Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Monitoring quality indicators in laboratory medicine does not automatically result in quality improvement

Abstract Background: Data on quality indicators (QIs) should be collected over time in order to identify and continuously monitor clinical laboratory performance and to improve patient safety by identifying and implementing effective interventions. The aim of the present study was to ascertain whether the utilization of a set of quality indicators over a 3-year period resulted in an improvement in the efficiency and effectiveness of an individual laboratory. Methods: Over a 3-year time interval (2009–2011), a series of 38 QIs covering all stages of the total testing process (21 in the pre-analytic, nine in the analytic and eight in the post-analytic phase) was monitored. Results: On the basis of their patterns, QIs have been grouped into the following categories: [1] seven QIs of the pre-analytical phase and three of the intra-analytical phase with a significant trend and a significant linearity demonstrating an improvement over time; [2] 10 QIs of the pre-analytical and two of the intra-analytical phase with a significant trend and a non-significant linearity demonstrating that changes were not constant; [3] two QIs of the pre-analytical and one of the intra-analytical phase with a non-significant trend and significant linearity showing neither improvement nor worsening; and [4] two QIs of the pre-analytical and three of the intra-analytical phase with a non-significant trend and non-significant linearity. Conclusions: Data on a set of QIs collected over a 3-year time-frame demonstrate that processes and indicators under the control of the clinical laboratory had improved much more than processes requiring close co-operation between the laboratory and care teams.
Income and Wealth Inequality in America, 1949–2016

This paper introduces a new long-run data set based on archival data from historical waves of the Survey of Consumer Finances. Studying the joint distribution of household income and wealth, we expose the central importance of portfolio composition and asset prices for wealth dynamics in postwar America. Asset prices shift the wealth distribution because of systematic differences in household portfolios along the wealth distribution. Middle-class portfolios are dominated by housing, while rich households predominantly own business equity. Differential changes in equity and house prices shaped wealth dynamics in postwar America and decoupled the income and wealth distribution over extended periods.
The effect of mixing conditions on the material properties of an agar gel — microstructural and macrostructural considerations

The effect of mixing on the properties of agar gels was investigated with consideration being given to both macrostructural and microstructural characteristics of the gel through rheological techniques that include conventional and ultrasound based methods and Differential Scanning Calorimetry. Agar gels of 1 and 3% concentrations were prepared. The gels were subjected to three different mixing conditions: no mix, slow mix (400 rpm), and fast mix (900 rpm). A pulse echo ultrasound technique was utilized to obtain velocity measurements and these velocity measurements were used to obtain ultrasound derived mechanical modulus values. A controlled-stress rheometer was used to obtain rheological properties of the gel as well. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was performed to determine thermal transitions of the various systems studied in order to obtain information on the degree of microstructural association of the agarose fractions. Mixing speed affected the degree of porosity induced in the system, by incorporation of the air bubbles, and the rheology of the system. Both ultrasound derived mechanical properties and those obtained in a conventional rheometer showed that mixed gels were stronger than the no mix gels in spite of the no mix gels exhibited negligible porosity, i.e. they did not have bubbles that could weak the macrostructure of the gels. In addition, DSC results indicated that gels mixed at different conditions exhibited thermal transitions at different temperatures. These results showed that material properties of agar gels might be more sensitive to changes in the microstructure than the macrostructure of these systems. This highlights the importance on preparation conditions and utility of an agar gel. q 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Tight bounds for monotone switching networks via fourier analysis

We prove tight size bounds on monotone switching networks for the k-clique problem, and for an explicit monotone problem by analyzing the generation problem with a pyramid structure of height h. This gives alternative proofs of the separations of m-NC from m-P and of m-NCi from m-NCi+1, different from Raz-McKenzie (Combinatorica '99). The enumerative-combinatorial and Fourier analytic techniques in this work are very different from a large body of work on circuit depth lower bounds, and may be of independent interest.
Thymic atrophy in acute experimental Chagas disease is associated with an imbalance of stress hormones

Disorders in the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis are associated with the pathogenesis of Trypanosoma cruzi infection. During the acute phase of this disease, increased levels of circulating glucocorticoids (GCs) correlate with thymic atrophy. Recently, we demonstrated that this phenomenon is paralleled by a decrease of prolactin (PRL) secretion, another stress hormone that seems to counteract many immunosuppressive effects of GCs. Both GCs and PRL are intrathymically produced and exhibit mutual antagonism through the activation of their respective receptors, GR, and PRLR. Considering that GCs induce apoptosis and inhibit double‐positive (DP) thymocyte proliferation and that PRL administration prevents these effects, it seems plausible that a local imbalance of GR–PRLR crosstalk underlies the thymic involution occurring in acute T. cruzi infection. In this respect, preserving PRLR signaling seems to be crucial for protecting DP from GC‐induced apoptosis.
Older men's lives

PART ONE: THE SOCIAL MEANING OF AGE AND GENDER Older Men as Men in Contemporary Society - Edward H Thompson, Jr PART TWO: BECOMING AN OLDER MAN: DEVELOPMENTAL PERSPECTIVES 'Successful Aging' and Psychological Well-Being - George E Vaillant Evidence from a Forty-Five Year Study The Work Oriented Culture - Kenneth Solomon and Peggy A Szwabo Success and Power in Elderly Men Development and Pathology in Post-Parental Men - David L Gutmann and Margaret Hellie Huyck A Community Study Faith Development of Older Men - Barbara Pittard Payne Masculinity Identity from Work to Retirement - Theodore J Gradman PART THREE: THE SOCIAL WORLDS OF OLDER MEN A Gender Analysis of Older Men's Sexuality - William Marsiglo and Richard A Greer Social, Psychological, and Biological Dimensions A Typology of Orientations Toward Household and Marital Roles of Older Men and Women - Patricia M Keith Older Men's Friendship Patterns - Rebecca G Adams Men's Ties to Siblings in Old Age - Sarah Matthews Contributing Factors to Availability and Quality Old Men as Fathers and Grandfathers - Jeanne L Thomas Older Men and the Family Caregiving Orientation - Leonard Kaye and Jeffery Applegate PART FOUR: GENDER AND AGE POLICY Making Gender Visible in Public Policy - Judith Gonyea
Processor Power Reduction Via Single-ISA Heterogeneous Multi-Core Architectures

This paper proposes a single-ISA heterogeneousmulti-core architecture as a mechanism to reduce processorpower dissipation. It assumes a single chip containing a diverseset of cores that target different performance levels and consumedifferent levels of power. During an application’s execution,system software dynamically chooses the most appropriate core tomeet specific performance and power requirements. It describesan example architecture with five cores of varying performanceand complexity. Initial results demonstrate a five-fold reductionin energy at a cost of only 25% performance.
Transneuronal transfer of herpes virus from peripheral nerves to cortex and brainstem.

The transneuronal transfer of neurotropic viruses may represent an effective tool for tracing chains of connected neurons because replication of virus in the recipient neurons after transfer amplifies the "tracer signal. " Herpes simplex virus type 1 was transferred transneuronally from forelimb and hindlimb nerves of rats to the cortical and brainstem neurons that project to the spinal enlargements to which the nerves receiving injections are connected. This transneuronal transfer of herpes simplex virus type 1 from peripheral nerves has the potential to be used to identify neurons in the brain that are related transsynaptically to different nerves and muscles.
Leukoaraiosis Predicts Cortical Infarct Volume After Distal Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion

Background and Purpose— Leukoaraiosis (LA) predominantly affects the subcortical white matter, but mounting evidence suggests an association with cortical microvascular dysfunction and potentially decreased cortical ischemic tolerance. Thus, we sought to assess whether preexisting LA is predictive of the cortical infarct volume after middle cerebral artery branch occlusion and whether it relates to a worse outcome. Methods— We analyzed data from 117 consecutive patients with middle cerebral artery branch occlusion as documented by admission computed tomography angiography. Baseline clinical, laboratory, and outcome data, as well as final cortical infarct volumes, were retrospectively analyzed from a prospectively collected database. LA severity was assessed on admission computed tomography using the van Swieten scale grading the supratentorial white matter hypoattenuation. Infarct volume predicting a favorable 90-day outcome (modified Rankin Scale score ⩽2) was determined by receiver operating characteristic curves. Multivariable linear and logistic regression analyses were used to identify independent predictors of the final infarct volume and outcome. Results— Receiver operating characteristic curve analyses indicated that a final infarct volume of ⩽27 mL best predicted a favorable 90-day outcome. Severe LA (odds ratio, 11.231; 95% confidence interval, 2.526–49.926; P=0.001) was independently associated with infarct volume >27 mL. Severe LA (odds ratio, 3.074; 95% confidence interval, 1.055–8.961; P=0.040) and infarct volume >27 mL (odds ratio, 9.156; 95% confidence interval, 3.191–26.270; P<0.001) were independent predictors of a poor 90-day outcome (modified Rankin Scale, 3–6). Conclusions— The presence of severe, subcortical LA contributes to larger cortical infarct volumes and worse functional outcomes adding to the notion that the brain is negatively affected beyond LA’s macroscopic boundaries.
Stochastic Forecasts Achieve High Throughput and Low Delay over Cellular Networks

Sprout is an end-to-end transport protocol for interactive applications that desire high throughput and low delay. Sprout works well over cellular wireless networks, where link speeds change dramatically with time, and current protocols build up multi-second queues in network gateways. Sprout does not use TCP-style reactive congestion control; instead the receiver observes the packet arrival times to infer the uncertain dynamics of the network path. This inference is used to forecast how many bytes may be sent by the sender, while bounding the risk that packets will be delayed inside the network for too long. In evaluations on traces from four commercial LTE and 3G networks, Sprout, compared with Skype, reduced self-inflicted end-to-end delay by a factor of 7.9 and achieved 2.2× the transmitted bit rate on average. Compared with Google's Hangout, Sprout reduced delay by a factor of 7.2 while achieving 4.4× the bit rate, and compared with Apple's Facetime, Sprout reduced delay by a factor of 8.7 with 1.9× the bit rate. Although it is end-to-end, Sprout matched or outperformed TCP Cubic running over the CoDel active queue management algorithm, which requires changes to cellular carrier equipment to deploy. We also tested Sprout as a tunnel to carry competing interactive and bulk traffic (Skype and TCP Cubic), and found that Sprout was able to isolate client application flows from one another.
Temporal distribution of favourite books, movies, and records: Differential encoding and re-sampling

The reminiscence bump is the effect that people recall more personal events from early adulthood than from childhood or adulthood. The bump has been examined extensively. However, the question of whether the bump is caused by differential encoding or re-sampling is still unanswered. To examine this issue, participants were asked to name their three favourite books, movies, and records. Furthermore, they were asked when they first encountered them. We compared the temporal distributions and found that they all showed recency effects and reminiscence bumps. The distribution of favourite books had the largest recency effect and the distribution of favourite records had the largest reminiscence bump. We can explain these results by the difference in rehearsal. Books are read two or three times, movies are watched more frequently, whereas records are listened to numerous times. The results suggest that differential encoding initially causes the reminiscence bump and that re-sampling increases the bump further.
Obesity Is Associated with Lower Coronary Microvascular Density

Background Obesity is associated with diastolic dysfunction, lower maximal myocardial blood flow, impaired myocardial metabolism and increased risk of heart failure. We examined the association between obesity, left ventricular filling pressure and myocardial structure. Methods We performed histological analysis of non-ischemic myocardium from 57 patients (46 men and 11 women) undergoing coronary artery bypass graft surgery who did not have previous cardiac surgery, myocardial infarction, heart failure, atrial fibrillation or loop diuretic therapy. Results Non-obese (body mass index, BMI, ≤30 kg/m2, n=33) and obese patients (BMI >30 kg/m2, n=24) did not differ with respect to myocardial total, interstitial or perivascular fibrosis, arteriolar dimensions, or cardiomyocyte width. Obese patients had lower capillary length density (1145±239, mean±SD, vs. 1371±333 mm/mm3, P=0.007) and higher diffusion radius (16.9±1.5 vs. 15.6±2.0 μm, P=0.012), in comparison with non-obese patients. However, the diffusion radius/cardiomyocyte width ratio of obese patients (0.73±0.11 μm/μm) was not significantly different from that of non-obese patients (0.71±0.11 μm/μm), suggesting that differences in cardiomyocyte width explained in part the differences in capillary length density and diffusion radius between non-obese and obese patients. Increased BMI was associated with increased pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP, P<0.0001), and lower capillary length density was associated with both increased BMI (P=0.043) and increased PCWP (P=0.016). Conclusions Obesity and its accompanying increase in left ventricular filling pressure were associated with lower coronary microvascular density, which may contribute to the lower maximal myocardial blood flow, impaired myocardial metabolism, diastolic dysfunction and higher risk of heart failure in obese individuals.
Recurrent microblazar activity in Cygnus X-1?

Recurrent flaring events at X- and soft gamma-ray energies have been recently reported for the galactic black hole candidate Cygnus X-1. The observed fluxes during these transient outbursts are far higher than what is observed in "normal" episodes. Here we suggest that the origin of this radiation is non-thermal and produced by inverse Compton interactions between relativistic electrons in the jet and external photon fields, with a dominant contribution from the companion star field. The recurrent and relatively rapid variability could be explained by the precession of the jet, which results in a variable Doppler amplification.
Mongoose rabies in Puerto Rico.

Rabies has been classified into two epidemiological types, the sylvatic or campestral type in wildlife and the disease as it is found in domestic dogs (1). In certain rural areas where rabies is enzootic, this epidemiological differentiation may not always be so discrete. The factors which influence the presence of both types simultaneously in a given area are the amount of contact between wild species and domestic dogs, the relative population sizes of both groups, and the immunity level of the domestic dog population. Although the disease in dogs is still the principal rabies problem in most countries of the world today, mass canine immunization practices and other efFective measures have brought about increasing control and eradication. Success with dogs has focused attention on the importance of various species of wild fauna in the spread and transmission of the disease. In the Americas, rabies has been diagnosed sporadically in practically every kind of susceptible wild animal. In the United States, the principal large-scale sylvatic vectors of the disease have been the fox, genus Vrocyon; the skunk, genus Mephitis and genus Spilogale; and the coyote, Cani latrans. In South America, Central America, Trinidad, and Mexico, the
Mechanical signaling through connective tissue: a mechanism for the therapeutic effect of acupuncture

The mechanism of action of acupuncture remains largely unknown. The reaction to acupuncture needling known as ‘de qi’, widely viewed as essential to the therapeutic effect of acupuncture, may be a key to understanding its mechanism of action. De qi includes a characteristic needling sensation, perceived by the patient, and ‘needle grasp’ perceived by the acupuncturist. During needle grasp, the acupuncturist feels pulling and increased resistance to further movement of the inserted needle. We hypothesize that 1) needle grasp is due to mechanical coupling between the needle and connective tissue with winding of tissue around the needle during needle rotation and 2) needle manipulation transmits a mechanical signal to connective tissue cells via mechanotransduction. Such a mechanism may explain local and remote, as well as long‐term effects of acupuncture. —Langevin, H. M. , Churchill, D. L. , Cipolla, M. J. Mechanical signaling through connective tissue: a mechanism for the therapeutic effect of acupuncture. FASEB J. 15, 2275–2282 (2001)
Phosphonate self-assembled monolayers as organic linkers in solid-state quantum dot sensetized solar cells

We have employed X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectroscopy, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, water contact angle (WCA) measurements, ellipsometry, and electrical measurements to study the effects of self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) with phosphonic acid headgroups on the bonding and performance of cadmium sulfide (CdS) solid-state quantum dot sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs). ∼2 to ∼6 nm size CdS quantum dots (QDs) were grown on the SAM-passivated TiO2 surfaces by successive ionic layer adsorption and reaction (SILAR). Our results show differences in the bonding of the CdS QDs at the TiO2 surfaces with a SAM linker. Moreover, our data indicate that presence of a SAM increases the CdS uptake on TiO2 as well as the performance of the resulting devices. Importantly, we observe ∼2 times higher power conversion efficiencies in the devices with a SAM compared to those that lack a SAM.
Microbiome-Metabolome Responses to a High-Grain Diet Associated with the Hind-Gut Health of Goats

Studies on the effect of a high-concentrate (HC) diet on the hindgut microbiota and metabolome of ruminants are rarely reported. We used 454 pyrosequencing of 16S rDNA genes and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to evaluate the effects of long-term feeding (HL) or short-term (HS) feeding of an HC diet on changes in bacterial microbiota and their metabolites in the hindgut, with Guanzhong goat as a ruminant model. Results indicated that an HC diet decreased bacterial diversity and induced metabolic disorder in the hindgut. The levels of lactate, endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide, LPS), and volatile fatty acid concentrations were higher in the intestinal digesta of the HC goats than in those of the LC goats (P < 0.05). The level of beta-alanine decreased, whereas the levels of stigmasterol and quinic acid decreased in the cecal and colonic digesta of the HC goats. At the genus level, the abundance of Clostridium and Turicibacter was significantly increased in both the colonic and cecal digesta of the HC goats. Several potential relationships between metabolites and several microbial species were revealed in this study. The mRNA expression of the genes functionally associated with nutrients transport, including NHE2, NHE3, MCT1, and MCT4 were significantly downregulated in the colonic mucosa by the HC diet (P < 0.05). The expression levels of the genes related to the inflammatory response, including TLR4, MYD88, TNF-α, and IL-1β were markedly upregulated in the cecal mucosa by the HC diet (P < 0.05). Our results indicate that an HC diet induces microbiota dysbiosis, metabolic disorders, and mucosal damage in the hindgut of goats.
Role of RNA Structure and Susceptibility to RNase E in Regulation of a Cold Shock mRNA, cspA mRNA

ABSTRACT Degradation of the cspA mRNA in vivo is very rapid at temperatures greater than 30°C and is moderately dependent on RNase E. Investigations in vitro show that degradosomes prepared from normal or cold-shocked cultures cleave the cspA mRNA preferentially at a single site in vitro between two stem-loops ∼24 residues 3′ to the termination codon and ∼31 residues from the 3′ end. The site of cleavage is independent of the temperature and largely independent of the phosphorylation status of the 5′ end of cspA mRNA. A 5′ stem-loop, potential occlusion of the initiation and termination codons, temperature-dependent translational efficiency, and the position of the RNase E cleavage site can explain the differential stability of the cspA mRNA.
Introduction and spread of non-native parasites with Silurus glanis L. (Teleostei: Siluridae) in UK fisheries

Abstract Despite growing concern of the ecological risks posed by the European catfish Siluris glanis L. in freshwater fisheries, little information exists on the parasite fauna of this silurid catfish in Britain. Parasitological examinations of released S. glanis from four still-water fisheries in England revealed the presence of Thaparocleidus vistulensis (Siwak, 1932) and Ergasilus sieboldi (Nordmann, 1832), both non-native parasites, the latter known to be an important fish pathogen. This represents the first record of T. vistulensis from British freshwater fish. The human-assisted movement of S. glanis between UK recreational still-water fisheries provides a clear avenue for the introduction and spread of non-native parasites.
Load torque estimation for sensorless PMSM drive with output filter fed by PWM converter

The paper describes an load torque observer for sensorless control of permanent magnet synchronous motor, when the output voltage of the PWM inverter is filtered by an sinusoidal filter. The dynamics of the output filter are taken into account in the design of Unscented Kalman Filter. The use of the output filter does not require additional motor currents or voltages measurements. The speed and position are based on the estimation and are used for speed sensorless control, load torque signal is treated arbitrary as master robot control input. In that case the focus was state estimation rather than at the control at all. Laboratory results performed on 1,3kW PMSM shows the functionality of the proposed estimation and control method with estimation load torque presence.