Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of complex projectiles in the early Late Pleistocene at Aduma, Ethiopia

Complex projectiles—propulsion via mechanical aid—are considered an important technological innovation, with possible relevance for the successful Out-of-Africa dispersal of our species. Conclusive evidence for the beginning of this technology, however, is lacking from the early Late Pleistocene (ca. 130 to 70 thousand years ago; ka). Given the extremely limited applicability of relatively robust methods for validating stone-tipped projectile use, such as through fracture propagation velocity, converging lines of circumstantial evidence remain the best way to examine early complex projectiles. We assess here suggestions for an early Late Pleistocene origin of complex projectiles in Africa. Results from both previous and present independent approaches suggest a trajectory in which complex projectiles were likely adopted during the early Late Pleistocene in eastern Africa. At Aduma (Middle Awash, Ethiopia), morphometric, hafting, and impact damage patterns in several lithic point assemblages suggest a shift from simple spear technologies (thrusting and/or hand-cast) to complex projectiles. Broadly dated to 80–100 ka, lithic points from later phases of the Aduma succession represent a particularly strong candidate for projectile armatures most comparable to ethnographically known spearthrower darts, lending support for previous suggestions and warranting further investigations.
P2Y12 Inhibitor Pre-Treatment in Non-ST-Elevation Acute Coronary Syndrome: A Decision-Analytic Model

Current guidelines recommend initiation of a P2Y12 inhibitor for all patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndrome (NSTE-ACS) at the time of diagnosis (pre-treatment); however, there are no randomized trials directly comparing pre-treatment with initiation at the time of angiography to support this practice. We explore clinical and institutional parameters potentially associated with benefit with this strategy in a decision-analytic model based on available evidence from randomised trials. A decision analysis model was constructed comparing three P2Y12 inhibitors in addition to aspirin in patients with NSTE-ACS. Based on clinical trial data, the cumulative probability of 30 day mortality, myocardial infarction (MI) and major bleeding were determined, and used to calculate the net clinical benefit (NCB) with and without pre-treatment. Sensitivity analysis was performed to assess the relationship between NCB and baseline ischemic risk, bleeding risk, time to angiography and local surgical revascularization rates. Pre-treatment with ticagrelor and clopidogrel was associated with a greater than 50% likelihood of providing a >1% increase in 30 day NCB when baseline estimated ischemic risk exceeds 11% and 14%, respectively. Prasugrel pre-treatment did not achieve a greater than 50% probability of an increase in NCB regardless of baseline ischemic risk. Institutional surgical revascularization rates and time to coronary angiography did not correlate with the likelihood of benefit from P2Y12 pre-treatment. In conclusion, pre-treatment with P2Y12 inhibition is unlikely to be beneficial to the majority of patients presenting with NSTE-ACS. A tailored assessment of each patient’s individual ischemic and bleeding risk may identify those likely to benefit.
Smoothing method for mathematical programs with symmetric cone complementarity constraints

In this article, we consider the mathematical program with symmetric cone complementarity constraints (MPSCCC) in a general form. It contains the mathematical program with second-order-cone complementarity constraints and the mathematical program with complementarity constraints. We present a smoothing method that approximates the primal MPSCCC by means of the Chen–Mangasarian class of smoothing functions. We show that a sequence of stationary points of the approximate programs converges to a C(larke)-stationary point of the primal MPSCCC under suitable conditions.
Media coverage of Robin Williams’ suicide in the United States: A contributor to contagion?

Evidence suggests that suicide rates can increase following the suicide of a prominent celebrity or peer, sometimes known as ‘suicide contagion’. The risk of contagion is especially high when media coverage is detailed and sensational. A recent study reported a 10% increase in U.S. suicides in the months following the suicide of comedian Robin Williams, who died in August 2014. The authors tentatively linked this increase to sensational media coverage; however, no content analysis of U.S. media was performed. As such, the aim of the present study is to formally examine the tone and content of U.S. newspaper coverage of Williams’ suicide. The primary objective is to assess adherence to suicide reporting guidelines in U.S. newspapers after his suicide. The secondary objective is to identify common emerging themes discussed in these articles. The tertiary objective is to compare patterns of results in the U.S media with those in the Canadian media. Articles about Williams’ suicide were collected from 10 U.S. newspapers in the 30-day period following his death using systematic retrieval software, which were then examined for adherence to suicide reporting recommendations. An inductive thematic analysis was also undertaken. A total of 63 articles were included in the study. We found that 100% of articles did not call it a ‘successful’ suicide, 96.8% did not use pejorative phrases and 71% did not say ‘commit’ suicide. However, only 11% included information about help-seeking, 27% tended to romanticize his suicide and 46% went into detail about the method. The most prominent emerging theme was Williams’ struggles with mental illness and addiction. These findings suggest that U.S. newspapers moderately adhered to best practice recommendations when reporting Williams’ suicide. Key recommendations were underapplied, which may have contributed to suicide contagion. New interventions targeting U.S. journalists and media may be needed to improve suicide reporting.
Impact of extreme prematurity or extreme low birth weight on young adult health and well-being: the Victorian Infant Collaborative Study (VICS) 1991–1992 Longitudinal Cohort study protocol

Introduction Infants born extremely preterm (EP, <28 weeks’ gestation) or with extremely low birth weight (ELBW,<1000 g) in the era when surfactant has been available clinically are at high risk of health and developmental problems in childhood and adolescence. However, how their health and well-being may be affected in adulthood is not well known. This study aims to compare between EP/ELBW and normal birthweight (NBW) controls: (1) physical health, mental health and socioemotional functioning at 25 years of age and (2) trajectories of these outcomes from childhood to adulthood. In addition, this study aims to identify risk factors in pregnancy, infancy, childhood and adolescence for poor physical health and well-being in EP/ELBW young adults. Methods and analysis The Victorian Infant Collaborative Study (VICS) is a prospective geographical cohort of all EP/ELBW survivors to 18 years of age born in the State of Victoria, Australia, from 1 January 1991 to 31 December 1992 (n=297) and contemporaneous term-born/NBW controls (n=262). Participants were recruited at birth and followed up at 2, 5, 8 and 18 years. This 25-year follow-up includes assessments of physical health (cardiovascular, respiratory and musculoskeletal), mental health and socioemotional functioning. Outcomes will be compared between the birth groups using linear and logistic regression, fitted using generalised estimating equations (GEEs). Trajectories of health outcomes from early childhood will be compared between the birth groups using linear mixed-effects models. Risk factors for adult outcomes will be assessed using linear and logistic regression (fitted using GEEs). Ethics and dissemination This study was approved by the Human Research Ethics Committees of the Royal Women’s Hospital, Mercy Hospital for Women, Monash Medical Centre and the Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne. Study outcomes will be disseminated through conference presentations, peer-reviewed publications, the internet and social media.
Fast and efficient contrast enhancement for real time video dehazing and defogging

The presence of bad weather conditions like fog and haze reduces the contrast of the videos. To overcome this problem, a real-time video dehazing and defogging was proposed. We proposed a new approach for estimating the airlight directly from the frame rather than from dark channel prior. Then, we set the threshold to eliminate the non-airlight intensities. In this work, coarse transmission map can be refined using median dark channel prior method. The results from experiment clarifies that the method which has been proposed is better and effective in comparison with the state-of-the-art approach. Quantitative results prove that our method reduces the computational complexity per frame significantly.
Rationale and design of BERLIN VT study: a multicenter randomised trial comparing preventive versus deferred ablation of ventricular tachycardia

Introduction Catheter ablation (CA) has shown to effectively reduce the burden of ventricular tachycardia in patients with implanted cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD). However, in patients with ICD implantation for secondary prevention of ventricular tachycardia (VT), the appropriate time point of CA and its effect on mortality and heart failure progression remains a matter of debate. Methods and analysis We present the design of the ongoing preventive aBlation of vEntriculartachycaRdia in patients with myocardiaLINfarction (BERLIN VT) study that aims to prospectively enrol 208 patients with a stable ischaemic cardiomyopathy, a left ventricular ejection fraction of 30% to 50% and documented ventricular tachycardia. Patients will be 1:1 randomised to undergo CA at the time of ICD implantation or CA after the third appropriate ICD shock for ventricular tachycardia. ICD implantation will be performed in all patients. The primary endpoint is defined as the time to first event comprising all-cause mortality and unplanned hospital admission for congestive heart failure or for symptomatic VT/ventricular fibrillation. The patients will be followed until study termination according to the event driven design. Completion of enrolment is expected for mid of 2019. Ethics and dissemination The study had been approved by the “Ethik-kommission der Landesärztekammer Hamburg” as well as the local institutional review boards for each of the participation sites. The results of the trial will be published in peer-reviewed journals Trial registration number NCT02501005.
The role of executive control in post-stroke aphasia treatment

ABSTRACT Executive control (EC) ability is increasingly emerging as an important predictor of post-stroke aphasia recovery. This study examined whether EC predicted immediate treatment gains, treatment maintenance and generalization after naming therapy in ten adults with mild to severe chronic post-stroke aphasia. Performance on multiple EC tasks allowed for the creation of composite scores for common EC, and the EC processes of shifting, inhibition and working memory (WM) updating. Participants were treated three times a week for five weeks with a phonological naming therapy; difference scores in naming accuracy of treated and untreated words (assessed pre, post, four- and eight-weeks after therapy) served as the primary outcome measures. Results from simple and multiple linear regressions indicate that individuals with better shifting and WM updating abilities demonstrated better maintenance of treated words at four-week follow-up, and those with better common EC demonstrated better maintenance of treated words at both four- and eight-week follow-ups. Better shifting ability also predicted better generalization to untreated words post-therapy. Measures of EC were not indicative of improvements on treated words immediately post-treatment, nor of generalization to untreated words at follow-up. Findings suggest that immediate treatment gains, maintenance and generalization may be supported by different underlying mechanisms.
Does the Leader's Ethnicity Matter? Ethnic Favoritism, Education, and Health in Sub-Saharan Africa

In this article we reassess the role of ethnic favoritism in sub-Saharan Africa. Using data from 18 African countries, we study how the primary education and infant mortality of ethnic groups were affected by changes in the ethnicity of the countries’ leaders during the last 50 years. Our results indicate that the effects of ethnic favoritism are large and widespread, thus providing support for ethnicity-based explanations of Africa's underdevelopment. We also conduct a cross-country analysis of ethnic favoritism in Africa. We find that ethnic favoritism is less prevalent in countries with one dominant religion. In addition, our evidence suggests that stronger fiscal capacity may have enabled African leaders to provide more ethnic favors in education but not in infant mortality. Finally, political factors, linguistic differences, and patterns of ethnic segregation are found to be poor predictors of ethnic favoritism.
Combined substrate micropatterning and FFT analysis reveals myotube size control and alignment by contact guidance

Most important evaluating criteria for in vitro skeletal muscle models include the extent of differentiation and the degree of alignment in the tissue model. Substrate micropatterning is considered as an effective tool as it recreates in vivo like cellular microenvironment and helps in understanding the fundamental concepts and mechanisms underlying myogenesis. However, the influence of micropatterning based contact guidance cues over satellite cell alignment and myotube formation needs to be explored and studied further. In the present work, we demonstrate the regulation of myotube size control and alignment through the substrate micropatterning. For this purpose, primary myoblast cells (i.e., satellite cells) isolated from rat hind limb muscle were characterized and cultured for a period of 14 days on micropatterned glass substrates processed by the microchannnel flowed plasma process. Several characteristic parameters of muscle differentiation, including the fusion index, maturation index, and average width of the myotubes were quantified. The functional behavior of cultured myotubes exhibiting spontaneous contractions was assessed through kymograph to determine the twitch frequency. In addition, we evaluated the degree of alignment of myotubes on micropatterned substrates through examining orientation order parameter and two‐dimensional fast Fourier transform analysis. Altogether, the outcomes reveal that the contact guidance cues arising due to micropatterning of the substrates could be a key regulator for controlling the size and degree of alignment of myotubes during the myogenesis process.
The Application of High Performance Computing to Solvency and Profitability Calculations for Life Assurance Contracts

In the UK, pension providers are required by law to demonstrate solvency on a regular basis; the regulations governing how solvency is demonstrated are changing. Historically, it has been sufficient to report solvency using a single `best estimate' set of assumptions. The new regulations require a Monte Carlo approach to finding a worst-case scenario that requires computing power which is outside the systems currently available in the industry. This paper aims to show that the new regulations could be met by moving away from current actuarial valuation software packages and producing well-performing ab initio code, employing a variety of HPC techniques. Using a combination of algorithmic improvements, serial optimisations and multi-core parallelism, we demonstrate a performance improvement over commercial software of a factor of over 105. We show that this brings the Monte Carlo simulations within the bounds of practicality, and we suggest possibilities for further improvements, for example using clusters of GPUs. We also identify other possible use cases for high performance solvency and profitability calculations.
The Role of Factor XI in Thrombin Generation Induced by Low Concentrations of Tissue Factor

Summary Thrombin generation has been studied in the plasma of severely factor XI deficient patients under conditions in which contact activation did not play a role. In platelet-rich as well as platelet-poor plasma, thrombin generation was dependent upon the presence of factor XI at tissue factor concentrations of between 1 and 20 pg/ml i.e. ~ 0.01 to 0.20% of the concentration normally present in the thromboplastin time determination. The requirement for factor XI is low; significant thrombin generation was seen at 1% factor XI; at 10%, thrombin formation was nearly normalised. A suspension of normal platelets in severely factor XI deficient plasma did not increase thrombin generation. This implies that there is no significant factor XI activity carried by normal platelets, although the presence of factor XI and factor XI inhibitors in platelets cannot be ruled out.
Right on track? Performance of satellite telemetry in terrestrial wildlife research

Satellite telemetry is an increasingly utilized technology in wildlife research, and current devices can track individual animal movements at unprecedented spatial and temporal resolutions. However, as we enter the golden age of satellite telemetry, we need an in-depth understanding of the main technological, species-specific and environmental factors that determine the success and failure of satellite tracking devices across species and habitats. Here, we assess the relative influence of such factors on the ability of satellite telemetry units to provide the expected amount and quality of data by analyzing data from over 3,000 devices deployed on 62 terrestrial species in 167 projects worldwide. We evaluate the success rate in obtaining GPS fixes as well as in transferring these fixes to the user and we evaluate failure rates. Average fix success and data transfer rates were high and were generally better predicted by species and unit characteristics, while environmental characteristics influenced the variability of performance. However, 48% of the unit deployments ended prematurely, half of them due to technical failure. Nonetheless, this study shows that the performance of satellite telemetry applications has shown improvements over time, and based on our findings, we provide further recommendations for both users and manufacturers.
Phase II Study of Bendamustine and Ofatumumab in Elderly Patients with Newly Diagnosed Diffuse Large B‐Cell Lymphoma Who Are Poor Candidates for R‐CHOP Chemotherapy

Abstract Lessons Learned. The combination of ofatumumab and bendamustine in elderly patients with diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma demonstrated modest efficacy compared with standard of care. The poor response may have been due to patient age and the high rate of treatment discontinuation. Background. This phase II trial evaluated the efficacy of bendamustine and ofatumumab in elderly patients with newly diagnosed diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) who were not candidates for rituximab cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine, and prednisone (R‐CHOP). Methods. Patients received IV 90 mg/m2 bendamustine on days 1 and 2 of cycles 1 through 6 and IV 1,000 mg ofatumumab on days 1 and 8 of cycle 1 and on day 1 of cycles 2 through 6. Both drugs were administered at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration‐approved dose for combination therapy. All patients received premedications before each infusion of ofatumumab and hematopoietic growth factors. Treatment was administered in 21‐day cycles, with restaging after cycle 3 and cycle 6. The primary endpoint was complete response rate (CRR). Results. Twelve of 21 enrolled patients completed treatment; median age was 83 years. The most common reasons for treatment discontinuation were disease progression (three patients), intercurrent illness (two patients), and death (one patient due to drug‐related sepsis and bowel necrosis and one patient due to unknown cause). Thrombocytopenia (14%), neutropenia (10%), diarrhea (10%), vomiting (10%), and dehydration (10%) were the most common grade ≥3 treatment‐related adverse events. The overall response rate was 90.5% and the CRR was 33.3%. Median progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 8.6 and 12.0 months, respectively. Conclusion. The combination of ofatumumab and bendamustine is feasible in elderly patients with DLBCL.
Variants in matrix metalloproteinase‐9 gene are associated with hemorrhagic transformation in acute ischemic stroke patients with atherothrombosis, small artery disease, and cardioembolic stroke

The potential effect of matrix metalloproteinase‐9 (MMP‐9) variants and these variants interactions on hemorrhagic transformation (HT) risk after ischemic stroke (IS) remain unclear. The aims of present study were to investigate the associations of six variants in MMP‐9 with HT, and these variants interactions whether related to increased HT risk.
Genome‐wide analysis reveals alcohol dehydrogenase 1C and secreted phosphoprotein 1 for prognostic biomarkers in lung adenocarcinoma

To seek out novel promising biomarkers for predicting lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) prognosis, we conducted this study. First, 279 upregulated and 37 downregulated differentially expressed genes were obtained from LUAD and para‐carcinoma tissues by the Affymetrix GeneChip Human Transcriptome Array. Then, we randomly classified samples of LUAD data set GSE31210 as training and testing sets in a 1:1 ratio. Alcohol dehydrogenase 1C (ADH1C) and secreted phosphoprotein 1 (SPP1) were finally identified correlating with the LUAD survival through least absolute shrinkage and selection operator penalized Cox proportion hazards regression model, and applied to build a 2‐gene signature related to prognosis in training set. Univariate and multivariable survival analyses suggested that overall survival (OS) and relapse‐free survival (RFS) in the 2‐gene signature low‐risk group were better than the high‐risk group. Kaplan–Meier curves proved that elevated ADH1C expression and reduced SPP1 expression were related to better OS and RFS. Besides, the SPP1 expressed higher in LUAD than para‐carcinoma tissues using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assay. Finally, the association between the two genes and clinicopathological parameters in 80 LUAD were analyzed, it is suggested that SPP1 was relevant to epidermal growth factor receptor mutation. These findings indicated that ADH1C and SPP1 might be novel promising biomarkers for predicting LUAD prognosis.