Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessing the impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on functional status in COPD

Background: The optimal way of assessing the impact of pulmonary rehabilitation on functional status in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is currently unknown. The minimal clinically important difference for the constant work rate cycling exercise test also needs to be investigated to facilitate its interpretation. A study was undertaken to evaluate the changes in the 6-min walking test and in the constant work rate cycle endurance test immediately following and 1 year after pulmonary rehabilitation, together with the importance of these changes in terms of health status in patients with COPD. Methods: Patients with COPD of mean (SD) age 65 (8) years and mean (SD) forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) 45 (15)% predicted were recruited from a multicentre prospective cohort study and evaluated at baseline, immediately after a pulmonary rehabilitation programme (n = 157) and at 1 year (n = 106). The 6-min walking test and the cycle endurance test were performed at each evaluation. Health status was evaluated with the St George Respiratory Questionnaire. Results: Following pulmonary rehabilitation, cycle endurance time increased (198 (352) s, p<0.001) and stayed over baseline values at 1 year (p<0.001). The 6-min walking distance also showed improvements following rehabilitation (25 (52) m, p<0.001) but returned to baseline values at the 1-year follow-up. Changes in cycle endurance time were more closely associated with changes in health status than with the 6-min walking test. An improvement of 100–200 s in the cycle endurance time was associated with clinically meaningful changes in the St George Respiratory Questionnaire scores. Conclusions: The cycle endurance test was more responsive than the 6-min walking test in detecting improvement in exercise tolerance following pulmonary rehabilitation, and was also better correlated with improvements in health status. An improvement in the cycle endurance time of 100–200 s appeared to be clinically meaningful.
INTERSPECIFIC VARIABILITY OF PREVALENCE IN BLOOD PARASITES OF ADULT PASSERINE BIRDS DURING THE BREEDING SEASON IN ALASKA

Blood parasite prevalence based on microscopic examination of stained blood smears was determined in adults of 11 passerine bird species sampled during their breeding season (May and June 1997–98) in interior Alaska (USA). These species included primarily Nearctic migratory species such as the dark-eyed junco (Junco hyemalis) and neotropical migratory species such as the blackpoll warbler (Dendroica striata), alder flycatcher (Empidonax alnorum), Swainson's thrush (Catharus ustulatus), northern waterthrush (Seiurus noveboracensis), and bank swallow (Riparia riparia) as well as one long-distance palearctic migrant, the arctic warbler (Phylloscopus borealis). The more prevalent parasites were Leucocytozoon dubreuili (73% of the sampled turdinids), L. fringillinarum (42% of the sampled fringillids and parulids), and Trypanosoma avium (39% of the sampled hosts). Other parasites (H. fallisi: 18% of the sampled turdinids; Haemoproteus paruli: 14% of the sampled parulids; H. fringillae: 5% of the sampled fringillids; microfilariae: 4% of the sampled hosts) were observed less frequently. Plasmodium vaughani was found only in two yellow warblers (Dendroica petechia). Overall parasite prevalence varied between 0% in the alder flycatcher to >80% in Swainson's thrush, arctic warbler, and Townsend's warbler (Dendroica townsendi). Prevalence of various hematozoa also was bird species-dependent. No relationship was observed between prevalence and either foraging (aerial versus trees/shrubs) or nesting habits (ground versus arboreal) or general location of the wintering area of the different species examined. Prevalence also was unrelated to average dates of arrival on breeding grounds and, therefore, to potential duration of exposure to local insect vectors before capture. Differences in blood parasite prevalence among species breeding in a same region and in the same type of habitat may result from differences in host specificity such as immunological resistance to infection or blood meal preference by potential vectors and/or in behavioral adjustments/physiological traits that alter exposure to vectors.
A solder joint crack — Characteristic impedance model based on transmission line theory

A solder joint crack - characteristic impedance model has been established in this paper. Under high frequency operational condition, signal integrity is important to the reliability of electronic products. Solder joint crack will change the characteristic impedance of transmission channel, and then will affect the signal integrity. So establishing the model of solder joint crack and characteristic impedance could connect solder joint crack with signal distortion together. It is meaningful to determining the failure threshold of the solder joint, so as to achieve the purpose of health monitoring and preventive maintenance. In this paper, the transmission line theory and reflection parameter have been analyzed. And then the physical model of damaged solder joint has been simplified. On these bases, the transmission line electrical model of the solder joint has been established. After that, the characteristic impedance of the damaged solder joint is deduced and the model of solder joint crack - characteristic impedance is obtained. In this process, both skin effect and parasitic effect have been considered. At last, the application process of this model is given. Moreover, this model is verified by experimental data and the result shows that the model is effective and the mean error is fewer.
Acute Rejection and Cardiac Allograft Vascular Disease Is Reduced by Suppression of Subclinical Cytomegalovirus Infection

Background. Anticytomegalovirus (CMV) prophylaxis prevents the acute disease but its impact on subclinical infection and allograft outcome is unknown. We sought to determine whether CMV prophylaxis administered for three months after heart transplant would improve patient outcomes. Methods. This prospective cohort study of 66 heart transplant recipients compared aggressive CMV prophylaxis (n=21, CMV hyperimmune globulin [CMVIG] plus four weeks of intravenous ganciclovir followed by two months of valganciclovir); with standard prophylaxis (n=45, intravenous ganciclovir for four weeks). Prophylaxis was based on pretransplant donor (D) and recipient (R) CMV serology: R−/D+ received aggressive prophylaxis; R+ received standard prophylaxis. Outcome measures were: CMV infection assessed by DNA-polymerase chain reaction on peripheral blood polymorphonuclear leukocytes, acute rejection, and cardiac allograft vascular disease (CAV) assessed by intravascular ultrasound. All patients completed one year of follow-up. Results. CMV infection was subclinical in all but four patients (two in each group). Aggressively treated patients had a lower incidence of CMV infection (73±10% vs. 94±4%; P=0.038), and an independent reduced relative risk for acute rejection graded ≥3A (relative risk [95% CI]=0.55 [0.26–0.96]; P=0.03), as compared with the standard prophylaxis group. Aggressively prophylaxed patients also showed a slower progression of CAV, in terms of coronary artery lumen loss (lumen volume change=−21±13% vs. −10±14%; P=0.05); and vessel shrinkage (vessel volume change=−15±11% vs. −3±18%; P=0.03). Conclusions. Prolonged (val)ganciclovir plus CMVIG reduces viral levels, acute rejection, and allograft vascular disease, suggesting a role for chronic subclinical infection in the pathophysiology of the most common diseases affecting heart transplant recipients.
Physical aggression during early childhood: trajectories and predictors.

INTRODUCTION This study aimed to identify the trajectories of physical aggression during early childhood and antecedents of high levels of physical aggression early in life. METHODS 572 families with a 5-month-old newborn were recruited. Assessments of physical aggression frequency were obtained from mothers at 17, 30, and 42 months after birth. Using a semiparametric mixture model and multivariate logit regression analyses, distinct clusters of physical aggression trajectories were identified, as well as family and child characteristics that predict high level aggression trajectories. RESULTS THREE TRAJECTORIES OF PHYSICAL AGGRESSION WERE IDENTIFIED: 1. children (28% of sample) who displayed little or no physical aggression, 2. approximately 58% followed a rising trajectory of modest aggression, and 3. a rising trajectory of high physical aggression (14%). CONCLUSIONS Children who are at highest risk of not learning to regulate physical aggression in early childhood have mothers with a history of antisocial behaviour during their school years, mothers who start childbearing early and who smoke during pregnancy, and parents who have low income and have serious problems living together. Preventive interventions should target families with high-risk profiles on these variables.
Evaluating the Viability of Dimethyl Carbonate as an Alternative Fuel for the Transportation Sector

Some of the most important questions in the development of sustainable transportation are identify fuels that will reduce emissions, provide diversification from fossil fuels, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, be produced from renewable sources, and that can be produced in a sustainable manner. An alternative diesel fuel that could be used for particulate matter (PM) reductions and be produced from renewable sources could represent a key advance for the transportation sector in terms of sustainability, diversification for the marketplace for the alternative fuels, emissions reductions, and reductions in greenhouse gases. Dimethyl carbonate (DMC) is a potentially new fuel that could represent an important advance in the diesel fuel area. DMC can be produced from renewable sources such as grass, manure, or trees. Preliminary tests at the University of California at Riverside have also indicated PM reductions of about 76% at only a 20% blend with diesel fuel, which is about double or triple the reductions typically found for biodiesel at a comparable blend level, and comparable to the reductions found for diesel particulate filters (DPFs). Although these preliminary results indicate the promise of DMC as a PM mass reduction strategy, it is important to more completely characterize the emissions and viability of DMC before it can be more widely used in the fuel market or for in-field demonstrations. The objective of this study was to conduct a preliminary evaluation of the viability of DMC as a transportation fuel for fleet and wider applications. This included a literature review to address questions related to air emissions, impact on vehicle system durability and parts, and any potential storage issues. This study also included some additional emissions testing to evaluate any emissions of toxic species, and to look at some optimization of blend level in terms of a full range of emissions components.
N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide and the prediction of primary cardiovascular events: results from 15-year follow-up of WOSCOPS

Aims To test whether N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) was independently associated with, and improved the prediction of, cardiovascular disease (CVD) in a primary prevention cohort. Methods and results In the West of Scotland Coronary Prevention Study (WOSCOPS), a cohort of middle-aged men with hypercholesterolaemia at a moderate risk of CVD, we related the baseline NT-proBNP (geometric mean 28 pg/mL) in 4801 men to the risk of CVD over 15 years during which 1690 experienced CVD events. Taking into account the competing risk of non-CVD death, NT-proBNP was associated with an increased risk of all CVD [HR: 1.17 (95% CI: 1.11–1.23) per standard deviation increase in log NT-proBNP] after adjustment for classical and clinical cardiovascular risk factors plus C-reactive protein. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide was more strongly related to the risk of fatal [HR: 1.34 (95% CI: 1.19–1.52)] than non-fatal CVD [HR: 1.17 (95% CI: 1.10–1.24)] (P= 0.022). The addition of NT-proBNP to traditional risk factors improved the C-index (+0.013; P < 0.001). The continuous net reclassification index improved with the addition of NT-proBNP by 19.8% (95% CI: 13.6–25.9%) compared with 9.8% (95% CI: 4.2–15.6%) with the addition of C-reactive protein. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide correctly reclassified 14.7% of events, whereas C-reactive protein correctly reclassified 3.4% of events. Results were similar in the 4128 men without evidence of angina, nitrate prescription, minor ECG abnormalities, or prior cerebrovascular disease. Conclusion N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide predicts CVD events in men without clinical evidence of CHD, angina, or history of stroke, and appears related more strongly to the risk for fatal events. N-terminal pro-B-type natriuretic peptide also provides moderate risk discrimination, in excess of that provided by the measurement of C-reactive protein. Clinical trial registration WOSCOPS was carried out and completed prior to the requirement for clinical trial registration.
Three-dimensional mathematical analysis of particle shape using X-ray tomography and spherical harmonics : Application to aggregates used in concrete

The propenies of composites made by placing inclusions in a matrix are often controlled by the shape and size of the panicles used. Mathematically, characterizing the shape of panicles in three dimensions is not a panicularly easy task, especially when the panicle, for whatever reason, cannot be readily visualized. But, even when panicles can be visualized, as in the case of aggregates used in concrete, threedimensional (3-D) randomness of the panicles can make mathematical characterization difficult. This paper describes a mathematical procedure using spherical harmonic functions that can completely characterize concrete aggregate panicles and other panicles of the same nature. The original 3-D panicle images are acquired via X-ray tomography. Three main consequences of the availability of this procedure are mathematical classification of the shape of aggregates from different sources, comparison of composite performance properties to precise morphological aspects of panicles, and incorporation of random panicles into many-panicle computational models. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. Ke)'Words: Image and shape analysis; Aggregates; Modeling; X-ray tomography; Spherical harmonic~
Operating system support for flexible coherence in distributed shared memory

COMMOS (COherent Memory-Mapped Object System) is an operating system architecture developed to support shared persistent data objects in distributed systems. This paper describes its support for flexible coherence. The approach is based on a microkernel, typed memory objects and integrated coherence control. The coherence server is clearly separated from the external pager. This separation makes it easier to provide multiple coherence protocols and also supports addition of new coherence protocols by the addition of new coherence managers and servers. The support for typed memory objects makes it easier for applications to choose the most suitable protocols for different types of object to avoid protocol mismatch. Low-level coherence control is integrated with high-level concurrency control so that the number of messages required to maintain memory coherence is reduced and system-wide synchronisation is realised without severely impacting the system performance. In this paper, various design issues are discussed and the design of a flexible coherence mechanism, which accommodates multiple coherence protocols, is detailed. The prototype implementation and performance measurements are presented.
NON‐ACCIDENTAL HEAD INJURY, WITH PARTICULAR REFERENCE TO WHIPLASH SHAKING INJURY AND MEDICO‐LEGAL ASPECTS

Neurologists and paediatricians often find themselves in court asked for an expert opinion about injuries: whether they were accidental or non-accidental, and the most likely cause. One may often be in no doubt that the injuries were nonaccidental, but i t is much more difficult to say beyond reasonable doubt how they occurred, and of course one should never venture an opinion as to who did the injuries on the evidence of their type and pattern. The spectrum of disorders encompassed by the term 'child abuse', originally described by Tardieu in 1886', has become more extensive with each decade since Caffey focused attention on the problem in 1946'. Nowadays, the term includes abandonment, neglect, and sexual, emotional and physical abuse. Of 400 cases on the Lothian child abuse register in 1989, 145 cases were of physical abuse, 86 of sexual abuse, 86 of emotional abuse, 72 of physical neglect and I 1 of miscellaneous other causes3. Physical abuse may consist of smothering, drowning, poisoning or burning, or direct physical injury such as beating, whipping, biting, gagging, shaking, cutting, throttling, throwing out of windows, impact with ' walls, stabbing or shooting'. In this article we are restricting discussion to non-accidental head injuries, which are the most common cause of death or long-term disability in child abuse.
Larval Performance and Kill Rate of Convergent Ladybird Beetles, Hippodamia convergens, on Black Bean Aphids, Aphis fabae, and Pea Aphids, Acyrthosiphon pisum

Abstract Generalist predator guilds play a prominent role in structuring insect communities and can contribute to limiting population sizes of insect pest species. A consequence of dietary breadth, particularly in predatory insects, is the inclusion of low-quality, or even toxic, prey items in the predator's diet. Consumption of low-quality prey items reduces growth, development, and survival of predator larvae, thereby reducing the population sizes of generalist predators. The objective of this paper was to examine the effect of a suspected low-quality aphid species, Aphis fabae (Scopoli) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), on the larval performance of an abundant North American predator, Hippodamia convergens (Guérin-Méneville) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae). For comparison, H. convergens larvae were also reared on a known high-quality aphid species Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) (Hemiptera: Aphididae) and on a 50:50 mix of both aphid species. The proportion of H. convergens larvae surviving to the adult stage was dramatically lower (0.13) on the A. fabae diet than on the A. pisum diet (0.70); survival on the mixed diet was intermediate (0.45) to survival on the single-species diets. Similarly, surviving H. convergens larvae also developed more slowly and weighed less as adults on the A. fabae diet than on the A. pisum diet. Despite the relatively poor performance on the A. fabae diet, H. convergens larvae killed large numbers of A. fabae. Furthermore, H. convergens displayed a preference for A. fabae in the mixed diet treatment, most likely because A. fabae was easier to catch than A. pisum. The results suggest that increases in the distribution and abundance of A. fabae in North America may have negative effects on H. convergens population size.
Comparative effectiveness of various regenerative modalities for the treatment of localized juvenile periodontitis.

The objective of this study was to assess the effectiveness of surgical debridement versus various guided tissue regeneration techniques for the treatment of localized juvenile periodontitis (LJP). Seven patients, 14 to 18 years old, were selected on the basis of having; 1) vertical bone loss on at least 3 first molars; 2) probing attachment loss > or = 5 mm; 3) presence of Actinobacillus actinomycetecomitans (Aa) as determined by the DNA probe test; 4) no systemic diseases; and 5) not taken antibiotics for 6 months prior to treatment. Each patient was randomly assigned by first molar involvement to one of four treatment modalities: 1) surgical debridement alone (DEBR); 2) ePTFE membrane alone (G); 3) ePTFE membrane plus root conditioning (G + D); or 4) ePTFE membrane plus root conditioning plus composite graft (G + D + B). Standardized clinical attachment level measurements (CAL) were taken at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months. Hard tissue measurements were evaluated radiographically (RAD) at baseline, 6, 12, and 18 months, and volumetrically at baseline and 12 months post-surgery. At 12 months re-entry, all residual defects were re-treated with a composite graft consisting of calcium sulfate + DFDBA + doxycycline. Results were evaluated 6 months post-retreatment using CAL and RAD measurements. Statistical analysis of the data showed: 1) a significant gain in clinical attachment as well as increased volumetric bone fill of the defects 12 and 18 months following the various treatment modalities when compared to baseline (P < 0.05); and 2) no statistically significant differences among the tested treatment modalities and surgical debridement alone for all parameters (P > 0.05).
Confidence in Emotion Perception in Point-Light Displays Varies with the Ability to Perceive Own Emotions

One central issue in social cognitive neuroscience is that perceiving emotions in others relates to activating the same emotion in oneself. In this study we sought to examine how the ability to perceive own emotions assessed with the Toronto Alexithymia Scale related to both the ability to perceive emotions depicted in point-light displays and the confidence in these perceptions. Participants observed video scenes of human interactions, rated the depicted valence, and judged their confidence in this rating. Results showed that people with higher alexithymia scores were significantly less confident about their decisions, but did not differ from people with lower alexithymia scores in the valence of their ratings. Furthermore, no modulating effect of social context on the effect of higher alexithymia scores was found. It is concluded that the used stimuli are fit to investigate the kinematic aspect of emotion perception and possibly separate people with high and low alexithymia scores via confidence differences. However, a general difference in emotion perception was not detected in the present setting.
Patterns of Nucleotide Diversity in Wild and Cultivated Sunflower

Interest in the level and organization of nucleotide diversity in domesticated plant lineages has recently been motivated by the potential for using association-based mapping techniques as a means for identifying the genes underlying complex traits. To date, however, such data have been available only for a relatively small number of well-characterized plant taxa. Here we provide the first detailed description of patterns of nucleotide polymorphism in wild and cultivated sunflower (Helianthus annuus), using sequence data from nine nuclear genes. The resuflts of this study indicate that wild sunflower harbors at least as much nucleotide diversity as has been reported in other wild plant taxa, with randomly selected sequence pairs being expected to differ at 1 of every 70 bp. In contrast, cultivated sunflower has retained only 40–50% of the diversity present in the wild. Consistent with this dramatic reduction in polymorphism, a phylogenetic analysis of our data revealed that the cultivars form a monophyletic clade, adding to the growing body of evidence that sunflower is the product of a single domestication. Eight of the nine loci surveyed appeared to be evolving primarily under purifying selection, while the remaining locus may have been the subject of positive selection. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decayed very rapidly in the self-incompatible wild sunflower, with the expected LD falling to negligible levels within 200 bp. The cultivars, on the other hand, exhibited somewhat higher levels of LD, with nonrandom associations persisting up to ∼1100 bp. Taken together, these results suggest that association-based approaches will provide a high degree of resolution for the mapping of functional variation in sunflower.