Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension in Chinese patients

We sought to investigate the characteristics, survival and risk factors for mortality in Chinese patients with connective tissue disease (CTD)-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (APAH) in modern therapy era. 129 consecutive adult patients who visited one of three referral centres in China with a diagnosis of CTD-APAH confirmed by right heart catheterisation during the previous 5 years were enrolled. The end-point was all-cause death or data censoring. Systemic lupus erythematosus was the most common underlying CTD (49%) and systemic sclerosis just accounted for 6% in this cohort. The overall survival at 1 and 3 years was 92% and 80%, respectively. Pericardial effusion, a shorter 6-min walk distance, lower mixed venous oxygen saturation, higher pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP), and lower total cholesterol levels were all associated with a higher risk of death among the study population. Higher PVR and ALP were independent predictors of mortality. In conclusion, unlike in western patients, systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common underlying disease in Chinese patients with CTD-APAH. The survival of Chinese patients with CTD-APAH in the modern treatment era is similar to that in western countries. Elevated PVR and ALP are independent risk factors for poor outcomes. Systemic lupus erythematosus is the most common underlying disease in Chinese patients with CTD-APAH http://ow.ly/vo4x6
Rivaroxaban versus high dose nadroparin for thromboprophylaxis after hip or knee arthroplasty

Summary Deep-vein thrombosis and subsequent pulmonary embolism are major complications in total joint arthroplasty of the lower limbs. New oral anticoagulants are increasingly prescribed as thromboprophylaxis due to their simple administration and encouraging phase III marketing studies. Patients, methods In this observational study, we compared the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban with nadroparin in 1302 unselected patients receiving hip or knee arthroplasty. Results Venous thrombembolism occurred in 3.3% (2.3%; 4.7%, 95% CI, n = 838) of patients receiving rivaroxaban and in 4.3% (2.7%; 6.7%, 95% CI, n = 464) of patients receiving nadroparin resulting in an absolute risk reduction (ARR) of 1.0% (–1.4%; 3.3%, 95% CI). Conclusions With an odds ratio of 0.6 (0.4; 1.0, 95% CI), rivaroxaban was associated with a decreased perioperative drop in haemoglobin exhibiting an improved thromboprophylactic profile when compared to high dose nadroparin. Furthermore, transfusion rates were 8.8% (−2.7%; 19.9%, 95% CI) lower in patients receiving rivaroxaban. However, as previous studies have shown, low preoperative haemoglobin remains the most predictive factor for postoperative transfusions (OR: 2.4 [1.3; 4.4, 95% CI]).
Earthquakes Induced by Hydraulic Fracturing Are Pervasive in Oklahoma

Wastewater disposal is generally accepted to be the primary cause of the increased seismicity rate in Oklahoma within the past decade, but no statewide analysis has investigated the contribution of hydraulic fracturing (HF) to the observed seismicity or the seismic hazard. Utilizing an enhanced seismicity catalog generated with multistation template matching from 2010 to 2016 and all available hydraulic fracturing information, we identified 274 HF wells that are spatiotemporally correlated with bursts of seismicity. The majority of HF‐induced seismicity cases occurred in the SCOOP/STACK plays, but we also identified prominent cases in the Arkoma Basin and some more complex potential cases along the edge of the Anadarko Platform. For HF treatments where we have access to injection parameters, modeling suggests that poroelastic stresses are likely responsible for seismicity, but we cannot rule out direct pore pressure effects as a contributing factor. In all of the 16 regions we identified, ≥75% of the seismicity correlated with reported HF wells. In some regions, >95% of seismicity correlated with HF wells and >50% of the HF wells correlated with seismicity. Overall, we found ~700 HF‐induced earthquakes with M ≥ 2.0, including 12 events with M 3.0–3.5. These findings suggest state regulations implemented in 2018 that require operators in the SCOOP/STACK plays to take action if a M > 2 earthquake could have a significant impact on future operations.
Developing a robotic platform to play with pre-school autistic children in a classroom environment

This article presents a study with five children with autism who were involved in a game. As relatively little work has been done on using robots in a classroom setting for children with autism, this paper investigates the potential use of robots as an educational companion for children with autism in a classroom setting. The target users were pre-schoolers diagnosed with high-functioning autism. The aim of the study was to find out how turn-taking games with a robot among the children could encourage social interaction skills in children with autism. Behavioral criteria such as eye gaze and touch were evaluated using video data. Based on our observation, autistic children with low social communication scores have a lower ratio of eye contact compare to autistic children with high social communication. The analysis of behavioral observations also revealed that the autistic children with higher scores of social communication skills directed significantly more eye gaze and touch towards the robot. This finding supports the idea that robot was suitable for encouraging interaction. But the results reveal a need for long term studies in order to establish the full benefits of using robots in the classroom for children with autism.
Beyond Breast Cancer: Mammographic Features and Mortality Risk in a Population of Healthy Women

Background Breast fibroglandular (dense) tissue is a risk factor for breast cancer. Beyond breast cancer, little is known regarding the prognostic significance of mammographic features. Methods We evaluated relationships between nondense (fatty) breast area and dense area with all-cause mortality in 4,245 initially healthy women from the Breast Cancer Detection Demonstration Project; 1,361 died during a mean follow-up of 28.2 years. Dense area and total breast area were assessed using planimeter measurements from screening mammograms. Percent density reflects dense area relative to breast area and nondense area was calculated as the difference between total breast area and dense area. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated by Cox proportional hazards regression. Results In age-adjusted models, greater nondense and total breast area were associated with increased risk of death (HR 1.17, 95% CI 1.10-1.24 and HR 1.13, 95% CI 1.06-1.19, per SD difference) while greater dense area and percent density were associated with lower risk of death (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.86-0.95 and HR 0.87, 95% CI 0.83-0.92, per SD difference). Associations were not attenuated with adjustment for race, education, mammogram type (x-ray or xerogram), smoking status, diabetes and heart disease. With additional adjustment for body mass index, associations were diminished for all features but remained statistically significant for dense area (HR 0.94, 95% CI 0.89-0.99, per SD difference) and percent density (HR 0.93, 95% CI 0.87-0.98, per SD difference). Conclusions These data indicate that dense area and percent density may relate to survival in healthy women and suggest the potential utility of mammograms beyond prediction of breast cancer risk.
Improvement in survival for patients with synchronous metastatic esophageal cancer in the south of the Netherlands from 1994 to 2013

ABSTRACT Background: We assessed the use of external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer and evaluated the effect on overall survival. Methods: We included all patients diagnosed with synchronous metastatic esophageal cancer in the south of the Netherlands between 1 January 1994 and 31 December 2013. Proportions of patients treated with external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy were described with respect to the period of diagnosis, patient and tumor characteristics. Independent risk factors for death were discriminated. Results: A total of 1020 patients were included, 61.5% of these patients received palliative treatment with external beam radiotherapy, chemoradiotherapy, brachytherapy and/or chemotherapy. The use of external beam radiotherapy decreased from 44.5% in 1994 to 22.2% in 2013 (p = 0.0001), whereas the use of chemoradiotherapy increased from 2.9% in 1994 to 19.1% in 2013 (p < 0.0001). The prescription of systemic chemotherapy as single modality increased from 13.9% to 30.5% (p < 0.0001). The use of brachytherapy decreased from 20.9% in 1994 to 7.4% in 2013 (p = 0.0013). The odds of receiving external beam radiotherapy, brachytherapy, chemoradiotherapy and chemotherapy were influenced by different tumor and patient characteristics, such as age, gender, histologic subtype and number of metastatic sites. The median overall survival in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer significantly improved over time from 18 weeks (one-year survival rate 14.4%) in 1994–1998 to 25 weeks (one-year survival rate 22.4%) in 2009–2013. Patients treated with chemoradiotherapy had the most favorable prognosis, followed by patients treated with chemotherapy as a single modality. Conclusion: The median overall survival of patients diagnosed with metastatic esophageal cancer improved from 18 weeks in 1994–1998 to 25 weeks in 2009–2013. Although this increase could be attributed to stage migration, our population-based study suggests that major changes in treatment strategies and appropriate patient selection might have played a role as well.
Dillenia Suffruticosa Extract Inhibits Proliferation of Human Breast Cancer Cell Lines (MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231) via Induction of G2/M Arrest and Apoptosis

The present research was designed to evaluate the anticancer properties of Dillenia suffruticosa extract. Our focus was on the mode of cell death and cell cycle arrest induced in breast cancer cells by the active fractions (designated as D/F4, D/F5 and EA/P2) derived from chromatographic fractionation of D. suffruticosa extracts. The results showed that the active fractions are more cytotoxic towards MCF-7 (estrogen positive breast cancer cells) and MDA-MB-231 (estrogen negative breast cancer cells) as compared to other selected cancer cell lines that included HeLa, A459 and CaOV3. The induction of cell death through apoptosis by the active fractions on the breast cancer cells was confirmed by Annexin V-FITC and PI staining. Cell cycle analysis revealed that D/F4 and EA/P2 induced G2/M phase cell cycle arrest in MCF-7 cells. On the other hand, MDA-MB-231 cells treated with D/F4 and D/F5 accumulated in the sub-G1 phase without cell cycle arrest, suggesting the induction of cell death through apoptosis. The data suggest that the active fractions of D. suffruticosa extract eliminated breast cancer cells through induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. The reason why MCF-7 was more sensitive towards the treatment than MDA-MB-231 remains unclear. This warrants further work, especially on the role of hormones in response towards cytotoxic agents. In addition, more studies on the mechanisms underlying the induction of apoptosis and cell cycle arrest by the plant extract also need to be carried out.
Towards individualized software engineering: empirical studies should collect psychometrics

Even though software is developed by humans, research in software engineering primarily focuses on the technologies, methods and processes they use while disregarding the importance of the humans themselves. In this paper we argue that most studies in software engineering should give much more weight to human factors. In particular empirical software engineering studies involving human developers should always consider collecting psychometric data on the humans involved. We focus on personality as one important psychometric factor and present initial results from an empirical study investigating correlations between personality and attitudes to software engineering processes and tools. We discuss what are currently hindering a more wide-spread use of psychometrics and how overcoming these hurdles could lead to a more individualized software engineering.
A Maximum Likelihood Approach to Single-channel Source Separation

This paper presents a new technique for achieving blind signal separation when given only a single channel recording. The main concept is based on exploiting a priori sets of time-domain basis functions learned by independent component analysis (ICA) to the separation of mixed source signals observed in a single channel. The inherent time structure of sound sources is reflected in the ICA basis functions, which encode the sources in a statistically efficient manner. We derive a learning algorithm using a maximum likelihood approach given the observed single channel data and sets of basis functions. For each time point we infer the source parameters and their contribution factors. This inference is possible due to prior knowledge of the basis functions and the associated coefficient densities. A flexible model for density estimation allows accurate modeling of the observation and our experimental results exhibit a high level of separation performance for simulated mixtures as well as real environment recordings employing mixtures of two different sources.
Efficacy of self monitoring of blood glucose in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes (ESMON study): randomised controlled trial

Objectives To assess the effect of self monitoring of blood glucose concentrations on glycaemic control and psychological indices in patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus. Design Prospective randomised controlled trial of self monitoring versus no monitoring (control). Setting Hospital diabetes clinics. Participants 184 (111 men) people aged <70 with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes referred to the participating diabetes clinics. Major exclusion criteria were secondary diabetes, insulin treatment, previous self monitoring of blood glucose. Interventions Participants were randomised to self monitoring or no monitoring (control) groups for one year with follow-up at three monthly intervals. Both groups underwent an identical structured core education programme. The self monitoring group received additional education on monitoring. Main outcome measures Between group differences in HbA1c, psychological indices, use of oral hypoglycaemic drugs, body mass index (BMI), and reported hypoglycaemia rates. Results 96 patients (55 men) were randomised to monitoring and 88 (56 men) to control. There were no baseline differences in mean (SD) age (57.7 (11.0) in monitoring group v 60.9 (11.5) in control group) or HbA1c (8.8 (2.1)% v 8.6 (2.3)%, respectively). Those in the monitoring group had a higher baseline BMI (34 (7) v 32 (6.2)). There were no significant differences between groups at any time point (12 months values given) in HbA1c (6.9 (0.8)% v 6.9 (1.2)%, P=0.69; 95% confidence interval for difference −0.25% to 0.38%), BMI (33.1 (6.4) v 31.8 (6.0); adjusted for baseline BMI, P=0.32), use of oral hypoglycaemic drugs, or reported incidence of hypoglycaemia. Monitoring was associated with a 6% higher score on the depression subscale of the well-being questionnaire (P=0.01). Conclusions In patients with newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes self monitoring of blood glucose concentration has no effect on glycaemic control but is associated with higher scores on a depression subscale. Trial registration ISRCTN 49814766.
SELF-ESTEEM AND RELATIONSHIP SATISFACTION 1 Actor and Partner Effects of Self-Esteem on Relationship Satisfaction and the Mediating Role of Secure Attachment Between the Partners

We examined actor and partner effects of self-esteem on relationship satisfaction, using the actor-partner interdependence model and data from five independent samples of couples. The results indicated that self-esteem predicted the individual’s own relationship satisfaction (i.e., an actor effect) and the relationship satisfaction of his or her partner (i.e., a partner effect), controlling for the effect of the partner’s self-esteem. Gender, age, and length of relationship did not moderate the effect sizes. Moreover, using one of the samples, we tested whether secure attachment to the current partner (assessed as low attachment-related anxiety and avoidance) mediated the effects. The results showed that attachment-related anxiety and avoidance independently mediated both the actor and the partner effect of self-esteem on relationship satisfaction.
Cargo and Dynamin Regulate Clathrin-Coated Pit Maturation

Total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIR-FM) has become a powerful tool for studying clathrin-mediated endocytosis. However, due to difficulties in tracking and quantifying their heterogeneous dynamic behavior, detailed analyses have been restricted to a limited number of selected clathrin-coated pits (CCPs). To identify intermediates in the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles and factors that regulate progression through these stages, we used particle-tracking software and statistical methods to establish an unbiased and complete inventory of all visible CCP trajectories. We identified three dynamically distinct CCP subpopulations: two short-lived subpopulations corresponding to aborted intermediates, and one longer-lived productive subpopulation. In a manner dependent on AP2 adaptor complexes, increasing cargo concentration significantly enhances the maturation efficiency of productive CCPs, but has only minor effects on their lifetimes. In contrast, small interfering RNA (siRNA) depletion of dynamin-2 GTPase and reintroduction of wild-type or mutant dynamin-1 revealed dynamin's role in controlling the turnover of abortive intermediates and the rate of CCP maturation. From these data, we infer the existence of an endocytic restriction or checkpoint, responsive to cargo and regulated by dynamin.
Estimation of Evapotranspiration of Amazon Rainforest Using the Maximum Entropy Production Method

Energy budget of Amazonian forests has a large influence on regional and global climate, but relevant data are scarce. A novel energy partition method based on the maximum entropy production (MEP) theory is applied to simulate evapotranspiration in Amazonia. Using site‐level eddy flux data, the MEP method shows high skill at the hourly, daily, and monthly scales. Consistent performance under different levels of land surface dryness is revealed, hinting that drought signal is appropriately resolved. The site‐level MEP‐based estimates outperform the estimates of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer evapotranspiration product, which is commonly used for large‐scale assessments. At the Amazon basin scale, the two series yield similar averages but exhibit spatial differences. The parameter parsimony and demonstrated skill of the MEP method make it an attractive approach for environments with diverse strategies of water flux control.
Differences in methods of quantifying the vertical hyporheic flow for streambank flow field

One-dimensional analytical methods are generally used to estimate the vertical hyporheic velocity, and inevitably yield values that differ from the true values when assumptions are not satisfied. In this study, numerical simulations were used to determine the amount of errors in the vertical hyporheic flow from several 1D analytical methods, including the solutions from amplitude ratio, phase shift of temperature, and hydraulic gradient with depth, under gaining and losing conditions. Results demonstrate that the velocity at the shallow layer is generally higher than the velocity at the deeper layer. Horizontal flow dominates the hyporheic exchange in the streambank-aquifer continuum at distances further away from the central channel. The amplitude ratio method and gradient method estimate the vertical velocity well when the vertical flow dominates the hyporheic flow and the flow is upwelling; otherwise, these two methods yield very inaccurate results. The amplitude ratio method and phase shift method yield better results compared with the gradient method for the streambank area. Our simulations indicate that two or more 1D analytical methods should be used in conjunction, and that the multi-dimensional hydraulic heads should be measured via an appropriate monitoring network to more accurately understand the hyporheic flow of a streambank.
Testable algorithms for self-avoiding walks

TestableAlgorithmsforSelf-AvoidingWalksDanaRandallyAlistairSinclairzAbstractWe present a p olynomial time Monte Carlo algorithm foralmost uniformly generatingandapproximately count-ing self-avoiding walks in rectangular latticesZd.Theseareclassicalproblemsthatarise,forexample,inthestudy of long p olymer chains.While there are a numb erof Monte Carlo algorithms used to solve these problemsin practice, these are heuristic and their correctnessre-lies on unproven conjectures.In contrast, our algorithmdep endsonasingle,widely-b elievedconjecturethatisweakerthanprecedingassumptions,and,moreimp or-tantly, is one which thealgorithm itself can test.Thusour algorithm isreliable, in the sense that it either out-puts answers that are guaranteed, with high probability,to b e correct, or nds a counter-example to the conjec-ture.1Summary1. 1BackgroundAself-avoidingwalkinagraphiswalk whichstartsat a xed origin and passes through each vertex at mostonce.Thispap eris concernedwith self-avoiding walksinlattices,particularthed-dimensional rectangularlatticeZdwith origin0.Self-avoiding walks inZdhae b een studied by math-ematicians and natural scientists for many years and arethe sub ject of an extensive literature; for a state-of-the-yDepartment of Computer Science, University of California atBerkeley. Supp orted in part by an ATT(ii)determinethecharacteristicsofa\typical"walkoflengthn:forexample,computethemean-squaredisplacement,whichistheex-p ectedsquareddistanceof thefree endwalk from the origin under the uniform proba-bility distribution over walks of lengthn.Despite much research in this area, and many heuris-ticargumentsandempirical studies,almost nothingisknown in rigorous termsab out theab oveproblems forthemostinterestingcasesoflow-dimensionallatticeswith2d4 . Inhigherdimensions rathermore isknown, essentially b ecause the self-avoidance constraintb ecomes less signi cant and the b ehavior resembles thatofsimple (non-self-avoiding) walks,whicharewellun-dersto o d.Thusalthoughthealgorithmicresultswepresent in this pap er will b e stated for arbitrary dimen-sionsd, they are of greatest interest in the case of low-dimensional lattices with2d4 . Onekeyfactthatholdsinalldimensionswasdis-coveredin1954byHammersleyandMorton[8];they1