Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnostic and Prognostic Value of Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Assessing Myocardial Viability

Assessment of viability is pivotal to the prognosis of patients with chronic coronary artery disease (CAD) and left ventricular dysfunction. Patients with viable myocardium have a better prognosis with revascularization; however, patients with nonviable myocardium have worse outcomes with higher perioperative morbidity and mortality subsequent to revascularization. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging not only is the current reference standard technique in measuring cardiac chamber size and function and myocardial mass and volume but also provides spatially registered 2- or 3-dimensional data sets in myocardial perfusion and myocardial contrast enhancement in the same imaging session. Late gadolinium enhancement by CMR is the best current technique in discriminating myocardial scar versus viable myocardium. An extensive body of preclinical evidence has validated the detection and characterization of the morphology of infarcted tissue. In clinical studies, infarct characteristics by CMR has demonstrated a strong clinical utility in the prediction of left ventricular functional recovery and patient prognosis. In this paper, we aim to review the current CMR techniques in characterizing the spectrum of myocardial changes because of CAD, in the prediction of myocardial viability, and the current evidence of CMR's role in patient prognosis. In addition, we will also review the current literature comparing the clinical utility of CMR with other established imaging modalities in the assessment of CAD.
Athletic Trainers' Beliefs About and Implementation of Evidence-Based Practice.

CONTEXT Understanding the beliefs about and use of evidence-based practice (EBP) among athletic trainers (ATs) will help to determine appropriate strategies to improve implementation. OBJECTIVE To examine the ATs' beliefs about and use of EBP. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Online survey instrument. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS A total of 467 ATs responded to the survey request, a response rate of 11.67%. A total of 385 (9.6%) completed the EBP Beliefs Scale and 342 (8.5%) completed the EBP Implementation Scale. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The EBP Beliefs Scale and EBP Implementation Scale were administered. The surveys collected demographic information in addition to information about participants' beliefs regarding EBP and implementation of EBP in clinical practice. RESULTS The ATs demonstrated a level of neither agree nor disagree (56.00 ± 7.86) on the EBP Beliefs Scale. Belief scores were higher among those ATs required to document for third-party reimbursement (P = .001), those with access to current research through professional journals other than the Journal of Athletic Training (P = .02), and those with a doctoral degree (P = .01). A low level of implementation (9.00 ± 11.38), representing the implementation of EBP approximately 0 times in the previous 8 weeks, was found on the EBP Implementation Scale. Implementation scores were higher among preceptors (P = .01), those required to document for third-party reimbursement (P < .001), those with access to current research through professional journals (P = .002), and those with a doctoral degree (P = .01). CONCLUSIONS Participants had a positive attitude toward EBP; however, they were not implementing EBP concepts when providing patient care. This suggests that additional information and EBP resources are needed so ATs can better implement EBP in practice. To provide the best patient care and to promote EBP within the profession, clinicians should make EBP a priority and advocate for EBP implementation.
Admittance control of a robotic exoskeleton for physical human robot interaction

In this paper, an admittance control scheme is proposed for physical human-robot interaction with human subject's intention motion as well as dynamic uncertainties of the robotic exoskeleton. Human subject's intention motion is represented by the reference trajectory. Online estimation of the stiffness is employed to deal with the variable impedance property of the exoskeleton manipulator. An admittance control approach is firstly presented in order to generate a differentiable reference trajectory in interaction tasks. Then a stability criterion can be obtained by the proposed control method. The designed controller includes linearly parameterization and estimation for the unknown items of the dynamics. Bounded and convergent errors are shown in the motion tracking. The experimental results indicate that the proposed control approach enables the human subjects to execute an admittance control task on the exoskeleton robot effectively.
Ethylene production by sunflower cell suspensions : effects of plant growth retardants.

From a variety of undifferentiated plant cell suspensions, 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid-dependent cells of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L. Spanners Allzweck) produced large quantities of ethylene. The maximum rate was about 1 nanomole x gram fresh weight(-1) x hour(-1) during the exponential growth phase. The action of various compounds known to interfere with ethylene formation in plant tissue was studied in sunflower cell suspensions. The influence on ethylene, 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACC), and N-malonyl-ACC (MACC) levels suggested that the final steps in ethylene synthesis resemble those of other plant systems. This makes sunflower cells suitable for analyzing the effects of biologically active compounds on cellular ethylene biosynthesis. In particular, plant growth retardants of the norbornenodiazetine and triazole type inhibited ethylene production of sunflower cells. On the other hand, the ACC level was considerably elevated while that of MACC did not change significantly. It is assumed that the conversion of ACC to ethylene catalyzed by the ethylene-forming enzyme was influenced.
Does Attending a Low-Achieving School Affect High-Performing Student Outcomes?

Background Ability tracking in K–12 education has been the subject of much research over the past decades, with proponents arguing that it allows for better instructional targeting and opponents countering that it has the potential to increase inequality. Despite the large volume or research on the topic, however, there is little consensus on the actual impact of ability tracking on student outcomes. Objective/Focus of Study This article expands on the tracking literature by exploring the impacts on high-achieving students of a type of tracking that has previously been ignored in research—de facto tracking that occurs at the school-level as the result of residential segregation and other factors. High-achieving students represent an important population that may be particularly affected by this type of tracking. To explore whether attending a low-achieving school impacts high-achieving students, two primary outcomes are examined—middle school standardized exam performance and the grade in which high-achieving students take Algebra I. Research Design I employ a secondary analysis of data taken from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education's statewide longitudinal data system, following a cohort of 6,151 initially high-performing Missouri students from the time of their first statewide standardized exam (grade 3) through their entry into high school (grade 9). The research design incorporates regression analysis using a rich set of student and school control variables and value-added modeling methods. Findings Two key findings emerge from the analysis. First, attending a low-achieving school does not affect the standardized exam performance of initially high-performing students once school quality (as measured by value-added) is accounted for. Second, high-performing students who attend low-achieving schools are more likely to take Algebra I later relative to their counterparts who attend higher-achieving schools. Conclusions/Recommendations Since de facto school-level tracking appears to have little effect on test scores through grade 8, policy at the elementary level should focus on improving overall school quality, rather than issues of student placement in schools. However, as high performers move into the middle and upper grades, transfer and distance learning policies that encourage high-performing students in low-achieving schools to take more academically-advanced coursework should be considered. Interventions of this nature have the potential to produce substantial benefits in terms of college readiness.
A new morphological method for cursive word segmentation

This work describes a new algorithm for segmentation of handwritten cursive words, based on the following two hypothesis: (1) there exists natural segmentation points (SPs) corresponding to disconnected characters; and (2) the physical SPs between connected characters are located in ligatures. The morphological operations of opening and closing are utilized in the determination of word ligatures. A genetic algorithm was employed in the search for the optimum structuring element to determine the ligature.
Analysis of oncogenic signaling networks in glioblastoma identifies ASPM as a molecular target

Glioblastoma is the most common primary malignant brain tumor of adults and one of the most lethal of all cancers. Patients with this disease have a median survival of 15 months from the time of diagnosis despite surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. New treatment approaches are needed. Recent works suggest that glioblastoma patients may benefit from molecularly targeted therapies. Here, we address the compelling need for identification of new molecular targets. Leveraging global gene expression data from two independent sets of clinical tumor samples (n = 55 and n = 65), we identify a gene coexpression module in glioblastoma that is also present in breast cancer and significantly overlaps with the “metasignature” for undifferentiated cancer. Studies in an isogenic model system demonstrate that this module is downstream of the mutant epidermal growth factor receptor, EGFRvIII, and that it can be inhibited by the epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor Erlotinib. We identify ASPM (abnormal spindle-like microcephaly associated) as a key gene within this module and demonstrate its overexpression in glioblastoma relative to normal brain (or body tissues). Finally, we show that ASPM inhibition by siRNA-mediated knockdown inhibits tumor cell proliferation and neural stem cell proliferation, supporting ASPM as a potential molecular target in glioblastoma. Our weighted gene coexpression network analysis provides a blueprint for leveraging genomic data to identify key control networks and molecular targets for glioblastoma, and the principle eluted from our work can be applied to other cancers.
JAK2-V617F Mutation and BCR-ABL Rearrangement in Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms

Myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) are a group of clonal hematologic diseases that are thought to arise from a transformation in a hematopoietic stem cell that leads to overproduction of mature, functional blood cells in the bone marrow. Chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) is a myeloproliferative disorder that is defined by its causative molecular lesion, the BCR-ABL fusion gene, while vast numbers of Philadelphia negative MPNs are characterized by the presence of JAK2 V617F mutation. Detection of JAK2 V617F mutation so convincingly establishes the presence of a clonal disorder. The present work aimed to study the expression of JAK2 V617F mutation by real-time PCR in chronic myeloproliferative disorder patients as well as the study the BCR/ABL gene rearrangement by FISH. Subject and Methods: The subjects of this study consist of 40 patients of newly diagnosed MPNs and 10 apparently healthy individuals serving as a control group. The patients were subjected to routine laboratory investigation, detection of BCR/ABL fusion gene by FISH technique and detection of JAK2 mutation expression in MPNs by real time PCR. Results: BCR/ABL fusion gene was detected in 100% of CML patients, while it was absent in other MPNs. JAK2 mutation was detected in (80%) of polycythemia vera (PV) cases, (60%) of essential thrombocythemia (ET) cases, (70%) of myelofibrosis (MF) cases and it was absent in CML. Conclusion: JAK2 V617F mutation is a risk factor for MPNs to develop approving the strong association between the JAK2 mutations and these disorders, which when present, can definitively confirm the diagnsosis. JAK2 mutation testing should be considered as a front-line screening test for suspected MPNs, and its use as a first-intention diagnostic test may spare some patients further investigations. (Zahra MK; El-Fadaly NH; Aboul-Enein KM; Elgamal BM; Amira Y. Abd El-Naby and Eman A. Amer. JAK2- V617F Mutation and BCR-ABL Rearrangement in Chronic Myeloproliferative Neoplasms. Life Sci J 2012;9(2):403-414). (ISSN: 1097-8135). http://www.lifesciencesite. com . 62
A filterless digital audio class-D amplifier based on grow-left double-edge pulse width modulation

A filterless digital audio class-D amplifier (CDA) based on grow-Left double-edge (GLDE) pulse width modulation (PWM) is proposed in this paper. It consists of a high performance fully-digital uniform-sampling PWM (UPWM) modulator and a bridge-tied-load (BTL) power stage. Due to adopt the ternary PWM modulation scheme, the filterless solution without LC low-pass filter becomes possible. Finally, the error of the BTL power stage is properly corrected to make this amplifier system have a high power supply rejection ratio (PSRR) and a high signal to noise ratio (SNR). The whole design is implemented on Matlab and Cadence platform, combining with 5V 0.35-μm CMOS process technology.
A molecular assembly that crawls on a solid substrate with a metabolic-like process

A vesicular aggregate filled with lipid molecules exhibited crawling motion over a glass surface as a result of chemical reactions. The vesicular aggregate was composed of didodecyldimethylammonium bromide (DDAB) and sodium oleate with calcium ions. The crawling motion was induced by the chemical reaction between DDAB and iodide ions, and it caused discharge of the inner lipids. This was responsible for the size reduction of the aggregate. However, it engulfed the neighboring smaller vesicles, which were taken up into the vesicular aggregate in the dehydrated state and became a constituent of the aggregate. The size of the vesicular aggregate recovered and could translate in a sustainable manner. This is probably the first example of an amphiphilic molecular assembly that exhibits crawling motion as a result of chemical reactions without size reduction. This may be regarded as the cell-like behavior of an abiotic molecular assembly with a metabolic-like process.
Urinary heme oxygenase‐1 as a potential biomarker for early diabetic nephropathy

Our previous study showed that increases of urinary heme oxygenase‐1 (uHO‐1) could be a potential biomarker indicating evaluating intrarenal oxidative damage in obstructive nephropathy. Activation of oxidative stress is an important mediator of diabetic nephropathy (DN). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical implications of uHO‐1 levels in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Costs and course of disease and function in early rheumatoid arthritis: a 3-year follow-up (the Swedish TIRA project).

OBJECTIVE To calculate direct and indirect costs and to study disease activity and functional ability over 3 yr in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS Three hundred and three patients with early (< or = 1 yr) RA were recruited during a period of 27 months (1996-1998). Data were recorded during 3 yr to assess disease activity, functional ability, medication, health-care utilization and days lost from work. RESULTS Within 3 months, improvements were seen regarding all recorded variables assessing disease activity and functional ability, but 15% had sustained high or moderate disease activity throughout the study period. Indirect costs exceeded direct costs in all 3 yr. The average direct costs were 3704 Euros (3297 US Dollars) in year 1 and 2652 Euros ( 2360 US Dollars ) in year 3. All costs decreased, except those for medication and surgery. Compared with men, women had more ambulatory care visits and used more complementary medicine. The indirect costs were 8871 Euros ( 7895 US Dollars) in year 1 and remained essentially unchanged; this was similar for both sexes. Almost 50% were on sick leave or early retirement at inclusion. Sick leave decreased but was offset by an increase in early retirement. The 14 patients who eventually received TNF inhibitors incurred higher costs even before prescription of anti-TNF therapy. CONCLUSION Disease activity and functional ability improved within 3 months after diagnosis of early RA. Direct costs decreased, except for medication and surgery. Indirect costs remained unchanged. Fifteen per cent of the patients had high or moderate disease activity in all 3 yr, indicating a need for more aggressive early anti-rheumatic therapy.
Sensitivity and Specificity of Outcome Measures in Patients with Neck Pain: Detecting Clinically Significant Improvement

Study Design. Prospective, single-cohort study. Objective. To determine the relative sensitivity of a range of outcome measures used in evaluating treatment interventions in patients with neck pain and the magnitude of change scores on the neck Bournemouth Questionnaire and the cutoff score on the Patients’ Global Impression of Change scale associated with clinically significant improvement. Summary of Background Data. Traditionally, evaluation of treatment interventions using subjective outcome measures has been based on the statistical significance of the difference between group mean values. To be clinically meaningful, however, information is required from sensitive outcome measures on the proportion of patients undergoing a clinically important improvement and from this, the number needed to treat for a single patient to benefit. Methods. Patients with nonspecific neck pain from a number of treatment centers completed a battery of self-report questionnaires, including the Bournemouth Questionnaire, before and after chiropractic treatment. After treatment, patients also completed a retrospective analysis of their overall improvement since the start of treatment (Patients’ Global Impression of Change). The a priori definition of clinically significant improvement was defined as a Reliable Change Index on the Bournemouth Questionnaire of >1.96. Results. The best cutoffs with a balance between the highest sensitivity and highest specificity in detecting clinical improvement were a score of 2 or less on the Patients’ Global Impression of Change (11-point Numerical Rating Scale: 0 = much better, 5 = no change, and 10 = much worse) and a raw change score of three or more points on each of the seven 11-point Numerical Rating Scale subscales of the Bournemouth Questionnaire. For the total score of the Bournemouth Questionnaire, raw change scores of 13 or more points, percentage change scores of 36% or more, and individual effect sizes of 1.0 or more were all associated with clinically significant improvement. The sensitivity of the Bournemouth Questionnaire in terms of its effect size was comparable with that of pain intensity scales and the Neck Disability Index. Conclusions. The present findings will assist in the choice of outcome measures in trials on neck pain. The study also illustrates a methodologic framework for interpreting change scores in terms of clinical improvement, facilitating the process of making sense of research data in the clinical setting.
Growing Pains from The Islet Cell Transplant World

Type one diabetes (T1D) is a disease with profound implications for patients’ quality of life, morbidity and mortality. The incidence of T1D is increasing and its treatment, although improving, continues to be challenging. Tight glycemic control can decrease the incidence and progression of diabetic complications (1). However, this therapeutic goal is not easy to achieve, often interferes with quality of life and can be associated with severe hypoglycemia. Consequently, the need to develop better treatment strategies for T1D, including clinical islet cell transplantation (CICT), remains imperative. For many years, CICT remained in the ‘excellent idea that does not work’ category of procedures. However, the Edmonton group with their initial report of successful CICT (2) greatly increased the hopes of patients and MDs that this procedure was close to becoming a clinical reality. This seminal paper resulted in the rapid expansion in the number of programs attempting CICT to more than 60 worldwide with more than 600 islet transplantation procedures performed to date. This initial (over? )enthusiasm has been somewhat dampened by the limited success of newer CITC programs and by the longer term follow-up of the original Edmonton cohort. The reality is that although ‘simple on paper’, CICT is a complex procedure that to be successful requires optimal functioning of a complex, expensive program that may not be easily reproduced from site to site. Furthermore, the number of patients who remain insulin independent declines progressively after the first year post-transplant (3). These reports, together with the manuscript from Senior et al in this issue of AJT, should make us reflect on the difficulties of developing this complex procedure and on the enormous advantages that open reporting of outcomes, good and not so good, have in a developing field.
Repeat unit polysaccharides of bacteria: a model for polymerization resembling that of ribosomes and fatty acid synthetase, with a novel mechanism for determining chain length

We report the identification and sequence from Escherichia coli and Salmonella enterica strains of the cld gene, encoding the chain‐length determinant (CLD) which confers a modal distribution of chain length on the O‐antigen component of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The distribution of chain lengths in the absence of this gene fits a model in which as the chain is extended there is a constant probability of 0.165 of transfer of growing chain to LPS core, with termination of chain extension. The data for E. coli 0111 fit a model in which the CLD reduces this probability for short chains and increases it to 0.4 for longer chains, leading to a reduced number of short chain molecules but an increase in numbers of longer molecules and transfer of essentially all molecules by chain length 21. We put forward a model for O‐antigen polymerase which resembles the ribosome and fatty acid synthetase in having two sites, with the growing chain being transferred from a D site onto the new unit at the R site to extend the chain and then back to the D site to repeat the process. It is proposed that the CLD protein and polymerase form a complex which has two states:‘E’facilitating extension and T facilitating transfer to core. The complex is postulated to enter the E state as O‐antigen polymerization starts, and to shift to the T state after a predetermined time, the CLD acting as a molecular clock. The CLD is not O‐antigen or species‐specific but the modal value does depend on the source of the cld gene.