Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of severe bleeding after coronary surgery: the WILL-BLEED Risk Score

Summary Severe perioperative bleeding after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is associated with poor outcome. An additive score for prediction of severe bleeding was derived (n=2494) and validated (n=1250) in patients from the E-CABG registry. Severe bleeding was defined as E-CABG bleeding grades 2–3 (transfusion of >4 units of red blood cells or reoperation for bleeding). The overall incidence of severe bleeding was 6.4 %. Preoperative anaemia (3 points), female gender (2 points), eGFR <45 ml/min/1.73 m2 (3 points), potent antiplatelet drugs discontinued less than five days (2 points), critical preoperative state (5 points), acute coronary syndrome (2 points), use of low-molecular-weight heparin/fondaparinux/unfractionated heparin (1 point) were independent predictors of severe bleeding. The WILL-BLEED score was associated with increasing rates of severe bleeding in both the derivation and validation cohorts (scores 0–3: 2.9 % vs 3.4 %; scores 4–6: 6.8 % vs 7.5 %; scores>6: 24.6 % vs 24.2 %, both p<0.0001). The WILL-BLEED score had a better discriminatory ability (AUC 0.725) for prediction of severe bleeding compared to the ACTION (AUC 0.671), CRUSADE (AUC 0.642), Papworth (AUC 0.605), TRUST (AUC 0.660) and TRACK (AUC 0.640) bleeding scores. The net reclassification index and integrated discrimination improvement using the WILL-BLEED score as opposed to the other bleeding scores were significant (p<0.0001). The decision curve analysis demonstrated a net benefit with the WILL-BLEED score compared to the other bleeding scores. In conclusion, the WILL-BLEED risk score is a simple risk stratification method which allows the identification of patients at high risk of severe bleeding after CABG. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02319083 (https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT02319083)
Leydig cell insufficiency in hypospermatogenesis: a paracrine effect of activin–inhibin signaling?

Clinical findings and a variety of experimental models indicate that Leydig cell dysfunction accompanies damage to the seminiferous tubules with increasing severity. Most studies support the idea that intratesticular signaling from the seminiferous tubules to Leydig cells regulates steroidogenesis, which is disrupted when hypospermatogenesis occurs. Sertoli cells seem to play a pivotal role in this process. In this review, we summarize relevant clinical and experimental observations and present evidence to support the hypothesis that testicular activin signaling and its regulation by testicular inhibin may link seminiferous tubular dysfunction to reduced testosterone biosynthesis.
Compatibility of High-Moisture Storage for Biochemical Conversion of Corn Stover: Storage Performance at Laboratory and Field Scales

Wet anaerobic storage of corn stover can provide a year-round supply of feedstock to biorefineries meanwhile serving an active management approach to reduce the risks associated with fire loss and microbial degradation. Wet logistics systems employ particle size reduction early in the supply chain through field-chopping which removes the dependency on drying corn stover prior to baling, expands the harvest window, and diminishes the biorefinery size reduction requirements. Over two harvest years, in-field forage chopping was capable of reducing over 60% of the corn stover to a particle size of 6 mm or less. Aerobic and anaerobic storage methods were evaluated for wet corn stover in 100 L laboratory reactors. Of the methods evaluated, traditional ensiling resulted in <6% total solid dry matter loss (DML), about five times less than the aerobic storage process and slightly less than half that of the anaerobic modified-Ritter pile method. To further demonstrate the effectiveness of the anaerobic storage, a field demonstration was completed with 272 dry tonnes of corn stover; DML averaged <5% after 6 months. Assessment of sugar release as a result of dilute acid or dilute alkaline pretreatment and subsequent enzymatic hydrolysis suggested that when anaerobic conditions were maintained in storage, sugar release was either similar to or greater than as-harvested material depending on the pretreatment chemistry used. This study demonstrates that wet logistics systems offer practical benefits for commercial corn stover supply, including particle size reduction during harvest, stability in storage, and compatibility with biochemical conversion of carbohydrates for biofuel production. Evaluation of the operational efficiencies and costs is suggested to quantify the potential benefits of a fully-wet biomass supply system to a commercial biorefinery.
Real-time safe motion generation through dynamical system modulation with multiple depth sensors

Robots will be a part of our society in the future. They are expected to interact and collaborate with humans in daily life and production, which requires robots capable of adapting dynamical scenarios in real time. In this paper, we propose a real-time approach to generate safe motion of a robot when interacting with a human. Based on the concepts of dynamical system (DS) and artificial potential field (APF), the robotic system and the sensed obstacles are modeled as a DS by computing the minimum distance from the control point of a robot to the surfaces of obstacles, and then modulated to avoid collisions. The modulation is parameterized so that the safety margin could be dynamically modified according to specific situations, such as when encountering big uncertainty of the obstacle location. In order to address potential safety risk in case of occlusion occurs with only one sensor, two depth sensors are configured to monitor the entire shared workspace from different view angle in our approach. Experiments with a UR5 robot interacting with a human under the surveillance of two Xtion depth sensors are conducted to showcase the effectiveness of our proposed method.
EusHeidelTime: Time Expression Extraction and Normalisation for Basque

Temporal information helps to organise the information in texts as it places the actions and states in time. It is therefore very important to identify the time points and intervals in the text, as well as what times they refer to. We developed EusHeidelTime for Basque time expression extraction and normalisation. For it, we analysed time expressions in Basque, we created the rules and resources for the tool and we built corpora for development and testing. We finally ran an experiment to evaluate EusHeidelTime's performance. We achieved satisfactory results and we proved the adaptability of the tool for morphologically rich languages. Keywords: Time expressions, information extraction, normalisation
Expression and Histopathological Significance of Disabled-2 in Aldosterone-Producing Adenoma

Abstract The current pathological diagnosis of aldosterone-producing adenoma (APA) is challenging because no histological markers of aldosterone production are available in routine practice. A previous study demonstrated that Disabled-2 (DAB2) is a specific marker of the zona glomerulosa (ZG) in rodents. The aim of the present study was to investigate the significance of immunohistochemical staining to detect DAB2 in the adrenal tissue of patients with APA. We investigated the expression of DAB2 in 36 adrenal glands with APA, 23 adrenal glands with cortisol-producing adenoma (CPA), and 33 adrenal glands with non-functioning adenoma (NFA). Immunohistochemical staining was performed using anti-DAB2 antibodies on paraffin-embedded sections. We analysed the expression of DAB2 semi-quantitatively by scoring staining intensity, and assessed the correlation of this information with the clinical findings. DAB2 mRNA expression in adenoma tissues was evaluated by RT-PCR. DAB2 was highly expressed in the ZG in normal human adrenal glands. DAB2 expression was heterogeneous in APA, with spotted, strong staining noted in most samples (25 of 36 APA). CPA and NFA also exhibited extensive low or moderate DAB2 expression. DAB2 mRNA was significantly increased and positively correlated with CYP11B2 in APA (p<0.05). In APA, the DAB2 score adjusted for tumour volume was positively correlated with plasma aldosterone (p<0.05). Patients with low or moderate DAB2 staining more frequently exhibited high blood pressure and were diagnosed at a younger age compared with patients with high DAB2 staining. The present study clearly demonstrates that DAB2 is a specific marker of the ZG in normal human adrenal glands but that DAB2 immunostaining is not sufficiently powerful for histopathological diagnosis of APA. DAB2 might be involved in excessive aldosterone biosynthesis and correlate with specific clinical characteristics of APA patients.
Ultrasound Molecular Imaging of Inflammation in Mouse Abdominal Aorta

Objectives The aim of this study was to demonstrate a new clinically translatable ultrasound molecular imaging approach, modulated acoustic radiation force-based imaging, which is capable of rapid and reliable detection of inflammation as validated in mouse abdominal aorta. Materials and Methods Animal studies were approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee at the University of Virginia. C57BL/6 mice stimulated with tumor necrosis factor &agr;, or fed with a high-fat diet, were used as inflammation (MInflammation) and diet-induced obesity (DIO) (MDIO) models, respectively. C57BL/6 mice, not exposed to tumor necrosis factor &agr; or DIO, were used as controls (MNormal). P-selectin–targeted (MBP-selectin), vascular cell adhesion molecule (VCAM)-1–targeted (MBVCAM-1), and isotype control (MBControl) microbubbles were synthesized by conjugating anti–P-selectin, anti–VCAM-1, and isotype control antibodies to microbubbles, respectively. The abdominal aortas were imaged for 180 seconds during a constant infusion of microbubbles. A parameter, residual-to-saturation ratio (RSR), was used to assess P-selectin and VCAM-1. Statistical analysis was performed with the Student t test. Results For the inflammation model, RSR of the MInflammation + MBP-selectin group was significantly higher (40.9%, P < 0.0005) than other groups. For the DIO model, RSR of the MDIO + MBVCAM-1 group was significantly higher (60.0%, P < 0.0005) than other groups. Immunohistochemistry staining of the abdominal aorta confirmed the expression of P-selectin and VCAM-1. Conclusions A statistically significant assessment of P-selectin and VCAM-1 in mouse abdominal aorta was achieved. This technique yields progress toward rapid targeted molecular imaging in large blood vessels and thus has the potential for early diagnosis, treatment selection, and risk stratification of atherosclerosis.
Studies on Connexin 43, a Gap-Junction Protein, in P19 Embryonal Carcinoma Cells after Culture on an Apatite Fiber Scaffold

We previously showed enhanced osteoblast differentiation by culturing cells in apatite-fiber scaffold (AFS). The well-developed a-surface of the apatite fibers provides favorable structural features and chemical interactions with the cells, and the scaffold appears to affect cell differentiation. AFS was used here to study its utility for soft-tissue engineering. An embryonal carcinoma cell line, P19.CL6, was cultured in AFS, and the expression and phosphorylation of a gap-junction protein, connexin 43 (Cx43), during cell proliferation and differentiation was examined. We show that treatment with dimethyl sulfoxide appears to induce a change in the isoform composition of Cx43 under the control condition, but not in AFS. We also show that serum starvation induces the phosphorylation of Ser 368 of Cx43 only in functionally mature cells.
Calibration of redox potential in sperm wash media and evaluation of oxidation–reduction potential values in various assisted reproductive technology culture media using MiOXSYS system

Oxidation–reduction potential describes the balance between the oxidants and antioxidants in fluids including semen. Various artificial culture media are used in andrology and IVF laboratories for sperm preparation and to support the development of fertilized oocytes under in vitro conditions. The composition and conditions of these media are vital for optimal functioning of the gametes. Currently, there are no data on the status of redox potential of sperm processing and assisted reproduction media. The purpose of this study was to compare the oxidation–reduction potential values of the different media and to calibrate the oxidation–reduction potential values of the sperm wash medium using oxidative stress inducer cumene hydroperoxide and antioxidant ascorbic acid. Redox potential was measured in 10 different media ranging from sperm wash media, freezing media and assisted reproductive technology one‐step medium to sequential media. Oxidation–reduction potential values of the sequential culture medium and one‐step culture medium were lower and significantly different (p < 0.05) from the sperm wash media. Calibration of the sperm wash media using the oxidant cumene hydroperoxide and antioxidant ascorbic acid demonstrated that oxidation–reduction potential and the concentration of oxidant or antioxidant are logarithmically dependent. This study highlights the importance of calibrating the oxidation–reduction potential levels of the sperm wash media in order to utilize it as a reference value to identify the physiological range of oxidation–reduction potential that does not have any adverse effect on normal physiological sperm function.
MiR-135a-5p represses proliferation of HNSCC by targeting HOXA10

ABSTRACT Objectives: This research aimed to explore the role of miR-135a-5p in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells and its influence on cell viability. Moreover, we aimed to compare effects of miR-135a-5p and miR-494 in HNSCC, which was found to repress HOXA10 expression in oral cancer. Methods: The association between miR-135a-5p and HOXA10 was confirmed by green fluorescence protein reporter assay and qRT-PCR. The expression levels of HOXA10 in HNSCC cell lines (CAL-27, FaDu and NEC) were examined using western blot. The expression levels of HOXA10 in FaDu cells and CAL-27 cells were examined by western blot after transfection with miR-135a-5p mimics and miR-494 mimics. Colony formation assay and flow cytometry assay were respectively utilized to detect the proliferation and apoptosis of HNSCC cells after transfection with HOXA10 plasmids and HOXA10-KO plasmids. In vitro tumor xenograft experiments were performed to analyze the inhibitive effect of miR-135a-5p on HOXA10 in BALA/c mice. Results: HOXA10 was overexpressed in HNSCC cells, while miR-135a-5p was under-expressed. Therefore, low expression of HOXA10 lengthened disease-free survival time and overall survival time. MiR-135a-5p overexpression could inhibit HOXA10 expression by directly targeting HOXA10 3′UTR, and the inhibition was more effective than miR-494. HOXA10 suppression inhibited proliferation and enhanced apoptosis of HNSCC cells. In vivo experiments showed that miR-135a-5p could decelerate the growth of tumor cells in mice by downregulating HOXA10 expression. Conclusion: MiR-135a-5p could repress HNSCC cells proliferation and enhance apoptosis by directly targeting HOXA10, implying miR-135a-5p's significance on HNSCC treatment.
Heat transmission along the surface of dental implant

Objectives: Temperature changes along an implant body have not been widely studied. The objectives of this in vitro study were (i) to establish if the temperature of the abutment influences the temperature of the implant surface, (ii) to establish the temperature transmission from abutment to implant body, and (iii) to establish for what abutment temperature the critical time/temperature threshold of 47C for 1 minute at implant level is reached. Materials and method: Eight K-type thermocouples were attached to an abutment/implant configuration, mounted in a thermostatically controlled environment. The abutment was exposed to hot water. The temperature at each thermocouple along the implant was logged over a maximum period of 10 minutes using appropriate software. The test was repeated 200 times. A logistic regression model was used for the analysis of the time/temperature databases. Results: There was a positive correlation between the temperatures of the implant and its abutment, albeit with a time delay. Critical threshold values for bone necrosis were reached. The effective dose 50 was estimated at 62.3C (95% confidence interval estimate): for an abutment temperature of 62.3C there is a 50% chance that 47C for 1 minute at implant level is reached. Conclusion: The results of this in vitro study support the hypothesis that abutment temperature is transmitted to a dental implant body. Results of in vitro studies should be interpreted with caution. However, clinicians should be aware of temperature changes along implants and the potential risk associated with this.
Dynamic decision-making based on NFR for managing software variability and configuration selection

Due to dynamic variability, identifying the specific conditions under which non-functional requirements (NFRs) are satisfied may be only possible at runtime. Therefore, it is necessary to consider the dynamic treatment of relevant information during the requirements specifications. The associated data can be gathered by monitoring the execution of the application and its underlying environment to support reasoning about how the current application configuration is fulfilling the established requirements. This paper presents a dynamic decision-making infrastructure to support both NFRs representation and monitoring, and to reason about the degree of satisfaction of NFRs during runtime. The infrastructure is composed of: (i) an extended feature model aligned with a domain-specific language for representing NFRs to be monitored at runtime; (ii) a monitoring infrastructure to continuously assess NFRs at runtime; and (iii) a flexible decision-making process to select the best available configuration based on the satisfaction degree of the NRFs. The evaluation of the approach has shown that it is able to choose application configurations that well fit user NFRs based on runtime information. The evaluation also revealed that the proposed infrastructure provided consistent indicators regarding the best application configurations that fit user NFRs. Finally, a benefit of our approach is that it allows us to quantify the level of satisfaction with respect to NFRs specification.
Faceted Blog Distillation System: Find an in-Depth Blog

With the increasing of blog users, the traditional blog search can no longer meet their demands. More work should be done to accommodate the need of finding good blogs to read, besides the topic-relevant blogs. This paper focuses on the problem of an in-depth faceted blog distillation for addressing the quality aspect of the retrieval blogs. We propose a novel L-Qtf coefficient and LQE model to help finding an in-depth blog. Our in-depth blog distillation system achieved the best MAP performance in the TREC Blog track 2009. In this paper, we improve the prior system with L-Qtf coefficient and the results show its effectiveness.
Face recognition under varying illumination based on homomorphic filter and local binary patterns

Facial recognition is one of the most significant biometrie techniques. As a wide research field, it is faced with several challenges; the biggest of which is illumination variations. To overcome this challenge, several various techniques for facial recognition systems have been proposed by researchers. This paper is to improve recognition accuracy when detecting faces in illumination variations. To accomplish that, a face detector to recognize faces under various illuminations was implemented. The proposed model, (H-LBP), utilizes a combination of two phases: preprocessing and features extraction. During preprocessing, homomorphic filtering was used, and during features extraction, local binary patterns was used. The homomorphic filter was used to lower the effect of illumination that comes from an input image. Local binary patterns were used to eliminate illumination variations. The results proved that the combination of different phases was an effective choice since a better accuracy level was achieved than when each of the phases (preprocessing and extraction) was separately used.
Evaluation of Reverse Transcriptase 5' Nuclease Polymerase Chain Reaction assay for the Detection of Viable Heat-Injured and Resuscitated Listeria monocytogenes in Ground Pork

An anaerobic resuscitation-enrichment system was combined with a 5' nuclease reverse transcriptase (RT) protocol for detecting Listeria monocytogenes Scott A from artificially inoculated ground pork. When irradiation-sterilized ground pork containing L. monocytogenes (~6 x 10 CFU/g) was heated (60C, 14 min), 100% of the cells were injured, as indicated by no growth on selective Modified Oxford (MOX) agar plates incubated aerobically. After resuscitation and enrichment (37°C) in anaerobic Penn State University (PSU) broth, L. monocytogenes was detected within 24 hours both by plating to MOX agar incubated in air and by a fluorogenic 5' nuclease real-time RT-PCR assay. The RT-5' nuclease polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay targeting the hemolysin gene (hlyA) detected viable L. monocytogenes directly from the PSU within 24 hours, although a stronger signal was detected after 48 hours of resucitation. The RT-5' nuclease PCR assay bypassed the need for subsequent plating of ground pork to selective agar and thus may shorten the interval to detect low numbers of viable L. monocytogenes following heating of naturally contaminated meat. Introduction The 1999 multistate outbreak of delicatessen meats contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes as well as mandated zero tolerance for its presence in ready to eat (RTE) products have heightened interest for its rapid detection (2). Improper thermal processing sublethally injures Listeria, that retain their virulence upon subsequent recovery (4). Sublethally injured L. monocytogenes are sensitive to oxygen and thus enrichment techniques which use aerobic systems may underestimate their presence (6). PSU broth combines anaerobic resuscitation to avert oxygen toxicity with lithium chloride to suppress the growth of competing microflora to detect low levels of injured and uninjured L. monocytogenes in ready-to-eat foods, such as pasteurized milk and hot dogs by both conventional bacteriology and PCR-based assays (6,7,8,12). The fluorogenic 5' nuclease PCR format for real time analysis has improved detection of L. monocytogenes (5,9,11). Fluorogenic detection further enhanced sensitivity of the RT-PCR assay to detect mRNA present only in viable cells (10). In this study we combined the 5' nuclease RT-PCR with anerobic resuscitation in PSU to detect viable heat-injured L. monocytogenes in artificially inoculated ground pork.