Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuroimaging for pediatric head trauma: do patient and hospital characteristics influence who gets imaged?

OBJECTIVES The objective was to identify patient, provider, and hospital characteristics associated with the use of neuroimaging in the evaluation of head trauma in children. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of children (< or =19 years of age) with head injuries from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. NHAMCS collects data on approximately 25,000 visits annually to 600 randomly selected hospital emergency and outpatient departments. This study examined visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) between 2002 and 2006. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze characteristics associated with neuroimaging in children with head injuries. RESULTS There were 50,835 pediatric visits in the 5-year sample, of which 1,256 (2.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2% to 2.7%) were for head injury. Among these, 39% (95% CI = 34% to 43%) underwent evaluation with neuroimaging. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with neuroimaging included white race (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.02 to 2.1), older age (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.5), presentation to a general hospital (vs. a pediatric hospital, OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 5.3), more emergent triage status (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.8), admission or transfer (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.4 to 5.3), and treatment by an attending physician (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.1 to 3.7). The effect of race was mitigated at the pediatric hospitals compared to at the general hospitals (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS In this study, patient race, age, and hospital-specific characteristics were associated with the frequency of neuroimaging in the evaluation of children with closed head injuries. Based on these results, focusing quality improvement initiatives on physicians at general hospitals may be an effective approach to decreasing rates of neuroimaging after pediatric head trauma.
The Aerodynamics of Free-Flight Maneuvers in Drosophila

Using three-dimensional infrared high-speed video, we captured the wing and body kinematics of free-flying fruit flies as they performed rapid flight maneuvers. We then “replayed” the wing kinematics on a dynamically scaled robotic model to measure the aerodynamic forces produced by the wings. The results show that a fly generates rapid turns with surprisingly subtle modifications in wing motion, which nonetheless generate sufficient torque for the fly to rotate its body through each turn. The magnitude and time course of the torque and body motion during rapid turns indicate that inertia, not friction, dominates the flight dynamics of insects.
Effects of automation on the reliability of power distribution systems considering distributed generation: Worth analysis

The reliability of power distribution networks can be greatly enhanced by using automatic protective devices. Remotely controlled and automated restoration services can avoid the required execution of manual switching schedules and are bound to bring about remarkable levels of system reliability while reducing interruption costs. The customers interruption cost model according to a postal survey is used in this paper to verify the authenticity of the reliability worth analysis. Also, the value of circuit breaker installed as a protective and automated device is quantified in terms of its contribution to the reliability improvement of a test distribution network. The failure mode effect analysis technique (FMEA) is adopted for reliability worth assessment. In addition, the impact of introducing distributed generation units (DG) into the system is presented. The description of the proposed approach is tested by evaluating the reliability worth of a radial distribution test system.
Noninvasive pulse oximetry utilizing skin reflectance photoplethysmography

The major concern in developing a sensor for reflectance pulse oximetry is the ability to measure large and stable photoplethysmograms from light which is backscattered from the skin. Utilizing a prototype optical reflectance sensor, locally heating the skin is shown to increase the pulsatile component of the reflected photoplethysmograms. Additional improvements to signal-to-noise ratio were achieved by increasing the active area of the photodetector and optimizing the separation distance between the light source and photodetector. The results from a series of in vivo studies to evaluate a prototype skin-reflectance pulse oximeter in humans are presented. <<ETX>>
CORRELATIONS OF THE ARRIVAL DIRECTIONS OF ULTRA-HIGH ENERGY COSMIC RAYS WITH EXTRAGALACTIC OBJECTS AS OBSERVED BY THE TELESCOPE ARRAY EXPERIMENT

We search for correlations between the positions of extragalactic objects and the arrival directions of ultra-high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) with primary energy E ⩾ 40 EeV as observed by the surface detector array of the Telescope Array (TA) experiment during the first 40 months of operation. We examine several public astronomical object catalogs, including the Veron-Cetty and Veron catalog of active galactic nuclei. We count the number of TA events correlated with objects in each catalog as a function of three parameters: the maximum angular separation between a TA event and an object, the minimum energy of the events, and the maximum redshift of the objects. We determine the combination of these parameters that maximizes the correlations, and we calculate the probability of having the same levels of correlations from an isotropic distribution of UHECR arrival directions. No statistically significant correlations are found when penalties for scanning over the above parameters and for searching in several catalogs are taken into account.
Metabolic Syndrome and Nocturia

Nocturia is one of the most common urological symptoms in men and women. Its prevalence is significantly related to age, but the causes of nocturia are multifactorial, such as diabetes, obesity, and other diseases and conditions. Recently, it has been reported that metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with lower urinary tract symptoms, including incomplete emptying, intermittency, and nocturia. We reviewed the relationship between MetS and its components and nocturia. The results from our epidemiological study indicate that nocturia can be a marker not only of MetS but also of the precursor of MetS.
Cardiac Troponin T as a Prognostic Marker in Patients With Heart Failure : A 3-Year Outcome Study

Cardiac troponin T (cTnT), a highly sensitive and specific indicator of myocardial cell death, may be elevated in congestive heart failure (CHF). The aims of this study were to test the hypothesis that decompensated CHF may be associated with an increase in cTnT release and to correlate between cTnT levels and patient outcomes. The authors studied 55 patients aged between 38 and 86 years (30 women and 25 men) who were hospitalized for CHF. Left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) was calculated by using modified Simpson's rule by echocardiography. cTnT levels were assessed. Troponin T ≥0.1 ng/mL was considered as positive. All patients were contacted by phone annually during the next 3 years, and their history of subsequent hospital admissions and current health status were recorded. cTnT was negative in 44 (80%) and positive in 11 (20%) patients. EF was significantly lower and NYHA was higher in cTnT-positive patients. During the 3-year follow-up period, 25 patients died from CHF. The mortality rate was 8/11 (72.7%) among cTnT-positive patients, whereas the mortality rate was 17/44 (38.6%) among cTnT-negative patients. There were significant relationships among positivity of cTnT, NYHA, EF, and mortality rate. Multivariate regression analysis yielded an independent relationship between positivity of cTnT, NYHA classification, and mortality rate. The percent of hospital admissions due to CHF was also higher in patients with cTnT positive (63.6% versus, 27.3%, p <0.05). In conclusion, this study shows that cTnT positivity is an independent risk factor in predicting the long-term mortality and morbidity rate in patients with CHF. Patients with worsening CHF may possibly be identified early on the basis of their elevated serum cTnT levels.
Pulsatile versus nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass. No difference in brain blood flow or metabolism at 27 degrees C.

BACKGROUND It is unclear whether nonpulsatile perfusion adversely affects the brain. This study compared cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral metabolic rate for oxygen (CMRO2) betwen pulsatile and nonpulsatile cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) in rabbits at 27 degrees C. METHODS In experiment A, 24 anesthetized New Zealand white rabbits underwent pulsatile CPB at 27 degrees C, using alpha-stat acid-base management. Animals were randomized to three groups based upon the duration of the period of systolic ejection (100, 120, 140 ms) and were perfused for 20 min at each of three pulse rates (150, 200, 250 pulse/min), generating nine arterial pressure waveforms. Arterial pressure waveform, arterial and cerebral venous oxygen content, CBF (radiolabeled microspheres), and CMRO2 (Fick) were measured at the end of each 20-min period. In experiment B, 16 anesthetized rabbits were randomized to pulsatile (120-ms ejection period, 250 pulse/min) or nonpulsatile CPB at 27 degrees C. AFter 1 h, arterial pressure waveform, arterial and cerebral venous oxygen content, CBF and CMRO2 were measured. RESULTS In experiment A, CBF and CMRO2 were independent of ejection period and pulse rate. Thus, all nine waveforms were physiologically equivalent. In experiment B, CBF did not differ between pulsatile and nonpulsatile bypass, 30 +/- 4 versus 32 +/- 5 ml.100 g-1.min-1, respectively. CMRO2 did not differ between pulsatile and nonpulsatile bypass, 1.7 +/- 0.2 versus 1.6 +/- 0.2 ml.100 g-1.min-1, respectively. CONCLUSIONS During CPB in rabbits at 27 degrees C, neither CBF nor CMRO2 is affected by flow character.
Phonological neighbourhood density: effects in a rhyme awareness task in five-year-old children

Phonological awareness skills are critical for reading acquisition, yet relatively little is known about the origins of phonological awareness. This study investigates one plausible source of the emergence of phonological awareness, phonological neighbourhood density. As vocabulary grows, the number of similar-sounding words in the child's mental lexicon increases. This could create developmental pressure to develop awareness of sub-units within words such as syllables, rhymes and phonemes. If this is the case, then neighbourhood density effects should be discernible in phonological awareness tasks. Children should be more successful in these tasks with words from dense phonological neighbourhoods, as they should show greater awareness of sub-units within these words. We investigated this hypothesis in a group of 48 five-year-old children, most of whom were pre-readers. The five-year-olds with a high vocabulary age showed neighbourhood density effects in a rhyme oddity task, but five-year-olds with lower vocabulary ages did not. This suggests that vocabulary acquisition and consequent neighbourhood density effects are indeed one source of the emergence of phonological awareness skills in pre-readers.
Aging Performance and Moisture Solubility of Vegetable Oils for Power Transformers

This paper discusses the suitability of vegetable oil as an insulating medium in power transformers. A high flash point and very good environmental compatibility compared to conventional mineral oil are good reasons to use vegetable oil in power transformers. In this paper, the physical and electrical performance and the aging behaviour of three natural vegetable oils are compared to one synthetic and one traditional mineral oil. The breakdown voltage of new, dry, natural vegetable oil is more than 80 kV, which is above the breakdown voltage of mineral oil. Regarding the aging of paper, natural esters are more friendly toward paper than mineral oil. The water solubility clearly exceeds that of mineral oil but the same dependence of dielectric parameters on relative moisture saturation was observed for all liquids. Aging of vegetable oils under the presence of air leads to oxidation and, thus, to a strong increase of viscosity. Therefore, transformers filled with these liquids need to exclude oxygen from air. The conducted experiments show vegetable oil to be applicable for use in power transformers.
The frequency and nature of medical error in primary care: understanding the diversity across studies.

BACKGROUND The identification and reduction of medical error has become a major priority for all health care providers, including primary care. Understanding the frequency and nature of medical error in primary care is a first step in developing a policy to reduce harm and improve patient safety. There has been scant research into this area. OBJECTIVES This review had two objectives; first, to identify the frequency and nature of error in primary care, and, secondly, to consider the possible causes for the diversity in the stated rates and nature of error in primary care. METHODS Literature searches of English language studies identified in the National Patient Safety Foundation bibliography database, in Medline and in Embase were carried out. Studies that were relevant to the purpose of the study were included. Additional information was obtained from a specialist medico-legal database. RESULTS Studies identified that medical error occurs between five and 80 times per 100000 consultations, mainly related to the processes involved in diagnosis and treatment. Prescribing and prescription errors have been identified to occur in up to 11% of all prescriptions, mainly related to errors in dose. There are a wide variety of definitions and methods used to identify the frequency and nature of medical error. Incident reporting, systematic identification and medico-legal databases reveal differing aspects, and there are additional perspectives obtained from GPs, primary health care workers and patients. CONCLUSION An understanding of the true frequency and nature of medical error is complicated by the different definitions and methods used in the studies. Further research is warranted to understand the complex nature and causes of such errors that occur in primary care so that appropriate policy decisions to improve patient safety can be made.
USE OF HINDLIMB REFLEXES OF THE CHRONIC SPINAL DOG FOR COMPARING ANALGESICS.

A method, using the hindlimb reflexes of chronic spinal dogs for determining the relative potency of morphine, codeine and I-K-1, which is reproducible and sensitive has been described. Since the actions of the drugs upon effector systems innervated by portions of the nervous system above and below the level of transection can be easily studied together, a qualitative and quantitative assessment of the drugs' actions can be made.
Anaerobic growth of Escherichia coli K12 with fumarate as terminal electron acceptor. Genetic studies with menaquinone and fluoroacetate-resistant mutants.

Fifteen independent menaquinone biosynthesis mutants (men) of Escherichia coli K12, selected for their inability to use fumarate as terminal electron acceptor, were investigated. Two nutritionally distinct groups were detected. The major group (13 mutants) responded to 1,4-dihydroxy-2-naphthoate (DHN), 2-succinylbenzoate (SB) and its dilactone, whereas the minor group (2 mutants) only responded to DHN. DHN was at least five times more effective than SB but it inhibited growth at concentrations greater than 10 microM. For anaerobic growth on glucose minimal medium the auxotrophs responded to much lower concentrations of DHN and SB and these intermediates could be replaced by uracil. Anaerobic growth tests showed that glycerol, formate and H2 are good substrates for E. coli when fumarate is the ultimate electron acceptor but growth with lactate or with fumarate alone is poor. All 15 men mutations were located between glpT and purF at approximately 49 min in the E. coli linkage map. Cotransduction frequencies with relevant markers were: nalA (21%), glpT (35%) and purF (15%). The presence of at least three genetically distinct classes (menC and menD, SB-requirers; menB, DHN-requirers) was indicated using abortive transduction as a complementation test and three-factor genetic analysis. The relative orientation nalA.menC-(D,B). purF was indicated. Fluoroacetate-resistant mutants were isolated and four different classes were identified: ack, lacking acetate kinase; pta, lacking phosphotransacetylase; facA, lacking both of these activities; and facB, which retained both of these enzyme activities. Some of the pta mutants and all of the facA mutants failed to grow on media containing fumarate as terminal electron acceptor or anaerobically on glucose minimal medium. All four types had genetic lesions clustered between the men and purF sites. Average cotransduction frequencies with relevant markers were: nalA (4%), men (27 to 35%) and purF (71 to 80%).
The gastrointestinal string sign.

The gastrointestinal string sign results from a severe narrowing of a bowel loop, which makes the lumen resemble a string. String sign is a term often applied to the appearance of any marked narrowing of the lumen, but it originated as a descriptor of reversible narrowing in Crohn disease (2–4). This narrowing is caused by incomplete filling as the result of irritability and spasms associated with severe ulceration, and it may be seen in both stenotic and nonstenotic phases of the disease (Fig 1b). The degree of narrowing is not constant when narrowing is caused mainly by edema and accentuated by spasms. The diameter of the lumen does remain constant when marked fibrous thickening of the intestinal wall is present. The mucosa is replaced by a fibronecrotic membrane in which oc-
Expression of the C‐C chemokine MIP‐3α/CCL20 in human epidermis with impaired permeability barrier function

Abstract: External assault to the skin is followed by an epidermal response including synthesis of DNA, lipids, cytokines and migration of antigen presenting cells. MIP‐3α (CCL20, LARC, Exodus‐1, Scya20) is a recently described C‐C chemokine, predominantly expressed in extralymphoid tissue, which is known to direct migration of dendritic cell precursors and memory lymphocytes to sites of antigen invasion. We assessed the expression of MIP‐3α in human skin using semi‐quantitative polymerase chain reaction. In vivo, MIP‐3α mRNA was constitutively expressed at low levels in untreated human epidermis. After acute disruption of the epidermal permeabiltiy barrier MIP‐3α mRNA was upregulated in the epidermal fraction, whereas dermal MIP‐3α mRNA levels remained unchanged. In vitro, MIP‐3α was increased in cultured keratinocytes treated with IL‐1α and TNF‐α and was present in immature and mature dendritic cells, THP‐1 monocytic cells and activated T cells. Finally, skin biopsies from patients with psoriasis, contact dermatitis and mycosis fungoides showed abundant expression. In biopsies from atopic dermatitis and graft vs. host disease a weak signal was present, whereas no expression was found in scleroderma and toxic epidermal necrolysis. We conclude that regulation of MIP‐3α mRNA is part of the epidermal response to external assault. Its upregulation may represent a danger signal for increased immunosurveillance in barrier disrupted skin and inflammatory skin conditions with impaired barrier function to counteract potential antigen invasion.
A novel, quantitative model for study of endothelial cell migration and sprout formation within three-dimensional collagen matrices.

Interactions between migratory endothelial cells (ECs) and surrounding extracellular matrix (ECM) are of central importance to vascular growth. Here, we present a new model of EC migration and morphogenesis within three-dimensional ECM termed "radial invasion of matrix by aggregated cells" (RIMAC). In the RIMAC model, single aggregates of defined numbers of bovine aortic ECs were embedded within small, lenticular gels of type I collagen supported by annuli of nylon mesh. Culture of the gels in nutrient media resulted in quantifiable, reproducible, radial migration of ECs into the collagen. The angiogenic proteins basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) each stimulated migration of ECs in a concentration-dependent manner. In combination, bFGF and VEGF stimulated migration synergistically. In contrast, transforming growth factor-beta1 inhibited migration of ECs. Low concentrations (0.1-0.5 ng/ml) of VEGF induced ECs to form multicellular sprouts, some of which possessed lumen-like spaces. Mitomycin C, an inhibitor of cell proliferation, did not affect the migration of ECs into collagen induced by 0.5 ng/ml VEGF but moderately inhibited migration induced by 5 ng/ml VEGF. Increasing the density (concentration) of the collagen gel inhibited the migration of single ECs and increased the branching and anastomosis of multicellular sprouts. We conclude that the RIMAC model is a highly efficacious assay for the screening of potentially angiogenic and angiostatic compounds and, moreover, is advantageous for mechanistic studies of vascular morphogenesis.
Infection and Medication-related Osteonecrosis of the Jaw

Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), although initially believed to be exclusively associated with bisphosphonates, has been implicated in recent reports with additional drugs, especially the bone antiresorptive denosumab. The pathophysiology has not been fully elucidated, and no causal association between bone antiresorptive regimens and MRONJ has yet been established. However, reduced bone turnover and infection, an almost universal finding, are thought to be central to the pathogenesis of MRONJ. Both bisphosphonates and denosumab, through different pathways of action, significantly reduce the rate of bone turnover and potentially reduce the efficacy of the host defense against infection. Recent evidence questions the simplified etiology of low bone turnover causing MRONJ and offers evidence on the prominent role of infection instead. The management of MRONJ remains a significant clinical challenge, with little progress having been made on treatment. The aim of this article is to explore the current theories on the etiology of MRONJ and to emphasize the importance of infection in the development of this devastating pathology.
The role of reduced working memory storage and processing resources in the associative memory deficit of older adults: simulation studies with younger adults

Previous research indicates that relative to younger adults, older adults show a larger decline in long-term memory (LTM) for associations than for the components that make up these associations. The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether we can impair associative memory performance in young adults by reducing their working memory (WM) resources, hence providing potential clues regarding the underlying causes of the associative memory deficit in older adults. With two experiments, we investigated whether we can reduce younger adults’ long-term associative memory using secondary tasks in which either storage or processing WM loads were manipulated, while participants learned name–face pairs and then remembered the names, the faces, and the name–face associations. Results show that reducing either the storage or the processing resources of WM produced performance patterns of an associative long-term memory deficit in young adults. Furthermore, younger adults’ associative memory deficit was a function of their performance on a working memory span task. These results indicate that one potential reason older adults have an associative deficit is a reduction in their WM resources but further research is needed to assess the mechanisms involved in age-related associative memory deficits.