Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Curve aligning approach for gait authentication based on a wearable accelerometer

Gait authentication based on a wearable accelerometer is a novel biometric which can be used for identity identification, medical rehabilitation and early detection of neurological disorders. The method for matching gait patterns tells heavily on authentication performances. In this paper, curve aligning is introduced as a new method for matching gait patterns and it is compared with correlation and dynamic time warping (DTW). A support vector machine (SVM) is proposed to fuse pattern-matching methods in a decision level. Accelerations collected from ankles of 22 walking subjects are processed for authentications in our experiments. The fusion of curve aligning with backward–forward accelerations and DTW with vertical accelerations promotes authentication performances substantially and consistently. This fusion algorithm is tested repeatedly. Its mean and standard deviation of equal error rates are 0.794% and 0.696%, respectively, whereas among all presented non-fusion algorithms, the best one shows an EER of 3.03%.
Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy in Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis

Background:Percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tube placement is recommended in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) patients with dysphagia to provide reliable access for medications and nutrition. It is preferably done while forced vital capacity (FVC) is greater than 50% of predicted to reduce risk of postprocedural respiratory complications. Percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy has been shown to have higher success rates and lower complication rates compared with PEG. The authors sought to investigate the safety of PEG placement in ALS patients with varying respiratory compromise. Methods:The records of 21 patients with ALS who underwent PEG tube placement from October 2010 to October 2013 were retrospectively reviewed to determine rates of successful placement, complication, mortality and survival. Results:PEG was placed successfully in 95.2% of patients. There was 1 major complication, procedure-related death, and failed placement in a patient with FVC 15% predicted who developed procedure-related aspiration and hypoxic respiratory failure and death 8 days after failed PEG attempt. Minor complications included 3 patients with minor pain at insertion site, 1 patient with minor bleeding requiring cauterization and 2 patients requiring PEG tube replacement within 6 months of procedure for accidental dislodgement. After PEG placement, median survival was 327 days (95% confidence interval: 180–687). Conclusions:In conclusion, PEG tube placement in patients with ALS seems to be a safe procedure in patients without significant respiratory compromise. In patients with FVC <50%, based on literature review and the results of this study, the authors recommend percutaneous radiologic gastrostomy over PEG placement.
Rapid Detection of Methicillin Resistance in Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci with the VITEK 2 System

ABSTRACT The aim of the present study was to evaluate the accuracy of the new VITEK 2 system (bioMérieux, Marcy l' Etoile, France) for the detection of methicillin resistance in coagulase-negative staphylococci (CoNS) by using AST-P515 and AST-P523 test cards. Analyses of the VITEK 2 oxacillin MIC determination evaluated according to the actual breakpoint (≥0.5 μg/ml) of the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards resulted in a high sensitivity of 99.2% but a moderate specificity of 80%. The newly included oxacillin resistance (OR) test of the VITEK 2 system displayed a high sensitivity and a high specificity of 97.5 and 98.7%, respectively. Concordance between the results of the mecA PCR and the VITEK 2 oxacillin MIC was observed for almost all Staphylococcus epidermidis strains, but the reduced specificity was attributable to higher oxacillin MICs for mecA-negative non-S. epidermidis strains, especially S. saprophyticus, S. lugdunensis, and S. cohnii. Evaluation of alternative oxacillin MIC breakpoints of 1, 2, or 4 μg/ml resulted in improved degrees of specificity of 84, 90.7, and 97.3%, respectively. Only minor changes occurred in the corresponding sensitivity values, which were 98.4, 97.5, and 97.5%, respectively. Methicillin resistance in CoNS was detected after 7 and 8 h in 91.1 and 93.5% of the mecA-positive strains, respectively, by the VITEK 2 OR test and in 86.3 and 89.5% of the mecA-positive strains, respectively, by VITEK 2 oxacillin MIC determination. After 7 and 8 h the VITEK 2 OR test classified 59.2 and 78.9% of the mecA-negative strains, respectively, as susceptible to oxacillin, whereas comparable values were obtained 2 h later by VITEK 2 oxacillin MIC determination. The results of our study encourage the use of the VITEK 2 system, which proved to be a highly reliable and rapid phenotypic method for the detection of methicillin resistance in CoNS.
Requirement dependencies-based formal approach for test case prioritization in regression testing

Regression testing is the testing activity performed after changes occurred on software. Its aim is to increase confidence that achieved software adjustments have no negative impact on the already functional parts of the software. Test case prioritization is one technique that could be applied in regression testing with the aim to find faults early, resulting in reduced cost and shorten time of testing activities. Thus, prioritizing in the context of regression testing means to re-order test cases such that high priority ones are run first. The current paper addresses the test case prioritization as a consistent part of a larger approach on regression testing, which combines both test case prioritization and test case selection in order to overcome the limitations of each of them. A comprehensive formalization of test case prioritization is provided, incorporating beside the well known ingredients (test case, test requirement, fault, cost) also elements relating to the functional requirements and dependencies between requirements. An evolutionary algorithm is used to construct the re-ordering of test cases, considering as optimization objectives fault detection and cost. A synthetic case study was used to empirically prove our perspective for test case prioritization approach.
Acute compartment syndrome

We have analysed associated factors in 164 patients with acute compartment syndrome whom we treated over an eight-year period. In 69% there was an associated fracture, about half of which were of the tibial shaft. Most patients were men, usually under 35 years of age. Acute compartment syndrome of the forearm, with associated fracture of the distal end of the radius, was again seen most commonly in young men. Injury to soft tissues, without fracture, was the second most common cause of the syndrome and one-tenth of the patients had a bleeding disorder or were taking anticoagulant drugs. We found that young patients, especially men, were at risk of acute compartment syndrome after injury. When treating such injured patients, the diagnosis should be made early, utilising measurements of tissue pressure.
[Treatment of low lumbar degenerative disease with unilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screws fixation].

OBJECTIVE To explore the operative skills and effect of unilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screws fixation in treating degenerative low lumbar disease. METHODS From January 2009 to December 2011,22 patients with degenerative low lumbar disease were treated with transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion, during the operations, unilateral pedicle screw and contralateral percutaneous transfacet screw fixation were performed. There were 16 males and 6 females, aged from 32 to 71 years old with an average of (51.1 ± 10.6) years, including single segment in 20 cases and two segments in 2 cases. Clinical effects were evaluated according to visual analogue score (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). RESULTS All patients were followed up from 1 to 2.5 years with an average of 18 months. One case complicated with leakage of cerebrospinal fluid after operation and 1 case with lower limb pain of decompression-side on the 3rd day after operation. Twenty-two patients got bony fusion. There were no instability and evidence of instrument failure during follow-up. The VAS and ODI score decreased from preoperative 8.24 ± 0.72, 36.72 ± 6.84 respectively to 3.18 ± 0.66, 4.36 ± 1.12 at the final follow-up (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Unilateral pedicle screw combined with contralateral percutaneous transfacet screw fixation is safe and feasible surgical technique in treating low lumbar degenerative disease. It has advantages of little trauma, rigid fixation, high fusion rate, and less complication. etc.
New challenge of hepatorenal syndrome: Prevention and treatment

Hepatorenal syndrome (HRS) remains one of the major therapeutic challenges in hepatology today. The pathogenesis is complex, but the final common pathway seems to be that sinusoidal portal hypertension, in the presence of severe hepatic decompensation, leads to splanchnic and systemic vasodilatation and decreased effective arterial blood volume. Renal vasoconstriction increases concomitantly, renal hemodynamics worsens, and renal failure occurs. Renal failure was shown 15 years ago to be potentially reversible after liver transplantation. This potential reversibility together with increased understanding of the pathogenesis has led to successful preliminary attempts to reverse HRS nonsurgically with combinations of splanchnic vasoconstrictors and colloid volume expansion, insertion of transjugular intrahepatic portovenous shunt radiologically, and improved forms of dialysis. Recent classification of HRS into the acute onset or severe type 1 with virtually 100% mortality and the more insiduous less severe type II promises to shed more light on the pathogenesis of HRS, especially on the currently unrecognized precipitating factors. It is hoped that this classification will be included in the necessary and carefully performed clinical trials, which should lead to clearer indications for the available therapies. The challenge now is to use all this information to improve our management of cirrhotic patients to prevent occurrence of HRS in the future.
Synthetic Lethal Screens Identify Gene Silencing Processes in Yeast and Implicate the Acetylated Amino Terminus of Sir3 in Recognition of the Nucleosome Core

ABSTRACT Dot1 methylates histone H3 lysine 79 (H3K79) on the nucleosome core and is involved in Sir protein-mediated silencing. Previous studies suggested that H3K79 methylation within euchromatin prevents nonspecific binding of the Sir proteins, which in turn facilitates binding of the Sir proteins in unmethylated silent chromatin. However, the mechanism by which the Sir protein binding is influenced by this modification is unclear. We performed genome-wide synthetic genetic array (SGA) analysis and identified interactions of DOT1 with SIR1 and POL32. The synthetic growth defects found by SGA analysis were attributed to the loss of mating type identity caused by a synthetic silencing defect. By using epistasis analysis, DOT1, SIR1, and POL32 could be placed in different pathways of silencing. Dot1 shared its silencing phenotypes with the NatA N-terminal acetyltransferase complex and the conserved N-terminal bromo adjacent homology (BAH) domain of Sir3 (a substrate of NatA). We classified all of these as affecting a common silencing process, and we show that mutations in this process lead to nonspecific binding of Sir3 to chromatin. Our results suggest that the BAH domain of Sir3 binds to histone H3K79 and that acetylation of the BAH domain is required for the binding specificity of Sir3 for nucleosomes unmethylated at H3K79.
Mycoplasma-pneumoniae-Induced Thrombotic Thrombocytopenic Purpura

Thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) is a fatal disease characterized by widespread platelet aggregation, hemolytic anemia and fever with renal and neurological involvement. Different factors have been associated with the development of TTP, e.g. infections, pregnancy, chemotherapy, drug therapy and bone marrow transplantation. Recent data imply that all these different causes may induce the disease by decreasing the activity of the plasma von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease resulting in unusually large von Willbrand factor multimers that later on initiate the cascade of TTP. In this communication, we present a unique association between infection with Mycoplasma pneumoniae and TTP. We believe that the emergence of antibodies that cross-react with Mycoplasma and the protease might elucidate in this case the pathogenesis of TTP.
Quantification of the effects of Mandarin dialect differences on the use of norm-referenced speech perception tests

Abstract Objective: Determine the effects of Chinese dialects on results for the Mandarin HINT recorded with a talker speaking Standard Mandarin (Putonghua). Design: Normally-hearing subjects with different dialect exposure histories and usage preferences were administered the Mandarin HINT, and results were compared with published norms. Additional published measures of the intelligibility and mutual intelligibility of Chinese dialects were used to identify dialects for which Putonghua is highly intelligible. Study sample: One sample (N = 19) was exposed to a variety of dialects throughout China during childhood, and used Putonghua as adults. A second sample (N = 22) was exposed to Sichuanhua (the dialect found in Sichuan province) during childhood, and used Sichuanhua as adults. Results: The average difference in SRTs for the Putonghua and Sichuanhua groups was 0.66 dB, with the Sichuanhua group's SRTs slightly higher. Means for neither group fell outside the confidence intervals for the norms. Putonghua is intelligible for 98% of Sichuanhua dialect users, and for over 90% of the users of two-thirds of the remaining Chinese regional dialects. Conclusions: Norm-referenced speech perception tests, such as the Mandarin HINT, can be used with speakers of Chinese regional dialects for whom Putonghua is highly intelligible. Small differences in dialect-specific norms are not clinically significant.
Assessing app quality through expert peer review: A case study from the gray matters study

Health apps focused on inciting behavior change are becoming increasingly popular. Nevertheless, many lack underlying evidence base, scientific credibility and have limited clinical effectiveness. It is therefore important that apps are well-informed, scientifically credible, peer reviewed and evidence based. This paper presents the use of the Mobile App Rating Scale (MARS) to assess the quality of the Grey Matters app, a cross platform app to deliver health education material and track behavior change across multi-domains with the aim of reducing the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. The Gray Matters app shows promising results following reviews from 5 Expert raters, achieving a mean overall MARS score of 4.45 ± 0.14. Future work will involve undertaking of a detailed content analysis of behavior change apps to identify common themes and features which may lead to the successful facilitation of sustained behavior change.
The Effect of Length on the Structural Properties of an Achilles Tendon Graft as Used in Posterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction

Background The clinical outcomes of posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction are varied. No previous studies have investigated the effect of graft length on the structural properties of the graft. Hypothesis Graft length significantly affects the structural properties of posterior cruciate ligament grafts. Study Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Eight Achilles tendon grafts were tested under tensile loads up to 400 N at 3 different lengths: long (75 mm), medium (48 mm), and short (34 mm). These 3 lengths represent midtunnel fixation, inlay fixation, and fixation near the ligament insertions. Results Shortening the graft from both long to medium and from medium to short increased the stiffness by approximately 25%. Long and medium grafts displaced significantly more than medium and short grafts, respectively. Conclusion The effective length of a graft, which is determined by where it is fixed, should be considered an important variable in posterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Primary gastric follicular lymphoma manifesting as a submucosal tumor‐like lesion

Follicular lymphoma occurs rarely in the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Although previous studies have reported cases of follicular lymphoma in the GI tract by using advanced endoscopic imaging, gastric follicular lymphoma presenting as a submucosal tumor (SMT)-like lesion is rarely described.We report a case of primary follicular lymphoma which was resected by endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). A 69-year-old woman underwent gastrointestinal health check-up. Upper GI endoscopy revealed a SMT-like lesion with bridging folds in the greater curvature of the stomach (Fig. 1). Magnified endoscopy with narrow band imaging (ME-NBI) showed a nominal change of microsurface structures and microvessels. Endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) showed the hypoechoic lesion with a lattice-work structure in the mucosal and submucosal layer (Fig. 2a). Histopathology of endoscopic biopsy specimens taken from the lesions showed atypical lymphoid cells, but no neoplastic changes. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) and colonoscopy showed no abnormalities. As EUS indicated that the tumor was localized within the submucosal layer and histopathology from the lesions showed atypical lymphoid cells, ESD was carried out for accurate histopathlogical diagnosis and en bloc resection. En bloc resection was completed without complications. Endoscopic horizontal margin was negative. The resected specimen revealed a dome-shaped tumor measuring 18 mm ¥ 14 mm ¥ 10 mm (Fig. 2b). Microscopic examination showed the follicular structures consisting of medium-sized abnormal lymphoid cells with dense nuclei. Neoplastic cells infiltrated into the submucosal layer, but the vertical margin was negative. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed that the neoplastic cells were positive for CD20 and Bcl-2, but negative for CD3, and hence, she was diagnosed as having gastric follicular lymphoma. We report a rare case of gastric follicular lymphoma manifesting as a SMT. In this case, the accurate diagnosis was difficult by various endoscopic modalities such as EUS and ME-NBI; therefore, ESD was carried out for diagnostic and therapeutic purpose. The exact diagnosis was due to acquisition of sufficient tissue by ESD procedure. We believe that ESD should be considered as one of the minimally invasive diagnostic methods in gastric malignant lymphoma.
A superpipeline approach to the MIPS architecture

The next-generation MIPS CMOS microprocessor, the R4000, uses a technique called superpipelining to achieve a high level of performance. The authors discuss the evolution of the R4000 pipeline from the R3000 pipeline and the reasons why a superpipelined microarchitecture is chosen. First, there are no instruction issue restrictions with the R4000 superpipeline, as there would have been in a superscalar implementation. Various combinations of independent instructions, including ALU (arithmetic logic unit)/ALU and load/load can be executed without any pipeline stalls. The compiler is also simpler and instruction scheduling can be more efficient. Finally, there is no need to replicate functional units, as would be necessary in a superscalar implementation. <<ETX>>
Shape normalization of 3D cell nuclei using elastic spherical mapping

Topological analysis of cells and subcellular structures on the basis of image data, is one of the major trends in modern quantitative biology. However, due to the dynamic nature of cell biology, the optical appearance of different cells or even time‐series of the same cell is undergoing substantial variations in shape and texture, which makes a comparison of shapes and distances across different cells a nontrivial task. In the absence of canonical invariances, a natural approach to the normalization of cells consists of spherical mapping, enabling the analysis of targeted regions in terms of canonical spherical coordinates, that is, radial distances and angles. In this work, we present a physically‐based approach to spherical mapping, which has been applied for topological analysis of multichannel confocal laser scanning microscopy images of human fibroblast nuclei. Our experimental results demonstrate that spherical mapping of entire nuclear domains can automatically be obtained by inverting affine and elastic transformations, performed on a spherical finite element template mesh.
Early Labor Market and Debt Outcomes for Bachelor’s Degree Recipients: Heterogeneity by Institution Type and Major, and Trends Over Time

While research has consistently found strong positive earnings returns to the bachelor’s degree, recent evidence also highlights heterogeneity in post-college outcomes. Combined with increases in the proportions of students borrowing to enroll, heterogeneity in college outcomes introduces the risk that some students with college degrees may experience financial hardship after graduation. Using nationally representative data on baccalaureate recipients in 1993 and 2008, this paper jointly examines labor market and debt outcomes four years after students graduate, with a focus on exploring heterogeneity by institution type and major field of study, as well as trends over time. Results confirm that the typical graduate fares well after college, both in terms of earnings and debt management. Borrowing rates and debt loads have increased substantially over time, but these substantially higher levels of debt are nonetheless manageable for the vast majority of graduates. Within this context of positive outcomes, stratification by institution type, for both earnings and debt outcomes, appears to be increasing. Similarly, while the top-earning majors have remained quite stable over time, the magnitude of the advantage of engineering, math/computer science, and business graduates has grown notably. Examining debt alongside earnings only reinforces the patterns by major: higher earning fields also have lower debt-to-earnings ratios. Overall, these patterns offer reassurance regarding the typical returns to bachelors’ degrees, even for those graduating into the Great Recession, and even in light of growing debt loads. But the results also provide evidence that students’ choices about where to attend and what to study have only become more consequential over time.
Health and Human Rights in Post-Conflict Eastern Burma: Militarization, Risk and Community Responses

Background: Cluster surveys are used to collect population data in humanitarian emergencies. In the last decade many improvements have been suggested for methods for these surveys, but implementers of surveys in conflict areas sometimes make trade-offs between best practices and minimizing security risks for field researchers. This review highlights the evolution of methods of cluster sampling and summarizes cases in the peer-reviewed literature when security precautions may preclude following best practices for sampling. Methods: We identified 34 per-reviewed papers published between 2002 and 2012 that used cluster sampling for surveys in conflict areas. We abstracted data and commentaries on sources of population data, cluster design, design effect, household sampling security protocols, quality control, training, and assessments of confounding. Results: Researchers doing cluster surveys in conflict areas must sometimes alter methods to ensure safety and security of field surveyors. Common alterations are skipping and replacing clusters that are insecure, making fewer attempts to revisit empty households, using fewer field supervisors and making contextual decisions on how best to allocate households to clusters. Several common security protocols are identified.