Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Description of Inappropriate Hospital Stays in Selected In-Patient Services

ABSTRACT The number of discharges (63,303) from a university-affiliated medical center in Israel were reviewed. Eight percent of cases in three departments received social work services. Patients experiencing inappropriate hospital stay (discharge delay) and who received social work services were characterized and compared with social work clients not experiencing delay. Discharge delay patients differed from other social work clients on key sociodemographic variables. Patients admitted because of “injury” were significantly more likely to experience delay than patients admitted because of “illness. ” “Waiting for community/institutional resources” was the most common reason for delay and discharge to an institutional setting increased the likelihood of delayed discharge. High risk factors were department-specific and should be studied in context. Results suggested the limited but positive impact of hospital-community collaborative strategies in reducing the incidence of delay over time.
A Modeling and Analysis Method for Fractional-Order DC–DC Converters

This paper proposes a modeling and analysis method for fractional-order dc–dc converters operating in continuous conduction mode (CCM). As an example, a fractional-order boost converter is studied in detail. Instead of using fractional calculus, the method presented here uses a general state vector differential equation to describe the converter. By combining the principle of harmonic balance and equivalent small parameter method, an approximate analytical steady-state solution of the state variables could be obtained. Subsequently, the CCM-operating criterion of the converter is discussed based on the proposed method, and the appropriate parameters are provided to make sure that the fractional-order converter operates in CCM. In addition, a statistical analysis of harmonics is performed, from which the effects of fractional orders on harmonics can be observed. Moreover, numerical simulations are performed using the Adams–Bashforth–Moulton-typed predictor–corrector method and the Oustaloup's-filter-based approximation method. Both the dc components and ripples of the state variables obtained from these two methods are combined with those obtained by the proposed method, and they are in good agreement. Finally, the fractional-order capacitor and inductor are designed and verified by simulations, and on the basis of which experiments of the fractional-order boost converter are carried out to further verify the proposed method.
More on Minimizing Finite Automata with Errors - Nondeterministic Machines

We continue our research on minimization problems and related problems for automata w.r. t. to different error profiles, now considering nondeterministic finite automata (NFAs) as inputs. Here the error profiles are almost-equivalence and E-equivalence. We show that the minimization problems and their underlying equivalence problems become PSPACEcomplete in most cases. The obtained results nicely fit to the known ones on ordinary NFA minimization, and show a significant difference to the previously obtained results on deterministic finite state machines.
Immunocytochemical detection of milk proteins in tracheal aspirates of ventilated infants: A pilot study

In this study, we evaluated immunocytochemical staining for milk proteins (α‐lactalbumin and β‐lactoglobulin) in tracheal aspirates of mechanically ventilated infants, and assessed whether this staining technique supported a clinical diagnosis of aspiration in infants receiving orogastric feedings. All newborns requiring mechanical ventilation in the neonatal intensive care unit of a major tertiary care hospital were potential subjects for this study. Tracheal aspirates were obtained prior to the introduction of enteral feeding and at various time points thereafter in newborns requiring mechanical ventilation. Cells were obtained and processed for immunocytochemical staining of α‐lactalbumin and β‐lactoglobulin.
Molecular targeting of inosine-5’-monophosphate dehydrogenase by FF-10501 promotes erythropoiesis via ROS/MAPK pathway

Abstract One of the major symptoms of myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) is severe cytopenia. Despite cytokine therapies, such as erythropoiesis-stimulating agents, many patients still require blood transfusions, and the development of new therapeutic approaches is needed. In this work, we studied the effects of the inosine-5’-monophosphate (IMP) dehydrogenase (IMPDH) inhibitor FF-10501 on erythropoiesis of human hematopoietic cells. Differentiation of K562 chronic myeloid leukemia cells to an erythroid lineage was promoted by FF-10501 in a dose-dependent manner. Interestingly, we found that metabolic conversion of IMP to hypoxanthine leads to elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The differentiative effects of FF-10501 were abolished by the ROS scavenger dimethylthiourea or the p38 MAPK inhibitor SB203580. Furthermore, FF-10501 promoted erythropoiesis from CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, accompanied with ROS accumulation, while high-dose FF-10501 mainly showed cytotoxic effects. These findings denote the potential of IMPDH inhibition therapy with FF-10501 in amelioration of anemia in MDS patients.
Interleukin‐15 blocks apoptosis and induces proliferation of the human myeloma cell line OH‐2 and freshly isolated myeloma cells

The growth factor‐dependent myeloma cell line OH‐2, which has previously been shown to be responsive to interleukin (IL)‐6, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and lymphotoxin, was examined for response to other growth factors. Enhanced proliferation was found in the presence of IL‐10, IL‐15, IL‐2 and insulin growth factor (IGF)‐1. Proliferation was strongest in response to IL‐6, intermediate and roughly equipotent in response to IL‐15, IL‐10 and TNF‐α, and modest in response to IL‐2 and IGF‐1. IL‐15 was synergistic with TNF‐α, whereas combinations of IL‐15 and the other cytokines were merely additive. IL‐15‐induced proliferation could not be blocked by neutralizing antibody against gp 130, the common transducer chain of IL‐6 and related cytokines. IL‐15 and IL‐6 prevented apoptosis equally well, both better than TNF‐α, IL‐10, and IGF‐1. In four out of six samples of purified primary cells, IL‐15 and IL‐6 induced proliferation. Furthermore, IL‐15 mRNA was detected by RT‐PCR in most myeloma cell lines and freshly isolated purified patient samples. IL‐15 protein was detectable only in one out of about 20 tested cell supernatants from patients and myeloma cell lines. The OH‐2 cell line is multi‐responsive to cytokines and is a good system for the study of integration of cytokine signal transduction and growth control in myeloma. IL‐15 represents a novel modality of growth regulation in myeloma.
Information from Markets Near and Far: Mobile Phones and Agricultural Markets in Niger

Price dispersion across markets is common in developing countries. Using novel market and trader-level data, this paper provides estimates of the impact of mobile phones on price dispersion across grain markets in Niger. The introduction of mobile phone service between 2001 and 2006 explains a 10 to 16 percent reduction in grain price dispersion. The effect is stronger for market pairs with higher transport costs. (JEL O13, O33, Q11, Q13)
Platelet-Rich Plasma Injections for the Treatment of Hamstring Injuries

Background: A hamstring injury is one of the most common types of injury affecting athletes. Despite this, the optimal management of hamstring muscle injuries is not yet defined. The effect of autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy on the recovery of hamstring injuries is unclear. Purpose: To investigate the effect of a single PRP injection in the treatment of grade 2 hamstring muscle injuries. Study Design: Randomized controlled trial; Level of evidence, 2. Methods: Twenty-eight patients diagnosed with an acute hamstring injury were randomly allocated to autologous PRP therapy combined with a rehabilitation program or a rehabilitation program only. The primary outcome of this study was time to return to play. In addition, changes in pain severity and pain interference scores over time were examined. Results: Patients in the PRP group achieved full recovery significantly earlier than controls (P = .02). The mean time to return to play was 42.5 ± 20.6 days in the control group and 26.7 ± 7.0 days in the PRP group. Significantly lower pain severity scores were observed in the PRP group throughout the study. However, no significant difference in the pain interference score was found between the 2 groups. Conclusion: A single autologous PRP injection combined with a rehabilitation program was significantly more effective in treating hamstring injuries than a rehabilitation program alone.
Nursing assessment as an effective tool for the identification of delirium risk in older in‐patients: A case–control study

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES To evaluate the usefulness of comprehensive nursing assessment as a strategy for determining the risk of delirium in older in-patients from a model of care needs based on variables easily measured by nurses. BACKGROUND There are many scales of assessment and prediction of risk of delirium, but they are little known and infrequently used by professionals. Recognition of delirium by doctors and nurses continues to be limited. DESIGN AND METHODS A case-control study. A specific form of data collection was designed to include the risk factors for delirium commonly identified in the literature and the care needs evaluated from the comprehensive nursing assessment based on the Virginia Henderson model of care needs. We studied 454 in-patient units in a basic general hospital. Data were collected from a review of the records of patients' electronic clinical history. RESULTS The areas of care that were significant in patients with delirium were dyspnoea, problems with nutrition, elimination, mobility, rest and sleep, self-care, physical safety, communication and relationships. The specific risk factors identified as independent predictors were as follows: age, urinary incontinence, urinary catheter, alcohol abuse, previous history of dementia, being able to get out of bed/not being at rest, habitual insomnia and history of social risk. CONCLUSIONS Comprehensive nursing assessment is a valid and consistent strategy with a multifactorial model of delirium, which enables the personalised risk assessment necessary to define a plan of care with specific interventions for each patient to be made. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE The identification of the risk of delirium is particularly important in the context of prevention. In a model of care based on needs, nursing assessment is a useful component in the risk assessment of delirium and one that is necessary for developing an individualised care regime.
Implementation of the Disruption Predictor APODIS in JET’s Real-Time Network Using the MARTe Framework

This paper describes the implementation of a real-time disruption predictor that is based on support vector machine (SVM) classifiers. The implementation was performed under the MARTe framework on a six-core x86 architecture. The system is connected via JET's Real-time Data Network (RTDN). The online results show a high degree of successful predictions and a low rate of false alarms, thus confirming the usefulness of this approach in a disruption mitigation scheme. The implementation shows a low computational load, which will be exploited in the immediate future to increase the prediction's temporal resolution.
Differential repression of transcription factor binding by histone H1 is regulated by the core histone amino termini.

In order to investigate the interrelated roles of nucleosome cores and histone H1 in transcription repression, we have employed a purified system to analyze the function of H1 in the repression of transcription factor binding to nucleosomes. H1 binding to nucleosome cores resulted in the repression of USF binding to nucleosomes. By contrast, H1 only slightly inhibited the binding of GAL4‐AH, indicating that H1 differentially represses the binding of factors with different DNA‐binding domains. H1‐mediated repression of factor binding was dependent on the core histone amino‐terminal tails. Removal of these domains alleviated H1‐mediated repression and increased acetylation of these domains partly alleviated repression by H1. H1 binding assays suggest a less stable interaction of histone H1 with the core particle in the absence of the amino termini.
Oncolytic viruses: a novel form of immunotherapy

Oncolytic viruses are novel anticancer agents, currently under investigation in Phase I–III clinical trials. Until recently, most studies have focused on the direct antitumor properties of these viruses, although there is now an increasing body of evidence that the host immune response may be critical to the efficacy of oncolytic virotherapy. This may be mediated via innate immune effectors, adaptive antiviral immune responses eliminating infected cells or adaptive antitumor immune responses. This report summarizes preclinical and clinical evidence for the importance of immune interactions, which may be finely balanced between viral and tumor elimination. On this basis, oncolytic viruses represent a promising novel immunotherapy strategy, which may be optimally combined with existing therapeutic modalities.
ON THE MECHANISM OF CARBAMAZEPIN-INDUCED ANTINOCICEPTION IN THE FORMALIN TEST

In the present study, the effect of lidocaine (a sodium channel blocker) on carbamazepine-induced antinociception, in formalin test was investigated. Intraperitoneal (i.p.) administration of different doses of carbamazepine (3.5, 7, 15, and 30 mg/kg) induced a dose-dependent antinociception in mice, in the first and second phases of the test. Different doses of lidocaine as a sodium channel blocker (5, 10, and 20 mg/kg, i.p.) also induced antinociception in both phases of the formalin test. It is noted that lidocaine could potentiate the response of carbamazepine in the first, but not in the second, phase of the formalin test. Meanwhile i.p. administration of different doses of Prazosin, α1 adrenoceptor antagonist (0.125, 0.25, and 0.5 mg/kg), Yohimbine, α2 adrenoceptor antagonist (0.25, 0.5, and 1 mg/kg), Bicuculline, GABAA receptor antagonist (1.5 and 3 mg/kg), and CGP 35348, GABAB receptor antagonist (100 and 200 mg/kg) exert dose-dependent antinociceptive effect in both phases of the formalin test. It should be noted that bicuculline 0.75 mg/kg by itself increased pain score in the second phase of the formalin test, indicating that blockade of GABAA receptor subtype may induce chronic pain. None of the aforementioned drugs could alter the antinociceptive response of carbamazepine in the formalin test. It is concluded that sodium channel mechanisms may be involved partly in the antinociceptive induced by carbamazepine.
Meta-Analysis of the Safety of 5-HT3 Antagonists with Dexamethasone or Droperidol for Prevention of PONV

Background: Antiemetic guidelines recommend a combination of serotonin (5-HT3) with a second agent such as droperidol or dexamethasone. Physicians have been reluctant to employ these guidelines due to concerns over the black-box warning of droperidol and safety concerns with a steroid. Objective: To assess the safety profiles of 5-HT3 receptor antagonist (5-HT3RA) monotherapy and combination therapy with a steroid or droperidol for prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). Methods: A MEDLINE search of English-language reports of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted (1966–September 2005) using the key terms 5-HT3, granisetron, ondansetron, dolasetron, tropisetron, PONV, postoperative, vomiting, emesis, and nausea. RCTs with treatment arms comparing 5-HT3RA monotherapy (granisetron, ondansetron, dolasetron, or tropisetron) with dexamethasone or droperidol or 5-HT3RA combinations and providing incidence data on adverse events were identified and reviewed. Within-study odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals were calculated to determine the incidence rates of all adverse events in RCTs using 5-HT3RA monotherapy and combination therapies. Overall effect sizes for frequently reported adverse events were estimated by pooling ORs using fixed- and random-effect models. Results: Pooled ORs (ORpooled) for adverse events with 5-HT3RA/dexamethasone versus 5-HT3RA for PONV prophylaxis were not significant for any reported adverse events or the overall incidence of adverse events; 5-HT3RA/droperidol versus 5-HT3RA was significant only for decreased headache incidence (fixed model: ORpooled 0.35; 95% CI 0.18 to 0.69). The ORpooled for 5-HT3RA/dexamethasone versus dexamethasone was not significant for any reported adverse events except headaches (fixed model ORpooled 1.75; 95% CI 1.01 to 3.03), none of which was serious. ORpooled for 5-HT3RA/droperidol versus droperidol was not significant for any reported adverse events. Avascular necrosis, occult infection, and delayed wound healing were not observed with either combination therapy. Cardiac abnormalities were observed with 5-HT3RA/droperidol therapy. Conclusions: This meta-analysis indicates that either therapy has a safety profile similar to that of dexamethasone, droperidol, or 5-HT3RA.
Quality-of-life after brain injury in childhood: Time, not severity, is the significant factor

Abstract Objective: Little is known about the impact of acquired brain injury (ABI) on the long-term quality-of-life (QoL) in children and youth. The objectives of this study were to illustrate the long-term QoL trajectories at 5 years post-ABI. Methods: The QoL of children between 5–18 years (n = 94) admitted to McMaster Children’s Hospital with ABI were assessed longitudinally for a minimum of 5 years post-injury using the Child Health Questionnaire. Independent t-tests were used to examine differences in QoL between the study cohort and a normative sample at different time points. Mixed-effects models were used to identify predictors for QoL. Results: The QoL of children with ABI was significantly poorer (p < 0.05) than the normative data on all domains and at all-time points except at baseline. The CHQ physical summary score (PHSS) showed a significant decline immediately after injury and a significant recovery at 8 months post-injury; while the CHQ psychosocial summary score (PSSS) showed a significant immediate decline, which remained over the course of the study. Pre-morbid school record, time post-injury and mechanism of injury significantly predicted the CHQ PSSS. Conclusions: QoL is impacted by ABI regardless of severity. This impact is further affected by time post-injury.
Primary CD8+ T-Cell Response to Soluble Ovalbumin Is Improved by Chloroquine Treatment In Vivo

ABSTRACT The efficiency of cross-presentation of exogenous antigens by dendritic cells (DCs) would seem to be related to the level of antigen escape from massive degradation mediated by lysosomal proteases in an acidic environment. Here, we demonstrate that a short course of treatment with chloroquine in mice during primary immunization with soluble antigens improved the cross-priming of naïve CD8+ T lymphocytes in vivo. More specifically, priming of chloroquine-treated mice with soluble ovalbumin (OVA), OVA associated with alum, or OVA pulsed on DCs was more effective in inducing OVA-specific CD8+ T lymphocytes than was priming of untreated mice. We conclude that chloroquine treatment improves the cross-presentation capacity of DCs and thus the size of effector and memory CD8+ T cells during vaccination.
ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE AUDITORY CONDUCTING APPARATUS: A NEW THEORY BASED ON FUNCTIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

an air-sensitive mechanism is false. It is true that the middle ear in most important modern animals is of that type. That is to say, it comprises a tympanic membrane which can pick up air-borne sound and an ossicular chain-freely suspended in a middle ear cavity-to convey the drum vibrations to the inner ear. Such a mechanism, however, is by no means universal. Many less conspicuous groups have hearing mechanisms which comprise neither drum nor middle ear cavity-a familiar example is the snake. INTRODUCTION
Detecting grain rotation at the nanoscale

Significance The plastic deformation of nanomaterials has long been wrapped in mystery. Grain rotation is suggested to be a dominant mechanism of plastic deformation for ultrafine nanomaterials. However, the in situ observation of grain rotation has been made possible only for coarse-grained materials. Here we report the in situ high-pressure detection of grain rotation at the nanoscale. The surprising observation is that the texture strength of the same-sized platinum drops rapidly with decreasing grain size of the nickel medium, indicating that more active grain rotation occurs in the smaller nickel nanocrystals. Insight into these processes provides a better understanding of the plastic deformation of nanomaterials at a few-nanometer length scale. It is well-believed that below a certain particle size, grain boundary-mediated plastic deformation (e.g., grain rotation, grain boundary sliding and diffusion) substitutes for conventional dislocation nucleation and motion as the dominant deformation mechanism. However, in situ probing of grain boundary processes of ultrafine nanocrystals during plastic deformation has not been feasible, precluding the direct exploration of the nanomechanics. Here we present the in situ texturing observation of bulk-sized platinum in a nickel pressure medium of various particle sizes from 500 nm down to 3 nm. Surprisingly, the texture strength of the same-sized platinum drops rapidly with decreasing grain size of the nickel medium, indicating that more active grain rotation occurs in the smaller nickel nanocrystals. Insight into these processes provides a better understanding of the plastic deformation of nanomaterials in a few-nanometer length scale.
Association of resident coverage with cost, length of stay, and profitability at a community hospital

OBJECTIVE: The effect of care by medical residents on hospital length of stay (LOS), indirect costs, and reimbursement was last examined across a range of illnesses in 1981; the issue has never been examined at a community hospital. We studied resource utilization and reimbursement at a community hospital in relation to the involvement of medical residents.DESIGN: This nonrandomized observational study compared patients discharged from a general medicine teaching unit with those discharged from nonteaching general medical/surgical units.SETTING: A 620-bed community teaching hospital with a general medicine teaching unit (resident care) and several general medicine nonteaching units (no resident care). PATIENTS: All medical discharges between July 1998 and February 1999, excluding those from designated subspecialty and critical care units.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Endpoints included mean LOS in excess of expected LOS, mean cost in excess of expected cost, mean payments, and mean profitability (payments minus total costs). Observed values were obtained from the hospital’s database and expected values from a proprietary risk adjustment program. No significant difference in LOS between 917 teaching-unit patients and 697 nonteaching patients was demonstrated. Costs averaged $3,178 (95% confidence interval [CI] ± $489) less than expected among teaching-unit patients and $4,153 (95% CI ± $422) less than expected among nonteachin-unit patients. Payments were significantly higher per patient on the teaching unit than on the nonteaching units, and as a result, mean profitability was higher: $848 (95% CI ± $307) per hospitalization for teaching-unit patients and $451 (95% CI ± $327) for patients on the nonteaching units. Teaching-unit patients of attendings who rarely admitted to the teaching unit (nonteaching attendings) generated an average profit of $1,299 (95% CI ± $613), while nonteaching patients of nonteaching attendings generated an average profit of $208 (95% CI ± $437). CONCLUSIONS: Resident care at our community teaching hospital was associated with significantly higher costs but also with higher payments and greater profitability.