Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in the availability of medicines for chronic and acute conditions in the public and private sectors of developing countries.

OBJECTIVE To investigate potential differences in the availability of medicines for chronic and acute conditions in low- and middle-income countries. METHODS Data on the availability of 30 commonly-surveyed medicines - 15 for acute and 15 for chronic conditions - were obtained from facility-based surveys conducted in 40 developing countries. Results were aggregated by World Bank country income group and World Health Organization region. FINDINGS The availability of medicines for both acute and chronic conditions was suboptimal across countries, particularly in the public sector. Generic medicines for chronic conditions were significantly less available than generic medicines for acute conditions in both the public sector (36.0% availability versus 53.5%; P = 0.001) and the private sector (54.7% versus 66.2%; P = 0.007). Antiasthmatics, antiepileptics and antidepressants, followed by antihypertensives, were the drivers of the observed differences. An inverse association was found between country income level and the availability gap between groups of medicines, particularly in the public sector. In low- and lower-middle income countries, drugs for acute conditions were 33.9% and 12.9% more available, respectively, in the public sector than medicines for chronic conditions. Differences in availability were smaller in the private sector than in the public sector in all country income groups. CONCLUSION Current disease patterns do not explain the significant gaps observed in the availability of medicines for chronic and acute conditions. Measures are needed to better respond to the epidemiological transition towards chronic conditions in developing countries alongside current efforts to scale up treatment for communicable diseases.
Hypoxia-inducible factor-1α, adrenomedullin and Bcl-2 although expected are not related to increased uptake of fluorine-18-fluorodeoxyglucose in endometrial cancer.

OBJECTIVE To study the relation between SUVmax, hypoxia inducible factor 1α (HIF-1α), angiogenetic factor adrenomedullin (AM) and antiapoptotic factor Bcl-2 in endometrial cancer. SUBJECTS AND METHODS Thirthy eight patients who were diagnosed after a preoperative endometrial biopsy with endometrium cancer underwent pre-operative positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) utilizing fluorine-18-fluorodeoxy glucose (¹⁸F-FDG). Maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) of the primary tumor were measured. After hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy, microscopic slides of the 38 endometrial adenocarcinoma patients were evaluated by a surgical pathologist to confirm the diagnosis. Immunohistochemical staining for AM, Bcl-2 and HIF-1α was studied. RESULTS In all patients, ¹⁸F-FDG uptake was detected. The mean SUVmax of the tumors was 11.8 ± 5.9. Although SUVmax was higher in HIF-1α positive tumors, this finding was not statistically important. No correlation was found between SUVmax and HIF-1α positivity. Mean SUVmax was 6.4 ± 3 and 12.3 ± 1.4 in AM negative and AM positive patients, respectively. Mean SUVmax was 10.6 ± 4.9 and 12.3 ± 1.4 in Bcl-2 negative and Bcl-2 positive patients, respectively. We found no correlation between SUVmax, AM or Bcl-2 expression. Allred scores were not related with SUVmax in regression analysis. CONCLUSION Our study in a small number of patients is the first to show that SUVmax, although expected is not associated with HIF-1α, AM or with Bcl-2 in endometrial cancer. Increased uptake of ¹⁸F-FDG in endometrial cancer seems to be independent of HIF-1α and its downstream factors.
The Critical Care Safety Study: The incidence and nature of adverse events and serious medical errors in intensive care*

Objective:Critically ill patients require high-intensity care and may be at especially high risk of iatrogenic injury because they are severely ill. We sought to study the incidence and nature of adverse events and serious errors in the critical care setting. Design:We conducted a prospective 1-year observational study. Incidents were collected with use of a multifaceted approach including direct continuous observation. Two physicians independently assessed incident type, severity, and preventability as well as systems-related and individual performance failures. Setting:Academic, tertiary-care urban hospital. Patients:Medical intensive care unit and coronary care unit patients. Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:The primary outcomes of interest were the incidence and rates of adverse events and serious errors per 1000 patient-days. A total of 391 patients with 420 unit admissions were studied during 1490 patient-days. We found 120 adverse events in 79 patients (20.2%), including 66 (55%) nonpreventable and 54 (45%) preventable adverse events as well as 223 serious errors. The rates per 1000 patient-days for all adverse events, preventable adverse events, and serious errors were 80.5, 36.2, and 149.7, respectively. Among adverse events, 13% (16/120) were life-threatening or fatal; and among serious errors, 11% (24/223) were potentially life-threatening. Most serious medical errors occurred during the ordering or execution of treatments, especially medications (61%; 170/277). Performance level failures were most commonly slips and lapses (53%; 148/277), rather than rule-based or knowledge-based mistakes. Conclusions:Adverse events and serious errors involving critically ill patients were common and often potentially life-threatening. Although many types of errors were identified, failure to carry out intended treatment correctly was the leading category.
Computing Popov and Hermite forms of polynomial matrices

For a polynomial matrix P(z) of degree d in M~,~(K[z]) where K is a commutative field, a reduction to the Hermite normal form can be computed in O (ndM(n) + M(nd)) arithmetic operations if M(n) is the time required to multiply two n x n matrices over K. Further, a reduction can be computed using O(log~+’ (ml)) pamlel arithmetic steps and O(L(nd) ) processors if the same processor bound holds with time O (logX (rid)) for determining the lexicographically first maximal linearly independent subset of the set of the columns of an nd x nd matrix over K. These results are obtamed by applying in the matrix case, the techniques used in the scalar case of the gcd of polynomials.
Application of Polymerase Chain Reaction Based on ITS1 rDNA to Speciate Eimeria

Abstract A method was developed to recover Eimeria spp. oocysts directly from poultry litter and determine which species of Eimeria were present using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) based on the ITS1 rDNA sequence. The species composition of Eimeria oocysts was also compared before and after propagation in susceptible chickens to determine if the relative proportion of each species changed after expansion. In samples from two broiler operations, ITS1-PCR was able to detect Eimeria spp. oocysts recovered from litter, with Eimeria acervulina, Eimeria maxima, and Eimeria praecox being the predominant species present therein. Although Eimeria tenella was found in one sample, the other species—Eimeria brunetti, Eimeria necatrix, and Eimeria mitis—were not detected. The species composition as determined by ITS1-PCR did not appear to appreciably alter after expansion in susceptible chickens. The described method represents a rapid means for determining the major Eimeria species in a poultry operation and may be helpful in choosing a particular live oocyst vaccine formulation to protect chickens against coccidiosis.
Morphology, Carbohydrate Distribution, Gene Expression, and Enzymatic Activities Related to Cell Wall Hydrolysis in Four Barley Varieties during Simulated Malting

Many biological processes, such as cell wall hydrolysis and the mobilisation of nutrient reserves from the starchy endosperm, require stringent regulation to successfully malt barley (Hordeum vulgare) grain in an industrial context. Much of the accumulated knowledge defining these events has been collected from individual, unrelated experiments, and data have often been extrapolated from Petri dish germination, rather than malting, experiments. Here, we present comprehensive morphological, biochemical, and transcript data from a simulated malt batch of the three elite malting cultivars Admiral, Navigator, and Flagship, and the feed cultivar Keel. Activities of lytic enzymes implicated in cell wall and starch depolymerisation in germinated grain have been measured, and transcript data for published cell wall hydrolytic genes have been provided. It was notable that Flagship and Keel exhibited generally similar patterns of enzyme and transcript expression, but exhibited a few key differences that may partially explain Flagship's superior malting qualities. Admiral and Navigator also showed matching expression patterns for these genes and enzymes, but the patterns differed from those of Flagship and Keel, despite Admiral and Navigator having Keel as a common ancestor. Overall (1,3;1,4)-β-glucanase activity differed between cultivars, with lower enzyme levels and concomitantly higher amounts of (1,3;1,4)-β-glucan in the feed variety, Keel, at the end of malting. Transcript levels of the gene encoding (1,3;1,4)-β-glucanase isoenzyme EI were almost three times higher than those encoding isoenzyme EII, suggesting a previously unrecognised importance for isoenzyme EI during malting. Careful morphological examination showed that scutellum epithelial cells in mature dry grain are elongated but expand no further as malting progresses, in contrast to equivalent cells in other cereals, perhaps demonstrating a morphological change in this critical organ over generations of breeding selection. Fluorescent immuno-histochemical labelling revealed the presence of pectin in the nucellus and, for the first time, significant amounts of callose throughout the starchy endosperm of mature grain.
A systematic review on the effects of environmental exposure to some organohalogens and phthalates on early puberty

Background: Early puberty is a common worldwide problem. Different parameters as genetics, metabolic diseases, obesity, as well as environmental factors may affect the age of puberty. This systematic review aims to survey the related literature on the effects of environmental pollutants and especially organohalogens and phthalates on early puberty. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of papers published in the English language was completed in January 2014. Studies on the associations of organohalogens and phthalates with the puberty time were included. A literature search was conducted in EMBASE, PubMed, Scopus, ISI Web of Science, and Cochrane Library from 1995 to January 2014; moreover manual search through references of relevant manuscripts was considered. The literature search identified 212 papers, of which 13 papers fulfilled the inclusion criteria of the current study. Two reviewers independently identified relevant papers for potential inclusion and assessed the methodological quality. Results: This review included 6572 participants in nine countries from three continents (Europe, North America, and Asia). Different studies determined the effects of pollutants on maturation signs and pubertal stages and confirmed the association of organohalogens and phthalates with early puberty. Conclusion: Based on the studied literature, environmental pollutants surround and accumulate in human societies and their adverse health effects are well documented. It can be concluded that organohalogens and phthalates are disturbing the normal process of puberty timing; especially their influence on early maturation in girls should be underscored.
Monomeric pheophorbide(a)-containing poly(ethyleneglycol-b-ε-caprolactone) micelles for photodynamic therapy

Incorporation of unaggregated monomeric molecules of pheophorbide(a) into micelles of poly(ethyleneoxide-b-ε-caprolactone) has been characterized by fluorescence spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering, transmission electron microscopy and asymmetric flow field flow fractionation. It was shown that the method used leads to 20 nm micelles, corresponding to approximately 200 molecules of polymer and 4 molecules of monomeric pheophorbide(a) per nano-object which was able to generate^1O_2 in the medium. They have been used thereafter as nanocarriers for photosensitizers in photodynamic therapy against cancer cells. The encapsulation of photosensitizer has been verified and in vitro tests on human cancerous cells have revealed a ca. 2-fold enhanced photocytotoxicity and cellular uptake compared to free pheophorbide(a).
Shear Wave Imaging of the Breast

n the February 2012 issue of the Journal of Ultrasound in Medicine, Bai et al1 presented their results on the evaluation of solid breast masses with quantitative acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) imaging. In their study, they found that 63.4% of breast cancers had a result of “X.XX m/s,” indicating that a measurement result could not be obtained. Quantitative ARFI imaging (Virtual Touch tissue quantification; Siemens Medical Solutions, Mountain View, CA) uses algorithms that include a test of the confidence interval of the shear velocity estimation. The algorithm rejects the data if the confidence interval is low (<0.8) due to several quality factors, including shear wave amplitude and noise. If the data are rejected, the system gives a speed of the shear wave (Vs) as X.XX m/s. We have seen similar results in our investigations. There are several reasons why an X.XX m/s result can occur, including improper data collection (tissue movement and probe movement), the shear wave speed exceeding the maximum measurable range of 8.4 m/s (limit of the ARFI technique in this case), or a poor-quality shear wave. With breast imaging, motion is easier to eliminate than in abdominal imaging, in which respiratory motion and/or vascular motion is a greater problem. In our experience, motion is easily controlled in breast elastography, and it has not been a problem. In these cases, multiple repeated measurements in the same lesion return an X.XX-m/s result. Although possible, it is unlikely that all of these breast cancers have a shear wave speed exceeding 8.4 m/s. We are able to capture the raw data signal in our research system from clinical cases and process the shear wave data off line. Figure 1 illustrates the principle of quantitative ARFI imaging. A indicates the excitation pulse; B is the region of interest where shear waves are detected; C is a representation of the shear wave displacement profiles at distance intervals away from the excitation pulse; and D indicates the linear regression analysis used to estimate the shear wave velocity. In Figure 2, the typical shear wave pattern from a fatty area in a patient’s breast is presented. Each individual curve taken at different distances from the push pulse has minimal noise. The time to peak for each curve is used to calculate the shear wave speed. Figure 3A is a similar display from an invasive ductal cancer. Note that the shear wave amplitude is low and noisy from within the cancer, but a smooth shear wave response is seen in the surrounding normal tissue. Further evaluation is required to understand the cause of this result and will not be addressed here. In this case, a shear wave speed from within the cancer can not be accurately measured. The ARFI algorithms reject these data as poor, therefore giving a result of X.XX m/s. Invited paper I
Sketch Based Design of 2D and 3D Freeform Geometry

AbstractWe present an interface for intuitive creation and modification of 2D and 3D freeform, spline based, geometry. The user interactively draws freehand shapes, either in the plane or in space over arbitrary freeform surface(s) and the system automatically reconstructs a plausible result, a new freeform curve or surface. Several intuitive direct modeling operations are offered that a casual or novice user is likely to find easy to use. As we consider Boolean operations counter-intuitive for novice users, a direct modeling scheme of complex freeform geometry of similar power is proposed as an alternative. Once a curve is sketched on a surface it can be further manipulated on the same surface. That is, scaled, translated, rotated, etc. Further, a sketched curve can be employed directly to create a hole (cut) in the geometry and/or to sweep a handle out of (into the) geometry. The entire framework allows the modeling of complex freeform geometry in an intuitive manner, all while avoiding Booleans.
Cascaded Evolutionary Estimator for Robot Localization

All processes in the real world are burdened with interference to some extent. The present work shows a method permitting effective interference filtration using sensor data applied for localization possibilities in the known environment using 2D-laser-range-finder. So called cascaded estimator is utilized for filtration mechanism consisted of up to five serially arranged strategies that are able to navigate successfully in useful data. The interference level, at which the estimator devised is able to work, equals up to 100 percent of the original signal. The novelty of the cascaded estimator includes successful evolutionary computations replacing high-performance accelerator with keeping all necessary features of the original algorithms. It is possible to draw up a large quantity of various strategies having specific features. A behavioural analysis of various estimators is performed for verification of features of individual types with application of brute force and classic gradient algorithm. Comparison of efficiency and time requirements is executed utilizing evolutionary methods together with robustness demonstration and reliability of selected types in various kinds of environment. Their advantages, disadvantages, and efficiency are discussed in the course of classification. The number of experiments executed gives wider and mainly practical view on problems of cascaded estimator application for interference filtration and navigation.
Estimating the Production Function for Human Capital: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial in Colombia

We examine the channels through which a randomized early childhood intervention in Colombia led to significant gains in cognitive and socio-emotional skills among a sample of disadvantaged children aged 12 to 24 months at baseline. We estimate the determinants of parents’ material and time investments in these children and evaluate the impact of the treatment on such investments. We then estimate the production functions for cognitive and socio-emotional skills. The effects of the program can be explained by increases in parental investments, emphasizing the importance of parenting interventions at an early age. (JEL I24, I28, J13, J24, O15)
Stress—strain response and thermal conductivity degradation of ceramic matrix composite fiber tows in 0—90° uni-directional and woven composites

The physical model for tow behavior, developed previously by the authors, is used to study the performance of two woven CMC laminates: a carbon fiber/carbon—SiC matrix (C/C—SiC) plain weave laminate — DLR-XT; and a carbon fiber— carbon matrix (C/C) 8-Harness Satin weave laminate — HITCO. For both materials, room temperature stress—strain curves and transverse thermal conductivity—strain curves are available from a previous experimental investigation; these curves have been used as benchmarks to assess the fidelity of the models. The tow model has first been used to develop relationships for 0°/90° uni-directional unit cells, and then adapted to cater for unit cells of the DLR-XT and HITCO woven composites. For both materials, acceptable predictions have been made of stress—strain behavior. Despite the thermal models being based on one-dimensional heat flow, within series-parallel elements, excellent predictions have been made of the degradation in transverse composite thermal conductivity with the composite strain. Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the effect of the degradation of transverse thermal conductivity is due to strain-driven growth of wake debonded cracks.
A new polymorphism in the human factor VIII gene: implications for linkage analysis in haemophilia A and for the evolution of int22h sequences

A new polymorphism in the human factor VIII gene has been localized and characterized. It is a biallelic, single nucleotide polymorphism located in intron 22 of the gene, within the 9·5 kb int22h‐1 segment. The allelic forms are G (frequency 0·65) and A (frequency 0·35), giving a predicted rate of heterozygosity of 0·46. The polymorphism occurs within a CG dinucleotide and affects an MspI site (CCGG). Int22h‐1 is duplicated twice extragenically at Xq28; both extragenic copies (int22h‐2 and ‐3) are also polymorphic with respect to MspI. Investigation of 156 MspI [–] alleles, comprising 30 intragenic and 126 extragenic sites, indicated that all were due to A alleles and none had arisen by C to T transition within the CG dinucleotide. The intragenic MspI site (designated MspI A) is located 737 bases downstream of a previously described XbaI restriction fragment length polymorphism. Despite their close proximity, the polymorphisms are not in complete linkage disequilibrium; haplotype analysis in 85 factor VIII genes from a Caucasian population predicts an informativity of approximately 60% in linkage studies using both, compared with an informativity of approximately 47% in studies using either on its own.
Alzheimer’s disease pathology and shunt surgery outcome in normal pressure hydrocephalus

We aimed to determine whether presence of AD neuropathology predicted cognitive, gait and balance measures in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) after shunt surgery. This is a prospective study of gait and balance measured by Timed Up and Go (TUG) and Tinetti tests, and cognitive function measured by Mini Mental Status Exam (MMSE), before and after shunt surgery in participants 65 years and older with iNPH at the Johns Hopkins University. Random effects models were used and adjusted for confounders. 88 participants were included in the analysis with a median (IQR) time of 104 (57–213) days between surgery and follow-up. 23 (25%) participants had neuritic plaques present (NP+) and were significantly older [76.4 (6.0) years], but were otherwise similar in all demographics and outcome measures, when compared to the group without neuritic plaques (NP-). NP- and NP+ participants equally improved on measures of TUG (β = -3.27, 95% CI -6.24, -0.30, p = 0.03; β = -2.37, 95% CI -3.90, -0.86, p = 0.02, respectively), Tinetti-total (β = 1.95, 95% CI 1.11, 2.78, p<0.001; β = 1.72, 95% CI 0.90, 2.53, p<0.001, respectively), -balance (β = 0.81, 95% CI 0.23, 1.38, p = 0.006; β = 0.87, 95% CI 0.40, 1.34, p<0.001, respectively) and -gait (β = 1.03, 95% CI 0.61, 1.45, p<0.001; β = 0.84, 95% CI 0.16, 1.53, p = 0.02, respectively), while neither NP- nor NP+ showed significant improvement on MMSE (β = 0.10, 95% CI -0.27, 0.46, p = 0.61, β = 0.41, 95% CI -0.27, 1.09, p = 0.24, respectively). In summary, 26% of participants with iNPH had coexisting AD pathology, which does not significantly influence the clinical response to shunt surgery.
Accuracy Limitations of the Locally One-Dimensional FDTD Technique

While the alternating-direction implicit finite-difference time-domain (ADI-FDTD) method preserves the second-order temporal accuracy of the conventional FDTD technique, the locally one-dimensional (LOD)-FDTD method exhibits a first-order in time splitting error. Despite this difference, the numerical dispersion analyses of these methods reveal that both present similar accuracy properties. For this reason, the characteristic noncommutativity error of the LOD-FDTD scheme has not received much attention. In this letter, we determine the closed form of the local truncation error for the 3D-LOD-FDTD scheme. We find that it presents error terms that depend on the time-step size multiplied by the spatial derivatives of the fields. Numerical results confirm that these terms become a significant source of error that is not revealed in the dispersion analyses.