Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Trends in Hip Fracture-Related Mortality in Texas, 1990-2007

Background: There are limited data about trends in hip fracture-related mortality. In this study, we examined temporal trends in hip fracture mortality rates among persons aged 50 years or older in Texas between 1990 and 2007. Materials and Methods: Hip fracture-related mortality was defined as a death on the multiple cause of death record for which hip fracture was listed as a contributing cause. Population estimates for Texas were used as the denominator to calculate mortality rates per 100,000 persons. The joinpoint regression analysis was used to identify points where a statistically significant change occurred in the linear slope of the rates. Results: A total of 14,350 death certificates listed hip fracture as a contributing cause of death. Hip fracture rates decreased predominantly among men by 0.8% (95% CI, −1.5 to −0.1) per year. Conversely, age-adjusted rates among women increased by 0.3% (95% CI, −0.4 to 1.0) per year. By race/ethnicity, hip fracture mortality rates increased annually 2.2% (95% CI, −0.1 to 4.4) among blacks, whereas the rates among whites and Hispanics remained steady. Moreover, the proportion of death records that listed nursing homes and residence as a place of death increased by 2.2% (95% CI, 1.6 to 2.9) and 8.7% (95% CI, 6.3 to 11.0) per year, respectively. Conclusion: Hip fracture mortality rates decreased predominantly among men in Texas during the study period. Increasing hip fracture mortality rates among blacks and nursing home residents merit further research.
Never Walk Alone: Uncertainty for Anonymity in Moving Objects Databases

Preserving individual privacy when publishing data is a problem that is receiving increasing attention. According to the fc-anonymity principle, each release of data must be such that each individual is indistinguishable from at least k - 1 other individuals. In this paper we study the problem of anonymity preserving data publishing in moving objects databases. We propose a novel concept of k-anonymity based on co-localization that exploits the inherent uncertainty of the moving object's whereabouts. Due to sampling and positioning systems (e.g., GPS) imprecision, the trajectory of a moving object is no longer a polyline in a three-dimensional space, instead it is a cylindrical volume, where its radius delta represents the possible location imprecision: we know that the trajectory of the moving object is within this cylinder, but we do not know exactly where. If another object moves within the same cylinder they are indistinguishable from each other. This leads to the definition of (k,delta) -anonymity for moving objects databases. We first characterize the (k, delta)-anonymity problem and discuss techniques to solve it. Then we focus on the most promising technique by the point of view of information preservation, namely space translation. We develop a suitable measure of the information distortion introduced by space translation, and we prove that the problem of achieving (k,delta) -anonymity by space translation with minimum distortion is NP-hard. Faced with the hardness of our problem we propose a greedy algorithm based on clustering and enhanced with ad hoc pre-processing and outlier removal techniques. The resulting method, named NWA (Never Walk .Alone), is empirically evaluated in terms of data quality and efficiency. Data quality is assessed both by means of objective measures of information distortion, and by comparing the results of the same spatio-temporal range queries executed on the original database and on the (k, delta)-anonymized one. Experimental results show that for a wide range of values of delta and k, the relative error introduced is kept low, confirming that NWA produces high quality (k, delta)-anonymized data.
Pre-operative pulmonary evaluation of lung cancer patients: a review of the literature

Complete anatomical resection of the primary tumour is still the standard of care in patients with early stage lung cancer. Because these patients are usually smokers who also suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, regional differences in pulmonary function due to lung tissue destruction exist. The purpose of the present article is to evaluate the currently available guidelines and to discuss novel methods for the pre-operative functional and anatomical pulmonary evaluation in lung cancer patients. Despite the fact that knowledge on the pre-operative evaluation of the pulmonary function has substantially increased during the past decade, the majority of the studies are small, underpowered and, with exception of a proposed algorithm, not prospectively validated in independent cohorts. The future harmonisation of guidelines is required and novel imaging techniques should be incorporated in the pre-operative evaluation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease patients with borderline pulmonary function.
The Vitamin A Derivative All-Trans Retinoic Acid Repairs Amyloid-β-Induced Double-Strand Breaks in Neural Cells and in the Murine Neocortex

The amyloid-β peptide or Aβ is the key player in the amyloid-cascade hypothesis of Alzheimer's disease. Aβ appears to trigger cell death but also production of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in aging and Alzheimer's disease. All-trans retinoic acid (RA), a derivative of vitamin A, was already known for its neuroprotective effects against the amyloid cascade. It diminishes, for instance, the production of Aβ peptides and their oligomerisation. In the present work we investigated the possible implication of RA receptor (RAR) in repair of Aβ-induced DSBs. We demonstrated that RA, as well as RAR agonist Am80, but not AGN 193109 antagonist, repair Aβ-induced DSBs in SH-SY5Y cells and an astrocytic cell line as well as in the murine cortical tissue of young and aged mice. The nonhomologous end joining pathway and the Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated kinase were shown to be involved in RA-mediated DSBs repair in the SH-SY5Y cells. Our data suggest that RA, besides increasing cell viability in the cortex of young and even of aged mice, might also result in targeted DNA repair of genes important for cell or synaptic maintenance. This phenomenon would remain functional up to a point when Aβ increase and RA decrease probably lead to a pathological state.
VariPipe: Low-overhead variable-clock synchronous pipelines

Synchronous pipelines usually have a fixed clock frequency determined by the worst-case process-voltage-temperature (PVT) analysis of the most critical path. Higher operating frequencies are possible under typical PVT conditions, especially when the most critical path is not triggered. This paper introduces a design methodology that uses asynchronous design to generate the clock of a synchronous pipeline. The result is a variable clock period that changes cycle-by-cycle according to the current operations in the pipeline and the current PVT conditions. The paper also presents a simple design flow to implement variable-clock systems with standard cells using conventional synchronous design tools. The variable-clock pipeline technique has been tested on a 32-bit microprocessor in 90nm technology. Post-layout simulations with three sets of benchmarks demonstrate that the variable-clock processor has a two-fold performance advantage over its fixed-clock counterpart. The overhead of the added clock generation circuit is merely 2.6% in area and 3% in energy consumption, compared to an earlier proposal that costs 100% overhead.
Hybridization of CMOS and SET

From the discussions of the last three chapters, we can observe that the SET has attracted attention as a candidate for future VLSI mainly due to its three virtues: nanoscale feature size, ultralow power dissipation, and unique Coulomb blockade oscillation characteristics. In spite of such interesting properties, the practical implementation of the SET is questionable because of its low current drive and lack of mature room temperature operable technology. A comparison between the advantages and limitations of CMOS and SET technologies is presented in Table 4.1. From this table it can be inferred that, despite its attractive features, it would be very difficult for SET (as well as for any new nanotechnology) to compete head to head with CMOS’s large-scale infrastructure, proven design methodologies, and economic predictability. Even if a stable, unified technology for SET fabrication is available in the near future, the digital applications of SET are not appealing due to its nano-Ampere current drive capability and lack of adapted interconnects. However, Table 4.1 also suggests that CMOS and SET are rather complementary. SET advocates low power consumption and new functionality (related to the Coulomb blockade oscillations), while CMOS has advantages such as high-speed driving and voltage gain that can compensate for the intrinsic drawbacks of SET. Therefore, although a complete replacement of CMOS by single electronics is unlikely in the near future, it is also true that by combining SET and CMOS, we can bring out new functionalities, which are unmirrored in pure CMOS technology. Such a cointegration approach also smoothes out the abrupt change of technology from CMOS to SET [1, 2].
Investigating the relationship between Local Climate Zone and land surface temperature

The concept of Local Climate Zone (LCZ) has been developed to quantify the correlation between urban morphology and urban heat island (UHI). Each LCZ is supposed to have homogenous air temperature. However, traditional air temperature observation methods have limited spatial coverage and poor spatial resolution. Land surface temperature (LST) acquired from satellite images can be used to study the temperature characteristics of LCZ classes by providing continuous data on surface temperature. This study aims to study the relationship between LST and LCZ classes with Shanghai selected as a case study because of its high urbanization rate and serious UHI effect. This study has three major steps: Firstly, Shanghai local climate zone map was generated using the World Urban Database and Portal Tool (WUDAPT) method. Secondly, a remote sensing approach was taken to acquire Shanghai's LST from night-time Aster thermal data in different seasons. Thirdly, the LST was associated with the Shanghai LCZ map and the correlation between LCZ and LST in Shanghai was discussed. The results show that there are large variations in LST across LCZ classes in different months in Shanghai. These results will be able to offer integrated information under urban climate principles for urban planners and urban climate researchers.
Systematic review of lumbar discography as a diagnostic test for chronic low back pain.

BACKGROUND The intervertebral disc has been implicated as an etiology of chronic lumbar spine pain based on clinical, basic science, and epidemiological research. However, there is lack of consensus regarding the diagnosis and treatment of intervertebral disc disorders. Based on controlled evaluations, the lumbar intervertebral discs have been shown to be sources of chronic back pain without disc herniation in 26% to 39%. Lumbar provocation discography, which includes disc stimulation and morphological evaluation, is often used to distinguish a painful disc from other potential sources of pain. Despite the extensive literature, controversy continues about provocation lumbar discography. STUDY DESIGN A systematic review of the lumbar provocation discography literature. OBJECTIVES To systematically assess the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar discography. METHODS A systematic review of the literature was performed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar discography with respect to chronic low back pain. Study inclusion/exclusion criteria were based on International Association for the Study of Pain (IASP) standards with pain provocation and determination of controlled discs. Selected studies were then subjected to a rating instrument for diagnostic accuracy studies. Specific data were then culled from these studies and tabulated. Quality of evidence was assessed using modified Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) diagnostic accuracy evaluation. Studies meeting methodologic quality criteria scores of 50 or higher were included in the assessment of the level of evidence. Qualitative analysis was conducted using 5 levels of evidence, ranging from Level I to III, with 3 subcategories in Level II. The rating scheme was modified to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy. RESULTS Based on a modified U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) level of evidence criteria, this systematic review indicates the strength of evidence as Level II-2 for the diagnostic accuracy of lumbar provocation discography utilizing IASP criteria. LIMITATIONS Limitations include a paucity of literature, poor methodologic quality, and very few studies performed utilizing IASP criteria. CONCLUSION Based on the current systematic review, lumbar provocation discography performed according to the IASP criteria with control disc (s) with minimum pain intensity of 7 of 10, or at least 70% reproduction of worst pain (i.e. worst spontaneous pain of 7 = 7 x 70% = 5) may be a useful tool for evaluating chronic lumbar discogenic pain. Discography is an important imaging and pain evaluation tool in identifying a subset of patients with chronic low back pain secondary to intervertebral disc disorders.
Effects of ammonia on processing and secretion of precursor and mature lysosomal enzyme from macrophages of normal and pale ear mice: evidence for two distinct pathways

Lysosomal enzymes have been shown to be synthesized as microsomal precursors, which are processed to mature enzymes located in lysosomes. We examined the effect of ammonium chloride on the intracellular processing and secretion of two lysosomal enzymes, beta-glucuronidase and beta-galactosidase, in mouse macrophages. This lysosomotropic drug caused extensive secretion of both precursor and mature enzyme forms within a few hours, as documented by pulse radiolabeling and molecular weight analysis. The normal intracellular route for processing and secretion of precursor enzyme was altered in treated cells. A small percentage of each precursor was delivered to the lysosomal organelle slowly. Most precursor forms traversed the Golgi apparatus, underwent further processing of carbohydrate moieties, and were then secreted in a manner similar to secretory proteins. The lag time for secretion of newly synthesized beta-galactosidase precursor was notably longer than that for the beta-glucuronidase precursor. The source of the secreted mature enzyme was the lysosomal organelle. Macrophages from the pale ear mutant were markedly deficient in secretion of mature lysosomal enzyme but secreted precursor forms normally. These results suggest that ammonia-treated macrophages contain two distinct intracellular pathways for secretion of lysosomal enzymes and that a specific block in the release of lysosomal contents occurs in the pale ear mutant.
Improvement of Characteristics of Dielectric Circular Resonator and Its Filter Application

The improvements of a circular waveguide-type resonator for gaining better characteristics, i.e. higher Q value and bigger separation of higher-modes, are investigated. The resonator which is fabricated by lamination of metal strips in sectorial segmentations etched on a teflon board is intended to excite a TE11delta mode selectively. The resonant frequency and unloaded Q of dielectric circular resonators in which the gap between metal strips and the number of metal strip are changed are analyzed by use of an HFSSreg simulation, and then the results are compared with the experimental ones. To demonstrate the feasibility of improvement, a 2-stage bandpass filter encapsulated in a metal circular waveguide is realized
Burnout in families : the systemic costs of caring

Chapter 1: Burnout as Systemic Traumatic Stress: A Model for Helping Traumatized Families, Charles R. Figley, Ph.D., Florida State University Chapter 2: Understanding the Secondary Traumatic Stress of Children, Arlene Steinberg, Ph.D., New York City Chapter 3: Understanding the Secondary Traumatic Stress of Spouses, Kathleen Gilbert, Ph.D., Indiana University Chapter 4: Understanding the Secondary Traumatic Stress of Parents, Michael F. Barnes, Ph.D., Florida State University Chapter 5: Treating STSD in Children, Mary Beth Williams, Ph.D., Warrenton, Virginia Chapter 6: Treating Traumatized Partners: Producing Secondary Survivors of PTSD, Rory Remer, Ph.D. and Robert A. Ferguson, Ph.D., University of Kentucky Chapter 7: Treating Burnout in Families Following Childhood Trauma, Michael F. Barnes, Ph.D., Florida State University Chapter 8: Treating Traumatized Families, Donald R. Catherall, Ph.D., Phoenix Institute, Chicago Index
Swarm optimisation as a new tool for data mining

This paper proposes the use of particle swarm optimisers as a tool for data mining. To evaluate its usefulness, we empirically compare the performance of three variants of the particle optimiser with another evolutionary algorithm, namely a genetic algorithm, in rule discovery for classification tasks. Such tasks are considered core tools for decision support systems in a widespread area, ranging from the industry, commerce, military and scientific fields. The data sources used here for experimental testing are commonly used and considered as a de facto standard for rule discovery algorithms reliability ranking. The results obtained in these domains seem to indicate that particle swarm optimisers are competitive with other evolutionary techniques, and can be successfully applied to more demanding problem domains.
Etiological Theories of Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis: Past and Present

Adolescent idiopathic scoliosis is one of the most common spinal deformities, yet its cause is unknown. Various theories look to biomechanical, neuromuscular, genetic, and environmental origins, yet our understanding of scoliosis etiology is still limited. Determining the cause of a disease is crucial to developing the most effective treatment. Associations made with scoliosis do not necessarily point to causality, and it is difficult to determine whether said associations are primary (playing a role in development) or secondary (develop as a result of scoliosis). Scoliosis is a complex condition with highly variable expression, even among family members, and likely has many causes. These causes could be similar among homogenous groups of AIS patients, or they could be individual. Here, we review the most prevalent theories of scoliosis etiology and recent trends in research.
An electricity energy and water consumption model for Korean Style Apartment buildings

This research focuses on building-information related energy consumption estimation modeling by analyzing domestic electricity energy and water consumption data. We identify the elements of apartment buildings which are related to electricity and water use and demonstrate energy consumption forecast based on the proposed model. To verify the patterns of electricity energy and water consumption in relation with apartment buildings, we collect data for one of the apartment complexes in South Korea. Both weather history data including temperature and relative humidity and building information such as floor number and the gross area of apartment units are selected as Building-Information Factors (BIF) to analyze their effects on energy use in apartment buildings. In this paper, we cover annual electricity energy and water consumption among major household utilities that is manipulated by BIF. We conduct Multiple Regression Analysis (MRA) and use neural network-based model such as Multiple-Layer Perceptron (MLP) not only to reveal the relation among the elements such as weather information and BIF toward energy and water consumption model but also to estimate electricity energy and water use forecast. By carrying out this research, the relationship among BIF and energy consumption data sets is turned out to be essential information for establishing a Korean Style Apartment Management Information System as well as establishing a real estate policy on housing prices according to the diversification in floor numbers and gross areas of apartment units.
An investigation of the neurochemical mechanisms underlying the contrasting effects of d-amphetamine in two subregions of the rat anterior cingulate cortex

d-Amphetamine inhibits neuronal uptake, and causes impulse-independent release of monoamines. There are several reports that d-amphetamine increases glutamate efflux in the rat cerebral cortex, but this has not been investigated systematically. It is unclear whether this is direct or secondary to its effects on dopamine transmission. These experiments aimed to compare regulation of extracellular glutamate in two adjacent subregions of the rat anterior cingulate cortex using in vivo microdialysis: the rostral anterior cingulate cortex (rACC) and caudal anterior cingulate cortex (cACC), which are innervated by dopaminergic projections from different brainstem nuclei. The first finding was that the glutamate response to d-amphetamine depended on subregion and route of administration. Glutamate in the cACC but not the rACC was increased by systemic d-amphetamine. Conversely, glutamate in the rACC but not the cACC was increased by local d-amphetamine. Local infusion of dopamine in the rACC mimicked the effect of d-amphetamine, suggesting the glutamate response is mediated by dopamine. This was confirmed by experiments where the glutamate response to local d-amphetamine in the rACC was blocked by the Di-like receptor antagonist SCH23390 but not the D2-like receptor antagonist haloperidol. Local infusion of dihydrokainate (DHK), which inhibits the glial GLT-1 glutamate transporter, did not affect spontaneous efflux of glutamate in either subregion. However, DHK increased glutamate efflux during local infusion of d-amphetamine in the cACC, indicating that GLT-1 normally contributes to clearance of glutamate released by d-amphetamine. In contrast, infusion of DHK reduced glutamate efflux in the rACC of rats given systemic d-amphetamine, suggesting that impairment of GLT-1 function leads to reduced glutamate release (possibly through activation of inhibitory autoreceptors). Such striking neurochemical asymmetries enable spatial focussing of the response to d-amphetamine in the ACC and could contribute to demarcation of the role of each of its subregions in regulation of mood and behaviour.
In Intact Islets Interstitial GABA Activates GABAA Receptors That Generate Tonic Currents in α-Cells

In the rat islets γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is produced by the β-cells and, at least, the α-cells express the GABAA receptors (GABAA channels). In this study, we examined in intact islets if the interstitial GABA activated the GABAA receptors. We used the patch-clamp technique to record whole-cell and single-channel currents and single-cell RT-PCR to identify the cell-type we recorded from, in the intact rat islets. We further identified which GABAA receptor subunits were expressed. We determined the cell-type of 43 cells we recorded from and of these 49%, 28% and 7% were α, β and δ-cells, respectively. In the remaining 16% of the cells, mRNA transcripts of more than one hormone gene were detected. The results show that in rat islets interstitial GABA activates tonic current in the α-cells but not in the β-cells. Seventeen different GABAA receptor subunits are expressed with high expression of α1, α2, α4, α6, β3, γ1, δ, ρ1, ρ2 and ρ3 subunits whereas no expression was detected for α5 or ε subunits. The abundance of the GABAA receptor subunits detected suggests that a number of GABAA receptor subtypes are formed in the islets. The single-channel and tonic currents were enhanced by pentobarbital and inhibited by the GABAA receptor antagonist SR-95531. The single-channel conductance ranged from 24 to 105 pS. Whether the single-channel conductance is related to subtypes of the GABAA receptor or variable interstitial GABA concentrations remains to be determined. Our results reveal that GABA is an extracellular signaling molecule in rat pancreatic islets and reaches concentration levels that activate GABAA receptors on the glucagon-releasing α-cells.