Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The wolff‐parkinson‐white syndrome and its anatomical substrates

The anatomical substrates that underlie the clinical syndromes of preexcitation are still incompletely understood. Regarding the Wolff‐Parkinson‐White syndrome, there is increasing evidence that early ventricular activation is caused by accessory atrioventricular connections. These are muscular connections existing outside the specialized conduction tissue axis, which are almost always composed of working myocardial fibers. Left‐sided accessory atrioventricular connections have been identified with most frequency. They occur in the presence of a well‐developed fibrous annulus, thus contradicting the hypothesis that faulty development of the annulus is a necessary accompaniment. For right‐sided and septal connections, this developmental concept may still hold, since there is marked variability in the formation of the right‐sided annulus fibrosus. Even within these settings, however, the topography of accessory atrioventricular connections may vary considerably. Usually the accessory connection will pass on the epicardial aspect of the annulus fibrosus, particularly when leftsided. The connections are closely related to the fibrous annulus, but in other instances they may be in a superficial location. Multiple connections can occur in one heart. These anatomical features are of paramount significance for successful surgical ablation of accessory atrioventricular connections.
Structured literature review of Knowledge Sharing with TheoryMaps

In the last few years a lot of theories have been d eveloped about why people share their knowledge. However, the link s between the causal models of the various theories are fairl y unclear. To find this out, a structured literature review is ca rried out in this article about the causal models of these knowledge sharing theories. After analyzing the selected literature, the causal relations of each theory will be modeled in the online tool Theo ryMaps. This tool can transform traditional scientific arti cles into causal maps. The causal maps of the various theories then can be compared to each other using TheoryMaps to infer contradictions or to find new dependencies between similar variables. On the basis of these results I present an extended KS-model which consists of a joining of all of the studied t heories. This extended model gives new insights in the links betw e n the KStheories and may help better understanding why peo ple share their knowledge and how to improve knowledge sharin g within an organization.
Fostering High-Quality Teaching With an Enriched Curriculum and Professional Development Support:The Head Start REDI Program

This randomized controlled trial tested whether teaching quality in Head Start classrooms could be improved with the addition of evidence-based curriculum components targeting emergent language or literacy and social-emotional development and the provision of associated professional development support. Participants were lead and assistant teachers in 44 Head Start classrooms. Teachers received 4 days of workshop training along with weekly in-class support from a mentor teacher. End-of-year observations indicated that compared with the control group, intervention teachers talked with children more frequently and in more cognitively complex ways, established a more positive classroom climate, and used more preventive behavior-management strategies. Results supported the conclusion that enriched curriculum components and professional development support can produce improvements in multiple domains of teaching quality.
Improvement to winding function theory for PM machine analysis

Winding Function Theory (WFT) is one of the powerful tools in electrical machine modeling. It uses the numerical functions to model the machine windings and its air gap. In this paper, two extensions to the method are presented. Since it is not possible to model a permanent magnet by a unique winding function, this paper introduces the Magnet Function. This function states the MMF drop on the machine air gap due to the PMs. The second extension increases the accuracy of the method by considering the stator saliency. This improves the method ability in simulating the tooth related harmonics in machine torque and terminal voltages. This paper recommends a numerically-calculated permeance considering the accurate flux pass. The described procedure is applied to a PM motor. Then the model is simulated and verified by the experiments.
CoViFlowPro: A Community Visualization method based on a Flow Propagation Algorithm

We propose a method (CoViFlowPro) for the visualization of a community of a node based on the results of a flow propagation algorithm (FlowPro) [15]. FlowPro computes the community of a node in a network without the knowledge of the structure of the entire graph resulting at the same time to a metric that is related with the probability of a node belonging to the requested community. In this work, we use this metric to visualize the community of a node on the curve of the Archimedean spiral. The novelty of CoViFlowPro is the fact that the proposed community visualization method is local and it does not require the knowledge of the entire graph as most of the existing visualization methods from the literature. Moreover, it visualizes the community of a node taking into account the significance of the node membership.
Multispectral remotely sensed imagery segmentation based on first fundamental form

Image segmentation is a valuable approach that performs an object-based rather than a pixel-based analysis of high-resolution remotely sensed imagery. An approach for segmenting the multispectral QuickBird image based on first fundamental form is proposed. The value of multispectral image at a given point can be regarded as N-dimensional vector, and the difference of image values can be defined from the theory of first fundamental form, which allows to access gradient information from all bands simultaneously. Thus it is used to fuse the gradient feature of all bands. Then, the image segmentation is implemented based on marker-controlled watershed transform. The experimental results show that the proposed approach gives a better solution of integrating multispectral information for the segmentation of remotely sensed imagery.
Bayesian Deep Deconvolutional Learning

A Bayesian generative model is developed for deep (multi-layered) convolutional dictionary learning. A novel probabilistic pooling operation is integrated into the deep model, yielding efficient bottom-up (pretraining) and top-down (refinement) probabilistic learning. After learning the deep convolutional dictionary, testing is implemented via deconvolutional inference. To speed up this inference, a new statistical approach is proposed to project the top-layer dictionary elements to the data level. Following this, only one layer of deconvolution is required during testing. Experimental results demonstrate powerful capabilities of the model to learn multi-layer features from images, and excellent classification results are obtained on the MNIST and Caltech 101 datasets.
Study of Tumor-Infiltrating Lymphocytes for Adoptive Therapy of Renal Cell Carcinoma (RCC) and Metastatic Melanoma: Sequential Proliferation of Cytotoxic Natural Killer and Noncytotoxic T Cells in RCC

Summary: We investigated the immunological properties of interleukin-2 (IL- 2)-activated tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), which were used for adoptive therapy of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) (seven patients) by focusing on natural killer (NK) cells, and metastatic melanoma (six patients) by focusing on cytotoxic T lymphocytes. TIL from five of seven cases proliferated well in culture with AIM-V serum-free medium and 1000 U/ml rIL-2 in 3-L gas permeable bags, whereas TIL from two RCCs exhibited delayed proliferation. Proliferation of CD3-CD56+ NK cells with major histocompatibility complexnonrestricted cytotoxicity in RCC-TIL (n=6, mean=651-fold, ranging from 39- to 3450-fold) for the first 2-4 weeks was 63 times higher than that of noncytotoxic CD3+ T cells (n=6, 10.3-fold ranging from 0.8 to 35-fold). Thereafter, CD3+ T cells predominantly proliferated, and proliferation of CD3+ T cells (n=5, 743-fold) for 5-6 weeks were 24 times higher than that of CD3-CD56+ NK cells (n=5, 31-fold). Significant numbers of RCC-TIL became adherent to the surfaces of the bags several weeks after initiation of culture. These adherent TIL consisted of more CD3-CD56+ NK cells and exhibited higher cytotoxicity than did nonadherent TIL. Adherent RCC-TIL produced interferon (IFN), while nonadherent TIL did not. These results suggest that initially cytotoxic CD3-CD56 + NK cells and, later, noncytotoxic CD3+ T cells proliferated in culture of RCC-TIL for adoptive therapy. These noncytotoxic TIL were primarily transferred to RCC patients, who also received cyclophosphamide, IL-2, and IFN-α. In contrast to RCC-TIL, IL-2- activated melanoma TIL consisting of all CD3 + T cells displayed modest levels of cytotoxicity, primarily restricted to autologous melanoma cells in all cases tested. The cytotoxic melanoma TIL were adoptively transferred to melanoma patients. Three of seven RCC patients responded to the adoptive therapy.
Improved NSGA-II algorithm based on differential evolution mechanism

From simulation experiments of the multi-objective optimization control of wastewater treatment process (WWTP), it can be found that the number of obtained Pareto solutions is less using the normal non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm-II (NSGA-II) sometimes. To achieve a satisfactory optimal performance, an improved NSGA-II algorithm based on differential evolution mechanism is proposed in this paper. The simulation results show that the diversity of the solutions is enhanced and a better homogeneity of non-inferior solutions is kept using the proposed method.
Quantitative genetics of behavioural reaction norms: genetic correlations between personality and behavioural plasticity vary across stickleback populations

Behavioural ecologists have proposed various evolutionary mechanisms as to why different personality types coexist. Our ability to understand the evolutionary trajectories of personality traits requires insights from the quantitative genetics of behavioural reaction norms. We assayed > 1000 pedigreed stickleback for initial exploration behaviour of a novel environment, and subsequent changes in exploration over a few hours, representing their capacity to adjust their behaviour to changes in perceived novelty and risk. We found heritable variation in both the average level of exploration and behavioural plasticity, and population differences in the sign of the genetic correlation between these two reaction norm components. The phenotypic correlation was not a good indicator of the genetic correlation, implying that quantitative genetics are necessary to appropriately evaluate evolutionary hypotheses in cases such as these. Our findings therefore have important implications for future studies concerning the evolution of personality and plasticity.
Impact of comorbid anxiety and depression on quality of life and cellular immunity changes in patients with digestive tract cancers.

AIM A study was performed to investigate the impact of comorbid anxiety and depression (CAD) on quality of life (QOL) and cellular immunity changes in patients with digestive tract cancers. METHODS One hundred and fifty-six cases of both sexes with cancers of the digestive tract admitted between March 2001 and February 2004 in the Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University were randomly enrolled in the study. Depressive and anxiety disorder diagnoses were assessed by using the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV. All adult patients were evaluated with the Hamilton depressive scale (HAMD, the 24-item version), the Hamilton anxiety scale (HAMA, a modified 14-item version), quality of life questionnaire-core 30 (QLQ-C30), social support rating scale (SSRS), simple coping style questionnaire (SCSQ), and other questionnaires, respectively. In terms of HAMD > or = 20 and HAMA > or = 14, the patients were categorized, including CAD (n = 31) in group A, anxiety disorder (n = 23) in group B, depressive disorder (n = 37) in group C, and non-disorder (n = 65) in group D. Immunological parameters such as T-lymphocyte subsets and natural killer (NK) cell activities in peripheral blood were determined and compared among the four groups. RESULTS The incidence of CAD was 21.15% in patients with digestive tract cancers. The average scores of social support was 43.67+/-7.05 for 156 cases, active coping 20.34+/-7.33, and passive coping 9.55+/-5.51. Compared with group D, subjective support was enhanced slightly in group A, but social support, objective support, and utilization of support reduced, especially utilization of support with significance (6.16 vs 7.80, P<0.05); total scores of active coping decreased, while passive coping reversed; granulocytes proliferated, monocytes declined, and lymphocytes declined significantly (32.87 vs 34.00, P<0.05); moreover, the percentage of CD3, CD4, CD8 and CD56 in T lymphocyte subsets was in lower level, respectively, and CD56 showed a significant decline in group A (26.02 vs 32.20, P<0.05), however, CD4/CD8 ratio increased. Physical function, role function, fatigue, sleeplessness and constipation had significant changes among different groups by one-way ANOVA, and group A was in poor QOL. It revealed that global health-related quality of life (QL) were positively correlated with active coping and CD56; CAD was negatively correlated with QL, active coping and CD56. Furthermore, the step-wise regression analysis suggested that utilization of support, CD56, active coping, fatigue, sleeplessness and depression were significant factors contributing to QOL. CONCLUSION CAD, which can impair QOL and cellular immunity, occurs with a higher incidence in patients with digestive tract cancers. Hence, it is essential to improve mental health for them with specifically tailored interventions.
Robotics in general surgery: An evidence‐based review

Since its introduction, robotic surgery has been rapidly adopted to the extent that it has already assumed an important position in the field of general surgery. This rapid progress is quantitative as well as qualitative. In this review, we focus on the relatively common procedures to which robotic surgery has been applied in several fields of general surgery, including gastric, colorectal, hepato‐biliary‐pancreatic, and endocrine surgery, and we discuss the results to date and future possibilities. In addition, the advantages and limitations of the current robotic system are reviewed, and the advanced technologies and instruments to be applied in the near future are introduced. Such progress is expected to facilitate the widespread introduction of robotic surgery in additional fields and to solve existing problems.
Cost Efficiency Estimations and the Equity Returns for the US Public Solar Energy Firms in 1990-2008

This paper provides a direct estimate of the cost efficiencies of firms in the US solar energy industry. It suggests that the cost efficiency in the industry is associated with the risk-bearing behaviour of firms. Less efficient firms maintain low price-cost margins and high labour–capital ratios in order to compete with their efficient peers. The study then establishes the linkage between cost efficiency and stock returns. It shows that the change in cost efficiency, rather than cost efficiency itself, possesses a stronger explanatory power for stock returns. A buy-and-hold strategy for stock portfolios of different efficiency levels is then analysed. The 3-year returns of the inefficient firm portfolios tend to outperform the efficient firm portfolios. The finding further shows that the improvement in cost efficiency of the inefficient firms is larger than that of the efficient firms. Previous literature has indicated that inefficient firms have higher failure rate, so they are forced to improve cost efficiency.
A LDPC-Coded Distributed Alamouti Space-time Relay Cooperation Scheme over Rayleigh Fading Channels

An efficient distributed Alamouti Space-time coded relay cooperation scheme is proposed over a Rayleigh fading channel, where structured irregular systematic low-densityparity-check (LDPC) codes are employed. In the known channel state information (CSI) scenario, a concatenation of combiner and joint iterative decoder is effectively carried out in the destination. The theoretical analysis and numerical simulations show that the proposed LDPC-coded cooperation scheme can well combine diversity and channel coding gain, and clearly outperforms the conventional cooperation under the same conditions. Keywords-alamouti space-time block coding; coded relay cooperation; LDPC codes; joint iterative decoding
Induction of the Bovine Papillomavirus Origin “Onion Skin”-Type DNA Replication at High E1 Protein Concentrations In Vivo

ABSTRACT We have studied the replication of plasmids composed of bovine papillomavirus type 1 (BPV1) origin of replication and expression cartridges for viral proteins E1 and E2 in hamster and mouse cells. We found that the replication mode changed dramatically at different expression levels of the E1 protein. At high levels of the E1 protein, overreplication of the origin region of the plasmid was observed. Analysis of the replication products by one-dimensional and two-dimensional gel electrophoresis suggested that initially “onion skin”-type replication intermediates were generated, presumably resulting from initiation of the new replication forks before the leading fork completed the synthesis of the DNA on the episomal plasmid. These replication intermediates served as templates for generation of a heterogeneous set of origin region-containing linear fragments by displacement synthesis at the partially replicated plasmid. Additionally, the linear fragments may have been generated by DNA break-up of the onion skin-type intermediates. Analysis of replication products indicated that generated linear fragments recombined and formed concatemers or circular molecules, which presumably were able to replicate in an E1- and E2-dependent fashion. At moderate and low levels of E1, generated by transcription of the E1 open reading frame using weaker promoters, DNA replication was initiated at much lower levels, which allowed elongation of the replication fork starting from the origin to be more balanced and resulted in the generation of full-sized replication products.
Impact of Discontinuing Contact Precautions for MRSA and ESBLE in an Intensive Care Unit: A Prospective Noninferiority Before and After Study

OBJECTIVE To compare incidence densities of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) or extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBLE) acquisition in the intensive care unit (ICU) before and after discontinuation of contact precautions (CP) and application of standard precautions (SP). DESIGN Prospective noninferiority before-and-after study comparing 2 periods: January 1, 2012, to January 31, 2014 (the CP period) and February 1, 2014, to February 29, 2016 (the SP period). SETTING A 16-bed polyvalent ICU in France with only single-bed rooms with dedicated equipment and reusable medical devices. PATIENTS All patients admitted to the ICU during the CP and SP periods were included: 1,547 and 1,577 patients, respectively. METHODS Incidence densities of ICU-acquired MRSA or ESBLE were determined per 1,000 patient days. Other studied factors included (1) patient characteristics, (2) incidence densities of MRSA or ESBLE carried at admission, (3) compliance with hand hygiene protocols, and (4) antibiotic consumption. RESULTS Incidence densities of ICU-acquired MRSA were 0.82 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.31–1.33) and 0.79 (95% CI, 0.30–1.29) per 1,000 patient days during the CP and SP periods, respectively. For ESBLE, values were 2.7 (95% CI, 1.78–3.62) and 2.06 (95% CI, 1.27–2.86) per 1,000 patient days. These rates were significantly nonsuperior during the SP period compared to CP period, with a margin of 1 per 1,000 patient days for both MRSA (P=.002) and ESBLE (P=.004). Other factors were comparable during the 2 periods. Only ESBLE carried at admission was inferior during the SP period. We observed a high level of compliance to hand hygiene protocols. CONCLUSIONS Discontinuing CP did not increase acquired MRSA and ESBLE in our ICU with single rooms with dedicated equipment, strict application of hand hygiene, medical and paramedical leadership, and good antibiotic stewardship. Infect Control Hosp Epidemiol 2017;38:1342–1350
Neuromuscular relaxants as antagonists for M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors.

BACKGROUND Neuromuscular relaxants such as pancuronium bind to M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors as antagonists. Blockade of muscarinic receptors in atria of the M2 subtype mediates tachycardia. In the lung, blockade of M2 receptors on parasympathetic nerves potentiates vagally induced bronchospasm, whereas blockade of M3 receptors on bronchial smooth muscle inhibits bronchospasm. The current study was designed to quantify the affinity of a series of neuromuscular relaxants for the M2 and M3 muscarinic receptors, which were individually stably transfected in Chinese hamster ovary cell lines. METHODS Competitive radioligand binding assays determined the relative binding affinities of the neuromuscular relaxants pancuronium, succinylcholine, mivacurium, doxacurium, atracurium, rocuronium, gallamine, and pipecuronium for the muscarinic receptor in the presence of a muscarinic receptor antagonist (3H-QNB) in membranes prepared from cells individually expressing either the M2 or M3 muscarinic receptor. RESULTS All muscle relaxants evaluated displaced 3H-QNB from muscarinic receptors. The relative order of potency for the M2 muscarinic receptor (highest to lowest) was pancuronium, gallamine, rocuronium, atracurium, pipecuronium, doxacurium, mivacurium, and succinylcholine. The relative order of potency for the M3 muscarinic receptor (highest to lowest) was pancuronium, atracurium, pipecuronium, rocuronium, mivacurium, gallamine, succinylcholine, and doxacurium. CONCLUSIONS All neuromuscular relaxants studied had affinities for the M2 and M3 muscarinic receptor, but only pancuronium and gallamine had affinities within the range of concentrations achieved with clinical use. The high affinities of gallamine and pancuronium for the M2 muscarinic receptor are consistent with a mechanism of M2 receptor blockade in relaxant-induced tachycardia.
Place of Death Among Patients With Terminal Heart Failure in a Continuous Inotropic Infusion Program

Although most patients with terminal heart failure (HF) prefer to die at home, the majority die in hospitals. To determine the impact of home inotropic support in the place of death among patients with terminal HF, this retrospective study compared the place of death in patients with terminal HF enrolled in an inotropic infusion program to place of death in a national sample of patients with HF. The rate of home death among program participants (64.5%; n = 217) was significantly higher (P < .001) than an age- and sex-adjusted rate of home death in a national sample (35.9%; n = 56 596). Patients with HF participating in home inotropic support can remain at home during the final stage of life and are less likely to die in hospitals.