Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of Ventriculomegaly in Association with Myelomeningocele: Correlation with Gestational Age and Severity of Posterior Fossa Deformity

PURPOSE To investigate the relationship of ventriculomegaly (VM) with gestational age (GA) and the severity of the associated Chiari II malformation. MATERIALS AND METHODS The sonograms of 51 fetuses with myelomeningoceles were retrospectively reviewed. VM was judged to be present when the transverse ventricular atrial diameter was greater than 10 mm. The severity of the posterior fossa (PF) deformity was subjectively graded as mild, moderate, or severe. Thirty-four fetuses were scanned at < or = 24 weeks GA, and 17 were scanned at > 24 weeks GA. RESULTS The prevalence of VM was 61%. However, only 44% of fetuses < or = 24 weeks GA had VM, whereas 94% of fetuses > 24 weeks GA had VM. When compared with fetuses with mild PF deformities, fetuses with moderate or severe deformities had a higher prevalence of VM and the largest ventricles. CONCLUSION The prevalence of VM in fetuses with myelomeningoceles varies with both GA and the severity of the associated PF deformity. These observations may provide additional prognostic information once a myelomeningocele is detected at sonography.
Research on Ontology-Based Text Clustering

Text clustering as a method of organizing retrieval results can organize large amounts of web search into a small number of clusters in order to facilitate users¿ quickly browsing. In this paper, we propose a text clustering method based on ontology which is different from traditional text clustering and can improve clustering results performance. This method implements word clustering by calculating word relativity and then implements text classification. Experiments show that the proposed method clustering trends to perform better than only single term frequency based method.
Outcomes of a Federally Funded Program for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention in Higher Education

This paper presents the results of the Nationwide Campuses Study that measure the impact of programs supported by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) for collegiate alcohol and other drug (AOD) prevention efforts. Outcomes were measured by using standardized pre‐ and post‐program items on the Core Alcohol and Drug Survey and adjusted prevalences of AOD use. Although student awareness of AOD prevention programs increased during the funding period, there also were increases in the desire for drugs at parties and in the frequencies of arrests for driving while intoxicated or under the influence and of poor academic performance. Adjusted prevalences of alcohol, marijuana, and cocaine use among students increased, while tobacco use decreased. Curriculum infusion, administrative response, and faculty and community activities most clearly were associated with favorable outcomes. Overall, however, FIPSE funding had limited short‐term impact on AOD use and its consequences in higher education.
How consistent are innovation indicators? A factor ananlysis of CIS data

We discuss the strengths and weaknesses of five alternative innovation indicators: R&D, patent applications, total innovation expenditure and shares in sales taken by imitative and by innovative products as they were measured in the 1992 Community Innovation Survey (CIS) in the Netherlands. We conclude that the two most commonly used indicators (R&D and patent applications) have more (and more severe) weaknesses than is often assumed. Moreover, our factor analysis suggests that there is little correlation between these indicators. This underlines the empirical relevance of various sources of bias of innovation indicators as discussed in this paper.
Comparison of concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy versus concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma: a meta-analysis of 793 patients from 5 randomized controlled trials.

PURPOSE The main objective of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy and toxicity of concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone in the treatment of locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma. METHODS The search strategy included Pubmed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Internet Web, Chinese Biomedical Database and Wanfang Database. We also searched reference lists of articles and the volumes of abstracts of scientific meetings. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared concurrent chemoradiotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy with concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone in locoregionally advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma were included. Meta-analysis was performed with RevMan 5.1. 0. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation system (GRADE) was used to rate the level of evidence. RESULTS Five studies were included. Risk ratios of 1.02 (95%CI 0.89-1.15), 0.93 (95%CI 0.72-1.21), 1.07 (95%CI 0.87-1.32), 0.95 (95%CI 0.80-1.13) were observed for 3 years overall survival, 5 years failure-free survival, 5 years loco- regional failure-free survival and 5 years distant metastasis failure-free survival. There were no treatment-related deaths in both groups of five studies. Hematologic and gastrointestinal toxicity were the most significant for patients during adjuvant chemotherapy. The level of evidence was low. CONCLUSION Compared with concurrent chemoradiotherapy alone, concurrent chemotherapy followed by adjuvant chemotherapy did not improve prognosis. More toxicity was found during adjuvant chemotherapy.
On the road to health.

The Prevention of All Cancers is Dr. Clark’s newest addition to her “cure yourself” books. In this book Dr. Clark states Cancer can be cured, not just treated. Kill the malignancy-causing parasite and the tumor-causing bacteria. Learn the dietary triggers for each oncovirus that immortalizes your tumor cells. Outwit RAS, MYC, NEU, SRC, SV40, JUN, and FOS with diet. Follow a tester’s protocol that guarantees success. Get your immunity back with electricity: zapping, plate-zapping and homeography. Make it easier than ever to find your health again. Learn the single epidemiological factor that destroys your immunity. Avoid it and live free of rare diseases, inherited diseases and cancer. Cancer has many contributors but the main actors form a single chain of events. Pull out one link and the whole cancer process is blocked. This kind of prevention is more powerful than a cure. You can get started now! for your pets, too. [Contains 623 pages, available only in hardback. ]
Vascular and Nonvascular Mimics of the CT Angiography “Spot Sign” in Patients With Secondary Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Background and Purpose— The newly-described computed tomography angiography (CTA) Spot Sign is present in about one third of patients with acute primary intracerebral hemorrhage (PICH) and predicts hematoma expansion. This sign has not been systematically evaluated in patients with secondary causes of ICH, and mimics have not been characterized. The purpose of this study was to assess for the presence of the Spot Sign in secondary ICH and to document potential mimics of the Spot Sign and their distinguishing features. Methods— We performed a retrospective chart review of consecutive patients presenting with ICH to our regional stroke center between January 2002 and May 2007. Ninety-six ICH patients underwent a CT stroke protocol including CTA. CTA documented a secondary cause for hemorrhage in 30 patients (31%). Each patient was assessed for the presence or absence of the CTA Spot Sign or a mimic by 2 blinded neuroradiologists. Clinical and radiological features of PICH and secondary ICH were compared. Results— No patients with secondary ICH had a true CTA Spot Sign, but several Spot Sign mimics were identified including: micro AVM, posterior communicating artery aneurysm, Moya Moya, and neoplasm-associated calcification. The secondary ICH group was younger (P=0.0001) and less likely to be hypertensive at presentation (P=0.0114). Significant hematoma expansion (>33% increase from baseline volume) occurred in 20% of secondary ICH patients and 28% of PICH patients (P=0.2463). Conclusion— This study describes mimics of the CTA Spot Sign and classifies them as vascular (microAVM, aneurysm, Moya Moya) or nonvascular (tumor and choroid plexus calcification). Evaluation of the noncontrast CT together with the CTA source images is an essential part of the evaluation for the Spot Sign. Vessels entering the hematoma from the periphery are indicative of an underlying vascular lesion. Our findings suggest that the Spot Sign may be rare in secondary ICH and most specific for PICH.
Comments on "A possibilistic approach to clustering"

In this comment, we report a difficulty with the-application of the possibilistic approach to fuzzy clustering (PCM) proposed by Keller and Krishnapuram (1993). In applying this algorithm we found that it has the undesirable tendency to produce coincidental clusters. Results illustrating this tendency are reported and a possible explanation for the PCM behavior is suggested.
The Metagalactic Ionizing Radiation Field at Low Redshift

We compute the ionizing radiation field at low redshift, arising from Seyferts, QSOs, and starburst galaxies. This calculation combines recent Seyfert luminosity functions, extrapolated ultraviolet fluxes from our IUE-AGN database, and a new intergalactic opacity model based on Hubble Space Telescope and Keck Lyα absorber surveys. At z = 0 for AGNs only, our best estimate for the specific intensity at 1 ryd is I0 = 1.3 × 10-23 ergs cm-2 s-1 Hz-1 sr-1 , independent of H0, Ω0, and Λ. The one-sided ionizing photon flux is Φion ≈ 3400 photons cm-2 s-1, and the H I photoionization rate is Γ = 3.2 × 10-14 s-1, for αs = 1.8. We also derive ΓH I for z = 0–4. These error ranges reflect uncertainties in the spectral indexes for the ionizing EUV (αs = 1.8 ± 0.3) and the optical/UV (αUV = 0.86 ± 0.05), the IGM opacity model, the range of Seyfert luminosities (0.001L*–100L*), and the completeness of the luminosity functions. Our estimate is a factor of 3 lower than the most stringent upper limits on the ionizing background (Φion < 104 photons cm-2 s-1) obtained from Hα observations in external clouds, and it lies within the range implied by other indirect measures. Starburst galaxies with a sufficiently large Lyman continuum escape fraction, ⟨fesc⟩ ≥ 0.05, may provide a comparable background to AGNs, I0(z = 0) = 1.1 × 10-23 ergs cm-2 s-1 Hz-1 sr-1 . An additional component of the ionizing background of this magnitude would violate neither upper limits from Hα observations nor the acceptable range from other measurements.
Orbiting pairs of walking droplets: Dynamics and stability

A decade ago, Couder and Fort [Phys. Rev. Lett. 97, 154101 (2006)] discovered that a millimetric droplet sustained on the surface of a vibrating fluid bath may self-propel through a resonant interaction with its own wave field. We here present the results of a combined experimental and theoretical investigation of the interactions of such walking droplets. Specifically, we delimit experimentally the different regimes for an orbiting pair of identical walkers and extend the theoretical model of Oza et al. [J. Fluid Mech. 737, 552 (2013)] in order to rationalize our observations. A quantitative comparison between experiment and theory highlights the importance of spatial damping of the wave field. Our results also indicate that walkers adapt their impact phase according to the local wave height, an effect that stabilizes orbiting bound states.
A trajetória do BDMG e o desenvolvimento da economia mineira

O objetivo desta dissertacao e tracar a trajetoria do Banco de Desenvolvimento de Minas Gerais BDMG avaliando as alternâncias de estrategias de acao em consonância com as inflexoes historicas da economia mineira e consequentemente de suas necessidades especificas. Pretende-se mostrar que a conduta do BDMG, embora atrelada as necessidades prementes da economia mineira, esteve tambem estreitamente vinculada as orientacoes e determinacoes do governo federal, particularmente do Banco Nacional do Desenvolvimento Economico e Social - BNDES. Ao longo da historia economica mundial, o Estado tornou-se, algumas vezes, um agente atuante, intervindo onde se detectavam falhas de mercado a precariedade das condicoes crediticias para que se procedesse ao crescimento e/ou ao desenvolvimento, via financiamentos de longo prazo, poderia ser apontada como um exemplo dessas falhas. Essa situacao de precariedade ocorreu tanto em paises que necessitavam de recuperacao economica, em decorrencia das guerras mundiais, como tambem em paises que buscavam o desenvolvimento economico. Foi assim no Brasil, quando necessitou sair da condicao de subdesenvolvimento e da dependencia centro-periferia. De forma correlata sucedeu em Minas Gerais: apesar de seus recursos naturais e do avanco da economia brasileira, no final da decada de 1950, a economia mineira ainda nao apresentava evolucao. O BDMG, criado em 1962, para auxiliar o governo estadual a proceder, de maneira estruturada, a promocao do desenvolvimento, se apresentou como agente importante e responsavel por programas, de medio e longo prazo, destinados a dispersar os desequilibrios e desigualdades em nivel regional e entre Minas Gerais e os demais entes da federacao. Conclusivamente, a partir de entao, e pelas decadas seguintes, a economia mineira tem evoluido acima da media nacional.
Don't be scared, be angry: the politics and ethics of Ebola

The current outbreak of Ebola virus disease in West Africa is the worst so far. The unprecedented extent of mortality and morbidity in this outbreak has followed more from imposition of neoliberal economic policies on the countries affected than from the biological virulence of Ebola virus. The lack of vaccines and medications for Ebola virus disease is evidence that markets cannot reliably supply treatments for epidemic diseases. We attribute the current difficulties in containment chiefly to the erosion or non‐development of the health and medical infrastructure needed to respond effectively, as a direct result of market‐privileging policies imposed in the interests of wealthy nations. These events and responses hold lessons for public health priorities in Australia.
Theory of X-ray scattering by liquid macromolecules with heavy atom labels

Résumé. 2014 On calcule l’intensité de diffusion des rayons X par une phase liquide pure formée de macromolécules marquées par des atomes lourds I, soit à une extrémité (cas A), soit aux deux extrémités (cas B). Dans le cas A, on trouve une corrélation non triviale entre atomes I, due aux répulsions de volume exclu entre chaines porteuses. Dans le cas B, cet effet entre en compétition avec la corrélation directe entre paires I I portées par une même chaine. Au total, quoique les chaînes individuelles soient essentiellement gaussiennes, la fonction de corrélation I I est très différente d’une gaussienne. On discute aussi brièvement les complications qui surgissent si les atomes lourds I ont tendance à s’associer. Abstract. 2014 The present paper discusses pure liquid phases of long chain molecules each of them carrying heavy atoms « I » either at one end (case A) or at both ends (case B). For case A we find a non trivial I I correlation, due to the repulsion between carrier chains. For caxe B, the above effect competes against the direct correlation between I I pairs belonging to the same coil. Thus, although each coil is essentially gaussian, the overall I I correlation function is very diffe- rent from a gaussian. Complications due tu possible specific associations between the heavy atoms are also discussed.
Evaluation of the Innovance d-Dimer Assay for the Diagnosis of Disseminated Intravascular Coagulopathy in Different Clinical Settings

Disseminated intravascular coagulopathy (DIC) is a serious disease with fatal consequences. We prospectively analyzed Innovance d-dimer immunoturbidimetric assay in 68 patients diagnosed with DIC on the background of malignancy (22), severe infection (20), or multitrauma (26) at a single institution between January 2010 and January 2011. Median age was 61 years (range 20-89). All patients were assessed according to the International Society of Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) DIC score. Applying a threshold of Innovance d-dimer of 10 mg/L fibrinogen equivalent unit (normal <0.5) was correlated with the highest sensitivity in malignancy (86%) and trauma/surgery (80%) compared to 54% in infection. The specificity remained high at 97% in infection, 81% in trauma and 77% in malignancy with a negative predictive value of 97% in trauma and malignancy, and 88% in infection. Our data suggest that Innovance d-dimer is a useful and simple tool that enhances the ISTH DIC diagnostic criteria. Further studies to confirm these findings are warranted.
MEK Kinase 2 and the Adaptor Protein Lad Regulate Extracellular Signal-Regulated Kinase 5 Activation by Epidermal Growth Factor via Src

ABSTRACT Lad is an SH2 domain-containing adaptor protein that binds MEK kinase 2 (MEKK2), a mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) kinase kinase for the extracellular signal-regulated kinase 5 (ERK5) and JNK pathways. Lad and MEKK2 are in a complex in resting cells. Antisense knockdown of Lad expression and targeted gene disruption of MEKK2 expression results in loss of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and stress stimuli-induced activation of ERK5. Activation of MEKK2 and the ERK5 pathway by EGF and stress stimuli is dependent on Src kinase activity. The Lad-binding motif is encoded within amino acids 228 to 282 in the N terminus of MEKK2, and expression of this motif blocks Lad-MEKK2 interaction, resulting in inhibition of Src-dependent activation of MEKK2 and ERK5. JNK activation by EGF is similarly inhibited by loss of Lad or MEKK2 expression and by blocking the interaction of MEKK2 and Lad. Our studies demonstrate that Src kinase activity is required for ERK5 activation in response to EGF, MEKK2 expression is required for ERK5 activation by Src, Lad and MEKK2 association is required for Src activation of ERK5, and EGF and Src stimulation of ERK5-regulated MEF2-dependent promoter activity requires a functional Lad-MEKK2 signaling complex.
Role of the liver in the control of glucose‐lipid utilization and body weight

Purpose of review This review depicts recent developments concerning the role of the liver in control of carbohydrate and lipid utilization from ingestion to storage; it covers the liver's influence on food intake, post‐absorptive nutrient metabolism and body weight. The mechanisms involved have implications for the pathogenesis of obesity and type II diabetes. Recent findings Recent studies have identified some of the molecular and biochemical mechanisms which control whole body and hepatic carbohydrate and lipid metabolism, thus providing the basis of the liver's role in the control of food intake, metabolism, and body weight. Fatty acids are known to effect gene transcription in various ways. Advances in our understanding of the control of glucose and lipid utilization by the liver include (1) a better functional characterization of some newly discovered transcription factors, (2) new discoveries concerning the physiological and pathophysiological role of hepatic glucokinase and of the glycogen‐targeting subunits of protein phosphatase‐1, and (3) the demonstration of substantial overlap in the molecular control mechanisms of glucose‐lipid utilization. Also, impaired insulin signaling due to a certain gene (Foxo1) has emerged as a possible unifying mechanism for various common metabolic abnormalities of type II diabetes. Finally, recent findings confirm and extend previous knowledge about the important role of hepatic nerves in the control of liver and whole body glucose‐lipid utilization. Summary The identification of new molecular and neural mechanisms of the hepatic control of glucose‐lipid utilization and body weight provides a focus for future studies and may eventually help to develop new treatments for obesity and type II diabetes.
Effects of convergent strabismus on the development of physiologically identified retinogeniculate axons in cats

We have studied the effects of surgically induced convergent strabismus (esotropia) on the morphological development of retinogeniculate X and Y axon arbors in cats. Single axons were recorded in the lateral geniculate nucleus or in the optic tract adjacent to the nucleus, classified physiologically, and injected intracellularly with horseradish peroxidase. The arbors of recovered axons were compared with X and Y axon arbors from normally reared adult cats. Our data demonstrate that while X axon arbors are relatively normal, the arbors of Y axons are profoundly affected by rearing with strabismus. Y axons, whether originating from the deviated or the nondeviated eye, have substantially smaller arbors and fewer boutons in the A‐laminae of the lateral geniculate nucleus compared to Y axons in normal cats. The C‐lamina terminations of contralaterally projecting Y axons in the strabismic cats are unaffected. These results suggest that the postnatal development of retinogeniculate Y axon arbors in the A‐laminae is strongly influenced by abnormalities in postnatal visual experience. Furthermore, the present data suggest that, in addition to intraocular competitive interactions between X and Y axons previously proposed to account for the effects of other rearing conditions, interactions between afferents from the two eyes must also be involved in the development of at least Y axons.
Spinal or nerve block for knee arthroscopy?

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MARS: a multiple access scheme with sender driven and reception first for smart antenna in ad hoc networks

The deployment of directional antennas offers many advantages, such as transmission range extension, co-channel interference reducing, the increasing of spatial reuse degree, throughput improving of networks, and transmission power saving. Hence, many ad hoc MAC protocols with directional antennas have been proposed. However, these protocols do not provide significant improvement of network performance due to the lack of supporting multiple transmissions and receptions simultaneously. With the adaptive beam-forming system (Smart Antenna), a newly designed MAC protocol (MARS) that enables nodes with multiple transmissions and receptions is proposed. Simulation results show that our MARS do exploit the advantage of space division multiple access. In terms of total number of data forward and complete sessions in bottleneck nodes, MARS achieves three times better than Novel and nine times better than IEEE 802.11. In addition, the end-to-end delay keeps very short. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.