Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Updates on Surgical Treatment for Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is a common condition that is on the rise. Obesity is one risk factor that has increased in parallel with the rise of GERD. Typical symptoms include heartburn, regurgitation, dysphagia, cough, and chest pain. Patients with typical symptoms are empirically treated with proton pump inhibitors (PPIs). If the diagnosis is not clear, further evaluation is performed with endoscopy, pH monitoring, and esophageal manometry. Untreated GERD increases the risk of esophagitis, esophageal stricture, Barrett’s esophagus, and esophageal adenocarcinoma. Treatment begins with lifestyle modification and medical therapy. If these fail, surgical and endoscopic surgical techniques are available, to provide treatment, symptom relief, and reduce long-term PPI use.
Perspectives on Computation in Plants

Abstract Plants thrive in virtually all natural and human-adapted environments and are becoming popular models for developing robotics systems because of their strategies of morphological and behavioral adaptation. Such adaptation and high plasticity offer new approaches for designing, modeling, and controlling artificial systems acting in unstructured scenarios. At the same time, the development of artifacts based on their working principles reveals how plants promote innovative approaches for preservation and management plans and opens new applications for engineering-driven plant science. Environmentally mediated growth patterns (e.g., tropisms) are clear examples of adaptive behaviors displayed through morphological phenotyping. Plants also create networks with other plants through subterranean roots–fungi symbiosis and use these networks to exchange resources or warning signals. This article discusses the functional behaviors of plants and shows the close similarities with a perceptron-like model that could act as a behavior-based control model in plants. We begin by analyzing communication rules and growth behaviors of plants; we then show how we translated plant behaviors into algorithmic solutions for bioinspired robot controllers; and finally, we discuss how those solutions can be extended to embrace original approaches to networking and robotics control architectures.
Association of Aldosterone with Mortality in the General Population

Abstract Introduction Aldosterone excess is linked to cardiovascular events and mortality as well as to low-grade inflammation in the context of metabolic diseases. Whether mildly elevated aldosterone levels in the general population promote cardiovascular risk is still under debate. We analyzed the association of plasma aldosterone concentrations with incident cardiovascular events, cardiovascular and all-cause mortality as well as with biomarkers of subclinical inflammation in the population-based KORA F4 study. Methods Plasma aldosterone concentrations were measured with an in-house immunoflurometric assay. The analyses included 2935 participants (n=1076 for selected biomarkers of subclinical inflammation) with a median follow-up of 8.7 (8.2; 9.1) years. The associations were estimated using Cox proportional hazard and linear regression models adjusted for renin, sex, age, body mass index, arterial hypertension, diabetes, estimated glomerular filtration rate, low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, physical activity, smoking, use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta-blockers, diuretics and calcium channel blockers. Results Aldosterone was significantly associated with all-cause mortality (hazard ratio per standard deviation increase: 1.20; 95% confidence interval 1.04–1.37), but not with cardiovascular mortality, incident cardiovascular events, or with biomarkers of subclinical inflammation. Conclusions Aldosterone was associated with all-cause mortality in the population-based KORA F4 study, but the previously described associations of excess aldosterone with cardiovascular complications and biomarkers of subclinical inflammation could not be shown.
Uniform asymptotic controllability to a set implies locally Lipschitz control-Lyapunov function

We show that uniform global asymptotic controllability to a closed (not necessarily compact) set for a locally Lipschitz nonlinear control system implies the existence of a locally Lipschitz control-Lyapunov function (CLF), and from this CLF we construct a feedback that is robust to measurement noise.
Model reference FTC for LPV systems using virtual actuators and set‐membership fault estimation

In this paper, a model reference fault tolerant control (FTC) strategy based on a reconfiguration of the reference model, with the addition of a virtual actuator block, is presented for linear parameter varying (LPV) systems. The advantage of the proposed FTC method is that the control system is reconfigured in such a way that the nominal controller is used without the need of retuning it. Moreover, the presence of saturations is taken into account through their incorporation in the reference model, and the introduction of additional varying parameters, such that the system exhibits some graceful performance degradation when the system could not achieve the desired state because of the actuator limits. The design of the control scheme is based on linear matrix inequalities (LMIs) and polytopic LPV techniques. In order to implement the proposed active FTC strategy, a fault estimation is required. In this paper, the fault estimation is formulated as a parameter estimation problem, which is solved using a set‐membership approach. An aeronautical application is used to assess the performance of the proposed approach. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Risk Factors for Major Cardiovascular Events in Adult Sepsis Survivors: A Population-Based Cohort Study*

OBJECTIVES: To describe risk factors for major cardiovascular events in adults following hospital discharge after sepsis. DESIGN: Population-based cohort study. SETTING: Ontario, Canada (2008–2017). PATIENTS: Adult patients (age 18 yr or older) who survived a first sepsis hospitalization without preexisting cardiovascular disease. INTERVENTIONS: None. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: The primary composite outcome was myocardial infarction, stroke, or cardiovascular death up to 5 years following hospital discharge. We used cause-specific Cox proportional hazards models that accounted for the competing risk of noncardiovascular death to describe factors associated with major cardiovascular events. We identified 268,259 adult patients without cardiovascular disease (median age, 72 yr), of whom 10.4% experienced a major cardiovascular event during a median follow-up of 3 years. After multivariable adjustment, age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.53 for every 10 yr; 95% CI, 1.51–1.54), male sex (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.20–1.26), diabetes mellitus (HR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.21–1.27), hypertension (HR, 1.34; 95% CI, 1.30–1.38), prevalent atrial fibrillation (HR, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.40–1.52), and chronic kidney disease (HR, 1.11; 95% CI, 1.06–1.16) were associated with major cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up. Sepsis characteristics such as site of infection (pneumonia vs other: HR, 1.09; 95% CI, 1.05–1.12), septic shock (HR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.05–1.11), and renal replacement therapy (HR, 1.51; 95% CI, 1.38–1.64) were also associated with subsequent cardiovascular events. In an analysis restricting to patients with troponin values measured during the hospitalization (26,400 patients), an elevated troponin was also associated with subsequent cardiovascular events (HR, 1.23; 95% CI, 1.13–1.33). CONCLUSIONS: Classic cardiovascular risk factors, comorbid conditions, and characteristics of the sepsis episode were associated with a higher hazard of major cardiovascular events in adult sepsis survivors. These findings may inform enrichment strategies for future studies.
Effect of Exercise and Detraining on Signs of Puberty and Selected Inflammatory Markers in Girls with Precocious Puberty

ABSTRACT Purpose We examined the effects of aerobic exercise and detraining on adiponectin, resistin, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), white blood cell, and pubertal signs (uterine length, ovarian volume, luteinizing hormone [LH], and follicle-stimulating hormone [FSH]) in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP). Methods Thirty girls with CPP (7–9 yr old) were randomly divided into CPP and CPP + Exercise (EX) groups. Fifteen healthy age-matched girls without precocious puberty participated for comparison with CPP. Subjects in the CPP + EX group attended 12 wk of aerobic exercise protocol three sessions a week. In the baseline, after completing the exercise protocol and after 4 wk of detraining, all the parameters were measured. In the CPP and healthy groups, all the parameters were measured in all three stages. To measure adiponectin, resistin, and TNF-α, the ELISA method was used. LH and FSH were measured by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. White blood cell counts were analyzed by an automated blood cell counter. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to analyze the results. Results CPP girls have lower adiponectin (P = 0.01) and higher TNF-α levels (P = 0.001) than healthy girls. In the CPP + EX group, after 12 wk, body weight and fat mass decreased, and adiponectin increased significantly (P = 0.02). Resistin (P = 0.02), TNF-α (P = 0.02), neutrophils (P = 0.01), and signs of puberty significantly (P < 0.05) decreased. After detraining, no significant change was observed except TNF-α, which increased significantly (P = 0.03). In the CPP group, no significant change was observed in any of the parameters; only LH (P = 0.0001) and uterine length and ovarian volume (P = 0.003, P = 0.001) decreased after 12 and 16 wk, respectively. Conclusions Aerobic exercise can have a positive effect on the state of inflammation and pubertal signs. Positive effects remain after 4 wk of detraining.
A multilevel formulation of the finite-element method for electromagnetic scattering

Multigrid techniques for three-dimensional (3-D) electromagnetic scattering problems are presented. The numerical representation of the physical problem is accomplished via a finite-element discretization, with nodal basis functions. A total magnetic field formulation with a vector absorbing boundary condition (ABC) is used. The principal features of the multilevel technique are outlined. The basic multigrid algorithms are described and estimations of their computational requirements are derived. The multilevel code is tested with several scattering problems for which analytical solutions exist. The obtained results clearly indicate the stability, accuracy, and efficiency of the multigrid method.
Ten‐year longitudinal changes in muscle power, force, and velocity in young, middle‐aged, and older adults

Maximum muscle power (Pmax) is a biomarker of physical performance in all ages. No longitudinal studies have assessed the effects of aging on Pmax obtained from the torque‐velocity (T‐V) relationship, which should be considered the ‘gold standard’. This study evaluated the longitudinal changes in the T‐V relationship and Pmax of the knee‐extensor muscles in young, middle‐aged, and older adults after 10 years of follow‐up.
Structural Inequity and Socioeconomic Status Link to Osteoporosis Diagnosis in a Population-Based Cohort of Middle-Older-Age Americans

Socioeconomic status (SES) is an important social determinant of health inequities that has been linked to chronic conditions, including osteoporosis, but research tends to focus on socioeconomic disadvantage rather than how socioeconomic advantage may facilitate these inequities. This study accounts for structural inequities and assesses the relationship between early-life and later-life SES, and risk of osteoporosis diagnosis. Data come from the nationally representative, population-based cohort Health and Retirement Study and include individuals ages 50 to 90. The outcome variable is osteoporosis diagnosis. Logistic regression models of the relationship between SES and osteoporosis diagnosis are estimated, accounting for demographic, health, and childhood variables. Higher levels of childhood and adult SES link to lower odds of osteoporosis diagnosis. Structural inequities in income and underdiagnosis of osteoporosis among persons identifying as Black/African American were detected. Accounting for bone density scan access, inequities in osteoporosis diagnosis appear to stem from barriers to accessing health care due to financial constraints. The important role of SES and evidence of structural inequities leading to underdiagnosis suggest the critical importance of clinicians receiving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion training to reduce health inequities.
Perpendicular magnetic recording focused on the origin and its significance

The speculations and discoveries that guided the beginning of perpendicular magnetic recording are described in this paper. Four important discoveries of the existence of perpendicular magnetization, the Co-Cr film, the effect of double-layered medium, and the complementary relationship are described in detail. The studies on thin-film media and recording mechanisms at short wavelengths in the 1960s led to the realization of the new perpendicular magnetic recording through these discoveries. None of this work was on any list of research goals in the 1960s. The historical view of the development of magnetic recording is also discussed. It was deduced that an invention needs more than 20 years before its worldwide application and that major technological innovations take place with a period of about 40 years.
Evaluation of questions in general chemistry textbooks according to the form of the questions and the Question-Answer Relationship (QAR): the case of intra- and intermolecular chemical bonding

One way of checking tο what extent instructional textbooks achieve their aim is to evaluate the questions they contain. In this work, we analyze the questions that are included in the chapters on chemical bonding of ten general chemistry textbooks. We study separately the questions on intra- and on intermolecular bonding, with the former outnumbering the latter by far. Two aspects of the questions are examined: their form (closed or open type, including their various forms), and the kind of knowledge they test (declarative or procedural knowledge). Questions were further partitioned into four categories, following Pearson and Johnson's and Raphael's schemes of Question-Answer Relationship (QAR) in which: (1) text-centered questions are divided into (a) 'precisely there', and (b) 'think and search'; and (2) cognition-centered questions that are divided into 'you and the author' and 'on your own'. The following conclusions were drawn: closed-type questions outnumber by far the open-type ones, and are mainly of the 'short answer' category; the majority test for declarative knowledge, with fewer questions testing for procedural knowledge; there was complete lack of metacognitive questions; no questions were found that deal with relevant experimental processes. Implications for textbook authors and teachers are discussed.
Fully Developed Couette Flow of Three Fluids With Variable Thermophysical Properties Flowing Through a Porous Medium Channel Heated Asymmetrically With Large Temperature Differences

In this paper, we study the steady laminar flow in a fluid-saturated porous medium channel bounded by two parallel plates with constant but unequal temperatures. One plate is moving with constant velocity while the other is stationary. For the porous medium, the Brinkman-Darcy-Forchheimer model is used. The investigation concerns engine oil, water, and air, taking into account the variation of their physical properties with temperature. The results are obtained with the direct numerical solution of the governing equations and cover large temperature differences. It is found that dynamic viscosity plays an important role on the results, which depart significantly from those of a fluid with constant properties when the temperature difference between the plates is large. Except that there are cases where the flow is restricted near the moving plate while at the lower part of the channel, the fluid is motionless.
On the accuracy of Haar-based multiresolution time-domain schemes

We discuss in this paper the numerical accuracy of multiresolution time-domain (MRTD) schemes based on Haar scaling functions and wavelets. It has been noted that when the first resolution of wavelets is included in the schemes, the discrete difference equations arising from the Maxwell's system do not couple the scaling and wavelet coefficients except at boundary and excitation points. This fact is proved to be a serious drawback, since both a dispersion analysis and numerical tests for terminated and nonterminated schemes show that the addition of wavelets does not improve significantly the numerical accuracy of the underlying coarse-grid FDTD scheme.
Fundamentals and limits for the EUV emission of pinch plasma sources for EUV lithography

Future extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography will require high radiation intensities at a wavelength around 13.5 nm. The limits of emission in this spectral range from discharge based plasmas are discussed theoretically. The discussion is based on a simple MHD approach for a xenon plasma discharge and atomic data from the ADAS software package for radiative transitions, excitation and ionization of different ionization levels. Discharge parameters are chosen for the Philips' hollow cathode triggered pinch plasma. The calculations show that the 13.5 nm emission originates only from of Xe10+ ions and is optically thin. Ideally, the conversion efficiency is expected to scale linearly with the electron density in this case. The MHD calculations, however, show a lower increase with density. The loss channels leading to this behaviour, like leakage currents, will be discussed in detail. The identification of these losses allow, on the other hand, for a systematic improvement of the electrode system and the electrical circuit. In addition, theoretical emission spectra of xenon and tin as the most promising emitters around 13.5 nm will be compared with respect to the possible optimization potential of spectral emission characteristics.
Spectral decomposition in anisotropic liquids

The spectral approach to the Maxwell liquids with arbitrary anisotropy is presented. It is based on the spectral decomposition of viscosity and relaxation time tensors. In this way the general structure of anisotropic viscoelasticity becomes quite transparent. Special cases of viscous and relaxation spectra are considered. They reduce the number of independent viscoelastic parameters. The viscoelastic orientation dynamics is also discussed. The symmetry and thermodynamic analysis show that the nematic viscoelasticity of Maxwell type is characterized by the second-order director equation. This equation gives the correct results in viscous and elastic limits. The spectral theory of soft (zero-energy) viscoelastic eigenmodes is developed. They have predicted for complex anisotropic liquids. The present structure-continual theory of anisotropic liquids can be applied for analyzing flows of LC polymer systems and polymer suspensions with particles of arbitrary shape.
SOP Herzkatheterlabor

In Deutschland werden jedes Jahr rund 750000 Herzkatheteruntersuchungen durchgeführt [1]. Etwa 60% dieser Untersuchungen sind diagnostische und 40% interventionelle Eingriffe. Die im Deutschen Herzbericht aufgeführte Komplikationsrate liegt zwischen 0,4 und 1,6%. Notfalleingriffe bei akutem Koronarsyndrom haben ein 5-fach höheres Komplikationsrisiko als elektive Untersuchungen. Die Krankenhausmortalität bei Elektivpatienten liegt entsprechend unter 0,7%, während bis zu 4,5% der Patienten mit akutem Koronarsyndrom versterben.
Knotting statistics after a local strand passage in unknotted self-avoiding polygons in Z3

We study here a model for a strand passage in a ring polymer about a randomly chosen location at which two strands of the polymer have been brought \close" together. The model is based on -SAPs, which are unknotted self-avoiding polygons in Z3 that contain a xed structure that forces two segments of the polygon close together. To study this model, the Composite Markov Chain Monte Carlo (CMCMC) algorithm, referred to as the CMC -BFACF algorithm, that I developed and proved to be ergodic for unknotted -SAPs in my M. Sc. Thesis [150], is used. Ten simulations (each consisting of 9:6 1010 time steps) are performed and the results from a statistical analysis of the simulated data are presented. To this end, a new maximum likelihood method, based on previous work of Berretti and Sokal [7], is developed for obtaining maximum likelihood estimates for the growth constants and critical exponents associated with the numbers of unknotted (2n)-edge SAPs, p n ( ); unknotted (2n)-edge successful-strand-passage -SAPs, p n ( ; s); unknotted (2n)-edge failed-strand-passage -SAPs, p n ( ; f); and after-strand-passage knot-type-K unknotted successful-strand-passage -SAPs, p n (Kj ; s). The maximum likelihood estimates are consistent with the result (proved here) that these growth constants are all equal, and provide evidence that the critical exponents are all equal. We then investigate the question, \Given that a successful local strand passage occurs at a random location in a (2n)-edge, knot-type K -SAP, with what probability will the -SAP have knot-type K 0 after the strand passage? ". To this end, the CMCMC data is used to obtain estimates for 1 p n ( j ; s)=(p n ( ; s), the probability of knotting given a (2n)-edge successful-strand-passage -SAP, and p n (Kj ; s)=p n ( ; s), the probability of an after-strand-passage knot-type K polygon given a (2n)-edge unknotted successful-strandpassage -SAP. The computed estimates numerically support the unproven conjecture that these probabilities, in the n! 1 limit, go to a value lying strictly between 0 and 1. We further prove here that the rate of approach to each of these limits (should the limits exist) is less than exponential. We conclude with a study of whether or not there is a di erence in the \size" of an unknotted successful-strand-passage -SAP whose after-strand-passage knot-type is K when compared to the \size" of an unknotted -SAP whose knot-type does not change after a strand passage. The two measures of \size" used are the expected lengths of, and the expected mean-square radius of gyration of, subsets of -SAPs. How these two measures of \size" behave as a function of a polygon's length and after-strand-passage knot-type is investigated.
Modeling of internal reflections and diffraction in SAW transducers

A method for the combined simulation of electrode reflections and diffraction in surface acoustic wave (SAW) filters is presented. The electrode reflections are modeled with a mixed nodal impedance/scattering paramenter (MNS) formalism which is based on a P-matrix analysis. Field-shorting and mass-loading reflections as well as end effects are taken into account. The results of this calculation are used to define frequency- and position-dependent excitation strengths for the sources within the transducer. These source strengths are used in an extended angular-spectrum-of-waves model. The improved accuracy of this approach is demonstrated for a broadband delay line and a bandpass filter. <<ETX>>