Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Rapid ratiometric determination of hemoglobin concentration using UV-VIS diffuse reflectance at isosbestic wavelengths

We developed a ratiometric method capable of estimating total hemoglobin concentration from optically measured diffuse reflectance spectra. The three isosbestic wavelength ratio pairs that best correlated to total hemoglobin concentration independent of saturation and scattering were 545/390, 452/390, and 529/390 nm. These wavelength pairs were selected using forward Monte Carlo simulations which were used to extract hemoglobin concentration from experimental phantom measurements. Linear regression coefficients from the simulated data were directly applied to the phantom data, by calibrating for instrument throughput using a single phantom. Phantoms with variable scattering and hemoglobin saturation were tested with two different instruments, and the average percent errors between the expected and ratiometrically-extracted hemoglobin concentration were as low as 6.3%. A correlation of r = 0.88 between hemoglobin concentration extracted using the 529/390 nm isosbestic ratio and a scalable inverse Monte Carlo model was achieved for in vivo dysplastic cervical measurements (hemoglobin concentrations have been shown to be diagnostic for the detection of cervical pre-cancer by our group). These results indicate that use of such a simple ratiometric method has the potential to be used in clinical applications where tissue hemoglobin concentrations need to be rapidly quantified in vivo.
The novel Hha/YmoA family of nucleoid‐associated proteins: use of structural mimicry to modulate the activity of the H‐NS family of proteins

The Hha/YmoA family of proteins is a group of conserved, low‐molecular‐weight proteins involved in the regulation of gene expression. Studies performed in Escherichia coli, Salmonella sp. and Yersinia sp. highlight the contribution of these proteins in regulating bacterial virulence, horizontal gene transfer and cell physiology. Genes encoding such proteins are located on chromosomes and plasmids in different genera of Gram‐negative bacteria. Their mode of action is currently being analysed by studying direct binding of Hha to DNA and as a component of protein complexes with regulatory functions. Recent data on the interaction of Hha with the H‐NS family of proteins and structural information suggest a physiological role for such protein complexes in many aspects of gene regulation.
Social Security Disability Determinations: Knowledge and Attitudes of Consultative Physicians

Social Security spends $135 million yearly, contracting with physicians to provide consultative examinations for disability applicants. However, little is known about who these physicians are or how they view the determination of impairment. We surveyed a random sample of 153 physicians from North Carolina who performed consultative examinations for the North Carolina Disability Determinations Agency in 1983 (the consultative group), and a randomly selected group of 165 physicians of similar medical specialties (the comparison group). Response rates were 75% for the consultative group and 66% for the comparison group. Most consultative physicians (63%) performed fewer than 6 examinations per month. Characteristics of the consultative physicians were similar to the comparison group. Both groups were skeptical of the claims of disability applicants; 48% of the consultative and 55% of the comparison group thought that a majority of applicants could be employed. Of the consultative physicians, 53% indicated that they had learned little about disability programs from any source. Most consultative physicians (58%) judged it “almost impossible” to determine impairment on the basis of a single office examination. However, consultative physicians were less likely than the comparison group to view Social Security as difficult to work with (25% vs. 54%; P < 0.01). Agencies that determine disability ask physicians to perform a task for which they feel ill prepared and have little special knowledge.
Dynamic Strategic Information Transmission

This paper studies strategic information transmission in a dynamic environment where, each period, a privately informed expert sends a message and a decision maker takes an action. Our main result is that, in contrast to a static environment, full information revelation is possible. The gradual revelation of information and the eventual full revelation is supported by the dynamic rewards and punishments. The construction of a fully revealing equilibrium relies on two key features. The first feature is that the expert is incentivized, via appropriate actions, to join separable groups in which she initially pools with far-away types, then later reveals her type. The second feature is the use of trigger strategies. The decision maker is incentivized by the reward of further information revelation if he chooses the separation-inducing actions, and the threat of a stop in information release if he does not. Our equilibrium is non-monotonic. With monotonic partition equilibria, full revelation is impossible.
Access to contraception by minors in Jamaica: a public health concern

Background: Access to contraceptive by minors (pre-adolescents and adolescents) has spurred policy and legislative debates, part of which is that in an effort to successfully meet government's objective of a healthy sexual lifestyle among minors. Aims: This study examined factors affecting sexual reproductive health in minors, namely: access to contraceptive advice and treatment, pregnancy, number of sexual partners, sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and confidentiality. Materials and Methods: This research involved quantitative and qualitative data. Two hundred and thirty eight sexually active cases were investigated in Jamaica by the researchers, during the period 2006-2007. The age group population was 9-11, 12-14, and 15-17. Results: The study showed that access to contraceptive advice and treatment by minors was more favorable to males than females. The difference in access to contraceptive between male and female was statistically significant (x2 = 20.16, p<0.05). Of the 80 male respondents, who are contraceptive users, 11 encountered challenges in legitimately accessing contraceptive methods, while 38 of the 40 female users also encountered challenges. This resulted in unintended pregnancies and impregnation (33.2%), as well as the contracting of STIs (21%). Conclusion: The findings of this study will be important in informing the development of reproductive health services and family life education programs for pre-adolescents and adolescents in Jamaica and other Caribbean countries.
Outage Bound for Max-Based Downlink Scheduling With Imperfect CSIT and Delay Constraint

We consider downlink max-based scheduling, in which the base station and each user are equipped with a single antenna. In each time slot, the base station obtains the channel gains of all users and selects the user with the largest squared channel gain. Assuming that channel state information at the transmitter (CSIT), i.e., squared channel gain, can be inaccurate, we derive lower bounds for probability of outage, which occurs when a required data rate is not satisfied under a delay constraint. The bounds are tight for Rayleigh fading and show how required rate and CSIT error affect outage performance.
First-order query evaluation on structures of bounded degree

We consider the enumeration problem of first-order queries over structures of bounded degree. Durand and Grandjean have shown that this problem is in Constant- Delaylin. An enumeration problem belongs to Constant-Delaylin if for an input of size n it can be solved by (i) an O(n) precomputation phase building an index structure, followed by (ii) a phase enumerating the answers with no repetition and a constant delay between two consecutive outputs. In this article we give a different proof of this result based on Gaifman's locality theorem for first-order logic. Moreover, the constants we obtain yield a total evaluation time that is triply exponential in the size of the input formula, matching the complexity of the best known evaluation algorithms.
Trauma care system in Iran.

OBJECTIVE The high burden of injuries in Iran necessitates the establishment of a comprehensive trauma care system. The purpose of this paper is to describe the current status of trauma system regarding the components and function. METHODS The current status of trauma system in all components of a trauma system was described through expert panels and semi-structured interviews with trauma specialists and policy makers. RESULTS Currently, various organizations are involved in prevention, management and rehabilitation of injuries, but an integrative system approach to trauma is rather deficient. There has been ongoing progress in areas of public education through media, traffic regulation reinforcement, hospital care and prehospital services. Meanwhile, there are gaps regarding financing, legislations and education of high risk groups. The issues on education and training standards of the front line medical team and continuing education and evaluation are yet to be addressed. Trauma registry has been piloted in some provinces, but as it needs the well-developed infrastructure (regarding staff, maintenance, financial resources), it is not yet established in our system of trauma care. CONCLUSIONS It seems that one of the problems with trauma care in Iran is lack of coordination among trauma system organizations. Although the clinical management of trauma patients has improved in our country in the recent decade, decreasing the burden of injuries necessitates an organized approach to prevention and management of trauma in the context of a trauma system.
Ecology of Root Colonizing Massilia (Oxalobacteraceae)

Background Ecologically meaningful classification of bacterial populations is essential for understanding the structure and function of bacterial communities. As in soils, the ecological strategy of the majority of root-colonizing bacteria is mostly unknown. Among those are Massilia (Oxalobacteraceae), a major group of rhizosphere and root colonizing bacteria of many plant species. Methodology/Principal Findings The ecology of Massilia was explored in cucumber root and seed, and compared to that of Agrobacterium population, using culture-independent tools, including DNA-based pyrosequencing, fluorescence in situ hybridization and quantitative real-time PCR. Seed- and root-colonizing Massilia were primarily affiliated with other members of the genus described in soil and rhizosphere. Massilia colonized and proliferated on the seed coat, radicle, roots, and also on hyphae of phytopathogenic Pythium aphanidermatum infecting seeds. High variation in Massilia abundance was found in relation to plant developmental stage, along with sensitivity to plant growth medium modification (amendment with organic matter) and potential competitors. Massilia absolute abundance and relative abundance (dominance) were positively related, and peaked (up to 85%) at early stages of succession of the root microbiome. In comparison, variation in abundance of Agrobacterium was moderate and their dominance increased at later stages of succession. Conclusions In accordance with contemporary models for microbial ecology classification, copiotrophic and competition-sensitive root colonization by Massilia is suggested. These bacteria exploit, in a transient way, a window of opportunity within the succession of communities within this niche.
Migration status and perinatal parameters in a Greek public maternity hospital: an illustration of the “healthy immigrant effect”

Abstract Background: Although socioeconomic disparities adversely affect health, studies referring to the “healthy immigrant effect” imply more favorable health outcomes in immigrants than natives. We aimed to investigate the impact of immigration on several perinatal parameters. Methods: Birth records (01/01/2010 − 31/12/2014) from a public maternity hospital in Athens, Greece were reviewed for maternal (ethnicity, age, delivery mode) and neonatal (gender, birthweight, gestational age) variables. Immigrants were classified by country of origin, according to Human Development Index. Comparison of results between Greeks and immigrants were made. Stratification by maternal age (< and ≥35 years) was conducted to test for confounding and interaction. Results: Almost one-third of 7506 deliveries applied to immigrants; 36.3% of Greeks and 19.2% of immigrants [risk ratio (RR) = 0.53, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.52–0.54] delivered at ≥35 years; 10.5% of Greek and 7.0% of immigrant neonates weighted <2500 g (RR = 0.67, 95% CI = 0.61–0.74); 10.9% of Greeks and 8.1% of immigrants were born <37 wks (RR = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.67–0.82); 55.7% of Greeks and 48.2% of immigrants delivered by caesarean section (RR = 0.87, 95% CI = 0.85–0.88). Conclusion: We found that immigrant women deliver at a younger age, vaginally, more mature, and heavier neonates. Furthermore, we confirmed that the protective effect of immigrant status could not be explained by maternal age only.
Automatic Burned Land Mapping From MODIS Time Series Images: Assessment in Mediterranean Ecosystems

A novel automatic burned area mapping algorithm for Mediterranean ecosystems based on Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) time series data is presented in this paper. This algorithm is based on a two-phase approach. The first phase detects the most severely burned areas, using spectral/temporal rules computed from dynamic temporal windows. The second phase improves the discrimination of burned areas around those “seed” burned pixels using contextual algorithms based on edge detectors. The use of those filters improved the performance of the contextual algorithm, by refining the discrimination of fire perimeters while restricting the segmentation process. The algorithm was validated over six Mediterranean regions during the fire season of 2003, where reference data was generated using Landsat TM/ETM+ images. Omission and commission errors were below 20%, with an overall Kappa value of 0.846. The validation based on regression scattergraphs of 5 × 5 km grids showed good agreement as well (R2 = 0.972). The standard MODIS burned area product (MCD45A1) showed lower accuracy than the proposed algorithm, with higher omission errors (38.6%) and lower Kappa (0.704) and R2 (0.838) values.
Relationship between Visual Dysfunction and Retinal Changes in Patients with Multiple Sclerosis

Aim To evaluate structural changes in the retina and their correlation with visual dysfunction in patients with multiple sclerosis. Methods Patients with multiple sclerosis (n = 84) and healthy controls (n = 84) underwent structural evaluation of the retinal nerve fiber layer, and macular and ganglion cell layer thicknesses using Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT). All subjects underwent high and low contrast visual acuity, color vision (using the Farnsworth and L´Anthony desaturated D15 color tests), and contrast sensitivity vision using the Pelli Robson chart and CSV 1000E test. Results Macular, retinal nerve fiber layer, and ganglion cell layer thinning was observed in multiple sclerosis patients compared to healthy controls (p<0.05). High- and low-contrast visual acuity and contrast sensitivity vision at four different spatial frequencies were significantly reduced in comparison with healthy subjects (p<0.05). Macular, retinal nerve fiber layer and ganglion cell layer measurements correlated with high and low contrast visual acuity, and contrast sensitivity vision. Contrast sensitivity vision was the functional parameter that most strongly correlated with the structural measurements in multiple sclerosis and was associated with ganglion cell layer measurements. The L´Anthony color vision score (age-corrected color confusion index) was associated with macular measurements. Conclusions Patients with multiple sclerosis had visual dysfunction that correlated with structural changes evaluated by SD-OCT. Macular and ganglion cell layer measurements may be good indicators of visual impairment in multiple sclerosis patients.
Improved upper and lower bounds for the point placement problem

The point placement problem is to determine the positions of a set of $n$ distinct points, P = {p1, p2, p3, . , pn}, on a line uniquely, up to translation and reflection, from the fewest possible distance queries between pairs of points. Each distance query corresponds to an edge in a graph, called point placement graph ppg, whose vertex set is P. The uniqueness requirement of the placement translates to line rigidity of the ppg. In this paper we show how to construct in 2 rounds a line rigid point placement graph of size 9n/7 + O(1). This improves the existing best result of 4n/3 + O(1). We also improve the lower bound on 2-round algorithms from 17n/16 to 9n/8.
Aromatic Amino Acid Activation of Signaling Pathways in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells Depends on Oxygen Tension

The physiologic oxygen pressures inside the bone marrow environment are much lower than what is present in the peripheral circulation, ranging from 1–7%, compared to values as high as 10–13% in the arteries, lungs and liver. Thus, experiments done with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMMSCs) using standard culture conditions may not accurately reflect the true hypoxic bone marrow microenvironment. However, since aging is associated with an increased generation of reactive oxygen species, experiments done under 21%O2 conditions may actually more closely resemble that of the aging bone marrow environment. Aromatic amino acids are known to be natural anti-oxidants. We have previously reported that aromatic amino acids are potent agonists for stimulating increases in intracellular calcium and phospho-c-Raf and in promoting BMMSC differentiation down the osteogenic pathway. Our previous experiments were performed under normoxic conditions. Thus, we next decided to compare a normoxic (21% O2) vs. a hypoxic environment (3% O2) alone or after treatment with aromatic amino acids. Reverse-phase protein arrays showed that 3% O2 itself up-regulated proliferative pathways. Aromatic amino acids had no additional effect on signaling pathways under these conditions. However, under 21%O2 conditions, aromatic amino acids could now significantly increase these proliferative pathways over this “normoxic” baseline. Pharmacologic studies are consistent with the aromatic amino acids activating the extracellular calcium-sensing receptor. The effects of aromatic amino acids on BMMSC function in the 21% O2 environment is consistent with a potential role for these amino acids in an aging environment as functional anti oxidants.
School Finance Reforms, Tax Limits, and Student Performance: Do Reforms Level-Up or Dumb Down?

During the late 1970s and early 1980s, a majority of states substantially changed the ways in which schools were funded, either directly through court- or legislatively mandated school finance reform, or indirectly through tax and expenditure limits. To date, there have been few academic attempts to gauge the effects of these policy changes on actual outcomes of education. This paper is an attempt to fill this gap in the literature. We find compelling evidence that the imposition of tax or expenditure limits on local governments in a state results in a significant reduction in the mean for that state of student performance on standardized tests of mathematics skills. We also find that finance reforms in response to court mandates do not result in significant changes in either the mean level or the distribution of student performance on standardized tests of reading and mathematics. In addition, substantial finance reforms that are not legislative responses to explicit court mandates generally result in increases in mean student performance. Further, in those states that have implemented finance reforms of this type, the test performance of students residing in localities in which local revenues formed smaller shares of total revenue prior to the reforms improve relative to others after the reforms are implemented. (This abstract was borrowed from another version of this item.)
Alterations in Brain Connectivity Underlying Beta Oscillations in Parkinsonism

Cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits are severely disrupted by the dopamine depletion of Parkinson's disease (PD), leading to pathologically exaggerated beta oscillations. Abnormal rhythms, found in several circuit nodes are correlated with movement impairments but their neural basis remains unclear. Here, we used dynamic causal modelling (DCM) and the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned rat model of PD to examine the effective connectivity underlying these spectral abnormalities. We acquired auto-spectral and cross-spectral measures of beta oscillations (10–35 Hz) from local field potential recordings made simultaneously in the frontal cortex, striatum, external globus pallidus (GPe) and subthalamic nucleus (STN), and used these data to optimise neurobiologically plausible models. Chronic dopamine depletion reorganised the cortico-basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuit, with increased effective connectivity in the pathway from cortex to STN and decreased connectivity from STN to GPe. Moreover, a contribution analysis of the Parkinsonian circuit distinguished between pathogenic and compensatory processes and revealed how effective connectivity along the indirect pathway acquired a strategic importance that underpins beta oscillations. In modelling excessive beta synchrony in PD, these findings provide a novel perspective on how altered connectivity in basal ganglia-thalamocortical circuits reflects a balance between pathogenesis and compensation, and predicts potential new therapeutic targets to overcome dysfunctional oscillations.
Individual Differences in Children's Facial Expression Recognition Ability: The Role of Nature and Nurture

We examined genetic and environmental influences on recognition of facial expressions in 250 pairs of 10-year-old monozygotic (83 pairs) and dizygotic (167 pairs) twins. Angry, fearful, sad, disgusted, and happy faces varying in intensity (15%–100%), head orientation, and eye gaze were presented in random order across 160 trials. Total correct recognition responses to each facial expression comprised the dependent variables. Twin data examined genetic and environmental contributions to variables and their correlations. Results support a common psychometric factor influenced primarily by additive genetic influences across expressions with discrimination of specific expressions due largely to non-shared environmental influences.