Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prognostic value of echocardiographic right/left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter ratio in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension

Background An echocardiographic right/left ventricular end‐diastolic diameter ratio (RV/LV ratio) ≥0.9 is an independent predictor of poor prognosis in patients with acute pulmonary embolism. Right ventricular dilation is a common characteristic of both acute pulmonary embolism and idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). However, the prognostic value of the RV/LV ratio in patients with IPAH is unknown. Methods Ninety‐five consecutive patients with newly diagnosed IPAH were included, 17 were re‐evaluated by echocardiography after 3–12 months of targeted therapy. Follow‐up data were obtained by telephone interviews and review of the patients’ records. Results Higher RV/LV ratios were associated with greater functional impairment. The RV/LV ratio was positively correlated with pulmonary vascular resistance (r=0.549, P <0.001) and plasma N‐terminal pro‐brain natriuretic peptide level (r=0.575, P <0.001), but negatively correlated with cardiac output (r= −0.517, P <0.001) and mixed venous oxygen saturation (r= −0.599, P <0.001). Twenty‐seven patients died during follow‐up period. Sensitivity and specificity of an RV/LV ratio ≥0.84 for predicting death were 85.2% and 51.5%, respectively. The RV/LV ratio and body mass index were independent predictors of death by multivariate Cox analysis (P <0.01). A baseline RV/LV ratio ≥0.84 or a further increase in the RV/LV ratio during targeted therapy indicated a poor prognosis (P <0.01). Conclusion The RV/LV ratio helps to assess the severity of IPAH and may serve as an independent predictor of prognosis in patients with IPAH. Chin Med J 2011;124(11):1672–1677
Pure hemidystonia with basal ganglion abnormalities on positron emission tomography

We present a patient with hemidystonia and an abnormality of the contralateral basal ganglion seen only with positron emission tomography. A 50‐year‐old sinistral man suffered minor trauma to the right side of his head and neck. Within 20 minutes he developed paroxysmal intermittent dystonic posturing of his right face, forearm, hand, and foot, with weaker contractions of the left foot, lasting several seconds and recurring every few minutes. Neurological findings between spells were normal. The following were also normal: electrolyte, calcium, magnesium, and arterial blood gas levels, and findings of drug screen, cerebrospinal fluid examination, electroencephalography with nasopharyngeal leads, computed tomographic scanning (initially and four weeks later), and cerebral angiography. Positron emission tomographic scanning revealed abnormalities in the left basal ganglion region, including decreased oxygen metabolism, decreased oxygen extraction, increased blood volume, and increased blood flow.
Terahertz Antenna System for a Near-Video-Rate Radar Imager [Antenna Applications]

In this contribution. we present simulations and measurements of a reflector system that can rapidly scan a terahertz beam for a high-resolution standoff-imaging application, without compromising the beam quality. The antenna system utilizes a Gregorian confocal-reflector geometry, with a small mechanical rotating mirror. The system has been successfully fabricated and tested, with THz imagery of targets at a 25 m standoff range being obtained In five seconds. for the current configuration. We also describe how frame rates exceeding 2 Hz can be achieved using a heterodyne array of just a few elements, with or without a multiplexing technique.
Designing dairy cattle breeding schemes under genomic selection: a review of international research

High rates of genetic gain can be achieved through (1) accurate predictions of breeding values (2) high intensities of selection and (3) shorter generation intervals. Reliabilities of ~60% are currently achievable using genomic selection in dairy cattle. This breakthrough means that selection of animals can happen at a very early age (i.e. as soon as a DNA sample is available) and has opened opportunities to radically redesign breeding schemes. Most research over the past decade has focussed on the feasibility of genomic selection, especially how to increase the accuracy of genomic breeding values. More recently, how to apply genomic technology to breeding schemes has generated a lot of interest. Some of this research remains the intellectual property of breeding companies, but there are examples in the public domain. Here we review published research into breeding scheme design using genomic selection and evaluate which designs appear to be promising (in terms of rates of genetic gain) and those that may have unfavourable side-effects (i.e. increasing the rate of inbreeding). The schemes range from fairly conservative designs where bulls are screened genomically to reduce numbers entering progeny testing, to schemes where very large numbers of bull calves are screened and used as sires as soon as they reach sexual maturity. More radical schemes that incorporate the use of reproductive technologies (in juveniles) and genomic selection in nucleus herds are also described. The models used are either deterministic and more recently tend to be stochastic, simulating populations of cattle. A key driver of the rate of genetic gain is the generation interval, which could range from being similar to that in conventional testing (~5 years), down to as little as 1.5 years. Generally, the rate of genetic gain is between 12% and 100% more than in conventional progeny testing, while the rate of inbreeding tends to be lower per generation than in progeny testing because Mendelian sampling terms can be estimated more accurately. However, short generation intervals can lead to higher rates of inbreeding per year in genomic breeding programs.
Dynamic Regulation of Photoprotection Determines Thermal Tolerance of Two Phylotypes of Symbiodinium Clade A at Two Photon Fluence Rates

Coral bleaching is the manifestation of the dysfunction of the symbiosis between scleractinian corals and dinoflagellates of the diverse genus Symbiodinium and is induced by elevated temperatures and high irradiance. We investigated the photophysiological response of two genetically distinct Symbiodinium subtypes within clade A upon exposure to elevated temperatures at two light intensities for 3 weeks. While both subtypes displayed a characteristic photoacclimation to high light (HL) (decrease in light‐harvesting pigments, lower photochemical efficiency of photosystem II, increased xanthophyll pool sizes), the tolerance toward thermal stress clearly differed between the two subtypes. Symbiodinium Ax was highly susceptible to chronic photoinhibition at temperatures ≥30°C, which was exacerbated under HL conditions. A1 showed a capacity for photoacclimation and high thermal tolerance, which might be related to higher cellular concentrations of photoprotective xanthophylls and the low‐molecular antioxidant glutathione (GSx) along with the dynamic regulation of these photoprotective pathways. Whereas HL conditions induced both accumulation of diatoxanthin and GSx, thermal stress further stimulated xanthophyll cycling, which might compensate for diminished amounts of GSx at elevated temperatures. Our results show that the two clade A subtypes clearly differ in their strategies to cope with thermal stress in combination with high irradiance.
The Study of Palatal Cell Proliferation and Apoptosis in Retinoic Acid Induced Mouse Cleft Palate Varied with Different Developmental Stage

To determine the mechanisms and patterns of cleft palate induced by varied retinoic acid (RA) in different developmental stages of secondary palate, we detected the cell proliferation and apoptosis of palatal shelves by BrdU and TUNEL labeling on gestation day (GD) 10 and GD12 which RA was exposed, respectively. In GD10 RA treated group, the percentage of BrdU positive cells of embryonic palatal mesenchyme were lower than control group, while TUNEL expression was higher than control group. No significant difference was detected in GD12 RA treated group and in control group either in embryonic palatal mesenchyme or medial edge epithelium by BrdU and TUNEL labeling. Our data indicated that the mechanisms of RA induced cleft palate in the early developmental stage were the inhibition of proliferation of palatal mesenchymal cells and medial edge epithelium cells, as well as excessive induction of apoptosis.
A Balance Sheet of the Estimation of Energy Intake and Energy Expenditure as Measured by Indirect Calorimetry, Using the Kofranyi-Michaelis Calorimeter

Skeletal changes in pregnancy and lactation 253 fed rats. The spleens of rats with lower calcium intakes showed a weight gain during gestation which disappeared during the subsequent lactation. 7. Fertility of the dam and mothering instinct were not impaired, even in severe calcium deficiency. The weight of the young at birth and the number of young in a litter were not affected by the level of calcium intake by the dam. Weaning weights of young from severely deficient dams were lower.
Saude bucal da mulher na pos-menopausa e a sua relação com a densidade mineral ossea

Objetivo - Avaliar a saude bucal de mulheres na pos-menopausa e verificar se existe relacao entre o indice de dentes cariados, perdidos, obturados e destruidos (CPO-D) e a condicao periodontal alterada com a densidade mineral ossea (DMO). Sujeitos e Metodos: Estudo de corte transversal com 100 mulheres do Ambulatorio de Menopausa do CAISM/Unicamp, acima de 40 anos, em amenorreia ha pelo menos 12 meses e com densitometria mineral ossea dos ultimos tres anos. Foram avaliados o indice CPO-D e as condicoes periodontais (coloracao, volume, textura dos tecidos periodontais e mobilidade dentaria) e suas associacoes com DMO lombar e femoral (T-score e g/cm²). Analisaram-se as medias e desvio padrao, frequencias absolutas e porcentagens, analises bivariada, de covariância e de regressao logistica multipla. Resultados: a media da idade das mulheres foi de 57,4 (±8,3 anos), da idade na menopausa 44,8 (±7,4 anos) e do tempo de menopausa 12,7 (±8,2 anos). Noventa por cento referiram baixa escolaridade, 74% das mulheres eram nao fumantes, 11% fumantes e 15% ex-fumantes. Cinquenta e seis por cento faziam uso de terapia hormonal e/ou bisfosfonatos. Observou-se osteopenia e osteoporose em 52% das mulheres em coluna lombar, 42% em colo femoral e 38,9% em trocânter. A massa ossea em g/cm² abaixo da media da populacao do estudo foi observada em 58% das mulheres (L2-L4), 54,5% (colo femoral) e 41,7% (trocânter). A media do indice CPO-D foi de 26,7 ± 5,9, com componente extraido em 71,1% ± 30,2. A coloracao, a textura e o volume gengival estavam alterados em 58% das mulheres estudadas e 32% delas apresentavam mobilidade dentaria. Mulheres com osteopenia ou osteoporose na regiao do colo femoral (T-score) apresentavam indice CPO-D significativamente maior. Nao se observou diferenca significativa entre a densidade mineral ossea expressa em g/cm² e o indice CPO-D. Na regiao de L2-L4, o indice CPO-D e o componente extraido apresentaram valores significativamente mais elevados associando-se a menor densidade mineral ossea. Quanto a condicao periodontal alterada e massa ossea nao houve diferenca significativa. Conclusao: Mulheres na pos-menopausa, com saude bucal ruim, podem apresentar diminuicao da massa ossea, devendo ser orientadas para preocupar-se tambem com sua quantidade e qualidade ossea Abstract
Validation of the PASAT in Argentina

ABSTRACT The Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) is one of the most used neuropsychological tests to assess information processing speed and working memory in brain injured patients. This study was carried out with the purpose of obtaining normative data for the PASAT-3″ in a healthy Argentinean population, which would result in a reference control population. The PASAT-3″ was administered in a sample of 296 healthy voluntary subjects, born and living in Argentina. The age range went from 20 to 70 years-old. The level of education was 0 to 13 or more years of schooling. The sample obtained a mean of 44.60 (SD = 10.72) in the PASAT-3″. It was found that the score obtained in the PASAT-3″ was related to the age and the level of instruction of the participants. Their performance diminished as age increased and, conversely, it increased as the level of instruction was higher. Normative data was obtained for a Latin American population from Argentina. Percentile distributions obtained by decades of age and different levels of education should be considered as useful reference values for clinicians and investigators when applying the PASAT-3″ to assess cognitive function in different pathologies.
What is the clinical relevance of drug-resistant pneumococcus?

Purpose of review Pneumococcal infections are a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In recent years, Streptococcus pneumoniae has shown increasing resistance to a several antibiotics, becoming a worldwide problem. The impact of antibiotic resistance of S. pneumoniae on clinical outcomes is still controversial. The principal reason for this controversy is the existence of several factors related to the patients and to the pathogen that may influence how antibiotic resistance patterns affect clinical outcomes. The aim of this review is to discuss current knowledge of the epidemiological data on antibiotic resistance; we also discuss mechanisms and risk factors for antibiotic resistance. Recent findings The phenomenon of serotype replacement after the introduction of conjugate pneumococcal vaccinations and the escalation of antibiotic resistance worldwide remains an important issue in terms of their impact on clinical outcomes in pneumococcal disease. Antimicrobial resistance of pneumococcus leads to changes in the clinical presentation of pneumococcal disease, making it more difficult to diagnose and to treat. Consumption of antibiotics in the community is directly proportional to antimicrobial resistance. Carriage of S. pneumoniae and infection with antibiotic-resistant pneumococcus is associated with prior antibiotic therapy, extremes of age, presence of comorbidities (i.e. COPD), attendance at child day care centers, crowded conditions, intra-familial transmission, and nursing home residence. Summary Antibiotic-resistant S. pneumoniae is a worldwide problem. The implementation of several strategies including vaccine campaigns, prudent use of current antibiotics, and programs for the surveillance of pneumococcal infections, could limit the increasing resistance of this pathogen to antimicrobials.
SUPRAMEDULLARY MODULATION OF SYMPATHETIC VASOMOTOR FUNCTION

1. Supramedullary structures including the ventral medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC) and the midbrain cuneiform nucleus (CnF) project directly and indirectly to premotor sympatho‐excitatory neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) that are critically involved in the generation of sympathetic vasomotor tone.
Low-profile array of wire patch antennas

A low-profile antenna over a ground plane that radiates a directive lobe in the end fire direction is described in this paper. An array of 16 wire patch antenna (WPA) fed by an integrated 16 ways power divider has been designed Owing to its low height, low cost, high robustness, and mono polar radiation pattern, the WPA has been chosen as unit cell of the array that must be placed on the vehicle roof. A gain higher than 19.3 dB was achieved in the end fire direction over a 4.5% bandwidth. However, the antenna has been tilted in order to compensate the beam deviation caused by the edge diffraction. Moreover, a vertical metallic plane has been inserted to eliminate the back fire radiation. Its position and the disposition of the WPAs are explained in this paper. A prototype with four elements has been manufactured in order to validate the antenna principle. A gain difference lower than 0.5 dB is achieved between the measurements and the simulations.
Bedingte Kaufpreisanpassungen, Informationsasymmetrien und Shareholder Value: Eine empirische Analyse deutscher Unternehmensübernahmen

Gerade in Zeiten der globalen Finanzkrise eignen sich Earn-out-Vereinbarungen in besonderem Mase, um den gesteigerten Informationsasymmetrien im Rahmen einer Unternehmensubernahme begegnen zu konnen. Doch wie stark profitieren die Kaufer vom Einsatz eines solchen Instrumentes und was bestimmt die Intensitat und Richtung? Im Rahmen einer branchenubergreifenden Untersuchung wird der Einfluss von Earn-out-Regelungen auf den Unternehmenswert deutscher Kaufer untersucht. Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass der deutsche Kapitalmarkt den Einsatz von Earn-outs grundsatzlich positiv bewertet. Bei naherer Betrachtung zeigt sich, dass neben dem Abbau von Informationsasymmetrien, auch ein hoheres Earn-out-Ratio, eine nied-rigere Earn-out-Laufzeit und ein geringerer Verschuldungsgrad einen positiven Effekt haben. Der Einfluss des Earn-out-Ratios wird allerdings durch eine langere Laufzeit be-grenzt und ins Gegenteil verkehrt.
Sexual activity and cardiovascular disease: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association.

Sexual activity is an important component of patient and partner quality of life for men and women with cardiovascular disease (CVD), including many elderly patients.1 Decreased sexual activity and function are common in patients with CVD and are often interrelated to anxiety and depression.2,3 The intent of this American Heart Association Scientific Statement is to synthesize and summarize data relevant to sexual activity and heart disease in order to provide recommendations and foster physician and other healthcare professional communication with patients about sexual activity. Recommendations in this document are based on published studies, the Princeton Consensus Panel,4,5 the 36th Bethesda Conference,6–10 European Society of Cardiology recommendations on physical activity and sports participation for patients with CVD,11–13 practice guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association14–16 and other organizations,17 and the multidisciplinary expertise of the writing group. The classification of recommendations in this document are based on established ACCF/AHA criteria (Table). View this table: Table. Applying Classification of Recommendation and Level of Evidence Numerous studies have examined the cardiovascular and neuroendocrine response to sexual arousal and intercourse, with most assessing male physiological responses during heterosexual vaginal intercourse.18–24 During foreplay, systolic and diastolic systemic arterial blood pressure and heart rate increase mildly, with more modest increases occurring transiently during sexual arousal. The greatest increases occur during the 10 to 15 seconds of orgasm, with a rapid return to baseline systemic blood pressure and heart rate thereafter. Men and women have similar neuroendocrine, blood pressure, and heart rate responses to sexual activity.24,25 Studies conducted primarily in young married men showed that sexual activity with a person's usual partner is comparable to mild to moderate physical activity in the range of 3 to …
Complete Genome Sequence of a Novel Duck Parvovirus Isolated in Fujian, China

In the present study, we sequenced and analysed the complete genomes of a novel duck parvovirus (NM100) isolates derived from Muscovy ducks in Fujian, Southeast China. According to the phylogenetic analysis, based on the complete genome and VP1 gene showed that novel duck parvovirus strain NM100 belong to the MDPV clusters, whereas the VP3 gene showed that strain NM100 belong to the GPV clusters. Two putative genetic recombination events were detected using similarity plots analysis. These findings suggest that a novel duck parvovirus circulating in Muscovy duck flocks with recombination in nature, which enable us to understand the molecular characteristics and evolutionary diversity of waterfowl parvoviruses.
Anisotropic Resonant Scattering from Polymer Photonic Crystals

Hyperspectral goniometry reveals anisotropic scattering which dominates the visual appearance of self-assembled polymer opals. The technique allows reconstruction of the reciprocal-space of nanostructures, and indicates that chain defects formed during shear-ordering are responsible for the anisotropy in these samples. Enhanced scattering with improving order is shown to arise from increased effective refractive index contrast, while broadband background scatter is suppressed by absorptive dopants.
Repérage anatomique du nerf abducens (VI) dans les abords antérieurs des tumeurs de la région du clivus

Introduction : un des buts de la chirurgie de la base du crâne est le respect des structures vasculo-nerveuses. Les voies d'abord anterieures assistees par l'endoscopie, ou exclusivement endoscopiques, se sont developpees ces dernieres annees. On assiste concomitamment a l'essor des etudes anatomiques et d'imagerie ayant pour but le reperage des structures vasculo-nerveuses. Objectif : nous proposons d'etablir des reperes anatomiques reproductibles afin d'identifier et de preserver le nerf abducens lors des chirurgies par voie anterieure. Materiels et methodes : ce travail anatomique a ete realise sur tetes injectees au latex colore et embaumees. Les dissections ont ete realisees sous microscope operatoire au laboratoire d'anatomie de Bordeaux. Le nerf abducens a ete expose par voie endocrânienne au niveau des citernes de la base et repere par voie ventrale trans-sinusienne apres fraisage du clivus jusqu'a l'apex petreux. Les dissections ont eu pour but le reperage du segment intradural du VI, dans le foramen petro-sphenoidal, entre ses segments cisternal et intra-caverneux, ainsi que sa position par rapport aux elements osseux et vasculaires de la region. Resultats : ce segment intradural du nerf abducens est stable au cours de son trajet dans le canal petro-clival, meme en cas de modifications anatomiques locales par une tumeur de la region du clivus. Le VI emerge du canal petro-clival a 10+/-1mm de la ligne mediane et a une hauteur de 16,5+/-1,5mm par rapport au dorsum sellae. Conclusion : ce travail nous a permis de definir un trapeze au sein duquel le fraisage du clivus est sur et epargne les deux nerfs abducens au niveau de leur emergence ventrale lors de leur traverse du canal petro-sphenoidal. Le nerf peut ensuite etre suivi en direction crânio-caudale en intra-dural et en direction crâniale vers sa portion ventrale intracaverneuse.
Control of three phase grid-connected photovoltaic arrays with open loop maximum power point tracking

This paper proposes a control technique for medium and large scale PV arrays connected to the power system grid. The array is interfaced to the grid through power electronic converters to change output voltages and currents from DC to AC quantities. A DC-DC boost converter is used to step up the output voltage of the array and extract maximum power under a given temperature and solar irradiation. A voltage source inverter under current control mode is connected to the DC converter through a DC link capacitor used to store power and act as a fixed DC bus for the inverter. A controller is used to regulate the capacitor voltage and keep it constant by balancing its input and output powers. The inverter is controlled in the rotating (dq) frame to inject AC power into the grid. An open loop maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technique is proposed to quickly locate the maximum power point (MPP) of the PV array under varying weather conditions. This technique is simple to implement and does not require periodic measurements of the array output power as in most closed loop MPPT techniques. MATLAB software was used to simulate the system to confirm the performance and effectiveness of the proposed technique.