Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
HIV prevalence and predictors of infection in sex-trafficked Nepalese girls and women.

CONTEXT Sex trafficking of girls and women is widespread across South Asia and is recognized as both a violent gender-based crime and major human rights violation. Inadequate empirical data exist to characterize this phenomenon and its related health consequences, such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of HIV infection among repatriated sex-trafficked Nepalese girls and women and to identify trafficking-related predictors of such infection. DESIGN Medical and case records of 287 repatriated girls and women reporting being trafficked from Nepal for sexual exploitation and receiving rehabilitative services between January 1997 and December 2005 at a major nongovernmental organization were systematically reviewed in January 2006. SETTING Major Nepalese nongovernmental organization providing shelter and care to repatriated survivors of sex trafficking. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Prevalence of and risk for HIV based on demographic characteristics and on trafficking- and prostitution-related experiences. RESULTS Among 287 repatriated Nepalese sex-trafficked girls and women, 109 (38.0%) tested positive for HIV. Among those with complete documentation of trafficking experiences (n = 225), median age at time of trafficking was 17.0 years, with 33 (14.7%) trafficked prior to age 15 years. Compared with those trafficked at 18 years or older, girls trafficked prior to age 15 years were at increased risk for HIV (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 3.70; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.32-10.34), with 20 of 33 (60.6%) infected among this youngest age group. Additional factors associated with HIV positivity included being trafficked to Mumbai (AOR, 4.85; 95% CI, 2.16-10.89) and longer duration of forced prostitution (AOR, 1.02; 95% CI, 1.01-1.03; indicating increased risk per additional month of brothel servitude). In post hoc analyses, girls trafficked prior to age 15 years had increased odds of having been detained in multiple brothels (odds ratio [OR], 5.03; 95% CI, 1.96-12.93) and in brothels for a duration of 1 year or more (OR, 2.67; 95% CI, 1.12-6.33) vs those trafficked at 18 years or older. CONCLUSIONS In this study, repatriated Nepalese sex-trafficked girls and women were found to have a high prevalence of HIV infection, with increased risk among those trafficked prior to age 15 years. Present findings demonstrate the need for greater attention to reducing and intervening in sex trafficking in South Asia, particularly among the very young.
Assessing Measurement Invariance in Cross-National Consumer Research

Assessing the applicability of frameworks developed in one country to other countries is an important step in establishing the generalizability of consumer behavior theories. In order for such comparisons to be meaningful, however, the instruments used to measure the theoretical constructs of interest have to exhibit adequate cross-national equivalence. We review the various forms of measurement invariance that have been proposed in the literature, organize them into a coherent conceptual framework that ties different requirements of measure equivalence to the goals of the research, and propose a practical, sequential testing procedure for assessing measurement invariance in cross-national consumer research. The approach is based on multisample confirmatory factor analysis and clarifies under what conditions meaningful comparisons of construct conceptualizations. construct means, and relationships between constructs are possible. An empirical application dealing with the single-factor construct of consumer ethnocentrism in Belgium, Great Britain, and Greece is provided to illustrate the procedure. Copyright 1998 by the University of Chicago.
ERNEST: A Semantic Network System for Pattern Understanding

The authors give a detailed account of a system environment for treating general problems of image and speech understanding. A framework for representing declarative and procedural knowledge based on a suitable definition of a semantic network is provided. The syntax and semantics of the network are clearly defined. The pragmatics of the network in its use for pattern understanding are defined by several rules which are problem-independent. This allows one to formulate problem-independent control algorithms. Complete software environments are available to handle the described structures. The general applicability of the network system is demonstrated by short descriptions of three applications from different task domains. >
Intratympanic Versus Intravenous Delivery of Dexamethasone and Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate to Cochlear Perilymph

Objective: To measure dexamethasone concentrations in the plasma and perilymph of the human ear after intravenous (IV) and intratympanic (IT) administration and to compare these with previous studies with methylprednisolone. Methods: Patients were administered dexamethasone by the IT or IV routes approximately 0.5 to 2 hours before cochlear implantation. The IT dose of 1.6 to 7.2 mg (0.4-1.8 ml of a 4 mg/ml solution) of dexamethasone sodium phosphate was administered by injection into the middle ear cavity through the external auditory canal via a 27-gauge needle passed through a small anterosuperior myringotomy. The IV dose of dexamethasone sodium phosphate was 0.17 mg/kg given as a single injection for 30 seconds. A sample of perilymph (approximately 20 &mgr;l) was collected using a needle passed through the round window, and blood was sampled simultaneously. Concentrations of free dexamethasone and dexamethasone sodium phosphate were measured using a validated liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method. Results: In the 22 patients studied, 22 perilymph samples and 19 plasma samples were available and suitable for measurement. The median perilymph concentration of dexamethasone after IV injection of 0.17 mg/kg was 0.016 mg/L (n = 9; range, 0.008-0.17), and 1.4 mg/L (n = 13; range, 0.1-16.3) after IT administration of approximately 4 mg. Perilymph concentrations were approximately 88-fold higher after IT compared with IV administration (p = 0.0004) or approximately 260 fold after correction for dosage. The median plasma concentration of dexamethasone after IV injection was 0.12 mg/L (n = 7; range, 0.07-0.14) and 0.003 mg/L (n = 12; range, <0.0005-0.005) after IT injection. Plasma concentrations were approximately 40-fold lower (p = 0.0005) or approximately 13-fold lower after dose correction. Concentrations of dexamethasone sodium phosphate were more variable and were even higher in perilymph and lower in plasma. Conclusion: Administration of dexamethasone IT results in much higher perilymph concentrations and much lower plasma concentrations compared with IV administration.
The Independent LifeStyle Assistant: Lessons Learned

The Independent LifeStyle Assistant (I.L.S.A.) is an agent-based monitoring and support system to help elderly people live longer in their homes by reducing caregiver burden. I.L. S.A. is a multiagent system that incorporates a unified sensing model, situation assessments, response planning, real-time responses, and machine learning. This paper describes the six-month study of the system we fielded in elders' homes and the major lessons we learned during development.
Comparison of the antimicrobial activity of direct pulp-capping materials: Mineral trioxide aggregate-Angelus and Biodentine

Purpose: To compare the antimicrobial activity of the tricalcium silicate-based Biodentine (BD) and mineral trioxide aggregate (MTA)-Angelus cement with the aid of agar diffusion test. Materials and Methods: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Escherichia coli, and Enterococcus faecium were inoculated in the Brucella liquid medium and were incubated at 37°C for 24 h. Thereafter, 100 >μl of the liquid culture of bacteria inoculated in the Mueller-Hinton agar with spread plate technique. Petri plates were dried in room temperature. For every microorganism, 3 petri plates were prepared (12 in total). In the medium, in every petri plate, 2 holes with 5 mm diameter and 2 mm depth were made. Afterward, BD and MTA-Angelus were filled into these holes under aseptic conditions according to the instructions of the manufacturing company. Then, the plates were kept in the incubator at 37°C for 24 h, and the diameters of the inhibition zones were measured with a digital caliper. Results: Inhibition zones formed by BD against E. coli and S. aureus were significantly larger than the zones formed by MTA-Angelus (P < 0.05). However, the inhibition zones formed by MTA-Angelus against P. aureus and E. faecium were larger than the zones formed by BD (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study, tricalcium silicate-based MTA-Angelus and BD have antimicrobial activity against E. coli, S. aureus, P. aureus, and E. faecium.
Low Evapotranspiration Enhances the Resilience of Peatland Carbon Stocks to Fire

Boreal peatlands may be vulnerable to projected changes in the wildfire regime under future climates. Extreme drying during the sensitive postfire period may exceed peatland ecohydrological resilience, triggering long‐term degradation of these globally significant carbon stocks. Despite these concerns, we show low peatland evapotranspiration at both the plot‐ and landscape‐scale postfire, in water‐limited peatlands dominated by feather moss that are ubiquitous across continental western Canada. Low postfire evapotranspiration enhances the resilience of carbon stocks in such peatlands to wildfire disturbance and reinforces their function as a regional source of water. Near‐surface water repellency may provide an important, previously unexplored, regulator of peatland evapotranspiration that can induce low evapotranspiration in the initial postfire years by restricting the supply of water to the peat surface.
Robust Non-parametric Data Fitting for Correspondence Modeling

We propose a generic method for obtaining nonparametric image warps from noisy point correspondences. Our formulation integrates a huber function into a motion coherence framework. This makes our fitting function especially robust to piecewise correspondence noise (where an image section is consistently mismatched). By utilizing over parameterized curves, we can generate realistic nonparametric image warps from very noisy correspondence. We also demonstrate how our algorithm can be used to help stitch images taken from a panning camera by warping the images onto a virtual push-broom camera imaging plane.
Loss of HER2 Amplification Following Trastuzumab-Based Neoadjuvant Systemic Therapy and Survival Outcomes

Purpose: To evaluate HER2 status in residual tumor identified at the time of surgery in patients not achieving a pathologic complete response (pCR) and to determine the effect of alterations in HER2 status on recurrence-free survival (RFS). Experimental Design: Clinicopathologic data for patients with HER2-overexpressing breast cancer receiving neoadjuvant therapy with a taxane, anthracycline, and concomitant trastuzumab between 2004 and 2007 were reviewed. Surgical specimens for patients achieving less than a pCR were assessed to determine if there was enough residual tissue to evaluate posttreatment HER2 status. RFS was determined using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by the log-rank statistic. Results: A pCR was achieved in 72 of the 142 (50.7%) patients. Residual tumor was sufficient to assess posttreatment HER2 status in 25 patients. Fluorescence in situ hybridization done on pretreatment specimens confirmed HER2 amplification before beginning therapy. Eight (32.0%) posttreatment tumors were found to be HER2-negative by fluorescence in situ hybridization. At a median follow-up of 37 months (range, 8-56 months), the RFS was significantly better for patients with tumors that retained HER2 amplification (87.5% versus 50%, P = 0.04). Conclusion: High pCR rates are achieved in patients with HER2-positive breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant trastuzumab in combination with anthracyclines and taxanes. One third of patients with significant residual disease loses HER2 amplification, and this change is associated with poor RFS. Residual tumor identified at the time of surgery should be reassessed for HER2 status, and novel adjuvant therapy strategies need to be studied in this population. (Clin Cancer Res 2009;15(23):7381–8)
Correlation of TBE Incidence with Red Deer and Roe Deer Abundance in Slovenia

Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) is a virus infection which sometimes causes human disease. The TBE virus is found in ticks and certain vertebrate tick hosts in restricted endemic localities termed TBE foci. The formation of natural foci is a combination of several factors: the vectors, a suitable and numerous enough number of hosts and in a habitat with suitable vegetation and climate. The present study investigated the influence of deer on the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. We were able to obtain data from deer culls. Using this data, the abundance of deer was estimated and temporal and spatial analysis was performed. The abundance of deer has increased in the past decades, as well as the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. Temporal analysis confirmed a correlation between red deer abundance and tick-borne encephalitis occurrence. Additionally, spatial analysis established, that in areas with high incidence of tick-borne encephalitis red deer density is higher, compared to areas with no or few human cases of tick-borne encephalitis. However, such correlation could not be confirmed between roe deer density and the incidence of tick-borne encephalitis. This is presumably due to roe deer density being above a certain threshold so that availability of tick reproduction hosts has no apparent effect on ticks' host finding and consequently may not be possible to correlate with incidence of human TBE.
Comparison of Sirolimus vs. Mycophenolate Mofetil on Surgical Complications and Wound Healing in Adult Kidney Transplantation

Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and sirolimus impair wound healing. We compared sirolimus vs. MMF to determine the relative impact on surgical complications and wound healing in adult kidney transplant recipients. This retrospective, single center study of 235 adult kidney transplants performed between 1 January 2000 and 31 January 2002 identified 158 adult, kidney‐only recipients treated with tacrolimus and prednisone, from which two groups were defined: group 1 (n = 84) received MMF, group 2 (n = 74) received sirolimus. The incidence of fluid collections, wound problems, dehiscence, and urine leak were compared. A multivariate stepwise logistical regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors. The overall incidence of complications was 21.5%, with rates significantly lower in group 1 (2.4%) vs. group 2 (43.2%, p < 0.0001). Regression analysis showed only sirolimus (p < 0.001) and hypo‐albuminemia (p = 0.006) to independently correlate with complication occurrence. In subanalyses, lymphoceles correlated only with sirolimus (p = 0.003), while other wound problems also correlated with higher body mass index (p = 0.067). The use of sirolimus, tacrolimus and prednisone was associated with a greater incidence of lymphoceles, non‐lymphocele perinephric fluid collections and other consequences of poor wound healing, as compared to contemporary patients treated with MMF, tacrolimus and prednisone.
Recent developments in silicon optoelectronic devices

Due to the rapid growth of the Internet and multi-media communication networks, there are urgent needs and tremendous commercial values in the development of optoelectronic integrated circuits (OEICs). This work reviews the recent developments and the prospect of silicon-based integrated optoelectronic circuits (Si-OEICs). The technological aspects of porous silicon and oxynitride devices for integrated optoelectronic applications are discussed. Some optoelectronic devices realized with these technologies are described. Recent achievements indicate that the present constraints for using Si-based materials in optoelectronics are mainly technological rather than physical. Once these technological difficulties are resolved, the realization and applications of Si-OEICs will grow rapidly.
development process Endovascular Aortic Repair : First Twenty Years

Igor KONČAR Clinic for Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Clinical Centеr of Serbia Dr Koste Todorovića 8 11000 Belgrade Serbia dr.koncar@gmail.com SUMMARY Endovascular aortic/aneurysm repair (EVAR) was introduced into clinical practice at the beginning of the nineties. Its fast development had a great influence on clinicians, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists, educational curriculums, patients, industry and medical insurance. The aim of this paper is to present the contribution of clinicians and industry to the development and advancement of endovascular aortic repair over the last 20 years. This review article presents the development of EVAR by focusing on the contribution of physicians, surgeons and interventional radiologists in the creation of the new field of vascular surgery termed hybrid vascular surgery, and also the contribution of technological advancement by a significant help of industrial representatives – engineers and their counselors. This article also analyzes studies conducted in order to compare the successfulness of EVAR with up-to-now applied open surgical repair of aortic aneurysms, and some treatment techniques of other aortic diseases. During the first two decades of its development the EVAR method was rapidly progressing and was adopted concurrently with the expansion of technology. Owing to large randomized studies, early and long-term results indicate specific complications of this method, thus influencing further technological improvement and defining risk patients groups in whom the use of the technique should be avoided. Good results are insured only in centers, specialized in vascular surgery, which have on their disposal adequate conditions for solving all complications associated with this method.
State space representation of SISO periodic behaviors

The aim of this paper is to obtain periodic state space representations for periodic input-output behavioral systems using a lifting technique which allows to associate a time-invariant behavior to a periodic one. Our approach differs from the classical one since we do not start from a transfer function description but rather from linear difference equations with periodically time-varying coefficients.
Stra8 and its inducer, retinoic acid, regulate meiotic initiation in both spermatogenesis and oogenesis in mice

In eukaryotes, diploid cells give rise to haploid cells via meiosis, a program of two cell divisions preceded by one round of DNA replication. Although key molecular components of the meiotic apparatus are highly conserved among eukaryotes, the mechanisms responsible for initiating the meiotic program have diverged substantially among eukaryotes. This raises a related question in animals with two distinct sexes: Within a given species, are similar or different mechanisms of meiotic initiation used in the male and female germ lines? In mammals, this question is underscored by dramatic differences in the timing of meiotic initiation in males and females. Stra8 is a vertebrate-specific, cytoplasmic factor expressed by germ cells in response to retinoic acid. We previously demonstrated that Stra8 gene function is required for meiotic initiation in mouse embryonic ovaries. Here we report that, on an inbred C57BL/6 genetic background, the same factor is also required for meiotic initiation in germ cells of juvenile mouse testes. In juvenile C57BL/6 males lacking Stra8 gene function, the early mitotic development of germ cells appears to be undisturbed. However, these cells then fail to undergo the morphological changes that define meiotic prophase, and they do not display the molecular hallmarks of meiotic chromosome cohesion, synapsis and recombination. We conclude that, in mice, Stra8 regulates meiotic initiation in both spermatogenesis and oogenesis. Taken together with previous observations, our present findings indicate that, in both the male and female germ lines, meiosis is initiated through retinoic acid induction of Stra8.
CD4 counts and the risk of systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in individuals with HIV in the UK

This very large HIV-positive cohort study examines a number of variables that predispose to the development of lymphoma in the HAART era. Despite a declining incidence of lymphoma, the authors define a close relationship between latest CD4 count and lymphoma risk, and thus advocate early initiation of HAART and more frequent HIV monitoring. Since the introduction of highly active antiretroviral therapy, there has been a decline in the incidence of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma among HIV-infected individuals. We described trends in the incidence of systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in the UK CHIC Study from 1996–2006 and evaluated the association between immunosuppression and development of systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma: 286/23,155 (1.2%) individuals developed an AIDS-defining lymphoma (258 systemic). Younger age, receipt of highly active antiretroviral therapy and later calendar year were all independently associated with a reduced risk of systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. A lower latest CD4 count was strongly associated with systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in patients who had (RR per log2(cells/mm3) higher: 0.62) and had not (0.70) received highly active antiretroviral therapy. Associations with other measures of immunosuppression, including nadir CD4 count, experience and duration of severe immunosuppression, were generally weaker. Earlier highly active anti-retroviral therapy initiation and wider access to HIV testing is advocated to reduce the risk of systemic non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
p-Operator spaces and Figà-Talamanca-Herz algebras

We study a generalisation of operator spaces modelled on L spaces, instead of Hilbert spaces, using the notion of p-complete boundedness, as studied by Pisier and Le Merdy. We show that the Figa-Talamanca-Herz algebras A(G) become quantised Banach algebras in this framework, and that amenability of these algebras corresponds to amenability of the locally compact group G, extending the result of Ruan about A(G). We also show that various notions of multipliers of A(G) (including Herz's generalisation of the Fourier-Stieltjes algebra) naturally fit into this framework.
A Study of Energy-Aware Traffic Grooming in Optical Networks: Static and Dynamic Cases

Less attention has been given to energy aware optical counterparts, compared to the research in energy-aware wireless and ethernet networks. In this paper, we consider energy-aware traffic grooming problems in optical networks for both static and dynamic cases. Rather than simply considering a logical architecture of an optical node, we specifically look further into the modular physical architecture. We show that by reusing already active physical components during request allocations, we can significantly reduce the total number of active components and, hence, total energy consumption in the network, especially when traffic load is low. Since energy usage is an important element of operational expenditure, this approach provides the financial motivation for service providers along with the desired environmental motivation. We present a mathematical formulation of the problems, propose auxiliary graph based heuristics, and justify our cases compared to traditional approaches, based on simulation results.