Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Operational definitions and observer reliability of the plain radiographic features of psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE To determine the standardization and the observer reliability of potentially diagnostic plain radiographic features of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS Radiographic features were chosen on the basis of a systematic review of the literature. One hundred sixty-four radiographs from 62 patients were selected from various sources by a musculoskeletal radiologist. Radiographs were read independently by 2 observers (WJT, PSH) and scored for the presence or absence of each evaluated feature. Cohen's kappa was used to determine observer agreement beyond chance, and the accuracy of each observer (with reference to the radiologist's judgment) was determined by likelihood ratios. RESULTS The 2 observers demonstrated similar accuracy, although WJT tended to be more accurate for items classed as absent and PSH more accurate for items classed as present. The following features showed sufficient reliability to be reasonably included in further testing of their discriminatory value (intra- and interobserver kappa values): marginal syndesmophyte (0.68, 0.69), non-marginal syndesmophyte (0.75, 0.59), paravertebral ossification (0.89, 0.79), destructive discovertebral lesion (0.85, 0.65), Romanus lesion (0.64, 0.43), sacroiliitis (0.99, 0.86), entheseal erosion (0.80, 0.71), entheseal ossification (0.69, 0.76), distal interphalangeal erosive disease (0.58, 0.52), joint osteolysis (0.62, 0.47), juxtaarticular bony proliferation (0.43, 0.42), bony ankylosis (0.53, 0.54), tuft osteolysis (0.51, 0.36). The features that showed inadequate reliability were: loss of cortical definition of terminal tuft (0.33, 0.31) and periosteal new bone formation (0.42, 0.03). CONCLUSION A number of plain radiographic features of PsA have sufficient reliability to justify inclusion in diagnostic classification criteria sets for further testing.
Successive soybean‐monoculture cropping assembles rhizosphere microbial communities for the soil suppression of soybean cyst nematode

ABSTRACT One of the mechanisms of disease suppressiveness in soils is long‐term monoculture (LTM) cropping to dissuade pathogen infestation. However, the linkage between monoculturing and microbial community assemblage in the rhizosphere for disease suppression remains unclear. To decipher this potential relationship, soil samples were collected from seven locations in northeastern China, where LTM (6‐38 yr) and short‐term monoculture (STM ≤ 5 yr) cropping of soybean showed varying degrees of soil suppressiveness to the soybean cyst nematode (SCN; Heterodera glycines). Using high‐throughput pyrosequencing to examine bacterial 16S rRNA and fungal ITS1 genes, we observed substantial variation in the species richness and relative abundance of taxa in the rhizosphere across different sampling sites. At the genus level, the genera Pseudomonas, Purpureocillium and Pochonia, which have been documented to suppress SCN in earlier studies, were much more abundant in LTM soils than in STM soils. Moreover, the relative abundance of several bacterial and fungal genera with metabolic, biocidal and parasitic activities was also monitored in the rhizosphere. In this study, we provide additional evidence that plants shift the structural and functional composition of the rhizosphere microbiota to suppress pathogen infection in LTM cropping soils. &NA; Graphical Abstract Figure. Soybean monoculturing engaged exclusive bacterial and fungal taxa in the rhizosphere microbiome for soil suppression of Heterodera glycines.
THE NEW INTEGRATED PHYSICAL AND MATHEMATICAL AXIOMATICS OF THE UNIVERSAL LAW 1

In 1995, I discovered the Universal Law (the Law) of Nature: I proved that all known physical laws and their applications can be derived from this one law within mathematical formalism and can be explained for the first time from an epistemological and cognitive point of view. The discovery of the Law is the logical result of the consistent implementation of the principles of mathematical formalism to the structure of present-day physics. This endeavour has led to the development of a unified theory of physics and cosmology, which is a full axiomatisation (axiomatics) of physics. It could be shown that physics is applied mathematics to the physical world. The major results of the new theory are: All terms, quantities, constants, and other physical magnitudes can be axiomatically derived from the primary term, energy = space-time, which is the primary term of human consciousness. The primary axiom of the new axiomatics establishes the semantic and mathematical equivalence between all words or abstract symbols that can be arbitrarily used for the primary term. This is called the „principle of last equivalence“; it is the 1 Die ursprüngliche Version der vorliegenden Publikation findet man als Einleitung im Band 2 (concise version); diese erschien im Jahre 1999 als Leitartikel in der Zeitschrift „Journal of the Balkan Tribilogical Association“ (Vol 5, No 3, p. 129-155).
A method to evaluate QoS of web services required by a workflow

The Web services technology for invoking external applications from a workflow engine provides significant benefits to the WFMS. With the increasing number of web services that provide similar functionality, it is important to find the best web service that meets the user's needs, including both their functional and non functional requirements. The non-functional description of the service requires specifying at run time, the quality attributes that can influence the choice of a web service offered by a supplier. In this sense, it is essential to use metrics to evaluate the quality characteristics of Web services (QoS) in order to filter out Web services discovered, and obtain the most suitable one. The dynamic behavior of Web services regarding the development of new services and constantly changing existing ones, requires a continuous evaluation process, leading to capture web service information with respect to their quality and performance evaluation as requested by the workflow. This paper proposes a quantitative measurement method that allows evaluating QoS of web services, and provides a value that allows the comparison and selection that best meets the required characteristics.
Statins and the Bariatric Patient: Characterization and Perioperative Effects of Statin Therapy in the Gastric Bypass Patient

In surgical patients, statins have been shown to have beneficial effects independent of the lipid-lowering properties. Statin use has not been well studied in the bariatric patient. The objective of this study was to characterize the use of statins in the bariatric surgery patient and compare outcomes, including complications, weight loss, and changes in comorbidities. A retrospective chart review of patients undergoing bariatric surgery between 2005 and 2008 was conducted. Four hundred forty surgical patients charts were reviewed, of which 151 (34%) were taking a perioperative statin. The two groups were similar in length of stay, baseline body mass index, type of procedure, smoking status, and hospital charges. However, the statin group was older, more likely male, and with more baseline comorbidities, including hypertension (HTN), hyperlipidemia (HLD), diabetes mellitus (DM), coronary artery disease, and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). There was no statistical significance noted in the any complication or death. There was no difference in weight loss over time between the two groups. The statin group was more likely to report resolution in HLD (27.5 vs 9.5%, P = 0.004), but not DM, HTN, or OSA. In summary, there are differences in bariatric patients who take statins compared with their counterparts. Statins with gastric bypass may improve resolution of HLD, which may eventually alter long-term cardiac risk in these patients.
Quality-of-Life Assessment in Patients with Unilateral Vocal Cord Paralysis

OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to identify the impact of unilateral vocal cord paralysis (UVCP) on an individual's quality of life both before and after thyroplasty. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: This was a prospective observational outcome study of consecutive patients presenting to a laryngology clinic with UVCP. Participants received The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-Item Health Survey (SF-36), the Voice Handicap Index (VHI), and the Voice Outcome Survey (VOS). Patients underwent medialization laryngoplasty with silastic, with or without arytenoid adduction. Outcome measures were repeated after surgery. RESULTS: A review of 45 patients at presentation revealed statistically significant reductions in quality of life as measured by each survey. Marked improvements were noted after surgery. CONCLUSIONS: Our preoperative data support a profile of significant general health-related and voice-related limitations caused by UVCP. Patient perceptions improved significantly after the surgical treatment of glottal insufficiency. SIGNIFICANCE: The SF-36, VHI, and VOS provide an important complement to traditional endpoints in the analysis of patients with UVCP.
Immune Aspects of Endometriosis: Relevance of the Uterine Mucosal Immune System

Endometriosis is classically defined as the growth of endometrial cells at sites outside the uterus. It is a common disease characterized by infertility, chronic pain and adhesion formation. Immune dysregulation, evidenced by decreased clearance of endometrial cells and aberrant production of cytokines by peritoneal fluid leukocytes, has been proposed as a mechanism which allows implantation and growth of ectopic endometrium. Cytokines are primary components of intercellular signaling between uterine epithelial and stromal cells, leukocytes, and the developing conceptus. Because their production is regulated by sex hormones, cytokines are well-placed to play a key role in the extensive tissue remodeling required to accommodate menstruation, implantation and pregnancy. Understanding this specialized hormonally-responsive mucosal immune system within the uterus will be critical to understanding the potential importance of the immune system in the pathogenesis of endometriosis. In this review, highlights of studies describing leukocyte populations, cytokines and cytokine receptors in uterine and ectopic endometrium and their proposed role in the regulation of immune processes and endometrial growth are presented, followed by a review of current data on immune aspects of endometriosis. Studies directed at investigating the hormonal regulation of cytokine secretion by uterine and peritoneal cell populations, and the effect of cytokines on endometrial proliferation, should provide a more complete understanding of their potential role in normal uterine growth and in the pathogenesis of endometriosis.
Integrating cryptography in the trusted computing base

Secure distributed systems are not easily constructed, as they combine mechanisms based on very different theories of security (encryption and reference monitors). The authors show how these mechanisms may be integrated via the Unix STREAMS mechanism Examples are given of how this architecture can support existing security protocols and it is shown why it is consistent with the Bell-LaPadula and Biba information-flow models. <<ETX>>
The human family of Deafness/Dystonia peptide (DDP) related mitochondrial import proteins.

The gene responsible for the human genetic neurodegenerative disorder DFN-1/MTS encodes a small protein known as deafness/dystonia peptide (DDP). It bears a strong resemblance to a recently characterized set of zinc-binding yeast proteins (Tim8p, Tim9p, Tim10p, Tim12p, and Tim13p) that are implicated in the import of a class of transmembrane carrier proteins from the cytoplasm to the mitochondrial inner membrane. We describe here the human complement of DDP/Tim-like proteins and establish the likely orthologous relationships between sequences from human, yeast, and other organisms. We also describe the expression patterns and chromosomal locations of their genes, which are candidate loci for autosomal recessive neurodegenerative disorders.
Personality changes in Alzheimer's disease: a systematic review

People with Alzheimer's disease (AD) commonly exhibit changes in personality that sometimes precede the other early clinical manifestations of the condition, such as cognitive impairment and mood changes. Although these personality changes reflect the impact of progressive brain damage, there are several possible patterns of personality change with dementia. Early identification of personality change might assist with the timely diagnosis of AD. The objective of this study was to review studies of personality change in AD.
3D quantum modeling and simulation of multiple-gate nanowire MOSFETs

The electronic transport in multiple-gate devices is theoretically investigated at ultimate cross-section channel limit by modeling ballistic nanowire MOSFET architectures. The electrical performances of these structures are compared as a function of their "equivalent gate number" and gate configuration. In this approach, the 3D Schrodinger-Poisson system is self-consistently solved and the ballistic transport is treated with the nonequilibrium Green's function formalism.
Necrotizing Enterocolitis in HIV-Exposed and Nonexposed Infants: Clinical Presentation and Histopathological Features

Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is the most common gastrointestinal emergency in neonates and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. An association between HIV-positive maternal status and increased risk of NEC in preterm infants has been described, and antiretroviral therapy has been proposed as an independent risk factor. Our aim was to compare the clinical presentation and histopathological features of necrotizing enterocolitis in HIV-exposed and unexposed infants. A retrospective study of archival material from the National Health Laboratory Services Histopathology Laboratory in Tygerberg Hospital/Stellenbosch University from 1992 to 2008 was conducted. All surgical specimens from infants who presented to pediatric surgery for a laparotomy and bowel resection for NEC and in whom the HIV status was known were included in the study. In the 37 cases that fulfilled these criteria, male gender was overrepresented in the study population (67%). Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs appeared to play a significant role in the development of surgical NEC in infants who were not exposed to HIV, but HIV-exposed infants had a significantly poorer survival rate. There was no significant difference in the histopathology between HIV-exposed and nonexposed infants, and Cytomegalovirus infection was not identified in any of the cases studied.
Balloon pin‐hole rupture during percutaneous coronary intervention for recurrent, calcified in‐stent restenosis: A case report

Percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for patients with in‐stent restenosis (ISR) is generally considered safe and effective. However, due to increased tissue hardness, PCI for calcified intra‐stent ISR is technically challenging. Here, we report severe angioplasty‐related complications in a patient presenting with calcified, recurrent ISR following PCI. After receiving drug‐coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty for an initial ISR, the patient developed recurrent ISR during the follow‐up period. Intravascular imaging revealed intra‐stent calcifications and balloon angioplasty was subsequently performed. During the angioplasty, a pin‐hole balloon rupture occurred, consequently causing coronary dissection as visualized by intravascular imaging. To prevent acute coronary occlusion, stent implantation was required. The present case report suggests that, following detection of intra‐stent calcified stenosis, both careful balloon inflation as well as optimal ablation device selection are required to prevent potential complications and obtain successful procedural outcomes.
Nitrite plasma levels in normolipemic and hypercholesterolemic patients with peripheral occlusive arteriopathy.

BACKGROUND The authors studied the nitrite plasma levels in a group of patients with peripheral obstructive arteriopathy. METHODS The series consisted of 63 subjects (43 males, 20 females, mean age 64 +/- 9 years) suffering from peripheral arterial occlusive disease of the lower limbs, at II (55 cases) and III (8 cases) Fontaine stage; 21 subjects with total cholesterol (TC) lower than 200 mg/dl were considered as normolipemics, 24 subjects with TC values between 200 and 240 as mild hypercholesterolemics, 18 subjects with TC above 240 mg/dl as severe hypercholesterolemics. For each subject the determination of nitrite plasma levels was carried out, by the Gutman and Hollywood colorimetric method. RESULTS In the normolipemic arteriopathics the basal value of nitrites was sharply reduced (p < 0.05) compared to the controls; in the mild hypercholesterolemics the mean basal value of nitrites was markedly higher compared to the controls; in the severe hypercholesterolemics the mean basal value of nitrites was statistically (p < 0.05) higher than that of the controls. In the arteriopathic patients, globally considered, the mean basal value of nitrites was superimposable on that of the normal control subjects. CONCLUSIONS This study, carried out on the nitrite plasma levels in a group of arteriopathic patients allowed us to show the enhanced levels of nitric oxide due to the increase of LDL; this effect, previously observed in hypercholesterolemic diabetic and coronaropathic patients, leads us to the hypothesis of a stimulating effect of LDL upon NO endothelial synthesis; this would be a compensatory response to the damaging and vasoconstricting action of LDL.
Data Abstraction, Databases and Conceptual Modelling

A High Level Abstraction Workshop was held June 23-26, 1980 at Pingree Park which is at 9,000 feet in the Colorado Rockies. This paper presents the motivations and objectives for the workshop and summarizes the discussions on the ten topics addressed by researchers in Artificial fntelli- gence, Databases and Programming Languages.
Conservative Inheritance of Newly Synthesized DNA in Double-Strand Break-Induced Gene Conversion

ABSTRACT To distinguish among possible mechanisms of repair of a double-strand break (DSB) by gene conversion in budding yeast, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, we employed isotope density transfer to analyze budding yeast mating type (MAT) gene switching in G2/M-arrested cells. Both of the newly synthesized DNA strands created during gene conversion are found at the repaired locus, leaving the donor unchanged. These results support suggestions that mitotic DSBs are primarily repaired by a synthesis-dependent strand-annealing mechanism. We also show that the proportion of crossing-over associated with DSB-induced ectopic recombination is not affected by the presence of nonhomologous sequences at one or both ends of the DSB or the presence of additional sequences that must be copied from the donor.
Efficient Coordinated Multicell Beamforming with Per-Base-Station Power Constraints

This paper is concerned with optimal downlink beamforming designs in a coordinated multicell system with per-base-station power constraints. At each cell, a multiple-antenna base-station (BS) employs linear beamforming to send multiple data streams to its remote mobile-stations (MS). With the coordination between the cells, the multiple BSs jointly optimize their beamformers to enhance the overall system performance. Under per-BS power constraints, considered are the two following design criteria: (i) minimizing transmit power with guaranteed signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) at each each MS and (ii) jointly maximizing the minimum SINR margin at the MS. The two optimization problems are reformulated as second-order conic programs (SOCP), and simple and fast converging numerical algorithms to efficiently solve them are proposed.
JPEG image compression algorithm analysis and local optimization

The purpose of this paper is to analyze and further optimize the JPEG image compression algorithm. First we analysis of JPEG image compression algorithm to achieve the specific methods with the advantages and disadvantages, at the same time, in the algorithm module in the sending, the output of a new data transfer mode was developed to reduce the error rate and enhance perform well in the data transfer rate based on the algorithm local optimization. In the end, we proved that the new data transfer mode can efficiently improve the data transfer rate and reduce the error rate through an experiment.
The role of cyclic AMP in the cytolytic activity of lymphocytes.

The cytolytic activity of lymphocyte populations toward cells bearing antigenic determinants against which the lymphocytes are specifically sensitized has received increasing attention recently, principally on account of the relevancy of this phenomenon to allograft immunity. Although it is established that such cytolysis is immunologically specific (1) and requires intimate contact between the “sensitized” lymphocytes and the antigen-bearing (or “target”) cell (2), presumably via the intermediary of a specific antigenic recognition unit on the lymphoid cell surface, little is known of the mechanisms by which the cytolytic event is effected. One suggestion (3) has been that the interaction between the lymphoid and target cells leads to the release of a soluble factor, termed lymphotoxin, which is the mediator of cell lysis.
Waves on unsteady currents

Models for surface gravity wave propagation in the presence of currents often assume the current field to be quasi-stationary, which implies that the absolute wave frequency is time invariant. However, in the presence of unsteady currents or time-varying water depth, linear wave theory predicts a time variation of the absolute wave frequency (and wavenumber). Herein, observations of wave frequency modulations from a large-scale laboratory experiment are presented. In this case, the modulations are caused by both unsteady depths and unsteady currents due to the presence of low-frequency standing waves. These new observations allow a unique and detailed verification of the theoretical predictions regarding variations in the absolute wave frequency. In addition, analytic solutions for the variations in frequency and wave height induced by the unsteady medium are found through a perturbation analysis. These solutions clarify the dependency of the wave frequency/wave height modulations on the characteristics o.