Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Do Lordotic Cages Provide Better Segmental Lordosis Versus Nonlordotic Cages in Lateral Lumbar Interbody Fusion (LLIF)?

Study Design: A retrospective comparative radiographic review. Objective: To evaluate the radiographic changes brought about by lordotic and nonlordotic cages on segmental and regional lumbar sagittal alignment and disk height in lateral lumbar interbody fusion (LLIF). Summary of Background Data: The effects of cage design on operative level segmental lordosis in posterior interbody fusion procedures have been reported. However, there are no studies comparing the effect of sagittal implant geometry in LLIF. Methods: This is a comparative radiographic analysis of consecutive LLIF procedures performed with use of lordotic and nonlordotic interbody cages. Forty patients (61 levels) underwent LLIF. Average age was 57 years (range, 30–83 y). Ten-degree lordotic PEEK cages were used at 31 lumbar interbody levels, and nonlordotic cages were used at 30 levels. The following parameters were measured on preoperative and postoperative radiographs: segmental lordosis; anterior and posterior disk heights at operative level; segmental lordosis at supra-level and subjacent level; and overall lumbar (L1–S1) lordosis. Measurement changes for each cage group were compared using paired t test analysis. Results: The use of lordotic cages in LLIF resulted in a significant increase in lordosis at operative levels (2.8 degrees; P=0.01), whereas nonlordotic cages did not (0.6 degrees; P=0.71) when compared with preoperative segmental lordosis. Anterior and posterior disk heights were significantly increased in both groups (P<0.01). Neither cage group showed significant change in overall lumbar lordosis (lordotic P=0.86 vs. nonlordotic P=0.25). Conclusions: Lordotic cages provided significant increase in operative level segmental lordosis compared with nonlordotic cages although overall lumbar lordosis remained unchanged. Anterior and posterior disk heights were significantly increased by both cages, providing basis for indirect spinal decompression.
Automatic Detection and Tracking of Animal Sperm Cells in Microscopy Images

Sperm tracking-and-analysis is one of the interesting topics in biological research and reproductive medicine, as it helps to assess the quality of the sperm for the male infertility. Computer-Assisted Sperm Analysis (CASA) systems provide a rapid and automated assessment of the parameters of sperm motion, together with improved standardization and quality control. In this paper, we propose a method to detect and track animal sperms automatically. First, we detect the sperms in the first frame of all the sequences using a bag-of-words approach and SVM classifier. Then, the detected sperm cells are tracked in the rest of all sequences using mean-shift. The proposed algorithm is evaluated on three videos in our datasets which have sperms as ground truth. The experimental results show that our method achieves a precision of 0.94, 0.93 and 0.96, and are call of 0.96, 0.92, and 0.97 for the three videos respectively in terms of sperm detection. RMSE (Root mean square error) is calculated to evaluate our results in terms of sperms tracking. The results show that we achieve high performance with RMSE of 8.06, 9.01, and 7.09 pixels for three different videos.
The Core Binding Factor (CBF) α Interaction Domain and the Smooth Muscle Myosin Heavy Chain (SMMHC) Segment of CBFβ-SMMHC Are Both Required to Slow Cell Proliferation*

We have expressed several variants of core binding factor β (CBFβ)-smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC) from the metallothionein promoter in Ba/F3 cells. Deletion of amino acids 2–11 from the CBFβ segment, required for interaction with CBFα, prevented CBFβ-SMMHC from inhibiting CBF DNA binding and cell cycle progression. Deletion of 283 carboxyl-terminal residues from the SMMHC domain, required for multimerization, also inactivated CBFβ-SMMHC. Nuclear expression of CBFβ(Δ2–11)-SMMHC was decreased relative to CBFβ-SMMHC. CBFβ(Δ2–11)-SMMHC linked to a nuclear localization signal still did not slow cell growth. The ability of each CBFβ-SMMHC variant to inhibit CBF DNA binding and cell proliferation correlated with its ability to inhibit transactivation by an AML1-VP16 fusion protein. Thus, CBFβ-SMMHC slows cell cycle progression from G1 to S phase by inhibiting CBF DNA binding and transactivation.
The Feasibility of Magnetic Recording at 10 Terabits Per Square Inch on Conventional Media

This paper proposes a new approach to magnetic recording based on shingled writing and two-dimensional readback and signal-processing. This approach continues the use of conventional granular media but proposes techniques such that a substantial fraction of one bit of information is stored on each grain. Theoretically, areal-densities of the order of 10 Terabits per square inch may be achievable. In this paper we examine the feasibility of this two-dimensional magnetic recording (TDMR) and identify the significant challenges that must be overcome to achieve this vision.
Microvascular Decompression of the Vestibulocochlear Nerve for Disabling Positional Vertigo: The House Ear Clinic Experience

Objective To review characteristics of and outcome in patients undergoing microvascular decompression of the vestibulocochlear nerve. Patients studied had a diagnosis of disabling positional vertigo caused by a vascular loop compressing the VIIIth cranial nerve. Study Design Retrospective chart review and telephone interview. Setting Private practice tertiary neurotologic referral center. Patients Twenty patients with disabling positional vertigo underwent 25 retrosigmoid craniotomies for microvascular decompression between November 1990 and June 1999. The 4 men and 16 women ranged in age from 30 to 71 years (mean age, 46 yr). Main Outcome Measures Charts were reviewed and patients were contacted by telephone and asked to rate severity of symptoms (tinnitus and dizziness) on a 4-point scale (none = 1, mild = 2, moderate = 3, and severe = 4) before and after surgery. They were also asked to rate their overall disability from their symptoms on the six-point scale established by the American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery. Preoperative and postoperative four-frequency (500 Hz, 1 kHz, 2 kHz, and 4 kHz) pure-tone average and speech discrimination scores were calculated and compared. Complications of surgery are also reported. Results Postoperative tinnitus score and dizziness score showed significant improvement from preoperative scores (p ≤ 0.047 and p ≤ 0.001, respectively), with 80% of patients improved in dizziness rating; 85% improved in their overall disability rating, and the difference from preoperative to postoperative was significant (p ≤ 0.001). The mean postoperative pure-tone averages (15.4 dB) and speech discrimination scores (99%) did not differ from preoperative scores (11.9 dB and 98%). One patient lost all vestibular function in the operated ear (hearing remained intact) as the only complication of surgery. When asked, 83% of patients responded that they would have the surgery again. Conclusions Diagnosing disabling positional vertigo secondary to vascular compression of the VIIIth cranial nerve remains the clinical challenge; a clear history plus air-contrast computed tomographic or magnetic resonance imaging make the diagnosis. Microvascular decompression of the vestibulocochlear nerve is a safe and effective operation for these carefully selected patients.
Interactivity innovations, competitive intensity, customer demand and performance

Purpose The purpose of this study is to identify dimensions of interactivity service innovations and examine the moderating effect of external factors, i.e. customer demand and competitive intensity, on the relationship between such service innovations and service firm performance. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected at two levels; the first for validation; and the second for confirmatory and relationship analyses. Structural equation modeling was used in analyzing the relationship between interactivity innovation and service firm performance and environmental moderating effects. Findings The study found that high levels of interactivity innovations, in combination, drive superior performance. It was also found that deployment of high levels of interactivity innovations in high-demand periods is significantly related to high performance. The paper also found that the relationship between high interactivity innovation and financial performance is dampened by intense competition. Originality/value Unlike previous studies, this study found that it is rather high levels of service innovations that maximize performance in service firms operating in emerging economies and not just the implementation of such innovations, and that the implementation must be aligned to the prevailing environmental conditions.
Improved method of in vivo respiratory-gated micro-CT imaging

The presence of motion artifacts is a typical problem in thoracic imaging. However, synchronizing the respiratory cycle with computed tomography (CT) image acquisition can reduce these artifacts. We currently employ a method of in vivo respiratory-gated micro-CT imaging for small laboratory animals (mice). This procedure involves the use of a ventilator that controls the respiratory cycle of the animal and provides a digital output signal that is used to trigger data acquisition. After inspection of the default respiratory trigger timing, we hypothesized that image quality could be improved by moving the data-acquisition window to a portion of the cycle with less respiratory motion. For this reason, we developed a simple delay circuit to adjust the timing of the ventilator signal that initiates micro-CT data acquisition. This delay circuit decreases motion artifacts and substantially improves image quality.
Artificial Speech Bandwidth Extension Using Deep Neural Networks for Wideband Spectral Envelope Estimation

Estimating a wideband spectral envelope having only narrowband speech at hand is a challenging task. In this paper, we explore ways to do so in the context of an artificial speech bandwidth extension (ABE) framework. Starting from a typical hidden Markov model (HMM)/Gaussian mixture model baseline scheme, we investigate two types of features, topologies, and regularization approaches of deep neural networks (DNNs) to obtain estimates of wideband spectral envelopes with smallest cepstral distance to the original ones. In order to draw realistic conclusions, we employ a database for test, which is acoustically different to the training and validation speech material. Interestingly, it turns out that a DNN regression approach outperforms all other investigated methods, although the HMM has been dropped. Cepstral distance was reduced by 1.18 dB, wideband PESQ was improved by 0.23 MOS points, and a subjective comparison category rating listening test showed a significant preference of the best DNN ABE approach versus narrowband speech of 1.37 CMOS points.
A Network Status Evaluation Method under Worm Propagation

The measurement of worm propagation impact on network status remained an elusive goal. This paper analyzes the worm characteristics and network traffic and service, introduces evaluation metrics and presents a new method to assess the network situation under worm propagation. The applicability of this method is verified by simulated experiments with the network simulation tool LSNEMUlab test bed.
Solving the box-pushing problem using a spherical robot

This work presents an innovative approach to solve the box pushing problem with a spherical robot. The box pushing problem is a well known problem in robotics, used to demonstrate the advantages of multi-robot systems. The goal is to move an object (typically a box-like structured object) to a predefined location. A team of robots is used if the box is too heavy or too difficult to handle for a single robot. Additionally, the box pushing problem is relevant in many real world applications like warehouse stocking or transporting of materials in a production process. A solution to the box pushing problem using a single spherical robot is presented in this paper. The emphasis of this work was a robust solution to the box-pushing problem with real robotic hardware, rather than the multi-robot aspect of the original box-pushing problem. A fully autonomous solution is presented, consisting of a camera module for localization issues and a path planning module for controlling the spherical robot, both modules are connected via the open source Robot Operating System (ROS) framework. The final implementation is capable to reliably move the box to any arbitrary location, compensating disturbances in sensor information or varying surface frictions. The paper describes the key components of the final implementation and concludes with an outline for future extensions of the system.
Recombination in Enteroviruses Is a Biphasic Replicative Process Involving the Generation of Greater-than Genome Length ‘Imprecise’ Intermediates

Recombination in enteroviruses provides an evolutionary mechanism for acquiring extensive regions of novel sequence, is suggested to have a role in genotype diversity and is known to have been key to the emergence of novel neuropathogenic variants of poliovirus. Despite the importance of this evolutionary mechanism, the recombination process remains relatively poorly understood. We investigated heterologous recombination using a novel reverse genetic approach that resulted in the isolation of intermediate chimeric intertypic polioviruses bearing genomes with extensive duplicated sequences at the recombination junction. Serial passage of viruses exhibiting such imprecise junctions yielded progeny with increased fitness which had lost the duplicated sequences. Mutations or inhibitors that changed polymerase fidelity or the coalescence of replication complexes markedly altered the yield of recombinants (but did not influence non-replicative recombination) indicating both that the process is replicative and that it may be possible to enhance or reduce recombination-mediated viral evolution if required. We propose that extant recombinants result from a biphasic process in which an initial recombination event is followed by a process of resolution, deleting extraneous sequences and optimizing viral fitness. This process has implications for our wider understanding of ‘evolution by duplication’ in the positive-strand RNA viruses.
Effects of inactivation of oxytocin receptor and inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis on uterine oxytocin receptor and gap junction formation and labor in the rat.

Normal term labor is associated with a surge in myometrial oxytocin receptor formation and gap junction development. We have previously shown that inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis by naproxen sodium, 2.0 mg/day, suppressed oxytocin receptor formation but not gap junction formation and prolonged gestation. In this study, we investigated the effects of a specific oxytocin antagonist on oxytocin receptor formation, gap junction formation, and labor in the rat. [Pen1,Phe(Me)2,Thr4,Orn8]oxytocin, a specific oxytocin antagonist, was infused subcutaneously during the last 3 days of pregnancy at 300 micrograms/day. Measurements of myometrial oxytocin receptor concentrations and gap junction formation on days 21 and 22 and days 22-23 (in labor) pregnant uteri showed no significant differences in the Bmax and Kd values between the control and the treated group. Gestation period was not prolonged by the oxytocin antagonist. However, in a separate group of day 23 pregnant rats, the uterine contractile response to 60 mU of oxytocin i.v. was found completely blocked by 10 micrograms of the oxytocin antagonist. These findings suggest that although functional oxytocin receptors did not appear to be essential for the initiation of labor, oxytocin antagonists may still be effective in the prevention of premature contractions. We also examined the effects of a higher dose of naproxen sodium, 5.0 mg/day, on gap junction formation. At this dose, naproxen sodium suppressed both oxytocin receptor and gap junction formation, prolonged gestation, and delayed parturition by 24 h or longer. Prostaglandin appears to be an important regulator or mediator of oxytocin receptor and gap junction formation and plays a critical role in the initiation of labor.
Performance Analysis of Maximum Likelihood Decode and Forward Cooperative Systems in Rayleigh Fading

The bit error rate (BER) performance analysis of maximum-likelihood (ML) based decode and forward (DF) cooperative diversity systems has been a subject of considerable interest. Exact analysis of ML-DF transmission has been considered a challenging problem due to the nonlinear characteristic of the ML detector. In this paper, we provide exact expressions for the BER of ML-DF cooperative systems employing a single relay. We extend these results to the case of multiple relays for the piecewise linear (PL) combiner, that is known to be a close approximation of the ML detector. This is done by using a novel theory of conditionally Gaussian random variables. By expressing the ML decision variable in terms of functions of conditionally Gaussian variables, exact expressions for the BER of the ML-DF system are obtained. Through simulation results, we verify the validity of the derived analytical expressions.
Passive Wireless Sensor for Measuring AC Electric Field in the Vicinity of High-Voltage Apparatus

A passive wireless sensor for the measurement of ac electric fields emanating from high-voltage (HV) apparatus using radio-frequency (RF) resonant cavities is presented. The sensor is composed of a coaxial transmission line resonator, where the resonant frequency is perturbed by capacitively coupled varactors. HV apparatus induces a bias voltage on the varactors through capacitively coupled electric fields. A printed circuit board on the top of the cavity provides coupling between the cavity and varactors and also between the varactors and the external electric field. The sensor is designed with a resonant frequency in the range of 2.4-2.5 GHz in the industrial, scientific, and medical band. Using capacitive coupling to an HV transmission line with 60 Hz at 1.7 kV, a resonant frequency shift of 7.2 (kHz)/12.5 (V/m) was obtained. The resonance frequency is determined remotely by sending pulses of RF signal to the sensor and recording the ring back of the resonator. RF pulses, with a frequency of 2455 MHz, are used to remotely interrogate the sensor at a repetition rate of 2.5 MHz and a pulsewidth of 100 ns. Downconverting the received signal, a ring back signal is recorded whose analysis determines the resonant frequency.
Iron regulation of swarmer cell differentiation of Vibrio parahaemolyticus

Vibrio parahaemolyticus has two distinct cell types, the swimmer cell and the swarmer cell, adapted for locomotion in different circumstances. The swimmer cell, produced when the bacterium is grown in liquid media, is a short rod with a single sheathed polar flagellum. The swarmer cell, produced when V. parahaemolyticus is grown on solidified media, is greatly elongated and synthesizes, in addition to the polar flagellum, numerous unsheathed lateral flagella which are responsible for translocation over surfaces. We are interested in understanding how this bacterium differentiates in response to contact with surfaces and have determined in earlier work that the polar flagellum acts as a tactile sensor which controls transcription of genes (laf) encoding the swarmer cell phenotype. Surface recognition involves sensing of forces that obstruct movement of the polar flagellum. In this report we show that a second signal, iron limitation, is also required for swarmer cell differentiation. Production of lateral flagella occurred only when polar flagellar function was perturbed and iron-limiting growth conditions were imposed. The same conditions were required to induce light production in strains of V. parahaemolyticus in which a laf gene was transcriptionally fused to the lux operon encoding the enzymes for bioluminescence. The lafA gene encoding the lateral flagellin subunit was cloned and used in Northern (RNA) blot measurements. Examination of mRNA levels revealed that transcription of lafA is dependent on growth in iron-depleted media. The control of differentiation by multiple environmental stimuli is discussed.
The indication for induction of labor impacts the risk of cesarean delivery

Abstract Objective: The risk of cesarean delivery following labor induction has been clearly established. While numerous factors are known to impact this risk, the indication for induction has rarely been examined as a risk factor. This study aimed to examine the relationship between indication for induction and ultimate mode of delivery after labor induction. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted examining all cases of labor induction in a tertiary center university teaching hospital over a one-year period. The primary outcome measure was mode of delivery (vaginal delivery versus cesarean delivery) and its relationship to the indication for induction. Secondary outcome measures were: parity, maternal age, birth week, cervical maturity, use of epidural anesthesia, fetal birth weight and fetal sex. Results: Seven hundred and ninety-six women met inclusion criteria, of which 17.1% ultimately underwent cesarean delivery. Using multivariate analysis, fetal indications for induction (including intra-uterine growth restriction, oligohydramnios, placental abruption, macrosomia and post-term pregnancy) were found to significantly increase the risk of cesarean delivery in nulliparous women. The other significant factor was birth after week 40 + 0. Conclusions: The indication for labor induction impacts the risk of cesarean delivery. Specifically, induction of labor for fetal indications significantly increases the risk of cesarean delivery in nulliparous women.
Fetal heart scanning in the first trimester

The detailed study of the fetal cardiac anatomy in the first trimester of pregnancy by means of ultrasound, transvaginally or transabdominally, is feasible and remains a safe procedure provided thermal and mechanical indices are taken into account. Optimal time for successful imaging of the four chambers and great arteries in early gestation appears to be between 13 to 14 weeks. In experienced hands, first‐trimester fetal echocardiography is accurate in detecting major structural cardiac abnormalities and yields a high negative predictive value. Thus, in a clinical setting, it can be offered to families considered to be ‘at risk’ of cardiac defects (e.g. those with previous family history or when fetal nuchal translucency is increased) and can be a powerful tool to reassure families regarding normality of major cardiac structures and connections. However, the early detection of an important structural abnormality (chromosomally normal or not) may be associated with a high termination rate if this is an acceptable option. The high prevalence of associated chromosomal and extracardiac abnormalities for many of the high‐risk families, who may benefit from this approach, cannot be ignored. Therefore, fetal heart scanning in the first trimester should be performed in conjunction with detailed first‐trimester obstetric scanning. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.