Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influencia del modelo del material y espacio de modelado en la precisión de una simulación con elementos finitos para predecir la deformación en silicona

The realistic simulation of tool-tissue interactions is required for the development of surgical simulators. In this paper, we estimate the material properties of a silicone rubber with mechanical properties similar to brain tissue, by performing a standard compression test. Using the estimated parameters, we performed different finite element simulations of needle indentation into a block of the same tissue. We investigated the effect of material model (Neo-Hookean and Second Order Reduced Polynomial) and modeling space (3D and axisymmetric geometries) on the accuracy of the simulation. We demonstrated that material model, space and their interaction have a significant effect on the accuracy of the simulations. The most accurate combination corresponds to a 3D simulation using a Reduced Polynomial model. However, even for not-axisymmetric geometries, one can sacrifice some accuracy and use a simpler and faster modeling space (i.e. axisymmetric), at least for the simulations considered here, given a change in the modeling space has a smaller effect on accuracy than a change in the material model.
Confounders of Cardioprotection by Remote Ischemic Preconditioning in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Objectives: Remote ischemic conditioning (RIC) by repetitive blood pressure cuff inflation/deflation around a limb provides cardioprotection in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Cardioprotection is confounded by risk factors, comorbidities and comedications. We aimed to identify confounders that possibly attenuate the protection provided by RIC. Methods: In a retrospective analysis of our single-center, randomized, double-blind trial of patients undergoing elective CABG with/without RIC prior to ischemic cardioplegic arrest, we analyzed demographics, medications and intraoperative variables. The primary end point was myocardial injury, as reflected by the area under the curve for serum troponin I (TnI) from baseline to 72 h after surgery. Results: In models with 2 independent variables and in the multivariate analysis, age and aortic cross-clamp time impacted on TnI release. Subgroup analyses confirmed RIC-induced protection in all age tertiles. There was no protection with an aortic cross-clamp time ≤56 min (RIC/control = 1.026 not significant), but there was protection with 57-75 min (RIC/control = 0.757; p = 0.0348) and ≥76 min (RIC/control = 0.735; p = 0.0277). Gender, β-blockers, statins, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs) and intraoperative nitroglycerine did not impact on TnI release. Conclusion: Age, gender, β-blockers, statins, ACE inhibitors, ARBs and intraoperative nitroglycerine have no significant impact on RIC-induced cardioprotection during CABG. However, greater myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury at longer cross-clamp time facilitates the detection of protection by RIC.
Stimulation of excitatory amino acid release from adult mouse brain glia subcellular particles by high mobility group box 1 protein

The multifunctional protein high mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) is expressed in hippocampus and cerebellum of adult mouse brain. Our aim was to determine whether HMGB1 affects glutamatergic transmission by monitoring neurotransmitter release from glial (gliosomes) and neuronal (synaptosomes) re‐sealed subcellular particles isolated from cerebellum and hippocampus. HMGB1 induced release of the glutamate analogue [3H]d‐aspartate form gliosomes in a concentration‐dependent manner, whereas nerve terminals were insensitive to the protein. The HMGB1‐evoked release of [3H]d‐aspartate was independent of modifications of cytosolic Ca2+ , but it was blocked by dl‐threo‐β‐benzyloxyaspartate (dl‐TBOA), an inhibitor of glutamate transporters. HMGB1 also stimulated the release of endogenous glutamate in a Ca2+‐independent and dl‐TBOA‐sensitive manner. These findings suggest the involvement of carrier‐mediated release. Moreover, dihydrokainic acid, a selective inhibitor of glutamate transporter 1 (GLT1), does not block the effect of HMGB1, indicating a role for the glial glutamate‐aspartate transporter (GLAST) subtype in this response. We also demonstrate that HMGB1/glial particles association is promoted by Ca2+. Furthermore, although HMGB1 can physically interact with GLAST and the receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE), only its binding with RAGE is promoted by Ca2+. These results suggest that the HMGB1 cytokine could act as a modulator of glutamate homeostasis in adult mammal brain.
Trends in the North Atlantic carbon sink: 1992–2006

A biogeochemical general circulation model is used to assess the impact of climate variability from 1992 to 2006 on air‐sea CO2 fluxes and ocean surface pCO2 in the North Atlantic and to understand trends in the North Atlantic carbon sink over this time period. The model indicates that the North Atlantic carbon sink increased from the mid‐1990s to the mid‐2000s. Consistent with observations, the model output indicates large changes in the physical and chemical systems of the basin. An analysis of the changes in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), alkalinity (ALK), and sea‐surface temperature (SST), combined with model‐derived DIC tendency terms, allow for an investigation of the mechanisms that dominate the spatial variability and magnitude of the trends in the air‐sea fluxes and pCO2. Modeled parameters compare favorably with available data from the Bermuda Atlantic Time Series in the subtropical gyre and the SURATLANT volunteer observation ship data in the subpolar gyre. Subtropical changes are controlled primarily by changes in sea‐surface temperature. Subpolar changes in pCO2 are instead driven dynamically, primarily through changing vertical supply of DIC. The amplitude of the ocean pCO2 and air‐sea flux trends are largely related to the increase in atmospheric CO2, but changes to the forcing and circulation of the North Atlantic during this period set the spatial patterns. Model changes are consistent with variation in the North Atlantic Oscillation over the period of study.
Early outcomes after carotid angioplasty with stenting performed by neurologists

Aims: To evaluate the results of carotid artery angioplasty and stenting (CAS) in treating extracranial carotid artery stenosis performed by neurologists in our center and compare the results with other large published series. Materials and Methods: Data for all patients who underwent CAS from January 2003 through November 2007, was retrieved from the Nanjing Stroke Registry. Perioperative and post-procedural complications within 30 days following stenting were analyzed and compared with that from other series. A total number of 75 patients were enrolled, with a mean age of 65.9 ± 8.8 years, and 64 (85.3%) of them were male. Results: Procedural success was achieved in 74 patients (98.7%). Pre-treatment stenosis was 73.8 ± 14.9 and post-treatment residual stenosis was less than 10%. Thirty-four patients (45.3%) had bilateral carotid artery disease and seven (9.3%) had tandem stenosis. The neurological complication rate was 3.9% (one major and two minor strokes). Bradycardia in four (5.3%) and hypotension in 13 (17.3%) were observed during procedures. Using the Fischer’s exact t test, the complication rate compared with the large published series did not reveal any statistically significant difference (P > 0.05). Conclusions: We conclude that neurologists, with adequate training, can develop and add this technical skill to the existing cognitive skill of vascular neurology and safely perform stenting.
A flow-based reliability measure for wireless sensor networks

In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), reliable monitoring of a phenomenon depends on the collective data provided by clusters of sensor nodes and not on any individual node. Thus, the design of a WSN may impose constraints on the minimum average data rate that is required to be gathered from the sensor nodes and delivered to a sink node. In this paper, we define a WSN reliability measure that quantifies the likelihood that a network can deliver such minimum required data flow where the individual sensor components are subject to random failures. Given a specification of the average data rate generated by each sensor node, the operation probability of each sensor and the connectivity graph of a WSN, we formulate the reliability measure and show that the problem of computing the exact reliability of any arbitrary WSN is #P-hard. Thus, it is unlikely that an efficient algorithm for computing exact solutions exists. We present two exponential algorithms for handling networks with arbitrary topologies. We then consider some special cases where we can either compute or approximate the reliability efficiently. Finally, we present numerical results that demonstrate potential applications of the devised algorithms in WSN design.
IMPACT OF DIFFERENT STARTING DOSES OF ATORVASTATIN ON REACHING TARGET LOW DENSITY LIPOPROTEIN CHOLESTEROL LEVELS AND HEALTH RELATED QUALITY OF LIFE IN DYSLIPIDEMIC PATIENTS

Objectives : 1. To compare the percentage of patients that reach target LDL-C goals with 10 mg Vs. 20 mg of atorvastatin as a starting dose. 2. To compare Health Related Quality of Life (HRQOL) in patients on 10 mg Vs. 20 mg of atorvastatin. Methods : A prospective, double blind, parallel groups, unicentric study of patients of dyslipidemia, randomized to receive atorvastatin 10 mg (n=75) or atorvastatin 20 mg (n=75) once daily for 12 weeks. Safety reporting of incidence of adverse events was done. Results : Significantly more number of patients (P<0.05) reached target LDL-C levels at the end of 12 weeks in the 20 mg group (77.27% in the high risk group, 100% in moderately high risk group and 100% in the moderate risk group) when compared to 10 mg group (32% in the high risk group, 75% in moderately high risk group and 83.33% in the moderate risk group). Increase in HRQOL at the end of 12 weeks was also significantly greater (P<0.001) in 20 mg group (27.89%) vs. 10 mg group (19.26%). Conclusions : Selecting the starting dose of atorvastatin according to the patients risk category (by using the Framingham's algorithm for calculating cardiovascular risk) and the percentage reduction in LDL required, will result in greater success in achieving LDL goals and better quality of life.
Query-Aware Sparse Coding for Multi-Video Summarization

Given the explosive growth of online videos, it is becoming increasingly important to relieve the tedious work of browsing and managing the video content of interest. Video summarization aims at providing such a technique by transforming one or multiple videos into a compact one. However, conventional multi-video summarization methods often fail to produce satisfying results as they ignore the user's search intent. To this end, this paper proposes a novel query-aware approach by formulating the multi-video summarization in a sparse coding framework, where the web images searched by the query are taken as the important preference information to reveal the query intent. To provide a user-friendly summarization, this paper also develops an event-keyframe presentation structure to present keyframes in groups of specific events related to the query by using an unsupervised multi-graph fusion method. We release a new public dataset named MVS1K, which contains about 1, 000 videos from 10 queries and their video tags, manual annotations, and associated web images. Extensive experiments on MVS1K dataset validate our approaches produce superior objective and subjective results against several recently proposed approaches.
SÍNDROME DO TÚNEL DO CARPO EXAME CLÍNICO X EXAMES COMPLEMENTARES.

Sindrome do tunel do carpo (STC) e a neuropatia compressiva mais comum do ser humano; o nervo mediano sofre efeitos pressoricos no tunel do carpo, 3-4 cm distal a prega do pulso, com desmielinizacao nodal ou segmentar nas fases iniciais. O complexo sintomatico inclui dor, dormencia e fomigamento noturno/postural nas maos, frequentemente bilateral e mais comum em mulheres entre 40 e 60 anos. O diagnostico da STC e clinico, podendo ser necessarios exames complementares, como eletroneuromiografia (ENMG), ultrassonografia (USG) e ressonância magnetica (RM). O diagnostico clinico e baseado em anamnese bem detalhada e exame fisico com testes especiais, como o de Phalen, Tinel e torniquete. Tinel, Phalen e torniquete apresentam sensibilidade de 70%, 80% e 90%, respectivamente. Radiografia e Tomografia Computadorizada (TC) apresentam valor diagnostico limitado, exceto pela avaliacao de alteracoes osseas. As principais vantagens da USG sao rapidez, dinamicidade, baixo custo e ser bem tolerada pelos pacientes. Estudos recentes defendem a utilizacao do exame como metodo diagnostico, comparando sua exatidao com a ENMG. RM tem sido considerada o metodo de imagem mais sensivel para o diagnostico da STC, porem com indicacao limitada. ENMG e indicada para confirmar o diagnostico quando a suspeita e os testes clinicos nao confirmam, para identificar STC na presenca de neuropatia periferica e descartar outras neuropatias. Apresenta sensibilidade entre 49 e 84% e especificidade de 95%. A importância da ENMG como metodo diagnostico e confirmada em todos os estudos, destacando-se a elevada especificidade e novas tecnicas de realizacao do exame. A descompressao cirurgica representa a melhor alternativa terapeutica com beneficios indiscutiveis, apesar de controversias com relacao a selecao dos pacientes; tratamento conservador por meio de talas, retirada de fatores desencadeantes e uso de medicacoes sintomaticas podem ser utilizados nas fases iniciais com achados eletrofisiologicos leves.
Diabetes Mellitus

Dr J0rn Nerup, Dr Ole Ortved Andersen, Dr Gunnar Bendixen, Dr J0rn Egeberg, Dr Rolf Gunnarsson, Dr Claes Hellerstrom, Dr Hans Kromann and Dr Jacob E Poulsen (Medical Department F, Kobenhavns Amts Sygehus, Gentofte, Medical Department E, Frederiksberg Hospital, Medical Department TA, Rigshospitalet, Department ofAnatomy, University ofCopenhagen. Department of Histology, University ofUppsala and Steno Memorial Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark)
Exposure–response relationships of occupational inhalative allergens

Only a few threshold limit values exist at present for allergens in the workplace known to cause bronchial asthma. This contrasts with the great number of occupational asthma cases observed in industrialized countries. Recently published studies provide clear evidence for exposure intensity response relationships of occupational allergens of plant, microbiological, animal or man‐made origin. If allergen exposure levels fall short of determined limit values, they are not associated with an increased risk of occupational asthma. Corresponding data are available for wheat flour (1–2.4 mg/m3), fungal α‐amylase (0.25 ng/m3), natural rubber latex (0.6 ng/m3), western red cedar (0.4 mg/m3) and rat allergens (0.7 μg/m3). It is suggested to stipulate legally binding threshold limit values (TLV/TWA) on this basis in order to induce more effective primary preventive measures. If no reliable data on the health risk of an occupational airborne noxa exist, the lowest reasonably practicable exposure level has to be achieved. Appropriate secondary preventive measures have to be initiated in all workplaces contaminated with airborne allergens. Verified exposure–response relationships provide the basis for risk assessment and for targeted interventions to reduce the incidence of occupational asthma also in consideration of cost benefit aspects. ‘Occupational asthma is a disease characterized by variable airflow limitation and/or airway hyperresponsiveness due to causes in a working environment. These causes can give rise to asthma through immunological or non‐immunological mechanisms [ 1 ]. Up to 15% of all asthma cases are of occupational origin or have at least a significant causal occupational factor [ 1 –10 ]. According to the New Zealand part of the European Respiratory Health Survey, an increased risk of asthma prevalence was found for several occupations such as laboratory technicians, food producers, chemical workers, plastic and rubber workers [ 11 ]. The Spain part of this study comprising 2646 Spanish subjects showed an asthma risk to be attributed to occupational exposures between 5 and 6.7% [ 12 ]. Main asthma‐inducing agents in the workplace are flour, grain and feed dust, animal dander/urinary proteins and isocyanates. Further, several inhalative irritants such as chlorine, acid or alkaline aerosols play a pivotal role. Many low molecular weight chemicals have irritative as well as allergenic effects on the airways, e. g. isocyanates and acid anhydrides. In addition to chronic or repetitive exposures, also singular accidental exposure to high concentrations of irritative or toxic airborne substances can cause occupational asthma. This condition is frequently called reactive airways dysfunction [ 13 ].
A review of the emotional, psychiatric and behavioural responses to bereavement in people with intellectual disabilities.

BACKGROUND Our knowledge and understanding of grief and its consequences have grown rapidly in recent years. There is a growing understanding that bereavement and loss represent a very significant event in the lives of people with intellectual disabilities (IDs). To date, there is no systematic review of the literature on the emotional, psychiatric and behavioural responses to bereavement in people with IDs. METHOD This comprehensive literature review firstly examines the current opinion regarding the phenomenology of pathological grief in the general population. Research examining the ability of people with IDs to understand the concept of death is explored. In addition, a systematic review of the literature looking at the emotional, behavioural and psychiatric responses to bereavement is carried out. RESULTS Bereavement and loss have distinct effects on the mental health, behaviour and emotional lives of people with IDs. Following a bereavement, symptoms of depression and anxiety increase, and general behaviour is altered. Traumatic grief symptoms have not yet been specifically studied and quantified. CONCLUSIONS Particular difficulties are associated with researching the effects of bereavement on people with IDs. Further work needs to be done to more accurately describe the nature, time-scale, severity and frequency of the symptoms of traumatic grief in people with IDs, in order to improve assessment and treatment of affected individuals.
Prevalence, natural history, and relationship of wheezy bronchitis and asthma in children. An epidemiological study

Three randomly selected groups of 7-year-old schoolchildren in Melbourne with mild wheezy bronchitis, with moderate wheezy bronchitis, and with asthma were compared with a control group, and the patients followed up until 10 years of age. Comparison showed that if there was any significant difference between the study groups and the controls it was usually present in all these study groups. It was considered that children with wheezy bronchitis and asthma were from the same population with the same underlying basic disorder, and that there was a wide spectrum in various aspects of the natural history of the disorder. About 11% of all children aged 10 years had had some asthmatic episodes. Seventy per cent. of these children ceased having asthma before 10 years of age, while about 30% (3·7% of the whole community) continued to have episodes. There was a highly significant correlation between early age of onset, the frequency of episodes in the first year of symptoms, and the persistence of asthmatic episodes up to 10 years of age. Ten per cent. of all children with asthmatic episodes continued to have symptoms as severely at 10 years as at an earlier period. In this group the onset of symptoms was almost always before 3 years of age, there was a high frequency of episodes in the first year of symptoms, and boys and girls were affected in the ratio of 7:3.
A Time-Domain Multiport Model of Thin-Wire System for Lightning Transient Simulation

In order to analyze the lightning transient of a thin-wire system, a time-domain method of reducing the thin-wire conductor system into an equivalent active multiport network based on the partial-element electric-circuit model is presented in this paper. A modified-mesh-current (MMC) approach is developed, uses node charge and mesh current as its variables, and takes into account both capacitive coupling and inductive coupling among conductors. Equations given by MMC are expressed in a state-space form. These equations are reduced to an active multiport network model using the trapezoidal scheme. The active multiport network is described by a constant-input-conductance matrix and a vector of currents that are updated using passed values. The multiport network can easily interface with linear and nonlinear components in an electromagnetic transient program. Since the proposed method requires only one-time calculation of the inverse of the system matrix, it is more efficient in comparison to the conventional full-wave method in the frequency domain. For a large system, well-established model-order-reduction techniques can be applied to the MMC formulation to reduce it to a small scale one. The proposed method is validated by comparing its results with NEC-calculated ones and published field measurements. Finally, the method is used to simulate two lightning-strike scenarios.
The Blood Supply of the Scaphoid Bone

Scaphoid vascularisation was investigated using macroscopic and microscopic techniques in 12 uninjured, formalin fixed cadaver hands. A good blood supply of the scaphoid bone from palmar, dorsal and radial vessel groups with a variety of anastomoses was found which should provide sufficient collateral blood flow from adjacent regions in some patients. Since blood supply is available from the palmar circulation, a dorsal approach to the scaphoid bone is possible.
Werner Syndrome Protein

In addition to its DNA helicase activity, Werner syndrome protein (WRN) also possesses an exonuclease activity (Shen, J.-C. , Gray, M. D., Kamath-Loeb, A. S., Fry, M., Oshima, J., and Loeb, L. A. (1998) J. Biol. Chem. 273, 34139–34144). Here we describe the properties of nearly homogeneous WRN exonuclease. WRN exonuclease hydrolyzes a recessed strand in a partial DNA duplex but does not significantly digest single-stranded DNA, blunt-ended duplex, or a protruding strand of a partial duplex. Although DNA is hydrolyzed in the absence of nucleoside triphosphates, nuclease activity is markedly stimulated by ATP, dATP, or CTP. WRN exonuclease digests DNA with a 3′ → 5′ directionality to generate 5′-dNMP products, and DNA strands terminating with either a 3′-OH or 3′-PO4 group are hydrolyzed to similar extents. A recessed DNA strand with a single 3′-terminal mismatch is hydrolyzed more efficiently by WRN than one with a complementary nucleotide, but the enzyme fails to hydrolyze a DNA strand terminating with two mismatched bases. WRN exonuclease is distinguished from known mammalian DNA nucleases by its covalent association with a DNA helicase, preference for a recessed DNA strand, stimulation by ATP, ability to equally digest DNA with 3′-OH or 3′-PO4 termini, and its preferential digestion of DNA with a single 3′-terminal mismatch.