Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of high pressure upon proteins and other biomolecules

We shall not attempt here to enumerate the results or review in a systematic way the significant literature dealing with the use of high pressure in studies of proteins and other molecules of biological interest. Two recent reviews on this subject, one by MOrild (1981) and another by Heremans (1982), and a further article by Jaenicke (1981) on enzymes under extreme environmental conditions contain expositions and references that would render redundatn such a task. Rather we concentrate here on the examination of othe conceptual framework employed in the interpretation of high pressure experiments and in the critical discussion of our knowledge of selected areas of present interest and likely future significance.
A morphological analysis of the skull size and shape of Kerivoulinae (Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae) from Vietnam

Southeast Asia is a region of high biodiversity, containing species of plants and animals that are yet to be discovered. In this region, bats of the subfamily Kerivoulinae are widespread and diverse with six species recorded in Vietnam. However, the taxonomy of the Kerivoulinae in Asia is complicated. In our study, we used diagnostic characters and multivariate analysis to determine morphological differences between the genera Kerivoula and Phoniscus. We showed that the two genera are distinguishable by the size of second upper incisors, the shape of skull, nasal sinus, canines, second upper and lower premolars. In addition, the two genera can be osteometrically separated by measurements of the braincase height, interorbital width and shape of anterior palatal emargination. Our data clearly revealed the morphological variations in the skull shape of Kerivoula hardwickii in Vietnam. This suggests a possible separation into three morphotypes, representing cryptic species supported by statistical differences with wide variation in skull shape, size and teeth. These results demonstrated Kerivoula hardwickii can be separated three subspecies, and the result will serve as the basis for the future assessment and classification of this group in Southeast Asia.
Towards an Instrument to Measure Successfulness of Collaborative Effort from a Participant Perspective

In this paper we present an instrument to measure success of collaboration. The instrument offers metrics to measure success of collaboration along six dimensions; efficiency, effectiveness, productivity, satisfaction with the process, satisfaction with results and commitment. The satisfaction metrics were used from [1]. The instrument was tested to verify its validity. We found useful instruments for two new constructs; commitment and efficiency. The instrument can be used by practitioners, collaboration engineers and facilitators to assess and compare the successfulness of the interventions they make to support groups in achieving their goal. Further research is required to refine the metrics for productivity, efficiency and effectiveness.
Distribution of milk in the goat mammary gland and its relation to the rate and control of milk secretion

Summary Changes with time in the distribution of milk between different storage regions of the mammary gland were studied in goats. Milk was allowed to drain from the gland through a catheter (catheter milk); the gland was then milked by hand, before (hand milk) and after the administration of oxytocin (alveolar or residual milk). The hand-milk fraction was of negligible volume. There was an essentially linear increase in the catheter- plus hand-milk fraction from 0 to 16 h. The alveolar fraction increased up to 6 h, but thereafter remained constant to 16 h. There was considerable but consistent variation between animals in the alveolar fraction as a proportion of total milk volume. The proportion of residual milk was inversely related to milk secretory rate per unit weight of mammary tissue. The hourly administration of oxytocin without milking had no apparent effect on the distribution of milk in the gland 1 h later.
Low Tidal Volume versus Non‐Volume‐Limited Strategies for Patients with Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome. A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis

Rationale: Trials investigating use of lower tidal volumes and inspiratory pressures for patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) have shown mixed results. Objectives: To compare clinical outcomes of mechanical ventilation strategies that limit tidal volumes and inspiratory pressures (LTV) to strategies with tidal volumes of 10 to 15 ml/kg among patients with ARDS. Methods: This is a systematic review and meta‐analysis of clinical trials investigating LTV mechanical ventilation strategies. We used random effects models to evaluate the effect of LTV on 28‐day mortality, organ failure, ventilator‐free days, barotrauma, oxygenation, and ventilation. Our primary analysis excluded trials for which the LTV strategy was combined with the additional strategy of higher positive end‐expiratory pressure (PEEP), but these trials were included in a stratified sensitivity analysis. We performed metaregression of tidal volume gradient achieved between intervention and control groups on mortality effect estimates. We used Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation methodology to determine the quality of evidence. Results: Seven randomized trials involving 1,481 patients met eligibility criteria for this review. Mortality was not significantly lower for patients receiving an LTV strategy (33.6%) as compared with control strategies (40.4%) (relative risk [RR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.70‐1.08; heterogeneity statistic I2 = 46%), nor did an LTV strategy significantly decrease barotrauma or ventilator‐free days when compared with a lower PEEP strategy. Quality of evidence for clinical outcomes was downgraded for imprecision. Metaregression showed a significant inverse association between larger tidal volume gradient between LTV and control groups and log odds ratios for mortality (&bgr;, ‐0.1587; P = 0.0022). Sensitivity analysis including trials that protocolized an LTV/high PEEP cointervention showed lower mortality associated with LTV (nine trials and 1,629 patients; RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.66‐0.98; I2 = 46%). Compared with trials not using a high PEEP cointervention, trials using a strategy of LTV combined with high PEEP showed a greater mortality benefit (RR, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.41‐0.82; P for interaction = 0.05). Conclusions: The trend toward lower mortality with LTV ventilation in the primary analysis and the significant relationship between the degree of tidal volume reduction and the mortality effect together suggest, but do not prove, that LTV ventilation improves mortality among critically ill adults with ARDS.
Structure, Process, and Outcomes in Stroke Rehabilitation

Background. The health services research framework of structure, process, and outcome is used commonly to examine quality of care, and it indicates that structure influences process, which in turn influences outcomes. However, little empirical work has been done to test this hypothesis, particularly for medical rehabilitation. Objectives. To determine if, among stroke patients, (1) structure of care was associated with process of care, and (2) structure of care was associated with outcomes after adjusting for process. Research Design. Two-year, prospective study of 288 acute stroke patients in 11 VA medical centers, of whom 128 were included in the current analysis. Measures. Structure of care: systemic organization, staffing expertise, and technological sophistication. Process of care: compliance with the AHCPR poststroke rehabilitation guidelines. Patient characteristics: baseline prior walking ability and Functional Independence Measure (FIM) motor subscale. Outcomes: the FIM motor subscale 6-months poststroke. Results. The combination of systemic organization and staffing expertise, along with technological sophistication, were independent predictors of process of care (beta coefficients 0.21, P <0.05 and 0.37, P <0.001, respectively). When controlling simultaneously for patient characteristics, structure and process of care, structure of care did not have and process of care did have a statistically significant association (beta coefficient 0.18, P <0.01) with functional outcomes. Conclusions. Better process of care was associated with better 6-month functional outcomes, therefore improving process of care probably would improve stroke outcomes. However, our results indicate that improving key structure of care elements might facilitate improving process of care for stroke patients.
Immunologic priming of young children by pneumococcal glycoprotein conjugate, but not polysaccharide, vaccines.

BACKGROUND Streptococcus pneumoniae is the most common cause of invasive bacterial disease and otitis media in infants and young children. Licensed pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccines are not reliably immunogenic in children younger than 2 years of age; therefore pneumococcal glycoprotein conjugate vaccines are currently being evaluated for safety, immunogenicity and efficacy in various age groups. METHODS During a 12-month period we determined the kinetics of pneumococcal IgG antibody in 60 children who received primary immunization with one dose of bivalent (serotypes 6A and 23F) pneumococcal polysaccharide-CRM197 vaccines at 18 to 30 months of age. To assess immunologic priming a subgroup of 20 subjects received secondary immunization with pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine, including serotypes 6B and 23F, at 11 to 20 months after primary immunization. Pneumococcal-specific IgG subclass distributions were also evaluated in the subgroup. RESULTS In the 12 months after primary immunization with glycoprotein conjugate vaccine, geometric mean pneumococcal IgG antibody concentrations to 6B and 23F serotypes remained stable. Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine induced a greater anamnestic response in children primed with glycoprotein conjugate vaccines (13- to 40-fold increases to geometric mean concentrations of 6 to 30 micrograms/ml for type 23F), than in those primed with polysaccharide (2- to 4-fold increases). A greater IgG response to pneumococcal serotype 23F than to 6B was observed with both primary and secondary immunization. The serotype-specific pneumococcal IgG antibody response was virtually restricted to the IgG1 subclass after primary immunization, but secondary immunization elicited antibodies of IgG1 and IgG2 subclasses. CONCLUSIONS These glycoprotein conjugate vaccines appear to prime for anamnestic IgG antibody responses to subsequent immunization with polysaccharide vaccine, suggesting that the polysaccharide-CRM197 vaccine effectively induces a predominantly T cell-dependent immune response. The greater IgG response to 23F than to 6B indicates that pneumococcal serotype is a major determinant of immunogenicity of pneumococcal glycoprotein conjugate vaccines.
An assessment of grip strength measurement in rheumatoid arthritis.

The intra-observer, inter-observer, day-to-day, week-to-week and diurnal variations in grip strength measurement have been studied in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. In addition, the changes in grip strength measurements in a double-blind, cross-over trial of Sodium Salicylate and Prednisolone are reported. An intra-observer error of up to 9 mmHg was found and, in addition, there was also considerable variation in grip strength measurements between different observers. Grip strength is responsive to Sodium Salicylate and Prednisolone therapy but the change in association with the former was minimal—indicating insensitivity of the test. In clinical trials, measurement of grip strength should not only be performed by one observer for each patient but measurements should be made at the same time of day because of its diurnal variation. The inherent errors in the method should be considered when interpreting results of grip strength measurement in such trials.
A Retrospective Audit of three Different Regional Anaesthetic Techniques for Circumcision in Children

Postoperative analgesia for male circumcision surgery has been traditionally provided by a landmark-based dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB-LM) or by caudal epidural analgesia (CEA). In this study we report on a retrospective analysis of the effectiveness and safety of CEA, DPNB-LM and ultrasound-guided dorsal penile nerve block (DPNB-US) in our institution over a six-year period. Information was gathered from each patient's medical record. A total of 216 circumcisions were performed on patients aged from five months to 15 years. One hundred and fifteen patients received CEA, 46 DPNB-LM and 55 DPNB-US. Patients in the DPNB-LM group required rescue morphine administration in the recovery unit more frequently (30.4%) than either the DPNB-US (3.5%) or CEA groups (3.6%). Similarly, the DPNB-LM group required a larger total dose of morphine, and had longer recovery ward stays than CEA or DPNB-US groups. Time to first analgesia was greatest for the CEA group while there was no significant difference between time to first analgesia for DPNB-LM and DPNB-US. Sixty-three percent of patients in the DPNB-LM group, 1.7% of CEA and 5.5% of the DPNB-US required intraoperative opiates (P <0.0001). There was no difference in time to hospital discharge.
A novel instrument to measure acoustic resonances of the vocal tract during phonation

Acoustic resonances of the vocal tract give rise to formants (broad bands of acoustic power) in the speech signal when the vocal tract is excited by a periodic signal from the vocal folds. This paper reports a novel instrument which uses a real-time, non-invasive technique to measure these resonances accurately during phonation. A broadband acoustic current source is located just outside the mouth of the subject and the resulting acoustic pressure is measured near the lips. The contribution of the speech signal to the pressure spectrum is then digitally suppressed and the resonances are calculated from the input impedance of the vocal tract as a function of the frequency. The external excitation signal has a much smaller harmonic spacing than does the periodic signal from the vocal folds and consequently the resonances are determined much more accurately due to the closer sampling. This is particularly important for higher pitched voices and we demonstrate that this technique can be markedly superior to the curve-fitting technique of linear prediction. The superior frequency resolution of this instrument which results from external vocal tract excitation can provide the precise, stable, effective, articulatory feedback considered essential for some language-learning and speech-therapy applications.
Recent Developments in the Nasal Immunization against Anthrax

Bacillus anthracis is the causative agent of anthrax, a bacterial infection with a high mortality rate [1-3]. Although anthrax infection can be cutaneous, gastrointestinal or pulmonary, the pulmonary form is the most deadly [2,3]. Thus, the release of Bacillus anthracis spores that can be inhaled represents a potent bioterrorism threat; the capacity of B. anthracis spores to act as a bioterrorism weapon was demonstrated in 2001, with the intentional infection of 22 persons in the U.S.A. [2,4]. Until recently, the available vaccines were developed to confer protection against cutaneous infection; despite this, these vaccines demonstrated experimental efficacy against pulmonary infection in multiple animal models [1,2]. Nevertheless, there are many limitations for these vaccines to be considered successful and effective vaccine, including the intensity of the required vaccination schedule, the administration route and the presence of local adverse effects experienced after vaccination [1,3,5,6]. To develop more efficient vaccines against pulmonary anthrax, intranasal formulations with adjuvant have been studied. These formulations have advantages because they are easy to administer and because they are expected to induce both systemic and respiratory tract mucosal immune responses. Therefore, the main goal of this review is to compare the different experimental adjuvants used with anthrax antigens and the different approaches regarding the vaccination schedule and consecutive boosters.
Self-Perceived Creativity, Family Hardiness, and Emotional Intelligence of Chinese Gifted Students in Hong Kong

This study assessed the self-perceptions of 212 gifted students regarding their creativity, family hardiness, and emotional intelligence. There were in general no gender and age group differences on these self-perceptions, with the exception that younger students perceived their families as more hardy than did older students. The results of regression analysis indicated that family hardiness and emotional intelligence had separate and direct effects on self-perceived creativity, and their effects were additive, rather than multiplicative, as their interaction terms did not yield significant increment in variance accounted for in the criterion of prediction. Similar results were obtained when different components of emotional intelligence were considered, with some suggestive evidence that family hardiness could interact with specific components of emotional intelligence in the prediction. Implications of the findings are discussed, and caution need to be exercised in the interpretation of these results, as data were cross-sectional and collected only on student perceptions.
Using meta‐analysis to inform the design of subsequent studies of diagnostic test accuracy

An individual diagnostic accuracy study rarely provides enough information to make conclusive recommendations about the accuracy of a diagnostic test; particularly when the study is small. Meta‐analysis methods provide a way of combining information from multiple studies, reducing uncertainty in the result and hopefully providing substantial evidence to underpin reliable clinical decision‐making. Very few investigators consider any sample size calculations when designing a new diagnostic accuracy study. However, it is important to consider the number of subjects in a new study in order to achieve a precise measure of accuracy.
Absence of paraneoplastic antineuronal antibodies in sera of 145 patients with motor neuron disease

Background: Well characterised antineuronal antibodies (ANAbs) have been shown to be highly specific markers of neurological syndromes with a paraneoplastic aetiology. Previous reports indicate that pure motor neuron disease (MND) is rarely of paraneoplastic origin. Objective: To screen systematically for the prevalence of well characterised paraneoplastic ANAbs in a large collective of patients with pure MND. Methods: In a cohort of 145 patients with MND, the frequency of ANAbs was estimated by ELISA, employing recombinant antigens (HuD, Yo, Ri, CV2/CRMP5, Ma2 and amphiphysin). Results: None of the sera revealed high antineuronal antigen reactivity. Very low reactivity was detected in only five sera, in all probability representing background activity. Conclusion: According to these data, routine analysis for ANAbs in patients with isolated MND is not mandatory.
14.4-GS/s, 5-bit, 50mW time-interleaved ADC with distributed track-and-hold and sampling instant synchronization for ADC-based SerDes

A 14.4-GS/s 5-b ADC is designed in 40nm CMOS with eight time-interleaved channels of Flash/Successive-Approximation hybrid sub-ADCs each running at 1.6GS/s. A modified bootstrapped track-and-hold switch incorporates a global clock to synchronize the sampling instant of each individual sub-channel, therefore improving multi-phase alignment. Measurement results show that the ADC can achieve a peak SNDR of 26.5dB, consuming 49.4mW, leading to a FoM of 199fJ/conversion-step, in a core area less than 800μm by 500μm.
cculturation and consumption of foodstuffs among the main ndigenous people in Chile

Despite interest in studying food purchasing behaviour of ethnic minorities, there is little research on the purchasing habits of indigenous peoples. The objectives of the present study were to determine differences in food consumption habits in non-Mapuche (Chileans), and people of Mapuche origin (the largest aboriginal group in Chile) who vary in their acculturation orientations, and to evaluate the effect of socio-demographic variables on the acculturation of Mapuche individuals. A personal questionnaire was administered to a sample of 400 people in the Araucanía Region and 400 in the Metropolitan Region of Santiago, Chile, stratified by ethnic group. The frequency of consumption of fish and seafood, fruit, “mate” (a typical herbal infusion), soft drinks, and meals in restaurants differed between non-Mapuche and Mapuche with differing acculturation orientations. Acculturation was significantly associated with the consumption of fish and seafood, mate, and meals in restaurants, and with the consumption of ethnic foods. Using the socio-demographic information, a binomial logit model was proposed for unordered (nominal) data, which proved significant as a whole (P < 0.01). Mapuche people who are under 35 years, belong to a higher socio-economic status and reside in an urban area (large or small cities), are more likely to be assimilated to Chilean culture. © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Microsatellite instability does not predict the efficacy of chemotherapy in metastatic colorectal cancer. A systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND Microsatellite Instability (MSI) status is a good prognostic factor for colorectal cancer (CRC) but its predictive value for chemosensitivity remains controversial. A previous meta-analysis (MA) in the adjuvant setting showed that MSI-high (H) status did not predict the efficacy of chemotherapy. The predictive value of MSI status on the effect of metastatic chemotherapy was investigated by MA. PATIENTS AND METHODS Studies were identified by electronic search through PubMed, Embase and ASCO proceedings online databases, using several key words (colorectal cancer, chemotherapy, microsatellite instability). For each study, the ratio of response rate (RR), complete (CR) and partial response (PR) divided by stable disease and progression was calculated. From 190 articles and 100 abstracts, only eight independent studies were selected. The data were analysed with a random-effect model (due to heterogeneity between studies) using EasyMA software. Statistical calculations were performed on six studies representing 964 patients (mean age 63 years; 91 MSI-H; 873 microsatellite stable (MSS) tumours). A total of 287 patients received 5-fluorouracil (5FU)-based chemotherapy, whereas 678 patients received combinations of 5FU or capecitabine with oxaliplatin and/or irinotecan. RESULTS No benefit of metastatic chemotherapy in terms of RR for MSI-H patients compared with MSS patients was found. The global hazard ratio (HR) for RR was 0.82 (95% confidence interval, CI: 0.95; 0.65-1.03; p=0.09). CONCLUSION MSI status does not predict the effect of chemotherapy which is similar in MSI-H and MSS metastatic CRC tumours.
Tactical Decision Making for Lane Changing with Deep Reinforcement Learning

In this paper, we consider the problem of autonomous lane changing for self driving vehicles in a multi-lane, multi-agent setting. We present a framework that demonstrates a more structured and data efficient alternative to end-to-end complete policy learning on problems where the high-level policy is hard to formulate using traditional optimization or rule based methods but well designed low-level controllers are available. Our framework uses deep reinforcement learning solely to obtain a high-level policy for tactical decision making, while still maintaining a tight integration with the low-level controller, thus getting the best of both worlds. We accomplish this with Q-masking, a technique with which we are able to incorporate prior knowledge, constraints, and information from a low-level controller, directly in to the learning process thereby simplifying the reward function and making learning faster and data efficient. We provide preliminary results in a simulator and show our approach to be more efficient than a greedy baseline, and more successful and safer than human driving.