Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
QT Is Longer in Drug-Free Patients with Schizophrenia Compared with Age-Matched Healthy Subjects

The potassium voltage-gated channel KCNH2 is a well-known gene in which mutations induce familial QT interval prolongation. KCNH2 is suggested to be a risk gene for schizophrenia. Additionally, the disturbance of autonomic control, which affects the QT interval, is known in schizophrenia. Therefore, we speculate that schizophrenic patients have characteristic features in terms of the QT interval in addition to the effect of antipsychotic medication. The QT interval of patients with schizophrenia not receiving antipsychotics (n = 85) was compared with that of patients with schizophrenia receiving relatively large doses of antipsychotics (n = 85) and healthy volunteers (n = 85). The QT interval was corrected using four methods (Bazett, Fridericia, Framingham or Hodges method). In ANCOVA with age and heart rate as covariates, patients not receiving antipsychotic treatment had longer QT intervals than did the healthy volunteers, but antipsychotics prolonged the QT interval regardless of the correction method used (P<0.01). Schizophrenic patients with and without medication had a significantly higher mean heart rate than did the healthy volunteers, with no obvious sex-related differences in the QT interval. The QT interval prolongation may be manifestation of a certain biological feature of schizophrenia.
A review of cost-effectiveness of varenicline and comparison of cost-effectiveness of treatments for major smoking-related morbidities.

RATIONALE This review aims to examine economic evaluations of varenicline, to compare the reported cost-effectiveness of varenicline with that of treatments for major smoking-related diseases and to evaluate the findings for decision making. METHODS A literature search was performed to identify published articles in English indexed in MEDLINE and the Cochrane Library (Issue 1, 2009), which includes the Economic Evaluation Database. Additional sources also were searched to identify unpublished varenicline studies, including conference abstracts. The search for varenicline studies was limited from 2006 to October 2009; searches for all other types of studies were limited from 1990 to October 2009. RESULTS The search yielded a total of 20 relevant economic evaluations of varenicline. In addition, 37 reviews of economic evaluations in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, non-small cell lung cancer and cardiovascular disease, as well as studies evaluating the impact of economic rewarding were considered in this review. From these identified economic evaluations, the incremental cost-effectiveness ratios for varenicline ranged from dominance (more effective and cost saving) to €18,582 per quality-adjusted life-year (including indirect costs). These estimates appeared substantially lower when compared with incremental cost-effectiveness ratios reported for secondary prevention of smoking-related diseases, which in some cases were as high as €66,218 per quality-adjusted life-year. CONCLUSIONS Varenicline appears to be cost-effective from the perspective of both health care payers and employers, because of reduced health care consumption and costs. The cost-effectiveness of varenicline also compares favourably to that of interventions recommended for the treatment and prevention of smoking-related diseases.
Processing Methods for Low Ohmic Contact Resistance in AlN/GaN MOSHEMTs

In this work, we demonstrate various ohmic contact formation processes using an AlN/GaN (MOS)HEMT structure with an aluminum oxide gate dielectric formed by ALD. The MOSHEMT structure is advantageous because the thin oxide layer protects the ultra-thin (~3 nm) AlN barrier against exposure to the processing chemicals. Contact resistance values as low as 0.457 Ω·mm are reported on TLM structures. The corresponding devices exhibited excellent electronic transport properties with room temperature mobility µ > 1000 cm 2 /V·s and sheet carrier concentration nS > 3.25 x 10 13 cm -2 . These are the lowest contact resistance values obtained for AlN/GaN HEMTs in the high mobility range (> 1000 cm 2 /V·s).
Mean bronchial wall attenuation value in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: comparison with standard bronchial parameters and correlation with function.

OBJECTIVE The objective of our study was to evaluate bronchial wall attenuation values quantified using CT in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). SUBJECTS AND METHODS Ninety patients (81 men, nine women; age range, 21-80 years; mean age, 56 years) underwent CT and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Bronchial wall attenuation value, wall area, and lumen area were averaged over four segmental bronchi in control subjects (n = 30), smokers with COPD (n = 30), and smokers without COPD (n = 30). The bronchial wall thickness, wall area-to-lumen area ratio, and wall area-to-total area ratio were computed. The extent of emphysema was measured as the percentage of area with an attenuation of less than -950 HU. Parameters were compared among groups and were correlated with PFT results. Receiver operating characteristic curves were obtained for each parameter and areas under the curve were compared. Variables responsible for changes in wall attenuation values and those accounting for obstructive indexes were assessed using multiple regressions. RESULTS The wall attenuation value was the only parameter discriminating between each pair of groups (mean ± SD, -293 ± 71 HU in COPD patients, -387 ± 70 HU in smokers, and -457 ± 69 HU in control subjects). The area under the curve of the wall attenuation value was greater than that of any other CT bronchial parameter to separate smokers from COPD patients. Wall attenuation value correlated with PFT results and was influenced by the wall area-to-lumen area ratio. The wall attenuation value, extent of emphysema, and standard bronchial parameters independently influenced obstructive indexes. CONCLUSION The bronchial wall attenuation value is a powerful index for assessing tobacco-related bronchial wall changes in patients with COPD.
Critical buckling load of paper honeycomb under out‐of‐plane pressure

Two out‐of‐plane buckling criteria for paper honeycomb are proposed by analysing the structure properties and the collapse mechanism of paper honeycomb: these are based on the peeling strength and ring crush strength of the chipboard wall. Taking into account the orthotropic, initial deflection and large deflection properties of the chipboard wall, the two new mechanical models and the calculation methods are developed to represent the out‐of‐plane critical load of paper honeycomb. Theoretical calculations and test results show that the models are suitable for describing the collapse mechanism of paper honeycomb. The peeling strength and ring crush strength determine the critical buckling load of paper honeycomb in different stretch phases. The out‐of‐plane critical buckling load can be predicted when the two models are integrated. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of a two-minute test for urine screening

A study was conducted to evaluate the ability of a urine filtration system (Bac-T-Screen, Marion Laboratories, Inc., Kansas City, Mo.) to detect negative urine cultures within 2 min. A total of 1,000 urine specimens were tested with the Bac-T-Screen and compared with a standard semiquantitative culture plate method and the Autobac system (General Diagnostics, Warner-Lambert Co., Morris Plains, N.J.). Of the 1,000 clean voided urine specimens tested, 246 specimens had colony counts greater than or equal to 10(5) CFU/ml by the culture plate method. Of these, the Bac-T-Screen detected 65.4% (161 of 246), and the Autobac detected 63.0% (155 of 246). When pure cultures of diphtheroids, lactobacilli, and viridans streptococci other than group D and cultures containing multiple organisms were considered to be contaminants and, therefore, were excluded, there were 106 pure cultures of probable pathogens of which the Bac-T-Screen detected 76.4% (81 of 106) and the Autobac detected 90.6% (96 of 106). Some 133 specimens were uninterpretable with the Bac-T-Screen because 36 clogged the filter and 97 left a residual pigment on the filter. A majority of those clogging the filter (69.4%) had positive plate counts, whereas the majority of the pigmented urines had negative plate counts. Of those urine specimens tested. 754 were negative by the culture plate method. The false-positive rates for Bac-T-Screen and Autobac were 16.2 and 5.8%, respectively. As a urine screen, the Bac-T-Screen has a negative predictive value comparable to the Autobac system and has the advantage of being a 2-min test.
Renal failure and posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura.

BACKGROUND Little is known of the nature of the neurologic manifestations in thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP). We have recently reported posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) as the predominant brain abnormality in patients with TTP. Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome has been associated with a variety of medications and pathologic states including increased arterial blood pressure and renal failure. The factors that predispose patients with TTP to PRES are not known. OBJECTIVES To ascertain whether the presence and degree of hypertension and typical laboratory abnormalities seen in hospitalized patients with TTP are predictors of PRES. Design, Setting, and Patients We performed a retrospective analysis of brain imaging in 46 hospitalized patients with acute TTP seen at St Mary's and Rochester Methodist hospitals in Rochester, Minnesota, from January 1997 to June 2007. Head computed tomographic scans and brain magnetic resonance images were evaluated independently by 2 investigators. We then performed statistical analysis to determine whether the presence of PRES was associated with the presence of hypertension or abnormal laboratory data, including renal function. RESULTS Forty-seven incidences of patients having TTP and neuroimaging were evaluated over a 10-year period. Thirty-three patients (70%) had brain magnetic resonance imaging performed. Of the patients who had acute abnormalities on brain magnetic resonance imaging, 13 (48%) were found to have PRES. Degree of hypertension was not associated with PRES on brain magnetic resonance imaging (P = .55). There was no association between hematocrit or platelet nadir, maximum blood urea nitrogen, D dimer, fibrinogen, lactate dehydrogenase, or total bilirubin levels and occurrence of PRES. The only variable highly associated with PRES on neuroimaging was the glomerular filtration rate (P = .02). CONCLUSION The occurrence of PRES in patients with acute TTP is associated with worse renal function.
Enabling Global Multimedia Distributed Services Based on Hierarchical DHT Overlay Networks

The provision of innovating multimedia services is a high priority for service providers. Due to the the high traffic volume characteristics of multimedia content, decentralised services are a desired solution for multimedia scenarios. Based on the ongoing work of the IETF P2PSIP WG this paper defines a simple way to interconnect different domains using on peer-to-peer technology. The objective is to provide connectivity between users of different domains and allow decentralised multimedia services to be placed where they can be provided most effectively. Furthermore, the routing performance and routing state is analysed for the proposed hierarchical DHT overlay architecture.
Towards the design of an energy-efficient, location-aware routing protocol for mobile, ad-hoc sensor networks

Developments in wireless, mobile communications combined with advancements in electronics have contributed to the emergence of a new class of networks: wireless ad-hoc sensor networks. Tiny, smart, network-enabled sensing nodes can be deployed to construct sensor fields that form the infrastructure for various self-adaptive and autonomic applications. We identify the requirements and properties that still need to be addressed and discuss possible approaches that could be adopted in the design of efficient routing protocols for such networks.
Altered IL-4 mRNA Stability Correlates with Th1 and Th2 Bias and Susceptibility to Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis in Two Inbred Strains of Mice1

Previously, we have shown in a model of hypersensitivity pneumonitis that Th1-biased C57BL/6 mice are susceptible and Th2-biased DBA/2 mice are resistant to disease. We also showed that this was explained in part by differential regulation of IL-12 by IL-4. For these reasons, we postulated that C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice differentially express IL-4. In this study, we show that C57BL/6 immune cells express Th2 but not Th1 cytokines at lower levels than DBA/2 cells. We also found that C57BL/6 splenocytes exhibit decreased mRNA stability of Th2 cytokines, relative to DBA/2 splenocytes. Stability of IL-2 and IFN-γ were similar in the two strains of mice. Differences in Th2 cytokine mRNA stability between C57BL/6 and DBA/2 cells were not due to sequence polymorphism at specific regions of the IL-4/IL-13 locus. Furthermore, expression of Th1- and Th2-specific transcription factors T-bet and GATA-3, as well as the nuclear factor of activated T cells transcription factor, NFATc, was not significantly different between the two mice. Our data suggest that decreased mRNA stability of Th2 cytokines in C57BL/6 splenocytes may underlie the differential susceptibility to hypersensitivity pneumonitis between C57BL/6 and DBA/2 mice. Moreover, our results indicate that regulation of mRNA stability may serve as an important mechanism underlying Th1/Th2 immune polarization.
Gender and locality differences in tobacco prevalence among adult Bangladeshis

Objectives: To determine the extent of all forms of tobacco usage in adult Bangladeshis in relation to gender and locality. Methods: Three annual urban and rural cross-sectional surveys were carried out between 2001 and 2003 involving a total of 35 446 adults, of whom 54.3% were female and 51.0% were rural dwellers. Data were collected through interview using a structured questionnaire. Results: The overall prevalences of smoking, chewing tobacco and gul usage were 20.5%, 20.6% and 1.8%, respectively. Current smoking and gul usage were significantly higher in males (42.2% and 2.2%, respectively) than females (2.3% and 1.5%, respectively) while chewing tobacco was more common in females (21.6%) than males (19.4%). No significant urban-rural difference was observed in smoking rate after adjusting for sociodemographic variables, while chewing tobacco was 1.5 times more likely to occur in rural residents and gul usage was 3.6 times more likely to occur in urban residents. On average a smoker consumed 9.3 sticks a day with males and rural residents smoking more. Conclusions: Nearly a third of the population in Bangladesh use some form of tobacco. There are marked urban-rural and male-female differences. This difference is mainly accounted for by the higher prevalence of chewing tobacco in rural areas, rural female tobacco usage is close to double than the urban rate. Smoking rates were low in Bangladeshi females, more so in urban than rural areas. The tobacco awareness programme in Bangladesh might require putting emphasis on smokeless tobacco as well as smoking.
Pre-emption cost aware response time analysis for fixed priority pre-emptive systems

Without the use of cache the increasing gap between processor and memory speeds in modern embedded microprocessors would have resulted in memory access times becoming an unacceptable bottleneck. In such systems, cache related preemption delays can be a significant proportion of task execution times. To obtain tight bounds on the response times of tasks in pre-emptively scheduled systems, it is necessary to integrate worst-case execution time analysis and schedulability analysis via the use of an appropriate model of pre-emption costs. In this paper, we introduce a new method of bounding pre-emption costs, called the ECB-Union approach. The ECBUnion approach complements an existing UCB-Union approach. We combine the two into a simple composite approach that dominates both. These approaches are integrated into response time analysis for fixed priority pre-emptively scheduled systems. Further, we extend this analysis to systems where tasks can access resources in mutual exclusion, in the process resolving omissions in existing models of pre-emption delays. A case study and empirical evaluation demonstrate the effectiveness of the ECBUnion and combined approaches for a wide range of different cache configurations including cache utilization, cache set size, reuse, and block reload times.
Impact damage live-time analysis of modern composite materials using thermography

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the possibility to use the thermography method in damage extent analysis for fibre metal laminates subjected to low–velocity impacts. On the basis of the obtained results, it has been found that the thermovision method may be used as a relatively effective method for damage identification in fibre metal laminates. It is possible to use local temperature change monitoring in FML as a diagnostic method for these elements in real time. On the basis of the studies it has been shown that depending on the impact energy, the local temperature changes. The values of this change depend on the impact energy. Moreover, the damage area in which the thermal change occurs is dependent on the impact energy. The damage areas estimated using thermography are similar to the damage areas measured by other methods known as more effective and certain. The energy absorbed by a laminate during the impact process is correlated with the process and type of laminate damage. It can be assumed that the observed thermal changes are caused by the degradation process of the structure as the results of deformation, matrix and fiber cracking, delamination initiation and propagation, friction and laminate perforation.
Human interferon-inducible 10-kDa protein and human interferon-inducible T cell alpha chemoattractant are allotopic ligands for human CXCR3: differential binding to receptor states.

The human CXC chemokines IP-10 (10-kDa interferon-inducible protein), MIG (monokine induced by human interferon-gamma), and I-TAC (interferon-inducible T cell alpha chemoattractant) attract lymphocytes through activation of CXCR3. In the studies presented here, we examined interaction of these chemokines with human CXCR3 expressed in recombinant cells and human peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). IP-10, MIG, and I-TAC were agonists in stimulating [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding in recombinant cell and PBL membranes but had no effect in the absence of hCXCR3 expression. (125)I-IP-10 and (125)I-I-TAC bound hCXCR3 with high affinity, although the (125)I-I-TAC B(max) value in saturation bindings was 7- to 13-fold higher than that measured with (125)I-IP-10. Coincubation with unlabeled chemokines decreased (125)I-IP-10 binding with a single discernible affinity. However, with (125)I-I-TAC, competition with IP-10 or MIG was incomplete, and multiple binding affinities were evident. Moreover, in contrast to I-TAC, IP-10 and MIG binding IC(50) values did not increase predictably with increased (125)I-I-TAC concentration in competition bindings, suggesting that these chemokines are noncompetitive (i.e., allotopic) ligands. Uncoupling of hCXCR3 eliminated (125)I-IP-10 binding but only decreased (125)I-I-TAC binding 30 to 80%, indicating that unlike IP-10, I-TAC binds with high affinity to uncoupled (R) and coupled (R*) hCXCR3. To examine chemokine binding to R*, we tested the effect of anti-hCXCR3 antibody on I-TAC- and IP-10-stimulated [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding. The antibody attenuated [(35)S]GTP gamma S binding in response to IP-10 but not to I-TAC, suggesting that the two chemokines bind differently to R*. Moreover, increased occupancy of R* with a >75-fold increase in (125)I -IP-10 concentration did not increase the I-TAC binding IC(50) value, and I-TAC increased the dissociation rate of (125)I-IP-10. From these data, we conclude that the binding of IP-10 and I-TAC to the R* state of hCXCR3 is allotopic.
Further evaluation of latency-based brief functional analysis methods: An evaluation of treatment utility

Abstract Objective: Objectives were to evaluate latency-based brief functional analysis (BFA) model for identifying functions of aberrant behavior and treatments generated based on the results of the latency-based brief functional analysis. Methods: We conducted latency-based BFA, including contingency reversals, and function-based treatment evaluations, including non-contingent reinforcement (NCR) and differential reinforcement of alternative behavior (DRA) with three individuals with autism using single subject design methodology. Results: Socially-mediated functions (attention; tangible) were indicated for two participants and an automatic function was identified for one participant. The treatments generated based on results of the BFA were effective at reducing aberrant behavior for all participants. Conclusions: Results provide additional support that latency-based BFA model has utility in (a) the identification of functions of aberrant behavior and (b) the generation of function-based treatments. These results suggest clinicians who encounter setting and client-specific constraints (e.g. time; severity of aberrant behavior) have additional flexibility in choosing assessment tools.
Association of red blood cell distribution width with plasma lipids in a general population of unselected outpatients.

BACKGROUND AND AIM Increased values of red blood cell distribution width (RDW) are frequent in patients suffering from cardiovascular disorders, and are associated with traditional or less conventional risk factors. Nevertheless, limited and controversial information exists on the association between anisocytosis and plasma lipids. METHODS We performed a retrospective search to retrieve test results of RDW and plasma lipids of unselected outpatients aged 18 years or older referred for routine testing over a six-month period. No restrictive inclusion or exclusion criteria were applied for extracting data of total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol, total to HDL-cholesterol ratio (COL/HDL) and atherogenic index of plasma (AIP). Cumulative results were retrieved for 4,874 outpatients (2,150 men, 2,724 women). RESULTS A significantly higher median RDW was found in females than in males (13.2 vs. 13.1; p < 0.01). After stratification of the study population into RDW quartiles, significant differences were observed in all parameters, except triglycerides and COL/HDL in men. RDW was negatively correlated with haemoglobin and mean corpuscular volume (MCV), and positively associated with age. After comparison of lipid values across RDW quartiles by multivariate logistic regression adjusted for age, haemoglobin and MCV, the RDW was negatively associated with HDL-cholesterol (OR 3.20 in females and OR 1.67 in males), and positively associated with AIP (1.53 in females and 1.43 in males), hypertriglyceridaemia (OR 1.66) and COL/HDL (OR 1.28) in women. CONCLUSIONS Higher RDW is associated with a globally unfavourable lipid profile, especially in women.
Importance of seed mineral nutrient reserves in crop growth and development.

A discussion of the importance of seed nutrient reserves on resultant crop performance including phloem transport and transfer cells, and phloem mobile (N, P, K, S and Mg), variable phloem mobile (Co, Mo, Ni, Cu, Fe and Zn) and conditionally mobile nutrients (Ca, Mn and B).