Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Epicardial Connections Involving Pulmonary Veins

Background: The presence of epicardial connections (ECs) between pulmonary veins (PVs) and other anatomic structures may hinder PV isolation. In this study, we analyzed their prevalence, location, associated factors, and clinical implications. Methods: Five hundred thirty-four consecutive patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing radiofrequency ablation were included. We considered that an EC was present if: (1) the first pass around the PV antrum did not produce PV isolation and (2) subsequent atrial activation during PV pacing showed that the earliest site was located away from the ablation line and later activation sites were observed near the ablation line. Clinical and electrophysiological variables were collected from all patients. Patients were followed during 12.9±9.4 months, and any documented atrial tachyarrhythmia after the 3-month blanking period was classified as a recurrence. Results: Out of the 534 patients included, 72 (13.5%) were found to have 81 ECs. There was a significant association between the presence of ECs and structural heart disease (15.3% in patients without ECs versus 36.5% in patient with ECs; P<0.001) and patent foramen ovale (4.6% versus 13.5%; P=0.002). The presence of a left common trunk was significantly associated with the absence of ECs (29.6% in patients without ECs versus 16.2% in patients with ECs; P=0.014). Patients with ECs had lower acute success in PV isolation compared with patients without ECs (99.1% versus 86.1%; P<0.001). After adjusting for age, sex, type of atrial fibrillation, left atrium area, hypertension, structural heart disease, presence of left common trunk, patent foramen ovale, and time for atrial fibrillation diagnosis to the ablation, we found a significantly higher risk of atrial tachyarrhythmia recurrences in patients with ECs compared with patients without ECs (hazard ratio, 1.7 [95% CI, 1.1–2.9]; P=0.04). Conclusions: ECs between PVs and other adjacent structures are frequent in patient with atrial fibrillation (prevalence: 13.5%). Structural heart disease and a patent foramen ovale are strongly associated with the presence of ECs. ECs reduce the acute and chronic success of PV isolation.
Staging dementia based on caregiver reported patient symptoms: Implications from a latent class analysis

Background Tailoring interventions to the needs of caregivers is an important feature of successful caregiver support programs. To improve cost-effectiveness, group tailoring based on the stage of dementia could be a good alternative. However, existing staging strategies mostly depend on trained professionals. Objective This study aims to stage dementia based on caregiver reported symptoms of persons with dementia. Methods Latent class analysis was used. The classes derived were then mapped with disease duration to define the stages. Logistic regression with receiver operating characteristic curve was used to generate the optimal cut-offs. Results Latent class analysis suggested a 4-class solution, these four classes were named as early (25.9%), mild (25.2%), moderate (16.7%) and severe stage (32.3%). The stages based on the cut-offs generated achieved an overall accuracy of 90.8% compared to stages derived from latent class analysis. Conclusion The current study confirmed that caregiver reported patient symptoms could be used to classify persons with dementia into different stages. The new staging strategy is a good complement of existing dementia clinical assessment tools in terms of better supporting informal caregivers.
Superspeed Bolus Visualization for Vascular Magnetic Particle Imaging

Magnetic Particle Imaging (MPI) is a fast imaging technique to visualize the distribution of superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs). For spatial encoding, a field free area is moved rapidly through the field of view (FOV) generating localized signal. Fast moving samples, e.g., a bolus of SPIONs traveling through the large veins in the human body carried by blood flow with velocities in the order of ~45 cm/s, cause temporal blurring in MPI measurements using common sequences and reconstruction techniques. This hampers the evaluation of dynamics of fast moving samples. In this manuscript, a first study on fast moving samples visualized within an MPI scanner is demonstrated. By optimizing parameters for imaging and reconstruction, the dynamics of a fast moving bolus at different velocities can be visualized with high temporal resolution without blurring artifacts.
Beneficial Effects of Bariatric Surgery-Induced by Weight Loss on the Proteome of Abdominal Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue

Bariatric surgery (BS) is the most effective treatment for obesity and has a positive impact on cardiometabolic risk and in the remission of type 2 diabetes. Following BS, the majority of fat mass is lost from the subcutaneous adipose tissue depot (SAT). However, the changes in this depot and functions and as well as its relative contribution to the beneficial effects of this surgery are still controversial. With the aim of studying altered proteins and molecular pathways in abdominal SAT (aSAT) after body weight normalization induced by BS, we carried out a proteomic approach sequential window acquisition of all theoretical mass spectra (SWATH-MS) analysis. These results were complemented by Western blot, electron microscopy and RT-qPCR. With all of the working tools mentioned, we confirmed that after BS, up-regulated proteins were associated with metabolism, the citric acid cycle and respiratory electron transport, triglyceride catabolism and metabolism, formation of ATP, pyruvate metabolism, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and thermogenesis among others. In contrast, proteins with decreased values are part of the biological pathways related to the immune system. We also confirmed that obesity caused a significant decrease in mitochondrial density and coverage, which was corrected by BS. Together, these findings reveal specific molecular mechanisms, genes and proteins that improve adipose tissue function after BS characterized by lower inflammation, increased glucose uptake, higher insulin sensitivity, higher de novo lipogenesis, increased mitochondrial function and decreased adipocyte size.
Sistemi telematici di aiuto al paziente: esempi di “best practice”

La telemedicina (TM) è definita come lo scambio di informazioni mediche fra due luoghi fisicamente distanti. Le finalità della TM sono di offrire servizi che non possono essere forniti tramite incontri “faccia a faccia” tra medico o personale sanitario e paziente e di migliorare quelli esistenti. La sclerosi multipla (SM) è una malattia cronica progressiva, caratterizzata da una moltitudine di sintomi e può portare a una disabilità severa che può rendere difficile al paziente l’accessibilità ai servizi medici, impedirne o ridurne specifiche funzioni con conseguente peggioramento della qualità della vita (QoL). L’utilizzo della TM può migliorare la QoL dei pazienti e ridurre i costi della malattia. La TM può anche utilizzare le misurazioni degli esiti riferiti dal paziente, in inglese denominati Patient-reported outcomes oppure Patient self-reports (per una revisione vedi Dossier 238/2014 della Regione Emilia-Romagna [1]), una modalità di raccolta informazioni incentrate sulla prospettiva del paziente, che permette di svolgere studi su interventi medici e neuro-riabilitativi e sulla QoL. Inoltre la TM ha la potenzialità di sviluppare misure più sensibili dell’Esame neurologico obiettivo, come ad esempio la misurazione dell’attività motoria media giornaliera, e di quantificare più strettamente la progressione della disabilità nell’ambiente in cui vive il paziente. È probabile che l’utilizzo della TM continuerà ad aumentare nei prossimi anni, ma sono necessari studi controllati più ampi per confermare i benefici della TM nel fornire alle persone con SM il migliore trattamento [2]. Per illustrare le potenzialità della TM vengono presi in considerazioni quattro recenti studi, che affrontano quattro importanti argomenti: i) la valutazione della funzione motoria; ii) la valutazione multifunzionale della SM tramite iPad: Multiple Sclerosis Performance test (MSPT); iii) la misurazione e il miglioramento Sistemi telematici di aiuto al paziente: esempi di “best practice”
Making Meaning of "Success" at California State University, Los Angeles: A Review of Systemic Forces Encouraging Enrollment, Retention, and Graduation Initiatives

California State University, Los Angeles provides an opportunity for higher education for non-traditional and other disadvantaged students. For campus administrators, there is ubiquitous pressure to enroll qualified students, retain them, and improve the graduation rate. In order to better retain students and improve the graduation rate, the campus administration wants to enact a mandatory fee geared towards student “success” titled the “student success fee”. This review deciphers this term from the symbolism and makes a principal meaning of it to be “six year graduation rate for first time freshmen”. In order to pass this initiative there must be adequate student consultation, however many of the measures designed to improve the graduation rate are based off quantitative data and theories of managing enrollments. This review calls for disclosure, and other qualitative measures of CSULA students to provide adequate consultation to address the underlying issue of low graduation rates.
Commuter student and residential student mattering in an honors concentration

v List of Tables . ix Chapter I: Introduction . 1 Statement of the Problem . 1 Purpose of the Study . 2 Significance of the Study . 3 Assumptions and Limitations . 3 Operational Definitions . 4 Research Questions . 6 Overview of the Study . 6 Chapter II: Review of the Literature . 7 Mattering and Marginality . 7 Commuting Students . 9 Characteristics of Commuting Students.10 Commuter Student Involvement . 10 Challenges for Commuting Students . 12 Transportation . 12 Multiple Roles . 12 Finding a “Second Home” . 13 Relationship Development on Campus . 14 Residential Vs. Commuting Students . 14 Research on Commuter Student Sense of Belonging . 16 vii Table of
Intellectual Impairment in Children with Blood Lead Concentrations below 10 μ g per Deciliter

From the Division of Nutritional Sciences (R.L.C.) and the Department of Human Development (C.R.H.), College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y. ; the Departments of Environmental Medicine (D.A.C.-S.) and Biostatistics and Computational Biology (C.C.), University of Rochester School of Medicine, Rochester, N.Y. ; the Division of Epidemiology, Statistics, and Prevention, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, Bethesda, Md. (C.C.); the Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health and Community Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle (T.A.J.); and Cincinnati Children’s Environmental Health Center, Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati (B.P.L.). Address reprint requests to Dr. Canfield at the Division of Nutritional Sciences, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, or at rlc5@cornell.edu. N Engl J Med 2003;348:1517-26. Copyright © 2003 Massachusetts Medical Society. background Despite dramatic declines in children’s blood lead concentrations and a lowering of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s level of concern to 10 μg per deciliter (0.483 μmol per liter), little is known about children’s neurobehavioral functioning at lead concentrations below this level.
L'enfant sourd en développement. Pour une approche globale de son éducation

Nous souhaitons ici en premier lieu fournir aux parents quelques donnees leur permettant d'envisager le devenir de leur enfant sourd, et donner aux enseignants des points de repere dans leur pratique quotidienne. Il nous faut donc revenir sur les specificites linguistiques, cognitives, culturelles de l'enfant sourd, les particularites du systeme educatif dans lequel il evolue, etc. On souhaite egalement determiner si ces specificites ne sont pas des cliches entretenus d'un cote et de l'autre du monde gravitant autour de la surdite, deux poles, pro-signes vs pro-oralisme, qu'il s'agirait de depasser afin de faire le point sur ce que l'on sait et ce que l'on ne sait pas. C'est un des motifs sous-tendant la publication de ce numero thematique.
Changes of gut mucosa antioxidant system and liver, renal function in rats after intestinal ischemia - reperfusion injury

AIM: To investigate the changes of the gut mucosa antioxidant system and liver, renal functions during rat intestinal ischemia - reperfusion injury. METHODS: 30 male Wistar rats underwent 45 min of intestinal ischemia by clamping the superior mesenteric artery followed by reperfusion. The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), the activities of antioxidant enzymes in the gut mucosa including catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH -Px), glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity and serum ALT, AST, BUN, Cr were assayed at 2, 4, 8, 12 and 24 h after reperfusion. RESULTS: The levels of MDA and GSH in the gut mucosa increased and decreased significantly at 2 h of reperfusion, respectively (P0.05). MDA was still lower than sham at 24 h of reperfusion (P0.05), while GSH decreased to 40% of sham at 4 h of reperfusion (P0.01) but returned to the level of control at 12 h. The activities of CAT, SOD and GSH - Px did not show significant changes in rat after intestinal ischemia reperfusion. GST decreased 39% at 2 h of reperfusion compared with the sham group and decreased to 56% of sham at 4 h (P0.05), but returned to the level of control at 12 h after reperfusion. Serum ALT, AST, BUN and Cr increased significantly at 2 h of reperfusion (P0.05) and increased 208% , 100% , 103% , 41 % compared with control at 4 h of reperfusion (P0.01). However, at 24 h of reperfusion, they returned to normal. CONCLUSION: Intestinal ischemia/reperfusion diminishes GSH level and GST activity, increases MDA level and causes liver and renal reversible damages.
Jinekolojik patolojilerin karakterizasyonunda dinamik MRG tetkiki- sayisal çikarma programi kullaniminin tanisal etkinliği Diagnostic efficiency of dynamic MRI examination with digital substraction Technique in gynecologic pathologies

Aim. The purpose of this study is to investigate the diagnostic efficiency of the dynamic pelvic MRI examination which includes LAVA sequence with digital substraction technique on the patients with gynecologic pathology. Methods. The dynamic MRI of 62 patients (between 18-75 ages) who were examined in gynecology clinic because of pelvic mass was evaluated in our clinic prospectively. We examined the pattern of contrast enhancement of the mass by conventional MRI sequence in addition consecutive 4 phase LAVA series after 10 mg gadolinium contrast matter was perfomed. Results. We diagnosed 25 patients with typical radiologic appearence and clinically follow up and 20 patients with histopathological examination. The patients were considered as benign (straight,linear) or malign (nodular,heterogenous) and also early-late and dense-partial according to the pattern of contrast enhancement in LAVA sequence. The sensitivity value of the differentiation of benign /malign lesions with LAVA sequence was estimated as % 95 and also the other values specifity %100, positive predictive value %100 and negative predictive value %92 by the statistical evaluation. Conclusion. LAVA sequence which was developed for characterization of liver mass can be supplement to the conventional MRI sequence with digital substraction technique as a rapid and efficient diagnostic method for gynecologic pathologies characterization.
Determinants of scale response: Label versus position.

Two determinants of scale response—the denotative meaning of the adjective labels used and the location of the labels in relation to scale endpoints—were investigated. On the basis of the procedures used, both label and location were found to have an impact on subject response. Estimation of a mixing parameter for the two factors permits comparison of their relative effects across different scales.
Bone Cement Implantation Syndrome ( BCIS ) - A Case Report

A 51 year old male was admitted in our hospital with fracture neck of right femur and posted for bipolar hemiarthroplasty. Spinal anaesthesia was given in L2L3 space using 3.5ml 0.5% bupivacaine heavy with 25mcg fentanyl, with 25G quincke needle. During application of the high viscosity gentamycin bone cement, patient developed severe hypotension, bradycardia, hypoxia and cardiac arrest. High quality CPR started immediately, patient intubated and intravenous adrenaline 1mg given. After successful resuscitation surgery continued under general anaesthesia. Patient was post operatively ventilated and monitored in surgical ICU for next 6 hours and he made a full recovery.
La gestion managériale du flottant ou du prix d’offre : un enjeu de réussite de l’introduction en bourse sur Euronext Paris ?

L’objectif de cet article est d’etudier dans quelle mesure les motivations a s’introduire en bourse ainsi que les consequences sur la performance post-introduction peuvent conditionner le choix du taux de flottant et d’une decote du prix offert a l’introduction. A partir d’un echantillon de 75 societes introduites sur la periode avril 2005 - fevrier 2014 sur Euronext Paris, nous obtenons des resultats significatifs entre plusieurs variables explicatives (facteur de dilution, taux de flottant) et la decote. Ces resultats sont coherents avec la motivation du desengagement des actionnaires principaux. Le pourcentage de cession des principaux actionnaires explique egalement le taux de flottant.
Catchment Travel Times From Composite StorAge Selection Functions Representing the Superposition of Streamflow Generation Processes

Catchment travel times integrate the multitude of hydrological flow processes and provide insights into catchment functioning. StorAge Selection (SAS) functions describe how residence times of water in storage are related to travel times of water in catchment outflows. As such, SAS functions are useful to summarize transport processes in catchments and are ideal to simulate catchment outflows and the concentrations of various solutes and tracers. Recent studies suggested that using one probability distribution function (pdf) for SAS functions may not account for all transport processes in various hydrological systems. In this study we introduced a composite streamflow SAS function defined as a weighted sum of several pdfs (called components), using a uniform pdf for the youngest water and two gamma pdfs for the oldest water. The novel parameterization of this SAS function is nonlinear with respect to catchment storage and to a proxy of storage variations. This composite streamflow SAS function was needed to obtain realistic simulations of the complex high‐resolution (subdaily) stream deuterium (δ2H) dynamics measured for 2 years in the Weierbach, a forested headwater catchment in Luxembourg, whereas various SAS functions using only one component (i.e., pdf) failed. The three components of the composite streamflow SAS function confirmed the superposition of streamflow generation mechanisms with contrasting travel times suggested by previous experimental and modeling studies. Our work suggests that in some catchments, composite SAS functions may offer a more realistic perspective on transport processes derived from high‐resolution tracer data than simpler SAS functions.
Kinetic Differences Using a Power Knee and C-Leg While Sitting Down and Standing Up: A Case Report

Recently, the Power Knee has been made commercially available in limited release offering the ability to generate torque to assist with activities requiring active assist with knee extension. This report describes the kinetic profile of a person with unilateral transfemoral amputation, using two different prosthetic knees while sitting down and standing up. This case study was performed in the Motion Analysis Laboratory at the University of South Florida. The participant was a 65-year-old man with right transfemoral amputation secondary to diabetic complications. The subject used the Otto Bock C-Leg and Ossur Power Knee. Subject performed sitting and standing while using two separate knee prostheses. The main outcome measures were bilateral hip and knee moments, vertical ground reaction force, and degree of asymmetry. While sitting down, the Power Knee resulted in markedly enhanced symmetry with the subject's hip moment asymmetric toward the amputated side. While standing up, the Power Knee produced a more symmetric knee moment. In this subject, the Power Knee produced more symmetry when sitting down compared with standing up.
Acute Ischemic Stroke Associated with Essential Thrombocythemia and Suspected Platelet Aggregation in Intracranial Artery

Essential thrombocythemia (ET) is a myeloproliferative disorder with a high incidence of thrombotic complications; acute ischemic stroke is often the initial presenting feature of ET. Although the association between ET and acute ischemic stroke is well-known, the patterns of strokes commonly seen in ET patients have not been outlined. We present two cases of ET that manifested in acute ischemic stroke.
Computer Vision Syndrome

Computers are probably one of the biggest scientific inventions of the modern era, and since then they have become an integral part of our life. The increased usage of computers have lead to variety of ocular symptoms which includes eye strain, tired eyes, irritation, redness, blurred vision, and diplopia, collectively referred to as Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS). CVS may have a significant impact not only on visual comfort but also occupational productivity since between 64% and 90% of computer users experience visual symptoms which may include eyestrain, headaches, ocular discomfort, dry eye, diplopia and blurred vision either at near or when looking into the distance after prolonged computer use (1) .
Assembly of Western Australian marine fish communities: Neutrality, environmental filtering and dispersal limitation

14 Introduction . 15 Materials and methods . 17 Sampling . 17 Statistical analyses . 20 Results . 21 Overall description . 21 Species richness . 21 Geographical patterns in assemblage structure . 23 Geographical patterns in species distributions. 23 Microgeographical patterns in assemblage structure . 24 Discussion . 28 References . 31 Chapter 3: Latitudinal gradients of dispersal and niche processes mediating neutral assembly of marine fish communities . 37 Abstract . 38. 38 Introduction . 39 Materials and methods . 42 Sampling . 42 Statistical analyses . 44 Beta diversity . 45