Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is there a need for routine testing of ICD defibrillation capacity? Results from more than 1000 studies.

AIMS Benefits and complications of postoperative implantable cardioverter-defibrillator tests are controversial matters. This study sought to assess the necessity of defibrillation function tests after implantation. METHODS AND RESULTS We retrospectively analysed 1007 implantable cardioverter-defibrillator tests in 587 systems and 556 patients. Nine hundred and thirty implantable cardioverter-defibrillator tests (89.4%) were routinely performed. Seventy-one tests (7%) were performed after a change in the antiarrhythmic drug regimen and six tests (0.60%) because of a suspected dysfunction of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator. During routine tests, four systems (0.4%) failed to defibrillate the patient. However, in all but one test, abnormalities of the system had been observed before the test. After the addition of antiarrhythmic drugs, two of 71 implantable cardioverter-defibrillator systems (2.8%) failed to defibrillate the patient. One of six systems tested due to a suspected dysfunction failed to defibrillate the patient. During 16 tests (1.6%), complications occurred. CONCLUSIONS Our experience demonstrates that postoperative tests of the defibrillation function of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators rarely reveal dysfunctions. As testing is unpleasant for the patient and not free of complications, tests might be restricted to those patients in whom a dysfunction is suspected and to those patients in whom class I or class III antiarrhythmic drugs have been added to the antiarrhythmic drug regimen.
SUT2, a Putative Sucrose Sensor in Sieve Elements

In leaves, sucrose uptake kinetics involve high- and low-affinity components. A family of low- and high-affinity sucrose transporters (SUT) was identified. SUT1 serves as a high-affinity transporter essential for phloem loading and long-distance transport in solanaceous species. SUT4 is a low-affinity transporter with an expression pattern overlapping that of SUT1. Both SUT1 and SUT4 localize to enucleate sieve elements of tomato. New sucrose transporter–like proteins, named SUT2, from tomato and Arabidopsis contain extended cytoplasmic domains, thus structurally resembling the yeast sugar sensors SNF3 and RGT2. Features common to these sensors are low codon bias, environment of the start codon, low expression, and lack of detectable transport activity. In contrast to LeSUT1, which is induced during the sink-to-source transition of leaves, SUT2 is more highly expressed in sink than in source leaves and is inducible by sucrose. LeSUT2 protein colocalizes with the low- and high-affinity sucrose transporters in sieve elements of tomato petioles, indicating that multiple SUT mRNAs or proteins travel from companion cells to enucleate sieve elements. The SUT2 gene maps on chromosome V of potato and is linked to a major quantitative trait locus for tuber starch content and yield. Thus, the putative sugar sensor identified colocalizes with two other sucrose transporters, differs from them in kinetic properties, and potentially regulates the relative activity of low- and high-affinity sucrose transport into sieve elements.
Choose Your Friends Wisely: How Organizational Identity Influences Behavior at U.S. Colleges and Universities

Abstract:This study explores how organizational identity is linked with organizational behavior and change at U.S. colleges and universities. Using IPEDS data from 914 public and private not-for-profit four-year institutions, this study analyzes how institutions' identity claims through their self-identified comparison groups are associated with Carnegie Classification change between 2010 and 2015. Results indicate that institutions that identified a higher proportion of aspirational peers and a set of peers who changed over the study period were more likely to be re-classified in 2015. These findings suggest that identity is a key variable that influences how postsecondary institutions adapt to their environments.
The group lasso for logistic regression

Summary. The group lasso is an extension of the lasso to do variable selection on (predefined) groups of variables in linear regression models. The estimates have the attractive property of being invariant under groupwise orthogonal reparameterizations. We extend the group lasso to logistic regression models and present an efficient algorithm, that is especially suitable for high dimensional problems, which can also be applied to generalized linear models to solve the corresponding convex optimization problem. The group lasso estimator for logistic regression is shown to be statistically consistent even if the number of predictors is much larger than sample size but with sparse true underlying structure. We further use a two‐stage procedure which aims for sparser models than the group lasso, leading to improved prediction performance for some cases. Moreover, owing to the two‐stage nature, the estimates can be constructed to be hierarchical. The methods are used on simulated and real data sets about splice site detection in DNA sequences.
Collecting and exploiting high-accuracy call graph profiles in virtual machines

Due to the high dynamic frequency of virtual method calls in typical object-oriented programs, feedback-directed devirtualization and inlining is one of the most important optimizations performed by high-performance virtual machines. A critical input to effective feedback-directed inlining is an accurate dynamic call graph. In a virtual machine, the dynamic call graph is computed online during program execution. Therefore, to maximize overall system performance, the profiling mechanism must strike a balance between profile accuracy, the speed at which the profile becomes available to the optimizer, and profiling overhead. This paper introduces a new low-overhead sampling-based technique that rapidly converges on a high-accuracy dynamic call graph. We have implemented the technique in two high-performance virtual machines: Jikes RVM and J9. We empirically assess our profiling technique by reporting on the accuracy of the dynamic call graphs it computes and by demonstrating that increasing the accuracy of the dynamic call graph results in more effective feedback-directed inlining.
Low rate of infected knee replacements in a nationwide series—is it an underestimate?

Background and purpose Specialist hospitals have reported an incidence of early deep infections of < 1% following primary knee replacement. The purpose of this study was to estimate the infection rate in a nationwide series using register-based data. Methods The Finnish Arthroplasty Register (FAR) was searched for primary unicompartmental, total, and revision knee arthroplasties performed in 1997 through 2003 and eventual revision arthroplasties. The FAR data on revision arthroplasties was supplemented by a search of the national Hospital Discharge Register (HDR) for debridements, partial and total revision knee replacements, resection arthroplasties, arthrodeses, and amputations. Results During the first postoperative year, 0.33% (95% CI: 0.13–0.84), 0.52% (0.45–0.60) and 1.91% (1.40–2.61) of the primary UKAs, primary TKAs, and revision TKAs, respectively, were reoperated due to infection. The 1-year rate of reoperations due to infection remained constant in all arthroplasty groups over the observation period. The overall infection rate calculated using FAR data only was 0.77% (95% CI: 0.69–0.86), which was lower, but was not, however, statistically significantly different from the overall infection rate calculated using endpoint data combined from FAR and HDR records (0.89%; 95% CI: 0.80–0.99). FAR registered revision arthroplasties and patellar resurfacing arthroplasties reliably but missed a considerable proportion of other reoperations. Interpretation More reoperations performed due to infection can be expected as the numbers of knee arthroplasties increase, since there has been no improvement in the early infection rate. Finnish Arthroplasty Register data appear to underestimate the incidence of reoperations performed due to infection.
Uptake of early infant diagnosis in Thailand’s national program for preventing mother-to-child HIV transmission and linkage to care, 2008–2011

Early infant diagnosis (EID) has been a component of Thailand's prevention of mother‐to‐child HIV transmission (PMTCT) programme since 2007. This study assessed the uptake, EID coverage, proportion of HIV‐exposed infants receiving a definitive HIV diagnosis, mother‐to‐child transmission (MTCT) rates and linkage to HIV care and treatment.
From spermatocytes to sperm: meiotic behaviour of human male reciprocal translocations.

BACKGROUND Human male translocation carriers may present alterations in the meiotic process due to the presence of the translocated chromosomes. The aim of this work was to study the mechanisms that affect meiotic segregation in translocation carriers by analysing different stages of the meiotic process. METHODS Meiotic studies using fluorescence in-situ hybridization on both spermatocytes and sperm nuclei were performed in two translocation carriers, t(11;17)(q13.1;p11.2) and t(10;14)(q24;q32). RESULTS A ring configuration was the main type of quadrivalent found in metaphase I. Overall chiasma frequency was significantly decreased in the t(11;17) carrier. In the t(10;14) carrier, chiasma frequency within the interstitial region of chromosomes 10 and 14 was increased and the recombination pattern was modified. As expected from the frequencies of interstitial chiasmata found in metaphase I in the two subjects, the incidence of asymmetric dyads was sporadic in t(11;17) and very high in t(10;14). In both carriers, segregation frequencies observed at metaphase II were not different from the segregation data obtained in decondensed sperm nuclei. CONCLUSIONS The concordance observed among results obtained in different spermatogenic stages indicates an absence of cellular selection based on chromosomal imbalances. Results obtained in the aneuploidy assay have not provided any evidence for an interchromosomal effect.
Pattern of internet use and prevalence of internet addiction among interns of a medical college in Kerala

Background: Exponential increase in use of smartphones and availability of internet services makes the students and young doctors prone to internet addiction. The interns are particularly at risk because of their unique communication and academic needs. The study was conducted to evaluate the pattern of use of internet and prevalence of internet addiction among interns.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted using an online questionnaire related to internet use and Young’s internet addiction test.Results: All interns were using smartphones and 96.3% of them used internet daily. About 80% of them started using internet before the age of 19 years. Duration of use of internet exceeded three hours a day among 40% of them during weekdays. During the weekends 60% of interns used internet for more than three hours per day. All of them were using internet for communication specially for instant messaging. Another common use was social networking by 90% of them. Educational purpose, file sharing, web browsing and listening to music or news were also done using internet. Prevalence of internet addiction among interns was 47.9% (Mild – 36.3%, moderate – 11.3% and severe – 1.3%). Conclusions: Prevalence of internet addiction is high among the interns. Efforts should be taken to enhance awareness and prevent internet addiction among them.
Cumulative Family Stressors and Kindergarten Adjustment: The Exacerbating Role of Teacher– Child Conflict

Abstract:Multiple, simultaneous stressors in the family context during early childhood may compromise healthy adjustment to school, with potential long-term implications. Moreover, stressors across multiple contexts (e.g., home and school) can exacerbate the negative influences of stress on children's functioning. We investigated associations between parent-reported accumulated burden of family stressors and standardized early literacy and math scores, teacher-reported classroom participation, and child-reported school liking among 175 kindergartners. We also examined whether teacher–child conflict (i.e., a classroom stressor) exacerbated associations. Cumulative family stressors were negatively associated with children's early literacy, early math, and classroom participation, but were unrelated to school liking. High levels of teacher–child conflict worsened these associations for literacy (significantly) and classroom participation (at trend level). The combination of both high levels of cumulative family stressors and a highly conflictual relationship with teachers was negatively associated with school liking. No interaction was detected for math. Results highlight the role of family stress for school adjustment and address implications of conflictual teacher–child relationships for vulnerable children at the transition to formal schooling.
Intracellular staphylococcus aureus: Live-in and let die

Staphylococcus aureus uses a plethora of virulence factors to accommodate a diversity of niches in its human host. Aside from the classical manifestations of S. aureus-induced diseases, the pathogen also invades and survives within mammalian host cells.The survival strategies of the pathogen are as diverse as strains or host cell types used. S. aureus is able to replicate in the phagosome or freely in the cytoplasm of its host cells. It escapes the phagosome of professional and non-professional phagocytes, subverts autophagy, induces cell death mechanisms such as apoptosis and pyronecrosis, and even can induce anti-apoptotic programs in phagocytes. The focus of this review is to present a guide to recent research outlining the variety of intracellular fates of S. aureus.
Subscriber Mobility in Pub/Sub Systems: Pro-active vs. Reactive Handoffs

To support mobile subscribers in pub/sub systems, existing approaches are mainly based on reactive methods (i.e., the message transfer occurs just after the mobile subscriber handoffs to a new broker). In this paper, we analyze a novel and efficient mobility extension based on a pro-active approach (i.e., the context transfer/caching occurs prior to the subscriber movement). We implemented both reactive and pro-active mobility extensions for JMS and conducted a range of experiments in a small testbed to compare the relative merits of each approach. Our experimental results show that a pro-active approach can provide fast handoff support with zero duplicated messages. It also achieves relatively higher throughput results and lower message loss compared to the reactive approach.
OCTAGONAL NUCLEAR PORES

Negative staining of isolated nuclear envelopes by phosphotungstate shows that the nuclear pores are octagonal rather than circular. Pores of the same shape and approximately the same width, 663 ± 5 A, were demonstrated in the newt, Triturus, the frog, Rana, and the starfish, Henricia. The outer and inner diameters of the annulus associated with each pore are respectively greater and less than the width of the pore itself. For this reason surface views of the envelope, unless negatively stained, fail to show the true dimensions of the pores.
Voluntary disclosure practices in emerging capital markets : the case of Egypt

Corporate governance is a crucial issue that is being addressed widely by regulators, and capital market participants around the world. Disclosure is identified as one of the challenges facing the implementation of corporate governance especially in developing countries. The current study aims to contribute to corporate governance and disclosure literature by providing empirical evidence of the relationship between corporate governance, ownership structure and the voluntary disclosure in an emerging capital market, namely Egypt. The study assesses the extent of total voluntary disclosure and its categories in the annual reports of the most active non financial companies in the Cairo and Alexandria Stock Exchange oyer four years that witnessed a remarkable initiatives to enhance transparency and corporate governance. It employs a wider theoretical framework based mainly on the political economic approach and benefits from institutional theory. Using a sample of 182 annual reports of the most active Egyptian listed companies, the findings indicate that while the extent of voluntary disclosure is low, there was a gradual increase in the extent of total voluntary disclosure and its categories over the examined period. However, there is no significant difference between the voluntary disclosure over the four years. This suggests that companies manage their voluntary disclosure policy which is not a random practice but subject to certain influences. The regression results indicate the board characteristics; board size and board composition; do affect the extent of voluntary disclosure. Interestingly, the findings indicate that the existence of family members on the board has a positive association with the extent of total voluntary disclosure. This suggests that family led companies may have a litigation and reputation cost concern. While the presence of foreign members on the board and board size were found to affect voluntary disclosure positively, the percentage of nonexecutive directors has a negative effect. It was found that government ownership has a marginally effect on voluntary disclosure. Furthermore, the study provides evidence that the determinants of voluntary disclosure vary among the different categories. There was no single variable can explain the total voluntary disclosure and its categories. This highlights the need to analyze the different categories of voluntary disclosure.
Elevated Human Telomerase Reverse Transcriptase Gene Expression in Blood Cells Associated with Chronic Arsenic Exposure in Inner Mongolia, China

Background Arsenic exposure is associated with human cancer. Telomerase-containing human telomerase reverse transcriptase (hTERT) can extend telomeres of chromosomes, delay senescence, and promote cell proliferation leading to tumorigenesis. Objective The goal of this study was to investigate the effects of As on hTERT mRNA expression in humans and in vitro. Method A total of 324 Inner Mongolia residents who have been exposed to As via drinking water participated in this study. Water and toenail samples were collected and analyzed for As. Blood samples were quantified for hTERT mRNA expression using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The hTERT mRNA levels were linked to water and nail As concentrations and skin hyperkeratosis. Human epidermal keratinocytes were treated with arsenite to assess effects on cell viability and hTERT expression in vitro. Results hTERT mRNA expression levels were significantly associated with As concentrations of water (p < 0.0001) and nails (p = 0.002) and also associated with severity of skin hyperkeratosis (p < 0.05), adjusting for age, sex, smoking, and pesticide use. Females showed a higher slope than males (females: 0.126, p = 0.0005; males: 0.079, p = 0.017). In addition to water and nail As concentrations, age (p < 0.0001) and pesticide use (p = 0.025) also showed significant associations with hTERT expression. The hTERT expression levels decreased with age. Tobacco smoking did not affect hTERT expression (p = 0.13). hTERT expression was significantly correlated with OGG1 and ERCC1 expression. The in vitro results also showed a dose–response relationship between arsenite concentrations and hTERT expression and reached the peak at 1 μM. Conclusions hTERT expression was associated with As exposure in vivo and in vitro. The increased hTERT expression may be a cellular response to genomic insults by As and may also indicate that As may function as a tumor promoter in carcinogenesis in humans.
The influence of positioning upon cerebral oxygenation after acute stroke: a pilot study.

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Laboratory for Applications of Remote Sensing 1-1-1982 An Evaluation of Thematic Mapper Simulator Data for Mapping Forest

This study* evaluated computer-aided analysis techniques applied to Thematic Mapper Simulator (TMS) data for the purpose of mapping forest cover types. Specifically, classification results obtained using a supervised set of training statistics and various combinations of three and four channels subsets of the seven available TMS channels are compared for three classification algorithms: L2, GML, and SECHO. In the analysis, the best three and four channel subsets were determined by mInImum transformed divergence criteria. A Karhunen-Loeve or Principal Component linear transformation was applied to the 1979 TMS data set and supervised training statistics were generated for classifying the transformed data. Classification results from applying the same three classification algorithms on the transformed data are compared to results from the untransformed data sets. Results from the untransformed TMS data show a higher performance using the four simulated Landsat channels (CH2:0.52 O.60fJm; CH3: 0.63 0.69fJm; CH4: 0.760.90fJm; CHS: 1.00 -1 .30fJm) than from the best four channels selected by the minimum transformed divergence criteria. The contextual classifier known as SECHO (Supervised Extraction and Classification of Homogeneous Objects) performed significantly better than either of the two perpoint classifiers for the untransformed data. Overall classification results of the K-L transformation increased for the L2 algorithm, but decreased for both the GML and SECHO algorithms. * This work was supported by NASA under Contract No. NAS9-lS889.
Blockwise Human Brain Network Visual Comparison Using NodeTrix Representation

Visually comparing human brain networks from multiple population groups serves as an important task in the field of brain connectomics. The commonly used brain network representation, consisting of nodes and edges, may not be able to reveal the most compelling network differences when the reconstructed networks are dense and homogeneous. In this paper, we leveraged the block information on the Region Of Interest (ROI) based brain networks and studied the problem of blockwise brain network visual comparison. An integrated visual analytics framework was proposed. In the first stage, a two-level ROI block hierarchy was detected by optimizing the anatomical structure and the predictive comparison performance simultaneously. In the second stage, the NodeTrix representation was adopted and customized to visualize the brain network with block information. We conducted controlled user experiments and case studies to evaluate our proposed solution. Results indicated that our visual analytics method outperformed the commonly used node-link graph and adjacency matrix design in the blockwise network comparison tasks. We have shown compelling findings from two real-world brain network data sets, which are consistent with the prior connectomics studies.