Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Entwicklung von 3D-Simulationsmodellen für die computergestützte Operationsplanung bei chirurgischen Eingriffen an der Lendenwirbelsäule

Die Wirbelsaule als tragende Saule des menschlichen Korpers ist bei vielen Bewegungsablaufen hohen Belastungen ausgesetzt. Fehl- und Uberbelastungen rufen dabei oft dauerhafte Schadigungen hervor. Daher ist es von Interesse, die innerhalb der Wirbelsaule auftretenden Belastungen zu bestimmen. Eine moderne und zuverlassige Methode zur Belastungsbestimmung ist der Aufbau eines Berechnungsmodells. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wurde ein Mehr-Korper-System (MKS) Modell der Lendenwirbelsaule erstellt. Mit Hilfe des Modells konnen sowohl die ubertragenen Krafte und Momente in allen inneren Strukturen berechnet als auch die Kinematik des Bewegungsablaufs simuliert werden. Die Grundstruktur des Modells bilden die als Starrkorper angenommenen knochernen Strukturen der funf Lendenwirbel L1 bis L5, des Os Sacrums und des Os iliums, die uber die Segmentierung eines CT-Datensatzes des Abgusses der Wirbeloberflachen eines durchschnittlich grosen Europaers gewonnen wurden. Die elastischen Elemente der Wirbelsaule wurden unter Berucksichtigung ihrer physikalischen Eigenschaften in das Modell implementiert. Grundlage fur die Modellierung der Zwischenwirbelscheiben waren dabei eigens durchgefuhrte experimentelle Messungen. Das charakteristische Kraft-Deformations-Verhalten der Ligamente wurde der Literatur entnommen. Die Umsetzung im Computermodell berucksichtigt neben dem physikalischen Verhalten eines einzelnen Ligamentes zusatzlich durch einen Gewichtungsfaktor das Zusammenspiel aller Ligamente im komplex aufgebauten Ligamentapparat. Die Facettengelenke wurden durch Kontaktmodellierung in den Knorpelschichten realisiert. Daneben wurde ein Modell eines Implantatsystems entwickelt, das zur dynamischen Stabilisierung der Lendenwirbelsaule genutzt wird. Die Validierung der erstellten Modelle erfolgte uber den Vergleich mit In-Vitro erhobenen Daten. Betrachtet wurden neben der intakten Wirbelsaule zudem degenerative Schadigungen der Zwischenwirbelscheibe und deren operative Versorgung durch Nukleotomie und dynamische Stabilisierung. Die Ergebnisse der Simulationen zeigen dabei eine sehr gute Naherung an die experimentell ermittelten Messwerte. Durch Anwendung der Computermodelle konnten die Auswirkungen verschiedener operativer Eingriffe, wie Interlaminotomie, Hemilaminektomie und Laminektomie auf die unterschiedlichen Strukturen der Lendenwirbelsaule berechnet werden. Ein weiteres Anwendungsgebiet lag in der Untersuchung des momentanen Drehzentrums. Neben der Bestimmung der Drehpunktbahn bei intakter Wirbelsaule konnten die Effekte einer degenerativ geschadigten und operativ versorgten Zwischenwirbelscheibe auf den Verlauf des momentanen Drehzentrums berechnet und simuliert werden.
Effects of Assisted Jumping on Vertical Jump Parameters

Abstract Vertical jumping ability is a critical skill for success in many sports. Previous studies have reported conflicting results on the effects of heavy-load, light-load, contrast, or plyometric training to improve vertical jump height. A novel jump training method, using assistance via elastic cords or an absolute weight, has received little attention. These studies, using an overspeed paradigm, support assistance as an effective training method compared with free or overload jump training. However, there is a lack of investigation and standardization related to the critical assisted jump training variables of frequency, intensity (assistance level), volume, and rest. Therefore, the purpose of this review was to provide an overview of assisted jump training, associated variables, and potential benefits to enhance vertical jump height.
Attempted Suicide in a Largely Rural Area During an Eight Year Period

In recent years, a number of surveys of attempted suicides have been reported (Middleton et al., 1961; Sclare and Hamilton, 1963; Parkin and Stengel, 1965; Whitlock and Schapira, 1967). Other studies (Kessel, 1965; Oswald, 1966) have shown that the number of cases of attempted suicide has greatly increased in the last decade. Apart from one survey from Tasmania (Gold, 1965), all these have come from large urban or industrial communities.
Phenotypic effects of apolipoprotein structural variation on lipid profiles. I. APO H and quantitative lipid measures in the healthy women study

Apolipoprotein H (APO H), also known as β2‐glycoprotein I, has been identified as a protein component of the major lipoprotein density fractions in human plasma. Recently, genetically determined structural polymorphism in white and black populations has been documented for this apolipoprotein. There are three common alleles in whites and blacks and a fourth allele found mainly in blacks. Family data confirm the autosomal codominant pattern of inheritance for the APO H structural gene. Little is known about the function of APO H, but it has demonstrated both lipid and platelet involvement. In this study we investigate the effect of APO H phenotypes on quantitative lipid measures in a group of 443 white women being followed through menopause for changes in cardiovascular risk. At baseline all women were premenopausal. None of the APO H phenotypes showed a statistically significant effect on lipid measures in this population.
Anaesthesia for arterial puncture in the emergency department: a randomized trial of subcutaneous lidocaine, ethyl chloride or nothing

Objective To determine whether the use of ethyl chloride and subcutaneous lidocaine are associated with a reduction in pain during arterial blood sampling compared with using no local anaesthesia. Methods Patients over the age of 16 years and who required arterial blood sampling as part of their on-going emergency department management were randomly allocated to one of three groups. Group A received routine skin preparation before arterial puncture (AP); group B received 0.5 ml of 2% lidocaine 2 min before AP; and group C received ethyl chloride immediately before AP. Pain was measured using 100-mm visual analogue scale. Setting Two urban emergency departments. Results Fifty-four patients were recruited. Those receiving lidocaine before AP had lower pain scores [10.2 mm, 95% confidence interval (CI): 4.8–16.3 mm] compared with the use of ethyl chloride (23.9 mm, 95% CI: 12.4–35.5 mm) and nothing (23.4 mm, 95% CI: 11.7–35.0 mm). Lidocaine was more painful to administer (22.0 mm, 95% CI: 10.9–33.7 mm) compared with ethyl chloride (12.9 mm, 95% CI: 5.5–20.3 mm). Conclusion Ethyl chloride is not an effective local anaesthetic agent for AP. When the pain of local anaesthetic administration is taken into account the benefit of subcutaneous lidocaine for single AP is limited.
Automated capture, integration, and visualization of multiple media streams

The authors discuss their efforts in building a system for the automatic generation, integration, and visualization of media streams-independent information sources that define rich interactive experiences. This research is done in the context of a project called Classroom 2000, an experiment in ubiquitous computing for education. They view teaching and learning as a form of multimedia authoring and have developed a system that generates much of the educational content that occurs naturally in university lectures. They have developed a taxonomy for characterizing different media streams that can be captured during or after a live session and present solutions to two research issues that affect the access of a rich multimedia record. The first issue deals with the granularity of stream integration. The second issue deals with methods of visualizing a set of integrated media streams that is scalable and that supports a user's desire to search by browsing.
Selected Research Accomplishments

As indicated by the nearly two thousand citations of W. Fulton’s treatise on this topic, Excess Intersection Theory plays a very important role in modern algebraic geometry. It is often used to determine the contributions to the Euler class of a vector bundle from degenerate components of the vanishing locus of a specific, typically geometrically meaningful, section. This approach is rigid and global in nature and involves blowing up the degenerate loci to smooth them out. My PhD thesis introduces an approach to this problem which is soft and local in nature. It applies in finite-dimensional singular and infinite-dimensional Fredholm settings. In contrast to the standard approach, it determines the contributions from (not necessarily compact) strata of the vanishing locus and involves no blowups (which may not be even defined in some of the applicable settings). The local excess intersection approach fits ideally with the virtual fundamental class construction in symplectic topology, as the latter is fundamentally about incorporating degenerate contributions. The rudiments of this approach, in both finite-dimensional and infinite-dimensional settings, appear in [18]. It is developed further and applied to a wide range of problems in classical enumerative geometry in [19]. Along with (2) below, this approach in a Fredholm setting underpins the proof of the long-standing BCOV mirror symmetry conjecture described in (3).
Referential delusions of communication and reality discrimination deficits in psychosis.

BACKGROUND There appear to be two kinds of delusion of reference, which vary independently: delusions of observation and delusions of communication. It has been suggested that delusions of communication might derive from an impairment in reality discrimination, though the impairment would be centred on non-verbal channels in delusions of communication as opposed to verbal channels in auditory hallucinations. METHOD Patients (N=64) with acute psychotic symptoms were recruited according to a 2 x 2 design: presence versus absence of delusions of communication crossed with presence versus absence of auditory hallucinations. They were presented with 100 brief video clips in which an actor either made a well-known gesture or an incidental movement, with the clips being obscured by visual noise. For each clip, the patients indicated how confident they were that a gesture was portrayed. RESULTS According to a signal detection analysis, all groups showed adequate sensitivity and the groups did not differ in sensitivity, but patients with delusions of communication showed a bias to report gestures which was not shown by patients with hallucinations. A control group of healthy volunteers (N=57) showed significantly greater sensitivity than the patients and a more conservative bias than patients with delusions of communication. CONCLUSIONS A bias to report gestures is not part of a general tendency to externalize one's own thoughts but may be the result of a reality discrimination deficit that is specific to delusions of communication. A possible theoretical explanation for such a deficit is discussed.
Borrelia burgdorferi Erp Proteins Are Immunogenic in Mammals Infected by Tick Bite, and Their Synthesis Is Inducible in Cultured Bacteria

ABSTRACT Borrelia burgdorferi, the causative agent of Lyme disease, can contain multiple genes encoding different members of the Erp lipoprotein family. Some arthropod-borne bacteria increase the synthesis of proteins required for transmission or mammalian infection when cultures are shifted from cool, ambient air temperature to a warmer, blood temperature. We found that all of theerp genes known to be encoded by infectious isolate B31 were differentially expressed in culture after a change in temperature, with greater amounts of message being produced by bacteria shifted from 23 to 35°C than in those maintained at 23°C. Mice infected with B31 by tick bite produced antibodies that recognized each of the Erp proteins within 4 weeks of infection, suggesting that the Erp proteins are produced by the bacteria during the early stages of mammalian infection and may play roles in transmission from ticks to mammals. Several of the B31 Erp proteins were also recognized by antibodies from patients with Lyme disease and may prove to be useful antigens for diagnostic testing or as components of a protective vaccine.
γ-Glutamyl Transferase Activity and the Burden of Coronary Atherosclerosis in Patients With ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction

The relationship between extent, severity, and complexity of coronary artery disease (CAD) in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and serum γ-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activity has not been adequately studied. We evaluated the relationship between GGT activity and the burden of CAD as assessed by SYNTAX score (SXscore) in patients with STEMI. A total of 243 patients (age 67.1 ± 8.6, 77.4% male) with STEMI were divided into 2 groups. Low- and high-SXscore groups were defined as SXscore <22 and ≥22, respectively. Admission GGT activities were similar between low- and high-SXscore groups (32 ± 17 vs 33 ± 18; P = .625), and there was no significant correlation between GGT activity and SXscore. Although there was an association between high SXscore and major adverse cardiovascular events, as expected, our results did not demonstrate any relationship between admission GGT activities and complexity and extent of the coronary lesions in patients with STEMI.
Mechanism of Chaperone Function in Small Heat Shock Proteins

To elucidate the mechanism of αA-crystallin chaperone function, a detailed thermodynamic analysis of its binding to destabilized, site-directed mutants of T4 lysozyme was carried out. The selected mutants form a ladder of stabilities spanning the 5–10 kcal/mol range of free energy of unfolding. The crystal structures of the majority of the mutants have been previously determined and found to be similar to that of the wild type with no evidence of static local unfolding. Complex formation between αA-crystallin and T4 lysozyme was observed directly via the changes in the electron paramagnetic resonance lineshape of a nitroxide introduced at a non-destabilizing, solvent exposed site in T4 lysozyme. αA-Crystallin differentially interacts with the mutants, binding the more destabilized ones to a larger extent despite the similar structure of their native states. Our results suggest that the states recognized by αA-crystallin are non-native excited states distinct from the unfolded state. Stable complexes are formed when the free energy of binding to αA-crystallin is on the order of the free energy associated with the transition from the excited state to the native state. Biphasic binding isotherms reveal two modes of interactions with distinct affinities and stoichiometries. Highly destabilized mutants preferentially bind to the high capacity mode, suggesting conformational preference in the use of each mode. Furthermore, binding can be enhanced by increased temperature and pH, which may be reflecting conformational changes in αA-crystallin oligomeric structure.
Enhancing Memory Recall via an Intelligent Social Contact Management System

Human memory often fails. People are frequently beset with questions like “Who is that person? I think I met him in Tokyo last year. ” Existing memory aid tools cannot well support the recall of names effectively. This paper explores the memory recall enhancement issue from the perspective of memory cue extraction and associative search, and proposes a generic methodology to extract memory cues from heterogeneous, multimodal, physical/virtual data sources. Specifically, we use the contact name recall in the academic community as the target application to showcase our proposed methodology. We further develop an intelligent social contact manager that supports 1) autocollection of rich contact data from a combination of pervasive sensors and Web data sources, and 2) associative search of contacts when human memory fails. The system is validated by testing the performance of contact data collection techniques. An empirical user study on contact memory recall is also conducted, through which several findings about contact memorizing and recall are presented. Classic cognitive psychology theories are used to interpret these findings.
DEVELOPMENT OF NICOTINIC RESPONSES IN THE RAT ADRENAL MEDULLA AND LONG‐TERM EFFECTS OF NEONATAL NICOTINE ADMINISTRATION

1 The development of nicotinic responses in the rat adrenal medulla was examined at various ages from 1 to 50 days of age by testing the ability of nicotine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) to deplete catecholamines and induce tyrosine hydroxylase. 2 Catecholamines were depleted 25% 3 h after injection of nicotine at all ages tested, but the degree of tyrosine hydroxylase induction 24 h after nicotine increased with age. 3 These data indicate that functional nicotinic receptors are present in the neonatal adrenal medulla before the development of functional splanchnic innervation, but that the development of the ability to induce tyrosine hydroxylase is not coupled directly to the development of secretory mechanisms. 4 The long‐term effects of a single dose of nicotine (10 mg/kg, s.c.) administered to one day old rats were also examined. 5 After the short‐term catecholamine depletion caused by nicotine, there were persistent elevations of catecholamines and tyrosine hydroxylase until 23 days of age; however, dopamine β‐hydroxylase remained elevated into young adulthood. 6 These data indicate that neonatal nicotine administration can produce long‐term changes in adrenal catecholamine biosynthetic enzymes.
Influence of the Web Vendor's Interventions on Privacy-related Behaviors in E-commerce

Concern about information privacy is considered one of the most important issues in ecommerce. To deal with this concern in the context of self-regulation, e-commerce web sites have implemented measures such as posting privacy policies and displaying third party seals. The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of the level at which a web site addresses privacy has on the users’ perceptions and behavioral intentions during the initial interaction with the web site. A research model is presented and empirically tested by means of an experiment. The study showed that web vendors’ interventions had an overall effect on the user perceptions of information privacy in the site. However, having more privacy elements in the web site did not increase the favorable perceptions of the web site. The research model also incorporated other privacy related constructs such as general concern about online privacy and type of information.
Polarized and unpolarized nucleon structure functions from lattice QCD.

We report on a high statistics quenched lattice QCD calculation of the deep-inelastic structure functions {ital F}{sub 1}, {ital F}{sub 2}, {ital g}{sub 1}, and {ital g}{sub 2} of the proton and neutron. The theoretical basis for the calculation is the operator product expansion. We consider the moments of the leading twist operators up to spin four. Using Wilson fermions the calculation is done for three values of {kappa}, and we perform the extrapolation to the chiral limit. The renormalization constants, which lead us from lattice to continuum operators, are calculated in perturbation theory to one loop order. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society. }
Inhibition by Cyclic AMP of Phorbol Ester‐Potentiated Norepinephrine Release from Guinea Pig Brain Cortical Synaptosomes

Abstract: The involvement of Ca2+/pnospholipid‐dependent protein kinase (protein kinase C, PKC) and cyclic AMP‐de‐pendent protein kinase in the K+‐evoked release of norepinephrine (NE) was studied using guinea pig brain cortical synaptosomes preloaded with [3H]NE. 12‐O‐Tetradecanoyl‐phorbol‐13‐acetate (TPA), a potent activator of PKC, enhanced the K+‐evoked release of [3H]NE, in a concentration‐dependent manner, but with no effect on the spontaneous outflow and uptake of [3H]NE in the synaptosomes. The apparent affinity of the evoked release for added calcium but not the maximally evoked release was increased by TPA (10−‐7M). Inhibitors of PKC, polymyxin B, and a more potent inhibitor, staurosporine, counteracted the TPA‐induced po‐tentiation of the evoked release. Both forskolin and dibutyryl cyclic AMP (DBcAMP) enhanced the evoked release, but reduced the TPA‐potentiated NE release. A novel inhibitor of cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase, KT5720, blocked both the forskolin‐induced increase in the evoked release and its inhibition of TPA‐induced potentiation in the evoked release, thereby suggesting that forskolin or DBcAMP counteracts the Ca2+‐dependent release of NE by activating cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase. These results suggest that the activation of PKC potentiates the evoked release of NE and that the activation of cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase acts negatively on the PKC‐activated exocytotic neu‐rotransmitter release process in brain synaptosomes of the guinea pig.
Comparison of a Custom Functional Near-infrared Spectroscopy Sensor, a Peripheral SpO2 Sensor, and a Standard Laboratory Sensor (Biopac) for RR-Interval Assessment

Across many careers, individuals face alternating periods of high and low cognitive workload which can impair cognitive function and undermine job performance. We have designed and are developing an unobtrusive system to Monitor, Extract, and Decode Indicators of Cognitive Workload (MEDIC) in realworld environments. With our partners at Biosignals Plux, we designed and manufactured a functional nearinfrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) device that measures brain blood oxygenation and cardiac information in a form-factor that can be mounted on the inside of a baseball cap or headband. Because MEDIC is designed to be used in realistic, sometimes high-motion environments, changes in blood oxygenation to the brain must be put in context of current levels of physical activity without intruding on the activity of the user. Therefore, we also developed a NIRS Armband device made up of a combination of Plux sensors including: SpO2 sensor to measure cardiac information, a galvanic skin response sensor, a 6-axis accelerometer, and a non-contact skin temperature sensor. Because these were custom sensors, we tested them against a standard laboratory sensor (a Biopac RSPEC-R) while participants completed an obstacle course of cognitive and physical tasks.
Fate of Fusarium mycotoxins in the cereal product supply chain: the deoxynivalenol (DON) case within industrial bread-making technology

Fusarium mycotoxins are a relevant problem in the cereal supply chain at a worldwide level, with wheat, maize and barley being the main contaminated crops. Mould growth can happen in the pre-harvest phase and also during transport and storage due to ineffective drying conditions. Among Fusarium toxins, deoxynivalenol (DON) is considered the most important contaminant in wheat due to its widespread occurrence. In the last years the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and the European Commission have frequently expressed opinions on Fusarium toxins, setting limits, regulations and guidelines in order to reduce their levels in raw materials and food commodities. In particular, European legislation (Reg. 1881/2006) sets the maximum limit for DON in flour and bread as 750 and 500 µg kg−1 respectively. Relatively few studies have taken into account the loss of trichothecenes during processing, focusing on how processing factors may influence their degradation. In particular, the description of DON behaviour during bread-making is very difficult, since complex physico-chemical modifications occur during the transformation of the raw ingredients into the final product. In the present study, we studied how DON concentration may be influenced by modifying bread-making parameters, with a special emphasis on the fermentation and baking stages, starting from a naturally contaminated flour at both pilot and industrial scales. Exploiting the power of a Design of Experiments (DoE) approach to consider the great complexity of the studied system, the obtained model shows satisfying goodness-of-fit and prediction, suggesting that the baking step (time/temperature ranges) is crucial for minimizing native DON level in bread.