Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Parenteral lipid emulsions and phagocytic systems

Lipid emulsions (LE) for parenteral use are complex emulsions containing fatty acids, glycerol, phospholipids and tocopherol in variable amounts and concentrations. In clinical practice, LE have been employed for more than 30 years. Fatty acids may have different impacts on phagocytic cells according to their structure. Experimental and clinical studies have consistently shown that LE modify monocyte/macrophage and polymorphonuclear phagocytosis. The inhibitory effect of LE on the functional activity of the phagocytic system, although still clinically controversial, may have a harmful impact because total parenteral nutrition with lipids may be recommended in hypercatabolic conditions where inflammation and infection are present. LE based on triglycerides containing long chain fatty acids (termed long chain triglycerides or LCT) are the main parenteral fat source and are typically rich in n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids. They may have adverse effects on the immune system, especially when given in high doses over a short period of time. However when administered properly they can be used safely. LE containing medium chain triglycerides (MCT) may have some advantages because of their positive effects on polymorphonuclear cells, macrophages, and cytokine production, particularly in critically ill or immunocompromised patients. New parenteral LE containing n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids or monounsaturated olive oil are already available in Europe. Judicious use of these new LE is mandatory especially relating on their potential impact on the immune system. New experimental and clinical studies are required to further establish the role of LE in clinical nutrition.
An EMI Reduction Technique for Digitally Controlled SMPS

A spread spectrum technique and system for reducing average electromagnetic interference (EMI) in low-power digitally controlled dc-dc switch-mode power supplies (SMPS) are introduced. The technique utilizes very simple hardware, where the switching frequency of a SMPS is dynamically varied over a controlled range. This is achieved by changing the supply voltage of a ring-oscillator based digital pulse-width modulator in a pseudo-random fashion, through 128 discrete steps. The change is performed with a 1-b DeltaSigma digital-to-analog converter. Compensator design guidelines for this variable frequency system are provided for obtaining good dynamic response. The technique was tested with a 500-mW, 1.8-V buck converter prototype, whose switching frequency was varied from 1.74 to 2.84 MHz. A reduction of 23 dB in the conducted EMI with an efficiency degradation of less than 0.1 % was obtained, compared to fixed frequency operation.
Sense of Presence in Virtual Training : Enhancing Skills Acquisition and Transfer of Knowledge through Learning Experience in Virtual Environments

Recent advances in educational and training technology are offering an increasing number of innovative and promising learning environments including three-dimensional and two-dimensional virtual worlds as well as computer simulations. These environments differ a lot as to both their technological sophistication and to the types of skills taught, varying for example from immersive 3D environments of high-fidelity to simulations of complex relational situations, for the learning of “soft skills” of growing strategic interest to enterprises such as leadership, customer service, coaching, selling etc. The learning potential of virtual training relies on the possibility for learners to make a number of significant first-person experiences and to fail in a safe and protected environment. In order to be effective, the experience should seem real and engaging to participants, as “if they were in there”: they should feel (emotionally and cognitively) present in the situation. The goal of this chapter is to investigate the relationships existing among the factors that are crucial to the emergence of a sense of presence in virtual training environments. This exploration aims at outlining a possible model of presence in virtual learning environments, trying to define on the one hand the key factors conveying it in training contexts and on the other hand how the sense of presence contributes to enhance learning efficacy and to support following transfer of knowledge and skills.
The mathematical structure of non-locality and contextuality

Non-locality and contextuality are key features of quantum mechanics that distinguish it from classical physics. We aim to develop a deeper, more structural understanding of these phenomena, underpinned by robust and elegant mathematical theory with a view to providing clarity and new perspectives on conceptual and foundational issues. A general framework for logical non-locality is introduced and used to prove that ‘Hardy’s paradox’ is complete for logical non-locality in all (2, 2, l) and (2, k, 2) Bell scenarios, a consequence of which is that Bell states are the only entangled two-qubit states that are not logically non-local, and that Hardy non-locality can be witnessed with certainty in a tripartite quantum system. A number of developments of the unified sheaf-theoretic approach to non-locality and contextuality are considered, including the first application of cohomology as a tool for studying the phenomena: we find cohomological witnesses corresponding to many of the classic no-go results, and completely characterise contextuality for large families of Kochen-Specker-like models. A connection with the problem of the existence of perfect matchings in kuniform hypergraphs is explored, leading to new results on the complexity of deciding contextuality. A refinement of the sheaf-theoretic approach is found that captures partial approximations to locality/non-contextuality and can allow Bell models to be constructed from models of more general kinds which are equivalent in terms of non-locality/contextuality. Progress is made on bringing recent results on the nature of the wavefunction within the scope of the logical and sheaf-theoretic methods. Computational tools are developed for quantifying contextuality and finding generalised Bell inequalities for any measurement scenario which complement the research programme. This also leads to a proof that local ontological models with ‘negative probabilities’ generate the no-signalling polytopes for all Bell scenarios.
Identification by Auxiliary Instrumental Sets in Linear Structural Equation Models

We extend graph-based identification methods for linear models by allowing background knowledge in the form of externally evaluated parameters. Such information could be obtained, for example, from a previously conducted randomized experiment, from substantive understanding of the domain, or even from another identification technique. To incorporate such information systematically, we propose the addition of auxiliary variables to the model, which are constructed so that certain paths will be conveniently cancelled. This cancellation allows the auxiliary variables to help conventional methods of identification (e.g., single-door criterion, instrumental variables, half-trek criterion) and model testing (e.g., d-separation, over-identification). Moreover, by iteratively alternating steps of identification and adding auxiliary variables, we can improve the power of existing identification and model testing methods, even without additional knowledge. We operationalize this general approach for instrumental sets (a generalization of instrumental variables) and show that the resulting procedure subsumes the most general identification method for linear systems known to date. We further discuss the application of this new operation in the tasks of model testing and z-identification.
Faculty Attitudes Toward Residential and Distance Learning: A Case Study in Instructional Mode Preferences Among Theological Seminary Faculty

Twenty-first century learners have bought into a cafeteria-style mentality for obtaining higher education that learning should be available at the student's convenience. Institutions that ignore this postmodern trend will likely find their applicant pools dwindling along with significant reductions in entering class sizes. Students will simply choose other schools able to provide respected, accredited, and useful learning which fits their busy lifestyles. Since 1987, Dallas Theological Seminary (Texas), a 76-year-old graduate school of theology in the conservative, evangelical, free-church movement, has offered distance learning classes in both extension and print-based delivery models. Because the faculty plays a pivotal role in the successful or unsuccessful implementation of online courses (McKenzie, Mims, Bennett, & Waugh, 2000), the present study uncovered the attitudes of full-time, graduate theological faculty at Dallas Theological Seminary (DTS) regarding distance learning and the likelihood of faculty to adopt this delivery innovation. Bruce Manning's (1976) Trouble-Shooting Checklist (TSC) for Higher Education Institutions was the instrument used in the study. The TSC is a nonparametric test designed to uncover differences between the observed and expected levels of acceptance that a department, program, or institution possesses regarding change toward distance learning in contrast to residential learning. The checklist's two major purposes are to provide an overall norm-referenced, predictive score estimating the organization's likelihood of adopting and implementing an innovation and to profile the strengths and weaknesses of an organization's environment (culture) relative to the adoption and implementation of innovations. Five scales provide a comprehensive understanding of the organizational climate, personality and leadership characteristics of participants, communication pathways within the organization, the degree of sophistication or expertise within the organization, and the receptivity of the students. An official administration of the instrument was conducted involving all full-time faculty at DTS. Frequency counts, percentage distributions, and the chi-square goodness-of-fit statistic were used to analyze the data at the . 05 alpha level. A summary of findings from the questionnaire was prepared indicating that significant change must take place within the faculty culture of DTS before distance learning innovations can be implemented.
Fluorescein and indocyanine green angiography in arteritic anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy

Editor,—Anterior ischaemic optic neuropathy (AION) is the most common cause of visual loss in giant cell arteritis (GCA). However, other presentations have been described including posterior ischaemic optic neuropathy, choroidal ischaemia, retinal artery occlusion, branch retinal artery occlusion, cilioretinal artery occlusion, and occipital cortex infarction.1 We present the first indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) findings in a case of GCA with simultaneous optic nerve and choroidal ischaemia. ### CASE REPORT A 65 year old woman was admitted because of bilateral blindness. She had had complete, painless visual loss in her right eye 72 hours before admission followed 48 hours later by visual loss in the left. One week earlier …
A grab to move on: ER–endosome contacts in membrane protrusion formation and neurite outgrowth

A key feature of many eukaryotic cells, most prominently seen in developing neurons, is their ability to form and extend membrane protrusions. How protrusion formation is linked to exocytic membrane trafficking is largely unclear. In a recent paper published in Nature, Raiborg et al identify a crucial role in this process for dynamic membrane contact sites (MCSs) between the ER and endosomes. The MCSs are formed by endoplasmic reticulum (ER)‐localized protein protrudin and the late endosomal kinesin adaptor FYCO1 and the small GTPase Rab7.
The Pro-Apoptotic Role of the Regulatory Feedback Loop between miR-124 and PKM1/HNF4α in Colorectal Cancer Cells

Accumulating evidence indicates that miRNA regulatory circuits play important roles in tumorigenesis. We previously reported that miR-124 is correlated with prognosis of colorectal cancer due to PKM-dependent regulation of glycolysis. However, the mechanism by which miR-124 regulates apoptosis in colorectal cancer remains largely elusive. Here, we show that miR-124 induced significant apoptosis in a panel of colorectal cancer cell lines. The mitochondrial apoptosis pathway was activated by miR-124. Furthermore, the pro-apoptotic role of miR-124 was dependent on the status of PKM1/2 level. PKM1 was required for miR-124-induced apoptosis. Via direct protein-protein interaction, PKM1 promoted HNF4α binding to the promoter region of miR-124 and transcribing miR-124. Moreover, HNF4α or PKM1 had a more dramatic effect on colorectal cancer cell apoptosis in the presence of miR-124. However, inhibition of miR-124 blocked cell apoptosis induced by HNF4α or PKM1. These data indicate that miR-124 not only alters the expression of genes involved in glucose metabolism but also stimulates cancer cell apoptosis. In addition, the positive feedback loop between miR-124 and PKM1/HNF4α plays an important role in colorectal cancer cell apoptosis; it suggests that disrupting this regulatory circuit might be a potential therapeutic tool for colorectal cancer treatment.
Large Scale GPU Accelerated PPMLR-MHD Simulations for Space Weather Forecast

PPMLR-MHD is a new magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model used to simulate the interactions of the solar wind with the magnetosphere, which has been proved to be the key element of the space weather cause-and-effect chain process from the Sun to Earth. Compared to existing MHD methods, PPMLR-MHD achieves the advantage of high order spatial accuracy and low numerical dissipation. However, the accuracy comes at a cost. On one hand, this method requires more intensive computation. On the other hand, more boundary data is subject to be transferred during the process of simulation. In this work, we present a parallel hybrid solution of the PPMLR-MHD model implemented using the computing capabilities of both CPUs and GPUs. We demonstrate that our optimized implementation alleviates the data transfer overhead by using GPU Direct technology and can scale up to 151 processes and achieve significant performance gains by distributing the workload among the CPUs and GPUs on Titan at Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The performance results show that our implementation is fast enough to carry out highly accurate MHD simulations in real time.
Compatibility with Killer Explains the Rise of RNAi-Deficient Fungi

Yeast can compensate for the loss of RNA interference by becoming killer yeast through the acquisition of a killer virus. The RNA interference (RNAi) pathway is found in most eukaryotic lineages but curiously is absent in others, including that of Saccharomyces cerevisiae. We show that reconstituting RNAi in S. cerevisiae causes loss of a beneficial double-stranded RNA virus known as killer virus. Incompatibility between RNAi and killer viruses extends to other fungal species in that RNAi is absent in all species known to possess double-stranded RNA killer viruses, whereas killer viruses are absent in closely related species that retained RNAi. Thus, the advantage imparted by acquiring and retaining killer viruses explains the persistence of RNAi-deficient species during fungal evolution.
Energy characterization of embedded real-time operating systems

In this paper we propose a methodology to analyze the energy overhead due to the presence of an embedded operating system in a wearable device. Our objective is to determine the key parameters affecting the energy consumption of the RTOS allowing the development of more efficient OS-based power management policies. To achieve this target, we propose a characterization strategy that stimulates the RTOS both at the kernel and at the I/O driver level by analyzing various OS-related parameters. Our analisys focus in particular on the relationship between energy consumption and processor frequency characterizing the different functionalities of an RTOS, suggesting a way to develop effective OS-aware energy optimization policies based on variable voltage and frequency. Experimental results are presented for eCos, an open-source embedded OS ported and installed on a prototype of wearable device, the HP SmartBadgeIII.
Toxicity and biodistribution of aqueous synthesized ZnS and ZnO quantum dots in mice

Abstract In the present study, ZnS and ZnO quantum dots (QDs) were synthesized via an all-aqueous process with polyethylene glycol (PEG) chains on their surface, and their toxicity as well as biodistribution were evaluated. No haemolysis occurred at a high concentration of 1600 µg/mL in vitro haemolytic assay, which demonstrated that the QDs-PEG displayed good blood compatibility. Following intravenous administration at 2, 6, and 20 mg/kg of the QDs-PEG in mice, the biodistribution, excretion and biocompatibility were characterized at 1 h, 24 h and 7 days, respectively. Quantitative analysis results indicated that the biodistribution trend of ZnS QDs-PEG was similar to that of ZnO QDs-PEG. The QDs-PEG were mainly trapped in the lung and liver, and almost removed from blood within 1 h. QDs-PEG were primarily excreted in faeces at the 2 and 6 mg/kg doses. Coefficients, haematology, blood biochemistry and histopathology results indicated that the QDs-PEG were safe and biocompatible.
Efficacy of Ethanol Extract of Fructus lycii and Its Constituents Lutein/Zeaxanthin in Protecting Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells against Oxidative Stress: In Vivo and In Vitro Models of Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a major cause of blindness worldwide. Oxidative stress plays a large role in the pathogenesis of AMD. The present study was to evaluate the effects of Fructus lycii ethanol extract on AMD in mice and to investigate whether combination of lutein and zeaxanthin, two carotenoid pigments in Fructus lycii, could protect human retinal pigment epithelial ARPE-19 cells treated with hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in vitro. We found that severe sediment beneath retinal pigment epithelium and thickened Bruch membrane occurred in AMD mice. However, Fructus lycii ethanol extract improved the histopathologic changes and decreased the thickness of Bruch membrane. Furthermore, the gene and protein expression of cathepsin B and cystatin C was upregulated in AMD mice but was eliminated by Fructus lycii ethanol extract. Investigations in vitro showed that ARPE-19 cell proliferation was suppressed by H2O2. However, lutein/zeaxanthin not only stimulated cell proliferation but also abrogated the enhanced expression of MMP-2 and TIMP-1 in H2O2-treated ARPE-19 cells. These data collectively suggested that Fructus lycii ethanol extract and its active components lutein/zeaxanthin had protective effects on AMD in vivo and in vitro, providing novel insights into the beneficial role of Fructus lycii for AMD therapy.
SELF‐CONTROL AND REINFORCEMENT IN THE MANAGEMENT OF A CEREBRAL‐PALSIED ADOLESCENT'S DROOLING

Self‐control of swallowing and positive reinforcement were used to eliminate drooling of a non‐vocal 16‐year‐old with severe spastic quadriplegia. Prompts for self‐controlled swallowing appeared to be more effective than positive reinforcement. The effects of treatment were maintained at three‐month follow‐up, but not at six months. Drooling was eliminated again by prompts for self‐controlled swallowing, and had not recurred one year after treatment had ended.
Ranking Beta Sheet Topologies of Proteins

One of the challenges of protein struc- ture prediction is to identify long-range interactions between amino acids. To reliably predict such in- teractions, we enumerate, score and rank all β- topologies (partitions of β-strands into sheets, or- derings of strands within sheets and orientations of paired strands) of a given protein. We show that the β-topology corresponding to the native structure is, with high probability, among the top-ranked. Since full enumeration is very time-consuming, we also sug- gest a method to deal with proteins with many β- strands. The results reported in this paper are highly rele- vant for ab initio protein structure prediction meth- ods based on decoy generation. The top-ranked β- topologies can be used to find initial conformations from which conformational searches can be started. They can also be used to filter decoys by removing those with poorly assembled β-sheets, and finally they can be relevant in contact prediction methods.
Re-Engineering the Hospital Discharge: An Example of a Multifaceted Process Evaluation

Abstract : The transfer of patient care from the hospital team to primary care and other providers in the community at the time of discharge is a high-risk process characterized by fragmented, nonstandardized, and haphazard care that leads to errors and adverse events. The development of interventions to improve the discharge process requires a detailed evaluation of the process by a multidisciplinary team. Methods: Using the resources of the Boston University Morehouse College of Medicine AHRQ Developmental Center for Patient Safety Research (funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality), multidisciplinary teams have been assembled to identify and address the sources of error at discharge. To better understand the current hospital discharge process, the researchers have applied a battery of epidemiologic and quality control methods taken from industry. These include probabilistic risk assessment, process mapping, qualitative analyses, failure mode and effects analysis, and root cause analysis. The researchers describe each of these methods and discuss their experience with them, displaying concrete tools that have arisen from their application. Conclusions: A detailed, multifaceted process analysis has provided us with powerful insight into the many patient safety issues surrounding the discharge process. The generalizable methods described here have produced the re-engineering of the discharge process, allowing for the planning of a clinical trial and significant improvements in patient care.
Rates and Predictors of 30-Day Readmission Among Commercially Insured and Medicaid-Enrolled Patients Hospitalized With Systolic Heart Failure

Background—Heart failure (HF) readmission rates are primarily derived from Medicare enrollees. Given increasing public scrutiny of HF readmissions, understanding the rate and predictors in populations covered by other payers is also important, particularly among patients with systolic dysfunction, for whom most HF-specific therapies are targeted. Methods and Results—MarketScan Commercial and Medicaid Administrative Claims Databases were used to identify all first hospitalizations with an International Classification of Diseases-9 discharge diagnosis code for HF (primary position) and systolic HF (any position) between January 1, 2005, and June 30, 2008. Among 4584 unique systolic HF index admissions (mean age 55 years), 30-day crude readmission rates were higher for Medicaid than commercially insured patients: all-cause 17.4% versus 11.8%; HF-related 6.7% versus 4.0%, respectively. In unadjusted analysis, higher comorbidity and prior healthcare utilization predicted readmission; age, sex, and plan type did not. After adjustment for case mix, the odds of all-cause and HF-related readmission were 32% and 68% higher, respectively, among Medicaid than commercially insured patients (P<0.02 for both). No significant differences in readmission rates were seen for managed care versus fee-for-service or capitated versus noncapitated plan types. Conclusions—Compared with commonly cited Medicare HF readmission rates of 20% to 25%, Medicaid patients with systolic HF had lower 30-day readmission rates, and commercially insured patients had even lower rates. Even after adjustment for case mix, Medicaid patients were more likely to be readmitted than commercially insured patients, suggesting that more attention should be focused on readmissions among socioeconomically disadvantaged populations.