Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Outcomes of Proximal Row Carpectomy: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Abstract Purpose Proximal row carpectomy is a well-established technique for the management of wrist arthritis; however, patient selection and long-term durability of proximal row carpectomy is still a matter of controversy. Hence, we conducted a systematic review of the English literature to determine the best evidence on long-term outcomes following proximal row carpectomy. Methods A MEDLINE search using the term “proximal row carpectomy” was performed. A total of 192 studies were identified. All studies with 10 or more years of follow-up were included in the review. Data extracted included patient demographics, indications for surgery, previous surgery, outcome assessment, and information on complications and failures. Results A total of 147 patients from six studies met the inclusion criteria and were included in the study. The majority of patients were male and involved in manual labor. There was no significant difference between the preoperative and long-term postoperative motion. The weighted mean for postoperative grip strength was 68.4% compared with the contralateral side. Disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand; patient-rated wrist examination; and Mayo wrist scores were comparable to those reported for four-corner arthrodesis. There were 21 failures (14.3%) requiring re-operation. Failures were not associated with a specific preoperative diagnosis but distributed among patients with Kienböck disease, scaphoid nonunion advanced collapse, and scapholunate advanced collapse arthritis. Conclusions This systematic review confirms the long-term durability of proximal row carpectomy when used for the treatment of wrist arthritis. Although radiocapitate arthritis develops over time in most patients, the clinical significance of this finding is undetermined and does not necessarily correlate with failure of proximal row carpectomy. Poorer long-term outcomes are likely to result in patients engaged in heavy manual labor, whereas better outcomes may be obtained in patients undergoing proximal row carpectomy for trauma or earlier-stage Kienböck disease.
New Technologies for 21st Century Plant Science

Plants are one of the most fascinating and important groups of organisms living on Earth. They serve as the conduit of energy into the biosphere, provide food, and shape our environment. If we want to make headway in understanding how these essential organisms function and build the foundation for a more sustainable future, then we need to apply the most advanced technologies available to the study of plant life. In 2009, a committee of the National Academy highlighted the “understanding of plant growth” as one of the big challenges for society and part of a new era which they termed “new biology. ” The aim of this article is to identify how new technologies can and will transform plant science to address the challenges of new biology. We assess where we stand today regarding current technologies, with an emphasis on molecular and imaging technologies, and we try to address questions about where we may go in the future and whether we can get an idea of what is at and beyond the horizon.
Loss to Follow-Up and Mortality Among HIV-Infected People Co-Infected With TB at ART Initiation in Durban, South Africa

ObjectiveTo quantify the impact of tuberculosis (TB) co-infection on death and loss to follow-up (LTFU) 12 months after entry into an ART program. DesignProspective intervention study. MethodsFrom May 2007 to 2008, patients undergoing pre-ART training in Durban, South Africa, were screened for pulmonary TB using mycobacterial culture. Subjects missing appointments for >3 months were phoned. Patients who could not be reached were considered LTFU. Deaths were ascertained by report from family members. We used the Kaplan–Meier method to estimate time to LTFU or death for 3 groups at enrollment as follows: (1) newly diagnosed with TB by sputum culture; (2) on TB treatment (ie, previously diagnosed); and (3) TB free. We evaluated the role of TB on mortality and LTFU using Cox proportional hazards models. ResultsNine hundred fifty-one HIV-infected subjects were enrolled; 59% were female, and median baseline CD4 count was 90 cells per microliter (IQR: 41–148 cells/&mgr;L). One hundred forty-four (15%) were newly diagnosed with TB by sputum culture; an additional 199 (21%) were already on TB treatment. By 12 months, 26% newly diagnosed with TB at enrollment died or were LTFU, compared with 19% already on TB treatment, and 14% who were TB free (P = 0.001). Controlling for age, sex, smoking, CD4, and opportunistic infection history, subjects newly diagnosed with pulmonary TB were 76% more likely to die or be LTFU (hazard ratio: 1.76, 95% confidence interval: 1.20 to 2.60) than those without TB. ConclusionsHIV/TB co-infected individuals are more likely to die or be LTFU within 12 months of ART clinic entry in South Africa. These patients require intensive follow-up during ART initiation.
Effect of Immobilization Stress on Plasma Luteinizing Hormone, Testosterone, and Corticosterone Concentrations and on 3β-Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase Activity in the Testes of Adult Rats

Abstract We have examined the effect of 3 hr of immobilization stress on plasma luteinizing hormone, testosterone, and corticosterone levels, and on the activity of 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (3β-HSD) in microsomal and mitochondrial fractions of the testis from adult rats. Immobilization for 3 hr increased plasma corticosterone and reduced plasma testosterone concentrations by 57%. Plasma luteinizing hormone levels were lower, although not significantly (P = 0.093) so, in stressed animals. Immobilization (3 hr) reduced the V max values of 3β-HSD in the mitochondria and in the microsomal fraction of the testis by 40% and 34%, respectively, but had no effect on the Km values of 3β-HSD in the two cellular compartments. These results suggest that the inhibition of the activity of 3β-HSD may be partially responsible for the disruption of testicular steroidogenesis during immobilization stress.
Retardation of post‐natal development caused by a negatively acting thyroid hormone receptor α1

Most patients with the syndrome resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) express a mutant thyroid hormone receptor β (TRβ) with transdominant negative transcriptional effects. Since no patient with a mutant TRα has been identified, we introduced a point mutation into the mouse thyroid hormone receptor (TRα1) locus originally found in the TRβ gene, that reduces ligand binding 10‐fold. Heterozygous 2‐ to 3‐week‐ old mice exhibit a severe retardation of post‐natal development and growth, but only a minor reduction in serum thyroxine levels. Homozygous mice died before 3 weeks of age. Adult heterozygotes overcome most of these defects except for cardiac function abnormalities, suggesting that other factors compensate for the receptor defect. However, the additional deletion of the TRβ gene in this mouse strain caused a 10‐fold increase in serum thyroxine, restored hormonal regulation of target genes for TRs, and rescued the growth retardation. The data demonstrate a novel array of effects mediated by a dominant negative TRα1, and may provide important clues for identification of a potentially unrecognized human disorder and its treatment.
Genome-Wide Conditional Search for Epistatic Disease-Predisposing Variants in Human Association Studies

Genome-wide search for new disease variants, based on well-established variants, has a long history in linkage analysis but is less well-known in genetic case-control association studies. We developed a simple yet highly efficient conditional search method that can find new variants, which are associated with a disease only through epistatic interaction with another variant and do not necessarily have a direct association effect. Our approach is analogous to partitioning of χ2 in a hierarchical design, which is a well-established statistical technique. Applied to previously published data on age-related macular degeneration, our method found two single-nucleotide polymorphisms with genome-wide significant epistatic interaction that could not be found based only on direct main effects.
Efficacy and Tolerability of Yoga Breathing in Patients With Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A PILOT STUDY

PURPOSE Yoga-derived breathing has been reported to improve gas exchange in patients with chronic heart failure and in participants exposed to high-altitude hypoxia. We investigated the tolerability and effect of yoga breathing on ventilatory pattern and oxygenation in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). METHODS Patients with COPD (N = 11, 3 women) without previous yoga practice and taking only short-acting β2-adrenergic blocking drugs were enrolled. Ventilatory pattern and oxygen saturation were monitored by means of inductive plethysmography during 30-minute spontaneous breathing at rest (sb) and during a 30-minute yoga lesson (y). During the yoga lesson, the patients were requested to mobilize in sequence the diaphragm, lower chest, and upper chest adopting a slower and deeper breathing. We evaluated oxygen saturation (SaO2%), tidal volume (VT), minute ventilation (E), respiratory rate (i>f), inspiratory time, total breath time, fractional inspiratory time, an index of thoracoabdominal coordination, and an index of rapid shallow breathing. Changes in dyspnea during the yoga lesson were assessed with the Borg scale. RESULTS During the yoga lesson, data showed the adoption of a deeper and slower breathing pattern (VTsb L 0.54[0.04], VTy L 0.74[0.08], P = .01; i>fsb 20.8[1.3], i>fy 13.8[0.2], P = .001) and a significant improvement in SaO2% with no change in E (SaO2%sb 91.5%[1.13], SaO2%y 93.5%[0.99], P = .02; Esb L/min 11.2[1.1], Ey L/min 10.2[0.9]). All the participants reported to be comfortable during the yoga lesson, with no increase in dyspnea index. CONCLUSION We conclude that short-term training in yoga is well tolerated and induces favorable respiratory changes in patients with COPD.
Fully integrated voltage controlled oscillator for novel high-precision local positioning system

This paper describes a voltage controlled oscillator optimized for application in a local positioning system. Instead of the traditional VCO topologies an improved version of the Colpitts-oscillator in common-gate configuration has been built. The VCO has a very good figure of merit of -186 dBc/Hz. It has a center frequency of 6.1 GHz and the measured phase-noise is -117 dBc/Hz at an offset frequency of 1 MHz. The power consumption of the presented VCO is only 5 mW.
Ecologisch gericht suppleren, nu en in de toekomst: het ontwerp meerjarenplan voor monitoring en (toepassingsgericht) onderzoek

Zandsuppleties. Het programma “Ecologisch gericht suppleren, nu en in de toekomst” is een onderzoeks- en monitoringsprogramma voor de middellange termijn (2009-2014) met als doelstelling meer inzicht te krijgen of, en in welke mate, zandsuppleties van invloed zijn op natuurwaarden en op welke wijze zandsuppleties in de nabije toekomst kunnen bijdragen aan de opgaven van veiligheid samen met natuurbehoud en -ontwikkeling. Het programma moet leiden tot een optimalisatie van natuurbescherming van het kustecosysteem en een dynamisch beheer en behoud van de kustlijn.
PIK Report No . 72 WAVELETS BASED ON LEGENDRE POLYNOMIALS

We construct an orthogonal wavelet basis for the interval using a linear combination of Legendre polynomial functions. The coefficients are taken as appropriate roots of Chebyshev polynomials of the second kind, as has been proposed in reference [1]. A multi-resolution analysis is implemented and illustrated with analytical data and real-life signals from turbulent flow fields.
Levels of Total Book Assets and Future Stock Returns: Risk or Mispricing?

This paper investigates whether increases in future stock returns related to levels of total book assets (TBA) are due to risk or stock mispricing. Based on a large sample from 1989 to 2013, the findings at the portfolio-level reveal that average annual abnormal returns increase by 11.2 percent using size-adjusted returns and by 7.9 percent (11.1 percent in recent years) using the Carhart (1997) four-factor model when going from the lowest to the highest TBA decile portfolio, after sorting stocks into market value deciles. These abnormal portfolio returns are supported by firm-level pooled regressions that include a battery of control variables known to be related to future stock returns. Moreover, these abnormal returns are not related to the accruals or asset growth anomalies. However, the evidence lends support to the behavioral explanation of investors not fully incorporating current investments into stock prices due to the lag in reporting accounting earnings. Taken together, these findings suggest potentially significant abnormal returns for investors and provide support for standard setters who want more fair values in earnings and balance sheet items.
Feed forward neural network characterization of circular SIW resonators

In recent years Artificial Neural Networks have been adopted as an alternative modelling approach for the design of microwave circuits. In this work a characterization of circular resonators realized in substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) technology by means of Artificial Neural Networks is presented. SIW resonators are analyzed considering the scattering of the ensemble of metallic vias placed in a parallel plate waveguide. Resonances are efficiently located looking at an estimate of the smallest singular value. Results carried out for circular resonators demonstrate the effectiveness of the method.
Distributed real-time demand response in multiseller̈Cmultibuyer smart distribution grid

Demand response is a key solution in smart grid to address the ever-increasing peak energy consumption. With multiple utility companies, users will decide from which utility company to buy electricity and how much to buy. Consequently, how to devise distributed real-time demand response in the multiseller̈Cmultibuyer environment emerges as a critical problem in future smart grid. In this paper, we focus on the real-time interactions among multiple utility companies and multiple users. We propose a distributed real-time demand response algorithm to determine each user's demand and each utility company's supply simultaneously. By applying dual decomposition, the original problem is firstly decoupled into single-seller̈Cmultibuyer subsystems; then, the demand response problem in each subsystem can be distributively solved. The major advantage of this approach is that each utility company and user locally solve subproblems to perform energy allocation, instead of requiring a central controller or any third party. Therefore, privacy is guaranteed because no entity needs to reveal or exchange private information. Numerical results are presented to verify efficiency and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
The Future of mobile operators - New business models

The aim of this paper is to show rising importance of business model innovation in telecommunication industry. Work gives an overview of telecommunication market, it presents the strategy mobile operators have and challenges they face to adopt to digital world. The main focus is on new business models operators can implement in order to innovate and stay competitive at the market. Cases when operators work in collaboration with startups were analysed and followed by examples from practice. The influence of digitalisation trend on Serbian telecommunication market and how mobile operators respond to it in comparison to other countries were investigated in more detail.
How connectivity and search for producers impact production in Industry 4.0 networks

Technological evolutions lead to changes in production processes; the Fourth Industrial Revolution has been called Industry 4.0, as it integrates Cyber-Physical Systems and the Internet of Things into supply chains. Large complex networks are the core structure of Industry 4.0: any node in a network can demand a task, which can be answered by one node or a set of them, collaboratively, when they are connected. In this paper, the aim is to verify how (i) network's connectivity (average degree) and (ii) the number of levels covered in nodes search impacts the total of production tasks completely performed in the network. To achieve the goal of this paper, two hypotheses were formulated and tested in a computer simulation environment developed based on a modeling and simulation study. Results showed that the higher the network's average degree is (their nodes are more connected), the greater are the number of tasks performed; in addition, generally, the greater are the levels defined in the search for nodes, the more tasks are completely executed. This paper's main limitations are related to the simulation process, which led to a simplification of production process. The results found can be applied in several Industry 4.0 networks, such as additive manufacturing and collaborative networks, and this paper is original due to the use of simulation to test this kind of hypotheses in an Industry 4.0 production network.
Effects of human growth hormone in men over 60 years old.

D. , Abstract Background. The declining activity of the growth hormone–insulin-like growth factor I (IGF-I) axis with advancing age may contribute to the decrease in lean body mass and the increase in mass of adipose tissue that occur with aging. Methods. To test this hypothesis, we studied 21 healthy men from 61 to 81 years old who had plasma IGF-I concentrations of less than 350 U per liter during a six-month base-line period and a six-month treatment period that followed. During the treatment period, 12 men (group 1) received approximately 0.03 mg of biosynthetic human growth hormone per kilogram of body weight sub-cutaneously three times a week, and 9 men (group 2) re- ceived no treatment. Plasma IGF-I levels were measured monthly. At the end of each period we measured lean body mass, the mass of adipose tissue, skin thickness (epidermis plus dermis), and bone density at nine skeletal sites. Results. In group 1, the mean plasma IGF-I level rose into the youthful range of 500 to 1500 U per liter during treatment, whereas in group it remained below 350 U per liter. The of human growth for six in group was accompanied by an percent in lean body mass, a percent in adipose-tissue mass, and a 1.6 percent in aver- age lumbar vertebral bone density (P<0.05 in each in-stance). Skin thickness increased 7.1 percent (P = 0.07). There was no signiﬁcant change in the bone density of the radius or proximal femur. In group 2 there was no signiﬁ- cant change in lean body mass, the mass of adipose tissue, skin thickness, or bone density during treatment. Conclusions. Diminished secretion of growth hormone is responsible in part for the decrease of lean body mass, the expansion of adipose-tissue mass, and the thinning of the skin that occur in old age. (N Engl J Med 1990; 323:1-6.) The interassay coefﬁcients of variation for the response variables were as follows: plasma IGF-I, 7.2 percent; lean body mass, 3.6 percent; adipose-tissue mass, 6.9 percent; skin thickness, 5.4 percent; and bone density, 2.3 percent (average of nine measured sites). values of in
Measuring the Performance of Automobile Services Sector in Ghana: A Pricing Orientation Approach

This study examines the role of pricing orientation in firm performance – focusing on specific components such as value-oriented pricing, costoriented pricing, competition- oriented pricing, demand-oriented pricing and customer oriented pricing. The study sample comprised of Small and Micro Enterprises (SMEs) automobile services firms in Ghana. 498 firms participated in the study. A hierarchical regression was conducted to estimate the paths between pricing orientation and firm performance. All the pricing orientation components; value, cost, competition, demand, and customer oriented prices were found to have positively and statistically significant effects on the outcome of the firm performance. Some limitations of the study were identified, and areas for future studies have been duly provided to aid the continuous research into the operations of SMEs automobile services industry.
Processing of endogenous polypeptides by the lungs.

The lungs in effect clear a number of hormones and prohormones such that their concentrations in systemic arterial blood are significantly altered in comparison with those of the same substances in central venous blood (28, 70-72, 94). The clearance of a given hormone or prohormone may greatly exceed the quantity likely to be needed to support lung function. In some instances, neither the hormone nor prohormone is retained by the lungs but is metabolized such that the reaction products are released into the pulmo­ nary venous effluent and therefore into the systemic arterial circulation (60, 66, 67, 8 1). Through such clearance or processing of hormones, especially polypeptide hormones, the lungs can be said to regulate the hormonal composition of arterial blood (70, 7 1, 74, 75). Little is known about which polypeptide hormones and prohormones are altered during passage through the pulmonary vascular bed and which are not (28, 72). Our knowledge is limited by techniques of assay and by the availability of polypeptides labelled intrinsically at high specific radioac­ tivity. Polypeptides capable of affecting blood pressure or of stimulating smooth muscle are relatively easy to study, and much is known of the clearances, and even the immediate metabolic fates, of bradykinin, the angiotensins, substance P, and vasopressin (cf 28-30, 7 1, 94). However, precise functional assays are not easily developed for other hormones of interest such as parathormone, ACTH, gastrin, proinsulin, C-peptide, and insulin. Similarly, little is known of the fates of other excitatory polypep­ tides (e.g. the anaphylatoxins) during passage through the lungs (cf 17). Radioimmunoassays are available, but these do not help to define function
A wireless near-infrared energy system for medical implants

A less invasive method for supplying light power to implant devices, we propose a new wireless energy source that employs a near-infrared laser with a photovoltaic cell. The system can also be used with a rechargeable battery. We discuss the configuration of the system, show its energy transfer efficiency, and discuss its performance during some basic experiments.
Conceptual Model for Evaluation of the Quality of Outsourcing Services

Abstract Increasing the effectivenss of outsourcing processes in military structures is part of their creation and use. The broadly popular perception of enhancing the effectivenss of a process as a whole is to increase its capabilities in some of its directions in order to make it more effective and to reduce costs. This is the reason for the focus on increasing the effectivenss of the outsourcing processes used in the Bulgarian Armed Forces. They should be considered not only as a transfer of certain services, but also as a process of management, control, constant monitoring and coordination with the modern, dynamic market that needs permanent optimisation in order to increase the effectivenss. This article studies and analyses the possibilities of evaluating the effectivenss of an outsourcing service and compiling a conceptual model for quality assessment