Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Coexistence of human immunodeficiency virus infection and autoimmune hepatitis: A double trouble

A wide spectrum of hepatobiliary manifestations occur in Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)-infected patients. Among the common causes are the infectious hepatitis, drug-related hepatitis, opportunistic infections, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, HIV cholangiopathy and neoplasm. Auto-immune hepatitis (AIH) is rarely reported in this setting. We present two different presentations of auto immune hepatitis in HIV positive patients. One developed jaundice and ascites as a consequence of liver decompensation and other exhibited cholestatic pattern. Their serology and liver biopsy confirmed autoimmune hepatitis as underlying aetiology. We would like to share the clinical improvement with simultaneous immunosuppressive therapy and combination Anti Retroviral Therapy (cART). There are no documented cases on this issue from the Indian subcontinent that we are aware of.
Low-molecular-weight heparin in addition to low-dose aspirin for preventing preeclampsia and its complications: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background In this systematic review, we aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of adding low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) or unfractionated heparin to low-dose aspirin (LDA) started ≤16 weeks'gestation in the prevention of preeclampsia (PE) in high-risk women. Methods PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ClinicalTrials.gov databases were searched from their inception to April 2022 for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that to determine whether the combined treatment of LMWH and LDA is better than single anticoagulant drugs in preventing PE and improving live birth rate of fetus in high-risk women with pregnancy ≤16 weeks. We also searched Embase, OVID MEDLINE and OVID MEDLINE in-process using the OVID platform. Results 14 RCTs involving 1,966 women were found. The LMWH (or unfractionated heparin) and LDA groups included 1,165 wemen, and the LDA group included 960 women. The meta-analysis showed that the addition of LMWH to LDA reduced the risk of PE (RR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.44-0.79, P < 0.05), small-for-gestational age (SGA, RR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.52-0.97, P = 0.03), fetal and neonatal death (RR: 0.45, 95% CI: 0.23-0.88, P = 0.02) and gestational hypertension (RR: 0.47, 95% CI: 0.25-0.90, P = 0.02). It is worth emphasizing that LMWH (or unfractionated heparin) combined with LDA did not increase the risk of bleeding. Conclusions LMWH combined with LDA can effectively improve the pregnancy outcome of women with high risk factors for PE and its complications. Although this study showed that combined medication also did not increase the risk of bleeding, but such results lack the support of large sample size studies. The clinical safety analysis of LMWH combined with LDA in patients with PE should be more carried out.
Editor's Special Invited Paper: Sequential Estimation for Time Series Models

Abstract This article revisits sequential estimation of the autoregressive parameter β in a first-order autoregressive (AR(1)) model and construction of a sequential confidence region for a parameter vector θ in a first-order threshold autoregressive (TAR(1)) model. To resolve a theoretical conjecture raised in Sriram (1986), we provide a comprehensive numerical study that strongly suggests that the regret in using a sequential estimator of β can be significantly negative for many heavy-tailed error distributions and even for normal errors. Secondly, to investigate yet another conjecture about the limiting distribution of a sequential pivotal quantity for θ in a TAR(1) model, we conduct an extensive numerical study that strongly suggests that the sequential confidence region has much better coverage probability than that of a fixed sample counterpart, regardless of whether the θ values are inside or on or near the boundary of the ergodic region of the series. These highlight the usefulness of sequential sampling methods in fitting linear and nonlinear time series models.
On the coupling between magnetic field and nutation in a numerical integration approach

Nutation amplitudes are computed in a displacement field approach that incorporates the influence of a prescribed magnetic field inside the Earth's core. The existence of relative nutational motions between the liquid core and its surrounding solid parts induces a shearing of the magnetic field. An incremental magnetic field is then created, which in return perturbs the nutations themselves. This problem has already been addressed within a nutation model computed from an angular momentum budget approach. Here we incorporate the magnetic field influence directly in the motion equation and in the boundary conditions used in precise nutation theory, and a new strategy to compute nutations is established. As in previous studies, we assume that the root-mean-square of the radial magnetic field amplitude at the core-mantle boundary is 6.9 Gauss, that the magnetic diffusivity at the bottom of the mantle and in the fluid outer core side is 1.6 m(2)/s, and that the thickness of the conductive layer at the bottom of the mantle is 200 m. The Coriolis force is included in this work. The results show that the free core nutation period decreases by 0.38 days, and that the out-of-phase (in-phase) amplitudes of the retrograde 18.6 year and the retrograde annual nutations increase (decrease) by 20 and 39 mu as, respectively. Comparisons of these results with previous studies are made, and discussions are also presented on the contribution of Coriolis force and the prescribed magnetic field on the coupling constants.
Effect of PhenylEthanol Glycosides from Cistanche Tubulosa on Autophagy and Apoptosis in H22 Tumor-Bearing Mice

An effectual remedy for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and knowledge of the mechanism are urgently needed. Researchers have found that CPhGs, an extract from Cistanche tubulosa (Schenk) Wight, had better antitumor effects, but its mechanism is still unknown. In the present study, using an H22 tumor-bearing mouse as a model, we investigated the antitumor effects of CPhGs and the effect of CPhGs on autophagy and apoptosis. Besides, we also discussed the role of autophagy with the help of HCQ and rapamycin. Our results show that CPhGs inhibit tumor growth and induce apoptosis and autophagy of tumor tissue. TUNEL staining displayed that tumor apoptosis rate increased after the intervention of CPhGs, and immunohistochemistry and western blot showed that cleaved-PARP and cleaved-caspase 3 were upregulated after the intervention of CPhGs, and these results were most pronounced in the high-dose group. Autophagy results revealed that CPhGs increased the number of autophagosomes, increased the level of LC3B-II, and decreased the level of p62. Finally, our results showed that excessive autophagy suppresses tumor growth, whereas inhibition of autophagy does the opposite, which indicated that CPhGs induced autophagic death in H22 hepatoma-bearing mice. These data altogether confirmed the involvement of apoptosis and autophagy in CPhGs treatment for HCC.
Modelling the Dynamics of Carbon Storages for Pinus densata Using Landsat Images in Shangri-La Considering Topographic Factors

Accurate estimation of forest carbon storage is essential for understanding the dynamics of forest resources and optimizing decisions for forest resource management. In order to explore the changes in the carbon storage of Pinus densata in Shangri-La and the influence of topography on carbon storage, two dynamic models were developed based on the National Forest Inventory (NFI) and Landsat TM/OLI images with a 5-year interval change and annual average change. The three modelling methods used were partial least squares (PLSR), random forest (RF) and gradient boosting regression tree (GBRT). Various spectral and texture features of the images were calculated and filtered before modelling. The terrain niche index (TNI), which is able to reflect the combined effect of elevation and slope, was added to the dynamic model, the optimal model was selected to estimate the carbon storage, and the topographic conditions in areas of change in carbon storage were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) The dynamic model based on 5-year interval change data performs better than the dynamic model with annual average change data, and the RF model has a higher accuracy compared to the PLSR and GBRT models. (2) The addition of TNI improved the accuracy, in which R2 is improved by up to 10.48% at most, RMSE is reduced by up to 7.32% at most, and MAE is reduced by up to 8.89% at most, and the RF model based on the 5-year interval change data has the highest accuracy after adding TNI, with an R2 of 0.87, an RMSE of 3.82 t-C·ha−1, and a MAE of 1.78 t-C·ha−1. (3) The direct estimation results of the dynamic model showed that the carbon storage of Pinus densata in Shangri-La decreased in 1987–1992 and 1997–2002, and increased in 1992–1997, 2002–2007, 2007–2012, and 2012–2017. (4) The trend of increasing or decreasing carbon storage in each period is not exactly the same on the TNI gradient, according to the dominant distribution, as topographic conditions with lower elevations or gentler slopes are favorable for the accumulation of carbon storage, while the decreasing area of carbon storage is more randomly distributed topographically. This study develops a dynamic estimation model of carbon storage considering topographic factors, which provides a solution for the accurate estimation of forest carbon storage in regions with a complex topography.
Right atrial volumes and strains in healthy adults: is the Frank-Starling mechanism working?—detailed analysis from the three-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiographic MAGYAR-Healthy Study

Background With larger blood volume flowing into a cardiac chamber, by stretching muscle fibers, increased contraction force could be detected. This phenomenon is called Frank-Starling mechanism, allowing the output of a cardiac chamber to be synchronized without external regulation. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the Frank-Starling mechanism in the right atrium (RA) represented by its volumes, volume-based functional properties and strains respecting the cardiac cycle in healthy adults by three-dimensional (3D) speckle-tracking echocardiography (3DSTE). Methods The present single center retrospective cohort study comprised 179 healthy adult volunteers (mean age: 33.2±12.0 years, 92 males), in whom complete two-dimensional Doppler echocardiography with 3DSTE was performed. Subjects were divided into 3 groups according to the mean value of maximum RA volume (Vmax) ± standard deviation: Vmax <30 mL, 30 mL ≤ Vmax <60 mL and Vmax ≥60 mL. Results All RA volumes respecting the cardiac cycle of all subjects and calculated separately for females and males and their indexed equivalents increased with Vmax. RA stroke volumes increased with Vmax regardless of the phase it was measured in. While total atrial emptying fraction representing the reservoir phase remained unchanged with the increase of Vmax, a significant increase in passive atrial emptying fraction representing the conduit phase could be detected, in case of Vmax >60 mL (28.9%±15.1% vs. 32.5%±12.6%, P<0.05). Active atrial emptying fraction representing the booster pump function did not change with the increase of Vmax. Most global and mean segmental peak RA strains did not show significant changes with increasing RA volumes except for the RA area strain, it was the largest when Vmax was larger than 60 mL (64.7%±44.9% vs. 83.3%±49.4%, P<0.05). RA circumferential, longitudinal and area strains at atrial contraction decreased with increasing Vmax, RA radial and 3D strains did not change significantly with increasing Vmax. Conclusions Increasing RA volumes do not cause significant increase in RA contractility represented by strains, but reduction in strains in longitudinal and circumferential directions could be detected in end-diastolic booster pump function. In contrast to the left atrium, obvious signs of Frank-Starling mechanism could not be detected in case of the RA.
Visualization of thermal lensing induced image distortion using Zemax ray tracing and BTEC thermal modeling

In recent years, several studies have been investigating the impact of thermal lensing in ocular media on the visual function. These studies have shown that when near-infrared (NIR) laser energy (1319 nm) is introduced to a human eye, the heating of the eye can be sufficient to alter the index of refraction of the media leading to transient changes in the visible wavefront through an effect known as thermal lensing, while remaining at a safe level. One of the main limitations of experimentation with human subjects, however, is the reliance on a subject’s description of the effect, which can vary greatly between individuals. Therefore, a computational model was needed that could accurately represent the changes of an image as a function of changes in the index of refraction. First, to model changes in the index of refraction throughout the eye, a computational thermal propagation model was used. These data were used to generate a comprehensive ray tracing model of the human eye using Zemax ( Radiant Zemax Inc, Redmond WA) via a gradient lens surface. Using this model, several different targets have been analyzed which made it possible to calculate real-world visual acuity so that the effect of changes in the index of refraction could be related back to changes in the image of a visual scene.
Numerical study of transient and steady laminar buoyancy-driven flows and heat transfer in a square open cavity

Numerical simulations are presented for transient and steady laminar buoyancy-driven flows and heat transfer in a square cavity open on one side. Computations were performed within the domain of the cavity. Vorticity transport and energy equations were solved using the alternating direction implicit scheme, and a successive overrelaxation method was employed to obtain solutions for the streamfunction. A range of values were considered for Gr and Pr. The results indicate that natural convection in the cavity does not depend on the computational domain or on the boundary conditions at the open side, which influence only a small region nearby. Heat transfer from the cavity is calculated, and flow and transport characteristics are discussed
Realization of synchronization in time-delayed systems with stochastic perturbation

Since noise is ubiquitous in both nature and artificial systems, the stochastic perturbation influence on the dynamics of the unidirectionally coupled Ikeda models is investigated in this paper. On the one hand, sufficient conditions on the complete synchronization between these noise-perturbed and chaotic models are mathematically established, and an estimation of the sample transverse Lyapunov exponent is rigorously derived. On the other hand, specific examples and their numerical simulations are provided to illustrate the feasibility of our theoretical results. Moreover, the results on the Ikeda models are further generalized to a wide class of coupled nonlinear systems with multiple time delays and a common additive noise. It is believed that the idea and approach developed in this paper could be further generalized to investigate some other problems on chaos synchronization and chaos control with stochastic perturbation.
Detailed Analysis of Primary Non-invasive Respiratory Support and Outcomes of Subjects With COVID-19 Acute Hypoxaemic Respiratory Failure

Background The role of non-invasive (continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or Non-invasive ventilation (NIV)) respiratory support (NIRS) as a primary oxygenation strategy for COVID-19 patients with acute severe hypoxic respiratory failure (AHRF), as opposed to invasive mechanical ventilation (invasive-MV), is uncertain. While NIRS may prevent complications related to invasive MV, prolonged NIRS and delays in intubation may lead to adverse outcomes. This study was conducted to assess the role of NIRS in COVID-19 hypoxemic respiratory failure and to explore the variables associated with NRIS failure. Methods This is a single-center, observational study of two distinct waves of severe COVID-19 patients admitted to the ICU. Patients initially managed with non-invasive respiratory support with laboratory-confirmed SARS-CoV-2 in acute hypoxaemic respiratory failure were included. Demographics, comorbidities, admission laboratory variables, and ICU admission scores were extracted from electronic health records. Univariate and multiple logistic regression was used to identify predictive factors for invasive mechanical ventilation. Kaplan-Meier survival curves were used to summarise survival between the ventilatory and time-to-intubation groups. Results There were 291 patients, of which 232 were managed with NIRS as an initial ventilation strategy. There was a high incidence of failure (48.7%). Admission APACHE II score, SOFA score, HACOR score, ROX index, and PaO2/FiO2 were all predictive of NIRS failure. Daily (days 1-4) HACOR scores and ROX index measurements highly predicted NIRS failure. Late NIRS failure (>24 hours) was independently associated with increased mortality (44%). Conclusion NIRS is effective as first-line therapy for COVID-19 patients with AHRF. However, failure, particularly delayed failure, is associated with significant mortality. Early prediction of NIRS failure may prevent adverse outcomes.
Performance Comparison of NB-Fi, Sigfox, and LoRaWAN

LPWANs are a promising solution for wireless sensor networks. To compete with such widespread technologies as LoRaWAN and Sigfox, recently a new LPWAN technology called NB-Fi has been developed. In a short time, many NB-Fi networks have been deployed in various countries. Although NB-Fi, Sigfox, and LoRaWAN have been designed for similar applications, they implement different approaches. However, no detailed comparisons of them are present in academic literature. This paper aims to fill this gap by analyzing and comparing NB-Fi, Sigfox, and LoRaWAN focusing on performance evaluation results rather than just nominal parameters declared by the developers. Specifically, the paper evaluates the packet loss rate, packet error rate, and average delay in these networks in different scenarios. The results are used to provide guidelines to decide which technology to use under which conditions. Specifically, Sigfox performs best in scenarios when devices transmit small pieces of data without repetitions and acknowledgments, and LoRaWAN is the most reliable for transmitting bigger pieces of data, while NB-Fi is best suited for acknowledged transmissions of small pieces of data.
Real Interest Rates, Bank Borrowing, and Fragility

How do real interest rates aﬀect ﬁnancial fragility? We study this issue in a model in which bank borrowing is subject to rollover risk. A bank’s optimal borrowing trades oﬀ the beneﬁt from investing additional funds into proﬁtable assets with the cost of greater risk of a run by bank creditors. Changes in the interest rate aﬀect the price and amount of borrowing, both of which inﬂuence bank fragility in opposite directions. Thus, the marginal impact of changes to the interest rate on bank fragility depends on the level of the interest rate. Finally, we derive testable implications that may guide future empirical work.
Effect of leptin on aortic dissection

The most important clinical features of aortic dissection (AD) are its acute onset, rapid progress, and high fatality rate. The exact pathogenesis of AD is unclear, and the focus of current research on the mechanism of AD has been primarily on hypertension and changes in metalloproteinases, among which leptin plays an important role. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the effect of leptin on AD. We conducted a computerized literature search on animal studies related to leptin and dissecting aortic aneurysm in PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, and other databases from their inception to present. Meta-analysis was conducted to compare the changes in aortic diameter, aortic dilatation, and the incidence of AD in mice under the local intervention of leptin or leptin antagonist (LepA). A total of four studies were included, involving five batches of animal experiments. According to the results of the meta-analysis, the increase in local leptin content led to the enlargement of aortic diameter (relative risk [RR] = 0.18; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.09 – 0.27; P < 0.0001) and increased aortic dilatation (RR = 0.11; 95% CI: 0.01 – 0.22; P < 0.0001). This meta-analysis showed that local leptin administration increased the aortic diameter and aortic dilatation. However, due to high heterogeneity between the results, it is difficult to draw a clear conclusion on the effect of leptin on AD.
Malpractice Allegations in Adult and Pediatric Emergency Departments Resulting in Death

Aim: This study aimed to increase the awareness of physicians working in adult and pediatric emergency departments (ED) about malpractice allegations. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted of cases with malpractice allegations occurring in ED from the lawsuit files decided by the First Specialization Board of the İstanbul Forensic Medicine Institute between 01/01/2012-31/12/2014. Results: Evaluation was made of 556 cases, comprising 357 (64.2%) males and 199 (35.8%) females, with a mean age of 38.92±24.8 years (minimum: 0, maximum: 87), with the highest number of cases in the 40-59 years age group (n=157, 28.2%). Two-thirds (n=377, 67.8%) of the cases with alleged medical malpractice occurred in a public hospital. The board decided that 24.4% (n=136) of the cases were medical malpractice. Of 556 cases, 1.102 physicians were accused and 151 physicians (13.7%) were found to be at fault by the board. More than half of the physicians accused of medical malpractice (51.7%) were general practitioners. The most common cause of malpractice in 136 files was diagnostic error (n=79, 58.1%). The most common actions of malpractice were failure to diagnose on time, and misdiagnosis (n=29, 21.3%). The most frequent diagnosis was trauma (n=156, 28.1%). Conclusion: Most of the malpractice allegations against the physicians working in the ED were unfounded and dismissed by the board. order to avoid diagnostic errors, it can be recommended that novice general practitioners should not be employed alone in ED without the support of more experienced colleagues.
Investigating supermassive black holes: a new method based on the polarimetric observations of active galactic nuclei

space volumes in which Einstein's antigravity due to dark energy is stronger than Newton's gravity from dark energy and baryons; the nearest such region is located at a distance of 1±3 Mpc from the Milky Way. A new type of cosmic motionÐ local recession flows accelerated by dark energyÐhas been discovered in the antigravity regions. The local dark energy density measured in these volumes turned out to be equal (within measurement errors) to the global dark energy density. This provides a new independent empirical argument in favor of Einstein's antigravity as a universal phenomenon, in the same sense asNewton's gravity is universal. This result is in contradiction with theories of modified gravity, which treat dark energy as an effect that is possible only at large distances. The author thanks G G Byrd, G S Bisnovaty-Kogan, M U Valtonen, L M Domozhilova, A E Kantor, I D Karachentsev, D I Makarov, O G Nasonova, P Nurmi, P Teerikorpi, and P Heinamaki for their collaboration, as well as N V Emelyanov, Yu N Efremov, A V Zasov, and A M Cherepashchuk for the useful discussions.