Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Successful introduction of Model for End-stage Liver Disease scoring in deceased donor liver transplantation in Korea: analysis of first 1 year experience at a high-volume transplantation center

Backgrounds/Aims Model for End-stage Liver Disease (MELD) score was adopted in June 2016 in Korea. Methods We analyzed changes in volumes and outcomes of deceased donor liver transplantation (DDLT) for 1 year before and after introduction of MELD scoring at Asan Medical Center. Results There were 64 cases of DDLT in 1 year before MELD introduction and 106 in 1 year after MELD introduction, an increase of 65%. The volume of DDLTs abruptly increased during first 3 months, but then returned to its usual level before MELD introduction, which indicated 3-month depletion of accumulated recipient pool with high MELD scores. The number of pediatric DDLT cases increased from 3 before MELD introduction to 11 after it, making up 21.4% and 47.8% of all cases of pediatric liver transplantation, respectively. The number of cases of retransplanted DDLTs increased from 4 to 27, representing 6.3% and 25.5% of all DDLT cases, respectively. The number of status 1 DDLT cases increased from 5 to 12, being 7.8% and 11.3% of all cases. Patient survival outcomes were similar before and after MELD introduction. Conclusions The number of DDLTs temporarily increased after adoption of MELD scoring due to accumulated recipient pool with high MELD scores. The numbers of retransplanted and pediatric DDLT cases significantly increased. Patient survival in adult and pediatric DDLT was comparable before and after adoption of MELD scoring. These results imply that Korean MELD score-based allocation system was successfully established within its first year.
Tissue-Specific Progenitor and Stem Cells Chitosan Wound Dressings Incorporating Exosomes Derived From MicroRNA-126-Overexpressing Synovium Mesenchymal Stem Cells Provide Sustained Release of Exosomes and Heal Full-Thickness Skin Defects in a Diabetic Rat Model

There is a need to find better strategies to promote wound healing, especially of chronic wounds, which remain a challenge.We found that synoviummesenchymal stem cells (SMSCs) have the ability to strongly promote cell proliferation of fibroblasts; however, they are ineffective at promoting angiogenesis.Usinggeneoverexpression technology,weoverexpressedmicroRNA-126-3p (miR-126-3p) and transferred the angiogenic ability of endothelial progenitor cells to SMSCs, promoting angiogenesis. We tested a therapeutic strategy involving controlled-release exosomes derived frommiR-1263p-overexpressing SMSCs combinedwith chitosan.Our in vitro results showed that exosomesderived frommiR-126-3p-overexpressing SMSCs (SMSC-126-Exos) stimulated the proliferation of human dermal fibroblasts and human dermal microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) in a dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, SMSC-126-Exos also promotedmigration and tube formation of HMEC-1. Testing this system in a diabetic rat model, we found that this approach resulted in accelerated reepithelialization, activated angiogenesis, and promotion of collagen maturity in vivo. These data provide the first evidence of the potential of SMSC-126-Exos in treating cutaneous wounds and indicate thatmodifying the cells—for example, by geneoverexpression—andusing theexosomesderived from these modified cells provides a potential drug delivery system and could have infinite possibilities for future therapy. STEM CELLS TRANSLATIONAL MEDICINE 2016;5:1–12
Is microencapsulation the future of probiotic preparations? The increased efficacy of gastro-protected probiotics

In a recent publication we assessed the kinetics of intestinal colonization by microencapsulated probiotic bacteria in comparison with the same strains given in an uncoated form. It’s well known, in fact, that microencapsulation of probiotics with specific materials is able to confer a significant resistance to gastric juice, thus protecting the cells during the gastric and duodenal transit and enhancing the probiotic efficacy of any supplementation. In any case, this was the first study reporting the fecal amounts of probiotics administered in a coated, protected form compared with traditional, uncoated ones. Here we discuss additional in vitro data of resistance of the same bacteria to gastric juice, human bile and pancreatic secretion and correlate them with the results of in vivo gut colonization.
Predicting sheetwash and rill erosion over the Australian continent

Soil erosion is a major environmental issue in Australia. It reduces land productivity and has off-site effects of decreased water quality. Broad-scale spatially distributed soil erosion estimation is essential for prioritising erosion control programs and as a component of broader assessments of natural resource condition. This paper describes spatial modelling methods and results that predict sheetwash and rill erosion over the Australian continent using the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) and spatial data layers for each of the contributing environmental factors. The RUSLE has been used before in this way but here we advance the quality of estimation. We use time series of remote sensing imagery and daily rainfall to incorporate the effects of seasonally varying cover and rainfall intensity, and use new digital maps of soil and terrain properties. The results are compared with a compilation of Australian erosion plot data, revealing an acceptable consistency between predictions and observations. The modelling results show that: (1) the northern part of Australia has greater erosion potential than the south; (2) erosion potential differs significantly between summer and winter; (3) the average erosion rate is 4.1 t/ha. year over the continent and about 2.9 x 10(9) tonnes of soil is moved annually which represents 3.9% of global soil erosion from 5% of world land area; and (4) the erosion rate has increased from 4 to 33 times on average for agricultural lands compared with most natural vegetated lands.
Ultraviolet Radiation Tolerance in High Elevation Copepods from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado, USA

Copepods in high elevation lakes and ponds in Colorado are exposed to significant levels of ultraviolet radiation (UV), necessitating development of UV avoidance behavior and photoprotective physiological adaptations. The copepods are brightly pigmented due to accumulation of astaxanthin, a carotenoid which has photoprotective and antioxidant properties. Astaxanthin interacts with a crustacyanin-like protein, shifting its absorbance from 473 nm (hydrophobic free form, appears red) to 632 nm (protein-bound complex, appears blue). In six sites in Colorado, habitat-specific coloration patterns related to carotenoprotein complex have been observed. The objective of this study was to determine whether pigment accumulation or carotenoprotein expression has a greater effect on resistance to UV exposure. For each site, copepod tolerance to UV was assessed by survivorship during UV exposure trials. Average UV exposure was determined for each habitat. Astaxanthin profiles were generated for copepods in each site. Ability to withstand UV exposure during exposure trials was significantly different between color morphs (p < 0.0001). Red copepods were found to tolerate 2-fold greater levels of UVB than blue or mixed copepods. Additionally, red copepods have much higher levels of total astaxanthin than blue or mixed copepods (p < 0.0001) and receive a higher daily UV dose (p < 0.0003). Diaptomid carotenoprotein sequence is not homologous with that of other crustaceans in which crustacyanin has been characterized which prevented quantification of carotenoprotein transcript expression. Overall, diaptomid color morph may be an important indicator of UV conditions in high elevation lentic ecosystems.
Electrophysiological and Hormonal Responses to Three Types of Electroconvulsive Therapy

Patients were treated with three different types of electroconvulsive therapy in random order in the first three sessions of their courses. Anaesthetic and muscle relaxants were administered in standard doses, and treatment applied a set time after bolus injection. Electroencephalographic recordings were undertaken before, during, and after treatment, and hormonal measures before and after. The responses to treatment differed between the three types of current in both EEG and prolactin measures. It is suggested that the quality of the convulsive response varies with different currents.
A scalable design framework for variability management in large-scale software product lines

Variability management is one of the major challenges in software product line adoption, since it needs to be efficiently managed at various levels of the software product line development process (e.g., requirement analysis, design, implementation, etc.). One of the main challenges within variability management is the handling and effective visualization of large-scale (industry-size) models, which in many projects, can reach the order of thousands, along with the dependency relationships that exist among them. These have raised many concerns regarding the scalability of current variability management tools and techniques and their lack of industrial adoption. To address the scalability issues, this work employed a combination of quantitative and qualitative research methods to identify the reasons behind the limited scalability of existing variability management tools and techniques. In addition to producing a comprehensive catalogue of existing tools, the outcome form this stage helped understand the major limitations of existing tools. Based on the findings, a novel approach was created for managing variability that employed two main principles for supporting scalability. First, the separation-of-concerns principle was employed by creating multiple views of variability models to alleviate information overload. Second, hyperbolic trees were used to visualise models (compared to Euclidian space trees traditionally used). The result was an approach that can represent models encompassing hundreds of variability points and complex relationships. These concepts were demonstrated by implementing them in an existing variability management tool and using it to model a real-life product line with over a thousand variability points. Finally, in order to assess the work, an evaluation framework was designed based on various established usability assessment best practices and standards. The framework was then used with several case studies to benchmark the performance of this work against other existing tools.
Cell cycle re-entry mechanisms after DNA damage checkpoints: Giving it some gas to shut off the breaks!

In order to maintain genetic integrity, cells are equipped with cell cycle checkpoints that detect DNA damage, orchestrate repair, and if necessary, eliminate severely damaged cells by inducing apoptotic cell death. The mitotic machinery is now emerging as an important determinant of the cellular responses to DNA damage where it functions as both the downstream target and the upstream regulator of the G2/M checkpoint. Cell cycle kinases and the DNA damage checkpoint kinases appear to reciprocally control each other. Specifically, cell cycle kinases control the inactivation of DNA damage checkpoint signaling. Termination of a DNA damage response by mitotic kinases appears to be an evolutionary conserved mechanism that allows resumption of cell cycle progression. Here we review recent reports in which molecular mechanisms underlying checkpoint silencing at the G2/M transition are elucidated.
Shockwave lithotripsy and endourological management of urinary calculi in children: a single-center 10-year experience.

PURPOSE Shock wave lithotripsy (SWL) and endourological techniques revolutionized the management of pediatric urolithiasis. We sought to assess the impact of new technology and local practice in the treatment of pediatric urolithiasis during a 10-year period. MATERIALS AND METHODS Between 1997 and 2006, 125 children (90 boys and 35 girls), aged 18 months to 15 years, were managed in our department for urolithiasis. Stone localization, stone composition, presence of anatomic abnormalities, and treatment modality were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS In 102 children, the stone was located in renal pelvis (0.5-45-mm diameter), in eight in the renal pelvis and one in the calyx; three had staghorn calculi; and 12 had ureteral stone (4-12-mm diameter). Ninety-three of 125 children underwent a total of 108 SWL sessions. Stone size ranged from 0.5 to 35 mm. The stone-free rates were 86%, 92%, and 96% after first, second, and third SWL session, respectively. Ureteroscopy was performed in 12/125 children, and 10/12 (83.5%) were rendered stone free. Nine of 125 children underwent percutaneous nephrolithotomy, and four of nine were stone free (44.5%), although five of the nine children (55.5%) required SWL for residual stone fragments. Open surgery was performed as initial procedure in 11 (9%) children. In 9 of 11 children, ureteropelvic junction obstruction was corrected simultaneously. Open surgery was followed by SWL in 3 of 11 patients. Two of three patients with staghorn calculi underwent nephrolithotomy and SWL and one of three with cysteinuria was managed with SWL. CONCLUSIONS SWL and endourological techniques are safe and effective in managing urolithiasis in pediatric patients. These minimally invasive methods reduced dramatically the cases of open surgery, which should be undertaken mainly in coexisting anatomic abnormalities.
Energy Expenditure Prediction Using Raw Accelerometer Data in Simulated Free Living.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to develop, validate, and compare energy expenditure (EE) prediction models for accelerometers placed on the hip, thigh, and wrists using simple accelerometer features as input variables in EE prediction models. METHODS Forty-four healthy adults participated in a 90-min, semistructured, simulated free-living activity protocol. During the protocol, participants engaged in 14 different sedentary, ambulatory, lifestyle, and exercise activities for 3-10 min each. Participants chose the order, duration, and intensity of activities. Four accelerometers were worn (right hip, right thigh, as well as right and left wrists) to predict EE compared with that measured by the criterion measure (portable metabolic analyzer). Artificial neural networks (ANNs) were created to predict EE from each accelerometer using a leave-one-out cross-validation approach. Accuracy of the ANN was evaluated using Pearson correlations, root mean square error, and bias. Several ANNs were developed using different input features to determine those most relevant for use in the models. RESULTS The ANNs for all four accelerometers achieved high measurement accuracy, with correlations of r > 0.80 for predicting EE. The thigh accelerometer provided the highest overall accuracy (r = 0.90) and lowest root mean square error (1.04 METs), and the differences between the thigh and the other monitors were more pronounced when fewer input variables were used in the predictive models. None of the predictive models had an overall bias for prediction of EE. CONCLUSIONS A single accelerometer placed on the thigh provided the highest accuracy for EE prediction, although monitors worn on the wrists or hip can also be used with high measurement accuracy.
Reduced complexity existence conditions for robust ℒ2-gain feedforward controllers for uncertain systems using dynamic IQCs

Abstract For uncertain systems described in the standard LFT form, we consider the problem of designing robust ℒ 2 -gain disturbance feedforward controllers if the uncertain blocks are described by integral quadratic constraints (IQCs). For technical reasons related to the feedforward problem we work with the duals of the constraints involved in robustness analysis using IQCs. Based on an elimination of the controller parameters, we develop in this paper reduced complexity LMI conditions for the existence of a stable feedforward controller that guarantees a given ℒ 2 -gain for the closed-loop system.
Daptomycin-loaded polymethylmethacrylate bone cement for joint arthroplasty surgery.

Antibiotic-loaded acrylic bone cement has been frequently used as an infection prophylaxis or antibiotic-loaded spacer in infected arthroplasty. In addition, daptomycin has been used recently against broad spectrum Gram-positive organisms. The goal of this in vitro study is to investigate the bacteriacidal and mechanical properties of daptomycin-incorporated polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) bone cement and evaluate its feasibility for clinical use. Daptomycin (0.5, 1, or 2 g) was premixed with 40 g of PMMA bone cement powder before curing. The mechanical properties of the daptomycin-loaded acrylic bone cement (DLABC) were estimated following standard guidance, and the release profile and kinetics of daptomycin from PMMA were analyzed. The antimicrobial efficacy of DLABC was determined with a zone of inhibition (ZOI) assay against Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus epidermis, Enterococcus faecalis, and Enterococcus faecium, respectively. The results showed that the compressive strength, of PMMA bone cement, which was higher than 100 MPa in all groups, was sufficient according to ISO 5833 after incorporation of daptomycin. The encapsulated daptomycin was released for 2 weeks with a 9.59 ± 0.85%, 15.25 ± 0.69%, and 20.64 ± 20.33% released percentage on the first day in the low, mid, and high groups, respectively. According to the calculated release kinetics, incorporated daptomycin should be 3.3 times the original dose to double its release. Although all recipes of DLABC had a microbial inhibitory effect, the effect with a higher encapsulated amount of daptomycin was more significant. Therefore, we believe that daptomycin can be locally delivered from PMMA bone cement at the surgical site as a prophylactic or treatment for osteomyelitis against Gram-positive organisms with intact cement function.
Adaptive ferroelectric states in systems with low domain wall energy: Tetragonal microdomains

Ferroelectric and ferroelastic phases with very low domain wall energies have been shown to form miniaturized microdomain structures. A theory of an adaptive ferroelectric phase has been developed to predict the microdomain-averaged crystal lattice parameters of this structurally inhomogeneous state. The theory is an extension of conventional martensite theory, applied to ferroelectric systems with very low domain wall energies. The case of ferroelectric microdomains of tetragonal symmetry is considered. It is shown for such a case that a nanoscale coherent mixture of microdomains can be interpreted as an adaptive ferroelectric phase, whose microdomain-averaged crystal lattice is monoclinic. The crystal lattice parameters of this monoclinic phase are self-adjusting parameters, which minimize the transformation stress. Self-adjustment is achieved by application of the invariant plane strain to the parent cubic lattice, and the value of the self-adjusted parameters is a linear superposition of the lattice c.
Open-system Behavior during Pluton^Wall-rock Interaction as Constrained from a Study of Endoskarns in the Sierra Nevada Batholith, California

Crustal xenoliths (pyroxenites and plagioclaseþ quartzþ pyroxene lithologies) from the Quaternary Big Pine volcanic field on the eastern flank of the Sierra Nevada Batholith in California (USA) represent the products of metasomatic reaction between the margins of a Cretaceous granodioritic pluton and Paleozoic marbles, possibly at mid-crustal depths based on the equilibration temperatures recorded byTi-in-quartz geothermometry.This interpretation is based on the presence of plagioclase showing relict plutonic textures, pyroxenite characterized by nearly pure diopside clinopyroxene, recrystallized plagioclase with anomalously high anorthite content, textures indicating replacement of plagioclase by clinopyroxene (and vice versa), ‘ghost’ plagioclase rare earth element signatures in some clinopyroxenes, and the presence of phlogopite endmember micas at the contact between clinopyroxene-rich and plagioclase-rich zones.These observations suggest that the xenoliths represent fragments of an ‘endoskarn’ , the outer sheath of a pluton that chemically reacted with carbonate country-rock. Mass transfer between the carbonate country-rock and the pluton involved transfer of Ca and Mg from the carbonate into the pluton and transfer of Na, K, Al and Si from the pluton to the carbonate, the latter generating extensive endoskarns.The Ca metasomatism of the pluton converted alkali feldspar components into anorthite-rich plagioclase, releasing Na and K, which left the plutonic system. K, in particular, migrated towards the carbonate and precipitated phlogopite upon entering clinopyroxene-rich lithologies. Mass-balance calculations, based on theory and residual enrichments in immobile elements such as Ti, suggest that the pluton experienced net mass loss (415%) in the form of Si, Al, Na and K to the surrounding country-rock, but a net gain in Ca and Mg.
Jaundice in malaria

Jaundice is not an unusual accompaniment of malaria. It can occur due to intravascular hemolysis, disseminated intravascular coagulation, and, rarely, ‘malarial hepatitis’. Although the primary schizogony of the malarial parasite always leads to the rupture of the infected hepatocyte, alteration of the hepatic functions is uncommonly recorded due to this event. Histologically, the hepatitis or the actual inflammation in the liver has never been demonstrated. Nonetheless, the term ‘malarial hepatitis’ (MH) has been used in the literature to describe the occurrence of hepatocellular jaundice in patients with Plasmodium falciparum infection. The authors’ own data and review of the literature indicate that it is not an uncommon entity. In endemic areas, jaundice is seen in approximately 2.5% of patients with falciparum malaria. It also appears to be a heterogeneous syndrome and one can recognize two clinical subsets. In one group there was an acute, virulent presentation with coma, renal failure and in some cases even hemorrhagic manifestations. It is only in this setting that jaundice signified a ‘severe’ disease as noted by the World Health Organization action program. This presentation is often confused with acute viral hepatitis and acute hepatic failure in non‐endemic areas, but can be clinically differentiated.