Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Procalcitonin increase in early identification of critically ill patients at high risk of mortality*

Objective:To investigate day-by-day changes in procalcitonin and maximum obtained levels as predictors of mortality in critically ill patients. Design:Prospective observational cohort study. Setting:Multidisciplinary intensive care unit at Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen University Hospital, a tertiary reference hospital in Denmark. Patients:Four hundred seventy-two patients with diverse comorbidity and age admitted to this intensive care unit. Interventions:Equal in all patient groups: antimicrobial treatment adjusted according to the procalcitonin level. Measurements and Main Results:Daily procalcitonin measurements were carried out during the study period as well as measurements of white blood cell count and C-reactive protein and registration of comorbidity. The primary end point was all-cause mortality in a 90-day follow-up period. Secondary end points were mortality during the stay in the intensive care unit and in a 30-day follow-up period. A total of 3,642 procalcitonin measurements were evaluated in 472 critically ill patients. We found that a high maximum procalcitonin level and a procalcitonin increase for 1 day were independent predictors of 90-day all-cause mortality in the multivariate Cox regression analysis model. C-reactive protein and leukocyte increases did not show these qualities. The adjusted hazard ratio for procalcitonin increase for 1 day was 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.3–2.7). The relative risk for mortality in the intensive care unit for patients with an increasing procalcitonin was as follows: after 1 day increase, 1.8 (95% confidence interval 1.4–2.4); after 2 days increase, 2.2 (95% confidence interval 1.6–3.0); and after 3 days increase: 2.8 (95% confidence interval 2.0–3.8). Conclusions:A high maximum procalcitonin level and a procalcitonin increase for 1 day are early independent predictors of all-cause mortality in a 90-day follow-up period after intensive care unit admission. Mortality risk increases for every day that procalcitonin increases. Levels or increases of C-reactive protein and white blood cell count do not seem to predict mortality.
Physical structure and CO abundance of low-mass protostellar envelopes

We present 1D radiative transfer modelling of the envelopes of a sample of 18 low-mass protostars and pre-stellar cores with the aim of setting up realistic physical models, for use in a chemical description of the sources. The density and temperature proles of the envelopes are constrained from their radial proles obtained from SCUBA maps at 450 and 850 m and from measurements of the source fluxes ranging from 60 mt o 1.3 mm. The densities of the envelopes within 10 000 AU can be described by single power-laws / r for the class 0 and I sources with ranging from 1.3 to 1.9, with typical uncertainties of0.2. Four sources have flatter proles, either due to asymmetries or to the presence of an outer constant density region. No signicant dierence is found between class 0 and I sources. The power-law ts fail for the pre-stellar cores, supporting recent results that such cores do not have a central source of heating. The derived physical models are used as input for Monte Carlo modelling of submillimeter C 18 Oa nd C 17 O emission. It is found that class I objects typically show CO abundances close to those found in local molecular clouds, but that class 0 sources and pre-stellar cores show lower abundances by almost an order of magnitude implying that signicant depletion occurs for the early phases of star formation. While the 2{1 and 3{2 isotopic lines can be tted using a constant fractional CO abundance throughout the envelope, the 1{0 lines are signicantly underestimated, possibly due to contribution of ambient molecular cloud material to the observed emission. The dierence between the class 0 and I objects may be related to the properties of the CO ices.
Virtually Trustworthy

PERSPECTIVES O ur impression of others in face-to-face interactions derives from multi-modal observations: We hear voices, see faces and gestures, and listen to each other's words. Our online interactions are less sensory, dominated instead by text: We send e-mail, read discussion boards, and participate in text chats. Yet that may be changing. Online 3D spaces such as There and Second Life feature detailed virtual environments in which users represent themselves with graphical avatars, often highly customizable. Avatars may closely resemble a person, or they may be fantastical creations such as aliens or talking lizards. Their online use dates back to the mid-1980s, when they were used in games such as Ultima and in the online social space Habitat. As technology has advanced, they have gone from being static 2D images to complex 3D animations, complete with realistic gait, fashionable clothing, and dynamic facial expressions. The challenge in creating more sophisticated avatars lies partly in the domain of computer graphics, such as better rendering of hair and fabric or more lifelike gait kinematics. Yet there is also a substantial social element: getting the avatar to interact with others gracefully and realistically. For example, if an avatar is rendered with detailed eyes, then appropriate gaze direction is essential. All such behaviors, which are taken for granted in face-to-face interaction, must be explicitly coded into the avatar. We carry out social interactions with a large number of communicative behaviors that indicate our intention, state of mind, communicative competency, and so on. For instance, you may see an acquaintance across the room at a cocktail party and decide to go speak to him. You carry out this goal not only by walking across the room but also by making eye contact, smiling, raising your brows, adjusting your clothes—a complex set of communicative behaviors that indicate your intention to start a conversation, allow you to gauge his willingness to do so, and show your level of determination. Cassell and Vilhjálmsson (1) argued that avatars without these social behaviors seem stilted and awkward. They can be moved to stand next to each other to talk, but stare blankly into space, inert and unengaged. Just giving the user finer control over the avatar is not a satisfactory option, however, for if users must specify their avatar's every eye movement and gesture, they would be too distracted to engage in the conversation itself. Cassell and Vilhjálmsson's solution was …
Intrahost Evolutionary Dynamics of Canine Influenza Virus in Naïve and Partially Immune Dogs

ABSTRACT The patterns and dynamics of evolution in acutely infecting viruses within individual hosts are largely unknown. To this end, we investigated the intrahost variation of canine influenza virus (CIV) during the course of experimental infections in naïve and partially immune dogs and in naturally infected dogs. Tracing sequence diversity in the gene encoding domain 1 of the hemagglutinin (HA1) protein over the time course of infection provided information on the patterns and processes of intrahost viral evolution and revealed some of the effects of partial host immunity. Viral populations sampled on any given day were generally characterized by mean pairwise genetic diversities between 0.1 and 0.2% and by mutational spectra that changed considerably on different days. Some observed mutations may have affected antigenicity or host range, including reversions of CIV host-associated mutations. Patterns of sequence diversity differed between naïve and vaccinated dogs, with some presumably antigenic mutations transiently reaching high frequency in the latter. CIV populations are therefore characterized by the rapid generation and clearance of genetic diversity. Potentially advantageous mutations arise readily during the course of single infections and may give rise to antigenic escape or host range variants.
Study on noise to enhance the fine-motor of human hands

In order to evaluate the effect of noise on fine-motor performance, we tested the two-point discrimination threshold of hand and the time of completing a task under different levels of noises. The results showed that particular level of noise can improve the performance of hand. Lastly, we discuss the possible explanation that stochastic resonance in nervous system may account for the effect.
Blood flow, needle size and hemolysis--examining an old wives' tale.

TO avoid hemolysis during blood sampling, the admonition has been, "Use a larger bore needle. " Theoretically, experimentally and in our clinical experience, the reverse is true. To test this hypothesis, an experimental determination of the relation between needle size and hemolysis was performed. Methods The blood to be examined was drawn from a dog whose stable, circulating red cells were "tagged" with 51Cr (25,000 to 100,000 cpm per milliliter) as previously described. † Hemolysis was calculated from the appearance of the radioactive label in the serum or plasma. The external jugular vein was catheterized under anesthesia with 5 cm (2 in) .
Predictors of Achieving Recommended Daily Physical Activity Among Anesthesiologists at a Large Tertiary Care Academic Center

Background The goal of the current study was to determine if the daily work patterns of anesthesiologists meet the recommended daily levels of activity. Methods Attending and resident anesthesiologists at a tertiary academic center were invited to participate. The subjects wore a pedometer during five regular clinical days at work and recorded the number of steps walked. The participants also completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) during one regular week. The results were analyzed using analysis of variance, Chi-square test and multivariate linear regression using STATA 12.1. Results During work, attending, compared with senior and junior resident, anesthesiologists had the most steps (5,953 ± 1,213, 5,153 ± 905, and 5,710 ± 1,513 steps, respectively, P = 0.2). Outside work, senior residents had the highest level of activity (3,592 ± 1,626 metabolic equivalent of task (MET)-minutes/week) compared to junior residents (1,788 ± 1,089 MET-minutes/week) and attending (2,104 ± 1,594 MET-minutes/week, P = 0.005); the percentage of recommended daily level of activity represented by this outside activity was senior residents (78.5%), junior residents (27%) and attending (21%) anesthesiologists (P = 0.002). When activity at and outside work was combined, most anesthesiologists met the recommended 10,000 steps daily, P < 0.009. Conclusions The daily physical activity of faculty and trainee anesthesiologists at work in a busy tertiary care is low active. However, when additional physical activity is pursued outside of work, most anesthesiologists met recommended daily levels of activity. These results highlight the inadequacy of daily activity at work, and the need to pursue additional physical activity outside of work; such awareness can assist in promoting a healthy lifestyle.
Recent Research Progress in China on Haemonchus contortus

Haemonchus contortus is one of the most important parasites of ruminants with worldwide distribution that can bring huge economic losses to the breeding industry of cattle, sheep, and goats. In recent 20 years, studies on H. contortus in China mainly focused on the epidemiology, population genetics, anthelmintic resistance, structural and functional studies of important genes regulating the development of this parasite, interaction between parasite molecules and host cells and vaccine development against haemonchosis, and achieved good progress. However, there is no systematic review about the studies by Chinese researchers on H. contortus in China. The purpose of this review is to bring together the findings from the studies on H. contortus in China in order to obtain the knowledge gained from the recent studies in China and provide foundation for identifying future research directions to establish novel diagnostic methods, discover new drug targets and vaccine candidates for use in preventing and controlling H. contortus in China.
Characterization of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance by Calorimetric Analysis of Blood Serum Proteome

Monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS) is a premalignant proliferative disorder that may progress to multiple myeloma, a malignant plasma cell neoplasia. We evaluated differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) as an experimental tool for differentiating serum samples of MGUS patients from healthy individuals. DSC thermograms can be used for monitoring changes in the serum proteome associated with MGUS. MGUS patients showed great variability in serum thermogram characteristics, which depended on the IgG, IgA or IgM isotypes and/or the κ or λ light chains. Thermogram feature parameters distinguished patients with MGUS from healthy people. Serum samples, named as non-MGUS, were also collected from patients with subjacent immunological pathologies who were discarded of having MGUS through serum immunofixation. They were used to verify the sensitivity of DSC for discriminating MGUS from related blood dyscrasias. Only some DSC thermogram feature parameters differentiated, to a lesser extent, between MGUS and non-MGUS individuals. We contemplate DSC as a tool for early diagnosis and monitoring of MGUS.
[Influence of adefovir dipivoxil or telbivudine monotherapy on renal function of patients with chronic hepatitis B].

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the changes in the renal function of patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) receiving adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) or telbivudine (L-DT) monotherapy. METHODS This retrospective analysis involved 101 patients with CHB and liver cirrhosis receiving either ADV or L-DT monotherapy for 52 weeks. Serum creatinine, estimates of glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), and the percentage of patients with eGFR≥90 ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2) at week 52 were compared with the baseline data between the two groups. RESULTS The mean changes of CR at week 52 from baseline were +0.05 mg/dl in ADV group and -0.12 mg/dl in L-DT group, showing a significant difference between the two groups (P=0.000). No patient was found to have an elevation of creatinine over 0.50 mg/dl. The median change of eGFR at week 52 from baseline differed significantly between ADV and L-DT groups (-4.09 vs+18.32 ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2), P=0.000). Ninety-two percent (12/13) of the patients with baseline eGFR<90 ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2) shifted to eGFR ≥90 ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2) after 52 weeks of L-DT treatment, as compared to 38% (3/8) in ADV group. The proportion of patients with eGFR≥90 ml·min(-1)·1.73 m(-2) in L-DT group increased from 76.36% (42/55) at baseline to 94.55% (52/55) at week 52, while that in ADV group decreased from 82.61% (38/46) at baseline to 78.26% (36/46). The constituent ratios of eGFR at different levels were similar at baseline (P=0.443) but significantly different at week 52 between the two groups (P=0.015). CONCLUSION L-DT treatment is associated with a renoprotective effect in patients with CHB, but the mechanism remains unclear.
Approximate Bayesian Computation by Subset Simulation

A new approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) algorithm for Bayesian updating of model parameters is proposed in this paper, which combines the ABC principles with the technique of subset simulation for efficient rare-event simulation, first developed in S. K. Au and J. L. Beck [Probabilistic Engrg. Mech. , 16 (2001), pp. 263-277]. It has been named ABC-SubSim. The idea is to choose the nested decreasing sequence of regions in subset simulation as the regions that correspond to increasingly closer approximations of the actual data vector in observation space. The efficiency of the algorithm is demonstrated in two examples that illustrate some of the challenges faced in real-world applications of ABC. We show that the proposed algorithm outperforms other recent sequential ABC algorithms in terms of computational efficiency while achieving the same, or better, measure of accuracy in the posterior distribution. We also show that ABC-SubSim readily provides an estimate of the evidence (marginal likelihood) for posterior model class assessment, as a by-product.
Corneal rust ring. Etiology and histology.

Introduction One of the problems commonly confronting the ophthalmologist as well as the general practitioner is that of the corneal foreign body. With the utilization of high speed drills and other mechanical devices in our modern era of industrialization, the frequency of eye injuries secondary to embedded particles remains high despite the increasing use of safety precautions. 1 Fragments buried in the corneal substance represent by far the commonest industrial ocular accidents, serious enough to reach a statistical reporting center. In a study by Callahan 2,3 of 404 eye injuries occurring in an aircraft plant, keratic foreign bodies accounted for 37% of the total number. Gronvoll and Ohlson 4 demonstrated that the vast majority of these particles are centrally located in an area which represents approximately only one quarter of the total keratic surface. The importance of the prevention of permanent corneal damage becomes that much more significant because of
Clinical effect of azithromycin as an adjunct to non-surgical treatment of chronic periodontitis: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials.

The results of recent published studies focusing on the effect of azithromycin as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in the treatment of chronic periodontitis are inconsistent. We conducted a meta-analysis of randomized controlled clinical trials to examine the effect of azithromycin combined with SRP on periodontal clinical parameters as compared to SRP alone. An electronic search was carried out on Pubmed, Embase and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials from their earliest records through December 28, 2014 to identify studies that met pre-stated inclusion criteria. Reference lists of retrieved articles were also reviewed. Data were extracted independently by two authors. Either a fixed- or random-effects model was used to calculate the overall effect sizes of azithromycin on probing depth, attachment level (AL) and bleeding on probing (BOP). Heterogeneity was evaluated using the Q test and I(2) statistic. Publication bias was evaluated by Begg's test and Egger's test. A total of 14 trials were included in the meta-analysis. Compared with SRP alone, locally delivered azithromycin plus SRP statistically significantly reduced probing depth by 0.99 mm (95% CI 0.42-1.57) and increased AL by 1.12 mm (95% CI 0.31-1.92). In addition, systemically administered azithromycin plus SRP statistically significantly reduced probing depth by 0.21 mm (95% CI 0.12-0.29), BOP by 4.50% (95% CI 1.45-7.56) and increased AL by 0.23 mm (95% CI 0.07-0.39). Sensitivity analysis yielded similar results. No evidence of publication bias was observed. The additional benefit of systemic azithromycin was shown at the initially deep probing depth sites, but not at shallow or moderate sites. The overall effect sizes of systemic azithromycin showed a tendency to decrease with time, and meta-regression analysis suggested a negative relation between the length of follow-up and net change in probing depth (r = -0.05, p = 0.02). This meta-analysis provides further evidence that azithromycin used as an adjunct to SRP significantly improves the efficacy of non-surgical periodontal therapy on reducing probing depth, BOP and improving AL, particularly at the initially deep probing depth sites.
Detection of an Archaic Clone of Staphylococcus aureuswith Low-Level Resistance to Methicillin in a Pediatric Hospital in Portugal and in International Samples: Relics of a Formerly Widely Disseminated Strain?

ABSTRACT Close to half of the 878 methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) strains recovered between 1992 and 1997 from the pediatric hospital in Lisbon were bacteria in which antibiotic resistance was limited to β-lactam antibiotics. The other half were multidrug resistant. The coexistence of MRSA with such unequal antibiotic resistance profiles prompted us to use molecular typing techniques for the characterization of the MRSA strains. Fifty-three strains chosen randomly were typed by a combination of genotypic methods. Over 90% of the MRSA strains belonged to two clones: the most frequent one, designated the “pediatric clone,” was reminiscent of historically “early” MRSA: most isolates of this clone were only resistant to β-lactam antimicrobials and remained susceptible to macrolides, quinolones, clindamycin, spectinomycin, and tetracycline. They showed heterogeneous and low-level resistance to methicillin (MIC, 1.5 to 6 μg/ml), carried the ClaI-mecApolymorph II, were free of the transposon Tn554, and showed macrorestriction pattern D (clonal type II::NH::D). The second major clone was the internationally spread and multiresistant “Iberian” MRSA with homogeneous and high-level resistance to methicillin (MIC, >200 μg/ml) and clonal type I::E::A. Surprisingly, the multidrug-resistant and highly epidemic Iberian MRSA did not replace the much less resistant pediatric clone during the 6 years of surveillance. The pediatric clone was also identified among contemporary MRSA isolates from Poland, Argentina, The United States, and Colombia, and the overwhelming majority of these were also associated with pediatric settings. We propose that the pediatric MRSA strain represents a formerly widely spread archaic clone which survived in some epidemiological settings with relatively limited antimicrobial pressure.
Renal transplantation following previous heart, liver, and lung transplantation: an 8-year single-center experience.

BACKGROUND Long-term follow-up of heart, liver, and lung transplantation has led to an increased recognition of secondary end-stage renal failure (ESRF) in transplant recipients. This study examines our center's experience with renal transplantation following previous solid organ transplantation. METHODS From January 1, 1992, to September 30, 1999, our center performed 18 renal transplants in previous solid organ recipients. During the same period, 815 total renal transplants were performed. One- and 3-year graft and patient survival, recipient demographics, donor type, and reason for transplantation were compared between these groups. RESULTS Of the 18 recipients, 7 had prior heart transplants, 4 had prior liver transplants, and 7 had prior lung transplants. Cyclosporine toxicity contributed to renal failure in 17 (94.4%) of the patients-either as a sole factor (11 patients) or in combination with hypertension, renal artery stenosis, or tacrolimus toxicity (6 patients). Kaplan-Meier 1- and 3-year patient survival was 82.9% and 73.7%, compared with 95.5% and 90.7% in all renal transplant recipients. No surviving patient has suffered renal allograft loss. Mean current creatinine level is 1.4 mg/dL. CONCLUSIONS Renal transplantation is an excellent therapy for ESRF following prior solid organ transplantation. One and 3-year patient and graft survival demonstrate the utility of renal transplantation in this patient population.