Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effects of Cross-Linkage in Wrinkle-Resistant Cotton Fabrics

The cross-linking of cellulose in cotton fabric with three wrinkle-resistance finishing agents has been investigated. The three agents used were dimethylol urea, dimethylol ethyleneurea, and formaldehyde. With all three compounds, maximum crease recovery angles are obtained with a substitution of 0.04-0.05 cross links per anhydroglucose unit. As crease recovery angles increase, the elongation and permanent set caused by an 8-kg. tensile load on a 1-in. fabric strip decreases. Permanent set approaches zero near 135° warp crease recovery. Changes in the load-elongation curves indicate elastic modulus increases as crease recovery angles increase. Treatment of fabric to the same crease recovery angles with the three compounds reduces tearing and breaking strengths to different extents. The differences are due to different amounts of cellulose degradation caused by the aciclic catalyst systems and not to the structure of the cross links.
Trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care in Kyrgyzstan, 2001–2007

Within the countries of the former Soviet Union, the Kyrgyz Republic has been a pioneer in reforming the system of health care finance. Since the introduction of its compulsory health insurance fund in 1997, the country has gradually moved from subsidizing the supply of services to subsidizing the purchase of services through the ‘single payer’ of the health insurance fund. In 2002 the government introduced a new co-payment for inpatients along with a basic benefit package. A key objective of the reforms has been to replace the burgeoning system of unofficial informal payments for health care with a transparent official co-payment, thereby reducing the financial burden of health care spending for the poor. This article investigates trends in out-of-pocket payments for health care using the results of a series of nationally representative household surveys conducted over the period 2001–2007, when the reforms were being rolled out. The analysis shows that there has been a significant improvement in financial access to health care amongst the population. The proportion paying state providers for consultations fell between 2004 and 2007. As a result of the introduction of co-payments for hospital care, fewer inpatients report making payments to medical personnel, but when they are made, payments are high, especially to surgeons and anaesthetists. However, although financial access for outpatient care has improved, the burden of health care payments amongst the poor remains significant.
Prognostic impact of preprocedural C reactive protein levels on 6-month angiographic and 1-year clinical outcomes after drug-eluting stent implantation

Objective: To determine the association of preprocedural C reactive protein (CRP) levels with angiographic restenosis and adverse clinical events after drug-eluting stent (DES) implantation. Design: A prospective cohort analysis of preprocedural CRP levels as a predictor of serious ischaemic complications or binary restenosis in patients treated with DES. Setting: Tertiary referral centre. Patients: 1650 consecutive patients who underwent successful DES implantation. Patients were grouped into tertiles according to preprocedural CRP values for data analysis. Interventions: Successful DES implantation. Main outcome measures: The primary end point was a major coronary event, defined as cardiac death or Q-wave myocardial infarction. Results: Baseline clinical and angiographic characteristics were similar between the tertile groups, except that more patients had multivessel disease and acute coronary syndrome with increasing tertiles of CRP levels. At 1-year follow-up, a primary end point occurred in 4 (0.7%) patients of the lowest tertile, in 3 (0.5%) patients of the middle tertile and in 16 (2.9%) patients of the highest tertile (p = 0.003). In multivariate analysis, the highest tertile of CRP levels was an independent predictor of a major coronary event (HR 4.68, 95% CI 1.91 to 11.44, tertile III vs tertiles I and II, p = 0.001). However, restenosis rates were similar in all three groups (9.1% vs 11.4% vs 11.6%, respectively, p = 0.3). Conclusions: Preprocedural CRP levels are significantly associated with major coronary events after DES implantation. However, preprocedural CRP levels do not predict subsequent restenosis. Baseline CRP levels may be useful to guide adjunctive management for preventing serious ischaemic events in patients undergoing DES implantation.
α-Mangostin Suppresses the Viability and Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition of Pancreatic Cancer Cells by Downregulating the PI3K/Akt Pathway

α-Mangostin, a natural product isolated from the pericarp of the mangosteen fruit, has been shown to inhibit the growth of tumor cells in various types of cancers. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms are largely unclear. Here, we report that α-mangostin suppressed the viability and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of pancreatic cancer cells through inhibition of the PI3K/Akt pathway. Treatment of pancreatic cancer BxPc-3 and Panc-1 cells with α-mangostin resulted in loss of cell viability, accompanied by enhanced cell apoptosis, cell cycle arrest at G1 phase, and decrease of cyclin-D1. Moreover, Transwell and Matrigel invasion assays showed that α-mangostin significantly reduced the migration and invasion of pancreatic cancer cells. Consistent with these results, α-mangostin decreased the expression of MMP-2, MMP-9, N-cadherin, and vimentin and increased the expression of E-cadherin. Furthermore, we found that α-mangostin suppressed the activity of the PI3K/Akt pathway in pancreatic cancer cells as demonstrated by the reduction of the Akt phosphorylation by α-mangostin. Finally, α-mangostin significantly inhibited the growth of BxPc-3 tumor mouse xenografts. Our results suggest that α-mangostin may be potentially used as a novel adjuvant therapy or complementary alternative medicine for the management of pancreatic cancers.
Comparative Genomics Uncovers Large Tandem Chromosomal Duplications in Mycobacterium Bovis BCG Pasteur

On direct comparison of minimal sets of ordered clones from bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) libraries representing the complete genomes of Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Rv and the vaccine strain, Mycobacterium bovis BCG Pasteur, two major rearrangements were identified in the genome of M. bovis BCG Pasteur. These were shown to correspond to two tandem duplications, DU1 and DU2, of 29 668 bp and 36 161 bp, respectively. While DU1 resulted from a single duplication event, DU2 apparently arose from duplication of a 100 kb genomic segment that subsequently incurred an internal deletion of 64 kb. Several lines of evidence suggest that DU2 may continue to expand, since two copies were detected in a subpopulation of BCG Pasteur cells. BCG strains harbouring DU1 and DU2 are diploid for at least 58 genes and contain two copies of oriC, the chromosomal origin of replication. These findings indicate that these genomic regions of the BCG genome are still dynamic. Although the role of DU1 and DU2 in the attenuation and/or altered immunogenicity of BCG is yet unknown, knowledge of their existence will facilitate quality control of BCG vaccine lots and may help in monitoring the efficacy of the world's most widely used vaccine. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Assessment of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome risk at the end of pregnancy using the Berlin Questionnaire

Abstract Objective: To assess the risk of obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) and related factors at the end of pregnancy using the Berlin questionnaire. Methods: A total of 367 women at the end of pregnancy (median gestational age 39 weeks) were interviewed with the Berlin questionnaire and a general survey containing maternal socio-demographic and anthropometric information. Neonatal outcome data were also assessed. Results: Median age for the whole sample was 31 years. According to the Berlin questionnaire, 39.8% were positive for high risk of OSAHS. Upon bivariate analysis, higher risk of OSAHS was significantly related to church attendance, and higher pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI), current BMI, weight, neck and arm circumference and systolic blood pressure at survey. Logistic regression analysis found that higher maternal pre-pregnancy BMI (OR 2.71 95% CI 1.84–4.00, p < 0.0001) and higher maternal weight at survey (OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.78–5.17, p < 0.0001) were significantly related to a higher risk of OSAHS. Conclusion: The risk of OSAHS is relatively high at the end of pregnancy and related to a higher pre-pregnancy BMI and higher maternal weight at survey. Further studies are needed to confirm our results with a diagnostic tool, such as polysomnography or another similar yet less complicated to carry out procedure. Chinese abstract 目的：采用柏林睡眠品质调查问卷对孕晚期阻塞性睡眠呼吸暂停低通气（OSAHS）风险及相关因素的评估。 方法：采用柏林问卷调查了共367名孕晚期妇女（孕周中值为39周），并对其社会人口信息和人体测量学指标进行了综合评述。 同时也评估了新生儿结局的相关数据。 结果：总样本中位数年龄为31岁。 根据柏林问卷，39.8%处于OSAHS高风险。 根据双变量分析，OSAHS高风险与参加礼拜、孕前高体重指数（BMI）、目前BMI、体重、颈围和臂围和收缩压显著相关。 Logistic回归分析发现孕前母体BMI较高（OR 2.71 95% CI 1.84–4.00, p＜0.0001）和测量时母体体重较高（OR 3.02, 95% CI 1.78–5.17, p＜0.0001）均与OSAHS高风险显著相关。 结论：OSAHS风险在孕晚期相对较高，且与孕前BMI较高和测量时母亲体重较高相关。 下一步的研究须应用诊断方法如多导睡眠描记术或其他较简单的类似方法以证实我们的研究结果。
Boolean process-an analytical approach to circuit representation. II

For pt. I see ibid. (1994). Incorporating performance factors in the physical and logical design of VLSI circuits is necessary for performance enhancement. Boolean process provides an analytical approach to circuit representation to precisely describe logical and timing behavior simultaneously. It allows input and output of circuits be described by waveform functions, which is consistant with common used intuitive waveforms. Waveform functions can be manipulated formally by using mathematical tools. This paper defines distance, difference and limit of waveform polynomials, and demonstrates that the concepts of sensitization and hazard should be redefined precisely when duration between input transitions is comparable to circuit delay. Based on these observations, many interesting results are driven.
Monodromy of Elliptic Surfaces

jE : B →MΓ = H/Γ and jΓ : MΓ → P = H/PSL(2,Z). In an algebraic family of elliptic fibrations the degree of j is bounded by the degree of the generic element. It follows that there is only a finite number of monodromy groups for each family. The number of subgroups of bounded index in SL(2,Z) grows superexponentially [8], similarly to the case of a free group (since SL(2,Z) contains a free subgroup of finite index). For Γ of large index, the number of MΓ-representations of the sphere S is substantially smaller, however, still superexponential (see 3.5). Our goal is to introduce some combinatorial structure on the set of monodromy groups of elliptic fibrations which would help to answer some natural questions. Our original motivation was to describe the set of groups corresponding to rational or K3 elliptic surfaces, explain how to compute the dimensions of the spaces of moduli of surfaces in this class with given monodromy group etc. As a direct application of the methods developed in the present paper the authors and T. Petrov have obtained a proof of rationality and stable rationality of many classes of moduli spaces of elliptic fibrations
Characterization of a premeiotic germ cell-specific cytoplasmic protein encoded by Stra8, a novel retinoic acid-responsive gene

The full-length cDNA corresponding to Stra8, a novel gene inducible by retinoic acid (RA) in P19 embryonal carcinoma cells, has been isolated and shown to encode a 45-kD protein. Both Stra8 mRNA and protein were induced in cells treated by all-trans and 9-cis retinoic acids. Two- dimensional gel analysis and dephosphorylation experiments revealed that the two stereoisomers of RA differentially regulate the phosphorylation status of the Stra8 protein, which was shown to exist in differently phosphorylated forms. Subcellular fractionation and immunocytochemistry studies showed that the Stra8 protein is cytoplasmic. During mouse embryogenesis, Stra8 expression was restricted to the male developing gonads, and in adult mice, the expression of Stra8 was restricted to the premeiotic germ cells. Thus, Stra8 protein may play a role in the premeiotic phase of spermatogenesis.
Decreased Synthesis of Interleukin-2 (IL-2) in Insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus

Synthesis of interleukin-2 (IL-2) by lymphocytes from 26 insulin-dependent diabetic subjects (IDDM) was compared with that by lymphocytes from 24 nondiabetic control subjects. The control group produced 1.001 ± 0.071 U/ml (mean ± SEM). The IDDM group, containing patients diagnosed between 5 days and 10 yr before testing, produced only 0.59 ± 0.050 U/ml (P < 0.002). IL-2 synthesis by 6 non-insulin-dependent diabetic subjects (NIDDM) was not decreased (mean ± SEM, 1.20 ± 0.04 U/ml). Moreover, decreased levels of IL-2 production was found with lymphocytes of patients in good control, as well as those in poor control. These data suggest that decreased IL-2 synthesis is specific for IDDM, not explainable solely as a consequence of poor metabolic control, and thus, might be involved in the pathogenesis of the disease.
A DNA Fusion Vaccine Induces Bactericidal Antibodies to a Peptide Epitope from the PorA Porin of Neisseria meningitidis

ABSTRACT An experimental DNA plasmid vaccine was developed based on a well-characterized and protective peptide epitope derived from a bacterial porin protein. For this study, we used the P1.16b serosubtype epitope, located in variable region (VR)2 in loop 4 of the PorA outer membrane (OM) porin from Neisseria meningitidis serogroup B strain MC58. A plasmid that encoded the entire loop (pPorAloop4) was prepared, as well as a fusion plasmid that encoded the loop in tandem with the fragment C (FrC) immunostimulatory sequence from tetanus toxin (pPorAloop4-FrC). The constructs were used for intramuscular immunization without exogenous adjuvant. Murine antisera raised to the pPorAloop4-FrC DNA fusion plasmid reacted significantly with OMs in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and with whole bacteria by immunofluorescence, whereas antisera raised to the pPorAloop4 DNA plasmid and to control plasmid showed little or no reactivity. Significantly, only the pPorALoop4-FrC plasmid induced bactericidal antibodies, demonstrating that the intrinsic immunostimulatory sequence was essential for inducing a protective immune response. The antibodies raised to the P1.16b pPorALoop4-FrC plasmid were serosubtype specific, showing no significant immunofluorescence reactivity or bactericidal activity against other PorA variants. These data provide proof of principle for a DNA fusion plasmid strategy as a novel approach to preparing vaccines based on defined, protective epitopes.
Risk factors for prolonged hospitalization after kidney transplants.

A major variable in the cost of kidney transplants is the length of initial hospitalization. Using multivariate analysis, we studied risk factors for hospital stay > 10 d post-transplant. Between 1 January 1985 and 31 August 1995 a total of 1588 patients underwent first or second kidney transplants at the University of Minnesota. Antibody was used for 1 wk in cadaver donor recipients and for 2 wk in pediatric recipients (resulting in a long stay for all pediatric recipients). Adult living related donor recipients were immunosuppressed with triple therapy. Donor risk factors studied were age (< 15, 15-50, > 50 yr) and,- for cadaver recipients, preservation time (< 12, 12-18, 18-24, 24-30, > 30 h) and cause of death (trauma, cerebrovascular accident, or cardiac). Recipient risk factors studied were age (< 18, 18-55, > 55 yr); sex; transplant number; antigen mismatch; peak PRA; PRA at transplant (< 11, 11-50, > 50); diabetic status; pretransplant dialysis (vs. pre-emptive transplant); pretransplant cardiac, peripheral vascular, or respiratory disease; and delayed graft function (DGF) (dialysis in the first week vs. no dialysis). Risk factors were analyzed separately for living donor and cadaver donor recipients. For cadaver donor recipients, DGF was the major risk factor (p < 0.0001); others were age 55 yr (p = 0.03) and diabetes (p = 0.02). For living donor recipients, DGF was also a risk factor (p = 0.003); others were diabetes (p = 0.01), retransplant (p = 0.006), PRA at transplant > 50 (p < 0.0001), age > 55 yr (p = 0.02), pretransplant respiratory disease (p = 0.005), and pretransplant dialysis (p = 0.005). Because DGF was the major risk factor for a prolonged stay, we then studied risk factors for DGF using multivariate analysis. For cadaver donor recipients, risk factors were recipient weight > 90 kg (p = 0.004), preservation time 24 h (p = 0.03), PRA at transplant > 50 (p = 0.03), and donor age < 15 or > 50 yr (p = 0.002). For living donor recipients, risk factors were recipient age < 18 yr (p = 0.01), donor age > 50 yr (p = 0.03), female sex (p = 0.05), pretransplant respiratory disease (p = 0.1), pretransplant peripheral vascular disease (p = 0.05), and recipient weight > 90 kg (p = 0.1). From our data, a profile emerged of recipients likely to have a longer hospital stay. Important variables, either simultaneous with or related to DGF, include donor and recipient age, diabetes, pretransplant recipient weight, PRA at transplant, preservation time, and pretransplant respiratory or peripheral vascular disease.
Foxa2 and Cdx2 cooperate with Nkx2-1 to inhibit lung adenocarcinoma metastasis

Li et al. demonstrate that loss of Foxa2 and Cdx2 synergizes with loss of Nkx2-1 to fully activate the metastatic program in lung cancer. Silencing of these three transcription factors is sufficient to account for a significant fraction of the gene expression differences between the nonmetastatic and metastatic states in lung adenocarcinoma.
Endoscopic thyroidectomy: the development in a Chinese center.

BACKGROUND Endoscopic thyroidectomy (ET) precludes the long cervical incision of the open procedure. Although endoscopy is an essential tool taught to almost every surgeon, its effective use with regard to thyroidectomy requires understanding its limitations pertaining to trauma and cancer, as well as an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of the different endoscopic approaches. The development of an ET center in China is discussed here. METHODS Overall, 235 patients who had undergone attempted ET in Qilu Hospital of Shandong University in China from August 2001 to September 2010 were evaluated. RESULTS Of the 11 men and 224 women on whom the procedure had been attempted, all but seven successfully underwent ET, 145 (63.6%) via a modified anterior chest approach, and 83 (36.4%) via a breast approach. Age ranged from 17 to 52 years, with a mean of 34.5 years. Surgery was limited, in the case of masses, to lesions smaller than 6 cm ultrasonographically. All patients were followed for at least 3 months. The 24 and 48 hours Visual Analog Scale postoperative measurements were low. Complications included four cases of cutaneous emphysema, five seromas, four episodes of anterior chest discomfort, three transient laryngeal nerve palsies, and four episodes of hypocalcemia. The seven procedures that had been converted to an open procedure comprised two patients discovered at frozen section to have poorly differentiated thyroid carcinoma, two with tumors larger than 5 cm, and three with thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS ET is readily learned, provided the surgeon is competent at both laparoscopic technique and open thyroidectomy. Procedural advantages of an endoscopic approach include superior cosmesis and decreased invasiveness.
An angular embedded atom method interatomic potential for the aluminum–silicon system

A modified version of the Stillinger–Weber (SW) interatomic potential for pure Si has been developed. In contrast to the original SW form, the modified version allows one to grow diamond cubic crystal structures from the melt at high temperatures. Now, the modified SW potential has been combined with an embedded atom (EAM) description of pure Al developed by Mendelev et al to formulate an Al–Si binary potential of the angular EAM type. The Al–Si potential reproduces quite well the experimental enthalpy of mixing in the liquid. It also predicts an Al–Si phase diagram with a eutectic concentration for the liquid that agrees with experimental values within 4 at% and a eutectic temperature that differs from experimental values by just 13 K.
Anti-Hadamard Matrices, Coin Weighing, Threshold Gates, and Indecomposable Hypergraphs

Let? 1(n) denote the maximum possible absolute value of an entry of the inverse of annbyninvertible matrix with 0,1 entries. It is proved that? 1(n)=n(1/2+o(1))n. This solves a problem of Graham and Sloane. Letm(n) denote the maximum possible numbermsuch that given a set ofmcoins out of a collection of coins of two unknown distinct weights, one can decide if all the coins have the same weight or not usingnweighings in a regular balance beam. It is shown thatm(n)=n(1/2+o(1))n. This settles a problem of Kozlov and V? LetD(n) denote the maximum possible degree of a regular multi-hypergraph onnvertices that contains no proper regular nonempty subhypergraph. It is shown thatD(n)=n(1/2+o(1))n. This improves estimates of Shapley, van Lint and Pollak. All these results and several related ones are proved by a similar technique whose main ingredient is an extension of a construction of Hastad of threshold gates that require large weights.
Accurate Alternative Measurements for Female Lifetime Reproductive Success in Drosophila melanogaster

Fitness is an individual’s ability to survive and reproduce, and is an important concept in evolutionary biology. However, accurately measuring fitness is often difficult, and appropriate fitness surrogates need to be identified. Lifetime reproductive success, the total progeny an organism can produce in their lifetime, is thought to be a suitable proxy for fitness, but the measure of an organism’s reproductive output across a lifetime can be difficult or impossible to obtain. Here we demonstrate that the short-term measure of reproductive success across five days provides a reasonable prediction of an individual's total lifetime reproductive success in Drosophila melanogaster. However, the lifetime reproductive success of a female that has only mated once is not correlated to the lifetime reproductive success of a female that is allowed to mate multiple times, demonstrating that these measures should not serve as surrogates nor be used to make inferences about one another.
Prefer a cash slap in your face over credit for halva

We investigated how frequency and amount of punishment affect the decision making of Iranian subjects. In our first experiment, performing a computer-based Persian version of the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), our subjects scored remarkably lower than their Western counterparts. Moreover, our subjects chose more frequently and more rapidly from decks that had less frequent but larger amounts of punishments in comparison to decks that had more frequent punishments with smaller amounts. In our second experiment, subjects did not differentiate between decks with the same frequency of punishment but with different punishment amounts. However, among decks with the same amount but different frequency of punishment, a significant preference was apparent towards decks with less frequency of punishment. Our results differ from previous studies, indicating a different strategy in risky decision making among healthy adult Iranian subjects, as they show low attention to the amount of punishment and are more concerned with the frequency of punishment.