Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Prospective Clinical Registry of Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia for Ambulatory Shoulder Surgery

BACKGROUND: There is a lack of clinical registries to document efficacy and safety of ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Interscalene blocks are effective for shoulder arthroscopy, and ultrasound guidance may reduce risk. Furthermore, ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block is a novel approach for shoulder anesthesia that may have less risk for neurological symptoms than interscalene block. METHODS: One thousand one hundred sixty-nine patients undergoing ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia for ambulatory shoulder arthroscopy were enrolled in our prospective registry. Standardized perioperative data were collected including a preoperative neurological screening tool. Either interscalene or supraclavicular block was performed at the discretion of the clinical team. Standardized follow-up was performed in the postanesthesia care unit and at 1 week. Postoperative neurological symptoms (PONS) were assessed at the 1-week follow-up with the same screening tool by a blinded neurologist. RESULTS: Ultrasound-guided interscalene (n = 515) and supraclavicular (n = 654) blocks had excellent anesthetic success (99.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 99.4%–99.9%) with 0% (95% CI, 0%–0.3%) incidence of vascular puncture or intravascular injection. The incidence of hoarseness in the postanesthesia care unit was significantly less with supraclavicular (22% with 95% CI, 19%–26%) than interscalene block (31% with 95% CI, 27%–35%). The incidence of dyspnea was similar (7% for supraclavicular vs 10% with interscalene). No patient had a clinically apparent pneumothorax. The incidence of PONS was very low (0.4% with 95% CI, 0.1%–1%), and there was a 0% (95% CI, 0%–0.3%) incidence of permanent nerve injury. CONCLUSIONS: Ultrasound-guided interscalene and supraclavicular blocks are effective and safe for shoulder arthroscopy. Temporary and permanent PONS is uncommon.
Removal of selected NSAIDs (nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs) in aqueous samples by Octolig®

ABSTRACT The possibility of removing representative nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) from water was tested using Octolig®, a commercially available material with polyethylenediimine moieties covalently attached to high-surface area silica gel. The effectiveness of removal should depend on selected NSAIDs having appropriate anionic functional groups. NSAIDs selected had aromatic carboxylic groups: diclofenac, fenoprofen, indomethacin, ketoprofen, mefenamic acid, naproxen, and sulindac. These substances in deionized (DI) water were removed by passage over Octolig columns with removal values approaching 90% at environmental pH values, e.g., ca pH 6. Fenoprofen, however, was only removed to an extent of 80% in DI water and 62% in well water, presumably a result of competition with bicarbonate ions.
Identification of factors that affect the adoption of an ergonomic intervention among Emergency Medical Service workers

This study explored factors contributing to intervention adoption decisions among Emergency Medical Service (EMS) workers. Emergency Medical Service workers (n = 190), from six different organisations, participated in a two-month longitudinal study following the introduction of a patient transfer-board (also known as slide-board) designed to ease lateral transfers of patients to and from ambulance cots. Surveys administered at baseline, after one month and after two months sampled factors potentially influencing the EMS providers’ decision process. ‘Ergonomics Advantage’ and ‘Patient Advantage’ entered into a stepwise regression model predicting ‘intention to use’ at the end of month one (R 2 = 0.78). After the second month, the stepwise regression indicated only two factors were predictive of intention to use: ‘Ergonomics Advantage,’ and ‘Endorsed by Champions’ (R 2 = 0.58). Actual use was predicted by: ‘Ergonomics Advantage’ and ‘Previous Tool Experience. ’ These results relate to key concepts identified in the diffusion of innovation literature and have the potential to further ergonomics intervention adoption efforts. Practitioner Summary. This study explored factors that potentially facilitate the adoption of voluntarily used ergonomics interventions. EMS workers were provided with foldable transfer-boards (slideboards) designed to reduce the physical demands when laterally transferring patients. Factors predictive of adoption measures included perceived ergonomics advantage, the endorsement by champions, and prior tool experience.
Ambient Particulate Matter, C-Reactive Protein, and Coronary Artery Disease

Abstract This article is a review of the scientific literature with respect to fine particulate matter (PM), 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG-CoA) reductase inhibitors, and coronary artery disease (CAD). The association between air pollution and respiratory diseases has been extensively investigated for decades; however, the role of air pollution in exacerbating heart disease has only recently become a focus of attention. It has been shown that for every 10-μg/m3 increase in fine PM in the air, there appears to be a 2.1% increase in the number of deaths related to ischemic heart disease. PM has been linked to increased levels of systemic inflammation biomarkers such as C-reactive proteins (CRP). Daily variation of ambient pollution is correlated with rises and falls in CRP levels. Increased CRP levels have been associated with increased morbidity and mortality in individuals with CAD. Seventy-five percent of patients with elevated CRP levels have reportedly experienced a major cardiac event despite low-density lipoproteins (LDL) levels that were below the threshold recommended for pharmacological intervention. HMG CoA reductase inhibitors (statins) have been shown to cause a reduction in coronary events by lowering LDL levels. However, recently it has been shown that statins have the effect of lowering CRP levels. This may explain why individuals with normal lipid levels may benefit from statin therapy. Ambient PM exposure levels and its effects on CRP are risk factors associated with coronary events and should be considered as a target for the treatment of CAD.
The effect of antecedent acute ethanol ingestion on the pancreas ultrastructure in taurocholate pancreatitis in rats.

The rat pancreas ultrastructure was examined 6, 12, and 18 h after (1) taurocholate-induced acute pancreatitis and after (2) pancreatitis preceded 6 h earlier by intragastric acute 40% ethanol ingestion (5 g/kg b.w.). Pancreatic specific trypsin activity and plasma alpha-amylase were assayed at the same time intervals. The antecedent acute ethanol ingestion resulted in the evident aggravation of pancreas ultrastructural alterations. Acute pancreatitis preceded by ethanol resulted in the increase of zymogen granules number, RER channels were more irregularly distributed, autophagosomes were more abundant and degeneration of mitochondria was more advanced when compared to acute pancreatitis without ethanol ingestion. Tryptic activity increased to higher degree in all pancreatitis groups preceded by ethanol, but this difference was statistically significant (P < 0.01) only after 18 h. These morphological (but not biochemical) differences progressed 12 h after pancreatitis induction. After 18 h of acute pancreatitis the number of zymogen granules decreased in previously alcoholized rats, but tryptic activity remained twofold higher that in animals not given ethanol. Other signs of cellular impairment were still more prominent in alcoholized rats. The obtained results suggest that even single acute ethanol abuse prior to acute pancreatitis does aggravate the morphological and biochemical lesions observed in this disease with possible negative consequences for the prognosis.
Solar UVR exposures of indoor workers in a Working and a Holiday Period assessed by personal dosimeters and sun exposure diaries

Background/Aim: The aim of this study was to quantify ultraviolet radiation (UVR) exposure of fully employed indoor workers during a Working Period and a Holiday Period in the summer months. A further aim was to investigate the correlation between individual personal UVR dosimeter reading and self‐reported data in a diary about sun exposure habits and to investigate whether skin type, age and gender influence sun exposure.
Vaccination of Sows and Gilts against PCV2 Diseases: Field Experiences in Europe

Porcine circovirus type 2 (PCV2) has been associated with a number of disease syndromes in pigs, including post-weaning multisystemic wasting syndrome (PMWS), proliferating and necrotizing pneumonia, porcine respiratory disease complex (PRDC), abortion and reproductive problems (Allan & Ellis, 2000). Porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome (PDNS) and a new ear necrosis syndrome have also been associated with PCV2 but today, there is not definitive evidence that PCV2 is the major cause of these syndromes. Since the end of 2004, CIRCOVAC (Merial), a PCV2 vaccine dedicated to sows and gilts to control PCVD in the whole herd, has been used in several parts of the world. The goal of this paper is to review the large-scale studies of PCV2 vaccination in Europe.
Resistance to the antilipolytic effect of insulin in adipocytes of African-American compared to Caucasian postmenopausal women

High fatty acid (FA) flux is associated with systemic insulin resistance, and African-American (AA) women tend to be more insulin resistant. We assessed possible depot and race difference in the antilipolytic effect of insulin in adipocytes isolated from abdominal (Abd) and gluteal (Glt) subcutaneous (sc) adipose tissue of overweight, postmenopausal AA and Caucasian (C) women. Percent body fat, fasting insulin, visceral adiposity, and adipocyte size was higher in AA women. Disinhibited lipolysis (presence of adenosine deaminase) per unit adipocyte surface area was similar in Abd and Glt and in AA and C. However, rates of ‘basal’ [submaximal phenylisopropyl adenosine (PIA)-suppressed] and insulin-suppressed lipolysis were higher in Abd of AA compared with C women even after adjustment for percent fat and visceral fat area. The race difference in rates of PIA- and insulin-suppressed lipolysis in AA were correlated with their hyperinsulinemia, but AA race, independent of fasting insulin, was associated with lower responsiveness (percent suppression) to submaximal insulin concentrations, although sensitivity (ED50) was not affected. Overall, these data are consistent with the hypothesis that decreased responsiveness of Abd adipocytes to antilipolytic effectors may contribute to higher FA availability and thereby to racial differences in insulin resistance.
Design of Minimum-Phase Filters Using Optimization

A method for the design of minimum-phase finite-duration impulse response digital filters using spectral factorization is described. In the proposed method, the required digital filter is designed by formulating a set of nonlinear equations that represent the design problem at hand and then solving it by using the Levenberg–Marquardt optimization method. By using an exact formulation for the Jacobian and Hessian matrix in the Levenberg–Marquardt method, significant performance improvement and fast convergence is achieved. Comparisons show that the new method leads to a significant reduction in the maximum value and the <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$L_{2}$</tex-math></inline-formula> norm of the residual error relative to those in state-of-the-art competing methods.
High prevalence of the hemochromatosis-associated Cys282Tyr HFE gene mutation in a healthy Norwegian population in the city of Oslo, and its phenotypic expression.

BACKGROUND Previous studies have shown that 5%-10% of white subjects are heterozygous for the HFE gene C282Y mutation, which is associated with hemochromatosis. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence of heterozygosity and homozygosity for the C282Y HFE gene mutation and its phenotypic expression in a group of healthy Norwegians. METHODS Fasting blood samples were obtained from 505 unrelated hospital employees. Serum iron, transferrin, and serum ferritin were measured. Transferrin saturation was calculated. The presence of HFE gene mutation was determined with a polymerase chain reaction-based analysis. RESULTS Two of the 505 subjects (0.4%) were homozygous and 75 (14.9%) were heterozygous for the C282Y mutation. Median serum ferritin among the heterozygotes was 59 microg/l, compared with 47 microg/l among individuals without the C282Y mutation (P = 0.12). Median transferrin saturation among the heterozygotes was 31%, compared with 24% among individuals without C282Y mutation (P < 0.001). Twenty-three individuals (4.6%) had a serum ferritin level > 200 microg/l. Eight of these (35%) had the C282Y mutation: two homozygotes and six heterozygotes. Transferrin saturation > 50% was observed in 25 individuals (5.0%). Twelve of these (48%) had the C282Y mutation; two were homozygotes and 10 heterozygotes. Only eight individuals (1.6%) had a transferrin saturation > 60%: one homozygote, five heterozygotes, and two individuals without mutation. CONCLUSIONS Fifteen per cent of a healthy Norwegian population is heterozygous for the HFE gene mutation C282Y. This is among the highest reported prevalence values among healthy individuals. Half of the subjects with transferrin saturation greater than 50% were carriers of the C282Y mutation.
Using different memory cutoffs to assess mild cognitive impairment.

OBJECTIVE Although mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is characterized by performance on memory and other measures below expected normative values, neither a scientific rationale nor a consensus exists regarding which measures have the most use or the optimal cutoffs to use to establish impairment. METHODS Different memory measures were administered to 80 normal community-dwelling subjects divided into two age groups. This provided conormed data on eight different memory indices by which to compare 23 nondemented clinically diagnosed patients with MCI who met all other criteria for Alzheimer disease (AD). RESULTS On immediate memory for passages, delayed visual reproduction, object memory, and a measure sensitive to semantic interference, 70%-78% of patients with MCI were identified as impaired at 1.5 standard deviations or greater below expected levels. Conditional logistical regression for age-matched samples indicated that consideration of raw scores for these neuropsychologic tests in combination did not significantly change the odds of MCI diagnosis. When impairment relative to the total normal elderly sample was calculated based on one or more impairments at a 1.5 or greater cutoff, specificity fell below acceptable levels when more than three memory measures were considered. CONCLUSION An array of widely used neuropsychologic measures demonstrated utility in distinguishing patients with MCI-AD from cognitively normal community-dwelling elders. The appropriateness of more or less stringent cutoffs was highly influenced by the number of measures considered. These findings have important implications regarding the choice of cut points for impairment used for the diagnosis of MCI in both research and clinical settings.
The Advanced Induction Motor

The ALSTOM Advanced Induction Motor has evolved over a period of around 15 years, during which time function and performance have steadily improved. In the electric warship, compactness of the propulsion motor is important, but so also must be reliability, structureborne noise signature, and shock withstand ability. This has been achieved in the Advanced Induction Motor through optimization of the electromagnetic design and material properties to suit the operating conditions of a propulsion motor. One of the advantages of an induction motor is its mechanical simplicity. This leads to not only to inherent reliability, but also to simpler design for shock requirements. Through careful motor and system design, it has been possible reduce structureborne noise signatures to levels that permit hard mounting of the motor to the hull of a surface combatant. The paper reviews the evolution of the Advanced Induction Motor from industrial induction motors, and the considerations necessary to achieve low noise signature and shock requirements.
Preclinical and clinical gene therapy for haemophilia

Summary. The goal of all haemophilia therapy is to prevent bleeding and its associated complications. Replacement by factor concentrates can only ever be suboptimum, and efforts are being made to correct the genetic cause of the disorder. Haemophilia is an ideal candidate for gene therapy, as it is caused by mutations in a single gene. A number of vectors have been used in an attempt to obtain therapeutic levels of factor VIII and factor IX in animal models, with some success. A number of phase 1 clinical trials have been conducted, and, although connection of the bleeding disorder was neither complete nor long‐lasting, they do offer hope for a permanent gene‐therapy cure for the disease.
Numerical investigation of natural convection heat transfer in a symmetrically cooled square cavity with a thin fin on its bottom wall

Original scientific paper DOI: 10.2298/TSCI110612139J In the present paper, natural convection fluid flow and heat transfer in a square cavity heated from below and cooled from sides and the ceiling with a thin fin attached to its hot bottom wall is investigated numerically. The right and the left walls of the cavity, as well as its horizontal top wall are maintained at a constant temperature Tc, while the bottom wall is kept at a constant temperature Th ,with Th >T c. The governing equations are solved numerically using the finite volume method and the couple between the velocity and pressure fields is done using the SIMPLER algorithm. A parametric study is performed and the effects of the Rayleigh number and the length of the fin on the flow pattern and heat transfer inside the cavity are investigated. Two competing mechanisms that are responsible for the flow and thermal modifications are observed. One is the resistance effect of the fin due to the friction losses which directly depends on the length of the fin, whereas the other is due to the extra heating of the fluid that is offered by the fin. It is shown that for high Rayleigh numbers, placing a hot fin at the middle of the bottom wall has more remarkable effect on the flow field and heat transfer inside the cavity.
Biofunctional Properties of Caseinophosphopeptides in the Oral Cavity

Caseinophosphopeptides (CPPs), bioactive peptides released from caseins, have the ability to enhance bivalent mineral solubility. This is relevant to numerous biological functions in the oral cavity (promotion of tooth enamel remineralisation, prevention of demineralisation and buffering of plaque pH). Therefore, CPPs may play a positive role as prophylactic agents for caries, enamel erosion and regression of white spot lesions. Most in vitro and in situ studies demonstrate strong evidence for the bioactivity of CPPs in the oral cavity. Nevertheless, relatively little is known concerning their use as adjuvants for oral health and more particularly regarding their long-term effects on oral health.
Lateral InAs/Si p-Type Tunnel FETs Integrated on Si—Part 2: Simulation Study of the Impact of Interface Traps

This part of the paper presents TCAD simulations of the InAs/Si lateral nanowire (NW) tunnel FET (TFET) with the same geometry as the fabricated device discussed in the first part. In addition to band-to-band tunneling, trap-assisted tunneling (TAT) at the InAs/Si and InAs/oxide interfaces was considered. A very good agreement is found between the simulation results and experimental transfer characteristics of different devices. The simulations confirm that the transfer characteristics in the subthreshold regime of the TFETs are entirely dominated by TAT. Due to the high concentration of generation centers at the InAs/Si interface, the current conduction in the subthreshold regime takes place in two steps: carrier generation by TAT at the InAs/Si interface followed by thermionic emission over the hole barrier. The latter is the limiting process, and hence dominant for the subthreshold swing (SS), preventing a value smaller than 60mV/decade. In addition, traps at the Si/oxide interface reduce the electrostatic coupling between the gate and the channel, which further degrades the SS. Predictive simulations with varying interface trap densities indicate that a sub-thermal SS would only be achievable for Dit <; 5 x 1011 cm-2eV-1 at both InAs/Si and InAs/oxide interfaces. This confirms a recently found minimum requirement of Dit <; 1 x 1012 cm-2eV-1 for vertical InAs/Si NW TFETs with larger diameters.
We Rise Out of the Cradle into the Grave: An Ethnographic Exploration of Ritual, Mourning, and Death on a Hutterite Colony

The Hutterites are a closed ethnoreligious community whose funeral traditions have remained unchanged for centuries. Few researchers have had the opportunity to study this unique group. This study is an ethnographic exploration into the experience of child death and ritual on a Hutterite colony utilizing participant-observation and interviewing. Three recurrent themes emerged: ritual/tradition, spirituality/faith, and social cohesion and integration/group identity. Observed rituals are situated within the broader framework. While some aspects of the response to death may resemble those of mainstream culture, a deeper evaluation of descriptive and structural specifics reveals some important differences. Most of the cultural contrast is contained in concrete social enactment of death rituals, shared identity, and the immutable faith in God at the center of the Hutterite mourning process. These factors may help account for the low rates of mental disorders seen among Hutterites, even following traumatic events, and would be worthy of further investigation.
Addressing the need for high quality research on autism in adulthood

In the seven decades since Kanner first published his original reports on individuals with autism, there have been many thousands of publications on the topic. From early case studies, the field has moved on to increasingly sophisticated studies of animal models, brain structures and functions, genetic models, diagnostic systems, and intervention trials. However, one area remains woefully under researched—life for adults with autism. Several recent reports have highlighted the very small number of publications specifically focusing on adults (Bishop-Fitzpatrick et al., 2013; Henninger and Taylor, 2013; Piven et al., 2011; Shattuck et al., 2011). Systematic reviews have also noted the poor quality of much of the research that has been conducted, particularly with regard to intervention (National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) 2012; Taylor et al., 2012).
Automation of Android Applications Testing Using Machine Learning Activities Classification

Mobile applications are being used every day by more than half of the world's population to perform a great variety of tasks. With the increasingly widespread usage of these applications, the need arises for efficient techniques to test them. Many frameworks allow automating the process of application testing, however existing frameworks mainly rely on the application developer for providing testing scripts for each developed application, thus preventing reuse of these tests for similar applications. In this paper, we present a novel approach for the automation of testing Android applications by leveraging machine learning techniques and reusing popular test scenarios. We discuss and demonstrate the potential benefits of our approach in an empirical study where we show that our developed testing tool, based on the proposed approach, outperforms standard methods in realistic settings.