Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Simultaneous Epidural and Vascular Injection During Cervical Transforaminal Epidural Injections

Study Design. Prospective, observational in vivo study. Objective. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of simultaneous epidural and vascular contrast injection during cervical transforaminal epidural injections. Summary of Background Data. In the lumbar spine, vascular contrast patterns are more than twice as likely to appear simultaneous to the anticipated epidural pattern, than they are to occur alone. This is important because practitioners are more likely to miss a vascular pattern when it appears simultaneous to the expected epidural flow. The incidence of intravascular penetration in cervical transforaminal epidural injections is known to exceed than that of lumbar injections, however, no study has determined the incidence of simultaneous epidural and vascular injection in the cervical spine. Methods. Contrast patterns were observed with live fluoroscopy during 121 injections performed on 82 patients and categorized as one of the following: epidural only, vascular only, or simultaneous epidural and vascular. Results. The incidence of simultaneous epidural and vascular injection during cervical transforaminal epidural injections was 18.9%. The incidence of vascular only injection was 13.9%, for a total vascular injection incidence of 32.8%. There was no correlation between the observed contrast pattern with patients’ age, sex, side of injection, needle gauge, or diagnosis. There was a significant correlation between the level of injection and the risk of vascular injection. The higher the injection level, the higher the probability of a vascular injection. Fluoroscopy time was significantly increased when a vascular injection was identified. Conclusion. Simultaneous epidural and vascular injection accounts for over half of all vascular injections during cervical transforaminal epidural injections. With the risk of severe complications and high incidence of vascular injections in the cervical spine, live fluoroscopy is recommended during contrast injection with specific attention to simultaneous epidural and vascular flow.
A interação entre sistemas de informação e o trabalho no setor bancário no Brasil: uma análise estruturalista

RESUMO Este artigo apresenta os resultados finais de uma pesquisa que teve como questão central o entendimento das condições da interação entre o trabalho e três sistemas de informação (SIs) utilizados no setor bancário. Buscamos compreender como sistemas são reconstruídos por seus usuários nas práticas do trabalho, e como o trabalho é modificado pela inserção de novos sistemas. A coleta de dados para a investigação foi realizada com base em 46 entrevistas semi-estruturadas e pela análise de documentos referentes aos sistemas. Com base no método estruturalista, buscamos a estrutura que subjaz às práticas adotadas pelos agentes, incidentes sobre os SIs e sobre o trabalho. Pela análise dos dados empíricos, encontramos uma estrutura manifesta de arranjo operacional: uma combinação entre várias práticas, que assegura que a interação entre os agentes e os sistemas, por meio do trabalho, aconteça. Pela interpretação dessa estrutura manifesta, encontramos a estrutura subjacente, que explica o observado. Revelamos uma estrutura de conversão recíproca, que se dá pela tecnicização do trabalho e pela humanização dos sistemas. É no ajustamento continuado entre o trabalho e os SIs que a tecnologia ganha adequação ao contexto e que as pessoas se tornam mais bem preparadas para lidar com a tecnologia. As contribuições teórica, metodológica e prática da pesquisa são discutidas ao final do artigo.
A necessary and sufficient LMI condition for stability of 2D mixed continuous-discrete-time systems

This paper addresses the problem of establishing stability of 2D mixed continuous-discrete-time systems. Traditional stability analysis for 2D systems gives a sufficient condition based on 2D version of a Lyapunov equation. Here, a linear matrix inequality (LMI) condition is proposed that extends these results by introducing complex Lyapunov functions depending polynomially on a parameter and by exploiting the Gram matrix method. It is shown that this condition is sufficient for 2D exponential stability for any chosen degree of the Lyapunov function candidate, and it is also shown that this condition is also necessary for a sufficiently large degree. Moreover, an a priori bound on the degree required for achieving necessity is given. Some numerical examples illustrate the proposed methodology.
TAK1 Is a Component of the Epstein-Barr Virus LMP1 Complex and Is Essential for Activation of JNK but Not of NF-κB*

Epstein-Barr virus latent membrane protein 1 (LMP1) activates NF-κB and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK), which is essential for LMP1 oncogenic activity. Genetic analysis has revealed that tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 6 (TRAF6) is an indispensable intermediate of LMP1 signaling leading to activation of both NF-κB and JNK. However, the mechanism by which LMP1 engages TRAF6 for activation of NF-κB and JNK is not well understood. Here we demonstrate that TAK1 mitogen-activated protein kinase kinase kinase and TAK1-binding protein 2 (TAB2), together with TRAF6, are recruited to LMP1 through its N-terminal transmembrane region. The C-terminal cytoplasmic region of LMP1 facilitates the assembly of this complex and enhances activation of JNK. In contrast, IκB kinase γ is recruited through the C-terminal cytoplasmic region and this is essential for activation of NF-κB. Furthermore, we found that ablation of TAK1 resulted in the loss of LMP1-induced activation of JNK but not of NF-κB. These results suggest that an LMP1-associated complex containing TRAF6, TAB2, and TAK1 plays an essential role in the activation of JNK. However, TAK1 is not an exclusive intermediate for NF-κB activation in LMP1 signaling.
Architectures for one billion of transistors

Transistor budgets have been increasing at a very fast pace in the last years. This increasing transistor density will lead next generation processors to have a billion transistors available. It is the task of the computer architect to find the best way to use them.Out of order superscalar processors exploit parallelism at the finer grain, exploiting Instruction Level Parallelism (ILP). They issue multiple instructions per cycle, often in an order other than the specified by the programmer, using branch prediction and other speculative execution techniques in order to increase the available parallelism.Very Long Instruction Word (VLIW) processors also exploit parallelism at the instruction level, but they mostly rely on the compiler to detect the available parallelism. This increased compiler role allows a simpler design, and can be run at a faster clock rate, compensating for the loss of ILP.Chip Multiprocessors (CMP) join several narrow superscalar/VLIW components into a single processor, and mostly rely on the Thread Level Parallelism (TLP) for performance. The small and simple components can also run at a faster clock rate compensating for the loss of ILP, and significantly increasing throughput.Simultaneous Multithreaded (SMT) processors are based on wide superscalars, and exploit both ILP and TLP by issuing instructions from several different threads to the same pipeline, obtaining the benefits of TLP without sacrificing the ILP on single-threaded applications.For each of these options we will need to find the best balance between performance, design complexity, and power consumption among other factors. Also, the frontiers between them are not clear, and many intermediate design points can be found which leads to better/simpler/cheaper processors for the next generation of high performance computers.
Uses and limitations of randomization-based efficacy estimators

In randomized trials with departures from allocated treatment, intention-to-treat analysis is important but not always sufficient. The most common supplement to intention-to-treat analysis is per-protocol analysis, whose assumption of comparability between different nonrandomized groups is often implausible. Randomization-based methods avoid making this assumption and are preferable. Situations where intention-to-treat analysis is insufficient and a randomization-based method is useful include provision of patient information, exploration of treatment-covariate and treatment-time interactions, meta-analysis, and equivalence trials.
Complications in the surgical treatment of pediatric high-grade, isthmic dysplastic spondylolisthesis. A comparison of three surgical approaches.

STUDY DESIGN An analysis of consecutive pediatric patients treated surgically for high-grade spondylolisthesis by one of three surgical procedures with emphasis on complications and functional outcomes. OBJECTIVE Complications, radiographic results and patient-assessed function, pain, and satisfaction were assessed among three surgical procedures. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The existing literature is in disagreement about whether it is better to fuse without instrumented reduction or to use instrumentation and reduce high-grade dysplastic spondylolisthesis. METHODS Thirty-two patients had 37 surgical procedures for Meyerding Grade 3 or 4 isthmic dysplastic spondylolisthesis. Eleven patients were treated with an in situ L4-sacrum posterior fusion without decompression (Group 1), 7 had posterior decompression with posterior instrumentation and posterior fusion (Group 2), and 19 patients had reduction and a circumferential fusion procedure (Group 3). All patients had new radiographs taken at time of follow-up (average, 3.1 years; range, 2 years-10 years, 1 month) and completed a functional outcome questionnaire. RESULTS The incidence of pseudarthrosis was 45% (5 of 11) in Group 1, 29% (2 of 7) in Group 2, and 0% (0 of 19) in Group 3. All seven who had pseudarthrosis had small L5 transverse process surface area (< 2 cm2; P = 0.004). Only one patient had a neurologic deficit (unilateral extensor hallucis longus weakness) at time of follow-up. There were no significant differences among the groups in function, pain, and satisfaction in patients in whom solid fusion was obtained, but the scores were highest in Group 3. CONCLUSIONS In situ fusion surgery in patients with high-grade spondylolisthesis with small L5 transverse processes (surface area, < 2 cm2) results in a high rate of pseudarthrosis. Circumferential procedures result in the highest rate of fusion and are effective in achieving fusion in those patients with established pseudarthrosis. The use of long (> 60 mm) iliac screws bilaterally (n = 21) in addition to bicortical sacral screws (four-point sacral-pelvis fixation) along with anterior column fusion reduces the risk of instrumentation failure in a decompression and reduction procedure. Outcomes of function, pain, and satisfaction are excellent in those in whom fusion is achieved. The risks in circumferential fusion-reduction procedures are acceptable.
[Age at death in the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study: temporal trend and regional distribution at 56,700 person-years' follow-up].

OBJECTIVES We analyzed the temporal trend and regional distribution of age at all-cause death and the sex-specific and age-bracket defined coronary mortality in the 18-year follow-up of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study. STUDY DESIGN The participants of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study who have been examined in even years were last surveyed in August 2008. A total of 1,582 individuals were surveyed, which constituted half of the alive participants of the overall cohort. Information on death was obtained from first-degree relatives and/or health personnel of local heath offices. Survivors were evaluated by history, physical examination, and 12-lead electrocardiography. The cumulative follow-up was 56,700 person-years. RESULTS Of 1,582 participants, 868 (431 men, 437 women) were examined, in 604 subjects information was gathered, and 47 participants (26 men, 21 women) were ascertained to have died. Twenty-two deaths were classified as of coronary origin. Cumulative assessment of the entire cohort in the age bracket of 45-74 years disclosed coronary mortality to be 7.64 per 1000 person-years in men and 3.84 in women and persisted to be the highest among 30 European countries, whereas overall mortality declined at a greater proportion. Overall mean ages at death were deferred within a 12-year period by 7.4 years in men and 6 years in women, to 71.9 and 74.8 years, respectively. The extension of this mean survival was similar among urban-rural areas and geographic regions. CONCLUSION Coronary mortality declined modestly, but life expectancy of Turkish adults rose by a mean of nearly seven years in the 12 years to 2003-08, without showing major differences in sex, urban-rural dwelling, or geographic regions.
Impact of multiple HPV infection on response to treatment and survival in patients receiving radical radiotherapy for cervical cancer

To obtain information on the incidence and the clinical significance of infection with various types of the human papillomavirus (HPV) in cancer of the uterine cervix, we retrospectively examined the HPV status of 106 patients who had received radical radiotherapy for cervical cancer stages IB to IIIB. DNA was extracted from formalin‐fixed, paraffin‐embedded biopsies and PCR was carried out to identify HPV types 16, 18, 31, 35, 33 and 45. To detect additional HPV types, consensus PCR products were cloned and sequenced. A catalyzed signal‐amplified colorimetric in situ hybridization was carried out in 84 of 106 specimens as a positive control. Response to therapy, progression‐free survival (PFS) and cervical cancer‐specific survival (CCSS) were the statistical endpoints. Survival analysis was carried out using univariate and multivariate analysis (Cox regression). Ninety‐six patients (90.6%) were HPV‐positive and 42/96 (43.7%) were positive for multiple HPV types. Eight patients had persistent disease after radiotherapy. From these 8 patients, 7 were infected with multiple HPV types and only 1 patient had an infection with a single HPV type. After a median follow up period of 50 months, patients with multiple HPV infection had a significantly shorter PFS and CCSS compared to those with single HPV infection (24.8% and 34.9% vs. 64% and 60.8%, Log rank, p < 0.01 and 0.04). In multivariate analysis, the presence of multiple HPV types (RR 1.9), node status (RR 2.3), tumor size (RR 3.2) and histologic type (RR 4.8) were independent prognostic factors of CCSS. Our results demonstrate that the presence of multiple HPV types is associated with poor response and with reduced survival in cervical cancer patients who receive radiotherapy as the primary treatment. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Choice of oviposition sites by Manduca sexta and its consequences for egg and larval performance

The preference‐performance hypothesis predicts that female insects should prefer to lay eggs in locations that enhance offspring performance. This study examines the choices of females regarding where to oviposit within plants, focusing on the hawkmoth Manduca sexta L. (Lepidoptera: Sphingidae) and its host Datura wrightii Regel (Solanaceae) in the southwestern USA. Smaller Datura leaves provide cooler microclimates for eggs (which may lead to faster embryonic development, shortening their exposure to egg predators) and more nitrogen for larvae. In contrast, large leaves reach temperatures that are stressfully high (which slows embryonic development) and provide less nitrogen for larvae. Thus, we would expect females to oviposit on small leaves. To examine whether leaf size influences female preference and offspring performance, we used laboratory and field studies to address the following questions. (1) On what size leaves do females typically oviposit? (2) Does the distribution of eggs in nature differ from that expected by chance? And (3) how does leaf size affect survival or growth of eggs and larvae? We find that oviposition choices of females do not lead to the highest probability of offspring survival. Females lay eggs on larger leaves, likely due to the greater accessibility of those leaves; however, eggs are more likely to hatch on small leaves. Larvae grow faster on large leaves, but larvae are also surprisingly mobile, suggesting that the consequences of oviposition site are minor once eggs have hatched. Larval mobility was seen only in the field, not in the laboratory, emphasizing the importance of field studies for predicting real‐world performance. Although females' leaf choices are potentially risky for eggs, the threats of high temperature and predation may vary sufficiently in space and time that there is no consistent selection for strong preferences. Furthermore, the fitness consequences for eggs and larvae largely offset each other and offspring are sufficiently mobile to cope with the conditions where they are laid.
Anti-oncogenic and oncogenic potentials of interferon regulatory factors-1 and -2

Interferon regulatory factor-1 (IRF-1), a transcriptional activator, and IRF-2, its antagonistic repressor, have been identified as regulators of type I interferon and interferon-inducible genes. The IRF-1 gene is itself interferon-inducible and hence may be one of the target genes critical for interferon action. When the IRF-2 gene was overexpressed in NIH 3T3 cells, the cells became transformed and displayed enhanced tumorigenicity in nude mice. This transformed phenotype was reversed by concomitant overexpression of the IRF-1 gene. Thus, restrained cell growth depends on a balance between these two mutually antagonistic transcription factors.
A prospective study of the determinants of renal functional outcome and mortality in atherosclerotic renovascular disease.

Atherosclerotic renovascular disease (ARVD) commonly causes renal failure and hypertension and is accompanied by high cardiovascular comorbidity and mortality. Interrelationships between these factors remain poorly understood. Patients with ARVD presenting to a single center between 1995 and 1999 were followed up, with prospective collection of clinical and biochemical data. Fifty men and 48 women were identified. Mean age at entry was 68.7 +/- 8.3 (SD) years, and baseline creatinine clearance (CrCl) was 35.5 +/- 20.7 mL/min. During follow-up (27.7 +/- 18.7 months), 10 patients required dialysis therapy, 11 patients underwent revascularization, and 35 patients (36%) died. Patients in whom renal function deteriorated during follow-up (n = 61) had similar ages, baseline CrCls, blood pressures, and comorbidities compared to patients with stable function. Mortality (55.7% versus 27.0%; P < 0.01) and proteinuria (protein, 1.3 +/- 1.6 versus 0.3 +/- 0.4 g/24 h; P < 0.001) were greater in patients with declining function. Baseline renal function was not significantly related to blood pressure, proteinuria, or change in renal function during follow-up (change in CrCl), but patients with a lower CrCl had increased mortality. There was no increase in cardiovascular comorbidity in groups with lower renal function. Patients with the most severe anatomic ARVD had worse hypertension and increased mortality, but severity of ARVD was unrelated to extent of renal dysfunction and proteinuria at baseline. Lack of correlation between renal artery anatomy and baseline renal function or functional outcome and correlation between renal functional outcome and proteinuria suggest that renal parenchymal damage is a major determinant of renal dysfunction and outcome in ARVD.
Monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1 is rapidly expressed by sympathetic ganglion neurons following axonal injury

ED1-immunoreactive macrophages, absent from the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) of normal rats, appear in these ganglia within 48 h after postganglionic axotomy. Further, resident macrophages show changes after axotomy. Since chemokines function as chemoattractants and activators of leukocytes, the effects of axotomy on chemokine expression in the SCG were examined. Within 6 h after nerve transection, increases were seen in mRNA levels for monocyte chemoattractant protein (MCP)-1. MCP-1 mRNA was concentrated in a population of neurons, while MCP-1 protein was localized to endothelial cells. This axotomy-induced neuronal MCP-1 expression may trigger the infiltration and/or activation of macrophages in SCG after injury.
Digital privacy and social capital on social network sites. friends or foes?

Previous1 literature indicates that SNSs users, and especially Facebook ones, are willing to share information and consequently "sacrifice" their digital privacy in order to obtain bonding or bridging social capital. Additionally, most of the previous research has been administrated to young adults or college students in USA, disregarding the interactional dynamics of these concepts that result in users' sharing on SNSs. This paper attempts to identify their correlation through an exploratory survey administrated to a Greek working adult population using Facebook in particular, while taking into consideration intermediary factors during their decision-making disclosure process. Findings show that perceived social capital has a greater impact on FB self-disclosure than privacy concerns, indicating that self-disclosure comprises an important factor to explore and interpret this relationship in order for further understanding of users' behaviors on FB to be achieved.
Results on significant anomalies of state values after key scheduling algorithm in RC4

It is already known that the internal permutation of the stream cipher RC4 generally deviates from a random permutation. These deviations are termed as biases, theoretical justification of which is being reported since early 2000. However, there are several biases (anomalies), which are not proven till date. In this study, the authors provide the theoretical proofs of all significant anomalies of RC4 in the 16-byte key setting. In the process, they also provide the theoretical justification of the zig-zag type distribution of the 31st output byte of RC4 (first discovered and presented by AlFardan et al. in USENIX 2013).
Two Novel DV-Hop Localization Algorithms for Randomly Deployed Wireless Sensor Networks

Aiming at solving the problem of low accuracy in traditional distance vector-hop (DV-hop) algorithm used for wireless sensor networks node location, two refined localization algorithms, that is, hyperbolic-DV-hop localization algorithm and improved weighted centroid DV-hop localization algorithm (IWC-DV-hop), are proposed in this paper. Instead of taking the average HopSize of BeaconNode nearest to the UnknownNode, hyperbolic-DV-hop algorithm chooses the average of average HopSizes of all BeaconNodes, as the average HopSize of the UnknownNode. The ML localization algorithm is also replaced by hyperbolic location algorithm. IWC-DV-hop algorithm improves the accuracy by selecting appropriate BeaconNodes and replacing ML localization with centroid localization. And a weighted scheme is used in IWC-DV-hop so that the influence of different anchors is taken into consideration. Simulations have been conducted to prove that the accuracy is improved by both of the two algorithms and IWC-DV-hop is the best choice.
Breast MRI using a high-relaxivity contrast agent: an overview.

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to review the use of gadobenate dimeglumine, a high-relaxivity gadolinium-based contrast material, for breast MRI. CONCLUSION Thanks to its high relaxivity, gadobenate dimeglumine offers valuable advantages in terms of lesion conspicuity, detection rate, and sensitivity for malignant breast lesions. However, a higher enhancement of benign lesions should be taken into account to avoid reduced specificity.