Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Acute occlusion of internal carotid artery: thrombolysis and stent placement.

1. Kioumehr F, Dadsetan MR, Rooholamini SA, Au A. Central nervous system tuberculosis: MRI. Neuroradiology 1994;36:93-6. 2. Shen WC, Cheng TY, Lee SK, Ho YJ, Lee KR. Disseminated tuberculomas in spinal cord and brain demonstrated by MRI with gadolinium-DTPA. Neuroradiology 1993;35:213-5. 3. Parmar H, Shah J, Patkar D, Varma R. Intramedullary tuberculomas. MR findings in seven patients. Acta Radiol 2000;41:572-7. 4. Devi BI, Chandra S, Mongia S, Chandramouli BA, Sastry KV, Shankar SK. Spinal intramedullary tuberculoma and abscess: A rare cause of paraparesis. Neurol India 2002;50:494-6. 5. Yen HL, Lee RJ, Lin JW, Chen HJ. Multiple tuberculomas in the brain and spinal cord: A case report. Spine 2003;28:499-502. 6. Thacker MM, Puri AI. Concurrent intra-medullary and intra-cranial tuberculomas. J Postgrad Med 2004;50:107-9. 7. Citow JS, Ammirati M. Intramedullary tuberculoma of the spinal cord: Case report. Neurosurgery 1994;35:327-30. 8. Nomura S, Akimura T, Kitahara T, Nogami K, Suzuki M. Surgery for expansion of spinal tuberculoma during antituberculous chemotherapy: A case report. Pediatr Neurosurg 2001;35:153-7.
Virtual and Augmented Reality Systems for Renal Interventions: A Systematic Review

Purpose: Many virtual and augmented reality systems have been proposed to support renal interventions. This paper reviews such systems employed in the treatment of renal cell carcinoma and renal stones. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed. Inclusion criteria were virtual and augmented reality systems for radical or partial nephrectomy and renal stone treatment, excluding systems solely developed or evaluated for training purposes. Results: In total, 52 research papers were identified and analyzed. Most of the identified literature (87%) deals with systems for renal cell carcinoma treatment. About 44% of the systems have already been employed in clinical practice, but only 20% in studies with ten or more patients. Main challenges remaining for future research include the consideration of organ movement and deformation, human factor issues, and the conduction of large clinical studies. Conclusion: Augmented and virtual reality systems have the potential to improve safety and outcomes of renal interventions. In the last ten years, many technical advances have led to more sophisticated systems, which are already applied in clinical practice. Further research is required to cope with current limitations of virtual and augmented reality assistance in clinical environments.
Online students in 2014

This paper describes a survey that was conducted in 2014 at Reykjavík University in Iceland to get a better understanding of online students' attitudes towards their education. One-hundred and seventeen students answered an on-line questionnaire, including almost the same questions as in a previous study carried out in 2009. As expected, the results showed positive attitudes towards online learning with students active in using the Internet and the learning management system (LMS). Realistic projects and recorded lectures made by teachers were considered to be the most useful options of the LMS, but new option, videos made by the teachers, were also considered useful. Although online learning places more demands on students than on-campus learning, students claim that in online studies they have more control over their lives and they are also able to work while studying.
Targeting epigenetic regulators for cancer therapy: modulation of bromodomain proteins, methyltransferases, demethylases, and microRNAs

ABSTRACT Introduction: Histone deacetylases (HDACs) and DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) were the first epigenetic targets to be successfully addressed for cancer treatment, but more recently additional families of epigenetic modulators have been the subject of intense research. Potent inhibitors have been identified in several instances and have proven to be invaluable tools for studying these proteins in normal physiology and in disease. Some have now progressed to clinical studies in hematological and solid tumors, and encouraging early results have been reported. Areas covered: This article reviews recent advances regarding the roles of new epigenetic players beyond HDACs and DNMTs in cancer, and discusses the impact of selective chemical probes on unravelling their function. The emerging field of non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) and ongoing clinical studies with epigenetic drugs and microRNAs (miRNAs) are also addressed. Expert opinion: The roles of different epigenetic factors in numerous cancers have been unraveled recently, leading to the initiation of clinical studies. With inhibitors of BET bromodomain proteins, the histone methyltransferases EZH2 and DOT1L, and the histone demethylase LSD1 progressing through clinical trials, and the recognition of the importance of ncRNAs as potential biomarkers and therapeutics, this bears the hope that novel epigenetic therapies will be approved soon.
Is There Private Information on the FX Market ? The Tokyo Experiment

It is a common view that private information in the foreign exchange market does not exist. We provide evidence against this view. The evidence comes from the introduction of trading in Tokyo over the lunch-hour. Lunch return variance doubles with the introduction of trading, which cannot be due to public information since the flow of public information did not change with the trading rules. Having eliminated public information as the cause, we exploit recent results in microstructure to discriminate between the two alternatives: private information and pricing errors. Three key results support the predictions of private-information models. First, the volatility Ushape flattens: greater revelation over lunch leaves a smaller share for the morning and afternoon. Second, the U-shape tilts upward, an implication of information whose private value is transitory. Finally, the morning exhibits a clear U-shape when Tokyo closes over lunch, and it disappears when trading is introduced. Correspondence Professor Richard K. Lyons Haas School of Business, UC Berkeley Berkeley, CA 94720-1900 Tel: 510-642-1059, Fax: 510-643-1420 E-mail: lyons@haas.berkeley. edu ∗ Respective affiliations are Hitotsubashi University and NBER; UC Berkeley and NBER; and Arizona State University. We thank the following for valuable comments: an anonymous referee, Kathryn Dominguez, Silverio Foresi, Jeff Frankel, Paul Pfleiderer, Andy Rose, Matt Spiegel, René Stulz, and seminar participants at Santa Cruz, LSE, Berkeley, FRBNY, Rutgers, Stanford, the IMF, Arizona, UCSD, Stockholm, ECARE, Geneva, Toulouse, Limburg, the NBER, and the 1997 AEA Meetings. Lyons thanks the National Science Foundation and the Berkeley Program in Finance for financial assistance.
Aldosterone, mineralocorticoid receptors, and vascular inflammation

Purpose of reviewAldosterone and its mineralocorticoid receptor represent an ancient signaling system. Indeed, the mineralocorticoid receptor is older than its agonist. Both have probably served various functions through the eons and salt preservation may be relatively recent. A large body of evidence suggests that aldosterone conducts signaling in vascular cells and contributes substantially to vascular remodeling and target organ damage. A blood pressure and salt balance-independent effect was first observed in two large heart failure trials. Recent findingsMineralocorticoid receptor blockade has now been shown to reduce proteinuria even in the face of angiotensin converting enzyme inhibition and AT1 receptor blockade. Mineralocorticoid receptor blockade effectively reduces target organ damage in every hypertensive model tested, irrespective of circulating renin and aldosterone levels. Protection is also observed in nonhypertensive diabetic and hyperlipidemic models. Signaling in vascular cells involves primarily the mitogen activated protein kinase pathway with participation of the epidermal growth factor receptor. Novel signaling molecules have been shown to participate in aldosterone-mediated actions including the murine double-minute type 2 protein that participates in antiapoptotic and proliferative effects. Clinically, mutations in the mineralocorticoid receptor have shed additional light on its importance. SummaryA resurgence of interest in aldosterone reflects its importance and clinical relevance for vascular remodeling and target organ damage.
Pre-Injury, Injury and Early Post-Injury Predictors of Long-Term Functional and Psychosocial Recovery After Severe Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract Background: Findings from prognostic studies of functional and psychosocial recovery after traumatic brain injury (TBI) reported to date have been limited by the restricted timeframe for prediction, generally within the first 5 years post-trauma. This investigation examined prediction of functional and psychosocial recovery in the medium-term (6 years post-trauma; Time 1) and long-term (23 years post-trauma; Time 2). Methods: The participants comprised a consecutive series of the first 100 patients with severe TBI receiving their primary rehabilitation at a regionally based unit. At the 23-year follow-up, 91% of the sample was traced: 17 had died, 5 declined participation, and 69 were interviewed, with 68 participating at both Time 1 and Time 2. Five outcome domains were examined: mobility, self-care, employability, relationships and living skills. Results: Very few of seven pre-injury variables were significantly correlated with any of the outcome variables. A series of logistic regression analyses successfully predicted levels of recovery in all domains using four predictor variables: pre-injury occupational status, duration of post-traumatic amnesia, and physical and neuropsychological disability at rehabilitation discharge. At Time 1, 60% or more of the variance was accounted for in four of the five domains, and at Time 2, more than 40% of the variance was accounted for in all domains. Sensitivity ranged from 62% (self-care) to 90% (mobility). With a single exception (employability at Time 2), specificity was also high, ranging from 80% (relationships) to 98% (mobility). Comparable accuracy rates were also found for positive and negative predictive power. Conclusions: These results demonstrate impressive predictive capacity of early post-trauma variables for the very long-term levels of recovery. They provide guidance for the tailoring of individual rehabilitation programs and the identification of people who may require special supports after rehabilitation discharge.
Fire, Fuel Composition and Resilience Threshold in Subalpine Ecosystem

Background Forecasting the effects of global changes on high altitude ecosystems requires an understanding of the long-term relationships between biota and forcing factors to identify resilience thresholds. Fire is a crucial forcing factor: both fuel build-up from land-abandonment in European mountains, and more droughts linked to global warming are likely to increase fire risks. Methods To assess the vegetation response to fire on a millennium time-scale, we analyzed evidence of stand-to-local vegetation dynamics derived from sedimentary plant macroremains from two subalpine lakes. Paleobotanical reconstructions at high temporal resolution, together with a fire frequency reconstruction inferred from sedimentary charcoal, were analyzed by Superposed Epoch Analysis to model plant behavior before, during and after fire events. Principal Findings We show that fuel build-up from arolla pine (Pinus cembra) always precedes fires, which is immediately followed by a rapid increase of birch (Betula sp.), then by ericaceous species after 25–75 years, and by herbs after 50–100 years. European larch (Larix decidua), which is the natural co-dominant species of subalpine forests with Pinus cembra, is not sensitive to fire, while the abundance of Pinus cembra is altered within a 150-year period after fires. A long-term trend in vegetation dynamics is apparent, wherein species that abound later in succession are the functional drivers, loading the environment with fuel for fires. This system can only be functional if fires are mainly driven by external factors (e.g. climate), with the mean interval between fires being longer than the minimum time required to reach the late successional stage, here 150 years. Conclusion Current global warming conditions which increase drought occurrences, combined with the abandonment of land in European mountain areas, creates ideal ecological conditions for the ignition and the spread of fire. A fire return interval of less than 150 years would threaten the dominant species and might override the resilience of subalpine forests.
Modulation of coronary artery disease risk factors by menopausal status: A population based study among Iranian women (KERCADRStudy)

BACKGROUND Menopause is now viewed as a risk factor for coronary heart diseases (CHD). There is a scarcity of evidence concerning the effects of menopause on coronary artery disease (CAD) risk factors. The present study aimed to evaluate the effects of menopausal status on CAD risk factors. METHODS The present study was designed as part of the Kerman coronary artery disease risk study (KERCADRS) that was a population-based study among a cohort of 6000 individuals aged 15 to 75 years in Kerman, Iran. Only women aged 35 to 60 years were enrolled. Participants were categorized according to reproductive age into the three groups of premenopausal, perimenopausal, and postmenopausal states. RESULTS The premenopausal status was accompanied with lower levels of triglyceride (TG), cholesterol, fasting plasma glucose (FPG), and blood pressure compared with the other two groups (P < 0.001). In addition, women in the postmenopausal group had higher levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) in comparison with the other two groups (P < 0.001). After adjusting for age, total cholesterol and LDL levels were significantly higher in the postmenopausal group compared with the other two groups (P < 0.05). In addition, total cholesterol and LDL levels, and systolic blood pressure were statistically different according to menopausal status after adjustment for both age and body mass index (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The increased risk of cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal period can be explained by elevated levels of lipid profile and increased systolic blood pressure, regardless of effects of advanced age or other anthropometric parameters.
Mesenchymal stromal cell transplantation in the regeneration of articular cartilage and bone using a magnetic cell delivery system.

The term mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) refers to those undifferentiated cells isolated from adult tissue that have the capacity to differentiate into mesodermal lineages, such as bone, cartilage, fat, muscle, or other tissues. In addition, MSCs are capable of expressing and releasing a variety of growth factors and bioactive molecules to promote regeneration of damaged tissue. Because of their function, the clinical use of MSCs for the repair of damaged tissue is very promising. Although several studies have reported the successful local transplantation of MSCs for tissue regeneration, local injection of MSCs is often insufficient to accumulate transplanted MSCs effectively into the lesion, and a large number of cells are required to treat damaged lesions, such as chondral defects or fracture nonunions. Furthermore, it has been reported that injured cartilage could be repaired by intraarticular injection of MSCs in the rat knee; however, in the study by Agung et al, the injected MSCs diffused throughout the joint, resulting in free bodies of scar tissue being formed in this region. We therefore conceived of a new technique for accumulating transplanted MSCs to a desired lesion using magnetic force. This would allow tissue regeneration to be achieved using a relatively small number of cells, with the aim of avoiding side effects such as the formation of free bodies of scar tissue. In our technique, iron-labeled MSCs are accumulated and retained at the desired lesion under the direction of a magnetic force by applying a magnetic field generator outside the body. Considering its potential clinical application, we have developed a superconducting bulk magnet system as a magnetic field generator that generates a maximum magnetic flux density of 5.07 Tesla and that has been downsized for better portability. To induce magnetic responsiveness in the MSCs, ferucarbotran suspension was used. Ferucarbotran consists of superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles developed for contrast-enhanced MRI and has been safely approved for use in humans. With regard to the effect of iron labeling and magnetic force on cell differentiation, we confirmed that the ability of the MSCs to undergo osteogenesis and chondrogenesis was not influenced by magnetic labeling or by application of the magnetic force. We have examined the effectiveness of this cell delivery system for the regeneration of cartilage and bone based on the behavior of the transplanted MSCs and curability. Regarding the behavior of transplanted MSCs, we previously reported that magnetically labeled MSCs accumulated onto osteochondral defects of the patella in the knee joints of rabbits by controlling the direction of the magnetic force, as observed macroscopically and histologically. Furthermore, we applied this technique to the transplantation of MSCs via swine knee arthroscopy to mimic the clinical situation and successMitsuo Ochi, MD
Notch signaling: from the outside in.

Development makes reiterative use of a surprisingly small set of essential molecular signals: the Wingless (Wg/ Wnt), Hedgehog (Hh), Transforming Growth Factor-b (TGFb), Receptor Tyrosine Kinase/Phosphotase (RTK/P) and Notch pathways (Gerhart, 1999). These five molecular archetypes act both individually and coordinately to interpret and transmit extrinsic signals as distinct cellular transcriptional responses. They mediate the establishment of polarity and body axes, coordinate pattern formation, and ultimately choreograph the morphogenesis of individual tissues. Recent advances have elucidated both the biochemical mechanisms regulating receptor activation and the molecular participants forming the intracellular signaling cascades of each of these pathways. A number of recent reviews have provided insight into the ever-expanding efforts directed at understanding Notch biology (Angerer and Angerer, 1999; Annaert and De Strooper, 1999; Artavanis-Tsakonas et al., 1999; Baker, 000; Beatus and Lendahl, 1998; Bertrand et al., 2000; Bray, 998a,b; Chan and Jan, 1998, 1999; Deftos and Bevan, 2000; reenwald, 1998; Gridley, 1997; Hoyne et al., 2000; Joutel nd Tournier-Lasserve, 1998; Kimble et al., 1998; Lewis, 998; Miele and Osborne, 1999; Panin and Irvine, 1998; erron and Harris, 2000; Robey, 1999; Rooke and Xu, 1998; aito and Watanabe, 1998; Selkoe, 2000; Weinmaster, 1997, 000). In this review we summarize the efforts of many roups that, over the past decade, contributed to the discovry that a novel signaling paradigm, Regulated Intramembrane Proteolysis (RIP), controls Notch receptor activation. In addition to Notch, the RIP paradigm has recently been shown to impact a number of other proteins (Brown et al., 2000). RIP utilizes “dual address” proteins which function at two discrete subcellular locations. The full-length “receptor” is first held at a docking site where, in response to stimulus/ligand, it undergoes intramembranous proteolysis to release a subdomain that then translocates to a second site of action, typically the nucleus. In the case of Notch,
Sampled-data modeling and analysis of closed-loop PWM DC-DC converters

General block diagram models are proposed for PWM DC-DC converters in continuous and discontinuous conduction modes with fixed switching frequency. Both current mode control and voltage mode control are addressed in these models. Based on these models, detailed nonlinear and linearized sampled-data dynamics are derived. Asymptotic orbital stability is analyzed. Audio-susceptibility and output impedance are derived. In this approach, discontinuous conduction mode and current mode control can be analyzed systematically without special effort.
Low power CMOS re-programmable pulse generator for UWB systems

In this paper we discuss the design of a CMOS based pulse generator for impulse-based UWB systems. The basic structure of our design involves a power amplifier with four control taps, which essentially decides the shape of the generated pulse. The design is versatile and may be used in a variety of UWB modulation schemes and systems. In addition, this design can also be incorporated into a multiband approach as a rectified cosine generator.
Association between severe pandemic 2009 influenza A (H1N1) virus infection and immunoglobulin G(2) subclass deficiency.

BACKGROUND . Severe pandemic 2009 influenza A virus (H1N1) infection is associated with risk factors that include pregnancy, obesity, and immunosuppression. After identification of immunoglobulin G(2) (IgG(2)) deficiency in 1 severe case, we assessed IgG subclass levels in a cohort of patients with H1N1 infection. METHODS Patient features, including levels of serum IgG and IgG subclasses, were assessed in patients with acute severe H1N1 infection (defined as infection requiring respiratory support in an intensive care unit), patients with moderate H1N1 infection (defined as inpatients not hospitalized in an intensive care unit), and a random sample of healthy pregnant women. RESULTS Among the 39 patients with H1N1 infection (19 with severe infection, 7 of whom were pregnant; 20 with moderate infection, 2 of whom were pregnant), hypoabuminemia (P < .001), anemia (P < .001), and low levels of total IgG (P= .01), IgG(1) (P= .022), and IgG(2) (15 of 19 vs 5 of 20; P= .001; mean value +/- standard deviation [SD], 1.8 +/- 1.7 g/L vs 3.4 +/- 1.4 g/L; P= .003) were all statistically significantly associated with severe H1N1 infection, but only hypoalbuminemia (P= .02) and low mean IgG(2) levels (P= .043) remained significant after multivariate analysis. Follow-up of 15 (79%) surviving IgG(2)-deficient patients at a mean (+/- SD) of 90 +/- 23 days (R, 38-126) after the initial acute specimen was obtained found that hypoalbuminemia had resolved in most cases, but 11 (73%) of 15 patients remained IgG(2) deficient. Among 17 healthy pregnant control subjects, mildly low IgG(1) and/or IgG(2) levels were noted in 10, but pregnant patients with H1N1 infection had significantly lower levels of IgG(2) (P= .001). CONCLUSIONS Severe H1N1 infection is associated with IgG(2) deficiency, which appears to persist in a majority of patients. Pregnancy-related reductions in IgG(2) level may explain the increased severity of H1N1 infection in some but not all pregnant patients. The role of IgG(2) deficiency in the pathogenesis of H1N1 infection requires further investigation, because it may have therapeutic implications.
Global Teachers with Globite Cases

A key feature of contemporary changes in globalisation is the increasing transnational flows of people. Evidence of the way in which these changes are impacting on education in Australia today is found in the presence of its immigrant teachers. Teacher shortages in Australia have led to increasing numbers of immigrant teachers from non-European or non-English-speaking background countries. This article reviews the recent experiences of Australia, New Zealand and Canada in recruiting these teachers. The findings of a study into the presence of immigrant teachers in selected Australian schools are then presented. It was found that as these immigrant teachers negotiate the ‘authoritative discourses’ in their professional lives, they contribute to the reworking of the identity and work of teachers. The article concludes by sketching a research and policy agenda that arises in response to, and as an expression of the presence of this new generation of global/local teachers.