Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can We Make Postoperative Patient Handovers Safer? A Systematic Review of the Literature

Postoperative patient handovers are fraught with technical and communication errors and may negatively impact patient safety. We systematically reviewed the literature on handover of care from the operating room to postanesthesia or intensive care units and summarized process and communication recommendations based on these findings. From >500 papers, we identified 31 dealing with postoperative handovers. Twenty-four included recommendations for structuring the handover process or information transfer. Several recommendations were broadly supported, including (1) standardize processes (e.g., through the use of checklists and protocols); (2) complete urgent clinical tasks before the information transfer; (3) allow only patient-specific discussions during verbal handovers; (4) require that all relevant team members be present; and (5) provide training in team skills and communication. Only 4 of the studies developed an intervention and formally assessed its impact on different process measures. All 4 interventions improved metrics of effectiveness, efficiency, and perceived teamwork. Most of the papers were cross-sectional studies that identified barriers to safe, effective postoperative handovers including the incomplete transfer of information and other communication issues, inconsistent or incomplete teams, absent or inefficient execution of clinical tasks, and poor standardization. An association between poor-quality handovers and adverse events was also demonstrated. More innovative research is needed to define optimal patient handovers and to determine the effect of handover quality on patient outcomes.
A System for Query Specific Coherent Text Multi-Document Summarization

In this paper, we present a system called QueSTS, which generates a query specific extractive summary of a selected set of documents. We have proposed an integrated graph approach to represent the contextual relationships among sentences of all the input documents. These relationships are exploited and several sub-graphs of the integrated graph are constructed. These sub-graphs consist of sentences that are highly relevant to the query and that are highly related to each other. These sub-graphs are ranked by a scoring model. The highest ranked sub-graph which is rich in query relevant information is selected as a query specific summary. A sentence ordering strategy has also been proposed by us to improve the coherence of the summary. Sentences in the selected summary are sequenced as per the above strategy. Experimental results show that the summaries generated by the QueSTS system are significantly better than other systems in terms of user satisfaction.
Nitrous Oxide and Serious Morbidity and Mortality in the POISE Trial

BACKGROUND:In this post hoc subanalysis of the Perioperative Ischemic Evaluation (POISE) trial, we sought to determine whether nitrous oxide was associated with the primary composite outcome of cardiovascular death, nonfatal myocardial infarction (MI), and nonfatal cardiac arrest within 30 days of randomization. METHODS:The POISE trial of perioperative &bgr;-blockade was undertaken in 8351 patients. Nitrous oxide anesthesia was defined as the coadministration of nitrous oxide in patients receiving general anesthesia, with or without additional neuraxial blockade or peripheral nerve blockade. Logistic regression, with inverse probability weighting using estimated propensity scores, was used to determine the association of nitrous oxide with the primary outcome, MI, stroke, death, and clinically significant hypotension. RESULTS:Nitrous oxide was administered to 1489 (29%) of the 5133 patients included in this analysis. Nitrous oxide had no significant effect on the risk of the primary outcome (112 [7.5%] vs 248 [6.9%]; odds ratio [OR], 1.08; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.82–1.44; 99% CI, 0.75–1.57; P = 0.58), MI (89 [6.0] vs 204 [5.6]; OR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.75–1.31; 99% CI, 0.69–1.42; P = 0.94), stroke (6 [0.4%] vs 28 [0.8%]; OR, 0.85; 95% CI, 0.26–2.82; 99% CI, 0.17–4.11; P = 0.79), death (40 [2.7%] vs 100 [2.8%]; OR, 1.04; 95% CI, 0.6–1.81; 99% CI, 0.51–2.15; P = 0.88) or clinically significant hypotension (219 [14.7%] vs 544 [15.0%]; OR, 0.92; 95% CI, 0.74–1.15; 99% CI, 0.70–1.23; P = 0.48). CONCLUSIONS:In this post hoc subanalysis, nitrous oxide was not associated with an increased risk of adverse outcomes in the POISE trial patients. This analysis was limited by the observational nature of the data and the lack of information on the concentration and duration of nitrous oxide administration. Further randomized controlled trial evidence is required.
Clinical disease activity assessments in rheumatoid arthritis

Over the years, the growing need to standardize methodologies in rheumatoid arthritis, to improve the clinical management and evaluation of the effectiveness of treatments, has led to the development of different assessment tools. Since there is no gold standard for measuring disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis, a variety of instruments, which include continuous measures of disease activity and patient-reported outcomes questionnaires, have been described and used for this purpose. Although they were originally developed to be used in clinical trials, some of these tools have been adopted in daily practice. Clear evidence from several studies has shown that treatment decisions driven by quantitative monitoring of the disease significantly improve patient outcomes. This review provides a comprehensive overview of assessment tools currently available in rheumatoid arthritis that are used in clinical trials and daily practice, highlighting their main features and limitations.
The agarose diffusion method for ocular irritancy screening: cosmetic products, part ii

AbstractTwenty-two cosmetic products were tested by the agarose diffusion method to determine the correlation between the zone of lysis produced by agarose diffusion and the 24 hr rating of chemical irritation in previously conducted Draize eye irritancy tests using these same formulations. The cosmetic product formulation types included a shaded range of water-in-oil emulsions, water-based or hydrocarbon-based suspensions, gels, and physical mixtures of powders or waxes. A 100% correlation was established for this group of samples between the in vitro agarose diffusion test and the in vivo Draize eye irritancy test, with no false-positive or false-negative results.
Glossa - A Formal Language as a Mapping Mechanism of NL Sentences into SPN State Machine for Actions/Events Association

Natural Language Understanding (NLU) is an old and really challenging field with a variety of research work published on it. In this paper we present a formal language methodology based on a state machine for efficiently representing natural language events/actions and their associations in well-written documents. The methodology consists of the following steps. We firstly apply Anaphora Resolution (AR) to the pre-processing natural language text. Then we extract the kernel(s) of each sentence. These kernels are formally represented using a formal language, (Glossa) to map the language expressions (kernels) into Stochastic Petri Nets (SPN) graphs. Finally we apply a set of rules to combine the SPN graphs in order to achieve the associations of actions/events in time. Special emphasis of this paper is the mapping of kernels of NL sentences into SPN graphs. Note that this work does not cover all the aspects of the NLU. Examples of SPN graphs of different NL texts, produced by our proposed methodology are given.
Motion Planning with Energy Reduction for a Floating Robotic Platform Under Disturbances and Measurement Noise Using Reinforcement Learning

This paper investigates the use of reinforcement learning for the navigation of an over-actuated, i.e. more control inputs than degrees of freedom, marine platform in unknown environment. The proposed approach uses an online least-squared policy iteration scheme for value function approximation in order to estimate optimal policy, in conjunction with a low-level control system that controls the magnitude of the linear velocity, and the orientation of the platform. Primary goal of the proposed scheme is the reduction of the consumed energy. To that end, we propose a variable reward function that depends on the energy consumption of the platform. We evaluate our approach in a complex and realistic simulation environment and report results concerning its performance on estimating optimal navigation policies under different environmental disturbances, and position GPS measurement noise. The proposed framework is compared, in terms of energy consumption, to a baseline approach based on virtual potential fields. The results show that the marine platform successfully discovers the target point following a sub-optimal path, maintaining reduced energy consumption.
A Comparison of Clinical and Research Practices in Measuring Cerebral Perfusion Pressure: A Literature Review and Practitioner Survey

BACKGROUND:Our objective was to determine whether there is variability in the foundational literature and across centers in how mean arterial blood pressure is measured to calculate cerebral perfusion pressure. METHODS:We reviewed foundational literature and sent an e-mail survey to members of the Neurocritical Care Society. RESULTS:Of 32 articles reporting cerebral perfusion pressure data, the reference point for mean arterial blood pressure was identified in 16: 10 heart and 6 midbrain. The overall survey response rate was 14.3%. Responses from 31 of 34 (91%) United Council for Neurologic Subspecialties fellowship-accredited Neurointensive Care Units indicated the reference point was most often the heart (74%), followed by the midbrain (16%). Conflicting answers were received from 10%. CONCLUSIONS:There is substantive heterogeneity in both research reports and clinical practice in how mean arterial blood pressure is measured to determine cerebral perfusion pressure.
A Hybrid Electro-Optical Architecture for Classification Trees and Associative Memory Mechanisms

An architecture is presented here which can be used for some important paradigms of intelligent systems. This architecture targets applications which require real time processing of stream inputs with versatile hardware which exploits parallelism. The architecture is particularly suited for pattern recognition paradigms which are based on the use of decision trees. Artificially intelligent systems based on decision trees interestingly present some common computational requirements which can be served very efficiently by a Data Flow architecture. A small set of different functions is computed repeatedly with simple result tokens passed from one computation to successive ones. Developments in optical processing have introduced elements which are particularly suited to the computational requirements of some of these systems, and therefore they can be effectively employed in this architecture. The architecture presented here is based on Data Flow design principles and is enhanced with optical processing elements. The function of the architecture is illustrated by discussing the mapping of two specific AI paradigms—a pattern classifier and an associative recall mechanism.
Effects of power training on neuromuscular performance and mechanical efficiency

Effects of power training with stretch‐shortening cycle (SSC) exercises on mechanical efficiency (ME) were investigated with 9 young women who trained 3 times a week for 4 months. The training included various types of jumping exercises. Before and after the training as well as after the detraining (2 months) the subjects performed 6 different submaximal exercises with a special sledge apparatus. Each exercise involved 60 muscle actions lasting for a total of 3 min per testing condition. The work intensities were determined individually according to the recordings of distance obtained during the single maximal concentric exercises. The training caused the greatest changes of ME in conditions of higher prestretch intensities. The ME values changed from 49.3 ± 12.9% to 55.4 ± 12.1% in pure eccentric exercises and from 39.5 ± 4.6% to 46.1 ± 5.0% in SSC exercises during the training. After the training, the subjects preactivated their leg extensor muscles earlier before the impact, and the eccentric working phase was more powerful, because of higher tendomuscular stiffness. Higher preactivation of the measured muscles, higher flexion of knee and increased dorsiflexion of ankle joints in the beginning of contact caused the increased stiffness, possibly through more powerful reflex activation. At the same time the metabolic demands of muscles decreased, causing the increases of ME.
Analysis of online breast-feeding consultation on the website of the Korean Pediatric Society

Purpose : Since the infant formula milk has been produced in Korea, it has faced a low rate of breast milk feeding, though breast milk feeding is a little increasing. Therefore, the Korean Pediatric Society launched its website for breast-feeding consultation to provide information to the general public and enhance the health of growing infants. The consultation results were analyzed to identify the problems that mothers encounter during breast-feeding. Methods : From August 1, 2004 to July 31, 2007, 1001 mothers who visited the online consultation webpage (www. pediatrics.or.kr) of the Korean Pediatric Society asked 1,021 questions. The questions were divided into 3 major categories and 14 specific categories. Interesting questions asked more than 100 times were retrospectively analyzed. Results : The results for the major categories were as follows: 413 questions (40.3%) were on how to breast-feed, 315 (30.8%) on problems of feeding mothers, and 293 (28.8%) on problems of the fed babies. In the specific categories, 22.2% of the questions were on how to breast-feed. With the increasing number of working couples and working mothers, many questions were asked on the problems of breast-feeding after returning from work. Conclusion : The author expects that analyses of these consultations will contribute to the enhancement of information on the consultation website, thus enabling to provide clearer answers to people's increased interest in and concerns on breast-feeding. Furthermore, this research will help to establish correct breast-feeding practice.
Cross-Layer Design for Mobile Ad Hoc Networks Using Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Logic Systems

In this paper, we introduce a new method for packet transmission delay analysis and prediction in mobile ad hoc networks. We apply a fuzzy logic system (FLS) to coordinate physical layer and data link layer. We demonstrate that type-2 fuzzy membership function (MF), i.e., the Gaussian MFs with uncertain variance is most appropriate to model BER and MAC layer service time. Two FLSs and one neural network: a singleton type-1 FLS, an interval type-2 FLS and back-prop neural network (NN) are designed to predict the packet transmission delay based on the BER and MAC layer service time. Simulation results show that the interval type-2 FLS performs much better than the type-1 FLS in transmission delay prediction. And FLSs performs better than back-prop NN. We use the forecasted transmission delay to adjust the transmission power, and it shows that the interval type-2 FLS performs much better than a type-1 FLS, and FLSs are performs better than back-prop NN in terms of energy consumption, average delay and throughput. Besides, we obtain the performance bound based on the actual transmission delay.
Privacy Risk Assessment with Bounds Deduced from Bounds

As more and more organizations collect, store, and release large amounts of personal information, it is increasingly important for the organizations to conduct privacy risk assessment so as to comply with various emerging privacy laws and meet information providers' demands. Existing statistical database security and inference control solutions may not be appropriate for protecting privacy in many new uses of data as these methods tend to be either less or over-restrictive in disclosure limitation or are prohibitively complex in practice. We address a fundamental question in privacy risk assessment which asks: how to accurately derive bounds for protected information from inaccurate released information or, more particularly, from bounds of released information. We give an explicit formula for calculating such bounds from bounds, which we call square bounds or S-bounds. Classic F-bounds in statistics become a special case of S-bounds when all released bounds retrograde to exact values. We propose a recursive algorithm to extend our S-bounds results from two dimensions to high dimensions. To assess privacy risk for a protected database of personal information given some bounds of released information, we define typical privacy disclosure measures. For each type of disclosure, we investigate the distribution patterns of privacy breaches as well as effective and efficient controls that can be used to eliminate privacy risk, both based on our S-bounds results.
Nursing Home Residents with Emphysema/COPD Compared to Other Residents

ABSTRACT Over the past 20 years, the prevalence and age-adjusted death rate for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has increased by 30 percent, with most of this increase in persons over 65. Over 444,000 MDS admission assessments recorded in the Minimum Data Set (MDS) during 2000 were analyzed, including 68,439 assessments for residents with emphysema/COPD (15.4 percent). Profiles of nursing home residents with emphysema/COPD were created and compared to other residents. These profiles describe demographic characteristics, health status, and treatments received. Residents with emphysema/COPD were less physically and cognitively disabled than other residents, but more likely than other residents to have cardiovascular diseases, pneumonia, and respiratory infections. Residents with emphysema/COPD were more likely to receive oxygen therapy, IV medications, and monitoring for acute medical conditions than other residents. Almost 30 percent of residents with emphysema/COPD experienced daily pain, with two-thirds rating their pain as moderate to severe. More than 50 percent of residents with emphysema/COPD had no advanced directives, only 39 percent had a DNR order, and only 16 percent executed a living will. Hopefully with continued efforts by palliative care advocates, better pain management and advanced care planning will take place in nursing facilities.
Neuro-Fuzzy Controller Design to Navigate Unmanned Vehicle with Construction of Traffic Rules to Avoid Obstacles

To navigate an autonomous unmanned vehicle (UV) in an obstacle based trajectory, the fuzzy-neural network is very essential. In this paper, we designed a fuzzy inference system to guide an unmanned vehicle for maintaining traffic rules to reach its goal with avoiding obstacles. The fuzzy inference system which we designed, generates fuzzy if then rules and defines a nonlinear mapping of input data. The input data are initial position, velocity of vehicle and whether there is any obstacle. Input data are simulated and trained by hybrid algorithm. The result controls the navigation of UV and also minimizes error performance to reach the goal.
Estimation of Principal curvatures from Range Data

This paper presents a new method of estimating principal curvatures of surfaces from range data. The method proposed is capable of using both scattered and gridded data. It is based on estimating curvatures of curves through sample points, unlike previously reported methods which rely on surface fitting. Results demonstrating that the method is applicable to a wide range of curvature values are presented.
What Happens after the Puerperium? Analysis of “Late” Postpartum Readmissions in California

Objective: Admissions to acute care hospitals represent a significant portion of healthcare utilization. Little is known regarding hospitalization in the first postpartum year beyond the traditional 6 weeks of the puerperium. We sought to investigate whether there are identifiable risk factors for hospital readmission during this time period. Study Design: We conducted a retrospective population-based study using all California birth records between 1999 and 2003. These records were linked with hospital discharge data for all admissions to California hospitals in the first 365 days after delivery. For women with a first birth during the study period, we assessed the likelihood of readmission to an acute care hospital between 42 and 365 days post-delivery. Univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine risk factors for these “late postpartum” admissions. Results: Of 951,570 maternal birth admissions during the time period, 15,727 (1.7%) women were admitted in the late postpartum period. Women with an early postpartum readmission, antepartum admission, extremes of maternal age, black race, diabetes, hypertension, early preterm delivery and cesarean delivery had higher rates of late postpartum readmission. Of women with an antepartum admission for gestational diabetes or pre-existing diabetes, 6.6% and 18.5% of these women experienced a late postpartum admission for a diabetes-related diagnosis. Conclusion: Hospital readmission rates in the first year postpartum, remote from delivery, are significant. Women are at a higher risk of requiring hospital admission in the first year postpartum with select demographics and pregnancy-related diagnoses.
Functional Outcomes of Antegrade Homodigital Neurovascular Island Flaps for Fingertip Amputation.

BACKGROUND Fingertip amputations can be debilitating and challenging to treat, due to the need for both function and cosmesis. We studied the functional outcomes of patients receiving an antegrade homodigital neurovascular island flap for fingertip amputations. METHODS From 2004 to 2013, we performed 13 cases of antegrade homodigital neurovascular island flaps. Functional outcomes were studied. Four had Allen Zone II and nine had Zone III injuries. Seven were performed as secondary surgery. The mean followup period was 36 weeks. RESULTS All the flaps survived. Ten of 11 had less than or equal to 6 mm two-point discrimination. Five patients were noted to have mild flexion contracture at distal interphalangeal joints ranging from 5 to 10 degrees. There were three cases with nail deformity, three with fingertip hypersensitivity and four with cold intolerance. For patients injured on duty, the mean duration of sick leave taken was 18.5 weeks. CONCLUSIONS With careful patient selection, the antegrade homodigital neurovascular island flap is a reliable means of restoring the function of the fingertip after amputation injury with significant tissue loss. Flap survival, sensibility and mobile adjacent joint can be expected, even when performed as a secondary surgery and for patients with work-related injuries.