Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Structural Behavior of Human Lumbar Intervertebral Disc under Direct Shear

Purpose The intervertebral disc (IVD) is a complex, flexible joint between adjacent vertebral bodies that provides load transmission while permitting movements of the spinal column. Finite element models can be used to help clarify why and how IVDs fail or degenerate. To do so, it is of importance to validate those models against controllable experiments. Due to missing experimental data, shear properties are not used thus far in validating finite element models. This study aimed to investigate the structural shear properties of human lumbar IVDs in posteroanterior (PA) and laterolateral (LL) loading directions. Methods Fourteen lumbar IVDs (median age: 49 years) underwent direct shear in PA and LL loading directions. A custom-build shear device was used in combination with a materials testing machine to load the specimens until failure. Shear stiffness, ultimate shear force and displacement, and work to failure were determined. Results Each specimen was tested until complete or partial disruption. Median stiffness in PA direction was 490 N/mm and in LL direction 568 N/mm. Median ultimate shear force in the PA direction was 2,877 N and in the LL direction 3,199 N. Work to failure was 12 Nm in the PA and 9 Nm in the LL direction. Conclusions This study was an experiment to subject IVDs to direct shear. The results could help us to understand the structure and function of IVDs with regard to mechanical spinal stability, and they can be used to validate finite element models of the IVD.
Behavioral software engineering - guidelines for qualitative studies

Researchers are increasingly recognizing the importance of human aspects in software development and since qualitative methods are used to, in-depth, explore human behavior, we believe that studies using such techniques will become more common. Existing qualitative software engineering guidelines do not cover the full breadth of qualitative methods and knowledge on using them found in the social sciences. The aim of this study was thus to extend the software engineering research community's current body of knowledge regarding available qualitative methods and provide recommendations and guidelines for their use. With the support of a literature review, we suggest that future research would benefit from (1) utilizing a broader set of research methods, (2) more strongly emphasizing reflexivity, and (3) employing qualitative guidelines and quality criteria. We present an overview of three qualitative methods commonly used in social sciences but rarely seen in software engineering research, namely interpretative phenomenological analysis, narrative analysis, and discourse analysis. Furthermore, we discuss the meaning of reflexivity in relation to the software engineering context and suggest means of fostering it. Our paper will help software engineering researchers better select and then guide the application of a broader set of qualitative research methods.
Effect of steatosis donor liver transplantation on hepatocellular carcinoma recurrence: experience at a single institution.

BACKGROUND/AIMS The increasing demand for transplantation has led application of steatotic liver as the graft. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of donor graft steatosis on overall outcome and tumor recurrence after liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma. METHODOLOGY 131 patients that underwent liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma between 2007 and 2008 were included. Donor steatosis was categorized as non-steatosis group (0%-10%, n=101) and steatosis group (>10%, n=30). The Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard regression model was used for data analysis. RESULTS Postoperative recipient survival rate was 81% and 66.6% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, for non-steatotic graft; 87.5% and 58.3% for mild steatosis; 83.3% and 41.7% for moderate to severe steatosis (p=0.303). Postoperative tumor recurrence rate was 15.8% and 28.7% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, for grafts with no steatosis; 8.3% and 20.8% for those with mild steatosis; 33.3% and 50% for those with moderate to severe steatosis, (p>0.05). CONCLUSIONS Steatotic donor was not associated with a worse prognosis in early stage postoperative and mild fatty liver did not increase tumor recurrence risks. The moderate to severe status of fatty liver had some effect on tumor recurrence.
Experimental Analysis and Modeling of a Stormwater Perlite Filter

This paper presents the study of a mixed porous media composed of expanded perlite and a nonwoven needle‐punched geotextile used to reduce the suspended solids load and concentration in urban runoff. Laboratory procedures were designed to quantify the suspended solids removal efficiency and variation in time of filtration rate. Different grain‐size distributions of expanded perlite, diverse suspended solids concentrations, and different hydraulic and geometric conditions were tested to determine the most effective filter media. A dimensionless parameter, termed Global Performance Index (GPI), was developed to reach this objective. Measured data were also used to build a dimensional and a regression model to represent the performance of the filter media mathematically. The theory, derivation, and performance of both models are presented and compared with an existent empirical model. The dimensional model better reproduces the observations, becoming a useful tool for the design, operation, and evaluation of commercial porous media filters.
Mannose-binding lectin variant alleles and the risk of arterial thrombosis in systemic lupus erythematosus.

BACKGROUND Cardiovascular disease is an important complication in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Variant alleles of the mannose-binding lectin gene are associated with SLE as well as with severe atherosclerosis. We determined whether mannose-binding lectin variant alleles were associated with an increased risk of arterial thrombosis among patients with SLE. METHODS Mannose-binding lectin alleles were genotyped by means of a polymerase-chain-reaction assay in 91 Danish patients with SLE. Arterial and venous thromboses occurring after the diagnosis of SLE were assessed in a prospective study. Arterial and venous thromboses were confirmed by appropriate diagnostic methods. RESULTS Fifty-four patients had no mannose-binding lectin variant alleles (A/A genotype), 30 were heterozygous (A/O genotype), and 7 were homozygous (O/O genotype). During a median follow-up of 9.1 years, arterial thromboses (cerebral or myocardial infarction or leg embolus) developed in 6 of the 7 patients with the O/O genotype, as compared with 18 of the 84 patients with the other two genotypes (hazard ratio, 5.8; 95 percent confidence interval, 2.2 to 15.2; overall incidence, 26 percent). After correction for other known risk factors, the hazard ratio was 7.0 (95 percent confidence interval, 1.9 to 25.4). Venous thromboses, which occurred in 14 patients, were statistically unrelated to the mannose-binding lectin genotype. CONCLUSIONS Among patients with SLE, homozygosity for mannose-binding lectin variant alleles is associated with an increased risk of arterial thrombosis. The risk of venous thrombosis is not increased, indicating that mannose-binding lectin has a specific role in providing protection against arterial thrombosis.
The role of the initial utterance in contingent query sequences: its influence on responses to requests for clarification

ABSTRACT Utterances for which clarification is requested have not always been considered an integral part of the ensuing contingent query sequence. To examine this issue, characteristics of children's utterances which were targeted for requests for clarification were examined to determine if they influence the nature of responses. Any relationship here would (a) establish the role of the initial utterance as part of the contingent query discourse unit, and (b) begin the documentation of that role. Twenty-six children (nine aged between two and three, eleven between three and four, and six between four and five) were videotaped in a one-hour free-play session. Twenty times during the session an experimenter signalled non-comprehension of a comprehensible utterance by asking ‘What? ’. The queried utterances were categorized as serving one of three functions (interpersonal, child activity or environmental) and as occurring in one of three social contexts (eye contact, other social or private). Responses were classified as being either a no-response, repetition or revision. Results showed that social context interacted with response type: more no-responses and fewer repetitions occurred in the private relative to the eye-contact context. This interaction demonstrated that the initial utterance plays a role in response determination, and is therefore an important part of the contingent query sequence. Findings also indicated that response type changed with development.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of Music Use During Epidural Catheter Placement on Laboring Parturient Anxiety, Pain, and Satisfaction

BACKGROUND: Although music is frequently used to promote a relaxing environment during labor and delivery, the effect of its use during the placement of neuraxial techniques is unknown. Our study sought to determine the effects of music use on laboring parturients during epidural catheter placement, with the hypothesis that music use would result in lower anxiety, lower pain, and greater patient satisfaction. METHODS: We conducted a prospective, randomized, controlled trial of laboring parturients undergoing epidural catheter placement with or without music. The music group listened to the patient’s preferred music on a Pandora® station broadcast through an external amplified speaker; the control group listened to no music. All women received a standardized epidural technique and local anesthetic dose. The primary outcomes were 3 measures of anxiety. Secondary outcomes included pain, patient satisfaction, hemodynamic parameters, obstetric parameters, neonatal outcomes, and anesthesia provider anxiety. Intention-to-treat analysis with Bonferroni correction was used for the primary outcomes. For secondary outcomes, a P value of <. 001 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: A total of 100 parturients were randomly assigned, with 99 included in the intention-to-treat analysis. Patient characteristics were similar in both groups; in the music group, the duration of music use was 31.1 ± 7.7 minutes (mean ± SD). The music group experienced higher anxiety as measured by Numeric Rating Scale scores immediately after epidural catheter placement (2.9 ± 3.3 vs 1.4 ± 1.7, mean difference 1.5 [95% confidence interval {CI} 0.2–2.7], P = .02), and as measured by fewer parturients being “very much relaxed” 1 hour after epidural catheter placement (51% vs 78%, odds ratio {OR} 0.3 [95% CI 0.1–0.9], P = .02). No differences in mean pain scores immediately after placement or patient satisfaction with the overall epidural placement experience were observed; however, the desire for music use with future epidural catheter placements was higher in the music group (84% vs 45%, OR 6.4 [95% CI 2.5–16.5], P < .0001). No differences in the difficulty with the epidural catheter placement or in the rate of cesarean delivery were observed. CONCLUSIONS: Music use during epidural catheter placement in laboring parturients is associated with higher postprocedure anxiety and no improvement in pain or satisfaction; however, a stronger desire for music with future epidural catheter placements was observed. Further investigation is needed to determine the effect of music use in parturients requesting and using epidural labor analgesia.
Imbalance Effects in the Lucas Model: an Analytical Exploration

Abstract In this note, we extend Xie (JET, 1994) to solve analytically the Lucas model with a weak externality in a specific parametric case. In particular, we characterize the shape of imbalance effects in this model. Our results are mostly consistent with the findings of the related computational literature. Among other analytical findings, we prove that, while U-shaped imbalance effects are not apparent in the Lucas model for the growth rate of output per capita, the level of such a variable may exhibit this shape.
The use of darbepoetin alfa for the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anaemia

Chemotherapy-induced anaemia, with its important consequences on quality of life and social function of cancer patients, can be improved with erythropoietic therapy. Darbepoetin alfa is the first of a novel generation of erythropoietic proteins with a unique molecular structure and a circulating half-life that is threefold longer than that of the previous recombinant human erythropoietin. The efficacy and safety of weekly administration have been confirmed in different Phase II and III randomised trials. In order to optimise the efficacy profile of darbepoetin alfa, extended dosing intervals and front-loading regimens are evaluated, as well the optimal haemoglobin level to initiate therapy. Across all trials, darbepoetin alfa was shown to be a well-tolerated and safe therapy. The possible favourable effect on the outcome of cancer patients needs to be further elucidated.
Shared Language

Whether the brain’s speech-production system is also involved in speech comprehension is a topic of much debate. Research has focused on whether motor areas are involved in listening, but overlap between speaking and listening might occur not only at primary sensory and motor levels, but also at linguistic levels (where semantic, lexical, and syntactic processes occur). Using functional MRI adaptation during speech comprehension and production, we found that the brain areas involved in semantic, lexical, and syntactic processing are mostly the same for speaking and for listening. Effects of primary processing load (indicative of sensory and motor processes) overlapped in auditory cortex and left inferior frontal cortex, but not in motor cortex, where processing load affected activity only in speaking. These results indicate that the linguistic parts of the language system are used for both speaking and listening, but that the motor system does not seem to provide a crucial contribution to listening.
Analyzing educational comments for topics and sentiments: A text analytics approach

Universities collect qualitative and quantitative feedback from students upon course completion in order to improve course quality and students' learning experience. Combining program-wide and module-specific questions, universities collect feedback from students on three main aspects of a course namely, teaching style, content, and learning experience. The feedback is collected through both qualitative comments and quantitative scores. Current methods for analyzing the student course evaluations are manual and majorly focus on quantitative feedback and fall short of an in-depth exploration of qualitative feedback. In this paper, we develop student feedback mining system (SFMS) which applies text analytics and opinion mining approach to provide instructors a quantified and exhaustive analysis of the qualitative feedback from students and avail insights on their teaching practices and this in turn will lead to improved student learning.
Effects of calcium ionophores on the synthesis and release of parathyroid hormone.

The parathyroid gland is unusual among endocrine and other secretory tissues in that increased concentrations of calcium in the extracellular fluid inhibit rather than facilitate or stimulate hormone secretion. To determine whether translocation of calcium ions across the plasma membrane might be involved in the secretory processes of the parathyroid gland, we studied the effects of the calcium ionophores A23187 and X537A on the secretion and biosynthesis of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in vitro. Slices of bovine parathyroid glands were incubated for 3–4 h with radioactive leucine. Secretion of radioactive and immunoreactive parathyroid hormone by the gland slices was evaluated by measurements of acid-insoluble radioactivity and radiolabeled PTH by polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis and by radioimmunoassay, respectively. Biosynthesis of parathyroid hormone was evaluated by electrophoretic analysis of radiolabeled proparathyroid hormone (ProPTH) and PTH in extracts of gland slices that had been pulse-labeled .
Induction of the soxRS Regulon of Escherichia coli by Superoxide*

The soxRS regulon orchestrates a multifaceted defense against oxidative stress, by inducing the transcription of ∼15 genes. The induction of this regulon by redox agents, known to mediate O·̄2 production, led to the view that O·̄2 is one signal to which it responds. However, redox cycling agents deplete cellular reductants while producing O·̄2, and one may question whether the regulon responds to the depletion of some cytoplasmic reductant or to O·̄2, or both. We demonstrate that raising [O·̄2] by mutational deletion of superoxide dismutases and/or by addition of paraquat, both under aerobic conditions, causes induction of a member of the soxRS regulon and that a mutational defect in soxRS eliminates that induction. This establishes that O·̄2, directly or indirectly, can cause induction of this defensive regulon.
Effect of prebiotic carbohydrates on growth, bile survival and cholesterol uptake abilities of dairy-related bacteria.

BACKGROUND Three strains of lactic acid bacteria and one probiotic Bifidobacterium strain sourced from milk origin were considered to select for the best synbiotic-like combination for cholesterol uptake ability. For that purpose, fermentative characteristics, bile salt hydrolase activity, bile survival and cholesterol removal were assessed in the presence of different carbohydrates. RESULTS Carbohydrate fermentability was highly variable among the different strains, and lactulose was the only prebiotic to favour growth of all strains, whereas pectin led to low population regardless of the strain. Bile survival of bacteria could be improved by the preferred carbon source and was related to their bile salt hydrolase activities. All together, our results showed that the most advantageous synbiotic-like combinations to achieve cholesterol uptake abilities were Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. bulgaricus LB 340 with raffinose, Streptococcus thermophilus TA040 or Lactobacillus rhamnosus LBRE-LSAS with lactulose, and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis Bb12 with mannitol. CONCLUSION The suggested synbiotics may represent new promising functional dairy additives.
Aalborg Universitet Optimal Power Flow in Microgrids with Energy Storage

Energy storage may improve power management in microgrids that include renewable energy sources. The storage devices match energy generation to consumption, facilitating a smooth and robust energy balance within the microgrid. This paper addresses the optimal control of the microgrid's energy storage devices. Stored energy is controlled to balance power generation of renewable sources to optimize overall power consumption at the microgrid point-of-common-coupling (PCC). Recent works emphasize constraints imposed by the storage device itself, such as limited capacity and internal losses. However, these works assume flat, highly simplified network models, which overlook the physical connectivity. This work proposes an optimal power flow solution that considers the entire system: the storage device limits, voltages limits, currents limits and power limits. The power network may be arbitrarily complex, and the proposed solver obtains a globally optimal solution.
Influence of beta-lactam antibiotics and ciprofloxacin on cell envelope of Escherichia coli

The effects of subinhibitory concentrations of different beta-lactam antibiotics and one quinolone on the quantitative composition of the outer membrane (OM) of two strains of Escherichia coli, on lipid translocation into the OM, and on the production of capsular K1 polysaccharide were studied. The phospholipid/amino acid ratio was reduced in almost all OM preparations from antibiotic-treated bacteria. In one strain, antibiotic treatment increased the lipopolysaccharide/amino acid ratio. The amount of peptidoglycan fragments bound to the OM was increased by all the antibiotics. In pulse-chase experiments with a radioactive lipid precursor, ciprofloxacin, imipenem, and aztreonam inhibited phospholipid translocation into the OM. Furthermore, imipenem, cephaloridine, and ciprofloxacin induced a pronounced reduction of the production of capsular K1 polysaccharide. Thus, antibiotics seem to induce marked changes of the quantitative composition of the cell envelope of E. coli. Possible connections of these data with findings on the influence of antibiotics on functional parameters of the host-parasite relationship such as OM immunogenicity and serum resistance are discussed.
A randomized control trial of the effect of yoga on Gunas (personality) and Health in normal healthy volunteers

Objective: To study the efficacy of yoga on Guna (yogic personality measure) and general health in normal adults. Methods: Of the 1228 persons who attended introductory lectures, 226 subjects aged 18–71 years, of both sexes, who satisfied the inclusion and exclusion criteria and who consented to participate in the study were randomly allocated into two groups. The Yoga(Y) group practised an integrated yoga module that included asanas, pranayama, meditation, notional correction and devotional sessions. The control group practised mild to moderate physical exercises (PE). Both groups had supervised practice sessions (by trained experts) for one hour daily, six days a week for eight weeks. Guna (yogic personality) was assessed before and after eight weeks using the self-administered Vedic Personality Inventory (VPI) which assesses Sattva (gentle and controlled), Rajas (violent and uncontrolled) and Tamas (dull and uncontrolled). The general health status (total health), which includes four domains namely somatic symptoms (SS), anxiety and insomnia (AI), social dysfunction (SF) and severe depression (SP), was assessed using a General Health Questionnaire (GHQ). Results: Baseline scores for all the domains for both the groups did not differ significantly (P > 0.05, independent samples t test). Sattva showed a significant difference within the groups and the effect size was more in the Y than in the PE group. Rajas showed a significant decrease within and between the groups with a higher effect size in the PE group. Tamas showed significant reduction within the PE group only. The GHQ revealed that there was significant decrease in SS, AI, SF and SP in both Y and PE groups (Wilcoxcon Singed Rank t test). SS showed a significant difference between the groups (Mann Whitney U Test). Conclusions: There was an improvement in Sattva in both the Yoga and control groups with a trend of higher effect size in Yoga; Rajas reduced in both but significantly better in PE than in Yoga and Tamas reduced in PE. The general health status improved in both the Yoga and control groups.
A Simple Asymptotic Bound on the Error of the Ordinary Normal Approximation to the Student's t-Distribution

A simple asymptotic bound on the error of the ordinary normal approximation (ONA) to the Student's t-distribution is derived. The proposed bound provides a quick calculation of the minimum number of degrees of freedom required to ensure a given approximation error. Then, the application of the ONA is investigated in confidence interval determination and detection theory. Finally, using the proposed bound, further simple bounds on the approximation error of the confidence level and the false-alarm probability are obtained.