Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Serum galactomannan assay for diagnosis of probable invasive Aspergillosis in acute leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

Abstract Background: Invasive aspergillosis (IA) is a leading cause of mortality in acute leukemia and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Aims: To determine the yield of galactomannan (GM) assay for the diagnosis of probable IA, its temporal relationship with the computed tomography (CT) scans and correlation with mortality in AL and HSCT. Patients and Methods: Consecutive neutropenic episodes (n=150) among inpatients aged ≥15 years with AL or recipients of HSCT were prospectively evaluated over 1΍ years. All patients underwent weekly serum GM assay and optical density index >0.5 for ≥2 samples was defined as positive. IA was diagnosed according to EORTC 2008 guidelines. Results: Of the 150 episodes enrolled, 43 (28.7%) were diagnosed with IA: possible 25 (16.7%), probable 17 (11.3%) and proven 1 (0.7%). The yield of GM assay in diagnosing probable IA was 17/42 (40.5%). In 88.2% of probable IA episodes, GM was positive before high-resolution CT at a median of 10 days (range 1-16). In the episodes with ≥2 samples tested, fatality was higher in those ≥2 values positive for GM, compared to the rest (31% vs. 13.2%, odd ratio 2.96, 95% CI 1.09-8.00; P=0.04). Conclusions: In AL and HSCT, GM assay could identify patients with probable IA earlier than CT chest and also predicted a higher risk of death.
The Effect of Primary Care Provider Turnover on Patient Experience of Care and Ambulatory Quality of Care.

IMPORTANCE Primary care provider (PCP) turnover is common and can disrupt patient continuity of care. Little is known about the effect of PCP turnover on patient care experience and quality of care. OBJECTIVE To measure the effect of PCP turnover on patient experiences of care and ambulatory care quality. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Observational, retrospective cohort study of a nationwide sample of primary care patients in the Veterans Health Administration (VHA). We included all patients enrolled in primary care at the VHA between 2010 and 2012 included in 1 of 2 national data sets used to measure our outcome variables: 326,374 patients in the Survey of Healthcare Experiences of Patients (SHEP; used to measure patient experience of care) associated with 8441 PCPs and 184,501 patients in the External Peer Review Program (EPRP; used to measure ambulatory care quality) associated with 6973 PCPs. EXPOSURES Whether a patient experienced PCP turnover, defined as a patient whose provider (physician, nurse practitioner, or physician assistant) had left the VHA (ie, had no patient encounters for 12 months). MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Five patient care experience measures (from SHEP) and 11 measures of quality of ambulatory care (from EPRP). RESULTS Nine percent of patients experienced a PCP turnover in our study sample. Primary care provider turnover was associated with a worse rating in each domain of patient care experience. Turnover was associated with a reduced likelihood of having a positive rating of their personal physician of 68.2% vs 74.6% (adjusted percentage point difference, -5.3; 95% CI, -6.0 to -4.7) and a reduced likelihood of getting care quickly of 36.5% vs 38.5% (adjusted percentage point difference, -1.1; 95% CI, -2.1 to -0.1). In contrast, PCP turnover was not associated with lower quality of ambulatory care except for a lower likelihood of controlling blood pressure of 78.7% vs 80.4% (adjusted percentage point difference, -1.44; 95% CI, -2.2 to -0.7). In 9 measures of ambulatory care quality, the difference between patients who experienced no PCP turnover and those who had a PCP turnover was less than 1 percentage point. These effects were moderated by the patients' continuity with their PCP prior to turnover, with a larger detrimental effect of PCP turnover among those with higher continuity prior to the turnover. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Primary care provider turnover was associated with worse patient experiences of care but did not have a major effect on ambulatory care quality.
Re-consideration of influence of silicon wafer surface orientation on gate oxide reliability from TDDB statistics point of view

Recently, in order to achieve higher performance and higher density in both CMOS/Logic and flash memories, some three-dimensional structures have been paid much attention. In these structures, the Si surfaces with the surface orientation except (100) are used for the channel of transistors/cells. The reliability depending Si surface orientation has been previously reported and worse reliability of the gate oxides has been suggested. From the viewpoint of the reliability assurance of the devices, the statistical distribution of the degradation is also important. In this paper, we focus on the influence of Si wafer surface orientation on the gate oxide reliability, in particular, focusing the statistical distribution of TDDB. As a result, not only average tBD (50%-tBD) but also Weibull slope for the gate oxide grown on (111) or (110) Si surface are less than those for conventional (100) Si surface. From time-dependent SILC characteristics, it is suggested that larger generated defect size invokes the small Weibull slope compared to SiO2 on (100). It is expected that the SiO2 on (111) or (110) Si surface involves the fragile SiO2 structures, which cause both higher defect generation rate and larger generated defect size.
Attitude adaptive control of space systems

Attitude adaptive control of a space robot system with an attitude controlled base on which the robot is attached is discussed. Firstly, the system kinematic and dynamic equations based on Lagrangian dynamics and linear momentum conservation law are derived. Then we propose an adaptive control scheme in joint space which has been shown effective and feasible for the cases where unknown or unmodeled dynamics must be considered, such as in the task of transport an unknown payload, or catching a moving object. We approach the problem by making use of the proposed joint space adaptive controller and updating joint trajectory by the estimated dynamic parameters and given trajectory in inertia space. In the case study of a planar system, the linear parameterization problem is investigated; the design procedure of the controller is illustrated, and simulation results are presented to demonstrate the validity and effectiveness of the proposed control scheme.
Examining the interaction of flood vulnerability determinants in Cambodia and Vietnam using partial least squares structural equation modeling

The formation of vulnerability to natural hazards consists of many driving factors that represent multi-facets of the subjected system. However, the interactions among these components remain unclear and have not been clarified. Examining these internal relationships helps to improve the accuracy of vulnerability assessments and provides needed focus in flood management. This study employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to discover the interrelationship of household flood vulnerability determinants in Cambodia's floodplain and Vietnam's Mekong River Delta. The results show that demographics and social capital have direct influences on flood exposure. In this paper, socioeconomic status can reduce flood effect levels through the mediation of coping capacity. In addition, heterogeneity was also observed between Vietnamese and Cambodian families, highlighting the influence of context on understanding social vulnerability. As the two countries are under threat from hydropower and climate change that profoundly affect flooding, flood management strategies should be improved. The study suggests that the focus should be placed with socioeconomic and coping capacity to sustainably strengthen resilience against flooding.
Fear Extinction Recall Modulates Human Frontomedial Theta and Amygdala Activity

Human functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and electroencephalography (EEG) studies, as well as animal studies, indicate that the amygdala and frontomedial brain regions are critically involved in conditioned fear and that frontomedial oscillations in the theta range (4-8 Hz) may support communication between these brain regions. However, few studies have used a multimodal approach to probe interactions among these key regions in humans. Here, our goal was to bridge the gap between prior human fMRI, EEG, and animal findings. Using simultaneous EEG-fMRI recordings 24 h after fear conditioning and extinction, conditioned stimuli presented (CS+E, CS-E) and not presented during extinction (CS+N, CS-N) were compared to identify effects specific to extinction versus fear recall. Differential (CS+ vs. CS-) electrodermal, frontomedial theta (EEG) and amygdala responses (fMRI) were reduced for extinguished versus nonextinguished stimuli. Importantly, effects on theta power covaried with effects on amygdala activation. Fear and extinction recall as indicated by theta explained 60% of the variance for the analogous effect in the right amygdala. Our findings show for the first time the interplay of amygdala and frontomedial theta activity during fear and extinction recall in humans and provide insight into neural circuits consistently linked with top-down amygdala modulation in rodents.
Single-stage reconfigurable DC/DC converter for wide input voltage range operation in HEVs

This paper proposes a single-stage reconfigurable topology [1] for an isolated DC/DC converter that supplies the 12V power net from a HV-battery pack in hybrid and electric vehicles. The proposed topology solves the problem of reduced converter efficiency in the upper range of HV-battery voltages. The converter is based on the ZVT phase shift full bridge DC/DC converter that is depending on the instantaneous value of battery voltage reconfigured into the push-pull converter. The ZVT phase shift configuration covers upper range of input voltages whereas it is reconfigured into the less efficient, hard-switching, push-pull configuration to cover the lower range. The point of reconfiguration is chosen to maximize the average efficiency according to the histogram of HV-battery voltage during typical driving cycle. Experimental validation of the proposed converter and the efficiency improvement is also presented.
International Mindedness and Intercultural Competence: Perceptions of Pakistani Higher Education Faculty

This qualitative study endeavored to examine higher education faculty members’ understanding of international mindedness and intercultural competence and sought their views on professional development programs competency in evolving an internationally minded stance. The focus of this study was on international mindedness because in the current era of globalization, it has become imperative to inculcate world mindedness in students and to prepare them for global citizenship. Data were collected through in-depth individual interviews held with eight faculty members teaching at two higher education institutions in Karachi, Pakistan. Dominant findings demonstrated that most participants had limited insight regarding the concepts and that these were applied minimally in their current teaching practices. Although, lauding an international minded approach, most participants considered understanding of local cultures more relevant before moving on to international visions. Participating faculty also reflected that there was lack of professional development and that for understanding local and international dynamics, specialized education programs were an important factor. The study concluded with implications for professional growth platforms to foster global mindedness in educators in order for them to promote international mindedness in students.
Participatory innovations and maxi‐publics: The influence of participation possibilities on perceived legitimacy at the local level in Finland

Participatory innovations (PIs) have been introduced as one possible cure to democratic malaises. Empirical research on these mechanisms for citizen participation has, however, focused on their effects on individuals and policy outcomes, leaving aside their consequences for the wider public. This article fills part of the gap by examining the effect of PIs on perceived legitimacy. The article acknowledges that citizens value not only outcomes but also the inclusiveness of decision‐making processes, and defines procedural fairness and outcome satisfaction as the key evaluative criteria behind perceived legitimacy. Both total number and type of PIs are considered as possible factors shaping legitimacy evaluations. By analysing data from 9,022 citizens in 30 Finnish municipalities, the article reveals that introducing PIs is not a simple fix for legitimacy of local governments. The type of participation matters, with discursive participation generating the strongest effects on procedural fairness. However, attention should also be paid to citizens’ awareness of participation possibilities.
Imiquimod and the imidazoquinolones: mechanism of action and therapeutic potential

A central development of the past decade has been in our understanding of the interactions between, and interdependence of, the innate and adaptive immune responses. Innate immunity recognizes ‘danger’ signals and activates adaptive immunity in a targeted, appropriate and effective response. Dendritic cells and macrophages have a central role in this process, and pharmacological agents that modulate the functions of these cells could have therapeutic value. The imidazoquinolone compounds, of which imiquimod, formulated as Aldara™, is the best characterized to date, are such molecules. Imiquimod and its homologues act by activating macrophages and other cells via binding to cell surface receptors, such as Toll receptor 7, thereby inducing secretion of pro‐inflammatory cytokines, predominantly interferon (IFN)‐α, tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α and interleukin (IL)‐12. This locally generated cytokine milieu biases towards a Th1 cell mediated immune response with the generation of cytotoxic effectors, and this has been exploited clinically in the treatment of viral infections (human papillomavirus, herpes simplex virus, molluscum contagiosum) and nonmelanoma skin cancer. Imiquimod has been shown to be significantly more effective than placebo in clearing genital warts, and mechanism of action studies indicate that this is related to the ability to generate proinflammatory cytokines and a Th1 response. Intra‐epithelial neoplasms of cutaneous and mucosal surfaces are associated with human papillomavirus infection and there is some evidence that immune response modifiers may have therapeutic value for these lesions. Topical immunotherapy with immunomodulators shows potential for effective and patient‐friendly treatment of cutaneous viral infections. These compounds also have adjuvant properties that could significantly enhance conventional vaccine strategies.
Children's Schooling in Nicaragua: What is the Link between Educational Achievement, Borrowing, and Gender?

The impact of credit has been widely studied, and yet little is known about the effect of formal versus informal loans. In this paper, we contrast the two and their impact on children's schooling using longitudinal data from Nicaragua. To address endogeneity, we utilize both household fixed effects and locality–year fixed effects. Our results indicate that, on average, children from borrowing households fare worse than children from nonborrowing households, with male borrowers having a disproportionately negative effect on boys, and vice versa for girls and female borrowers. Informal credit is found to have a protective effect on school attendance, but the effects of formal and informal credit on cumulative schooling are found to be statistically equivalent. However, this appears to mask considerable heterogeneity within informal borrowing.
A clinico-epidemiological study of cognitive function status of community-dwelling elderly

Background: Cognitive decline and dementia are an important problem affecting quality-of-life in elderly and their caregivers. There is regional variation in prevalence of cognitive decline as well as risk factors from region to region. Aim: The aim was to determine the prevalence of dementia and cognitive decline and its various risk factors in the elderly population of more than 60 years in Eastern Uttar Pradesh (India). Materials and Methods: A camp-based study was conducted on rural population of Chiraigaon block of Varanasi district from February 2007 to May 2007. Block has 80 villages, of which 11 villages were randomly selected. Eleven camps were organized for elderly people in 11 randomly selected villages on predetermined dates. A total of 728 elderly persons of age >60 years were examined, interviewed and data thus collected was analyzed. Elderly who got Hindi-mini-mental state examination (HMSE) score developed by Ganguli based on the Indo-US Cross-National Dementia Epidemiology Study) score ≤23 were evaluated further and in those with confirmed cognitive and functional impairment, diagnosis of dementia was assigned according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorder fourth edition criteria after ruling out any psychiatric illness or delirium. Based on International Classification of Diseases-10 diagnostic criteria sub-categorization of dementia was done. Results: Mean, median and 10th percentile of HMSE of the study population were 23.4, 24 and 17, respectively. About 14.6% elderly had scored <17. 42.9% of rural elderly population had HMSE score <23, 70.6% <27 and 27.7% between 23 and 27. Literate people had statistically significant higher mean HMSE score (26.1 ± 3.9) than illiterate people (22.9 ± 4.9). Other risk factors were female gender, malnutrition, and obesity. Prevalence of dementia was 2.74%; in male 2.70% and in female 2.80%. Most common type of dementia was Alzheimer (male 1.5%, female 1.5%) followed by vascular (male 1.2%, female 0.6%) and others 0.6% (male 0%, female 0.6%). Conclusions: Study showed that a very high percentage of rural elderly attending health camps had poor cognitive function score; though the prevalence of dementia was relatively low. Alzheimer dementia was most common, followed by vascular dementia, which was predominant in males. Illiteracy, age, and under-nutrition were the most important risk factors for poor cognitive function. Our study suggest that cut-off of HMSE score should be 17 (10th percentile) for illiterate population.
U SE OF E MERGENCY M EDICAL S ERVICES BY C HILDREN WITH S PECIAL H EALTH C ARE N EEDS

Objective. This study describes emergency medical services (EMS) responses for children with special health care needs (CSHCN) in an urban area over a one-year period. Methods. A prospective surveillance system was established to identify EMS responses for children, 21 years of age or younger, with a congenital or acquired condition or a chronic physical or mental illness. Responses related to the special health care needs of the child were compared with unrelated responses. Results. During a one-year period, 924 responses were identified. Fewer than half of the responses were related to the child's special health care need. Younger children were significantly more likely to have a response related to their special needs than older children. Among related responses, seizure disorder was the most common diagnosis, while asthma was more common for unrelated responses. Almost 58% of the responses resulted in transport of the child to a hospital. Conclusions. Emergency medical services responses related to a child's special health care needs differ from unrelated responses. The most common special health care needs of children did not require treatment beyond the prehospital care provider's usual standard of care. These results are relevant for communities providing EMS services for CSHCN.
Aspectos do gestor, alocação de carteiras e desempenho de fundos no Brasil

This paper intends to contribute to the literature on investment funds in emerging markets by looking at the performance of multimarket funds in Brazil from a manager perspective. The aim of the paper was to analyze whether some characteristics of investment fund managers, as well as their portfolio holdings, can affect fund performance. In emerging countries both portfolio asset allocation and manager characteristics can help explain differences in the fund performance, which increases the relevance of this study. Therefore, the impact of this research lies in its revealing a significant relationship between risk-adjusted return and the portion of portfolios allocated to fixed or variable income, which seems that have not been explored in the context of emerging economies yet. A total of 6,002 multimarket funds were analyzed, covering the period between September 2009 and December 2015, using panel data with robust standard errors clustered by funds. We also employed robust statistics in order to assess some potential biases due to outliers, by analyzing the breakdown point in the estimated models. It should be noted that portfolio composition (allocation of portfolios into variable income and fixed income) was the most important factor in explaining a potential change in the performance of Brazilian multimarket funds. Also important were the effectiveness of the management of these funds, that is, the best risk-adjusted returns were delivered by less experienced managers, funds investing more in fixed income, managers with more funds under management, and larger funds.
Affine Parameter-Dependent Preview Control for Rotorcraft Terrain Following Flight

This paper presents a terrain-following controller for rotorcraft that takes into account the terrain characteristics ahead of the vehicle as measured by a laser range scanner. The methodology used to solve the terrain-following control problem poses it as a discrete time path following control problem in which a conveniently defined error state-space model of the plant is augmented with terrain preview data. A piecewise affine parameter-dependent model representation is used to accurately describe the linearized error dynamics for a predefined set of operating regions. For each region, the synthesis problem is stated as a state feedback H 2 control problem for affine parameter-dependent systems and solved using linear matrix inequalities. An alternative technique to compute the feedforward preview gain matrix is proposed that avoids solving linear matrix inequalities involving a large number of unknowns. The resulting nonlinear controller is implemented within the scope of gain-scheduled control theory using the D-methodology. Simulation results obtained with the full nonlinear helicopter model are presented and discussed.
Limits to Arbitrage in Markets with Stochastic Settlement Latency

Distributed ledger technologies rely on consensus protocols confronting traders with random waiting times until the transfer of ownership is accomplished. This time-consuming settlement process exposes arbitrageurs to price risk and imposes limits to arbitrage. We derive theoretical arbitrage boundaries under general assumptions and show that they increase with expected latency, latency uncertainty, spot volatility, and risk aversion. Using high-frequency data from the Bitcoin network, we estimate arbitrage boundaries due to settlement latency of on average 124 basis points, covering 88 percent of the observed cross-exchange price differences. Settlement through decentralized systems thus induces non-trivial frictions affecting market efficiency and price formation.