Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Patient Retention and Adherence to Antiretrovirals in a Large Antiretroviral Therapy Program in Nigeria: A Longitudinal Analysis for Risk Factors

Background Substantial resources and patient commitment are required to successfully scale-up antiretroviral therapy (ART) and provide appropriate HIV management in resource-limited settings. We used pharmacy refill records to evaluate risk factors for loss to follow-up (LTFU) and non-adherence to ART in a large treatment cohort in Nigeria. Methods and Findings We reviewed clinic records of adult patients initiating ART between March 2005 and July 2006 at five health facilities. Patients were classified as LTFU if they did not return >60 days from their expected visit. Pharmacy refill rates were calculated and used to assess non-adherence. We identified risk factors associated with LTFU and non-adherence using Cox and Generalized Estimating Equation (GEE) regressions, respectively. Of 5,760 patients initiating ART, 26% were LTFU. Female gender (p<0.001), post-secondary education (p = 0.03), and initiating treatment with zidovudine-containing (p = 0.004) or tenofovir-containing (p = 0.05) regimens were associated with decreased risk of LTFU, while patients with only primary education (p = 0.02) and those with baseline CD4 counts (cell/ml3) >350 and <100 were at a higher risk of LTFU compared to patients with baseline CD4 counts of 100–200. The adjusted GEE analysis showed that patients aged <35 years (p = 0.005), who traveled for >2 hours to the clinic (p = 0.03), had total ART duration of >6 months (p<0.001), and CD4 counts >200 at ART initiation were at a higher risk of non-adherence. Patients who disclosed their HIV status to spouse/family (p = 0.01) and were treated with tenofovir-containing regimens (p≤0.001) were more likely to be adherent. Conclusions These findings formed the basis for implementing multiple pre-treatment visit preparation that promote disclosure and active community outreaching to support retention and adherence. Expansion of treatment access points of care to communities to diminish travel time may have a positive impact on adherence.
Identifying a Threshold Impurity Level for Organic Solar Cells: Enhanced First‐Order Recombination Via Well‐Defined PC84BM Traps in Organic Bulk Heterojunction Solar Cells

Small amounts of impurity, even one part in one thousand, in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells can alter the electronic properties of the device, including reducing the open circuit voltage, the short circuit current and the fill factor. Steady state studies show a dramatic increase in the trap‐assisted recombination rate when [6,6]‐phenyl C84 butyric acid methyl ester (PC84BM) is introduced as a trap site in polymer bulk heterojunction solar cells made of a blend of the copolymer poly[N‐9″‐hepta‐decanyl‐2,7‐carbazole‐alt‐5,5‐(4′,7′‐di‐2‐thienyl‐2′,1′,3′‐benzothiadiazole) (PCDTBT) and the fullerene derivative [6,6]‐phenyl C61 butyric acid methyl ester (PC60BM). The trap density dependent recombination studied here can be described as a combination of bimolecular and Shockley–Read–Hall recombination; the latter is dramatically enhanced by the addition of the PC84BM traps. This study reveals the importance of impurities in limiting the efficiency of organic solar cell devices and gives insight into the mechanism of the trap‐induced recombination loss.
Testing generalized linear models using smoothing spline methods

This article considers testing the hypothesis of Generalized Linear Models (GLM) versus general smoothing spline models for data from exponential families. The tests developed are based on the connection between smoothing spline models and Bayesian models (Gu (1992)). They are extensions of the locally most powerful (LMP) test of Cox, Koh, Wahba and Yandell (1988), the generalized maximum like- lihood ratio (GML) test and the generalized cross validation (GCV) test of Wahba (1990) for Gaussian data. Null distribution approximations are considered and simulations are done to evaluate these approximations. Simulations show that the LMP and GML tests are more powerful for low frequency functions while the GCV test is more powerful for high frequency functions, which is also true for Gaussian data (Liu and Wang (2004)). The tests are applied to data from the Wisconsin Epidemiology Study of Diabetic Retinopathy, the results of which conrm and pro- vide more denite analysis than those of previous studies. The good performances of the tests make them useful tools for diagnosis of GLM.
Seroprevalence of human herpesvirus 8 infection in individuals from health care centers in Mozambique: Potential for endemic and epidemic Kaposi's sarcoma

Human herpesvirus 8 (HHV‐8) infection is common in sub‐Saharan Africa, but its prevalence in Mozambique is unknown. The seroprevalence of HHV‐8 in a cohort of individuals seen at public health centers in Northern (n = 208), Central (n = 226), or Southern (n = 318) Mozambique was examined. All individuals were interviewed to obtain socioeconomic, demographic and clinical data and were tested for serum anti‐HHV‐8 antibodies using an immunofluorescence assay. The overall frequency of HHV‐8 antibodies was 21.4% and, in spite of the diversity of epidemiological characteristics of the tested individuals, did not differ significantly among regions: 18.7%, 24.3% and 21.4% in the North, Center, and South, respectively (χ2, 2.37; P = 0.305). The variables that were associated significantly with the presence of HHV‐8 antibodies were gender, age, level of education, number of siblings and HIV serostatus, but these differed across the regions. In the North, although tested individuals lived under poor socioeconomic conditions, no association between HHV‐8 infection and household variables was detected, with the exception of the number of siblings (P = 0.042). In the Central region, HHV‐8 infection was associated with gender (P = 0.010), the number of household members (P = 0.031), and the place of attendance (P = 0.021). In the South, HHV‐8 infection was associated with the number of siblings (P = 0.023) and HIV status (P = 0.002). The overall prevalence of HHV‐8 seropositivity increased with age. These results demonstrate that Mozambique is another country in Africa with endemic HHV‐8 infection, and, because of the AIDS epidemic, continued access to antiretroviral treatment is necessary to avert an outbreak of AIDS‐Kaposi's sarcoma. J. Med. Virol. 82:1216–1223, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Response to biologic therapy in Crohn's disease is improved with early treatment: An analysis of health claims data

Background: Anti‐tumor necrosis factor (TNF) therapy is an important treatment option for management of active Crohn's disease (CD) and is labeled for use after failure of conventional therapy (step‐up). However, there is debate on the introduction of anti‐TNF agents earlier in the treatment strategy (top‐down) to potentially improve clinical outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine if a top‐down approach with anti‐TNF therapy is associated with improved outcomes for patients with active CD. Methods: Claims data were from adult patients with CD with continuous enrollment in the same health plan for ≥6 months prior to the initial diagnostic claim for CD, ≥12 months after their initial anti‐TNF claim, and with ≥1 anti‐TNF claims after their initial diagnosis for CD. Results: Three patient groups were identified: The Step‐Up group used 5‐aminosalicylates and/or corticosteroids prior to anti‐TNF; the immunosuppression (IS)‐to‐TNF inhibitor group used IS prior to anti‐TNF therapy; the Early‐TNF group initiated anti‐TNF therapy within 30 days of the first prescription for CD. Response to anti‐TNF therapy was determined up to 24 months following anti‐TNF initiation by concomitant corticosteroid use, CD surgery, anti‐TNF dose escalation, and anti‐TNF discontinuation/switch. A top‐down approach to anti‐TNF therapy was associated with a lower risk of concomitant corticosteroid use, anti‐TNF dose escalation, discontinuation/switch of anti‐TNF, and CD‐related surgery compared with the step‐up and IS‐to‐TNF therapy approaches. Conclusions: These “real‐world” data show that a top‐down approach to anti‐TNF therapy in CD is associated with reductions in loss of response and fewer surgeries than conventional step‐wise management. (Inflamm Bowel Dis 2012;)
Psychological outcomes in long-term survivors of childhood leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a report from the Childhood Cancer Survivor Study.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate and compare psychological outcomes in long-term survivors of pediatric leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and sibling controls. METHODS Adult survivors of childhood leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (N = 5736) and sibling controls (N = 2565) were administered a long-term follow-up questionnaire allowing assessment of symptoms associated with depression and somatic distress. RESULTS The majority of respondents in this study did not demonstrate symptomatology indicative of depression or somatic distress. Survivors, however, were significantly more likely than sibling controls to report symptoms of depression and somatic distress. Women were significantly more likely to indicate symptoms of depression and somatic distress than were men; however, this difference did not vary by survivor/sibling status. Similarly, socioeconomic (SES) variables predicted symptomatic levels of depression and somatic distress for both survivors and siblings, and these effects did not vary by survivor/sibling status. Among leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma survivors, in addition to gender and SES, the only treatment variable that predicted scores indicating depressive symptomatology was exposure to intensive chemotherapy. Exposure to intensive chemotherapy also predicted scores indicative of somatic distress symptoms. No other medical variables, including diagnostic category, age at diagnosis, time since diagnosis, and duration of treatment, predicted symptomatic scores for depression and somatic distress. CONCLUSIONS This large, sibling-controlled, multisite study of young adult survivors of childhood leukemia, Hodgkin's disease, and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma found that survivors had significant increased risk for reporting symptoms of depression and somatic distress and that intensive chemotherapy added to this risk. However, being a cancer survivor did not compound the effects of gender and SES variables on the 2 outcomes measured. The ability of SES, gender, and treatment-related variables to predict psychological symptoms in this cohort of childhood survivors and sibling controls calls for future research into varied biological and psychosocial pathways by which cancer influences future psychosocial functioning.
Petroleum-derived spray oils : chemistry , history , refining and formulation

Modern use of petroleum-derived oils as agricultural crop protectants dates back to the 1800s, but it was not until the latter half of the 20th century that advances in petroleum chemistry allowed substantial modification and diversification in their commercial applicability. In the 1880s, a kerosene–soap emulsion was used with some success against scales and aphids in citrus trees. The search for something more effective led to the use of emulsified crude petroleum sprays, but these were too phytotoxic. Eventually, researchers concentrated on distillates in the range between kerosene and lubricating oils. Three basic classes of carbon structures present in petroleum oils are paraffins, aromatics and naphthenes. In 1915, E. de Ong showed that tree injury was caused by substances (aromatics and other unsaturated components) in oils that were removable with sulfuric acid; the remainder is the unsulfonated residue, or UR. In 1929, this principle became the basis for W. Volck’s patents on low-unsaturate oils having a high level of nonreactivity to sulfuric acid. A few years later, R. Smith noted the relationship between pesticidal efficiency, phytotoxicity and oil heaviness; he recommended distillation as a preferred basis for grading spray oils for heaviness in terms of average molecular weight. Viscosity and boiling-range measurements ultimately became the most useful data for indicating performance rankings among oils of common origin and manufacture. The importance of the emulsifier used with the oil was determined to be in its influence on spray deposit, which affects its pest control efficacy. Modern refining improvements after distillation progressed from solvent extraction (1950s) to hydrogenation and dewaxing to increase the UR value (1960s), and hydrocracking, which Petroleum-derived spray oils: chemistry, history, refining and formulation
Enhanced Efficiency of Perovskite Solar Cells by using Core–Ultrathin Shell Structure Ag@SiO2 Nanowires as Plasmonic Antennas

The structural advantages and localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of Ag@SiO2 nanowires when used as plasmonic antennas possess the features of fast electron transmission by 1D metal nanomaterials, high light harvesting, and electron–hole separation through the LSPR effect. By optimizing the concentration of Ag@SiO2 nanowires (0.06 wt%) in the active layer of a device, high power conversion efficiency of 18.03% and a negligible photocurrent hysteresis are obtained.
Minimum cost of transport in Asian elephants: do we really need a bigger elephant?

SUMMARY Body mass is the primary determinant of an animal’s energy requirements. At their optimum walking speed, large animals have lower mass-specific energy requirements for locomotion than small ones. In animals ranging in size from 0.8 g (roach) to 260 kg (zebu steer), the minimum cost of transport (COTmin) decreases with increasing body size roughly as COTmin∝body mass (Mb)–0.316±0.023 (95% CI). Typically, the variation of COTmin with body mass is weaker at the intraspecific level as a result of physiological and geometric similarity within closely related species. The interspecific relationship estimates that an adult elephant, with twice the body mass of a mid-sized elephant, should be able to move its body approximately 23% cheaper than the smaller elephant. We sought to determine whether adult Asian and sub-adult African elephants follow a single quasi-intraspecific relationship, and extend the interspecific relationship between COTmin and body mass to 12-fold larger animals. Physiological and possibly geometric similarity between adult Asian elephants and sub-adult African elephants caused body mass to have a no effect on COTmin (COTmin∝Mb0.007±0.455). The COTmin in elephants occurred at walking speeds between 1.3 and ∼1.5 m s–1, and at Froude numbers between 0.10 and 0.24. The addition of adult Asian elephants to the interspecific relationship resulted in COTmin∝M –0.277±0.046b. The quasi-intraspecific relationship between body mass and COTmin among elephants caused the interspecific relationship to underestimate COTmin in larger elephants.
Performance Analysis and Evaluation of InfiniBand FDR and 40GigE RoCE on HPC and Cloud Computing Systems

Communication interfaces of high performance computing (HPC) systems and clouds have been continually evolving to meet the ever increasing communication demands being placed on them by HPC applications and cloud computing middleware (e.g., Hadoop). The PCIe interfaces can now deliver speeds up to 128 Gbps (Gen3) and high performance interconnects (10/40 GigE, InfiniBand 32 Gbps QDR, InfiniBand 54 Gbps FDR, 10/40 GigE RDMA over Converged Ethernet) are capable of delivering speeds from 10 to 54 Gbps. However, no previous study has demonstrated how much benefit an end user in the HPC / cloud computing domain can expect by utilizing newer generations of these interconnects over older ones or how one type of interconnect (such as IB) performs in comparison to another (such as RoCE). In this paper we evaluate various high performance interconnects over the new PCIe Gen3 interface with HPC as well as cloud computing workloads. Our comprehensive analysis done at different levels, provides a global scope of the impact these modern interconnects have on the performance of HPC applications and cloud computing middleware. The results of our experiments show that the latest InfiniBand FDR interconnect gives the best performance for HPC as well as cloud computing applications.
SecureDAV: a secure data aggregation and verification protocol for sensor networks

Sensor networks include nodes with limited computation and communication capabilities. One of the basic functions of sensor networks is to sense and transmit data to the end users. The resource constraints and security issues pose a challenge to information aggregation in large sensor networks. Bootstrapping keys is another challenge because public key cryptosystems are unsuitable for use in resource-constrained sensor networks. In this paper, we propose a solution by dividing the problem in two domains. First, we present a protocol for establishing cluster keys in sensor networks using verifiable secret sharing. We chose elliptic curve cryptosystems for security because of their smaller key size, faster computations and reductions in processing power. Second, we develop a secure data aggregation and verification (SecureDAV) protocol that ensures that the base station never accepts faulty aggregate readings. An integrity check of the readings is done using Merkle hash trees, avoiding over-reliance on the cluster-heads.
Explanations of pedophilia: review of empirical research.

This article reviews empirical research to discover what support exists for theories that attempt to explain why adults become sexually interested in and involved with immature children. These theories are first organized into four basic categories: (1) emotional congruence-why the adult has an emotional need to relate to a child; (2) sexual arousal-why the adult could become sexually aroused by a child; (3) blockage-why alternative sources of sexual and emotional gratification are not available; or (4) disinhibitionwhy the adult is not deterred from such an interest by normal prohibitions. The review shows (1) that the best experimental research has been directed toward establishing that pedophiles do show an unusual pattern of sexual arousal toward children, although no good evidence yet exists about why this is so; (2) a number of studies have concurred that pedophiles are blocked in their social and heterosexual relationships; (3) the use of alcohol is well established as a disinhibiting factor that plays a role in a great many pedophile offenses; (4) at least one study gives support to the "emotional congruence" idea that children, because of their lack of dominance, have some special meaning for pedophiles; and (5) there is evidence that many pedophiles were themselves victims of pedophile behavior when they were children. The article also demonstrates that pedophilia research is, in general, characterized by some serious theoretical and methodological flaws. As a result, caution should be exercised in generalizing findings until more careful research is undertaken. This article reviews the empirical evidence concerning theories of pedophilia. Many theories have been proposed,l-4 but there exist few comprehensive reviews of the problem that have looked at these theories in the light of empirical research, a gap that this article will try to remedy.
Prediction and Prevention of Acute Kidney Injury after Cardiac Surgery

The incidence of acute kidney injury after cardiac surgery (CS-AKI) ranges from 33% to 94% and is associated with a high incidence of morbidity and mortality. The etiology is suggested to be multifactorial and related to almost all aspects of perioperative management. Numerous studies have reported the risk factors and risk scores and novel biomarkers of AKI have been investigated to facilitate the subclinical diagnosis of AKI. Based on the known independent risk factors, many preventive interventions to reduce the risk of CS-AKI have been tested. However, any single preventive intervention did not show a definite and persistent benefit to reduce the incidence of CS-AKI. Goal-directed therapy has been considered to be a preventive strategy with a substantial level of efficacy. Many pharmacologic agents were tested for any benefit to treat or prevent CS-AKI but the results were conflicting and evidences are still lacking. The present review will summarize the current updated evidences about the risk factors and preventive strategies for CS-AKI.
Clinical and cost effectiveness of mobile phone supported self monitoring of asthma: multicentre randomised controlled trial

Objective To determine whether mobile phone based monitoring improves asthma control compared with standard paper based monitoring strategies. Design Multicentre randomised controlled trial with cost effectiveness analysis. Setting UK primary care. Participants 288 adolescents and adults with poorly controlled asthma (asthma control questionnaire (ACQ) score ≥1.5) from 32 practices. Intervention Participants were centrally randomised to twice daily recording and mobile phone based transmission of symptoms, drug use, and peak flow with immediate feedback prompting action according to an agreed plan or paper based monitoring. Main outcome measures Changes in scores on asthma control questionnaire and self efficacy (knowledge, attitude, and self efficacy asthma questionnaire (KASE-AQ)) at six months after randomisation. Assessment of outcomes was blinded. Analysis was on an intention to treat basis. Results There was no significant difference in the change in asthma control or self efficacy between the two groups (ACQ: mean change 0.75 in mobile group v 0.73 in paper group, mean difference in change −0.02 (95% confidence interval −0.23 to 0.19); KASE-AQ score: mean change −4.4 v −2.4, mean difference 2.0 (−0.3 to 4.2)). The numbers of patients who had acute exacerbations, steroid courses, and unscheduled consultations were similar in both groups, with similar healthcare costs. Overall, the mobile phone service was more expensive because of the expenses of telemonitoring. Conclusions Mobile technology does not improve asthma control or increase self efficacy compared with paper based monitoring when both groups received clinical care to guidelines standards. The mobile technology was not cost effective. Trial registration Clinical Trials NCT00512837.
Structured Lexical Similarity via Convolution Kernels on Dependency Trees

A central topic in natural language processing is the design of lexical and syntactic features suitable for the target application. In this paper, we study convolution dependency tree kernels for automatic engineering of syntactic and semantic patterns exploiting lexical similarities. We define efficient and powerful kernels for measuring the similarity between dependency structures, whose surface forms of the lexical nodes are in part or completely different. The experiments with such kernels for question classification show an unprecedented results, e.g. 41% of error reduction of the former state-of-the-art. Additionally, semantic role classification confirms the benefit of semantic smoothing for dependency kernels.