Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The lipid composition of drusen, Bruch's membrane, and sclera by hot stage polarizing light microscopy.

PURPOSE To detect and identify, in situ, the lipid composition of drusen, diffuse Bruch's membrane deposits, and sclera in aging human eyes using hot-stage polarizing microscopy (HSPM), a method that allows qualitative determination of lipid subtypes within histologic sections based on morphology and melting temperatures of liquid crystals as monitored by birefringence during heating and cooling. METHODS Full-thickness buttons of the central macula and the periphery of human eyes from 17 patients were fixed in 5% calcium-buffered formalin. Frozen sections were stained with oil red O or Sudan black or were analyzed by HSPM. RESULTS Birefringent anisotropic droplets ("maltese crosses") with melting characteristics of cholesterol esters were identified within diffuse Bruch's membrane deposits, drusen, and sclera. Deposits that melted from crystal to oil without any maltese cross formation when cooled were present in the sclera and are consistent with triglyceride-rich deposits. Deposits with optical properties consistent with phospholipids were identified in a single aged eye. Eyes from young donors did not show these changes. CONCLUSIONS HSPM is a valuable technique for evaluating the nature of lipid deposits in aging eyes. Further studies are warranted to determine whether similar changes are also present in eyes with age-related macular degeneration.
Drift in Dutch: Fleshing out the factors of change

A well-known adage in linguistics has it that all languages change over time. The Dutch language is certainly no exception to this rule, whether over the full course of its documented history or even in the relatively short space of just a century. For instance, anyone who looks at texts from the late 19 century cannot help being struck by differences in the language of that day vis-a-vis its 21 century descendant. Let us take as an example a brief passage from the novel Uit het Leven by Arie Prins (1885: 4). De groote schorsteenen wierpen dikke rookwolken uit, waarin eene menigte vonken dwarrelden, en Spinoza hoorde de regelmatige, heldere slagen der hamers op het ijzer, het sissend aflaten van den stoom en het dof gekraak der machines, die in beweging waren. Haastiglijk liep hij vervolgens tusschen eenige verroeste, oude stoomketels door, de morsige werkplaats over en schoof de groote draaierij in. In deze werkplaats, – een groot vertrek, met gewitte muren en kleine boogramen, waar een grijs daglicht door viel, dat aan alles, niettegenstaande de bedrijvigheid, een koud, doodsch aanzien gaf, – maakten de raderen van een tiental ijzeren draaibanken een helsch leven. (‘The big chimneys threw thick smoke clouds out, in which a bunch of sparks swirled, and Spinoza heard the regular, clear blows of the hammers on the iron, the hissing release of the steam and the dull clank of the machines that were in action. . Hastily he then ran between some rusty, old steam kettles, over the dirty workplace and pushed on into the large turning mill. In this work area – a large room, with whitewashed walls and small arched windows, through which a gray light fell that gave everything, despite the activity, a cold, dead appearance – the wheels of ten iron lathes created a hellish life.’)
A Compact Coaxial Waveguide Combiner Design For Ultra-Broadband Power Amplifiers

We report an enhanced broadband passive combiner structure using a dense slot-line antenna array in an oversized coaxial waveguide. A significant reduction in size has been achieved while maintaining a 6-18GHz bandwidth and capacity for 32 MMIC amplifiers. A broadband slotline to microstrip line transition is also developed and monolithically integrated with the slot-line antennas, to eliminate a troublesome bond-wire transition in earlier design and provide better compatibility with commercial MMICs. The Spectral Domain Method (SDM) is applied to compute the field in the structure, and small reflection theory is extended to synthesize the waveguide taper and optimized slotline taper array.
High-performance and highly efficient electric wheel hub drive in automotive design

The entire drive integration in the wheels of electric cars enables completely new vehicle drive train concepts and liberties within the interior design. Central motor, external gearing, differentials, axels and drive-shafts are no longer required, which leads to an enormous gain of free space for the passenger compartment or other car components. Fully new car concepts and designs will become feasible. As well it can help to reduce weight and costs and increases the efficiency of the whole drive system. In addition wear-out and maintenance expenditure are reduced to a minimum. Decentralized drives also feature new functionalities concerning vehicle dynamics. This aspect counts especially for wheel hub motors because of the direct access to the wheels without any component in between. Thought about the most promising machine type will be presented in this article. Also a suitable construction and assembly is considered. Advantages and disadvantages of the single tooth winding and a segmented stator are discussed. Because installing space is rare especially in this application a special high voltage connection for small packaged machines will be presented. The machine has been realized and assembled. Measurements on the test bench and on the test track are shown to acknowledge the considerations.
Historical collections reveal patterns of diffusion of sweet potato in Oceania obscured by modern plant movements and recombination

The history of sweet potato in the Pacific has long been an enigma. Archaeological, linguistic, and ethnobotanical data suggest that prehistoric human-mediated dispersal events contributed to the distribution in Oceania of this American domesticate. According to the “tripartite hypothesis,” sweet potato was introduced into Oceania from South America in pre-Columbian times and was then later newly introduced, and diffused widely across the Pacific, by Europeans via two historically documented routes from Mexico and the Caribbean. Although sweet potato is the most convincing example of putative pre-Columbian connections between human occupants of Polynesia and South America, the search for genetic evidence of pre-Columbian dispersal of sweet potato into Oceania has been inconclusive. Our study attempts to fill this gap. Using complementary sets of markers (chloroplast and nuclear microsatellites) and both modern and herbarium samples, we test the tripartite hypothesis. Our results provide strong support for prehistoric transfer(s) of sweet potato from South America (Peru-Ecuador region) into Polynesia. Our results also document a temporal shift in the pattern of distribution of genetic variation in sweet potato in Oceania. Later reintroductions, accompanied by recombination between distinct sweet potato gene pools, have reshuffled the crop’s initial genetic base, obscuring primary patterns of diffusion and, at the same time, giving rise to an impressive number of local variants. Moreover, our study shows that phenotypes, names, and neutral genes do not necessarily share completely parallel evolutionary histories. Multidisciplinary approaches, thus, appear necessary for accurate reconstruction of the intertwined histories of plants and humans.
ANATOMY OF THE HUMAN BODY

Laidlaw, M.B. , Ch.B. , F.R. C.P.F. and J. B. Stanton, M.A., M.B. , F.R. C.P. (Pp. 133; illustrated, 40s). Edinburgh and London: E. & S. Livingstone, 1966. THIS book was written with the express purpose of advising physicians in the wards and outpatients departments of the type of patient in whom an EEG would be helpful from a diagnostic point of view. In this the authors have largely succeeded although the book will mainly be read by those who have a special interest in this investigation. This is unfortunate because if this book were widely and carefully read it would increase the experience of the referring physician and materially reduce the routine work of the EEG department. Many clinical situations are dealt with, explaining in what way an EEG may or may not be helpful. The text is clear and the figures and diagrams are of a high order, for what nowadays is a very reasonable price. J.H. D.M.
Using decision analysis to integrate evidence into decision making

One of the challenges of evidence-based nursing is incorporating evidence from research and patient preferences for decision options into our decision making. In this Notebook, we show how using the approach of decision analysis can help nurses make evidence-based decisions. Decision analysis originates from a view of how decisions should be made if a decision maker is logical and rational. This process is called Subjective Expected Utility Theory . From its normative perspective, Subjective Expected Utility Theory stipulates that individuals should “maximise” their expected utility by choosing the decision option that has the highest probability of leading to an outcome that most corresponds with their personal values or beliefs.1 In decision analysis, the decision problem is structured using a decision tree, in which the probability and utility (value) associated with each outcome is determined, and the “best” decision for the individual is calculated. By deriving probabilities from high-quality research evidence and eliciting patient utilities for decision outcomes, decision analysis can lead to evidence-based decisions.2 The easiest way of illustrating how decision analysis can help nurses make evidence-based decisions in practice is to provide an example. > You are a nurse working in a community healthcare clinic. You are visited by a 28-year-old man who has smoked since he was 15. His partner recently found out that she is pregnant, and he wants to stop smoking before the baby is born. He has had 2 unsuccessful attempts at stopping smoking using nicotine replacement therapy, and he asks if there are any other ways that he could try. In your practice, several different services are available. These include a telephone-based support service and a group-based counselling service run by yourself and another nurse in the clinic (nurse-led advice). Your patient wants to know the chances of him being successful if he …
Novel mutation in KCNA1 causes episodic ataxia with paroxysmal dyspnea

Episodic ataxia type 1 (EA1) is an autosomal‐dominant neurological disease caused by point mutations in the potassium channel–encoding gene KCNA1. It is characterized by attacks of ataxia and continuous myokymia. Respiratory muscle involvement has not been previously reported in EA1. We clinically evaluated a family with features of EA1 and paroxysmal shortness of breath. Coding and flanking intronic regions of KCNA1 were sequenced. We identified a novel 3‐nucleotide deletion mutation in KCNA1 in the affected individuals. Our findings of a deletion mutation with unusual respiratory muscle involvement expand the genetic and clinical spectrum of EA1. Muscle Nerve, 2007
Room-Temperature Sealing of Microcavities by Cold Metal Welding

In this paper, we present a wafer-to-wafer attachment and sealing method for wafer-level manufacturing of microcavities using a room-temperature bonding process. The proposed attachment and sealing method is based on plastic deformation and cold welding of overlapping metal rings to create metal-to-metal bonding and sealing. We present the results from experiments using various bonding process parameters and metal sealing ring designs including their impact on the resulting bond quality. The sealing properties against liquids and vapor of different sealing ring structures have been evaluated for glass wafers that are bonded to silicon wafers. In addition, wafer-level vacuum sealing of microcavities was demonstrated when bonding a silicon wafer to another silicon wafer with the proposed room-temperature sealing and bonding technique.
Fatty acid synthase: A metabolic oncogene in prostate cancer?

In 1920, Warburg suggested that tumors consistently rely on anaerobic pathways to convert glucose to ATP even in the presence of abundant oxygen [Warberg, 1956 ] despite the fact that it is less efficient for energy supply than aerobic glycolysis. The reasons for this remain obscure to date. More often than not, the microenvironment of solid tumors contains regions of poor oxygenation and high acidity. In this context hypoxia can act in an epigenetic fashion, inducing changes in gene expression and in metabolism for survival. It is reasonable to assume that only the tumor cells capable of developing an unusual tolerance to limiting oxygen availability and to the acidosis resulting from excessive lactate production, can survive. In addition to the striking changes that occur in glucose metabolism, studies in human cancer patients suggest that there is often also an increase in free fatty acid turnover, oxidation and clearance [Legaspi et al., 1987 ; Hyltander et al., 1991 ]. For instance, a lipid mobilizing factor produced by tumor cells appears to be responsible for the increase in whole body fatty acid oxidation [Russell and Tisdale, 2002 ]. Fatty acids synthesis in tumor tissues also occurs at very high rates, as first demonstrated more than half a century ago [Medes et al., 1953 ]. Importantly, 14C glucose studies have shown that in tumor cells almost all fatty acids derive from de novo synthesis despite adequate nutritional supply [Sabine and Abraham, 1967 ; Ookhtens et al., 1984 ; Weiss et al., 1986 ]. In addition, tumors overexpressing fatty acid synthase (FAS), the enzyme responsible for de novo synthesis of fatty acids, display aggressive biologic behavior compared to those tumors with normal FAS levels, suggesting that FAS overexpression confers a selective growth advantage. Here, we will review the roles that FAS plays in important cellular processes such as apoptosis and proliferation. In addition, speculations on the putative role of FAS in the altered metabolic pathways of prostate cancer cells will be explored. Because of the frequent overexpression of this enzyme prostate cancer, FAS constitutes a therapeutic target in this disease. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Group A Streptococcus Septic Shock after Surgical Abortion: A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Group A Streptococcus (GAS) causing puerperal sepsis is a leading cause of maternal mortality worldwide. Although rare, GAS infection is a relatively significant public health concern because of its propensity to evolve rapidly into septic shock, streptococcal toxic shock syndrome, and death. We report the case of a 27-year-old patient who presented with GAS septic shock after undergoing a surgical termination of pregnancy and was treated successfully and recovered without sequelae. GAS septic shock should always be included in the differential diagnosis of any patient who develops sepsis after a surgical abortion. Patients with GAS septic shock have a rapid clinical decline and need aggressive fluid management, early initiation of broad-spectrum antibiotics, and rapid surgical intervention.
Evaluation de la réponse d'un système de question-réponse et de sa justification

Question answering systems extract precise answers from a set of documents, and return the answers along with text snippets which justify them. It is thus possible to assess the answer returned by a system, with respect to its snippet. In this article, such answer validations are processes, according to different criteria: the first one estimates the proportion of common terms in the snippet and the question, the second one measures the proximity of these terms and the answer, the third one compares the answer to judge with this returned by our own question answering system FRASQUES, and the last one checks the type of the answer. The different criteria are then combined thanks to a classifier using decision trees.
Slick: Secure Middleboxes using Shielded Execution

Cloud computing offers the economies of scale for computational resources with the ease of management, elasticity, and fault tolerance. To take advantage of these benefits, many enterprises are contemplating to outsource the middlebox processing services in the cloud. However, middleboxes that process confidential and private data cannot be securely deployed in the untrusted environment of the cloud. To securely outsource middleboxes to the cloud, the state-of-the-art systems advocate network processing over the encrypted traffic. Unfortunately, these systems support only restrictive middlebox functionalities, and incur prohibitively high overheads due to the complex computations involved over the encrypted traffic. This motivated the design of Slick --- a secure middlebox framework for deploying high-performance Network Functions (NFs) on untrusted commodity servers. Slick exposes a generic interface based on Click to design and implement a wide-range of NFs using its out-of-the box elements and C++ extensions. Slick leverages SCONE (a shielded execution framework based on Intel SGX) and DPDK to securely process confidential data at line rate. More specifically, Slick provides hardware-assisted memory protection, and configuration and attestation service for seamless and verifiable deployment of middleboxes. We have also added several new features for commonly required functionalities: new specialized Click elements for secure packet processing, secure shared memory packet transfer for NFs chaining, secure state persistence, an efficient on-NIC timer for SGX enclaves, and memory safety against DPDK-specific Iago attacks. Furthermore, we have implemented several SGX-specific optimizations in Slick. Our evaluation shows that Slick achieves near-native throughput and latency.
Influence of feeding regimens on non‐invasive inferior vena cava and hepatic vein velocity measurements in infants

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of feeding type and osmotic load on intravascular volume status. Ninety term, healthy infants 2 mo of age were included in the study. The breastfed and formula‐fed groups each consisted of 45 infants. Echocardiographic examination was performed before and after feeding. The collapse index of the inferior vena cava (IVCIC) and right atrial pressure (RAP) were calculated. No statistically significant differences were found between before‐ and after‐feeding values of IVCIC, RAP and hepatic vein velocities in breastfed infants. In the formula‐fed group, after‐feeding values of IVCIC were significantly lower and RAP, hepatic vein systolic and diastolic velocities were significantly higher compared to the before‐feeding values. Most of the mothers (78%) were unsuccessful at preparing the formula at appropriate concentrations. No statistically significant differences were found between the before‐and after‐feeding values of IVCIC, RAP and hepatic vein velocities in infants being fed appropriately prepared formula. The after‐feeding values of hepatic vein velocities were higher than those of before‐feeding values; after‐feeding values of IVCIC were lower than before‐feeding values in infants being fed highly concentrated formula.
A Novel Design and Optimization Method of an $LCL$  Filter for a Shunt Active Power Filter

Compared with the L filter, the LCL filter is more suitable for high-power low-switching-frequency applications due to its better attenuation characteristics on high frequencies. However, the parameter design for the LCL filter is more complex since both the inhibiting effect of the high-frequency harmonic current and the influence to the controller response performance of the converter should be considered. In this paper, the model of the LCL filter and the design criteria of the LCL filter for a shunt active power filter (SAPF) are analyzed in the beginning. Then, the impacts of all parameters of the LCL filter on SAPF are intuitively drawn on a graph by theoretical derivation. Finally, a novel parameter design and optimization method for the LCL filter is proposed. The validity and effectiveness of the proposed method are proved by simulated and experimental results of a single-phase SAPF prototype at the end of this paper.
Marked elevation of human circulating CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells in sepsis-induced immunoparalysis

ObjectiveImmunoparalysis has recently emerged as a possible cause explaining the failure of clinical trials in septic shock. Because human peripheral blood CD4+CD25+ T cells have been characterized as suppressor T cells, we hypothesized they might be increased in sepsis-induced immunoparalysis. DesignProspective, observational, clinical study. SettingAdult intensive care units in a university hospital. SubjectsPatients with septic shock (n = 16) and healthy individuals (n = 36). InterventionsNone. Measurements and Main ResultsIn patients with septic shock (mortality rate at 28 days, 56%; mean admission Simplified Acute Physiology Score II, 47), we first illustrated immunoparalysis by showing a severe diminished monocytic human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-DR expression. Afterward, compared with control values, we found in these patients a marked elevation of circulating CD4+CD25+ T cells that were also CD45RO+ and CD69- and overexpressed CTLA-4. Importantly, nonsurvivors (n = 9) presented prolonged lower monocytic HLA-DR expression and higher percentage of CD4+CD25+ T-suppressor T cells. ConclusionsThese data support the concept that the persistence of a pronounced immunoparalysis after septic shock is associated with a poor outcome. Whether CD4+CD25+ T cells directly participate in sepsis-induced immunoparalysis remains to be investigated.
Lumbar spinal canal MRI diameter is smaller in herniated disc cauda equina syndrome patients

Introduction Correlation between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical features in cauda equina syndrome (CES) is unknown; nor is known whether there are differences in MRI spinal canal size between lumbar herniated disc patients with CES versus lumbar herniated discs patients without CES, operated for sciatica. The aims of this study are 1) evaluating the association of MRI features with clinical presentation and outcome of CES and 2) comparing lumbar spinal canal diameters of lumbar herniated disc patients with CES versus lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated because of sciatica. Methods MRIs of CES patients were assessed for the following features: level of disc lesion, type (uni- or bilateral) and severity of caudal compression. Pre- and postoperative clinical features (micturition dysfunction, defecation dysfunction, altered sensation of the saddle area) were retrieved from the medical files. In addition, anteroposterior (AP) lumbar spinal canal diameters of CES patients were measured at MRI. AP diameters of lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated for sciatica, were measured for comparison. Results 48 CES patients were included. At MRI, bilateral compression was seen in 82%; complete caudal compression in 29%. MRI features were not associated with clinical presentation nor outcome. AP diameter was measured for 26 CES patients and for 31 lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated for sciatica. Comparison displayed a significant smaller AP diameter of the lumbar spinal canal in CES patients (largest p = 0.002). Compared to average diameters in literature, diameters of CES patients were significantly more often below average than that of the sciatica patients (largest p = 0.021). Conclusion This is the first study demonstrating differences in lumbar spinal canal size between lumbar herniated disc patients with CES and lumbar herniated disc patients without CES, operated for sciatica. This finding might imply that lumbar herniated disc patients with a relative small lumbar spinal canal might need to be approached differently in managing complaints of herniated disc. Since the number of studied patients is relatively small, further research should be conducted before clinical consequences are considered.