Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Regional Variations in the Further Management of Neutropenic Patients already Receiving Empirical Antimicrobial Therapy

To investigate whether or not the considerable regional differences in prescribing further modifications to initial empirical regimen were due to differences in the patient populations or were the result of other factors we re-analysed the data from a large multicentre study of monotherapy for the empirical treatment of febrile, neutropenic patients. We matched 151 episodes treated in 14 centres in Europe with the same number treated in 17 centres in North America for age > 46 years, gender, acute leukaemia, antibacterial prophylaxis, intravascular catheter use, receipt of ceftazidime or piperacillin plus tobramycin which were the regimens in the original study, the presence of bacteraemia at the onset of fever and the occurrence of a focus of infection within the first 3 days of empirical therapy. The initial regimen was in fact unchanged and successful after 72h for 74% of episodes treated in European centres and 45% of those treated in North American centres (p <.0001) and 38% and 21% of episodes respectively were managed successfully without any modification of therapy (p =.0044). Amphotericin and acyclovir were given in 35% and 11% of episodes treated in European centres compared with 53% and 25% of episodes treated in North American centres (p =.0053 and.0029). Moreover, empirical therapy was changed after a mean 4.8 days (95% Cl± 0.8) in North American centres but after 7.1 days (95%CI±1.0) in European centres (p =.0004) and there were 2.3±0.3 changes to therapy compared with 1.5±0.3 changes respectively (p =.0002). However there was no significant difference in survival (97% in and 96%), in the number of episodes complicated by a subsequent infection (10% and 11%), in the incidence of other adverse event (11% and 10%) nor in the proportion of episodes in which fever persisted longer than 5 days (53% and 48%) in North American centres and European centres respectively. The duration of fever (8.4±1.4 days and 7.1 ±1.2 days), antimicrobial therapy (19.8±1.9 days and 16.3±1.5 days) and neutropenia <0.5×109/L (19.9±2.9 days and 16.8±2.1 days) were also similar for North American centres and European centres respectively. These results suggest a genuine regional difference in medical practice does, in fact, exist.
Classical and Bayesian Inference in Neuroimaging: Applications

In Friston et al. ((2002) Neuroimage 16: 465-483) we introduced empirical Bayes as a potentially useful way to estimate and make inferences about effects in hierarchical models. In this paper we present a series of models that exemplify the diversity of problems that can be addressed within this framework. In hierarchical linear observation models, both classical and empirical Bayesian approaches can be framed in terms of covariance component estimation (e.g., variance partitioning). To illustrate the use of the expectation-maximization (EM) algorithm in covariance component estimation we focus first on two important problems in fMRI: nonsphericity induced by (i) serial or temporal correlations among errors and (ii) variance components caused by the hierarchical nature of multisubject studies. In hierarchical observation models, variance components at higher levels can be used as constraints on the parameter estimates of lower levels. This enables the use of parametric empirical Bayesian (PEB) estimators, as distinct from classical maximum likelihood (ML) estimates. We develop this distinction to address: (i) The difference between response estimates based on ML and the conditional means from a Bayesian approach and the implications for estimates of intersubject variability. (ii) The relationship between fixed- and random-effect analyses. (iii) The specificity and sensitivity of Bayesian inference and, finally, (iv) the relative importance of the number of scans and subjects. The forgoing is concerned with within- and between-subject variability in multisubject hierarchical fMRI studies. In the second half of this paper we turn to Bayesian inference at the first (within-voxel) level, using PET data to show how priors can be derived from the (between-voxel) distribution of activations over the brain. This application uses exactly the same ideas and formalism but, in this instance, the second level is provided by observations over voxels as opposed to subjects. The ensuing posterior probability maps (PPMs) have enhanced anatomical precision and greater face validity, in relation to underlying anatomy. Furthermore, in comparison to conventional SPMs they are not confounded by the multiple comparison problem that, in a classical context, dictates high thresholds and low sensitivity. We conclude with some general comments on Bayesian approaches to image analysis and on some unresolved issues.
The structure of the human CD2 gene and its expression in transgenic mice.

We report the genomic organization of the human CD2 gene and its expression in transgenic mice. A 28.5 kb segment of DNA consisting of 4.5 kb 5′ flanking sequences, 15 kb containing the gene's five exons and 9 kb of 3′ flanking sequences can direct the expression of the CD2 gene only on thymocytes, circulating T cells and megakaryocytes of the transgenic mice. The expression of each copy of the human CD2 transgene appears to be as high as the endogenous mouse CD2 gene and as high as the expression on the surface of human T lymphocytes, independent of the site of integration and dependent on the copy number of genes that have integrated.
Anticancer therapy in patients with porphyrias: evidence today

Background: Porphyrias are rare diseases, and for these patients every administration of drugs may induce an acute attack of porphyria. The list of safe compounds allowed in these patients is available for clinicians from specific websites cited in the text. Objectives: However, data concerning anticancer therapy in patients with such diseases remain poor. Therefore any publications can help clinicians to deal with this very specific group of patients. Methods: In our institution, three patients received docetaxel and hematologic growth factors (erythropoietin and GCSF) without unexpected toxicities. Aromatase inhibitors (anstrozole and letrozole) were also given in one patient without any related problem. Conclusion: The present observation adds some useful data for the possible treatment of cancer in patients with porphyria.
Error exponents for channel coding and signal constellation design

We consider the optimization of the random coding error exponent of a class of memoryless channels where the input is subject to a peak and average-power constraints. The capacity-achieving input is shown to be typically discrete and an algorithm is developed for computing these optimal distributions. As one application, we propose a new signal constellation design which out-performs QAM and PSK for certain channels.
Application of Cryopreserved Human Hepatocytes in Trichloroethylene Risk Assessment: Relative Disposition of Chloral Hydrate to Trichloroacetate and Trichloroethanol

Background Trichloroethylene (TCE) is a suspected human carcinogen and a common ground-water contaminant. Chloral hydrate (CH) is the major metabolite of TCE formed in the liver by cytochrome P450 2E1. CH is metabolized to the hepatocarcinogen trichloroacetate (TCA) by aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and to the noncarcinogenic metabolite trichloroethanol (TCOH) by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH). ALDH and ADH are polymorphic in humans, and these polymorphisms are known to affect the elimination of ethanol. It is therefore possible that polymorphisms in CH metabolism will yield subpopulations with greater than expected TCA formation with associated enhanced risk of liver tumors after TCE exposure. Methods The present studies were undertaken to determine the feasibility of using commercially available, cryogenically preserved human hepatocytes to determine simultaneously the kinetics of CH metabolism and ALDH/ADH genotype. Thirteen human hepatocyte samples were examined. Linear reciprocal plots were obtained for 11 ADH and 12 ALDH determinations. Results There was large interindividual variation in the Vmax values for both TCOH and TCA formation. Within this limited sample size, no correlation with ADH/ALDH genotype was apparent. Despite the large variation in Vmax values among individuals, disposition of CH into the two competing pathways was relatively constant. Conclusions These data support the use of cryopreserved human hepatocytes as an experimental system to generate metabolic and genomic information for incorporation into TCE cancer risk assessment models. The data are discussed with regard to cellular factors, other than genotype, that may contribute to the observed variability in metabolism of CH in human liver.
SFO-DTC scheme with fuzzy controller for asynchronous machine

This paper proposes a stator-flux-oriented direct torque control scheme (SFO-DTC) with a Fuzzy Torque and Flux (FTF) controller. The conventional SFO-DTC scheme has two PI regulators to generate the reference stator voltage vector necessary to maintain the load. With the aim to improve the performance of the conventional SFO-DTC scheme is proposed a unique FTF controller to substitute both PI regulators present in conventional scheme. Constant switching frequency and low torque ripple are obtained using space vector modulation technique. The experimental results show that the FTF controller obtains a decoupling torque and stator flux control and low torque ripple. These results were obtained for various operating conditions such as step change in the motor load, no-load speed reversion, and the application of an arbitrary speed profile with a good performance as expected, validating the proposed scheme.
Bioactive sol-gel foams for tissue repair.

Bioactive glasses are known to have the ability to regenerate bone, but their use has been restricted mainly to powder, granules, or small monoliths. This work reports on the development of sol-gel foams with potential applications as bone graft implants or as templates for the in vitro synthesis of bone tissue for transplantation. These bioactive foams exhibit a hierarchical structure with interconnected macropores (10-500 microm) and a mesoporous framework typical of gel-glasses (pores of 2-50 nm). The macroporous matrixes were produced through a novel route that comprises foaming of sol-gel systems. Three glass systems were tested to verify the applicability of this manufacturing route, namely SiO(2), SiO(2)-CaO, and SiO(2)-CaO-P(2)O(5). This new class of material combines large pores to support vascularization and 3-D tissue growth with the ability that bioactive materials have to provide bone-bonding and controlled release of ionic biologic stimuli to promote bone cell proliferation by gene activation.
Blood Lactate Measurements and Analysis during Exercise: A Guide for Clinicians

Blood lactate concentration ([La−]b) is one of the most often measured parameters during clinical exercise testing as well as during performance testing of athletes. While an elevated [Lai may be indicative of ischemia or hypoxemia, it may also be a “normal” physiological response to exertion. In response to “all-out” maximal exertion lasting 30–120 seconds, peak [La−]b values of =15–25 mM may be observed 3–8 minutes postexercise. In response to progressive, incremental exercise, [La−]b increases gradually at first and then more rapidly as the exercise becomes more intense. The work rate beyond which [La−]b increases exponentially [the lactate threshold (LT)] is a better predictor of performance than VO2max and is a better indicator of exercise intensity than heart rate; thus LT (and other valid methods of describing this curvilinear [La−]b response with a single point) is useful in prescribing exercise intensities for most diseased and nondiseased patients alike. H+-monocarboxylate cotransporters provide the primary of three routes by which La− transport proceeds across the sarcolemma and red blood cell membrane. At rest and during most exercise conditions, whole blood [La−] values are on average 70% of the corresponding plasma [La−] values; thus when analyzing [La−]b, care should be taken to both (1) validate the [LaT-measuring instrument with the criterion/reference enzymatic method and (2) interpret the results correctly based on what is being measured (plasma or whole blood). Overall, it is advantageous for clinicians to have a thorough understanding of [La−] responses, blood La− transport and distribution, and [La−] analysis.
A Latent Semantic Structure Model for Text Classification

Latent Semantic Indexing (LSI) has been successfully applied to information retrieval and classification. LSI can deal with the problems of polysemy and synonymy, and can reduce noise in the raw document-term matrix. However, LSI may ignore important features for some small categories because they are not the most important features for all the document collection. In this paper, we describe a new approach which extends LSI by incorporating also the classification information of the training documents. In our model, we consider two matrices: document-term and document-class. This model may better capture the latent semantic structure behind the classification examples than LSI.
Applying process simulation to software project scheduling

Good project scheduling is an essential yet extremely hard task in software management practice. The time needed to complete a development activity usually is known only roughly. Often, the completion of an activity is delayed due to unanticipated rework. In this paper, we show how process simulation can be utilized in order to support software managers in finding good schedules for their projects. We present a novel, discrete simulation model for software projects which explicitly takes a scheduling policy as input. The model represents task assignments, staff skill levels, component coupling, and rework caused by design changes. The simulation model is implemented in the ModL language of the general-purpose graphical simulation tool EXTEND [4]. As a first application of our project simulation model, we systematically study the performance of various so-called list policies for a sample project. The simulations quickly show what impact each list policy has on the expected progress and completion time of the sample project. We also provide a detailed analysis of the task assignments which actually occur in the simulations. The analysis clearly identifies the reasons why the list policies perform as observed.
A nonparametric method for automatic correction of intensity nonuniformity in MRI data

A novel approach to correcting for intensity nonuniformity in magnetic resonance (MR) data is described that achieves high performance without requiring a model of the tissue classes present. The method has the advantage that it can be applied at an early stage in an automated data analysis, before a tissue model is available. Described as nonparametric nonuniform intensity normalization (N3), the method is independent of pulse sequence and insensitive to pathological data that might otherwise violate model assumptions. To eliminate the dependence of the field estimate on anatomy, an iterative approach is employed to estimate both the multiplicative bias field and the distribution of the true tissue intensities. The performance of this method is evaluated using both real and simulated MR data.
Seasonal Epidemiology of Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations among Healthy Adults Living in Rural and Urban Areas in Mongolia

Many factors put Mongolians at risk of vitamin D deficiency. Despite low levels observed in Mongolian children and pregnant women, there are few data published on the vitamin D status of non-pregnant adults. Between summer 2011 and winter 2013, paired summer and winter blood samples were collected from 320 healthy men and women (20–58 years) living in eight Mongolian provinces. Mean serum 25(OH)D concentrations were 22.5 ng/mL (95% CI: 14.5, 32.5) in summer and 7.7 ng/mL (95% CI: 4.6, 10.8) in winter, with a distribution (<10/10–20/20–30/≥30 ng/mL) of 3.1%/39.3%/39.6%/17.9% in summer and 80.1%/19.5%/0.3%/0.0% in winter. Residents of the capital, Ulaanbaatar, had lower levels in both seasons than any other region, whereas residents of the Gobi desert had the highest. In summer, indoor workers had significantly lower levels than outdoor workers (−2.3 ng/mL; 95% CI: −4.1, −5.7) while levels in males exceeded those in females (4.0 ng/mL; 95% CI: 2.3, 5.7). Effects of region, occupation, and sex were also significant in multivariable regression. In conclusion, Mongolian adults had extremely low serum 25(OH)D, particularly in winter, when 80.1% had concentrations below 10 ng/mL. These results indicate a need for effective vitamin D interventions for the Mongolian adult population, particularly among women and residents of Ulaanbaatar.
EXTRACTION FOR INTEGRATED PATTERN RECOGNITION SYSTEMS

Conventional pattern recognition systems have two components: feature analysis and pattern classification. Feature analysis is achieved in two steps: parameter extraction and feature extraction. Feature extraction and pattern classification can be conducted independently or jointly. Two popular independent feature extraction algorithms are Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Minimum Classification Error (MCE) algorithm and Support Vector Machine (SVM) are two integrated pattern classification algorithms. This paper investigates the two integrated pattern classification algorithms. A generalized structure is proposed to enhance the performance of MCE and SVM.
Views and queries: Determinacy and rewriting

We investigate the question of whether a query <i>Q</i> can be answered using a set <b>V</b> of views. We first define the problem in information-theoretic terms: we say that <b>V</b> determines <i>Q</i> if <b>V</b> provides enough information to uniquely determine the answer to <i>Q</i>. Next, we look at the problem of rewriting <i>Q</i> in terms of <b>V</b> using a specific language. Given a view language <i>V</i> and query language <i>Q</i>, we say that a rewriting language <i>R</i> is complete for <i>V</i>-to-<i>Q</i> rewritings if every <i>Q</i> ∈ <i>Q</i> can be rewritten in terms of <b>V</b> ∈ <i>V</i> using a query in <i>R</i>, whenever <b>V</b> determines <i>Q</i>. While query rewriting using views has been extensively investigated for some specific languages, the connection to the information-theoretic notion of determinacy, and the question of completeness of a rewriting language have received little attention. In this article we investigate systematically the notion of determinacy and its connection to rewriting. The results concern decidability of determinacy for various view and query languages, as well as the power required of complete rewriting languages. We consider languages ranging from first-order to conjunctive queries.
On the Evolution of Phenotypic Exploration Distributions

In nature, phenotypic variability is highly structured with respect to correlations between different phenotypic traits. In this paper we argue that this structuredness can be understood as the outcome of an adaptive process of phenotypic exploration distributions, similar to the adaptation of the search distribution in heuristic search schemes or Estimation-of-Distribution Algorithms. The key ingredient of this process is a non-trivial genotype-phenotype mapping: We rigorously define non-triviality, in which case neutral traits (as a generalization of strategy parameters) influence phenotype evolution by determining exploration distributions. Our main result is the description of the evolution of exploration distributions themselves in terms of an ordinary evolution equation. Accordingly, the “fitness” of an exploration distribution is proportional to its similarity (in the sense of the Kullback-Leibler divergence) to the fitness distribution over phenotype space. Hence, exploration distributions evolve such that dependencies and correlations between phenotypic variables in selection are naturally adopted by the way evolution explores phenotype space.
The performance of the AGAIS (II) algorithm for the resolution of the Flexible Job-shop scheduling problem

In our previous works, we have proposed a new approach based on genetic algorithms and the learning by injection of sequences for solving the Flexible Job-shop Scheduling Problem (FJSP). This approach was based on a joint resolution of the inherent assignment subproblem and the sequencing subproblem with total flexibility. In this paper, we develop a new strategy of learning (partial injection of sequences) in order to improve the total duration of the schedule or the makespan. We call this method AGAIS (II). Computational results show the efficiency of the proposed approach.
T-cell calcium dynamics visualized in a ratiometric tdTomato-GCaMP6f transgenic reporter mouse

Calcium is an essential cellular messenger that regulates numerous functions in living organisms. Here we describe development and characterization of “Salsa6f”, a fusion of GCaMP6f and tdTomato optimized for cell tracking while monitoring cytosolic Ca2+, and a transgenic Ca2+ reporter mouse with Salsa6f floxed and targeted to the Rosa26 locus for expression in specific cell types. Using CD4-Cre-Salsa6f mice, we report normal development and function of T cells expressing Salsa6f and demonstrate Ca2+ signaling dynamics during T cell receptor engagement in naïve T cells, helper Th17 T cells and regulatory T cells. Salsa6f expression also revealed functional expression of mechanosensitive Piezo1 channels in T cells. Transgenic expression of Salsa6f enables ratiometric imaging of Ca2+ signals in complex tissue environments found in vivo. Deep tissue two-photon imaging of T cells in the steady-state lymph node revealed a highly localized Ca2+ signaling behavior (“sparkles”) as cells migrate.
Experimental and Numerical Analysis of Forming Limits in CNC Incremental Sheet Forming

Asymmetric incremental sheet forming (AISF) is a relatively new manufacturing process for the production of low volumes of sheet metal parts. Forming is accomplished by the CNC controlled movements of a simple ball-headed tool that follows a 3D trajectory to gradually shape the sheet metal blank. Due to the local plastic deformation under the tool, there is almost no draw-in from the flange region to avoid thinning in the forming zone. As a consequence, sheet thinning limits the amount of bearable deformation, and thus the range of possible applications. Much attention has been given to the maximum strains that can be attained in AISF. Several authors have found that the forming limits are considerably higher than those obtained using a Nakazima test and that the forming limit curve is approximately a straight line (mostly having a slope of -1) in the stretching region of the FLD. Based on these findings they conclude that the “conventional” forming limit curves cannot be used for AISF and propose dedicated tests to record forming limit diagrams for AISF. Up to now, there is no standardised test and no evaluation procedure for the determination of FLCs for AISF. In the present paper, we start with an analysis of the range of strain states and strain paths that are covered by the various tests that can be found in the literature. This is accomplished by means of on-line deformation measurements using a stereovision system. From these measurements, necking and fracture limits are derived. It is found that the fracture limits can be described consistently by a straight line with negative slope. The necking limits seem to be highly dependent on the test shapes and forming parameters. It is concluded that standardisation in both testing conditions and the evaluation procedures is necessary, and that a forming limit curve does not seem to be an appropriate tool to predict the feasibility of a given part design.