Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Pancreas Transplantation: An Alarming Crisis in Confidence

In the past decade, the annual number of pancreas transplantations performed in the United States has steadily declined. From 2004 to 2011, the overall number of simultaneous pancreas–kidney (SPK) transplantations in the United States declined by 10%, whereas the decreases in pancreas after kidney (PAK) and pancreas transplant alone (PTA) procedures were 55% and 34%, respectively. Paradoxically, this has occurred in the setting of improvements in graft and patient survival outcomes and transplanting higher‐risk patients. Only 11 centers in the United States currently perform ≥20 pancreas transplantations per year, and most centers perform <5 pancreas transplantations annually; many do not perform PAKs or PTAs. This national trend in decreasing numbers of pancreas transplantations is related to a number of factors including lack of a primary referral source, improvements in diabetes care and management, changing donor and recipient considerations, inadequate training opportunities, and increasing risk aversion because of regulatory scrutiny. A national initiative is needed to “reinvigorate” SPK and PAK procedures as preferred transplantation options for appropriately selected uremic patients taking insulin regardless of C‐peptide levels or “type” of diabetes. Moreover, many patients may benefit from PTAs because all categories of pancreas transplantation are not only life enhancing but also life extending procedures.
Database support for 3D-protein data set analysis

The progress in genome research demands for an adequate infrastructure to analyze the data sets. Database systems reflect a key technology to organize data and speed up the analysis process. This paper discusses the role of a relational database system based on the problem of finding frequent substructures in multi-dimensional protein databases. The specific problem consists of producing a set of association rules regarding frequent substructures with different lengths and gaps between the amino acid residues of a protein. From a database point of view, the process of finding association rules building the base for a more in-depth analysis of the data material is split into two parts. The first part performs a discretization of the conformational angle space of a single amino acid residue by computing the nearest neighbor of a given set of representatives. The second part consists in adapting a well-known association rule algorithm to determine the frequent substructures. Both steps within this comprehensive analysis task requires substantial support of the underlying database in order to reduce the programming overhead at the application level.
Hopf bifurcation induced by neutral delay in a predator-prey System

A predator–prey system with neutral delay is investigated from the viewpoint of bifurcation analysis on neutral delay differential equations. Stability and Hopf bifurcation of the inner equilibrium are given, by which we show how the neutral terms affect the dynamical behavior of the prey and the predator. To give more detailed information on the periodic oscillations, the direction and stability of Hopf bifurcation are studied by using the normal form theory of neutral equation. We find neutral delay makes the predator–prey system more complicated and usually induces stability switches or double Hopf bifurcations. Near the double Hopf bifurcation we give the detailed bifurcation set by calculating the universal unfoldings. It is shown that the population of prey or predator may exhibit transient quasiperiodic oscillations driven by the neutral delay. Finally, we carry out several groups of illustrations.
Cataract Avoidance With Proton Therapy in Ocular Melanomas.

Purpose The lens is a radiosensitive organ. Any dose of cephalic irradiation can give rise to radiation-induced cataracts. Contrary to other forms of radiotherapy, proton therapy (PT) can spare all or part of the lens due to accurate dose deposition. We investigated whether a lens-sparing approach was relevant to avoid cataracts in uveal melanoma patients. Methods Patients were referred for PT from onco-ophthalmologists of private and academic institutions. Patients without preexisting cataracts or implants were entered in a prospective database. Dose thresholds responsible for cataracts were investigated in volumes of lens or lens periphery. Lens opacifications and de novo vision-impairing cataracts (VICs) had biannual follow up by ophthalmologists blinded to lens dose. Correlations between dose-volume relationships and VICs were assessed using univariate/multivariate regressions. Results Between 1991 and 2015, 1696 uveal melanoma patients were consecutively treated with PT. After a median follow up of 48 months, 14.4% and 8.7% of patients had cataracts and VIC within median times of 19 and 28 months, respectively. Median values of mean lens and lens periphery doses were 1.1 (radiobiologically effective [RBE] dose in photon-equivalent grays [GyRBE]) and 6.5 GyRBE, respectively. The lens received no dose in 25% of the patients. At an irradiated lens volume of ≤5%, there was no significantly increased risk for VIC below a dose of 10 GyRBE. Conclusions A lens-sparing approach is feasible and results not only in reduced need for cataract surgery but also in better fundus-based tumor control. Reassessment of radioprotection rules for lens dose thresholds may follow.
The Impact of Symptomatology on Response to a Health Promoting Intervention among Older Adults with Schizophrenia

Purpose To explore the relationship between the symptoms of schizophrenia experienced by older persons diagnosed with schizophrenia and type 2 diabetes mellitus and their response to a health promoting intervention. Methods Secondary data analysis of data obtained from a lifestyle intervention program that recruited participants over age 40 with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder and type 2 diabetes mellitus from board-and-care facilities and day treatment programs. Participants had been randomly assigned to a 24-week diabetes awareness and rehabilitation training (DART; n = 32) or a usual care plus information (UCI; n = 32) comparison group. Baseline and 6-month (intervention completion) assessments included a diabetes knowledge test (DKT), diabetes self-efficacy measured by the diabetes empowerment scale (DES), and symptomatology defined by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Simple linear regression models in 3 steps were used to analyze the data. Results A significant condition by symptom interaction was found for DKT. The difference between change in knowledge for DART and UCI groups depended on the prevalence and severity of the total, negative, and general symptoms. There was no significant condition by positive symptom interaction for DKT. A significant main effect was found between total, negative, positive, and general symptoms in the total sample for improvement in DES scores. Higher prevalence and severity of symptoms was negatively associated with improvement in DES scores. Conclusion Researchers need to consider the impact of schizophrenia symptoms in response to health promoting interventions.
Hyperspectral remote sensing of foliar nitrogen content

A strong positive correlation between vegetation canopy bidirectional reflectance factor (BRF) in the near infrared (NIR) spectral region and foliar mass-based nitrogen concentration (%N) has been reported in some temperate and boreal forests. This relationship, if true, would indicate an additional role for nitrogen in the climate system via its influence on surface albedo and may offer a simple approach for monitoring foliar nitrogen using satellite data. We report, however, that the previously reported correlation is an artifact—it is a consequence of variations in canopy structure, rather than of %N. The data underlying this relationship were collected at sites with varying proportions of foliar nitrogen-poor needleleaf and nitrogen-rich broadleaf species, whose canopy structure differs considerably. When the BRF data are corrected for canopy-structure effects, the residual reflectance variations are negatively related to %N at all wavelengths in the interval 423–855 nm. This suggests that the observed positive correlation between BRF and %N conveys no information about %N. We find that to infer leaf biochemical constituents, e.g., N content, from remotely sensed data, BRF spectra in the interval 710–790 nm provide critical information for correction of structural influences. Our analysis also suggests that surface characteristics of leaves impact remote sensing of its internal constituents. This further decreases the ability to remotely sense canopy foliar nitrogen. Finally, the analysis presented here is generic to the problem of remote sensing of leaf-tissue constituents and is therefore not a specific critique of articles espousing remote sensing of foliar %N.
Astrocyte Hypertrophy and Microglia Activation in the Rat Auditory Midbrain Is Induced by Electrical Intracochlear Stimulation

Neuron–glia interactions contribute to tissue homeostasis and functional plasticity in the mammalian brain, but it remains unclear how this is achieved. The potential of central auditory brain tissue for stimulation-dependent cellular remodeling was studied in hearing-experienced and neonatally deafened rats. At adulthood, both groups received an intracochlear electrode into the left cochlea and were continuously stimulated for 1 or 7 days after waking up from anesthesia. Normal hearing and deafness were assessed by auditory brainstem responses (ABRs). The effectiveness of stimulation was verified by electrically evoked ABRs as well as immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization for the immediate early gene product Fos on sections through the auditory midbrain containing the inferior colliculus (IC). Whereas hearing-experienced animals showed a tonotopically restricted Fos response in the IC contralateral to electrical intracochlear stimulation, Fos-positive neurons were found almost throughout the contralateral IC in deaf animals. In deaf rats, the Fos response was accompanied by a massive increase of GFAP indicating astrocytic hypertrophy, and a local activation of microglial cells identified by IBA1. These glia responses led to a noticeable increase of neuron–glia approximations. Moreover, staining for the GABA synthetizing enzymes GAD65 and GAD67 rose significantly in neuronal cell bodies and presynaptic boutons in the contralateral IC of deaf rats. Activation of neurons and glial cells and tissue re-composition were in no case accompanied by cell death as would have been apparent by a Tunel reaction. These findings suggest that growth and activity of glial cells is crucial for the local adjustment of neuronal inhibition to neuronal excitation.
Improved Upper Bounds on Systematic-Length for Linear Minimum Storage Regenerating Codes

In this paper, we revisit the problem of finding the longest systematic-length <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k$ </tex-math></inline-formula> for a linear minimum storage regenerating (MSR) code with optimal repair of only systematic part, for a given per-node storage capacity <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$l$ </tex-math></inline-formula> and an arbitrary number of parity nodes <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$r$ </tex-math></inline-formula>. We study the problem by following a geometric analysis of linear subspaces and operators. First, a simple quadratic bound is given, which implies that <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$k=r+2$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is the largest number of systematic nodes in the <italic>scalar</italic> scenario. Second, an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$r$ </tex-math></inline-formula>-based-log bound is derived, which is superior to the upper bound on log-base 2 in the prior work. Finally, an explicit upper bound depending on the value of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\frac {r^{2}}{l}$ </tex-math></inline-formula> is introduced, which further extends the corresponding result in the literature.
Oxytocin administration during cesarean delivery: Randomized controlled trial to compare intravenous bolus with intravenous infusion regimen

Background: Oxytocin is routinely administered during cesarean delivery for uterine contraction. Adverse effects are known to occur after intravenous oxytocin administration, notably tachycardia, hypotension, and electrokardiogram (EKG) changes, which can be deleterious in high-risk patients. Aims and Objectives: To compare the hemodynamic changes and uterotonic effect of equivalent dose of oxytocin administered as an intravenous bolus versus intravenous infusion. Study Design: Randomized, double-blind, active controlled trial. Materials and Methods: Eighty parturients undergoing elective cesarean delivery, under spinal anesthesia, were randomly allocated to receive 3 IU of oxytocin either as a bolus intravenous injection over 15 seconds (group B, n = 40) or as an intravenous infusion over 5 minutes (group I, n = 40). Uterine tone was assessed as adequate or inadequate by an obstetrician. Intraoperative heart rate, non-invasive blood pressure, and EKG changes were recorded. These data were compared between the groups. Any other adverse events like chest pain, nausea, vomiting, and flushing were noted. Results: There was significant rise in heart rate and significant decrease in mean arterial pressure in bolus group compared to infusion group. Three patients in bolus group had EKG changes in the form of ST-T depression and 5 patients complained of chest pain. No such complications were found in infusion group. Conclusion: Bolus oxytocin (at a dose of 3 IU over 15 seconds) and infusion of oxytocin (at a dose of 3 IU over 5 minutes) have comparable uterotonic effect. However, the bolus regime shows significantly more adverse cardiovascular events.
A Proof of CSP Dichotomy Conjecture

Many natural combinatorial problems can be expressed as constraint satisfaction problems. This class of problems is known to be NP-complete in general, but certain restrictions on the form of the constraints can ensure tractability. The standard way to parametrize interesting subclasses of the constraint satisfaction problem is via finite constraint languages. The main problem is to classify those subclasses that are solvable in polynomial time and those that are NP-complete. It was conjectured that if a core of a constraint language has a weak near unanimity polymorphism then the corresponding constraint satisfaction problem is tractable, otherwise it is NP-complete.In the paper we present an algorithm that solves Constraint Satisfaction Problem in polynomial time for constraint languages having a weak near unanimity polymorphism, which proves the remaining part of the conjecture.
Pathogenesis of cerebral microbleeds: In vivo imaging of amyloid and subcortical ischemic small vessel disease in 226 individuals with cognitive impairment

Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are a neuroimaging marker of small vessel disease (SVD) with relevance for understanding disease mechanisms in cerebrovascular disease, cognitive impairment, and normal aging. It is hypothesized that lobar CMBs are due to cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) and deep CMBs are due to subcortical ischemic SVD. We tested this hypothesis using structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers of subcortical SVD and in vivo imaging of amyloid in patients with cognitive impairment.
High-Frequency Characterization of Losses in Fully Assembled Stators of Slotless PM Motors

The recent emergence of wide-bandgap power transistors enables higher switching frequencies in electrical motor drives. Their full utilization from a system point of view requires quantification of the corresponding time-harmonic motor losses. As an initial step, this paper presents a unique study of stator losses for three different commercially available nonoriented silicon–iron steel grades (with lamination thicknesses 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mm). The investigations cover a wide frequency range (10–100 kHz) at different levels of dc bias (up to 1.6 T). Iron losses are identified from measurements on fully assembled stators deploying a novel technique. By utilizing fully assembled stators, no additional samples are required. Manufacturing influence is inherently incorporated. Results show that measured iron losses are twice as high at 10 kHz compared with Epstein test results, which emphasizes the need to incorporate manufacturing influence on iron losses at high frequencies. The level of dc bias is also observed to have a significant impact on iron losses (up to 30%). Even though thinner laminations are known for reducing iron losses, the reduction is much lower than anticipated in the studied frequency range due to skin effect. Using a 0.1-mm lamination gauge instead of 0.3 mm reduces losses by 50% at 10 kHz, while the same substitution at 100 kHz only reduces losses by 30%. Future work includes loss separation in complete converter-fed machines.
Interactive video instruction improves the quality of dispatcher-assisted chest compression-only cardiopulmonary resuscitation in simulated cardiac arrests*

Objective:Bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) significantly improves survival of cardiac arrest victims. Dispatch assistance increases bystander CPR, but the quality of dispatcher-assisted CPR remains unsatisfactory. This study was conducted to assess the effect of adding interactive video communication to dispatch instruction on the quality of bystander chest compressions in simulated cardiac arrests. Design:A randomized controlled study with a scenario developed to simulate cardiac arrest in a public place. Setting:The victim was simulated by a mannequin and the cell phone for dispatch assistance was a video cell phone with both voice and video modes. Chest compression-only CPR instruction was used in the dispatch protocol. Subjects:Ninety-six adults without CPR training within 5 years were recruited. Interventions:The subjects were randomized to receive dispatch assistance on chest compression with either voice instruction alone (voice group, n = 53) or interactive voice and video demonstration and feedback (video group, n = 43) via a video cell phone. Measurements and Main Results:Performance of chest compression-only CPR throughout the scenario was videotaped. The quality of CPR was evaluated by reviewing the videos and mannequin reports. Chest compressions among the video group were faster (median rate 95.5 vs. 63.0 min−1, p < 0.01), deeper (median depth 36.0 vs. 25.0 mm, p < 0.01), and of more appropriate depth (20.0% vs. 0%, p < 0.01). The video group had more “hands-off” time (5.0 vs. 0 second, p < 0.01), longer time to first chest compression (145.0 vs. 116.0 seconds, p < 0.01) and total instruction time (150.0 vs. 121.0 seconds, p < 0.01). Conclusion:The addition of interactive video communication to dispatcher-assisted chest compression-only CPR initially delayed the commencement of chest compressions, but subsequently improved the depth and rate of compressions. The benefit was achieved mainly through real-time feedback.
Factors that Influence the Android Apps Permissions

The Android Market is the official (and primary) storefor Android applications. The Market provides users with average user ratings, user reviews, descriptions, screenshots,and permissions to help them select applications. Generally, prior to installation of the apps, users need to agree on the permissions requested by the apps, they are not given any other option. Essentially, users may not aware on some security issues that may arise from the permissions. Some apps request the right to manipulate sensitive data, such as GPS location, photos, calendar, contact, email and files. In this paper, we explain the sources of sensitive data, what the malicious apps can do to the data, and apply the empirical software engineering analysis to find the factors that could potentially influence the permissions in Android apps. In addition, we also highlight top ten most implemented permissions in Android apps and also analyse the permissions for the apps categories in Android. Full Text: PDF DOI: http://dx.doi. org/10.11591/ijset.v1i2. 4569
Controllability of fractional linear switched systems with delays for the fixed sequence

In the paper unconstrained controllability problem of discrete-time linear switched fractional order systems with fixed sequence is addressed. We show the solution of discrete-time switched fractional order system with p delays. Additionally, a transition matrix of switched fractional systems with delays is given. A sufficient condition for unconstrained controllability in a given steps is formulated and proved by the general formula of difference state equation solution. Finally, an illustrative example is shown.
Levels of malondialdehyde in the gastric juice: Its association with Helicobacter pylori infection and stomach diseases

Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection causes elevation of lipid peroxidation product malondialdehyde (MDA) and this association may be due to the bacterium causing reactive oxygen species‐mediated damage to DNA in the gastric epithelium. The aim of this study was to investigate the gastric juice MDA levels in relation to H. pylori infection and associated gastric diseases.
High electromechanical performance of electroelastomers based on interpenetrating polymer networks

The electromechanical performance of interpenetrating polymer networks (IPN) in which one elastomer network is under high tension balanced by compression of the second network, were investigated. Uniaxial stress relaxation analysis confirmed significant decrease in viscoelasticity in comparison with 3M VHB films, the primary component network in the IPN films. In dynamic mechanical analysis, the IPN composite showed a higher mechanical efficiency, suggesting delayed relaxation of the acrylic chains in the presence of IPN formation. This improvement was found to be dependant on the contents of poly(TMPTMA). Actuation performance without mechanical prestrain showed that these IPN electroelastomers had demonstrated high elastic strain energy density (3.5 MJ/m3) and a high electromechanical coupling factor (93.7%). These enhanced electromechanical performances indicate that IPN electroelastomer should be suitable for diverse applications.
Fabrication and characterization of self-assembled InGaN quantum dots by periodic interrupted growth

Self-assembled InGaN quantum dots are fabricated in a two-flow horizontal MOCVD reactor maintained at the pressure of 200torr. The precursors were trimethyl-gallium (TMG) and trimethyl-indium (TMI) and ammonia (NH3), and the carrier gas was N2 and H2. The optimum condition was deduced to fabricate the InGaN quantum dots. GaN nucleation layer was grown at 500°C with thickness of 25nm, and then 2~3 μm thick GaN buffer-layer was deposited at 1050 °C. InGaN quantum dots were grown on GaN buffer layer. Carrier gas was changed with N2 instead of H2 in QD growth. In the growth of InGaN quantum dots, NH3 was supplied in cyclic periodic interrupted mode with the interval of 5 seconds. The influence of number of periodic interrupted NH3 on the structural and optical properties of InGaN quantum dots was investigated by AFM, FE-SEM and photoluminescence (PL). The InGaN quantum dots are grown by 2 periods growth and have 0.4nm in height and 31nm lateral size. The height of quantum dots was increased with increase of growth periods, and the lateral size was decreased after 3 periods and then increased in 4 periods. The density of InGaN quantum dots with 3 periods and 4 periods was measured to be 1.51×1011/cm2 and 8.91×1010/cm2. Density of InGaN quantum dots was decreased after 3 periods, and this is attributed to the coalescence. A strong peak at 362.2 nm (3.41eV) and broad emission peak in 532.9~663.9nm (2.33~1.86eV) were evolved in the photoluminescence measurement using Nd-YAG laser with wavelength of 266nm. Addition emission peak was found in the range 433.7nm~462.2nm (2.85eV~2.68eV) in the samples with 3 periods and 4 periods interruption, and this peak was identified as the InGaN quantum dots with low indium concentration.