Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Management of lipid disorders in patients living with HIV

Since the discovery and development of antiretroviral therapy (ART), HIV has become a chronic disease with patients living longer lives and to ages where co‐morbidities, such as cardiovascular disease (CVD) are prevalent. Diagnosis and management of risk factors for CVD, in particular dyslipidemia, have become an important part of the overall care for patients living with HIV infection. Existing guidelines and recommendations for the management of dyslipidemia for persons with HIV infection are largely based on guidelines for the general population. Clinical and epidemiologic research efforts are ongoing to provide information specific to patients living with HIV. This review offers a detailed guide for clinicians who manage dyslipidemia in patients infected with HIV. The first sections provide background information on dyslipidemia, risk stratification, and targets for lipid therapy. This is followed by a step‐by‐step approach for diagnosis and treatment with specific information on lipid drug use for patients with HIV. The recommendations presented here are based on existing guidelines for the general population, evidence from research in patients infected with HIV, and the clinical experience of the authors. Management issues for which little or no information is available specific to this patient population are noted and serve to highlight the many gaps in our knowledge that will need to be addressed.
Work Health Promotion, Job Well-Being, and Sickness Absences—A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Objective: The aim of this systematic literature analysis was to study the association between work health promotion and job well-being, work ability, absenteeism, and early retirement. This systematic review is a part of a large research project studying multiple workplace factors and interventions that may affect workers' health and well-being. Methods: Original articles published in 1970 to 2005 were searched in Medline and PsycINFO databases, the main search terms being health promotion, well-being, work ability, sick leave, and disability pension. Out of 1312 references and 35 potentially eligible publications, 10 studies were included in the analysis. Other sources producing 36 eligible studies, 46 studies in total were included in the analysis. Results: There is moderate evidence that work health promotion decreases sickness absences (risk ratio [RR], 0.78; range, 0.10 to 1.57) and work ability (RR, 1.38; range, 1.15 to 1.66). It also seems to increase mental well-being (RR, 1.39; range, 0.98 to 1.91), but not physical well-being. There is no evidence on disability pension. Exercise seems to increase overall well-being (RR, 1.25; range, 1.05 to 1.47) and work ability (RR, 1.38; range, 1.15 to 1.66), but education and psychological methods do not seem to affect well-being or sickness absences. Sickness absences seem to be reduced by activities promoting healthy lifestyle (RR, 0.80; range, 0.74 to 0.93) and ergonomics (RR, 0.72; range, 0.13 to 1.57). Conclusions: Work health promotion is valuable on employees' well-being and work ability and productive in terms of less sickness absences. Activities involving exercise, lifestyle, and ergonomics are potentially effective. On the other hand, education and psychological means applied alone do not seem effective. Work health promotion should target both physical and psychosocial environments at work.
The Gaussian Law of Errors in the Theory of Additive Number Theoretic Functions

The present paper concerns itself with the applications of statistical methods to some number-theoretic problems. Recent inrestigations of Erdiis and Wintrier ? have shown the importance of the notion of statistical independence in number theory ; the purpose of this paper is to emphasize this fact once again. It may be mentioned here that we get as a particular case of our main theorem the following result : If v(m) denotes the number of prime divisors of ~1, and En the number of those integers from 1 up to 12 for which V(W) < lg lg ~1 + WV 2 lg lg )1 (W an arbitrary real number): then
Isoliquiritigenin is a potent inhibitor of NLRP3 inflammasome activation and diet‐induced adipose tissue inflammation

Inflammasome activation initiates the development of many inflammatory diseases, including obesity and type 2 diabetes. Therefore, agents that target discrete activation steps could represent very important drugs. We reported previously that ILG, a chalcone from Glycyrrhiza uralensis, inhibits LPS‐induced NF‐κB activation. Here, we show that ILG potently inhibits the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome, and the effect is independent of its inhibitory potency on TLR4. The inhibitory effect of ILG was stronger than that of parthenolide, a known inhibitor of the NLRP3 inflammasome. GL, a triterpenoid from G. uralensis, had similar inhibitory effects on NLRP3 activity, but high concentrations of GL were required. In contrast, activation of the AIM2 inflammasome was inhibited by GL but not by ILG. Moreover, GL inhibited NLRP3‐ and AIM2‐activated ASC oligomerization, whereas ILG inhibited NLRP3‐activated ASC oligomerization. Low concentrations of ILG were highly effective in IAPP‐induced IL‐1β production compared with the sulfonylurea drug glyburide. In vivo analyses revealed that ILG potently attenuated HFD‐induced obesity, hypercholesterolemia, and insulin resistance. Furthermore, ILG treatment improved HFD‐induced macrovesicular steatosis in the liver. Finally, ILG markedly inhibited diet‐induced adipose tissue inflammation and IL‐1β and caspase‐1 production in white adipose tissue in ex vivo culture. These results suggest that ILG is a potential drug target for treatment of NLRP3 inflammasome‐associated inflammatory diseases.
Follow-up of conservatively managed epidural hematomas: implications for timing of repeat CT.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Small asymptomatic epidural hematomas (EDHs) are frequently managed nonoperatively with good neurologic outcome. Our goals were to determine the frequency and timing of enlargement of acute traumatic EDHs that are not immediately surgically evacuated as well as to identify factors associated with rehemorrhage. METHODS Of 252 consecutive patients with acute traumatic EDH who were treated over a 5-year period, 160 were managed nonoperatively. Their CT scans, imaging reports, and medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Parameters analyzed as possible predictors of rehemorrhage during nonoperative management were size of the EDH, presence of an associated fracture, contralateral brain injury, midline shift, coagulopathy, and neurologic and physiological injury as measured by the Revised Trauma Score. We compared discharge discharge disposition as a proxy for neurologic condition at discharge. RESULTS The EDH enlarged in 37 (23%) of the 160 patients during conservative management. Mean enlargement was 7 mm, and the mean time to enlargement was 8 hours after injury and 5.3 hours after CT diagnostics. EDH enlargement occurred within 36 hours after injury in all cases. Of the parameters analyzed, only a high Revised Trauma Score correlated significantly with EDH rehemorrhage, suggesting that intubation and chemical paralysis may prevent rehemorrhage through the restriction of head movement and the control of blood pressure. The subgroup of patients with rehemorrhage experienced no difference in neurologic outcome despite a higher rate of clinical deterioration. CONCLUSION EDH enlargement occurs frequently, but early. Repeat imaging with CT is most appropriate within 36 hours after injury.
A Pale View of Hills

In this debut novel from acclaimed Booker Prize-winning Kazuo Ishiguro (The Remains of the Day, Never Let Me Go), post-war Japan serves as the haunting backdrop to a subtle story of memory, suicide, and psychological trauma. Etsuko lives alone in rural England, trying to come to terms with the recent suicide of her daughter, Keiko. A visit from her other daughter Niki sends Etsuko retreating into the depths of her memory. She finds herself reliving one particular hot summer in Nagasaki, when she and her friends struggled to rebuild their lives after the horrors of the bomb and World War Two. But when her thoughts turn to her strange friendship with Sachiko and Sachiko's daughter Mariko, the memories begin to take on a disturbing cast. As Etsuko examines her relationship with her daughters and struggles to cope with her guilt, the lines between the past and the present - between Etsuko's own daughter and Mariko, between reality and recollection - start to blur. Read the evocative and atmospheric novel that began Kazuo Ishiguro's illustrious literary career. Winner of the Winifred Holtby Prize in 1982, A Pale View of the Hills is still haunting readers decades later. If you enjoyed A Pale View of the Hills, you might also like Ishiguro's The Remains of the Day, now available in Faber Modern Classics.
Effect of supplementation on reproduction of wet season kidding Tswana goats

Seventy-seven mature Tswana goats were used to investigate the effect of supplementation on reproduction of wet season kidding animals. Treatments groups with similar weights were: Unsupplemented Control (UC), Continuous Supplementation (CS), Before Rain Supplementation (BRS) and After Rain Supplementation (ARS). Fertility rate, kidding rate, kid survival rate and doe weight at weaning were similar between the three treatments and the control. Kid birth weights did not differ between treatment groups. Doe parturition weight was higher in CS and lowest in BRS. Kid average daily gain (ADG) and weaning weight were significantly higher for CS and ARS while they ranked low, but similar between BRS and the control groups. Among ARS animals, doe parturition weight and birth weight tended to be correlated. Kid birth weight was positively correlated with growth rate in the ARS treatment. Productivity index (PI) for CS was high but similar to that of ARS. However PI's for BRS, ARS and the control groups were similar. Average daily gain (104.0? 4.3 vs. 69.8? 2.8 g/d) differed between singles and multiples. Survival rates were similar (91.9 vs. 93.9%) between multiples and singles. This study demonstrated that supplementary feeding can offset the detrimental effects of both maternal and offspring undernutrition during the critical stages of the reproductive cycle of goats. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol.32(1) 2002: 14-22
Venous Hypertension and the Inflammatory Cascade: Major Manifestations and Trigger Mechanisms

Recent histologic and immunocytochemical evidence of venous leg ulcers supports the hypothesis that lesions observed at different stages of chronic venous insufficiency may be associated with, and possibly caused by, an inflammatory process. Evidence has been obtained that venous valve deficiency may be associated with leukocyte infiltration into valve leaflets; therefore, it is hypothesized that an essential event in the inflammatory cascade is the enzymatic degradation of the valve leaflets and venous wall. The metalloproteinases (MMP) in veins exposed to elevated pressures up to 6 weeks were examined in a rat femoral fistula model with venous hypertension. Zymography shows increased activity of pro-MMP-2 at 3 and 6 weeks. MMP-2 and MMP-9 activity was predominantly observed at days 7 and 21 after creation of the fistula. The degree of extracellular matrix remodeling correlates with the morphological finding of macroscopic lesions. Therefore, the MMP-2 and MMP-9 activation is already present in veins days after exposure to elevated blood pressure and coincides with periods of early alterations in the valve morphology and early forms of reflux.
Coral Luminescence Identifies the Pacific Decadal Oscillation as a Primary Driver of River Runoff Variability Impacting the Southern Great Barrier Reef

The Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) is a large-scale climatic phenomenon modulating ocean-atmosphere variability on decadal time scales. While precipitation and river flow variability in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) catchments are sensitive to PDO phases, the extent to which the PDO influences coral reefs is poorly understood. Here, six Porites coral cores were used to produce a composite record of coral luminescence variability (runoff proxy) and identify drivers of terrestrial influence on the Keppel reefs, southern GBR. We found that coral skeletal luminescence effectively captured seasonal, inter-annual and decadal variability of river discharge and rainfall from the Fitzroy River catchment. Most importantly, although the influence of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) events was evident in the luminescence records, the variability in the coral luminescence composite record was significantly explained by the PDO. Negative luminescence anomalies (reduced runoff) were associated with El Niño years during positive PDO phases while positive luminescence anomalies (increased runoff) coincided with strong/moderate La Niña years during negative PDO phases. This study provides clear evidence that not only ENSO but also the PDO have significantly affected runoff regimes at the Keppel reefs for at least a century, and suggests that upcoming hydrological disturbances and ecological responses in the southern GBR region will be mediated by the future evolution of these sources of climate variability.
LIGHT AND ELECTRON MICROSCOPIC OBSERVATIONS OF EPITHELIAL SHEDDING IN STORED CANINE SMALL INTESTINE

Simple cold storage of canine small intestine is accompanied by ischemic damage to the intestinal mucosa. Progression of damage observed during cold storage is unique and has not been observed with other organs. The mucosal damage begins within 15 min after the onset of storage, with progressive involvement of the gut as the storage period lengthens. Cytoplasmic blebs develop from the base of the epithelial cells and detach the epithelium from the basal lamina. While the process begins uniformly along the length of the villus, separation of the epithelium occurs first at the villus tip. The epithelium, which is shed into the intestinal lumen, is otherwise undamaged. Blebbing occurs in enteroendocrine and goblet cells and is not restricted to enterocytes. Early blebs occur in proximity to mucosal mast cells and subepithelial nerves. Tissue damage in cold is possibly related to enzymes that are still active at storage temperatures.
On the Chiroptical Behavior of Conjugated Multichromophoric Compounds of a New Pseudoaromatic Class: Bicolchicides and Biisocolchicides

Background It is well known that, stemming from the mutual interplay between chromophores, circular dichroism (CD) is a powerful technique to deal with structural problems for both the small organic molecule and the biopolymer. However, quantitative interpretations of the spectroscopic and structural terms that give rise to the exciton couplet are usually presented for ideal cases, or a few CD bands only are taken into account, overlooking the role of the solvent medium. Methodology/Principal Findings Circular dichroism and UV absorption spectra were carried out for colchicide (3) and isocolchicide (6), as well as their coupling products, 10,10′-bicolchicide (2) and 9,9′-biisocolchicide (5), in both hydrogen bonding and non hydrogen bonding solvents, as well as MeCN/H2O mixtures. A dramatic control by the solvent emerged, as even tiny changes in the composition of solvent mixtures, at ca 1 water molar fraction, induced a dramatic modification of their CD bands. A mutarotation phenomenon - long known for isocolchicine (8) - was also observed for 5, and can be attributed to the interconversion between atropisomers (R a,7S),(R a,7′S)-5a and (R a,7S),(S a,7′S)-5b. Conclusions/Significance Our data show that with molecules built on two structurally identical moieties which embody both hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups, even tiny changes in the composition of solvent mixtures cause a dramatic modification of the CD bands. Their analysis arrives at a qualitative rationalization of the observed CD couplets from the coupling of high energy transitions, while attempts at a quantitative interpretation of these phenomena through time-dependent density functional theory allowed to reproduce satisfactorily the CD spectrum in the 300–450 nm region only. Failure with higher energies probably reflects currently inadequate specific theoretical treatments of the solvent medium.
Dielectrometry Measurements of Moisture Diffusion and Temperature Dynamics in Oil Impregnated Paper Insulated Electric Power Cables

Paper insulated lead covered (PILC) cables provide the backbone of underground power distribution in the United States and other parts of the world. Efficient replacement of aged PILC is a looming challenge for the utility industry. Interdigital dielectrometry sensors that measure the dielectric properties of PILC cable are presented. Such sensors may be used to perform low cost health assessment of excavated cable samples. An overview of the theoretical groundwork is presented along with steady state and transient experimental results.
Regulation of CO2 Concentrating Mechanism in Cyanobacteria

In this chapter, we mainly focus on the acclimation of cyanobacteria to the changing ambient CO2 and discuss mechanisms of inorganic carbon (Ci) uptake, photorespiration, and the regulation among the metabolic fluxes involved in photoautotrophic, photomixotrophic and heterotrophic growth. The structural components for several of the transport and uptake mechanisms are described and the progress towards elucidating their regulation is discussed in the context of studies, which have documented metabolomic changes in response to changes in Ci availability. Genes for several of the transport and uptake mechanisms are regulated by transcriptional regulators that are in the LysR-transcriptional regulator family and are known to act in concert with small molecule effectors, which appear to be well-known metabolites. Signals that trigger changes in gene expression and enzyme activity correspond to specific “regulatory metabolites” whose concentrations depend on the ambient Ci availability. Finally, emerging evidence for an additional layer of regulatory complexity involving small non-coding RNAs is discussed.
Numerical Treatment Of The Bounded-Control LQR Problem By Updating The Final Phase Value

A novel approach has been developed for approximately solving the constrained LQR problem, based on updating the final state and costate of an unrestricted related regular problem, and the switching times (when the control meets the constraints). The main result is the expression of a suboptimal control in feedback form by using some corresponding Riccati equation. The gradient method is applied to reduce the cost via explicit algebraic formula for its partial derivatives with respect to the hidden final state/costate of the related regular problem. The numerical method results efficient because it does not involve integrations of states or cost trajectories and reduces the dimension of the relevant unknown parameters. All the relevant objects are calculated from a few auxiliary matrices, which are computed only once and kept in memory. The scheme is here applied to the “cheapest stop of a train” case-study whose optimal solution is already known.
Clinical availability of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease as an early predictor of type 2 diabetes mellitus in korean men: 5‐year prospective cohort study

There have been several reports about the clinical association between type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, most of the studies were about the unilateral effects of type 2 DM on NAFLD, and studies on the reverse relation are rare. Thus, this study was designed to investigate the effect of NAFLD on type 2 DM. We conducted a prospective cohort study on 25,232 Korean men without type 2 DM for 5 years. We serially checked the various metabolic factors including fasting glucose and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and monitored the development of type 2 DM. The incidence rate of type 2 DM was compared according to the degree of NAFLD (normal, mild, and moderate to severe), and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to measure the hazard ratios (HRs) of NAFLD on type 2 DM. The incidence rate of type 2 DM increased according to the degree of NAFLD (normal: 7.0%, mild: 9.8%, moderate to severe: 17.8%, P < 0.001). Even after adjusting for other multiple covariates, the HRs (95% confidence interval [CI]) for type 2 DM development was higher in the mild group (1.09; 0.81‐1.48) and moderate to severe group (1.73; 1.00‐3.01) compared to the normal group, respectively (P for trend <0.001). Conclusion: The development of type 2 DM is potentially more associated with more progressive NAFLD than a normal or milder state. In addition, NAFLD was an independent risk factor for the future development of type 2 DM. These results suggest the potential availability of NAFLD as an early predictor of type 2 DM. (HEPATOLOGY 2013;57:1378–1383)
Multicenter Comparison of the VITEK 2 Antifungal Susceptibility Test with the CLSI Broth Microdilution Reference Method for Testing Amphotericin B, Flucytosine, and Voriconazole against Candida spp

ABSTRACT A fully automated commercial antifungal susceptibility test system (VITEK 2; bioMérieux, Inc., Hazelwood, MO) was compared in three different laboratories with the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute (formerly the NCCLS) reference broth microdilution method (BMD) by testing 2 quality control strains, 10 reproducibility strains, and 426 isolates of Candida spp. against amphotericin B, flucytosine, and voriconazole. Reference BMD MIC endpoints were established after 24 and 48 h of incubation. VITEK 2 system MIC endpoints were determined spectrophotometrically after 9.1 to 27.1 h of incubation (mean, 12 to 14 h). Excellent essential agreement (within 2 dilutions) between the VITEK 2 system and the 24- and 48-h BMD MICs was observed for all three antifungal agents: amphotericin B, 99.1% and 97%, respectively; flucytosine, 99.1% and 98.8%, respectively; and voriconazole, 96.7% and 96%, respectively. Both intra- and interlaboratory agreements were >98% for all three drugs. The overall categorical agreements between the VITEK 2 system and BMD for flucytosine and voriconazole were 98.1 to 98.6% at the 24-h BMD time point and 96.9 to 97.4% at the 48-h BMD time point. The VITEK 2 system reliably detected flucytosine and voriconazole resistance among Candida spp. and demonstrated excellent quantitative and qualitative agreement with the reference BMD method.
A Study on the Traffic Predictive Cruise Control Strategy With Downstream Traffic Information

A vehicle traffic predictive cruise control (TPCC) system, responding to the change of downstream traffic situation, has been proposed to improve traffic operation and the fuel efficiency of vehicle based on the asymmetric traffic theory. The proposed predictive cruise control system consists of four parts: 1) deceleration-based safety surrogate measure (DSSM); 2) single-vehicle control algorithm; 3) multivehicle safety measurement (Co-DSSM); and 4) TPCC. The single-vehicle control algorithm basically decides the acceleration action based on estimated safety state between a subject vehicle and the immediate preceding vehicle, and the control strategy is determined by asymmetric driving behavior. Then, TPCC adjusts the amount of acceleration based on the Co-DSSM from multiple downstream vehicles, which contains the information on future traffic condition of the subject vehicle. A simulation using the real vehicle trajectories from the Next Generation Simulation (NGSIM) data validates the proposed TPCC system, and we compare the results with the real vehicles' car-following patterns. It is found that the proposed TPCC system can contribute to both the energy consumption and traffic flow operation by obtaining a higher level of traffic stability. Such results are due to the effects of suppressing the shockwave from downstream traffic and removing the unnecessary deceleration and acceleration actions.