Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patients’ decision making to accept or decline an implantable cardioverter defibrillator for primary prevention of sudden cardiac death

Background Patients are offered implantable defibrillators (ICDs) for the prevention of sudden cardiac death (SCD). However, patients’ decision‐making process (DMP) of whether or not to accept an ICD has not been explored. We asked patients about their decision making when offered an ICD.
Fast transfer of channel state information in wireless systems

Knowledge of accurate and timely channel state information (CSI) at the transmitter is becoming increasingly important in wireless communication systems. While it is often assumed that the receiver (whether base station or mobile) needs to know the channel for accurate power control, scheduling, and data demodulation, it is now known that the transmitter (especially the base station) can also benefit greatly from this information. For example, recent results in multiantenna multiuser systems show that large throughput gains are possible when the base station uses multiple antennas and a known channel to transmit distinct messages simultaneously and selectively to many single-antenna users. In time-division duplex systems, where the base station and mobiles share the same frequency band for transmission, the base station can exploit reciprocity to obtain the forward channel from pilots received over the reverse channel. Frequency-division duplex systems are more difficult because the base station transmits and receives on different frequencies and therefore cannot use the received pilot to infer anything about the multiantenna transmit channel. Nevertheless, we show that the time occupied in frequency-duplex CSI transfer is generally less than one might expect and falls as the number of antennas increases. Thus, although the total amount of channel information increases with the number of antennas at the base station, the burden of learning this information at the base station paradoxically decreases. Thus, the advantages of having more antennas at the base station extend from having network gains to learning the channel information. We quantify our gains using linear analog modulation which avoids digitizing and coding the CSI and therefore can convey information very rapidly and can be readily analyzed. The old paradigm that it is not worth the effort to learn channel information at the transmitter should be revisited since the effort decreases and the gain increases with the number of antennas.
Evidence that the ratio of donor kidney weight to recipient body weight, donor age, and episodes of acute rejection correlate independently with live-donor graft function1,2

Background. We demonstrated that higher donor kidney weight-to-recipient body weight (KW/BW) ratio showed better graft function in acute rejection-free renal recipients. Methods. We investigated the impacts of KW/BW ratios on the graft function including acute rejection and donor’s age in 259 live-donor renal recipients. Renal parameters were measured yearly. Correlations between the variables and each parameter were assessed by mixed regression and analysis of variance. Results. Renal function showed a positive correlation with the KW/BW ratio, but an inverse correlation with the rejection episodes and donor’s age. The regression slope for serum creatinine or creatinine clearance by these covariants was consistent each year. On comparing the lower KW/BW ratios (<3.0) with higher ratios (≥4.5), the higher was associated with better graft function. Increased donor’s age was associated with worse graft function. Conclusions. KW/BW ratio, donor’s age, and the number of acute rejections are independent covariants for graft function.
Practical verification of WPA-TKIP vulnerabilities

We describe three attacks on the Wi-Fi Protected Access Temporal Key Integrity Protocol (WPA-TKIP). The first attack is a Denial of Service attack that can be executed by injecting only two frames every minute. The second attack demonstrates how fragmentation of 802.11 frames can be used to inject an arbitrary amount of packets, and we show that this can be used to perform a portscan on any client. The third attack enables an attacker to reset the internal state of the Michael algorithm. We show that this can be used to efficiently decrypt arbitrary packets sent towards a client. We also report on implementation vulnerabilities discovered in some wireless devices. Finally we demonstrate that our attacks can be executed in realistic environments.
Asset Liquidity and Stock Liquidity

Abstract We study the relation between asset liquidity and stock liquidity. Our model shows that the relation may be either positive or negative depending on parameter values. Asset liquidity improves stock liquidity more for firms that are less likely to reinvest their liquid assets (i.e., firms with less growth opportunities and financially constrained firms). Empirically, we find a positive and economically large relation between asset liquidity and stock liquidity. Consistent with our model, the relation is more positive for firms that are less likely to reinvest their liquid assets. Our results also shed light on the value of holding liquid assets.
Fact learning in complex arithmetic and figural‐spatial tasks: The role of the angular gyrus and its relation to mathematical competence

Neuroimaging studies have revealed a strong link between mental calculation and the angular gyrus (AG) which has been interpreted to reflect arithmetic fact retrieval. Moreover, a stronger AG activation in individuals with higher mathematical competence has been reported. The present fMRI study investigates the specificity of the AG for arithmetic fact learning and the interplay between training and mathematical competence on brain activation. Adults of lower and higher mathematical competence underwent a five‐day training on sets of complex multiplication and figural‐spatial problems. In the following fMRI test session, trained and untrained problems were presented. Similar training effects were observed in both problem types, consisting of AG activation increases bilaterally and wide‐spread activation decreases in frontal and parietal regions. This finding indicates that the AG is not specifically involved in the learning of arithmetic facts. Competence‐related differences in the AG only emerged in untrained but not in trained multiplication problems. The relation between AG activation and mathematical competence in arithmetic problem solving therefore seems to be due to differences in arithmetic fact retrieval which can be attenuated through training. Hum Brain Mapp 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Spatial Orientation on a Vertical Maze in Free-Ranging Fox Squirrels (Sciurus niger)

To determine how squirrels return to remembered locations in an arboreal environment, wild fox squirrels (Sciurus niger) were trained on an outdoor vertical maze. Squirrels were trained on 1 route and tested with all routes accessible. Possible mechanisms of spatial orientation were distinguished with manipulations such as rotations, shifts, and blocked routes. Squirrels consistently used an extra-maze, allothetic frame of reference to orient and appeared to organize their memory of the route hierarchically. This study demonstrates that a laboratory technique, the maze, can be successfully brought into the field to measure mechanisms of spatial orientation under natural conditions in free-ranging wild rodents. Such studies will allow researchers to determine what kind of spatial information is acquired by wild animals under natural conditions and how this information is used. The coding of space by the rodent has been at the heart of many controversies in comparative psychology, starting with the debate over place versus response learning (Hull, 1934; Tolman, 1948) and continuing in the debate over the role of the hippocampus in computing a cognitive map (Eichenbaum, Cohen, Otto, & Wible, 1992; Munn, 1950; Nadel, 1991; O'Keefe & Nadel, 1978; Olton, Becker, & Handelmann, 1979). Yet despite decades of study, determining precisely how rodents create maps of their environment is still controversial (McNaughton et al., 1996), perhaps because animals do not use a single mechanism or strategy but rely on multiple, redundant sets of cues for spatial orientation (Schone, 1984; Wehner, Michel, & Antonsen, 1996). Cues used in spatial orientation range from the simple beacon that coincides with the goal, to local cues that are associated with a distance from the goal, to the incorporation of many cues into an external frame of reference within which a rodent may relate one object to another (Collett, Cartwright, & Smith, 1986). The frame of reference may be of two types: ideothetic (i.e., egocentric), in which positions
Making Community: The Wider Role of Makerspaces in Public Life

Makerspaces public workshops where makers can share tools and knowledge are a growing resource for amateurs and professionals alike. While the role of makerspaces in innovation and peer learning is widely discussed, we attempt to look at the wider roles that makerspaces play in public life. Through site visits and interviews at makerspaces and similar facilities across the UK, we have identified additional roles that these spaces play: as social spaces, in supporting wellbeing, by serving the needs of the communities they are located in and by reaching out to excluded groups. Based on these findings, we suggest implications and future directions for both makerspace organisers and community researchers.
Regulation of PP2A by Sphingolipid Metabolism and Signaling

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a serine/threonine phosphatase that is a primary regulator of cellular proliferation through targeting of proliferative kinases, cell cycle regulators, and apoptosis inhibitors. It is through the regulation of these regulatory elements that gives PP2A tumor suppressor functions. In addition to mutations on the regulatory subunits, the phosphatase/tumor suppressing activity of PP2A is also inhibited in several cancer types due to overexpression or modification of the endogenous PP2A inhibitors such as SET/I2PP2A. This review focuses on the current literature regarding the interactions between the lipid signaling molecules, selectively sphingolipids, and the PP2A inhibitor SET for the regulation of PP2A, and the therapeutic potential of sphingolipids as PP2A activators for tumor suppression via targeting SET oncoprotein.
Spinal injuries in the Plateau State, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVE To highlight the epidemiology, management and outcome of spinal cord injuries (SCI) in the Plateau State of Nigeria. DESIGN A retrospective study involving case note analysis of all patients with SCI admitted into the hospital. SETTING The study was carried out at the Jos University Teaching Hospital to cover January 1984 and December, 1997. SUBJECTS Sixty eight cases of SCI were studied. INTERVENTIONS Patients were managed by conservative and operative interventions especially in cervical subluxations involving C5 on C6. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Neurological function was assessed employing Frankel scale. RESULTS There was an increased hospital incidence for SCI between 1994 and 1997. Means age of presentation was 30 years and sex ratio M:F was 10:1. Vehicular accidents accounting for 49 per cent of SCIs and collapsed tunnels (26 per cent) were the two common causes. Fracture dislocation of the spine (unstable) occurred in 52 per cent and flexion wedge fractures (stable) in 14 per cent. Ten per cent of patients had no neural deficits at presentation, 21 per cent had partial cord lesions and 69 per cent complete cord lesions. Hospital mortality was 26 per cent. The four patients subjected to posterior spinal fusion, (Frankel A to E) including 8 other patients that were conservatively managed. CONCLUSION Centres for spinal injuries should be established incorporating hospital wards, theatres, gymnasia, nursing units, occupational therapy units, activity centres and workshops. These centres will generate comprehensive data on morbidity and morality needed for future planning.
Correlates of self-regulation for physical activity among older adults.

OBJECTIVES To examine correlates of self-regulation (personal regulation of goal-directed behavior or performance) for physical activity (PA) in older adults. METHODS A convenience sample (N=296) of older adults was surveyed (M age=70.4 years). RESULTS Hierarchical regression analyses revealed current PA engagement and sets of sociodemographic, health-related, and theoretical variables as independent correlates of self-regulation (model R2 = 37%, P < 0.0001). In the final model, female gender, older age, social support, self-efficacy, and greater PA were positive, independent correlates. CONCLUSIONS Self-regulatory strategies are vital to PA promotion across the life span. Therefore, it is important to understand factors associated with self-regulation and use this information for intervention design and implementation.
["It was worth it when I saw his face": experiences of primiparous women during natural childbirth].

OBJECTIVE to know the experiences of primiparous women regarding the care practices provided by nursing professionals during natural childbirth. METHOD a qualitative, descriptive study, conducted with ten primiparous mothers at a maternity hospital in the interior of Rio Grande do Sul, between February and April 2014, based on individual semi-structured interviews. The data were submitted to thematic content analysis according to the operative proposal. RESULTS the data were grouped into the following categories: The fear of not being able to give birth naturally and the encouragement of the nursing staff; The experience of pain in natural childbirth; Support versus distance; Good or bad childbirth experience? "It was worth it in the end! " CONCLUSIONS the provided care has a direct impact on the experience and how the women cope with the process of childbirth.
Application of the basophil activation test in the analysis of allergic transfusion reactions

Allergic reactions, which are mediated by mast cells and/or basophils, are the most common adverse effects associated with transfusion, particularly with use of platelet concentrates (PCs). In general, the activation of mast cells/basophils and their subsequent histamine release are mediated via two pathways: the allergendependent and allergen-independent pathways. In the latter, biologic response modifiers (BRMs), such as bacterial components, activated complement components, cytokines and chemokines directly activate mast cells/basophils. Although allergens in blood components may include food or medications ingested by the donor immediately before blood collection, such specific allergens have not been identified. Indeed, the only allergens identified in blood components are plasma proteins including IgA, haptoglobin and C4; transfusion to patients who are deficient in those plasma proteins reportedly causes serious allergic reactions. Besides such cases with plasma protein deficiency, allergic reactions after PC transfusion are likely to be elicited mainly via the allergen-independent pathway by BRMs that are present or accumulated in PCs, although the roles of BRMs in this pathway remain largely unknown (Cognasse et al., 2006; Blumberg et al., 2006; Wakamoto et al., 2003). In addition, because allergic transfusion reactions are diagnosed based on symptoms, it is often difficult to determine whether the transfused PCs are causative or whether the reactions are, in actuality, allergic in nature. These difficulties are partly because of the lack of an assay system with which activation of mast cells/basophils can be assessed. Fortunately, however, a simple test called the basophil activation test (BAT) has recently been developed for managing allergic diseases. In the test, whole blood is incubated with an allergen, and subsequent basophil activation is assessed using flow cytometry based on upregulation of cell degranulation/activation markers, CD63 or CD203c (Boumiza et al., 2005; Bühring et al., 1999). In this study, using
A STUDY OF HEAD RICE YIELD REDUCTION OF LONG- AND MEDIUM-GRAIN RICE VARIETIES IN RELATION TO VARIOUS HARVEST AND DRYING CONDITIONS

In this research, the effects of harvest moisture content (HMC), harvest location, variety difference, and heated-air drying conditions on head rice yield reduction (HRYR) of long-grain (Kaybonnet and Cypress) and medium-grain (Bengal) varieties were investigated. The rice was harvested at moisture contents (MCs) of approximately 16 to 26% from two locations (Stuttgart and Keiser, Arkansas). The rough rice was dried under three conditions: 43.5°C, 38% relative humidity (RH), 9.5% equilibrium moisture content (EMC); 51.7°C, 25% RH, 7.3% EMC; and 60°C, 17% RH, 5.8% EMC. The results indicated that variety, HMC, drying condition, and drying duration had significant interactive effects on the HRYR during drying. Medium-grain Bengal rice exhibited more HRYR than did long-grain Cypress or Kaybonnet rice under a given drying condition. The results further indicated that a decrease in MC of rice at the early drying stages did not substantially affect the HRY until a certain MC level was reached. It appeared in this study that the amount of moisture that could be removed without affecting HRY increased as harvest MC increased.
HIV-1 Diversity, Drug-Resistant Mutations, and Viral Evolution among High-Risk Individuals in Phase II HIV Vaccine Trial Sites in Southern China

HIV-1 prevalence in Guangxi, China, has been growing since 1996, when the first case was reported. Over half of HIV-1 positive patients in Guangxi Province were injecting drug users (IDUs), possibly because of the province’s location near drug-trafficking routes. Since a phase II HIV vaccine trial is ongoing there, a current characterization of the subtypes of HIV-1 among IDUs in Guangxi would provide critical information for future HIV vaccine trials, as well as further control and prevention of HIV-1 transmission. Thus, we conducted a molecular epidemiological investigation of HIV-1 samples from 2008–2010 among IDUs in multiple cities in Guangxi Province. Our results, based on the gag/pol fragment, indicated a very high proportion (78.47%) of HIV-1 CRF08_BC recombinants, some CRF01_AE (15.38%) recombinants, and a low proportion of CRF07_BC (6.15%) recombinants among the IDUs. The high proportion of CRF08 HIV-1 strains among recent IDUs matches the vaccine candidate constructs. However, future vaccine development should also incorporate CRF01-targeted vaccine candidates. Distinct Env sequence evolution patterns were observed for CRF08_BC and CRF01_AE, indicating that different local selection pressures have been exerted on these two HIV-1 subtypes. Unique drug-resistant mutations were also detected, and our data indicate that HIV treatment programs should consider pre-existing drug-resistant mutations.
Retinal sensitivity to flicker modulation: reduced by early age-related maculopathy.

PURPOSE To evaluate retinal, cone-mediated flicker sensitivity (CFS) in age-related maculopathy (ARM) by quantifying response gain and threshold of the focal electroretinogram (FERG) to flicker modulation. METHODS Nineteen patients with ARM (visual acuity > or =20/30) and 11 age-matched control subjects were examined. Twelve patients had less than 20 soft drusen in the macular region and no hyper-/hypopigmentation (early lesion), whereas seven had more than 20 soft drusen and/or focal hyper-/hypopigmentation (advanced lesion). Macular (18 degree ) FERGs were elicited by a sinusoidally flickering (41 Hz) uniform field (on a light-adapting background) whose modulation depth was varied between 16.5% and 94%. Amplitude and phase of the response's fundamental harmonic were measured. RESULTS In both control subjects and patients with ARM, log FERG amplitude increased with log stimulus modulation depth with a straight line (power law) relation. However, the slope (or gain) of the function was, on average, steeper in control subjects than in patients with either early or advanced lesions. Mean FERG threshold, estimated from the value of the log modulation depth that yielded a criterion response, did not differ between control subjects and patients with early lesions but was increased (0.35 log units) compared with control subjects in those with advanced lesions. In both patient groups, but not in control subjects, mean FERG phase tended to delay with decreasing stimulus modulation depth. CONCLUSIONS Retinal CFS losses can be detected in ARM by evaluating the FERG as a function of flicker modulation depth. Reduced response gain and phase delays, with normal thresholds, are associated with early lesions. Increased response thresholds, in addition to gain and phase abnormalities, may reflect more advanced lesions. Evaluating CFS by FERG may directly document different stages of macular dysfunction in ARM.
Diagnosing Unreachable States Using Property Directed Reachability

In the modern design cycle, substantial manual effort is required to correct errors found when verification reveals an unreachable state. This work introduces two methodologies to automate this task. Given an unreachable target state, both methodologies return a set of design locations where changes can be implemented to make the target state reachable (i.e., solutions). The first methodology uses intertwined steps of reachable state-space approximation, property checking, and traditional debugging to compute a subset of the solutions that make the target state reachable in some fixed number of clock cycles. The second methodology uses property-directed reachability with an enhanced version of the circuit’s transition relation to compute the complete set of solutions to the problem. As an additional benefit, it returns an inductive invariant proving that no further solution(s) exist. The completeness of the approach comes at the cost of increased runtime when compared to the first methodology. Empirical results on industrial designs confirm the effectiveness of both approaches.
Simulations of AGN Feedback in Galaxy Clusters and Groups: Impact on Gas Fractions and the LX-T Scaling Relation

Recently, rapid observational and theoretical progress has established that black holes (BHs) play a decisive role in the formation and evolution of individual galaxies as well as galaxy groups and clusters. In particular, there is compelling evidence that BHs vigorously interact with their surroundings in the central regions of galaxy clusters, indicating that any realistic model of cluster formation needs to account for these processes. This is also suggested by the failure of previous generations of hydrodynamical simulations without BH physics to simultaneously account for the paucity of strong cooling flows in clusters, the slope and amplitude of the observed cluster scaling relations, and the high-luminosity cutoff of central cluster galaxies. Here we use high-resolution cosmological simulations of a large cluster and group sample to study how BHs affect their host systems. We focus on two specific properties, the halo gas fraction and the X-ray luminosity-temperature scaling relation, both of which are notoriously difficult to reproduce in self-consistent hydrodynamical simulations. We show that BH feedback can solve both of these issues, bringing them in excellent agreement with observations, without alluding to the “cooling only” solution that produces unphysically bright central galaxies. By comparing a large sample of simulated AGN-heated clusters with observations, our new simulation technique should make it possible to reliably calibrate observational biases in cluster surveys, thereby enabling various high-precision cosmological studies of the dark matter and dark energy content of the universe.