Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improving the quality and accuracy of non-invasive blood pressure measurement by visual inspection and automated signal processing of the Korotkoff sounds

Objective: In this study we investigate inter-operator differences in determining systolic and diastolic pressure from auscultatory sound recordings of Korotkoff sounds. We introduce a new method to record and convert Korotkoff sounds to a high fidelity sound file which can be replayed under optimal conditions by multiple operators, for the independent determination of systolic and diastolic pressure points. Approach: We have developed a digitised data base of 643 NIBP records from 216 subjects. The Korotkoff signals of 310 good quality records were digitised and the Korotkoff sounds converted to high fidelity audio files. A randomly selected subset of 90 of these data files, were used by an expert panel to independently detect systolic and diastolic points. We then developed a semi-automated method of visualising processed Korotkoff sounds, supported by simple algorithms to detect systolic and diastolic pressure points that provided new insights on the reasons for large differences recorded by the expert panel. Main Results: Detailed analysis of the 90 randomly selected records revealed that peak root mean square (RMS) energy of the Korotkoff sounds, ranged from 3.3 to 84 mV rms, with the lower bound below the audible range of 4–6 mV rms. The diastolic phase was below the minimum auditory threshold in only 47/90 records. This indicates that for approximately 50% of all records diastole could not be determined from Phase V silence. The maximum relative error recorded for systolic pressure between the two methods, auscultatory and visual/algorithmic, was 30.8 mmHg with a mean error of 8.0 ± 5.4 mmHg. We explore the impact of signal morphology and intensity of the Korotkoff sounds, as well as noise, cardiac arrhythmia and the hearing acuity of the operator, on the accuracy of the measurement. Significance: We conclude that large intra-personal variability in Korotkoff signal morphology and amplitudes, as well as variations in the hearing acuity of the operator, make accurate NIBP measurements using sphygmomanometry difficult and should not be used as the gold standard against which automated NIBP devices are calibrated. We propose an alternative method of visualizing the energy of the Korotkoff sounds and applying simple algorithms to determine systolic and diastolic pressure points, which whilst mimicking classical sphygmomanometry eliminates the problems associated with operator hearing acuity and complex and variable Korotkoff signal morphology.
Coding for Two-User SISO and MIMO Multiple Access Channels

Constellation Constrained (CC) capacity regions of a two-user SISO Gaussian Multiple Access Channel (GMAC) with finite complex input alphabets and continuous output are computed in this paper. When both the users employ the same code alphabet, it is well known that an appropriate rotation between the alphabets provides unique decodability to the receiver. For such a set-up, a metric is proposed to compute the angle(s) of rotation between the alphabets such that the CC capacity region is maximally enlarged. Subsequently, code pairs based on Trellis Coded Modulation (TCM) are designed for the two-user GMAC with $M$-PSK and $M$-PAM alphabet pairs for arbitrary values of $M$ and it is proved that, for certain angles of rotation, Ungerboeck labelling on the trellis of each user maximizes the guaranteed squared Euclidean distance of the \textit{sum trellis}. Hence, such a labelling scheme can be used systematically to construct trellis code pairs for a two-user GMAC to achieve sum rates close to the sum capacity of the channel. More importantly, it is shown for the first time that ML decoding complexity at the destination is significantly reduced when $M$-PAM alphabet pairs are employed with \textit{almost} no loss in the sum capacity. \indent A two-user Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) fading MAC with $N_{t}$ antennas at both the users and a single antenna at the destination has also been considered with the assumption that the destination has the perfect knowledge of channel state information and the two users have the perfect knowledge of only the phase components of their channels. For such a set-up, two distinct classes of Space Time Block Code (STBC) pairs derived from the well known class of real orthogonal designs are proposed such that the STBC pairs are information lossless and have low ML decoding complexity.
How iris recognition works

Algorithms developed by the author for recognizing persons by their iris patterns have now been tested in many field and laboratory trials, producing no false matches in several million comparison tests. The recognition principle is the failure of a test of statistical independence on iris phase structure encoded by multi-scale quadrature wavelets. The combinatorial complexity of this phase information across different persons spans about 249 degrees of freedom and generates a discrimination entropy of about 3.2 b/mm/sup 2/ over the iris, enabling real-time decisions about personal identity with extremely high confidence. The high confidence levels are important because they allow very large databases to be searched exhaustively (one-to-many "identification mode") without making false matches, despite so many chances. Biometrics that lack this property can only survive one-to-one ("verification") or few comparisons. The paper explains the iris recognition algorithms and presents results of 9.1 million comparisons among eye images from trials in Britain, the USA, Japan, and Korea.
A Multi-Methodological MR Resting State Network Analysis to Assess the Changes in Brain Physiology of Children with ADHD

The purpose of this work was to highlight the neurological differences between the MR resting state networks of a group of children with ADHD (pre-treatment) and an age-matched healthy group. Results were obtained using different image analysis techniques. A sample of n = 46 children with ages between 6 and 12 years were included in this study (23 per cohort). Resting state image analysis was performed using ReHo, ALFF and ICA techniques. ReHo and ICA represent connectivity analyses calculated with different mathematical approaches. ALFF represents an indirect measurement of brain activity. The ReHo and ICA analyses suggested differences between the two groups, while the ALFF analysis did not. The ReHo and ALFF analyses presented differences with respect to the results previously reported in the literature. ICA analysis showed that the same resting state networks that appear in healthy volunteers of adult age were obtained for both groups. In contrast, these networks were not identical when comparing the healthy and ADHD groups. These differences affected areas for all the networks except the Right Memory Function network. All techniques employed in this study were used to monitor different cerebral regions which participate in the phenomenological characterization of ADHD patients when compared to healthy controls. Results from our three analyses indicated that the cerebellum and mid-frontal lobe bilaterally for ReHo, the executive function regions in ICA, and the precuneus, cuneus and the clacarine fissure for ALFF, were the “hubs” in which the main inter-group differences were found. These results do not just help to explain the physiology underlying the disorder but open the door to future uses of these methodologies to monitor and evaluate patients with ADHD.
Treatment strategy based on gemcitabine-containing salvage chemotherapy used with intent to proceed to second stem cell transplant for patients with Hodgkin lymphoma relapsing after a prior autologous transplant

Abstract This report is an analysis of patients with Hodgkin lymphoma who relapsed after autologous stem cell transplant (autoHCT) and who were treated with gemcitabine-based therapy as a bridge to either allogeneic or second autologous transplant. Sixteen patients were treated with gemcitabine, cisplatin and steroid and 21 with gemcitabine plus vinorelbine. The overall response rate was 68%. The grade 3–4 toxicity was myelosupression and infections. Fifteen patients proceeded to allogeneic and five to autologous transplant. Two-year overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) for all patients were 36% and 25%, respectively. In multivariate analysis, relapse > 6 months after autoHCT and response to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy were associated with superior OS and response to gemcitabine-based chemotherapy with improved PFS. A treatment strategy based on gemcitabine-containing chemotherapy and second transplant appears to be an effective treatment option for patients relapsing > 6 months after autoHCT, providing a median survival time of 34 months.
Self‐gated golden‐angle spiral 4D flow MRI

The acquisition of 4D flow magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in cardiovascular applications has recently made large progress toward clinical feasibility. The need for simultaneous compensation of cardiac and breathing motion still poses a challenge for widespread clinical use. Especially, breathing motion, addressed by gating approaches, can lead to unpredictable and long scan times. The current work proposes a time‐efficient self‐gated 4D flow sequence that exploits up to 100% of the acquired data and operates at a predictable scan time.
Gamma-tubulin distribution in the neuron: implications for the origins of neuritic microtubules

Axons and dendrites contain dense microtubule (MT) assays that are not attached to a traditional MT nucleating structure such as the centrosome. Nevertheless, the MTs within these neurites are highly organized with respect to their polarity, and consist of a regular 13- protofilament lattice, the two known characteristics of MTs nucleated at the centrosome. These observations suggest either that axonal and dendritic MTs arise at the centrosome, or that they are nucleated locally, following a redistribution of MT nucleating material from the centrosome during neuronal development. To begin distinguishing between these possibilities, we have determined the distribution of gamma- tubulin within cultured sympathetic neurons. gamma-tubulin, a newly discovered protein which is specifically localized to the pericentriolar region of nonneuronal cells (Zheng, Y., M. K. Jung, and B. R. Oakley. 1991. Cell. 65:817-823; Stearns, T., L. Evans, and M. Kirschner. 1991. Cell. 65:825-836), has been shown to play a critical role in MT nucleation in vivo (Joshi, H. C., M. J. Palacios, L. McNamara, and D. W. Cleveland. 1992. Nature (Lond.). 356:80-83). Because the gamma-tubulin content of individual cells is extremely low, we relied principally on the high degree of resolution and sensitivity afforded by immunoelectron microscopy. Our studies reveal that, like the situation in nonneuronal cells, gamma-tubulin is restricted to the pericentriolar region of the neuron. Furthermore, serial reconstruction analyses indicate that the minus ends of MTs in both axons and dendrites are free of gamma-tubulin immunoreactivity. The absence of gamma-tubulin from the axon was confirmed by immunoblot analyses of pure axonal fractions obtained from explant cultures. The observation that gamma-tubulin is restricted to the pericentriolar region of the neuron provides compelling support for the notion that MTs destined for axons and dendrites are nucleated at the centrosome, and subsequently released for translocation into these neurites.
Effect of an intravenous single dose of ketamine on postoperative pain in tonsillectomy patients

Background: Tonsillectomy has a high incidence of postoperative pain. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the use of low‐dose IV ketamine, before the start of surgery or after the end of the operation, would lead to significantly improved pain control after tonsillectomy in pediatric patients.
A new proof of James' Sup Theorem

We provide a new proof of James' sup theorem for (non necessarily separable) Banach spaces. One of the ingredients is the following generalization of a theorem of Hagler and Johnson : "If a normed space E does not contain any asymptotically isometric copy of `1, then every bounded sequence of E0 has a normalized `1-block sequence pointwise converging to 0".
Are antibiotics necessary in the treatment of locally infected ingrown toenails?

CONTEXT A wide variety of generalists and specialists treat locally infected ingrown toenails, with perhaps the most common treatment regimen including resection of the nail border coupled with oral antibiotics. OBJECTIVE To determine whether oral antibiotic therapy is beneficial as an adjunct to the phenol chemical matrixectomy in the treatment of infected ingrown toenails. DESIGN We prospectively enrolled healthy patients with infected ingrown toenails. Each patient was randomly assigned to 1 of 3 groups that received either 1 week of antibiotics and a chemical matrixectomy simultaneously (group 1), antibiotics for 1 week and then a matrixectomy (group 2), or a matrixectomy alone (group 3). SETTING Institutional ambulatory outpatient clinic. PATIENTS Fifty-four healthy patients with infected ingrown toenails were studied. Patients with immunocompromised states, peripheral vascular disease, or cellulitis proximal to the hallux interphalangeal joint were excluded. Groups were age matched for comparison. RESULTS Mean healing times for groups 1, 2, and 3 were 1.9, 2.3, and 2.0 weeks, respectively. Subjects receiving antibiotics and a simultaneous chemical matrixectomy (group 1) healed significantly sooner than those receiving a 1-week course of antibiotics followed by a matrixectomy (group 2). There was not a significant difference in healing time between those that received a chemical matrixectomy alone (group 3) and those that received a matrixectomy coupled with a course of oral antibiotics (group 1). CONCLUSION The use of oral antibiotics as an adjunctive therapy in treating ingrown toenails does not play a role in decreasing the healing time or postprocedure morbidity.
Delusional ideation in religious and psychotic populations.

OBJECTIVES Previous research into schizotypy has shown that certain groups of people have similar experiences to the positive symptoms of schizophrenia but remain functioning members of society, such as those with profound religious experiences (Jackson & Fulford, 1997). METHOD The focus of the present study was to explore the incidence of delusional ideation in New Religious Movements (NRMs). Hare Krishnas and Druids were compared to two control groups (non-religious and Christian), and to deluded, psychotic in-patients on two delusions measures. RESULTS As predicted, individuals from the NRMs scored significantly higher than the control groups on all the delusional measures apart from levels of distress. They did not show as much florid symptomatology as the psychotic patients, but could not be differentiated from the deluded group on the number of delusional items endorsed on the Peters et al. Delusions Inventory (PDI; Peters, Day & Garety, 1996), or on levels of conviction. However, they were significantly less distressed and preoccupied by their experiences. No differences were found between the two control groups on any of the delusional measures, suggesting that religious beliefs per se do not account for the NRMs members' scores. DISCUSSION These findings provide further support for, first, the notion of a continuum between normality and psychosis and, second, for the necessity to consider the multidimensionality of delusional beliefs.
Roles of Endogenous Prostaglandins and Cyclooxygenase Isozymes in Healing of Indomethacin-Induced Small Intestinal Lesions in Rats

The role of prostaglandins (PGs)/cyclooxygenase (COX) in the healing of indomethacin-induced small intestinal ulcers was examined in rats. Animals were given indomethacin (10 mg/kg s.c.) and killed 1, 2, 3, 5, and 7 days later. Indomethacin (2 mg/kg), 5-(4-chlorophenyl)-1-(4-methoxyphenyl)-3-trifluoromethylpyrazole (SC560; COX-1 inhibitor; 3 mg/kg), and rofecoxib (COX-2 inhibitor; 3 mg/kg) were given p.o. once daily for 6 days, during the first 3 days or last 3 days of the experimental period. All COX inhibitors given for 6 days significantly impaired the healing of these ulcers. Healing was also impaired by rofecoxib given for the first 3 days or by SC560 given for the last 3 days. The expression of COX-2 mRNA in the intestine was up-regulated after ulceration, persisting for 3 days and dissipating thereafter. Mucosal PGE2 contents decreased within 3 h after ulceration, recovered 24 h later, and increased above normal 1∼3 days later. The PGE2 content at 4 days after ulceration was decreased by rofecoxib but not SC560, whereas that at 7 days was suppressed by SC560 but not rofecoxib. Vascular content in the ulcerated mucosa decreased when the healing was impaired by COX inhibitors. The deleterious effect of indomethacin on healing was mimicked by a prostacyclin E receptor (EP) 4 antagonist and reversed by coadministration of PGE2 as well as an EP4 agonist. In conclusion, endogenous PGs play a role in the healing of intestinal ulcers through EP4 receptors, yet the COX isozyme involved differs depending on the stage of healing; COX-2 in the early stage and COX-1 in the late stage.
Analysis of two-point statistics of cosmic shear III. Covariances of shear measures made easy

Aims. In recent years cosmic shear, the weak gravitational lensing effect by the large-scale structure of the Universe, has proven to be one of the observational pillars on which the cosmological concordance model is founded. Several cosmic shear statistics have been developed in order to analyze data from surveys. For the covariances of the prevalent second-order measures we present simple and handy formulae, valid under the assumptions of Gaussian density fluctuations and a simple survey geometry. We also formulate these results in the context of shear tomography, i.e. the inclusion of redshift information, and generalize them to arbitrary data field geometries. Methods. We define estimators for the E- and B-mode projected power spectra and show them to be unbiased in the case of Gaussianity and a simple survey geometry. From the covariance of these estimators we demonstrate how to derive covariances of arbitrary combinations of second-order cosmic shear measures. We then recalculate the power spectrum covariance for general survey geometries and examine the bias thereby introduced on the estimators for exemplary configurations. Results. Our results for the covariances are considerably simpler than and analytically shown to be equivalent to the real-space approach presented in the first paper of this series. We find good agreement with other numerical evaluations and confirm the general properties of the covariance matrices. The studies of the specific survey configurations suggest that our simplified covariances may be employed for realistic survey geometries to good approximation.
Determinants of childhood morbidity in Bangladesh: evidence from the Demographic and Health Survey 2011

Objectives The present study aims to estimate the incidence of preventable infectious diseases or associated symptoms among young children in Bangladesh and also determine the factors affecting these conditions. The study hypothesised that various background characteristics of children as well as their parents influence the incidence of morbidity of children aged below 5 years. Setting The study used data from the most recent nationally representative cross-sectional Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey (BDHS) conducted in 2011. Participants A total of 7550 children aged below 5 years during the survey from mothers aged between 12 and 49 years are the participants of the study. Results In general, younger children were more likely to suffer from multiple health conditions than their older counterparts. Children belonging to households classified as poor (OR=1.425, 95% CI (1.130 to 1.796)) or middle (OR=1.349, 95% CI (1.113 to 1.636)) faced greater risk of illness than those from well-off households. A combination of source and treatment practices of drinking water showed a significant impact on incidence of childhood morbidity. Children from households using untreated non-piped water were 85.8% (OR=1.860, 95% CI (1.269 to 2.728)) more likely to suffer from comorbidity than those who treat their piped drinking water. However, we observed that water treatment alone has no impact unless the water itself was sourced from a pipe. Conclusions Accelerated programmes promoting access to safe drinking water along with water treatment practices, and better household environment may prove effective in reducing the incidence of childhood morbidity in Bangladesh.
Top-down control of visual attention in object detection

Current computational models of visual attention focus on bottom-up information and ignore scene context. However, studies in visual cognition show that humans use context to facilitate object detection in natural scenes by directing their attention or eyes to diagnostic regions. Here we propose a model of attention guidance based on global scene configuration. We show that the statistics of low-level features across the scene image determine where a specific object (e.g. a person) should be located. Human eye movements show that regions chosen by the top-down model agree with regions scrutinized by human observers performing a visual search task for people. The results validate the proposition that top-down information from visual context modulates the saliency of image regions during the task of object detection. Contextual information provides a shortcut for efficient object detection systems.
Explaining Predictions of Non-Linear Classifiers in NLP

Layer-wise relevance propagation (LRP) is a recently proposed technique for explaining predictions of complex non-linear classifiers in terms of input variables. In this paper, we apply LRP for the first time to natural language processing (NLP). More precisely, we use it to explain the predictions of a convolutional neural network (CNN) trained on a topic categorization task. Our analysis highlights which words are relevant for a specific prediction of the CNN. We compare our technique to standard sensitivity analysis, both qualitatively and quantitatively, using a "word deleting" perturbation experiment, a PCA analysis, and various visualizations. All experiments validate the suitability of LRP for explaining the CNN predictions, which is also in line with results reported in recent image classification studies.