Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Survey of critical care management of comatose, head-injured patients in the United States.

OBJECTIVE This survey was designed to study current practices in the monitoring and treatment of patients with severe head injury in the United States. DATA SOURCES The collected data represent answers to telephone interviews of nurse managers, clinical specialists, and staff nurses specializing in neurotrauma care at 277 randomly selected hospitals from a total pool of 624 trauma centers. Overall, 261 (94%) centers participated in the survey. Of the participating centers, 219 (84%) were providers of care for severely head-injured patients. In order to assess reliability and account for differences among respondents, personnel from 40 (15%) centers were resurveyed 6 months later and a different nursing professional was interviewed, although the questions remained the same. DATA EXTRACTION The largest group of respondents came from level I centers (49%), followed by level II (32%) and level III (2%). Thirty-four percent of the surveyed hospitals had a designated neurologic/neurosurgical intensive care unit, and 24% of all units surveyed were under the direction of either a neurosurgeon or a neurologist. Twenty-eight percent of the centers routinely performed intracranial pressure monitoring, while 7% of the centers reported never using this technique. The use of ventriculostomy catheters for intracranial pressure monitoring was employed in 72% of the centers, but cerebrospinal fluid drainage was utilized by only 44% of the hospitals. The percentage of patients who had their intracranial pressure monitored was significantly higher in level I trauma centers and at hospitals that treated larger numbers of severely head-injured patients (15 to 30 patients per month, which represented 15% of the hospitals surveyed). Hyperventilation and osmotic diuretics were used in 83% of centers to reduce intracranial hypertension. The administration of barbiturates was reported in 33% of the units as a treatment for intracranial hypertension. Corticosteroids were used more than half of the time in 64% of trauma centers. Twenty-nine percent of the centers reported aiming for PaCO2 values of < 25 torr (< 3.3 kPa). CONCLUSIONS The survey data indicate that there is a considerable variation in the management of patients with severe head injury in the United States. The establishment of guidelines for the management of head injury based on available scientific data and moderated by practical and financial considerations may lead to improvement in the standard of care.
The effect of age, size of target, and cognitive factors on accommodative responses of children with Down syndrome.

PURPOSE To investigate possible factors that may be implicated in the poor accommodative responses of individuals with Down syndrome. This article evaluates the effect of age, angular size of target, and cognitive factors on accommodation. METHODS Seventy-seven children with Down syndrome who are participating in an ongoing study of visual development were assessed. One hundred thirty-one developmentally normal children took part in a previous study and provided control data. Accommodation was measured using a modified Nott dynamic retinoscopy technique. RESULTS Children with Down syndrome showed considerably poorer accommodative responses than normally developing children. No target used in the present study produced an improved response in children with Down syndrome. Age, angular subtense of target, and cognitive factors could not fully account for the poor accommodation in children with Down syndrome. CONCLUSIONS Poor accommodation is a common feature of Down syndrome, regardless of the target used. The etiology of the deficit has yet to be established. It is imperative that educators and clinicians are aware that near vision is out of focus for these children.
Need for Affiliation, Need for Popularity, Self-Esteem, and the Moderating Effect of Big Five Personality Traits Affecting Individuals’ Self-Disclosure on Facebook

The purpose of this study is to explore the moderating effect of Big Five personality traits on the relationship between the predictors (need for affiliation, need for popularity, and self-esteem) and self-disclosure on Facebook. The sample of this study is 354 Facebook users from 5 different cultures in East Asia. A partial least square structural equation modeling data analysis technique was performed to analyze the moderator research framework. This study demonstrates that particular Big Five personality traits moderate each relationship. Specifically, Conscientiousness and Emotional Stability negatively moderate the relationship between need for affiliation and self-disclosure. Agreeableness negatively moderates the relationship between self-esteem and self-disclosure. Openness to New Experience negatively moderates the relationship between need for popularity and self-disclosure. The study suggests the importance of the interaction of personality variables to better understand self-disclosure phenomenon on Facebook. The findings and implications of this study are discussed in the article.
Adaptive Response of Pancreatic and Intestinal Function to Nutritional Intake in the Aged

0 ne general feature of all aging organisms is a progressively modified ability to adapt to changes in the surrounding environment. ' The gastrointestinal tract is one of the most complicated organs in the body. Its ability to extract required nutrients and to eliminate unnecessary substances speaks of an amazing organizational capacity.2 For the gastrointestinal tract, every meal-as well as starvation, realimentation, and other changes represents different encounters with the external environment. Thus it is not surprising that the intestinal mucosa, for example, being in contact with this variable environment, has one of the swiftest cell turnover rates in the body.3 Starvation is a common problem in older Alterations of the adaptative response of intestinal and pancreatic function to starvation and refeeding might have an adverse impact upon nutritional maintenance in older people. ' In this report, we review currently available information on the effects of the aging process on pancreatic and small intestine function and an adaptation to starvation and refeeding, and we discuss perspectives on the problem of enteral hyperalimentation in the older patient.
Association between number of live births and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis: The Dallas Heart Study

Aims Higher parity has been associated with increased maternal risk of cardiovascular disease, but the mechanism is not well delineated. Whether the number of live births is associated with coronary and aortic subclinical atherosclerosis has not been fully evaluated. Methods and results Women from the Dallas Heart Study, a multiethnic population-based cohort of subjects aged 30–65 years, were included if they had data on self-reported live births and coronary artery calcium (CAC) measured by computed tomography or aortic wall thickness (AWT) by MRI. Coronary artery calcium was positive if >10 Agatston units, and aortic wall thickness if greater than the 75th percentile reference point for age and gender. Among the 1644 women included in the study, the mean age was 45 years and 55% were Black. Sequential multivariable models were done adjusting for age, race, traditional cardiovascular risk factors, body mass index, income, education, hormone replacement therapy, oral contraceptives, and physical activity. Using women with 2–3 live births as the reference, those with four or more live births had an increased prevalence of elevated coronary artery calcium (odds ratio (OR) 2.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.28–3.65) and aortic wall thickness (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.04–2.41). Women with 0–1 live births also had increased coronary artery calcium (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.16–3.03) and aortic wall thickness (OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.05–2.09) after multivariable adjustment. Conclusion The number of live births is associated with subclinical coronary and aortic atherosclerosis, with an apparent U-shaped relationship. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and explore the biological underpinnings of these findings.
Online Sparse Gaussian Process (GP) Regression Model For Human Motion Tracking

Human motion tracking is an important aspect in digital image processing domain as it can be used in many real world applications including surveillance. However, it is very challenging to achieve this and dealing with multimodality. The existing solutions need huge training dataset in the learning phase and also they are not effective in dealing with multimodality. In this paper, we use a new technique known as online sparse Gaussian Process (GP) regression model. This model is a combination of temporal and spatial local GP experts model for efficient estimation of human pose. Thus it is a hybrid system that initializes itself and does robust human motion tracking. We developed a prototype application using this novel approach. Experiments are made on two real world datasets known as PEAR and HumanEva. The empirical results reveal that the proposed model is effective and has improved results when compared with existing solutions. Index Terms – Human motion tracking, local experts model, temporal-spatial model, pose estimation, Gaussian process regression
Cowden disease and Lhermitte-Duclos disease: characterization of a new phakomatosis.

OBJECTIVE Lhermitte-Duclos disease, or dysplastic gangliocytoma of the cerebellum, is an unusual hamartomatous lesion that can cause progressive mass effects in the posterior fossa. Cowden disease, or multiple hamartoma-neoplasia syndrome, is a rare autosomal dominant disorder characterized by mucocutaneous hamartomas and high incidences of systemic malignancies. We recently treated a patient with manifestations of both Lhermitte-Duclos disease and Cowden disease, and we were intrigued by the occurrence of these two rare disorders in the same patient. The purpose of the present study was to examine the nature of the association between Lhermitte-Duclos disease and Cowden disease. METHODS The records for all patients who had been diagnosed at our institution as having Lhermitte-Duclos disease were reviewed, to determine whether these patients also exhibited manifestations of Cowden disease. Data were obtained from multiple sources, including patient interviews, correspondence with treating physicians, and chart reviews. RESULTS During the past 40 years, five patients were diagnosed at Case Western Reserve University as having Lhermitte-Duclos disease. All five patients exhibited manifestations of Cowden disease. Before this review, Cowden disease had not been diagnosed for three of the patients. In our most recent case, the diagnoses of both disorders were established preoperatively. That patient was observed to have a deletion in the critical portion of Exon 5 of the PTEN gene, the gene associated with Cowden disease. CONCLUSION Inclusion of Lhermitte-Duclos disease in the Cowden disease spectrum suggests that Cowden disease is a true phakomatosis, with hamartomas arising from cutaneous and neural ectoderm. Recent advances in molecular genetics may help to refine the current descriptive classification of the phakomatoses. The association between Lhermitte-Duclos disease and Cowden disease has been under-recognized and under-reported. Recognition of this association has direct clinical relevance, because diligent long-term follow-up monitoring of individuals with Lhermitte-Duclos disease and Cowden disease may lead to the early detection of malignancy.
Adopting Cleanroom Software Engineering with a Phased Approach

Cleanroom software engineering is a theory-based, team-oriented engineering process for developing very high quality software under statistical quality control. The Cleanroom process combines formal methods of object-based box structure specification and design, function-theoretic correctness verification, and statistical usage testing for reliability certification to produce software approaching zero defects. Management of the Cleanroom process is based on a life cycle of development and certification of a pipeline of user-function increments that accumulate into the final product. Teams in IBM and other organizations that use the process are achieving remarkable quality results with high productivity. A phased implementation of the Cleanroom process enables quality and productivity improvements with an increased control of change. An introductory implementation involves the application of Cleanroom principles without the full formality of the process; full implementation involves the comprehensive use of formal Cleanroom methods; and advanced implementation optimizes the process through additional formal methods, reuse, and continual improvement. The AOEXPERT/MVS™ project, the largest IBM Cleanroom effort to date, successfully applied an introductory level of implementation. This paper presents both the implementation strategy and the project results.
The effects of humor on communicating fitness concepts to high school students

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of humor in learning fitness concepts and to investigate students' perceptions of a teacher who used relevant humor during instruction. Participants for this study included 543 ninth grade students enrolled in Personal Fitness courses from the State of Florida. Students viewed either a humorous or non-humorous lecture on body composition and weight control via videotape. Immediately following the video presentation, students were asked to complete a 15-item examination over the content. In addition, students completed a 5-item questionnaire which asked questions regarding the lecturer's likability, credibility, and effectiveness. Scores from the examination and questionnaire were analyzed to see if meaningful differences existed. Findings on the content examination revealed very little difference between the humorous or non-humorous groups. Results did indicate that students were more receptive toward the instructor who incorporated humor into the lecture. In addition, students who viewed the humorous video indicated that they were more motivated to improve their fitness levels.
Solid-liquid Interface Energy of Metals at Melting Point and Undercooled State

By investigating the effects of the configurational entropy, the vibrational entropy and the bonding strength of solid-liquid atoms on the structure of solid-liquid interface, a model for the interface energy of rough solid-liquid interface has been developed. From present model, the non-dimensional solid-liquid interface energies for metals at melting point are predicted to be 0.66‐0.73, which are almost equal to the experimental result (0.66‐0.75) obtained from grain boundary method. The solid-liquid interface energy decreases with increasing undercooling. At the maximum undercoolings that metals have reached, the non-dimensional solid-liquid interface energies predicted from present model are equal to 0.52‐0.56. They are near to the experimental results (0.49‐0.57) obtained from nucleation undercooling method. The predicted results of solid-liquid interface energy for metals from present model are in very good agreement with the experimentally measured results at melting point and undercooled state.
Memory Change in the Aged

List of tables and figures Acknowledgements 1. Introduction 2. Theoretical issues and perspectives 3. Theory and research on memory and aging 4. Method of the Victoria Longitudinal Study 5. Measurement model and methodological analysis 6. Age, cohort, and period effects on cognition 7. Predicting age differences in memory 8. Cross-sectional models in the VLS 9. Predicting age changes in memory 10. Longitudinal models in the VLS 11. Conclusions Appendix References Author index Subject index.
Acute Effects of Sex Steroid Hormones on Susceptibility to Cardiac Arrhythmias: A Simulation Study

Acute effects of sex steroid hormones likely contribute to the observation that post-pubescent males have shorter QT intervals than females. However, the specific role for hormones in modulating cardiac electrophysiological parameters and arrhythmia vulnerability is unclear. Here we use a computational modeling approach to incorporate experimentally measured effects of physiological concentrations of testosterone, estrogen and progesterone on cardiac ion channel targets. We then study the hormone effects on ventricular cell and tissue dynamics comprised of Faber-Rudy computational models. The “female” model predicts changes in action potential duration (APD) at different stages of the menstrual cycle that are consistent with clinically observed QT interval fluctuations. The “male” model predicts shortening of APD and QT interval at physiological testosterone concentrations. The model suggests increased susceptibility to drug-induced arrhythmia when estradiol levels are high, while testosterone and progesterone are apparently protective. Simulations predict the effects of sex steroid hormones on clinically observed QT intervals and reveal mechanisms of estrogen-mediated susceptibility to prolongation of QT interval. The simulations also indicate that acute effects of estrogen are not alone sufficient to cause arrhythmia triggers and explain the increased risk of females to Torsades de Pointes. Our results suggest that acute effects of sex steroid hormones on cardiac ion channels are sufficient to account for some aspects of gender specific susceptibility to long-QT linked arrhythmias.
Core functional traits of bacterial communities in the Upper Mississippi River show limited variation in response to land cover

Taxonomic characterization of environmental microbial communities via high-throughput DNA sequencing has revealed that patterns in microbial biogeography affect community structure. However, shifts in functional diversity related to variation in taxonomic composition are poorly understood. To overcome limitations due to the prohibitive cost of high-depth metagenomic sequencing, tools to infer functional diversity based on phylogenetic distributions of functional traits have been developed. In this study we characterized functional microbial diversity at 11 sites along the Mississippi River in Minnesota using both metagenomic sequencing and functional-inference-based (PICRUSt) approaches. This allowed us to determine how distance and variation in land cover throughout the river influenced the distribution of functional traits, as well as to validate PICRUSt inferences. The distribution and abundance of functional traits, by metagenomic analysis, were similar among sites, with a median standard deviation of 0.0002% among tier 3 functions in KEGG. Overall inferred functional variation was significantly different (P ≤ 0.035) between two water basins surrounded by agricultural vs. developed land cover, and abundances of bacterial orders that correlated with functional traits by metagenomic analysis were greater where abundances of the trait were inferred to be higher. PICRUSt inferences were significantly correlated (r = 0.147, P = 1.80 × 10−30) with metagenomic annotations. Discrepancies between metagenomic and PICRUSt taxonomic-functional relationships, however, suggested potential functional redundancy among abundant and rare taxa that impeded the ability to accurately assess unique functional traits among rare taxa at this sequencing depth. Results of this study suggest that a suite of “core functional traits” is conserved throughout the river and distributions of functional traits, rather than specific taxa, may shift in response to environmental heterogeneity.
Treating Personality Disorders in Children and Adolescents: A Relational Approach

Introduction. Attachment and Reflective Function. Psychological Organization and the World of Mental Representations. Trauma, Vulnerability, and the Development of Severe Personality Disorders. Antisocial and Narcissistic Children and Adolescents. Histrionic and Borderline Children and Adolescents. Beginning Treatment: Creating a Secure Base and a Representational Mismatch. Early Stages of Treatment: Forming the Alliance and Enhancing Reflective Function. Middle and Late Stages of Treatment: Using Connection to Move toward Integration. Residential Treatment and the Continuum of Services. Pharmacological Treatment.
Impacts of brief mindfulness training

The present mixed method study examined the impacts of brief mindfulness training on cultivation of mindfulness traits, physical and emotional well-being, and relationship quality. Twenty-nine graduate students were organized into a control (n = 14) and a treatment (n = 15) group. All participants completed pre/post measures of their mindfulness competencies, physical and emotional well-being, and relationship quality. The treatment group participated in a 4-week mindfulness training workshop. The control group exhibited no significant changes over the study period. The treatment group exhibited significant improvement of self-reported mindfulness competencies and improved emotional and physical well-being and relationship quality. The results of the present study are encouraging, emphasizing the value of brief training designs for cultivating mindful awareness. Continued practice and research in this area is expected to introduce more and more people to the benefits of mindfulness, enabling them to experience the benefits of more personally attuned and aware living.
Clustering Via Decision Tree Construction

Clustering is an exploratory data analysis task. It aims to find the intrinsic structure of data by organizing data objects into similarity groups or clusters. It is often called unsupervised learning because no class labels denoting an a priori partition of the objects are given. This is in contrast with supervised learning (e.g., classification) for which the data objects are already labeled with known classes. Past research in clustering has produced many algorithms. However, these algorithms have some shortcomings. In this paper, we propose a novel clustering technique, which is based on a supervised learning technique called decision tree construction. The new technique is able to overcome many of these shortcomings. The key idea is to use a decision tree to partition the data space into cluster (or dense) regions and empty (or sparse) regions (which produce outliers and anomalies). We achieve this by introducing virtual data points into the space and then applying a modified decision tree algorithm for the purpose. The technique is able to find clusters in large high dimensional spaces efficiently. It is suitable for clustering in the full dimensional space as well as in subspaces. It also provides easily comprehensible descriptions of the resulting clusters. Experiments on both synthetic data and real-life data show that the technique is effective and also scales well for large high dimensional datasets.
Using the Radiative Kernel Technique to Calculate Climate Feedbacks in NCAR's Community Atmospheric Model

Abstract Climate models differ in their responses to imposed forcings, such as increased greenhouse gas concentrations, due to different climate feedback strengths. Feedbacks in NCAR’s Community Atmospheric Model (CAM) are separated into two components: the change in climate components in response to an imposed forcing and the “radiative kernel,” the effect that climate changes have on the top-of-the-atmosphere (TOA) radiative budget. This technique’s usefulness depends on the linearity of the feedback processes. For the case of CO2 doubling, the sum of the effects of water vapor, temperature, and surface albedo changes on the TOA clear-sky flux is similar to the clear-sky flux changes directly calculated by CAM. When monthly averages are used rather than values from every time step, the global-average TOA shortwave change is underestimated by a quarter, partially as a result of intramonth correlations of surface albedo with the radiative kernel. The TOA longwave flux changes do not depend on the averagin.