Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reductions in incidence of invasive group B streptococcal disease in the United States.

the 14 surgeons who each created only 1 or 2 study fistulas. Liberalization of selection criteria for fistula creation in response to the recent emphasis on creating fistulas may have contributed to the high failure rate in our trial. Drs Fourtounas and Vlachojannis inquire about preoperative vascular evaluation. Vascular mapping by ultrasound was performed in approximately 75% of participants using the clinical centers’ standard protocols. We found no association between performance of vascular mapping and suitability failure (odds ratio, 1.19; 95% confidence interval, 0.80-1.77; P=.39). We agree that fistula maturation is a complex process with multiple potential targets for intervention. Clinical trials addressing complex problems can (1) evaluate multiple simultaneous interventions, (2) evaluate a single intervention but control as many important variables as possible, or (3)evaluatea single interventionunderconditions thatmaximize generalizability to the usual care setting, as we did in our trial. Each approach has advantages and disadvantages. Despite the complexity of fistula maturation failure, our trial answered the questions it was designed to address.
Measurement of calcium influx under voltage clamp in molluscan neurones using the metallochromic dye arsenazo III.

1. The metallochromic indicator dye, arsenazo III, was injected into somata of molluscan neurones from Archidoris monteryensis. Membrane current and dye absorbance change were simultaneously monitored under voltage clamp. 2. Absorbance measured at 660 nm increased during positive‐going voltage steps large enough to activate membrane conductances. In situ idifference spectra were qualitatively similar to dye, dye‐calcium difference spectra recorded in vitro. The absorbance change was abolished by either a thorough removal of external calcium or internal chelation of calcium by EGTA. It was concluded that the absorbance increase primarily reflected changing internal calcium concentration and that the calcium entered from the outside. 3. Dye absorbance increased in a nearly linear fashion during voltage clamp pulses of 100‐‐300 msec duration. This is in qualitative agreement with electrical stuidies which demonstrated only fractional inactivation of calcium conductance during such periods. Plots of absorbance change vs. Vm peaked at +30 to +40 mV and fell off sharply until approximately +70 mV where the slope became less steep. A null or reversal of the absorbance change was generally observed aroung +110 mV. Evidence is presented that calcium influx was in some cases sufficient to cause sizeable changes in its equilibrium potential. 4. During multisecond voltage clamps the slope of the absorbance change showed a large decline. Where barium substituted for calcium as the influx species in identical clamps, the absorbance at 660 nm also increased but in a much more linear fashion. Except for a slight effect on the initial few pulses, the absorbance signal did not recover after a period of barium influx. These results suggest that part of the slope decline might result from processes related to calcium uptake and not to membrane conductance decrease. 5. Dye absorbance changes during normal and TEA action potentials were measured. Comparison of these changes with voltage clamp records indicated that calcium influx during a spike was capable of raising concentration by roughly 2 X 10(‐7) M if the cell were considered to be a uniform sphere with no buffering capacity. Calcium influx during action potentials was increased dramatically by TEA, primarily as a result of a prolonged plateau phase. The existence and duration of the plateau was controlled mainly by potassium conductance systems, however. There was no evidence found for facilitation of the calcium conductance. 6. Following a moderate influx of calcium it required 20‐‐60 sec, depending on the neurone, for the dye absorbance to return to base line (at 9 degrees C). The recovery time course showed a marked difference when examined at different wavelengths. For lambda = 660 nm there was an initial period in which the absorbance decreased rapidly, followed by a slower phase which generally carried the absorbance below the initial (prepulse) value.
Localized Contextual Event Reasoning under Uncertainty

We focus on Internet of Things (IoT) environments where sensing and computing devices (nodes) are responsible to observe, reason, report and react to a specific phenomenon. Each node (e.g., an unmanned vehicle or an autonomous device) captures context from data streams and reasons on the presence of an event. We propose a distributed predictive analytics scheme for localized context reasoning under uncertainty. Such reasoning is achieved through a contextualized, knowledge-driven clustering process, where the clusters of nodes are formed according to their belief on the presence of the phenomenon. Each cluster enhances its localized opinion about the presence of an event through consensus realized under the principles of Fuzzy Logic (FL). The proposed FLdriven consensus process is further enhanced with semantics adopting Type-2 Fuzzy Sets to handle the uncertainty related to the identification of an event. We provide a comprehensive experimental evaluation and comparison assessment with other schemes over real data and report on the benefits stemmed from its adoption in IoT environments.
Autoantibodies against lamin C, NA14 and CK15 in primary vasculitides or autoimmune diseases with secondary vasculitis.

OBJECTIVES Autoantibodies may play a role in the pathogenesis of primary vasculitides (PVs) like giant cell arteritis (GCA). We recently identified 3 cytoskeletal proteins (lamin C [laC], nuclear autoantigen of 14kD [NA14] and cytokeratin 15 [CK15]) as autoantigens in GCA and postulated a frequent autoantibody response against these antigens in PVs. METHODS To test this hypothesis we studied a cohort of patients with PVs (n=61) and healthy individuals (n=27) for the presence of these autoantibodies using a recombinant cDNA expression library. To define their specifity for PV, we also examined patients with other autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and connective tissue diseases (CTD). RESULTS We found no statistically significant differences in autoantibody responses between patients with PV and healthy controls, although there was a trend for an association between PVs and the occurrence of antibodies against laC and CK15. However, in patients with RA (n=33) or Sjögren's syndrome (SS, n=11) with vasculitides we observed more frequently autoantibodies against NA14, laC and CK15 compared to healthy controls. In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, n=23) autoantibodies against laC were more frequent. The presence of autoantibodies in RA, SS and SLE was associated with systemic secondary vasculitis (SSV). In RA, laC- and NA14-seropositive patients were in a more advanced disease stage than seronegative patients with more frequent extraarticular manifestations (p=0.004). In SLE laC-autoantibody-positive patients had a higher SLE activity index (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS Serum autoantibodies against laC and NA14 are frequent in patients with RA and CTD and are associated with extensive disease and SSV. The potential pathogenic and prognostic role of these antibodies should be further investigated.
Patient reported outcome measurement: learning to walk before we run

Although initiallyfocused on psychiatry, this system was alsoapplied to acute hospitals, in part because of theenthusiastic advocacy of Florence Nightingale.Emulating the 1845 legislation, she advocated themeasurement of outcomes in terms of whetherpatients were dead, relieved or unrelieved. Shedeclared:
Development of arithmetical competencies in Chinese and American children: influence of age, language, and schooling.

The arithmetical competencies of more than 200 Chinese or American kindergarten, first-, second-, or third-grade children were assessed toward the beginning and toward the end of the U.S. school year. All children were administered a paper-and-pencil test of addition skills, a digit span measure, and an addition strategy assessment. The addition strategy assessment provided information on the types of strategies the children used to solve simple addition problems as well as information on the speed and accuracy of their strategy use. Information on the number of math instruction periods across times of measurement was also obtained for each of the first-, second-, and third-grade children. The pattern of arithmetical development across the academic year and across the Chinese and American children suggests that a mix of cultural and maturational factors influence the emergence of early arithmetical competencies and that the Chinese advantage in early mathematical development is related to a combination of language- and school-related factors.
Patient Complaints and Malpractice Risk in a Regional Healthcare Center

Objective: To study the association between physicians' complaint records and their risk management experiences in a regional healthcare center. Data Sources: Patient complaints about physicians in a large border state medical center's hospital and outpatient clinics were recorded and coded. The study period was from January 2001 through December 2003. These records were linked to the counterpart physicians' data covered by the institutions' risk management plan through June 2004. Study Design and Data Collection: All physicians at the institution who had contact with patients during the study period were identified as surgeons or nonsurgeons. Complaints for these physicians were recorded by the institution's Office of Patient Relations (OPR) and independently coded using a standardized protocol to characterize the nature of the problem and to uniquely identify the person complained about. The complaint records were then linked to the risk management files (RMFs) for the defined physician cohort. In addition, these data were supplemented with clinical service values (RVUs) which were available for 338 members (76%) of the 445 member cohort. Principal Findings: Both patient complaints and risk management events were higher for surgeons than for nonsurgeons. This was true for the number of RMFs, those involving expenditures, and for lawsuits. Logistic regression was used to assess the effects of complaint counts, practice type and volume of clinical activity. All were statistically significant in predicting the number of RMF openings, RMF openings with expenditures and lawsuits. Predictive concordance was 75% or greater for each of the three risk management outcomes. Conclusions: Expressions of patient dissatisfaction and practice type are significantly related to risk management experiences in a regional medical center. Associations of risk management experiences with volume of clinical activity (RVUs) for surgeons in the regional medical center environment were not as strong as those found in a similar study reported from an academic medical center.
Decoupled Power Angle and Voltage Control of Electric Springs

In this paper, a radial-chordal decomposition (RCD) technique is proposed to decouple the power angle and voltage control of a smart load based on the use of electric springs (ES). This RCD method is mathematically presented. A detailed comparison between the existing ES control schemes and the proposed RCD approach highlights its decoupling feature and merit on achieving multiple functionalities with a single ES. This RCD control method has been tested on a 2-kW small-scale power system. Simulation and experimental results confirmed that the power factor of the ES-integrated smart load can be improved by the chordal control while the mains voltage can be regulated by the radial control. It has also been demonstrated that the radial and chordal control can work simultaneously and independently.
The management and outcome of chronic graft‐versus‐host disease

Chronic graft‐versus‐host disease (cGVHD) is a common complication following allogeneic haematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT). It is the leading cause of non‐relapse mortality in transplant survivors and has a significant impact upon their functional status and quality of life. Despite significant advances being made in the field of HCT over the past 25 years, there has been little change in the incidence, morbidity and mortality of cGVHD. This is partly because of a lack of understanding about the pathogenesis of the disorder but also because a lack of well validated grading systems and outcome measures has hindered clinical research. Strategies for prophylaxis have largely been unsuccessful and may compromise the graft‐versus‐leukaemia (GVL) effect. Standard primary treatment remains a combination of corticosteroids and calcineurin inhibitors. There is no standard therapy for those who fail to respond to corticosteroids. Many agents have been studied but there is an urgent need for systematic research to compare the efficacy of different approaches. Infection is the leading cause of death among patients with cGVHD so antimicrobial prophylaxis is mandatory. A multidisciplinary approach to the care of patients with cGVHD is essential to adequately address its effects on both physical and psychological functioning.
Cloning, Sequencing, and Expression of the Pantothenate Kinase (coaA) Gene of Escherichia coli

Pantothenate kinase catalyzes the rate-controlling step in soFzyme A (CoA) biosynthesis. The structural gene (coaA) located at 90 min of the Escherichia coh' chromo4ne was cloned and sequenced. The coaA gene was transcribed in the opposite direction to the flanking genes birA and thrU and produced a single 1.1-kb transcript. Translatipn of the coaA gene produced'two protein products (36.4 and 35.4 klia) that differed by eight amino acids at the amipo terminus. The poor homology of thp,? oaA promoter regiot cqnsensus E. coli promoter sequens apd Ihp ow frequency of optimal codon usage (0.565) were consis ent with the low abundance of pan ethenate kinase. Strains containing multiple coRies of the coi4 gene possessed 76-fold-higher specific activity of pantothenate kinase; however, there was $ljy a 2.7-fold increase in the steady-state level of CoA. These data corroborate the conclusion that regulatiod of pantothenate kinase activity by feedback inhibition is the critical factor controlling the intracellular CoA concentration.
Tuberculosis among foreign-born persons in the United States.

CONTEXT Foreign-born persons accounted for 57% of all tuberculosis (TB) cases in the United States in 2006. Current TB control strategies have not sufficiently addressed the high levels of TB disease and latent TB infection in this population. OBJECTIVE To determine the risk of TB disease and drug-resistant TB among foreign-born populations and the potential impact of adding TB culture to overseas screening procedures for foreign-born persons entering the United States. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Descriptive epidemiologic analysis of foreign-born persons in the United States diagnosed with TB from 2001 through 2006. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES TB case rates, stratified by time since US entry, country of origin, and age at US entry; anti-TB drug-resistance patterns; and characteristics of TB cases diagnosed within 3 months of US entry. RESULTS A total of 46,970 cases of TB disease were reported among foreign-born persons in the United States from 2001 through 2006, of which 12,928 (28%) were among recent entrants (within 2 years of US entry). Among the foreign-born population overall, TB case rates declined with increasing time since US entry, but remained higher than among US-born persons--even more than 20 years after arrival. In total, 53% of TB cases among foreign-born persons occurred among the 22% of the foreign-born population born in sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. Isoniazid resistance was as high as 20% among recent entrants from Vietnam and 18% for recent entrants from Peru. On average, 250 individuals per year were diagnosed with smear-negative, culture-positive TB disease within 3 months of US entry; 46% of these were from the Philippines or Vietnam. CONCLUSION The relative yield of finding and treating latent TB infection is particularly high among individuals from most countries of sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia.
Pathology of Aging B6;129 Mice

Fifty male and 49 female B6;129 mice (wild-type, + / + ) were maintained until 2 years of age to study their age-related pathology. By 104—105 weeks, 14/50 (28%) of the males and 30/49 (61%) of the females were still alive. The most common contributing cause of morbidity or mortality was lymphoma. Lymphoma was observed in 21/50 (42%) of the males and 33/49 (67%) of the females with the most common sites being mesenteric lymph nodes, gut associated lymphoid tissue (Peyer's patches), and spleen. The lymphoma most often appeared to arise in the mesenteric node. Immunohistochemistry revealed CD45R expression as well as infiltration by many CD3+ T cells. IgH gene rearrangements were found in typical mesenteric node lymphomas indicating B-cell origin. They bore similarities to the human T-cell rich, B-cell lymphomas. Other tumors included hepatocellular adenoma or carcinoma (male 12%, females 10%), lung alveolar Type II cell adenoma or carcinoma (male 32%, female 20%), thyroid follicular adenoma or carcinoma (male 2%, female 8%), ovarian tumors (17%), and endometrial tumors (6%). Nonneoplastic lesions included amyloidlike material in the nasal septum (male and female 100%), otitis media (male 84%, female 79%), epididymal epithelial karyomegaly (88%), melanosis (high incidences in various tissues including brain, parathyroid, and spleen), membranoproliferative glomerulonephritis (male 52%, female 71%), hyalinosis with extracellular crystals in several tissues (respiratory tract, gall bladder, stomach), islet cell hyperplasia (male 45%, female 29%) and esophageal dilation (male 10%, female 6%). The B6;129 mouse is a mouse with aging lesions similar to those in other mouse strains but with a characteristic common lymphoma.
One-sample face recognition with local similarity decisions

Inter-class and intra-class variability account for poor classification performance of automatic image recognition methods under the condition of limited number of gallery images per class. Texture-based intensity features in combination with local decisions on similarity measurements are used to reduce the effects of variability and to provide a robust image recognition method. The presented method show good recognition performance when tested under the most difficult condition of using single gallery image per class on AR, YALE , EYALE and FERET 2D face image databases.
Can the controversy about the putative role of the human female orgasm in sperm transport be settled with our current physiological knowledge of coitus?

INTRODUCTION Spermatozoal uptake, facilitated by uterine contractions induced by oxytocin at orgasm during coitus, has been a long term concept. Studies attempting its support, however, have been poorly examined especially in the context of the changes in the female genital tract activated by sexual arousal. AIM To examine experimental support for the concept. METHODS Using a variety of search engines, mainly peer reviewed articles and un-reviewed books were examined relating to sperm transport and function in the human female genital tract in the absence and presence of arousal to orgasm. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Identifying evidence-based data to support authority-based opinion. RESULTS All the experimental observations of sperm or model substitute's transport have been undertaken in women who were not sexually aroused. They fail to take into account that arousal creates vaginal tenting lifting the cervico-uterine complex into the false pelvis away from the ejaculated semen. This delays sperm uptake and transport making conclusions from these observations invalid in relation to transport during coitus. Studies injecting oxytocin have not used women in their sexually aroused state and used supraphysiological doses unlikely to be comparable with coitus and orgasm. The proposal that the transport of extra sperm by oxytocin-induced uterine contractions at orgasm is needed to facilitate fertility ignores possible harm from increased sperm numbers creating polyspermy and sperm enzyme release causing ovum degeneration, leading to decreased fertility. The role of sperm motility in their uptake from the vagina into the cervix as opposed to en bloc transfer through uterine archimyometrial-mediated transport in the absence of orgasm is at present unresolvable because of conflicting studies. CONCLUSION The bulk of the reported evidence favors the conclusion that the female orgasm, with its concomitant central release of oxytocin, has little or no effective role in the transport of spermatozoa in natural human coitus.
Efficient clock-cycle precise simulation at architecture level in C++

Typically the design of hardware and software for embedded systems is tightly coupled. In combination, hardware and software have to fulfil the specific requirements of a particular application. This represents a challenge and opportunity in order to look for a balanced solution between both parts. A fast simulator with adequate interfaces is able to support this desire based on experiments starting early during the design process. This paper presents SEARS, a high level simulation written in C++ which is fast enough to run real-world programs on simulated hardware and, nevertheless, generates sufficient time information to measure program execution time precisely. The simulator provides configuration layers for increased flexibility and an interface with familiar parts for both the hardware and the software engineer.
Stress Memorization Technique—Fundamental Understanding and Low-Cost Integration for Advanced CMOS Technology Using a Nonselective Process

In this paper, a comprehensive work toward the understanding of the stress memorization technique (SMT) is presented. The effects of the SMT upon PMOS and NMOS device performance are investigated and explained. A novel low-cost solution for a maskless SMT integration into advanced CMOS technologies is proposed, and additional device results examining the compatibility of SMT with fully silicided and metal inserted polysilicon gates are presented.
Twenty Years of Progress in the Study of Trauma

In this article, the authors argue that studies investigating the nature of traumatic memory have made the greatest contribution to trauma research in the past 20 years. Neuroimaging studies provide empirical support for the diagnosis of posttraumatic stress disorder and have important implications for the treatment of trauma survivors. In the future, the authors hope to see an empirically derived model of trauma that incorporates both mediating and moderating factors to predict outcome.