Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Intra-Articular Fractures of the Distal Femur: A Long-Term Follow-up Study of Surgically Treated Patients

Objective To analyze the long-term (5–25 years) functional and radiologic results of surgically treated intra-articular fractures of the distal femur. Design Retrospective study. Setting University hospital. Patients and Methods Sixty-seven surgically treated consecutive patients with 67 intra-articular distal femoral fractures were included in this study. All fractures were classified according to the AO classification. There were 36 men and 31 women. The mean age at time of accident was 45 years (range 16–94 years). There were 38 patients with isolated fractures and 29 with multiple fractures. Median hospital stay was 23 days (range 12–330 days). A 1-year follow-up was done in all 67 patients. Thirty-two of these patients were also seen for an additional long-term follow-up visit. Functional results of these 32 patients were graded using the Neer and HSS knee scores. Radiologic results were graded using the Ahlbäck score. Statistical analysis was performed by means of the SPSS data analysis program. Results At 1-year follow-up in 40 of 65 patients (62%), the fracture was fully healed, in 22 patients (34%) a fixation callus still existed, and 1 patient had a nonunion. In 2 patients, an arthrodesis was performed. The mean knee range of motion was 111° (range 10–145°). After a mean follow-up of 14 years (range 5–25 years), the mean knee range of motion was 118° (range 10–145°). The Neer score showed good to excellent results in 84% of the patients, and the HSS knee score showed good to excellent results in 75% of the patients. Patients with isolated fractures scored significantly better functionally (Neer/HSS 90 points) compared with those with multiple fractures. The Ahlbäck score showed a moderate to severe development of secondary osteoarthritis in 36% of all patients. Seventy-two percent of these patients still scored a good to excellent functional result. Seven patients (10%) had local complications in the form of a deep wound infection. Five of these patients were treated successfully, whereas 2 had a chronic infection that subsequently led to an arthrodesis. Conclusion Surgical treatment of monocondylar and bicondylar femoral fractures shows good long-term results after open reduction and internal fixation. Knee function increases through time, though the range of motion does not increase after 1 year. The presence of secondary osteoarthritis does not mean less favorable functional results in most patients.
Entity Extraction via Ensemble Semantics

Combining information extraction systems yields significantly higher quality resources than each system in isolation. In this paper, we generalize such a mixing of sources and features in a framework called Ensemble Semantics. We show very large gains in entity extraction by combining state-of-the-art distributional and pattern-based systems with a large set of features from a webcrawl, query logs, and Wikipedia. Experimental results on a web-scale extraction of actors, athletes and musicians show significantly higher mean average precision scores (29% gain) compared with the current state of the art.
Evaluation of R-410A refrigerant alternatives in a residential reversible air to water heat pump

Alternative refrigerants with low-GWP are under investigation for residential heat pumps and air-conditioners as R410A has a GWP of 2088. In this paper, two promising alternative refrigerants, DR-5A (R-454B) and L41-2 (R447A), both HFC-HFO mixtures with a GWP of 466 and 583 respectively, were tested in a residential reversible airto-water heat pump. The results show that R-410A replacement by L41-2 and DR-5A does not raise any particular problem and the performance obtained is, aside from some few exceptions, almost equivalent (+/-10%) to that with R-410A. These experimental results provide better understanding and knowledge about R-410A replacement in heat pumps.
Microarray-Based Detection of Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium Transposon Mutants That Cannot Survive in Macrophages and Mice

ABSTRACT DNA microarrays provide an opportunity to combine the principles of signature-tagged mutagenesis (STM) with microarray technology to identify potentially important bacterial virulence genes. The scope of DNA microarrays allows for less laborious screening on a much larger scale than possible by STM alone. We have adapted a microarray-based transposon tracking strategy for use with a Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium cDNA microarray in order to identify genes important for survival and replication in RAW 264.7 mouse macrophage-like cells or in the spleens of BALB/cJ mice. A 50,000-CFU transposon library of S. enterica serovar Typhimurium strain SL1344 was serially passaged in cultured macrophages or intraperitoneally inoculated into BALB/cJ mice. The bacterial genomic DNA was isolated and processed for analysis on the microarray. The novel application of this approach to identify mutants unable to survive in cultured cells resulted in the identification of components of Salmonella pathogenicity island 2 (SPI2), which is known to be critical for intracellular survival and replication. In addition, array results indicated that a number of SPI1-associated genes, currently not associated with intracellular survival, are negatively selected. However, of the SPI1-associated mutants individually tested for intracellular survival, only a sirA mutant exhibited reduced numbers relative to those of wild-type bacteria. Of the mutants unable to survive in mice, significant proportions are either components of the SPI2 pathogenicity island or involved in lipopolysaccharide synthesis. This observation is in agreement with results obtained in the original S. enterica serovar Typhimurium STM screen, illustrating the utility of this approach for the high-throughput identification of virulence factors important for survival in the host.
Attrition from antiretroviral treatment services among pregnant and non-pregnant patients following adoption of Option B+ in Haiti

ABSTRACT Background: Access to antiretroviral therapy (ART) has expanded in Haiti because of the adoption of Option B+ and the revision of treatment guidelines. Retention in care and treatment varies greatly and few studies have examined retention rates, particularly among women enrolled in Option B+. Objective: To assess attrition among pregnant and non-pregnant patients initiating ART following adoption of Option B+ in Haiti. Methods: Longitudinal data of adult patients initiated on ART from October 2012 through August 2014 at 73 health facilities across Haiti were analyzed using a survival analysis framework to determine levels of attrition. The Kaplan–Meier method and Cox proportional hazards regression were used to examine risk factors associated with attrition. Results: Among 17,059 patients who initiated ART, 7627 (44.7%) were non-pregnant women, 5899 (34.6%) were men, and 3533 (20.7%) were Option B+ clients. Attrition from the ART program was 36.7% at 12 months (95% CI: 35.9–37.5%). Option B+ patients had the highest level of attrition at 50.4% at 12 months (95% CI: 48.6–52.3%). While early HIV disease stage at ART initiation was protective among non-pregnant women and men, it was a strong risk factor among Option B+ clients. In adjusted analyses, key protective factors were older age (p < 0.0001), living near the health facility (p = 0.04), having another known HIV-positive household member (p < 0.0001), having greater body mass index (BMI) (p < 0.0001), pre-ART counseling (p < 0.0001), and Cotrimoxazole prophylaxis during baseline (p < 0.01). Higher attrition was associated with rapidly starting ART after enrollment (p < 0.0001), anemia (p < 0.0001), and regimen tenofovir+lamivudine+nevirapine (TDF+3TC+NVP) (p < 0.001). Conclusions: ART attrition in Haiti is high among adults, especially among Option B+ patients. Identifying newly initiated patients most at risk for attrition and providing appropriate interventions could help reduce ART attrition.
Ca2+-independent Phospholipase A2 Is Required for Agonist-induced Ca2+Sensitization of Contraction in Vascular Smooth Muscle*

Excitatory agonists can induce significant smooth muscle contraction under constant free Ca2+ through a mechanism called Ca2+ sensitization. Considerable evidence suggests that free arachidonic acid plays an important role in mediating agonist-induced Ca2+-sensitization; however, the molecular mechanisms responsible for maintaining and regulating free arachidonic acid level are not completely understood. In the current study, we demonstrated that Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2 (iPLA2) is expressed in vascular smooth muscle tissues. Inhibition of the endogenous iPLA2 activity by bromoenol lactone (BEL) decreases basal free arachidonic acid levels and reduces the final free arachidonic acid level after phenylephrine stimulation, without significant effect on the net increase in free arachidonic acid stimulated by phenylephrine. Importantly, BEL treatment diminishes agonist-induced Ca2+ sensitization of contraction from 49 ± 3.6 to 12 ± 1.0% (p< 0.01). In contrast, BEL does not affect agonist-induced diacylglycerol production or contraction induced by Ca2+, phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (a protein kinase C activator), or exogenous arachidonic acid. Further, we demonstrate that adenovirus-mediated overexpression of exogenous iPLA2 in mouse portal vein tissue significantly potentiates serotonin-induced contraction. Our data provide the first evidence that iPLA2 is required for maintaining basal free arachidonic acid levels and thus is essential for agonist-induced Ca2+-sensitization of contraction in vascular smooth muscle.
A genetic component of resistance to fungal infection in frog embryos

The embryo has traditionally been considered to completely rely upon parental strategies to prevent threats to survival posed by predators and pathogens, such as fungi. However, recent evidence suggests that embryos may have hitherto neglected abilities to counter pathogens. Using artificial fertilization, we show that among-family variation in the number of Saprolegnia-infected eggs and embryos in the moor frog, Rana arvalis, cannot be explained by maternal effects. However, analysed as a within-females effect, sire identity had an effect on the degree of infection. Furthermore, relatively more eggs and embryos were infected when eggs were fertilized by sperm from the same, compared with a different, population. These effects were independent of variation in fertilization success. Thus, there is likely to be a significant genetic component in embryonic resistance to fungal infection in frog embryos. Early developmental stages may show more diverse defences against pathogens than has previously been acknowledged.
Onset of apoprotein E secretion during differentiation of mouse bone marrow-derived mononuclear phagocytes

A number of macrophage functions were sequentially expressed when the bone marrow precursors of mononuclear phagocytes differentiated in culture in the presence of a specific growth factor, colony-stimulating factor-1. We have defined the expression of apoprotein E (ApoE), a major secreted protein of resident peritoneal macrophages, during maturation of adherent bone marrow-derived mononuclear phagocytes into macrophages. By 5 d the bone marrow macrophages were active secretory cells, but few cells contained intracellular immunoreactive ApoE, and little, if any, ApoE was secreted. ApoE secretion was initiated at 9 d, and this correlated with an increase in the percentage of macrophages containing intracellular ApoE. The onset of ApoE secretion was selective, and little change occurred in the other major secreted proteins detected by [35S]methionine incorporation. In parallel, the high rate of plasminogen activator secretion, which peaked at 7 d, decreased markedly. ApoE secretion was not associated with altered expression of the macrophage surface antigen, Ia, or with secretion of fibronectin. Virtually all cells in independent colonies of bone marrow- derived macrophages eventually expressed ApoE. The proliferating monocyte/macrophage-like cell lines P388D1, J774.2, WEHI-3, RAW 264.1, and MGI.D+ secreted little or no ApoE. These data establish that ApoE secretion is developmentally regulated.
Hot workability of stainless steels: influence of deformation parameters, microstructural components, and restoration processes

AbstractThe literature on the hot ductility of stainless steels is surveyed. The role of different fracture mechanisms is analysed with the aid of the fracture-map concept, proposed recently by Ashby and co-workers. A low hot ductility is practically always associated with a large portion of intercrystalline cracking. The hot ductility is, in general, lower in the temperature interval 900°-1000°C than 1100°-1200°C owing to the presence of dynamic recrystallization in the latter interval, which prevents grain -boundary cracks from growing. At still higher temperatures, the ductility decreases with increasing temperature owing to a loss of grain -boundary cohesion. In addition to a general tendency of reducing the ductility, the influence of a large grain size and high contents of the alloying elements Mo, N, and Ni is characterized by an increased ‘transition temperature’ from the low- to the high-ductility regime. The dependence of ductility on strain rate is less pronounced than the effect of temperature.
Rotating black holes in gauged supergravities: Thermodynamics, supersymmetric limits, topological solitons and time machines

We study the thermodynamics of the recently-discovered non-extremal charged rotating black holes of gauged supergravities in five, seven and four dimensions, obtaining energies, angular momenta and charges that are consistent with the first law of thermodynamics. We obtain their supersymmetric limits by using these expressions together with an analysis of the AdS superalgebras including R-charges. We give a general discussion of the global structure of such solutions, and apply it in the various cases. We obtain new regular supersymmetric black holes in seven and four dimensions, as well as reproducing known examples in five and four dimensions. We also obtain new supersymmetric non-singular topological solitons in five and seven dimensions. The rest of the supersymmetric solutions either have naked singularities or naked time machines. The latter can be rendered nonsingular if the asymptotic time is periodic. This leads to a new type of quantum consistency condition, which we call a Josephson quantisation condition. Finally, we discuss some � = ±
EZeeCom: enabling spontaneous social interactions over mobile ad hoc networks

People often are curious to know about new persons in and around the locality they inhabit, at work places or gatherings. Many are introvert and thus hesitate to interact even with the new next-door neighbour. In alien places there may be always an urge to find a person belonging to one's homeland. In case of emergencies, there comes a need to find a doctor in the vicinity. There is thus a need for a system that takes into consideration these voids and assists in spontaneous human-human interaction. It should allow people to know each other seamlessly and interact by exchanging information using mobile devices and help build a social network. In this paper, we discuss the design and implementation of one such system, nicknamed EzeeCom, which, in addition to the above, allows a person to discover the whereabouts of another. Based on IEEE 802.11b, this system aids a person to use mobile devices to form a network, and localize, find and communicate with others - either in proximity or otherwise. The paper also presents experimental and simulation results to authenticate the feasibility of the system.
Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic models of the antistaphylococcal effects of meropenem and cloxacillin in vitro and in experimental infection

The efficacies of meropenem (MPM) and cloxacillin (CLC) against two Staphylococcus aureus strains were established in vitro. A pharmacodynamic model equation, based on the concept that the killing rate depends on concentration and time, was fitted to the numbers of CFU. The parameters of the equation are maximum killing rate, time point of maximum killing, and 50% effective concentration (EC50). The EC50s for the two strains were 0.047 and 0.040 mg/liter, respectively, for MPM and 0.105 and 0.121 mg/liter, respectively, for CLC. Calculated values of the parameters were used to predict the numbers of CFU at exponentially decreasing concentrations in vitro as well as in an experimental infection model. The prediction for in vitro conditions gave a satisfactory fit (R2, between 0.862 and 0.894). In vivo the numbers were predicted with the assumption that killing rate in vivo is proportional to that in vitro (R2, between 0.731 and 0.973). The proportionality factor ranged between 0.23 and 0.42; this variation was due mainly to covariation with growth rates in control animals, without other significant differences between antibiotics or strains.
Biomarker Analyses from a Placebo-Controlled Phase II Study Evaluating Erlotinib ± Onartuzumab in Advanced Non–Small Cell Lung Cancer: MET Expression Levels Are Predictive of Patient Benefit

Purpose: In a recent phase II study of onartuzumab (MetMAb), patients whose non–small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissue scored as positive for MET protein by immunohistochemistry (IHC) experienced a significant benefit with onartuzumab plus erlotinib (O+E) versus erlotinib. We describe development and validation of a standardized MET IHC assay and, retrospectively, evaluate multiple biomarkers as predictors of patient benefit. Experimental Design: Biomarkers related to MET and/or EGF receptor (EGFR) signaling were measured by IHC, FISH, quantitative reverse transcription PCR, mutation detection techniques, and ELISA. Results: A positive correlation between IHC, Western blotting, and MET mRNA expression was observed in NSCLC cell lines/tissues. An IHC scoring system of MET expression taking proportional and intensity-based thresholds into consideration was applied in an analysis of the phase II study and resulted in the best differentiation of outcomes. Further analyses revealed a nonsignificant overall survival (OS) improvement with O+E in patients with high MET copy number (mean ≥5 copies/cell by FISH); however, benefit was maintained in “MET IHC-positive”/MET FISH-negative patients (HR, 0.37; P = 0.01). MET, EGFR, amphiregulin, epiregulin, or HGF mRNA expression did not predict a significant benefit with onartuzumab; a nonsignificant OS improvement was observed in patients with high tumor MET mRNA levels (HR, 0.59; P = 0.23). Patients with low baseline plasma hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) exhibited an HR for OS of 0.519 (P = 0.09) in favor of onartuzumab treatment. Conclusions: MET IHC remains the most robust predictor of OS and progression-free survival benefit from O+E relative to all examined exploratory markers. Clin Cancer Res; 20(17); 4488–98. ©2014 AACR.
Aspects Of Utility Maximization With Habit Formation: Dynamic Programming And Stochastic PDE's

This paper studies the habit-forming preference problem of maximizing total expected utility from consumption net of the standard of living, a weighted-average of past consumption. We describe the effective state space of the corresponding optimal wealth and standard of living processes, identify the associated value function as a generalized utility function, and exploit the interplay between dynamic programming and Feynman-Kac results via the theory of random fields and stochastic partial differential equations (SPDE’s). The resulting value random field of the optimization problem satisfies a non-linear, backward SPDE of parabolic type, widely referred to as the stochastic Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman equation. The dual value random field is characterized further in terms of a backward parabolic SPDE which is linear. Progressively measurable versions of stochastic feedback formulae for the optimal portfolio and consumption choices are obtained as well.
LOCAL ADAPTATION IN TWO SUBSPECIES OF AN ANNUAL PLANT: IMPLICATIONS FOR MIGRATION AND GENE FLOW

Plant populations often adapt to local environmental conditions. Here we demonstrate local adaptation in two subspecies of the California native annual Gilia capitata using standard reciprocal transplant techniques in two sites (coastal and inland) over three consecutive years. Subspecies performance in each site was measured in four ways: probability of seedling emergence, early vegetative size (length of longest leaf), probability of flowering, and total number of inflorescences produced per plant. Analysis of three of the four variables demonstrated local adaptation through site‐by‐subspecies interactions in which natives outperformed immigrants. The disparity between natives and immigrants in their probability of emergence and probability of flowering was greater at the coastal site than at the inland site. Treated in isolation, these two fitness components suggest that migration from the coast to the inland site may be less restricted by selection than migration in the opposite direction. Two measurements of individual size (leaf length and number of inflorescences), suggest (though not strongly) that immigrants may be subject to weaker selection at the coastal site than at the inland site. A standard cohort life table is used to compare replacement rates (R0) for each subspecies at each site. Comparisons of R0s suggest that immigrants are under a severe demographic disadvantage at the coastal site, but only a small disadvantage at the inland site. The results point out the importance of integrating over several fitness components when documenting the magnitude of local adaptation.
Distributed Sampled-Data ${H_\infty }$  Filtering for Sensor Networks With Nonuniform Sampling Periods

This paper presents a switched system approach to solving the distributed sampled-data \mbiH∞ filtering problem for sensor networks with nonuniform sampling periods. The sensor network is considered to be a peer-to-peer network without an estimation center. The measurements are sampled with nonuniform sampling periods, and each sensor in the network collects the sampled measurements only from its neighbors and runs a distributed \mbiH∞ filtering algorithm to generate estimates. A stochastic switched system model is proposed to describe the aperiodic sampled-data filtering system with random packet losses. A sufficient existence condition for the distributed \mbiH∞ filters is derived by using the average dwell time method, and it is shown that the obtained condition critically depends on the sampling periods and the packet loss probabilities. The design of the filters is accomplished by solving a convex optimization problem, and the designed filters guarantee that the filtering system is mean-square exponentially stable and all the filtering errors satisfy an average H∞ noise attenuation level. An illustrative example is finally given to show the effectiveness of the proposed results.