Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Myocardial Injury After Noncardiac Surgery in Major General Surgical Patients a Prospective Observational Cohort Study

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the prognostic relevance, clinical characteristics, and 30-day outcomes associated with myocardial injury after noncardiac surgery (MINS) in major general surgery patients. Background: MINS has been independently associated with 30-day mortality after noncardiac surgery. The characteristics and prognostic importance of MINS in major general surgical patients have not been described. Methods: This was an international prospective cohort study of a representative sample of 22,552 noncardiac surgery patients 45 years or older, of whom 4490 underwent major general surgery in 24 centers in 13 countries. All patients had fifth-generation plasma high-sensitivity troponin T (hsTnT) concentrations measured during the first 3 postoperative days. MINS was defined as a hsTnT of 20–65 ng/L and absolute change >5 ng/L or hsTnT ≥65 ng/L secondary to ischemia. The objectives of the present study were to determine (1) whether MINS is prognostically important in major general surgical patients, (2) the clinical characteristics of major general surgical patients with and without MINS, (3) the 30-day outcomes for major general surgical patients with and without MINS, and (4) the proportion of MINS that would have gone undetected without routine postoperative monitoring. Results: The incidence of MINS in the major general surgical patients was 16.3% (95% CI, 15.3–17.4%). Thirty-day all-cause mortality in the major general surgical cohort was 6.8% (95% CI, 5.1%–8.9%) in patients with MINS compared with 1.2% (95% CI, 0.9%–1.6%) in patients without MINS (P<0.01). MINS was independently associated with 30-day mortality in major general surgical patients (adjusted odds ratio 4.7, 95% CI, 3.0–7.4). The 30-day mortality was higher both among MINS patients with no ischemic features (ie, no ischemic symptoms or electrocardiogram findings) (5.4%, 95% CI, 3.7%–7.7%) and among patients with 1 or more clinical ischemic features (10.6%, 95% CI, 6.7%–15.8%). The proportion of major general surgical patients who had MINS without ischemic symptoms was 89.9% (95% CI, 87.5–92.0). Conclusions: Approximately 1 in 6 patients experienced MINS after major general surgery. MINS was independently associated with a nearly 5-fold increase in 30-day mortality. The vast majority of patients with MINS were asymptomatic and would have gone undetected without routine postoperative troponin measurement.
Parametrisation of a Maxwell model for transient tyre forces by means of an extended firefly algorithm

Developing functions for advanced driver assistance systems requires very accurate tyre models, especially for the simulation of transient conditions. In the past, parametrisation of a given tyre model based on measurement data showed shortcomings, and the globally optimal solution obtained did not appear to be plausible. In this article, an optimisation strategy is presented, which is able to find plausible and physically feasible solutions by detecting many local outcomes. The firefly algorithm mimics the natural behaviour of fireflies, which use a kind of flashing light to communicate with other members. An algorithm simulating the intensity of the light of a single firefly, diminishing with increasing distances, is implicitly able to detect local solutions on its way to the best solution in the search space. This implicit clustering feature is stressed by an additional explicit clustering step, where local solutions are stored and terminally processed to obtain a large number of possible solutions. The enhanced firefly algorithm will be first applied to the well-known Rastrigin functions and then to the tyre parametrisation problem. It is shown that the firefly algorithm is qualified to find a high number of optimisation solutions, which is required for plausible parametrisation for the given tyre model.
Correcting the bias of the Root Mean Squared Error of Approximation under missing data

Missing data are ubiquitous in psychological research. They may come about as an unwanted result of coding or computer error, participants' non-response or absence, or missing values may be intentional, as in planned missing designs. We discuss the effects of missing data on χ²-based goodness-of-fit indices in Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), specifically on the Root Mean Squared Error of Approximation (RMSEA). We use simulations to show that naive implementations of the RMSEA have a downward bias in the presence of missing data and, thus, overestimate model goodness-of-fit. Unfortunately, many state-of-the-art software packages report the biased form of RMSEA. As a consequence, the scientific community may have been accepting a much larger fraction of models with non-acceptable model fit. We propose a bias-correction for the RMSEA based on information-theoretic considerations that take into account the expected misfit of a person with fully observed data. The corrected RMSEA is asymptotically independent of the proportion of missing data for misspecified models. Importantly, results of the corrected RMSEA computation are identical to naive RMSEA if there are no missing data.
Two-Dimensional Nonlinear Reaction Diffusion Equation with Time Efficient Scheme

This research paper represents a numerical approximation to non-linear two-dimensional reaction diffusion equation from population genetics. Since various initial and boundary value problems exist in two-dimensional reaction-diffusion, phenomena are studied numerically by different numerical methods, here we use finite difference schemes to approximate the solution. Accuracy is studied in term of L2, L∞ and relative error norms by random selected grids along time levels for comparison with exact results. The test example demonstrates the accuracy, efficiency and versatility of the proposed schemes. It is shown that the numerical schemes give better solutions. Moreover, the schemes can be easily applied to a wide class of higher dimension nonlinear reaction diffusion equations with a little modification.
Exploring sex differences for acute ischemic stroke clinical, imaging and thrombus characteristics in the INTERRSeCT study

Women, especially following menopause, are known to have worse outcomes following acute ischemic stroke. One primary postulated biological mechanism for worse outcomes in older women is a reduction in the vasculoprotective effects of estrogen. Using the INTERRseCT cohort, a multicentre international observational cohort studying recanalization in acute ischemic stroke, we explored the effects of sex, and modifying effects of age, on neuroradiological predictors of recanalization including robustness of leptomeningeal collaterals, thrombus burden and thrombus permeability. Ordinal regression analyses were used to examine the relationship between sex and each of the neuroradiological markers. Further, we explored both multiplicative and additive interactions between age and sex. All patients (n = 575) from INTERRseCT were included. Mean age was 70.2 years (SD: 13.1) and 48.5% were women. In the unadjusted model, female sex was associated with better collaterals (OR 1.37, 95% CIs: 1.01–1.85), however this relationship was not significant after adjusting for age and relevant comorbidities. There were no significant interactions between age and sex. In a large prospective international cohort, we found no association between sex and radiological predictors of recanalization including leptomeningeal collaterals, thrombus permeability and thrombus burden.
D.STVL.9 - Ongoing Research Areas in Symmetric Cryptography

This report gives a brief summary of some of the research trends in symmetric cryptography at the time of writing (2008). The following aspects of symmetric cryptography are investigated in this report: • the status of work with regards to different types of symmetric algorithms, including block ciphers, stream ciphers, hash functions and MAC algorithms (Section 1); • the algebraic attacks on symmetric primitives (Section 2); • the design criteria for symmetric ciphers (Section 3); • the provable properties of symmetric primitives (Section 4); • the major industrial needs in the area of symmetric cryptography (Section 5).
Meteorological measurements to characterize atmospheric turbulence variation

Infrared (IR) propagation through the atmosphere is strongly affected by atmospheric turbulence. To correctly model IR propagation, this turbulence must be well characterized and understood. To that end, this paper presents propagation measurements, including detailed meteorological measurements, which have been made over water along a 16 km propagation path. Variation in meteorological parameters, specifically air temperature, will be studied to determine their effect on measurement parameters. Additionally, Cn2 (refractive structure parameter) measurements were taken in the Mid-Wave Infrared (MWIR) band. A preliminary comparison of measured values to modeled results from IRBLEM (IR Boundary Layer Effects Model) will be presented. The goal of these comparisons is to determine optimum measurement practices and determine the variation in Cn2 given the measured variation in meteorological parameters along the propagation path. Significant work has been done by others to measure and model turbulence and the effects on IR propagation. This paper will contribute to that work by providing an especially well characterized 16 km propagation path along with MWIR Cn2 measurements.
A Population‐Based Registry Study of Extended Bisphosphonate Use: Minimal Shift After Landmark Publications About Shorter Treatment Duration

Optimal duration of bisphosphonate therapy was unknown until the FLEX study was published in 2006 showing a 5‐year course to be adequate for most women. In 2008, a link between long‐term bisphosphonate and atypical femoral fractures was reported and confirmed in later studies. We hypothesized these landmark observations should have led to a decrease in use of bisphosphonates for >5 or 10 years, from 2010 onward. The Manitoba Bone Mineral Density (BMD) Registry with linkage to provincial pharmacy data was used to determine the percentage of long‐ and very long‐term bisphosphonate users from therapy start. The cohort comprised women aged >50 years with BMD between 1995 and 2018 with oral bisphosphonate first prescribed for >90 days with adherence >75% in the first year. For each calendar year of continued therapy, the percentage of patients and medication possession rate was tabulated. The percentage of users beyond 5 years was compared among patients who started therapy in 1998–2004 (those taking 5 years of therapy still finish before 2010) versus 2005–2012 (all new therapy starts overlap 2010 in those taking ≥5 years of treatment). The cohort included 2991 women with mean follow‐up 8.8 (1.3) years, 64.9% of whom took continuous oral bisphosphonate for >5 years and 41.9% for >10 years. In the earlier versus later era, there were 74.4% versus 70.2% who completed 5 years. With respect to longer treatment, there were 68.0% and 60.5% of patients treated for 6 or more years (p < 0.0001) and 46.6% versus 33.5% treated for >10 years (p = 0.08). Medication possession rate was >79% in every year of therapy. Landmark studies leading to more limited bisphosphonate courses may have slightly reduced longer‐term treatment, but up to one‐third of adherent patients in the modern era still receive continuous bisphosphonate therapy for >10 years. © 2023 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research (ASBMR).
A commentary on ‘Application of machine learning in surgery research: current uses and future directions – editorial’

The editorial viewpoints by Sah et al . [1] should raise wide-spread concerns among surgical professionals. In addition, we highlight more potential of machine learning (ML) in applying surgery research. In the era of big data, the plethora of efforts toward gathering and analyzing patient data on a large scale is rapidly increasing. ML algorithms can assist surgeons in preoperative planning by analyzing a patient ’ s medical history, imaging data, and other relevant information. It can assess surgical risk more accurately and comprehensively than traditional methods. By exploring vast datasets encompassing various patient factors, such as demo-graphics, comorbidities, and previous surgical outcomes, ML can identify patterns and risk factors that may not be evident to human observers. This information can aid surgeons in determining the optimal surgical approach, selecting appropriate interventions, and effectively managing patient risks accordingly.
Socioeconomic Characteristics, Lifestyle Behaviors, and Health Conditions Among Males of Reproductive Age With and Without Disabilities, NHANES 2013–2018

Health status during the reproductive years influences fecundity, fertility, and the future health of males and their offspring. There remains a dearth of literature examining men’s preconception health, especially among high-risk populations, such as those with disabilities. The objective of this study was to examine indicators of preconception health, including chronic medical conditions, lifestyle behaviors, and health care utilization, among males of reproductive age with and without disabilities in the United States. Data were from 3,702 males of reproductive age (18–44 years) who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 2013–2018. Approximately 14% of males reported having at least one disability related to vision, hearing, cognition, mobility, self-care, or independent living. Among all men, suboptimal preconception health indicators were prevalent including poor or fair self-rated health; low education and household income status; lack of health insurance and no recent utilization of health care and dental care; cigarette smoking; frequent alcohol consumption and binge drinking; marijuana and illegal drug use; obesity; low fruit and vegetable intake and no multi-vitamin use; low physical activity; short sleep durations; depressive symptoms; and hypertension and asthma. Compared to males with no disabilities, males with any disabilities were more likely to have suboptimal preconception health indicators. Strategies to promote and improve sexual health, preconception care, and family planning services among all men are needed. For males with disabilities, specifically, further investigation of their specific health needs related to sex, reproduction, family planning, and fatherhood, as well as interactions with health care providers, is required.
Experimental and molecular support for Cfap70 as a causative gene of ‘multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella’ with male infertility

Abstract Multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella, a severe form of asthenozoospermia, can lead to male infertility. Recent studies have implicated an association between human CFAP70 deficiency and multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella; however, the underlying biological mechanism and supporting experimental evidence in animal models remain unclear. To address this gap, we used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to generate Cfap70-deficient mice to investigate the relationship between Cfap70 deficiency and multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella. Our findings show that the loss of CFAP70 leads to multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella and spermiogenesis defects. Specifically, the lack of CFAP70 impairs sperm flagellum biogenesis and head shaping during spermiogenesis. Late-step spermatids from Cfap70-deficient mouse testis exhibited club-shaped sperm heads and abnormal disassembly of the manchette. Furthermore, we found that CFAP70 interacts with DNAI1 and DNAI2; Cfap70 deficiency also reduces the level of AKAP3 in sperm flagella, indicating that CFAP70 may participate in the flagellum assembly and transport of flagellar components. These findings provide compelling evidence implicating Cfap70 as a causative gene of multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella and highlight the consequences of CFAP70 loss on flagellum biogenesis. Summary Sentence We demonstrate Cfap70 as a causative gene of multiple morphological abnormalities of the flagella in mice, and the loss of CFAP70 results in abnormal sperm flagellum biogenesis by affecting the assembly and transport of flagellar components. Graphical Abstract
Creating a Quality Culture through Organizational Change: A Case Analysis

Previous works on the implementation of strategic objectives have neglected to consider the critical role of quality management. Beginning with the assumption that the role of quality is instrumental to the successful implementation of any form of generic strategy, a conceptual model of quality management is developed through a set of case studies with 13 North American and European Fortune 500 companies. The results suggest that firms that have experienced greater global competition in earlier years have implemented Total Quality Management (TQM) initiatives earlier, and their programs are subsequently more advanced. Firms with advanced TQM implementation have made significant infrastructural changes within their organizations, and have also embraced the principles of continuous improvement as a critical component of their corporate culture. Moreover, quality has developed into a cultural artifact with an associated language and history that provides an integrating mechanism linking a firm's value-adding activities.
Management of influenza – updated Swedish guidelines for antiviral treatment

Abstract Influenza causes seasonal epidemics of respiratory infection in all parts of the world. Manifestations of influenza range from mild upper to severe lower respiratory tract infection. Medical risk groups are defined by factors predisposing for development of severe disease and are recommended annual vaccination as a protective measure. The previous Swedish treatment guidelines for influenza were issued in 2011, and a review of current evidence was deemed relevant. An important reason to revisit the guidelines is the recent approval of a novel drug for influenza treatment, baloxavir. Updated Swedish evidence-based guidelines created by a group of experts from various research areas, for the management of influenza are presented here. The work has been made in collaboration with the Public Health Agency of Sweden and the Swedish Reference Group for AntiViral therapy (RAV). The updated guidelines include guidelines for diagnostics, treatment and prophylaxis in special groups, including management of pregnant women and children with influenza. A new section about infection control has been added. Pharmacological treatment is covered in detail with regards to indication and dosage. Additionally, drug resistance and environmental aspects are discussed.
Gβγ subunit signalling underlies neuropeptide Y‐stimulated vasoconstriction in rat mesenteric and coronary arteries

Raised serum concentrations of the sympathetic co‐transmitter neuropeptide Y (NPY) are linked to cardiovascular diseases. However, the signalling mechanism for vascular smooth muscle (VSM) constriction to NPY is poorly understood. Therefore, the present study investigated the mechanisms of NPY‐induced vasoconstriction in rat small mesenteric (RMA) and coronary (RCA) arteries.
Early Identification and Management of Cervical Impairments in Pediatric Patients With Concussion May Reduce Risk of Delayed Recovery

Objective: Previous research, including high-quality systematic reviews, has found that cervical injury, which often accompanies concussive head injury, can delay recovery from concussion. One pilot randomized controlled trial found that focused cervical assessment and appropriate intervention in children and young adults with persisting postconcussive symptoms (PPCS) improved recovery outcomes. Our sports medicine clinics adopted this approach early (within 2 weeks) in children (aged 10-18 years) after concussion. This study describes our clinical management protocol and compares the recovery trajectories in children after concussion with and without a concomitant cervical injury. Design: Prospective cohort study. Setting: Three university-affiliated outpatient sports medicine clinics from September 2016 to December 2019. Patients: One-hundred thirty-four concussed children with cervical impairment (mean age 14.9 years, 65% male, and 6.2 days since concussion) were compared with 130 concussed children without cervical impairment (mean age 14.9 years, 57% male, and 6.0 days since concussion). Independent Variables: Examination findings related to the cervical spine (range of motion, cervical spasm, and cervical tenderness). Main Outcome Measures: Recovery time (measured in days), concussion symptom burden (Postconcussion Symptom Scale), and incidence of PPCS. Results: Children with cervical impairment reported a higher initial symptom burden; however, there were no differences in recovery time (33.65 [28.20-39.09] days vs 35.98 [27.50-44.45] days, P = 0.651) or incidence of PPCS (40.0% vs 34.3%, P = 0.340). Conclusions: We conclude that within this pediatric population, early identification and management of cervical injuries concomitant with concussion may reduce the risk of delayed recovery.
Whole-genome sequence of an Aspergillus parasiticus strain isolated from Kenyan soil

ABSTRACT Aspergillus parasiticus is an important aflatoxigenic fungus, frequently found in soil samples. Here, we report the sequencing of A. parasiticus strain MRI410 using Illumina MiSeq and Oxford Nanopore platforms. This strain was isolated from soil of a Kenyan maize field.
Disfigured Faces Depicted in Modern Visual Media

According to the German sociologist Georg Simmel, of all the parts of the body, the face has the highest degree of inner unity. This study aimed to analyze the depictions of disfigured faces in modern visual media (movie films). The keywords “disfigured-face” and “disfigured-face character” were searched on Google. Based on that information, 57 films were searched on IMDB and TMDB, as movie databases. Six films where the IMDB and TMDB overlapped were omitted, and 6 films not directly related to the concept of “disfigured face” were excluded. All animated movies were replaced with the original movies. Then, 45 valid films were finally selected, and 48 characters with disfigured faces were analyzed. Among 48 disfigured faces, 26 were in male characters and 22 were in female characters. Among the 48 disfigured faces, 30 (62.5%) did not improve and 18 (37.5%) improved. Characters who underwent facial deformity correction surgery were 56 times more likely to improve than those who did not. Characters whose facial disfiguration improved were 7.85 times more likely to have a happy ending than those who did not. Among the methods that the characters with disfigured faces used in attempts to overcome their deformity, surgery had the highest success rate. Although surgery is not perfect, the reality is that there are no other alternatives. The results of our film analysis study, which showed plastic surgery can improve the face and improve quality of life, can be seen as realistic and statistically significant.