Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Baseline Neuropsychological Testing in Managing Sport-Related Concussion: Does It Modify Risk?

Baseline neuropsychological testing is mandated at various levels of play for hundreds of thousands of athletes each year. This paper reviews the risks associated with sport-related concussion, and the clinical validity and reliability data for the most commonly used baseline test, the ImPACT program. There is no evidence to suggest that the use of baseline testing alters any risk from sport-related concussion, nor is there even a good rationale as to how such tests might influence outcome. Given the poor sensitivity and low reliability of these measures, they have an associated high false negative rate (i.e., classifying a player's neurocognitive status is normal, when in fact, it is not). The use of baseline neuropsychological testing, therefore, is not likely to diminish risk, and to the extent that there is a risk associated with "premature" return-to-play, the use of these measures even may increase that risk in some cases.
Cannabis and psychosis: Let's start from the null hypothesis

EDITOR—Fergusson at al say that it is better to reach interim conclusions about the relation between cannabis and psychosis despite the uncertain evidence.1 This is contrary to the scientific principle of starting from the null hypothesis. The null hypothesis should be overturned only if there is sufficient evidence. Moreover, the argument they use to tip the …
On a "No Arrivals" Heuristic for Single Machine Stochastic Scheduling

In many contexts in which resource allocation takes place in a stochastic environment, new jobs arrive over time. Incorporation of an arrivals process into the scheduling model significantly complicates the problem of determining optimal strategies. Earlier computational studies suggest that for a large class of single machine problems often little is lost by adopting a heuristic that essentially ignores the arrivals process. Cases are described in which the heuristic yields an optimal strategy and analytical tools are developed that enable its evaluation. The heuristic performs well, both when arrivals are rare and when arrivals of good jobs are frequent.
Knowledge retrieval through virtual communities of practice

This article explores how Computer Sciences Corporation (CSC) manages knowledge retrieval by employees when they need to access documents written by colleagues in geographically distant units. CSC's establishment of virtual communities of practice facilitates the coordination of knowledge, and minimises contextual gaps between senders and receivers of knowledge. Furthermore, the knowledge-sharing friendly culture of the case company quickly establishes swift trust, which enables receivers to directly approach the original, often previously unknown, author of a document for additional information.
Comparative molecular epidemiology of Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica by PCR-RFLP technique in hyper endemic cities of Isfahan and Bam, Iran.

BACKGROUND Leishmania is an obligate intracellular protozoa, and the sandfly, as a vector, transmits infectious forms of the parasite to the vertebrate host. The etiologic agents of cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL), Leishmania major and Leishmania tropica, are the most prevalent factor in Iran, especially in the Isfahan and Bam regions. Because of the importance of CL in endemic regions and the interaction of species diversity factors in developing control strategies, several isolated Leishmania species from 2 hyperendemic regions of Iran, Isfahan and Bam cities, were examined in this study by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP). MATERIAL/METHODS In this study, 340 samples were taken from clinically suspected CL patients to prepare slides for direct microscopy and cultures for promastigotes by PCR-RFLP. The internal transcribed spacer 1 (ITS1) region of genomic DNA was extracted and amplified with LITSr and L5.8s primers. Amplification by PCR-RFLP was performed to determine 4 kinds of genotype pattern of the species in the 2 main cities of Isfahan and Bam. Some of the product samples were sequenced and analyzed. RESULTS Two genotypic groups were detected from L. major isolates, LmA and LmB; also L. tropica showed 2 patterns, LtA and LtB, in comparison with standard species. The most prevalent genotypes related to isolates of Isfahan were LmA and of Bam were LtA. These 2 genotypes were recorded as major etiologic factors of CL in these 2 regions. CONCLUSIONS Leishmania major and L. tropica, the causative agents of zoonotic CL and anthroponotic CL, respectively, in Isfahan and Bam, are genetically highly polymorphic species, and a correlation may exist between genetic heterogeneous and clinical manifestation and geographic regions of the disease in humans.
Transient behaviour and parameters of earth electrodes designed for lightning protection system (LPS) in focus of the requirements of new edition of IEC (EN) 62305 standard

In the paper are described general factors influencing the transient behavior of LPS earth electrodes in case of lightning current dissipation in soil. These factors should be taken into account by designers of LPS, however, in the new series of the IEC(EN) 62305 lightning protection standards there is no information addressed to this specific problem. The intention expressed in this paper was to give the short description of parameters, which should be taken into account when determining the effective dimensioning and configuration of LPS earth electrodes. The simplified methodology of their transient parameters assessment which might be useful for engineering applications is also described.
Traumatic Brain Injury

ABSTRACT Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a leading cause of death and disability in both children and adults. TBI is complex, as it involves injury to multiple brain areas caused by both the initial injury and secondary events. The most persistent sequelae of TBI are cognitive and behavioral, reflecting the fact that the preponderance of damage is to the frontal lobes. Although the sequence of recovery follows a pattern, TBI is a heterogeneous disorder and rehabilitation programs must be tailored to the needs of the individual and his or her social situation. Specific therapy approaches, environmental structure, and medications all play a role. Many of the emerging approaches to facilitating CNS plasticity can be applied.
Service, services and products: rethinking operations strategy

Purpose – This paper proposes a new approach to operations and supply strategy in the light of recent developments in the analysis of the respective roles of products and services in delivering benefits to customers.Design/methodology/approach – Reviews and synthesises concepts from operations management (OM), marketing, economics and related areas. Examples of product and service combinations are considered, drawing attention to the ways in which services may be distinguished from products. An institutional basis for defining services is favoured over IHIP. A corollary of this is how services are made tradable: the modularity theory of the firm is used to do this. The paper then outlines, considers and compares various approaches to the combination of products and services: “service‐dominant logic”, support services, product‐service systems, systems integration, performance‐based logistics, bundling and, finally, the notion of “the offering”. Findings – It is found that the notion of the business model is.
Thermal performance analysis of an all-optical and ultra-wideband RF amplification method for 5G networks

We experimentally investigate the performance of an all-optical and ultra-wideband RF amplification method for 5G networks, as a function of temperature. The proposed approach employs the optical nonlinear effect four-wave mixing for performing photonics-based RF amplification in analog and digital radio-over-fiber systems. The thermal characterization from −10 to +70°C demonstrates a flat photonics-based RF gain from 300 kHz to 50 GHz, as well as no significant phase noise fluctuation due to temperature variation. It illustrates the methodology applicability in real operational conditions of a base station and shows a promising direction to use optical backhauls as active medium for amplifying RF signals besides performing data transmission.
Mechanism of Human Endometrial Stromal Cells Decidualization

As described by Noyes et al. in their classic article of 1950 on the histologic dating of the endometrium,' one of the characteristic events in the morphologic changes that this tissue undergoes during the menstrual cycle is the differentiation of the stromal cells to the decidual phenotype. On day 23 of the regular 28-day cycle, the elongated, fibroblast-like stromal cells of the proliferative tissue begin to differentiate around the endometrial blood vessels into larger, rounder and often binucleated decidual cells.2 Since many of the endometrial changes are clearly linked to ovarian cyclic events (e.g., secretory changes in the glandular epithelium after ovulation) decidualization has been traditionally associated with the production of progesterone (P) by the ovarian luteal cells. Since the placenta secretes large amounts of P, such hormonal connection was consistent with the massive decidualization of the endometrium of pregnancy (uiz the decidua). Early in uitro experiments supported this view, since addition of P to fragments of human proliferative endometrium in culture resulted in detectable changes of the stromal component to the decidual phenotype, both morphologically and by the appearance of prolactin (PRL), a characteristic secretory product of decidual cells.3 However, the belief that P, with or without estradiol (E2), was solely responsible for decidualization of human endometrial stromal cells was not supported by a series of in vitro studies reported by Tseng and c o w o r k e r ~ . ~ ~ They showed that medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA), a metabolically stable progestin, had only slow and moderate effects on PRL production, even in the presence of E,, while a faster and much larger effect on PRL output was elicited in the same system by a mixture of MPA and relaxin (RLX), a hormone that is also secreted by the corpus luteum. Also casting doubts on the role of P as the single factor affecting decidualization is a recent report' on pregnancies in women with serum levels of P at 4 weeks
Mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in enterococci

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) enterococci are important nosocomial pathogens and a growing clinical challenge. These organisms have developed resistance to virtually all antimicrobials currently used in clinical practice using a diverse number of genetic strategies. Due to this ability to recruit antibiotic resistance determinants, MDR enterococci display a wide repertoire of antibiotic resistance mechanisms including modification of drug targets, inactivation of therapeutic agents, overexpression of efflux pumps and a sophisticated cell envelope adaptive response that promotes survival in the human host and the nosocomial environment. MDR enterococci are well adapted to survive in the gastrointestinal tract and can become the dominant flora under antibiotic pressure, predisposing the severely ill and immunocompromised patient to invasive infections. A thorough understanding of the mechanisms underlying antibiotic resistance in enterococci is the first step for devising strategies to control the spread of these organisms and potentially establish novel therapeutic approaches.
Electronic monitoring of dental implant osseointegration.

BACKGROUND The methods for evaluating dental implant osseointegration can be limited in their effectiveness. The authors developed a new noninvasive electronic instrument to test implant stability and improve the assessment process. METHODS Using the new instrument, which was based on impulse testing and fast Fourier transform, or FFT, technology, the authors tested implant stability under real-time clinical conditions. The clinical procedure involved a weekly test of two placed implants, from the first-stage insertion point to the completion of the integration. This longitudinal monitoring spanned eight months. RESULTS The authors verified clinical implant integration electronically and that it closely matched mathematical predictions. They also observed changes in implant stability during the integration process. CONCLUSIONS Implant stability can be monitored electronically using FFT testing. A theoretical integration prediction also can be formulated. Like a "dental electrocardiogram," integration is assessed by waveform shape analysis. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS Electronic measurement of implant stability may help clinicians noninvasively diagnose the suitability of implants for restoration and aid in postrestorative monitoring.
Post-partum sexual abstinence in West Africa: implications for AIDS-control and family planning programmes.

OBJECTIVE To assess whether the custom of prolonged post-partum sexual abstinence in Benin is associated with an increased incidence of extra-marital sexual contacts by husbands. DESIGN Cross-sectional survey of adult men and women. METHODS Data obtained from men on their extra-marital sexual behaviour in the past 12 months were linked to data on post-partum abstinence over the same time interval reported by wives. Multivariate analysis was applied to assess the association between conjugal abstinence and husband's extra-marital sex, net of the effects of possible confounders. RESULTS Approximately half of married men experienced post-partum abstinence in the past 12 months. In this group, 32% reported one or more extra-marital sexual contacts compared with 20% among those who experienced no abstinence (OR = 1.8, P < 0.001). This association is essentially unchanged after controlling for marriage type, age, education, urban-rural residence, income and household wealth. Age, income and wealth are also significant predictors of the probability of extra-marital sex. The effects of income and wealth largely disappear when attention is restricted to extra-marital sex without using a condom on the most recent occasion. CONCLUSIONS The potentially protective effect of prolonged abstinence after childbirth in Benin (and probably in much of West Africa) is offset by an increased probability that husbands will seek extra-marital partners without using condoms. Although not quantifiable, the enhanced longer-term risks of sexually transmitted diseases/HIV infection for wives probably outweigh the short-term benefits. Family planning practitioners in this region should not hesitate to recommended the early resumption of sex and suitable methods of post-partum contraception for women who express concern or uncertainty about their husband's behaviour.
Healthy intakes of n-3 and n-6 fatty acids: estimations considering worldwide diversity.

BACKGROUND The worldwide diversity of dietary intakes of n-6 and n-3 fatty acids influences tissue compositions of n-3 long-chain fatty acids (LCFAs: eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and docosahexaenoic acids) and risks of cardiovascular and mental illnesses. OBJECTIVE We aimed to estimate healthy dietary allowances for n-3 LCFAs that would meet the nutrient requirements of 97-98% of the population. DESIGN Deficiency in n-3 LCFAs was defined as attributable risk from 13 morbidity and mortality outcomes, including all causes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cardiovascular disease, homicide, bipolar disorder, and major and postpartum depressions. Dietary availability of n-3 LCFAs from commodities for 38 countries and tissue composition data were correlated by best fit to each illness in deficiency risk models. RESULTS The potential attributable burden of disease ranged from 20.8% (all-cause mortality in men) to 99.9% (bipolar disorder). n-3 LCFA intake for Japan (0.37% of energy, or 750 mg/d) met criteria for uniformly protecting >98% of the populations worldwide. n-3 LCFA intakes needed to meet a tissue target representative of Japan (60% n-3 in LCFA) ranged from 278 mg/d (Philippines, with intakes of 0.8% of energy as linoleate, 0.08% of energy as alpha-linolenate, and 0.06% of energy as arachidonic acid) to 3667 mg/d (United States, with 8.91% of energy as linoleate, 1.06% of energy as alpha-linolenate, and 0.08% of energy as arachidonic acid). CONCLUSIONS With caveats inherent for ecologic, nutrient disappearance analyses, a healthy dietary allowance for n-3 LCFAs for current US diets was estimated at 3.5 g/d for a 2000-kcal diet. This allowance for n-3 LCFAs can likely be reduced to one-tenth of that amount by consuming fewer n-6 fats.
Infant and young child feeding practices and nutritional status in Bhutan

In South Asia, childhood undernutrition persists while overweight is increasing. Internationally recommended infant and young child feeding (IYCF) practices promote healthy nutritional status; however, little is known about IYCF in Bhutan, investigated here using 2015 National Nutrition Survey data. WHO/UNICEF IYCF indicators, anthropometry and household socio-economic status were available for 441 children <24 months. Stunting, wasting, and underweight prevalence (<-2Z length-for-age [LAZ], weight-for-age, [WAZ] and weight-for-length [WLZ], respectively) were 15%, 9%, and 5%, respectively, whereas overweight (WLZ >2) prevalence was 6%. In survey-design-adjusted analyses, 52% of mothers of 0- to 5-month olds reported exclusive breastfeeding (EBF), with EBF less common for girls than boys (OR: 0.2 [95% CI: 0.1-0.9]). Although 61% of children were breastfed at 2 years and 75% of children >6 months met a minimum daily meal frequency, only 18% of children 6-23 months met minimum dietary diversity. IYCF was unassociated with risk of stunting, wasting, or underweight, possibly due to relatively low prevalence of anthropometric failure and small sample size. However, currently-breastfed children were less often overweight [OR: ~0.1 (95% upper limit ≤1.0)]. Neither breastfeeding nor most complementary feeding practices differed by socio-economic status, but children in the highest two fifth of a wealth index had 7.8 (1.3-46.9) and 5.3 (1.1-25.2) times greater odds than children in the lowest fifth of meeting minimum dietary diversity criteria. Low rates of EBF, given possible protection of breastfeeding against overweight, and inadequate dietary diversity offer evidence to guide future program interventions to improve nutritional status of young children.
SquidCop: Design and evaluation of a novel quadrotor MAV for in-flight launching air-to-ground missions

Energy limitations play a major drawback in aerial robotics. Regarding the deployment of a MAV (Mini-Aerial-Vehicle), depending on the distance between base and robot, most of battery charge is simply wasted in the robot round trip. Non-structured or difficult-access locations may detract from the task or be unreachable to a flying robot in terms of energy capacity. In that sense, a novel category of MAVs that may be in-flight launched may broaden and optimize the scope and quality of several tasks not covered by current MAVs and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicle). The originality of this work is to introduce a specially shaped quadrotor named SquidCop, which may perform autonomous and stable in-flight launching from a carrier aircraft. SquidCop is a low scale MAV fully designed by ART (Aerial Robots Team), which is intended to broaden the scope and range of missions, indoor, outdoor or both together. SquidCop is aerodynamically designed to offer passive stability during release, free fall and positioning at a certain point in the space. Overall drag coefficient is carefully calculated to provide correct sink rate. Still, structural integrity is guaranteed from stress. Such features ensure correct attitude angle and minimum usage of reverse power from electric motors. Unlike regular missions where MAVs necessarily use battery power between the base and the point of interest, SquidCop is intended to use minimum battery charge at descent. Hence, more battery charge may be available to be used from the very moment when mission starts. Low-cost assembly is suitable for extreme missions that may potentially represent the complete loss of the equipment. Complete analysis involves modeling, CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) and wind tunnel evaluation.
Assembly of an Export-Competent mRNP Is Needed for Efficient Release of the 3′-End Processing Complex after Polyadenylation

ABSTRACT Before polyadenylated mRNA is exported from the nucleus, the 3′-end processing complex is removed by a poorly described mechanism. In this study, we asked whether factors involved in mRNP maturation and export are also required for disassembly of the cleavage and polyadenylation complex. An RNA immunoprecipitation assay monitoring the amount of the cleavage factor (CF) IA component Rna15p associated with poly(A)+ RNA reveals defective removal of Rna15p in mutants of the nuclear export receptor Mex67p as well as other factors important for assembly of an export-competent mRNP. In contrast, Rna15p is not retained in mutants of export factors that function primarily on the cytoplasmic side of the nuclear pore. Consistent with a functional interaction between Mex67p and the 3′-end processing complex, a mex67 mutant accumulates unprocessed SSA4 transcripts and exhibits a severe growth defect when this mutation is combined with mutation of Rna15p or another CF IA subunit, Rna14p. RNAs that become processed in a mex67 mutant have longer poly(A) tails both in vivo and in vitro. This influence of Mex67p on 3′-end processing is conserved, as depletion of its human homolog, TAP/NXF1, triggers mRNA hyperadenylation. Our results indicate a function for nuclear mRNP assembly factors in releasing the 3′-end processing complex once polyadenylation is complete.
Design Automation for Digital Microfluidic Biochips

Microfluidic biochips are replacing the conventional biochemical analyzers, and are able to integrate onchip all the basic functions for biochemical analysis. The “digital” microfluidic biochips (DMFBs) are manipulating liquids not as a continuous flow, but as discrete droplets on a two-dimensional array of electrodes. Basic microfluidic operations, such as mixing and dilution, are performed on the array, by routing the corresponding droplets on a series of electrodes. The challenges facing biochips are similar to those faced by microelectronics some decades ago. To meet the challenges of increasing design complexity, computer-aided-design (CAD) tools are being developed for DMFBs. This paper provides an overview of DMFBs and describes emerging CAD tools for the automated synthesis and optimization of DMFB designs, from fluidic-level synthesis and chip-level design to testing. Design automations are expected to alleviate the burden of manual optimization of bioassays, time-consuming chip designs, and costly testing and maintenance procedures. With the assistance of CAD tools, users can concentrate on the development and abstraction of nanoscale bioassays while leaving chip optimization and implementation details to CAD tools.