Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management of Necrotizing Fasciitis and Its Surgical Aspects

Necrotizing fasciitis (NF) is a severe and rapidly progressive infectious disease that attacks superficial an as well as deep fascia, subcutaneous fat tissue, and muscle. Although the incidence is of relatively low frequency, the median mortality is high. NF is a great burden to patients and hospitals. The most common cause of NF is trauma injuries, followed by other conditions with comorbidity. A classification for NF was presented concerning microbial cause, depth of infection, and anatomy. But the value of classification is not convincing. Early diagnosis of NF is essential and still to be realized by far. Information from clinic or laboratory might contribute to the purpose. Surgery is used in exploration debridement and tissue reconstruction as the main method with NF. Negative pressure wound therapy has proved to be useful in improving wound bed preparation and healing.
Making papercraft toys from meshes using strip-based approximate unfolding

We propose a new method for producing unfolded papercraft patterns of rounded toy animal figures from triangulated meshes by means of strip-based approximation. Although in principle a triangulated model can be unfolded simply by retaining as much as possible of its connectivity while checking for intersecting triangles in the unfolded plane, creating a pattern with tens of thousands of triangles is unrealistic. Our approach is to approximate the mesh model by a set of continuous triangle strips with no internal vertices. Initially, we subdivide our mesh into parts corresponding to the features of the model. We segment each part into zonal regions, grouping triangles which are similar topological distances from the part boundary. We generate triangle strips by simplifying the mesh while retaining the borders of the zonal regions and additional cut-lines. The pattern is then created simply by unfolding the set of strips. The distinguishing feature of our method is that we approximate a mesh model by a set of continuous strips, not by other ruled surfaces such as parts of cones or cylinders. Thus, the approximated unfolded pattern can be generated using only mesh operations and a simple unfolding algorithm. Furthermore, a set of strips can be crafted just by bending the paper (without breaking edges) and can represent smooth features of the original mesh models.
Application of e-procurement technologies for selecting suppliers of agro-based SMEs in Malaysia

E-procurement is one aspect in supply management that has become popular among companies in Malaysia. There is an argument whether adopting e-procurement technology is a strategic choice for companies’ purchasing strategies. The objectives of this study are to investigate factors that influence the application of e-procurement technologies in selecting potential suppliers of agro-based SMEs in Malaysia and to determine whether these SMEs have the intention to increase the application of e-procurement in selecting their suppliers. An online survey was carried out and only 190 responses (63.3%) were received from selected agro-based SMEs. Statistical analyses such as descriptive analysis, factor analysis and logistic regression analysis were used to analyse the data. The results revealed selection efficiency, security and legal environment, commitment, delivery acceleration, cost and quality as the factors related to the intention of SMEs to increase the application of e-procurement. A vigorous use of e-procurement and strong support from the top management by providing sufficient e-procurement resources to be utilized in agro-based SMEs are a few among many relevant implications discussed in this paper.
Decreased Heart Rate Variability in Patients with Congestive Heart Failure and Chronotropic Incompetence

Heart rate variability was studied in 41 patients (aged 48 ± 12 years) with congestive heart failure secondary to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy. All patients underwent a treadmill exercise test and 24‐hour Holter ECC monitoring. Chronotropic incompetence was defined as the failure to achieve > 80% of the predicted maximal heart rate response given by 220 – age (years) at peak exercise. Spectral heart rate variability was analyzed from 24‐hour Holter ECCs and was expressed as total (0.01–1.00 Hz), low (0.04–0.15 Hz), and high (0.15–0.40 Hz) frequency components. The standard deviation of all normal RR intervals (SDNN) was also computed. Chronotropic incompetence was observed in ten patients. Peak oxygen consumption was significantly lower in patients witb chronotropic incompetence compared with those without chronotropic incompetence. The total (5.11 ± 1.26 In [ms2] vs 6.41 ± 0.92 In [ms2]; P = 0.009) and low (3.38 ± 1.65 In [ms2] vs 5.45 ± 1.34 In [ms2];P = 0.003), but not the high (3.42 ± 1.04 In [ms2] vs 4.00 ± 1.12 in [ms2]; P = 0.249) frequency components of heart rate variability were significantly lower in patients with chronotropic incompetence, although there was no significant difference in mean heart rate (88 ± 20 beats/min vs 86 ± 15 beats/min; P = 0.831) or left ventricular ejection fraction (22%± 10% vs 24%± 10%; P = 0.619). SDNN was also significantly lower in patients with chronotropic incompetence compared witb those without chronotropic incompetence (64 ± 34 ms vs 102 ± 37 ms; P = 0.030). Conclusions: The observation that heart rate variability is significantly decreased in patients with congestive heart failure who have chronotropic incompetence suggests that chronotropic incompetence may relate to an abnormal autonomic influence on the heart in these patients.
Two-Step Write Scheme for Reducing Sneak-Path Leakage in Complementary Memristor Array

In this paper, a new two-step write scheme is proposed to minimize sneak-path leakage in complementary memristor (CM) array, where no selection device is needed. When R RESET/R SET = 100, the new two-step write scheme can increase the array size of CMs 10 times larger than the conventional write. If R RESET/R SET is increased to 500, we can increase the passive array size up to 1000 × 1000 with maintaining the read sensing margin lager than 10% of VDD. The two-step write scheme will be very essential in realizing passive cross-point array without any selection device that is known to be the ideal architecture for future 3-D memories.
A Review of Recent Archaeological Research on Food-Producing Communities in Southern Africa

This review is a further development in the Journal of African History series of archaeological surveys away from the earlier radiocarbon date lists and towards regional examinations of recent archaeological evidence on food-producing societies. It is divided into two sections that examine respectively ‘Stone Age’ pastoralists in the drier west and ‘Iron Age’ agriculturalists in the better-watered east. Relations between food producers and hunter-gatherers are examined, particularly in the west, where it is becoming increasingly difficult to make meaningful distinctions between them in view of the variety of changes that took place roughly contemporaneously in both with the introduction of domestic stock. Several local sequences are beginning to suggest that socio-economic change took place within the framework of the local community rather than by the stereotypic, ethnic replacement model where Khoi succeeds San. There is much new evidence on communities with an agricultural economic base. The earliest evidence is examined from southern Mozambique and the Transvaal, including traces of first-millennium mercantile trade and its regional antecedents. There are contradictions between different models proposed to explain interactions with residual hunter-gatherer communities and with the natural environment. A major theme of recent studies has been the development and use of models derived from structuralist analysis of the classic ethnography of the region. Such models have given a new understanding of settlement patterns but in several respects are still the subject of controversy.
B‐cell differentiation in EBV‐positive Burkitt lymphoma is impaired at posttranscriptional level by miRNA‐altered expression

Endemic, sporadic and HIV‐associated Burkitt lymphoma (BL) all have a B‐cell phenotype and a MYC translocation, but a variable association with the Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV). However, there is still no satisfactory explanation of how EBV participates in the pathogenesis of BL. A recent investigation suggested that EBV‐positive and EBV‐negative BL have different cells of origin. In particular, according to immunoglobulin gene mutation analysis, EBV‐negative BLs may originate from early centroblasts, whereas EBV‐positive BLs seem to arise from postgerminal center B cells or memory B cells. The appearance of a germinal center phenotype in EBV‐positive cells might thus derive from a block in B‐cell differentiation. The exit from the germinal center involves a complex series of events, which require the activation of BLIMP‐1, and the consequent downregulation of several target genes. Here, we investigated the expression of specific miRNAs predicted to be involved in B‐cell differentiation and found that hsa‐miR‐127 is differentially expressed between EBV‐positive and EBV‐negative BLs. In particular, it was strongly upregulated only in EBV‐positive BL samples, whereas EBV‐negative cases showed levels of expression similar to normal controls, including microdissected germinal centers (GC) cells. In addition, we found evidence that hsa‐miR‐127 is involved in B‐cell differentiation process through posttranscriptional regulation of BLIMP1 and XBP1. The overexpression of this miRNA may thus represent a key event in the lymphomagenesis of EBV positive BL, by blocking the B‐cell differentiation process.
Effect of acibenzolar-S-methyl and Saccharomyces cerevisiae on the activation of Eucalyptus defences against rust

Tree defence mechanisms against the fungus Puccinia psidii were examined by comparing the activities of defence-related enzymes (chitinase, peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonia-lyase) of two Eucalyptus grandis × E. urophylla (urograndis) hybrids, previously classified as either susceptible to rust (VR hybrid) or moderately resistant to rust (C0 hybrid). Furthermore, the potential of disease control by artificial activation of host defences using either acibenzolar-S-methyl (ASM) or Saccharomyces cerevisiae extract was also investigated. Greenhouse inoculation trials revealed that the C0 hybrid had lower disease severity than the VR hybrid but following foliar applications of either ASM or S. cerevisiae extract treatment, disease severity (evaluated at 15 days after inoculation) was reduced in both hybrids. This enhanced resistance was associated with the induction of a hypersensitive reaction which appeared to be effective in controlling rust in both clones. The activity of all enzymes differed between clones and inducer treatment. The role of the defence-related enzymes in imparting resistance to eucalypt hybrids against rust is discussed.
Decreased neuronal differentiation of newly generated cells underlies reduced hippocampal neurogenesis in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy

Hippocampal neurogenesis declines substantially in chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE). However, it is unclear whether this decline is linked to altered production of new cells and/or diminished survival and neuronal fate‐choice decision of newly born cells. We quantified different components of hippocampal neurogenesis in rats exhibiting chronic TLE. Through intraperitoneal administration of 5′‐bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU) for 12 days, we measured numbers of newly born cells in the subgranular zone‐granule cell layer (SGZ‐GCL) at 24 h and 2.5 months post‐BrdU administration. Furthermore, the differentiation of newly added cells into neurons and glia was quantified via dual immunofluorescence for BrdU and various markers of neurons and glia. Addition of new cells to the SGZ‐GCL over 12 days was comparable between the chronically epileptic hippocampus and the age‐matched intact hippocampus. Furthermore, comparison of BrdU+ cells measured at 24 h and 2.5 months post‐BrdU administration revealed similar survival of newly born cells between the two groups. However, only 4–5% of newly born cells (i.e., BrdU+ cells) differentiated into neurons in the chronically epileptic hippocampus, in comparison to 73–80% of such cells exhibiting neuronal differentiation in the intact hippocampus. Moreover, differentiation of newly born cells into S‐100β+ astrocytes or NG2+ oligodendrocyte progenitors increased to ∼79% in the chronically epileptic hippocampus from ∼25% observed in the intact hippocampus. Interestingly, the extent of proliferation of astrocytes and microglia (identified through Ki‐67 and S‐100β and Ki‐67 and OX‐42 dual immunofluorescence) in the SGZ‐GCL was similar between the chronically epileptic hippocampus and the age‐matched intact hippocampus, implying that the proliferation of neural stem/progenitor cells in the SGZ‐GCL of the chronically epileptic hippocampus was not obscured by an increased division of glia. Thus, severely diminished DG neurogenesis in chronic TLE is not associated with either decreased production of new cells or reduced survival of newly born cells in the SGZ‐GCL. Rather, it is linked to a dramatic decline in the neuronal fate‐choice decision of newly generated cells. Overall, the differentiation of newly born cells turns mainly into glia with chronic TLE from predominantly neuronal differentiation seen in control conditions. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
User-friendly Support for Common Concepts in a Lightweight Verifier

Machine verification of formal arguments can only increase our confidence in the correctness of those arguments, but the costs of employing machine verification still outweigh the benefits for some common kinds of formal reasoning activities. As a result, usability is becoming increasingly important in the design of formal verification tools. We describe the AARTIFACT lightweight verification system, designed for processing formal arguments involving basic, ubiquitous mathematical concepts. The system is a prototype for investigating potential techniques for improving the usability of formal verification systems. It leverages techniques drawn both from existing work and from our own efforts. In addition to a parser for a familiar concrete syntax and a mechanism for automated syntax lookup, the system integrates (1) a basic logical inference algorithm, (2) a database of propositions governing common mathematical concepts, and (3) a data structure that computes congruence closures of expressions involving relations found in this database. Together, these components allow the system to better accommodate the expectations of users interested in verifying formal arguments involving algebraic and logical manipulations of numbers, sets, vectors, and related operators and predicates. We demonstrate the reasonable performance of this system on typical formal arguments and briefly discuss how the system’s design contributed to its usability in two case studies.
Microvascular development and growth of uterine tissue during the estrous cycle in mares.

OBJECTIVE To document uterine growth and microvascular development in the endometrium of uteri with differing degrees of fibrosis as well as uterine growth throughout the estrous cycle of mares. ANIMALS 30 mares. PROCEDURE Uterine tissue was obtained during the breeding season from a slaughter facility. Stage of estrous cycle of the mares was assessed on the basis of ovarian structures and plasma progesterone concentrations. Endometrium was characterized by use of light microscopy, and blood vessel walls were marked by histochemical techniques. Microvascular development was evaluated by a computerized image analysis system. Growth of uterine tissue was based on cellular content of DNA and RNA, RNA:DNA, and protein:DNA. RESULTS Significant differences in vascular density were not observed in the endometrium of uteri obtained from mares euthanatized during the follicular or luteal phase of the estrous cycle, regardless of whether endometrial classification of degree of fibrosis was considered. There was a 3-fold increase in amount of DNA and RNA of endometrial cells in the follicular phase when compared to myometrium. Hypertrophy of endometrial tissue during the luteal phase was reflected by a significant increase in cell protein content and protein:DNA. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE Endometrial growth of vascular tissues during the estrous cycle may be coordinated with development of nonvascular tissue. Estrogen and progesterone may play a role in regulation of uterine growth and angiogenesis.
Corporate Ownership Structure and Accuracy and Bias of Mandatory Earnings Forecast: Evidence from Taiwan

The primary objective of this study is to examine the association between the quality of mandatory earnings forecast, measured by forecast accuracy and bias, and the ownership structure of Taiwanese firms, measured by the divergence between the ultimate owner's control and the equity ownership level. The study is based on 528 forecasts issued by Taiwanese‐listed firms from 1999 to 2001, which were affected by the regulation on disclosure‐of‐earnings forecasts issued by the Taiwan Securities and Futures Exchange Commission (TSFEC). First, we find that concentrated ownership structures created agency conflicts between controlling owners and outside investors. Second, we also find that firms tend to issue more inaccurate and optimistically biased forecasts in the presence of the greater divergence between the ultimate owner's control and the equity ownership level. Third, the firms with serious agency problems tended to revise their forecasts more to reduce error or bias or manipulate accruals (e.g., through.
Diagnostic value of urine microscopy for differential diagnosis of acute kidney injury in hospitalized patients.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Urine microscopy is the oldest and one of the most commonly used tests for differential diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI), but its performance has not been adequately studied in the setting of AKI. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS Fresh urine samples were obtained from 267 consecutive patients with AKI, and urinary sediment was examined. The cause of AKI was assessed at two time points: (1) Before urine microscopy diagnosis and (2) after patient discharge or death (final diagnosis). A urinary scoring system also was created on the basis of casts and renal tubular epithelial cells (RTEC) to differentiate acute tubular necrosis (ATN) from prerenal AKI. RESULTS The urinary sediment scoring system was highly predictive of the final diagnosis of ATN. In patients with a high pretest probability of ATN (initial diagnosis of ATN), any casts or RTEC (score > or =2) resulted in very high positive predictive value and low negative predictive value for a final diagnosis of ATN. In patients with a low pretest probability of ATN (initial diagnosis of prerenal AKI), lack of casts or RTEC on urinary sediment examination had a sensitivity of 0.73 and specificity of 0.75 for a final diagnosis of prerenal AKI. The negative predictive value of lack of casts or RTEC in patients with low pretest probability of disease was 91%. CONCLUSIONS Urine sediment examination is a valuable diagnostic tool for confirming the diagnosis of ATN. A score of > or =2 on an ATN urinary sediment scoring system is an extremely strong predictor of ATN.
Longitudinal Trends in Use of Bone Mass Measurement Among Older Americans, 1999–2005

Bone mass measurement (BMM) is useful to identify persons with low bone mass who are at increased risk for fracture. Given the increased emphasis that is being placed on preventive services such as screening for osteoporosis, we evaluated trends in BMM among Medicare beneficiaries. We studied a 5% sample of Medicare beneficiaries ≥65 yr of age in 1999–2005. We identified claims for BMM tests performed in both facility and nonfacility settings, evaluated temporal trends in use of these tests, and described the proportion of tests attributable to each specialty of physicians submitting claims. We also assessed patterns of serial testing among individuals who were tested more than once. Claims data from all years were pooled to describe the proportion of persons in the population ever tested. From 1999 to 2005, use of central DXA increased by ∼50%, and use of peripheral DXA declined. The greatest increases in central DXA occurred among internists, family practitioners, and gynecologists. In 1999, the proportion of 65‐yr‐old women tested was 8.4%; this increased to 12.9% in 2005. Corresponding proportions for men were 0.6% and 1.7%, respectively. Between 40% and 73% of persons receiving central DXA were retested, most at ∼2‐yr intervals. Aggregating data across all years for whites and blacks, 30.0% of women and 4.4% of men underwent central DXA at least once. We conclude that, although use of DXA steadily increased from 1999 to 2005, only ∼30% of women and 4% of men at least 65 yr old had a central DXA study. Given the importance of central DXA to assess the risk of osteoporotic fractures, strategies to increase central DXA use to test at‐risk persons are warranted.
Linking knowledge bases to social media profiles

Social media have become an invaluable source of data for a wide variety of tasks. Unfortunately, this data is hard to gather and process due to low amount of machine readable attributes, API limitations and noisiness. In this paper we propose a system that aligns knowledge base entries of people and organisations to the corresponding social media profiles. The motivation is twofold: (i) on the one hand, we facilitate processing of social media data by allowing the import of rich entity descriptions from knowledge bases; (ii) on the other hand, we are enabling an automatic enrichment of a knowledge base with additional data from the social media. We used this system to create a resource of 893,446 alignments between DBpedia entities and Twitter profiles. This resource allows, effectively, to connect Twitter to the Linked Open Data cloud.
Alterations in lipid homeostasis of mouse dorsal root ganglia induced by apolipoprotein E deficiency: a shotgun lipidomics study

One of the fundamental goals of lipidomics research is to identify the linkage of an individual gene with a given lipidome, thereby revealing the role of that gene in lipid metabolism, transport, and homeostasis. In this study, we have identified four apolipoprotein E (apoE)‐induced alterations in the lipidome of mouse dorsal root ganglia (DRG) through utilizing the technology of shotgun lipidomics. First, apoE mediates sulfatide mass content in mouse DRG, which is comparable to its role in the CNS. Second, apoE contributes to galactosylceramide and ceramide homeostasis in mouse DRG. Third, apoE significantly modulates cholesterol levels in mouse DRG. The latter two functions of apoE are distinct from those in the CNS. Finally, mice null for apoE have dramatically less triacylglycerol mass content in DRG which are opposite to the effects observed in the peripheral organs and vascular system. Collectively, this study identifies the specific alterations in the DRG lipidome induced by apoE knockout and suggests the potential roles of apoE in lipid transport and homeostasis in a tissue specific manner, thereby providing insights into the biochemical mechanisms underlying the functions of apoE in the PNS.
Rates and Extents of Antifungal Activities of Amphotericin B, Flucytosine, Fluconazole, and Voriconazole against Candida lusitaniae Determined by Microdilution, Etest, and Time-Kill Methods

ABSTRACT Amphotericin B, flucytosine, fluconazole, and voriconazole alone and in combination were evaluated against isolates of Candida lusitaniae. MICs were determined by broth microdilution and Etest, and time-kill studies were conducted. Amphotericin B resulted in fungicidal activity against most isolates, whereas fluconazole, voriconazole, and flucytosine produced primarily fungistatic activities. The addition of flucytosine to amphotericin B resulted in a faster rate and greater extent of kill for isolates for which the MICs of amphotericin B were elevated.