Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Does smoking cessation improve Quality of Life in patients with coronary heart disease?

Objective. To evaluate whether smoking cessation after a coronary event improves quality of life, and to assess whether quality of life is a predictor of smoking cessation. Design. Health-related quality of life at baseline and at 12 months follow up were measured in a randomised smoking cessation trial of 240 smokers aged under 76 years admitted for myocardial infarction, unstable angina or coronary bypass surgery. At 12 months follow up 101 had managed to give up smoking (quitters), and 117 were smokers (sustained smokers). Results. The quitters and sustained smokers had similar improvements in all quality of life domains from baseline to 12 months follow up. Further, after adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics, the quality of life was not significantly different in the quitters compared to the sustained smokers neither at baseline nor at 12 months follow up. Conclusions. Smoking cessation did not improve quality of life compared to sustained smoking after a coronary event in a 12 month follow up. Quality of life was not a significant predictor of smoking cessation.
Post-traumatic Syringomyelia

Study Design This study retrospectively analyzed patients who developed post-traumatic syringomyelia secondary to spinal cord injury. Objectives To identify an indicator that would predict the outcome of surgical treatment for post-traumatic syringomyelia. Summary of Background Data Syrinx-subarachnoid shunting was chosen as a surgical treatment for post-traumatic syringomyelia. No previous study has been published concerning magnetic resonance imaging findings' ability to predict surgical results before surgery. Methods Nine patients diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging with post-traumatic syringomyelia were the subjects of this study. The magnetic resonance imaging findings and surgical results were analyzed. Results Neurologic deterioration was found in five patients. Ascending dissociated sensory disturbances and motor weakness were noticed to occur characteristically above the level of the spinal cord injury. The other four patients complained of a slight worsening of numbness without displaying neurologic deterioration. The five patients with neurologic deterioration were treated with a syrinx-subarachnoid shunting. Two of the five patients experienced sustained neurologic improvement after a midline myelotomy, which allowed the fluid within the syrinx to spout out and cause the expanded spinal cord to collapse. This was called a “high-pressure syrinx. ” In these two patients, the preoperative magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a positive flow-void sign. On the other hand, drainage of the syrinx in the three patients with a negative flow-void sign did not collapse the expanded spinal cord, and the surgical results were considered fair. This was called a “low-pressure syrinx. ” Conclusions Post-traumatic syringomyelia was classified into two types. A preoperative distinction could be made based on the presence or absence of the flow-void sign on a T2-weighted magnetic resonance image.
Brush technique in ocular surface cytology

New techniques are being searched for the evaluation of cellular morphology and population of ocular surface. Impression cytology is one of the most preferred techniques in ocular surface sampling in dry eye, keratitis, and conjunctivitis. We evaluated and compared the efficacy of impression and brush cytology in 63 patients. All of the samples collected by the brush technique were sufficient for diagnosis: 88% of the slides revealed abundant cells and 12% adequate number of cells. In 21% of the samples observed by impression cytology the cell number was inadequate for diagnosis. In 58% of them the cells were abundant and in 21% few cells were observed. This study proved the value of brush cytology in collecting ocular surface cells. Diagn. Cytopathol. 17:88–91, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Oxidative stress induced by bloodless limb surgery on humans

Measure of oxidative stress were studied in blood samples from 10 patients undergoing bloodless lower limb surgery. Ischaemia induced a significant increase in plasma hypoxanthine concentration and xanthine oxidase activity both in the operated leg and in the systemic circulation. Five minutes after reperfusion, ratio of xanthine oxidase/total xanthine oxidase and dehydrogenase activities rose moderately, whereas at 20 min xanthine oxidase accounted for all xanthine oxidoreductase activity in the systemic circulation. A significant increase in blood glutathione redox ratio, enhanced oxidation of haemoglobin to methaemoglobin and rise in plasma haemoglobin concentration were present only in the operated limb. Thus, although the level of the potential free radical generators rose significantly both locally and in the systemic circulation, oxidative stress, as indicated by blood glutathione and erythrocyte injuries, remained limited to the reperfused leg.
The Impact of Peak Saturation of the Arterial Input Function on Quantitative Evaluation of Dynamic Susceptibility Contrast-Enhanced MR Studies

Purpose The purpose of this work was to investigate systematic errors in dynamic contrast-enhanced MR perfusion studies due to peak saturation of the arterial input function (AIF) and to introduce a simple correction algorithm. Method Computer simulations were performed to evaluate the influence of AIF peak saturation and to demonstrate the effectiveness of the presented correction algorithm. To compare the computer simulations with real MR data, MR perfusion measurements were performed on volunteers. Results The computer simulations show that AIF peak saturation leads to a systematic overestimation of cerebral blood volume (CBV) and cerebral blood flow (CBF) values, which was confirmed by comparing the obtained MR data with PET results. With use of an improved calculation algorithm correcting for AIF peak saturation, a significant improvement of the obtained CBV and CBF values could be demonstrated. Conclusion Our results suggest that AIF peak saturation leads to a significant systematic error in the determination of CBV and CBF values and has necessarily to be taken into account for dynamic contrast-enhanced MR perfusion studies.
An algorithm for automatic beat-to-beat measurement of the QT-interval

An algorithm for automatic measurement of the QT-interval is described. The algorithm consists of two passes. In the first pass the differentiated signal is passed through an existing QRS-detector which is modified to detect the end of T-wave. The pointers found for Q-onset and T-end are used for creation of a filter, which estimates the low frequency part of the signal. Subsequently this estimate is subtracted from the original signal where after the same algorithm is applied for the second pass. Validation was done on recordings of 20 patients; 1861 triple beats were randomly selected and eyeball measurements of the QT duration were performed by two experienced cardiologists. The difference of the QT-interval between the cardiologists and the algorithm was 3.64 msec (n.s.). It is concluded that the algorithm reliably calculates the QT-interval, even if major baseline wander is present. <<ETX>>
Integrated Environment of Simulation and Real-Time Control Experiment for Control system

This paper presents the methods which make a design process of control system efficient. The real-time control framework makes writing real-time control programs easy. Real-time control programs are generated from simulation program automatically. The idea of an object model and the factory method pattern are used for automatic generation of real-time control program. Separation of platform dependent parts makes non real-time parts can be independent from platform. We develop a platform integrated environment of the simulation and the real-time control for control system using above methods.
Health Effects Associated with Wastewater Treatment, Reuse, and Disposal

A review of the literature published in 2011 on topics relating to the public and environmental health risks associated with wastewater treatment, reuse, and disposal is presented. This review is divided into the following sections: water and wastewater management, microbial hazards, chemical hazards, industrial wastewater, wastewater reuse, wastewater treatment plants, wastewater disposal, and sludge and biosolids.
Validation of dose painting of lung tumours using alanine/EPR dosimetry

Biologic image guided radiotherapy (RT) with escalated doses to tumour sub volumes challenges today’s RT dose planning and delivery systems. In this phantom study, we verify the capability of a clinical dose planning and delivery system to deliver an 18F-FDG-PET based dose painted treatment plan to a lung tumour. Furthermore, we estimate the uncertainties of the dose painted treatment compared to conventional RT plans. An anthropomorphic thorax phantom of polystyrene and polyurethane was constructed based on CT images of a lung cancer patient. 101 EPR/alanine dosimeters were placed in separate cavities within the phantom. IMRT and VMAT plans were generated in Eclipse (version 10.0, Analytical Anisotropic Algorithm version 10.2.28, Varian Medical Systems, Inc.) for 6 and 15 MV photons, based on 18F-FDG-PET/CT images of the patient. A boost dose of 3.8 Gy/fraction was given to the 18F-FDG-avid region (biological planning volume; BTV), whereas 3.1 Gy/fraction was planned to the planning target volume (PTV, excluding the BTV). For the homogenous plans, 3.2 Gy/fraction was given to the PTV. Irradiation of the phantom was carried out at a Varian Trilogy linear accelerator (Varian Medical Systems, Inc.). Uncertainties involved in treatment planning and delivery were estimated from portal dosimetry gamma evalutation. Measured and calculated doses were compared by Bland–Altmann analysis. For all treatment plans, all dose-volume objectives could be achieved in the treatment planning system. The mean absolute differences between calculated and measured doses were small (<0.1 Gy) for BTV, PTV-BTV, lung and soft tissue. The estimated uncertainty of the planned doses was less than 3% for all plans, whereas the estimated uncertainty in the measured doses was less 2.3%. Our results show that planning and delivery of dose escalated lung cancer treatment on a clinical dose planning and delivery system has high dosimetric accuracy. The uncertainties associated with the dose escalated treatment plans are comparable to the conventional plans.
The human RHOX gene cluster: target genes and functional analysis of gene variants in infertile men.

The X-linked reproductive homeobox (RHOX) gene cluster encodes transcription factors preferentially expressed in reproductive tissues. This gene cluster has important roles in male fertility based on phenotypic defects of Rhox-mutant mice and the finding that aberrant RHOX promoter methylation is strongly associated with abnormal human sperm parameters. However, little is known about the molecular mechanism of RHOX function in humans. Using gene expression profiling, we identified genes regulated by members of the human RHOX gene cluster. Some genes were uniquely regulated by RHOXF1 or RHOXF2/2B, while others were regulated by both of these transcription factors. Several of these regulated genes encode proteins involved in processes relevant to spermatogenesis; e.g. stress protection and cell survival. One of the target genes of RHOXF2/2B is RHOXF1, suggesting cross-regulation to enhance transcriptional responses. The potential role of RHOX in human infertility was addressed by sequencing all RHOX exons in a group of 250 patients with severe oligozoospermia. This revealed two mutations in RHOXF1 (c.515G > A and c.522C > T) and four in RHOXF2/2B (-73C > G, c.202G > A, c.411C > T and c.679G > A), of which only one (c.202G > A) was found in a control group of men with normal sperm concentration. Functional analysis demonstrated that c.202G > A and c.679G > A significantly impaired the ability of RHOXF2/2B to regulate downstream genes. Molecular modelling suggested that these mutations alter RHOXF2/F2B protein conformation. By combining clinical data with in vitro functional analysis, we demonstrate how the X-linked RHOX gene cluster may function in normal human spermatogenesis and we provide evidence that it is impaired in human male fertility.
A 19.7 MHz, Fifth-Order Active-RC Chebyshev LPF for Draft IEEE802.11n With Automatic Quality-Factor Tuning Scheme

A fifth-order LPF with a quality factor (Q) tuning circuit has been implemented for draft IEEE802.11n in a 0.13 CMOS technology. The proposed Q tuning technique realizes a low-power 19.7 MHz, active-RC Chebyshev LPF. The filter has dB gain, 30 nV/Hz1/2 input-referred noise, 113 dBmuV input , P 1dB,draws 7.5 mA current from 1.5 V supply, and occupies an area of 0.2 mm2.
Mutation of Glu521 or Glu535 in Cytoplasmic Loop 5 Causes Differential Misfolding in Multiple Domains of Multidrug and Organic Anion Transporter MRP1 (ABCC1)*

Background: The five-domain MRP1 mediates ATP-dependent efflux of drugs and organic anions. Results: Chemically rescued cytoplasmic loop 5 (CL5) processing mutants of MRP1 exhibit distinct phenotypes characterized by differences in transport activity and protein conformation. Conclusion: Glu521 and Glu535 are important for folding of their resident domain as well as more COOH-proximal domains. Significance: MRP1 folding processes differ from those of its homologs including CFTR. The polytopic 5-domain multidrug resistance protein 1 (MRP1/ABCC1) extrudes a variety of drugs and organic anions across the plasma membrane. Four charged residues in the fifth cytoplasmic loop (CL5) connecting transmembrane helix 9 (TM9) to TM10 are critical for stable expression of MRP1 at the plasma membrane. Thus Ala substitution of Lys513, Lys516, Glu521, and Glu535 all cause misfolding of MRP1 and target the protein for proteasome-mediated degradation. Of four chemical chaperones tested, 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA) was the most effective at restoring expression of MRP1 mutants K513A, K516A, E521A, and E535A. However, although 4-PBA treatment of K513A resulted in wild-type protein levels (and activity), the same treatment had little or no effect on the expression of K516A. On the other hand, 4-PBA treatment allowed both E521A and E535A to exit the endoplasmic reticulum and be stably expressed at the plasma membrane. However, the 4-PBA-rescued E535A mutant exhibited decreased transport activity associated with reduced substrate affinity and conformational changes in both halves of the transporter. By contrast, E521A exhibited reduced transport activity associated with alterations in the mutant interactions with ATP as well as a distinct conformational change in the COOH-proximal half of MRP1. These findings illustrate the critical and complex role of CL5 for stable expression of MRP1 at the plasma membrane and more specifically show the differential importance of Glu521 and Glu535 in interdomain interactions required for proper folding and assembly of MRP1 into a fully transport competent native structure.
A new verb based approach for English to Bangla machine translation

This paper proposes verb based machine translation (VBMT), a new approach of machine translation (MT) from English to Bangla (EtoB). For translation, it simplifies any form (i.e. simple, complex, compound, active and passive form) of English sentence into the simplest form of English sentence i.e. subject plus verb plus object. When compared with existing rule based EtoB MT schemes, VBMT doesn't employ exclusive or individual structural rules of various English sentences; it only detects the main verb from any form of English sentence and then transforms it into the simplest form of English sentence. Thus VBMT can translate from EtoB very simply, correctly and efficiently. Rule based EtoB MT is tough because it requires the matching of sentences with the stored rules. Moreover, many existing EtoB MT schemes which deploy rules are almost inefficient to translate complex or complicated sentences because it is difficult to match them with well-established rules of English grammar. VBMT is efficient because after identifying the main verb of any form of English sentence, it binds the remaining parts of speech (POS) as subject and object. VBMT has been successfully implemented for the MT of Assertive, Interrogative, Imperative, Exclamatory, Active-Passive, Simple, Complex, and Compound form of English sentences applicable in both desktop and mobile applications.
Lens Lipid Peroxides in Diabetic Cataract

Ozmen et al,' determined the reduced glutathione concentration and the amount of lipid peroxides in eyelenses from patients either with diabetic or senile cataract. They observed an increased amount of lipid peroxides (thiobarbituric acid reactive material! ) and a normal amount of glutathione in diabetic lenses compared with lenses of non-diabetic patients with senile cataract. Ozmen et al, therefore concluded that lipid peroxidation plays an effective role in the pathogenesis of diabetic cataract. ' The role of oxidative stress and free radicals in the pathogenesis of diabetic complications, like retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy and cardiovascular malformation, has been described extensively.i-' The conclusion of the authors might however be disputed. Ozmen et al. measured lipid peroxides by the determination of the amount of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the lens homogenates. This method is based on the measurement of a coloured complex which is formed at 95°C by the reaction of thiobarbituric acid and malondialdehyde, which is a degradation product of the lipid peroxidation process. It has been reported that this assay is susceptible to interference from prostaglandins, bile pigments, carbohydrates and glycated proteins. Thus glucose reacts with thiobarbituric acid at 95°C and also forms a coloured complex. " The reaction between thiobarbituric acid and glycated proteins has been used in a commercial HbA 1c assay described by Subramaniam et al? The differences observed in the study by Ozmen et al,' might thus be explained by differences in glucose and glycated protein concentrations in lens homogenates from diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients with senile cataract, and the outcome of the test does not indicate any presence of lipid peroxides in eye lenses from patients with diabetes mellitus. Oxidative stress decreases the amount of reduced glutathione in tissues. V In this study no differences in reduced glutathione concentrations were found, which contradicts the conclusion of the authors. Although I am convinced that oxidative stress/free radical species are involved in the
Effect of Diabetes Mellitus on Female Sexual Function and Risk Factors

The study was conducted to investigate the effect of diabetes mellitus upon female sexual function, and to detect possible risk factors that might predict sexual dysfunction. The study consisted of 127 married women: 21 women with type 1 diabetes, 50 women with type 2 diabetes and 56 healthy women as a control. Female sexual functions were evaluated with a questionnaire to assess sexual desire, arousal, lubrication, orgasm, satisfaction and pain. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was 71% in the type 1 diabetic group, 42% in the type 2 diabetic group and 37% in the control subjects. The scores for sexual desire, arousal and lubrication were significantly lower in the type 1 diabetes group than in the control subjects (p<0.05). The scores of orgasm, satisfaction, dyspareunia and total sexual function were slightly lower in the type 1 diabetic group than in the other groups. No factor predicted sexual dysfunction in the diabetic women while further age, poor education, absence of occupation and menopause predicted sexual dysfunction in the control subjects. The prevalence of sexual dysfunction was significantly higher in the type 1 diabetic women than in the type 2 diabetics and control subjects. However, no risk factors that might cause sexual dysfunction could be predicted in diabetic women.
An evaluation of the cumulative concussive effect of soccer heading in the youth population

Soccer is the most popular team sport in the world, with 120 million individuals participating and 16 million of these individuals being based in the United States. In addition, soccer has become the fastest growing team sport in the United States over the past 10 years. Head impact injuries have been cited as comprising 15% of all injuries related to soccer. Previous studies have identified the technique of heading as being a significant factor in head impact injuries. In fact, 85% of various subgroups of participants, 19 years of age and older, have had a diminution in cognitive function abilities on a permanent basis. It was the purpose of this study to evaluate the effect of repetitive head impacts due to heading in 57 youth soccer players with a mean age of 11.5 years. The data were collected over three seasons during the first year, which correlated to approximately 60 games and/or practices. One team of 18 boys was followed for an additional year. The data collected included a cognitive function test, as well as documentation of concussive symptoms. These cognitive evaluations, conducted at both periods of time, revealed that statistically significant differences were not evident when compared to standardized norms with the exception of verbal learning. There was an inverse relationship between the number of ball impacts and verbal learning. Of note, however, is that 49% of the year-one study group did complain of headaches after heading the ball.
Effect of Hypoxia on Gene Expression of Bone Marrow‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Mononuclear Cells

MSC have self‐renewal and multilineage differentiation potential, including differentiation into endothelial cells and vascular smooth muscle cells. Although bone marrow‐derived mononuclear cells (MNC) have been applied for therapeutic angiogenesis in ischemic tissue, little information is available regarding comparison of the molecular foundation between MNC and their MSC subpopulation, as well as their response to ischemic conditions. Thus, we investigated the gene expression profiles between MSC and MNC of rat bone marrow under normoxia and hypoxia using a microarray containing 31,099 genes. In normoxia, 2,232 (7.2%) and 2,193 genes (7.1%) were preferentially expressed more than threefold in MSC and MNC, respectively, and MSC expressed a number of genes involved in development, morphogenesis, cell adhesion, and proliferation, whereas various genes highly expressed in MNC were involved in inflammatory response and chemotaxis. Under hypoxia, 135 (0.44%) and 49 (0.16%) genes were upregulated (>threefold) in MSC and MNC, respectively, and a large number of those upregulated genes were involved in glycolysis and metabolism. Focusing on genes encoding secretory proteins, the upregulated genes in MSC under hypoxia included several molecules involved in cell proliferation and survival, such as vascular endothelial growth factor‐D, placenta growth factor, pre‐B‐cell colony‐enhancing factor 1, heparin‐binding epidermal growth factor‐like growth factor, and matrix metalloproteinase‐9, whereas the upregulated genes in MNC under hypoxia included proinflammatory cytokines such as chemokine (C‐X‐C motif) ligand 2 and interleukin‐1α. Our results may provide information on the differential molecular mechanisms regulating the properties of MSC and MNC under ischemic conditions.