Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Knowledge and Reasoning for Medical Question-Answering

Restricted domains such as medicine set a context where question-answering is more likely expected to be associated with knowledge and reasoning (Molla and Vicedo, 2007; Ferret and Zweigenbaum, 2007). On the one hand, knowledge and reasoning may be more necessary than in open-domain question-answering because of more specific or more difficult questions. On the other hand, it may also be more manageable, since by definition restricted-domain QA should not have to face the same breadth of questions as open-domain QA. It is therefore interesting to study the role of knowledge and reasoning in restricted-domain question-answering systems. We shall do so in the case of the (bio-)medical domain, which has a long tradition of investigating knowledge representation and reasoning and, more generally, artificial intelligence methods (Shortliffe et al., 1975), and which has seen a growing interest in question-answering systems (Zweigenbaum, 2003; Yu et al., 2005; Demner-Fushman and Lin, 2007; Zweigenbaum et al., 2007).
Interferon gamma immunoreactivity in iris nerve fibres during endotoxin induced uveitis in the rat

AIMS Previous studies have implied that interferon gamma (IFN-γ) is involved in the pathogenesis of endotoxin induced uveitis (EIU) in the rat. This study investigated the source of IFN-γ in the iris during EIU. METHODS Whole mounts of iris were isolated from Lewis rats before and at different times (from 4 hours to 14 days) after foot pad injection of 200 μg Salmonella typhimurium lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Immunohistological analysis was performed using monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) specific to rat IFN-γ (DB12 and DB13). mAbs specific to monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells and MHC class II were used to asses the inflammatory response in the eye (ED-1, ED-2, and OX-6). An antibody specific to neurofilaments (2H3) was used to stain nerve fibres in the normal iris. RESULTS LPS administration induced acute intraocular inflammation, characterised by a massive infiltration of monocytes/macrophages and increased numbers of MHC class II positive cells in the iris. IFN-γ immunoreactive cells were not detected in iris whole mounts of control rats. Strikingly, IFN-γ immunoreactivity was found in fibres from 4 hours until 10 days after LPS injection, with the most intense staining at 48–72 hours. Other DB12 or DB13 positive cells were not detected in the iris. The pattern of DB12 and DB13 staining in the inflamed iris was similar to the 2H3 staining of neurons in the iris of control rats. CONCLUSION These results show that systemic LPS administration induces IFN-γ immunoreactivity in iris fibres and suggest that iris nerve fibres may be a source of IFN-γ during EIU. The IFN-γ immunoreactive material in the iris nerve fibres may be identical to neuronal IFN-γ.
Chapter III. Consequences of the Chernobyl Catastrophe for the Environment

Air particulate activity over all of the Northern Hemisphere reached its highest levels since the termination of nuclear weapons testing—sometimes up to 1 million times higher than before the Chernobyl contamination. There were essential changes in the ionic, aerosol, and gas structure of the surface air in the heavily contaminated territories, as measured by electroconductivity and air radiolysis. Many years after the catastrophe aerosols from forest fires have dispersed hundreds of kilometers away. The Chernobyl radionuclides concentrate in sediments, water, plants, and animals, sometimes 100,000 times more than the local background level. The consequences of such a shock on aquatic ecosystems is largely unclear. Secondary contamination of freshwater ecosystems occurs as a result of Cs‐137 and Sr‐90 washout by the high waters of spring. The speed of vertical migration of different radionuclides in floodplains, lowland moors, peat bogs, etc., is about 2–4 cm/year. As a result of this vertical migration of radionuclides in soil, plants with deep root systems absorb them and carry the ones that are buried to the surface again. This transfer is one of the important mechanisms, observed in recent years, that leads to increased doses of internal irradiation among people in the contaminated territories.
A qualitative study on pharmacists’ perception on integrating pharmacists into private general practitioner’s clinics in Malaysia

Background: Private general practitioners in Malaysia largely operates as solo practices – prescribing and supplying medications to patients directly from their clinics, thus posing risk of medication-related problems to consumers. A pharmacy practice reform that integrates pharmacists into primary healthcare clinics can be a potential initiative to promote quality use of medication. This model of care is a novel approach in Malaysia and research in the local context is required, especially from the perspectives of pharmacists. Objective: To explore pharmacists’ views in integrating pharmacists into private GP clinics in Malaysia. Methods: A combination of purposive and snowballing sampling was used to recruit community and hospital pharmacists from urban areas in Malaysia to participate either in focus groups or semi-structured interviews. A total of 2 focus groups and 4 semi-structured interviews were conducted. Sessions were audio recorded, transcribed verbatim and thematically analysed using NVivo 10. Results: Four major themes were identified: (1) Limited potential to expand pharmacists’ roles, (2) Concerns about non-pharmacists dispensing medicines in private GP clinics, (3) Lack of trust from consumers and private GPs, (4) Cost implications. Participants felt that there was a limited role for pharmacists in private GP clinics. This was because the medication supply role is currently undertaken in private GP clinics without the need of pharmacists. The perceived lack of trust from consumers and private GPs towards pharmacists arises from the belief that healthcare is the GPs’ responsibility. This suggests that there is a need for increased public and GP awareness towards the capabilities of pharmacists’ in medication management. Participants were concerned about an increase in cost to private GP visits if pharmacists were to be integrated. Nevertheless, some participants perceived the integration as a means to reduce medical costs through improved quality use of medicines. Conclusion: Findings from the study provided a better understanding to help ascertain pharmacists’ views on their readiness and acceptance in a potential new model of practice.
Low-cost static performance prediction of parallel stochastic task compositions

Current analytic solutions to the execution time distribution of a parallel composition of tasks having stochastic execution times are computationally complex, except for a limited number of distributions. In this paper, we present an analytical solution based on approximating execution time distributions in terms of the first four statistical moments. This low-cost approach allows the parallel execution time distribution to be approximated at ultra-low solution complexity for a wide range of execution time distributions. The accuracy of our method is experimentally evaluated for synthetic distributions as well as for task execution time distributions found in real parallel programs and kernels (NAS-EP, SSSP, APSP, Splash2-Barnes, PSRS, and WATOR). Our experiments show that the prediction error of the mean value of the parallel execution time for N-ary parallel composition is in the order of percents, provided the task execution time distributions are sufficiently independent and unimodal.
Stability and in vitro efficacy of antibiotic-heparin lock solutions potentially useful for treatment of central venous catheter-related sepsis.

OBJECTIVES Increasing numbers of patients for whom infection is a major risk are dependent on central venous catheters. Antibiotic-anticoagulant locks may have a role in preventing or treating catheter-related infections. The aim of this study was to determine the in vitro stability and efficacy of antibiotic-heparin lock solutions. METHODS Candidate antibiotics (amikacin, ciprofloxacin, flucloxacillin, gentamicin, linezolid, teicoplanin) were investigated in vitro, either individually or in combination, in solution with heparin. The solutions were initially tested for visual precipitation. The efficacy of stable solutions and taurolidine was then tested in a catheter model bioassay system against microorganisms commonly encountered in catheter-related septicaemia. RESULTS In general, lower concentrations of heparin (</=1000 U/mL) combined with antibiotics resulted in precipitation, whereas high concentrations (3500-10,000 U/mL) were compatible with a broader range of antibiotic concentrations. The stability of each antibiotic-heparin combination required individual assessment. Bioassays identified the following promising antibiotic-anticoagulant solutions: for broad-spectrum empirical cover, a teicoplanin-ciprofloxacin-heparin solution; for directed use, flucloxacillin-heparin for methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA), high dose teicoplanin-heparin for methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), high-dose linezolid-heparin for vancomycin-resistant enterococci (VRE) and ciprofloxacin-heparin for (susceptible) Pseudomonas aeruginosa; for prophylactic use, taurolidine. CONCLUSION These solutions now warrant clinical trials to investigate their role in the management of catheter-related septicaemia.
Interacting Components - A Conceptual Architecture Model

We describe a conceptual framework for understanding software architecture as software models. Within this setting we focus on a particular perspective by describing a software system execution as consisting of interacting components. We characterize the component and interaction concepts and we devise means for making them explicit. Finally we consider architectural evolution in the realm of components and interactions.
An Experimental Consideration of the Hybrid Architecture Based on the Situated Action Generator

The approaches to make an agent generate intelligent actions in the AI field might be roughly categorized into two ways—the classical planning and situated action system. It is well known that each system have its own strength and weakness. However, each system also has its own application field. In particular, most of situated action systems do not directly deal with the logical problem. This paper first briefly mentions the novel action generator to situatedly extract a set of actions, which is likely to help to achieve the goal at the current situation in the relaxed logical space. After performing the action set, the agent should recognize the situation for deciding the next likely action set. However, since the extracted action is an approximation of the action which helps to achieve the goal, the agent could be caught into the deadlock of the problem. This paper proposes the newly developed hybrid architecture to solve the problem, which combines the novel situated action generator with the conventional planner. The empirical result in some planning domains shows that the quality of the resultant path to the goal is mostly acceptable as well as deriving the fast response time, and suggests the correlation between the structure of problems and the organization of each system which generates the action. Keywords—Situated reasoning, situated action, planning, hybrid architecture
Psycho-educational Horseback Riding to Facilitate Communication Ability of Children with Pervasive Developmental Disorders

In this study, we applied a novel psycho-educational horseback riding (PEHR) program to the treatment of four Japanese children with pervasive developmental disorders (PDD) in order to facilitate the acquisition of verbal and nonverbal communication skills. The behavioral changes in each child were evaluated using a psychological and behavioral scale. The scale for evaluating the effect of Human-Equips-Interaction on Mental activity (HEIM scale) was designed to assess the behavioral improvement of children based on the following 10 items: Human relationships, Imitation, Emotional expression, Sudden physical movement, Fixative behavior, Adaptation to change, Visual response, Fear or nervousness, and Verbal and nonverbal communication. After taking part in the PEHR program for several months, all subjects showed remarkably improved HEIM scores and marked improvements were observed in eye contact with others (instructors, side walkers, and leaders) in the riding area. A statistical difference was found in items 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, and 9. However, no statistical difference was found in items 4, 5, and 10. As the program progressed, the children showed enhanced verbal and nonverbal communication skills, and became more expressive in their emotional and empathetic interaction with their parents. These observations suggest that the normal functioning of pleasurable emotions and empathy may facilitate further improvements in joint attention, imitation and empathy, and may result in successful verbal expression by PDD children. Therefore, horseback riding can play a very important role in the psycho-educational support required for the communication ability of PDD children.
Body Mass Index and Mortality in Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: A Meta-Analysis

Background The association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality in patients suffering from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has been a subject of interest for decades. However, the evidence is inadequate to draw robust conclusions because some studies were generally small or with a short follow-up. Methods We carried out a search in MEDLINE, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and EMBASE database for relevant studies. Relative risks (RRs) with 95% confidence interval (CI) were calculated to assess the association between BMI and mortality in patients with COPD. In addition, a baseline risk-adjusted analysis was performed to investigate the strength of this association. Results 22 studies comprising 21,150 participants were included in this analysis. Compared with patients having a normal BMI, underweight individuals were associated with higher mortality (RR = 1.34, 95% CI = 1.01–1.78), whereas overweight (RR = 0.47, 95% CI = 0.33–0.68) and obese (RR = 0.59, 95% CI = 0.38–0.91) patients were associated with lower mortality. We further performed a baseline risk-adjusted analysis and obtained statistically similar results. Conclusion Our study showed that for patients with COPD being overweight or obese had a protective effect against mortality. However, the relationship between BMI and mortality in different classes of obesity needed further clarification in well-designed clinical studies.
Metabolic reprogramming as a novel regulator of skeletal muscle development and regeneration

Adult skeletal muscle contains a resident population of stem cells, termed satellite cells, that exist in a quiescent state. In response to an activating signal (such as physical trauma), satellite cells enter the cell cycle and undergo multiple rounds of proliferation, followed by differentiation, fusion, and maturation. Over the last 10–15 years, our understanding of the transcriptional regulation of this stem cell population has greatly expanded, but there remains a dearth of knowledge with regard to the initiating signal leading to these changes in transcription. The recent renewed interest in the metabolic regulation of both cancer and stem cells, combined with previous findings indicating that satellite cells preferentially colocalize with blood vessels, suggests that satellite cell function may be regulated by changes in cellular metabolism. This review aims to describe what is currently known about satellite cell metabolism during changes in cell fate, as well as to describe some of the exciting findings in other cell types and how these might relate to satellite cells.
Novel approach for fabrication of hollow metal compound nanospheres

Abstract A novel process to fabricate rigid hollow spheres of less than 100 nm is described in the current paper. These hollow nanospheres were fabricated in an emulsion via an electrostatic deposition approach to synthesise a metal compound shell around wax particles. The wax cores were then removed via the calcination of composite spheres under a process of intermittent temperature raising to produce metal compound hollow spheres. The shell/core composite spheres were characterised by transmission electron microscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, X-ray powder diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, while the hollow spheres were characterised by transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The hollow core size and the metal compound shell thickness can be easily varied over significant size ranges.
Distribution of UMTS protocols for ad-hoc extensions with direct signaling

Ad-hoc extensions of cellular networks help reducing intra-cell interference and hence increasing the capacity of cellular systems. This paper proposes an appropriate distribution of UMTS protocols between end terminals and intermediate relaying devices aiming at increasing capacity in UMTS while following two main principles: improving robustness by using a direct cellular connection for signaling and maintaining end-to-end data privacy between the end terminal and the network.
Nurse Decision Making in the Prearrest Period

There is a significant body of research demonstrating that many hospitalized patients exhibit signs of clinical deterioration prior to experiencing a cardiopulmonary arrest (CPA). This qualitative study used the critical decision method to describe the cues and factors employed by nurses to identify and interrupt a potentially preventable CPA. The cues that nurses used in identifying a patient at risk for CPA were altered level of consciousness and other selected triggers from the Early Warning Scoring System (EWSS) combined with knowledge of the patient and the contextual features of the decision situation. Nurse characteristics that assisted in interrupting an adverse event included previous experiences in prearrest situations, and the ability to function as part of a team. Organizational characteristics that supported the nurse to interrupt included the availability of nurse-initiated monitoring equipment, experience and flexibility of staff, working with a collaborative team, and access to knowledge resources.
Hypolipidemic effect of glycosaminoglycans from the sea cucumber Metriatyla scabra in rats fed a cholesterol-supplemented diet.

The purpose of this study was to determine the hypolipidemic effects of the glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) extracted from a sea cucumber, Metriatyla scabra. Using DEAE column chromatography, two major peaks containing GAGs were obtained: peak 1 (P-1) contained mainly GAGs (as hexuronic acid and hexosamine), whereas P-2 contained mostly free glycan (as fucose) with little hexuronic acid or hexosamine. Therefore, we used only the P-1 fraction (with molecular weights in the range 200-500 kDa) for evaluation of hypolipidemic effects. The lyophilized GAGs were administered orally to male Wistar rats at 5, 10, 20, and 50 mg/kg body weight for six consecutive weeks, during which the rats were fed ad libitum a basal laboratory diet with or without 1% cholesterol. The results show that the 1% cholesterol diet significantly increased plasma total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and atherogenic index. Cholesterol supplementation also significantly increased hepatic TG, cholesterol, phospholipid, and liver weight. When rats fed the 1% cholesterol diet were supplemented orally with the sea cucumber GAGs, plasma levels of total cholesterol, LDL-cholesterol, and atherogenic index were significantly decreased, while HDL-cholesterol was significantly increased, although these effects of the GAGs were only dose-dependent at doses lower than 20 mg/kg b.w. Similarly, the GAGs significantly prevented the increase (p < 0.05) in hepatic contents of triglyceride, cholesterol, and phospholipid. Thus, the present study demonstrates that the sea cucumber GAGs have the potential of being used for reducing the risk of atherosclerosis and hyperlipoproteinemia.
Investigating the success of spatial coevolution

We investigate the results of coevolution of spatially distributed populations. In particular, we describe work in which a simple function approximation problem is used to compare different spatial evolutionary methods. Our work shows that, on this problem, spatial coevolution is dramatically more successful than any other spatial evolutionary scheme we tested. Our results support two hypotheses about the source of spatial coevolution's superior performance: (1) spatial coevolution allows population diversity to persist over many generations; and (2) spatial coevolution produces training examples ("parasites") that specifically target weaknesses in models ("hosts"). The precise mechanisms by which the combination of spatial embedding and coevolution produces these results are still not well understood.
Recurrent actions on gamma‐motoneurones mediated via large and small ventral root fibres in the cat.

Effects on single lumbar gamma‐motoneurones, mediated via fibres running in the ventral roots, were studied by micro‐electrode recording in cats anaesthetized with chloralose. Graded electrical stimulation of ventral roots or of peripheral nerves was used. The cells were identified as gamma‐motoneurones by antidromic stimulation and by measurement of their axonal conduction velocity. Some of the cells were classified as static or dynamic. The findings confirm the previously demonstrated existence of low‐threshold, presumed recurrent, inhibition of both static and dynamic gamma‐motoneurones. Strong evidence for the occurrence of high‐threshold recurrent inhibition of gamma‐motoneurones is also presented. In addition, excitatory effects on gamma‐cells, also mediated via fibres in the ventral roots, are described. The low‐threshold effects from ventral root fibres are attributed to recurrent alpha‐collateral activity and the high‐threshold effects to gamma‐collateral activity. The significance of recurrent inhibition of gamma‐motoneurones is discussed in relation to the ‘gain regulator’ concept proposed by Hultborn, Lindström & Wigström (1979).
Universal coding of nonstationary sources

We investigate the performance of the Lempel-Ziv (1978) incremental parsing scheme on nonstationary sources. We show that it achieves the best rate achievable by a finite-state block coder for the nonstationary source. We also show a similar result for a lossy coding scheme given by Yang and Kieffer (see ibid., vol.42, p.239-45, 1996) which uses a Lempel-Ziv scheme to perform lossy coding.