Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison between traumatic brain injury with and without concomitant injuries: an analysis based on a national trauma registry 2008–2016

ABSTRACT Objective: To compare demographic, injury and hospitalization characteristics and mortality between Isolated and Non-Isolated traumatic brain injury. Methods: A retrospective study based on the Israeli National Trauma Registry of patients hospitalized for traumatic brain injury (TBI) between 2008 and 2016. Isolated TBI was defined as no other anatomic region was having concomitant injury with AIS ≥2. X2 test and multivariate logistic regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: Of the 23566-study population, 40.4% were admitted for isolated TBI. Isolated TBI was significantly more frequent in elderly aged ≥65 years, female, Jews, and injuries sustained at home or in residential institution. The Non-isolated TBI was greater in road traffic injuries, particularly among pedestrians and motor cyclists, and in violence injuries. The Non-isolated TBI group had greater injury severity and hospital resource utilization. In-hospital mortality was higher in the patients with Non-isolated TBI [OR: 1.56(95% CI: 1.33–1.83)], particularly in patients with GCS 13–15; elderly aged 65+ years; and patients with concomitant injuries to abdomen, spine or external body regions. Conclusion: In a patient with TBI, concomitant injuries with AIS ≥2 matter, and awareness of the identified factors has relevance for guiding injury prevention efforts and indeed for potentially improving care and outcome.
SLA-Aware and Energy-Efficient VM Consolidation in Cloud Data Centers Using Host State Binary Decision Tree Prediction Model

For cloud data center, Virtual Machine (VM) consolidation is an effective way to save energy and improve efficiency. However, inappropriate consolidation of VMs, especially aggressive consolidation, can lead to performance problems, and even more serious Service Level Agreement (SLA) violations. Therefore, it is very important to solve the tradeoff between reduction in energy use and reduction of SLA violation level. In this paper, we propose two Host State Detection algorithms and an improved VM placement algorithm based on our proposed Host State Binary Decision Tree Prediction model for SLA-aware and energy-efficient consolidation of VMs in cloud data centers. We propose two formulas of conditions for host state estimate, and our model uses them to build a Binary Decision Tree manually for host state detection. We extend Cloudsim simulator to evaluate our algorithms by using PlanetLab workload and random workload. The experimental results show that our proposed model can significantly reduce SLA violation rates while keeping energy cost efficient, it can reduce the metric of SLAV by at most 98.12% and the metric of Energy by at most 33.96% for real world workload. key words: VM consolidation, Binary Decision Tree, SLA-aware, energyefficient, cloud data centers
Influence of the phosphoenolpyruvate:carbohydrate phosphotransferase system on toxin gene expression and virulence in Bacillus anthracis

AtxA, the master virulence gene regulator of Bacillus anthracis, is a PRD‐Containing Virulence Regulator (PCVR) as indicated by the crystal structure, post‐translational modifications and activity of the protein. PCVRs are transcriptional regulators, named for PTS Regulatory Domains (PRDs) subject to phosphorylation by the phosphoenolpyruvate phosphotransferase system (PEP‐PTS) and for their impact on virulence gene expression. Here we present data from experiments employing physiological, genetic and biochemical approaches that support a model in which the PTS proteins HPr and Enzyme I (EI) are required for transcription of the atxA gene, rather than phosphorylation of AtxA. We show that atxA transcription is reduced 2.5‐fold in a mutant lacking HPr and EI, and that this change is sufficient to affect anthrax toxin production. Mutants harboring HPr proteins altered for phosphotransfer activity were unable to restore atxA transcription to parent levels, suggesting that phosphotransfer activity of HPr and EI is important for regulation of atxA. In a mouse model for anthrax, a HPr– EI– mutant was attenuated for virulence. Virulence was restored by expressing atxA from an alternative, PTS‐independent, promoter. Our data support a model in which HPr transfers a phosphate to an unidentified downstream transcriptional regulator to influence atxA gene transcription.
2D Quaternion Sparse Discriminant Analysis

Linear discriminant analysis has been incorporated with various representations and measurements for dimension reduction and feature extraction. In this paper, we propose two-dimensional quaternion sparse discriminant analysis (2D-QSDA) that meets the requirements of representing RGB and RGB-D images. 2D-QSDA advances in three aspects: 1) including sparse regularization, 2D-QSDA relies only on the important variables, and thus shows good generalization ability to the out-of-sample data which are unseen during the training phase; 2) benefited from quaternion representation, 2D-QSDA well preserves the high order correlation among different image channels and provides a unified approach to extract features from RGB and RGB-D images; 3) the spatial structure of the input images is also retained via the matrix-based processing. We tackle the constrained trace ratio problem of 2D-QSDA by solving a corresponding constrained trace difference problem, which is then transformed into a quaternion sparse regression (QSR) model. Afterward, we reformulate the QSR model to an equivalent complex form to avoid the processing of the complicated structure of quaternions. A nested iterative algorithm is designed to learn the solution of 2D-QSDA in the complex space and then we convert this solution back to the quaternion domain. To improve the separability of 2D-QSDA, we further propose 2D-QSDAw using the weighted pairwise between-class distances. Extensive experiments on RGB and RGB-D databases demonstrate the effectiveness of 2D-QSDA and 2D-QSDAw compared with peer competitors.
Characterization and cytotoxicity assessment of nargile smoke using dynamic exposure

Abstract Objectives: Nargile (waterpipe) smoking has gained popularity in the Middle East and throughout the world. In this research, a new dynamic methodology was conceived. This methodology was deployed for direct in vitro assessment of cytotoxicity, genotoxicity, and apoptotic potential of smoke generated from a single nargile session. Materials and methods: A549 cells were deployed in a designed system to assess the cytotoxicity of generated smoke. The smoke was characterized using Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS) profiling for major organic compounds, whereas the remaining chemical and physical parameters were tabulated from published data. The cytoxicity of smoke generated from five commercial flavored tobacco products was assessed using the (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-5-(3-carboxymethoxyphenyl)-2-(4-sulphophenyl)-2-H-tetrazolium) (MTS) assay. The genotoxicity was also measured using the comet assay, while apopoptosis was evaluated using Annexin V/propidium iodide staining. Results: The data indicated acute cytotoxicity emanating from smoke products in all tested tobacco flavors. Significant loss of viability and mitochondrial activity was observed 40 min post smoke exposure (Double-Apple flavored), while DNA damage onset was reported as early as 20 min of exposure. Microscopical analysis showed a systematic increase in cell rounding post exposure indicating cellular loss of adhesion and potential membrane damages. Finally, the Annexin V/propidium iodide cellular staining showed signs of late apoptosis or necrosis in exposed cells. Conclusions: The presented data clearly indicated significant in vitro cytotoxicity, genotoxicity and apoptosis/necrosis associated with a 60-min single session of nargile smoking.
The double-edged sword of leader humility: Investigating when and why leader humility promotes versus inhibits subordinate deviance.

Extant research has uniformly demonstrated that leader humility is beneficial for subordinates, teams, and even organizations. Drawing upon attribution theory, we challenge this prevailing conclusion by identifying a potential dark side of leader humility and suggesting that leader humility can be a mixed blessing. We propose that the effects of leader humility hinge on subordinates' attributions of such humble behavior. On the one hand, when subordinates attribute leader humility in a self-serving way, leader humility is positively associated with subordinate psychological entitlement, which in turn increases workplace deviance. On the other hand, when subordinates do not attribute leader humility in a self-serving way, leader humility is positively associated with leader-member exchange, which in turn decreases workplace deviance. We found support for our hypotheses across a field study and an experiment. Taken together, our findings reveal the perils and benefits of leader humility and the importance of examining subordinate attributions in this unique leadership process. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Risk factors associated with biochemically detected and hospitalised acute kidney injury in patients prescribed renin angiotensin system inhibitors

Therapy with angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEi) and angiotensin receptor blockers (ARB) is a mainstay of treatment for heart failure (HF), diabetes mellitus (DM) and chronic kidney disease (CKD). These agents have been associated with development of acute kidney injury (AKI) during intercurrent illness. Risk factors for AKI in patients prescribed ACEi/ARB therapy are not well described.
The Determinants of M-Health Adoption in Developing Countries: An Empirical Investigation

Abstract Background The potential benefit of mobile health (M-Health) in developing countries for improving the efficiency of health care service delivery, health care quality, and patient safety, as well as reducing cost, has been increasingly recognized and emphasized in the last few years. Objective Limited research has investigated the facilitators and barriers for the adoption of M-Health in developing countries to secure successful implementation of the technology. To fill this knowledge gap, we propose an integrative model that explains the patient's adoption behavior of M-Health in developing countries grounded on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology, dual-factor model, and health belief model. Method We empirically tested and evaluated the model based on data collected using a survey method from 280 patients living in a developing country. Partial least squares (PLS-SEM) technique was used for data analysis. Results The results showed that performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, perceived health threat, M-Health app quality, and life quality expectancy have a direct positive effect on patients’ intention to use M-Health. The results also showed that security and privacy risks have a direct negative effect on the patient's intention to use M-Health. However, resistance to change was found to have an indirect negative effect on patients’ intention to use M-Health through the performance expectancy. Conclusion The research contributes to the existing literature of health information systems and M-Health by better understanding how technological, social, and functional factors are associated with digital health applications and services use and success in the context of developing countries. With the widespread availability of mobile technologies and services and the growing demand for M-Health apps, this research can help guide the development of the next generation of M-Health apps with a focus on the needs of patients in developing countries. The research has several theoretical and practical implications for the health care industry, government, policy makers, and technology developers and designers.
Cognitive outcomes associated with long-term, regular, recreational cannabis use in adults: A meta-analysis.

Despite research advances, it remains unclear if long-term, regular cannabis use harms cognition once intoxication has passed. Our meta-analysis aimed to investigate the association between cognitive functioning and long-term (mean ≥2 years), regular (mean ≥4 days/week), recreational cannabis use in adults during abstinence (mean ≥12 hr). We searched PubMed, PsycINFO, CINAHL, Scopus, and Dissertations and Theses International for English-language articles from the date each database began until May 22, 2019. We identified study inclusion by completing abstract and full text screening using predetermined criteria and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis guidelines. We classified cognitive performance into 6 cognitive domains (attention, executive function, learning and memory, decision making, information processing, and working memory), and included a global measure. Effect sizes were calculated for each domain using univariate meta-analyses. There were 30 studies with a total 849 participants who used cannabis (M = 30.7-years-old, SD = 5.5-years-old) and 764 control participants (M = 30.3-years-old, SD = 5.9-years-old). Cannabis was associated with significant but small-magnitude deficits in executive function, learning and memory, and global cognition, while decision making had moderate deficits. There were small-magnitude and nonsignificant group differences for information processing, working memory, and attention. Cannabis use duration, age of onset, and prolonged abstinence (≥25 days) did not influence outcomes, except group differences in executive function were nonsignificant in analyses of prolonged abstinence. Our results suggest that long-term, regular cannabis use is associated with small to moderate deficits in some cognitive domains. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2019 APA, all rights reserved).
Assembly and annotation of the mitochondrial minicircle genome of a differentiation-competent strain of Trypanosoma brucei

Abstract Kinetoplastids are protists defined by one of the most complex mitochondrial genomes in nature, the kinetoplast. In the sleeping sickness parasite Trypanosoma brucei, the kinetoplast is a chain mail-like network of two types of interlocked DNA molecules: a few dozen ∼23-kb maxicircles (homologs of the mitochondrial genome of other eukaryotes) and thousands of ∼1-kb minicircles. Maxicircles encode components of respiratory chain complexes and the mitoribosome. Several maxicircle-encoded mRNAs undergo extensive post-transcriptional RNA editing via addition and deletion of uridines. The process is mediated by hundreds of species of minicircle-encoded guide RNAs (gRNAs), but the precise number of minicircle classes and gRNA genes was unknown. Here we present the first essentially complete assembly and annotation of the kinetoplast genome of T. brucei. We have identified 391 minicircles, encoding not only ∼930 predicted ‘canonical’ gRNA genes that cover nearly all known editing events (accessible via the web at http://hank.bio.ed.ac.uk), but also ∼370 ‘non-canonical’ gRNA genes of unknown function. Small RNA transcriptome data confirmed expression of the majority of both categories of gRNAs. Finally, we have used our data set to refine definitions for minicircle structure and to explore dynamics of minicircle copy numbers.
Pre-analytical and analytical confounders of serum calprotectin as a biomarker in rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Background There is a need for additional biomarkers to assist in the diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of our study was to evaluate the (pre-analytical, analytical and clinical) performance of serum calprotectin as a marker of inflammation in RA. Methods The study population included 463 rheumatologic patients (including 111 RA patients and 352 controls) who for the first time consulted a rheumatologist, 20 healthy controls and 27 patients with an infectious disease. Calprotectin was measured (using four different assays) in serum or in serum and EDTA plasma (healthy controls and infectious disease group). For rheumatologic patients, results for C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody (ACPA) were available. Results Results for blood calprotectin were assay- and matrix-dependent, with higher values found in serum than in plasma. Serum calprotectin was higher in RA patients than in rheumatologic diseased controls and in healthy controls. Serum calprotectin was lower in RA patients than in patients with an infectious disease. Serum calprotectin was associated with disease activity (DAS score). The area under the curve (AUC) to discriminate RA from controls was 0.756 for CRP, 0.714 for ESR and 0.726–0.783 for calprotectin. Conclusions Our data document that calprotectin measurement is assay- and matrix-dependent. Serum calprotectin is associated with disease activity. Additional (prospective) studies are warranted to further evaluate the prognostic and diagnostic value of blood calprotectin measurements.
Vacuum-formed retainer versus bonded retainer for dental stabilization in the mandible-a randomized controlled trial. Part I: retentive capacity 6 and 18 months after orthodontic treatment.

BACKGROUND Evidence concerning the most appropriate retention strategy after orthodontic treatment is still inconclusive. OBJECTIVE This trial compares the retentive capacity of vacuum-formed Essix C-retainers (VFR) and bonded cuspid-to-cuspid retainers (CTC) in the mandible 6 and 18 months after orthodontic treatment. TRIAL DESIGN A single-centre two-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial. METHODS This study included 104 adolescent patients, computer-generated randomized with sequentially numbered, opaque, and sealed envelopes into two groups and stratified by gender (52 females and 52 males). The patients were treated with fixed appliances with and without tooth extractions in both jaws and were ready for debond. In the intervention arm, patients received a VFR (n = 52); in the active comparator arm, patients received a CTC (n = 52). Dental casts were obtained at debond (T1), after 6 months (T2), and after 18 months (T3). The casts were digitized. The retentive capacity was evaluated on digital three-dimensional models using Little's Irregularity Index (LII), overbite, overjet, arch length, and intermolar and intercanine width. RESULTS Baseline values were similar for both groups. Statistically significant increases were noted in LII and overbite, mainly between T1 and T2, but also between T1 and T3 in the VFR group (LII = 0.52 mm, P < 0.001, overbite = 0.51 mm, P < 0.001) and in the CTC group (LII = 0.45 mm P < 0.001, overbite = 0.36 mm, P < 0.001). There were no significant differences between groups. Overjet showed small variations during the observation periods but was overall stable within and between groups after 18 months. Arch length decreased slightly in both groups after 6 and 18 months. Intermolar and intercanine widths remained stable after debond. LIMITATIONS Patients, operator, and outcome assessor could not be blinded due to the study design. CONCLUSIONS VFR and CTC have the same retention capacity in the mandible after 6 and 18 months. Relapse mainly occurs during the first 6 months of retention, but the post-treatment changes are generally small. Shorter VFRs in the mandible do not cause negative vertical effects. Part-time wear regimen is not associated with increased relapse. TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT03070444.
Risk Factors for Alanine Aminotransferase Elevations in a Prospective Cohort of HIV-Infected Tanzanian Adults Initiating Antiretroviral Therapy

Introduction: Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) elevations are common among HIV-infected patients on combination antiretroviral therapy (cART). Approach: We conducted a prospective cohort study of 3023 HIV-infected Tanzanian adults initiating cART. We assessed risk factors for mild/moderate ALT elevations >40 IU/L and severe ALT elevations >200 IU/L. Results: We found that over a median follow-up of 32.5 months (interquartile range: 19.4-41.5), 44.8% of participants had at least 1 incident ALT elevation >40 IU/L of which 50.1% were persistent elevations. Risk factors for incident ALT elevation >40 IU/L included male sex, CD4 count <100 cells/μL, d4T+3TC+NVP cART, and triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL (P values <.05). Hepatitis B coinfection and alcohol consumption increased the risk of severe ALT elevations >200 IU/L (P values: <.05). Conclusion: Incident mild and moderate ALT elevations are common among Tanzanians initiating cART, and the clinical and demographic information can identify patients at increased risk.
Low prevalence of patellar tendon abnormality and low incidence of patellar tendinopathy in female collegiate volleyball players

ABSTRACT The prevalence of patellar tendinopathy has been reported to be as high as 50% in elite male volleyball (VB) players; however, the rate of injury in female collegiate VB athletes is unknown. The purpose of this study was to 1) identify the prevalence of ultrasonographic evidence of patellar tendon abnormality at the start of the preseason in female collegiate VB players; 2) report the incidence of tendinopathy during the season; and 3) determine if the preseason presence of tendon abnormality is associated with onset of disease. One hundred and six female collegiate VB players had both patellar tendons imaged. Incidence of patellar tendinopathy was tracked during the course of the 4-month season. Twenty-two athletes presented with ultrasonographic evidence of patellar tendon abnormality in at least one knee at the start of the preseason. The incidence of time-loss patellar tendinopathy was 0.26 (95% CI: 0.04, 0.85) per 1000 athletic exposures. This study was unable to determine if preseason presence of tendon abnormality was associated with a greater risk of tendinopathy due to power. The prevalence of tendon abnormality in the preseason and the incidence of patellar tendinopathy in female collegiate VB players are lower than that observed in other populations.
DeepSVM-fold: protein fold recognition by combining support vector machines and pairwise sequence similarity scores generated by deep learning networks

Protein fold recognition is critical for studying the structures and functions of proteins. The existing protein fold recognition approaches failed to efficiently calculate the pairwise sequence similarity scores of the proteins in the same fold sharing low sequence similarities. Furthermore, the existing feature vectorization strategies are not able to measure the global relationships among proteins from different protein folds. In this article, we proposed a new computational predictor called DeepSVM-fold for protein fold recognition by introducing a new feature vector based on the pairwise sequence similarity scores calculated from the fold-specific features extracted by deep learning networks. The feature vectors are then fed into a support vector machine to construct the predictor. Experimental results on the benchmark dataset (LE) show that DeepSVM-fold obviously outperforms all the other competing methods.
Postmastectomy Pain Syndrome

Abstract Postmastectomy pain syndrome (PMPS) is defined as chronic pain after breast cancer surgery lasting greater than 3 months and has been shown to affect up to 60% of breast cancer patients. Substantial research has been performed to identify risk factors and potential treatment options, although the exact cause of PMPS remains elusive. As breast reconstruction becomes increasingly popular, plastic surgeons are likely to encounter more patients presenting with PMPS. This article summarizes current evidence on risk factors and treatment options for PMPS and highlights further areas of study.