Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Metabolic acidosis developing during cardiopulmonary bypass is related to a decrease in strong ion difference

Metabolic acidosis is a frequent complication of cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB). Commonly, its cause is ascribed to hypoperfusion; however, iatrogenic causes, related to the composition and volume of intravascular fluids that are administered, are increasingly being recognized. The aim of this study was to determine if metabolic acidosis during CPB was associated with hypoperfusion, change in strong ion difference (SID) or haemodilution. Forty-nine patients undergoing cardiac surgery using CPB in the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (RIE) or the HCI, Clydebank were included in the study. Arterial blood samples were aspirated before induction of anaesthesia and the end of CPB. Samples were subjected to blood gas analysis and measurement of electrolytes and lactate. Changes in concentrations were then calculated. Change variables that were found to be significant (p B-0.1) univariate correlates of the change in hydrogen ion concentration were identified and entered into a multivariate regression model with hydrogen ion concentra tion at the end of CPB as the outcome variable (r2=0.65, p<0.001). Change variance in hydrogen ion concentration was created by first entering the baseline hydrogen ion concentration into the model. Next, any variance resulting from the respiratory component of acidosis was removed by entering the change in arterial carbon dioxide tension (regression coefficient (β)=0.67, p<0.01). Change in SID (β=-0.34, p<0.01) and surgical institution (β=-0.40, p<0.01) were then found to be predictors of the remaining variance whilst change in concentration of lactate (β in=0.16, p=0.07) and volume of intravascular fluid that was administered (β=-0.07, p=0.52) were rejected from the model. These findings suggest that the metabolic acidosis developing during CPB is partially the result of iatrogenic decrease in SID rather than hypoperfusion, as estimated by lactate concentration, or haemodilution.
Number 10 / 10 On the mechanical stability of growing arteries by

Arteries are modeled, within the framework of nonlinear elasticity, as incompressible two-layer cylindrical structures that are residually stressed through differential growth. These structures are loaded by an axial force, internal pressure and have nonlinear, anisotropic, hyperelastic response to stresses. Parameters for this model are directly related to experimental observations. The possible role of axial residual stress in regulating stress in arteries and preventing buckling instabilities is investigated. It is shown that axial residual stress lowers the critical internal pressure leading to buckling and that a reduction of axial loading may lead to a buckling instability which may eventually lead to arterial tortuosity.
Defect-Related Excess Low-Frequency Noise in Ge-on-Si pMOSFETs

The low-frequency noise in strained and relaxed Ge pMOSFETs is characterized to investigate more closely the anomalously large current spectral density at low drain currents. As shown, the dominant Lorentzian spectrum found in weak inversion points to fluctuations by generation-recombination (GR) events at substrate defects. This is confirmed by the fact that strained Ge transistors, having a significantly lower threading dislocation density, also exhibit lower excess GR noise. The usual number-fluctuation 1/f noise becomes more pronounced above threshold and also for shorter gate lengths.
Market based mergers in Indian banking institutions

This paper analyses the efficiency and performance using CRAMEL–type variables, before and after the merger for the selected public and private banks which are initiated by the market forces. The results suggest that the mergers did not seem to enhance the productive efficiency of the banks as they do not indicate any significant difference. The financial performance suggests that the banks are becoming more focused on their retail activities (intermediation) and the main reasons for their merger is to scale up their operations. However it is found that the Total Advances to Deposits and the profitability are the two main parameters which are to be considered since they are very much affected by mergers. Also the profitability of the firm is significantly affected giving a negative impact on the returns.
Safety Assessment of Genetically Modified Foods

The cultivation of genetically modified (GM) crops has steadily increased since their introduction to the market in the mid-1990s. Before these crops can be grown and sold they have to obtain regulatory approval in many countries, the process of which includes a pre-market safety assessment. The food safety of GM crops is assessed according to the internationally harmonized approach of comparative assessment, which entails an extensive analysis of crop characteristics including compositional, agronomic and phenotypic properties. In this assessment, the particular GM crop is compared to a conventional non-GM counterpart with a history of safe use. The outcome of the comparison is the basis for deciding what further tests are needed to complete the assessment and characterize any risks involved. Commonly addressed issues during the food safety assessment include unintended effects, potential toxicity, potential allergenicity and nutritional impact. Recent developments in analytical chemistry may provide supplementary tools for the comparative assessment of future crops with complex modifications.
Market-based recommendation: Agents that compete for consumer attention

The amount of attention space available for recommending suppliers to consumers on e-commerce sites is typically limited. We present a competitive distributed recommendation mechanism based on adaptive software agents for efficiently allocating the "consumer attention space," or banners. In the example of an electronic shopping mall, the task is delegated to the individual shops, each of which evaluates the information that is available about the consumer and his or her interests (e.g. keywords, product queries, and available parts of a profile). Shops make a monetary bid in an auction where a limited amount of "consumer attention space" for the arriving consumer is sold. Each shop is represented by a software agent that bids for each consumer. This allows shops to rapidly adapt their bidding strategy to focus on consumers interested in their offerings. For various basic and simple models for on-line consumers, shops, and profiles, we demonstrate the feasibility of our system by evolutionary simulations as in the field of agent-based computational economics (ACE). We also develop adaptive software agents that learn bidding-strategies, based on neural networks and strategy exploration heuristics. Furthermore, we address the commercial and technological advantages of this distributed market-based approach. The mechanism we describe is not limited to the example of the electronic shopping mall, but can easily be extended to other domains.
Classification of the sequelae of bowel resection for Crohn's disease

A postoperative handicap index designed to predict diarrhoea and malnutrition following bowel resection in patients with Crohn's disease is proposed. The index takes into account the location and extent of resection, and its value can be calculated from operative records. Retrospective (n = 218) and prospective (n = 68) series of patients were studied. Diarrhoea and malnutrition developed in 102 patients (47 per cent) and 13 patients (6 per cent) respectively in the retrospective series, and in 40 (59 per cent) and one (1 per cent) of those in the prospective series. The handicap index correlated with faecal weight and faecal fat in 112 patients tested. Positive and negative predictive values of an index score greater than 20 for the development of diarrhoea, and over 50 for the development of malnutrition, were 0·64 and 0·90, and 0·60 and 0·99 respectively in the retrospective series; values were 0·80 and 0·71, and 0·25 and 1·00 in the prospective series. The postoperative handicap index is a useful tool for predicting the functional consequences of bowel resection for Crohn's disease.
Effect of stock prices to announcements of Company Of the Year Awards (COYA): a case of companies listed in the Nairobi Stock Exchange

The main objective of this study is to establish whether or not COY A announcements have information content. The study aimed at establishing whether or not COYA announcements have any effect on share prices for companies listed in the Nairobi stock Exchange (see Appendix 4) and therefore it is an event study. This design is valuable for detailed analysis. Young, (1960) and Kothari, (1990) concur that an event study often provides focused and valuable insights to a phenomena that may be vaguely known and less understood. The results for this study have also shown that when a listed company participates in the COYA, the cumulative adjusted abnormal returns are affected depending on whether the company won or not. Holding other factors constant, the results indicate that a company that wins an award has positive cumulative adjusted returns as opposed to a company that lost. However, the study could have been affected by other anomalies such as the Weekend and Monday effects. In addition, the information shows that the number of companies participating each year varies. This means that it would be difficult for any meaningful conclusion to be drawn from this study. That is long-term trend performance on individual participating cannot be drawn from this study.
CLUSTER DATA AND IT ' S SYNCHRONOUS MECHANSIM

We present a unified model of what was traditionally viewed as two separate tasks: data association and intensity tracking of multiple topics over time. In the data association part, the task is to assign a topic (a class) to each data point, and the intensity tracking part models the bursts and changes in intensities of topics over time. Temporal Text Mining (TTM) is concerned with discovering temporal patterns in text information collected over time. Since most text information bears some time stamps, TTM has many applications in multiple domains, such as summarizing events in news articles and revealing research trends in scientific literature. In this paper, we study a particular TTM task {discovering and summarizing the evolutionary patterns of themes in a text stream. We define this new text mining problem and present general probabilistic methods for solving this problem through (1) discove ring latent themes from text; (2) constructing an evolution graph of themes; and (3) analyzing life cycles of themes. Evaluation of the proposed methods on two different domains (i.e., news articles and literature) shows that the proposed methods can discover interesting evolut ionary theme patterns effectively.
Software and database for the analysis of mutations in the human LDL receptor gene

The low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLr) plays a pivotal role in cholesterol homeostasis. Mutations in the LDLr gene (LDLR), which is located on chromosome 19, cause familial hypercholesterolemia (FH), an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by severe hypercholesterolemia associated with premature coronary atherosclerosis. To date almost 300 mutations have been identified in the LDLR gene. To facilitate the mutational analysis of the LDLR gene, and promote the analysis of the relationship between genotype and phenotype, a software package along with a computerized database (currently listing 210 entries) have been created.
Recanalization after thrombolysis in stroke patients

Objective: To estimate rates, predictors, and prognostic importance of recanalization in an unselected series of patients with stroke treated with IV thrombolysis. Methods: We performed a CT angiography or transcranial Doppler (TCD) follow-up examination 24 hours after IV thrombolysis in 64 patients with documented occlusion of the intracranial internal carotid or middle cerebral artery (MCA). Complete recanalization was defined by a rating of 3 on the Thrombolysis in Myocardial Infarction or 4/5 on the Thrombolysis in Brain Ischemia grading scales. Information about risk factors, clinical features, and outcome was prospectively collected by standardized procedures. Results: Complete recanalization was achieved in 36 of the 64 patients (56.3%). There was a nonsignificant trend of recanalization rates to decline with a more proximal site of occlusion: 68.4% (M2 segment of MCA), 53.1% (M1 segment), and 46.2% (carotid T) (p for trend = 0.28). Frequencies of vessel reopening were markedly reduced in subjects with diabetes (9.1% vs 66.0% in nondiabetics, p < 0.001) and less so in subjects with additional extracranial carotid occlusion (p = 0.03). Finally, complete recanalization predicted a favorable stroke outcome at day 90 independently of the information provided by age, NIH Stroke Scale, and onset-to-needle time. Conclusions: We found a high rate of vessel recanalization after IV thrombolysis occlusion. However, recanalization was infrequent in patients with diabetes and extracranial carotid occlusion. Information on recanalization was a powerful, early predictor for clinical outcome.
Understanding traffic congestion to improve tourist satisfaction in local tourism

With booming local economy aided by successful local tourism efforts, traffic congestion has critically impacted decision-making related to economic activities of potential demand for local tours. The objectives of this study are 1) to grasp the current situation of tourists and traffic congestion and how it influences local tourism, and 2) to analyze the behavior of tourists toward measures to solve traffic congestion. A total of 440 questionnaires that were collected through face to face interviews by convenience sampling were analyzed. The study results show that the probability of adopting a conditional vehicle allowance in the groups with no experience of traffic congestion turned out to be higher than those with more than two hours of traffic congestion experience. The probabilities of adopting a no vehicle allowance were high in the groups with no experience and more than two hours of traffic congestion, with the latter having the highest score. It can be concluded that the overall prohibition of vehicles is preferable to the conditional allowance of vehicles in the groups who experienced traffic congestion. It might be considered that many of people not only prefer the prohibition policy, but also want to avoid congestion charges (or costs) included in the conditional vehicle allowance measure.
Oligometastatic breast cancer: A mini review

Abstract With few exceptions such as germ cell tumors, trophoblastic neoplasms and colonic cancers, metastatic solid tumors are considered largely incurable. It is increasingly appreciated that oligometaststic cancer differs from multi-metastatic disease in prognosis and survival. Oligometastatic breast cancer (OMBC) is, therefore, sometimes considered as an intermediate biological state between localized and widely metastatic disease. There is no strict definition of OMBC with studies using different criteria. Treatment of OMBC is still controversial in view of sparse data that is retrospective. However, there is an increasing shift toward individualized, multidisciplinary management of OMBC with the intent to cure some patients. This article will concisely review the subject of OMBC from points of view of biology and practical management recommendations.
Codon usage bias: causative factors, quantification methods and genome‐wide patterns: with emphasis on insect genomes

Codon usage bias refers to the phenomenon where specific codons are used more often than other synonymous codons during translation of genes, the extent of which varies within and among species. Molecular evolutionary investigations suggest that codon bias is manifested as a result of balance between mutational and translational selection of such genes and that this phenomenon is widespread across species and may contribute to genome evolution in a significant manner. With the advent of whole‐genome sequencing of numerous species, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes, genome‐wide patterns of codon bias are emerging in different organisms. Various factors such as expression level, GC content, recombination rates, RNA stability, codon position, gene length and others (including environmental stress and population size) can influence codon usage bias within and among species. Moreover, there has been a continuous quest towards developing new concepts and tools to measure the extent of codon usage bias of genes. In this review, we outline the fundamental concepts of evolution of the genetic code, discuss various factors that may influence biased usage of synonymous codons and then outline different principles and methods of measurement of codon usage bias. Finally, we discuss selected studies performed using whole‐genome sequences of different insect species to show how codon bias patterns vary within and among genomes. We conclude with generalized remarks on specific emerging aspects of codon bias studies and highlight the recent explosion of genome‐sequencing efforts on arthropods (such as twelve Drosophila species, species of ants, honeybee, Nasonia and Anopheles mosquitoes as well as the recent launch of a genome‐sequencing project involving 5000 insects and other arthropods) that may help us to understand better the evolution of codon bias and its biological significance.
Lymphoproliferative disorders after renal transplantation in patients receiving triple or quadruple immunosuppression.

A retrospective review of 478 renal transplant recipients receiving cyclosporin A (CsA) was conducted to determine the incidence, relative risk, and outcome of lymphoproliferative disease after transplantation. Cases of neoplasm were identified by linking the computerized databases of the British Columbia (B.C.) Transplant Society and the B.C. Cancer Agency. B.C. Cancer Statistics for 1988 were used to determine relative risk. Patients were monitored for a total of 1,054 patient years with a mean follow-up time of 26 months (range, 0.1 to 63 months). A total of 334 patients were treated with triple immunosuppression (CsA), azathioprine, and prednisone), and 144 received adjunctive antilymphocyte globulin as induction immunosuppression. Sixty-nine patients received OKT3 for the treatment of transplant rejection. Twenty-two patients developed 23 malignancies (4.8%) at a mean interval of 16 months (range, 3 to 45 months) after transplantation. Non-Hodgkins lymphoma occurred in five patients, of whom two received triple (0.6%) and three received quadruple (2.1%) therapy. All five patients, in addition, received OKT3 for the treatment of graft rejection. The relative risk of developing a neoplasm among the defined sample adjusted for age and sex was 3.08 overall, increasing to 26.9 (P less than 0.005) for lymphoma. Six of the 22 patients (27%), including all 5 patients with lymphoma, died as a result of their tumor. Renal transplant recipients receiving CsA have a significantly elevated risk of developing a de novo lymphoreticular malignancy, which is comparable to that reported for those receiving azathioprine treatment, and which appears to be increased by the use of quadruple immunosuppression and the administration of OKT3 for the treatment of acute graft rejection.
Brain-scale simulation of the neocortex on the IBM Blue Gene/L supercomputer

Biologically detailed large-scale models of the brain can now be simulated thanks to increasingly powerful massively parallel supercomputers. We present an overview, for the general technical reader, of a neuronal network model of layers II/III of the neocortex built with biophysical model neurons. These simulations, carried out on an IBM Blue Gene/L™ supercomputer, comprise up to 22 million neurons and 11 billion synapses, which makes them the largest simulations of this type ever performed. Such model sizes correspond to the cortex of a small mammal. The SPLIT library, used for these simulations, runs on single-processor as well as massively parallel machines. Performance measurements show good scaling behavior on the Blue Gene/L supercomputer up to 8,192 processors. Several key phenomena seen in the living brain appear as emergent phenomena in the simulations. We discuss the role of this kind of model in neuroscience and note that full-scale models may be necessary to preserve natural dynamics. We also discuss the need for software tools for the specification of models as well as for analysis and visualization of output data. Combining models that range from abstract connectionist type to biophysically detailed will help us unravel the basic principles underlying neocortical function.
Meaning made following deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan: examining unique associations with posttraumatic stress and clinical outcomes.

Crises in personal meaning may be a critical aspect of psychological maladjustment following combat. Using the newly developed Integration of Stressful Life Events Scale (ISLES), this study examined the role of meaning made of a salient stressor following a combat deployment in Iraq or Afghanistan. In a sample of 169 returning service members, findings supported the distinctiveness of meaning made of a stressor (as assessed by the ISLES), factor analytically and as a correlate of several relevant clinical outcomes. In particular, when the model contained potential confounds and psychiatric symptoms, meaning made in the months and years following combat was uniquely associated with the severity of posttraumatic stress symptoms, β = -. 39, and referrals for mental health care, β = -. 69, in the sample. The present findings highlight the importance of the subjective meaning made of traumatic life events and also suggest that posttraumatic stress and other psychiatric symptomatology may not account for the full clinical picture among many service men and women.
Mouse LYVE-1 Is an Endocytic Receptor for Hyaluronan in Lymphatic Endothelium*

The glycosaminoglycan hyaluronan is a key substrate for cell migration in tissues during inflammation, wound healing, and neoplasia. Unlike other matrix components, hyaluronan (HA) is turned over rapidly, yet most degradation occurs not locally but within distant lymph nodes, through mechanisms that are not yet understood. While it is not clear which receptors are involved in binding and uptake of hyaluronan within the lymphatics, one likely candidate is the lymphatic endothelial hyaluronan receptor LYVE-1 recently described in our laboratory (Banerji, S., Ni, J., Wang, S., Clasper, S., Su, J., Tammi, R., Jones, M., and Jackson, D.G. (1999)J. Cell Biol. 144, 789–801). Here we present evidence that LYVE-1 is involved in the uptake of hyaluronan by lymphatic endothelial cells using a new murine LYVE-1 orthologue identified from the EST data base. We show that mouse LYVE-1 both binds and internalizes hyaluronan in transfected 293T fibroblasts in vitro and demonstrate using immunoelectron microscopy that it is distributed equally among the luminal and abluminal surfaces of lymphatic vessels in vivo. In addition, we show by means of specific antisera that expression of mouse LYVE-1 remains restricted to the lymphatics in homozygous knockout mice lacking a functional gene for CD44, the closest homologue of LYVE-1 and the only other Link superfamily HA receptor known to date. Together these results suggest a role for LYVE-1 in the transport of HA from tissue to lymph and imply that further novel hyaluronan receptors must exist that can compensate for the loss of CD44 function.