Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk factors associated with development of postoperative ileus in horses.

OBJECTIVE To determine risk factors associated with development of postoperative ileus in horses undergoing surgery for colic. DESIGN Case-control study. ANIMALS 69 horses that developed ileus after surgery for colic and 307 horses that did not develop postoperative ileus. PROCEDURE Signalment, history, clinicopathologic data, treatment, lesions, and outcome were obtained from medical records. RESULTS Variables associated with increased risk of postoperative ileus included age > 10 years, Arabian breed, PCV > or = 45%, high serum concentrations of protein and albumin, anesthesia > 2.5 hours' duration, surgery > 2 hours' duration, resection and anastomosis, and lesions in the small intestine. Enterotomy reduced the risk of postoperative ileus. After multivariate logistic regression, the final model included the variables Arabian breed, PCV > or = 45%, lesion type, duration of surgery (> 2 hours vs < or = 2 hours), and pelvic flexure enterotomy. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Results suggest that by evaluating certain factors, horses at increased risk of postoperative ileus may be recognized before the condition develops. Preventative treatment and early intervention may be instituted in these horses. Shortening surgery time and performing an enterotomy may decrease the probability of horses developing postoperative ileus.
Explicit solution to the singular discrete-time stationary linear filtering problem

A closed form solution to the stationary discrete-time linear filtering problem is obtained explicitly in terms of the system state-space matrices in the limiting singular case where the measurement noise tends to zero. Simple expressions, in closed form, are obtained for the Kalman gain matrix both for uniform and nonuniform rank systems and the explicit eigenstructure of the Kalman filter closed loop matrix is derived. The minimum error covariance matrices of the a priori and a posteriori filtered estimates are obtained using this special eigenstructure, and a remarkably different behavior of the solution in the minimum- and nonminimum-phase cases is found.
Oxidative stress induces insulin resistance by activating the nuclear factor-kappa B pathway and disrupting normal subcellular distribution of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase.

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS Oxidative stress is associated with diabetes, hypertension and atherosclerosis. Insulin resistance is implicated in the development of these disorders. We tested the hypothesis that oxidative stress induces insulin resistance in rats, and endeavoured to identify mechanisms linking the two. METHODS Buthionine sulfoximine (BSO), an inhibitor of glutathione synthase, was administered to Sprague-Dawley rats and 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Glucose metabolism and insulin signalling both in vivo and in 3T3-L1 adipocytes were examined. In 3T3-L1 adipocytes, the effects of overexpression of a dominant negative mutant of inhibitory kappa B (I kappa B), one role of which is to block oxidative-stress-induced nuclear factor (NF)-kappa B activation, were investigated. RESULTS In rats given BSO for 2 weeks, the plasma lipid hydroperoxide level doubled, indicating increased oxidative stress. A hyperinsulinaemic-euglycaemic clamp study and a glucose transport assay using isolated muscle and adipocytes revealed insulin resistance in BSO-treated rats. BSO treatment also impaired insulin-induced glucose uptake and GLUT4 translocation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. In BSO-treated rat muscle, adipose tissue and 3T3-L1 adipocytes, insulin-induced IRS-1 phosphorylation in the low-density microsome (LDM) fraction was specifically decreased, while that in whole cell lysates was not altered, and subsequent translocation of phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase from the cytosol and the LDM fraction was disrupted. BSO-induced impairments of insulin action and insulin signalling were reversed by overexpressing the dominant negative mutant of I kappa B, thereby suppressing NF-kappa B activation. CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION Oxidative stress induces insulin resistance by impairing IRS-1 phosphorylation and PI 3-kinase activation in the LDM fraction, and NF-kappa B activation is likely to be involved in this process.
Abdominoplasty and Abdominal Contour Surgery: A National Plastic Surgery Survey

Background: According to the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery's 2004 Cosmetic Surgery National Data Bank, during the last 7 years, the number of abdominoplasty procedures performed has increased 344 percent. A national report on abdominoplasty has not been since 1977. Grazer and Goldwyn's study reflects the preliposuction era of abdominal contouring surgery. The purpose of this study was to assess current trends in abdominal contouring techniques and associated procedures and the incidence of their complications. Methods: The study was designed as a descriptive correlation survey evaluating the frequency of various abdominal contour techniques and complications among 3300 randomly chosen members of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. There were 497 respondents, for a response rate of 15 percent. Results: A total of 20,029 procedures were reported in the survey; 35 percent (n = 7010) were liposuction of the abdomen, 10 percent (n = 2003) were limited abdominoplasties, and 55 percent (n = 11,016) were full abdominoplasties. Survey data covered the plastic surgeon's demographics, techniques, and incidence of complications during a 12-month period. Conclusions: The authors report the largest series of local and systemic complication rates and compare them with those of previously published abdominoplasty surveys. With respect to full abdominoplasty, lower complication rates for deep vein thrombosis (0.04 percent) and pulmonary embolus (0.02 percent) were seen. No deaths were reported. There was no correlation between a surgeon's years in practice and complication rates, in concordance with the earlier study by Grazer and Goldwyn. Despite more extensive abdominal contouring techniques and the addition of liposuction to abdominal contouring, the local and systemic complication rates coincided with previous complication rates, as outlined in other studies.
The effect of antipsychotic treatment on Theory of Mind

Background. Deficits in a patient's ‘theory of mind’ (TOM) have been proposed to lead to psychosis. However, it remains unclear whether TOM deficits constitute a trait- or a state-related deficit and whether they respond to antipsychotic treatment, and also whether the change in TOM and change in psychosis are associated. Method. In the cross-sectional component of this study, 71 patients with psychotic disorders were included and TOM ability was measured using a hinting task in which subjects had to infer real intentions behind indirect speech. In the longitudinal study, a different cohort of 17 drug-free patients were included wherein they received antipsychotic treatment for 6 weeks and the effect on psychotic symptoms and TOM was measured every 2 weeks. Associations between TOM and psychopathology were assessed and a mixed effects model was used to investigate the rate of change over time. Results. Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total scores were significantly associated with TOM scores. The hinting task was not associated with positive symptoms but was significantly associated with negative and general symptoms. The longitudinal arm of the study showed that both PANSS positive scores and TOM improved after medication was started, particularly during the first 2 weeks of antipsychotic treatment, but these changes were not associated. The TOM response at 2 weeks of antipsychotic treatment reached similar values to those obtained in the cross-sectional sample. Conclusions. Although TOM and psychotic symptoms are related to each other, antipsychotic treatment impacts each independently, suggesting a dissimilar cognitive or neurobiological substrate for the two.
Selection of Optimal Programming Contacts Based on Local Field Potential Recordings From Subthalamic Nucleus in Patients With Parkinson's Disease

BACKGROUNDIn the United States, the most commonly used surgical treatment for patients with Parkinson's disease is the implantation of deep brain stimulation (DBS) electrodes within the subthalamic nucleus. However, DBS device programming remains difficult and is a possible source of decreased efficacy. OBJECTIVEWe investigated the relationship between local field potential (LFP) activities in the subthalamic nucleus and the therapeutic response to programming. METHODSWe recorded LFPs with macroelectrodes placed unilaterally for DBS in 4 PD patients, 3 weeks after implantation, before the start of log-term DBS. Power-frequency spectra were calculated for each of 7 possible electrode contacts or contact pairs, over multiple 5- to 10-minute quiet waking epochs and over 30-second epochs during hand movements. Subsequently, DBS devices were programmed, with testing to determine which electrode contacts or contact pairs demonstrated optimal therapeutic efficacy. RESULTSFor each patient, the contact pair found to provide optimal efficacy was associated with the highest energy in the β (13–32 Hz) and γ (48–220 Hz) bands during postoperative LFP recordings at rest and during hand movements. Activities in other frequency bands did not show significant correlations between LFP power and optimal electrode contacts. CONCLUSIONPostoperative subband analysis of LFP recordings in β and γ frequency ranges may be used to select optimal electrode contacts. These results indicate that LFP recordings from implanted DBS electrodes can provide important clues to guide the optimization of DBS therapy in individual patients.
Intracranial meningioma resection using frameless stereotaxy.

Thirty-four consecutive patients with intracranial meningiomas underwent 35 resections aided by an interactive surgical navigation system (ISN; "frameless stereotaxy"). System capabilities include real-time display of wand location, orientation, and relationship to nearby structures using multiplanar and three-dimensional presentation of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or computed tomography (CT) data obtained perioperatively. There were 16 patients with convexity tumors, five patients with sphenoid wing tumors, five patients with falx or parasagittal tumors, and eight patients with skull base tumors (two each: petroclival, cavernous sinus, olfactory groove, and planum sphenoidale). the ISN system was used to locate a minimal craniotomy (i.e., trephine) in 11 (32%) patients, to optimize bone flap design in 13 (38%) patients, to identify the location of parasagittal draining veins in five (15%) patients, and to locate the carotid or basilar arteries in 11 (32%) patients. The techniques provided limited benefit in cranial nerve preservation. No patient had permanent central neurologic morbidity. Where intended preoperatively, tumor resection was complete (i.e., > 98%) in all patients as determined via postoperative MRI. Interactive surgical navigation is a useful adjunct in the operative management of some patients with intracranial meningiomas.
Avian retroviral RNA encapsidation: reexamination of functional 5' RNA sequences and the role of nucleocapsid Cys-His motifs

RNA packaging signals (psi) from the 5' ends of murine and avian retroviral genomes have previously been shown to direct encapsidation of heterologous mRNA into the retroviral virion. The avian 5' packaging region has now been further characterized, and we have defined a 270-nucleotide sequence, A psi, which is sufficient to direct packaging of heterologous RNA. Identification of the A psi sequence suggests that several retroviral cis-acting sequences contained in psi+ (the primer binding site, the putative dimer linkage sequence, and the splice donor site) are dispensable for specific RNA encapsidation. Subgenomic env mRNA is not efficiently encapsidated into particles, even though the A psi sequence is present in this RNA. In contrast, spliced heterologous psi-containing RNA is packaged into virions as efficiently as unspliced species; thus splicing per se is not responsible for the failure of env mRNA to be encapsidated. We also found that an avian retroviral mutant deleted for both nucleocapsid Cys-His boxes retains the capacity to encapsidate RNA containing psi sequences, although this RNA is unstable and is thus difficult to detect in mature particles. Electron microscopy reveals that virions produced by this mutant lack a condensed core, which may allow the RNA to be accessible to nucleases.
Control of hypertension and survival in haemodialysis patients

Hypertension is common in approximately 80% to 90% of patients at the start of dialysis therapy and is an established risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, it should be controlled, even in the chronic dialysis population. Observational studies indicate a U‐shaped phenomenon, as the mortality rate is high among those with hypertension as well as those with hypotension. Among chronic dialysis patients, randomized controlled trials on the effect of anti‐hypertensive treatment are not conclusive, at least not as demonstrated by studies with a large sample size. Similar to other potentially effective drug therapies such as erythropoietin stimulating agent, statins, and uraemic toxin adsorbents, the benefit of anti‐hypertensive treatment remains to be demonstrated in dialysis patients. The blood pressure target level, however, is difficult to determine as evidence for the level of appropriate target is lacking. Currently, it should be determined individually, as the priority is to perform haemodialysis as prescribed. The target levels of blood pressure for chronic haemodialysis patients are not stated except in the Guidelines in the Japanese Society for Dialysis Therapy. In this guideline, systolic blood pressure between 140 to 159 mmHg is preferable among elderly patients with comorbid conditions. Rapid ultrafiltration, such as >600 mL/h, is to be avoided. Intra‐dialysis hypotension, muscle cramps, and other complaints during HD are preventable. Moreover, the nutritional status should be maintained within the normal range with adequate intake of protein and calories, but with salt restriction. Further studies are necessary for better management of hypertension in the dialysis population.
Challenges and Recommendations in Leveraging Property and Property Owner Data to Inform Government Programs

This management paper presents a look at the challenges that local and state governments face when trying to access and use property and property owner data to inform their programs and policies. An example from New York State illuminates the issues associated with the collection, management, sharing, and use of this type of administrative data, typically collected within the local jurisdiction. This management paper presents how data quality and the capability to share are significant challenges for many government agencies as they try to obtain access and use this highly sought data to inform their programs in tax and finance, economic development, code enforcement. This paper details the data access and use challenges they face, and sets forth a small set of recommendations for moving ahead in leveraging property and property owner data. Finally, this paper offers recommendations for action so that government leaders can continue to leverage property and owner data in essential policies and critical programs.
Imprinting and the origin of parasite–host species associations in brood-parasitic indigobirds, Vidua chalybeata


Brood-parasitic village indigobirds, Vidua chalybeata, were bred in captivity and foster-reared by their normal host species, the red-billed firefinch, Lagonosticta senegala, or by an experimental foster species, the Bengalese finch, Lonchura striata. Captive-reared female indigobirds were tested as adults for mate choice and for host choice. In tests of mate choice, female indigobirds responded preferentially towards mimicry songs of male indigobirds that were similar to those of the females' own foster parents. Females reared by Bengalese finches responded to male songs that mimicked Bengalese finch song rather than to male songs that mimicked their normal host species, the firefinch. In tests of host choice, females reared by Bengalese finches laid in the nests of Bengalese finches, and females reared by firefinches laid in the nests of firefinches. Wild-caught females showed the same behaviours as captive-bred females reared by firefinches. A female indigobird's social companions (firefinch or Bengalese) following her independence of her foster parents had no effect on her sexual response to male mimicry song or her choice of a host species in brood parasitism. The results support the predictions of a model of imprinting-like behaviour development in which young indigobirds focus their attention on their foster parents, rather than a model of innate bias for songs and nests of their normal host species, or a null model of nonspecific brood parasitism and differential survival. The results provide experimental support for the recent origin of brood parasite-host associations and the significance of imprinting in speciation in these brood parasites. Copyright 2000 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Evaluation of salivary sialic acid, total protein, and total sugar in oral cancer: a preliminary report.

AIM Detection of cancer at the early stage is of utmost importance to decrease the morbidity and mortality of the disease. Apart from the conventional biopsy, noninvasive methods like analysis of saliva may provide a cost-effective approach for screening a large population. Thus, this study aimed to estimate salivary levels of sialic acid, total protein, and total sugar in the oral cancer patients and in healthy control group to evaluate their role in diagnosis and prognosis of oral cancer. STUDY DESIGN Unstimulated whole saliva samples were collected from 30 healthy controls (Group I) and 30 squamous cell carcinoma patients (group II). Estimations of salivary levels of sialic acid, total protein, and total sugar were performed. This was correlated histopathologically with the grades of carcinoma. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS AND RESULTS The Student's ' t ' test and multivariate regression analysis were performed. The results showed that salivary levels of total protein, total sugar, protein-bound sialic acid, and free sialic acid were significantly higher in oral cancer patients compared to those of normal healthy controls ( P values in all the results were less than 0.001). The salivary free sialic acid levels were found to be significantly higher in well-differentiated squamous cell carcinoma than in moderately differentiated carcinoma ( P < 0.001). However, protein-bound sialic acid, total proteins, and total sugars did not show any statistical significance between well and moderately differentiated carcinomas. CONCLUSION Biochemical analysis of saliva can be used in early detection of cancer and is best correlated with histopathological degree of squamous cell carcinoma.
Secrecy rate maximization in a cognitive radio network with artificial noise aided for MISO multi-eves

In this paper, we consider beamforming design for an underlay cognitive radio multiple-input single-output broadcast channel, where a pair of secondary users coexists with multiple primary receivers. There exist multiple malicious eavesdroppers who attempt to overhear the confidential messages from the secondary system. When the channel state information of the eavesdroppers can only be obtained in the statistical sense, we transform the constraint which results from the statistical information of the passive eavesdroppers into a linear matrix inequality and convex constraint. To improve the secrecy rate of the secondary system, we aim to design a jamming noise to degrade the eavesdroppers. The main objective of the design is to maximize the secrecy rate of the secondary system while satisfying all the interference power constraints at the primary users and per-antenna power constraint at the secondary transmitter. The original problem is a nonconvex program, which can be reformulated to a convex program by applying the rank relaxation method. To this end, we prove that the rank relaxation is tight and it can be efficiently solved. Moreover, to develop an efficient resource allocation scheme we transform the relaxed problem into an equivalent problem based on a duality result.
A 1.5–45-GHz High-Power 2-D Distributed Voltage-Controlled Attenuator

We present the development of an ultra-wideband and 1-W voltage-controlled attenuator (VCA) using a 0.15-<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\mu \text{m}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> enhancement mode gallium arsenide pseudomorphic high-electron mobility transistor technology. For the first time, a 2-D stacked field-effect transistor configuration is employed in a distributed VCA to simultaneously achieve wide bandwidth, high power, high dynamic range, and low insertion loss. The systematic design methodology is proposed, and a VCA prototype is fabricated and measured for verification. The monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) VCA exhibits a measured insertion loss of 1.9–5.5 dB from 1.5–45 GHz. The measured highest input 1-dB power compression point (<inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$P_{\mathrm {1dB}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula>) is 30 dBm with a dynamic range of 26 dB. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper reports the highest bandwidth and <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$P_{\mathrm {1dB}}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> of a single MMIC VCA while still maintaining excellent performance regarding dynamic range, insertion loss, and chip size.
Locomotor-specific measure of spasticity of plantarflexor muscles after stroke.

OBJECTIVES To study the stretch reflex excitability (spasticity) of the plantarflexor muscles during gait in patients with hemiparesis and to study the relationships of spasticity during gait with spasticity at rest and gait speed. DESIGN Cross-sectional, descriptive. SETTING Rehabilitation center. PARTICIPANTS Convenience sample of 30 patients (58 +/- 11yr) with hemiparesis (<6mo poststroke) and 15 healthy controls (59 +/- 8yr). INTERVENTIONS Patients walked at natural speed, healthy subjects at very slow speed for 10 gait cycles. Electromyographic activation of the medial gastrocremius was recorded by using surface electrodes. A 2-dimensional video camera system with reflective markers was used to acquire kinematics of the lower limbs. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Electromyography-lengthening velocity slopes, calculated from measures obtained during the lengthening periods of the medial gastrocnemius muscle during the stance and the swing phases. Measured spatisticity (Modified Ashworth Scale [MAS]), static strength (ankle clonus), and motor control (Fugl-Meyer test). RESULTS Velocity-sensitive electromyographic responses, indicative of hyperactive stretch reflexes, were found on the paretic side during the stance phase of gait (in 66% of the patients), but not on the nonparetic side or in controls. In many patients, velocity-sensitive responses coexisted with low plantarflexor activation levels during the stance phase. No clear patterns of response were measured during the swing phase in either group. Spasticity during gait in the patients was found to be positively related (r = .47, p < .01; r = .57, p < .001) to spasticity at rest (MAS; ankle clonus), whereas it was found to be negatively related to gait speed (r = -.47 to -.53, p < .01). CONCLUSIONS The validity of the present method is supported by the fact that it is locomotor-specific and that it allowed for a good discrimination between spastic and nonspastic limbs, as well as between stance and swing phases of the gait cycle. The results also support plantarflexor spasticity as a factor contributing to the poor locomotor performance after stroke.