Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Eight-Year Follow-Up of Patients With Permanent Vena Cava Filters in the Prevention of Pulmonary Embolism: The PREPIC (Prévention du Risque d’Embolie Pulmonaire par Interruption Cave) Randomized Study

Background—In a randomized trial in patients with proximal deep-vein thrombosis, permanent vena cava filters reduced the incidence of pulmonary embolism but increased that of deep-vein thrombosis at 2 years. An 8-year follow-up was performed to assess their very long-term effect. Methods and Results—Four hundred patients with proximal deep-vein thrombosis with or without pulmonary embolism were randomized either to receive or not receive a filter in addition to standard anticoagulant treatment for at least 3 months. Data on vital status, venous thromboembolism, and postthrombotic syndrome were obtained once a year for up to 8 years. All documented events were reviewed blindly by an independent committee. Outcome data were available in 396 patients (99%). Symptomatic pulmonary embolism occurred in 9 patients in the filter group (cumulative rate 6.2%) and 24 patients (15.1%) in the no-filter group (P=0.008). Deep-vein thrombosis occurred in 57 patients (35.7%) in the filter group and 41 (27.5%) in the no-filter group (P=0.042). Postthrombotic syndrome was observed in 109 (70.3%) and 107 (69.7%) patients in the filter and no-filter groups, respectively. At 8 years, 201 (50.3%) patients had died (103 and 98 patients in the filter and no-filter groups, respectively). Conclusions—At 8 years, vena cava filters reduced the risk of pulmonary embolism but increased that of deep-vein thrombosis and had no effect on survival. Although their use may be beneficial in patients at high risk of pulmonary embolism, systematic use in the general population with venous thromboembolism is not recommended.
An Anti-β-Glucan Monoclonal Antibody Inhibits Growth and Capsule Formation of Cryptococcus neoformans In Vitro and Exerts Therapeutic, Anticryptococcal Activity In Vivo

ABSTRACT In this study we tested the in vitro and in vivo anti-Cryptococcus neoformans activity of an antilaminarin (anti-β-glucan) monoclonal antibody (MAb 2G8) (immunoglobulin G2b) which was previously shown to inhibit the growth of β-glucan-exposing Candida albicans cells. Here we show that MAb 2G8 binds to the cell wall of C. neoformans and inhibits its growth to an extent comparable to that observed for C. albicans. Binding and growth inhibition were detected almost equally for encapsulated and acapsular C. neoformans strains. In addition, at subinhibitory concentrations, MAb 2G8 reduced the capsule thickness without affecting protease or phospholipase production. Acapsular fungal cells, but not encapsulated fungal cells, were opsonized by the antibody and more efficiently phagocytosed and killed by human monocytes and by murine peritoneal macrophages. A single administration of MAb 2G8 resulted in a reduction in the fungal burden in the brains and livers of mice systemically infected with a highly virulent, encapsulated C. neoformans strain. This protective effect was also detected in neutropenic mice. Overall, these findings demonstrate that cell wall β-glucan of encapsulated C. neoformans is accessible to antibodies which can exert remarkable anticryptococcal activities in vitro and in vivo.
Prognostic Impact of ABO Blood Group on Type I Endometrial Cancer Patients- Results from Our Own and Other Studies

Objectives: The ABO blood group antigens were found on most epithelial cells and in secretions. In the normal endometrium there is a variable expression of histo-blood group and related antigens suggesting a hormonal regulation. A relationship between ABO blood groups and endometrial cancer has been investigated with contradictory results. In this study we investigated the influence of blood types on clinical and pathological characteristics of endometrial cancer patients. Method: Retrospective cohort study. Clinical and pathological data were extrapolated and their association with blood groups were assessed. Results: A total of 203 type I endometrial cancer patients were included in the final analysis. Univariate analysis indicated that a lower frequency of G3 undifferentiated tumors was observed in patients with A blood group (P=0.027). Multivariate analysis, including also clinical features such as Age, BMI, parity, hypertension and diabetes confirmed that patients with A group present a lower risk of G3 tumors in comparison with not A patients. (OR=0.32, P=0.011). Conclusions: Patients with A genotype have a lower risk to develop G3 type I endometrial cancer. ABO blood group might represent a useful, easy access and cheap biomarker for patients' selection and for management personalization of endometrial cancer patients.
Efficient Sequential Model-Based Fault-Localization with Partial Diagnoses

Model-Based Diagnosis is a principled approach to identify the possible causes when a system under observation behaves unexpectedly. In case the number of possible explanations for the unexpected behavior is large, sequential diagnosis approaches can be applied. The strategy of such approaches is to iteratively take additional measurements to narrow down the set of alternatives in order to find the true cause of the problem. In this paper we propose a sound and complete sequential diagnosis approach which does not require any information about the structure of the diagnosed system. The method is based on the new concept of "partial" diagnoses, which can be efficiently computed given a small number of minimal conflicts. As a result, the overall time needed for determining the best next measurement point can be significantly reduced. An experimental evaluation on different benchmark problems shows that our sequential diagnosis approach needs considerably less computation time when compared with an existing domain-independent approach.
Computed tomography quantification of airway remodelling in normal ageing subjects: a cross-sectional study

Airway remodelling inducing structural and functional decline is a main factor leading to clinical disablement in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) [1]. However, whether airway remodelling is also a potential feature of the normal healing process in ordinary lifelong environmental exposure and chronic endogen damage due to senescence is not well elucidated [2]. The relationship between ageing and development of COPD is complex. On one hand, while there is a higher prevalence of COPD in the elderly, ageing is not the direct cause of COPD; on the other hand, it does increase the susceptibility of the lung to extrinsic damage [3]. Airway remodelling with age is a heterogeneous process having a particular tropism towards distal airways http://ow.ly/FeZnN
Can Molecular Markers Predict When to Implement Treatment with Aromatase Inhibitors in Invasive Breast Cancer?

Purpose: Resistance to tamoxifen is linked to overexpression of HER2, and aromatase inhibitors show particular benefit in progesterone receptor (PR)–negative patients. We previously reported reduced survival in patients overexpressing HER1, HER2, and HER3. We now show that both HER1-3 and PR status predicts for early relapse in estrogen receptor (ER)–positive tamoxifen-treated breast cancer patients. Experimental Design: Tissue microarray technology was used to analyze 402 ER-positive tamoxifen-treated patients. Immunohistochemistry using epidermal growth factor receptor, HER2, HER3, HER4, and PR antibodies was done. Kaplan-Meier life table and Cox Regression analysis (log-rank testing of differences in breast cancer–related relapse on tamoxifen) was done. Results: HER1-3 (but not HER4) overexpression predicted for early relapse on tamoxifen (P = 0.0060). PR-negative cases were also significantly more likely to relapse while on tamoxifen (P= 0.017). HER1-3-positive and/or PR-negative patients combined as a “high-risk” group were significantly more likely to relapse on tamoxifen in univariate (P < 0.0001) and Cox's multivariate analysis (P = 0.0069). However, this applied to early relapse on tamoxifen only, as any disease relapse after 3 years of tamoxifen was unrelated to PR/HER status. Conclusions: We show that HER1-3 and PR status can identify time-dependent de novo tamoxifen resistance with risk declining markedly after 3 years of tamoxifen treatment. These results parallel data from the ATAC and Intergroup Exemastane Study trials which suggest that whereas PR-negative patients derive greater benefit from initial aromatase inhibitor treatment, PR status has no effect on response when given as delayed treatment to those disease free on tamoxifen after 3 years.
RETROSPECTIVE: Ensemble-level Power Management for Dense Blade Servers

Seventeen years ago, in ISCA2006, we published a paper titled “Ensemble-level Power Management for Dense Blade Servers. ” At that time, there was broad research on mobile power management, but much less emphasis on server power management. We argued that this area warranted equal attention due to multiple trends: the cost/environmental implications of electricity, but more so, potential limits to power delivery (amperage per rack of servers) and thermal density (cooling capacity per rack). In even more of a departure from contemporary research, we focused on peak power provisioning. In contrast, most prior studies focused on average power. Our key insight was the following: Trends towards blade servers and (then) emerging deployments at scale1 meant that we could go beyond server power at the single-system level, and instead consider groups of servers (or ensembles). 2 Doing so enabled us to leverage higher-level statistical multiplexing trends in system-wide utilization and power consumption, and provision power for the peak of the sum of power usage across many servers rather than the sum of the peak power usage for each server. We likened our approach to the airline industry selling more tickets than seats, and then offering coupons in the uncommon case when everyone shows up. Our proposal was, to put it mildly, very unconventional and challenged conventional wisdom (one internal reviewer called it “heresy”! ). There were many concerns: Could we measure power at the right fidelity and granularity? What would we do if we ran out of power? How often would that happen? Would customers notice? How would we even describe this to them? This paper answered all of these questions. We presented a detailed analysis of power usage from real-world production deployments to back up our idea. We also proposed an architecture; designed an implementation that included hardware support for power monitoring and policies for power management; and demonstrated both prototype and simulation results that showed significant power reductions (up to 20% in overall power) with negligible workload slowdown.
NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AUDIT: DUCTAL CARCINOMA IN SITU MANAGEMENT IN AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND

Background: Ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is a significant issue in Australia and New Zealand with rising incidence because of the implementation of mammographic screening. Current information on its natural history is unable to accurately predict progression to invasive cancer. In 2003, the National Breast Cancer Centre in Australia published recommendations for DCIS. In Australia and New Zealand, the National Breast Cancer Audit collects information on DCIS cases. This article will examine these recommendations and provide information from the audit on current DCIS management.
Inhibitory Effects of Etomidate and Ketamine on Endothelium-dependent Relaxation in Canine Pulmonary Artery

BackgroundThe authors recently demonstrated that acetylcholine-induced pulmonary vasorelaxation had two primary components, nitric oxide (NO) and endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor (EDHF). The goal was to investigate the effects of etomidate and ketamine on the NO- and EDHF-mediated components of pulmonary vasorelaxation in response to acetylcholine, bradykinin, and the calcium ionophore, A23187. MethodsCanine pulmonary arterial rings with an intact endothelium were suspended in organ chambers for isometric tension recording. The effects of etomidate and ketamine (10−5 m and 10−4 m) on vasorelaxation responses to acetylcholine, bradykinin, and A23187 were assessed in phenylephrine-contracted rings. The NO- and EDHF-mediated components of relaxation were assessed using a NO synthase inhibitor (N-nitro-l-arginine methylester [l-NAME]: 10−4 m) and a Ca2+-activated potassium channel inhibitor (tetrabutylammonium hydrogen sulfate [TBA]: 10−3 m) in rings pretreated with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor (ibuprofen: 10−5 m). Intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) was measured in cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial cells loaded with acetoxylmethyl ester of fura-2. ResultsEtomidate and ketamine attenuated pulmonary vasorelaxation in response to acetylcholine and bradykinin, whereas they had no effect on the response to A23187. The relaxant responses to acetylcholine and bradykinin were attenuated by l-NAME or TBA alone and were abolished by combined inhibition in rings pretreated with ibuprofen. Etomidate and ketamine further attenuated both l-NAME—resistant and TBA-resistant relaxation. These anesthetics also inhibited increases in endothelial [Ca2+]i in response to bradykinin, but not A23187. ConclusionThese results indicate that etomidate and ketamine attenuated vasorelaxant responses to acetylcholine and bradykinin by inhibiting both NO- and EDHF-mediated components. Moreover, our results suggest that these anesthetics do not directly suppress NO or EDHF activity, but rather inhibit the endothelial [Ca2+]i transient in response to receptor activation.
The appearance of joint manifestations in the Swiss inflammatory bowel disease cohort

Background/Aims Extraintestinal manifestations (EIM) involving joints, skin, eyes and liver represent an important problem in the treatment of IBD patients. The aim of this study was to identify factors that are associated with the occurrence of joint EIM and therefore allow an early diagnosis and guide medical treatment. Methods We studied clinical and epidemiological data from 3298 patients included in the Swiss IBD Cohort Study (SIBDCS), 1860 suffered from Crohn’s disease (CD) and 1438 from ulcerative colitis or IBD unclassified (UC/IBDU). Results We found female gender as well as a longer disease duration and activity (specified as CDAI or MTWAI, respectively) to be related to the appearance of arthritis/arthralgia, but also sacroiliitis/ankylosing spondylitis in IBD patients. IBD patients with arthritis/arthralgia or sacroiliitis/ankylosing spondylitis were more often treated with anti-TNF and patients with arthritis/arthralgia underwent more often IBD-related surgeries. We revealed that eye or skin EIM were more frequent in patients with arthritis/arthralgia or sacroiliitis/ankylosing spondylitis. In multivariate analysis, we confirmed female gender, longer disease duration, IBD-related surgery, presence of other EIM and treatment with anti-TNF to be independent risk factors for the onset of arthritis/arthralgia in CD and UC/IBDU patients. Conclusion In this study, we demonstrated that markers for a more severe disease course were associated with the onset of joint EIM in IBD patients. Our data suggest that in particular females under anti-TNF treatment and patients suffering from non-joint and/or IBD-related surgery should be close and carefully monitored for presence of arthritis or sacroiliitis/ankylosing spondylitis.
A new low-power full-adder cell for low voltage using CNTFETs

One of the most crucial components in the computing devices is the full adders. The efficiency and effectiveness of arrays of full adders is essential; thus making it sensible to put in a reasonable effort towards improvisation of computational devices. In this paper, a new 1-BIT Full Adder (FA) with a combination of pass transistor logic and transmission gate logic is suggested. This new hybrid adder is having only 18 transistors. The proposed full adder is a CNTFET based design and also implemented 8-BIT Ripple carry Adder (RCA) at 32 nm CNTFET model files using the Cadence virtuoso tool.
Dielectric Performance of Interfaces in Premolded Cable Joints

Great progress has been made in developing high-quality insulating materials, in maintaining consistent manufacturing processes, and in designing cable joints for easy installation. However, little attention has been given to the interfaces in cable joints. Greases are generally used as a lubricant for installation of premolded cable joints (excluding heat-shrink and cold-shrink splices), and are therefore always found at these interfaces. Analysis of field-aged cable joints has revealed two common problems related to greases: dry and sticky interfaces causing great difficulties in power disconnection, and interfacial discharges (or surface tracking) leading to dielectric breakdown. The focus of this study is on the dielectric performance of interfaces in cable joints. Measurements of breakdown voltage and pressure were carried out at interfaces of both new and field-aged cable joints. The effect of surface conditions was also investigated. Results show that the dielectric performance at interfaces is intimately related to the surface conditions, and a distinct long-term behavior is found for each type of interface in cable joints. The significance of the results and their implications are discussed.
Enhancement of Aerosol Cisplatin Chemotherapy with Gene Therapy Expressing ABC10 protein in Respiratory System

Inhaled therapy for lung cancer is a local form of treatment. Currently inhaled non-specific cytotoxic agents have been evaluated as a future treatment for local disease control and distant metastasis control. There are few information regarding the influence of local transporters and gene expression of the respiratory epithelium to the absorption of administered drugs. In the current work we used adenoviral-type 5(dE1/E3) (Cytomegalovirus promoter) with human ABCA10 transgene (Ad-h-ABCA10) purchased from Vector Labs® in order to investigate whether gene therapy can be used as a pre-treatment to enhance the efficiency of inhaled cisplatin. We included the following groups to our work: a) control, b) aerosol vector, c) aerosol vector plus cisplatin, d) aerosol cisplatin, e) intratumoral cisplatin administration, f) intratumoral vector plus cisplatin administration. The results indicate that the aerosol cisplatin group had a long term survival with the intratumoral cisplatin group following. The enhancement of the ABCA family locally to the respiratory system prior to the aerosol cisplatin administration can be used safely and efficiently. Future treatment design of local therapies should include the investigation of local transporters and genes.
Providing Source Location Privacy in Wireless Sensor Networks: A Survey

Wireless sensor networks (WSNs) consist of numerous small nodes that can sense, collect, and disseminate information for many different types of applications. One of these applications is subject tracking and monitoring, in which the monitored subjects often need protection. For instance, a WSN can be deployed to monitor the movement of a panda in a national park. The panda needs protection from different adversaries, such as hunters and poachers. An adversary might trace the messages in the WSN to find the source node that sensed the panda, with the final aim of killing the panda. Hence the question is: how do we hide the location of the source node from the adversary? This question is relevant in several of the scenarios related to this application, such as patient monitoring and battlefield surveillance. In other words, the problem is to provide privacy to the source node: source location privacy. In this paper, we provide a survey of the state of the art in source location privacy. We first discuss the key concepts in source location privacy, such as anonymity, unobservability, safety period, and capture likelihood. Then, we present an overview of the solutions that provide source location privacy within a WSN, in relation to the assumptions about the adversary's capabilities. In particular, we summarize the concepts and solutions, which are categorized based on the core techniques used to provide source location privacy. We mention the limitations of the algorithms as found in the literature, classify the solutions based on their approach, and provide an overview of the assumptions on the adversarial capabilities related to each solution.
Video Stream Annotations for Energy Trade-offs in Multimedia Applications

Recent applications for distributed mobile devices, including multimedia video/audio streaming, typically process streams of incoming data in a regular, predictable way. The behavior of these applications during runtime can be accurately predicted most of the time by analyzing the data to be processed and annotating the stream with the information collected. We introduce an annotation-based approach to power-quality trade-offs and demonstrate its application on CPU frequency scaling during video decoding, for an improved user experience on portable devices. Our experiments show that up to 50% of the power consumed by the CPU during video decoding can be saved with this approach
Multilingualism in China: The Politics of Writing Reforms for Minority Languages 1949-2002

Minglang Zhou's highly erudite and well-researched volume on the policies concerning writing reforms for China's minorities since 1949 provides an original and well-reasoned summary of a complex process. It documents how different script reforms meet dramatically different fates according to local preferences, history, cross-border ties, and the vitality of previously-used scripts. In a style accessible to both undergraduate and graduate students, Zhou's book is of interest to language planners, sinologists, applied linguists, writing theorists, and ethnologists.
Pitfalls in drug allergy skin testing: false–positive reactions due to (hidden) additives

Skin testing for drug hypersensitivity is a valuable diagnostic tool and a well established procedure for betalactams and corticosteroids. Although appropriate patch, prick or intracutaneous testing usually permits unequivocal interpretation, the possibility of false–positive reactions must be kept in mind. We report two patients, one with a suspected penicillin allergy and one with a suspected steroid allergy, in whom positive skin tests initially yielded a false diagnosis. In both cases, other findings were inconsistent with the positive skin tests. Therefore, further investigations were performed. After the test preparations had been analysed, the skin test was extended to include the additives, which then yielded the diagnosis of sensitization to the surfactant polysorbate 80 (PS 80, contained in the penicillin test solution) and the emulsion stabilizer carboxymethylcellulose (CMC, contained in the steroid preparation), respectively. It should be noted that positive reactions to test solution additives, as in the first case, may lead to a lifelong false diagnosis of (penicillin) allergy, whereas an undiagnosed allergy to additives in parenteral applications, as in the second case, might prove fatal.