Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Wear in total hip and knee replacements.

Before the advent of total joint replacement, patients who had end-stage arthritis of the lower extremities had unremitting pain and a greatly decreased functional capacity. In addition, they often were confined to a wheelchair and were dependent on the care of others. Today, the outcomes of primary total hip and knee replacement are predictable and usually excellent. Prosthetic joint replacement has dramatically improved the lives of millions of people worldwide. As the fixation of total joint implants has become more reliable and durable and as the technology of total joint replacement has been applied to younger and more active patients, the current limitations of total joint arthroplasty are related to the wear of the components. Wear is the removal of material, with the generation of wear particles, that occurs as a result of the relative motion between two opposing surfaces under load. In complex mechanical-biological systems such as total hip and knee replacements, there can be many types of wear. Although the mechanical consequences of wear, such as progressive thinning of polyethylene components, can limit the functional life of a joint replacement, the clinical problems from wear more frequently are due to the release of an excessive number of wear particles into a biological environment. When particles within a certain size-range are phagocytized in sufficient amounts, the macrophages enter into an activated state of metabolism, releasing substances that can result in periprosthetic bone resorption. Progressive loss of periprosthetic bone can necessitate a reoperation, which is the definitive measure of clinical failure of a joint arthroplasty.
Interspecies recombinational events during the evolution of altered PBP 2x genes in penicillin‐resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae

Penicillin resistance in pneumococci is due to the appearance of high molecular‐weight penicillin‐binding proteins (PBPs) that have reduced affinity for the antibiotic. We have compared the PBX2x genes (pbpX) of one penicillin‐susceptible and five penicillin‐resistant clinical isolates of Streptococcus pneumoniae isolated from various parts of the world. All of the resistant isolates contained a low‐affinity form of PBP 2x. The 2kb region of the two penicillin‐susceptible isolates differed at only eight nucleotide sites (0.4%) and resulted in one single amino acid difference in PBP 2x. In contrast, the sequences of the PBP 2x genes from the resistant isolates differed overall from those of the susceptible isolates at between 7 and 18% of nucleotide sites and resulted in between 27 and 86 amino acid substitutions in PBP 2x. The altered PBP 2x genes consisted of regions that were similar to those of susceptible strains (<3% diverged), alternating with regions that were very different (18–23% diverged). The presence of highly diverged regions within the PBP 2x genes of the resistant isolates contrasts with the uniformity of the sequences of the amylomaltase genes from the same isolates, and with the uniformity of the PBP 2x genes in the two susceptible isolates. It suggests that the altered PBP 2x genes have arisen by localized interspecies recombinational events involving the PBP 2x genes of closely related streptococci, as has been suggested to occur for altered PBP 2b genes (Dowson etal., 1989b). The PBP 2x genes from the resistant isolates could transform the susceptible strain R6 to increased levels of resistance to β‐lactam antibiotics. Indicating that the altered forms of PBP 2x in the resistant isolates contribute to their resistance to penicillin.
Human Antibodies to Major Histocompatibility Complex Alloantigens Mediate Lysis and Neutralization of HIV‐1 Primary Isolate Virions in the Presence of Complement

Summary: Cellular proteins, including major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I and class II antigens, are incorporated into the membrane of HIV‐1 when virions bud from infected cells. Experiments were performed to determine whether human sera that contained MHC class I and/or class II antibodies would lyse or neutralize a primary isolate of HIV. These results demonstrate that in the presence of complement, sera from some alloimmunized persons mediated significant anti‐viral activity against an HIV primary isolate. Both lysis and neutralization of virus were observed. The antiviral effects were complement dependent because heat inactivation eliminated most anti‐viral effects. Antiviral activity mediated by sera containing MHC alloantibodies in the presence of complement was ≥ activity due to sera from HIV‐infected persons as reported in this and a previous study. High levels of antibodies to both MHC class I and class II were present in sera that mediated the highest levels of antiviral activity. Absorption of serum with platelets (which express class I but not class II antigens) substantially reduced their lytic activity. These studies suggest that MHC antibodies mediate potent anti‐viral effects on primary isolates of HIV and support the possibility that deliberately alloimmunizing humans might protect against HIV infection.
[Hepatocellular carcinoma in a non-cirrhotic liver. Presentation of series of 77 operated patients].

OBJECTIVE To present epidemiologic profile of this supposedly rare condition, its diagnostic management and the results of surgical treatment in a population of the mediterranean border. PATIENTS AND METHODS Between 1987 and 1999, the records of patients operated on for hepatocellular carcinoma and in whom cirrhosis was not present on pathological examination of liver parenchyma were collected. Data were collected prospectively. RESULTS Mean age was 57.6 years. There were 61 men (79%) and 16 women but sex ratio was 1/1 for patients under 50. Hepatitis B and/or C serology was positive in 22 patients (29%). At presentation, 56 patients (73%) suffered of symptoms and there was evidence of tumor at clinical examination in 30 (39%). Sensitivity of alpha-fetoprotein measurement was 55%, and 58% for preoperative percutaneous biopsy. Twelve had exploratory laparotomy only, 61 underwent partial liver resection and 4 were transplanted. Resection was presumed curative in 56 cases (73%). There was one single tumor mass in 41 cases (53%) and its mean size was 10.3 cm. Liver fibrosis was present in 24 cases (29%). After curative resection, 5-year survival rate was 46%, and favorable prognostic factors were: alpha-fetoprotein within normal range, single tumor mass or tumor size less than 10 cm. CONCLUSION Hepatocellular carcinoma arising on noncirrhotic liver is not a rare occurrence. It is usually encountered at an advanced stage of the disease. Nonetheless, it remains extirpable in many cases with low postoperative mortality and long term results are better than those of resections for hepatocellular carcinoma on cirrhotic liver.
Candida-Host Interactions in HIV Disease

Oropharyngeal candidiasis (OPC), caused primarily by Candida albicans, is the most common oral infection in HIV+ persons. Although Th1-type CD4+ T cells are the predominant host defense mechanism against OPC, CD8+ T cells and epithelial cells become important when blood CD4+ T cells are reduced below a protective threshold during progression to AIDS. In an early cross-sectional study, OPC+ tissue biopsied from HIV+ persons had an accumulation of activated memory CD8+ T cells at the oral epithelial–lamina propria interface, with reduced expression of the adhesion molecule E-cadherin, suggesting a protective role for CD8+ T cells but a dysfunction in the mucosal migration of the cells. In a subsequent 1-year longitudinal study, OPC− patients with high oral Candida colonization (indicative of a preclinical OPC condition), had higher numbers of CD8+ T cells distributed throughout the tissue, with normal E-cadherin expression. In OPC+ patients, where lack of CD8+ T cell migration was associated with reduced E-cadherin, subsequent evaluations following successful treatment of infection revealed normal E-cadherin expression and cellular distribution. Regarding epithelial cell responses, intact oral epithelial cells exhibit fungistatic activity via an acid-labile protein moiety. A proteomic analysis revealed that annexin A1 is a strong candidate for the effector moiety. The current hypothesis is that under reduced CD4+ T cells, HIV+ persons protected from OPC have CD8+ T cells that migrate to the site of a preclinical infection under normal expression of E-cadherin, whereas those with OPC have a transient reduction in E-cadherin that prohibits CD8+ T cells from migrating for effector function. Oral epithelial cells concomitantly function through annexin A1 to keep Candida in a commensal state but can easily be overwhelmed, thereby contributing to susceptibility to OPC.
Units of Information in the Acquisition of Language

The child learns language in melodic units called tone groups, which are units of information. The focus of what the speaker wishes to convey to the listener is found in the tonic. All child speech during the holophrastic period, and much adult speech later on, takes the form of telegraphic ellipsis, which relies on the non-language environment to explain the tonic. The development of language round the tonic is possible because the tonic can shift from place to place in the same sequence of words, depending on the information focus. This acts as the " inducer " of language growth. Nuclear linguistic structures are made perceptually prominent in the context of what is being attended to by the speaker and the listener.
A study of the internal construct and predictive validity of the SMART assessment for emergence from vegetative state

ABSTRACT Objective: The Sensory Modality Assessment and Rehabilitation Technique (SMART) was developed to assess the levels of awareness, functional, sensory and communicative abilities of adults in vegetative (VS) or minimally-conscious states following severe brain injury. The current study seeks to ascertain if a total score can be derived from the individual assessments contained within SMART and to test the internal construct and predictive validity of that total score. Subjects: Persons in VS were recruited over a 3-year period and current status was determined after a 17-year follow-up. Design: Data were evaluated by fit to the Rasch model. Predictive validity for emergence from VS was ascertained through an Area-Under-the-Curve [AUC] analysis. Results: Sixty people in VS were assessed on several occasions. Average age on admission was 38.8 years; 30 had anoxic brain damage; 21 traumatic injury. The Rasch analysis indicated the raw score was a sufficient statistic for awareness. Over half [55%] failed to emerge from VS. For those with anoxic brain injury, a SMART cut point of 85 gave an AUC of 0.966 (95% CI = 0.910–1.00) for emergence, as did a cut point of 68 for those with traumatic brain injury. Discussion: The current analysis suggests that SMART may have important predictive attributes for emergence (or lack thereof). No change in status of those discharged in VS has been reported to this present day.
CASSCF Investigation of Electronic Excited States of 2-Aminopurine

2-Aminopurine is a highly fluorescent analogue of adenine that can be incorporated synthetically into DNA with little perturbation of the native double-helical structure. The sensitive dependence of the quantum yield of this fluorophore on nucleic acid conformation has made it an invaluable probe of DNA structure, dynamics, and interactions. To assist in the development of models for the molecular interpretation of fluorescence measurements, the electronic structure of 2-amino-9-methylpurine has been calculated in the ground state and the lowest singlet ππ* and nπ* excited states. These computations employed the complete active space multiconfigurational self-consistent field method (CASSCF), supplemented by multiconfigurational quasi-degenerate perturbation theory (MCQDPT). The predicted energies for ππ* excitation and emission and nπ* excitation are in good agreement with previous experimental values. The permanent molecular dipoles of the ground and ππ* excited states are similar in magnitude and direc.
Photo-Electrical Properties of MgZnO Thin-Film Transistors With High- ${k}$ Dielectrics

In this letter, magnesium zinc oxide (MgZnO) was deposited to fabricate a thin-film transistor (TFT) by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering. We used alumina as MgZnO TFT gate insulator layer via an atomic layer deposition method. The MgZnO TFT with Al<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> insulator could exhibit a mobility of 7.73 cm<sup>2</sup>/Vs, threshold voltage of 4.2 V, and subthreshold swing of 0.29 V/decade. Compared with our previous published study, the current switching ratio was improved by nearly two orders of magnitude. Furthermore, the hysteresis phenomenon had been investigated and the results showed that the high-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">${k}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> gate insulator could improve the interface state caused by the traps.
Oral Intake of Beet Extract Provides Protection Against Skin Barrier Impairment in Hairless Mice

The epidermis acts as a functional barrier against the external environment. Disturbances in the function of this barrier cause water loss and increase the chances of penetration by various irritable stimuli, leading to skin diseases such as dry skin, atopic dermatitis, and psoriasis. Ceramides are a critical natural element of the protective epidermal barrier. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the oral intake of beet (Beta vulgaris) extract, a natural product rich in glucosylceramide (GlcCer), may prevent disturbance in skin barrier function. When HR‐1 hairless mice were fed a special diet (HR‐AD), transepidermal water loss (TEWL) from the dorsal skin increased, with a compensatory increase in water intake after 5 weeks. Mice fed with HR‐AD had dry skin with erythema and showed increased scratching behaviour. Histological examinations revealed a remarkable increase in the thickness of the skin at 8 weeks. Supplemental addition of beet extract, which contained GlcCer at a final concentration of 0.1%, significantly prevented an increase TEWL, water intake, cumulative scratching time, and epidermal thickness at 8 weeks. These results indicate that oral intake of beet extract shows potential for preventing skin diseases associated with impaired skin barrier function. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Neonatal jaundice and glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase

Glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase in newborn babies may be responsible for neonatal jaundice. There is a concern of many authors from other countries in respect to complications in neonates with hyperbilirubinemia; some authors even propose screening for glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase deficiency in newborn babies. A scientific report on this subject is published in this issue.
Rendering methods for augmented reality

Augmented reality (AR) is a fast-growing application of computer graphics. AR systems overlay computer-generated graphics over the real world. The research described in this book puts an emphasis on specialized rendering techniques for AR. In the first part of this book, a new system for medical AR is discussed, which is based on a commercial surgical navigation device. A method for handling occlusion makes it possible to correctly render the occlusion of graphical objects by the anatomy of the patient. The second part of this book introduces the concept of stylized augmented reality, which applies artistic or illustrative stylization methods to AR images. Since the same type of stylization is applied to virtual and real scene elements, they become difficult to distinguish. Algorithms for the cartoon-like and painterly stylization of AR videos are described. In the third part of this book, a novel illustrative visualization method is described. This algorithm for iso-surfaces and polygonal models renders a representation of a surface and structures hidden behind it. An extension of this newly developed illustrative display style was also applied to AR video streams.
Pharmacokinetics and bioavailability of midazolam in man.

The pharmacokinetic behaviour and the bioavailability of midazolam were investigated in six volunteers after intravenous (0.15 mg/kg) and oral administration (10, 20 and 40 mg). Following rapid intravenous injection of midazolam, the plasma concentration of the substance decreased to approximately 10% within 2 h owing to a rapid rate of distribution. A two compartment model adequately described the kinetics of midazolam in plasma. The following average values were found: elimination half-life, 2.3 h; total clearance, 323 ml/min, and apparent volume of distribution at steady-state (VSS), 50.21. After oral administration, the drug is rapidly absorbed. Maximum plasma levels are reached within 30 min and the drug is rapidly eliminated from plasma with practically the same half-life as determined after i.v. administration. The bioavailability after the ingestion of 10, 20 and 40 mg midazolam in the form of tablets ranged from 31 to 72%, due to the high liver extraction quota of midazolam.
Performance comparision of MUSIC and ESPRIT algorithms in presence of coherent signals for DoA estimation

A novel methodology is implemented for detection of coherent signals in direction of arrival estimation of linear arrays. The available techniques for DoA estimation of incoherent signal is modified by introducing spatial smoothing technique. This spatial smoothing technique is further used to de-correlate the signals before applying MUSIC algorithm for DoA estimation. DoA estimation is also performed using ESPRIT algorithm for linear array and Performance of MUSIC and ESPRIT algorithms is compared on basis of Computational time required and resolution of DoA estimated. ESPRIT is found to be a better choice than MUSIC for DoA estimation.
Use of animal models has not contributed to development of acute stroke therapies: con.

The development of therapies for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) has proven to be a difficult and challenging endeavor, reflecting the complexity of the pathophysiology and clinical aspects of this heterogeneous disorder. With only one currently approved therapy for AIS, tPA initiated within 3 hours of stroke onset, there is only a limited track record to assess the use of animal models in the development of AIS therapies. A negative perspective can be taken that a large number of interventions demonstrated efficacy in animal models of AIS and these interventions, primarily neuroprotective agents, have not been shown to improve AIS outcome in patients.1 This pessimism about the value of animal models for providing help in the development of AIS therapies must be viewed cautiously because there are many reasonable explanations for the lack of translation of therapeutic benefit in animal stroke models into successful clinical trials. The potential reasons for lack of translational success were previously well summarized and reflect problems both in how animal modeling was conducted to assess …
Clinical and experimental aspects of viral myocarditis

Picornaviruses are frequently implicated as the etiological agents of acute myocarditis. This association is based historically on serological evidence of rising antibody titers to specific pathogens and more recently on identification of viral genomic material in endocardial biopsy specimens through in situ hybridization. Only rarely is infectious virus isolated from either the patient or the heart during periods of maximum myocardial inflammation and injury. Thus, despite a probable viral etiology, much interest centers on the role of the immune system in cardiac damage and the likelihood that the infection triggers an autoimmune response to heart-specific antigens. Heart-reactive antibodies and T cells are found in most myocarditis patients, and immunosuppressive therapy has proven beneficial in many, though not all, cases. Furthermore, murine models of coxsackievirus group B type 3-induced myocarditis also demonstrate that virus infection initiates autoimmunity and that these autoimmune effectors are predominately responsible for tissue injury. How virus-host interactions overcome presumed self-tolerance to heart antigens is discussed, and evidence supporting various theories of virus-initiated autoimmunity and disease pathogenesis are delineated.
Planning with a functional neural network architecture

This article introduces the concept of planning in an interactive environment between two systems: the challenger and the responder. The responder's task is to produce behavior that relates to the challenger's behavior through some response function. In this setup, we concentrate planning on the responder's actions and use the produced plan in order to control the responder. In general, the responder is assumed to be a nonlinear system whose input-output (I/O) map may be expressed by a Volterra series. The planner uses an estimate of the challenger's future output sequence, the response function, and a model of the responder's I/O relation implemented through a functional artificial neural network (FANN) architecture, in order to produce the input sequence that will be applied to the responder in the future, in parallel-time with the challenger's corresponding output sequence. The responder accepts input from the planner, which may be combined with feedback information, in order to produce an output sequence that relates to the challenger's output sequence according to the response function. The importance of planning for the generation of smooth behavior is discussed, and the effectiveness of the planner's implementation using neural network technology is demonstrated with an example.
Decison theory based multimodal biometric authentication system using wavelet transform

The Multi resolution nature and energy compaction of wavelet transform particularly makes them suitable for analysis of biological features both behavioral and physiological. The paper proposes to use Daubechies 3 and 4 wavelets to analyze the iris pattern and speech samples with the application of Decision theory in case the stand alone systems of speech identification and iris recognition yield conflicting results.
Treatment preference and patient satisfaction in chronic insomnia.

STUDY OBJECTIVES The purposes of this study were to examine treatment preference and satisfaction with group treatment in individual with chronic insomnia. DESIGN Correlational. SETTING The study was conducted in an outpatient hospital setting. PATIENTS OR PARTICIPANTS Participants were 43 adult volunteers from the community. INTERVENTIONS N/A. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS Prior to treatment, participants were presented with descriptions of behavioral and pharmacological treatment for the problem of insomnia and asked to rate the acceptability, presumed effectiveness, and presumed side-effects of treatment. A sub-sample of these individuals (n = 37) participated in a 6-week cognitive behavioral treatment group for insomnia. Sleep diary and questionnaire data were collected prior to and following treatment. Results showed that cognitive-behavioral therapy was significantly preferred over pharmacological therapy at pre-treatment and that more favorable assessments of cognitive-behavioral therapy at pre-treatment were associated with better adherence but not improved outcome. Of treatment techniques, participants least liked sleep restriction and most liked sleep hygiene. Results indicated that more favorable ratings of the usefulness of sleep restriction were associated with improvements in sleep efficiency, sleep-related impairment, and quality of life. CONCLUSIONS Implications of these findings are that patient preference is important to assess prior to treating insomnia and that more work may be needed to increase patients' awareness of the benefits of sleep restriction.