Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Caesarean Delivery and Postpartum Maternal Mortality: A Population-Based Case Control Study in Brazil

Background Cesarean delivery rates continue to increase worldwide and reached 57% in Brazil in 2014. Although the safety of this surgery has improved in the last decades, this trend is a concern because it carries potential risks to women’s health and may be a modifiable risk factor of maternal mortality. This paper aims to investigate the risk of postpartum maternal death directly associated with cesarean delivery in comparison to vaginal delivery in Brazil. Methods This was a population-based case—control study performed in eight Brazilian states. To control for indication bias, deaths due to antenatal morbidity were excluded. We included 73 cases of postpartum maternal deaths from 2009–2012. Controls were selected from the Birth in Brazil Study, a 2011 nationwide survey including 9,221 postpartum women. We examined the association of cesarean section and postpartum maternal death by multivariate logistic regression, adjusting for confounders. Results After controlling for indication bias and confounders, the risk of postpartum maternal death was almost three-fold higher with cesarean than vaginal delivery (OR 2.87, 95% CI 1.63–5.06), mainly due to deaths from postpartum hemorrhage and complications of anesthesia. Conclusion Cesarean delivery is an independent risk factor of postpartum maternal death. Clinicians and patients should consider this fact in balancing the benefits and risks of the procedure.
Superresolution of ultrasound images using the first and second harmonic signal

This paper presents a new method of blind two-dimensional (2-D) homomorphic deconvolution and speckle reduction applied to medical ultrasound images. The deconvolution technique is based on an improved 2-D phase unwrapping scheme for pulse estimation. The input images are decomposed into minimum-phase and allpass components. The 2-D phase unwrapping is applied only to the allpass component. The 2-D phase of the minimum-phase component is derived by a Hilbert transform. The accuracy of 2-D phase unwrapping is also improved by processing small (16/spl times/16 pixels) overlapping subimages separately. This takes the spatial variance of the ultrasound pulse into account. The deconvolution algorithm is applied separately to the first and second harmonic images, producing much sharper images of approximately the same resolution and different speckle patterns. Speckle reduction is made by adding the envelope images of the deconvolved first and second harmonic images. Neither the spatial resolution nor the frame rate decreases, as the common compounding speckle reduction techniques do. The method is tested on sequences of clinical ultrasound images, resulting in high-resolution ultrasound images with reduced speckle noise.
Spreading of Heterochromatin Is Limited to Specific Families of Maize Retrotransposons

Transposable elements (TEs) have the potential to act as controlling elements to influence the expression of genes and are often subject to heterochromatic silencing. The current paradigm suggests that heterochromatic silencing can spread beyond the borders of TEs and influence the chromatin state of neighboring low-copy sequences. This would allow TEs to condition obligatory or facilitated epialleles and act as controlling elements. The maize genome contains numerous families of class I TEs (retrotransposons) that are present in moderate to high copy numbers, and many are found in regions near genes, which provides an opportunity to test whether the spreading of heterochromatin from retrotransposons is prevalent. We have investigated the extent of heterochromatin spreading into DNA flanking each family of retrotransposons by profiling DNA methylation and di-methylation of lysine 9 of histone 3 (H3K9me2) in low-copy regions of the maize genome. The effects of different retrotransposon families on local chromatin are highly variable. Some retrotransposon families exhibit enrichment of heterochromatic marks within 800–1,200 base pairs of insertion sites, while other families exhibit very little evidence for the spreading of heterochromatic marks. The analysis of chromatin state in genotypes that lack specific insertions suggests that the heterochromatin in low-copy DNA flanking retrotransposons often results from the spreading of silencing marks rather than insertion-site preferences. Genes located near TEs that exhibit spreading of heterochromatin tend to be expressed at lower levels than other genes. Our findings suggest that a subset of retrotransposon families may act as controlling elements influencing neighboring sequences, while the majority of retrotransposons have little effect on flanking sequences.
Differential neuronal expression of c‐fos proto‐oncogene following peripheral nerve injury or chemically‐induced seizure

Previous work by others has demonstrated that neocortical injury results in the induction of c‐fos proto‐oncogene both at and distal to the site of injury. However, secondary effects of focal brain injury, such as spreading depression and seizure activity, also have been shown to induce the expression of c‐fos. Thus, it is unclear whether the stimulus inducing c‐fos expression after generalized brain trauma is direct neuronal injury or associated, secondary effects of injury. In this study, we tested the hypothesis that a specific axonal disconnection would induce the expression of c‐fos proto‐oncogene in the injured neurons. The injury paradigm that was used was peripheral axotomy of rodent facial motoneurons. The right facial nerve was severed distal to the stylomastoid foramen, with the left side serving as an internal control. As positive controls, in a separate group of animals, seizures were invoked using bicucullin administered intraperitoneally. At the end of postoperative survival times ranging from 30 min to 24 hr, the animals were sacrificed. For northern blot analysis using a c‐fos cDNA probe, total RNA was isolated from the dissected facial nuclear groups in the injury experiments, or whole brain and neocortex in the seizure experiments. For immunocytochemical analysis using a battery of c‐fos antibodies, the animals were perfused with paraformaldehyde and processed for routine light microscope immunocytochemistry. In the bicucullin‐injected animals, c‐fos mRNA was massively induced in whole brain in a manner proportional to the overall level of gross seizure activity. The localization of the c‐fos expression occurred primarily in neurons within the neocortex. In the axotomized facial motoneurons, no induction of c‐fos mRNA or protein was found to occur at any of the timepoints examined and no basal expression of c‐fos was observed in the uninjured motoneurons. The results suggest that the rapid induction of c‐fos proto‐oncogene product is not a specific component of the nerve cell body response to injury.
Lectin staining of renal cell tumours with special emphasis on oncocytomas

There are conflicting results respecting the segmental tubular origin of renal oncocytomas, a type of tumour said to be highly differentiated and benign, though metastases have been described. The aim of this study was, by applying different lectins on renal cell carcinomas (n = 50) and oncocytomas (n=12), to search for patterns which could indicate a specific segmental origin of oncocytomas and perhaps elucidate the differentiation of this tumour. The following lectins were applied: jacalin, peanut agglutinin (PNA), wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), phytohemagglutinin E (PHA‐E), concanavalin A (Con A), and Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA). The results show that oncocytomas are positive when jacalin, a Lectin that stains distal tubules and collecting tubules, is used, supporting the view that the tumour derives from distal or collecting tubules. The staining of the oncocytomas is generally polarized as in normal kidney tubules underlining that the tumour is highly differentiated. Two oncocytomas with aggressive behaviour showed areas with a diffuse pattern suggesting lower differentiation.
Evidence for Higgs Boson Decays to the τ+τ− Final State with the ATLAS Detector

A search for the Higgs boson with a mass of about 125 GeV decayi ng into a pair of τ leptons is performed with a data sample of proton-proton col lisi ns, corresponding to an integrated luminosity of L = 20.3 fb−1, collected with the ATLAS detector at the LHC at a centre-of-mass energy of √ s = 8 TeV. Final states in all τ decay combinations (both hadronic and leptonic) are examined. The observ ed (expected) deviation from the background-only hypothesis corresponds to a significan ce of 4.1 (3.2) standard deviations, and the measured signal strength is μ = 1.4+0.5 −0.4. This is evidence for the existence of H → τ+τ− decays, consistent with the Standard Model expectation for a Higgs boson with mH = 125 GeV. c © Copyright 2013 CERN for the benefit of the ATLAS Collaboratio n. Reproduction of this article or parts of it is allowed as spec ifi d in the CC-BY-3.0 license.
Immunization with extracellular proteins of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induces cell-mediated immune responses and substantial protective immunity in a guinea pig model of pulmonary tuberculosis

We have studied the capacity of a selected fraction of Mycobacterium tuberculosis extracellular proteins (EP) released into broth culture by mid-logarithmic-growth-phase organisms to induce cell-mediated immune responses and protective immunity in a guinea pig model of pulmonary tuberculosis. Guinea pigs infected with M. tuberculosis by aerosol but not uninfected control guinea pigs exhibit strong cell-mediated immune responses to EP, manifest by dose-dependent cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity and splenic lymphocyte proliferation. Guinea pigs immunized subcutaneously with EP but not sham-immunized control guinea pigs also develop strong cell-mediated immune responses to EP, manifest by dose-dependent cutaneous delayed-type hypersensitivity and splenic lymphocyte proliferation. EP is nonlethal and nontoxic to guinea pigs upon subcutaneous immunization. Guinea pigs immunized with EP and then challenged with aerosolized M. tuberculosis exhibit protective immunity. In five independent experiments, EP-immunized guinea pigs were consistently protected against clinical illness, including weight loss. Compared with EP-immunized guinea pigs, sham-immunized control guinea pigs lost 12.9 +/- 2.0% (mean +/- SE) of their total weight. EP-immunized guinea pigs also had a 10-fold reduction in viable M. tuberculosis bacilli in their lungs and spleens (P = 0.004 and 0.001, respectively) compared with sham-immunized control animals. In the two experiments in which some guinea pigs died after aerosol challenge, EP-immunized animals were protected from death. Whereas all 12 (100%) EP-immunized guinea pigs survived challenge with aerosolized M. tuberculosis, only 6 of 12 (50%) sham-immunized control guinea pigs survived challenge (P = 0.007, Fisher exact test). This study demonstrates that actively growing M. tuberculosis cells release immunoprotective molecules extracellularly, that a subunit vaccine against tuberculosis is feasible, and that extracellular molecules of M. tuberculosis are potential candidates for a subunit vaccine.
Several classes of optimal ternary cyclic codes

Cyclic codes have efficient encoding and decoding algorithms over finite fields, so that they have practical applications in communication systems, consumer electronics and data storage systems. The objective of this paper is to give eight new classes of optimal ternary cyclic codes with parameters $[3^m-1,3^m-1-2m,4]$, according to a result on the non-existence of solutions to a certain equation over $F_{3^m}$. It is worth noticing that some recent conclusions on such optimal ternary cyclic codes are some special cases of our work. More importantly, three of the nine open problems proposed by Ding and Helleseth in [8] are solved completely. In addition, another one among the nine open problems is also promoted.
Androgen insensitivity syndrome: a survey of diagnostic procedures and management in the UK

OBJECTIVE A two year survey of androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) to assess current diagnostic and management strategies. METHODS Cases were ascertained by inclusion on the British Paediatric Surveillance Unit monthly report card for 24 months. RESULTS Fifty one of 139 notifications were confirmed as AIS; 29 cases were complete AIS and 22 cases partial AIS. Seventy six per cent of complete AIS presented with an inguinal hernia, and half the complete AIS patients had an established family history of the disorder. Presentation in the partial AIS group was through ambiguous or undermasculinised genitalia; 59% of partial AIS were raised as male. CONCLUSIONS The importance of karyotyping girls with inguinal hernias is confirmed, and further attention should be given to genetic counselling for families of complete AIS patients. A large number of cases were misreported as partial AIS, emphasising the importance of undertaking a comprehensive diagnostic evaluation in intersex states. A large percentage of children with partial AIS were raised as boys despite severe genital undermasculinisation, indicating the current lack of validated measures that predict genital response to androgen treatment. The management of AIS is discussed and diagnostic guidelines provided to improve the diagnostic yield in AIS. Key messages A karyotype is essential infants with suspected hernias Further attention to genetic counselling is needed for complete AIS patients to improve case ascertainment in subsequent generations Management of suspected partial AIS should involve a specific sequence of clinical, radiological, biochemical, and molecular investigations (fig 1)
Depressive symptoms and smoking among Hong Kong Chinese adolescents.

AIMS To examine associations among depressive symptoms, smoking, smoking trajectories and quitting smoking in Hong Kong. DESIGN Prospective longitudinal design, with wave 1 at baseline (T1) and wave 2 (T2) 12 months later. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS Form 1 (equivalent to 7th grade in the United States) students, mean age = 12.7 years, n = 1894. MEASUREMENTS Self-reported smoking status, attempts to quit and depressive symptoms. FINDINGS At both waves, current as well as ex-smokers had higher depressive symptoms than never smokers. T1 smoking predicted T2 depressive symptoms among those with low baseline depressive symptoms. Depressive symptoms at T1 predicted smoking at T2 among non-smokers at T1. Trajectories were defined by separating participants who were never smokers at both waves ('non-smokers'), those who smoked at both waves ('persistent smokers'), those who smoked at one time but were not smoking at either wave ('past smokers), and those who had never smoked at T1 but reported smoking a year later ('new smokers'). Persistent, past and new smokers had higher depressive symptoms at both waves than non-smokers. Smokers who reported not wanting or trying to quit and those who had been unsuccessful at quitting had higher depressive symptoms at T2 than those who successfully quit. CONCLUSION Our results suggest that depressive symptoms promote tobacco use in Asian adolescents by making it more likely that an adolescent will begin smoking and less likely that she or he will quit. These findings elucidate risk factors in Hong Kong for two important public health concerns for adolescents: smoking and depression.
Structural study of TcaR and its complexes with multiple antibiotics from Staphylococcus epidermidis

TcaR and IcaR are a weak and a strong negative regulator of transcription of the ica locus, respectively, and their presence prevents the poly-N-acetylglucosamine production and biofilm formation in Staphylococcus epidermidis. Although TcaR was shown to interact with the ica promoter, the precise binding region and the mechanism of interaction remained unclear. Here we present the 3D structure of TcaR in its apo form and in complex with salicylate as well as several aminoglycoside and β-lactam antibiotics. A comparison of the native and complex TcaR structures indicates that the mechanism of regulation involves a large conformational change in the DNA-binding lobe. Here, we deduced the consensus binding sequence of two [∼TTNNAA] hexamers embedded in a 16 bp sequence for a TcaR dimer. Six TcaR dimers bind specifically to three approximately 33 bp segments close to the IcaR binding region with varying affinities, and their repressor activity is directly interfered by salicylate and different classes of natural antimicrobial compounds. We also found in this study that the antimicrobial compounds we tested were shown not only to inhibit TcaR–DNA interaction but also to further induce biofilm formation in S. epidermidis in our in vivo assay. The results support a general mechanism for antibiotics in regulating TcaR–DNA interaction and thereby help understand the effect of antibiotic exposure on bacterial antibiotic resistance through biofilm formation.
Error and Erasure Decoding of Rank-Codes with a Modified Berlekamp-Massey Algorithm

This paper investigates error and erasure decoding methods for codes with maximum rank distance. These codes can be used for correcting column and row errors and erasures in an ( ) array. Such errors occur e.g. in magnetic tape recording or in memory chip arrays. For maximum rank distance codes (Rank-Codes), there exists a decoding algorithm similar to the Peterson-Gorenstein-Zierler technique for Reed-Solomon codes and a decoding method based on Euclid’s Division algorithm. In this paper we introduce a modified Berlekamp-Massey algorithm for the decoding of rank errors and extend it for row erasures and rank errors. Also, we investigate a decoding algorithm for both row and column erasures and rank errors.
Quantum decoherence and classical correlation in quantum mechanics.

We study two conditions for the quantum system to behave classically: decoherence in the quantum interference and the establishment of the classical trajectory in phase space. We show, despite the fact that these two conditions partially conflict with each other, the upside-down harmonic oscillator with a diffusion term satisfies them simultaneously. The implications for quantum cosmology and the measurement theory of quantum mechanics are given.
Designing the Solution: The Impact of Constraints on Consumers' Creativity

Across a variety of domains, consumers often choose to act as the designer of their own solution, sourcing the necessary components and assembling the parts to meet their specific goals. While thinking creatively is an integral part in the daily life of every consumer, surprisingly little research in marketing has examined the factors influencing such processes. In our research, we examine how input and time constraints influence the way in which consumers process information during a creative task and how those processes, in turn, influence the creativity of the solution. Paradoxically, we find that input constraints encourage more creative processing, provided the individual is not under significant time constraints.
Local Langlands correspondence in rigid families

We show that local-global compatibility (at split primes) away from $p$ holds at all points of the $p$-adic eigenvariety of a definite $n$-variable unitary group. The novelty is we allow non-classical points, possibly non-\'{e}tale over weight space. More precisely we interpolate the local Langlands correspondence for GL(n) across the eigenvariety by considering the fibers of its defining coherent sheaf. We employ techniques of Scholze from his new approach to the local Langlands conjecture.
How do dentists and their teams incorporate evidence about preventive care? An empirical study.

OBJECTIVES To identify how dentists and their teams adopt evidence-based preventive care. METHODS A qualitative study using grounded theory methodology was conducted. We interviewed 23 participants working in eight dental practices about their experience and work processes, while adopting evidence-based preventive care. During the study, Charmaz's grounded theory methodology was employed to examine the social process of adopting preventive dental care in dental practices. Charmaz's iteration of the constant comparative method was used during the data analysis. This involved coding of interview transcripts, detailed memo-writing and drawing diagrams. The transcripts were analyzed as soon as possible after each round of interviews in each dental practice. Coding was conducted primarily by AS, supported by team meetings and discussions when researchers compared their interpretations. RESULTS Participants engaged in a slow process of adapting evidence-based protocols and guidelines to the existing logistics of the practices. This process was influenced by practical, philosophical, and historical aspects of dental care, and a range of barriers and facilitators. In particular, dentists spoke spontaneously about two deeply held 'rules' underpinning continued restorative treatment, which acted as barriers to provide preventive care: (i) dentists believed that some patients were too 'unreliable' to benefit from prevention; and (ii) dentists believed that patients thought that only tangible restorative treatment offered 'value for money'. During the adaptation process, some dentists and teams transitioned from their initial state - selling restorative care - through an intermediary stage - learning by doing and educating patients about the importance of preventive care - and finally to a stage where they were offering patients more than just restorative care. Resources were needed for the adaptation process to occur, including: the ability to maintain the financial viability of the practice, appropriate technology, time, and supportive dental team relationships. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study show that with considerable effort, motivation and coordination, it is possible for dental practices to work against the dental 'mainstream' and implement prevention as their clinical norm. This study has shown that dental practice is not purely scientific, but it includes cultural, social, and economic resources that interfere with the provision of preventive care.
Advertising versus Brokerage Model for Online Trading Platforms

The two leading online consumer-to-consumer platforms use very different revenue models: eBay.com in the United States uses a brokerage model in which sellers pay eBay on a transaction basis, whereas Taobao.com in China uses an advertising model in which sellers can use basic platform service for free and pay Taobao for advertising service to increase their exposure. This paper studies how the revenue model affects a platform's revenue, buyers' payoffs, sellers' payoffs, and social welfare. We find that matching probability on a platform plays a critical role in determining which revenue model can generate more revenue for the platform, provided a significant proportion of space being dedicated to advertising under the advertising model: If the matching probability is high, the brokerage model generates more revenue for the platform than the advertising model; otherwise, the advertising model generates more revenue. Buyers are always better off under the advertising model because of larger participation by the sellers for the platform's free service. Sellers are better off under the advertising model in most scenarios. The only exception is that when the matching probability is low and platform dedicates a large space to advertising. Under these conditions, those sellers having the payoffs similar to the marginal advertiser (who is indifferent in advertising or not) can be worse off under the advertising model. Lastly, the advertising model generates more social welfare than the brokerage model.