Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Carotid-Cavernous Fistulae: A Review of Clinical Presentation, Therapeutic Options, and Visual Prognosis.

Carotid-cavernous fistulae (CCFs) are the result of an anomalous connection between the venous system of the cavernous sinus and either the internal carotid artery (ICA), meningeal branches of the ICA, and/or meningeal branches of the external carotid artery (ECA). The symptoms will depend on whether high or low flow arteriolarization of the venous system is created and the direction of the affected venous outflow (ie, anterior or posterior venous drainage). Ophthalmologic signs may include an audible bruit, conjunctival arteriolarization, chemosis, proptosis or pulsatile exophthalmos, elevated intraocular pressure, pupillary abnormalities, ocular misalignment with limited ocular motility, ptosis, venous stasis retinopathy, choroidal detachment, optic disc edema, and glaucomatous or non-glaucomatous optic neuropathy. Approaches to treatment vary depending on whether a high or low flow arteriovenous fistula is created, the available venous access to the fistula, and the potential for vision loss, neurological morbidity or life-threatening complications if untreated.
Differing activities of quinolones against ciprofloxacin-susceptible and ciprofloxacin-resistant, methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus

The in vitro activities of nine quinolones (seven fluoroquinolones, nalidixic acid, and acrosoxacin) against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) were compared with those of the glycopeptides teicoplanin and vancomycin. MICs against 160 strains of ciprofloxacin-susceptible (MIC, less than 2.0 micrograms/ml) MRSA and 40 strains of ciprofloxacin-resistant (MIC, greater than or equal to 2.0 micrograms/ml) MRSA were determined. The following MICs for 50% of the strains tested (in micrograms per milliliter) were obtained for ciprofloxacin-susceptible and -resistant strains, respectively: tosufloxacin, 0.06 and 2.0; ofloxacin, 0.25 and 16; ciprofloxacin, 0.5 and 16; pefloxacin, 0.5 and 32; acrosoxacin, 1.0 and greater than 256; enoxacin, 1.0 and 64; fleroxacin, 1.0 and 32; norfloxacin, 2.0 and 64; nalidixic acid, 64 and 512; teicoplanin, 1.0 and 1.0; vancomycin, 2.0 and 2.0. In mutation rate studies using a range of antibiotic concentrations to reflect those achievable in vivo, resistant mutants grew only on plates containing nalidixic acid (rate of mutation to resistance, 10(-7) to 10(-8) and on plates containing low concentrations of ciprofloxacin, enoxacin, and norfloxacin (rate of mutation to resistance, 10(-8) to 10(-9). In time-kill studies, 99.9% killing was found within 8 h for all of the quinolones tested (norfloxacin and nalidixic acid were not tested). Teicoplanin and vancomycin were less rapidly bactericidal. For the clinical isolates of ciprofloxacin-resistant MRSA, different levels and patterns of quinolone resistance were found. Generally, cross-resistance among the fluoroquinolones was complete; however, incomplete cross-resistance did occur with the nonfluorinated quinolone acrosoxacin.
Web-Based Links and Authoritative Content Pagerank Improvement

By studying the traditional analysis algorithm of PageRank found some deficiencies. Combination of link analysis and web pages relevant to the content analysis of an improved PageRank algorithm for EPR (Extended PageRank),starting from the web content and using existing web content VSM models to solve related problems. Starting from a web page links (including the links in and links out of) the authority to resolve the problem. Experiments show that through improved PageRank algorithm is much higher than the traditional sort.
Efficient Child Care Subsidies

We study the design of child care subsidies in an optimal welfare problem with heterogeneous private market productivities. The optimal subsidy schedule is qualitatively similar to the existing US scheme. Efficiency mandates a subsidy on formal child care costs, with higher subsidies paid to lower income earners and a kink as a function of child care expenditure. Marginal labor income tax rates are set lower than the labor wedges, with the potential to generate negative marginal tax rates. We calibrate our simple model to features of the US labor market and focus on single mothers with children aged below 6. The optimal program provides stronger participation but milder intensive margin incentives for low-income earners with subsidy rates starting very high and decreasing with income more steeply than those in the United States. (JEL D82, H21, H24, J13, J16, J32)
Lupus nephritis: a review of the current pharmacological treatments

Proliferative lupus glomerulonephritis World Health Organization Class III and IV patients should benefit from an induction and maintenance therapy with a combined immunosuppressive treatment. Cyclophosphamide is the main recommended drug in induction therapy for a 3- to 6-month treatment period. Refractory lupus nephritis may be considered for immunoablative cyclophosphamide treatment with or without haematopoietic CD34+ stem-cell transplantation or rituximab. Maintenance therapy should contain either quarterly cyclophosphamide pulses, azathioprine or mycophenolate mofetil for a total treatment duration of at least 2 years. Recent studies suggested a similar efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil and cyclophosphamide in induction and maintenance therapy. This result has to be confirmed in long-term studies.
Episodic memory for continual model learning

Both the human brain and artificial learning agents operating in real-world or comparably complex environments are faced with the challenge of online model selection. In principle this challenge can be overcome: hierarchical Bayesian inference provides a principled method for model selection and it converges on the same posterior for both off-line (i.e. batch) and online learning. However, maintaining a parameter posterior for each model in parallel has in general an even higher memory cost than storing the entire data set and is consequently clearly unfeasible. Alternatively, maintaining only a limited set of models in memory could limit memory requirements. However, sufficient statistics for one model will usually be insufficient for fitting a different kind of model, meaning that the agent loses information with each model change. We propose that episodic memory can circumvent the challenge of limited memory-capacity online model selection by retaining a selected subset of data points. We design a method to compute the quantities necessary for model selection even when the data is discarded and only statistics of one (or few) learnt models are available. We demonstrate on a simple model that a limited-sized episodic memory buffer, when the content is optimised to retain data with statistics not matching the current representation, can resolve the fundamental challenge of online model selection.
Theoretical and Experimental Investigations of Direct-Detected RF-Tone-Assisted Optical OFDM Systems

In this paper, we propose and experimentally demonstrate a radio frequency (RF)-tone-assisted optical orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM) transmission. By inserting an RF tone at the edge of the signal band and biasing the Mach-Zehnder modulator (MZM) at the null point, the proposed system has a better sensitivity and chromatic dispersion (CD) tolerance compared to the previous intensity-modulated single-sideband OFDM (SSB-OFDM). We show analytically that the majority of the linear channel impairments, such as the transmitter, CD, optical filtering, and receiver, can be compensated for by a simple zero-forcing equalizer. Besides, the optimum value of the important parameter, carrier-to-signal-power ratio (CSPR), is analytically obtained and supported via the experimental results. We also observe that the relatively worse sensitivity of the previous SSB-OFDM can be attributed to the limited CSPR. We experimentally demonstrate a 10-Gb/s, 8 quadrature-amplitude modulation (QAM) RF-tone-assisted OFDM transmission, and show that our system has a ~ 5-dB better sensitivity compared to the previous intensity-modulated SSB-OFDM and exhibits a negligible transmission penalty after 260-km uncompensated standard single-mode fiber (SSMF).
The ionic basis of action potentials in petrosal ganglion cells of the cat.

The ionic conductances underlying the action potential and after‐hyperpolarization of the cat petrosal ganglion neurones with myelinated axons in the carotid nerve were studied in vitro. Neurones were divided into two groups based on the presence or absence of an inflexion or hump on the spike falling phase. The application of tetrodotoxin (TTX, 3 X 10(‐7)‐3 X 10(‐6) M) revealed the presence of a TTX‐resistant component in spikes with a hump, which was abolished in Na+‐free solution. The action potential without a hump was blocked by TTX. The spike hump decreased or was abolished when Ca2+‐channel blockers (Mn2+, 3‐4 mM or Co2+, 5 mM) or low‐Ca2+ solutions (0.1‐0.2 mM) were applied to the preparation. In neurones with a hump on the spike, regenerative responses were obtained in Na+‐free, high‐Ca2+ (8.8 mM) solution; these responses were antagonized by Mn2+, and their amplitude was proportional to the external Ca2+ concentration. It is concluded that the action potential with a hump was produced by an Na+ current, a part of which was TTX‐resistant, and by a Ca2+ current which is responsible for the hump. Neurones without a hump had a TTX‐sensitive Na+ spike. The spike with a hump was followed by a long‐lasting after‐hyperpolarization which reversed polarity at about ‐82 mV. During the hyperpolarization an increase in membrane conductance was observed. The amplitude and duration of the long hyperpolarizing potential decreased when Ca2+‐channel blockers or low‐Ca2+ solutions were applied. In Na+‐free solution, regenerative responses were followed by a long hyperpolarization associated with an increase in membrane conductance. It is concluded that the long after‐hyperpolarization is produced by activation of the Ca2+‐dependent K+ conductance.
Yeast Nop15p is an RNA‐binding protein required for pre‐rRNA processing and cytokinesis

Nop15p is an essential protein that contains an RNA recognition motif (RRM) and localizes to the nucleoplasm and nucleolus. Cells depleted of Nop15p failed to synthesize the 25S and 5.8S rRNA components of the 60S ribosomal subunit, and exonucleolytic 5′ processing of 5.8S rRNA was strongly inhibited. Prer‐RNAs co‐precipitated with tagged Nop15p confirmed its association with early pre‐60S particles and Nop15p bound a pre‐rRNA transcript in vitro. Nop15p‐depleted cells show an unusually abrupt growth arrest prior to substantial depletion of ribosomal subunits. Following cell synchronization in mitosis, Nop15p‐depleted cells undergo nuclear division with wild‐type kinetics, activate the mitotic exit network and disassemble their mitotic spindle. However, they uniformly arrest at cytokinesis and fail to assemble a contractile actin ring at the bud neck. In dividing wild‐type cells, segregation of nucleolar proteins to the daughter nuclei occurs after separation of the nucleoplasm. In these late mitotic cells, Nop15p was partially delocalized from the nucleolus to the nucleoplasm, consistent with a specific function in cell division in addition to its role in ribosome synthesis.
Implementation of time-optimal smooth and collision-free path planning in a two robot arm environment

In this paper time-optimal, smooth and collision-free cubic spline path planning in an environment with two industrial robot arms is implemented. A suitable objective function combining the requirements of time optimality and smoothness of paths is put forward which is subject to the continuity of joint positions, velocities, and accelerations, the limits on their rates of change and collision-free constraints. A fast and effective collision detection method is used. A nonlinear optimization method is used to solve this problem. The resulting joint trajectories or spatial Cartesian paths are time-optimal, smooth and collision-free. The feasibility of this method is illustrated both by simulation and by experimental results with two RTX SCARA type robot arms. Further fast parallel implementation is outlined.
Temperature-dependent piezoresistivity in an MWCNT/epoxy nanocomposite temperature sensor with ultrahigh performance

A temperature sensor was fabricated from a polymer nanocomposite with multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as nanofiller (i.e., MWCNT/epoxy). The electrical resistance and temperature coefficient of resistance (TCR) of the temperature sensor were characterized experimentally. The effects of temperature (within the range 333–373 K) and MWCNT content (within the range 1–5 wt%) were investigated thoroughly. It was found that the resistance increases with increasing temperature and decreasing MWCNT content. However, the resistance change ratio related to the TCR increases with increasing temperature and MWCNT content. The highest value of TCR (0.021 K−1), which was observed in the case of 5 wt% MWCNT, is much higher than those of traditional metals and MWCNT-based temperature sensors. Moreover, the corresponding numerical simulation—conducted to explain the above temperature-dependent piezoresistivity of the nanocomposite temperature sensor—indicated the key role of a temperature-dependent tunneling effect.
HER2 predicts benefit from adjuvant paclitaxel after AC in node-positive breast cancer: CALGB 9344.

510 Background: CALGB 9344 showed 4 cycles of paclitaxel (T) after 4 cycles of doxorubicin/cyclophosphamide (AC) improved disease-free (DFS) and overall survival (OS) compared to 4 cycles of AC. Higher dose of A had no benefit (Henderson JCO '03). Prior studies suggest HER2 is associated with benefit from standard vs low dose of C&A (Dressler JCO '05). We hypothesized that HER2 might predict benefit from higher dose of A or from T, and that HER2 might refine the observed negative interaction of T with estrogen receptor (ER). METHODS 3121 node + women in CALGB 9344 received 4 q3wk cycles of AC (A: 60, 75, or 90 mg/m2) and then 4 cycles of T (175 mg/m2 q3wk) or no T. Blocks were collected from ∼2800 subjects. 2 sets of 750 patients each were randomly selected from these cases: Set 1 to develop hypotheses; Set 2 for validation. Tissue specimens were available from 643 (set1) and 679 (set2) cases (20% & 22% total enrolled in 9344 respectively). HER2 was evaluated by FISH and by IHC (by antibody cb11 and by Herceptest). Statistical analyses used Cox proportional hazards models, including interaction terms, and Kaplan-Meier estimates for comparing 5-yr DFS by treatment group. RESULTS In Set 1, all 3 assays suggested that T improved DFS for HER2+ but not for HER2-. For this single set the interaction was not statistically significant. There appeared to be an interaction of HER2, T and ER. IHC using cb11 was applied to Set 2, revealing nearly identical results. In the two sets combined (n=1322), the interaction between HER2 and T was statistically significant (p=0.013). The 3-way interaction of HER2, ER and T was hypothesis-generating and not tested statistically. Differences in 5-yr DFS rates (95% CI) for T vs. no T by HER2 and ER (both sets combined) There was no interaction between HER2 and dose of A. CONCLUSIONS These results suggest that the benefit of adding T to AC is greater for HER2+ tumors, even if ER+, while T was of no apparent benefit in the ER+, HER2- group. Further validation is needed from remaining cases in 9344 and from other trials involving T. [Table: see text] [Table: see text].
Effects of Bend Gesture Training on Learnability and Memorability in a Mobile Game

Bend gestures can be used as a form of Around Device Interaction to address usability issues in touchscreen mobile devices. Yet, it is unclear whether bend gestures can be easily learned and memorized as control schema for games. To answer this, we built a novel deformable smartphone case that detects bend gestures at its corners and sides, and created PaperNinja, a mobile game that uses bends as input. We conducted a study comparing the effect of three pre-game training levels on learnability and memorability: no training, training of the bend gestures only, and training of both the bend gestures and their in-game action mapping. We found that including gesture-mapping positively impacted the initial learning (faster completion time and fewer gestures performed), but had a similar outcome as no training on memorability, while the gestures-without-mapping led to a negative outcome. Our findings suggest that players can learn bend gestures by discovery and training is not essential.
Peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis masquerading as pulmonary hypertension: A diagnostic and therapeutic challenge

Isolated peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis presenting in adulthood is an uncommon cause of right ventricular hypertension and may be misdiagnosed as primary or thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Treatment consists of balloon angioplasty and stenting of the affected vessels, although the procedure can be complicated by reperfusion pulmonary edema.
Sequencing of the pncA Gene in Members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex Has Important Diagnostic Applications: Identification of a Species-Specific pncA Mutation in “Mycobacterium canettii” and the Reliable and Rapid Predictor of Pyrazinamide Resistance

ABSTRACT Testing for susceptibility to pyrazinamide (PZA) and analysis of the pncA gene sequences of 423 Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex isolates have revealed a unique silent nucleotide substitution that enables the rapid identification of “M. canettii” (proposed name). Moreover, the lack of a defined mutation within the pncA gene strongly suggests that an alternative mechanism is responsible for PZA resistance. Our results indicate that DNA sequencing of the pncA gene has the potential to shorten the turnaround time and increase the accuracy of PZA susceptibility testing of the M. tuberculosis complex.
Effect of selenate as a feed supplement to dairy cows in comparison to selenite and selenium yeast.

The main aim of this trial was to define the possible differences between selenite and selenate in their ability to increase the selenium (Se) concentration of milk, in comparison with organic Se. Dairy cows (n = 42) were fed a basal diet containing . 10 to . 12 mg Se/kg DM for 5 mo and were then divided into four groups of 10 or 11, as similar as possible in age and stage of lactation. During the next 84 d, the cows in three of the groups were supplemented with 3 mg of Se daily, whereas the cows in one control group remained unsupplemented. The Se supplement was given as sodium selenite, sodium selenate, or a Se yeast product. The total Se concentration of the diets varied with the cows' stage of lactation and was for the supplemented groups . 24 to . 31 mg/kg DM, but remained between . 10 and . 12 mg/kg in the control group. At the end of the trial, the mean whole blood Se concentrations in the selenite, selenate, yeast, and control groups were 138, 141, 165, and 104 microg/L, respectively. The Se concentration in plasma apparently reached a plateau level within 4 wk, at approximately 75 microg/L in the selenite group, 80 microg/L in the selenate group, and 90 microg/L in the yeast group. In the control group the mean concentration in plasma remained at approximately 50 microg/L. The increase of the activity of glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) in the erythrocytes was significantly higher in the supplemented groups than in the control group. The mean concentrations of Se in milk in the selenite, selenate, and yeast groups were 16.4, 16.4, and 31.2 microg/L, respectively, whereas the concentration remained at approximately 14 microg/L in the control group. The milk Se concentration reached a plateau within 1 wk after the start of Se supplementation. Dietary supplementation with selenite and selenate, thus, had only a limited effect on the Se concentration in milk, and there was no significant difference between the two inorganic compounds in any variable measured. Organic Se was much more effective than inorganic Se in increasing the concentration of Se in milk.
Engagement of myelomonocytic Siglecs by tumor-associated ligands modulates the innate immune response to cancer

Significance In vitro and in vivo data indicate that hypersialylated tumor cells can engage Siglec-9 on myelomonocytic cells and influence the outcome of the interaction, depending on the stage of tumor growth and the microenvironment. On one hand, engagement of Siglec-9 or Siglec-E by tumor-associated ligands inhibited immunosurveillance and tumor cell killing during establishment of autologous tumors and new metastatic foci. On the other hand, inhibition of tumor-associated macrophages through Siglec-9 led to M1 polarization and reduced growth-promoting inflammation within the tumor microenvironment. This demonstrates a previously unidentified dualistic function of Siglec-9 during cancer progression. A functional polymorphism of Siglec-9 correlated with altered survival of lung cancer patients, suggesting that Siglec-9 might be therapeutically targeted. Certain pathogenic bacteria are known to modulate the innate immune response by decorating themselves with sialic acids, which can engage the myelomonocytic lineage inhibitory receptor Siglec-9, thereby evading immunosurveillance. We hypothesized that the well-known up-regulation of sialoglycoconjugates by tumors might similarly modulate interactions with innate immune cells. Supporting this hypothesis, Siglec-9–expressing myelomonocytic cells found in human tumor samples were accompanied by a strong up-regulation of Siglec-9 ligands. Blockade of Siglec-9 enhanced neutrophil activity against tumor cells in vitro. To investigate the function of inhibitory myelomonocytic Siglecs in vivo we studied mouse Siglec-E, the murine functional equivalent of Siglec-9. Siglec-E–deficient mice showed increased in vivo killing of tumor cells, and this effect was reversed by transgenic Siglec-9 expression in myelomonocytic cells. Siglec-E–deficient mice also showed enhanced immunosurveillance of autologous tumors. However, once tumors were established, they grew faster in Siglec-E–deficient mice. In keeping with this, Siglec-E–deficient macrophages showed a propensity toward a tumor-promoting M2 polarization, indicating a secondary role of CD33-related Siglecs in limiting cancer-promoting inflammation and tumor growth. Thus, we define a previously unidentified impact of inhibitory myelomonocytic Siglecs in cancer biology, with distinct roles that reflect the dual function of myelomonocytic cells in cancer progression. In keeping with this, a human polymorphism that reduced Siglec-9 binding to carcinomas was associated with improved early survival in non–small-cell lung cancer patients, which suggests that Siglec-9 might be therapeutically targeted within the right time frame and stage of disease.
Identification and characterization of dppA, an Escherichia coli gene encoding a periplasmic dipeptide transport protein

We describe the isolation and analysis of an Escherichia coli gene, dppA, and its role in dipeptide transport. dppA maps near min 79 and encodes a protein (DppA) that has regions of amino acid similarity with a peptide-binding protein from Salmonella typhimurium (OppA). Like OppA, DppA is found in the periplasmic space and thus is most likely a dipeptide-binding protein. Insertional inactivation of dppA results in the inability of a proline auxotroph to utilize Pro-Gly as a proline source. dppA-dependent Pro-Gly utilization does not require any of the three major proline transport systems, demonstrating that DppA is not simply a dipeptidase. An in vivo competition assay was used to show that DppA is probably involved in the transport of dipeptides other than Pro-Gly. Transcription of dppA is repressed by the presence of casamino acids, suggesting that the cell alters its dipeptide transport capabilities in response to an environmental signal.