Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Ambulance and Patient Diversion on Crowdedness of Multiple Emergency Departments in a Region

Emergency department (ED) overcrowding threatens healthcare quality. Ambulance diversion (AD) may relieve ED overcrowding; however, diverting patients from an overcrowded ED will load neighboring EDs with more patients and may result in regional overcrowding. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of different diversion strategies on the crowdedness of multiple EDs in a region. The importance of regional coordination was also explored. A queuing model for patient flow was utilized to develop a computer program for simulating AD among EDs in a region. Key parameters, including patient arrival rates, percentages of patients of different acuity levels, percentage of patients transported by ambulance, and total resources of EDs, were assigned based on real data. The crowdedness indices of each ED and the regional crowdedness index were assessed to evaluate the effectiveness of various AD strategies. Diverting patients equally to all other EDs in a region is better than diverting patients only to EDs with more resources. The effect of diverting all ambulance-transported patients is similar to that of diverting only low-acuity patients. To minimize regional crowdedness, ambulatory patients should be sent to proper EDs when AD is initiated. Based on a queuing model with parameters calibrated by real data, patient flows of EDs in a region were simulated by a computer program. From a regional point of view, randomly diverting ambulatory patients provides almost no benefit. With regards to minimizing the crowdedness of the whole region, the most promising strategy is to divert all patients equally to all other EDs that are not already crowded. This result implies that communication and coordination among regional hospitals are crucial to relieve overall crowdedness. A regional coordination center may prioritize AD strategies to optimize ED utility.
The Glutathione-Glutaredoxin System in Rhodobacter capsulatus: Part of a Complex Regulatory Network Controlling Defense against Oxidative Stress

ABSTRACT Mutants with defects in components of the glutathione-glutaredoxin (GSH/Grx) system of Rhodobacter capsulatus were constructed to study its role in defense against oxidative stress and the redox-dependent formation of photosynthetic complexes. The lack of the glutaredoxin 3 gene (grxC) or the glutathione synthetase B gene (gshB) resulted in lower growth rates under aerobic conditions and higher sensitivity to oxidative stress, confirming the role of the GSH/Grx system in oxidative stress defense. Both mutants are highly sensitive to disulfide stress, indicating a major contribution of the GSH/Grx system to the thiol-disulfide redox buffer in the cytoplasm. Like mutations in the thioredoxin system, mutations in the GSH/Grx system affected the formation of photosynthetic complexes, which is redox dependent in R. capsulatus. Expression of the genes grxC, gshB, grxA for glutaredoxin 1, and gorA for glutathione reductase, all encoding components of the GSH/Grx system, was not induced by oxidative stress. Other genes, for which a role in oxidative stress was established in Escherichia coli, acnA, fpr, fur, and katG, were strongly induced by oxidative stress in R. capsulatus. Mutations in the grxC, and/or gshB, and/or trxC (thioredoxin 2) genes affected expression of these genes, indicating an interplay of the different defense systems against oxidative stress. The OxyR and the SoxRS regulons control the expression of many genes involved in oxidative stress defense in E. coli in response to H2O2 and superoxide, respectively. Our data and the available genome sequence of R. capsulatus suggest that a SoxRS system is lacking but an alternative superoxide specific regulator exists in R. capsulatus. While the expression of gorA and grxA is regulated by H2O2 in E. coli this is not the case in R. capsulatus, indicating that the OxyR regulons of these two species are significantly different.
On optimal finite-state digital transmission systems

The digital transmission of signals by transmitters and receivers that are time-invariant finite-state machines were investigated in general form. An average distortion criterion is used. Some general structure theorems are proved and some examples given that show improvement in performance as the memories of the transmitter and receiver are increased. Many conjectures and unsolved problems are mentioned, and areas for further study are indicated.
Audio-visual classification and detection of human manipulation actions

Humans are able to merge information from multiple perceptional modalities and formulate a coherent representation of the world. Our thesis is that robots need to do the same in order to operate robustly and autonomously in an unstructured environment. It has also been shown in several fields that multiple sources of information can complement each other, overcoming the limitations of a single perceptual modality. Hence, in this paper we introduce a data set of actions that includes both visual data (RGB-D video and 6DOF object pose estimation) and acoustic data. We also propose a method for recognizing and segmenting actions from continuous audio-visual data. The proposed method is employed for extensive evaluation of the descriptive power of the two modalities, and we discuss how they can be used jointly to infer a coherent interpretation of the recorded action.
Benchmarking spliced alignment programs including Spaln2, an extended version of Spaln that incorporates additional species-specific features

Spliced alignment plays a central role in the precise identification of eukaryotic gene structures. Even though many spliced alignment programs have been developed, recent rapid progress in DNA sequencing technologies demands further improvements in software tools. Benchmarking algorithms under various conditions is an indispensable task for the development of better software; however, there is a dire lack of appropriate datasets usable for benchmarking spliced alignment programs. In this study, we have constructed two types of datasets: simulated sequence datasets and actual cross-species datasets. The datasets are designed to correspond to various real situations, i.e. divergent eukaryotic species, different types of reference sequences, and the wide divergence between query and target sequences. In addition, we have developed an extended version of our program Spaln, which incorporates two additional features to the scoring scheme of the original version, and examined this extended version, Spaln2, together with the original Spaln and other representative aligners based on our benchmark datasets. Although the effects of the modifications are not individually striking, Spaln2 is consistently most accurate and reasonably fast in most practical cases, especially for plants and fungi and for increasingly divergent pairs of target and query sequences.
A Novel Protease Inhibitor of the α2-Macroglobulin Family Expressed in the Human Epidermis*

In the course of a large scale analysis of late-expressed genes in the human epidermis, we identified a new member of the α2-macroglobulin (α2M) protease inhibitor family, A2ML1 (for α2-macroglobulin-like 1). Like A2M and PZP, A2ML1 is located on chromosome 12p13.31. A2ML1 encodes a protein of 1454 amino acids, which fits the characteristics of α2Ms: 1) strong conservation in amino acid sequence including most of cysteine positions with α2M; 2) a putative central bait domain; 3) a typical thiol ester sequence. Northern blot and reverse transcriptase-PCR studies revealed a single 5-kb A2ML1 mRNA, mainly in the epidermis granular keratinocytes. A2ML1 is also transcribed in placenta, thymus, and testis. By Western blot analysis, α2ML1 is detected as a monomeric, ∼180-kDa protein in human epidermis. In vitro keratinocyte differentiation is associated with increased expression levels. By immunohistochemistry, α2ML1 was detected within keratinosomes in the granular layer of the epidermis, and as a secreted product in the extracellular space between the uppermost granular layer and the cornified layer. Recombinant α2ML1 displayed inhibitory activity toward chymotrypsin, papain, thermolysin, subtilisin A, and to a lesser extent, elastase but not trypsin. Incubation with chymotrypsin and the chymotrypsin-like kallikrein 7 protease indicated that α2ML1 binds covalently to these proteases, a feature shared with other members of the family. Therefore, α2ML1 is the first α2M family member detected in the epidermis. It may play an important role during desquamation by inhibiting extracellular proteases.
On Reusing Pilots Among Interfering Cells in Massive MIMO

Pilot contamination, caused by the reuse of pilots among interfering cells, remains a significant obstacle that limits the performance of massive multi-input multi-output antenna systems. To handle this problem, less aggressive reuse of pilots involving allocation of additional pilots for interfering users is closely examined in this paper. Hierarchical pilot reuse methods are proposed, which effectively mitigate pilot contamination and increase the net throughput of the system. Among the suggested hierarchical pilot reuse schemes, the optimal way of assigning pilots to different users is obtained in a closed-form solution, which maximizes the net sum-rate in a given coherence time. Simulation results confirm that when the ratio of the channel coherence time to the number of users in each cell is sufficiently large, less aggressive reuse of pilots yields significant performance advantage relative to the case, where all cells reuse the same pilot set.
N-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide: a novel uremic toxin?

BACKGROUND N-methyl-2-pyridone-5-carboxamide (2PY) is one of the end products of nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide (NAD) degradation. We recently found that serum 2PY concentrations in chronic renal failure (CRF) patients were enhanced to the values, which are potentially toxic. The aim of this study was to determine whether 2PY is an inhibitor of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase, the nuclear enzyme that is highly involved in variety of physiologic events, including regulation of DNA replication and DNA repair. METHODS High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was used to determine 2PY and other NAD catabolite concentrations in serum of: nondialyzed patients; patients chronically hemodialyzed; patients after kidney transplantation; and healthy individuals (control group). Moreover, the effect of nicotinamide and 2PY on poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP-1) in vitro was studied. RESULTS The serum nicotinamide, 2PY, and 4PY (N-methyl-4-pyridone-3-carboxamide) concentrations are many times elevated in nondialyzed CRF patients when compared with controls. The direct correlations were found between serum 2PY (as well as 4PY and nicotinamide) concentrations and serum creatinine concentration, and negative correlations between serum concentrations of these compounds and creatinine clearance. The concentration of 2PY decreases considerably after hemodialysis (HD) session, but elevates back 48 hours later. It permanently declines after kidney transplantation. Nicotinamide and 2PY significantly inhibit PARP-1 activity in vitro. CONCLUSIONS Increased serum 2PY concentration, along with a deterioration of kidney function and its toxic properties (significant inhibition of PARP-1 by 2PY), suggest that it could be a novel uremic toxin.
Information Technology Governance in Information Technology Investment Decision Processes: The Impact of Investment Characteristics, External Environment, and Internal Context

This study identifies governance patterns for information technology investment decision processes and explores the impact of organizations' investment characteristics, external environment, and internal context on the shaping of those patterns. By identifying the lead actors of the initiation, development, and approval stages in IT governance, the patterns of 57 IT investment decisions at 6 hospitals are analyzed. The results reveal seven IT governance archetypes: (1) top management monarchy, (2) top management-IT duopoly, (3) IT monarchy, (4) administration monarchy, (5) administration- IT duopoly, (6) professional monarchy, and (7) professional- IT duopoly. Each archetype is analyzed by taking into account four specific factors: IT investment level, external influence, organizational centralization, and IT function power. This study makes several contributions to IT governance theory and practice. First, IT governance is reframed to include pre-decision stages, highlighting the importance of participants other than the final decision maker. Second, the variation of IT governance archetypes suggests that even when top management approval is required, the IT department may not play a key role in the IT investment decision process. Third, governance of the pre-decision initiation and development stages is found to be jointly affected by several contextual factors, suggesting that the allocation of final decision rights is only a part of IT governance. While decision rights may be allocated by the organization a priori, the actual patterns of IT governance are contingent on contextual factors. It is important to understand how IT governance archetypes are shaped because they may affect desired outcomes of IT investments.
Third-order nonlinear optical properties of two organometallic complexes-doped PMMA thin film irradiated by picosecond pulse

Two organometallic complexes, [(C<sub>2</sub>H<sub>5</sub>)<sub>4</sub>N]<sub>2</sub>[Cu(C<sub>3</sub>S<sub>5</sub>)<sub>2</sub>] and [(C<sub>4</sub>H<sub>9</sub>)<sub>4</sub>N]<sub>2</sub>[Cu(C<sub>3</sub>S<sub>5</sub>)<sub>2</sub>], abbreviated as ECDT and BCDT, were synthesized. Then the materials were doped in polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) with the doping concentration 1 % by weight (1wt. %) using a spin-coating method. Their third-order nonlinear optical properties were studied by the Z-scan technique with 25 ps pulse duration at 1064 nm. The results revealed that the two materials exhibit self-defocusing effect and two-photo absorption at 1064 nm, the nonlinear refraction coefficient n2 are as high as -8.077×10<sup>-9</sup>, -4.564×10<sup>-9</sup> esu, and the two-photon absorption coefficients β are 9.258×10<sup>-10</sup>, 9.851×10<sup>-10</sup> m/W, respectively. All the results suggest that these materials have potential for the application of optical devices.
Assessing Dimensions of Pathological Narcissism: Psychometric Properties of the Short Form of the Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory in a Sample of Italian University Students

ABSTRACT To evaluate the psychometric properties of the Italian translation of the Five-Factor Narcissism Inventory–Short Form (FFNI–SF), 1,063 Italian university students were administered the scale, along with the Pathological Narcissism Inventory (PNI) and the Measure of Disordered Personality Functioning (MDPF). In general, the FFNI–SF scales showed good internal consistency (median α = .76; median interitem r = .44) and structural analyses suggested a 3-component model of FFNI–SF scales that was similar to that reported by Sherman et al. (2015). FFNI–SF second-order scales yielded meaningful convergent and discriminant correlations with PNI second-order grandiose and vulnerable dimensions. Finally, FFNI–SF second-order scales correlated in expected ways with 2 dimensions of personality dysfunction.
Changing surface water conditions for the last 500 ka in the Southeast Atlantic: Implications for variable influences of Agulhas leakage and Benguela upwelling

The Southeast Atlantic Ocean is an important component of global ocean circulation, as it includes heat and salt transfer into the Atlantic through the Agulhas leakage as well as the highly productive Benguela upwelling system. Here we reconstruct sea surface temperatures (SSTs) from Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Site 1087 in the Southeast Atlantic to investigate surface ocean circulation patterns during the late Pleistocene (0–500 ka). The UK′37 index and dinoflagellate cyst assemblages are used to reconstruct SSTs, δDalkenone is used to reconstruct changes in sea surface salinity, and mass accumulation rates of alkenones and chlorine pigments are quantified to detect changing marine export productivity. The greatest amplitude of SST warming precedes decreases in benthic δ18O and therefore occurs early in the transition from glacials to interglacials. The δDalkenone, as a salinity indicator, increases before SSTs, suggesting that the pattern of Agulhas leakage is more complex than suggested by SST proxies. Marine isotope stage (MIS) 10 shows an anomalous pattern: it is marked by a pronounced increase in chlorine concentration, which may be related to enhanced/expanded Benguela upwelling reaching the core site. We find no evidence of an absence of Agulhas leakage throughout the record, suggesting that there is no Agulhas cutoff even during MIS 10. Finally, the ODP Site 1087 record shows an increasing strength of Agulhas leakage towards the present day, which may have impacted the intensity of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation. As a result, the new analyses from ODP Site 1087 demonstrate a complex interaction between influences of the Benguela upwelling and the Agulhas leakage through the late Pleistocene, which are inferred here to reflect changing circulation patterns in the Southern Ocean and in the atmosphere.
MEF2B-Nox1 Signaling Is Critical for Stretch-Induced Phenotypic Modulation of Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Objective—Blood vessel hemodynamics have profound influences on function and structure of vascular cells. One of the main mechanical forces influencing vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) is cyclic stretch (CS). Increased CS stimulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in VSMC, leading to their dedifferentiation, yet the mechanisms involved are poorly understood. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that pathological CS stimulates NADPH oxidase isoform 1 (Nox1)–derived ROS via MEF2B, leading to VSMC dysfunction via a switch from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. Approach and Results—Using a newly developed isoform-specific Nox1 inhibitor and gene silencing technology, we demonstrate that a novel pathway, including MEF2B-Nox1-ROS, is upregulated under pathological stretch conditions, and this pathway promotes a VSMC phenotypic switch from a contractile to a synthetic phenotype. We observed that CS (10% at 1 Hz) mimicking systemic hypertension in humans increased Nox1 mRNA, protein levels, and enzymatic activity in a time-dependent manner, and this upregulation was mediated by MEF2B. Furthermore, we show that stretch-induced Nox1-derived ROS upregulated a specific marker for synthetic phenotype (osteopontin), whereas it downregulated classical markers for contractile phenotype (calponin1 and smoothelin B). In addition, our data demonstrated that stretch-induced Nox1 activation decreases actin fiber density and augments matrix metalloproteinase 9 activity, VSMC migration, and vectorial alignment. Conclusions—These results suggest that CS initiates a signal through MEF2B that potentiates Nox1-mediated ROS production and causes VSMC to switch to a synthetic phenotype. The data also characterize a new Nox1 inhibitor as a potential therapy for treatment of vascular dysfunction in hypertension.
Herpesvirus Exploitation of Host Immune Inhibitory Pathways

Herpesviruses employ a plethora of mechanisms to circumvent clearance by host immune responses. A key feature of mammalian immune systems is the employment of regulatory pathways that limit immune responsiveness. The primary functions of these mechanisms are to control autoimmunity and limit exuberant responses to harmless antigen in mucosal surfaces. However, such pathways can be exploited by viral pathogens to enable acute infection, persistence and dissemination. Herein, we outline the current understanding of inhibitory pathways in modulating antiviral immunity during herpesvirus infections in vivo and discuss strategies employed by herpesviruses to exploit these pathways to limit host antiviral immunity.
Scalp metastases and scalp cooling for chemotherapy-induced alopecia prevention.

Alopecia is one of the most common adverse events of chemotherapy and although it is not life threatening it can be psychologically devastating. In an effort to reduce chemotherapy-induced hair loss various preventive measurements, such as the scalp cooling technique, tourniquet and medications, have been developed since 1970 [1]. Methods that have been applied in order to induce scalp hypothermia include chilled air for cooling, simple bags with crushed ice, frozen cryogel packs, packs with endothermic cooling reaction, special bags with cryogel and an insulation layer, and caps connected to a cooling device using air or fluid as a medium and equipped with a thermostast. In a recent review published in Annals of Oncology regarding the prevention of hair loss by scalp cooling, there is an open question for the long-term adverse consequences of these methods [2]. There are significant concerns of possible longor short-term scalp recurrences as a result of using the scalp cooling system during chemotherapy in patients with haematological or solid tumour malignancies. These concerns are based on the hypothesis that stem cells or malignant cells that may be present in the scalp at the time of treatment are not adequately treated when the scalp is cooled. We have previously published our experience with the MSC cold cap among 83 patients, none of whom developed metastases of the skin scalp [3]. We would like to report our updated data, from January 1998 until April 2005, of 442 patients with various tumour types, to whom the MSC cold cap was applied (Table 1). Two patients with breast cancer did develop biopsy-confirmed skin scalp metastases. The incidence of scalp metastases among all patients was 0.45% and among breast cancer patients was 0.88%. This is in agreement with the data presented by Grevelman and Breed [2]. In their review, they describe that skin scalp metastases were found in nine patients in six studies out of a total of 2500 patients in 56 studies (0.36%). However, in 24 studies specific attention was not paid to scalp metastases, thus the safe conclusions cannot be made. It is of interest that in our study, one patient with breast cancer and scalp metastases that was treated with weekly docetaxel decided to use the cold cap. The scalp metastases did respond to treatment and her hair was preserved. The incidence of scalp metastases in patients using scalp cooling methods during chemotherapy is low and it does not seem to influence the clinical outcome; however, safe conclusions regarding the impact in overall survival can be made only through a well-designed randomised trial.