Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-Frequency Percussive Ventilation and Bronchoscopy During Extracorporeal Life Support in Children

Variables affecting duration of pediatric extracorporeal life support (ECLS) are poorly defined. Prior analyses suggested increased mortality risk with prolonged ECLS. Lung recruitment strategies with improved secretion mobilization may shorten ECLS duration. High frequency percussive ventilation (HFPV) has been used, predominantly in inhalational injury, as a mode of ventilation to improve secretion clearance. We describe the application of HFPV and therapeutic bronchoscopies in pediatric ECLS and evaluate outcomes with a same-center historical control population. After May 2011, all children (n = 14) on ECLS were managed with HFPV during extracorporeal support (HFPV cohort). This group’s demographics and outcomes were compared with ECLS patients in our unit immediately before the utilization of HFPV (pre-HFPV cohort, n = 22). The HFPV and pre-HFPV cohorts had similar demographics and utilization of venoarterial ECLS. In univariate analysis, the HFPV group underwent more bronchoscopies and experienced more ECLS-free days (days alive and off ECLS) at 30 and 60 days. In multivariate analysis, use of HFPV was independently associated with ECLS-free days. We conclude that use of HFPV and bronchoscopies during ECLS for respiratory failure was associated with an increase in ECLS-free days and that this association should be prospectively evaluated.
Genetic variants of TSPAN12 gene in patients with retinopathy of prematurity

Genetic susceptibility to retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) has been reported. However, no virulence genes are currently known for ROP. This study aimed to assess FZD4, LRP5, TSPAN12, and NDP, which are known virulence genes involved in familial exudative vitreoretinopathy, an ailment that shares some symptoms with ROP. After approval from the parents of diseased infants, blood samples from 29 Han patients with ROP were collected for genomic DNA extraction. Direct sequencing was used to assess the four candidate genes, namely FZD4, LRP5, TSPAN12, and NDP. Finally, genetic mutations were screened. Changes of three nucleotide sequences were found in the four candidate genes; notably, a c.954G>A hybrid mutation in the TSPAN12 gene was predicted to cause protein structure and function alterations. The molecular pathogenesis of ROP is complex, and likely involves the c.954G>A mutation in TSPAN12.
New Paradigms for Active Learning

In traditional active learning, learning algorithms (or learners) mainly focus on the performance of the final model built and the total number of queries needed for learning a good model. However, in many real-world applications, active learners have to focus on the learning process for achieving finer goals, such as minimizing the number of mistakes in predicting unlabeled examples. These learning goals are common and important in real-world applications. For example, in direct marketing, a sales agent (learner) has to focus on the process of selecting customers to approach, and tries to make correct predictions (i.e., fewer mistakes) on the customers who will buy the product. However, traditional active learning algorithms cannot achieve the finer learning goals due to the different focuses. In this thesis, we study how to control the learning process in active learning such that those goals can be accomplished. According to various learning tasks and goals, we address four new active paradigms as follows. The first paradigm is learning actively and conservatively. Under this paradigm, the learner actively selects and predicts the most certain example (thus, conservatively) iteratively during the learning process. The goal of this paradigm is to minimize the number of mistakes in predicting unlabeled examples during active learning. Intuitively the conservative strategy is less likely to make mistakes, i.e., more likely to achieve the learning goal. We apply this new learning strategy in an educational software, as well as direct marketing. The second paradigm is learning actively and aggressively. Under this paradigm, unlabeled examples and multiple oracles are available. The learner actively selects the best multiple oracles to label the most uncertain example (thus, aggressively) iteratively during the learning process. The learning goal is to learn a good model with guaranteed label quality. The third paradigm is learning actively with conservative-aggressive tradeoff. Under this learning paradigm, firstly, unlabeled examples are available and learners are allowed to select examples actively to learn. Secondly, to obtain the labels, two actions can be considered: querying oracles and making predictions. Lastly, cost has to be paid for querying oracles or for making wrong predictions. The tradeoff between the two actions is necessary for achieving the learning goal: minimizing the total cost for obtaining the labels. The last paradigm is learning actively with minimal/maximal effort. Under this paradigm, the labels of the examples are all provided and learners are allowed to select examples actively to learn. The learning goal is to control the learning process by selecting examples actively such that the learning can be accomplished with minimal effort or a good model can be built fast with maximal effort. For each of the four learning paradigms, we propose effective learning algorithms accordingly and demonstrate empirically that related learning problems in real applications can be
GENETIC PROGRAMMING WITH MONTE CARLO SIMULATION FOR OPTION PRICING

I examine the role of programming parameters in determining the accuracy of Genetic Programming for option pricing. I use Monte Carlo simulations to generate stock and option price data needed to develop a Genetic Option Pricing Program. I simulate data for two different stock price processes – a Geometric Brownian process and a JumpDiffusion process. In the jump-diffusion setting, I seed the Genetic Program with the Black-Scholes equation as a starting approximation. I find that population size, fitness criteria, and the ability to seed the program with known analytical equations, are important determinants of the efficiency of Genetic Programming.
Effectiveness of teleneuropsychological rehabilitation: Systematic review of randomized controlled trials.

OBJECTIVE The effectiveness of neuropsychological rehabilitation is supported by the evidence found in previous reviews, but there is a lack of research regarding the effectiveness of remotely conducted neuropsychological rehabilitation. This review aimed to identify and evaluate the results of studies investigating the effectiveness of teleneuropsychological rehabilitation. METHODS Relevant articles were extracted from electronic databases and filtered to include studies published in 2016 or later to focus on recent practices. Data were synthesized narratively. RESULTS A total of 14 randomized controlled studies were included in the synthesis (9 for children/adolescents, 5 for adults). The most common type of intervention was computerized cognitive training with regular remote contact with the therapist (seven studies). Regarding children and adolescents, the evidence for the effectiveness was found only for these types of interventions with improvements in cognitive outcomes. The results regarding the family-centered interventions were mixed with improvements only found in psychosocial outcomes. No support was found for the effectiveness of interventions combining cognitive and motor training. Regarding adults, all included studies offered support for the effectiveness, at least to some extent. There were improvements particularly in trained cognitive functions. Long-term effects of the interventions with generalization to global functioning remained somewhat unclear. CONCLUSION Remote interventions focused on computerized cognitive training are promising methods within teleneuropsychological rehabilitation. However, their impact on long-term meaningful, everyday functioning remained unclear. More research is needed to reliably assess the effectiveness of teleneuropsychological interventions, especially with more comprehensive approaches.
Prolonged second stage of labor is associated with persistent urinary retention after forceps delivery: An observational study

The occurrence of urinary retention is significantly higher in women undergoing forceps-assisted midwifery. However, the majority of these women typically regain the ability to urinate spontaneously within 72 hours after delivery. Instances of persistent urinary retention beyond this timeframe are relatively uncommon and have been rarely documented. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors associated with the persistence of urinary retention after forceps-assisted midwifery. A retrospective analysis was conducted on women who underwent forceps-assisted deliveries at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital of Fudan University (China) between August 1, 2019 and December 1, 2019. The study involved collecting general clinical information of these women. Based on the duration of ureter retention, women who had a retention time >72 hours were categorized into group A, while those with a retention time <72 hours were allocated to group B. After performing analysis on the risk factors of persistent urinary retention following forceps delivery, the t test was utilized for analyzing single factors, while logistic regression analysis was employed for assessing multiple factors. Univariate analysis revealed a significant difference in the duration of the second stage of labor between group A and group B. However, logistic regression analysis did not indicate any significant difference between the 2 groups. Further research is still required to determine whether the association between persistent urinary retention following forceps delivery and prolonged second stage of labor is significant, considering the limited number of cases available for analysis.
The use of dental anxiety management techniques during one-session treatment: a study on five video-recorded patient cases

Abstract Objective The aim was to examine what kinds of dental anxiety management techniques dentists use in the context of one-session treatment. Material and methods The data consisted of videotaped treatment sessions for five dentally anxious adults. The treatment was conducted by two experienced dentists without formal training in the treatment of dentally anxious patients or behavioral management techniques. Theory-driven qualitative content analysis, based on the anxiety management classification of Milgrom et al. was used to identify and classify the techniques used during the treatments. Results Altogether, diverse categories of dental anxiety management techniques were identified under the main themes of enhancing trust and control and psychological management. Techniques that fell into enhancing trust and control included the categories of ‘building a trustful relationship’, ‘informational control’, and ‘behavioral control’. These techniques were used consistently throughout the sessions. Additionally, psychological management techniques were identified and classified as ‘behavioral strategies: relaxing the body’ and ‘cognitive strategies: relaxing the mind’, which were regularly used in specific situations. Conclusion The results indicate that a variety of dental anxiety management techniques were used during one-session treatments. The findings provide valuable insights for dentists in managing their patients with dental anxiety and improving their overall treatment experience.
Progress in immune checkpoint inhibition in early-stage triple-negative breast cancer

ABSTRACT Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibitors have been particularly effective in treating cancers with robust immune microenvironments and have been successfully incorporated into the management of metastatic ER-negative and HER2-negative breast cancer. This has prompted investigation of immunotherapy in early-stage triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) to address the suboptimal clinical outcomes and limited therapeutic options. Areas covered This review highlights the studies examining the use of neoadjuvant immunotherapy with standard chemotherapy in the management of early-stage TNBC and explores ongoing areas of study including the role of adjuvant checkpoint inhibition and novel combination therapies with immunotherapy. Expert opinion The current standard of care for early-stage ER-negative, HER2-negative breast cancer measuring ≥2 cm or with lymph node involvement is neoadjuvant chemotherapy with pembrolizumab followed by ongoing pembrolizumab in the adjuvant setting to complete 1 year of total therapy as per the KEYNOTE-522 study. This approach is associated with improved pathologic complete response (pCR) rate and event free survival, irrespective of PD-L1 status. Many questions remain regarding the optimization of chemotherapy partner(s) for immunotherapy, necessity of adjuvant immunotherapy for patients who achieve pCR, inclusion of other therapies in the adjuvant setting (particularly capecitabine or olaparib), and use of adjuvant immunotherapy when it was not received in the neoadjuvant setting.
Spatiotemporal variation, sources, and secondary transformation potential of volatile organic compounds in Xi'an, China

Abstract. As critical precursors of ozone (O3) and secondary organic aerosols, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) play a vital role in air quality, human health, and climate change. In this study, a campaign of comprehensive field observations and VOC grid sampling was conducted in Xi'an, China, from 20 June to 20 July 2019 to identify the spatiotemporal concentration levels, sources, and secondary transformation potential of VOCs. During the observation period, the average VOC concentrations at the Chanba (CB), Di Huan Suo (DHS), Qinling (QL), and gridded sampling sites were 27.8 ± 8.9, 33.8 ± 10.5, 15.5 ± 5.8, and 29.1 ± 8.4 ppb, respectively. Vehicle exhaust was the primary source of VOC emissions in Xi'an, and the contributions of vehicle exhaust to VOCs at the CB, DHS, and QL sites were 41.3 %, 30.6 %, and 23.6 %–41.4 %, respectively. While industrial emissions were the second-largest source of VOCs in urban areas, contributions from aging sources were high in rural areas. High potential source contribution function values primarily appeared in eastern and southern Xi'an near the sampling site, which indicates that Xi'an exhibits a strong local VOC source. Moreover, alkenes, aromatics, and oxygenated VOCs played a dominant role in secondary transformation, which is a major concern in reducing O3 pollution in Xi'an.
Phenotyping congestion in acute heart failure by renal flow and right heart to pulmonary circulation coupling

In acute heart failure (AHF), kidney congestion is basic to treatment and prognosis. Its aetiology is manifold and quite unexplored in details mainly regarding the right heart to pulmonary circulation (Pc) coupling. We investigated the right heart to kidney interrelationship by Doppler renal flow pattern, right atrial dynamics, and right ventricular (RV) function to Pc coupling in AHF.
Antitumor and Antiangiogenic Activities of Lenvatinib in Mouse Xenograft Models of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor-Induced Hypervascular Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma

Abstract High expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is associated with poor prognosis. Here, we investigated the antitumor activity of lenvatinib, a multiple receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, in VEGF-overexpressing HCC models. In human umbilical vein endothelial cells, lenvatinib showed potent inhibitory activities against VEGF-induced proliferation and VEGF/basic fibroblast growth factor-induced tube formation. In VEGF-overexpressing HCC xenograft models, characterized by aggressive tumor growth and hypervascularity, lenvatinib had significant antitumor and antiangiogenic activities. These results suggest that potent activity of lenvatinib against VEGF signaling underlies its antitumor and antiangiogenic activities in the hypervascular HCC models.
Food Insecurity is Associated with Low Dietary Diversity in Rural Women in Mexico: Results from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey, ENSANUT 2018

ABSTRACT Rural women suffer greater vulnerability to food insecurity (FI) compared to their urban or male counterparts. We analyzed the association between food security (FS) status and dietary diversity (DD) in rural women through data from the Mexican National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2018 from 2,099 rural women. DD was measured using a semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire. FS was measured using the Latin America and Caribbean Food Security Scale (ELCSA). The prevalence of any level of FI was 70.1%. Mean DD score was 3.8. Mild FI was associated with low DD (OR 1.49, 95% CI 1.06, 2.10). Results highlight the need for government strategies targeted to this population sector to improve their diet quality.
Euhedral Phosphate Grains in Vugs and Vesicles in Ordinary Chondrites, Lunar Samples and the Ibitira Eucrite: Implications for Trace Element Transport Processes

Introduction: The unique eucrite Ibitira has vesicles that contain minerals deposited by a postmagmatic fluid. The majority of vesicles contain one or more of the following phases: titanian chromite; ilmenite; whitlockite; and metallic iron. Heim et al. [1] reported trace element analyses of whitlockite and apatite in Ibitira and found no significant differences between phosphate REE patterns in vesicles and matrix. They concluded that the vesicle phosphates grew during thermal metamorphism and that the timetemperature history allowed complete equilibration between matrix and vesicles. In an attempt to better understand transport of REE and other refractory trace elements, we have expanded our study to include phosphates in vugs in the ordinary chondrites Farmington (L5), Mt. Tazerzait (L5) and Shaw (L6) and in the lunar crystalline melt breccias 76015 and 76215. Experimental: Polished thin sections were x-ray mapped with an EDS-equipped SEM and selected phosphates were analyzed by ion microprobe. Results and discussion: In the ordinary chondrites, apatite has REE patterns that drop smoothly from ~80×CI for La to ~12×CI for Lu, with no Eu anomaly. Whitlockite has uniform enrichment of LREE at 150 320×CI, with a slight drop in HREE and 10-fold negative Eu anomalies. Phosphates in vugs have REE patterns indistinguishable from those in the matrix. This indicates that the phosphates are reasonably wellequilibrated with silicates in equilibrated ordinary chondrites. In the two lunar samples, apatite was the only phosphate found in vugs and has rather variable REE patterns. Both samples are crystalline melt breccias, thought to be of impact melt origin [2]. Most apatites are smoothly fractionated with enrichments of 5,000 10,000×CI for La dropping to 8001500×CI for Lu. All apatites have large negative Eu anomalies, with Eu enrichments of 80120×CI. One large apatite grain, shown in Fig. 1, clearly shows REE zoning. The grain is euhedral and grew on the surface of a vug. The BSE albedo reflects REE content and there is a bright band parallel to the outside of the grain. Combining EDS analyses of La, Ce and Nd with ion probe analyses, it appears that the grain began to grow with a La enrichment of ~5,000×CI, dropped to ~400×CI, rose to ~25,000×CI and dropped again to ~10,000×CI. The large variations in REE content of this apatite crystal argue against a diffusional mechanism for transport of trace elements to minerals deposited in vugs. Instead, they support deposition from a fluid phase the trace element content of which varied considerably with time during growth of this crystal. References: [1] Heim N. A. et al. (1999) LPS XXX, #1908. [2] Heiken G. H. et al. (1991) Lunar sourcebook: a users guide to the Moon. Cambridge Univ. Press, Cambridge, 736 p.
Makaracetus Bidens, a New Protocetid Archaeocete (Mammalia, Cetacea) from the Early Middle Eocene of Balochistan (Pakistan)

Makaracetus bidens is a new genus and species of late Lutetian (early middle Eocene) archaeocete collected from the Kunvit area near Rakhni, in eastern Balochistan Province, Pakistan. M. bidens was found in upper Domanda Formation strata deposited in a coastal marine setting of the eastern Tethys Sea. The new cetacean is represented by a partial skull with associated postcranial elements. The cranium of Makaracetus is distinctive in having a relatively short rostrum that is bilaterally compressed and slightly down-turned distally, with two incisors rather than three in each premaxilla. The anterior rostrum is T-shaped in cross-section, with paired narial grooves on the dorsal surface, and deep fossae for attachment of hypertrophied facial muscles on the left and right lateral surfaces. Makaracetus apparently had a short, muscular proboscis, possibly for specialized feeding on mollusks or other benthic fauna. The centrum of the preserved cervical vertebra is normally proportioned for a protocetid archaeocete, and the first two sacral vertebrae are fused like those of other protocetids. The conformation of the anterior rostrum in Makaracetus is so distinctive that it is placed in its own subfamily Makaracetinae (new), distinct from both Protocetinae and from Georgiacetinae (new).
Africa's Green Revolution? The determinants of the adoption of NERICAs in West Africa

We analyse the rate and determinants of adoption of modern rice varieties (NERICAs) in Guinea, The Gambia and Cote d'Ivoire. The role of knowledge and information is evaluated using programme evaluation methods. Using household data collected by the Africa Rice Centre we show that the exposure and access to seeds lead to radically different levels of adoption by country: 30% in Cote Dâ€™Ivoire compared to around 90% for The Gambia and Guinea. Analysis of the determinants of adoption in each country reveals the heterogeneity in the role of agricultural and societal conditions and implies country/province specific policies are appropriate.
The long and winding road of faecal microbiota transplants to targeted intervention for improvement of immune checkpoint inhibition therapy

ABSTRACT Introduction Immune checkpoint inhibition (ICI) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of cancer. Inhibitory molecules, either on the tumor or on cells of the immune system, are blocked, allowing the immune system of the patient to attack and eradicate the tumor. Not all patients respond to ICI therapy, and response or non-response has been associated with composition of gut microbiota. Area covered Fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) is used as adjunctive therapy in order to improve the outcome of ICI. ClinicalTrials.gov, and other databases were searched (October 2022) for studies dealing with gut microbiota modification and the outcome of ICI. Expert opinion There is ample evidence for the beneficial effect of FMT on the outcome of ICI therapy for cancer, especially melanoma. Progress is being made in the unraveling of the mechanisms by which microbiota and their metabolites (butyrate and the tryptophan metabolite indole-3-aldehyde) interact with the mucosal immune system of the host. A better understanding of the mechanisms involved will allow the identification of key bacterial species which mediate the effect of FMT. Promising species are Faecalibacterium prausnitzii, Eubacterium rectale, Bifidobacterium adolescentis, B. bifidum, and B. longum, because they are important direct and indirect butyrate producers.