Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Liberal or restrictive transfusion in high-risk patients after hip surgery.

BACKGROUND The hemoglobin threshold at which postoperative red-cell transfusion is warranted is controversial. We conducted a randomized trial to determine whether a higher threshold for blood transfusion would improve recovery in patients who had undergone surgery for hip fracture. METHODS We enrolled 2016 patients who were 50 years of age or older, who had either a history of or risk factors for cardiovascular disease, and whose hemoglobin level was below 10 g per deciliter after hip-fracture surgery. We randomly assigned patients to a liberal transfusion strategy (a hemoglobin threshold of 10 g per deciliter) or a restrictive transfusion strategy (symptoms of anemia or at physician discretion for a hemoglobin level of <8 g per deciliter). The primary outcome was death or an inability to walk across a room without human assistance on 60-day follow-up. RESULTS A median of 2 units of red cells were transfused in the liberal-strategy group and none in the restrictive-strategy group. The rates of the primary outcome were 35.2% in the liberal-strategy group and 34.7% in the restrictive-strategy group (odds ratio in the liberal-strategy group, 1.01; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.84 to 1.22), for an absolute risk difference of 0.5 percentage points (95% CI, -3.7 to 4.7). The rates of in-hospital acute coronary syndrome or death were 4.3% and 5.2%, respectively (absolute risk difference, -0.9%; 99% CI, -3.3 to 1.6), and rates of death on 60-day follow-up were 7.6% and 6.6%, respectively (absolute risk difference, 1.0%; 99% CI, -1.9 to 4.0). The rates of other complications were similar in the two groups. CONCLUSIONS A liberal transfusion strategy, as compared with a restrictive strategy, did not reduce rates of death or inability to walk independently on 60-day follow-up or reduce in-hospital morbidity in elderly patients at high cardiovascular risk. (Funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; FOCUS ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT00071032.).
ADaPT: Automatic Data Personalization based on contextual preferences

This demo presents a framework for personalizing data access on the basis of the users' context and of the preferences they show while in that context. The system is composed of (i) a server application, which “tailors” a view over the available data on the basis of the user's contextual preferences, previously inferred from log data, and (ii) a client application running on the user's mobile device, which allows to query the data view and collects the activity log for later mining. At each change of context detected by the system the corresponding tailored view is loaded on the client device: accordingly, the most relevant data is available to the user even when the connection is unstable or lacking. The demo features a movie database, where users can browse data in different contexts and appreciate the personalization of the data views according to the inferred contextual preferences.
Acoustic Cues to Syntactic Ambiguity in Taiwan Mandarin

This study investigated how acoustic cues signal the different syntactic structures of ambiguous sentences in language production. Acoustic cues such as intensity, f0, pause and duration vary according to different syntactic boundaries. Intensity of post-boundary syllable, f0 reset range of syllables around the corresponding target boundary, pause, and final lengthening of preboundary syllable were compared. Results showed that the boundaries across higher branching syntactic structures are marked by larger cross boundary f0 reset range, the existence of pause, and longer pre-boundary final lengthening. Acoustic cues can facilitate top down information during nature language parsing to identify intended meanings.
Communities of Practice Supporting Research and Technological Development - A Practical Case at Electrical Sector in Mexico

The IIE is devoted to innovation, technological development and applied scientific research. In order to increase productivity and to anticipate the needs of electrical sector, IIE is promoting collaboration and sharing of knowledge, ideas and experience among researchers through communities of practice. Communities of practice enable creating and sharing of knowledge and its application in the development of research projects, realize and anticipate problems, and devised new research lines to be undertaken. To impulse communities of practice, several efforts have been conducted, such as funding, talks by experts, defining success indexes and regulations and the development of an information system based on Web technologies. The Web system supports distance collaboration and sharing of documents. This paper presents an approach to implement communities of practice.
Central Role of Manganese in Regulation of Stress Responses, Physiology, and Metabolism in Streptococcus pneumoniae

ABSTRACT The importance of Mn2+ for pneumococcal physiology and virulence has been studied extensively. However, the specific cellular role(s) for which Mn2+ is required are yet to be fully elucidated. Here, we analyzed the effect of Mn2+ limitation on the transcriptome and proteome of Streptococcus pneumoniae D39. This was carried out by comparing a deletion mutant lacking the solute binding protein of the high-affinity Mn2+ transporter, pneumococcal surface antigen A (PsaA), with its isogenic wild-type counterpart. We provide clear evidence for the Mn2+-dependent regulation of the expression of oxidative-stress-response enzymes SpxB and Mn2+-SodA and virulence-associated genes pcpA and prtA. We also demonstrate the upregulation of at least one oxidative- and nitrosative-stress-response gene cluster, comprising adhC, nmlR, and czcD, in response to Mn2+ stress. A significant increase in 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase activity in the psaA mutant grown under Mn2+-replete conditions and upregulation of an oligopeptide ABC permease (AppDCBA) were also observed. Together, the results of transcriptomic and proteomic analyses provided evidence for Mn2+ having a central role in activating or stimulating enzymes involved in central carbon and general metabolism. Our results also highlight the importance of high-affinity Mn2+ transport by PsaA in pneumococcal competence, physiology, and metabolism and elucidate mechanisms underlying the response to Mn2+ stress.
Protection and Polyfunctional T Cells Induced by Ag85B-TB10.4/IC31® against Mycobacterium tuberculosis Is Highly Dependent on the Antigen Dose

Background Previously we have shown that Ag85B-TB10.4 is a highly efficient vaccine against tuberculosis when delivered in a Th1 inducing adjuvant based on cationic liposomes. Another Th1 inducing adjuvant, which has shown a very promising profile in both preclinical and clinical trials, is IC31®. In this study, we examined the potential of Ag85B-TB10.4 delivered in the adjuvant IC31® for the ability to induce protection against infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis. In addition, we examined if the antigen dose could influence the phenotype of the induced T cells. Methods and Findings We found that vaccination with the combination of Ag85B-TB10.4 and IC31® resulted in high numbers of polyfunctional CD4 T cells co-expressing IL-2, IFN-γ and TNF-α. This correlated with protection against subsequent challenge with M.tb in the mouse TB model. Importantly, our results also showed that both the vaccine induced T cell response, and the protective efficacy, was highly dependent on the antigen dose. Thus, whereas antigen doses of 5 and 15 µg did not induce significant protection against M.tb, reducing the dose to 0.5 µg selectively increased the number of polyfunctional T cells and induced a strong protection against infection with M.tb. The influence of antigen dose was also observed in the guinea pig model of aerosol infection with M.tb. In this model a 2.5 fold increase in the antigen dose reduced the protection against infection with M.tb to the level observed in non-vaccinated animals. Conclusions/Significance Small changes in the antigen dose can greatly influence the induction of specific T cell subpopulations and the dose is therefore a crucial factor when testing new vaccines. However, the adjuvant IC31® can, with the optimal dose of Ag85B-TB10.4, induce strong protection against Mycobacterium tuberculosis. This vaccine has now entered clinical trials.
Social and emotional learning and school climate : predictors of teacher stress, job satisfaction, and sense of efficacy

The aim of this study was to investigate whether social and emotional learning and school climate have an impact on teacher stress, job satisfaction, and sense of efficacy. The sample included 664 public schoolteachers from suburban, rural, and remote areas of British Columbia and Ontario in Canada. Participants completed an online questionnaire about teacher outcomes, school climate, and social and emotional learning. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that positive school climates significantly predicted lower teacher stress, increased teacher job satisfaction, and increased teacher sense of efficacy. Of the school climate variables, student relations played the most significant role in predicting better teacher outcomes. Other significant variables were collaboration among staff, school resources, and input in decision making. For social and emotional learning, the findings demonstrated that stronger beliefs and integration of social and emotional learning predicted greater job satisfaction and increased teacher sense of efficacy; however, certain social and emotional learning variables also predicted increased stress. Of the social and emotional learning variables, comfort with and regular implementation of social and emotional learning in the classroom, the support and promotion of social and emotional learning , and the integration of social and emotional learning across the school predicted better outcomes for teachers, whereas commitment to improving social and emotional learning provided mixed results. Implications for practice and research are discussed.
A Novel Series-Resonant Converter Topology

A converter topology based on the principles of seriesresonant (SR) power conversion is described in which the input and output of this converter have one terminal in common, and the transformer is omitted. Both the underlying theory and associated waveforms are presented. The converter is suitable for dc-dc as well as for dc-ac conversion. Special attention is given to operation in the region where the input voltage is approximately equal to the output voltage (q-1). Test results of a 700-W multiquadrant dc-dc and/or dc-ac converter are shown.
Efficient algorithm for approximating maximum inscribed sphere in high dimensional polytope

In this paper, we consider the problem of computing a maximum inscribed sphere inside a high dimensional polytope formed by a set of halfspaces (or linear constraints) and with bounded aspect ratio, and present an efficient algorithm for computing a (1−ε)-approximation of the sphere. More specifically, given any aspect-ratio-bounded polytope <i>P</i> defined by <i>n d</i>-dimensional halfspaces, an interior point <i>O</i> of <i>P</i>, and a constant ε>0, our algorithm computes in <i>O</i>(<i>nd</i>/ε<sup>3</sup>) time a sphere inside <i>P</i> with a radius no less than (1−ε)<i>R<sub>opt</sub></i>, where <i>R<sub>opt</sub></i> is the radius of a maximum inscribed sphere of <i>P</i>. Our algorithm is based on the core-set concept and a number of interesting geometric observations. Our result solves a special case of an open problem posted by Khachiyan and Todd [13].
Participatory media for teacher professional development: toward a self-sustainable and democratic community of practice

Financial and political pressures on the compulsory education teacher corps in the United States, as well as US higher education, demands a new approach to teacher professional development that shifts the focus away from repeated short-term university-based teacher professional development programmes and toward the nurturing of self-organized and self-sustaining teacher professional development communities of practice. The authors draw on six years of experience providing area studies teacher professional development to multiple cohorts of in-service and pre-service teachers in a hybrid environment to demonstrate a replicable approach to assisting teachers in building an evolving network of professionals in a self-sustaining, democratic community that can assist in the development of voice, agency, and capital for the participants.
Epistemological Time Asymmetry

In a recent book, Asymmetries in Time, Paul Horwich presents a systematic account of various temporal asymmetries, including a neo-Reichenbachian account of the (apparent) fact that we know more about the past than the future, the epistemological time asymmetry. I find some obscurities in Horwich's presentation, however, and I argue that when his view is understood in a way that I shall propose, it does represent an advance on Reichenbach's, but it fails to vindicate Horwich's "main point.that our special knowledge of the past derives from the fork asymmetry.
Automatic generation of Multiple Alternate Choice ( MAC ) test item stems by applying Causal Relation Explication , Addition and Manipulation ( CREAM ) to pre-processed source documents

A new method for generating the stem components of Multiple Alternate Choice (MAC) test items is proposed which makes use of a theory about causal coherence relation primitives. A trial of the Causal Relation Explication, Addition and Manipulation (CREAM) method is described which uses a domain specific evaluation method. The domain expert assigns a usability category to each MAC stem from a bank consisting of a total of 40 relevant MAC stems. 20 of the stems contained in the item bank were generated using the CREAM methodology while the other 20 MAC stems were created using a traditional approach. The results show 5 generated stems were assigned category A (use without changes) and a further 9 were assigned category B (use following minor changes). Further performance improvements are expected in future experiments by applying new pre-processing techniques to the source documents.
Relationship between antimicrobial proteins and airway inflammation and infection in cystic fibrosis

Antimicrobial proteins are important in lung defense and are potential therapeutic agents in chronic airways infection such as seen in cystic fibrosis (CF). In preparation for future clinical studies, we sought (1) to determine levels of three antimicrobial proteins [lactoferrin, lysozyme, and secretory leukoprotease inhibitor (SLPI)] in the CF airway and (2) to examine the relationships between these antimicrobial proteins and airway inflammation and infection. We examined bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) from 45 individuals with CF and 23 disease control individuals. Airway inflammation was measured through BALF neutrophil counts and neutrophil elastase activity. Infection was assessed through quantitative counts of CF‐related bacterial pathogens. BALF lysozyme activity and lactoferrin levels were elevated in individuals with CF compared to controls whereas SLPI levels were not different between the groups. Among the CF subjects, lysozyme activity and lactoferrin increased with age while SLPI decreased with age. Lysozyme activity and lactoferrin concentrations correlated positively with neutrophil counts but not with bacterial colony counts. SLPI levels were inversely related to both neutrophil counts and bacterial colony counts. This study provides information concerning the levels of antimicrobial proteins present in the CF airway that are relevant to future clinical trials of these compounds and demonstrates clear relationships between antimicrobial protein‐specific levels and airway inflammation and infection. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2009; 44:402–409. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Silymarin secretion and its elicitation by methyl jasmonate in cell cultures of Silybum marianum is mediated by phospholipase D-phosphatidic acid

The flavonolignan silymarin is released to the extracellular medium of Silybum marianum cultures and its production can be stimulated by the elicitor methyljasmonate (MeJA). The sequence of the signalling processes leading to this response is unknown at present. It is reported in this work that MeJA increased the activity of the enzyme phospholipase D (PLD). Treatment with mastoparan (Mst), a PLD activity stimulator, also enhanced PLD and caused a substantial increase in silymarin production. The application of the product of PLD activity, phosphatidic acid (PA) promoted silymarin accumulation. Altering PLD activity by introducing in cultures n-butanol (nBuOH), which inhibits PA production by PLD, prevented silymarin elicitation by MeJA or Mst and also impeded its release in non-elicited cultures. Treatment with iso-, sec- or tert- butanol had no effect on silymarin production. The exogenous addition of PA reversed the inhibitory action of nBuOH, both in control and MeJA-treated cultures. These results suggest that the enzyme PLD and its product PA mediate silymarin secretion to the medium of S. marianum cultures.
CD126 and Targeted Therapy with Tocilizumab in Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia

Purpose: IL6 promotes tumor growth and signal transduction via both its membrane-bound (CD126) and soluble receptors (sCD126). We aimed to study whether the levels of CD126 expression in chronic lymphocytic leukemic (CLL) cells can predict in vitro and in vivo treatment response. Experimental Design: The levels of membrane-bound CD126 expression were determined on freshly isolated CLL B cells (n = 58) using flow cytometry. These CLL cells were treated with chlorambucil or fludarabine with or without anti-CD126 antibody tocilizumab for 24 hours and IL6-mediated STAT3 transcriptional activity and cell-cycle alteration were evaluated. Results: CD126 surface expression was found in all cases and positively correlated with the levels of in vivo constitutive STAT3 activity. The levels of CD126 expression were significantly and positively correlated with the resistance of CLL cells to in vitro treatment with chlorambucil or fludarabine and poor in vivo treatment response of CLL patients. Blocking IL6 signaling with the anti-CD126 antibody, tocilizumab, had profound effects on STAT3-mediated survival and growth signals: decreased Mcl-1 and Bcl-xL, favoring an apoptotic profile; and decreased p27 with increased cyclin E and CDK2 expression, leading to cell-cycle shift from G0–G1. These tocilizumab-mediated changes induced chemosensitization in resistant CLL cells, with the greatest effect seen in cells with higher CD126 expression (P < 0.001). Conclusions: CLL cells with higher CD126 expression are more resistant to treatment in vivo and in vitro via IL6–CD126–STAT3 axis. Blocking CD126 using tocilizumab sensitizes CLL cells to chemotherapy. Clin Cancer Res; 22(10); 2462–9. ©2015 AACR.
On the Projection onto a Finitely Generated Cone

In the paper we study the properties of the projection onto a finitelygenerated cone. We show that this map is made up of finitely manylinear parts with a structure resembling the facial structure ofthe finitely generated cone. An economical regarding storage algorithmis also presented for calculating the projection of a fixed vector,based on Lemke's algorithm to solve a linear complementarity problem.Some remarks on the conical inverse a generalization of the Moore-Penrosegeneralized inverse conclude the paper.
Geographically Distributed Software Development

Geographically distributed software development holds much promise for increasing market penetration and speeding up development cycles. However, it also comes with a set of new challenges for those developing the software, bought about by the distance among colleagues.This paper outlines a new research project underway to explore those issues and their implications for organizing geographically distributed software development efforts. We also describe the approaches we are taking towards providing solutions - in the form of processes and technology - to address the challenges of working remotely.
Physician Practices in Response to Intimate Partner Violence in Southern India: Insights from a Qualitative Study

Health care providers in India are often the only institutional contact for women experiencing intimate partner violence, a pervasive public health problem with adverse health outcomes. This qualitative study was among the first to examine Indian primary care physicians' intimate partner violence practices. Between July 2007 and January 2008, 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with physicians serving low-to-middle income women aged 18–30 in southern India. A modified grounded theory approach was used for data collection and analysis. Study findings revealed a distinct subset of ‘physician champions’ who responded to intimate partner violence more consistently, informed women of their rights, and facilitated their utilization of support services. Findings also offered insights into physicians' ability to identify indications of intimate partner violence and use of potentially culturally appropriate practices to respond to intimate partner violence, even without training. However, physician practices were mediated by individual attitudes. Although not generalizable, findings offer some useful lessons which may be transferable for adaptation to other settings. A potential starting point is to study physicians' current practices, focusing on their safety and efficacy, as well as enhancing these practices through appropriate training. Further research is also needed on women's perspectives on the appropriateness of physicians' practices, and women's recommendations for intimate partner violence intervention strategies.
Per-user policy enforcement on mobile apps through network functions virtualization

Due to the increasing popularity of smartphones and tablets, mobile apps are becoming the preferred portals for users to access various network services in both residential and enterprise environments. Predominantly using generic HTTP or HTTPS protocols, traffic from different mobile apps is largely indistinguishable. This loss of visibility into mobile app traffic brings new challenges to network management and traffic analysis. It has became very hard to implement network policies based on the differentiation between traffic from compliant and non-compliant mobile apps. This paper presents a system that not only provides network administrators the much desired capability of enforcing policies on mobile app traffic, but also does that at a fine per-user granularity. The proposed system takes a Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) approach and virtualizes an edge router into multiple virtual data planes. Specifically, each data plane serves solely to one particular user and consists of user-specific virtualized network functions. The independence of the virtual data planes facilitates enforcing network policies at the per-user level. To enable policy enforcement on mobile apps, our system includes a sophisticated mobile app identification module to recognize traffic from different apps using preloaded traffic signatures. By exploiting TLS proxying, our system can even enforce policies on those mobile apps adopting traffic encryption. We have implemented a prototype of the proposed system as a wireless access point (AP) using a commodity small form factor PC. Our preliminary experimental evaluations show that the system can scale to modest number of users without much impacting user experience in using the network.