Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A prospective study of the usefulness of clinical and laboratory parameters for predicting percentage of dehydration in children

To evaluate the relative utility of clinical and laboratory parameters of dehydration in children for predicting the magnitude of percent loss of body weight (PLBW), we studied 97 children who required intravenous fluids for acute dehydration. After a complete history and physical examination, the managing physician made a clinical estimation of dehydration for each child, based on a standard clinical scale. Serum electrolytes were obtained in all children prior to intravenous hydration therapy. PLBW was calculated after recovery from acute dehydration by comparing the weight on presentation to the emergency department with the weight measured at a follow- up visit when the child was judged well. Children were classified according to PLBW into three groups which reflect the categories in a standard clinical scale: mild=PLBW ≤ 5 (n=50), moderate=PLBW 6-10 (n=30), and severe=PLBW > 10 (n=17). The physician's clinical estimate of dehydration compared to PLBW had a sensitivity of 74% (95% confidence interval (CI): 60-85) for mild dehydration, 33% (95% CI: 17-53) for moderate dehydration, and 70% (95% CI: 44-89) for severe dehydration. There was a significant difference in the mean serum bicarbonate concentrations (HCO3) between the PLBW groups (P < 0.01). The sensitivity of the HCO3 < 17 mEq/L in predicting PLBW was 77% (95% CI: 58-90) for PLBW 6-10, and 94% (95% CI: 71-100) for PLBW > 10. The combination of the clinical scale and the serum bicarbonate identified all 17 children with PLBW > 10 and 90% (27 of 30) children with PLBW 6-10. Our data suggest that physicians should not rely solely on clinical assessment to rule out severe dehydration in children, and that obtaining a serum bicarbonate may improve the accuracy of predicting serious dehydration.
Multiexponential Proton Spin‐Spin Relaxation in MR Imaging of Human Brain Tumors

In vivo measurements of proton relaxation processes in human brain tumors have been performed by magnetic resonance (MR) imaging using a whole-body superconductive MR scanner, operating at 1.5 T. The Tl and T2 relaxation time measurements were based on a combined Carr-Purcell/ Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill sequence with two interleaved repetition times and 32 echoes. First, comparative measurements in the imager and with the spectrometer of relaxation times were performed on phantoms containing fluids of different Tl and T2 to evaluate accuracy. A maximum deviation of ∼10% was found. Multislicing with a gap width of one slice thickness influenced the accuracy of Tl relaxation measurement. A gap width of at least two times the slice thickness was necessary for reliable determination of Tl. No influence on T2 values was observed by multislicing. Second, in human head imaging the multiexponential behavior of the T2 decay curves has been analyzed in each pixel, where the mean square deviation has been used as a criterion to discriminate between mono- and biexponential behavior. Mean values of monoex-ponential Tl and multiexponential T2 relaxation data for white matter, gray matter, CSF, edema, and tumor were sampled in 12 patients with brain tumors. T2 showed monoexponential behavior in white and gray matter, whereas CSF, edema, and tumor showed distinct biexponentiality. The biexponential analysis generally yields “fast” and “slow” components with T2f = 80 ± 17 ms and T2S = 2,030 ± 210 ms for CSF (partial volume effect), T2f = 104 ± 25 ms and T2S = 677 ± 152 ms for edematous tissues, T2f = 97 ± 19 ms and T2S = 756 ± 99 ms for tumor tissues, respectively. Using a stepwise discriminant analysis by forward selection, the two best discriminating parameters of the multiexponential relaxation analysis for each pair of classification groups have been selected. For the discrimination of edematous and tumor tissues a retrospective overall accuracy of 94% has been found.
Could Salivary Cyclosporine Dosage Replace the Whole Blood Cyclosporine Measurements in Renal Transplant Patients?

Background: Cyclosporin (CsA) has been extensively used as the immunosuppressant of choice in renal transplantation. Currently available approaches to assess CsA levels, both in serum and blood, fail to accurately reflect the concentration of the pharmacologically active drug fraction. Free CsA levels in biological fluids (blood or saliva) have been advocated to play an important role. Traditional salivary CsA monitoring tests are based on available archaic salivary techniques that are nonspecific and require large amounts of saliva. The aim of this study was to assess salivary CsA correlation using a novel and more accurate technique and to correlate with CsA levels in blood. Material and Methods: Patients provided blood samples of 2 ml and 2 ml of unstimulated saliva on the same day 2 h after the morning CsA dose (C2). Whole blood levels of CsA were determined using the monoclonal fluorescent polarization immunoassay (FPIA) kit. The FPIA kit was adapted to salivary testing by using a novel extraction method developed and patented under the name of Middle East Research Institute (MERI). Wilcoxon signed rank test compared the differences in blood and salivary CsA. Pearson's correlation coefficient assessed the linear association between blood and salivary CsA concentrations. All analyses were performed using IBM-SPSS version 23 (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA). Results: No significant correlation was observed between blood and salivary CsA levels. Conclusion: Salivary CsA concentrations at C2cannot adequately replace C2blood levels as an indicator of CsA bioavailability despite improved performance of monoclonal FPIA and application of the MERI technique. More studies may be warranted to design more reliable and less invasive procedures for therapeutic drug monitoring.
Integration of a superlattice limiter into the HBT emitter for improved operational reliability

A common problem limiting the output power of multiple finger heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT's) is nonuniform current flow in the fingers, resulting from an underlying nonuniform temperature distribution. We have fabricated HBT devices containing an integrated superlattice region to help overcome this problem. We demonstrate that the superlattice functions as a temperature-dependent resistive current limiter in a single finger device at dc and RF. Furthermore, the RF performance of the HBT was not compromised by the inclusion of the superlattice structure.
Spatial Optimization of Future Urban Development with Regards to Climate Risk and Sustainability Objectives

Future development in cities needs to manage increasing populations, climate‐related risks, and sustainable development objectives such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Planners therefore face a challenge of multidimensional, spatial optimization in order to balance potential tradeoffs and maximize synergies between risks and other objectives. To address this, a spatial optimization framework has been developed. This uses a spatially implemented genetic algorithm to generate a set of Pareto‐optimal results that provide planners with the best set of trade‐off spatial plans for six risk and sustainability objectives: (i) minimize heat risks, (ii) minimize flooding risks, (iii) minimize transport travel costs to minimize associated emissions, (iv) maximize brownfield development, (v) minimize urban sprawl, and (vi) prevent development of greenspace. The framework is applied to Greater London (U.K.) and shown to generate spatial development strategies that are optimal for specific objectives and differ significantly from the existing development strategies. In addition, the analysis reveals tradeoffs between different risks as well as between risk and sustainability objectives. While increases in heat or flood risk can be avoided, there are no strategies that do not increase at least one of these. Tradeoffs between risk and other sustainability objectives can be more severe, for example, minimizing heat risk is only possible if future development is allowed to sprawl significantly. The results highlight the importance of spatial structure in modulating risks and other sustainability objectives. However, not all planning objectives are suited to quantified optimization and so the results should form part of an evidence base to improve the delivery of risk and sustainability management in future urban development.
Estimating long-term chemical denudation rates on soil-mantled hillslopes using cosmogenic nuclides : Effects of time-varying erosion

Many biogeochemical and Earth surface processes depend critically on chemical weathering. The immediate products of chemical weathering are present as solutes and secondary minerals in groundwater, soils, and streams, and form the nutritional foundation for terrestrial biogeochemistry. Chemical weathering also contributes to physical erosion by weakening bedrock and producing easily erodible regolith, and as the primary long-term sink for atmospheric CO2 it modulates Earth’s long-term climate via the greenhouse effect. Long-term chemical denudation rates on soil-mantled hillslopes can be estimated from cosmogenic radionuclide (CRN) concentrations in soil-borne quartz and the enrichment of a chemically inert tracer in soil relative to its parent bedrock. This technique inherently assumes steady physical erosion over the timescale of CRN accumulation. Here we assess how time-varying physical erosion rates affect the accuracy of this technique, using a numerical model for chemical denudation rates in soils. In this model, bedrock supplies fresh minerals to the soil at a rate that decreases exponentially with increasing soil thickness, and Preprint submitted to Elsevier 29 November 2007 mineral dissolution rates are proportional to soil mineral concentrations. Our modeling results suggest that CRN-based estimates of chemical denudation rates closely resemble actual chemical denudation rates averaged over the timescale of CRN accumulation, even during large-amplitude and long-period oscillations in physical erosion rates. For example, this model predicts that when physical erosion rates fluctuate sinusoidally by 50% of their mean over any period in time, CRNbased estimates of chemical denudation rates should differ from actual chemical denudation rates by less than 15%. Our model also implies that chemical denudation rates should approach zero both when physical erosion rates approach zero (because soluble minerals become depleted in the soil) and when physical erosion rates approach the maximum soil production rate (because soil thickness approaches zero). Modeled chemical denudation rates thus reach a maximum at intermediate physical erosion rates. If this relationship holds in nature, it implies that in rapidly eroding regions, further increases in physical erosion rates (e.g., due to increases in tectonic uplift rates) may not necessarily lead to faster chemical denudation on soil-mantled hillslopes.
Incidence of Cancer in Spinal Deformity Patients Receiving High-Dose (≥40 mg) Bone Morphogenetic Protein (rhBMP-2)

Study Design. Level III, Retrospective observational study. Objective. To determine if there is an increased risk of developing cancer after exposure to high-dose recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) and if risk is dose and/or exposure-dependent. Summary of Background Data. Concerns have been raised regarding a relationship between rhBMP-2 and cancer. Methods. A total of 642 adult deformity patients from a single institution receiving a cumulative rhBMP-2 dose ≥40 mg from July, 2002 to July, 2009 were identified. Patients with a history of surveillance, epidemiology, and end result (SEER) cancer before rhBMP-2 exposure were excluded. To determine the occurrence of a cancer event, questionnaires were mailed and telephone follow up attempted for nonresponders. Only cancers tracked by the National Cancer Institute (NCI) SEER registry were included. Observed cancer counts were compared to expected cancer counts based on general population incidence rates within 5-year age strata. Cumulative incidence competing risk (CICR) modeling was used to evaluate the association between rhBMP-2 exposure and cancer controlling for potential confounding variables. Results. Forty-nine patients were lost-to-follow up, leaving 593 patients (92.4%; 138 males/455 females) available for analysis. Mean age was 52.8 years at the time of first exposure. Mean cumulative rhBMP-2 dose was 113.5 mg with 85% having one exposure (range: 1–8). Mean follow-up [date of exposure to date of death (regardless of cause) or returned completed questionnaire] was 5.6 ± 1.9 years; median follow up was 5.4 years. A total of 342 patients have greater than 5-year follow up. Minimum follow up was 2.0 years or until occurrence of a SEER cancer. Our total 8-year cumulative incidence of new SEER cancer accounting for the competing risk of death was 7.4% for 30 cancers in 593 patients. Fewer cancers were observed than expected based on general population rates, though the difference was not statistically significant (expected = 34; standardized incidence ratio = 0.88, 95% confidence interval, CI = 0.60–1.26). CICR found neither cumulative rhBMP-2 dose (hazard ratio, HR = 0.995, 95% CI 0.988–1.003; P = 0.249) nor number of exposures (HR = 0.776, 95% CI 0.359–1.677; P = 0.519) increased the risk of developing a postexposure cancer after controlling for known cancer risk factors. Conclusion. The incidence of a SEER cancer after rhBMP-2 exposure was similar to incidence reported by the NCI. There were no significant rhBMP-2 dose or multi-exposure related risks of developing a life-threatening cancer. Level of Evidence: 3
Self-locking underactuated mechanism for robotic gripper

We describe the concept and first prototype of a novel mechatronic design of a robotic gripper, which aims at being mounted on a humanoid robot to achieve firm (i.e. locked) and robust grasps. Such grasps could ideally support complex multi-contact motions, such as ladder climbing, or manipulation of complex tools, with energy efficiency. For this purpose, we propose a solution by designing a smart self-locking underactuated mechanism mounted in parallel to actuators to be triggered automatically when the desired grasp is achieved. This design leverages adjustable power distribution between the gripper and the brake through a differential gear. The advantages of adaptive, firm grasping, and energy-saving capabilities of our gripper are experimentally demonstrated by a prototype gripper.
ASCCP Colposcopy Standards: Risk-Based Colposcopy Practice

Objectives The American Society for Colposcopy and Cervical Pathology (ASCCP) Colposcopy Standards recommendations address the role of and approach to colposcopy for cervical cancer prevention in the United States. Materials and Methods The recommendations were developed by an expert working group appointed by ASCCP's Board of Directors. This article describes the rationale, evidence, and recommendations related to risk-based colposcopy practice. Results Women referred to colposcopy have a wide range of underlying precancer risk, which can be estimated by referral screening tests including cytology and human papillomavirus testing, in conjunction with the colposcopic impression. Multiple targeted biopsies, at least 2 and up to 4, are recommended to improve detection of prevalent precancers. At the lowest end of the risk spectrum, untargeted biopsies are not recommended, and women with a completely normal colposcopic impression can be observed. At the highest end of the risk spectrum, immediate treatment is an alternative to biopsy confirmation. Conclusions Assessing the risk of cervical precancer at the colposcopy visit allows for modification of colposcopy procedures consistent with a woman's risk. Implementation of these recommendations is expected to lead to improved detection of cervical precancers at colposcopy, while providing more reassurance of negative colposcopy results.
SLA-Driven Business Process Distribution

Service Oriented Architecture (SOA) includes several building blocks among which orchestration engine demands special attention. Although, there are a number of centralized orchestration engines to execute business processes described by BPEL language in SOA, you may find several decentralized orchestration engines and their purpose is to decompose a BPEL process to several software agents to improve some quality factors. On one hand, choosing a suitable method of process distribution may result in better adaptability of process with run-time environment. On the other hand, in the new generation of Service Oriented Architecture (SOA), Service Level Agreements (SLAs) are of paramount important. We need to have a run-time environment to improve the adaptability of run-time environment with SLAs. Thus, this paper we are going to to combine process distribution methods and SLAs. To reach this goal, firstly, we introduce an intelligent method of using process mining for business process distribution (IPD). Secondly, we compare different methods of processes distribution including Fully, Semi and Intelligent Process Distribution methods. We also show the comparison of these methods considering quality factors such as Total Execution Time, Band Width Usage, Agent Granularity, Resource Adaptability, Memory Usage of Agents, Number of Produced Agents and Total System Adaptability. Thirdly, we consider all of the distribution methods from an SLA view through which users can determine their requirements of executing business processes to be mapped to run-time environment.
Evidence of a Dominant Backward-Propagating “Suction” Wave Responsible for Diastolic Coronary Filling in Humans, Attenuated in Left Ventricular Hypertrophy

Background— Coronary blood flow peaks in diastole when aortic blood pressure has fallen. Current models fail to completely explain this phenomenon. We present a new approach—using wave intensity analysis—to explain this phenomenon in normal subjects and to evaluate the effects of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Method and Results— We measured simultaneous pressure and Doppler velocity with intracoronary wires in the left main stem, left anterior descending, and circumflex arteries of 20 subjects after a normal coronary arteriogram. Wave intensity analysis was used to identify and quantify individual pressure and velocity waves within the coronary artery circulation. A consistent pattern of 6 predominating waves was identified. Ninety-four percent of wave energy, accelerating blood forward along the coronary artery, came from 2 waves: first a pushing wave caused by left ventricular ejection—the dominant forward-traveling pushing wave; and later a suction wave caused by relief of myocardial microcirculatory compression—the dominant backward-traveling suction wave. The dominant backward-traveling suction wave (18.2±13.7×103 W m−2 s−1, 30%) was larger than the dominant forward-traveling pushing wave (14.3±17.6×103 W m−2 s−1, 22.3%, P =0.001) and was associated with a substantially larger increment in coronary blood flow velocity (0.51 versus 0.14 m/s, P<0.001). In LVH, the dominant backward-traveling suction wave percentage was significantly decreased (33.1% versus 26.9%, P=0.01) and inversely correlated with left ventricular septal wall thickness (r=−0.52, P<0.02). Conclusions— Six waves predominantly drive human coronary blood flow. Coronary flow peaks in diastole because of the dominance of a “suction” wave generated by myocardial microcirculatory decompression. This is significantly reduced in LVH.
RING: networking interacting residues, evolutionary information and energetics in protein structures

MOTIVATION Residue interaction networks (RINs) have been used in the literature to describe the protein 3D structure as a graph where nodes represent residues and edges physico-chemical interactions, e.g. hydrogen bonds or van-der-Waals contacts. Topological network parameters can be calculated over RINs and have been correlated with various aspects of protein structure and function. Here we present a novel web server, RING, to construct physico-chemically valid RINs interactively from PDB files for subsequent visualization in the Cytoscape platform. The additional structure-based parameters secondary structure, solvent accessibility and experimental uncertainty can be combined with information regarding residue conservation, mutual information and residue-based energy scoring functions. Different visualization styles are provided to facilitate visualization and standard plugins can be used to calculate topological parameters in Cytoscape. A sample use case analyzing the active site of glutathione peroxidase is presented. AVAILABILITY The RING server, supplementary methods, examples and tutorials are available for non-commercial use at URL: http://protein.bio. unipd.it/ring/.
Subcutaneous versus intravenous immunoglobulin for chronic autoimmune neuropathies

Neuralgic amyotrophy is also referred to as idiopathic brachial plexopathy, but clinicians are familiar with the patchy nature of the clinical defi cits. In this meticulous retrospective review, the author found pure and predominantly motor nerves to be most frequently involved, particularly the suprascapular and long thoracic nerves. This pattern of involvement explains the clinical fi ndings, which often are those of predominantly single-muscle weakness and atrophy.
Open-angle glaucoma and mortality: The Barbados Eye Studies.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the relationship between open-angle glaucoma (OAG) and mortality in a black population at 9-years' follow-up. DESIGN Population-based cohort study of 4092 black participants (aged 40-84 years at baseline) in the Barbados Eye Studies. Open-angle glaucoma was defined by visual field defects and optic disc damage, based on standardized examinations and photograph gradings. Ocular hypertension was defined by an intraocular pressure greater than 21 mm Hg or treatment, without OAG damage. Mortality was ascertained from death certificates. Cox proportional hazards regression analyses determined associations with mortality. RESULTS After 9 years, 764 (19%) participants were deceased. Mortality was unrelated to overall OAG at baseline (n = 300) after adjustment for confounders. However, cardiovascular mortality tended to increase in persons with previously diagnosed/treated OAG (n = 141; relative risk [RR], 1.38, P = .07) and was significantly higher with treatment involving timolol maleate (RR, 1.91, P = .04). Cardiovascular deaths also tended to increase in persons with ocular hypertension at baseline (n = 498; RR, 1.28, P = .06). CONCLUSIONS In this black population, cardiovascular mortality tended to increase in persons with previously diagnosed/treated OAG and ocular hypertension. The excess mortality associated with timolol maleate treatment of OAG, also found in a white population, warrants further investigation.
Deriving indices of landscape function from spectral reflectance of grassland and savanna on gold mines in South Africa

The aim of this study is to develop hyperspectral (HS) models using partial least squares regression (PLSR) for predicting indices of grassland and savanna ecological condition on deep-level gold mines in a semi-arid region. Landscape Function Analysis (LFA) indices (surface stability, infiltration and nutrient cycling) were derived from four, increasingly complex, vegetation types on each end of a disturbance continuum in the dry season (winter) and wet season (summer). PLSR models for one of the most structurally simple vegetation types (non-rocky grassland on the lowest rainfall mine in summer) produced the strongest validation CoD for indices predicting stability and nutrient cycling (R2 =3D 0.70, P < 0.0001 and R2 =3D 0.71, P < 0.0001 respectively), whereas the infiltration index had the strongest CoD for validation with HS data from non-rocky grassland on the highest rainfall mine in summer (R2 =3D 0.63, P < 0.0001). Increasingly complex vegetation structure (rocky grassland and dolomite sinkhole woodland) had weaker validation CoDs for LFA indices. Combining all vegetation categories or mining regions in a model also weakened CoD.