Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Magnetic domain imaging with a scanning near‐field optical microscope using a modified Sagnac interferometer

We report on the combination of a scanning near‐field optical microscope and a modified Sagnac interferometer for magnetic‐domain imaging in the reflection mode. The Sagnac interferometer is used for detection of the magneto‐optical Kerr effect. Since the interferometer is inherently insensitive to polarization changes caused by topography effects, magnetic‐domain imaging is not limited to samples with flat surfaces. In this way, it is possible to image magnetic bits written on the tracks of a magneto‐optical disc that has a rather pronounced surface profile.
Risk factors for hypercreatinemia in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Renal insufficiency is one of the most severe outcomes of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this study was to identify baseline predictors of the development of renal insufficiency in a cohort of patients with SLE. 281 patients from the The Hopkins Lupus Cohort (HLC) enrolled between 1987–1994 were followed for the occurrence of renal insufficiency, defined as a serum creatinine 1.6 mg/dl for men and 1.4 mg/dl for women. Over a mean (±s.d.) of 3.3±2.1 y of follow up, 46 (16%) of the 281 patients developed renal insufficiency. Using a multivariate Cox proportional hazard model, we found the risk of renal insufficiency associated with younger (0–19 y) or older (40 y) age at baseline (relative risk (95% CI) 5.1 (1.4, 18.8) and 4.1 (2.1, 8.2)) and longer duration of SLE before referral to the cohort (RR 1.25 [1.05, 1.5] for every five years). Additional predictive variables were borderline elevation of serum creatinine at baseline (RR 3.1 (1.4, 6.6) for a serum creatinine 1.4–1.5 mg/dl for men and 1.2–1.3 mg/dl for women), and mean proteinuria (RR 3.6 (1.8, 7.4) for trace–3 + and 10.6 (3.8, 30.0) for 3 + (urine dipstick level)). Socioeconomic status, race, autoantibodies and complement were not significantly associated with the risk of renal insufficiency. This study supports early referral of SLE patients to rheumatologists and emphasizes the importance of early signs of renal involvement as predictors of later renal insufficiency in SLE patients.
Prostaglandin protection of the human gastric mucosa against alcohol-induced injury. Endoscopic, histologic, and functional assessment.

UNLABELLED We studied whether pretreatment with prostaglandin (16,16-dimethyl (dm) prostaglandin E2) may protect the human gastric mucosa against alcohol-induced injury. Healthy volunteers received (via an endoscope) intragastric pretreatment with either: A) placebo or B) 16,16 dm prostaglandin E2, 1 microgram/kg, and 15 min later 40 ml 60% alcohol was sprayed directly on gastric mucosa. STUDIES endoscopic appearance of the gastric mucosa was evaluated and scored (scale 0-5) by two investigators, gastric mucosal potential difference (PD) was continuously recorded, and mucosal biopsies were obtained at 30 min after alcohol for histologic examination. Alcohol instillation in subjects pretreated with placebo (group A) produced within 30 min prominent endoscopic hemorrhagic lesions (grade 4.8 +/- 0.2). Histologic examination showed exfoliation of the surface epithelium, extensive edema of lamina propria, and deep hemorrhagic necrotic lesions in 86% +/- 10 of specimens. These morphologic changes coincided with a sudden drop in gastric PD of 42 mV. Prostaglandin pretreatment (group B) significantly reduced alcohol-induced endoscopically visible lesions (grade 3.1 +/- 0.2, P less than 0.01 vs group A). Histologically, prostaglandins reduced deep hemorrhagic erosions (4.5-fold reduction) and subepithelial hemorrhages, but did not prevent exfoliation of the surface epithelium and gastric PD drop. Thus, prostaglandin administration to human volunteers effectively reduced alcohol injury to the gastric mucosa.
Novel mechanisms of resistance to lincosamides in Staphylococcus and Arthrobacter spp

Clinical isolates of Staphylococcus and Arthrobacter spp. were screened for lincosamide resistance. Six different patterns of resistance were found. Strains designated SF27 and SF28 showed low-level resistance to lincosamides: one was susceptible to erythromycin (SF27) and the other was resistant (SF28). Analysis of ribosomes from the resistant strains in an in vitro poly(U)-dependent protein-synthesizing system showed that ribosomes of both strains were sensitive to lincomycin and clindamycin. Four patterns of high-level resistance to lincosamides were observed (strains SF4, SF19, SF30, and SF31). All of these except SF30 had ribosomes which were highly resistant in vitro to the antibiotics and showed a close correlation with results of the in vivo experiments. In vivo protein synthesis by strain SF30 was resistant to lincomycin and sensitive to clindamycin, whereas the ribosomes were sensitive when assayed in vitro. Lincosamide-inactivating enzymes were not detected in cell extracts of the six resistant strains. Strains SF19 and SF31 demonstrated two ribosome-mediated lincosamides resistance mechanisms that were not previously reported. Both strains were highly resistant to lincosamides and susceptible to erythromycin, but SF19 was also highly resistant to oleandomycin and partially resistant to various macrolides.
Power balancing control of a multilevel converter using high-frequency multi-winding transformer

A novel multilevel converter is proposed where a high-frequency multi-winding transformer is applied to realize the isolation and energy balance instead of the conventional phase-shifting transformer. In the proposed topology, all of the DC buses are connected to the same high-frequency multi-winding transformer through separated H-bridge units. Load powers can be equalized among different windings by the energy delivery using transformer flux. Furthermore, the equivalent circuit is proposed consist of the high-frequency voltage source and high-frequency multi-winding transformer. The power relations between these H-bridge cells are analyzed. Based on these relations, power exchange law among different transformer windings is obtained with high-frequency square wave inputs and outputs. Moreover, a control strategy for power balancing by adjusting the phase of input voltage on each H-bridge unit is proposed. Experimental results are given to validate the proposed strategy.
The adnexal mass: benign or malignant? Evaluation of a risk of malignancy index.

OBJECTIVE To validate a risk of malignancy index incorporating menopausal status, serum CA 125 level and pelvic ultrasound features in the pre-operative diagnosis of ovarian cancer. DESIGN A retrospective observational study. SETTING Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The Royal London Hospital. SUBJECTS One hundred and twenty-four women admitted consecutively to the gynaecology department for surgical exploration of an adnexal mass. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES The sensitivities and specificities of menopausal status, serum CA 125 level and ultrasound features, in isolation and combined (the risk of malignancy index (RMI)), for diagnosing ovarian cancer. RESULTS Tested on a new population of women, the RMI retained the high sensitivity for diagnosing ovarian cancer seen in the original report describing its derivation. The specificity, however, was lower. The study confirmed that the RMI is more accurate than the individual criteria in diagnosing ovarian cancer, and was comparable with other scoring systems. CONCLUSIONS The risk of malignancy index is a simple scoring system for ovarian cancer. Application of the risk of malignancy index in clinical practice may provide a rational basis for specialist referral of patients with ovarian cancer before diagnostic surgery.
The Evolution of Spatial Relationship Between Population and Economy in Shanxi Province

Based on Shanxi Province's population census and GDP data,this paper analyzes the evolution characteristic of economy and population and researches on the evolution of spatial relationship between population and economy both on the county-level and macro-level in 2000-2010 by using the methods of gravity center,the index of geographic concentration and ESDA.The result shows that there is a great change on the distribution pattern of economy,but with almost no change in the distribution pattern of population for the special economic characteristics of the resource-based region and the time lags of population migration since 2000.The change of the spatial coupling of economy and population shows the polarization on the resource-based and non-resource-based areas,with the result of the number increase of the economy and population unbalanced counties.But,the balanced development degree of Shanxi Province is improving on the whole.
Ovarian Histology and Function After Total Abdominal Hysterectomy

Ovarian histology and function were assessed before and after total abdominal hysterectomy in 25 patients with symptomatic uterine myomata. Immediately before hysterectomy, bilateral ovarian biopsies were performed, and, 12 months later, all patients underwent a second ovarian biopsy through laparoscopy. Histologic study of the ovaries one year after total abdominal hysterectomy showed stromal cell hyperplasia, thickening of the tunica albuginea, and a significant decrease of follicular reserve, follicular cysts, and corpora albicantia. There was no significant difference in the number of atretic follicles and corpora lutea. The serum levels of all hormones studied were unchanged 12 months after the surgical procedures.
Inverse Problems Light: Numerical Differentiation

involving a nonlinear diffusion coefficient a: IR iR+. Problem (1.1) also serves as a model for the saturation of porous media by liquid flow, in which case a (u) is related to the capillary pressure of the pores. In certain industrial applications a numerical simulation may require solving (1.1) for u. We call this the direct problem. In these simulations it is crucial that a coefficient a(u) be used that is not only qualitatively correct but also reasonably accurate. Unfortunately, tabulated values for a (u) from the literature often provide only a rough guess of the true coefficient; in this case simulations are not likely to be reliable. Consequently, identification of the diffusion coefficient a (u) from experimental data (typically, u(x, t) for some abscissa x E (0, 1) and 0 < t < T) is often the first hurdle to clear. This is the associated inverse problem. A standard method to solve the inverse problem is the output least squares method, which tries to match the given data with simulated quantities using a gradient or Newton type method for updating the diffusion coefficient. Alternatively, one can consider (1.1) as a linear equation for a (u). To set up this equation requires numerical differentiation of the data [6]. This approach is called the equation error method. It must be emphasized that inverse problems are often very ill-conditioned: for example, small changes in a (.) have little effect on the solution u in (1.1), and consequently one cannot expect high resolution reconstructions of a in the presence of measurement errors in u. Indeed, small errors in u may cause large errors in the computed a if they are not taken into account appropriately. Numerical differentiation of the data encompasses many subtleties and pitfalls that a complex (linear) inverse problem can exhibit; yet it is very easy to understand and analyze. For this reason one could say that numerical differentiation itself is an ideal model for inverse problems in a basic numerical analysis course. To support this statement we revisit a well-known algorithm for numerical differentiation of noisy data and present a new error bound for it. The method and the error bound can be interpreted as an instance of one of the most important results in regularization theory for ill-posed problems. Still, our presentation is on a very basic level and requires no prior knowledge besides standard n-dimensional calculus and the notion of cubic splines. Groetsch's book [4] presents other realistic inverse problems on an elementary technical level. Further examples and a rigorous introduction to regularization theory for the computation of stable solutions to these examples can be found in [1].
Adherence to antihypertensive therapy prior to the first presentation of stroke in hypertensive adults: population-based study.

AIMS Antihypertensive drug therapy is a major strategy of stroke prevention among hypertensive patients. The aim of this study was to estimate the excess risk of stroke associated with non-adherence to antihypertensive drug therapy among hypertensive patients. METHODS AND RESULTS We conducted a population-based study using records from Finnish national registers for 1 January 1995 to 31 December 2007. Of the 73 527 hypertensive patients aged 30 years or older and without pre-existing stroke or cardiovascular disease, 2144 died from stroke and 24 560 were hospitalized due to stroke during the follow-up. At the 2- and 10-year follow-up after the start of continuous antihypertensive medication, non-adherent patients had 3.81 [95% confidence interval (CI) 2.85-5.10] and 3.01 (95% CI: 2.37-3.83) times higher odds of stroke death when compared with the adherent patients. The corresponding odds ratio (OR) for stroke hospitalization was 2.74 (95% CI: 2.35-3.20) at Year 2 and 1.71 (95% CI: 1.49-1.96) at Year 10. In the stroke-event year, the ORs were higher, 5.68 (95% CI: 5.05-6.39) for stroke death and 1.87 (95% CI: 1.72-2.03) for hospitalization. Among those using agents acting on the renin-angiotensin system combined with diuretics or β-blockers, these ORs were 7.49 (95% CI: 5.62-9.98) and 3.91 (95% CI: 3.23-4.75), respectively. The associations between non-adherence and stroke followed a dose-response pattern--the poorer the adherence, the greater the risk of death and hospitalization due to stroke. CONCLUSION These data suggest that poor adherence to antihypertensive therapy substantially increases near- and long-term risk of stroke among hypertensive patients.
Pain intensity and postoperative pulmonary complications among the elderly after abdominal surgery.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine whether postoperative pain intensity differs between elderly abdominal surgery patients in whom postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) develop and those in whom they do not. METHODS The exploratory secondary analysis of data from a prospective study of risk factors for PPC had a convenience sample of 86 patients (> or =60 years old) after abdominal surgery at 3 Midwestern hospitals. Daily measurements from postoperative day (POD) 1 to 6 included: pain (rated 0 to 10) at rest, with coughing, deep breathing, movement and walking, and frequency of ambulation. RESULTS Sixteen subjects (18.6%) had a PPC develop. Subjects with PPCs had higher mean pain intensities on all measures on each POD than those without. Those with PPCs had significantly higher pain intensities at rest on POD4 (P = .010), with deep breathing on POD2 (P = .015), POD4 (P = .009), POD5 (P = .006), and POD6 (P = .009), were up to a chair significantly fewer times on POD2 (P = .043), and walked significantly fewer times on POD5 (P = .002) and POD6 (P = .000) than those without PPCs. Length of stay for those with PPCs (mean, 17.9 days; standard deviation, 15.9 days; median, 10.0 days) was significantly longer than for those without PPCs (mean, 8.5 days; standard deviation, 4.8 days; median, 7.0 days; P = .000). CONCLUSION Results provide support for viewing pain as a factor that contributes to the development of PPCs among the elderly population after abdominal surgery. Therefore, nursing interventions of pain assessment and management, deep breathing, and ambulation may influence the incidence of this outcome.
Current Treatment Paradigms for Locally Advanced Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

Locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a multifaceted disease that is challenging to manage. The majority of patients can be appropriately treated with a combination of chemotherapy and radiation therapy; however, a subset of stage III patients who are considered surgical candidates may require a modification of this plan. For example, a trimodal approach using chemoradiation followed by surgery may be beneficial for fit patients with bulky mediastinal disease who are candidates for lobectomy, whereas patients with minimal mediastinal nodal involvement may receive only chemotherapy before surgical resection. No standard chemotherapy exists for this group of stage IIIA resectable patients. Phase II data from studies employing neoadjuvant cisplatin combinations suggest that these regimens are active and well tolerated. For patients with unresectable stage III NSCLC, concurrent chemoradiation is the standard of care at the present time for patients with good performance status, good pulmonary function tests, and an acceptable volume of normal lung receiving 20 Gy (V20). To manage distant micrometastasis further, induction and consolidation regimens are under investigation during which full-dose chemotherapy is administered either before (as induction) or after (as consolidation) concurrent chemoradiotherapy. To date, consolidation docetaxel after concurrent etoposide, cisplatin and thoracic radiation has shown encouraging survival results in a large Southwest Oncology Group phase II trial. This article will review the current treatment strategies for stage III NSCLC.
Genome Sequence of Aureobasidium pullulans AY4, an Emerging Opportunistic Fungal Pathogen with Diverse Biotechnological Potential

ABSTRACT Aureobasidium pullulans AY4 is an opportunistic pathogen that was isolated from the skin of an immunocompromised patient. We present here the draft genome of strain AY4, which reveals an abundance of genes relevant to bioindustrial applications, including biocontrol and biodegradation. Putative genes responsible for the pathogenicity of strain AY4 were also identified.
[XE-2100: platelet clumps or polymorphonuclear neutrophil aggregates, that is the question].

Leukoagglutination of polymorphonuclear neutrophils is described as a rare phenomenon but its incidence is certainly underestimated. We report here 4 cases showing why this phenomenon is sometimes difficult to detect. In each case, the only flag reported from the hematology analyser XE-2100 (Sysmex corporation) was 'Platelet clumps? '. The graphic patterns were not suggestive of leukoagglutination but rather evoked platelet clumps. The 4 white blood cell differential scattergrams were absolutely normal and the 4 cases were not associated with leukoneutropenia. Two patients had clumps located only at the edges of the smears, and automated imaging processes, scanning only the center of the smears, may also contribute to the failure of recognising this phenomenon.
Presidential Responsiveness and Public Policy-Making: The Publics and the Policies that Presidents Choose

We expect a president to respond to public opinion as an elected official in a democracy. Indeed, the president needs public support to overcome opposition to his policies in Congress and the bureaucracy. At the same time the president may want to pursue policies that do not have widespread support. How does public opinion affect presidential policy making? Jeffrey Cohen finds that presidents are responsive to the public in selecting issues to focus on. If an issue has captured the interest of the people, then the president will focus on that issue. Cohen finds that having chosen to work on an issue, presidents pay less attention to public opinion when making a policy. The president will try to maintain control over the details of the policy so that the outcome fits his policy agenda.Cohen examines the way presidents from Eisenhower through Clinton have dealt with public opinion in policy making. He uses case studies of issues such as Clinton and gays in the military, Bush and the extension of unemployment benefits, and Kennedy and cutting the income tax, to explore the relationship between presidents and public opinion. In addition Cohen uses a quantitative analysis of State of the Union addresses and positions on roll call votes of presidents from Eisenhower through George Bush to test his theories.This book should appeal to political scientists and historians interested in the presidency and in public opinion, as well as general readers interested in the history of the American presidency.
Intra- and Perioperative Complications of the LeFort I Osteotomy: A Prospective Evaluation of 1000 Patients

The LeFort I osteotomy has become a routine procedure in elective orthognathic surgery. The authors report the occurrence of intra- or perioperative complications in a series of 1000 consecutive LeFort I osteotomies performed within a 20-year period. In total, 64 (6.4%) patients experienced complications. Anatomical complications affected 26 (2.6%), patients, including 16 (1.6%) with a deviation of the nasal septum and 10 (1.0%) with non-union of the osteotomy gap. Extensive bleeding that required blood transfusion occurred in 11 (1.1%) patients exclusively after bimaxillary corrections; in 1 patient a ligation of the external carotid artery became necessary. Significant infections such as abscesses or maxillary sinusitis occurred in 11 (1.1%) patients. No patient experienced an osteomyelitis. Ischemic complications affected 10 (1.0%) patients, including 2 (0.2%) who experienced an aseptic necrosis of the alveolar process and 8 (0.8%) who, under critical revision, were affected by retractions of the gingiva. Five (0.5%) patients experienced an insufficient fixation of the osteosynthesis material. The risk and the extent of complications was enhanced in patients with anatomical irregularities (eg, in patients with craniofacial dysplasias, orofacial clefts, or vascular anomalies). The risk of ischemic complications was enhanced in extensive dislocations or transversal segmentation of the maxilla. The authors conclude that patients with major anatomical irregularities should be informed about an enhanced risk of Le-Fort I osteotomies. Preoperative planning avoiding transversal segmentation or extensive dislocations of the maxilla should reduce the occurrence of complications. For healthy individuals, the risk of complications with the LeFort I osteotomy is considered low.
Assessment of eosinophil granule proteins in various body fluids: is there a relation to clinical variables in childhood asthma?

The eosinophil plays a central role in the inflammatory process in bronchial asthma. Recent studies have indicated that the assessment of eosinophil‐derived proteins in various body fluids could be used for monitoring disease activity of childhood asthma. Till now, no study exists which compared the levels of eosinophil‐derived proteins in various body fluids such as serum, nasal lavage fluid (NALF) and urine.