Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outcomes of Optimized over Standard Protocol of Rabbit Antithymocyte Globulin for Severe Aplastic Anemia: A Single-Center Experience

Background Previous reports showed that outcome of rabbit antithymocyte globulin (rATG) was not satisfactory as the first-line therapy for severe aplastic anemia (SAA). We explored a modifying schedule of administration of rATG. Design and Methods Outcomes of a cohort of 175 SAA patients, including 51 patients administered with standard protocol (3.55 mg/kg/d for 5 days) and 124 cases with optimized protocol (1.97 mg/kg/d for 9 days) of rATG plus cyclosporine (CSA), were analyzed retrospectively. Results Of all 175 patients, response rates at 3 and 6 months were 36.6% and 56.0%, respectively. 51 cases received standard protocol had poor responses at 3 (25.5%) and 6 months (41.2%). However, 124 patients received optimized protocol had better responses at 3 (41.1%, P = 0.14) and 6 (62.1%, P = 0.01). Higher incidences of infection (57.1% versus 37.9%, P = 0.02) and early mortality (17.9% versus 0.8%, P<0.001) occurred in patients received standard protocol compared with optimized protocol. The 5-year overall survival in favor of the optimized over standard rATG protocol (76.0% versus. 50.3%, P<0.001) was observed. By multivariate analysis, optimized protocol (RR = 2.21, P = 0.04), response at 3 months (RR = 10.31, P = 0.03) and shorter interval (<23 days) between diagnosis and initial dose of rATG (RR = 5.35, P = 0.002) were independent favorable predictors of overall survival. Conclusions Optimized instead of standard rATG protocol in combination with CSA remained efficacious as a first-line immunosuppressive regimen for SAA.
Eosinophilic bronchiolitis: is it a new syndrome?

Identification of new diseases or a cluster (syndrome) of disorders with very similar pathological, radiological and clinical aspects, even sharing common pathogenic steps, is an important fact to build up the scientific soul of the complex and intriguing art called medicine. In this issue of the European Respiratory Journal , a new distinct syndrome, hypereosinophilic obliterative bronchiolitis, is described by Cordier et al. [1]. This syndrome is defined by: 1) a blood eosinophil cell count >1 G·L−1 and/or a bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophil differential cell count >25%; 2) persistent airflow obstruction on lung function tests not modifiable after 4–6 weeks of inhaled corticosteroid therapy (2000 μg·day−1 of beclometasone or equivalent); and 3) a lung biopsy showing inflammatory bronchiolitis with prominent bronchiolar wall infiltration by eosinophils and/or characteristic direct high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) features of bronchiolitis (poorly defined centrilobular nodules, branching opacities and tree-in-bud pattern). The first impression that a cursory clinician and/or pathologist may have, going swiftly through this list of criteria, is that “we are dealing with a severe and persistent form of asthma”. In chronic asthma the obstructive impairment becomes fixed and not modifiable, at least not easily, with steroids or bronchodilators. In chronic asthma eosinophils in lung tissue and blood may be constantly increased and HRCT scans show abnormalities in between 68% and 90% of patients (bronchial wall thickening and narrowing …
Modeling and Visualization of Knitwear

Visualization and modeling of textile materials has already been investigated in detail in the computer graphics literature. Most of the work, however, concentrates on woven fabrics. We present a novel approach to the modeling and rendering of knitwear. After the topological specification of a knitting pattern a subdivision into basic elements is done. The yarn microstructure within basic elements is approximated by volume data sets. The repetitive structure of knitted fabrics allows an efficient rendering technique. Resulting images are given that demonstrate the feasibility of our approach.
Brincidofovir Use after Foscarnet Crystal Nephropathy in a Kidney Transplant Recipient with Multiresistant Cytomegalovirus Infection

Background. Cytomegalovirus (CMV) antiviral drug resistance constitutes an increasing challenge in transplantation. Foscarnet is usually proposed when resistance for ganciclovir is suspected, but its use is limited by its nephrotoxicity. Case Presentation. We report a case of multiresistant CMV disease in a kidney transplant recipient. Foscarnet was prescribed after ganciclovir treatment failure in a patient with two mutations in the UL97 viral gene. Foscarnet induced biopsy-proven kidney crystal precipitation that resulted in severe acute transplant failure and nephrotic syndrome. Despite a large decrease in immunosuppression, CMV disease was not controlled and a salvage therapy with Brincidofovir (BCV), which is an oral lipid conjugate of cidofovir with limited nephrotoxicity, was attempted. Clinical and virological remission was observed after a 21-day course of BCV, despite mild and reversible liver toxicity. However, a new relapse could not be effectively cured by BCV due to a new mutation in the UL54 gene, which is known to confer resistance to cidofovir. A new course of foscarnet finally resulted in prolonged CMV remission. Herein, we present a review of foscarnet nephropathy cases in solid-organ transplanted patients. Conclusions. This unique case highlights the potential benefit of BCV use during resistant CMV infection, although mutations in the UL54 gene may limit its therapeutic efficacy. These findings need to be confirmed in clinical trials.
Control dynamics of speed drive systems using sliding mode controllers with integral compensation

The control dynamics and robustness improvement of vector controlled AC speed drive systems using a sliding mode control with integral compensation (SLMC-I) are described. The dynamics of step command speed and impact load disturbance under SLMC-I control are formulated and studied. Acceleration estimation techniques using observers and nonideal differentiators for the SLMC-I speed drive systems are outlined and compared. The control dynamics of SLMC-I with increased system order are discussed. The techniques of robustness improvement for the SLMC-I drives are presented. A method of control in which the sliding line is fed forward is developed to enhance the drive robustness. The control dynamics with this method of control are investigated. The effectiveness of the proposed scheme is demonstrated through computer simulations and experimental work. <<ETX>>
Estrogen Stimulates a Transient Increase in the Number of New Neurons in the Dentate Gyrus of the Adult Female Rat

To determine whether a sex difference exists in the production of hippocampal cells during adulthood, we examined proliferating cells and their progeny in adult rats using the thymidine analog bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) combined with immunohistochemistry for markers of neurons and glia. Additionally, to determine whether ovarian hormones affect cell proliferation, we examined the numbers of BrdU-labeled cells at different estrous cycle stages and after ovarian steroid manipulation. Stereological analyses of the numbers of BrdU-labeled cells revealed that females produced more cells than males in the dentate gyrus but not in the subventricular zone. The production of new hippocampal cells in females appears to be affected by ovarian hormone levels; ovariectomy diminished the number of BrdU-labeled cells, an effect reversed by estrogen replacement. A natural fluctuation in cell proliferation was also noted; females produced more cells during proestrus (when estrogen levels are highest) compared with estrus and diestrus. Many of these cells acquired neuronal characteristics, including the formation of dendrites and expression of Turned-On-After-Division 64 kDa, a marker of immature granule neurons, and the calcium-binding protein calbindin, a marker of mature granule neurons. However, examination of the numbers of pyknotic cells and the numbers of BrdU-labeled cells at longer survival times revealed that many new cells in the dentate gyrus eventually degenerate. Consistently the number of labeled cells in females is no longer higher than that observed in males by 2 weeks after the last BrdU injection. These findings suggest that estrogen-enhanced cell proliferation during proestrus results in more immature neurons in the hippocampal formation of females compared with males and present the possibility that these new cells exert an important influence on hippocampal function.
The nasal microbiota in health and disease: variation within and between subjects

Chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) affects approximately 5% of the adult population in Western societies and severely reduces the patient’s quality of life. The role of bacteria in the pathogenesis of this condition has not yet been established with certainty. However, recent reports of bacterial and fungal biofilms in CRS highlight a potential role for these microorganisms. In this study, 16S rRNA gene-targeted amplicon pyrosequencing and qPCR were used to determine the composition and abundance, respectively, of the sinus microbiota within 9 patients with CRS and 6 healthy individuals. Within-patient variability was also investigated by sampling from anterior nares, inferior turbinate, and middle meatus on each side of the sinuses. Our results indicate that more of the variation in bacterial composition can be explained by inter-personal differences, rather than sampling location or even disease status. In addition, bacterial community diversity was significantly lower in CRS samples compared to those from healthy subjects, whereas bacterial load was not associated with disease status. Although members of the genera Corynebacterium and Staphylococcus were prevalent in the majority of samples (including healthy subjects), the large amount of variation observed between individuals, particularly within the CRS cohort, suggests that an imbalance or dysbiosis in community structure could be the driving force behind the disease. Ultimately, understanding the causes of variation within the sinus microbiota may lead to more personalized treatment options for CRS.
Characterizing Selection Bias Using Experimental Data

This paper develops and applies semiparametric econometric methods to estimate the form of selection bias that arises from using nonexperimental comparison groups to evaluate social programs and to test the identifying assumptions that justify three widely-used classes of estimators and our extensions of them: (a) the method of matching; (b) the classical econometric selection model which represents the bias solely as a function of the probability of participation; and (c) the method of difference-in-differences. Using data from an experiment on a prototypical social program combined with unusually rich data from a nonexperimental comparison group, we reject the assumptions justifying matching and our extensions of that method but find evidence in support of the index-sufficient selection bias model and the assumptions that justify application of a conditional semiparametric version of the method of difference-in-difference. Fa comparable people and to appropriately weight participants and nonparticipants a sources of selection bias as conveniently measured. We present a rigorous defin bias and find that in our data it is a small component of conventially meausred it is still substantial when compared with experimentally-estimated program impa matching participants to comparison group members in the same labor market, givi same questionnaire, and making sure they have comparable characteristics substan the performance of any econometric program evaluation estimator. We show how t analysis to estimate the impact of treatment on the treated using ordinary obser
Iteration Bounds for Finding the-Stationary Points for Structured Nonconvex Optimization

In this paper we study proximal conditional-gradient (CG) and proximal gradient-projection type algorithms for a block-structured constrained nonconvex optimization model, which arises naturally from tensor data analysis. First, we introduce a new notion of -stationarity, which is suitable for the structured problem under consideration. We then propose two types of first-order algorithms for the model based on the proximal conditional-gradient (CG) method and the proximal gradient-projection method respectively. If the nonconvex objective function is in the form of mathematical expectation, we then discuss how to incorporate randomized sampling to avoid computing the expectations exactly. For the general block optimization model, the proximal subroutines are performed for each block according to either the blockcoordinate-descent (BCD) or the maximum-block-improvement (MBI) updating rule. If the gradient of the nonconvex part of the objective f satisfies ‖∇f(x) − ∇f(y)‖q ≤ M‖x − y‖p where δ = p/q with 1/p + 1/q = 1, then we prove that the new algorithms have an overall iteration complexity bound of O(1/ ) in finding an -stationary solution. If f is concave then the iteration complexity reduces to O(1/ ). Our numerical experiments for tensor approximation problems show promising performances of the new solution algorithms.
The cost-effectiveness of hearing-aid fitting in the Netherlands.

OBJECTIVE To determine the cost-effectiveness of hearing-aid fitting. DESIGN Cost-effectiveness analysis using a Markov model based on aggregate data and results from a prospective intervention study. SETTING The cost-effectiveness study was based in the general community. The prospective study was hospital based, as 85% of the first-time hearing-aid users attend a hospital in the process of hearing-aid fitting. PATIENTS The prospective intervention study included adult first-time hearing-aid users with no contraindications for hearing-aid use. INTERVENTION The usual process of hearing-aid fitting in the Netherlands. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Costs per quality-adjusted life-year (QALY). The QALYs were based on EuroQol scores. We included direct and indirect costs in the analysis. RESULTS The mean improvement on the EuroQol measure was 0.03 (95% confidence interval [CI], -0.03 to 0.08), and on the hearing-specific visual analog scale, 0.27 (95% CI, 0.22-0.31). The base-case outcome based on the EuroQol was 15 807/QALY (US dollars 17 072/QALY) (CI, -24 239/QALY to 3718/QALY). CONCLUSIONS On the basis of this base-case estimate, fitting of hearing aids is considered a cost-effective health care intervention. The CI indicates that the result is not unambiguously positive, probably because the EuroQol lacked sensitivity for the evaluation of hearing-aid fitting. Until now, no study has found an effect of hearing-aid fitting on generic quality of life. Therefore, measures are needed that are suitable for the evaluation of the effects of interventions for sensory disabilities, such as the fitting of hearing aids, on generic quality of life.
Ions first: Na+ uptake shifts from the skin to the gills before O2 uptake in developing rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss

This is the first direct physiological evidence in support of the ionoregulatory hypothesis, challenging the long-held assumption that teleost gills develop initially for gas exchange. Resting unidirectional sodium (Na+) uptake and oxygen (O2) uptake across the skin and gills were measured simultaneously in larval rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, during development. In soft and hard water, Na+ uptake shifted to the gills by 15 and 16 days post-hatch (dph) while O2 uptake took 50–80% longer and shifted by 23 and 28 dph, respectively. This suggests that gills are required for ionoregulation prior to gas exchange in developing rainbow trout. The age of transition for Na+ uptake, gill Na+, K+-ATPase (NKA) α-subunit protein expression and gill NKA enzyme activity were not significantly different between soft and hard water-reared groups, which suggests a lack of plasticity in gill ionoregulatory development. In rainbow trout, the gills assume a dominant role in ionoregulation before gas exchange, suggesting that ionoregulation may be the initial driving force for gill development. Further investigation is required to determine whether this pattern is consistent with other teleosts and more basal fishes during early development to gain insight into the role of ionoregulation in vertebrate gill evolution.
School and Community Relations for Prosocial Behaviors, Character Building and Academic Achievement

There is a consensus among school professionals in the United States that we are not fully tackling problematic behaviors. If teachers are to focus on Common Core Standards then school-based helping professionals could help their overall efforts by focusing on appropriate social behaviors in children. This article discusses the pivotal role of school-based helping professionals who are engaged in school and community relations, and the efforts of the authors (experienced professionals involved in the overall training of many school-based helping professionals) to familiarize them (and the community) with the need to increase prosocial behaviors in students for academic achievement and overall well-being.
Activity and rotation of the X-ray emitting Kepler stars

The relation between magnetic activity and rotation in late-type stars provides fundamental information on stellar dynamos and angular momentum evolution. Rotation-activity studies found in the literature suffer from inhomogeneity in the measurement of activity indexes and rotation periods. We overcome this limitation with a study of the X-ray emitting, late-type main-sequence stars observed by XMM-Newton and Kepler. We measured rotation periods from photometric variability in Kepler light curves. As activity indicators, we adopted the X-ray luminosity, the number frequency of white-light flares, the amplitude of the rotational photometric modulation, and the standard deviation in the Kepler light curves. The search for X-ray flares in the light curves provided by the EXTraS (Exploring the X-ray Transient and variable Sky) FP-7 project allows us to identify simultaneous X-ray and white-light flares. A careful selection of the X-ray sources in the Kepler field yields 102 main-sequence stars with spectral types from A to M. We find rotation periods for 74 X-ray emitting main-sequence stars, 20 of which do not have period reported in the previous literature. In the X-ray activity-rotation relation, we see evidence for the traditional distinction of a saturated and a correlated part, the latter presenting a continuous decrease in activity towards slower rotators. For the optical activity indicators the transition is abrupt and located at a period of ~10 d but it can be probed only marginally with this sample, which is biased towards fast rotators due to the X-ray selection. We observe seven bona-fide X-ray flares with evidence for a white-light counterpart in simultaneous Kepler data. We derive an X-ray flare frequency of ~0.15 d−1, consistent with the optical flare frequency obtained from the much longer Kepler time-series.
Comparison of Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 pledges under the Cancún Agreements (Policy brief)

This report examines four recent detailed studies of countries‘ mitigation pledges under the Cancun Agreements, for the purpose of comparing developed (Annex 1) country pledges to developing (non-Annex 1) country pledges. It finds that there is broad agreement that developing country pledges amount to more mitigation than developed country pledges. That conclusion applies across all four studies and across all their various cases, despite the diversity of assumptions and methodologies employed and the substantial differences in their quantification of the pledges. The studies also find that the Annex 1 pledges could be significantly diminished by several factors, such as lenient accounting rules on the use of surplus allowances, double-counting of offsets, and accounting methodologies for land use, land-use change, and forestry. The studies further note that the mitigation pledged globally is consistent with a global temperature rise of greater than 2°C – and possibly as much as 5°C. Avoiding this much warming would require developed countries to raise their pledges to the levels required by science and equity, and fulfill those ambitions through actual mitigation. While this report concludes that developed country pledges are not high enough, it does not conversely imply that developing country pledges are too high. With appropriate international technological cooperation and financial support, developing countries could also fulfill higher levels of ambition, consistent with keeping warming below 2°C or 1.5°C. Comparison of Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 pledges under the Cancun Agreements WP-US-1107 1 Copyright © 2011 by the Stockholm Environment Institute This publication may be reproduced in whole or in part and in any form for educational or non-profit purposes, without special permission from the copyright holder(s) provided acknowledgement of the source is made. No use of this publication may be made for resale or other commercial purpose, without the written permission of the copyright holder(s). For more information about this document, contact Sivan Kartha at sivan.kartha@sei-international.org. Stockholm Environment Institute – U.S. Center 11 Curtis Avenue Somerville, MA 02144-1224, USA www.sei-us.org and www.sei-international.org Comparison of Annex 1 and non-Annex 1 pledges under the Cancun Agreements WP-US-1107
Within-breath respiratory impedance and airway obstruction in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

OBJECTIVE: Recent work has suggested that within-breath respiratory impedance measurements performed using the forced oscillation technique may help to noninvasively evaluate respiratory mechanics. We investigated the influence of airway obstruction on the within-breath forced oscillation technique in smokers and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients and evaluated the contribution of this analysis to the diagnosis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. METHODS: Twenty healthy individuals and 20 smokers were assessed. The study also included 74 patients with stable chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. We evaluated the mean respiratory impedance (Zm) as well as values for the inspiration (Zi) and expiration cycles (Ze) at the beginning of inspiration (Zbi) and expiration (Zbe), respectively. The peak-to-peak impedance (Zpp=Zbe-Zbi) and the respiratory cycle dependence (ΔZrs=Ze-Zi) were also analyzed. The diagnostic utility was evaluated by investigating the sensitivity, the specificity and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT01888705. RESULTS: Airway obstruction increased the within-breath respiratory impedance parameters that were significantly correlated with the spirometric indices of airway obstruction (R=−0.65, p<0.0001). In contrast to the control subjects and the smokers, the chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients presented significant expiratory-inspiratory differences (p<0.002). The adverse effects of moderate airway obstruction were detected based on the Zpp with an accuracy of 83%. Additionally, abnormal effects in severe and very severe patients were detected based on the Zm, Zi, Ze, Zbe, Zpp and ΔZrs with a high degree of accuracy (>90%). CONCLUSIONS: We conclude the following: (1) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease introduces higher respiratory cycle dependence, (2) this increase is proportional to airway obstruction, and (3) the within-breath forced oscillation technique may provide novel parameters that facilitate the diagnosis of respiratory abnormalities in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.