Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Canadian multicenter retrospective study evaluating transjugular liver biopsy in patients with congenital bleeding disorders and hepatitis C: Is it safe and useful?

Prior to the introduction of virally inactivated clotting factor concentrates, the majority of individuals with congenital bleeding disorders became infected with the hepatitis C virus. Although liver biopsy is valuable in prognosis and guiding antiviral therapy, there is a reluctance to perform biopsies in this population because of the risk of hemorrhage. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety of transjugular liver biopsy, and the usefulness of evaluating liver histology in this patient population. Liver histopathology was assessed by the METAVIR index and compared with corrected sinusoidal pressures, platelet counts, and abdominal ultrasonography. Liver biopsy was performed at seven Canadian centers in 65 patients with hemophilia or von Willebrand's disease. Biopsies were done on an outpatient basis, followed by a 4‐hr observation period in hospital. Normal hemostasis was maintained during the peribiopsy period, with follow‐up doses of factor concentrate self administered by the patient at home. One patient (1.4%) had significant bleeding leading to readmission and red cell transfusion. Liver histology showed 14 patients (22%) had cirrhosis. Ten patients had elevated corrected sinusoidal pressures; 7 of these (70%) had cirrhosis on biopsy, and the other 3 (30%) likely had cirrhosis although histology showed stage 3 fibrosis. This series represents the largest reported experience of transjugular biopsy in individuals with congenital bleeding disorders. We conclude that this procedure can be safely performed on an outpatient basis. The diagnosis of cirrhosis and/or portal hypertension was made in a substantial proportion of individuals (26%), all of whom had asymptomatic liver disease. Am. J. Hematol. 78:85–93, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Physical vapor deposition on cylindrical substrates

It is well established that low pressure physical vapor deposition processes such as thermal evaporation and the many variants of sputtering utilize nearly collisionless vapor transport to a substrate. This results in line-of-sight deposition. The deposition of uniform coatings on complex shapes using these approaches therefore requires substrate rotation or a multiple evaporation source strategy. In many cases, the line-of-sight requirement precludes the use of these processes entirely. Recently, developed rarefied gas jet based deposition processes, however, operate at much higher pressures where many gas phase collisions occur. Vapor scattering from a laminar flow that propagates around a non-planar substrate provides opportunities for non-line-of-sight deposition. Experiments indicate that the coating thickness around the circumference of a stationary, non-rotated fiber placed perpendicular to the axis of a gas jet containing aluminum atoms is sensitively dependent upon the jet’s Mach number and the chamber pressure near the substrate. By employing gas jets having low Mach numbers (< 0.1), highly uniform coatings of aluminum on cylindrical fibers have been achieved without fiber rotation. Direct simulation Monte Carlo (DSMC) simulations have been used to understand the fundamental phenomena involved and to identify the role of the process conditions on the coating’s uniformity. D 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V.
Automatic voltage and reactive power regulator for wind farms participating to TSO voltage regulation

This paper proposes an application of a hierarchical automatic voltage regulation scheme for wind power plants connected to HV networks. The proposed control schemes is based on a given topology of wind power plants. In particular, we assume that wind generators are connected to each other and have a unique point of contact at the HV level. The secondary voltage control scheme proposed in the paper is based on well-assessed control strategies that are used in HV transmission systems, but has not been applied so far to medium voltage networks. A case study based on a wind power plant composed of 14 wind turbines and a distribution grid is presented and discussed in details.
SERUM VEGF AS A SIGNIFICANT MARKER OF TREATMENT RESPONSE IN HODGKIN LYMPHOMA

This pilot study aimed at determining serum VEGF levels (S-VEGF) at diagnosis and at restaging in children with Hodgkin lymphoma, and investigating whether this parameter provides prognostic information for remission after 2 courses of chemotherapy. PET-CT fusion was performed to assess response to treatment. Changes in S-VEGF levels were found to correlate with response to treatment for most of the children. This provides a rationale for exploring clinical interest in S-VEGF measurements in a larger group of children with Hodgkin lymphoma, and using the test for clinical trials of anti-angiogenic therapies.
Comparison of glucose-insulin-potassium and insulin-glucose as adjunctive therapy in acute myocardial infarction: a contemporary meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

Background There is conflicting evidence regarding two different insulin regimens for acute myocardial infarction (AMI), one focusing on delivering insulin (‘insulin focus’, glucose-insulin-potassium (GIK)) and one focusing on tight glycaemic control (‘glycaemia focus’, insulin-glucose). A longstanding controversy has focused on which strategy provides the greatest reduction in mortality. The aim of this study was to perform a meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) comparing GIK or insulin-glucose therapy versus standard therapy for AMI in the reperfusion era. Methods A MEDLINE/EMBASE/CENTRAL search was conducted of RCTs evaluating GIK or insulin-glucose as adjunctive therapy for AMI. The primary endpoint was all-cause mortality. The data were analysed with a random effect model. Results A total of 11 studies (including 23 864 patients) were identified, eight evaluating insulin focus with GIK and three evaluating glycaemia focus with insulin-glucose. Overall, insulin focus with GIK was not associated with a statistically significant effect on mortality (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.29, p=0.487). Before the use of reperfusion, GIK also had no clear impact on mortality (RR 0.92, 95% CI 0.70 to 1.20, p=0.522). Pooled data from the three studies evaluating glycaemia focus showed that insulin-glucose did not reduce mortality in the absence of glycaemia control in patients with AMI with diabetes (RR 1.07, 95% CI 0.85 to 1.36, p=0.547). Conclusions Current evidence suggests that GIK with insulin does not reduce mortality in patients with AMI. However, studies of glycaemia are inconclusive and it remains possible that glycaemic control is beneficial.
Microbial Isobutyronitrile Utilization under Haloalkaline Conditions

ABSTRACT The utilization of isobutyronitrile (iBN) as a C and N source under haloalkaline conditions by microbial communities from soda lake sediments and soda soils was studied. In both cases, a consortium consisting of two different bacterial species capable of the complete degradation and utilization of iBN at pH 10 was selected. The soda lake sediment consortium consisted of a new actinobacterium and a gammaproteobacterium from the genus Marinospirillum. The former was capable of fast hydrolysis of aliphatic nitriles to the corresponding amides and much-slower further hydrolysis of the amides to carboxylic acids. Its partner cannot hydrolyze nitriles but grew rapidly on amides and carboxylic acids, thus acting as a scavenger of products released by the actinobacterium. The soda soil consortium consisted of two Bacillus species (RNA group 1). One of them initiated nitrile hydrolysis, and the other utilized the hydrolysis products isobutyroamide (iBA) and isobutyrate (iB). In contrast to the actinobacterium, the nitrile-hydrolyzing soil Bacillus grew rapidly with hydrolysis products, but it was dependent on vitamins most probably supplied by its product-utilizing partner. All four bacterial strains isolated were moderately salt-tolerant alkaliphiles with a pH range for growth from pH 7.0 to 8.5 up to 10.3 to 10.5. However, both their nitrile hydratase and amidase activities had a near-neutral pH optimum, indicating an intracellular localization of these enzymes. Despite this fact, the study demonstrated a possibility of whole-cell biocatalytic hydrolysis of various nitriles at haloalkaline conditions.
Land and sea-based observations and first satellite tracking results support a New Ireland breeding site for the Critically Endangered Beck’s Petrel Pseudobulweria beckii

Summary The Beck’s Petrel Pseudobulweria beckii is a ‘Critically Endangered’ seabird whose breeding sites remain unknown. Historic observations suggest the species’ distribution is concentrated in the Bismarck Archipelago and particularly southern New Ireland. Over the course of two research expeditions in 2016 and 2017 we used on-land and at-sea observations, local interviews and satellite telemetry to understand the distribution of the species, its at-sea movements and potential breeding locations. Land-based and at-sea observations indicated that the area of Silur Bay in southern New Ireland was a significant site for Beck’s Petrel with numbers of birds increasing near shore prior to dusk and birds observed in spotlights over land. A local population is estimated to be in the low thousands. In 2017 a single Beck’s was captured at sea, fitted with a satellite transmitter and tracked for eight months. This bird maintained a core distribution off the south-east coast of New Ireland and north of Bougainville for 122 days. During the tracking period, the bird was located over land at night seven times; predominantly over southern New Ireland, where the signal was also lost for extended periods suggesting occupancy of an underground burrow. In August the bird migrated 1,400 km to a core pelagic habitat north of West Papua before the signal was eventually lost. Our combination of land- and sea-based observations and analysis of behaviour from satellite tracking supports the conclusion that a breeding site for Beck’s Petrel lies in the inland mountains of southern New Ireland and most likely in the high-altitude zone (> 2000 m) of the Hans Meyer Range. Further investigations are required to determine the exact location of breeding colonies in the mountains of southern New Ireland and the importance of a potential west Papuan non-breeding pelagic habitat for the species.
Micropatterning and casting PEDOT-PSS /DMSO layers

PEDOT:PSS is a conductive polymer that is widely used as electrodes in organic electronic devices. This material can also be used for implementing deformable electrodes in soft substrates for MEMS applications. However, this material being sensitive to several chemicals and water it is difficult to pattern microstructures using standard techniques. Thus, we present several techniques for patterning PEDOT:PSS conductive polymer thin film layers including PDMS Casting, shadow masking and lithography.
Analysis of twenty‐four Gal4 lines in Drosophila melanogaster

The Gal4/UAS system is a powerful technique that allows the expression of a particular target gene in a tissue-specific manner (Brand and Perrimon, 1993). We isolated twenty-four Gal4 insertions with interesting expression patterns and characterized their chromosome location and whether the insertions were associated with zygotic lethality (Table 1). The Gal4 enhancer trap insertion that we used is described in Brand and Perrimon (1993). We characterized a number of lines originally generated by G. Technau and by Manseau et al. (1997), which are labeled T and C insertions, respectively. We used two stocks: w; Sco/CyO and w; Ly/TM3, Sb, to establish balanced stocks and determine whether the chromosome that carries the Gal4 insertion was homozygous viable. We characterized the expression patterns in ovaries, testis, embryos, larvae, and imaginal tissues. To determine the expression pattern of Gal4, we chose to express a membrane tethered green fluorescent protein (GFP) fusion molecule that allows rapid in vivo imaging as well as the analysis of fixed tissue. We crossed each of the Gal4 lines to UAS-mCD8-GFP (Lee and Luo, 1999) and analyzed the GFP expression in the progeny using either a Leica TCS-NT confocal microscope or a Zeiss Axiophot 2 fluorescent microscope equipped with a Zeiss Axiocam CCD camera. Embryos were collected overnight, dechorionated in 50% bleach, and fixed with 10% formaldehyde in PBS for 20 min. A variety of specific expression patterns were found and are summarized in Table 2 (Fig. 1). All Gal4 lines show expression in salivary glands, presumably due to a salivary gland-specific enhancer in the original construct (Brand and Perrimon, 1993). To analyze the general larval expression pattern, whole late 3rd instar larvae were dissected in Ringer’s solution and visualized live using fluorescence microscopy (Fig. 2). For a more detailed analysis of specific larval tissue, we dissected the discs in Ringer’s solution and examined them live (Fig. 3). The Gal4 expression patterns in larval brains, larval wing discs, eye discs, leg discs, and whole larvae are summarized in Table 3. We also determined the Gal4 expression pattern in the male and female reproductive systems. Ovaries from 5-day-old, well-fed female progeny were dissected in PBS and fixed with 4% formaldehyde in PBS-0.1% Triton X-100 for 20 min. All stages of oogenesis were examined for particular Gal4 expression patterns (Fig. 4, Table 2). To analyze the male reproductive system, the reproductive tract was dissected in PBS and visualized live without prior fixation (Fig. 5). GFP expression was noted for any pattern in the male germ line cells and associated somatic lineages within the testis, for the muscle and pigment cells that ensheath the testis, and for the somatic cells of the seminal vesicles, ejaculatory duct, and accessory glands of the reproductive tract (Table 2). In
P-TEFb Is Critical for the Maturation of RNA Polymerase II into Productive Elongation In Vivo

ABSTRACT Positive transcription elongation factor b (P-TEFb) is the major metazoan RNA polymerase II (Pol II) carboxyl-terminal domain (CTD) Ser2 kinase, and its activity is believed to promote productive elongation and coupled RNA processing. Here, we demonstrate that P-TEFb is critical for the transition of Pol II into a mature transcription elongation complex in vivo. Within 3 min following P-TEFb inhibition, most polymerases were restricted to within 150 bp of the transcription initiation site of the active Drosophila melanogaster Hsp70 gene, and live-cell imaging demonstrated that these polymerases were stably associated. Polymerases already productively elongating at the time of P-TEFb inhibition, however, proceeded with elongation in the absence of active P-TEFb and cleared from the Hsp70 gene. Strikingly, all transcription factors tested (P-TEFb, Spt5, Spt6, and TFIIS) and RNA-processing factor CstF50 exited the body of the gene with kinetics indistinguishable from that of Pol II. An analysis of the phosphorylation state of Pol II upon the inhibition of P-TEFb also revealed no detectable CTD Ser2 phosphatase activity upstream of the Hsp70 polyadenylation site. In the continued presence of P-TEFb inhibitor, Pol II levels across the gene eventually recovered.
Method of platinum‐carbon coating of ultrathin sections for transmission and scanning electron microscopy: An application for study of biological composites

Many biological materials are composites containing two or more components with different mechanical properties. This study is concerned with the application of a method of platinum‐carbon coating (Pt/C) of ultrathin sections for TEM and SEM studies of the design of natural composite materials. The changes in profile of the ultrathin resin‐embedded sections during different stages of the preparation reflect the material properties of the various components: stiffer regions deform less than softer ones. Such changes in the section profile can be visualized by the Pt/C method and used as evidence of specific material properties in particular regions of composite materials. The method increases the relief contrast, improves the 3D‐view of structures, and in combination with standard TEM and SEM procedures can provide clear demonstrations of material design. The distribution of chitin crystallites in the insect cuticle and the ultrastructure of the pore canal system specialized for the transport of epidermal secretions to the cuticle surface were studied here as examples. Microsc. Res. Tech. 62:218–224, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Coarse indices for a tape-based data warehouse

Data warehouses allow users to make sense of large quantities of detail data. While most queries can be answered through summary data, some queries can only be answered by accessing the detail data. It is usually not cost-effective to store terabytes of detail data online; instead, the detail data is stored on tape. The problem we address in this paper is how to index tape-based detail data. Conventional indices on tens of terabytes of data can require terabytes of storage themselves. We propose the use of coarse indices for tape-based detail data. Instead of specifying all locations of a record containing a particular key, the coarse index specifies whether or not a region of tape contains at least one record with a particular key value. Our proposal is based on the observation that while long tape seeks are fast, short tape seeks are slow. Therefore, indices that point to the exact record location on tape do not provide performance benefits to justify the cost of their storage. A few bits pointing to an appropriate location are enough. In this paper, we present the design of such a coarse index, and provide fast algorithms for its updating and querying. Our experiments on a large data set taken from an existing data warehouse show that using compressed bitmap indices offer an order-of-magnitude reduction in index size, permitting the online storage of the coarse indices. Analytical and simulation models of the time to fetch selected records from tape show that using coarse indices almost always improves reduces the total loading time as compared to using dense tape-based indices or to using no index at all.
Noncompactness in propositional modal logic

We have come to believe that propositional modal logic (with the usual relational semantics) must be understood as a rather strong fragment of classical second-order predicate logic. (The interpretation of propositional modal logic in second-order predicate logic is well known; see e.g. [2, §1].) “Strong” refers of course to the expressive power of the languages, not to the deductive power of formal systems. By “rather strong” we mean sufficiently strong that theorems about first-order logic which fail for second-order logic usually fail even for propositional modal logic. Some evidence for this belief is contained in [2] and [3]. In the former is exhibited a finitely axiomatized consistent tense logic having no relational models, and the latter presents a finitely axiomatized modal logic between T and S4, such that □p → □2p is valid in all relational models of the logic but is not a thesis of the logic. The result of [2] is strong evidence that bimodal logic is essentially second-order, but that of [3] does not eliminate the possibility that unimodal logic only appears to be incomplete because we have not adopted sufficiently powerful rules of inference. In the present paper we present stronger evidence of the essentially second-order nature of unimodal logic.
Advanced Hybrid Particle‐Grid Method with Sub‐Grid Particle Correction

This paper proposes a novel hybrid particle‐grid approach to liquid simulation, which uses the fluid‐implicit‐particle (FLIP) method to resolve the liquid motion and a grid‐based particle correction method to complement FLIP. The correction process addresses the high‐frequency errors in FLIP ensuring that the particles are properly distributed. The proposed approach enables the corrective procedure to avoid directly processing the particle relationships and supports flexible corrective forces. The proposed technique effectively and efficiently improves the distribution of the particles and therefore enhances the overall simulation quality. The experimental results confirm that the technique is able to conserve the liquid volume and to produce dynamic surface motions, thin liquid sheets, and smooth surfaces without disturbing artifacts such as bumpy noise.
A Nasally Applied Cellulose Powder in Seasonal Allergic Rhinitis in Adults with Grass Pollen Allergy: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel-Group Study

Background: A nasally applied cellulose powder is increasingly used in many countries as a remedy for allergic rhinitis. In 2009, a 4-week study in birch pollen-allergic children showed a reduction in nasal symptoms. The best effect occurred on days with lower pollen counts. The present study in grass pollen-allergic adults used the same basic design. Methods: In May 2013, a double-blind, placebo-controlled study was conducted in 108 patients with allergic rhinitis due to grass pollen (18-40 years of age). SMS on mobile phones were used as reminders of treatment and reporting of symptom scores. Results: We found significant reductions in severity scores for sneezing, runny nose, stuffy nose and symptoms from eyes and lower airways, both separately and together (all p < 0.001). Reflective opinion of effect and guess on treatment at follow-up visits (both p < 0.001) confirmed a high efficacy. No clinically significant adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: The product provided significant protection against all seasonal allergic rhinitis symptoms from both upper and lower airways during the grass pollen season in an adult population. The magnitude and scope of efficacy support the use of the product as an early choice in the treatment of allergic rhinitis.
Modeling the winds and magnetospheres of active OB stars

Abstract After briefly reviewing the theory behind the radiative line-driven winds of OB stars, I examine the processes that can generate structure in them; these include both intrinsic instabilities, and surface perturbations such as pulsation and rotation. I then delve into wind channeling and confinement by magnetic fields as a mechanism for forming longer-lived circumstellar structures. With a narrative that largely follows the historical progression of the field, I introduce the key insights and results that link the first detection of a magnetosphere, over three decades ago, to the recent direct measurement of magnetic braking in a number of active OB stars.
Differential activation in parahippocampal and prefrontal cortex during word and face encoding tasks

Episodic encoding is the first step in the formation of a memory trace. The relation between type of stimulus material and regional brain activation is not fully understood. We measured brain activation using fMRI in 12 healthy subjects during two experiments, word and face encoding. A widespread network of common activations in both tasks was present in the bilateral frontal (BA44/45), occipital (BA17/18/19) and fusiform gyri (BA37) as well as the right hippocampal formation (BA30). A region-of-interest-analysis for the hippo- campal formation and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was performed additionally. During face encoding the right dorsal and during word encoding the bilateral ventral hippocampal region was activated. In the prefrontal cortex a lateralization to the left side was present only for word encoding. During encoding, activation in the inferior frontal and hippocampal cortex is modulated by the type of stimulus material.