Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pressure-controlled ventilation improves oxygenation during laparoscopic obesity surgery compared with volume-controlled ventilation.

BACKGROUND We compared pressure and volume-controlled ventilation (PCV and VCV) in morbidly obese patients undergoing laparoscopic gastric banding surgery. METHODS Thirty-six patients, BMI>35 kg m(-2), no major obstructive or restrictive respiratory disorder, and Pa(CO(2))<6.0 kPa, were randomized to receive either VCV or PCV during the surgery. Ventilation settings followed two distinct algorithms aiming to maintain end-tidal CO(2) (E'(CO(2))) between 4.40 and 4.66 kPa and plateau pressure (P(plateau)) as low as possible. Primary outcome variable was peroperative P(plateau). Secondary outcomes were Pa(O(2)) (Fi(O(2)) at 0.6 in each group) and Pa(CO(2)) during surgery and 2 h after extubation. Pressure, flow, and volume time curves were recorded. RESULTS There were no significant differences in patient characteristics and co-morbidity in the two groups. Mean pH, Pa(O(2)), Sa(O(2)), and the Pa(O(2))/Fi(O(2)) ratio were higher in the PCV group, whereas Pa(CO(2)) and the E'(CO(2))-Pa(CO(2)) gradient were lower (all P<0.05). Ventilation variables, including plateau and mean airway pressures, anaesthesia-related variables, and postoperative cardiovascular variables, blood gases, and morphine requirements after the operation were similar. CONCLUSIONS The changes in oxygenation can only be explained by an improvement in the lungs ventilation/perfusion ratio. The decelerating inspiratory flow used in PCV generates higher instantaneous flow peaks and may allow a better alveolar recruitment. PCV improves oxygenation without any side-effects.
Impact of HCV genetic differences on pathobiology of disease

Multiple HCV genotypes have been isolated worldwide. Genotype seems to be involved in the main pathological aspects of HCV infection. Insulin resistance, steatosis and progression toward cirrhosis, fibrosis and hepatocellular carcinoma establish and develop following genotype-specific mechanisms. Moreover genotype influences pharmacological treatment in term of dose and duration. Pathways involved in cell proliferation, apoptosis, lipid metabolism, insulin and interferon signaling are impaired to a different extent among genotypes, leading to distinct pathological settings. Genotype 1 is associated with a more aggressive disease with increased insulin resistance, worst response to therapy, higher risk of cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma development, while genotype 3 is associated with increased steatosis and fibrosis. The identification and characterization of HCV types and subtypes provides insight into the different outcome of HCV infection and responsiveness to therapy. In the present article, we focused on the pathogenicity of HCV genotypes and their effect on disease progression and treatment.
B Cells Carrying Surrogate Receptors in their Membranes Process and Present Antigen to Specific Murine T Cells

A palmitate‐conjugate derivative of ovalbumin which can be inserted into the membrane of B cells has been prepared. The ability of these cells to act as antigen‐presenting cells for specific T lymphocytes obtained from immunized mice was tested. It was found that the conjugates were more efficiently processed and presented than the naive form of the antigen.
Niche Management and its Contribution to Regime Change: The Case of Innovation in Sanitation

Abstract Strategic niche management (SNM) implies that new technologies are applied in so-called niches, in which they are protected against mainstream market selection. A major question currently subject to debate is through which processes niches can bring about any wider changes at the level of socio-technical regimes. This paper examines this question, using present-day developments in innovation in sanitation in Western Europe as an example. It is concluded that although SNM theorists emphasize the importance of (first- and second-order) learning, such learning processes are often hampered in practice. This may be due to the fact that existing niche-based approaches put too much emphasis on technological experimentation rather than on experimentation with forms of social organization. Therefore, attention should be redirected to sustainability concepts and guiding principles rather than technologies. As an addition to existing approaches, the authors suggest and elaborate on a new form of niche management called conceptual niche management.
Short chain fatty acid-induced colitis in mice.

Short-chain fatty acids (e.g. acetic, propionic and butyric acid) are metabolic products produced by colonic bacteria. Since intra-rectal instillation of dilute acetic acid to rats and cats has been reported to produce a diffuse colitis similar to the human disease, in our study we have investigated the effect of intra-rectal butyric acid in mice. Male BKA mice (n = 6) received 01 ml of dilute butyric acid by intra-rectal instillation which was flushed out with saline after 10 sec. Control animals received saline alone. The severity of observed inflammatory responses was assessed using an arbitrary scoring system based on clinical, macroscopic and histological features of colitis. Colitic oedema was measured as percentage (%) tissue water compared with that in saline controls. The peak oedema response was found to be at around 4 hours. A concentration-dependent symptomatic response was obtained at concentrations between 1% and 12% of butyric acid. Oedema production was similar at all concentrations above 1%. The 3% butyric acid response produced a moderate colitis with mild erythema, oedema, crypt abscess formation, goblet cell depletion and cellular infiltration without total loss of mucosal architecture. The colitogenic action of butyric acid in mouse colon could not be reproduced by low pH alone, nor by the butyrate anion at neutral or alkaline pH. These results indicate that intra-rectal butyric acid induces a consistent and reproducible colitis in mice.
Spatiotemporal saliency detection in traffic surveillance

Moving vehicle segmentation in traffic videos is a challenging work because of complex background and variety objects. In this paper, we focus on detecting vehicles that are running through crossroads using the up-to-date spatiotemporal saliency model. The current saliency detection methods aim at detecting the most salient objects, novel but stationary target will be easily classified as foreground, which is a misclassification in moving object detection. We propose a new set of appearance and motion feature and an improved optimization model to solve this problem. During the procedure of saliency map calculation, motion information is treated as a more important role compared to spatial feature. Therefore, moving objects can be segmented easier. Some experimental results showed, compared to a current method, our approach could segment moving vehicle more precisely.
Sistema não-Intrusivo para Estimação da Direção do olhar utilizando redes neurais artificiais

Os sentidos fundamentais do corpo humano sao: visao, audicao, tato, gustacao(ou paladar) e olfato. Estes constituem as funcoes que propiciam o nosso relacionamento com o ambiente. A visao funciona como um receptor sensorial responsavel pela captacao de informacoes do mundo exterior que serao enviadas ao cerebro. O olhar reflete a sua atencao, intencao e interesse. Sendo assim, a estimacao da direcao do olhar, a partir de modelos computacionais, possibilita uma alternativa promissora para melhorar a capacidade de interacao homem-maquina, inclusive dos portadores de deficiencias motoras. O objetivo deste trabalho consiste em apresentar um sistema nao-intrusivo que utiliza basicamente um computador pessoal e uma webcam de baixo custo que, quando aliados ao uso das tecnicas de processamento digital de imagens, transformadas Wavelets e reconhecimento de padroes, com as redes neurais artificiais, resultam em um sistema completo que realiza desde a aquisicao de imagens (passando pela deteccao da face e rastreamento dos olhos) ate a estimacao da direcao do olhar. Os resultados apresentados mostram a viabilidade do sistema proposto assim como diversas vantagens em seu uso
Sensory‐motor brain network connectivity for speech comprehension

The act of listening to speech activates a large network of brain areas. In the present work, a novel data‐driven technique (the combination of independent component analysis and Granger causality) was used to extract brain network dynamics from an fMRI study of passive listening to Words, Pseudo‐Words, and Reverse‐played words. Using this method we show the functional connectivity modulations among classical language regions (Broca's and Wernicke's areas) and inferior parietal, somatosensory, and motor areas and right cerebellum. Word listening elicited a compact pattern of connectivity within a parieto‐somato‐motor network and between the superior temporal and inferior frontal gyri. Pseudo‐Word stimuli induced activities similar to the Word condition, which were characterized by a highly recurrent connectivity pattern, mostly driven by the temporal lobe activity. Also the Reversed‐Word condition revealed an important influence of temporal cortices, but no integrated activity of the parieto‐somato‐motor network. In parallel, the right cerebellum lost its functional connection with motor areas, present in both Word and Pseudo‐Word listening. The inability of the participant to produce the Reversed‐Word stimuli also evidenced two separate networks: the first was driven by frontal areas and the right cerebellum toward somatosensory cortices; the second was triggered by temporal and parietal sites towards motor areas. Summing up, our results suggest that semantic content modulates the general compactness of network dynamics as well as the balance between frontal and temporal language areas in driving those dynamics. The degree of reproducibility of auditory speech material modulates the connectivity pattern within and toward somatosensory and motor areas. Hum Brain Mapp, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Stem Cell-Derived Extracellular Vesicles as Potential Therapeutic Approach for Acute Kidney Injury

Acute kidney injury is a frequent complication of hospitalized patients and significantly increases morbidity and mortality, worsening costs and length of hospital stay. Despite this impact on healthcare system, treatment still remains only supportive (dialysis). Stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles are a promising option as they recapitulate stem cells properties, overcoming safety issues related to risks or rejection or aberrant differentiation. A growing body of evidence based on pre-clinical studies suggests that extracellular vesicles may be effective to treat acute kidney injury and to limit fibrosis through direct interference with pathogenic mechanisms of vascular and tubular epithelial cell damage. We herein analyze the state-of-the-art knowledge of therapeutic approaches with stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles for different forms of acute kidney injury (toxic, ischemic or septic) dissecting their cytoprotective, regenerative and immunomodulatory properties. We also analyze the potential impact of extracellular vesicles on the mechanisms of transition from acute kidney injury to chronic kidney disease, with a focus on the pivotal role of the inhibition of complement cascade in this setting. Despite some technical limits, nowadays the development of therapies based on stem cell-derived extracellular vesicles holds promise as a new frontier to limit acute kidney injury onset and progression.
Interleukin-1 Beta Polymorphisms are Associated with Lymph Node Metastasis in Korean Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

In this study, we investigated whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the interleukin-1 beta (IL-1B) were associated with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). We also assessed the relationships between IL-1B SNPs and the clinicopathologic characteristics of PTC patients. Ninety-three PTC patients and 324 controls were recruited. The patients with PTC were dichotomized and compared with respect to the clinicopathologic characteristics of PTC. Seven SNPs in the IL-1B gene were selected and genotyped using direct sequencing. Four SNPs (rs1143627, rs3136558, rs1143633, and rs1143643) in the IL-1B gene were significantly associated with PTC (p < 0.05). In clinicopathologic features, 3 SNPs (rs1143630, rs1143633, and rs1143643) showed a strong relationship with lymph node metastasis of PTC. The genotype and allele frequencies of rs1143630 and rs1143643 remained significantly associated with lymph node metastasis after Bonferroni correction for multiple testing. In haplotype analysis, two linkage disequilibrium blocks (block 1 consisted of rs1143627, rs3917356, and rs1143630; block 2 consisted of rs1143633 and rs1143643) also revealed significant associations with lymph node metastasis. Our results suggest that IL-1B polymorphisms may be associated with the risk of PTC in the Korean population. Especially, IL-1B polymorphisms might be a predictive factor for lymph node metastasis of PTC patients.
Registration of N98–4445A Mid‐Oleic Soybean Germplasm Line

Soyabean (Glycine max) germplasm line N98-4445A, which originated as an F5 single plant selection from the three-way cross N94-2473 × (N93-2007-4 × N92-3907), was developed and released in 2002 by the USDA-ARS in cooperation with the North Carolina Agricultural Research Service. N78-4445A has group IV maturity, indeterminate growth habit, white flowers and tawny pubescences. Seeds are shiny yellow with brown hila. N98-4445A has moderate levels of resistance to Soyabean mosaic virus. This line has a concentration of oleic acid in the seed oil that is approximately 550 g/kg, which is 340-380 g/kg greater than commercial soyabean cultivars and 47 g/kg more than the highest oleic acid concentration available in US germplasm collection. The germplasm will be a useful genetic resource for breeding mid-oleic soyabean cultivars, i.e. those with oleic acid concentrations between 400 and 700 g/kg. Increased oleic acid in this line causes a correlated decrease in polyunsaturated fatty acids, giving the added advantage of linolenic acid concentrations less than 30 g/kg.
T‐Cell Responses and In Vivo Cytotoxicity in the Target Organ and the Regional Lymphoid Tissue During Airborne Infection with the Virulent Mycobacterium tuberculosis MT103 and its Lipid Mutant fadD26

To ascertain the in vivo role of mycobacterial lipids phthiocerol dimycocerosates (PDIM) in experimental murine tuberculosis (Tb), airways infection was used to compare the parental virulent clinical isolate MT103 with its mutant fadD26, lacking PDIM. Lungs were assessed as the Tb‐target organ and mediastinal lymph nodes as the corresponding lymphoid tissue, in order to quantify: the major T‐cell subsets (CD4+/CD8+/γδ+) and their activation kinetics, bacillary burden, and in vivo cytotoxicity against inoculated target cells loaded with mycobacterial Ags. After 4 weeks, infection augmented total and activated CD4+ and CD8+ T cells in lungs and nodes mainly with MT103, while γδ+ T cells increased earlier in nodes. MT103 bacillary burden was bigger and appeared earlier than the mutant fadD26, especially in the lung than in mediastinal nodes. At day 14 of MT103 infection, there was no cytotoxicity in lungs and nodes; while with fadD26 there was some in the nodes. At day 21 of MT103 infection, important cytotoxicity was detected only in lungs; while with fadD26 both tissues showed important activity. Interestingly, unlike the infection with fadD26, cytotoxicity under MT103 fell considerably in the target organ (lung) from days 21 to 60, the advanced phase. Although upon airways infection both mycobacteria behaved similarly regarding T cell (CD4/CD8/γδ) stimulation kinetics; they differed in the magnitude of these responses, in the bacterial load within tissues, and to trigger in vivo cytotoxicity in lungs and regional lymph nodes. This highlights the relevance of certain mycobacterial lipids to modify crucial effector branches of immunity.
Mechanics of pupil block.

PUPIL block is widely regarded as one ofthe factors in the initiation of closed-angle glaucoma (Barkan 1953, 1954; Chandler 1952, 1955). Whilst the occurrence of pupil block is an established fact, statements as to its mechanism are uniformly vague; e.g. both Barkan and Chandler consider it to be produced by contact between the iris and lens, Sugar (1964) states that the posteriorly directed vector of force exerted by the iris sphincter is responsible, and Lowe (1966) gives an explanation of pupil block (caused by mydriatics) that depends on an incorrect resolution of forces. The mechanics of pupil block are explained below in accordance with clinical observation. The forces involved in pupil block cannot withstand a rigorous mathematical analysis since this involves the concepts of rigid bodies and mathematical points. Such treatment does, nonetheless, provide an idea of factors involved, and reasoning along these lines leads to interesting results. Initially, certain basic facts can be established: (1) During contraction of the sphincter muscle it is constantly attempting to reduce the area of the pupil. This force of contraction is thus resolved into a net force acting not in the direction of the iris plane but towards the axis of the pupil and thus at right angles to the antero-posterior lens axis (Fig. 1). (2) Since there is a variable degree of iris bombe in eyes with a shallow anterior chamber, the dilating force of the dilator muscle must be the sum of the number of forces acting as shown in Fig. 2 (a). These can be resolved in both magnitude and direction by the line drawn straight from A to B. Thus the dilating force of the dilator muscle can be represented by line AB acting from the point of iris/lens contact to the iris insertion (Fig. 2b). (3) Contraction of the sphincter results in stretching of iris tissue. This induces a contrary force tending to resist extension which acts in the same sense and direction as that due to the dilator muscle in Fig. 2.
A distribuição weibull exponencial de zografos

A distribuicao Weibull e muito popular para dados em modelagem de vida. Em [3] e apresentada uma introducao a familia gama-generalizada de distribuicoes. Dai tem-se, como proposta, a distribuicao Weibull Exponencial de Zografos (WEZ). A WEZ tem a distribuicao Weibull, exponencial e Rayleigh como casos particulares. Um tratamento compreensivo das propriedades matematicas da WEZ e feita, sendo encontradas as expressoes para a media, variância, coeficiente de assimetria e curtose e fez-se um ajuste pelo metodo da maxima verossimilhanca. Verificando pela log-verossimilhanca que o melhor ajuste foi das estimativas pelo metodo de maxima verossimilhanca. Dessa forma a distribuicao Weibull Exponencial de Zografos pode ser utilizada para ajustar dados de analise de sobrevivencia.
Extraçao do sujeito : a análise de Steedman e análises da teoria gerativa

Neste trabalho, comparo a analise de Steedman ( 1996) com a analise de Chomsky ( 1986) para o fenomeno da extracao de sujeitos. Steedman ( 1996) propoe uma analise no quadro da gramatica categorial combinatoria, explicando o fenomeno atraves da direcionalidade de funtores e propondo que verbos que tomam como complemento oracoes das quais o sujeito e "extraido" sao especialmente marcados no lexico para fazer parte dessa configuracao. Chomsky (1986) propoe um modelo dentro do qual as impossibilidades de extracao dependem da configuracao sintatica em que os constituintes estao inseridos, e apresenta uma excecao, o that-trace effect, que e explicado como um efeito de minimalidade.
Aumentar la tasa regenerativa de tejido epitelial en pez cebra (Brachydanio rerio) y trucha arcoíris (Onchorynchus mikiss) con aditivo zootécnico enzimático

Bioshave es un aditivo enzimatico zootecnico biologico especifico. Este producto posee un complejo enzimatico que favorece la regeneracion y cicatrizacion rapida de la piel del pez cebra (Brachidanio rerio) en 7 dias al igual que en trucha arcoiris (O. mykiss). Se ha observado que el pez cebra es capaz de regenerar tejido en un corto periodo de tiempo a diferencia de otros teleosteos, y dicha velocidad de regeneracion fue mayor con el producto BIOSHAVE (7 dias), lo que coincide con la velocidad de regeneracion en trucha arco iris (O. mykiss), pez que no se caracteriza por dicha velocidad de regeneracion. Este complejo como aditivo no muestra toxicidad a nivel de branquias en el pez mantenidos en 7 dias de cultivo. La aplicacion de este complejo enzimatico no produjo ningun tipo de reaccion adversa como estres o mortalidad.
Reliability and validity of the Canadian Occupat189ional Performance Measure in stroke patients

Objective: To research test–retest reliability and discriminant validity of the Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), a client-centred outcome measure, in stroke patients. Design: The COPM was administered twice with a mean interval of eight days (SD 2.5, range 5–16). On both occasions the patient identified a maximum of five problems in daily activities. The problems of both interviews were compared. The problems identified during the first COPM were rated by the patient on a performance and satisfaction rating scale on both occasions. The individually identified items with use of the client-centred COPM were compared with the fixed items of standardized measures (Barthel Index, Frenchay Activities Index, Stroke Adapted Sickness Impact Profile-30, Euroqol 5D and Rankin Scale). Setting: Patients were interviewed at their place of residence. Subjects: Twenty-six stroke patients participated, 11 men and 15 women, aged from 26 to 83 years (mean 68, SD 15). Twenty-four patients were six months, two patients were two months post stroke. Results: Of the 115 problems identified during the first COPM, 64 (56%) were also identified the second time. Correlation coefficients for the scores were 0.89 (p < 0.001) for performance and 0.88 (p < 0.001) for satisfaction. Of the individual problems identified with the COPM, 25% or less were present in the standardized measures. Correlations between the scores on the COPM and the standardized measures were low and nonsignificant, while all standardized measures correlated significantly with each other. Conclusions: Test–retest reliability of the COPM was moderate for the item pool but was good for the performance and satisfaction scores. Discriminant validity was confirmed. Many patient-unique problems identified with the COPM were not evaluated by standardized measures.