Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hemostatic Abnormalities and Liver Diseases

Professor Eberhard F. Mammen greatly contributed to the understanding of the relationship between hemostatic abnormalities and liver diseases. The physiology of the hemostatic system is closely linked to liver function because the liver parenchymal cells produce most of the factors of the clotting and fibrinolytic systems. Acute or chronic hepatocellular diseases and hepatic failure including liver cirrhosis, vitamin K deficiency, liver surgery including liver transplantation, and sclerotherapy of bleeding esophageal varices, which were classified by Prof. Mammen, show various hemostatic abnormalities in the coagulation system, fibrinolytic system, platelets, and the reticuloendothelial system. Hemostatic abnormalities in patients with hepatic failure or in those that have undergone liver surgery are similar to those in disseminated intravascular coagulation. Prof. Mammen also contributed to the study of vitamin K-dependent clotting factors, antithrombin, and hemostatic molecular markers. Partly based on this work, the prothrombin time-international normalized ratio, several hemostatic molecular markers, and antithrombin therapy have been recently developed for the diagnosis and treatment of thrombosis.
Synergistic induction of periodontal tissue regeneration by binary application of human osteogenic protein-1 and human transforming growth factor-β3 in Class II furcation defects of Papio ursinus.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE Binary applications of recombinant human osteogenic protein-1 (hOP-1) and transforming growth factor-β3 (hTGF-β3) synergize to induce pronounced bone formation. To induce periodontal tissue regeneration, binary applications of hOP-1 and hTGF-β(3) were implanted in Class II furcation defects of the Chacma baboon, Papio ursinus. MATERIAL AND METHODS Defects were created bilaterally in the furcation of the first and second mandibular molars of three adult baboons. Single applications of 25 μg hOP-1 and 75 μg hTGF-β(3) in Matrigel(®) matrix were compared with 20:1 binary applications, i.e. 25 μg hOP-1 and 1.25 μg hTGF-β(3). Morcellated fragments of autogenous rectus abdominis striated muscle were added to binary applications. Sixty days after implantation, the animals were killed and the operated tissues harvested en bloc. Undecalcified sections were studied by light microscopy, and regenerated tissue was assessed by measuring volume and height of newly formed alveolar bone and cementum. RESULTS The hOP-1 and hTGF-β(3) induced periodontal tissue regeneration and cementogenesis. Qualitative morphological analysis of binary applications showed clear evidence for considerable periodontal tissue regeneration. Quantitatively, the differences in the histomorphometric values did not reach statistical significance for the group size chosen for this primate study. The addition of morcellated muscle fragments did not enhance tissue regeneration. Binary applications showed rapid expansion of the newly formed bone against the root surfaces following fibrovascular tissue induction in the centre of the treated defects. CONCLUSION Binary applications of hOP-1 and hTGF-β(3) in Matrigel(®) matrix in Class II furcation defects of P. ursinus induced substantial periodontal tissue regeneration, which was tempered, however, by the anatomy of the furcation defect model, which does not allow for the rapid growth and expansion of the synergistic induction of bone formation, particularly when additionally treated with responding myoblastic stem cells.
The Microbleed Anatomical Rating Scale (MARS)

Objective: Brain microbleeds on gradient-recalled echo (GRE) T2*-weighted MRI may be a useful biomarker for bleeding-prone small vessel diseases, with potential relevance for diagnosis, prognosis (especially for antithrombotic-related bleeding risk), and understanding mechanisms of symptoms, including cognitive impairment. To address these questions, it is necessary to reliably measure their presence and distribution in the brain. We designed and systematically validated the Microbleed Anatomical Rating Scale (MARS). We measured intrarater and interrater agreement for presence, number, and anatomical distribution of microbleeds using MARS across different MRI sequences and levels of observer experience. Methods: We studied a population of 301 unselected consecutive patients admitted to our stroke unit using 2 GRE T2*-weighted MRI sequences (echo time [TE] 40 and 26 ms). Two independent raters with different MRI rating expertise identified, counted, and anatomically categorized microbleeds. Results: At TE = 40 ms, agreement for microbleed presence in any brain location was good to very good (intrarater κ = 0.85 [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77–0.93]; interrater κ = 0.68 [95% CI 0.58–0.78]). Good to very good agreement was reached for the presence of microbleeds in each anatomical region and in individual cerebral lobes. Intrarater and interrater reliability for the number of microbleeds was excellent (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC] = 0.98 [95% CI 0.97–0.99] and ICC = 0.93 [0.91–0.94]). Very good interrater reliability was obtained at TE = 26 ms (κ = 0.87 [95% CI 0.61–1]) for definite microbleeds in any location. Conclusion: The Microbleed Anatomical Rating Scale has good intrarater and interrater reliability for the presence of definite microbleeds in all brain locations when applied to different MRI sequences and levels of observer experience.
STRUCTURE AND GROWTH OF WIDMANSTAETTEN FERRITE AND BAINITE.

Abstract : Transmission microscopy has been used to demonstrate that Widmanstaetten ferrite, upper bainite and lower bainite can be distinguished on the basis of their substructures. Widmanstaetten ferrite forms as single crystals whereas upper and lower bainite develop as aggregates of smaller substructural units. The structural transition between acicular ferrite and upper bainite identifies a structural B sub s temperature which agrees with that determined by kinetic techniques. Correlation of optical and transmission micrographs provides indirect evidence that both upper and lower bainite grow by the repeated nucleation of substructural units which propagate rapidly to a limited size. This leads to the concept that both forms of bainite form initially with substantial supersaturation and the kinetics of carbide precipitation from supersaturated ferrite contributes significantly to the differences between the two forms of bainite. It is proposed that growth rates of bainite measured by hot stage microscopy refer to the rate at which substructural units nucleate rather than to the rate at which a unique interface advances under either diffusion or interface control. (Author)
Outcome analysis of shunt surgery in hydrocephalus

Aim: To study the clinical outcome of shunt surgeries in children suffering from hydrocephalus. Methods: A prospective study of 50 children with hydrocephalus who underwent a ventriculo-peritoneal shunt insertion over a period of two years. These patients were then followed up for shunt related complications, shunt revisions and outcome. Results: Twenty six of the 50 patients (52%) suffered from complications. The most common complications were shunt blockage (n=7) and shunt infection (n=6). These complications necessitated repeated shunt revisions. Conclusions: Infective complications of hydrocephalus are more likely to leave behind an adverse neurological outcome in the form of delayed milestones and mental retardation.
Centre Formation and the European Commission: A Research Note

The preceding decade has witnessed a boost in research on the European Commission (Commission). One central issue debated has been Commission centre formation, both what it entails, its sources, and potential implications. Centre formation in this literature entails the internal integration of government institutions, thus reinforcing intra- institutional administrative hierarchies. Contemporary research, however, offers inconclusive results as regards the inter- nal integration of the Commission administration. The main motivation for this research note is to show that seemingly inconclusive findings in contemporary Commission research might in fact be complementary. Contemporary literature reports that centre formation inside the Commission is primarily observed at the helm of the Commission hierarchy within the General Secretariat - however only marginally affecting everyday decision-making within Commission sub-units (primarily the policy DGs (ministries)). Competing observations of this kind might be considered complementary because competing behavioural logics tend to co-exist within the Commission administration, albeit embedded and layered within different organisational sub-units.
Separating reflection components of textured surfaces using a single image

In inhomogeneous objects, highlights are linear combinations of diffuse and specular reflection components. To our knowledge, all methods that use a single input image require explicit color segmentation to deal with multicolored surfaces. Unfortunately, for complex textured images, current color segmentation algorithms are still problematic to segment correctly. Consequently, a method without explicit color segmentation becomes indispensable and This work presents such a method. The method is based solely on colors, particularly chromaticity, without requiring any geometrical information. One of the basic ideas is to iteratively compare the intensity logarithmic differentiation of an input image and its specular-free image. A specular-free image is an image that has exactly the same geometrical profile as the diffuse component of the input image and that can be generated by shifting each pixel's intensity and maximum chromaticity nonlinearly. Unlike existing methods using a single image, all processes in the proposed method are done locally, involving a maximum of only two neighboring pixels. This local operation is useful for handling textured objects with complex multicolored scenes. Evaluations by comparison with the results of polarizing filters demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Evaluation of the technical performance of novel holotranscobalamin (holoTC) assays in a multicenter European demonstration project

Abstract A commercially available holotranscobalamin (holo-TC) radioimmunoassay (RIA) (Axis-Shield, Dundee, Scotland) was evaluated in four laboratories and compared with a holoTC ELISA run in one laboratory. The performance of the holoTC RIA assay was comparable in three of the four participating laboratories. The results from these three laboratories, involving at least 20 initial runs of “low”, “medium” and “high” serum-based controls (mean holoTC concentrations 34, 60 and 110pmol/L, respectively) yielded an intra-laboratory imprecision of 6–10%. No systematic inter-laboratory deviations were observed on runs involving 72 patient samples (holoTC concentration range 10–160pmol/L). A fourth laboratory demonstrated higher assay imprecision for control samples and systematic deviation of results for the patient samples. Measurement of holoTC by ELISA showed an imprecision of 4–5%, and slightly higher mean values for the controls (mean holoTC concentrations 40, 70 and 114pmol/L, respectively). Comparable results were obtained for the patient samples. The long-term intra-laboratory imprecision was 12% for the holoTC RIA and 6% for the ELISA. In conclusion, it would be prudent to check the calibration and precision prior to starting to use these holoTC assays in research or clinical practice. The results obtained using the holoTC RIA were similar to those obtained using the holoTC ELISA assay.
Meteorological Modeling Using the WRF-ARW Model for Grand Bay Intensive Studies of Atmospheric Mercury

Measurements at the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve support a range of research activities aimed at improving the understanding of the atmospheric fate and transport of mercury. Routine monitoring was enhanced by two intensive measurement periods conducted at the site in summer 2010 and spring 2011. Detailed meteorological data are required to properly represent the weather conditions, to determine the transport and dispersion of plumes and to understand the wet and dry deposition of mercury. To describe the mesoscale features that might influence future plume calculations for mercury episodes during the Grand Bay Intensive campaigns, fine-resolution meteorological simulations using the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model were conducted with various initialization and nudging configurations. The WRF simulations with nudging generated reasonable results in comparison with conventional observations in the region and measurements obtained at the Grand Bay site, including surface and sounding data. The grid nudging, together with observational nudging, had a positive effect on wind prediction. However, the nudging of mass fields (temperature and moisture) led to overestimates of precipitation, which may introduce significant inaccuracies if the data were to be used for subsequent atmospheric mercury modeling. The regional flow prediction was also influenced by the reanalysis data used to initialize the WRF simulations. Even with observational nudging, the summer case simulation results in the fine resolution domain inherited features of the reanalysis data, resulting in different regional wind patterns. By contrast, the spring intensive period showed less influence from the reanalysis data.
TEMPORARILY ALLOYING TITANIUM TO FACILITATE FRICTION STIR WELDING

While historically hydrogen has been considered an impurity in titanium, when used as a temporary alloying agent it promotes beneficial changes to material properties that increase the hot-workability of the metal. This technique known as thermohydrogen processing was used to temporarily alloy hydrogen with commercially pure titanium sheet as a means of facilitating the friction stir welding process. Specific alloying parameters were developed to increase the overall hydrogen content of the titanium sheet ranging from commercially pure to 30 atomic percent. Each sheet was evaluated to determine the effect of the hydrogen content on process loads and tool deformation during the plunge phase of the friction stir welding process. Two materials, H-13 tool steel and pure tungsten, were used to fabricate friction stir welding tools that were plunged into each of the thermohydrogen processed titanium sheets. Tool wear was characterized and variations in machine loads were quantified for each tool material and weld metal combination. Thermohydrogen processing was shown to beneficially lower plunge forces and stabilize machine torques at specific hydrogen concentrations. The resulting effects of hydrogen addition to titanium metal undergoing the friction stir welding process are compared with modifications in titanium properties documented in modern literature. Such comparative analysis is used to explain the variance in resulting process loads as a function of the initial hydrogen concentration of the titanium.
Allotetraploid origin and divergence in Eleusine (Chloridoideae, Poaceae): evidence from low-copy nuclear gene phylogenies and a plastid gene chronogram.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Eleusine (Poaceae) is a small genus of the subfamily Chloridoideae exhibiting considerable morphological and ecological diversity in East Africa and the Americas. The interspecific phylogenetic relationships of Eleusine are investigated in order to identify its allotetraploid origin, and a chronogram is estimated to infer temporal relationships between palaeoenvironment changes and divergence of Eleusine in East Africa. METHODS Two low-copy nuclear (LCN) markers, Pepc4 and EF-1α, were analysed using parsimony, likelihood and Bayesian approaches. A chronogram of Eleusine was inferred from a combined data set of six plastid DNA markers (ndhA intron, ndhF, rps16-trnK, rps16 intron, rps3, and rpl32-trnL) using the Bayesian dating method. KEY RESULTS The monophyly of Eleusine is strongly supported by sequence data from two LCN markers. In the cpDNA phylogeny, three tetraploid species (E. africana, E. coracana and E. kigeziensis) share a common ancestor with the E. indica-E. tristachya clade, which is considered a source of maternal parents for allotetraploids. Two homoeologous loci are isolated from three tetraploid species in the Pepc4 phylogeny, and the maternal parents receive further support. The A-type EF-1α sequences possess three characters, i.e. a large number of variations of intron 2; clade E-A distantly diverged from clade E-B and other diploid species; and seven deletions in intron 2, implying a possible derivation through a gene duplication event. The crown age of Eleusine and the allotetraploid lineage are 3·89 million years ago (mya) and 1·40 mya, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The molecular data support independent allotetraploid origins for E. kigeziensis and the E. africana-E. coracana clade. Both events may have involved diploids E. indica and E. tristachya as the maternal parents, but the paternal parents remain unidentified. The habitat-specific hypothesis is proposed to explain the divergence of Eleusine and its allotetraploid lineage.
Parents’ perspectives on the value of assistance dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder: a cross-sectional study

Objective While there is an emerging literature on the usefulness of assistance dogs for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), there is a dearth of quantitative data on the value of assistance dog interventions for the family unit and family functioning. Using previously validated scales and scales developed specifically for this study, we measured parents’/guardians’ perceptions of how having an assistance dog affects: (1) child safety from environmental dangers, (2) public reception of ASD and (3) levels of caregiver strain and sense of competence. We also obtained open-ended response data from parents/guardians on benefits and constraints of having an assistance dog. Setting This study was based in the primary care setting, within the context of a specific accredited assistance dog centre in Ireland. Participants A total of 134 parents/guardians with an assistance dog, and 87 parents of children on the waiting list were surveyed. Primary and secondary outcome measures The primary outcome measures were scores on environmental hazards and public reception scales. The secondary outcome measures were scores on caregiver strain and competence scales. Results Parents/guardians of children who have ASD and an assistance dog rate their child as significantly safer from environmental dangers (p<0.001), perceive that the public act more respectfully and responsibly towards their child (p<0.001) and feel more competent about managing their child (p=0.023) compared with parents on the waiting list. There was a concentration of positive feeling towards assistance dog interventions with particular focus on safety and comfort for children, and a sense of freedom from family restrictions associated with ASD. The amount of dedication and commitment required to care for a dog were viewed as the primary constraints. Conclusions Our findings indicate that parents perceive that assistance dog interventions can be a valuable intervention for families with children who have ASD.
Drug therapy persistence and stroke recurrence.

OBJECTIVE To assess the effect of persistence of use of warfarin sodium, aspirin, or clopidogrel bisulfate on stroke recurrence in a Medicaid high-risk, largely female, African American population. STUDY DESIGN Prospective non-concurrent cohort, longitudinal data analysis of medical and pharmacy claims of stroke patients from Medicaid managed care organizations between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2003. METHODS Cox proportional hazards models were used to predict the likelihood of avoiding a recurrence as a function of persistence of use of the initial medication (warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel) after stroke, adjusting for age, race, sex, hypertension and other comorbidities, and the pharmacotherapies prescribed. We used propensity scores to adjust for confounding by indication. RESULTS Among 925 stroke patients (64.6% female, 75.1% > or =50 years, and 57.8% African American), hypertension and heart disease were the most prevalent comorbidities (66.1% and 65.1%, respectively); most initial strokes were nonhemorrhagic. Persistence of use of warfarin, aspirin, or clopidogrel after stroke increased the likelihood of avoiding a recurrence (hazard ratio [HR], 1.57; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.22-2.01). Having a hemorrhagic stroke initially (HR, 0.37; 95% CI, 0.18-0.74) or having heart disease (HR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.67-1.01), hypertension (HR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.51-0.79), or diabetes mellitus (HR, 0.74; 95% CI, 0.60-0.91) after an initial stroke significantly decreased the likelihood of avoiding a recurrence. Patient's age, race, sex, and urban residence did not significantly predict the likelihood of avoiding a recurrence. CONCLUSIONS Persistence of use of the initial stroke preventive medication after stroke is effective in avoiding a recurrence. Hemorrhagic stroke, heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes increase the likelihood of a recurrence.
TCP extensions for space communications

The space communication environment and mobile and wireless communication environments show many similarities when observed from the perspective of a transport protocol. Both types of environments exhibit loss caused by data corruption and link outage, in addition to congestion‐related loss. The constraints imposed by the two environments are also similar – power, weight, and physical volume of equipment are scarce resources. Finally, it is not uncommon for communication channel data rates to be severely limited and highly asymmetric. We are working on solutions to these types of problems for space communication environments, and we believe that these solutions may be applicable to the mobile and wireless community. As part of our work, we have defined and implemented the Space Communications Protocol Standards‐Transport Protocol (SCPS‐TP), a set of extensions to TCP that address the problems that we have identified. The results of our performance tests, both in the laboratory and on actual satellites, indicate that the SCPS‐TP extensions yield significant improvements in throughput over unmodified TCP on error‐prone links. Additionally, the SCPS modifications significantly improve performance over links with highly asymmetric data rates.