Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pulsatile Flow Past a Cylinder: An Experimental Model of Flow in an Artificial Lung

The focus of this study is an experimental apparatus that serves as a model for studying blood flow in a total artificial lung (TAL), a prototype device intended to serve as a bridge to lung transplantation or that supports pulmonary function during the treatment of severe respiratory failure. The TAL consists of hollow cylindrical fibers that oxygen-rich air flows through and oxygen-poor blood flows around. Because gas diffusivity in the TAL is very small, a convection mechanism dominates the gas transport, which is why we focus on the velocity around the fibers (modeled as a 0.05-cm-in-diameter and 5-cm-long cylinder). We designed a low-speed water tunnel to study the flow mechanism around the cylinder, across which the flow is generated by a linear actuator that allows different flow patterns to mimic the flow in a TAL. We tested the flow in the test section by numerical simulation and by the particle image velocimetry method to study the flow profile. The results show a uniform flow near the centerline of the water tunnel where the cylinder is placed. This decreases the effects of free-stream turbulence in the shear layers and reduces the uncertainty in determining the flow patterns around the cylinder. Knowledge gained from the flow around one cylinder (fiber) is beneficial for understanding vortex formation around multiple cylinders. We present a summary of vortex formation behind a cylinder for Reynolds numbers (Re) of 1, 3, and 5 and Stokes numbers (Ns) of 0.18 to 0.37; results show that higher Re and Ns favor vortex formation. These findings regarding the parameter range for vortex formation may provide principles for designing artificial lungs to enhance convective mixing. We anticipate that the pulsatile flow circuit presented here can be used to mimic the flow not only in TALs but in other physiological systems.
G protein coupled-receptor signaling and reversible lysine acetylation

Abstract Emerging data suggest that interaction with reversible protein acetylation is an important mediator of GPCR-initiated changes in transcription and other processes. Alteration of acetylation downstream of GPCR activation occurs through a variety of mechanisms, including kinase-dependent and -independent regulation of histone deacetylases (HDACs) and histone acetyltransferases (HATs). The prominence of both GPCR and acetylation in pathology and drug development efforts highlights the importance of understanding cross-talk between these two signaling mechanisms.
Clodronate prevents prosthetic migration: A randomized radiostereometric study of 50 total knee patients

In a double-blind study, we randomized 50 patients to receive peroral clodronate medication or placebo from 3 weeks before until 6 months after a total knee replacement with a cemented NexGen implant. Migration of the tibial components was measured by radiostereometry at 1 year. Clodronate reduced prosthetic migration, as measured by maximum total point motion, from 0.40 mm to 0.29 mm (p = 0.01). This confirms that the early postoperative migration is related to bone resorption and thus the biology of the bone bed. Since early migration is related to late loosening, 6 months of clodronate medication might reduce the risk of loosening.
Sliding-Mode Tracking Control With DNLRX Model-Based Friction Compensation for the Precision Stage

This paper concerns the development of a sliding-mode tracking controller with friction compensation for a precision positioning stage with cross-roller guides. Experiments including prerolling and rolling friction regimes are conducted, and then a two-stage parameter estimation algorithm is used to identify the parameters of a friction dynamic model (Dynamic NonLinear Regression with direct application of eXcitation, DNLRX, model). This model allows the estimation of the friction force in combination with the system dynamics against displacement, and can be used as a feed-forward controller to compensate for the friction effect. To compensate for model error and uncertain disturbances, an integral sliding-mode controller with a disturbance estimation scheme is designed and combined with the DNLRX feed-forward controller to control the motion of a precision stage. Experimental results show that with the proposed controller, tracking performance can be improved.
Language Barriers as a Reported Cause of Prehospital Care Delay in Minnesota

Objective. Although anecdotal reports exist, the frequency of language barriers encountered between EMS providers andpatients/families in the prehospital environment remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of EMS provider-reported perceived delays in care due to language barrier andto characterize the nature of calls involved.Methods. Retrospective analysis of the Minnesota State Ambulance Reporting system (MNSTAR) database, a mandated statewide EMS data collection tool. All EMS run reports submitted between January 1, 2004, andJune 30, 2005, were reviewed to identify instances of reported treatment delay secondary to a language barrier.Results. During the 18-month study period, 629,738 patient encounter reports were submitted to MNSTAR, of which 2,052 identified treatment delays secondary to language. The rate of language barrier care delays in the state of Minnesota is 3.3 per 1,000 prehospital patient encounters.Conclusion. EMS responses troubled by delays in care secondary to language barriers represent a small percentage of total runs in Minnesota. However, approximately 1,370 cases per year occur.
Remote Sensing of the Environment: 16th National Symposium on Remote Sensing of China

Sponsored by Committee of Remote Sensing for Geology, The Geological Society of China • Association on Environment Remote Sensing of China • Committee on Ocean Remote Sensing, Chinese Society of Oceanography • Committee on Satellite Meteorology and Space Weather, China Meteorological Society • Committee on Space Remote Sensing, Chinese Society of Space Research • Committee on Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing, Chinese Society of Geodesy, Photogrammetry, and Cartography • Committee on Space Remote Sensing, Chinese Society of Aeronautics and Astronautics • Technical Committee on Avionics, Chinese Society of Aeronautics • Committee on Telemetry, Remote Sensing, and Control, Chinese Association of Automation • Committee on Software Industry, China Association for Geographic Information System • Committee on Remote Sensing, Chinese Society for Optical Science Committee on Remote Sensing, Chinese Hydraulic Engineering Society • Affiliated Society of Land Information and Remote Sensing, Chinese Land Society • Committee on Remote Sensing for Land and Resources, Chinese Association of Remote Sensing Applications • National Remote Sensing Center of China • CNCRS—Chinese National Committee for Remote Sensing
Investigation of flashover voltage and non-uniform pollution correction coefficient of short samples of composite insulator intended for ±800kV UHVDC

Differences in the amount of pollution on the top and bottom surfaces of an insulator have a great influence on the DC pollution flashover voltage. Up to now, many investigations have been carried out on non-uniform pollution flashover performance of porcelain and glass insulators, but very few on composite insulators. In this paper the influence of non-uniform pollution distribution on DC composite insulators on their flashover performance was analyzed, and a correction formula for the non-uniform pollution flashover voltage was proposed, based on artificial pollution tests carried out on short samples of a composite insulator intended for ±800 kV UHVDC. The test results showed that, when the ratio (T/B) of the salt deposit density (SDD) on the top surface to that on the bottom surface is between 1/1 and 1/10, the value of the characteristic exponent a indicating the effect of SDD on the flashover voltage ranges from 0.22 to 0.255. The value of a is nearly independent of T/B. However, the flashover voltage U50 decreases with the increase in T/B. The correction formula indicating the influence of non-uniform pollution distribution on the flashover voltage could be expressed as K=1 - b×log(T/B). For the tested composite insulators, the factor b was 0.141 to 0.156, which is smaller than that of porcelain or glass insulator. That is to say, the influence of T/B on the flashover voltage of the composite insulator is weaker than those on the porcelain and glass insulators.
Development and validation of a rapid multi-biomarker liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method to assess human exposure to mycotoxins.

RATIONALE Mycotoxins regularly occur in food worldwide and pose serious health risks to consumers. Since individuals can be exposed to a variety of these toxic secondary metabolites of fungi at the same time, there is a demand for proper analytical methods to assess human exposure by suitable biomarkers. METHODS This study reports on the development of a liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS/MS) method for the quantitative measurement of 15 mycotoxins and key metabolites in human urine using polarity switching. Deoxynivalenol (DON), DON-3-O-glucuronide, DON-15-O-glucuronide (D15GlcA), de-epoxy DON, nivalenol (NIV), T-2 toxin, HT-2 toxin, zearalenone, zearalenone-14-O-glucuronide, α- and β-zearalenol, fumonisins B(1) and B(2) (FB(1), FB(2)), ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin M(1) (AFM(1)) were determined without the need for any cleanup using a rapid and simple dilute and shoot approach. RESULTS Validation was performed in the range of 0.005-40 µg L(-1) depending on the analyte and expected urinary concentration levels. Apparent recoveries between 78 and 119% and interday precisions of 2-17% relative standard deviation (RSD) were achieved. The applicability of the method was demonstrated by the analysis of urine samples obtained from Cameroon. In naturally contaminated urine samples up to six biomarkers of exposure (AFM(1), DON, D15GlcA, NIV, FB(1), and OTA) were detected simultaneously. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that the developed LC/MS/MS method is well suited to quantify multiple mycotoxin biomarkers in human urine down to the sub-ppb range within 18 min and without any prior cleanup. The co-occurrence of several mycotoxins in the investigated samples clearly emphasizes the great potential and importance of this method to assess exposure of humans and animals to naturally occurring mycotoxins.
The C-terminal domain of pancreatic lipase: functional and structural analogies with c2 domains.

The 3D structure of pancreatic lipase (PL) consists of two functional domains. The N-terminal domain belongs to the alpha/beta hydrolase fold and contains the active site, which involves a catalytic triad analogous to that present in serine proteases. The beta-sandwich C-terminal domain of PL plays an important part in the binding process between the lipase and colipase, the specific PL cofactor. Recent structure-function studies have suggested that the PL C-terminal domain may have an extra role apart from that of binding colipase. This domain contains an exposed hydrophobic loop (beta5') which was found to be located on the same side as the hydrophobic loops surrounding the active site, and it may be involved in the lipid binding process. Indirect evidence for this new function of the PL C-terminal domain has been provided by studies with monoclonal antibodies directed against the beta5' loop. The catalytic activity of the PL-antibody complexes on water insoluble substrates decreased drastically, whereas their esterase activity on a soluble substrate remained unchanged. During the last few years, a number of protein structures (15-lipoxygenase, alpha-toxin from Clostridium perfringens) have been determined that contain domains with close structural homologies with the beta-sandwich C-terminal domain of PL. Generally speaking, these domains show structural homologies with the C2 domains occurring in a wide range of proteins involved in signal transduction (e.g. phosphoinositide-specific phospholipase C, protein kinase C, cytosolic phospholipase A2), membrane traffic (e.g. synaptotagmin I, rabphilin) and membrane disruption (e.g. perforin). Here it is proposed to review the structure and function of the C2 domains, based on the recent 3D structures and improved sequence alignments.
Systematic review of cases reporting blood extravasation-related complications after thyroid fine-needle biopsy.

OBJECTIVE Thyroid fine-needle biopsy (FNB) is the procedure of choice in the preoperative management of thyroid nodules because of its accuracy and cost-effectiveness. Minor hematomas are the most common complications, but their morbidity is usually negligible. On the other hand, massive hematomas seem to be rare, but life-threatening, if the performer is unaware or careless and the patient is not adequately informed. In this review, we tried to summarize all reported blood extravasation-related post-FNB complications (hemorrhage, hematomas, and secondary hemangiomas) and provide useful hints to avoid them. DESIGN Systematic review of the literature. SETTING Second Medical Clinic of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece. METHODS Computerized advanced search for primary evidence was performed in the PubMed (Public/Publisher MEDLINE) electronic database. The search was not limited by publication time or English language. RESULTS The reported incidence of blood extravasation-related complications during or after FNB ranges between 1.9 and 6.4% in different studies. This variability is possibly due to definition or record biases. Intranodular hemorrhage within the cystic part of complex nodules following fluid aspiration seems to be even more frequent. Seven cases of post-FNB life-threatening massive hematomas resulting in airway obstruction were found as well as four described cases with secondary hemangioma attributed to FNB. CONCLUSIONS Despite the potential risk of post-FNB hemorrhage, hematomas, or secondary hemangiomas, the overall usefulness and safety of FNB are not questionable, considering the large number of FNBs performed worldwide everyday.
Osteopontin Undergoes Polymerization in Vivo and Gains Chemotactic Activity for Neutrophils Mediated by Integrin α9β1*

Osteopontin (OPN) is an integrin-binding inflammatory cytokine that undergoes polymerization catalyzed by transglutaminase 2. We have previously reported that polymeric OPN (polyOPN), but not unpolymerized OPN (OPN*), attracts neutrophils in vitro by presenting an acquired binding site for integrin α9β1. Among many in vitro substrates for transglutaminase 2, only a few have evidence for in vivo polymerization and concomitant function. Although polyOPN has been identified in bone and aorta, the in vivo functional significance of polyOPN is unknown. To determine whether OPN polymerization contributes to neutrophil recruitment in vivo, we injected OPN* into the peritoneal space of mice. Polymeric OPN was detected by immunoblotting in the peritoneal wash of mice injected with OPN*, and both intraperitoneal and plasma OPN* levels were higher in mice injected with a polymerization-incompetent mutant, confirming that OPN* polymerizes in vivo. OPN* injection induced neutrophil accumulation, which was significantly less following injection of a mutant OPN that was incapable of polymerization. The importance of in vivo polymerization was further confirmed with cystamine, a transglutaminase inhibitor, which blocked the polymerization and attenuated OPN*-mediated neutrophil recruitment. The thrombin-cleaved N-terminal fragment of OPN, another ligand for α9β1, was not responsible for neutrophil accumulation because a thrombin cleavage-incompetent mutant recruited similar numbers of neutrophils as wild type OPN*. Neutrophil accumulation in response to both wild type and thrombin cleavage-incompetent OPN* was reduced in mice lacking the integrin α9 subunit in leukocytes, indicating that α9β1 is required for polymerization-induced recruitment. We have illustrated a physiological role of molecular polymerization by demonstrating acquired chemotactic properties for OPN.
Impact and force control

Robot manipulators and drive systems can experience instability or poor control performance after impacting with an environment. The authors present an analytical model for impact which is experimentally validated step-by-step. Extensive simulations and experiments are conducted to explain impact phenomena for the case of a force feedback control of a single-axis drive system. The experimental tests were conducted on a manipulator drive system which consists of a motor, a transmission, a link, a force sensor, and a movable environment. The results are based on an energy method and presented concisely in dimensionless form. To this end, a small number of dimensionless groups are used to characterize the impact behavior through simulations and tests. It is shown that integral force compensation with velocity feedback improves force tracking and reject impacts. It is also revealed that impact response can be tuned by selecting a favourable dimensionless ratio of force to approach velocity. <<ETX>>
Underage drivers are separating drinking from driving.

OBJECTIVES From 1985 to 1995, drivers younger than 21 years experienced a 50% drop in fatal crashes involving alcohol. This study addresses whether the decrease is explained by young drivers' drinking less or by their separating drinking from driving. METHODS Nighttime roadside surveys were conducted in 3 communities to test drivers' breath and administer questionnaires on drinking practices. From 1992 to 1996, 34,898 drivers (21% of whom were younger than 21 years) were interviewed. RESULTS Although drivers younger than 21 years were more likely to have consumed 6 or more drinks on at least 1 occasion during the previous month, a smaller percentage of younger drivers than of older drivers had blood alcohol concentrations of 0.01 or higher. CONCLUSIONS Younger drivers are more likely than drivers older than 21 years to separate drinking from driving.
Incorporation bias in studies of diagnostic tests: how to avoid being biased about bias.

Adiagnostic test’s ability to discriminate between those with and without a condition of interest (e.g., a specific disease) is best determined by comparing the test result to a reference standard that is accepted as the “truth. ” The evaluation of a diagnostic test’s performance involves comparing its results to this reference standard, and commonly reported test characteristics such as sensitivity and specificity can be determined during this kind of assessment (Fig. 1). The reference standard can take several forms. These include other diagnostic tests such as magnetic resonance imaging, a histopathology report or findings on autopsy. A reference standard may be a clinical outcome such as death or the resolution of symptoms. The reference standard may also be the results of a clinical evaluation or expert opinion. At times, the most challenging aspect of assessing a diagnostic test is identifying a reference standard that will be widely accepted. Sometimes no acceptable reference standard exists. There is some recent work into dealing with this dilemma. Ideally, the reference standard and the diagnostic test under consideration are entirely independent of one another. When both the diagnostic test and the reference standard are laboratory tests, this is rarely a problem. Similarly, when the reference standard includes death, the independence of the diagnostic test and reference standard is seldom in question. However, when some clinical judgment or interpretation is required and the physician uses the diagnostic test in his or her decision-making, independence is lost. In this issue of CJEM, Mater and colleagues evaluated the diagnostic test characteristics of plain radiographs in the form of a shunt series and CT scanning of the head to determine whether children have cerebrospinal shunt malfunction. These authors chose a clinical assessment as the reference standard, and specifically defined shunt
A JOINT INDEX FOR THE INTENSITY OF SEX‐SPECIFIC SELECTION

A growing body of experimental and field data shows that selective pressures often differ between males and females. Surprisingly, to date, little attempt has been made to formalize a metric expressing the relative behavior of directional selection in the two sexes. We propose an index that describes the extent to which concordant or antagonistic selection is operating between the sexes for a given trait. This joint index could prove especially useful for the study of intralocus sexual conflict and the evolution of sexual dimorphism, providing a common scale to directly compare different traits within or among taxonomic levels, and allowing an assessment on how common sexually antagonistic selection might be in extant populations.
Increased recognition of depression in primary care. Comparison between primary-care physician and ICD-10 diagnosis of depression.

BACKGROUND Underrecognition and undertreatment of depression in primary care has been regarded as a major public health problem. In contrast, some studies found that among patients labeled as depressed by primary-care physicians (PCPs), a relevant proportion do not satisfy international diagnostic criteria for depression. The aims of this study are: (1) to assess disparity between PCP diagnosis and research diagnosis of depression; (2) to compare antidepressant treatment in concordant and discordant cases of depression. METHODS Data are gathered from a national survey on depressive disorders in primary care, conducted with the collaboration of 191 PCPs. Three hundred and sixty-one PCP patients were evaluated, and their psychiatric diagnosis was established by the 'unaided' PCPs and by using a research interview for depression. RESULTS PCPs recognized 79.4% of cases of depression and prescribed antidepressants to 40.9% of them. Yet, 45.0% of patients labeled as depressed by the PCPs were not cases of depression according to ICD-10 criteria; 26.9% of false-positive cases received an antidepressant. Globally, 35% of antidepressants for 'depression' were prescribed to false-positive cases. CONCLUSIONS Underrecognition and undertreatment of depression in primary care seem to be less alarming. Conversely, PCP diagnoses of depression appear to be more inclusive than psychiatric diagnostic criteria. A possible consequence of this apparently more inclusive diagnostic threshold may be an excessive use of antidepressants. These changes require a corresponding change in research, toward efficacy and safety of the treatment of milder cases, and in education, toward the distinction between the management of mild and severe cases of depression.
Geometrically based statistical channel model for macrocellular mobile environments

We develop a statistical geometric propagation model for a macrocell mobile environment that provides the statistics of angle-of-arrival of the multipath components. This channel model assumes that each multipath component of the propagating signal undergoes only one bounce traveling from the transmitter to the receiver and that scattering objects are located uniformly within a circle around the mobile. This geometrically based single bounce macrocell (GBSBM) channel model provides three important parameters that characterize a channel: the power of the multipath components, the time-of-arrival (TOA) of the components, and the angle-of-arrival (AOA) of the components. Doppler spectra and fading envelopes obtained using the GBSBM model is compared with Clarke's (1968) model. The results show that the rate of fading at the base station is lower than at the mobile and the reduction in the Doppler spread at the station is dependent on the direction of motion of the mobile with respect to the base station and the radius of the scattering circle.