Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Impact of immigration and HIV infection on tuberculosis incidence in an area of low tuberculosis prevalence

The aim of this study is to assess the effects of immigration from countries with a high prevalence of tuberculosis (HPCs), of HIV/AIDS prevalence, and the ageing of the indigenous population, on tuberculosis distribution in a low-prevalence area (LPCs), the Piedmont Region of Italy. Tuberculosis incidence and HIV cases were identified by linking records from the surveillance systems. Overall, 640 tuberculosis cases were identified and crude annual incidence was found to be 17·3/100000. The incidence rate ratio for HIV infection as a risk factor for tuberculosis (11·4 and 51·9 among individuals from HPCs and LPCs respectively) was greater than that for immigration from HPCs (6·7 and 30·9 among HIV+ and HIV− individuals). Immigration accounted for a larger number of incident cases [population attributable risk % (PAR %): 31·8 and 52·8% among HIV+ and HIV− individuals] than did HIV infection (PAR %: 5·4 and 11·1% among individuals from HPCs and LPCs). Efforts should be made to identify and treat young immigrants from HPCs.
DETECTION OF IMBHs WITH GROUND-BASED GRAVITATIONAL WAVE OBSERVATORIES: A BIOGRAPHY OF A BINARY OF BLACK HOLES, FROM BIRTH TO DEATH

Even though the existence of intermediate-mass black holes (IMBHs; black holes with masses ranging between 102 M☉ and 104 M☉) has not yet been corroborated observationally, these objects are of high interest for astrophysics. Our understanding of the formation and evolution of supermassive black holes, as well as galaxy evolution modeling and cosmography would dramatically change if an IMBH were to be observed. From the point of view of traditional photon-based astronomy, which relies on the monitoring of innermost stellar kinematics, the direct detection of an IMBH seems to be rather far in the future. However, the prospect of the detection and characterization of an IMBH has good chances in lower frequency gravitational-wave (GW) astrophysics using ground-based detectors such as the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), Virgo, and the future Einstein Telescope (ET). We present an analysis of the signal of a system of a binary of IMBHs based on a waveform model obtained with numerical relativity simulations coupled with post-Newtonian calculations at the highest available order. IMBH binaries with total masses between 200 and 20,000 M☉ would produce significant signal-to-noise ratios in Advanced LIGO and Virgo and the ET. We have computed the expected event rate of IMBH binary coalescences for different configurations of the binary, finding interesting values that depend on the spin of the IMBHs. The prospects for IMBH detection and characterization with ground-based GW observatories would not only provide us with a robust test of general relativity, but would also corroborate the existence of these systems. Such detections should allow astrophysicists to probe the stellar environments of IMBHs and their formation processes.
Identifying Event Context Using Anchor Information in Online Social Networks

Online social networks (OSNs) such as Twitter provide a good platform for event discussions. Recent research [26] [25] has shown that event discussions in OSNs are diverse and innovative and encourage public engagement in events. Although much research has been conducted in OSNs to track and detect events, there has been limited research on detecting or understanding the event context. Event context helps to better predict users’ participation in events, identify relations among events, and recommend friends who share similar event context. In this work, we have developed AnchorMF , a matrix factorization based technique that aims to identify event context by leveraging a prevalent feature in OSNs, the anchor information. Our AnchorMF work makes three key contributions: (1) a formal denition of the event context identication problem; (2) anchor selection and incorporation into the matrix factorization process for eective event context identication; and (3) demonstration of applying event context for user-event participation prediction, relevant events retrieval, and friendship recommendation. Evaluation based on 1.1 million Twitter users over a one-month data collection period shows that AnchorMF achieves a 20.0% improvement in terms of user-event participation prediction.
Hourly Rounding to Improve Nursing Responsiveness: A Systematic Review

The aims of this study were to synthesize the evidence concerning the effect of hourly rounding programs on patient satisfaction with nursing care and discuss implications for nurse administrators. BACKGROUND: Patient satisfaction is a key metric that influences both hospital ratings and reimbursement. Studies have suggested that purposeful nursing rounds can improve patient satisfaction, but the evidence to date has not been systematically examined. METHODS: A systematic review of published literature and GRADE analysis of evidence regarding nursing rounds were conducted. RESULTS: There is little consistency in how results of hourly rounds were measured, precluding quantitative analysis. There is moderate-strength evidence that hourly rounding programs improve patients’ perception of nursing responsiveness. There is also moderate-strength evidence that these programs reduce patient falls and call light use. CONCLUSIONS: Nurse administrators should consider implementing an hourly rounding program while controlled trials discern the most cost-effective approach.
Device-based approaches for renal nerve ablation for hypertension and beyond

Animal and human studies have demonstrated that chronic activation of renal sympathetic nerves is critical in the pathogenesis and perpetuation of treatment-resistant hypertension. Bilateral renal denervation has emerged as a safe and effective, non-pharmacological treatment for resistant hypertension that involves the selective ablation of efferent and afferent renal nerves to lower blood pressure. However, the most recent and largest randomized controlled trial failed to confirm the primacy of renal denervation over a sham procedure, prompting widespread re-evaluation of the therapy's efficacy. Disrupting renal afferent sympathetic signaling to the hypothalamus with renal denervation lowers central sympathetic tone, which has the potential to confer additional clinical benefits beyond blood pressure control. Specifically, there has been substantial interest in the use of renal denervation as either a primary or adjunct therapy in pathological conditions characterized by central sympathetic overactivity such as renal disease, heart failure and metabolic-associated disorders. Recent findings from pre-clinical and proof-of-concept studies appear promising with renal denervation shown to confer cardiovascular and metabolic benefits, largely independent of changes in blood pressure. This review explores the pathological rationale for targeting sympathetic renal nerves for blood pressure control. Latest developments in renal nerve ablation modalities designed to improve procedural success are discussed along with prospective findings on the efficacy of renal denervation to lower blood pressure in treatment-resistant hypertensive patients. Preliminary evidence in support of renal denervation as a possible therapeutic option in disease states characterized by central sympathetic overactivity is also presented.
Power line detection via background noise removal

Tiny target detections, especially power line detection, have received great attention due to its critical role in ensuring the flight safety of low-flying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). In this paper, an accurate and robust power line detection method is proposed, wherein background noise is mitigated by an embedded convolution neural network (CNN) classifier before conducting the final power line extractions. Our proposed method operates in three steps: 1) extract edge features of power lines from a testing image, 2) employ a CNN classifier to remove the background noise, 3) use a Hough-Transform (HT) based fine-selection module to locate power lines. Comprehensive experiments demonstrate the superiority of the proposed method, compared to the state-of-the-art methods.
Investigating the Evidence of Behavioral, Cognitive, and Psychiatric Endophenotypes in Autism: A Systematic Review

Substantial evidence indicates that parents of autistic individuals often display milder forms of autistic traits referred to as the broader autism phenotype (BAP). To determine if discrete endophenotypes of autism can be identified, we reviewed the literature to assess the evidence of behavioral, cognitive, and psychiatric profiles of the BAP. A systematic review was conducted using EMBASE, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, PsycEXTRA, and Global Health. Sixty papers met our inclusion criteria and results are discussed according to the proportion of studies that yield significant deficits per domain. The behavioral, cognitive, and psychiatric endophenotypes in parents of autistic probands are still not clarified; however, evidence suggests mild social/communication deficits, rigid/aloof personality traits, and pragmatic language difficulties as the most useful sociobehavioral candidate endophenotype traits. The existence of deficits in the cognitive domain does suggest familial vulnerability for autism. Furthermore, increased depressed mood and anxiety can also be useful markers; however, findings should be interpreted with caution because of the small number of studies in such heterogeneously broad domains and several methodological limitations.
Dysfunction : The Lower , the Better ? Optimal Antihypertensive Level for Improvement of Coronary Microvascular

Recently, coronary microvascular function was documented to be impaired even in patients with prehypertension. However, the impact of antihypertensive level on improvement of coronary microvascular dysfunction in hypertensive patients remains to be established. We investigated the optimal blood pressure achieved with treatment of antihypertensive agents for improvement of coronary microvascular dysfunction in hypertensive patients. We prospectively studied 108 untreated hypertensive patients. All patients were treated with antihypertensive agents for approximately 12 months. Coronary flow reserve (CFR) was measured before and after treatment. The patients were divided into hypertensive, prehypertensive, and normal groups based on their average blood pressure during the treatment period. Pretreatment CFR was similar among all groups. CFR increased significantly in the normal group during the treatment period, but decreased significantly in the prehypertensive and hypertensive groups. This decrease was significantly greater in the hypertensive group than in the prehypertensive group. Multivariate analysis showed lowering blood pressure to normal level to be an independent determinant of improvement in CFR. The normal group was divided into normal-higher and normal-lower subgroups based on their average diastolic blood pressure during the treatment period. Increase in CFR was significantly greater in the normal-higher group than in the normal-lower group. These findings indicate that lowering blood pressure to a normal level is necessary to improve coronary microvascular dysfunction in hypertensive patients. Furthermore, raising diastolic blood pressure to a higher level within normal range has the most beneficial effect. However, as this study is based on observational design, it may have several limitations. (Hypertension. 2012;60:326-332.) ● Online Data Supplement
Caffeine Reversal of Length‐Dependent Changes in Myocardial Contractile State in the Cat

The present study evaluated potential mechanisms for the slow length-dependent change in myocardial contractile state. Using 40 isolated right ventricular cat papillary muscles, we found that 10 mM caffeine reversed the subsequent slow change in myocardial performance following a change in muscle length. Since caffeine acts both at the sarcolemma and the sarcoplasmic reticulum, we atten-uated the sarcolemmal influx of calcium with verapamil, manganese, and low external calcium concen-tration. None of these interventions altered the caffeine reversal of the length-dependent effect. It thus appears that the length-dependent alteration of contractile state is of intracellular origin, and probably related to altered calcium handling by the sarcoplasmic reticulum. Circ Res 47: 592-598, 1980
Reduction of persistent air leak with endoscopic valve implants

The standard management of air leaks due to persistent bronchopleural fistula involves chest drainage and occasionally pleurodesis, with intractable cases requiring surgical decortication or surgical repair. However, some of these patients may be at high risk for surgery, particularly if they have already had thoracic surgery or have other medical problems; for this group there is a need for less invasive methods of stopping or reducing air leaks. Emphasys endobronchial valves (EBV) are occlusive devices designed primarily for endoscopic lung volume reduction in emphysema. Because the device is a one-way inspiratory airway blocker, it is possible that it could be used in controlling persistent air leaks while maintaining the drainage of secretions. Two cases are reported of persistent air leaks that were managed by endoscopic occlusion with EBV. In one case complete stoppage of the air leak was achieved with immediate clinical benefits. The second patient died 5 days after treatment from additional complications apparently not related to the procedure. Endobronchial blockage may be a useful salvage procedure for patients with persistent air leak for whom there is no other treatment available.
Scalar and tensor spherical harmonics expansion of the velocity correlation in homogeneous anisotropic turbulence

The representation theory of the rotation group is applied to construct a series expansion of the correlation tensor in homogeneous anisotropic turbulence. The resolution of angular dependence is the main analytical difficulty posed by anisotropic turbulence; representation theory parametrises this dependence by a tensor analogue of the standard spherical harmonics expansion of a scalar. The series expansion is formulated in terms of explicitly constructed tensor bases with scalar coefficients determined by angular moments of the correlation tensor.
MTHFR C677T Predisposes to POAG but Not to PACG in a North Indian Population: A Case Control Study

Hyperhomocysteinemia induced by the C677T genetic variant in MTHFR (methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase) has been implicated in neuronal cell death of retinal ganglion cells (RGC), which is a characteristic feature of glaucoma. However, association of MTHFR C677T with glaucoma has been controversial because of inconsistent results across association studies. Association between MTHFR C677T and glaucoma has not been reported in Indian population. Therefore, with a focus on neurodegenerative death of RGC in glaucoma, the current study aimed to investigate association of MTHFR C677T with Primary Open Angle Glaucoma (POAG) and Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma (PACG) in a North Indian population. A total of 404 participants (231 patients and 173 controls) were included in this study. Genotyping was performed by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. A few random samples were also tested by direct sequencing. Genotypic and allelic distributions of the POAG and PACG cohorts were compared to that of controls by chi-square test and odds ratios were reported with 95% confidence intervals. Genotypic and allelic distributions between POAG cases and controls were significantly different (p = 0.03 and p = 0.01 respectively). Unlike POAG, we did not find significant difference in the genotypic and allelic distributions of C677T between PACG cases and controls (p>0.05). We also observed a higher proportion of TT associated POAG in females than that in males. However, this is a preliminary indication of gender specific risk of C677T that needs to be replicated in a larger cohort of males and females. The present investigation on MTHFR C677T and glaucoma reveals that the TT genotype and T allele of this polymorphism are significant risk factors for POAG but not for PACG in North Indian population. Ours is the first report demonstrating association of MTHFR C677T with POAG but not PACG in individuals from North India.
Is It HIT?

132 www.ccmjournal. org January 2017 • Volume 45 • Number 1 pathogenicity of the infecting organism, immune capabilities of the host, and physiologic reserves in each septic patient are highly variable and will ultimately determine outcome. This study finding does not excuse care givers to default to a lackadaisical approach in this critically ill, vulnerable patient population. Rather this study supports the notion that personalized medicine and surgery is the optimal approach for the timing of source control in septic patients. Some patients need early intervention, whereas others can probably have source control delayed safely until their clinical status has improved. It is difficult to conceive of a situation where a prospective, randomized, clinical trial could be designed to rigorously determine to optimal time for initiation of source control in septic patients. Such a study might be possible but would be hard to justify on ethical grounds. The present evidence indicates that a careful look for a drainable focus of infection is mandatory in all septic patients. The timing of source control interventions, should the need arise, is a challenging, difficult, individual decision, which needs to be made based upon the totality of evidence for each patient.
b-Bit minwise hashing

This paper establishes the theoretical framework of b-bit minwise hashing. The original minwise hashing method has become a standard technique for estimating set similarity (e.g., resemblance) with applications in information retrieval, data management, computational advertising, etc. By only storing b bits of each hashed value (e.g., b=1 or 2), we gain substantial advantages in terms of storage space. We prove the basic theoretical results and provide an unbiased estimator of the resemblance for any b. We demonstrate that, even in the least favorable scenario, using b=1 may reduce the storage space at least by a factor of 21.3 (or 10.7) compared to b=64 (or b=32), if one is interested in resemblance >0.5.
High Risks of HIV Transmission for Men Who Have Sex with Men — A Comparison of Risk Factors of HIV Infection among MSM Associated with Recruitment Channels in 15 Cities of China

Objective While the HIV epidemic varies greatly by region and population group throughout China, the HIV incidence among men who have sex with men (MSM) continues to rise at an alarmingly fast pace. We seek to analyze the risk factors associated with HIV infection among MSM recruited from different channels in large urban centers across China, in an attempt to shed light on the design of future targeted intervention strategies. Methods A total of 33,684 MSM from 14 cities and one province were recruited from July to December 2011. Demographic (e.g. age, marital status, education) and behavioral (e.g. condom use, HIV testing history) data were collected using information collection cards. Blood samples were also collected to test for HIV and Syphilis. Results Participants were recruited from five different channels, and all demonstrated distinct characteristics. The overall rate of positive HIV screening was 6.27% and the rate of syphilis infection was 6.50%. Participants recruited from bathhouses had the highest HIV (11.80%) and syphilis infection rates (11.20%). Participants who were infected with syphilis had the highest HIV-positive screening rate (13.75%; 95% CI OR, 2.33-3.06). living in the southwest region of the country (11.64%; OR=2.76, 95%CI OR 2.19-3.47), Being >20 years of age (P<0.001), living in the southwest region of the country (OR=2.76, 95%CI 2.19-3.47), not having sex with female over the previous 3 months (OR=1.27, 95%CI 1.09-1.48), no condom use during the last anal intercourse (OR=1.54, 95%CI 1.39-1.70) and other factors were all associated with a higher probability of having an HIV-positive test result. Conclusion Depending on the way they are recruited, more targeted interventions are required to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS among MSM with different characteristics and behaviors. Results from this study could provide evidence for researchers to conduct further studies and policy-makers to establish more effective and strategic interventions for MSM in China.
Visual Segmentation without Classification in a Model of the Primary Visual Cortex

Stimuli outside classical receptive fields significantly influence the neurons' activities in primary visual cortex [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. We propose that such contextual influences are used to segment regions by detecting the breakdown of homogeneity or translation invariance in the input, thus computing global region boundaries using local interactions. This is implemented in a biologically based model of V1, and demonstrated in examples of texture segmentation and figure-ground segregation. By contrast with traditional approaches, segmentation occurs without classification or comparison of features within or between regions and is performed by exactly the same neural circuit responsible for the dual problem of the grouping and enhancement of contours.
Simulation testing of mechanisms for inducing the formation of the contractile ring in cytokinesis

There is persuasive evidence that the role of the mitotic apparatus (MA) in cytokinesis is to control the location of the cleavage furrow. The geometric aspects of this interaction between the MA and the cortex are complex and, thus, computer simulation can be a useful means for testing hypotheses about the induction process. White and Borisy (1983. J. Theor. Biol. 101:289-316) used computer simulations to show that long-range signals from the asters, varying inversely as various powers of distance, produce summed effects that are minima at the equator of spherical cells. Their results have seemed to support the "polar relaxation" class of hypotheses, in which the effect of the asters is to weaken cortical contractility so that contraction becomes maximized at the equator because it is least inhibited there. However, the experimental studies of Rappaport and Rappaport (1988. J. Exp. Zool. 247:92-98) indicate that the asters actually strengthen cortical contractility. In this paper, we use computer simulation to determine how signals from the MA will need to vary in effect as functions of distance to cause cortical contractility to become maximized where the furrows are to be induced. Although we confirm that inverse power inhibitory signals could induce equatorial furrows in spherical cells, we also find that this ability is destroyed by flattening, constricting, or distorting cells into cylinders, geometries for which Rappaport's experiments show furrows form (1986. Int. Rev. Cytol. 105:245-281). We then show that stimulatory signals of the right kind would induce furrows at the locations observed, in spherical cells as well as cells distorted by experimental manipulation. These signals must be constant out to a threshold distance but decrease abruptly beyond that distance. We also show that this ability depends on having the "drop-off" threshold occur at just the right distance relative to the dimensions of the cell and separation of the asters.
Modeling growth stocks via birth-death processes

The inability to predict the future growth rates and earnings of growth stocks (such as biotechnology and internet stocks) leads to the high volatility of share prices and difficulty in applying the traditional valuation methods. This paper attempts to demonstrate that the high volatility of share prices can nevertheless be used in building a model that leads to a particular cross-sectional size distribution. The model focuses on both transient and steady-state behavior of the market capitalization of the stock, which in turn is modeled as a birth-death process. Numerical illustrations of the cross-sectional size distribution are also presented.