 at Sahlgrenska University Hospital. Case reports were sought with help from nephrologists in the region and data from Swedish Registry of Active Uremic Treatment (SRAU). Results. The number of cases with end stage kidney failure among living kidney donors was 6/1112, that is 0.5%. The donors had reached ESRD during the years 2001–2006, that means 36–41 years after start of the living donor program. The donors were 45–89 years old, median 77 years, and five of six were males. Time since donation was 14–27 years, median 20 years, for the donors developing ESRD. The diagnoses were nephrosclerosis (4 cases), postrenal failure (1 case), and renal carcinoma (1 case). The expected incidence for development of ESRD according to incidence in the general population would have been two donors but we found six. However, considering the high age of the donors in this follow up, the age-matched incidence is calculated to be closer to six donors due to higher incidence in the aged. Conclusion. In all 0.5% of the donors developed ESRD. Due to high age of the uremic donors, there seems to be no increased incidence.
Beyond Binaries Reflections and a Suggestion on the Subject of Medical Professional Satisfaction

This article notes the tendency in the sociological literature to frame studies of medical professionals in terms of a series of binaries (e.g. control/resistance, powerful/powerless professionals, medicine/management). It suggests that moving away from this approach to acknowledge a more nuanced perspective would be helpful. The article draws on recent empirical studies to support this view. Keywords : Doctor satisfaction, sociology, control, resistance
Patterns in Juvenile Misbehavior

The juvenile and criminal justice systems respond to youthful misbehavior as the onset of continued delinquency and increasing risk to society. Support for this assumption is far from clear. Existing career research fails to adequately consider the patterns and persistance of juvenile activity. The present study develops police contact histories for three birth cohorts of individuals. The analysis reveals that most careers concentrate in status and victimless offenses and roughly two-thirds of all juveniles desist before a fourth offense. The present results closely resemble many of Wolfgang et al.'s (1972) findings and some of the same conclusions are reached in the two studies.
Studies on the Pathogenesis of the Generalized Shwartzman Reaction

Summary The rôle of the clotting system in the pathogenesis of the generalized Shwartzman reaction (gSr) has been stressed in recent years. The clotting system is activated ubiquitously and as a result of it, fibrin is deposited intravascularly and a haemorrhagic diathesis develops. Evidence is presented herein, that endotoxin does not activate purified prothrombin, nor does endotoxin influence the convertion of prothrombin when it is activated in the presence of purified platelet-factor 3 (or caephalin) purified Ac-G (factor V) and Ca-ions. The trigger mechanism of the gSr also seems to be in the so-called prephase of clotting mechanism. Data are presented, which show that endotoxin activates the Hageman factor in vitro. The importance of this clotting factor and of platelet-factor 3 is discussed. Also the rôle played by the RES and cardiodynamic and vascular components are taken in consideration in the discussion.
Teaching Islam and Arabic over the Internet.

The article describes a project that uses Internet to promote the learning of Arabic and understanding the other in Israel. To that end, the Institute of Asian and African Studies at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem initiated a digitization and updating of a very important Arabic-Hebrew dictionary published originally by Professor David Ayalon and Professor Pesach Shinar.
Improving Drugs Administration Safety in Pediatric Resuscitation Using Mobile Technology

The fast preparation of drugs during pediatric resuscitation is of utmost importance. The influence of the patient's weight on the drug doses requires to perform complex calculations and is a source of errors. A technological solution could be a real help in avoiding these kinds of mistakes. Relying on a user centered approach we have developed an application supporting drug preparation. It has been tested in simulations with predefined scenario. The developed tool consists of a screen displaying a list of drug that can be administered. When the user select a drug, the instructions regarding its preparation are displayed with all dosage precisely calculated. The tool has demonstrated a significant reduction of errors associated to administration, a speeding up the overall process and has been well received by the nurses.
A second radioisotope injection enhances intraoperative sentinel node identification in breast cancer patients without visualized nodes on preoperative lymphoscintigraphy

Purpose: To evaluate the influence of a second radioisotope injection on the intraoperative success rate in patients with non-visualized axillary sentinel nodes (SN). Material and Methods: Altogether, 534 consecutive breast cancer patients with lymphoscintigraphy (LS) and SN biopsy and were included. An intratumoral injection of 99mTc-labeled human albumin colloid with a median dose of 93 MBq was applied. Forty-two of the 80 patients without axillary hot spots on LS received a second tracer injection with a median dose of 70 MBq. Results: The visualization rate of axillary SN was 454/534 (85%). The intraoperative SN identification rate was 97% in patients with and 69% in patients without visualized SN in the axilla (P<0.00005), but the success rate was higher (88%) with a second radioisotope injection than without it (47%; P<0.0002). Conclusion: The failure rate in intraoperative SN identification was minimized using a second radioisotope injection in patients without axillary SN on LS.
The Future of Employee Representation

This article examines the future of employee interest representation in Britain against the broader European background. An attempt is made to define the character of interest representation in terms of the concepts of autonomy, legitimacy and efficacy. The core section of the article discusses recent and current developments with a focus on five themes: the level, structure, process, agenda and outcome of representation. A brief conclusion considers alternative scenarios and policy issues for employee representation. Underlying the whole discussion is the question: What future for (British) trade unions? No more than an imprecise and ambiguous answer can be suggested.