Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantification of and Correction for Left Ventricular Systolic Long‐Axis Shortening by Magnetic Resonance Tissue Tagging and Slice Isolation

BackgroundMeasurement of regional left ventricular (LV) function is predicated on the ability to compare equivalent LV segments at different time points during the cardiac cycle. Standard techniques of short-axis acquisition in two-dimensional echocardiography, cine computed tomography, and standard magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquire images from a fixed plane and fail to compensate for through-plane motion. The shortening of the left ventricle along its long axis during systole results in planar images of two different levels of the ventricle, leading to error in any derived functional measurements. LV systolic long-axis motion was measured in 19 normal volunteers using MRI. Methods and ResultsWith a selective radio frequency (RF) tissue-tagging technique, three short-axis planes were labeled at end diastole and standard spin-echo images were acquired at end systole in the two- and four-chamber orientations. Persistence of the tags through systole allowed visualization of the intersecting short-axis tags in the long-axis images and allowed precise quantification of long-axis motion of the septum, lateral, anterior, and inferior walls at the base, mid, and apical LV levels. The total change in position along the long axis between end diastole and end systole was greatest at the base, which moved toward the apex 12.8 ± 3.8 mm. The mid left ventricle moved 6.9 ± 2.6 mm, and the apex was nearly stationary, moving only 1.6 ± 2.2 mm (p < 0.001). Having quantified the normal range of long-axis shortening, we developed a technique that isolates a slice of tissue between selective RF saturation planes at end diastole. Combining this with a wide end-systolic image slice, end-systolic images were acquired without contamination of signal from adjacent tissue moving into the imaging plane. This technique was validated in a moving phantom and in normal volunteers. ConclusionsSignificant LV systolic long-axis shortening exists, and this effect is seen the most at the base and the least at the apex. At a given ventricular level, shortening varied significantly according to location. A method using selective saturation pulses and gated spin-echo MRI automatically corrects for this motion and thus eliminates misregistration artifact from regional function analysis.
A MAC Protocol Based on S-MAC for Power Asymmetric WSN Network

The communications are interrupted by the hidden terminals in the traditional MAC protocols when the nodes¿ power is asymmetric in WSN networks. On the basis of S-MAC the improved protocol is proposed. Node judges whether the power asymmetric nodes are occurred in the vicinity of it according to the link state with neighborhood nodes. Then neighborhood nodes broadcast bandwidth reservation (BRES) message intelligently after overhearing CTS. After receiving BRES the high power nodes will inhibit their own transmissions for the duration. So the improved protocol avoids the interruption of hidden terminals, reduces the collisions, decreases the delay and increases throughput. The simulation proves the performance of improved protocol is better than S-MAC in power asymmetric WSN networks.
ALS in Italian professional soccer players: The risk is still present and could be soccer-specific

We previously found an increased risk for ALS in Italian professional soccer players actively engaged between 1970 and 2001 (n =7325). The present study extends previous work with a prospective follow-up of the original cohort to 2006 and investigates the risk of ALS in two other cohorts of professional athletes, basketball players (n =1973) and road cyclists (n =1701). Standardized morbidity ratios (SMRs) were calculated. Among soccer players three new cases of ALS were identified, reaching a total of eight ALS cases (mean age of onset, 41.6 years). The number of expected cases was 1.24, with an SMR of 6.45 (95% CI 2.78–12.70; p<0.00001). The risk of ALS was higher for careers lasting >5 years, for midfielders, and for players engaged after 1980. No basketball player and no cyclist developed ALS. This prospective extension of the Italian soccer players cohort survey confirms the highly significant risk of developing ALS, the young age of onset, the dose-effect risk and a predilection for midfielders. The absence of ALS cases in professional road cyclists and basketball players indicates that ALS is not related to physical activity per se.
Potent antitumor activity of 10-methoxy-9-nitrocamptothecin

The present data showed that 10-methoxy-9-nitrocamptothecin (MONCPT), a family of camptothecin analogues, possessed high antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo. Cytotoxicity assays showed that MONCPT was a potential and highly efficient antitumor compound with IC50 values of 0.1 to 500 nmol/L in nine tumor cell lines. The high cytotoxic potency of MONCPT was paralleled with its ability to increase the cellular accumulation of DNA damage. DNA relaxation assay also showed that MONCPT exerted high potency as a topoisomerase I inhibitor. Moreover, administration of MONCPT (5–20 mg/kg) for 15 to 17 days significantly inhibited tumor growth in human androgen–independent prostate tumor (PC3) and human non–small cell lung tumor (A549) xenografts; the inhibition rates ranged from 29.6% to 98%. The cytotoxic effect of 1,000 nmol/L of MONCPT in PC3 cells was associated with causing an arrest in G0-G1 phase, whereas that of 10 and 100 nmol/L MONCPT was relative to a persistent block in G2-M phase. Furthermore, down-regulation of CDK2, CDK4, and cyclin D1 was observed in PC3 cells treated with 1,000 nmol/L of MONCPT, whereas overexpression of CDK7, CDK1, and cyclin B1 was seen in PC3 cells treated with 10 and 100 nmol/L of MONCPT. These results suggested that cell cycle regulation might contribute to the anticancer properties of MONCPT and strongly support the further anticancer development of MONCPT. [Mol Cancer Ther 2006;5(4):962–8]
New Immigrant Settlement Patterns in Syracuse, NY: An Assessment of the Model of Heterolocalism

Acknowledgements I wish to thank Ellen Kraly for helping me to turn my random observations of a trend in Syracuse into this remarkable analytical study. You've pushed me to reach a level of quality that I wouldn't have been capable of achieving on my own. I'm truly grateful for your constant enthusiasm for my research, and for all of your guidance and support over the last three years. Many thanks to Professor Scull for his editorial guidance and for helping me to further this research process through GIS, and to Professor Meyer for pointing my research in the right direction. Finally, I would like to thank the entire geography department faculty for their words of encouragement throughout the semester while passing through the research room. It has been a pleasure to be a part of this department during my time at Colgate.
Shared Kernel Information Embedding for discriminative inference

Latent variable models (LVM), like the shared-GPLVM and the spectral latent variable model, help mitigate over-fitting when learning discriminative methods from small or moderately sized training sets. Nevertheless, existing methods suffer from several problems: (1) complexity; (2) the lack of explicit mappings to and from the latent space; (3) an inability to cope with multi-modality; and (4) the lack of a well-defined density over the latent space. We propose a LVM called the shared kernel information embedding (sKIE). It defines a coherent density over a latent space and multiple input/output spaces (e.g., image features and poses), and it is easy to condition on a latent state, or on combinations of the input/output states. Learning is quadratic, and it works well on small datasets. With datasets too large to learn a coherent global model, one can use sKIE to learn local online models. sKIE permits missing data during inference, and partially labelled data during learning. We use sKIE for human pose inference.
Interaction of phosphofructokinase with the fluorescent probe-2-(N-methylanilino)naphthalene-6-sulphonate.

The interaction of phosphofructokinase from rabbit skeletal muscle with 2-(N-methylanilino)-naphthalene-6-sulphonate was studied. The fluorescence maximum of the probe was shifted to 430 nm and was enhanced by the enzyme. The intensity of emitted light was reduced by the presence of either one of the substrates, fructose 6-phosphate or ATP. The reduction of fluorescence by fructose 6-phosphate was accompanied by a decrease in the number of binding sites for the probe on the protein. The number of binding sites for the probe was also dependent on the concentration of the enzyme. Decrease of enzyme concentration resulted in relatively higher fluorescence and in a rise of the number of binding sites. Phosphofructokinase is inactivated after dilution as well in the absence as in the presence of the probe as a consequence of dissociation into inactive subunits. In the presence of the probe, the loss in activity followed the same kinetics as the increase in fluorescence. The rise in the number of probe binding sites, therefore, is most probably due to the dissociation of the enzyme. The effect of substrates on fluorescence intensity was used to follow interactions of the enzyme with its substrates. At low substrate concentrations the fluorescence changes were dependent on the concentration of the enzyme. At higher enzyme levels, higher ATP but lower fructose 6-phosphate concentrations were required to obtain half-maximal effects, thus suggesting that the binding of the substrates is dependent on the association state of the enzyme.
Chronic thalamic stimulation for the control of facial anesthesia dolorosa.

Facial anesthesia dolorosa following retrogasserian rhizotomy was treated by stimulation of the contralateral thalamic sensory nucleus (posterior ventralis medialis) through stereotaxically placed, chronically implanted electrodes in five patients. In four patients, facial pain was masked by electrically induced paresthesia. One patient continued to experience her pain through the induced paresthesia. The mechanism of pain control in these cases can be postulated as suppression at the thalamic level of neuronal hyperactivity projected from the deafferented trigeminal system.
Impact of Brand Image on Consumer Buying Behavior towards Luxury Automobile Segment

The luxury automobile market has witnessed significant growth in recent years, attracting global players such as Mercedes, BMW, Audi, Jaguar, Range Rover, and more. This research project delves into the intricate realm of consumer behavior within the luxury car segment, focusing on the state of India. It aims to unravel the multifaceted factors influencing consumers' decisions to invest in prestigious luxury car brands. Luxury cars are not merely vehicles; they are a fusion of opulence and prestige. This study seeks to comprehend the perceptions and motivations driving individuals to opt for luxury car brands. Wealthy consumers are drawn to these vehicles not solely for their superior technical features but also for their non-technical attributes, particularly the perceived image of the car brand. Luxury cars serve as a conspicuous display of wealth and social status.
Documents de Travail du Centre d’Economie de la Sorbonne

How should monetary policy be optimally designed in an environment with high degrees of (cid:133)nancial globalization? To answer this question we lay down an open economy model where net lending toward the rest of the world is constrained by a collateral constraint motivated by limited enforcement. Borrowing is secured by collateral in the form of durable goods whose accumulation is subject to adjustment costs. We demonstrate that, although this economy can generate persistent current account de(cid:133)cits, it can also deliver a stationary equilibrium. The comparison between di⁄erent monetary policy regimes ((cid:135)oating versus pegged) shows that the impossible trinity is reversed: a higher degree of (cid:133)nancial globalization, by inducing more persistent and volatile current account de(cid:133)cits, calls for exchange rate stabilization. Finally, we study the design of optimal (Ramsey) monetary policy. In this environment the policy maker faces the additional goal of stabilizing exchange rate movements, which exacerbate (cid:135)uctuations in the wedges induced by the collateral constraint. In this context optimality requires deviations from price stability and calls for exchange rate stabilization.
Home and Online Management and Evaluation of Blood Pressure (HOME BP) digital intervention for self-management of uncontrolled, essential hypertension: a protocol for the randomised controlled HOME BP trial

Introduction Self-management of hypertension, including self-monitoring and antihypertensive medication titration, lowers blood pressure (BP) at 1 year compared to usual care. The aim of the current trial is to assess the effectiveness of the Home and Online Management and Evaluation of Blood Pressure (HOME BP) intervention for the self-management of hypertension in primary care. Methods and analysis The HOME BP trial will be a randomised controlled trial comparing BP self-management—consisting of the HOME BP online digital intervention with self-monitoring, lifestyle advice and antihypertensive drug titration—with usual care for people with uncontrolled essential hypertension. Eligible patients will be recruited from primary care and randomised to usual care or to self-management using HOME BP. The primary outcome will be the difference in mean systolic BP (mm Hg) at 12-month follow-up between the intervention and control groups adjusting for baseline BP and covariates. Secondary outcomes (also adjusted for baseline and covariates where appropriate) will be differences in mean BP at 6 months and diastolic BP at 12 months; patient enablement; quality of life, and economic analyses including all key resources associated with the intervention and related services, adopting a broad societal perspective to include NHS, social care and patient costs, considered within trial and modelled with a lifetime horizon. Medication beliefs, adherence and changes; self-efficacy; perceived side effects and lifestyle changes will be measured for process analyses. Qualitative analyses will explore patient and healthcare professional experiences of HOME BP to gain insights into the factors affecting acceptability, feasibility and adherence. Ethics and dissemination This study has received NHS ethical approval (REC reference 15/SC/0082). The findings from HOME BP will be disseminated widely through peer-reviewed publications, scientific conferences and workshops. If successful, HOME BP will be directly applicable to UK primary care management of hypertension. Trial registration number ISRCTN13790648; pre-results.
Upper extremity injury history, current pain rating, and health-related quality of life in female softball pitchers.

CONTEXT Throwing-related arm injuries are common in softball pitchers and may lead to diminished health-related quality of life (HRQOL). Arm symptoms such as pain have been reported to be more common in healthy overhead athletes than nonoverhead athletes. Furthermore, more frequent shoulder symptoms and lower shoulder function have been demonstrated in athletes with self-reported history of shoulder injury. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between arm injury history, current pain rating, and HRQOL assessed via 2 region-specific patient self-report scales in high school and college softball pitchers. DESIGN Cross-sectional. SETTING High school and college athletic training facilities. PARTICIPANTS 25 female softball pitchers (10 high school, 15 college; 18 ± 2 y, 169 ± 7.6 cm, 67.5 ± 10.3 kg). INTERVENTION Self-reported arm injury history and rating of current pain and HRQOL were collected during the late season. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES A self-report questionnaire of arm injury history and current pain rating was used, and HRQOL was assessed via 2 region-specific scales: the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) and the Functional Arm Scale for Throwers© (FAST©). Correlational analysis was used to evaluate the relationships between arm injury history, current pain rating, and the DASH total score and sport module and the FAST total score, pitching module, and subscales. RESULTS A history of arm injury from throwing was reported by 64% of participants, 31% of whom had to cease activity for more than 10 d. The most common site of arm time-loss injury was the shoulder (81%). Mild to severe shoulder pain during the competitive season was reported by 60% of respondents. The DASH and the FAST total scores were significantly correlated (r = .79, P < .001). Respondent rating of shoulder pain correlated significantly with the DASH total (r = .69) and sports module (r = .69) and the FAST total (r = .71), pitching module (r = .65), and pain (r = .73), impairment (r = .76), functional-limitation (r = .79), disability (r = .52), and societal-limitations (r = .46) subscales. CONCLUSION History of arm injury is common in female high school and college softball pitchers. Severe injury and elevated pain are associated with lower HRQOL that extends beyond the playing field.
Multiscale assessment of patterns of avian species richness

The search for a common cause of species richness gradients has spawned more than 100 explanatory hypotheses in just the past two decades. Despite recent conceptual advances, further refinement of the most plausible models has been stifled by the difficulty of compiling high-resolution databases at continental scales. We used a database of the geographic ranges of 2,869 species of birds breeding in South America (nearly a third of the world's living avian species) to explore the influence of climate, quadrat area, ecosystem diversity, and topography on species richness gradients at 10 spatial scales (quadrat area, ≈12,300 to ≈1,225,000 km2). Topography, precipitation, topography × latitude, ecosystem diversity, and cloud cover emerged as the most important predictors of regional variability of species richness in regression models incorporating 16 independent variables, although ranking of variables depended on spatial scale. Direct measures of ambient energy such as mean and maximum temperature were of ancillary importance. Species richness values for 1° × 1° latitude-longitude quadrats in the Andes (peaking at 845 species) were ≈30–250% greater than those recorded at equivalent latitudes in the central Amazon basin. These findings reflect the extraordinary abundance of species associated with humid montane regions at equatorial latitudes and the importance of orography in avian speciation. In a broader context, our data reinforce the hypothesis that terrestrial species richness from the equator to the poles is ultimately governed by a synergism between climate and coarse-scale topographic heterogeneity.
Endovascular Reperfusion and Cooling in Cerebral Acute Ischemia (ReCCLAIM I)

Background The efficacy of hypothermia as a neuroprotectant has yet to be demonstrated in acute ischemic stroke. We conducted a phase I pilot study to assess the feasibility and safety of performing intravascular hypothermia after definitive intra-arterial reperfusion therapy (IAT). Methods ReCCLAIM (Reperfusion and Cooling in Cerebral Acute Ischemia) is a prospective single-arm open-label clinical trial conducted between May and August 2012 at Grady Memorial Hospital. Twenty patients with Alberta Stroke Program Early CT Score (ASPECTS) 5–7 and NIH Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score > 13 were enrolled and treated with intravascular cooling immediately after IAT. The incidence of pneumonia, deep vein thrombosis, cardiac arrhythmias and postoperative hemorrhages was documented for the entire length of stay. Secondary outcomes included blood–brain barrier (BBB) breakdown on gadolinium-enhanced MRIs and 90-day modified Rankin scores (mRS). Results The mean age, median NIHSS score and median final infarct volume were 59.7±14.6 years, 19 (IQR16–22) and 78 cm3 (IQR 16–107), respectively. The average time to the target temperature (33°C) was 64±50 min. Intracranial hemorrhages were found in three patients, of which one was symptomatic. Evidence of BBB breakdown was observed on 3 of 14 MRIs (21%). Six patients died due to withdrawal of care, whereas six patients (30%) achieved mRS of 0–2 at 90 days. In a binary logistical regression model comparing ReCCLAIM patients with 68 historical controls at our institution, hypothermia was protective against intracerebral hemorrhages (OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.02 to 0.56; p<0.01). Conclusions Hypothermia can be safely performed after definitive IAT in patients with large pretreatment core infarcts. A phase II study randomizing patients to hypothermia or normothermia is needed to properly assess the efficacy of hypothermia as a neuroprotectant for reperfusion injury. Trial registration number NCT01585597.
ENERGY PRODUCTION DURING NITRATE RESPIRATION BY AEROBACTER AEROGENES.

The molar growth yield of Aerobacter aerogenes growing anaerobically with glucose in a mineral medium was almost doubled when NO3 - was added as hydrogen acceptor. About half a mole of NO3 - was reduced to NH4 + per mole of glucose. The amount of ATP produced from glucose fermentation calculated from the molar growth yield and the acetate production was about 3 moles ATP/mole glucose. The total amount of ATP produced, deduced from the molar growth yield, was used to calculate that about 3 moles ATP were produced per mole of NO3 - reduced. Comparable experiments with mannitol as carbon source gave the same results. When nitrite was used as hydrogen acceptor the anaerobic molar growth yield was the same or even smaller than in its absence, although the acetate production increased. The results suggest that during NO2 - reduction no ATP is produced and that the ATP formed during reduction of NO3 - to NH4 + is completely produced during the reduction of NO3 - to NO2 -.
Alcohol and Acute Ischemic Stroke Onset: The Stroke Onset Study

Background and Purpose— Previous research suggests that regular heavy alcohol consumption increases the risk for ischemic stroke, whereas frequent light to moderate alcohol intake may decrease the risk. However, the risk of ischemic stroke associated with transient exposure to alcohol remains unclear. In this study, we used a case–crossover approach to test the hypothesis that alcohol consumption affects the acute risk of ischemic stroke, to determine the length of time between alcohol intake and the onset of symptoms (induction time), and to examine whether the risk varies by the type of alcohol. Methods— In this multicenter study, we interviewed 390 patients (209 men, 181 women) between January 2001 and November 2006 (median 3 days after stroke). Alcohol consumption in the hour before stroke symptoms was compared with its expected frequency based on the usual frequency of alcohol consumption over the prior year. Results— Of the 390 patients, 248 (64%) reported alcohol consumption in the prior year, 104 within 24 hours and 14 within 1 hour of stroke onset. The relative risk of stroke in the hour after consuming alcohol was 2.3 (95% CI, 1.4 to 4.0; P=0.002). The relative risks were similar for different types of alcoholic beverages and when the sample was restricted to those who were not simultaneously exposed to other potential triggers. Conclusions— The risk of stroke onset is transiently elevated in the hour after alcohol ingestion.