Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The effect of hospitalist discontinuity on adverse events.

BACKGROUND Patient-physician continuity is difficult to achieve in hospital settings because of the need to provide care continuously. The impact of hospital physician discontinuity on patient safety is unknown. OBJECTIVE To determine the association between hospital physician continuity and the incidence of adverse events (AEs). DESIGN Retrospective observational study using multivariable models to adjust for patient characteristics. PARTICIPANTS Patients admitted to a nonteaching hospitalist service in a large academic hospital between March 1, 2009 and December 31, 2011. MAIN MEASURE(S) Two measures of continuity were used. The Number of Physicians Index (NPI) was the total number of unique hospitalists caring for a patient. The Usual Provider of Care (UPC) Index was the proportion of encounters with the most frequently encountered hospitalist. Outcome measures were AEs detected by automated queries of information systems and confirmed by 2 physician researchers. KEY RESULTS Our analysis included data from 474 hospitalizations. In unadjusted models, each 1-unit increase in the NPI (ie, less continuity) was significantly associated with the incidence of 1 or more AEs (odds ratio = 1.75; P < 0.001). However, UPC was not associated with incidence of AEs. Across all adjusted models, neither NPI nor UPC was significantly associated with the incidence of AEs. The direction of the effect of discontinuity on AEs was also inconsistent across models. CONCLUSIONS Hospitalist physician continuity does not appear to be associated with the incidence of AEs. Because hospital care is provided by teams of clinicians, future research should evaluate the impact of team complexity and dynamics on patient outcomes.
The Integrated Studies of Educational Technology: A Formative Evaluation of the E-Rate Program (Draft)

The E-Rate, created by Congress as part of the Telecommunications Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-104), is a federal program that seeks to bridge this digital divide by supporting broader public access to the new digital technology at public and private nonprofit educational institutions. The availability of such public access points has been found to reduce economic and racial disparities, and some research suggests that when used by trained and well-supported teachers, technology can improve learning, especially for disadvantaged children. This study focuses on two main questions: (1) To what extent is the E-Rate helping to equalize access to the types of digital technology eligible for program discounts? (2) Are schools and teachers able to use the technology that E-Rate supports? How is it being used in the classroom?
Density of states and de Haas-van Alphen effect in two-dimensional electron systems.

The density of states of two-dimensional electron systems in GaAs/AlGaAs single-layer and multilayer heterostructures has been determined through measurements of the high-field magnetization. Our results reveal a substantial density of states between Landau levels, even in high-mobility single quantum wells. There is no existing theoretical explanation for this anomaly.
A Simulation Model for a Class of Contention-based Multiple Access, Multihop Packet Radio Networks

Packet radio networks (PRNs) employ packet switching technology to implement reliable data communication networks over broadcast radio channels. Described herein is a computer simulation developed at Hazeltine Corporation that allows modeling of physically realizable PRNs. It is a process-oriented discrete-event model, isomorphic to PRN at several levels, and permits refinement of any individual module to any level of detail desired. It is written in SIMULA and DEMOS as two CONTEXTs in which rapid prototyping and verification of networking algorithms are possible. This simulation is currently being used to support the development of a protocol for small to medium sized PRNs.
Lack of Complement Activation in the Seminal Plasma of Men With Antisperm Antibodies Associated In Vivo on Their Sperm

ABSTRACT: A specific and sensitive “sandwich”‐type radiolabeled antiglobulin assay (RAA) using monoclonal anti‐human C5b‐9 neoantigen and polyclonal anti‐human C5b‐9 was used to evaluate the presence of the in vivo product of human complement (C) activation (SC5b‐9) in the seminal plasma (SP) of 19 fertile and 61 infertile men. SP SC5b‐9 was detectable in 7 (8.7%; 1 fertile and 6 infertile men) of the 80 men with a range of 10 to 175 ng/ml. Levels of SP SC5b‐9 in other men were below the limit of detection (less than 10 ng/ml). Of the 33 infertile men with sperm‐associated immunoglobulin (Ig) G and/or IgA, 27 (82%) had undetectable levels of SP SC5b‐9 immunoreactivity. There was no correlation between the SP SC5b‐9 levels and the degree of sperm‐associated IgG (r = 0.086) or IgA (r = 0.23) activity. However, significant deposition of sperm‐bound C5b‐9 due to autologous C activation was demonstrated by flow cytometry of donor sperm treated with sera from autoimmune men with ASA in their sera and on their sperm. These findings suggest that sperm‐bound Ig cannot activate C in SP.
Modeling of wind generation fluctuations in a dispatch model

The speed of wind at the different wind generator sites fluctuates due to weather variations over time. As a result, the wind generations may fluctuate over a wide range. The fluctuations and uncertainty are presently covered, in the New Zealand electricity market (NZEM), by the reserves originally offered for the protection of larger risk units in the system and frequency regulating reserve with no cost to the wind generators. In fact, smaller units benefit from the magnitude of reserves determined by the largest risk units. The frequency of outage of wind generators and variability of wind generation outputs is quite high compared to other smaller units and these frequently need a considerable amount of reserves to cover the generation fluctuations. The wind generators, therefore, "free ride" on other reserve providers adding cost to the system but not necessarily sharing them in an equitable manner. This issue has not been addressed so far. We develop a dispatch optimization model that recognizes the additional risk imposed by the wind generators. The model is based on DC-OPF, driven by generator risk contingencies, security margins at the load buses to cover the large variation of load, and security margins at the wind generator buses to account for the uncertainty of wind generations. The margins are maintained using reserves. The margin required at each wind generator bus is an input to the model and can be estimated statistically from its past performance. The main thrust of this paper is to examine the effect of security margin constraints at the wind generator buses and also at the load buses on the nodal spot prices. The paper demonstrates that the generation, and demand prices at a bus are different in the presence of binding security margin constraints. Generation prices at the wind generator buses get reduced in the presence of binding security margin constraints at these buses
Lymphocyte subpopulation reference ranges for monitoring human immunodeficiency virus-infected Chinese adults

Two hundred eight healthy human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) type 1- and HIV type 2-seronegative Chinese adults (78 males and 130 females; mean age, 32 years; age range, 18 to 71 years) were analyzed for lymphocyte subsets by a standardized and quality-controlled flow cytometric immunophenotyping technique. While the leukocyte differential values were comparable to those found in studies of Caucasians, the means, medians, and 95% reference ranges of lymphocyte subsets were very different. The 95% reference ranges in absolute counts per microliter of whole blood (percentage of lymphocytes) for CD3+, CD3+ CD4+, CD3+ CD8+, CD3- CD19+ (B), and CD3- with CD16+ and/or CD56+ (NK) cells were 672 to 2,368 (54.8 to 83.0%), 292 to 1,366 (23.1 to 51.0%), 240 to 1,028 (17.9 to 47.5%), 82 to 560 (5.1 to 20.8%), and 130 to 938 (7.1 to 38.0%), respectively. CD3+ CD4+ cells showed significant sex difference (for males, mean of 702 [34.8%] and standard deviation of 258 [7.5%]; for females, mean of 728 [37.3%] and standard deviation of 254 [7.4%]) as well as an increase with age of 42 (1.6%) per decade. Investigations of the NK cell population did not show similar findings. Classification of HIV disease, treatment, and prophylactic regimens based on studies which relied heavily on estimations of lymphocyte subsets alone should be used with special caution for Chinese patients. Provided that adequate quality control measures are taken to ensure comparability of data, we recommend that these ranges be used on a day-to-day basis in laboratories that have not yet established their own reference ranges.
Enhanced Tumorigenic Potential of Colorectal Cancer Cells by Extracellular Sulfatases

Heparan sulfate endosulfatase-1 and -2 (SULF1 and SULF2) are two important extracellular 6-O-endosulfatases that remove 6-O sulfate groups of N-glucosamine along heparan sulfate (HS) proteoglycan chains often found in the extracellular matrix. The HS sulfation pattern influences signaling events at the cell surface, which are critical for interactions with growth factors and their receptors. SULFs are overexpressed in several types of human tumors, but their role in cancer is still unclear because their molecular mechanism has not been fully explored and understood. To further investigate the functions of these sulfatases in tumorigenesis, stable overexpression models of these genes were generated in the colorectal cancer cells, Caco-2 and HCT-116. Importantly, mimicking overexpression of these sulfatases resulted in increased viability and proliferation, and augmented cell migration. These effects were reverted by shRNA-mediated knockdown of SULF1 or SULF2 and by the addition of unfractionated heparin. Detailed structural analysis of HS from cells overexpressing SULFs showed reduction in the trisulfated disaccharide UA(2S)-GlcNS(6S) and corresponding increase in UA(2S)-GlcNS disaccharide, as well as an unexpected rise in less common disaccharides containing GlcNAc(6S) residues. Moreover, cancer cells transfected with SULFs demonstrated increased Wnt signaling. In summary, SULF1 or SULF2 overexpression contributes to colorectal cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. Implications: This study reveals that sulfatases have oncogenic effects in colon cancer cells, suggesting an important role for these enzymes in cancer progression. Mol Cancer Res; 13(3); 510–23. ©2014 AACR.
Multiple transcripts from the Antennapedia gene of Drosophila melanogaster

The structures of four major transcripts from the homeotic gene Antennapedia of Drosophila melanogaster were determined. These transcripts constitute two RNA classes, each class initiating from a unique promoter but sharing 3' exons. Within the shared sequences is a major open reading frame encoding a 378-amino-acid protein as well as alternative polyadenylation sites. Although the RNA classes differ in their 5' sequences, both leaders contain many AUGs upstream of the major open reading frame. For the two RNA classes, neither gross tissue nor temporal specificity was observed. However, the second poly(A) site is preferred in neural tissue. The structural diversity of the RNAs is discussed in relation to biological functions of the Antennapedia locus.
Pheng-Ann Heng, GPU Accelerated CBCT Reconstruction from Few Views with SART and TV Regularization

Compressed sensing-based iterative algorithms can reconstruct high-quality CBCT from undersampled and noisy projection data. However, a practical implementation of these methods still remains a challenge due to the heavy computation. We implemented an algorithm by combining simultaneous algebraic reconstruction technique (SART) and total variation (TV) regularization for the CBCT reconstruction from few views. More importantly, we introduced approaches to fit the SART and TV into the GPU architecture. Experimental results showed that our GPU accelerated algorithm could obtain good reconstruction quality from 20 to 40 projections, as well as significant gain in time performance. It only took 29.1s for reconstruction from 120 projections with 40 iterations. The proposed method has potential to make iterative-based CBCT reconstruction more accessable for routine clinical applications.
Up-regulated Transcriptional Repressors SnoN and Ski Bind Smad Proteins to Antagonize Transforming Growth Factor-β Signals during Liver Regeneration*

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) functions as an antiproliferative factor for hepatocytes. However, for unexplained reasons, hepatocytes become resistant to TGF-β signals and can proliferate despite the presence of TGF-β during liver regeneration. TGF-β is up-regulated during liver regeneration, although it is not known whether it is active or latent. TGF-β activity may be examined by assessing Smad activation, a downstream signaling pathway. Smad pathway activation during liver regeneration induced by partial hepatectomy or CCl4 injury was examined by assessing the levels of phospho-Smad2 and Smad2-Smad4 complexes. We found that Smad proteins were slightly activated in quiescent liver, but that their activation was further enhanced in regenerating liver. Interestingly, TGF-β/Smad pathway inhibitors (SnoN and Ski) were up-regulated during regeneration, and notably, SnoN was induced mainly in hepatocytes. SnoN and Ski are transcriptional repressors that may render some cells resistant to TGF-β via binding Smad proteins. Complexes between SnoN, Ski, and the activated Smad proteins were detected from 2 to 120 h during the major proliferative phase in regenerating liver. Inhibitory complexes decreased after liver mass restitution (5–15 days), suggesting that persistently activated Smad proteins might participate in returning the liver to a quiescent state. Our data show that active TGF-β/Smad signals are present during regeneration and suggest that SnoN/Ski induction might explain hepatocyte resistance to TGF-β during the proliferative phase.
Interictal Cardiovascular Autonomic Responses in Patients with Epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: To evaluate the interictal autonomic nervous system function in 84 patients with epilepsy: 37 with newly diagnosed, previously untreated epilepsy, and 47 patients receiving long‐term carbamazepine (CBZ), phenytoin (PHT), or valproate (VPA) monotherapy, or CBZ plus PHT, or CBZ plus VPA for their seizure disorder.
Interaction of Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein/Thrombospondin 5 with Aggrecan*

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein/thrombospondin 5 (COMP/TSP5) is a major component of the extracellular matrix (ECM) of the musculoskeletal system. Its importance is underscored by its association with several growth disorders. In this report, we investigated its interaction with aggrecan, a major component of cartilage ECM. We also tested a COMP/TSP5 mutant, designated MUT3 that accounts for 30% of human pseudoachondroplasia cases, to determine if the mutation affects function. Using a solid-phase binding assay, we have shown that COMP/TSP5 can bind aggrecan. This binding was decreased with MUT3, or when COMP/TSP5 was treated with EDTA, indicating the presence of a conformation-dependent aggrecan binding site. Soluble glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) partially inhibited binding, suggesting that the interaction was mediated in part through aggrecan GAG side chains. Using affinity co-electrophoresis, we showed that COMP/TSP5, in its calcium-replete conformation, bound to heparin, chondroitin sulfates, and heparan sulfate; this binding was reduced with EDTA treatment of COMP/TSP5. MUT3 showed weaker binding than calcium-repleted COMP/TSP5. Using recombinant COMP/TSP5 fragments, we found that the “signature domain” could bind to aggrecan, suggesting that this domain can mediate the interaction of COMP/TSP5 and aggrecan. In summary, our data indicate that COMP/TSP5 is an aggrecan-binding protein, and this interaction is regulated by the calcium-sensitive conformation of COMP/TSP5; interaction of COMP with aggrecan can be mediated through the GAG side chains on aggrecan and the “signature domain” of COMP/TSP5. Our results suggest that COMP/TSP5 may function to support matrix interactions in cartilage ECM.
Neo-adjuvant treatment with erlotinb in squamous cell carcinoma head and neck (SCCHN) patients before surgery provides an opportunity to find predictive factors of response.

5513 Background: To date, neither immunohistochemistry (IHC) nor molecular analyses have identified prognostic markers of response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase (TK) inhibitors in SCCHN. Thus, the selection of patients who could benefit from such agents remains a challenge. We designed a 'pilot' clinical trial of patients (pts) with SCCHN pending first-line surgery of their disease. METHODS Pts with resectable SCCHN received erlotinib at 150mg/day during the period between pan-endoscopy and surgery. Pharmacokinetic (PK) samples were collected during treatment, which ceased the day before surgery. RESULTS Thirty five pts were recruited. All of them had resectable SCCHN: oral cavity (17 pts), oropharyngeal (7 pts), hypopharyngeal (5 pts), larygeal (6 pts). Thirty pts received full treatment with erlotinib and the main reason for discontinuation was rash. The median duration of treatment was 21 days (14-27). All pts were evaluated clinically and their tumors assessed radiologically before and after treatment. Out of 30 evaluable pts, 8 were considered as good responders (30-80% decrease in tumor size), 18 had stable disease and 2 had minor progression. Expected toxicities were observed: rash (grade 2/3 in 11 pts), diarrhea (grade 2 in 1 pt). All pts underwent surgery. The incidence of post-operative complications was similar to our historical series. No mutations in the catalytic domain of EGFR TK were found. All tumors were positive for EGFR by IHC. Correlative statistical analyses between PK, toxicity and response data are ongoing and will be presented. Neither over expression of EGFR nor other IHC markers alone were found to be good predictive markers of efficacy. Retrospective analysis of morphological and IHC evaluation in some cell cycle regulators (mainly p21) appeared to be predictive of erlotinib efficacy (sensitivity 87.5%, specificity 88%). CONCLUSIONS Neo-adjuvant treatment with erlotinib in SCCHN pts is well-tolerated. This trial demonstrated a useful prospective method to potentially aid patient selection to improve the design of post-operative adjuvant treatment combinations. No significant financial relationships to disclose.
Morphological and biochemical characteristics of trichothiodystrophy‐variant hair are maintained after grafting of scalp specimens on to nude mice

Trichothiodystrophy (TTD) is a hair defect associated with abnormal composition of the high‐sulphur proteins (HSP). HSP can be modified quantitatively (reduced amount of qualitatively normal HSP: TTD‐variant) and qualitatively (TTD). In this study we show that the amino acid composition of hairs collected from the scalp of a patient with TTD‐variant (donor) was preserved in hairs produced by donor scalp follicles maintained up to 6 months as grafts on to nude mice. It is the first time that an exceptionally rare, clinically and biochemically well‐characterized hair dysplasia has been maintained under laboratory conditions for a long period of time. The linear growth rate of TTD‐variant hairs was similar to that of control hairs grown under comparable conditions. The persistence of disease‐specific abnormalities in the hair shaft indicates that the TTD‐variant mutation is expressed without significant quantitative modifications, and appears independent of systemic host‐related factors. This model may serve as a clinically relevant working platform for evaluating regulation of abnormal gene expression in the hair follicle under well‐controlled experimental conditions.
Gestational Age at Birth and Outcomes After Neonatal Cardiac Surgery: An Analysis of the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database

Background— Gestational age at birth is a potentially important modifiable risk factor in neonates with congenital heart disease. We evaluated the relationship between gestational age and outcomes in a multicenter cohort of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery, focusing on those born at early term (ie, 37–38 weeks’ gestation). Methods and Results— Neonates in the Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database who underwent cardiac surgery between 2010 and 2011 were included. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association of gestational age at birth with in-hospital mortality, postoperative length of stay, and complications, adjusting for other important patient characteristics. Of 4784 included neonates (92 hospitals), 48% were born before 39 weeks’ gestation, including 31% at 37 to 38 weeks. Compared with a 39.5-week gestational age reference level, birth at 37 weeks’ gestational age was associated with higher in-hospital mortality, with an adjusted odds ratio (95% confidence interval) of 1.34 (1.05–1.71; P=0.02). Complication rates were higher and postoperative length of stay was significantly prolonged for those born at 37 and 38 weeks’ gestation (adjusted P<0.01 for all). Late-preterm births (34–36 weeks’ gestation) also had greater mortality and postoperative length of stay (adjusted P⩽0.003 for all). Conclusions— Birth during the early term period of 37 to 38 weeks’ gestation is associated with worse outcomes after neonatal cardiac surgery. These data challenge the commonly held perception that delivery at any time during term gestation is equally safe and appropriate and question the related practice of elective delivery of fetuses with complex congenital heart disease at early term.
Inside the Cloud - Network Communications Basics for the Relay Engineer

This paper addresses basic communications network technology and explains the differences between Ethernet, TCP/IP, T1 and SONET with respect to relaying applications. It also makes an attempt to clarify how the access method and application protocols influence (or not) the transport method. LAN, VLAN, VPN and WAN/Internet are also explained. Cyber security issues are discussed for the different networks. Ethernet networks are addressed in some detail as they are becoming more commonly accessible in substations and are a tempting alternative for protective relaying due to their simplicity and lower cost. Wireless Ethernet seems to be an especially attractive, low-cost solution. The paper presents test results that compare the performance of TDMolP with Ethernet GOOSE communications according to the IEC 61850 standard. The IEC 61850 standard is based on an Ethernet LAN but was originally intended for within substations communications only. The cloud is a term used to depict a telecommunication network.
Evolution, partnerships and cooperation.

In an evolutionary game theoretic setting, players are allowed to choose not only their strategies for a particular interaction, but also to some extent with whom they will play. A stability concept is presented and examined which allows agents to endogenously construct fixed partnerships. A strategy-matching type is said to be recoverable if a population in which it is used by all players is both internally and externally stable to random mutations. Such a strategy-matching type always exists and maximises social efficiency in the population. Some examples are considered in the light of this concept. The ability to form fixed partnerships enables players to coordinate on efficient outcomes. In particular, cooperation is achieved in the Prisoners' Dilemma without recourse to repetition or rigid spatial restriction.