Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Recalibration methods to enhance information on prevalence rates from large mental health surveys

Comparisons between self‐report and clinical psychiatric measures have revealed considerable disagreement. It is unsafe to consider these measures as directly equivalent, so it would be valuable to have a reliable recalibration of one measure in terms of the other. We evaluated multiple imputation incorporating a Bayesian approach, and a fully Bayesian method, to recalibrate diagnoses from a self‐report survey interview in terms of those from a clinical interview with data from a two‐phase national household survey for a practical application, and artificial data for simulation studies.
Decreased heart rate variability is associated with poststroke depression.

OBJECTIVE Although decreased heart rate variability (HRV) has been well-documented in association with depression after myocardial infarction, this phenomenon has not been studied in patients with stroke. The present study was designed to prospectively assess heart rate in relationship to depression among patients with acute stroke. DESIGN Using 24-hour Holter monitoring, HRV was assessed. SETTING A large university rehabilitation hospital. PARTICIPANTS Patients with first ever stroke and no other severe physical illness, cigarette smoking, or drug therapy that could affect HRV were evaluated over 24 hours for HRV. MEASUREMENTS Patients were evaluated using the Structured Clinical Interview for depression diagnosis. Severity was assessed by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale. Stroke severity was assessed by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale, the Barthel Index, and the Mini- Mental State Exam. The standard deviation (SD) of time in milliseconds of normal to normal beats (SDNN) was the primary measure of HRV. RESULTS Among patients with poststroke major or minor depression (N = 33), the SDNN was 109 +/- 32.6 SD compared with nondepressed patients (N = 16) whose SDNN was 133.9 +/- 40.1 SD (Wilcoxon rank test S = 492, p = 0.048). The SDNN was significantly and independently related to the existence of depression, but no other intergroup differences. CONCLUSIONS These findings, for the first time, have provided some evidence that both major and minor poststroke depression may lead to decreased HRV. Future research in larger groups of patients should determine whether other measures of HRV more specific to sympathetic-parasympathetic tone are decreased in patients with poststroke depression.
Assessment of CAPRI predictions in rounds 3–5 shows progress in docking procedures

The current status of docking procedures for predicting protein–protein interactions starting from their three‐dimensional (3D) structure is reassessed by evaluating blind predictions, performed during 2003–2004 as part of Rounds 3–5 of the community‐wide experiment on Critical Assessment of PRedicted Interactions (CAPRI). Ten newly determined structures of protein–protein complexes were used as targets for these rounds. They comprised 2 enzyme–inhibitor complexes, 2 antigen–antibody complexes, 2 complexes involved in cellular signaling, 2 homo‐oligomers, and a complex between 2 components of the bacterial cellulosome. For most targets, the predictors were given the experimental structures of 1 unbound and 1 bound component, with the latter in a random orientation. For some, the structure of the free component was derived from that of a related protein, requiring the use of homology modeling. In some of the targets, significant differences in conformation were displayed between the bound and unbound components, representing a major challenge for the docking procedures. For 1 target, predictions could not go to completion. In total, 1866 predictions submitted by 30 groups were evaluated. Over one‐third of these groups applied completely novel docking algorithms and scoring functions, with several of them specifically addressing the challenge of dealing with side‐chain and backbone flexibility. The quality of the predicted interactions was evaluated by comparison to the experimental structures of the targets, made available for the evaluation, using the well‐agreed‐upon criteria used previously. Twenty‐four groups, which for the first time included an automatic Web server, produced predictions ranking from acceptable to highly accurate for all targets, including those where the structures of the bound and unbound forms differed substantially. These results and a brief survey of the methods used by participants of CAPRI Rounds 3–5 suggest that genuine progress in the performance of docking methods is being achieved, with CAPRI acting as the catalyst. Proteins 2005;60:150–169. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phenotype reversion in fetal human liver epithelial cells identifies the role of an intermediate meso-endodermal stage before hepatic maturation

Understanding the biological potential of fetal stem/progenitor cells will help define mechanisms in liver development and homeostasis. We isolated epithelial fetal human liver cells and established phenotype-specific changes in gene expression during continuous culture conditions. Fetal human liver epithelial cells displayed stem cell properties with multilineage gene expression, extensive proliferation and generation of mesenchymal lineage cells, although the initial epithelial phenotype was rapidly supplanted by meso-endodermal phenotype in culture. This meso-endodermal phenotype was genetically regulated through cytokine signaling, including transforming growth factor β, bone morphogenetic protein, fibroblast growth factor and other signaling pathways. Reactivation of HNF3α (FOXA1) transcription factor, a driver of hepatic specification in the primitive endoderm, indicated that the meso-endodermal phenotype represented an earlier developmental stage of cells. We found that fetal liver epithelial cells formed mature hepatocytes in vivo, including after genetic manipulation using lentiviral vectors, offering convenient assays for analysis of further cell differentiation and fate. Taken together, these studies demonstrate plasticity in fetal liver epithelial stem cells, offer paradigms for defining mechanisms regulating lineage switching in stem cells, and provide potential avenues for regulating cell phenotypes for applications of stem cells, such as for cell therapy.
Does a protective ventilation strategy reduce the risk of pulmonary complications after lung cancer surgery?: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND Protective ventilation strategy has been shown to reduce ventilator-induced lung injury in patients with ARDS. In this study, we questioned whether protective ventilatory settings would attenuate lung impairment during one-lung ventilation (OLV) compared with conventional ventilation in patients undergoing lung resection surgery. METHODS One hundred patients with American Society of Anesthesiology physical status 1 to 2 who were scheduled for an elective lobectomy were enrolled in the study. During OLV, two different ventilation strategies were compared. The conventional strategy (CV group, n=50) consisted of FIO2 1.0, tidal volume (Vt) 10 mL/kg, zero end-expiratory pressure, and volume-controlled ventilation, whereas the protective strategy (PV group, n=50) consisted of FIO2 0.5, Vt 6 mL/kg, positive end-expiratory pressure 5 cm H2O, and pressure-controlled ventilation. The composite primary end point included PaO2/FIO2<300 mm Hg and/or the presence of newly developed lung lesions (lung infiltration and atelectasis) within 72 h of the operation. To monitor safety during OLV, oxygen saturation by pulse oximeter (SpO2), PaCO2, and peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) were repeatedly measured. RESULTS During OLV, although 58% of the PV group needed elevated FIO2 to maintain an SpO2>95%, PIP was significantly lower than in the CV group, whereas the mean PaCO2 values remained at 35 to 40 mm Hg in both groups. Importantly, in the PV group, the incidence of the primary end point of pulmonary dysfunction was significantly lower than in the CV group (incidence of PaO2/FIO2<300 mm Hg, lung infiltration, or atelectasis: 4% vs 22%, P<.05). CONCLUSION Compared with the traditional large Vt and volume-controlled ventilation, the application of small Vt and PEEP through pressure-controlled ventilation was associated with a lower incidence of postoperative lung dysfunction and satisfactory gas exchange. TRIAL REGISTRY Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry; No.: ACTRN12609000861257; URL: www.anzctr. org.au.
Large-Scale Cover Song Retrieval System Developed Using Machine Learning Approaches

Large-scale cover song retrieval systems should be able to calculate song-to-song similarity and accommodate differences in timing, key, and tempo. Simple vector distance measure is not adequately powerful to perform cover song recognition, and expensive solutions such as dynamic time warping do not scale to millions of instances, making cover song retrieval inappropriate for commercial-scale applications. In this work, we used the content-based music features of songs as input and transformed them into vectors by using the 2D Fourier transform approach. Furthermore, we explored different machine learning approaches to reinforce the pattern of these vectors. By projecting the songs into a semantic vector space, we can use the efficient nearest neighbor algorithm to compare the similarity of songs and retrieve the most similar songs from the large-scale database. The proposed system is not only efficient enough to perform scalable content-based music retrieval but can also develop the potential of machine learning approaches, making similar music recognition applications faster and more accurate.
Psycholinguistic Aspects of Focalization in a Paradigm of Narrative Discours

The author of this article emphasizes that study of the narrative discourse on the example of English literature, the definition of psycholinguistic aspects of such a discourse is a very actual problem of the present, since this kind of discourse plays an important role in all genres of fiction. In this article, the narrative discourse will be analyzed on the example of graphic novels, and based on the analysis will be determined the psycholinguistic features of the narrative discourse. In the article it was emphasized that the analysis of the materials presented in the form of comics is important for defining the features of the narrative discourse, because the person who is observing is only the object of visualization, and not its subject. In the case of the character watches for something, the reader will be positioned exactly like this character.Herewith, a certain type of positioning is important for the narration of text material presented in the form of comics, because it is this type of positioning greatly affects the values created by the reader’s work. It was emphasized that the psycholinguistic narrative paradigm in the form of comics should be considered in the context in which comics are the assembly of both words and images, and thus the reader should carry out both visual and linguistic interpretation of the content. The psycholinguistic paradigm of comics contributes to the fact that artistic schemes (for example, the point of view, symmetry, the contextualization by means of contextual details), and sections of linguistics (for example, grammar, literature, syntax) appear to overlap each other, create an integral frame, which strenghtens the reader’s understandinf of a certain work. In this article the context of “focusing” from the point of psycholinguistic view was analyzed. The author of this article described his own version of comic comprehension processing, which is based on the knowledge of various narrative schemes, constantly changing the source data and obtaining the new information. Understanding in this case is represented as a series of transitions from the external to the internal focus. The latter often happens in a visual form, creating visual continuity through the processing of information from the bottom to top, while the change in the time and space of the plot occurs by text information processing from the top to bottom, combining previous knowledge of the characters and actions of the characters of the work into the new contextual scripts. Analyzing the work “Night Guards” by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, the author of this article proposed the following psycholinguistic aspects of the narrative discourse, namely: visual accentuation, updating of information, meta-narrative presentation of the text, contrasting visual word-combinations, actualization of the narrative potential.
Comparison metrics for the output of a mixed fixed point and floating point graphics pipeline

We propose to provide an analysis of some already existing and newly proposed metrics used for comparing altered images. The goal is to be able to accurately and objectively evaluate the alteration produced by an inaccurate, hybrid graphics pipeline that uses multiple real number formats relative to a fully accurate one. In order to obtain this, we have modified our own OpenGL ES 1.1 software implementation so that it could operate with different representations of real numbers. We fed this hybrid pipeline with about 2500 3D objects and rendered them in 180 frames for each object, in different positions, using a combination of real number formats across the pipeline. By using this setup we have obtained about 450000 reference images and about 2700000 altered ones. Finally, we obtained the differences between the two sets of images and tried to analyze them by using different metrics so that we could distinguish between acceptable altered images and non acceptable ones.
An acoustical guidance and position monitoring system for endotracheal tubes

A prototype instrument to guide the placement and continuously monitor the position of an endotracheal tube (ETT) was developed. An incident audible sound pulse is introduced into the proximal ETT and detected as it travels down the ETT via a miniature microphone located in the wall. This pulse is then emitted from the tube tip into the airways and the reflected signal from the airways is detected by the microphone. A well defined reflection arises from the point where the total cross sectional area of the airways increases rapidly, and the difference in timing between detection of the incident pulse and this reflection is used to determine ETT position or movement. This reflection is not observed if the ETT is erroneously placed in the esophagus. The amplitude and polarity of an additional reflection that occurs at the ETT tip is used to estimate the cross-sectional area of the airway in which the ETT is placed. This combined information allows discrimination between tracheal and bronchial intubation and can be used to insure an adequate fit between the ETT and trachea. The instrument has proven extremely reliable in multiple intubations in eight canines and offers the potential to noninvasively and inexpensively monitor ETT position in a continuous manner. <<ETX>>
Experimental and probabilistic analysis of distal femoral periprosthetic fracture: a comparison of locking plate and intramedullary nail fixation. Part A: experimental investigation

The following is a two-part study. Part A evaluates biomechanically intramedullary (IM) nails vs. locking plates for fixation of femoral fractures in osteoporotic bone. Part B of this study introduces a deterministic finite element model of each construct type and investigates the probability of periprosthetic fracture of the locking plate compared with the retrograde IM nail using Monte Carlo simulation. For Part A, an extra-articular, metaphyseal wedge fracture pattern was created in 11 osteoporotic fourth-generation composite femurs. Fixation was performed with a locking plate or a retrograde IM nail. Axial, torsion and bending cyclic loading to simulate post-operative damage accumulation were performed followed by ramped load to failure. Locking plates proved to be more stable (using stiffness as the determining factor) in osteoporotic bone as observed under low load cycle conditions. However, some of these advantages were offset by a greater incidence of sudden periprosthetic fracture observed under ramped loading conditions. Cadaveric, osteoporotic femurs included as a case study also exhibited periprosthetic fracture, but failure was accompanied by catastrophic comminution of the cortex. Periprosthetic failure at the implant end including bone comminution is difficult to salvage with revision fixation. The weakened trabecular matrix and thinned cortex of osteoporotic bone may increase the incidence of periprosthetic fracture. It is, therefore, essential for the surgeon to consider all possible loading scenarios when recommending an ideal implant for the osteoporotic patient.
The Political Economy of European Asylum Policies

Despite the recognition that asylum policies are partly determined by political economy factors in the destination country, there is little empirical evidence on the precise linkages between those political factors and asylum policies. We shed light on this issue by examining the impact of elections and parties on first-time asylum applications. Our evidence is based on a large bilateral panel data set comprising 12 European destination countries and their 51 most relevant origin countries during the time period 2002 to 2014. Our findings suggest that the number of asylum applicants under left- and right-wing parties converges before elections and differs thereafter. This result is robust to several different specifications and suggests that both left- and rightwing cabinets choose moderate policies before the election and less moderate policies after the election.
Steganographic method based on wavelets and center weighted median filter

In this paper, we present a robust steganographic method for hidden information in the wavelet domain. The proposed method uses the Iterative Center Weighted Median (ICWM) algorithm to estimate the noisy areas of an RGB image. We propose to use the noisy pixels or areas as places to hidden information to provide good invisibility and fine detail preservation of processed images. The proposed method consistently identifies if the wavelets coefficients of an image contains noisy or not, this algorithm works with variances and standard deviations of the same wavelet coefficients of image.
The WHaSP: A Wireless Hands-Free Surgical Pointer for Minimally Invasive Surgery

To address the challenges of surgical instruction during minimally invasive surgery (MIS), a wireless hands-free pointer system has been developed. The Wireless Hands-free Surgical Pointer system incorporates infrared and inertial tracking technologies to address the need for hands-free pointing during MIS. The combination of these technologies allows for optimal movement of the pointer and excellent accuracy while the user is located at a realistic distance from the surgical monitor. Several experimental evaluations were performed to optimize the settings of the sensors, and to validate the system when compared to a commercially available hands-free pointing system. The results show improved performance with the proposed technology as measured by the total trajectory travelled by the pointer and the smoothness of the curve. The technology presented has the potential to significantly improve surgical instruction and guidance during MIS.
miR-1343 attenuates pathways of fibrosis by targeting the TGF-β receptors.

Irreversible respiratory obstruction resulting from progressive airway damage, inflammation and fibrosis is a feature of several chronic respiratory diseases, including cystic fibrosis (CF), idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The cytokine transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) has a pivotal role in promoting lung fibrosis and is implicated in respiratory disease severity. In the present study, we show that a previously uncharacterized miRNA, miR-1343, reduces the expression of both TGF-β receptor 1 and 2 by directly targeting their 3'-UTRs. After TGF-β exposure, elevated intracellular miR-1343 significantly decreases levels of activated TGF-β effector molecules, pSMAD2 (phosphorylated SMAD2) and pSMAD3 (phosphorylated SMAD3), when compared with a non-targeting control miRNA. As a result, the abundance of fibrotic markers is reduced, cell migration into a scratch wound impaired and epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) repressed. Mature miR-1343 is readily detected in human neutrophils and HL-60 cells and is activated in response to stress in A549 lung epithelial cells. miR-1343 may have direct therapeutic applications in fibrotic lung disease.
An assembly-type master–slave catheter and guidewire driving system for vascular intervention

Current vascular intervention inevitably exposes a large amount of X-ray to both an operator and a patient during the procedure. The purpose of this study is to propose a new catheter driving system which assists the operator in aspects of less X-ray exposure and convenient user interface. For this, an assembly-type 4-degree-of-freedom master–slave system was designed and tested to verify the efficiency. First, current vascular intervention procedures are analyzed to develop a new robotic procedure that enables us to use conventional vascular intervention devices such as catheter and guidewire which are commercially available in the market. Some parts of the slave robot which contact the devices were designed to be easily assembled and dissembled from the main body of the slave robot for sterilization. A master robot is compactly designed to conduct insertion and rotational motion and is able to switch from the guidewire driving mode to the catheter driving mode or vice versa. A phantom resembling the human arteries was developed, and the master–slave robotic system is tested using the phantom. The contact force of the guidewire tip according to the shape of the arteries is measured and reflected to the user through the master robot during the phantom experiment. This system can drastically reduce radiation exposure by replacing human effort by a robotic system for high radiation exposure procedures. Also, benefits of the proposed robot system are low cost by employing currently available devices and easy human interface.
Biological Activity of the Methanol and Water Extracts of the Fruits of Anthocyanin-Rich Plants Grown in South-West Poland

In this study we focused on the chemical composition, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antibacterial properties of methanol and water extracts of fruits of six species grown in south-west Poland: blackberry, blackcurrant, chokeberry, cherry, gooseberry and raspberry. No general correlation could be drawn between extract chemical properties (i.e. antioxidant and free radical scavenging) and observed biological effects. However, blackcurrant and blackberry extracts (both methanol and water) appeared to be good antioxidants and free radical scavengers, as well as effective inhibitors of E. coli adhesion to the uroepithelial cells. On the other hand, the poorest antioxidants and free radical scavengers, cherry and gooseberry extracts, also poorly affected bacterial growth, swimming ability and adhesion to epithelial cells. Surprisingly, gooseberry extracts, which showed generally weak effects, appeared to be the most effective inhibitor of bacterial biofilm formation. Additionally, most of the studied extracts showed reasonably strong anti-inflammatory properties.