Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Age is not associated with increased surgical complications in patients after laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy

Introduction Age is considered as a risk factor in bariatric surgery. The observation was made on the basis of results from studies where patients underwent different type of surgery, but laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (LSG) was not among them. It is necessary to reevaluate the association of age with adverse events in the group of patients after LSG. Aim To investigate the association of age with surgery-related adverse events in patients after LSG. Material and methods Retrospective analysis of medical data was performed. The study involved 345 patients who underwent LSG in our institution between January 2013 and December 2014. The patients were subdivided by age into four groups according to quartiles. In 30-day follow-up adverse events were evaluated. We considered the presence of the following events as the endpoint of our study: death, medical events and surgical events. Results In general, we observed adverse events in 36 (10.4%) patients. The mortality rate in our study was 0.59%. Nineteen events were surgical and 18 medical. In 1 patient a surgical event was associated with a medical event. Bleeding was the most common surgical event and was observed in 17 (4.9%) cases. Age was not associated with surgical events (OR = 1.032, 95% CI: 0.991–1.075, p = 0.33) or medical events (OR = 0.997, 95% CI: 0.956–1.039, p = 0.89). Conclusions The LSG is a safe bariatric procedure with low mortality. Bleeding is the most frequent surgical complication. Our findings suggest that age is not associated with increased risk of surgical or medical adverse events after LSG.
Parametric and Kinetic Study of Silicon Nitride Film Deposition on Silicon Wafer by Low Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) Method

Silicon nitride films were deposited on silicon wafers by Low-Pressure Chemical Vapor Deposition (LPCVD) method. Reaction gases were ammonia and 20% silane in nitrogen. The effects of (A) deposition temperature, (B) chamber pressure , (C) NH3-SiH4 flowrate ratio and (D) deposition time on the thickness of the film produced were studied using a full 2k factorial design. The film thickness was found to increase proportionally with temperature, pressure and time, and inversely with NH3-SiH4 flowrate ratio. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) shows that all main effects and interactions AC, AD, and CD were statistically significant at 99% confidence level. An interactive first order model was fitted to the experimental data: Y = 158.46 + 70.39X1 +26.86X2 – 66.44X3 + 74.45X4 –29.3X1X3 + 33.35X1X4– 30.68X3X4 A kinetic study was also conducted in order to determine the rate equation for the growth of silicon nitride on silicon. The computed activation energy was 21.454 kcal/mol, which indicates that the surface reaction is rate limiting. The rate equation was: Deposition rate, nm/min = 37661.7 exp (-4578.5/T). Scanning electron micrographs show that the silicon nitride deposits appear as spherical-cap shaped clusters. Energy dispersive x-ray (EDX) and x-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses confirm the formation of silicon nitride.
Malagasy Genetic Ancestry Comes from an Historical Malay Trading Post in Southeast Borneo

Malagasy genetic diversity results from an exceptional protoglobalization process that took place over a thousand years ago across the Indian Ocean. Previous efforts to locate the Asian origin of Malagasy highlighted Borneo broadly as a potential source, but so far no firm source populations were identified. Here, we have generated genome-wide data from two Southeast Borneo populations, the Banjar and the Ngaju, together with published data from populations across the Indian Ocean region. We find strong support for an origin of the Asian ancestry of Malagasy among the Banjar. This group emerged from the long-standing presence of a Malay Empire trading post in Southeast Borneo, which favored admixture between the Malay and an autochthonous Borneo group, the Ma’anyan. Reconciling genetic, historical, and linguistic data, we show that the Banjar, in Malay-led voyages, were the most probable Asian source among the analyzed groups in the founding of the Malagasy gene pool.
On measuring surface wave phase velocity from station-station cross-correlation of ambient signal

We apply two different algorithms to measure surface wave phase velocity, as a function of frequency, from seismic ambient noise recorded at pairs of stations from a large European network. The two methods are based on consistent theoretical formulations, but differ in the implementation: one method involves the time-domain cross-correlation of signal recorded at different stations; the other is based on frequency-domain cross-correlation, and requires finding the zero-crossings of the real part of the cross-correlation spectrum. Furthermore, the time-domain method, as implemented here and in the literature, practically involves the important approximation that interstation distance be large compared to seismic wavelength. In both cases, cross-correlations are ensemble-averaged over a relatively long period of time (1 yr). We verify that the two algorithms give consistent results, and infer that phase velocity can be successfully measured through ensemble-averaging of seismic ambient noise, further validating earlier studies that had followed either approach. The description of our experiment and its results is accompanied by a detailed though simplifed derivation of ambient-noise theory, writing out explicitly the relationships between the surface wave Green's function, ambient-noise cross-correlation and phase and group velocities.
Selection response and estimation of the genetic parameters for multidimensional measured breast meat yield related traits in a long-term breeding Pekin duck line

Objective This study was conducted to estimate the genetic parameters and breeding values of breast meat related traits of Pekin ducks. Selection response was also determined by using ultrasound breast muscle thickness (BMT) measurements in combination with bosom breadth (BB) and keel length (KL) values. Methods The traits analyzed were breast meat weight (BMW), body weight (BW), breast meat percentage (BMP) and the three parameters of breast meat (BB, KL, and BMT). These measurements were derived from studying 15,781 Pekin ducks selected from 10 generations based on breast meat weight. Genetic parameters and breeding value were estimated for the analysis of the breeding process. Results Estimated heritability of BMW and BMP were moderate (0.23 and 0.16, respectively), and heritability of BW was high (0.48). Other traits such as BB, KL, and BMT indicated moderate heritability ranging between 0.11 and 0.28. Significant phenotypic correlations of BMW with BW and BMP were discovered (p<0.05), and genetic correlations of BMW with BW and BMP were positive and high (0.83 and 0.66, respectively). It was noted that BMW had positive correlations with all the other traits. Generational average estimated breeding values of all traits increased substantially over the course of selection, which demonstrated that the ducks responded efficiently to increased breast meat yield after 10 generations of breeding. Conclusion The results indicated that duck BMW had the potential to be increased through genetic selection with positive effects on BW and BMP. The ultrasound BMT, in combination with the measurement of BB and KL, is shown to be essential and effective in the process of high breast meat yield duck breeding.
Validation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease recording in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink (CPRD-GOLD)

Objectives The optimal method of identifying people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) from electronic primary care records is not known. We assessed the accuracy of different approaches using the Clinical Practice Research Datalink, a UK electronic health record database. Setting 951 participants registered with a CPRD practice in the UK between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2012. Individuals were selected for ≥1 of 8 algorithms to identify people with COPD. General practitioners were sent a brief questionnaire and additional evidence to support a COPD diagnosis was requested. All information received was reviewed independently by two respiratory physicians whose opinion was taken as the gold standard. Primary outcome measure The primary measure of accuracy was the positive predictive value (PPV), the proportion of people identified by each algorithm for whom COPD was confirmed. Results 951 questionnaires were sent and 738 (78%) returned. After quality control, 696 (73.2%) patients were included in the final analysis. All four algorithms including a specific COPD diagnostic code performed well. Using a diagnostic code alone, the PPV was 86.5% (77.5–92.3%) while requiring a diagnosis plus spirometry plus specific medication; the PPV was slightly higher at 89.4% (80.7–94.5%) but reduced case numbers by 10%. Algorithms without specific diagnostic codes had low PPVs (range 12.2–44.4%). Conclusions Patients with COPD can be accurately identified from UK primary care records using specific diagnostic codes. Requiring spirometry or COPD medications only marginally improved accuracy. The high accuracy applies since the introduction of an incentivised disease register for COPD as part of Quality and Outcomes Framework in 2004.
Importance of Horizontally Inhomogeneous Environmental Initial Conditions to Ensemble Storm-Scale Radar Data Assimilation and Very Short-Range Forecasts

Abstract The assimilation of operational Doppler radar observations into convection-resolving numerical weather prediction models for very short-range forecasting represents a significant scientific and technological challenge. Numerical experiments over the past few years indicate that convective-scale forecasts are sensitive to the details of the data assimilation methodology, the quality of the radar data, the parameterized microphysics, and the storm environment. In this study, the importance of horizontal environmental variability to very short-range (0–1 h) convective-scale ensemble forecasts initialized using Doppler radar observations is investigated for the 4–5 May 2007 Greensburg, Kansas, tornadic thunderstorm event. Radar observations of reflectivity and radial velocity from the operational Doppler radar network at 0230 UTC 5 May 2007, during the time of the first large tornado, are assimilated into each ensemble member using a three-dimensional variational data assimilation system (3DVAR) deve.
Maternal Melatonin Therapy Attenuated Maternal High-Fructose Combined with Post-Weaning High-Salt Diets-Induced Hypertension in Adult Male Rat Offspring

Consumption of food high in fructose and salt is associated with the epidemic of hypertension. Hypertension can originate from early life. Melatonin, a pleiotropic hormone, regulates blood pressure. We examined whether maternal melatonin therapy can prevent maternal high-fructose combined with post-weaning high-salt diet-induced programmed hypertension in adult offspring. Pregnant Sprague-Dawley rats received either a normal diet (ND) or a 60% fructose diet (HF) during pregnancy and the lactation period. Male offspring were on either the ND or a high-salt diet (HS, 1% NaCl) from weaning to 12 weeks of age and were assigned to five groups (n = 8/group): ND/ND, HF/ND, ND/HS, HF/HS, and HF/HS+melatonin. Melatonin (0.01% in drinking water) was administered during pregnancy and lactation. We observed that maternal HF combined with post-weaning HS diets induced hypertension in male adult offspring, which was attenuated by maternal melatonin therapy. The beneficial effects of maternal melatonin therapy on HF/HS-induced hypertension related to regulating several nutrient-sensing signals, including Sirt1, Sirt4, Prkaa2, Prkab2, Pparg, and Ppargc1a. Additionally, melatonin increased protein levels of mammalian targets of rapamycin (mTOR), decreased plasma asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) and symmetric dimethylarginine levels, and increased the l-arginine-to-ADMA ratio. The reprogramming effects by which maternal melatonin therapy protects against hypertension of developmental origin awaits further elucidation.
Moderate Cortical Cooling Eliminates Thalamocortical Silent States during Slow Oscillation

Reduction in temperature depolarizes neurons by a partial closure of potassium channels but decreases the vesicle release probability within synapses. Compared with cooling, neuromodulators produce qualitatively similar effects on intrinsic neuronal properties and synapses in the cortex. We used this similarity of neuronal action in ketamine–xylazine-anesthetized mice and non-anesthetized mice to manipulate the thalamocortical activity. We recorded cortical electroencephalogram/local field potential (LFP) activity and intracellular activities from the somatosensory thalamus in control conditions, during cortical cooling and on rewarming. In the deeply anesthetized mice, moderate cortical cooling was characterized by reversible disruption of the thalamocortical slow-wave pattern rhythmicity and the appearance of fast LFP spikes, with frequencies ranging from 6 to 9 Hz. These LFP spikes were correlated with the rhythmic IPSP activities recorded within the thalamic ventral posterior medial neurons and with depolarizing events in the posterior nucleus neurons. Similar cooling of the cortex during light anesthesia rapidly and reversibly eliminated thalamocortical silent states and evoked thalamocortical persistent activity; conversely, mild heating increased thalamocortical slow-wave rhythmicity. In the non-anesthetized head-restrained mice, cooling also prevented the generation of thalamocortical silent states. We conclude that moderate cortical cooling might be used to manipulate slow-wave network activity and induce neuromodulator-independent transition to activated states. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT In this study, we demonstrate that moderate local cortical cooling of lightly anesthetized or naturally sleeping mice disrupts thalamocortical slow oscillation and induces the activated local field potential pattern. Mild heating has the opposite effect; it increases the rhythmicity of thalamocortical slow oscillation. Our results demonstrate that slow oscillation can be influenced by manipulations to the properties of cortical neurons without changes in neuromodulation.
Melting Down: Systemic Financial Instability and the Macroeconomy

We integrate systemic financial instability in an empirical macroeconomic model for the euro area. We find that at times of widespread financial instability the macroeconomy functions fundamentally differently from tranquil times. We employ a richly specified Markov-Switching Vectorautoregression model to capture the dynamic relationships between a set of core macroeconomic variables and a novel indicator of systemic financial stress. Both the parameters that capture the transmission of shocks through the economy and the variances of the shocks change at times of high stress in the financial system. In particular, the negative output effects of sizeable increases in financial stress are much larger after such a regime change than during tranquil times. Macroprudential and monetary policy makers are well advised to take these nonlinearities into account.
Glyteer, Soybean Tar, Impairs IL-4/Stat6 Signaling in Murine Bone Marrow-Derived Dendritic Cells: The Basis of Its Therapeutic Effect on Atopic Dermatitis

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a common inflammatory skin disease. Recent studies have revealed the involvement of T helper (Th)2 cytokines including Interleukin 4 (IL-4) in the pathogenesis of AD. Since epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs) and dermal myeloid dendritic cells (DCs) produce CCL17 and CCL22 that chemoattract Th2 cells, interfering with CCL17 and CCL22 production from LCs and dermal myeloid DCs may be beneficial in the treatment of AD. To investigate this, we stimulated murine bone marrow-derived DCs (BMDCs) with IL-4. IL-4 stimulation produced Ccl17 and Ccl22, which was attenuated by soybean tar Glyteer, a known aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr) activator. Notably, Glyteer treatment blocked the nuclear translocation of Stat6 induced by IL-4 stimulation, suggesting that this treatment impairs the IL-4/Stat6 signaling pathway in BMDCs. Unexpectedly, Glyteer treatment did not potently upregulate the expression of Cyp1a1, a specific Ahr-responsive gene, suggesting that its inhibitory machinery for Ccl17 and Ccl22 expression is likely to operate in an Ahr-independent manner. These findings indicate that Glyteer may exhibit therapeutic potential for AD by downregulating the CCL17 and CCL22 production from DCs in a Th2-deviated microenvironment.
Trophic ecology of juvenile flatfish in a coastal nursery ground: contributions of intertidal primary production and freshwater particulate organic matter

Coastal and estuarine nurseries are essential habitats for juvenile flatfish. These small but productive areas provide food supply and sustain adult fish populations. The Mont-Saint-Michel Bay (MSMB) supports an important flatfish nursery ground but differs from many other nursery habitats due to limited freshwater inputs. The objectives of the present study in the MSMB were to (1) use gut content analysis to identify prey of the 2 most abundant flatfish species (common sole Solea solea and plaice Pleuronectes platessa) for different juvenile age-classes (0-group and 1-group for sole, 0-group for plaice), (2) use C and N stable isotope analysis to model the production sources sustaining juvenile flatfish production, and (3) compare these results with previous knowledge of estuarine nursery grounds located in western Europe. Items found in gut contents differed between species and size classes, with juvenile plaice having a larger prey spectrum. Despite accounting for sensitivity to large uncertainties in source signatures and trophic enrichment factors, stable isotope mixing models led to robust outputs. In contrast to previous studies in estuarine nurseries, we found that microphytobenthos was the major carbon source contribution to juvenile flatfish. The contribution of freshwater particulate organic matter was nonetheless significant, in spite of the very limited river inputs to MSMB.
Enhanced superlens imaging with loss-compensating hyperbolic near-field spatial filter.

Recently a coherent optical process called plasmon-injection (Π) scheme, which employs an auxiliary source, has been introduced as a new technique to compensate losses in metamaterials. Here, a physical implementation of the Π scheme is proposed for enhanced superlens imaging in the presence of absorption losses and noise. The auxiliary source is constructed by a high-intensity illumination (above 1 mW/μm2) of the superlens integrated with a near-field spatial filter. The integrated system enables reconstruction of an object previously unresolvable with the superlens alone. This work elevates the viability of the Π scheme as a strong candidate for loss compensation in near-field imaging systems without requiring nonlinear effects or gain media.
Ethnoveterinary treatments for common cattle diseases in four districts of the Southern Province, Zambia

Aim: Ethno veterinary knowledge has rarely been recorded, and no or limited effort has been made to exploit this knowledge despite its widespread use in Zambia. This study documented the types of plants used to treat important animal diseases in rural Zambia as a way of initiating their sustained documentation and scientific validation. Materials and Methods: The study was done in selected districts of the Southern Zambia, Africa. The research was a participatory epidemiological study conducted in two phases. The first phase was a pre-study exploratory rapid rural appraisal conducted to familiarize the researchers with the study areas, and the second phase was a participatory rural appraisal to help gather the data. The frequency index was used to rank the commonly mentioned treatments. Results: A number of diseases and traditional treatments were listed with the help of local veterinarians. Diseases included: Corridor disease (Theileriosis), foot and mouth disease, blackleg, bloody diarrhea, lumpy skin disease, fainting, mange, blindness, coughing, bloat, worms, cobra snakebite, hemorrhagic septicemia, and transmissible venereal tumors. The plant preparations were in most diseases given to the livestock orally (as a drench). Leaves, barks, and roots were generally used depending on the plant type. Conclusion: Ethno veterinary medicine is still widespread among the rural farmers in the province and in Zambia in general. Some medicines are commonly used across diseases probably because they have a wide spectrum of action. These medicines should, therefore, be validated for use in conventional livestock healthcare systems in the country to reduce the cost of treatments.
Examining the Use of an Open Digital Health Library for Professionals

Background The Norwegian Electronic Health Library (The Library) is a website for health personnel. Most of the content is also open to the public. Usage statistics have risen sharply in the years 2010-2013. Objective We wanted to find out whether the rise was caused by health personnel, the general public, or other factors. Methods Since we lacked direct information, we had to use proxy data to shed light on our questions. We applied mixed methods (database of registered users, user survey, usage statistics, and statistics from suppliers), and triangulated between them. Results Health personnel were our largest user group, but The Library was also accessed by students, patients, and other groups. Content in Norwegian was preferred to English language content. Concise, practical information was preferred to more comprehensive information. Patient leaflets were the most popular information type. Mobile phone visits differed from personal computer visits both in terms of time of day and what kind of information was viewed. Conclusions The Library was used mostly by health personnel, as intended, but our data are inconclusive regarding a possible change in user groups. There was a large degree of consistency in results when using different investigation methods. The survey points toward health personnel being the largest user group, and the usage statistics show that patient leaflets are the most popular content, being viewed by both health personnel and patients.
Plant Survival, Market Fundamentals and Trade Liberalization ∗

Plant turnover increases aggregate productivity when efficient producers are more likely to survive. Given high entry and exit rates and the potential importance of net entry in accounting for aggregate productivity, in this paper we examine the determinants of plant exits and then examine how exits and other forms of output reallocation contribute to aggregate productivity. Using a unique plant-level longitudinal dataset for Colombia for the period 1982-1998, we examine the role of productivity and demand as well as input costs in determining plant survival. Moreover, given the important market-oriented reforms in Colombia during the early 1990s, we explore whether and how plant survival changed in response to trade liberalization. Our data permit measurement of plant-level quantities and prices, which allow us to decompose productivity and demand shocks, and in turn to estimate the effects of these fundamentals on plant survival. We find that higher productivity, higher demand and lower input prices increase the probability of plant survival. We also find that trade liberalization increased plant exit, while other reforms decreased plant exit. Moreover, trade liberalization makes high demand more important in determining survival, possibly because non-exporting low demand plants were unlikely to be exposed to competition prior to trade opening. By contrast, other reforms increase the importance of physical efficiency in determining survival, possibly because improvements in financial intermediation and increased factor adjustments enable reallocation towards promising projects, making efficient plants more likely to remain in the market.