Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Instruments for assessing the quality of drug studies published in the medical literature.

OBJECTIVES To develop valid and reliable instruments to assess the methodologic quality and clinical relevance of drug studies. DESIGN We developed an instrument to assess the methodologic quality of articles reporting clinical research and an instrument to measure nonmethodologic measures of quality, such as clinical relevance, generalizability, and adherence to ethical standards. Each instrument was pretested by seven independent, masked reviewers and modified based on interrater agreement and content validity of individual items. We determined correlational validity of the final methodologic quality instrument by comparing quality scores assigned to 10 articles by means of our instrument and a previously published one. PARTICIPANTS Clinical drug studies published in symposium proceedings and peer reviewed biomedical literature. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Interrater reliability of overall quality scores, measured by intraclass correlation (r) and Kendall's coefficient of concordance (W), and interrater reliability of individual items, by percentage agreement. MAIN RESULTS The interrater reliability of the pretest methodologic quality instrument was high (r = .89 [95% confidence interval, .73 to .96]; W = 0.64). Correlational validity of the final instrument was suggested by the high degree of concordance with another previously published one (W = 0.74). The interrater reliability of the pretest clinical relevance instrument was moderate (r = .41 [95% confidence interval, .18 to .64]; W = 0.47). Reviewers confirmed the content validity of both instruments. CONCLUSIONS The two instruments we developed, one measuring methodologic quality and one measuring clinical relevance of articles reporting clinical research, are reliable, valid, and applicable to a variety of research designs.
Load Frequency Control in multi-area power system based on Fuzzy Logic-PID Controller

In an interconnected multi-area power system, as a power load demand varies randomly, in the case of any small sudden load change in any of the areas, both area frequency and tie-line power flow interchange also vary. The main goals of Load Frequency Control (LFC) are, to hold the frequency and the desired power output in the interconnected power system at the scheduled values and to control the change in the tie-line power flow between control areas. The purpose of this paper is to present basically an application of Fuzzy Logic Controller (FLC) based load frequency control using PID controller in multi-area interconnected power system. The fuzzy logic is employed to search for optimal values for the PID controller parameters. The three-area 9-unit model system is used for the simulation, and the transient responses are shown due to step load disturbances in area-1, area-2 and area-3. The main primary objective is to suppress all the fluctuation of the system frequency and tie-line power flow. By comparison to the conventional Ziegler-Nichols technique (Z-N) and to the heuristic Particle Swarm Optimization method (PSO), the effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed.
Site-specific analysis of B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas of the head and neck: A retrospective 10-year observation

Abstract Conclusion: B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (B-NHL) in the head and neck most commonly affected the oropharynx and the cervical lymph node in sexagenarian patients, with more than 70% of these cases being diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Accordingly, B-NHL should be considered one of the most important differential diagnoses of head and neck malignancies. Objectives: It has previously been reported that the majority of head and neck malignant lymphomas are B-NHLs. This analysis aimed to assess the site-specific profiles of B-NHL of the head and neck. Methods: The medical records of patients with B-NHL of the head and neck diagnosed between January 2004 and December 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. The clinical parameters of these patients, including age, sex, site distribution, and histopathologic sub-type, were analyzed. Results: A total of 153 cases (95 males; 58 females) were included in this analysis (male-to-female ratio = 1.64:1). The patient age at the time of diagnosis ranged from 30–92 years (median = 68 years). The oropharynx was the most commonly affected site (40.5%), followed by the cervical lymph nodes (33.3%). The most common histopathologic sub-type was DLBCL (71.9%), followed by follicular lymphoma (11.1%), and extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue (9.2%).
Most Human Isolates of Mycobacterium avium Mav-A and Mav-B Are Strong Producers of Hemolysin, a Putative Virulence Factor

ABSTRACT Hemolysin was quantified in 58 isolates of Mycobacterium avium from human, animal, and environmental sources. Human Mav-A and Mav-B isolates were the strongest producers; in contrast, animal and environmental Mav-A isolates and human, animal, and environmental Mav-C organisms were low-level producers. Hemolysin production was not restricted to isolates causing invasive infections.
Evidence for symmetry in the elementary process of bidirectional torque generation by the bacterial flagellar motor

The bacterial flagellar motor can rotate in both counterclockwise (CCW) and clockwise (CW) directions. It has been shown that the sodium ion-driven chimeric flagellar motor rotates with 26 steps per revolution, which corresponds to the number of FliG subunits that form part of the rotor ring, but the size of the backward step is smaller than the forward one. Here we report that the proton-driven flagellar motor of Salmonella also rotates with 26 steps per revolution but symmetrical in both CCW and CW directions with occasional smaller backward steps in both directions. Occasional shift in the stepping positions is also observed, suggesting the frequent exchange of stators in one of the 11–12 possible anchoring positions around the rotor. These observations indicate that the elementary process of torque generation by the cyclic association/dissociation of the stator with every FliG subunit along the circumference of the rotor is symmetric in CCW and CW rotation even though the structure of FliG is highly asymmetric and suggests a 180° rotation of a FliG domain for the rotor-stator interaction to reverse the direction of rotation.
A Snort-based agent for a JADE multi-agent intrusion detection system

We describe the design of a misuse detection agent, one of the distinct agents in a multi-agent-based intrusion detection system. This system is being implemented in JADE, a well-known multi-agent platform based in Java. The agent analyses the packets in the network connections using a packet sniffer and then creates a data model based on the information obtained. This data model is the input to a rule-based inference engine agent, which uses the Rete algorithm for pattern matching and the rules of the signature-based intrusion detection system, Snort. Specifically, an implementation in Java language – the Drools-JBoss Rules – was used and a parser was implemented that converts Snort rules into Drools rules. The use of object-oriented techniques, together with design patterns, means that the agent is flexible, easily configurable and extensible.
Effect of Drafting on Work Intensity in Classical Cross-Country Skiing

The purpose of this study was to compare the heart rate responses during cross-country skiing as a leading skier, as well as in a drafting situation, three meters behind the leader. Eight male and two female cross-country ski racers, paired for skiing ability, skied a 2 km course (two loops of 1 km) using the diagonal stride and double-poling techniques at a fixed speed (4.75 m.s-1 and 4.45 m.s-1 for males and females respectively) on two different occasions, once as a leading skier, the other as a drafter. A recovery period of 30 minutes was allowed between the two trials. Heart rates (HR) were registered every five seconds during all performances. Results revealed that HR were significantly lower (165 vs 172 beats.min-1) when skiing behind another skier as opposed to leading. Results also revealed that projected frontal areas appeared to influence the effects of drafting such that the HR differences between the leading and the drafting situations were larger for smaller skiers drafting behind larger skiers. These results showed that skiing behind another skier in a classical cross-country ski race would be very advantageous when the situation is encountered and could help racers using this energy saving strategy.
The record route option is an option!

The IPv4 Record Route (RR) Option instructs routers to record their IP addresses in a packet. RR is subject to a nine hop limit and, traditionally, inconsistent support from routers. Recent changes in interdomain connectivity---the so-called "flattening Internet"---and new best practices for how routers should handle RR packets suggest that now is a good time to reassess the potential of the RR Option. We quantify the current utility of RR by issuing RR measurements from PlanetLab and M-Lab to every advertised BGP prefix. We find that 75% of addresses that respond to ping without RR also respond to ping with RR, and 66% of these RR-responsive addresses are within the nine hop limit of at least one vantage point. These numbers suggest the RR Option is a useful measurement primitive on today's Internet.
A qualidade percebida, os valores de consumo e as emoções como antecedentes da satisfação de usuários de Shopping Center: a construção de um modelo de equações estruturais

O objetivo deste estudo foi analisar as influencias da Qualidade Percebida, dos Valores de Consumo e das Emocoes como antecedentes da Satisfacao do consumidor. Sendo assim, foi realizada uma revisao de literatura acerca dos construtos centrais deste estudo, onde pretendeu-se demonstrar a relacao existente entre eles e como os mesmos podem ser considerados elementos antecedentes da Satisfacao, fazendo-se ao final a proposicao de um modelo no qual as relacoes propostas entre estas variaveis formaram as hipoteses testadas. A pesquisa pode ser caracterizada como um survey de carater Interseccional, e foi realizada na cidade de Curitiba/PR com 392 consumidores de Shopping Center. Os dados coletados foram analisados por meio dos softwares: SPSS e AMOS. Por meio da relevância apresentada nos seus resultados, comparativamente com as premissas propostas, este estudo apresenta sua contribuicao tanto para a teoria do comportamento do consumidor, quanto para o contexto de Shopping Center. Alem de corroborar com os achados dos estudos tomados como base para a construcao destas relacoes, este estudo tambem apresentou outras duas importantes contribuicoes: (1) considerar tres dimensoes (utilitaria, hedonica e simbolica) aos valores de consumo e propor a relacao destas dimensoes com outras variaveis, conseguindo verificar empiricamente a relacao destes valores com as emocoes e com a satisfacao; bem como a verificacao da relacao da qualidade percebida nos valores de consumo, relacao esta que ainda nao havia ficado muito clara em estudos anteriores; (2) analisar conjuntamente a relacao entre as variaveis qualidade percebida, valores de consumo, mocoes e satisfacao, ja que estas variaveis ainda nao tinham sido testadas em nenhum outro estudo. Por fim, ainda sao apresentadas limitacoes do estudo e sugestoes para futuras pesquisas.
Wonderful Life: The Burgess Shale and the Nature of History

High in the Canadian Rockies is a small limestone quarry formed 530 million years ago called the Burgess Shale. It hold the remains of an ancient sea where dozens of strange creatures lived-a forgotten corner of evolution preserved in awesome detail. In this book Stephen Jay Gould explores what the Burgess Shale tells us about evolution and the nature of history.
Other tetraploid species and conspecific diploids as sources of genetic variation for an autotetraploid.

UNLABELLED PREMISE OF THE STUDY Most plants are polyploid and have more than two copies of the genome. The evolutionary success of polyploids is often attributed to their potential to harbor increased genetic variation, but it is poorly understood how polyploids can attain such variation. Because of their formation bottleneck, newly formed tetraploids start out with little variation. Tetraploids may attain genetic variation through a combination of new mutations, recurrent formation, and gene exchange with diploid ancestors or related tetraploid species. We explore the role of gene exchange and introgression in autotetraploid Rorippa amphibia, a species that harbors more genetic variation than its diploid ancestors. • METHODS We crossed autotetraploid R. amphibia to diploid conspecifics and tetraploid R. sylvestris and backcrossed resulting F(1) hybrids. We used flow cytometry to determine the ploidy of all progeny. • KEY RESULTS Tetraploids of R. amphibia and R. sylvestris were interfertile; F(1) hybrids were fertile and could backcross. Crosses between diploids and tetraploids yielded a small number of viable, often tetraploid progeny. This indicates that unreduced gametes can facilitate gene flow from diploids to tetraploids. We detected a frequency of unreduced gametes of around 2.7 per 1000, which was comparable between diploids and tetraploids. • CONCLUSIONS Introgression from tetraploid R. sylvestris provides a realistic source of variation in autotetraploid R. amphibia. Only in a scenario where other compatible partners are absent, for example immediately after tetraploidization, gene flow through unreduced gametes from diploids could be an important source of genetic variation for tetraploids.
Impact of First-Line Antifungal Agents on the Outcomes and Costs of Candidemia

ABSTRACT Candida species are the leading causes of invasive fungal infection among hospitalized patients and are responsible for major economic burdens. The goals of this study were to estimate the costs directly associated with the treatment of candidemia and factors associated with increased costs, as well as the impact of first-line antifungal agents on the outcomes and costs. A retrospective study was conducted in a sample of 199 patients from four university-affiliated tertiary care hospitals in Korea over 1 year. Only costs attributable to the treatment of candidemia were estimated by reviewing resource utilization during treatment. Risk factors for increased costs, treatment outcome, and hospital length of stay (LOS) were analyzed. Approximately 65% of the patients were treated with fluconazole, and 28% were treated with conventional amphotericin B. The overall treatment success rate was 52.8%, and the 30-day mortality rate was 47.9%. Hematologic malignancy, need for mechanical ventilation, and treatment failure of first-line antifungal agents were independent risk factors for mortality. The mean total cost for the treatment of candidemia was $4,743 per patient. Intensive care unit stay at candidemia onset and antifungal switch to second-line agents were independent risk factors for increased costs. The LOS was also significantly longer in patients who switched antifungal agents to second-line drugs. Antifungal switch to second-line agents for any reasons was the only modifiable risk factor of increased costs and LOS. Choosing an appropriate first-line antifungal agent is crucial for better outcomes and reduced hospital costs of candidemia.
An energetic control based on limit cycles for stabilization of fast legged robots

Control of legged robots with fast gaits is addressed in this paper. These kind of systems interact intermittently with the environment. We propose a viable approach for the control of hopping gaits for legged robots. This control approach is based on controlled limit cycles (CLC) for stabilization of fast gaits (closed orbits) for legged robots. The designed control system generates the desired trajectories (on-line) and control inputs. Robustness of the proposed control with respect to parameter variation and disturbance is illustrated by numerical simulations. Viable definitions of gaits and their admissibility are introduced.
Advances in CKD detection and determination of prognosis: executive summary of the National Kidney Foundation-Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) 2012 annual data report.

During 2012, the National Kidney Foundation (NKF)–Kidney Early Evaluation Program (KEEP) continued its efforts toward early detection of chronic kidney disease (CKD) in populations at high risk for kidney disease and in improving awareness of CKD across the globe. Through the completely volunteer participation of the nephrology community, including physicians and our allied health care partners, KEEP continues to screen volunteer participants as part of a national effort to detect and track CKD. In 2012, we observed some changes in the CKD landscape, including questions regarding the utility of CKD screening and detection strategies from the US Preventive Services Task Force.1 Through the years, data derived from KEEP have provided important observations regarding detection and risk-stratification strategies using estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and proteinuria.2–4 In this past year, KEEP provided new information on topics including blood pressure control, disorders of mineral metabolism, and awareness of CKD and access to health care as related to CKD outcomes.5–11 In this supplement to AJKD, we focus on the variable nature of CKD progression. Interest is increasing in exploring factors that influence disease progression beyond traditional measures such as blood pressure and glycemic control, and in determining the contribution of socioeconomic factors.12;13 We present three articles highlighting factors that influence disease progression in KEEP participants: 1) Chang et al describe risk factors for progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among KEEP participants with preserved eGFR at screening, with and without albuminuria14; 2) Amin et al report on whether or not synergism in using eGFR and albuminuria enhances risk prediction for death and disease progression15; and 3) Jurkovitz et al report on insurance status as a risk factor for disease progression.16
Locomotion by Abdopus aculeatus (Cephalopoda: Octopodidae): walking the line between primary and secondary defenses

SUMMARY Speeds and variation in body form during crawling, bipedal walking, swimming and jetting by the shallow-water octopus Abdopus aculeatus were compared to explore possible interactions between defense behaviors and biomechanics of these multi-limbed organisms. General body postures and patterns were more complex and varied during the slow mode of crawling than during fast escape maneuvers such as swimming and jetting. These results may reflect a trade-off between predator deception and speed, or simply a need to reduce drag during jet-propelled locomotion. Octopuses swam faster when dorsoventrally compressed, a form that may generate lift, than when swimming in the head-raised posture. Bipedal locomotion proceeded as fast as swimming and can be considered a form of fast escape (secondary defense) that also incorporates elements of crypsis and polyphenism (primary defenses). Body postures during walking suggested the use of both static and dynamic stability. Absolute speed was not correlated with body mass in any mode. Based on these findings the implications for defense behaviors such as escape from predation, aggression, and `flatfish mimicry' performed by A. aculeatus and other octopuses are discussed.
The ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channel-encoded dSUR gene is required for Drosophila heart function and is regulated by tinman

The homeobox transcription factor Tinman plays an important role in the initiation of heart development. Later functions of Tinman, including the target genes involved in cardiac physiology, are less well studied. We focused on the dSUR gene, which encodes an ATP-binding cassette transmembrane protein that is expressed in the heart. Mammalian SUR genes are associated with KATP (ATP-sensitive potassium) channels, which are involved in metabolic homeostasis. We provide experimental evidence that Tinman directly regulates dSUR expression in the developing heart. We identified a cis-regulatory element in the first intron of dSUR, which contains Tinman consensus binding sites and is sufficient for faithful dSUR expression in the fly’s myocardium. Site-directed mutagenesis of this element shows that these Tinman sites are critical to dSUR expression, and further genetic manipulations suggest that the GATA transcription factor Pannier is synergistically involved in cardiac-restricted dSUR expression in vivo. Physiological analysis of dSUR knock-down flies supports the idea that dSUR plays a protective role against hypoxic stress and pacing-induced heart failure. Because dSUR expression dramatically decreases with age, it is likely to be a factor involved in the cardiac aging phenotype of Drosophila. dSUR provides a model for addressing how embryonic regulators of myocardial cell commitment can contribute to the establishment and maintenance of cardiac performance.
Panorama: a what I see is what I want contactless visual interface

In a face to face meeting, participants are free to choose who they look at and who they listen to. In a videoconference, participants can only see or hear the audio-visual signal that the distant participants have decided or have been able to transmit. We present Panorama, a contactless visual man machine interface which allows to explore a distant audio-visual scene. This scene, which corresponds to the end user interest, is complementary to the audio-visual scene obtained by automatically framing a person with LISTEN, the previous visual man machine interface we have developed. Panorama is an extension of LISTEN. The face detection and tracking techniques involved in LISTEN have been improved and adapted to meet the requirements of the exploration interface. Face detection has been extended to oriented face and tracking meets the needs of an exploration function convention.