Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The value of positive end-expiratory pressure and Fio2 criteria in the definition of the acute respiratory distress syndrome*

Objectives:The criteria that define acute lung injury and the acute respiratory distress syndrome include PaO2/Fio2 but not positive end-expiratory pressure or Fio2. PaO2/Fio2 ratios of some patients increase substantially after mechanical ventilation with positive end-expiratory pressure of 5–10 cm H2O, and the mortality of these patients may be lower than those whose PaO2/Fio2ratios remain <200. Also, PaO2/Fio2 may increase when Fio2 is raised from moderate to high levels, suggesting that patients with similar PaO2/Fio2 ratios but different Fio2 levels have different risks of mortality. The primary purpose of this study was to assess the value of adding baseline positive end-expiratory pressure and Fio2 to PaO2/Fio2 for predicting mortality of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome patients enrolled in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network clinical trials. We also assessed effects of two study interventions on clinical outcomes in subsets of patients with mild and severe hypoxemia as defined by PaO2/Fio2. Design:Analysis of baseline physiologic data and outcomes of patients previously enrolled in clinical trials conducted by the National Institutes of Health Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network. Setting:Intensive care units of 40 hospitals in North America. Patients:Two thousand three hundred and twelve patients with acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:Only 1.3% of patients enrolled in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network trials had baseline positive end-expiratory pressure <5 cm H2O, and 50% had baseline positive end-expiratory pressure ≥10 cm H2O. Baseline PaO2/Fio2 predicted mortality, but after controlling for PaO2/Fio2, baseline positive end-expiratory pressure did not predict mortality. In contrast, after controlling for baseline PaO2/Fio2, baseline Fio2 did predict mortality. Effects of two study interventions (lower tidal volumes and fluid-conservative hemodynamic management) were similar in mild and severe hypoxemia subsets as defined by PaO2/Fio2 ratios. Conclusion:At Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Network hospitals, the addition of baseline positive end-expiratory pressure would not have increased the value of PaO2/Fio2 for predicting mortality of acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome patients. In contrast, the addition of baseline Fio2 to PaO2/Fio2 could be used to identify subsets of patients with low or high mortality.
Relationship of Estimated Resolution Time and Computerized Clinical Reminder Adherence

Electronic decision support systems are an important tool for improving performance and improving quality of care. We investigated the relationship between physicians' estimated resolution times for computerized clinical reminders and adherence rates in VA outpatient settings. We surveyed 10 expert physician users to assess the resolution times of four targeted CCRs for three cases: pessimistic (worst case), expected (average), and optimistic times (best case). ANOVA test shows that physicians' adherence rates for the four CCRs differed significantly (p = 0.01). CCR adherence rate and resolution time were highly linearly correlated (R-square= 0.876 for the best case, R-square= 0.997 for the average case, and R-square= 0.670 for the worst case). This study suggested that future efforts in designing CCRs need to take resolution time into consideration during design, usability testing and implementation phases.
Enhancing the performance of polymer solar cells using CuPc nanocrystals as additives

There is an increasing interest in the use of different nanoparticles as additives in polymer solar cells for enhancing the light absorption of active layers as well as their power conversion efficiency (PCE). In this paper, we report a PCE enhancement by simply adding copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) nanocrystals into photovoltaic devices based on a poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT): fullerene system. Two kinds of device structure were studied: the first one is a CuPc nanocrystal suspension spin coated on the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate-coated substrate; the second one is the CuPc nanocrystal suspension added into the active layer solutions. It is proved that incorporating organic semiconductor nanocrystals into the active layer can help trap light and enhance the crystallinity of the active layers, thus improving the device performance. This strategy might be generally compatible with a broad range of organic photovoltaic materials and offers an effective approach to enhance the device performance.
A sociocultural study of EFL learners' willingness to communicate

Willingness to Communicate‘ (WTC) defined as the willingness to seek out communication opportunities and to use the language for authentic communication has attracted much research interest in the field of second language acquisition for its role in promoting successful language learning (Cao, 2009a; Cao & Philp, 2006; Kang, 2005; MacIntyre, Clement, Dornyei, & Noels, 1998; MacIntyre & Doucette, 2009; Peng, 2007; Yu, 2009). Most of these studies see WTC as a psycholinquistic construct. Few studies have examined the way in which WTC is manifested in classroom interaction. This is an important issue because of the direct relationship between positive WTC and successful language learning. This study extends the current understanding of WTC by in-depth examination of EFL learners‘ participation during classroom interaction. Both sociocultural theory and Systemic Functional Linguistics are employed as frameworks for this study. Adopting a multidiscipline approach permits description not only of the social context of the activity, but also of the language choices in the discourse. This provides a clearer picture of the actual learners‘ interaction, their contributions to the group work, and the situational factors that affect their Willingness to Communicate. This study contributed not only to the notion of Willingness to Communicate, but also provided theoretical contributions to both sociocultural theory and Systemic Functional Linguistics by bridging these two theories in the study on Second Language Acquisition. This study has expanded the previous model of WTC by suggesting the influences of semiotic mediations as a potential contributing factor to learners‘ willingness to communicate in the group task. In addition, it also suggested that the learner‘s WTC can be realized through examination of their linguistic choices as a result, this study also provided a new dimension of WTC from a linguistic point of view as well as a reconceptualization of the WTC notion based on the results from sociallyoriented and linguistics theories.
Assembly of a bZIP–bHLH transcription activation complex: formation of the yeast Cbf1–Met4–Met28 complex is regulated through Met28 stimulation of Cbf1 DNA binding

Transcriptional activation of sulfur amino acid metabolism in yeast is dependent on a multi‐functional factor, the centromere‐binding factor 1 (Cbf1) and on two specific transcription factors, Met4 and Met28. Cbf1 belongs to the basic helix–loop–helix DNA‐binding protein family while Met4 and Met28 are two basic leucine zipper (bZIP) factors. We have shown previously that in cell extracts, the three factors are found in a high molecular weight complex. By using mobility shift assays, we report here that the in vitro reconstitution of the Cbf1–Met4–Met28 complex on MET16UAS can be obtained with purified recombinant proteins. DNase I protection experiments confirm that the Cbf1–Met4–Met28 complex is formed over the TCACGTG sequence. The experiments also show that both Met4 and Met28 bind to DNA only in the presence of Cbf1. Moreover, Met28 is shown to enhance the DNA‐binding activity of Cbf1. Analysis of MET28 gene regulation reveals that its expression requires Met4. Thus the biochemical activity of Met28 allows the establishment of a positive regulatory loop. The results thus provide evidence of a new functional relationship between bHLH and bZIP proteins and demonstrate that the association of such factors may serve to discriminate between the different TCACGTG sequences found in the chromosomes.
Balancing the Online Life: Mobile Usage Scenarios and Strategies for a New Communication Paradigm

Mobile technology, with both its ever-improving connectivity and the capabilities of mobile terminals, has revolutionized the way we can work (and lead our private lives). Basically, connectivity through mobile devices and the ability they provide to work at any place and any time can be a double-edged sword: on the one hand, it can open up important advantages, such as increased flexibility, efficiency, and effectiveness; on the other hand, working individuals may increasingly struggle to balance their work and life domains.
MCCA-assisted multi-radio system using directional antenna

In 802.11s draft standard, Mesh Coordinated Channel Access (MCCA) assumes the use of omnidirectional antenna and it prevents neighbour nodes to the MCCA Opportunity (MCCAOP) owner from transmitting during MCCAOP owner is transmitting, hence leads to interference problem and poor transmission efficiency. In order to overcome these problems, we present a multi-radio system with the implementation of MCCA using multiple sectored antennas. In this system, sectored antenna provides the advantage of reducing interference since its beam is pointing directionally and multi-radio system can provide simultaneous transmissions to improve transmission efficiency. Simulation is conducted to evaluate the network performance using the proposed system and results show that the throughput performance improves as number of radio in the system increases.
Conditional directed graph-based workflow process re-engineering

Workflow management systems provide an ideal environment and a set of tools for enterprise-wide cooperation by automating business processes. An intelligent workflow management system should have the ability to analyze and re-engineer workflow process to improve performance and efficiency. There are two possible ways to do this: technology-based re-engineering and re-engineering based on relations between people or organizations. The latter forms the basic topics of business process re-engineering (BPR). This paper discusses workflow process re-engineering (WPR), which focuses on static analyzing of data flow and control flow of workflow definitions for process optimizing, so that system performance and cooperation efficiency can be improved while original intentions and executing results of the optimized process remain unchanged.
Symbolic Buffer Sizing for Throughput-Optimal Scheduling of Dataflow Graphs

The synchronous dataflow model is widely used to design real-time streaming applications which must assure a minimum quality-of-service. A benefit of that model is to allow static analyses to predict and guarantee timing (e.g., throughput) and buffering requirements of an application. Performance analyses can either be performed at compile time (for design space exploration) or at run-time (for resource management and reconfigurable systems). However, these algorithms, which often have an exponential time complexity, may cause a huge run-time overhead or make design space exploration unacceptably slow. In this paper, we argue that symbolic analyses are more appropriate since they express the system performance as a function of parameters (i.e., input and output rates, execution times). Such functions can be quickly evaluated for each different configuration or checked w.r. t. many different non-functional requirements. We first provide a symbolic expression of the maximal throughput of acyclic synchronous dataflow graphs. We then perform an analytic and exact study of the minimum buffer sizes needed to achieve this maximal throughput for a single parametric edge graph. Based on these investigations, we define symbolic analyses that approximate the minimum buffer sizes needed to achieve maximal throughput for acyclic graphs. We assess the proposed analyses experimentally on both synthetic and real benchmarks.
Using self-context for multimodal detection of head nods in face-to-face interactions

Head nods occur in virtually every face-to-face discussion. As part of the backchannel domain, they are not only used to express a 'yes', but also to display interest or enhance communicative attention. Detecting head nods in natural interactions is a challenging task as head nods can be subtle, both in amplitude and duration. In this study, we make use of findings in psychology establishing that the dynamics of head gestures are conditioned on the person's speaking status. We develop a multimodal method using audio-based self-context to detect head nods in natural settings. We demonstrate that our multimodal approach using the speaking status of the person under analysis significantly improved the detection rate over a visual-only approach.
Lamivudine Resistance in Iranian Chronic Hepatitis B Patients

Background and objectives: Lamivudine therapy for chronic hepatitis B (CHB) is associated with resistance. This study aimed to analyze the response, the incidence of LAM resistance, and different viral mutational patterns of Lamivudine therapy. Study design: CHB patients (n=31) who had not previously received interferon or a nucleoside analogue, received Lamivudine once daily for a minimum of E12 months and followed. All patients were tested for presence of mutation in YMDD motif of viral polymerase gene at the end of the first year of treatment, and if indicated in rising alanine aminotransferase (ALT) or HBVDNA titer. Polymerase chain reaction along with restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) method was used to detect mutations in YMDD motif. Results: The mean age of patients was 45.2 (SD 13.5) years. The mean follow-up period of patients was 45.5 (21.9) months. Seventeen patients (54.8%) had mutations, and 45.2% of subjects were sensitive to LAM. Mean time of mutation detection after treatment was 45.5 (SD 25.3) months. The distribution of YMDD status was: 32.3 % YIDD, 3.2% YSDD, 12.9% YVDD, and 6.5% YVDD/ YIDD. The mean age, pretreatment HBeAg negativity, and high HBVDNA titer at time of mutation had significant statistical association with occurrence of YMDD mutants (PV= 0.009, 0.032, 0.049), respectively. Conclusions: Lamivudine-resistant mutation is common in CHB patients. Regarding different mutant strains as identified in this study, is necessary for develop more useful treatment strategies, especially in patients without YMDD mutation and high HBVDNA titer, analysis for possible new mutants should be performed.
Rex: A randomized EXclusive region based scheduling scheme for mmWave WPANs with directional antenna

Millimeter-wave (mmWave) transmissions are promising technologies for high data rate (multi-Gbps) Wireless Personal Area Networks (WPANs). In this paper, we first introduce the concept of exclusive region (ER) to allow concurrent transmissions to explore the spatial multiplexing gain of wireless networks. Considering the unique characteristics of mmWave communications and the use of omni-directional or directional antennae, we derive the ER conditions which ensure that concurrent transmissions can always outperform serial TDMA transmissions in a mmWave WPAN. We then propose REX, a randomized ER based scheduling scheme, to decide a set of senders that can transmit simultaneously. In addition, the expected number of flows that can be scheduled for concurrent transmissions is obtained analytically. Extensive simulations are conducted to validate the analysis and demonstrate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed REX scheduling scheme. The results should provide important guidelines for future deployment of mmWave based WPANs.
Brief exposure of juvenile rats to noise impairs the development of the response properties of inferior colliculus neurons

Temporary impairment of the auditory periphery during the sensitive period of postnatal development of rats may result in a deterioration of neuronal responsiveness in the central auditory nuclei of adult animals. In this study, juvenile rats (postnatal day 14) were exposed for 8 min to intense broad‐band noise; at the age of 3–6 months, the excitatory and inhibitory response areas of neurons in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus were recorded under ketamine–xylazine anaesthesia in these animals and compared with those of age‐matched controls. The response thresholds were similar in the exposed and control animals. The frequency selectivity of low‐frequency neurons was comparable in both groups; however, high‐frequency neurons had significantly wider excitatory response areas in the exposed rats, indicating disrupted development of high‐frequency hearing. Forty‐one per cent and 25% of neurons in exposed animals and in controls, respectively, lacked a distinct inhibitory area; these neurons had similar frequency selectivity in the exposed and control rats. As the presence of an inhibitory sideband was associated with sharper frequency tuning in both groups, it appears that lateral inhibition substantially influences neuronal frequency selectivity. If present, the inhibitory areas had comparable bandwidths in both groups; however, they were shifted to the side in the exposed animals, allowing the expansion of the excitatory areas. The results indicate that a brief exposure of juvenile rats to noise leads to a significant worsening of the frequency selectivity of inferior colliculus neurons in adult animals; the poorer frequency selectivity may be due to missing or displaced inhibitory sidebands.
Prerearranged T Cell Receptor Genes Development in Mice with Endogenous Early TCR Expression and Aberrant T Cell

The factors that regulate the rate of production of T cells by the thymus remain incompletely deﬁned. To test whether generation of functional T cell receptors limits the rate of thymic T cell export, we made use of a line of mice, LN3 (cid:1)(cid:2) , that have endogenously prerearranged TCR genes. The prerearranged TCR genes were expressed abnormally early in hemopoietic development, indicating that RAG-mediated recombination, rather than transcription factor expression, is the key determinant of the initiation of robust TCR transcription. Thymic T cell export rates were similar between wild-type (wt) and LN3 (cid:1)(cid:2) mice, indicating that T cell maturation rates in these mice are determined by factors other than TCR gene rearrangement. In competitive bone marrow chimeras, however, LN3 (cid:1)(cid:2) thymocytes were out-competed by wt cells and failed to develop beyond the double-negative 4 stage. Furthermore, wt progenitors transplanted intrathymically into LN3 (cid:1)(cid:2) mice proliferated excessively, suggesting that increased proliferative signals in the LN3 (cid:1)(cid:2) thymus compensate for faulty T cell development driven by early TCR expression. The Journal of Immunology, 2007, 179: 928–938.
Finite Models vs Tree Automata in Safety Verification

In this paper we deal with verification of safety properties of term-rewriting systems. The verification problem is translated to a purely logical problem of finding a finite countermodel for a first-order formula, which is further resolved by a generic finite model finding procedure. A finite countermodel produced during successful verification provides with a concise description of the system invariant sufficient to demonstrate a specific safety property. We show the relative completeness of this approach with respect to the tree automata completion technique. On a set of examples taken from the literature we demonstrate the efficiency of finite model finding approach as well as its explanatory power.
Remote activation of ICs for piracy prevention and digital right management

We introduce a remote activation scheme that aims to protect integrated circuits (IC) intellectual property (IP) against piracy. Remote activation enables designers to lock each working IC and to then remotely enable it. The new method exploits inherent unclonable variability in modern manufacturing for unique identification (ID) and integrate the IDs into the circuit functionality. The objectives are realized by replication of a few states of the finite state machine (FSM) and adding control to the state transitions. On each chip, the added control signals are a function of the unique IDs and are thus unclonable. On standard benchmark circuits, the experimental results show that the novel activation method is stable, unclonable, attack-resilient, while having a low overhead and a unique key for each IC.
Structural Heterogeneity of Terminal Glycans in Campylobacter jejuni Lipooligosaccharides

Lipooligosaccharides of the gastrointestinal pathogen Campylobacter jejuni are regarded as a major virulence factor and are implicated in the production of cross-reactive antibodies against host gangliosides, which leads to the development of autoimmune neuropathies such as Guillain-Barré and Fisher Syndromes. C. jejuni strains are known to produce diverse LOS structures encoded by more than 19 types of LOS biosynthesis clusters. This study demonstrates that the final C. jejuni LOS structure cannot always be predicted from the genetic composition of the LOS biosynthesis cluster, as determined by novel lectin array analysis of the terminal LOS glycans. The differences were shown to be partially facilitated by the differential on/off status of three genes wlaN, cst and cj1144-45. The on/off status of these genes was also analysed in C. jejuni strains grown in vitro and in vivo, isolated directly from the host animal without passaging, using immunoseparation. Importantly, C. jejuni strains 331, 421 and 520 encoding cluster type C were shown to produce different LOS, mimicking asialo GM1, asialo GM2 and a heterogeneous mix of gangliosides and other glycoconjugates respectively. In addition, individual C. jejuni colonies were shown to consistently produce heterogeneous LOS structures, irrespective of the cluster type and the status of phase variable genes. Furthermore we describe C. jejuni strains (351 and 375) with LOS clusters that do not match any of the previously described LOS clusters, yet are able to produce LOS with asialo GM2-like mimicries. The LOS biosynthesis clusters of these strains are likely to contain genes that code for LOS biosynthesis machinery previously not identified, yet capable of synthesising LOS mimicking gangliosides.
Optimization of AGS Polarized Proton Operation with the Warm Helical Snake

The normal conducting helical dipole partial Siberian snake (warm snake) has been installed in the AGS at BNL. The polarized proton threw the warm snake but it is not perfectly because the warm snake has some hardware error which cause beam offset and deflection angle. This paper reports the measured proton beam orbit in the AGS with the warm snake.
Optimized Projection Matrix for Compressive Sensing

Compressive sensing (CS) is mainly concerned with low-coherence pairs, since the number of samples needed to recover the signal is proportional to the mutual coherence between projection matrix and sparsifying matrix. Until now, papers on CS always assume the projection matrix to be a random matrix. In this paper, aiming at minimizing the mutual coherence, a method is proposed to optimize the projection matrix. This method is based on equiangular tight frame (ETF) design because an ETF has minimum coherence. It is impossible to solve the problem exactly because of the complexity. Therefore, an alternating minimization type method is used to find a feasible solution. The optimally designed projection matrix can further reduce the necessary number of samples for recovery or improve the recovery accuracy. The proposed method demonstrates better performance than conventional optimization methods, which brings benefits to both basis pursuit and orthogonal matching pursuit.