Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Osseous abnormalities of the mandibular condyle: diagnostic reliability of cone beam computed tomography compared with helical computed tomography based on an autopsy material.

OBJECTIVES We compared the diagnostic reliability of cone beam computed tomography (3DX) and helical computed tomography (helical CT) for the detection of osseous abnormalities of the mandibular condyle, using macroscopic observations as the gold standard. METHODS Twenty-one temporomandibular joint autopsy specimens underwent imaging with 3DX and helical CT. The specimens were macroscopically evaluated for cortical erosion or osteophytosis and sclerosis. The images were independently assessed for the same osseous abnormalities. Observations with the two imaging modalities were compared with the macroscopic observations using the McNemar test. RESULTS According to the macroscopic observations, 10 of the 21 mandibular condyles and one fossa showed osseous abnormalities. 3DX detected abnormalities in eight of these condyles and helical CT identified abnormalities in seven, giving a sensitivity of 0.80 for 3DX and 0.70 for helical CT. The specificity of the condyle assessment was 1.0 for both 3DX and helical CT and hence, the accuracy was 0.90 and 0.86, respectively. No significant differences were detected between the 3DX and helical CT for assessment of osseous abnormalities of the mandibular condyle (P=0.286). CONCLUSIONS The cone beam CT equipment 3DX is a dose-effective and a cost-effective alternative to helical CT for the diagnostic evaluation of osseous abnormalities of the mandibular condyle.
Entwurfsraumexploration ressourceneffizienter VLIW-Prozessoren

Die zunehmende Miniaturisierung digitaler Schaltkreise durch moderne Fertigungsverfahren und die damit verbundene steigende Integrationsdichte von mikroelektronischen Schaltkreisen erlaubt die Realisierung von immer komplexeren und leistungsfahigeren Prozessoren. Die Steigerung der Performanz durch eine reine Erhohung der Taktfrequenz wirkt sich jedoch nachteilig auf die Leistungsaufnahme des Systems aus. Neue Architekturen stellen die geforderte Leistungsfahigkeit durch eine hohere Parallelitat zur Verfugung. Diese ermoglicht eine hohere Energieeffizienz, da die Taktfrequenz eines Parallelprozessors vergleichsweise niedrig gehalten werden kann. Es gilt, eine hohe Ressourceneffizienz, d.h. einen guten Kompromiss zwischen Performanz und Bedarf an Ressourcen, wie Flache oder Leistungsaufnahme, zu erreichen. Die eng gekoppelten Funktionseinheiten skalierbarer Very-Long-Instruction-Word (VLIW)-Prozessoren eignen sich insbesondere fur Anwendungsszenarien, in denen eine hohe Ressourceneffizienz gefordert ist. Diese Arbeit dokumentiert die Entwurfsraumexploration einer skalierbaren und ressourceneffizienten VLIW-Architektur – dem CoreVA-Prozessor. Als Grundlage der Entwicklung dient ein, in Kooperation mit der Fachgruppe "Programmiersprachen und Ubersetzer" der Universitat Paderborn entwickelter, dualer Entwurfsablauf, der auf einer zentralen Prozessorspezifikation basiert. Der hohe Automatismus dieses Entwurfsablaufs ermoglicht kurzere Iterationszyklen wahrend der Entwicklung und somit die Abdeckung groserer Entwurfsraume, als es bisher moglich war. Ziel der Entwicklung war die Implementierung und Realisierung einer anwendungsspezifischen Architektur, die moglichst gut an das jeweilige Anwendungsszenario angepasst ist. Die Nutzbarkeit des in dieser Arbeit entwickelten Entwurfsablaufes wird anhand der Entwurfsraumexploration des CoreVA-Prozessors gezeigt. Neben der Exploration der funktionalen Parallelitat des Prozessorkerns wird auch eine Analyse der Forwarding-Architektur und des Speicher-Subsystems vorgestellt. Zur weiteren Steigerung der Ressourceneffizienz konnen Hardware-Beschleuniger an das CoreVA-System gekoppelt werden. Verschiedene Anbindungsvarianten erlauben sowohl die eng gekoppelte Integration direkt an den Prozessorkern als auch die flexible Anbindung von externen Hardware-Erweiterungen auf einem dedizierten rekonfigurierbaren Baustein. Die Vorstellung der prototypischen Implementierungen sowohl als FPGA-Prototyp als auch als ASIC-Realisierung bildet den Abschluss dieser Dissertation. In einer 65 nm Low-Power-Standardzellentechnologie von STMicroelectronics belegt der vierfach parallele CoreVA-Prozessor eine Chipflache von 2,7 mm². Bei einer Taktfrequenz von 400 MHz liefert die Architektur einen Durchsatz von bis zu 3,2 Milliarden Operationen pro Sekunde. Die Leistungsaufnahme liegt bei durchschnittlich 169 mW. Damit wird die Ressourceneffizienz der entwickelten skalierbaren VLIW-Architektur deutlich.
Patient controlled opioid analgesia versus conventional opioid analgesia for postoperative pain.

BACKGROUND Patients may control postoperative pain by self-administration of intravenous opioids using devices designed for this purpose (patient controlled analgesia or PCA). A 1992 meta-analysis by Ballantyne found a strong patient preference for PCA over conventional analgesia but disclosed no differences in analgesic consumption or length of postoperative hospital stay. Although Ballantyne's meta-analysis found that PCA did have a small but statistically significant benefit upon pain intensity, Walder's review in 2001 did not find a significant differences in pain intensity and pain relief between PCA and conventionally treated groups. OBJECTIVES To evaluate the efficacy of PCA versus conventional analgesia (such as a nurse administering an analgesic upon a patient's request) for postoperative pain control. SEARCH STRATEGY Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were identified from the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library 2004, Issue 3), MEDLINE (1966 to 2004), and EMBASE (1994 to 2004). Additional reports were identified from the reference lists of retrieved papers. SELECTION CRITERIA RCTs of PCA versus conventional analgesia that employed pain intensity as a primary or secondary outcome were selected. These trials included RCTs that compared PCA without a continuous background infusion versus conventional parenteral analgesic regimens. Studies that explicitly stated they involved patients with chronic pain were excluded. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Trials were scored using the Oxford Quality Scale. Meta-analyses were performed of outcomes that included analgesic efficacy assessed by a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), analgesic consumption, patient satisfaction, length of stay and adverse effects. A sufficient number of the retrieved trials reported these parameters to permit meta-analyses. MAIN RESULTS Fifty-five studies with 2023 patients receiving PCA and 1838 patients assigned to a control group met inclusion criteria. PCA provided better pain control and greater patient satisfaction than conventional parenteral 'as-needed' analgesia. Patients using PCA consumed higher amounts of opioids than the controls and had a higher incidence of pruritus (itching) but had a similar incidence of other adverse effects. There was no difference in the length of hospital stay. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS This review provides evidence that PCA is an efficacious alternative to conventional systemic analgesia for postoperative pain control.
The sandflies (Diptera: Psychodidae, Phlebotominae) in military camps in northern Afghanistan (2007–2009), as identified by morphology and DNA ‘barcoding’

Abstract As part of a continuous, standardized programme of monitoring the Leishmania vectors in German military camps in northern Afghanistan between 2007 and 2009, a detailed taxonomic analysis of the endemic sandfly fauna, as sampled using light and odour‐baited traps, was conducted. Of the 10 sandfly species that were recorded, six may serve as enzootic and/or zooanthroponotic vectors of parasites causing human leishmaniasis. The use of a simple DNA‐‘barcoding’ technique based on the mitochondrial cyt b gene, to identify the collected sandflies to species level, revealed (1) a clear discrimination between the potential vector species, (2) clustering of species within most subgenera, and (3) particularly high heterogeneity within the subgenus Paraphlebotomus (Phlebotomus alexandri being grouped with Ph. papatasi rather than with other Paraphlebotomus species). The data also indicate a high level of genetic heterogeneity within the subgenus Sergentomyia but close similarity between Sergentomyia sintoni and Sergentomyia murgabiensis. The morphological similarity of many medically important sandflies can make species identification difficult, if not impossible. The new DNA‐barcoding techniques may provide powerful discriminatory tools in the future.
Protecting People from Natural Disasters: Political Institutions and Ocean-Originated Hazards *

Why do some leaders protect their citizens from natural disasters while others do not? This paper argues that leaders in large coalition systems provide more protection against natural disasters than leaders in small coalition systems. Yet, autocrats also provide large-scale disaster protection if members of their winning coalition are exposed to natural hazards. The paper tests these propositions by examining cross-country variation in the number of sea-level stations as a lower bound for protection against ocean-originated disasters. Empirical evidence indicates that leaders in large coalition systems deploy more sea-level stations than their counterparts in small coalition systems. The evidence also shows that if the national capital is close to the coast, thus exposing members of the ruling coalition to ocean-originated hazards, leaders across political systems install more sea-level stations.
Nutrition, antioxidants, and risk factor profile of nonsmokers, passive smokers and smokers of the Prevention Education Program (PEP) in Nuremberg, Germany.

BACKGROUND An elevated risk for coronary artery disease and lung cancer was reported for smokers and nonsmokers exposed to environmental tobacco smoke. Particularly in nonsmokers, in addition to the adverse effects of tobacco smoke, other factors which are associated with the exposure to environmental tobacco smoke may contribute to the health risks. We investigated both by questionnaires and biochemical analyses whether smokers influence the dietary habits of nonsmokers living in the same household. METHODS The study population was a subgroup of the Prevention Education Program in Nuremberg: 817 adults aged 27-66 years were allocated to one of the four groups: Nonsmokers living with a nonsmoker (Group 1), nonsmokers living with a smoker (Group 2), smokers living with a nonsmoker (Group 3), and smokers living with a smoker (Group 4). RESULTS The four groups did not differ in the body mass index, the concentration of lycopene, all-trans-retinol, and selenium in plasma. Plasma concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, homocysteine, cobalamin, folate, beta-carotene, and alpha-tocopherol showed a gradient to unfavorable levels from Group 1 to Group 4. This trend was also reflected in the reported dietary intake of beta-carotene, alpha-tocopherol, ascorbic acid, fiber, and linoleic acid. CONCLUSIONS Our data show that nonsmokers living with smokers indulge in less healthy dietary habits than nonsmokers living with nonsmokers. This has to be considered when evaluating the health risks of exposure to environmental tobacco smoke.
Differences in lipolysis between human subcutaneous and omental adipose tissues.

Hydrolysis of triglycerides to fatty acids and glycerol in fat cells (lipolysis) is of importance for the control of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. This process is regulated by several hormones and parahormones acting on cyclic AMP formation or breakdown, which in turn influences the activity of hormone sensitive lipase. The latter enzyme stimulates hydrolysis of triglycerides in fat cells. It is well established through in vivo and in vitro investigations that there are regional variations in the lipolytic activity of human adipose tissue. The rate of lipolysis is low in the subcutaneous femoral/gluteal region, intermediate in the subcutaneous abdominal region and high in the visceral (i.e. omental) region. In non-obese subjects the differences between the subcutaneous and visceral fat depots may be explained by site variations in the function of receptors for insulin, catecholamines and adenosine. The lipolytic beta 1 and beta 2 adrenoceptors, as well as the newly discovered beta 3, are most active in the visceral fat cells. The antilipolytic insulin receptors, alpha 2 adrenoceptors and adenosine receptors are most active in the subcutaneous fat cells. In subjects with upper-body obesity the regional variations in the action of catecholamines on lipolysis are further enhanced. Decreased action of beta 2-adrenergic receptors and increased activity of alpha 2-adrenergic adrenoceptors in combination with defects in hormone sensitive lipase function inhibits the lipolytic effect of catecholamines in subcutaneous fat cells whereas increased activity of beta 3-adrenergic receptors and decreased activity of alpha 2 adrenoceptors augment the lipolytic response in visceral fat cells. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Processes in Systems with Limited Resources in the Context of Non-extensive Thermodynamics

This paper presents a preliminary analysis of the system behavior that works far from the thermodynamical equilibrium states in the environment with limited resources. The examples of such systems are the real computer systems. Nowadays in such systems the runoff characteristic of the information flow is very turbulent in contradiction to the current existing laminar models. These systems work under constant overload, which means a permanent thermodynamical non-equilibrium (from the thermodynamical point of view). For such a situation the classical approach to their modeling is still based on Boltzmann-Gibbs (BG) thermodynamics,which is proper only for systems that are in equilibriumstate (sometimes called thermostatic) or very close to it. The changing number of tasks N in such systems and the limited resourcesK of the environment cause its chaotic behavior and generate the dependencies that have got a long-termproperty. Such processes degrade the system performance X and elongate the response time R; in other words degrade the Quality of Service (QoS). To understand the whole behavior of such systems one needs a proper thermodynamical basis that seems to be the Tsallis formula of the non-extensive entropy.
Informational and psychosocial needs of women choosing conservative surgery/primary radiation for early stage breast cancer

Recent advances in the treatment of early stage breast cancer give women a choice of treatments. Prospective and retrospective studies demonstrate the comparable efficacy of treatment with a modified radical mastectomy and treatment with conservative surgery and primary radiation. While the number of women with early stage breast cancer choosing the latter treatment continues to increase, there is a paucity of information in the nursing literature assessing the informational and psychosocial needs of this group. This article reports the results of a questionnaire assessing the informational and psychosocial needs of patients choosing breast conservation surgery, and the future implications of these results for the nursing profession.
How can ICT help the visually impaired older adults in residential care institutions: The everyday needs survey

Older adults challenged with vision impairments require special care, often served in residential care institutions. This paper presents outcomes of a user study to reveal everyday needs and problems of clients of such institution. The study was organized as semistructured interviews with residential home clients (N = 6) and staff (N = 6). Our findings indicate that most needs can be already addressed by specific care given in residential institutions. However, we identified areas where ICT could be beneficial for better orientation and well-being of clients. We draw results to motivate and frame design directions.
Sex Differences in the Number and Size of Motoneurons Innervating Rat Medial Gastrocnemius Muscle

The sex differences in the number and morphometric parameters of motoneurons in motor nuclei are poorly known. The aim of this study was to determine the differences in the number and size of alpha and gamma motoneurons of the medial gastrocnemius (MG) muscle in male and female Wistar rats. Retrogradely labelled cell bodies of motoneurons of 6 months old animals were studied following a bath of the proximal stump of the transected MG nerve in a horseradish peroxidase solution. The number and soma diameters of male and female MG motoneurons were determined from serial microscopic images of sections. The weight of the brain and spinal cord was on average 17% higher in males than in females. The mean number of motoneurons was 13% higher in males than in females and amounted to 94 and 83 motoneurons, respectively. In each case, the average soma diameters and cross‐section areas of motoneurons in motor nucleus were distributed bimodally: motoneurons smaller than 27.5 μm in diameter were recognized as gamma and greater ones as alpha motoneurons. In males, the motor nucleus contained on the average 66 alpha motoneurons, whereas in females, 56 alpha motoneurons, that is the mean number of alpha motoneurons was 17% higher in males. Moreover, the soma diameters of gamma and alpha motoneurons were significantly bigger in males and the difference amounted 9 and 6%, respectively. It is concluded that the number as well as size of alpha and size of gamma motoneurons in the MG motor nucleus are greater in males.
A Hospital-Randomized Controlled Trial of an Educational Quality Improvement Intervention in Rural and Small Community Hospitals in Texas Following Implementation of Information Technology

Rural and small community hospitals typically have few resources and little experience with quality improvement (QI) and, on average, demonstrate poorer quality of care than larger facilities. Formalized QI education shows promise in improving quality, but little is known about its effect in rural and small community hospitals. The authors describe a randomized controlled trial assigning 47 rural and small community Texas hospitals to such a program (n = 23) or to the control group (n = 24), following provision of a Web-based quality benchmarking and case review tool. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Core Measures composite scores for congestive heart failure (CHF) and community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), using Texas Medical Foundation data collected via the QualityNet Exchange system, are compared for the groups, for 2 years postintervention. Given the estimated baseline rates for the CHF (68%) and CAP (66%) composites, the cohort enables the detection of 14% and 11% differences (α = .05; power = 0.8), respectively. (Am J Med Qual 2007;22:418-427)
Autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2 in patient with severe allergic asthma treated with omalizumab

ABSTRACT Asthma therapy with monoclonal antibodies is a promising and effective approach for those with a severe and refractory type of disease. Although such a targeted therapy is considered to be safe, unusual complications may occur. We present a case of a 45 year-old female patient with severe allergic asthma and chronic spontaneous urticaria, who developed autoimmune polyendocrine syndrome type 2 (APS-2) after 26 months of omalizumab administration. The patient was diagnosed with primary adrenal insufficiency (Addison's disease) and Hashimoto's thyroiditis accompanied by autoimmune atrophic gastritis. According to our knowledge this is the first description of APS-2 that developed in conjunction with omalizumab treatment, although we have no evidence that the observed phenomenon indicated a cause-effect relationship to omalizumab.
Delayed cell death related to acute cerebral blood flow changes following subarachnoid hemorrhage in the rat brain.

OBJECT The authors tested the hypotheses that subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) leads to delayed cell death with the participation of apoptotic-like mechanisms and is influenced by the degree of acute decrease in the cerebral blood flow (CBF) following hemorrhage. METHODS Subarachnoid hemorrhage was induced in rats by endovascular perforation of the internal carotid artery or injection of blood into the prechiasmatic cistern. Cerebral blood flow was measured using laser Doppler flowmetry for 60 minutes. Brain sections stained with terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick-end labeling (TUNEL) showed DNA fragmentation at 2 and 7 days after both methods of inducing SAH in one third to two thirds of the surviving animals in the different experimental groups. More than 80% of the TUNEL-positive cells were neuron-specific nuclear protein-positive (neurons), but immunoreactivity to glial fibrillary acidic protein (astrocytes) and transferrin (oligodendrocytes) were markedly decreased in TUNEL-positive areas. Most of the TUNEL-positive cells displayed chromatin condensation and/or blebs and immunostained for increased Bax; approximately 50% of them were immunoreactive to cleaved caspase-3 and a few to Bcl-2. The duration of the acute CBF decrease below 30% of the baseline level was related to the degree of TUNEL staining. CONCLUSIONS Subarachnoid hemorrhage resulted in delayed cell death in a large proportion, but not all, of the surviving animals. The acute CBF decrease was related to the degree of subsequent cell death. These findings indicated the relevance of apoptotic-like pathways. There appears to be a temporal therapeutic window during which adequate treatment might reduce the final damage following SAH.
Molecular Characterization of Streptococcus pneumoniae Serotype 12F Isolates Associated with Rural Community Outbreaks in Alaska

ABSTRACT Outbreaks of invasive pneumococcal disease (IPD) caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae serotype 12F were observed in two neighboring regions of rural Alaska in 2003 to 2006 and 2006 to 2008. IPD surveillance data from 1986 to 2009 and carriage survey data from 1998 to 2004 and 2008 to 2009 were reviewed to identify patterns of serotype 12F transmission. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis was performed on all available isolates, and selected isolates were characterized by additional genetic subtyping methods. Serotype 12F IPD occurred in two waves in Alaska between 1986 and 2008. While cases of disease occurred nearly every year in Anchorage, in rural regions, 12F IPD occurred with rates 10- to 20-fold higher than those in Anchorage, often with many years between disease peaks and generally caused by a single predominant genetic clone. Carriage occurred predominantly in adults, except early in the rural outbreaks, when most carriage was in persons <18 years old. In rural regions, carriage of 12F disappeared completely after outbreaks. Different 12F clones appear to have been introduced episodically into rural populations, spread widely in young, immunologically naïve populations (leading to outbreaks of IPD lasting 1 to 3 years), and then disappeared rapidly from the population. Larger population centers might have been the reservoir for these clones. This epidemiologic pattern is consistent with a highly virulent, but immunogenic, form of pneumococcus.