Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation and management of traumatic posterior urethral disruption with flexible cystourethroscopy.

BACKGROUND We sought to consolidate evaluation and management of traumatic urethral disruption using cystourethroscopic evaluation without retrograde urethrogram or suprapubic cystostomy placement. METHODS We review our experience with initial flexible cystourethroscopic evaluation of suspected urethral injury from blunt trauma with placement of a Council urethral catheter to provide primary endoscopic realignment of the urethra. RESULTS Access into the bladder was achieved in 8 of 10 patients. After a mean follow-up of 18 months (range, 9-27 months) in the six living patients, only three have required treatment for urethral stricture--direct vision internal urethrotomy in two, and open perineal urethroplasty in one. Urinary continence has been achieved in five of six patients. CONCLUSION Primary flexible cystourethroscopy with placement of a urethral catheter streamlines evaluation of traumatic posterior urethral injury. In the presence of partial disruption it provided stricture-free outcomes in three of three surviving patients.
Double-Switch Equalizer Using Parallel- or Series-Parallel-Resonant Inverter and Voltage Multiplier for Series-Connected Supercapacitors

A double-switch cell voltage equalizer using a parallel-resonant-inverter (PRI) or series-parallel-resonant inverter (SPRI) and voltage multiplier is proposed for series-connected supercapacitors (SCs), such as electric double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) and lithium-ion capacitors. The double-switch operation without the need for a multiwinding transformer offers simpler circuitry as well as better modularity than conventional equalizers requiring multiple switches and/or a multiwinding transformer. Furthermore, the inherent constant current characteristic of the PRI/SPRI at a fixed frequency, not only removes the need for feedback control to limit currents under desired levels but the proposed equalizer can also operate safely, even when some cell voltage is 0 V. Detailed operation analyses were separately performed for the voltage multiplier and PRI/SPRI, and a dc equivalent circuit for the proposed equalizer was mathematically derived. A 10-W prototype for 12 cells connected in series was built, and an experimental equalization test was performed for EDLCs from an initially voltage imbalanced condition. Voltage imbalance of the series-connected EDLCs was successfully eliminated by the equalizer, demonstrating the equalization performance of the proposed equalizer.
[Prevalence of metabolic syndrome in indigenous people over 40 years of age in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome (MS) among indigenous people older than 40 years of age from two cities in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, southern Brazil. METHODS A descriptive, analytic, cross-sectional study was conducted in two municipalities, Porto Alegre and Nonoai, between July and August 2009. A total of 150 indigenous people older than 40 years of age (range: 40-104 years), participated in the study. MS prevalence was determined based on National Cholesterol Education Program - Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Blood samples and anthropometric data were collected. The participants also answered a questionnaire on eating habits, which was then contrasted to the 10 steps to healthy eating proposed by the World Health Organization and recommended by the Brazilian Ministry of Health. RESULTS MS prevalence was 65.3%, affecting women more than men (P < 0.001). Changes in waist circumference, fasting glucose, and HDL-cholesterol and presence of hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, and obesity were associated with MS. Age, smoking, and sedentary lifestyle were not associated with MS. Indigenous people with MS had a poor diet, with low intake of fruit and vegetables, low levels of physical activity, high consumption of sweets and soft drinks, and high prevalence of obesity. CONCLUSIONS A high prevalence of MS was observed among the indigenous people surveyed, especially in women. Education and motivation for healthy behaviors is possibly the best way to manage MS and promote health in a population that is still neglected by public health policies.
Comparison of machine learning algorithms in Chinese Web filtering

Web filtering based on user's demand has witnessed a booming interest due to the development of Internet In the research community the dominant approach to this problem is based on machine learning algorithms. Web filtering is an inductive process which automatically builds a filter by learning from a set of pre-assigned document and the description of user's interest, and then uses it to assign unfiltered Web pages. This survey compares four main machine learning algorithms (decision tree, rule induction, Bayesian algorithm and support vector machines) on Chinese web pages set of their filtering effectiveness and computer resources consumed, focusing on the influence of feature set size and training set size. It induces that support vector machines earn high score in Chinese Web filtering applications.
Assessment of Eating Disorders

Practitioners have come under increasing pressure to provide objective data on assessment and treatment outcome of clients. This article provides a brief summary of assessment of eating disorders for the practicing clinician, with an emphasis on well-validated assessment instruments. The critical domains that should be covered in a thorough assessment of eating disorders are reviewed, as are some shortcomings in the current assessment literature, and also discussed is which assessment instruments for the eating disordersare most useful in a clinical context. Using well-validated, standardized assessment instruments in all phases of the treatment process is a critical part of justifying a treatment plan and providing objective data on client progress and outcome.
Quantum description of a pseudointegrable system: The pi /3-rhombus billiard.

The \ensuremath{\pi}/3-rhombus billiard is an example of the simplest pseudointegrable system having an invariant integral surface of genus g=2. We examine the fluctuation properties of eigenvalue sequences belonging to the ``pure rhombus'' modes (the eigenfunctions take nonzero values on the shorter diagonal). The nearest-neighbor spacing statistics follow the Berry-Robnik distribution with a chaotic fraction \ensuremath{\nu}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} (corresponding to the Liouville measure of the chaotic subspace) equal to 0.8. The spectral rigidity closely agrees with such a partitioning of phase space. The nodal patterns and the path correlation function exhibit irregularity for most of the corresponding eigenfunctions. Though the amplitude distributions for these closely approximate a Gaussian distribution, the spatial correlations do not agree well with the well-known Bessel oscillations. A few eigenfunctions, however, show regularity. These are localized in those regions of configuration space where the bouncing-ball modes form rectangular bands. The Born-Oppenheimer approximation offers a suitable explanation in terms of a confining potential, and the agreement between the exact and adiabatic eigenvalues improve at higher energies. On the basis of these observations, it turns out that the quantities \ensuremath{\nu} and \ensuremath{\nu}\ifmmode\bar\else\textasciimacron\fi{} are, in fact, the fractions of regular and irregular states in the eigenvalue sequence under consideration. Thus irregular eigenfunctions do occur for systems with zero Kolmogorov entropy, and the eigenvalue sequence corresponding to these yield Gaussian orthogonal ensemble statistics.
Ikaros, Aiolos and Helios: Transcription regulators and lymphoid malignancies

Ikaros, Aiolos and Helios encode zinc finger transcription factors that are important regulators of lymphoid development and differentiation. These proteins are involved in the control of gene expression and when associated with nuclear complexes, participate in nucleosome remodeling. Because differential splicing produces multiple protein isoforms with potentially different functions, the Ikaros protein family provides a useful model for the study of whether post‐transcriptional modifications are involved in tumoral transformation. Several reports reinforce the hypothesis that Ikaros, Aiolos and Helios expression is deregulated in human leukaemias. The direct involvement of aberrant protein expression of Ikaros family members in human haematological malignancies is discussed.
O custo da felicidade

A felicidade costuma ser assunto de interesse dos chamados “profissionais da alma”: psicologos, sociologos e antropologos. Recentemente, porem, os economistas tambem se interessaram pelo tema. Consumo, trabalho, lazer, ecologia e remuneracao passaram a ser topicos utilizados pelos economistas para explicar a felicidade e analisar os custos que sua busca acarreta para os individuos e a sociedade.
Kelp versus coralline: cellular basis for mechanical strength in the wave‐swept seaweed Calliarthron (Corallinaceae, Rhodophyta) 1

Previous biomechanical studies of wave‐swept macroalgae have revealed a trade‐off in growth strategies to resist breakage in the intertidal zone: growing in girth versus growing strong tissues. Brown macroalgae, such as kelps, grow thick stipes but have weak tissues, while red macroalgae grow slender thalli but have much stronger tissues. For example, genicular tissue in the articulated coralline Calliarthron cheilosporioides Manza is more than an order of magnitude stronger than some kelp tissues, but genicula rarely exceed 1 mm in diameter. The great tissue strength of Calliarthron genicula results, at least in part, from a lifelong strengthening process. Here, a histological analysis is presented to explore the cellular basis for mechanical strengthening in Calliarthron genicula. Genicula are composed of thousands of fiber‐like cells, whose cell walls thicken over time. Thickening of constitutive cell walls likely explains why older genicula have stronger tissues: a mature geniculum may be >50% cell wall. However, the material strength of genicular cell wall is similar to the strength of cell wall from a freshwater green alga, suggesting that it may be the quantity—not the quality—of cell wall material that gives genicular tissue its strength. Apparent differences in tissue strength across algal taxa may be a consequence of tissue construction rather than material composition.
Structural Rearrangements of Polymeric Insulin-loaded Nanoparticles Interacting with Surface-Supported Model Lipid Membranes

The design and screening of nanoparticles for therapeutic applications (nanodrugs) belong to an emerging research area, where surface based analytical techniques are promising tools. This study reports on the interaction of electrostatically assembled nanoparticles, developed for non-invasive administration of human insulin, with cell membrane mimics. Interactions between the nanoparticles and differently charged surface-supported model membranes were studied in real-time with the quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) technique, in some experiments combined with optical reflectometry. Based on the experimental observations, we conclude that structural rearrangements of the nanoparticles occur upon adsorption to negatively charged lipid membranes. The degree of structural changes in the nanoparticles will have important implications for the induced release of the protein drug load. The presented results provide an example of how a surface-based experimental platform can be used to characterize the physico-chemical properties of nanosized drug carriers with respect to their interactions at different surfaces.
Safety and Efficacy of Omacor in Severe Hypertriglyceridemia

Background Severe hypertriglyceridemia is a risk factor for acute pancreatitis, therefore decreasing serum triglyceride concentrations is an important component of risk management. Omega-3 fatty acids are well known hypotriglyceridemic agents, but their efficacy in severe forms of the disorder is not well documented. Our objective was to examine the effects of Omacor, a drug composed of 85% omega-3 fatty acid ethyl esters. Methods Forty-two patients with triglyceride concentrations between 5.65 and 22.60 mmol/l (500 and 2000 mg/dl) were studied in a prospective, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of Omacor (4 g/day for 4 months). Results Compared with baseline values, Omacor significantly reduced mean triglyceride concentrations by 45% (P< 0.00001), cholesterol by 15% (P< 0.001), very-low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 32% (P< 0.0001) and cholesterol: High density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol ratio by 20% (P = 0.0013), and increased HDL cholesterol by 13% (P = 0.014) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol by 31% (P = 0.0014). The placebo had no effect on these parameters. Omacor was well tolerated and no patient discontinued medication because of side effects. Conclusions Four capsules of Omacor per day markedly decreased triglyceride concentrations in patients with severe hypertriglyceridemia. The availability of a potent and safe omega-3 fatty acid preparation for this patient population should diminish the risk for acute pancreatitis, and may also reduce the long-term risk for cardiovascular disease.
Ribosome assembly in Escherichia coli strains lacking the RNA helicase DeaD/CsdA or DbpA

Ribosome subunit assembly in bacteria is a fast and efficient process. Among the nonribosomal proteins involved in ribosome biogenesis are RNA helicases. We describe ribosome biogenesis in Escherichia coli strains lacking RNA helicase DeaD (CsdA) or DbpA. Ribosome large subunit assembly intermediate particles (40S) accumulate at 25 °C and at 37 °C in the absence of DeaD but not without DbpA. 23S rRNA is incompletely processed in the 40S and 50S particles of the DeaD− strain. Pulse labeling showed that the 40S particles are converted nearly completely into functional ribosomes. The rate of large ribosomal subunit assembly was reduced about four times in DeaD‐deficient cells. Functional activity tests of the ribosomal particles demonstrated that the final step of 50S assembly, the activation step, was affected when DeaD was not present. The results are compatible with the model that predicts multiple DeaD‐catalyzed structural transitions of the ribosome large subunit assembly.
Direct solution of electromagnetic scattering using CBFM with ACA algorithm

The adaptive cross approximation (ACA) algorithm enhanced characteristic basis function method (CBFM) is studied in this article. The ACA algorithm is employed not only to fast calculate off-diagonal submatrices of the reduced matrix, but also to efficiently generate the CBFs and the diagonal submatrices of the reduced matrix, which makes the new method more efficient. Numerical results about the electromagnetic scattering from perfect electric conducting (PEC) targets are given to demonstrate the merits of the new method.
Assembly of bacteriophage PRD1: particle formation with wild-type and mutant viruses

Bacteriophage PRD1 contains DNA, 17 proteins, and lipid. The assembly pathway involves the formation of empty particles that contain lipid and all of the proteins of mature virions, with the possible exception of one. The major and minor capsid proteins, P3 and P5, occur as soluble multimers before they appear in the empty particles. Nonsense mutants of PRD1 that involve structural proteins of the virion other than P3 form particles that are missing only the defective protein. Those mutants that are unable to form P3 do not form particles. Mutations in two other genes that code for nonstructural proteins (P10, which is membrane bound, and P17, which is soluble) result in the absence of particles. Protein P2 is necessary for adsorption to host cells. Protein P9 is necessary for particle filling with DNA, whereas P20 and P22 are necessary for stable DNA packaging. Electron micrographs of infected cells confirmed the gradient analysis of particle formation. No free vesicles were observed in mutants that could not form complete empty particles, indicating that there are no free intermediate particles before the empty virions.
Monitoring Specific T-Cell Responses to Melanoma Vaccines: ELISPOT, Tetramers, and Beyond

The molecular identification of antigens expressed preferentially in tumor cells has enabled the development of antigen-specific vaccines against human cancer. The majority of human tumor antigens characterized to date have been isolated from melanoma cells based on class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-restricted recognition by CD8+ T cells (3, 16). However, tumor antigen peptides presented by class II MHC molecules recognized by CD4+ T cells also have recently been described (18). The availability of defined antigens has motivated clinical trials utilizing epitope-based rather than whole tumor cell-based vaccination strategies. Various vaccine approaches have been explored in murine preclinical models, and many of these have already entered human clinical trials. These include tumor antigen peptides mixed in saline or in lipid-containing adjuvants, peptides combined with immunomodulatory cytokines, peptide-loaded antigen-presenting cells (APCs), recombinant viruses, recombinant bacteria, and naked recombinant plasmid DNA (reviewed in reference 8). Inasmuch as the optimal vaccination strategy for inducing specific CD8+ cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) differentiation in vivo is not known, exploration of these myriad strategies for use in cancer patients is warranted.
Intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 and CD18 are involved in neutrophil adhesion and its cytotoxicity to cultured sinusoidal endothelial cells in rats

The expression of several adhesion molecules is increased on the hepatic sinusoidal endothelial cells (SECs) in various liver diseases. The objective of this study is to assess the roles of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 (ICAM‐1) and of CD18 in the interaction between the neutrophils (polymorphonuclear leukocytes [PMNs]) and SECs and in the injury to SECs mediated by PMNs. Rat PMNs was perfused on SECs stimulated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) using an in vitro flow system. The number of adhered PMNs to SECs and that of PMNs migrated under SECs was counted and the effects of anti‐ICAM‐1, anti‐CD18, and dexamethasone were studied. We also define the effect of these antibodies on the SEC injury mediated by PMNs stimulated with phorbol 12‐myristate 13‐acetate (PMA) or N‐formyl‐methionyl‐leucyl‐phenylalanine (fMLP). TNF‐α significantly increased the adhesion of PMNs to SECs (322 ± 26 cells/mm2) compared with controls (194 ± 22 cells/mm2). Anti‐ICAM‐1 and anti‐CD18 significantly inhibited the adhesion of PMNs (131 ± 10 and 51 ± 30 cells/mm2, respectively). These antibodies also decreased the migration rate of PMNs (6.0% and 7.9%, respectively) compared with controls (migration rate, 21.2%). The SEC injury induced by PMA‐ and fMLP‐activated PMNs was prevented by anti‐ICAM‐1 and anti‐CD18. The adhesion of PMNs induced by TNF‐α was inhibited by the treatment with dexamethasone (160 ± 20 cells/mm2) via a down‐regulation of ICAM‐1 expression on SECs. The interactions between ICAM‐1 and CD18 appeared to be important in the adhesion and the migration of PMNs to SECs. The injury to SECs was induced by the close interaction between the activated PMNs and SECs mediated via ICAM‐1 and CD18.
Probabilistic White Matter Atlases of Human Auditory, Basal Ganglia, Language, Precuneus, Sensorimotor, Visual and Visuospatial Networks

Background: Despite the popularity of functional connectivity analyses and the well-known topology of several intrinsic cortical networks, relatively little is known about the white matter regions (i.e., structural connectivity) underlying these networks. In the current study, we have therefore performed fMRI-guided diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) tractography to create probabilistic white matter atlases for eight previously identified functional brain networks, including the Auditory, Basal Ganglia, Language, Precuneus, Sensorimotor, Primary Visual, Higher Visual and Visuospatial Networks. Methods: Whole-brain diffusion imaging data were acquired from a cohort of 32 healthy volunteers, and were warped to the ICBM template using a two-stage, high-dimensional, non-linear spatial normalization procedure. Deterministic tractography, with fractional anisotropy (FA) ≥0.15 and deviation angle <50°, was then performed using the Fiber Association by Continuous Tracking (FACT) algorithm, and a multi-ROI approach to identify tracts of interest. Regions-of-interest (ROIs) for each of the eight networks were taken from a pre-existing atlas of functionally defined regions to explore all ROI-to-ROI connections within each network, and all resulting streamlines were saved as binary masks to create probabilistic atlases (across participants) for tracts between each ROI-to-ROI pair. Results: The resulting functionally-defined white matter atlases (i.e., for each tract and each network as a whole) were saved as NIFTI images in stereotaxic ICBM coordinates, and have been added to the UManitoba-JHU Functionally-Defined Human White Matter Atlas (http://www.nitrc.org/projects/uofm_jhu_atlas/). Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this work represents the first attempt to comprehensively identify and map white matter connectomes for the Auditory, Basal Ganglia, Language, Precuneus, Sensorimotor, Primary Visual, Higher Visual and Visuospatial Networks. Therefore, the resulting probabilistic atlases represent a unique tool for future neuroimaging studies wishing to ascribe voxel-wise or ROI-based changes (i.e., in DTI or other quantitative white matter imaging signals) to these functional brain networks.
An ovulatory gonadotropin stimulus increases cytosolic phospholipase A2 expression and activity in granulosa cells of primate periovulatory follicles.

CONTEXT Prostaglandins (PGs) produced within ovarian follicles in response to the ovulatory gonadotropin surge are essential for follicle rupture and oocyte release. Arachidonic acid, the common precursor for PG synthesis, is cleaved from membrane phospholipids via the activity of phospholipase A2 (PLA2). OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to determine which PLA2 form(s) is involved in PG production by primate periovulatory follicles. DESIGN AND INTERVENTIONS Gonadotropins were administered to cynomolgus monkeys to stimulate multiple follicular development; human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) initiated periovulatory events. Granulosa cells and whole ovaries were obtained before (0 h), and 12, 24, and 36 h after hCG administration. PATIENTS Granulosa-lutein cells were also obtained from women undergoing infertility treatment. OUTCOME MEASURES AND RESULTS mRNA for cytosolic (c)PLA2 and secretory (s)PLA2V, but not sPLA2IIA, was expressed by granulosa cells. cPLA2 mRNA levels were low at 0 h, elevated by 12 h, and remained high 24-36 h after hCG administration. sPLA2V mRNA levels were low at 0 h and did not change in response to hCG. cPLA2 and sPLA2V were detected by immunocytochemistry in granulosa cells of periovulatory follicles before and at all times after hCG administration. PLA2 activity was low in lysates of granulosa cells obtained 0-24 h after hCG and was elevated in granulosa cells obtained 36 h after hCG administration. A cPLA2-selective inhibitor decreased both PLA2 activity in monkey granulosa cell lysates and PGE2 accumulation in cultures of human granulosa-lutein cells. CONCLUSIONS cPLA2 is primarily or exclusively responsible for the gonadotropin-stimulated mobilization of arachidonic acid necessary for PG production by primate periovulatory follicles.