Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment completion in a brief motivational intervention in the emergency department: the effect of multiple interventions and therapists' behavior.

BACKGROUND The aim of this study was to identify therapist behaviors during a brief motivational intervention (BMI) given to injured emergency department patients that predicted participant return for a second BMI session and 12-month alcohol-related outcomes. METHOD This was a secondary data analysis of a randomized controlled trial (n = 539) previously demonstrating that random assignment to a BMI and booster session resulted in a significant reduction of 12-month post-intervention alcohol-related injuries and negative consequences relative to standard care. RESULTS Participants who actually received 2 BMI sessions had significantly less alcohol-related negative consequences than those who received only 1 BMI session. Therapists who reported a higher focus on emotional support and low focus on participant drinking behaviors during the initial BMI session were more likely to have assigned participants return for the second BMI session. CONCLUSION The results of these secondary analyses show that compliance with a 2-session therapeutic intervention (BIB) predicted fewer negative alcohol-related consequences, and that therapists' supportive emotional emphasis during the first BMI session was important in predicting participants returning for the second MI session.
How safe is coronary bypass surgery in the elderly patient? Analysis of 111 patients aged 75 years or more and 2939 patients younger than 75 years undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting in a private hospital

Aim and methodsData from patients younger than 75 years (group I, n = 2939) and patients aged 75 years or older (group II, n =111) who underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) during a 9-year period (January 1984 to April 1993) were analyzed to determine comparative risk factors for morbidity, early and late survival, and functional outcome. ResultsTraditional risk factors (hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes mellitus, and smoking) were significantly more prevalent in group II. The number of patients in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classes 3 and 4 before surgery was also significantly higher in group II (P< 0.001), but emergency operations were equally distributed between the groups. Lett main-stem stenosis was more frequent in group II patients (P< 0.01), while the number of vessels involved and pre-operative left ventricular function did not differ.Both groups underwent a mean of 4.5 grafts. Internal mammary grafts were placed in 48.4% (1422/2939) in group I and 19.8% (22/111) in group II (P< 0.001). The overall pen-operative mortality rate did not differ between the groups (2.9% for group I and 2.7% for group II). Non-fatal peri-operative myocardial infarction, ventricular arrhythmias, postextracorporeal circulation disorientation, and temporary renal insufficiency were more prevalent in group II patients (all P< 0.05). Emergency operations and re-operative CABG increased the pen-operative mortality in both groups. The 3-year survival rate was 93% and the 3-year cardiac event-free rate was 88% for the group II patients. Most of the elderly patients (98%) were in NYHA functional classes 1 and 2 at the end of the follow-up. ConclusionsEven if elderly patients have a slightly higher postoperative morbidity than younger patients, and an increased mortality if operated upon in an emergency, long-term survival and freedom from cardiac events are excellent and justify the continued performance of CABG in patients aged 75 years of age or more.
Dynamic issues for mobile robot real-time discovery and path planning

Sensor-based discovery path planning is the online guidance of a discovery agent (robot) who begins execution without a complete a priori map. The presented approach is locally optimal in the sense of minimizing the hitting probability while minimizing the distance to the goal based on what is currently known about the world. The technique is implemented as a process-based client-server. The integration and relationship between different facets of the algorithm are explored in terms of their effect on the real-time performance of the robot. The computation time for the minimal hitting probability surface is reduced by using methods of relaxation and a non-uniform sampling grid. The path is executed by a separate process reading gradient values off of the computed surface at regular intervals. Sensor updates are input as a collection of geometric primitives using a simple interface. Current work is focused on incorporating depth information from passive visual sensors.
Meshed Reversed Dermal Graft in Patients with Surgical Defects of Sole and Scalp: Technique and Long‐Term Results

BACKGROUND Defects of the sole and the scalp require a reconstruction technique that combines a high survival rate in poorly vascularized areas with maximal mechanical strain. OBJECTIVE To describe the technique of the meshed reversed dermal graft for reconstruction and to summarize the postoperative and long-term results. METHODS Twenty-one patients have undergone reconstruction of defects following excision of acral lentiginous melanoma of the sole or squamous cell carcinoma of the sole or scalp. One patient had undergone covering of a perforating ulcer of the foot. RESULTS In 19 of the 21 patients the meshed reversed dermal graft survived without complications. Of the patients who had undergone successful reconstruction, 14 patients were reinterviewed: 13 reported on excellent functional and satisfying cosmetic results. CONCLUSION The meshed reversed dermal graft is an appropriate technique for reconstruction of large defects of the sole or scalp because of its high survival rate and excellent long-term functional results.
Beta‐helix model for the filamentous haemagglutinin adhesin of Bordetella pertussis and related bacterial secretory proteins

Bordetella pertussis establishes infection by attaching to epithelial cells of the respiratory tract. One of its adhesins is filamentous haemagglutinin (FHA), a 500‐Å‐long secreted protein that is rich in β‐structure and contains two regions, R1 and R2, of tandem 19‐residue repeats. Two models have been proposed in which the central shaft is (i) a hairpin made up of a pairing of two long antiparallel β‐sheets; or (ii) a β‐helix in which the polypeptide chain is coiled to form three long parallel β‐sheets. We have analysed a truncated variant of FHA by electron microscopy (negative staining, shadowing and scanning transmission electron microscopy of unstained specimens): these observations support the latter model. Further support comes from detailed sequence analysis and molecular modelling studies. We applied a profile search method to the sequences adjacent to and between R1 and R2 and found additional ‘covert’ copies of the same motifs that may be recognized in overt form in the R1 and R2 sequence repeats. Their total number is sufficient to support the tenet of the β‐helix model that the shaft domain – a 350 Å rod – should consist of a continuous run of these motifs, apart from loop inserts. The N‐terminus, which does not contain such repeats, was found to be weakly homologous to cyclodextrin transferase, a protein of known immunoglobulin‐like structure. Drawing on crystal structures of known β‐helical proteins, we developed structural models of the coil motifs putatively formed by the R1 and R2 repeats. Finally, we applied the same profile search method to the sequence database and found several other proteins – all large secreted proteins of bacterial provenance – that have similar repeats and probably also similar structures.
Exercise Training and Sympathetic Regulation in Experimental Heart Failure

ZUCKER, I. H. , K. P. PATEL, H. D. SCHULTZ, Y. -F. LI, W. WANG, and R. U. PLIQUETT. Exercise training and sympathetic regulation in experimental heart failure. Exerc. Sport Sci. Rev., Vol. 32, No. 3, pp. 107–111, 2004. In this review, we put forth the hypothesis that reduction in sympathetic outflow after exercise training of animals with heart failure is mediated by reductions in angiotensin II and in angiotensin type 1 receptors. Furthermore, we provide evidence that exercise training provides for an upregulation of the neuronal isoform of nitric oxide synthase in the central nervous system that is sympathoinhibitory.
Determination of whole-body metabolic burden as a quantitative measure of disease activity in lymphoma: a novel approach with fluorodeoxyglucose-PET

Background and objectivesCurrently, there is no definite consensus regarding the best index to assess disease activity with fluorodeoxyglucose-PET imaging. Maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax) is most frequently used in day-to-day practice for this purpose. This approach very often reflects the metabolic activity of only a small sample of the total ongoing process in the entire body. Here we introduce a new concept called metabolic burden (MB) to measure disease activity in cancer patients. Materials and methodsMB was calculated by measuring the volume (VCT) around a lesion that appeared on computed tomography (CT), the mean SUV that appeared on PET of the CT volume (SUVmean CT), and the recovery coefficient (RC) using the following formula:If CT was unavailable, a region of interest (ROI) around the lesion was defined by a 40% SUVmax threshold and the volume and SUVmean were determined for that ROI. The whole-body metabolic burden (WBMB) was calculated as the sum of the individual MBs of all the lesions identified. We retrospectively reviewed 19 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma who were treated with commercially available anti-CD20 radioimmunotherapy agents or conventional chemotherapy. All had a pretreatment and posttreatment fluorodeoxyglucose-PET and CT scan within 1–3 months of receiving systemic therapy. Either abnormal areas appearing on PET alone or corresponding lesions on CT were used to calculate the tumor volume (TV). Nodes of less than 2 cm occurring in clusters were grouped together into a single ROI. Thirty-eight regional collections in 14 patients were found in combined pretreatment and posttreatment studies and were assessed. The TVs varied in pretreatment size from 5.8 to 857 cm3 and posttreatment from 0 to 81 cm3. Pretreatment WBMB varied from 27 to 10 218 cm3 and posttreatment from 0 to 279 cm3. We then compared the standard indices of SUVmean and SUVmax with those of WBMB to determine which of the indices would have the best sensitivity as a predictor of therapeutic response. ResultsFive of the 19 patients had a complete response. In 14 patients with partial response, the average change in WBMB was 80%, the TV decreased by 76%, the SUVmax decreased by 42%, and the SUVmean decreased by 38.5%. ConclusionThe results of this analysis demonstrate that measurement of WBMB may prove to be superior to the existing methods in assessing and managing patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. This index may be the best way to monitor the changes in WBMB as a patient is undergoing treatment.
Lithium ion battery chemistries from renewable energy storage to automotive and back-up power applications — An overview

Lithium ion (Li-ion) batteries have been extensively used in consumer electronics because of their characteristics, such as high efficiency, long life, and high gravimetric and volumetric energy. In addition, Li-ion batteries are becoming the most attractive candidate as electrochemical storage systems for stationary applications, as well as power source for sustainable automotive and back-up power supply applications. This paper gives an overview of the Li-ion battery chemistries that are available at present in the market, and describes the three out of four main applications (except the consumers' applications), grid support, automotive, and back-up power, for which the Li-ion batteries are suitable. Each of these applications has its own specifications and thus, the chemistry of the Li-ion battery should be chosen to fulfill the requirements of the corresponding application. Consequently, this paper discusses as well, the suitability of the presented Li-ion battery chemistries for different applications.
In-depth Interactive Visual Exploration for Bridging Unstructured and Structured Document Content

Semi-structured data refers to the combination of unstructured and structured data. Unstructured data is free text in natural language, while structured data is typically stored in tables and following a data schema. Recent statistics shows that 80% of the data generated in the last two years is unstructured. However, one interesting observation is that free text usually comes along with some structured data, or meta-data describing or adding more information about the text. In this paper we present ViTA-SSD, a Visual Text Analytics Tool for Semi-Structured Data. This tool aims at extracting interesting patterns in semi-structured data through the joint consideration of the free text and the meta-data. This represents a challenging task because an effective approach needs the combined effort of text mining algorithms and human experts who can drive the exploration process in a meaningful way. A related challenge is the appropriate visualization and understanding of the patterns found. In order to address these challenges, our visual analytics tool takes advantage of a novel dimensionality reduction and a fast user-supervised clustering method. We showcase our tool here as well as we reflect on some lessons learned from the development and evaluation of our tool.
Forecasting Stock Returns through An Efficient Aggregation of Mutual Fund Holdings

We develop a stock return-predictive measure based on an efficient aggregation of the portfolio holdings of all actively managed U.S. domestic equity mutual funds, and use this model to study the source of fund managers' stock-selection abilities. This generalized-inverse alpha (GIA) approach reveals differences in the ability of managers to predict firms' future earnings from fundamental research. Notably, the GIA's return-forecasting power is not subsumed by publicly available quantitative predictors, such as momentum, value, and earnings quality, nor is it subsumed by methods shown in past research to forecast stock returns using fund holdings or trades.
Influence of Superior Vena Caval Zone Condition on Cyclic Changes in Right Ventricular Outflow during Respiratory Support

Background Adequate fluid resuscitation in critically ill patients undergoing mechanical ventilation remains a difficult challenge, and diastolic and systolic right ventricular (RV) changes produced by positive airway pressure are important to consider in an individual patient with inadequate circulatory adaptation during respiratory support. We hypothesized that insufficient thoracic vena cava filling, predisposing to inspiratory collapse (zone 2 condition), may transiently affect RV outflow. Methods We measured beat-to-beat superior vena caval diameter and Doppler RV outflow during a routine transesophageal echocardiographic examination in 22 patients undergoing mechanical ventilation, all of whom required hemodynamic monitoring, and we calculated a collapsibility index for the superior vena cava as maximal expiratory diameter minus minimal inspiratory diameter, divided by maximal expiratory diameter. Results In 15 patients (group 1), the collapsibility index was low (17 ± 7%) and was associated with a moderate inspiratory decrease in RV outflow (25 ± 17%). However, in seven patients (group 2), we observed a high collapsibility index (71 ± 7%), which was associated with a major inspiratory decrease in RV outflow (69 ± 14%) combined with a reduced pulmonary artery flow period. A rapid volume expansion, only performed on group 2, markedly and significantly reduced both the collapsibility index (15 ± 12%) and the inspiratory decrease in RV outflow (31 ± 20%). Conclusion A major inspiratory decrease in RV outflow associated with a reduced pulmonary artery flow period in a patient undergoing mechanical ventilation reflected a high collapsibility index of the thoracic vena cava, suggesting a zone 2 condition, and may be corrected by blood volume expansion.
Application of modified couple stress theory to study dynamic characteristics of electrostatically actuated micro-beams resting upon squeeze-film damping under mechanical shock

In this paper, the dynamic characteristics of clamped-clamped silicon microbeam subjected to electrostatic excitation and mechanical shock is investigated. The Euler-Bernoulli beam model based on the modified couple stress theory with von Kármán geometric non-linearity is utilized in theoretical formulation. Afterwards, squeeze-film damping effects of microstructures for small amplitude vibration are analyzed through Reynolds equation. In this regard, the generalized differential quadrature method is used to solve dimensionless governing equations of micro-beam numerically. Overall, it is shown that the pull-in phenomena in electrically actuated MEMS is size dependent. There are also a relation between pull-in voltage and dimensionless mid-point deflection.
Control of Listeria Superoxide Dismutase by Phosphorylation*

Superoxide dismutases (SODs) are enzymes that protect organisms against superoxides and reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced during their active metabolism. ROS are major mediators of phagocytes microbicidal activity. Here we show that the cytoplasmic Listeria monocytogenes MnSOD is phosphorylated on serine and threonine residues and less active when bacteria reach the stationary phase. We also provide evidence that the most active nonphosphorylated form of MnSOD can be secreted via the SecA2 pathway in culture supernatants and in infected cells, where it becomes phosphorylated. A Δsod deletion mutant is impaired in survival within macrophages and is dramatically attenuated in mice. Together, our results demonstrate that the capacity to counteract ROS is an essential component of L. monocytogenes virulence. This is the first example of a bacterial SOD post-translationally controlled by phosphorylation, suggesting a possible new host innate mechanism to counteract a virulence factor.
Measurement and Analysis of Extra Propagation Loss of Tunnel Curve

Wave propagation experiences extra loss in curved tunnels, which is highly desired for network planning. Extensive narrow-band propagation measurements are made in two types of Madrid subway tunnels (different cross sections and curvatures) with various configurations (different frequencies and polarizations). A ray tracer validated by the straight and curved parts of the measuring tunnels is employed to simulate the reference received signal power by assuming the curved tunnel to be straight. By subtracting the measured received power in the curved tunnels from the simulated reference power, the extra loss resulting from the tunnel curve is extracted. Finally, this paper presents the figures and tables quantitatively reflecting the correlations between the extra loss and radius of curvature, frequency, polarization, and cross section, respectively. The results are valuable for statistical modeling and the involvement of the extra loss in the design and network planning of communication systems in subway tunnels.
Sneak path testing and fault modeling for multilevel memristor-based memories

Memristors are an attractive option for use in future memory architectures due to their non-volatility, low power operation, compactness and ability to store multiple bits in a single cell. Notwithstanding these advantages, memristors and memristor-based memories are prone to high defect densities due to the non-deterministic nature of nanoscale fabrication. As a first step, we will examine the defect mechanisms in multi-level cells (MLC) using memristors and develop efficient fault models. We will also investigate efficient test techniques for multi-level memristor based memories. The typical approach to testing a memory subsystem entails testing one memory cell at a time. This is time consuming and does not scale for dense, memristor-based memories. We propose an efficient testing technique to test memristor-based memories. The proposed scheme uses sneak paths inherent in crossbar memories to test multiple memristors at the same time and thereby reduces the test time by 27%.
Acoustic Scattering by an Inhomogeneous Layer on a Rigid Plate

The problem of scattering of time-harmonic acoustic waves by an inhomogeneous fluid layer on a rigid plate in R 2 is considered. The density is assumed to be unity in the media: within the layer the sound speed is assumed to be an arbitrary bounded measurable function. The problem is modelled by the reduced wave equation with variable wavenumber in the layer and a Neumann condition on the plate. To formulate the problem and prove uniqueness of solution a radiation condition appropriate for scattering by infinite rough surfaces is introduced, a generalization of the Rayleigh expansion condition for diffraction gratings. With the help of the radiation condition the problem is reformulated as a system of two second kind integral equations over the layer and the plate. Under additional assumptions on the wavenumber in the layer, uniqueness of solution is proved and the nonexistence of guided wave solutions of the homogeneous problem established. General results on the solvability of systems of integral equations on unbounded domains are used to establish existence and continuous dependence in a weighted norm of the solution on the given data.
Prevention of diabetic nephropathy with enalapril.

aluminium burden had an increased mortality after infection.4 As most aluminium given to patients with acute renal failure is taken up by soft tissues, including the liver and spleen, but not by bone' and thus enters the reticuloendothelial system it is not surprising that aluminium may have an immunomodulatory role. Although this may be of benefit to the recipient of a renal transplant, aluminium accumulation should be avoided in patients with acute renal failure, in whom sepsis remains a major cause of both morbidity and mortality.6
Cereal chemistry, molecular biology, and toxicity in coeliac disease.

The health of Dutch children with coeliac disease improved during the second world war when cereal foods were in short supply. Dicke, extending a prewar observation on the potential toxicity of cereal products,' noted that the reintroduction of bread into the diet of these children produced a deterioration in their health which led to the conclusion that a gluten free diet could be used to treat the disorder.2 Wheat, rye, barley, and possibly oats were found to exacerbate the condition.26
The Buffering Effect of Mindfulness on Abusive Supervision and Creative Performance: A Social Cognitive Framework

Our research draws upon social cognitive theory and incorporates a regulatory approach to investigate why and when abusive supervision influences employee creative performance. The analyses of data from multiple time points and multiple sources reveal that abusive supervision hampers employee self-efficacy at work, which in turn impairs employee creative performance. Further, employee mindfulness buffers the negative effects of abusive supervision on employee self-efficacy at work as well as the indirect effects of abusive supervision on employee creative performance. Our findings have implications for both theory and practice. Limitations and directions for future research are also discussed.