Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated With Treatment Failure of Infected Pressure Sores

Objective: In this study, we assess interdisciplinary surgical and medical parameters associated to recurrences of infected pressure ulcers. Background: There is a little in the published literature regarding factors associated with the outcome of treatment of infected pressure ulcers. Methods: We undertook a single-center review of spinal injured adults hospitalized for an infected pressure ulcer or implant-free osteomyelitis and reviewed the literature on this topic from 1990–2015. Results: We found 70 lesions in 31 patients (52 with osteomyelitis) who had a median follow-up of 2.7 years (range, 4 months to 19 years). The median duration of antibiotic therapy was 6 weeks, of which 1 week was parenteral. Clinical recurrence after treatment was noted in 44 infected ulcers (63%), after a median interval of 1 year. In 86% of these recurrences, cultures yielded a different organism than the preceding episode. By multivariate analyses, the following factors were not significantly related to recurrence: number of surgical interventions (hazard ratio 0.9, 95% confidence interval 0.5–1.5); osteomyelitis (hazard ratio 1.5; 0.7–3.1); immune suppression; prior sacral infections, and duration of total (or just parenteral) antibiotic sue. Patients with antibiotic treatment for <6 weeks had the same failure rate as those with as >12 weeks (&khgr;2 test; P = 0.90). Conclusions: In patients with infected pressure ulcers, clinical recurrence occurs in almost two-thirds of lesions, but in only 14% with the same pathogen(s). The number of surgical debridements, flap use, or duration of antibiotic therapy was not associated with recurrence, suggesting recurrences are caused by reinfections caused by other extrahospital factors.
[Prevalence and risk factors of mild vision loss in patients with type 2 diabetes in Beixinjing Community of Shanghai].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence and risk factors of mild vision loss in adult patients with type 2 diabetes in Beixinjing Community, Shanghai, China. METHODS A population-based, cross-sectional survey among 2 216 Chinese Han adult patients with type 2 diabetes was conducted from October 2014 to January 2015.Random cluster sampling was used to enroll diabetic patients based on the local Chronic Diseases Prevention and Control System data.The survey was preceded by a pilot study in which operational methods were refined and quality assurance evaluation was carried out.Eligible participants underwent a comprehensive eye examination, including the best corrected visual acuity (BCVA) test using the logarithm of the minimum angle resolution charts.Mild vision loss was defined as BCVA <20/32 to ≥20/63 following the International Council of Ophthalmology (ICO) 2002 definitions.The primary causes of visual impairment and blindness were determined.The prevalence and causes of monocular and binocular mild vision loss were investigated.Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the related risk factors of binocular mild vision loss. RESULTS Among 2 582 patients, 2 216 were examined, and the response rate was 85.8%. Monocular mild vision loss was found in 591 patients with a prevalence rate of 26.7%. Binocular mild vision loss was detected in 650 patients, with a prevalence rate of 29.3%. Totally 1 891 eyes were confirmed as mild vision loss.Diabetic retinopathy (27.3%, 517/1 891) were the second leading cause of mild vision loss, after cataract (31.3%, 591/1 891). Binocular mild vision loss of unknown reasons happened in 201 persons.Old age, female gender, lower educational level, higher glycosylated hemoglobin A1c level and longer duration of diabetes were associated with the prevalence of total binocular mild vision loss and binocular mild vision loss of unknown reasons. CONCLUSION The prevalence of mild vision loss is higher among adult patients with type 2 diabetes in Beixinjing Community.Intensive glucose control is recommended to prevent and slow mild vision loss in Chinese Han patients with type 2 diabetes.
Hybrid Language Models Using Mixed Types of Sub-Lexical Units for Open Vocabulary German LVCSR

German is a highly inflected language with a large number of words derived from the same root. It makes use of a high degree of word compounding leading to high Out-of-vocabulary (OOV) rates, and Language Model (LM) perplexities. For such languages the use of sub-lexical units for Large Vocabulary Continuous Speech Recognition (LVCSR) becomes a natural choice. In this paper, we investigate the use of mixed types of sub-lexical units in the same recognition lexicon. Namely, morphemic or syllabic units combined with pronunciations called graphones, normal graphemic morphemes or syllables along with full-words. This mixture of units is used for building hybrid LMs suitable for open vocabulary LVCSR where the system operates over an open, constantly changing vocabulary like in broadcast news, political debates, etc. A relative reduction of around 5.0% in Word Error Rate (WER) is obtained compared to a traditional full-words system. Moreover, around 40% of the OOVs are recognized. Index Terms: open vocabulary, morpheme, syllable, graphone
How (specific) would you like your T-cells today? Generating T-cell therapeutic function through TCR-gene transfer

T-cells are central players in the immune response against both pathogens and cancer. Their specificity is solely dictated by the T-cell receptor (TCR) they clonally express. As such, the genetic modification of T lymphocytes using pathogen- or cancer-specific TCRs represents an appealing strategy to generate a desired immune response from peripheral blood lymphocytes. Moreover, notable objective clinical responses were observed in terminally ill cancer patients treated with TCR-gene modified cells in several clinical trials conducted recently. Nevertheless, several key aspects of this approach are the object of intensive research aimed at improving the reliability and efficacy of this strategy. Herein, we will survey recent studies in the field of TCR-gene transfer dealing with the improvement of this approach and its application for the treatment of malignant, autoimmune, and infectious diseases.
Methods for increasing the accuracy of recording the parameters of the cardiovascular system in double-beam photoplethysmography

Photoplethysmography has recently become more widespread among non-invasive methods for obtaining information on the state of physiological systems of the human body. Serial photoplethysmographs are intended for use in clinics and require special care, therefore, interest in portable media developed on the basis of modern sensors and microcontrollers is growing, which would not only make this method available for individual use, but also expand its capabilities through the use of light of various spectral ranges. Such devices require modified signal processing techniques that allow them to be used in mobile applications. The aim of the work is to develop methods for processing signals from a modern two-beam sensor operating in the red and infrared ranges for the analysis of photoplethysmography on a mobile device (smartphone or tablet). A device using the microcontroller and radio module in the Bluetooth standard allows you to continuously record pulse waves, determine the level of oxygen in the blood, calculate peak-peak intervals and heart rate. The use of the two-beam sensor for registration and the implementation of the developed signal processing methods in the Android operation system application increase the accuracy of setting the maximums on pulse curve and provide a relative error in determining the heart rate and pulse-to-pulse intervals relative to the certified electrocardiograph at 9.2% and 9.6% respectively, with an average level of interference and an average activity. An Android operation system mobile device (tablet, smartphone) allows you to visualize the measurement results, store data in the internal memory, and transfer them to the server for further processing.
Penetration of Human-Induced Warming into the World's Oceans

A warming signal has penetrated into the world's oceans over the past 40 years. The signal is complex, with a vertical structure that varies widely by ocean; it cannot be explained by natural internal climate variability or solar and volcanic forcing, but is well simulated by two anthropogenically forced climate models. We conclude that it is of human origin, a conclusion robust to observational sampling and model differences. Changes in advection combine with surface forcing to give the overall warming pattern. The implications of this study suggest that society needs to seriously consider model predictions of future climate change.
CHARACTERISTICS OF SEMI-CONDUCTOR LASER WITH EXTERNAL FEEDBACK FOR MULTIPLE REFLECTION MODEL

Chaotic fluctuation of laser output is obtained at a relatively wide range of laser parameters. The dynamical behavior of semiconductor lasers with optical feedback from an external mirror was described by the rate equations modeled by Lang and kobayashi. Some models were numerically analyzed this behavior but in our work we extended the previous results by allowing two reflections, and multiple reflections in the extended cavity. It is found that the chaotic state be very sensitive to the higher order reflections when the reflection coefficient is large.
Stimulator of Interferon Genes Deficiency in Acute Exacerbation of Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis

The stimulator of interferon genes (STING) is a key adaptor protein mediating innate immune defense against DNA viruses. To investigate the role of STING in acute exacerbation of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (AE-IPF), we isolated primary peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients and healthy controls (HCs). Raw264.7 and A549 cells were infected with herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1). Mice with bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis were infected with HSV-1 to stimulate acute exacerbation of the lung fibrosis. Global gene expression profiling revealed a substantial downregulation of interferon-regulated genes (downstream of STING) in the AE-IPF group compared with the HC and stable IPF groups. The PBMCs of the AE-IPF group showed significantly reduced STING protein levels, increased levels of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress markers, and elevated apoptosis. HSV-1 infection decreased STING expression and stimulated the ER stress pathways in Raw264.7 and A549 cells in a time- and dose-dependent manner. HSV-1 infection exacerbated the bleomycin-induced lung injury in mice. In the primary bone marrow-derived macrophages of mice treated with bleomycin and HSV-1, STING protein expression was substantially reduced; ER stress was stimulated. Tauroursodeoxycholic acid, a known inhibitor of ER stress, partially reversed those HSV-1-mediated adverse effects in mice with bleomycin-induced lung injury. STING levels in PBMCs increased after treatment in patients showing improvement but remained at low levels in patients with deterioration. Viral infection may trigger ER stress, resulting in STING deficiency and AE-IPF onset.
Management of Status Epilepticus in Children

Status epilepticus is a common pediatric neurological emergency. Management includes prompt administration of appropriately selected anti-seizure medications, identification and treatment of seizure precipitant(s), as well as identification and management of associated systemic complications. This review discusses the definitions, classification, epidemiology and management of status epilepticus and refractory status epilepticus in children.
A Comparative Study of Three Program Exploration Tools

Programmers need tools to help explore large software systems when performing software evolution tasks. A variety of tools have been created to improve the effectiveness of such exploration. The usefulness of these tools has been argued largely on the basis of case studies, small narrowly-focussed experiments, or non-human-based experiments. In this paper, we report on a more rigorously controlled study of three specialized software exploration tools in which professional programmers used the tools to plan complex change tasks to a medium-sized code base. We found that the tools had little apparent effect; the effects observed instead appear to be dominated by individual styles and strategies of the programmers and characteristics of the tasks. In addition to presenting the results of the study, this paper introduces the use of two experimental evaluation aids: the NASA task load index (TLX) for assessing task difficulty and distance profiles for assessing the to which programmers remain on-track.
A learning approach to robotic table tennis

We propose a method of controlling a table tennis robot so as to return the incoming ball to a desired point on the table with specified flight duration. The proposed method consists of the following three input-output maps implemented by means of locally weighted regression: 1) a map for predicting the impact time of the ball hit by the paddle and the ball position and velocity at that moment according to input vectors describing the state of the incoming ball; 2) a map representing a change in ball velocities before and after impact; and 3) a map giving the relation between the ball velocity just after impact and the landing point and time of the returned ball. We also propose a feed-forward control scheme based on iterative learning control to accurately achieve the stroke movement of the paddle as determined by using these maps. Experimental results including rallies with a human opponent are also reported to demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach.
Low prevalence of myocilin mutations in an African American population with primary open-angle glaucoma

Purpose Mutations in the myocilin gene (MYOC) are associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in many different populations. This study represents the first large survey of MYOC mutations in an African American population. Methods We recruited 529 African American subjects with POAG and 270 African American control subjects in this study. A complete eye examination and blood collection was performed in all study subjects. Genomic DNA was extracted. The entire coding sequence of MYOC was amplified and sequenced using the Sanger method. Identified MYOC variants were compared with previously reported MYOC mutations. Results We identified a total of 29 MYOC variants including six potential MYOC mutations. Two mutations (Thr209Asn and Leu215Gln) are novel and are found only in cases and no controls. We also identified four previously reported MYOC mutations in cases and no controls (Tyr453MetfsX11, Gln368X, Thr377Met, and Ser393Arg). The overall frequency of glaucoma-causing MYOC mutations in our African American population with POAG was 1.4%. Conclusions We identified two novel probable glaucoma-causing MYOC mutations (Thr209Asn and Leu215Gln). This study indicates that, despite the high prevalence of POAG, MYOC mutations are rare in the African American population.
Circadian KaiC Phosphorylation: A Multi-Layer Network

Circadian KaiC phosphorylation in cyanobacteria reconstituted in vitro recently initiates a series of studies experimentally and theoretically to explore its mechanism. In this paper, we report a dynamic diversity in hexameric KaiC phosphoforms using a multi-layer reaction network based on the nonequivalence of the dual phosphorylation sites (S431 and T432) in each KaiC subunit. These diverse oscillatory profiles can generate a kaleidoscopic phase modulation pattern probably responsible for the genome-wide transcription rhythms directly and/or indirectly in cyanobacteria. Particularly, our model reveals that a single KaiC hexamer is an energy-based, phosphorylation-dependent and self-regulated circadian oscillator modulated by KaiA and KaiB. We suggest that T432 is the main regulator for the oscillation amplitude, while S431 is the major phase regulator. S431 and T432 coordinately control the phosphorylation period. Robustness of the Kai network was examined by mixing samples in different phases, and varying protein concentrations and temperature. Similar results were obtained regardless of the deterministic or stochastic method employed. Therefore, the dynamic diversities and robustness of Kai oscillator make it a qualified core pacemaker that controls the cellular processes in cyanobacteria pervasively and accurately.
Ghent University-iMinds at MediaEval 2014 Diverse Images: Adaptive Clustering with Deep Features

In this paper, we attempt to tackle the MediaEval 2014 Retrieving Diverse Social Images challenge, a lter and renement problem dened for a Flickr-based ranked set of social images. We build upon solutions proposed in [5] and mainly focus on exploiting the joint use of all modalities. The use of image features extracted from a deep convolutional neural network, combined with the use of distributed word representations, forms the basis of our approach.
Preliminary report of improved sleep quality in patients with dry eye disease after initiation of topical therapy

Purpose Dry eye disease (DED) is potentially associated with sleep and mood disorders. This study evaluated sleep quality in patients with DED using a questionnaire-based survey before and after topical eyedrop treatment. The effectiveness of sleep and ophthalmic services in assisting with sleep problems in patients with eye disease was also assessed. Methods Seventy-one consecutive patients with DED visiting eight general eye clinics in various locations answered a questionnaire containing the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index and Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Photophobia and chronotype (morningness/eveningness) were also evaluated with two representative questions from established questionnaires (National Eye Institute Visual Function Questionnaire-25 and Morningness/Eveningness questionnaire). Follow-up evaluation was conducted by interview or mail 3–10 months after the initial evaluation. A sleep service was established in two eye clinics to identify possible ocular diseases related to sleep and mood disorders; it comprised a questionnaire, sleep diary, actigram, medical interviews, visual field testing, retinal ganglion cell layer thickness measurement, and DED examination. Results Patients with newly diagnosed DED exhibited a greater improvement in sleep after DED treatment compared with patients with established DED. Improvement in Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index was significant (P<0.05) and strongly correlated with improvement in Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (P<0.05) for new patients, but not for patients with established DED. Ten eye clinic patients visited the sleep service and nine of them had DED. They were successfully treated with eyedrops and sleep services, which included blue-light-shield eyewear and wearable blue-light therapy lamps according to their problem. Conclusion Sleep quality improved in patients with DED after topical treatment with or without the sleep service. Psychiatric treatment focusing on sleep disorders could be beneficial for patients with DED.
Lack of Adrenomedullin Aggravates Acute TNBS-Induced Colitis Symptoms in Mice, Especially in Females

Adrenomedullin (AM) is a biologically active peptide which has been tested as a new therapy for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in animal models and in patients with severe ulcerative colitis. We used an inducible knockout (KO) mouse model for AM to evaluate the effects of endogenous levels of this peptide on the development and degree of pathogenesis of IBD. Acute colitis was induced in mice of both sexes by rectal instillation of 3 mg 2,4,6-trinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (TNBS) in 100 μL of 50% ethanol. Control mice received the same volume of saline in 50% ethanol. During the following 5 days, the weight and the disease severity index of all animals were recorded. After sacrifice, the inflammatory response was macroscopically assessed by analyzing the weight of the colon; by histomorphometrical analysis on histological sections; and by qRT-PCR determination of different inflammatory, adhesion, and regeneration molecules. TNBS administration caused a significantly more severe colitis in KO mice, and especially in females, when compared to wild type (WT) animals. Abrogation of the AM gene caused more severe diarrhea, accompanied by rectal bleeding, anorexia, and a significant increase of colon weight. Histological analysis of TNBS-treated KO mice showed large areas of lymphocyte infiltrates in the mucosa and submucosa, with loss of tissue architecture. No alterations were observed in the expression levels of inflammatory cytokines at the time of sacrifice; meanwhile lack of AM resulted in lower levels of some adhesion molecules and regeneration markers. Taken together, these results support the protective role of endogenous AM against the development of acute colitis, and that its effects are particularly beneficial on females.
Viral Dose and Immunosuppression Modulate the Progression of Acute BVDV-1 Infection in Calves: Evidence of Long Term Persistence after Intra-Nasal Infection

Bovine viral diarrhoea virus (BVDV) infection of cattle causes a diverse range of clinical outcomes from being asymptomatic, or a transient mild disease, to producing severe cases of acute disease leading to death. Four groups of calves were challenged with a type 1 BVDV strain, originating from a severe outbreak of BVDV in England, to study the effect of viral dose and immunosuppression on the viral replication and transmission of BVDV. Three groups received increasing amounts of virus: Group A received 102.55TCID50/ml, group B 105.25TCID50/ml and group C 106.7TCID 50/ml. A fourth group (D) was inoculated with a medium dose (105.25TCID50/ml) and concomitantly treated with dexamethasone (DMS) to assess the effects of chemically induced immunosuppression. Naïve calves were added as sentinel animals to assess virus transmission. The outcome of infection was dose dependent with animals given a higher dose developing severe disease and more pronounced viral replication. Despite virus being shed by the low-dose infection group, BVD was not transmitted to sentinel calves. Administration of dexamethasone (DMS) resulted in more severe clinical signs, prolonged viraemia and virus shedding. Using PCR techniques, viral RNA was detected in blood, several weeks after the limit of infectious virus recovery. Finally, a recently developed strand-specific RT-PCR detected negative strand viral RNA, indicative of actively replicating virus, in blood samples from convalescent animals, as late as 85 days post inoculation. This detection of long term replicating virus may indicate the way in which the virus persists and/or is reintroduced within herds.