Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Assessment of renal function in clinical practice at the bedside of burn patients.

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT * In burn patients it has been shown ([2]), that there is a correlation between the creatinine clearance (CL(CR)) and the clearance of inulin. * The CL(CR) has never been studied in burn patients who have normal serum creatinine. * The Robert, Kirkpatrick and sMDRD formulae have never been evaluated in burn patients. WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS * Despite burn patients having normal serum creatinine concentrations, the study showed that there are large variations in CL(CR) which cannot be detected by single serum creatinine measurements, and which have important implications for drug therapy. * It showed that the formulae currently used to calculate creatinine clearance on the basis of serum creatinine are inadequate for use in burn patients, and they should be abandoned in favour of direct measurement from a 24 h urine collection. AIMS The aim of this study was to evaluate whether the renal function of burn patients could be correctly assessed using a single serum creatinine measurement, within normal limits, and three prediction equations of glomerular filtration taking into account, serum creatinine, age, weight and sex. METHODS This was a prospective study comprising 36 adult burn patients with a serum creatinine <120 micromol l(-1), within the second or third week following the burn injury. Renal function was assessed using serum creatinine, 24 h urinary CL(CR), and the Cockcroft-Gault, Robert, Kirkpatrick and simplified MDRD equations. RESULTS Despite normal serum creatinine concentrations in all patients, a significant number had a decreased CL(CR). The urinary CL(CR) was <80 ml(-1) min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) in nine patients (25%), and <60 ml(-1) min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) in five patients (14%). Between the groups having a CL(CR) lower or greater than 80 ml(-1) min(-1) 1.73 m(-2) there were no differences in gender, burn indices, percentage of mechanically ventilated patients or length of hospital stay, but a difference in age. The highest CL(CR) (>140 ml(-1) min(-1) 1.73 m(-2)) was found in 13 patients younger than 40 years. Regression analysis, residual and Bland-Altman plots revealed that neither the Cockcroft-Gault, Robert, Kirkpatrick nor sMDRD equations were specific enough for the assessment of renal function. CONCLUSIONS In burn patients with normal serum creatinine during the hypermetabolic phase, serum creatinine and creatine based predictive equations are imprecise in assessing renal function.
Grapevine and Arabidopsis Cation-Chloride Cotransporters Localize to the Golgi and Trans-Golgi Network and Indirectly Influence Long-Distance Ion Transport and Plant Salt Tolerance1[OPEN]

A protein from grapevine that transports sodium, potassium, and chloride ions across endomembranes is important for normal growth and salt tolerance. Plant cation-chloride cotransporters (CCCs) have been implicated in conferring salt tolerance. They are predicted to improve shoot salt exclusion by directly catalyzing the retrieval of sodium (Na+) and chloride (Cl−) ions from the root xylem. We investigated whether grapevine (Vitis vinifera [Vvi]) CCC has a role in salt tolerance by cloning and functionally characterizing the gene from the cultivar Cabernet Sauvignon. Amino acid sequence analysis revealed that VviCCC shares a high degree of similarity with other plant CCCs. A VviCCC-yellow fluorescent protein translational fusion protein localized to the Golgi and the trans-Golgi network and not the plasma membrane when expressed transiently in tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana) leaves and Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) mesophyll protoplasts. AtCCC-green fluorescent protein from Arabidopsis also localized to the Golgi and the trans-Golgi network. In Xenopus laevis oocytes, VviCCC targeted to the plasma membrane, where it catalyzed bumetanide-sensitive 36Cl–, 22Na+, and 86Rb+ uptake, suggesting that VviCCC (like AtCCC) belongs to the Na+-K+-2Cl– cotransporter class of CCCs. Expression of VviCCC in an Arabidopsis ccc knockout mutant abolished the mutant’s stunted growth phenotypes and reduced shoot Cl– and Na+ content to wild-type levels after growing plants in 50 mm NaCl. In grapevine roots, VviCCC transcript abundance was not regulated by Cl– treatment and was present at similar levels in both the root stele and cortex of three Vitis spp. genotypes that exhibit differential shoot salt exclusion. Our findings indicate that CCC function is conserved between grapevine and Arabidopsis, but neither protein is likely to directly mediate ion transfer with the xylem or have a direct role in salt tolerance.
The Relationship Between Financial Ratios and the Stock Prices of Selected European Food Companies Listed on Stock Exchanges

Stock prices can be influenced by many factors. It is possible to determine two categories of variables that can affect stock prices: macroeconomic and microeconomic variables. The paper is focused on microeconomic factors, specially financial ratios that reflect business activities of the companies. According to the study of Drummen and Zimmermann (1992) the individual characteristics of companies affect up to 50 % of stock prices. The object of this paper is to examine the relationship between selected financial ratios and the stock prices of food companies listed on selected European Stock Exchanges. Time series on annual frequency are used to examine the relationship between stock prices of selected companies and financial ratios with using the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM). Based on previous research we expect to find some linkages especially between stock prices and the profitability ratios.
Low voltage ride-through capability improvement of wind farms using variable speed permanent magnet wind generator

In this paper, low voltage ride-through (LVRT) capability improvement of wind turbine generator system is investigated, in which two wind farms model connected with multi-machine power system is considered. The wind farms considered consist of fixed speed wind turbine based induction generator and variable speed wind turbine with permanent magnet synchronous generator. A new control scheme is developed for back-to-back converters of PMSG with DC link protection controller embedded to support fixed speed wind generators during fault condition. Simulation results by PSCAD/EMTDC show that the proposed control scheme is very effective to improve the LVRT of wind farm during severe network disturbance.
An adaptive P-f droop approach for micro-grid transition detection

Islanding detection methods have been proposed for inverter based distributed generation (DG) with grid connected capability only. Micro-grids are composed of DGs that are capable of operating in two modes: grid connected and islanded. This paper introduces and proposes the concept of micro-grid transition detection where the status of the micro-grid is detected based on adaptively modifying the droop slope. The droop coefficient is chosen such that the micro-grid is stable while grid connected, but unstable as soon as an islanded micro-grid operation is initiated. The droop coefficient is adaptively modified, once the micro-grid shifts from grid connected to islanded operation, to stabilize the micro-grid for the islanded mode of operation. The proposed micro-grid transition detection method is tested on a micro-grid equipped with inverter based DGs controlled using the droop approach.
PCR primers and probes for the 16S rRNA gene of most species of pathogenic bacteria, including bacteria found in cerebrospinal fluid

A set of broad-range PCR primers for the 16S rRNA gene in bacteria were tested, along with three series of oligonucleotide probes to detect the PCR product. The first series of probes is broad in range and consists of a universal bacterial probe, a gram-positive probe, a Bacteroides-Flavobacterium probe, and two probes for other gram-negative species. The second series was designed to detect PCR products from seven major bacterial species or groups frequently causing meningitis: Neisseria meningitidis, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, S. agalactiae, Escherichia coli and other enteric bacteria, Listeria monocytogenes, and Staphylococcus aureus. The third series was designed for the detection of DNA from species or genera commonly considered potential contaminants of clinical samples, including cerebrospinal fluid (CSF): Bacillus, Corynebacterium, Propionibacterium, and coagulase-negative Staphylococcus spp. The primers amplified DNA from all 124 different species of bacteria tested. Southern hybridization testing of the broad-range probes with washes containing 3 M tetramethylammonium chloride indicated that this set of probes correctly identified all but two of the 102 bacterial species tested, the exceptions being Deinococcus radiopugnans and Gardnerella vaginalis. The gram-negative and gram-positive probes hybridized to isolates of two newly characterized bacteria, Alloiococcus otitis and Rochalimaea henselii, as predicted by Gram stain characteristics. The CSF pathogen and contaminant probe sequences were compared with available sequence information and with sequencing data for 32 different species. Testing of the CSF pathogen and contaminant probes against DNA from over 60 different strains indicated that, with the exception of the coagulase-negative Staphylococcus probes, these probes provided the correct identification of bacterial species known to be found in CSF.
An Inductive Sensor for Real-Time Measurement of Plantar Normal and Shear Forces Distribution

Goal: The objective of this paper is to demonstrate a multiplexed inductive force sensor for simultaneously measuring normal force and shear forces on a foot. Methods: The sensor measures the normal force and shear forces by monitoring the inductance changes of three planar sensing coils. Resonance frequency division multiplexing was applied to signals from the multiple sensing coils, making it feasible to simultaneously measure the three forces (normal force, shear forces in x- and y-axis) on a foot using only one set of measurement electronics with high sensitivity and resolution. Results: The testing results of the prototype sensor have shown that the sensor is capable of measuring normal force ranging from 0 to 800 N and shear forces ranging from 0 to 130 N in real time. Conclusion: With its high resolution, high sensitivity, and the capability of monitoring forces at different positions of a foot simultaneously, this sensor can be potentially used for real-time measurement of plantar normal force and shear forces distribution on diabetes patient's foot. Significance: Real-time monitoring of the normal force and shear forces on diabetes patient's foot can provide useful information for physicians and diabetes patients to take actions in preventing foot ulceration.
Quantitative Analysis of Intravoxel Incoherent Motion (IVIM) Diffusion MRI using Total Variation and Huber Penalty Function

Purpose: Quantitative analysis in intravoxel incoherent motion (IVIM) imaging commonly uses voxel‐wise estimation of the bi‐exponential model, which might not be reliable for clinical interpretation. Improving model fitting performance and qualitative and quantitative parametric estimation, two novel methodologies are proposed here. Methods: Five IVIM analyses methodologies: (a) Bi‐exponential (BE) model, (b) Segmented BE method with two‐parameter fitting (BEseg‐2), (c) Segmented BE method with one‐parameter fitting (BEseg‐1), (d) BE with adaptive Total Variation penalty function (BE+TV) and (e) BE with adaptive Huber penalty function (BE+HPF) were evaluated. Relative root‐mean‐square error (RRMSE), relative bias (RB) and relative parameters Symbol were calculated to estimate the accuracy of methods in simulations. Empirical datasets from 14 patients with bone tumor were analyzed using these methodologies. Coefficient of variation (CV) were estimated for each IVIM parameter in tumor volume to measure the precision of the estimation methods in vivo. Symbol. No Caption available. Results: Both BE+TV and BE+HPF showed consistently lower RRMSE (˜10–42%) and lower RB (−4 to 8%) at all noise levels, compared to BE, BEseg‐2 and BEseg‐1 (RRMSE: ˜15–120% and RB: −20 to 62%). Estimated Symbol for both BE+TV and BE+HPF methods were ˜1 (0.96–1.08), whereas BE, BEseg‐2 and BEseg‐1 showed sub‐optimal parameter estimation (0.80–1.62). For clinical data BE+TV and BE+HPF showed 30–50% improved CV in estimating D, D*, and f than BE and improved CV in estimating D* (7–23%) and f (26–30%) than BEseg‐2 and BEseg‐1. Symbol. No Caption available. Conclusions: Bi‐exponential model with penalty function showed quantitatively and qualitatively improved IVIM parameter estimation for both simulated and clinical dataset of bone tumors, thus potentially making this approach suitable for clinical applications in future.
A theoretical and experimental analysis on K nearest neighbour joins in big data

kNN is frequently used as a clustering method in machine learning or data mining. The main application of a kNN join is k-nearest neighbour classification. Some data points are given for training and new unlabelled data is given for testing. The focus is to find the class label for the new points. For each unlabelled data in kNN query on training set will be performed to estimate its class membership. This process can be considered as kNN join for new data to test with the training set. The different existing approaches for computing knn on MapReduce are compared, first theoretically and then performing an extensive experimental evaluation. To compare these solutions, there are three generic steps for kNN computation on MapReduce: data pre-processing, data partitioning and computation. Theoretically each step is analysed for load balancing, accuracy and complexity aspects.
Analysis of Tweet Form’s effect on users’ engagement on Twitter

Abstract This research focuses on the effects on users’ engagement of different tweet forms including text length, text sentiment and the usage of hashtag, mention, video or picture URL. In the first part, we analyze the tweets of five companies from the apparel industry and finds out that there is no universal form that can boost user’s engagement, but in company scale, the effects of different forms between companies are various due to company attributes. Hence, in our second research, we expand the dataset and analyze the formats of tweets from 70 brands focusing on the attribute of the industry section. The conclusion shows that industries such as luxury and hardware technology are more digital sensitive and benefit more using more hashtag and video or picture URL while industry such as software industry is more digital insensitive. The result could provide evidence and guidance for different categories of companies to design tweets with high customer engagements and serve as a reference for enterprises on other media platforms.
A Business Creation in Post-Industrial Tourism Objects: Case of the Industrial Monuments Route

The aim of this article is to discuss the basic types of business transformations identified in post-industrial heritage sites in the context of changes in business models. The basis for this analysis is the research carried out in 2017 in 42 post-industrial tourism objects, in the Industrial Monuments Route (IMR) largest in Poland, that is a part of European Route of Industrial Heritage. The analysis of historical changes and the documentation of objects, within the Industrial Monuments Route, made it possible to identify three transformation types in business models of these objects. The post-production organization model can be considered the most popular scheme on the analyzed route. It concerns an enterprise or cultural institution, that previously was a production or extraction plant and currently services tourists only. Although these objects were not designed with tourists in mind, they perfectly fulfill this function due to the presented transformations.
Functional Isoforms of IκB Kinase α (IKKα) Lacking Leucine Zipper and Helix-Loop-Helix Domains Reveal that IKKα and IKKβ Have Different Activation Requirements

ABSTRACT The activity of the NF-κB family of transcription factors is regulated principally by phosphorylation and subsequent degradation of their inhibitory IκB subunits. Site-specific serine phosphorylation of IκBs by two IκB kinases (IKKα [also known as CHUK] and IKKβ) targets them for proteolysis. IKKα and -β have a unique structure, with an amino-terminal serine-threonine kinase catalytic domain and carboxy-proximal helix-loop-helix (HLH) and leucine zipper-like (LZip) amphipathic α-helical domains. Here, we describe the properties of two novel cellular isoforms of IKKα: IKKα-ΔH and IKKα-ΔLH. IKKα-ΔH and IKKα-ΔLH are differentially spliced isoforms of the IKKα mRNA lacking its HLH domain and both its LZip and HLH domains, respectively. IKKα is the major RNA species in most murine cells and tissues, except for activated T lymphocytes and the brain, where the alternatively spliced isoforms predominate. Remarkably, IKKα-ΔH and IKKα-ΔLH, like IKKα, respond to tumor necrosis factor alpha stimulation to potentiate NF-κB activation in HEK293 cells. A mutant, catalytically inactive form of IKKα blocked IKKα-, IKKα-ΔH-, and IKKα-ΔLH-mediated NF-κB activation. Akin to IKKα, its carboxy-terminally truncated isoforms associated with the upstream activator NIK (NF-κB-inducing kinase). In contrast to IKKα, IKKα-ΔLH failed to associate with either itself, IKKα, IKKβ, or NEMO-IKKγ-IKKAP1, while IKKα-ΔH complexed with IKKβ and IKKα but not with NEMO. Interestingly, each IKKα isoform rescued HEK293 cells from the inhibitory effects of a dominant-negative NEMO mutant, while IKKα could not. IKKα-ΔCm, a recombinant mutant of IKKα structurally akin to IKKα-ΔLH, was equally functional in these assays, but in sharp contrast, IKKβ-ΔCm, a structurally analogous mutant of IKKβ, was inactive. Our results demonstrate that the functional roles of seemingly analogous domains in IKKα and IKKβ need not be equivalent and can also exhibit different contextual dependencies. The existence of cytokine-inducible IKKα-ΔH and IKKα-ΔLH isoforms illustrates potential modes of NF-κB activation, which are not subject to the same in vivo regulatory constraints as either IKKα or IKKβ.
Thresholds of impaired cerebral hemodynamics that predict short-term cognitive decline in asymptomatic carotid stenosis

Subjects with asymptomatic carotid stenosis (ACS) may be at risk of cognitive impairment due to cerebral hypoperfusion. In this study, we aimed to detect a threshold of cerebral hemodynamics which is able to identify subjects at risk of cognitive deterioration. In subjects with ACS, cerebral vasomotor reactivity (CVR) was assessed with the breath-holding index (BHI) transcranial Doppler-based method. Cognitive deterioration was defined as a decrease in the MMSE score by ≥2 points after one year. In order to define the threshold of impaired BHI, a ROC curve analysis was performed adopting the binary difference of MMSE score as the outcome and continuous BHI as the testing variable. A total of 548 subjects completed the follow-up. Cognitive deterioration was observed in 119 patients (21.7%). The BHI value ipsilateral to the stenosis was the strongest predictor of cognitive deterioration among the variables tested. The best cut-point to discriminate between normal and abnormal BHI resulted ≤0.89. The post-test probability of cognitive deterioration for an abnormal BHI was 44%, while a normal BHI showed a post-test probability of 9% for the same outcome. The present investigation provides a threshold of reduced CVR that can be useful to identify subjects with ACS at risk of cognitive deterioration.
Retinal lesions induce fast intrinsic cortical plasticity in adult mouse visual system

Neuronal activity plays an important role in the development and structural–functional maintenance of the brain as well as in its life‐long plastic response to changes in sensory stimulation. We characterized the impact of unilateral 15° laser lesions in the temporal lower visual field of the retina, on visually driven neuronal activity in the afferent visual pathway of adult mice using in situ hybridization for the activity reporter gene zif268. In the first days post‐lesion, we detected a discrete zone of reduced zif268 expression in the contralateral hemisphere, spanning the border between the monocular segment of the primary visual cortex (V1) with extrastriate visual area V2M. We could not detect a clear lesion projection zone (LPZ) in areas lateral to V1 whereas medial to V2M, agranular and granular retrosplenial cortex showed decreased zif268 levels over their full extent. All affected areas displayed a return to normal zif268 levels, and this was faster in higher order visual areas than in V1. The lesion did, however, induce a permanent LPZ in the retinorecipient layers of the superior colliculus. We identified a retinotopy‐based intrinsic capacity of adult mouse visual cortex to recover from restricted vision loss, with recovery speed reflecting the areal cortical magnification factor. Our observations predict incomplete visual field representations for areas lateral to V1 vs. lack of retinotopic organization for areas medial to V2M. The validation of this mouse model paves the way for future interrogations of cortical region‐ and cell‐type‐specific contributions to functional recovery, up to microcircuit level.
Sea‐level changes and palaeo‐ranges: reconstruction of ancient shorelines and river drainages and the phylogeography of the Australian land crayfish Engaeus sericatus Clark (Decapoda: Parastacidae)

Historical sea levels have been influential in shaping the phylogeography of freshwater‐limited taxa via palaeodrainage and palaeoshoreline connections. In this study, we demonstrate an approach to phylogeographic analysis incorporating historical sea‐level information in a nested clade phylogeographic analysis (NCPA) framework, using burrowing freshwater crayfish as the model organism. Our study area focuses on the Bass Strait region of southeastern Australia, which is marine region encompassing a shallow seabed that has emerged as a land bridge during glacial cycles connecting mainland Australia and Tasmania. Bathymetric data were analysed using Geographical Information Systems (GIS) to delineate a palaeodrainage model when the palaeocoastline was 150 m below present‐day sea level. Such sea levels occurred at least twice in the past 500 000 years, perhaps more often or of larger magnitude within the last 10 million years, linking Victoria and Tasmania. Inter‐locality distance measures confined to the palaeodrainage network were incorporated into an NCPA of crayfish (Engaeus sericatus Clark 1936) mitochondrial 16S rDNA haplotypes. The results were then compared to NCPAs using present‐day river drainages and traditional great‐circle distance measures. NCPA inferences were cross‐examined using frequentist and Bayesian procedures in the context of geomorphological and historical sea‐level data. We found distribution of present‐day genetic variation in E. sericatus to be partly explained not only by connectivity through palaeodrainages but also via present‐day drainages or overland (great circle) routes. We recommend that future studies consider all three of these distance measures, especially for studies of coastally distributed species.