Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The prognostic value of stress/rest gated myocardial perfusion SPECT in patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease

Introduction:Gated myocardial perfusion SPECT has diagnostic and prognostic values in coronary artery disease (CAD). We tried to determine prognostic values of the left ventricular perfusion & functional indices as well as transient left ventricular dilation (TID) derived from gated myocardial perfusion SPECT. Methods: 1820patients who underwent gated myocardial perfusion SPECT (Gated SPECT) were studied. The summed stress score (SSS), summed rest score (SRS) and summed difference score (SDS) were calculated. Cardiac events considered as nonfatal myocardial infarction, cardiac death, Coronary Care Unit admission and revascularization. Mean follow-up period after Gated SPECT was 23±10 months. Results: 1599 patients didn't have any events, while from remaining 221, six patients had an acute MI, 90 patients had CCU admission, 42 patients underwent revascularization and 84 patients died. There was statistically significant difference in the cardiac events based on age, sex, SSS, SRS, SDS, TPD, TID, left ventricular volumes and LVEF. Multivariable Cox regression analysis showed the most and independent predictors of cardiac events are age (P=0.001), SSS (P=0.01) and history of coronary angiography (CA) (P=0.01). History of CA had a greater than 4.4 fold increased incidence of a cardiac event. With increase in SSS for 1 score, 1.4 times and with increase one year in age 1.4 fold increase in future cardiac event were seen. Conclusion: There was a strong association between future cardiac events and clinical history, SSS, SRS, SDS, TPD, TID, left ventricular volumes and LVEF. The most and independent predictors were age, SSS and history of CA.
A documented previous difficult tracheal intubation as a prognostic test for a subsequent difficult tracheal intubation in adults

We investigated the diagnostic accuracy of a documented previous difficult tracheal intubation as a stand‐alone test for predicting a subsequent difficult intubation. Our assessment included patients from the Danish Anaesthesia Database who were scheduled for tracheal intubation by direct laryngoscopy. We used a four‐point scale to grade the tracheal intubation. A previous difficult intubation was defined according to the presence of a record documenting a difficult penultimate tracheal intubation‐score for the 15 499 patients anaesthetised more than once. Our assessment demonstrates that a documented history of previous difficult or failed intubation using direct laryngoscopy are strong predictors of a subsequent difficult or failed intubation and may identify 30% of these patients. Although previous investigators have reported predictive values that exceed our findings markedly, a documented previous difficult or failed tracheal intubation appears in everyday anaesthetic practice to be a strong predictor of a subsequent difficult tracheal intubation.
The intermediate paleolithic : The first bladelet production 40,000 years ago

At Umm el Tlel (Syria), the Intermediate Paleolithic industries, rightly qualified as Transition Industry, are specific by new technical orientations. The bladelets flaking is one of those innovations. Among the four facies that characterize this Intermediate Paleolithic, only two yielded a great bladelets flaking, representing more than a third of the predetermined removals. The presence, on all types of bladelets, of micro use-wear corroborates the internationality of this production.
Characterization of anti‐endothelial cell antibodies in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

IgG anti‐endothelial antibodies (AEA), as measured by EL1SA or immunoblotting technique could be delected in serum samples or 56 out of 64 patients with SLE (88%) and mainly occurred in monomeric form. AEA were not cell specific, because the binding reactivity was absorbed partially by both fibroblasts and peripheral blood mononuclear cells. No correlation was found between the presence of AEA and anti‐nuclear antibodies. Immunoblotting revealed reactivity of AEA against endothelial antigens ranging in size from 15 to 200 kD. AEA litres were significantly higher in patients with joint or skin abnormalities, compared with patients without these abnormalities. A significant correlation was found between nephritis in SLE and the presence of AEA reactivity against endolhelial membrane antigens of 38, 41 and 150 kD. These data show that the pattern of AEA reactivity in serum of SLE patients is heterogeneous, and suggest that AEA against a limited number of antigens may be involved in the pathogenesis of nephritis in SLE.
Effects of age, density and sex ratio on reproductive effort in male reindeer (Rangifer tarandus)

In sexually dimorphic ungulates, male reproductive success depends on fighting with other males for access to females during a brief rutting season. Large body size is necessary for success in intrasexual competition, and af ew large-sized males are often able to monopolize access to female groups. Earlier studies have reported that reproductive effort increases with age until prime-age is reached, and one study that population density lowered effort in (older) males. No study has directly assessed whether there is within-age-class variation in effort resulting from varying levels of intra-male competition. It is reported here the weight loss during the rutting season of 54 individual male reindeer Rangifer tarandus coming from eight herds with varying density (3.3–6.0 deer/km 2 ) and sex ratio (4–28% males). In agreement with earlier studies, reproductive effort was lower for young (1- to 2-year-old) than for prime-aged (3- to 5-year-old) males both on an absolute and relative scale. Among 1-year-old males (n = 33), effort was lower as sex ratio became closer to even, but density during the rutting season had no effect. This suggests that yearling males take a more active role when prime-aged males are absent. In addition to the insight into male ungulate life history, understanding male rutting behaviour may also have implications for population dynamics.
The dependence of polarimetric decomposition parameters on biophysical forest parameters, frequency and methodology

The increasing availability of fully polarimetric SAR data provides a large potential for the assessment of biophysical forest parameters. Aiming at an inversion of polarimetric parameters into forest parameters, this study shows the sensitivity of polarimetric decomposition theorems (Pauli- and H-Ialpha decompositions) to biophysical forest parameters, especially forest density. Effects of non-biophysical parameters on the estimation of decomposition parameters are also shown. The investigations were carried out on fully polarimetric data at L-band (1.3 GHz) and P-band (350 MHz) acquired in 2003 in a preAlpine region in Switzerland with the German E-SAR (Experimental SAR) platform.
100G Transmission Over Transoceanic Distance With High Spectral Efficiency and Large Capacity

In this paper, we review recent advances in undersea 100G system research with high spectral efficiency and large capacity. Several different techniques are covered including spectral shaping, Nyquist wavelength division multiplexing, orthogonal frequency division multiplexing, optical superchannel, tight optical filtering with multisymbol detection using maximum a posteriori probability or maximum likelihood sequence estimation, and coded modulation. In particular, we review several recent experiments transporting >; 10 Tb/s with >; 3 b/s/Hz spectral efficiency over transoceanic distance.
Étude de la relation complexe entre trouble dépressif unipolaire et trouble neurocognitif par une revue de la littérature

L'existence d'une association entre depression et demence a ete questionnee, et la litterature scientifique sur le sujet ne cesse de croitre. Notre revue de la litterature propose un etat des lieux actualise de l'etude du lien entre depression unipolaire et trouble neurocognitif. Elle debute par un rappel de notions fondamentales sur le trouble depressif unipolaire et ses particularites chez le sujet âge et sur les troubles neurocognitifs. Apres avoir rapporte les similitudes cliniques et epidemiologiques entre depression et demence, elle a mis en evidence des arguments solides, mais non consensuels, qui laissent supposer l'existence d'une association entre ces deux entites. Le risque de survenue d'une demence apparait deux fois plus important chez les sujets ayant un antecedent de depression, par comparaison avec ceux sans antecedent de depression. Plusieurs modalites d'association ont ete etudiees, et la notion de temporalite entre la survenue de ces pathologies apparait primordiale. Les depressions a debut precoces pourraient consister en un facteur de risque de demence d'Alzheimer, voire de demence vasculaire, tandis que celles a debut tardif consisteraient en un symptome prodromique de demence. D'autres hypotheses commencent a apparaitre dans la litterature et sont interessantes bien qu'elles restent a conforter, celle du continuum entre depression et demence, l'implication des consommations de benzodiazepines, etc. Au plan physiopathologique, le lien entre ces deux entites semble pouvoir resulter d'une intrication de plusieurs mecanismes (inflammatoires, genetiques, vasculaires, etc.). Une meilleure comprehension du lien entre ces pathologies pourrait avoir des implications majeures pour ces patients et en sante publique (depistage, prevention, prise en charge precoce, etc.) et justifie la poursuite des etudes sur le sujet.
Civic Stratification and the Exclusion of Undocumented Immigrants from Cross-border Health Care

This paper proposes a theoretical framework and an empirical example of the relationship between the civic stratification of immigrants in the United States, and their access to healthcare. We use the 2007 Pew Hispanic Center/Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Hispanic Healthcare Survey, a nationally representative survey of U.S. Latinos (N = 2,783 foreign-born respondents) and find that immigrants who are not citizens or legal permanent residents are significantly more likely to be excluded from care in both the United States and across borders. Legal-status differences in cross-border care utilization persisted after controlling for health status, insurance coverage, and other potential demographic and socioeconomic predictors of care. Exclusion from care on both sides of the border was associated with reduced rates of receiving timely preventive services. Civic stratification, and political determinants broadly speaking, should be considered alongside social determinants of population health and health care.
Unsupervised pattern recognition for the classification of EMG signals

The shapes and firing rates of motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) in an electromyographic (EMG) signal provide an important source of information for the diagnosis of neuromuscular disorders. In order to extract this information from EMG signals recorded at low to moderate force levels, it is required: i) to identify the MUAPs composing the EMG signal, ii) to classify MUAPs with similar shape, and iii) to decompose the superimposed MUAP waveforms into their constituent MUAPs. For the classification of MUAPs two different pattern recognition techniques are presented: i) an artificial neural network (ANN) technique based on unsupervised learning, using a modified version of the self-organizing feature maps (SOFM) algorithm and learning vector quantization (LVQ) and ii) a statistical pattern recognition technique based on the Euclidean distance. A total of 1213 MUAPs obtained from 12 normal subjects, 13 subjects suffering from myopathy, and 15 subjects suffering from motor neuron disease were analyzed. The success rate for the ANN technique was 97.6% and for the statistical technique 95.3%. For the decomposition of the superimposed waveforms, a technique using crosscorrelation for MUAP's alignment, and a combination of Euclidean distance and area measures in order to classify the decomposed waveforms is presented. The success rate for the decomposition procedure was 90%.
Photoreceptors in the rat retina are specifically vulnerable to both hypoxia and hyperoxia

The current study aims to assess the vulnerability of photoreceptors in rat retina to variations in tissue oxygen levels. Young adult Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to air with the concentration of oxygen set at 10% (hypoxia), 21% (room air, normoxia), and four levels of hyperoxia (45%, 65%, 70%, and 75%), for up to 3 weeks. Their retinas were then examined for cell death, using the TUNEL technique. Hypoxia (10% oxygen) for 2 weeks caused a limited but significant rise in the frequency of TUNEL+ (dying) cells in the retina, the great majority (> 90%) being located in the outer nuclear layer (ONL). Hyperoxia also induced an increase in the frequency of TUNEL+ cells, again predominantly in the ONL. The increase rose with duration of exposure, up to 2 weeks. At 2 weeks exposure, the increase was limited yet significant at 45% oxygen, and maximal at 65%. Where the frequencies of TUNEL+ cells were high, it was evident that photoreceptor death was maximal in the midperipheral retina. The adult retina is vulnerable to maintained shifts in oxygen availability to the retina, both below and above normal. The vulnerability is specific to photoreceptors; other retinal neurons appeared resistant to the exposures tested. Shifts in retinal oxygen levels caused by variations in ambient light, by the persistence of light through the normally dark (night) half of the day–night cycle, or by depletion of the photoreceptor population, may contribute to photoreceptor death in the normal retina.
The Prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus Ticks in the Sinop Region of Turkey

This study was conducted in order to determine the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato in Ixodes ricinus ticks, which are the primary vectors of this spirochete, as well as to investigate the effect of I. ricinus population density on the prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. Ticks were collected by blanket dragging in 13 different forest regions of Sinop, Turkey, and its vicinity. Ticks were identified under a stereomicroscope. I. ricinus (n = 334), I. hexagonus (n = 5), Rhipicephalus spp. (n = 10), Dermacentor spp. (n = 7), and Hyalomma spp. (n = 5) were collected. Direct immunofluorescence was used to detect B. burgdorferi in collected ticks. B. burgdorferi was detected in 15.9% (53/334) of the I. ricinus specimens examined. This spirochete was not detected in I. hexagonus, Rhipicephalus spp. , Dermacentor spp. , or Hyalomma spp. The prevalence of B. burgdorferi infection in I. ricinus tended to be higher in regions where I. ricinus was most abundant.
Oncogenic ALK Fusion in Rare and Aggressive Subtype of Colorectal Adenocarcinoma as a Potential Therapeutic Target

Purpose: Chromosomal translocations in the anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) gene have been identified as oncogenic drivers in lung adenocarcinomas and other tumors, recently including rare cases of colorectal carcinoma. We identified a patient with refractory metastatic colorectal carcinoma harboring a STRN–ALK gene fusion who achieved an exceptional clinical benefit to the ALK inhibitor ceritinib. Our goal was to further define the clinicopathologic features of ALK-rearranged colorectal carcinoma in a large cohort. Experimental Design: Clinical cases of colorectal carcinoma evaluated by comprehensive genomic profiling (CGP) or by ALK immunohistochemistry (IHC) were reviewed retrospectively. FISH and microsatellite instability (MSI) analyses were performed. Results: Nine colorectal carcinoma cases harbored ALK gene fusions. Six cases were identified by CGP of 3,157 colorectal carcinoma (0.2%) and three by IHC of 2,980 colorectal carcinoma (0.1%). The ALK fusions involved known ALK partners EML4, C2orf44, CAD, and the novel STRN, PPP1R21, SENPF, MAPRE3, and PRKAP1B partners. These advanced-stage colorectal carcinomas lacked mutations in other oncogenic drivers, predominantly involved the proximal colon, and often exhibited MSI and mucinous phenotype. The index patient was treated with the ALK inhibitor ceritinib, resulting in a marked decrease in size of a skin metastasis, and resolution by computerized tomography of all contrast enhancing tumor. After 9 months of treatment, biopsy of progressive disease demonstrated a KRAS mutation, consistent with acquired resistance to ceritinib. Conclusions: Colorectal carcinoma harboring ALK fusions represent a rare aggressive subtype of colorectal carcinoma with distinct clinicopathologic features. This report provides the first clinical evidence that such patients may benefit from targeted monotherapy with ALK inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 22(15); 3831–40. ©2016 AACR.
Packet Structure and Receiver Design for Low-Latency Communications with Ultra-Small Packets

5G wireless standards require a much lower latency than what current wireless systems can guarantee. The main challenge to fulfill this requirement is the capability to support short packet transmission, in contrast to most of the current standards which use a long data packet structure. In this paper, we propose an efficient receiver technique that exploits information obtained during the data transmission period to improve the reception quality of the short packet transmission. Two key ingredients of the proposed method are 1) estimation of the receiver filter using the received samples in the data transmission period, not in the interference training period, and 2) soft decision- directed channel estimation that uses the data symbols for re-estimation of the channels. Numerical results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed receiver algorithms.
A cardiovascular profile score in the surveillance of fetal hydrops

Objective. To assess the value of a cardiovascular profile score in the surveillance of fetal hydrops. Methods. In a retrospective study, 102 hydropic fetuses were examined between 15 and 37 completed weeks of gestation with ultrasonographic assessment of hydrops, heart size, and cardiac function, and arterial umbilical and venous Doppler sonography of the ductus venosus (DV) and the umbilical vein (UV). A cardiovascular profile score (CVPS) was constructed by attributing 2 points for normal and taking away 1 or 2 points for abnormal findings in each category. The score of the final examination prior to treatment, delivery, or fetal demise was compared to the fetal outcome in these 102 fetuses after exclusion of terminated pregnancies. The scores of the first and last examinations were compared in 40 fetuses and the relationship between these scores and the evolution of fetal hydrops and fetal outcome was assessed. Results. Twenty-one pregnancies were terminated (21%). Fifty-four of the remaining 81 hydropic fetuses survived (67%) and perinatal death (PNM) occurred in 27 fetuses (33%). The median CVPS was 6.0 (IQR 4.75–8.00) for all fetuses, with a median of 6.0 (IQR 5.00–6.00) in fetuses who died in the perinatal period compared to a median of 7.0 (IQR 4.00–8.00) in those who survived (p < 0.035). All fetuses in this study had a ‘severe’ form of hydrops with skin edema. The best predictor for adverse outcome was the venous Doppler sonography of UV and DV, in particular umbilical venous pulsations. Among fetuses included in the longitudinal arm of the study, the survival rate was 40% and the PNM was 60%, after exclusion of terminated pregnancies. CVPS increased by a median of 1 (IQR 0.00–2.00) point in the last exam for those fetuses that lived, whereas among those fetuses that died, the CVPS decreased by a median 1.5 (IQR 0.25–2.75) points (p < 0.001). Conclusions. The fetal cardiovascular profile score can be used in the surveillance of hydropic fetuses for prediction of the presence of congestive heart failure and as an aid for predicting fetal outcome.
Action learning to single robot using MAS — A proposal of agents action decision method based repeated consultation

Robots can employ a multi-agent system (MAS) as a technique to adapt to complex environments. In a MAS, numerous agents operate autonomously, but each agent is required to make decisions by considering other agents. Thus, agent cooperation is an important feature of a MAS. In this study, we focus on a MAS where the agents make connections by reinforcement learning. We propose a method that allows agents to learn and cooperate via communication. The actions of other agents are added to the state of each agent. Each agent performs virtual action selection and communicates with other agents to produce each action output.
Atrial septal defect--echocardiographic assessment before and after surgical repair.

Twenty-two patients with atrial septal defect (ostium secundum type and sinus venosus) were studied by echocardiography before and after surgery. The sizes of the various heart chambers - right and left ventricles, left atrium and aortic root - and the interventricular septum and the left ventricular posterior free wall (motion and thickness) were analysed and compared in the pre and postoperative period. A significant reduction in size of the right ventricle and a normalization of the left ventricular dimension in the early postoperative evaluation was found. The paradoxical motion of the interventricular septum seen in the preoperative period showed an early trend toward normalization. The changes before and after surgery are discussed, particularly for the interventricular septum.
Adult neural stem cells: Long‐term self‐renewal, replenishment by the immune system, or both?

The current model of adult neurogenesis in mammals suggests that adult‐born neurons are generated by stem cells that undergo long‐term self‐renewal, and that a lifetime supply of stem cells resides in the brain. In contrast, it has recently been demonstrated that adult‐born neurons in crayfish are generated by precursors originating in the immune system. This is particularly interesting because studies done many years ago suggest that a similar mechanism might exist in rodents and humans, with bone marrow providing stem cells that can generate neurons. However, the relevance of these findings for natural mechanisms underlying adult neurogenesis in mammals is not clear, because of uncertainties at many levels. We argue here that the recent findings in crayfish send a strong signal to re‐examine existing data from rodents and humans, and to design new experiments that will directly test the contributions of the immune system to adult neurogenesis in mammals.
I Pratylenchus dell'Italia meridionale

Dei nematodi endoparassiti migratori quelli appartenenti al genere Pratylenchus Filipjev, 1934 sono i pili numerosi e hanno pili vasta diffusione nel mondo. Essi penetrano e si riproducono esclusivamente nei tessuti radicali dei loro ospiti e sia gli stadi larvali che gli adulti sono in grado di diffondere Ie loro infestazioni invadendo dal terreno Ie radici capillari delle pi ante sane. Il parenchima corticale e il tessuto preferito da questi parassiti che vi si insediano provocando lesioni, cavita e necrosi. A volte anche i tessuti del cilindro centrale, endodermide e periciclo di preferenza, possono essere danneggiati dalla loro attivita trofica. Le radici infestate imbruniscono e presentano sull'epidermide tacche necrotiche in corrispandenza delle loro colonie. Di conseguenza Ie piante intristiscono e manifestano crescita stentata e scars a produzione, accompagnate da clorosi diffusa per il sopravvenire di altri fattori avversi, quali infezioni fungine e batteriche. La gravita dei danni causati da questi nematodi e la lora patogenicita varia a seconda delle specie e sono state ampiamente dimostrate sperimentalmente (si vedano tra gli altri Corbett, 1973, 1974; Loof, 1974; Townshend e Andersen, 1976). In questa nota vengono elencate Ie specie di Pratylenchus che pili frequentemente sona state rinvenute nell'ltalia meridionale. Di esse oltre alIa illustrazione morfologica vengono fornite notizie sul comportamento biologico e sulle alterazioni indotte nelle radici degli ospiti principali.