Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Mortality rates after subarachnoid hemorrhage: variations according to hospital case volume in 18 states.

OBJECT The goal of this study was to determine whether a hospital's volume of subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) cases affects mortality rates in patients with SAH. For certain serious illnesses and surgical procedures, outcome has been associated with hospital case volume. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, usually resulting from a ruptured cerebral aneurysm, yields a high mortality rate. There has been no multistate study of a diverse set of hospitals to determine whether in-hospital mortality rates are influenced by hospital volume of SAH cases. METHODS The authors conducted an analysis of a retrospective, administrative database of 16,399 hospitalizations for SAH (9290 admitted through emergency departments). These hospitalizations were from acute-care hospitals in 18 states representing 58% of the US population. Both univariate and multivariate analyses were used to assess the case volume-mortality rate relationship. The authors used patient age, sex, Medicaid status, hospital region, data source year, hospital case volume quartile, and a comorbidity index in multivariate generalized estimating equations to model the relationship between hospital volume and mortality rates after SAH. Patients with SAH who were treated in hospitals in which low volumes of patients with SAH are admitted through the emergency department had 1.4 times the odds of dying in the hospital (95% confidence interval 1.2-1.6) as patients admitted to high-volume hospitals after controlling for patient age, sex, Medicaid status, hospital region, database year, and comorbid conditions. CONCLUSIONS Patients with a diagnosis of SAH on their discharge records who initially presented through the emergency department of a hospital with a high volume of SAH cases had significantly lower mortality rates. Concentrating care for this disease in high-volume SAH treatment centers may improve overall survival.
Cycle Plot Revisited: Multivariate Outlier Detection Using a Distance‐Based Abstraction

The cycle plot is an established and effective visualization technique for identifying and comprehending patterns in periodic time series, like trends and seasonal cycles. It also allows to visually identify and contextualize extreme values and outliers from a different perspective. Unfortunately, it is limited to univariate data. For multivariate time series, patterns that exist across several dimensions are much harder or impossible to explore. We propose a modified cycle plot using a distance‐based abstraction (Mahalanobis distance) to reduce multiple dimensions to one overview dimension and retain a representation similar to the original. Utilizing this distance‐based cycle plot in an interactive exploration environment, we enhance the Visual Analytics capacity of cycle plots for multivariate outlier detection. To enable interactive exploration and interpretation of outliers, we employ coordinated multiple views that juxtapose a distance‐based cycle plot with Cleveland's original cycle plots of the underlying dimensions. With our approach it is possible to judge the outlyingness regarding the seasonal cycle in multivariate periodic time series.
Influence of neck pain on cervical movement in the sagittal plane during smartphone use

[Purpose] Smartphone use reportedly changes posture. However, how neck posture is altered in smartphone users with neck pain is unknown. This study examined changes in the posture of young adults with and without mild neck pain (MNP) when using a smartphone. [Subjects] Thirteen control subjects and 14 subjects with MNP who used smartphones were recruited. [Methods] The upper cervical (UC) and lower cervical (LC) angles in the sagittal plane were measured using an ultrasound-based motion analysis system while the seated subjects used a smartphone for 5 min. [Results] During smartphone use, the MNP group exhibited greater UC and LC flexion angles than the control group. [Conclusion] These findings suggest that young adults with MNP are more careful and more frequently utilize a neutral neck posture than young adults without MNP when using a smartphone while sitting.
Human-robot collaborated path planning for bevel-tip needle steering in simulated human environment

Clinical Application of linear percutaneous needle insertion is restricted due to issues such as limited path and deflection. Thus steering of flexible needle is critical demanded in the clinic. Previous studies tended to use autonomous methods to conduct path planning for needle steering. However, these methods had very limited adaptabilities, and they also decreased the human operator's domination of the operation, as clinically required. In this case, teleoperation has been an option, while in complicated environments sole teleoperation is not sufficient for a human operator to generate multi-curved insertion path. Therefore, in this paper, we propose a semiautonomous human-robot collaborated path planning method for teleoperated bevel-tip needle steering. The key module of this method is a human-robot collaboration mechanism which consists of the operator input, environment constraints, and path constraints. The proposed method were tested semi-physically in a simulated human environment and the results validated that the proposed method were able to efficiently assist the operator to generate multi-curved paths under human operator's domination.
Quantifying and mapping the human appropriation of net primary production in earth's terrestrial ecosystems

Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP), the aggregate impact of land use on biomass available each year in ecosystems, is a prominent measure of the human domination of the biosphere. We present a comprehensive assessment of global HANPP based on vegetation modeling, agricultural and forestry statistics, and geographical information systems data on land use, land cover, and soil degradation that localizes human impact on ecosystems. We found an aggregate global HANPP value of 15.6 Pg C/yr or 23.8% of potential net primary productivity, of which 53% was contributed by harvest, 40% by land-use-induced productivity changes, and 7% by human-induced fires. This is a remarkable impact on the biosphere caused by just one species. We present maps quantifying human-induced changes in trophic energy flows in ecosystems that illustrate spatial patterns in the human domination of ecosystems, thus emphasizing land use as a pervasive factor of global importance. Land use transforms earth's terrestrial surface, resulting in changes in biogeochemical cycles and in the ability of ecosystems to deliver services critical to human well being. The results suggest that large-scale schemes to substitute biomass for fossil fuels should be viewed cautiously because massive additional pressures on ecosystems might result from increased biomass harvest.
A New PCA/ICA Based Feature Selection Method

Dimensionality reduction algorithms help reduce the classification time and sometimes the classification error of a classifier (Yang, et al., 1997). For time critical applications, in order to have reduction in the feature acquisition phase, feature selection methods are more preferable to dimensionality reduction methods, which require measurement of all inputs. Traditional feature selection methods, such as forward or backward feature selection, are costly to implement. In this study, we introduce a new feature selection method that decides on which features to retain, based on how PCA (principal component analysis) or ICA (independent component analysis) (Hyvarinen and Oja, 1999) values those features. We compare the accuracy of our method to backward and forward feature selection with the same number of features selected and PCA and ICA using the same number of principal and independent components. For our experiments, we use spectral measurement data taken from corn kernels infested and not infested by fungi.
Nonuniform flow in soft glasses of colloidal rods

fracture, as a result of domain-domain interactions, as well as wall partial slip. It is shown that, on increasing the shear rate, the fractured plug ﬂow changes to a shear-banded ﬂow proﬁle due to the stress response of the kinetically arrested aligned rods within the domains. Shear-gradient banding occurs due to the strong thinning of the uniform chiral-nematic phase within the domains, i.e., complying with the classic shear-banding scenario, giving rise to a stress plateau in the ﬂow curve. Finally, a linear (uniform) velocity proﬁle is found at the highest shear rates. Vorticity banding is also observed at intermediate and high shear rates. These novel results point to the crucial role of particle shape in tailoring the ﬂow properties of dense colloidal suspensions. Moreover, they strongly support the argument that the origin of shear-banding in soft-particle glasses with long-ranged repulsive interactions is fundamentally diﬀerent from that of hard-particle glasses with short-ranged repulsive interactions.
Plasmatic B-Type Natriuretic Peptide and C-Reactive Protein in Hyperacute Stroke as Markers of Ct-Evidence of Brain Edema

OBJECTIVE. Plasmatic B-type-natriuretic peptide (NT-PBNP) and C-reactive protein (CRP) have been reportedly elevated in stroke patients; however their clinical significance remains uncertain. The purpose of this work is to investigate whether elevation of these proteins at baseline predicts CT-evidence of brain edema. METHODS. We recruited 41 consecutive patients with stroke and determined NT-PBNP and CRP at baseline (within 5 hours after onset), after 48-72 hours, and at discharge. Stroke severity was measured by means of the NIHS scale at baseline and at discharge. We also carried out brain CT at admittance and after 48 hours. RESULTS. There were 29 ischemic strokes and 12 hemorrhagic strokes. Evidence of brain edema on delayed scan was seen in 14 patients. Baseline levels of NT-PBNP did not predict CT-evidence of edema but CRP levels did so significantly (0.7 mg/dl in patients without edema versus 4.7 mg in patients with edema; p=0.001). Both NT-PBNP and PC levels correlated poorly to NIHSS score and increased markedly from baseline to the second determination in patients with edema. For these patients the NT-PBNP increase was 133.6 pmol/l in comparison to 1.58 pmol/l in patients without edema (p=0.002). Neither CRP nor NT-PBNP baseline levels were predictive of dependency or death. CONCLUSIONS. We conclude that CRP at baseline but not NT-PBNP predicts CT evidence of brain edema in stroke patients. We hypothesize that NT-PBNP levels elevated in response to edema after 48 hours of admission.
Numerical Modelling of Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites for Hole Size Effect

Carbon Fibre Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) composites are widely used in several high performance structures such as aeroplanes, automobiles and wind turbines. In these applications holes are made for access to view, cut-outs for weight reduction as well as joining of composite members. However, these hole possess a threat to the strength and damage tolerance of composites in service. The strength of composites varies with hole diameter known as hole size effect. The hole size effect, becomes more complex once associated with specimen size effect (strength variation with specimen size) as well as anisotropy and heterogeneity of composite material. The leading influencing factors linked with the hole size effect are in-plane and transverse plane thickness, stacking sequence and hole diameter of the specimen. Extensive experimental, analytical and Finite Element (FE) based studies have been done by the researchers in past on this account. Despite these studies, differences still persist among composite researchers on the extent of these influencing factors on hole size effect. The current paper presents numerous FE models to investigate the stresses and stress concentrations influenced by the diameter to width ratios of rectangular plate subjected to axial loading. FE models are developed both for isotropic and anisotropic/orthotropic materials. FE models for anisotropic/orthotropic materials have been developed using different lamina stacking configurations to investigate their effect on stresses and stress concentrations in parallel with hole size effect. The effect of laminas orientations in case of anisotropic/orthotropic materials with global (reference or loading axes) orientations has also been investigated through coordinate transformation technique. The effect on the use of laminate effective material properties for designing of engineering structures is also evaluated. The comparison deduce significant considerations for designing of the composite materials containing central circular holes subjected to axial loadings.
Ablaufvisualisierung durch topologisch angeordnete Kausalnetze

Kausalnetze eignen sich in idealer Weise zur Visualisierung halbgeordneter Ablaufe (Prozesse) von Petrinetzen und darauf basierenden Validierungsmethoden fur das dynamische Verhalten des modellierten Systems. Ein auf diesen Ideen basierendes Konzept wurde im Rahmen des DFG-Projekts VIP [1] [2] [3] theoretisch erarbeitet und im dort entwickelten Software-Prototyp VIPtool [5] praktisch realisiert. Eines der zu losenden Probleme ist die topologische Anordnung der automatisch generierten Kausalnetze in einer Form, die es einem menschlichen Betrachter ermoglicht, selbst groye, aus vielen Elementen bestehende Ablaufe zu erfassen und zu verstehen.
An entity tagger for recognizing acquired genomic variations in cancer literature

VTag is an application for identifying the type, genomic location and genomic state-change of acquired genomic aberrations described in text. The application uses a machine learning technique called conditional random fields. VTag was tested with 345 training and 200 evaluation documents pertaining to cancer genetics. Our experiments resulted in 0.8541 precision, 0.7870 recall and 0.8192 F-measure on the evaluation set.
Motor Cortex Representation of the Upper-Limb in Individuals Born without a Hand

The body schema is an action-related representation of the body that arises from activity in a network of multiple brain areas. While it was initially thought that the body schema developed with experience, the existence of phantom limbs in individuals born without a limb (amelics) led to the suggestion that it was innate. The problem with this idea, however, is that the vast majority of amelics do not report the presence of a phantom limb. Transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) applied over the primary motor cortex (M1) of traumatic amputees can evoke movement sensations in the phantom, suggesting that traumatic amputation does not delete movement representations of the missing hand. Given this, we asked whether the absence of a phantom limb in the majority of amelics means that the motor cortex does not contain a cortical representation of the missing limb, or whether it is present but has been deactivated by the lack of sensorimotor experience. In four upper-limb amelic subjects we directly stimulated the arm/hand region of M1 to see 1) whether we could evoke phantom sensations, and 2) whether muscle representations in the two cortices were organised asymmetrically. TMS applied over the motor cortex contralateral to the missing limb evoked contractions in stump muscles but did not evoke phantom movement sensations. The location and extent of muscle maps varied between hemispheres but did not reveal any systematic asymmetries. In contrast, forearm muscle thresholds were always higher for the missing limb side. We suggest that phantom movement sensations reported by some upper limb amelics are mostly driven by vision and not by the persistence of motor commands to the missing limb within the sensorimotor cortex. We propose that prewired movement representations of a limb need the experience of movement to be expressed within the primary motor cortex.
ISSLS Prize Winner: The Anatomy of Failure in Lumbar Disc Herniation An In Vivo, Multimodal, Prospective Study of 181 Subjects

Study Design. A prospective multimodal study including clinical, radiological, serial postcontrast magnetic resonance imaging, intraoperative findings, and histopathological study. Objective. To document in vivo, the site of anatomical failure in lumbar disc herniation (LDH). Summary of Background Data. Although in vitro mechanical disruption studies have implicated both the endplate junction (EPJ) and the annulus fibrosus (AF) as the site of failure in LDH, there are no in vivo human studies to document the exact anatomy of failure. Methods. One hundred eighty-one consecutive patients requiring microdiscectomy at a single level formed the study group. The status of the endplate and AF in the operated level (study discs) and the other discs (control) were evaluated by plain radiograph, thin slice computed tomographic scan, plain and contrast magnetic resonance imaging, intraoperative examination, and histopathological analysis. Results. LDH due to EPJ failure (EPJF- type I herniation) was more common (117; 65%) than annulus fibrosis rupture. Herniated discs had a significantly higher incidence of EPJF than control discs (P < 0.0001). The EPJF was evident radiologically as vertebral corner defect in 30 patients, rim avulsion in 46, frank bony avulsions in 24, and avulsion at both upper and lower EP in 4. Thirteen discs with normal EP radiologically had cartilage or bone avulsion intraoperatively. Sixty-four discs (35%) had intact EP of which annular high intensity zone was found in 21 (11%), suggesting a disruption of AF (type II herniation). Postcontrast magnetic resonance image of 20 patients showed dye leak at the EPJ proving EPJF as main cause of LDH. Conclusion. Our study provides the first in vivo evidence that LDH in humans is more commonly the result of EPJF than AF rupture and offers clinical validation of previous in vitro mechanical disruption studies. Future research must focus on the EPJ as a primary area of interest in LDH. Level of Evidence: N/A
Dietary enrichment with alpha-linolenic acid during pregnancy attenuates insulin resistance in adult offspring in mice

Abstract Objective: Our objective was to test the contribution of dietary enrichment in essential or saturated fatty acids, in normocaloric diets, on the lipid accumulation and insulin resistance in the adult offspring in a C57Bl6/J mice model. Methods: Pregnant mothers were fed normocaloric diets containing 6% fat enriched in essential fatty acids (EFA): alpha-linolenic (ALA-18:3, n-3), linoleic (LA-18:2, n-6), or saturated fatty acids (SFA). After a washing-out period with regular diet, the offspring received a high-fat diet before euthanization. Results: Adult mice fed maternal ALA showed lower body weight gain and lower liver fat accumulation, lower HOMA index and lower stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD1) activity than those fed maternal SFA. Conclusion: The results observed using this novel model suggest that ALA in maternal diet may have the potential to inhibit insulin resistance in adult offspring.
A switched-capacitor CMOS voltage reference for ultra low-voltage and ultra low-power operation

An ultra low-voltage and low-power CMOS voltage reference using subthreshold, body effect and switched-capacitor techniques is proposed in this paper. No resistor and BJT is used in this structure. The proposed circuit has been simulated with Chartered 0.18-µm CMOS process. The simulated results show that the voltage reference can operate with sub-0.6V supply and total supply current is 210nA at 0.58V supply. The temperature coefficient of 7.67ppm/ °C for a temperature range of −40°C to 85°C is achieved. The layout area is only 0.018 mm2.
Security architectures revisited

The knowledge in technologies needed to build secure platforms, or Security Architectures, has significantly matured over the recent years. These include small interface technologies, access-control contracts, tunneling, secure booting, effective resource control, and virtual machines. Putting together these ingredients into a small secure platform seems straightforward, yet still remains to be done, and has the potential of making operating systems more dependable.
Dynamic power management of multiprocessor systems

Power management is critical to power-constrained real-time systems. We present a dynamic power management algorithm. Unlike other approaches that focus on the tradeoff between power and performance, our algorithm maximizes power utilization and performance. Our algorithm considers a dynamic environment, allowing for changes in the available energy and adapting system parameters such as operating voltage, frequency, and the number of processors. In our algorithm, we divide the power management problem into three subproblems: i) initial power allocation to minimize wasted energy and avoid the undersupplied power situation, ii) system parameter computation based on the allocated power that maximizes the performance for a given power budget, and iii) dynamic update of the power and system parameters in run time. The simulation results of the algorithm for a satellite system using eight Processor-In-Memory (PIM) processors is presented.
Evaluation of the Correlation between Echocardiographic Findings and Serum Ferritin in Thalassemia Major Patients.

INTRODUCTION Thalassemia is a disorder that affects beta globin gene production and the resultant need for erythrocyte transfusions puts the patient at risk for iron loading, especially cardiac iron loading. Cardiac complications are the most serious ones accompanied by morbidity and mortality. The most harm to the heart is caused by iron overload. Ferritin is generally associated with the amount of stored iron in the body. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between echocardiographic findings and serum ferritin level. MATERIALS & METHODS 107 patients with thalassemia major were enrolled in this prospective analytical study. Serum ferritin levels and echocardiographic findings (diastolic, systolic, pulmonary artery pressure, valvular dysfunctions) were assessed. The data were analyzed by spearman statistical test. RESULTS Serum ferritin levels of the thalassemia major patients in the study were 2419.13±1772.65 ng/ml. there wasn't any significant relationship between echocardiographic findings and serum ferritin level. CONCLUSION Although our findings didn't support the association between ferritin level and echocardiographic data but we suggest serial cardiac assessment to prevent the effect of increasing iron on the heart.