Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The mayo classification system for traumatic brain injury severity.

PURPOSE To develop a single TBI severity classification system based on commonly used TBI severity measures and indicators that (1) maximally uses available positive evidence to classify TBI severity in three categories: (a) Moderate-Severe (Definite) TBI, (b) Mild (Probable) TBI, (c) Symptomatic (Possible) TBI; (2) reflects current clinical knowledge and relevance; and (3) classifies a larger number of cases than single indicator systems with reasonable accuracy. MAIN FINDINGS The study sample of a defined population consisted of 1501 unique Olmsted County residents with at least one confirmed TBI event from 1985 to 1999. Within the sample, 1678 TBI events were confirmed. Single measures of TBI severity were not available in a large percentage of these events, i.e., Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) was absent in 1242 (74.0%); loss of consciousness, absent in 178 (70.2%), posttraumatic amnesia (PTA), absent in 974 (58.1%), head CT, not done in 827 (49.3%). The Mayo Classification System for TBI Severity was developed to classify cases based on available indicators that included death due to TBI, trauma-related neuroimaging abnormalities, GCS, PTA, loss of consciousness and specified post-concussive symptoms. Using the Mayo system, all cases were classified. For the Moderate-Severe (Definite) TBI classification, estimated sensitivity was 89% and estimated specificity was 98%. CONCLUSIONS By maximally using relevant available positive evidence, the Mayo system classifies a larger number of cases than single indicator systems with reasonable accuracy. This system may be of use in retrospective research and for determination of TBI severity for planning postacute clinical care.
Institutional investors and opportunistic seasoned equity offerings in the Korean stock market

ABSTRACT This study examines the impact of institutional monitoring on opportunistic seasoned equity offerings (SEOs) in the Korean stock market. With a firm’s accrual quality as a measurement for the degree of information asymmetry between managers and investors, we hypothesize that the managers of firms with poor accrual quality are likely to engage in opportunistic SEOs, but such opportunistic activity is weak in firms strongly monitored by institutional investors. The empirical findings indicate that opportunistic SEOs tend to be deterred by institutional monitoring.
Palmitoylation of stathmin family proteins domain A controls Golgi versus mitochondrial subcellular targeting

Background information. Precise localization of proteins to specialized subcellular domains is fundamental for proper neuronal development and function. The neural microtubule‐regulatory phosphoproteins of the stathmin family are such proteins whose specific functions are controlled by subcellular localization. Whereas stathmin is cytosolic, SCG10, SCLIP and RB3/RB3′/RB3″ are localized to the Golgi and vesicle‐like structures along neurites and at growth cones. We examined the molecular determinants involved in the regulation of this specific subcellular localization in hippocampal neurons in culture.
Reconfigurable three-dimensional prototype system using digital materials

Digital materials are discrete elements such as LEGO Blocks that it can be a kind of reconfigurable 3D matters. There are two advantages of using digital material rather than a continuous material. Firstly, it is easy to change the form after shaping by assembling and disassembling the elements. Secondly, There is never that the error of the part impacts the whole form in the shaping because the elements can be connected exactly by the joint system. There are many researches of digital material focus on the modular connection by press fitting or bonding. Such a digital material can't be assembled and disassembled smoothly after shaped. In our research, we designed the digital material "Kelvin Block" (figure 1a) that specialized in smoothly reconfiguring, and we developed the machine "3D Assembler" (figure 1b) to arrange Kelvin Blocks automatically. The size of Kelvin Block is 40mmx40mmx40mm that is optimized to the volume of the joint system.
Antibacterial Activity of Honey against Strains of Staphylococcus Aureus from Infected Wounds

The antibacterial action of honey in infected wounds does not depend wholly on its high osmolality. We tested the sensitivity of 58 strains of coagulase-positive Staphylococcus aureus, isolated from infected wounds, to a pasture honey and a manuka honey. There was little variation between the isolates in their sensitivity to honey: minimum inhibitory concentrations were all between 2 and 3% (v/v) for the manuka honey and between 3 and 4% for the pasture honey. Thus, these honeys would prevent growth of S. aureus if diluted by body fluids a further seven-fold to fourteen-fold beyond the point where their osmolarity ceased to be completely inhibitory. The antibacterial action of the pasture honey relied on release of hydrogen peroxide, which in vivo might be reduced by catalase activity in tissues or blood. The action of manuka honey stems partly from a phytochemical component, so this type of honey might be more effective in vivo. Comparative clinical trials with standardized honeys are needed.
Impact of Genotypic Resistance Testing on Selection of Salvage Regimen in Clinical Practice

Objective To determine whether genotypic resistance testing leads to selection of more potent drug regimens when compared to regimens based on treatment history only. Design Prospective, tertiary care centre-based study. Patients: One-hundred-and-forty-five HIV-infected adults on stable antiretroviral therapy (ART) for >6 months experiencing virological failure. Methods The physicians’ decision-making process when choosing a salvage regimen was prospectively documented: at time of virological failure, on ‘failing ART’, genotyping was performed and a hypothetical ‘clinical expert ART’ based upon patient's drug history was documented. Subsequently, data on resistance mutations, rating by a decision support software and drug history were used to define ‘genotyping ART’. After discussion with the patient, final treatment, ‘new personalized ART’ was chosen and prescribed. To compare the relative potency of the four ART regimens in a standardized manner, a resistance score ranging from 1 (best) to 8 (worst) based on drug ranking by decision support software was attributed to each ART regimen. Virological and immunological outcomes were analysed based on the magnitude of the resistance score. Results Median follow-up was 1.5 years. In all 145 patients, median resistance scores for the stepwise selected ART regimens were: ‘failing ART’: 4.5, ‘clinical expert ART’: 1.8, ‘genotyping ART’: 1.5 and ‘new personalized ART’: 2. The latter was 1.5 in patients who effectively switched to ‘new personalized ART’ (n=89). Lower resistance scores translated into significantly improved virological response after initiation of ‘new personalized ART’. In multivariable analysis, lower resistance scores, lower baseline HIV RNA levels and use of novel antiretroviral drugs were associated with the probability of reducing plasma viraemia to <50 copies/ml. Conclusions: This study suggests that treatment choices including genotype and decision support software were virologically superior to those based on drug history only.
Implications of the distribution of Albumin Naskapi and Albumin Mexico for new world prehistory.

The known distributions of two mutational variants of the albumin gene that are restricted to Mexico and/or North America, Albumin Mexico (AL*Mexico) and Albumin Naskapi (AL*Naskapi), were expanded by the electrophoretic analysis of sera collected from more than 3, 500 Native Americans representing several dozen tribal groups. With a few exceptions that could be due to recent, isolated cases of admixture, AL*Naskapi is limited to groups that speak Athapaskan and Algonquian, two widely distributed language families not thought to be related, and to several linguistically unrelated groups geographically proximate to its probable ancestral homeland. Similarly, AL*Mexico is limited to groups that speak Yuman or Uto-Aztecan, two language groups in the American Southwest and Baja California not thought to be closely related to each other, and to several linguistically unrelated groups throughout Mexico. The simultaneous consideration of genetic, historical, linguistic, and archaeological evidence suggests that AL*Naskapi probably originated on the northwestern coast of North America, perhaps in some group ancestral to both Athapaskans and Algonquians, and then spread by migration and admixture to contiguous unrelated, or distantly related, tribal groups. AL*Mexico probably originated in Mexico before 3,000 years BP then spread northward along the Tepiman corridor together with cultural influences to several unrelated groups that participated in the Hohokam culture.
Incorporating resident/fellow training into a robotic surgery program

With the rapid uptake of the robotic approach in gynecologic surgery, a thorough understanding of the technology, including its uses and limitations, is critical to maximize patient outcomes and safety. This review discusses the role of training modalities and development of curricula for robotic surgery. Furthermore, methods for incorporating the entire surgical team and the process of credentialing/maintaining privileges are described. J. Surg. Oncol. 2015;112:684–689. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Expression and Characterization of Natural-Like Recombinant Der p 2 for Sublingual Immunotherapy

Background: Recombinant allergens with a native conformation represent an alternative to natural extracts for immunotherapy and diagnostic purposes. Methods: We produced the Der p 2 mite allergen in Pichia pastoris and Escherichia coli. After purification by cation exchange chromatography, recombinant molecules were compared to their natural counterpart based upon structural (disulfide bonds, secondary structure, thermal stability) and immunological properties (antibody reactivity, basophil and T cell activation, tolerance induction in a murine sublingual immunotherapy model). Results: The Der p 2.0101 isoform was confirmed to be prevalent in Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus extracts. It was then produced as a secreted molecule in P. pastoris or refolded from E. coli inclusion bodies. The yeast-expressed rDer p 2 molecule exhibits a natural-like disulfide bridge distribution and secondary structure, whereas the E. coli-derived rDer p 2 presents some heterogeneity in cysteine bonds and a lower stability following thermal stress. The two recombinant as well as natural Der p 2 molecules exhibit comparable IgE recognition and activate basophil and CD4+ T cells. Sublingual immunotherapy of nDer p 2- sensitized mice using either one of the rDer p 2 molecules efficiently decreases airway hyperresponsiveness as well as Th2 responses. Conclusions: Natural and recombinant Der p 2 molecules produced in P. pastoris and E. coli exhibit comparable immunological properties despite distinct structural features. Natural-like cysteine pairing is a critical parameter to identify stable, well-folded and homogenous proteins appropriate for immunotherapy and diagnostic purposes.
The partial volume effect in PET/SPECT and Benford's Law

In this work we consider a probabilistic methodology that models the intensity distributions found in pure and partial volume (PV) voxels. We introduce some methodological developments that enable explicit modeling of the PV voxels prior probability density function (PDF). This new formulation can be applied generically across different imaging modalities including PET and SPECT. In this paper, we establish for the first time, that the prior PDF of voxels that arise from the PV effect in volumetric data can be well described by a simple phenomenological law called Benford's Law, which significantly eases parameter estimation compared to other methods. Results from simulated data are presented, along with a preliminary PET phantom study utilizing registered CT data to determine the quality of the resulting probabilistic voxel classification scheme.
An integrative analysis of colon cancer identifies an essential function for PRPF6 in tumor growth

The spliceosome machinery is composed of multimeric protein complexes that generate a diverse repertoire of mRNA. Here, Adler et al. discover that PRPF6, a member of the tri-snRNP spliceosome complex, drives cancer proliferation. Inhibition of PRPF6 and other tri-snRNP complex proteins selectively abrogated growth in cancer cells with high tri-snRNP levels. Reducing PRPF6 altered the splicing of a discrete number of genes, including an oncogenic isoform of the ZAK kinase. This study identifies an essential role for PRPF6 in cancer via splicing of distinct growth-related gene products.
Towards a multimodal emotion recognition framework to be integrated in a Computer Based Speech Therapy System

Emotion recognition has become a “must have” for all system that want to inspire user's confidence and to interact in a friendly and familiar way. In this paper we propose an improved CBST (Computer Based Speech Therapy System) architecture by using multimodal (i.e. paralanguage, visual, and physiological parameters) emotion recognition techniques. Most research on emotion recognition using speech analysis so far has focused on adult subjects, with a good pronunciation. However, little research has been conducted on adapting classical affect recognition techniques in “narrow areas” such as children speech therapy, where emotions play a key role. So, our paper aims to deal with the assessment of the affective state of the children with speech disorders. A brief literature review is presented, exploring the recent work in the area. New hypothesis are formulated in order to identify the limits of using classical emotion recognition techniques in this special conditions. An original framework to be integrated in the CBST architecture is also outlined. The proposed framework can be seen as an extension of a CBST but will be flexible to other learning systems too.
Noise-Robust SLIC Superpixel for Natural Images

Superpixel algorithm aims to semantically group neighboring pixels into a coherent region. It could significantly boost the performance of the subsequent vision processing task such as image segmentation. Recently, the work simple linear iterative clustering (SLIC) [1] has drawn huge attention for its state-of-the-art segmentation performance and high computational efficiency. However, the performance of SLIC is dramatically degraded for noisy images. In this work, we propose three measures to improve the robustness of SLIC against noise: 1) a new pixel intensity distance measurement is designed by explicitly considering the within-cluster noise variance; 2) the spatial distance measurement is refined by exploiting the variation of pixel locations in a cluster; and 3) a noise-robust estimator is proposed to update the cluster centers by excluding the possible outliers caused by noise. Extensive experimental results on synthetic noisy images validate the effectiveness of those improvements. In addition, we apply the proposed noise-robust SLIC to superpixel-based noise level estimation task to demonstrate its practical usage.
An object manipulation by swarm robots inspired by granular convection phenomenon

Random motion of mixed different sized particles causes a segregation and larger particles come up to the top. This phenomenon is a basic characteristic of power system. Here we reports an object transport inspired by this effect, in which the group of robots and a handled object correspond to small particles and a large particle, respectively. Based on this effect, the passive object can be transported to a given destination in spite that each robot does not know the location of the object being transported or the location of the destination. Homogeneous system and two types of heterogeneous system are introduced and examined their performance by computer simulation.
The Impact of a Food Elimination Diet on Collegiate Athletes' 300-meter Run Time and Concentration

Background: Optimal human function and performance through diet strategies are critical for everyone but especially for those involved in collegiate or professional athletics. Currently, individualized medicine (IM) is emerging as a more efficacious approach to health with emphasis on personalized diet strategies for the public and is common practice for elite athletes. One method for directing patient-specific foods in the diet, while concomitantly impacting physical performance, may be via IgG food sensitivity and Candida albicans analysis from dried blood spot (DBS) collections. Methods: The authors designed a quasi-experimental, nonrandomized, pilot study without a control group. Twenty-three participants, 15 female, 8 male, from soccer/volleyball and football athletic teams, respectively, mean age 19.64+0.86 years, were recruited for the study, which examined preposttest 300-meter run times and questionnaire responses after a 14-day IgG DBS– directed food elimination diet based on IgG reactivity to 93 foods. DBS specimen collection, 300-meter run times, and Learning Difficulties Assessment (LDA) questionnaires were collected at the participants’ university athletics building on campus. IgG, C albicans, and S cerevisiae analyses were conducted at the Great Plains Laboratory, Lenexa, Kansas. Results: Data indicated a change in 300-meter run time but not of statistical significance (run time baseline mean=50.41 sec, run time intervention mean=50.14 sec). Descriptive statistics for frequency of responses and chi-square analysis revealed that 4 of the 23 items selected from the LDA (Listening-Memory and Concentration subscale R=.8669; Listening-Information Processing subscale R=.8517; and General Concentration and Memory subscale R=.9019) were improved posttest. Conclusion: The study results did not indicate merit in eliminating foods based on IgG reactivity for affecting athletic performance (faster 300-meter run time) but did reveal potential for affecting academic qualities of listening, information processing, concentration, and memory. Further studies are warranted evaluating IgG-directed food elimination diets for improving run time, concentration, and memory among college athletes as well as among other populations.
Clinical Science Training at the University of Colorado

Background Clinical science (CLSC) research education differs from basic science education in that many CLSC programs have an added goal of creating successful academicians. CLSC programs have expanded curricula that include teaching career development techniques, such as manuscript and grant writing, and helping young investigators establish successful mentor-mentee relationships. Methods A group of K30 CLSC training program students coordinated a pilot survey to determine if the CLSC training programs at the University of Colorado were meeting the needs of the participants in both didactic courses and in other aspects of academic medicine, including research. The small group survey was conducted as part of a clinical outcomes assessment course. Opportunities for improvement in the CLSC training programs were explored based on the results. Results Of 117 CLSC training program participants surveyed, 56% responded. Overall, there was a positive improvement found for the didactic CLSC research constructs. Participants also reported success in manuscript publication and grant writing applications. The CLSC program, however, was not successful in coordinating faculty mentor support for student research projects for 78% of respondents. Once a mentoring relationship was established, students were satisfied with the mentoring they received. Conclusion In general, CLSC trainees were satisfied that the K30 clinical research curriculum was meeting their needs. Many of the trainees were successful in developing academic skills during the program. Establishing a mentor relationship was the missing ingredient within the K30 CLSC training program. This may be an important component that should be considered when developing programs to create the next generation of clinician-scientists.
A graphical algorithm for fast computation of identity coefficients and generalized kinship coefficients

UNLABELLED Computing the probability of identity by descent sharing among n genes given only the pedigree of those genes is a computationally challenging problem, if n or the pedigree size is large. Here, I present a novel graphical algorithm for efficiently computing all generalized kinship coefficients for n genes. The graphical description transforms the problem from doing many recursion on the pedigree to doing a single traversal of a structure referred to as the kinship graph. AVAILABILITY The algorithm is implemented for n = 4 in the software package IdCoefs at http://home.uchicago. edu/abney/Software.html. CONTACT abney@bsd.uchicago. edu SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Vitrified/warmed single blastocyst transfer in preimplantation genetic diagnosis/preimplantation genetic screening cycles.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the single blastocyst transfer in preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)/preimplantation genetic screening (PGS) cycles. METHODS 80 PGD/PGS cycles undergoing blastocyst biopsy were studied. There were 88 warming cycles during the study period. Only one warmed blastocyst was transferred per cycle. The outcomes were followed up to the infants were born. RESULTS The embryo implantation rate was 54.55% (48/88). The clinical pregnancy rate was 54.55% (48/88) per transfer cycle and 60% (48/80) per initial PGD/PGS cycle. There was no multi-pregnant in this study. The live birth rate was 42.05% (37/88) per transfer cycle and 46.25% (37/80) per initial PGD/PGS cycle. CONCLUSION In PGD/PGS cycles, single blastocyst transfer reduces the multiple pregnancy rate without affecting the clinical outcomes.
Application of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to clinical practice.

In the past decade, assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as oocyte transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and nuclear transfer (cloning) have become effective enough for clinical use. ART such as oocyte transfer and ICSI allow production of foals from mares that cannot provide an embryo by standard embryo-transfer procedures. For the equine practitioner, application of ART can range from simply sending ovaries to a laboratory after a mare’s untimely death to setting up complete oocyte and embryo culture systems in a practice. This paper outlines some of the increasingly common ways in which ART may be applied to equine clinical practice, including ongoing developments in embryo biopsy for pre-implantation genetic diagnosis and embryo vitrification.