Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The developing clinical problem of chemotherapy‐induced hepatic injury

Chemotherapy is being administered to an increasing number of patients with colorectal liver metastases (CRLM), whether they have resectable disease or not. Although this may be appropriate to downstage patients with unresectable disease, and offers theoretical advantages to those who have resectable disease, there is a price to be paid in the development of chemotherapy‐induced hepatic injuries (CIHI). These include chemotherapy‐associated fatty liver diseases and sinusoidal injuries. The main chemotherapeutic agents currently used in the adjuvant setting for colorectal carcinoma, and the neoadjuvant treatment of CRLM include 5‐flurouracil, oxaliplatin and irinotecan, and while there are non‐specific and overlapping injury profiles, oxaliplatin does appear to be primarily associated with sinusoidal injury and irinotecan with steatohepatitis. In this review, the rationale for administering chemotherapy to patients with CRLM is presented, and the problems this brings are outlined. The specific injury patterns will be detailed, as well as the data correlating specific chemotherapy regimens to these injury patterns. Finally, the clinical outcomes of patients with CRLM who undergo neoadjuvant chemotherapy followed by hepatic resection will be considered. The need for methods to identify patients at risk of CIHI and to recognize established CIHI prior to surgery will be emphasized.
Improving the QoS of Mobile Cloud Computing Applications in Smart Environments

Mobile-edge cloud computing is a new computing paradigm which provides cloud computing facilities to the mobile users in the close proximities of the edge of pervasive radio access networks. This paper proposes a novel approach to enhance the QoS of multimedia streaming in the context of smart environments. In the proposed scheme Mobile Edge Computing plays a vital role in enhancing QoS by a new method called the Track the Edge Approach. We have considered the applications of mobile cloud for developing the smart environments. We explore the container-based virtualization techniques to provide active Mobile Edge Computing (MEC) environments. In particular, our scheme guarantees fast response time, by proactively increasing service replication. We have created a test bed for conducting experiments and the results prove that the significant improvements in the performance of the proposed strategy over traditional approaches in terms of quick migration handover and less latency.
RISK FACTORS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF TRANSIENT HYPOTONY AFTER SILICONE OIL REMOVAL

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to determine the incidence, duration, and risk factors for postoperative transient hypotony after pars plana silicone oil removal. Methods: This was a retrospective, noncomparative, interventional case series. The records of 89 eyes of 89 patients who underwent pars plana silicone oil removal with at least 6 months of follow-up were reviewed. Postoperative transient hypotony was defined as an intraocular pressure of <6 mmHg occurring within 1 week of surgery, which recovered within 4 months after surgery. Results: Transient hypotony occurred in 35 of 89 eyes (39.3%). Thirty-three eyes recovered within 1 week after surgery. The logistic regression model, including age, number of previous pars plana vitrectomies, number of intraoperative endolaser applications, extent of remaining posterior proliferative vitreoretinopathy and the degree of proliferative vitreoretinopathy removal, number of preoperative antiglaucoma ophthalmic solutions, duration of postoperative anterior chamber inflammation, axial length, preoperative intraocular pressure, and duration of oil tamponade, showed that only axial length was significantly associated with the development of postoperative transient hypotony (odds ratio = 1.385, P = 0.023). Conclusion: Transient hypotony frequently developed after silicone oil removal, and most cases recovered within 1 week postoperatively. Patients with a long axial length had increased odds of developing transient hypotony after silicone oil removal.
Preferential dilation of large coronary microvessels by the mononitrates SPM-4744 and SPM-5185.

A novel aspect of the pharmacodynamic action of nitroglycerin is that it is a potent dilator of larger coronary arteries, yet it dilates smaller coronary microvessels submaximally and only in high concentrations. We sought to determine whether this property was shared by other organic nitrates. The effects of two mononitrates. SPM-4744 and SPM-5185 (the latter of which possesses a thioester in its structure), on coronary microvessels of different sizes were studied. Large (200-microns diameter) and small ( < 100-microns diameter) porcine coronary microvessels were studied in vitro while pressurized in a no-flow state. After constriction with the thromboxane analogue U46619, maximal dilations (as a percent of preconstricted tone at the highest applied concentration, 10 microM) of small coronary microvessels were 18 +/- 3 and 16 = 2% in response to SPM-4744 and SPM-5185, respectively. The dilations of larger coronary microvessels to SPM-4744 and SPM-5185 were 55 +/- 5 and 43 +/- 6%, respectively (both p < 0.001 vs. the small vessel responses). This pattern of differential vasodilatation of large and small coronary microvessels was similar to that produced by nitroglycerin. In contrast, sodium nitroprusside produced equivalent degrees of vasodilation of small and large coronary microvessels. Additional experiments demonstrated that both SPM compounds produced dilation of the coronary microcirculation in isolated rat heart and relaxed isolated segments of rat aortic rings only in high ( > or = 1 microM) concentrations. These data demonstrate that the organic mononitrates are similar to nitroglycerin in their selectivity for larger coronary microvessels and produce only minimal dilation of coronary microvessels < 100 microM in diameter.
Clinical significance of asymptomatic neck bruits

The value of neck bruits as indicators of underlying carotid artery disease was assessed by correlating the results of carotid Doppler examination with auscultation in 336 patients with asymptomatic bruits. Also, the separate findings of auscultation by two physicians were compared for agreement in the quality and location of the bruits. Levels of agreement between the physicians in the clinical examination were acceptable for the presence and site of the neck bruits, but were unacceptable for the intensity, pitch, and duration. Unilateral bruits in the upper neck indicated underlying internal carotid artery (ICA) stenosis detectable by carotid Doppler (greater than 35% stenosis) in 61%, whereas only 11% of patients with bruits localized to the supraclavicular area had ICA stenosis. “Silent” contralateral ICA stenosis was detected by Doppler in 28% of patients with unilateral cervical bruits. Bilateral cervical bruits were the most powerful predictors (76%) of underlying ICA stenosis detectable by Doppler. Neck bruits are valuable indicators of underlying carotid artery disease, but Doppler ultrasound examination adds significantly to clinical accuracy.
Connexins and pannexins: At the junction of neuro‐glial homeostasis & disease

In the central nervous system (CNS), connexin (Cx)s and pannexin (Panx)s are an integral component of homeostatic neuronal excitability and synaptic plasticity. Neuronal Cx gap junctions form electrical synapses across biochemically similar GABAergic networks, allowing rapid and extensive inhibition in response to principle neuron excitation. Glial Cx gap junctions link astrocytes and oligodendrocytes in the pan‐glial network that is responsible for removing excitotoxic ions and metabolites. In addition, glial gap junctions help constrain excessive excitatory activity in neurons and facilitate astrocyte Ca2+ slow wave propagation. Panxs do not form gap junctions in vivo, but Panx hemichannels participate in autocrine and paracrine gliotransmission, alongside Cx hemichannels. ATP and other gliotransmitters released by Cx and Panx hemichannels maintain physiologic glutamatergic tone by strengthening synapses and mitigating aberrant high frequency bursting. Under pathological depolarizing and inflammatory conditions, gap junctions and hemichannels become dysregulated, resulting in excessive neuronal firing and seizure. In this review, we present known contributions of Cxs and Panxs to physiologic neuronal excitation and explore how the disruption of gap junctions and hemichannels lead to abnormal glutamatergic transmission, purinergic signaling, and seizures.
Psychosocial Treatments for Schizophrenia: An Evaluation of Theoretically Divergent Treatment Paradigms, and Their Efficacy.

UNLABELLED General Purpose: This paper chronologically examines four theoretically divergent psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia, each intended to augment pharmacological treatment. The goal is to familiarize readers with a sample of well-established psychosocial treatments to provide an enhanced perspective on newer and future psychosocial treatments for schizophrenia. Clinical implications and future research directions are discussed. METHODOLOGY Social skills training, cognitive behavioral therapy, cognitive remediation, and social cognitive training therapy paradigms were searched and the extant literature is summarized for each, with particular focus on: 1) the rationale for treatment methodology; 2) particular methods of treatment; and, 3) meta-analytic data regarding their efficacy and/or effectiveness. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS Each of the four treatment methodologies discussed evinces particular strengths and specific weaknesses for clinical practice, with no clear superior methodology across all clinical populations/situations. Future research must continue to examine social cognitive treatments, as well as the effects of combined psychosocial treatments.
Genetic algorithm-derived digital integrators and their applications in discretization of continuous systems

A set of enhanced digital integrators (EDI) with improved accuracy using genetic algorithms are proposed in this paper. By specifying a desired power for the integrator to be sought and the interval for comparison, chromosomes consisting of parameters of the enhanced digital integrator are then searched by the genetic algorithm based on root mean squared (RMS) error between the original integrator and candidates of the enhanced digital integrator. Thus, all the best parameters of an optimal enhanced digital integrator can be evolutionarily obtained. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, the derived enhanced digital integrators are used to obtain the discrete approximation for continuous systems.
A Frequency-Agile RF Frontend Architecture for Multi-Band TDD Applications

Emerging wireless standards specify dozens of bands spanning several octaves, which need to be supported in form-factor and energy constrained mobile devices targeting ubiquitous connectivity. However, in current multi-band radio implementations, significant redundancy is still the norm in the RF frontend. This work introduces an improved architecture for multi-band, time-division duplexed (TDD) radios, which replaces multiple narrowband frontend components with a frequency-agile solution, tunable over a wide frequency range. A highly digital architecture is adopted, leading to a fully integrated solution wherein both efficiency and achievable frequency range benefit from CMOS scaling. A prototype is integrated in 45 nm SOI CMOS. Peak PA output power is 27.7 ±0.5 dBm from 1.3 to 3.3 GHz, with up to 30% total efficiency at 2 V. For TDD LTE applications, better than -30 dBc ACLR and -30 dB EVM is measured with 64 QAM, 20 MHz signals from 1.44 to 3.41 GHz, with up to 17.2% average efficiency and 23.4 dBm average power. The LNA achieves AV ≥ 14 dB, NF = 4.4 ±1.6 dB and IIP 3 ≥ -7 dBm from 1.3 to 3.3 GHz while drawing just 6 mA from 1 V. The demonstrated frequency range covers a total of 11 TDD bands .
Urban Impedance Computing Based on Check-In Records

Urban impedance is an important consideration in assessments of transportation and land-use systems. This work leverages check-in records obtained from mobile social networks to build a fine-grained but inexpensive urban impedance model. Check-in records and road networks are collected and used to calculate and adjust the various parameters of the model, including path length, number and angle of turns, number and direction of junctions, and population density. Check-in records can filter functional locations and supply the time factor, thereby providing excellent advantages over traditional models that do not employ this data type. The proposed model is more accurate than traditional impedance models, as verified by experiments using Sina Weibo data in Tianjin City.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder : a child & adolescent mental health perspective

Introduction Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a distinctive and frequently disabling condition characterised by unwanted thoughts or images (obsessions) and unwanted repetitive acts and rituals (compulsions). Many people have OCD symptoms and are reluctant to seek help or share their concerns for fear of being ridiculed or stigmatised. In order to make a clinical diagnosis, there needs that to be a degree of impairment in terms of time consumed with OCD symptoms, and distress or interference in functioning (American Psychiatric Association 1994). Common obsessions and compulsions are listed in Table 1.
[Surgical resection of pancreatic cancer].

AIMS AND BACKGROUND Surgical resection offers the only potential cure for pancreatic carcinoma. Although the overall prognosis remains a dismal, several recent series have reported an encouraging increase in 5-year survival after resection, exceeding 20%. As the reasons for this improvement are not clearly understood, numerous clinico-pathological parameters (demographic, intraoperative and histopathologic factors) have been investigated to evaluate their role in predicting long term survival. In this single-institution study, immediate and long-term outcome after pancreatic resection in patients with pancreatic adenocarcinoma was retrospectively evaluated, focusing attention on the possible impact of different clinico-pathologic factors on long-term survival. METHODS Sixty-six patients with a confirmed histologic diagnosis of adenocarcinoma of the pancreas, treated by pancreatic resection at the Department of Surgery of the Catholic University of Rome in the years 1988-1997, were retrospectively analyzed. Morbidity and survival data were reviewed and potential prognostic factors were compared statistically by univariate analysis. RESULTS There was no postoperative mortality. Twenty-five patients (38%) developed major operative complications. Pancreatic fistula was the most common complication, and occurred in 7 patients (11%). The actuarial overall and disease-specific survival for all 66 patients were respectively 58% and 59% at 1 year, 27% and 31% at 3 years, and 13% and 20% at 5 years, with a median survival time of 13.4 months. Nodal status was the only single factor significantly affecting survival by univariate analysis. The 3-and 5-year survival rates were respectively 35% and 19% for node-negative patients and 7% and 0% for node-positive patients (P = .04). A positive correlation with improved survival, even if not of statistical significance, was shown for other pathologic or intraoperative factors. Among the former, 5-year survival rates were better for patients with negative resection margins as compared to patients with positive margins (12% vs 7%, P = ns). Among the latter, a better actuarial 5-year survival rate was shown for patients with shorter operative time (< 4 hours, 21% survival vs > 4 hours 5%, P = ns) and for patients that received fewer transfusions (0-2 blood units, 14% survival vs 3 or more blood units, 0%; P = ns). Age, gender, tumor diameter and tumor grading showed no influence on survival in this series. CONCLUSIONS Our series confirmed that nodal status is the strongest independent predictor of survival. Limited intraoperative transfusion, reduced operative time and clear margins could also yeald a prognostic significance, and require further confirmation in larger series.
Fear of heights and visual height intolerance.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW The aim of this review is, first, to cover the different aspects of visual height intolerance such as historical descriptions, definition of terms, phenomenology of the condition, neurophysiological control of gaze, stance and locomotion, and therapy, and, second, to identify warranted epidemiological and experimental studies. RECENT FINDINGS Vivid descriptions of fear of heights can be found in ancient texts from the Greek, Roman, and Chinese classics. The life-time prevalence of visual height intolerance is as high as 28% in the general population, and about 50% of those who are susceptible report an impact on quality of life. When exposed to heights, visual exploration by eye and head movements is restricted, and the velocity of locomotion is reduced. Therapy for fear of heights is dominated by the behavioral techniques applied during real or virtual reality exposure. Their efficacy might be facilitated by the administration of D-cycloserine or glucocorticoids. SUMMARY Visual height intolerance has a considerable impact on daily life and interpersonal interactions. It is much more frequent than fear of heights, which is defined as an environmental subtype of a specific phobia. There is certainly a continuum stretching from acrophobia to a less-pronounced visual height intolerance, to which the categorical distinction of a specific phobia does not apply.
Zero-Overhead NVM Crash Resilience

Byte-addressable non-volatile memory (NVM) allows finegrained in-place update of durable data. NVM transaction mechanisms prevent failures during updates from corrupting data, but such mechanisms carry substantial performance overheads. Our new alternative for high-performance multithreaded software guarantees consistent recovery of application data following failure and has zero overhead during failure-free operation. Our approach preserves application data integrity in crash-injection experiments and its performance rivals state-of-the-art NVM transactions.
Effect of the applied power of atmospheric pressure plasma on the adhesion of composite resin to dental ceramic.

PURPOSE To evaluate the effect of applied power on dental ceramic bonding of composite resin using nonthermal atmospheric pressure plasma (APP). MATERIALS AND METHODS A pencil-type APP torch was used to modify the surface chemical composition and hydrophilicity of dental ceramic and to improve the adhesion of composite resin to the surface. The effect of the applied power on chemical changes of the plasma polymer on a ceramic surface and the adhesive strength between the composite resin and feldspathic porcelain were examined. Adhesion was evaluated by comparing shear bond strengths (SBS) using the iris method. The chemical composition of the plasma polymer deposited on the ceramic surface was evaluated using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Hydrophilicity was evaluated by contact angle measurements. The fracture mode at the interface was also evaluated. RESULTS The APP treatment was effective and the SBS of the experimental groups were significantly higher than those of the negative control group (p < 0.05). Moreover, the SBS obtained with the APP treatment at the highest input voltage was statistically similar to the gold standard of HF etching and silane coupling-agent coating. Two-thirds of the fractures observed in the specimens bonded with application of APP were mixed and cohesive fractures. CONCLUSION Application of APP enhanced adhesion by producing carboxyl groups on the ceramic surface and as a result by improving surface hydrophilicity. The carboxyl group contents in the plasma polymer on the ceramic surface increased as the applied power increased.
Auditory brainstem responses to CE-Chirp® stimuli for normal ears and those with sensorineural hearing loss

Abstract Objective: Evaluation of the characteristic differences between click-and CE-Chirp-evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs) in normal hearing and sensorineural hearing loss. Design: A prospective study. Ears with normal hearing and with sensorineural hearing loss were evaluated. Pure-tone audiometry and click-and CE-Chirp evoked ABRs exams were conducted for all ears. Visual detection levels, wave-V amplitudes, and latencies of the ABRs were assessed. Study sample: Twenty-two ears with normal hearing and 22 ears with sloping type sensorineural hearing loss were examined. Results: In normal-hearing ears, mean amplitudes were larger for CE-chirps than for clicks at all intensities until 80 dB nHL, at which the amplitudes dropped off, presumably due to upward spread of excitation. In ears with sensorineural hearing loss, however the drop-off was less significant at 80 dB nHL. Comparisons with pure-tone audiometry findings revealed ABRs to CE-Chirps to correlate at 0.5, 1, 2, and 3 kHz, and to clicks at 1, 2, 3, and 4 kHz. Conclusions: The CE-Chirp has advantages over clicks for examining normal ears. However, under high-level stimulation, these advantages are no longer present. In ears with sensorineural hearing loss, the upward spread of excitation is less prominent. The CE-Chirps results correlate significantly to low frequency audiometric findings at 0.5 kHz, while clicks do not.
Selective use of temporary intravascular shunts in coincident vascular and orthopedic upper and lower limb trauma.

BACKGROUND Combined vascular and skeletal injuries are associated with a high limb loss rate. One of the major factors resulting in amputation is frequently because the allowable warm ischemia time for skeletal muscle is exceeded before adequate revascularization. METHODS Temporary vascular shunting has been used in selected patients with complete ischemia to minimize the ischemic time of the injured limb, allowing identification of vital structures, thorough debridement, and rigid internal fixation before definitive vascular repair. RESULTS Five male and two female patients with a median age of 46 years (range, 27-76 years) admitted with combined orthopedic and vascular injuries of the upper limbs in four and the lower limbs in three patients underwent primary vascular shunting. The median ischemic time for all patients was 180 minutes (range, 120-210 minutes). Shunt insertion was accomplished in all cases within 30 minutes. Median dwell time for the shunt was 185 minutes (range, 90-390 minutes). No shunt-related complications or limb loss occurred. During follow-up ranging from 2 to 24 months, all vascular repairs remained patent. All fractures healed primarily, except for one patient in whom a necrosis of the humeral head occurred. Five patients had an excellent and two patients a good result. CONCLUSION Initial temporary vascular shunting in selected patients with combined skeletal and vascular injury of the upper or lower limb may reduce the complications resulting from prolonged ischemia and permits an unhurried and reasonable sequence of treatment.