Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Password security system with 2-way authentication

This paper proposes a password security system that allows the host not to store the passwords of its users at its end. Instead it creates and stores a derivative of the password with the help of a bitmap image uploaded by the user during the user creation process. During the login attempts of users, the user is required to enter the password and upload the same image. the proposed system verifies if the image uploaded during login matches with the original image that was provided during user creation by comparing their pixel information. Then, the system derives the password from the image with the help of the stored derivative. Then, the derived password is matched with the password entered by the user.
Role of the Insulating Fillers in the Encapsulation Material on the Lateral Charge Spreading in HV-ICs

High electric fields and temperatures in high-voltage ICs (HV-ICs) can induce charge transport phenomena in the encapsulation material leading to reliability test failures. In this paper, the resistivity of epoxy-based resins with insulating microfiller weight fraction exceeding 70% has been experimentally and theoretically investigated for the first time. Electrical conductivity has been measured at high temperature (150 °C) using both dielectric spectroscopy analysis on bulk samples and charge-spreading characterizations on a dedicated test chip with integrated charge sensors. The use of a charge sensor close to the internal HV metallization leads to results more pertinent with the active area of HV-ICs. Remarkably, both experiments show an unexpected increase and a significant variability of the electrical conductivity as the microfiller fraction is increased. The strong correlation between bulk and lateral experiments clearly indicates that those features should be attributed to the bulk material. Numerical simulations of diffusion phenomenon in mold structures with random arrangements of spherical microfillers demonstrate that the conductivity increase with filler content can be ascribed to the role of the epoxy/filler interfaces.
PREDICTING MALIGNANCY IN CERVICAL LYMPH NODE: CLINICAL RESULTS

Background: The history of the patient, examination findings and imaging modalities are important to determine the etiological factors in lymphadenopathies, A good knowledge of the predictive values of malignancy, prevents loss of time and unnecessary surgeries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the pathology results of patients who underwent excisional lymph node biopsy and to examine the parameters that can be used in predicting malignancy. Methods: Patients who underwent excisional lymph node biopsy due to cervical lymphadenopathy were included in the study and patient files were retrospectively scanned. The demographic information of the patients and region, side, size, consistency, and localization of the lymph node were recorded. Preoperative screening techniques, postoperative complications and pathological diagnosis were also recorded. Parameters that can be used to predict malignancy, were determined from these data. Results: The study included a total of 133 patients, comprising 60 (45.1%) males and 73 (54.9%) females. Malignant lesions were found at a significantly higher rate in patients aged >40 years (p=0.003). Supraclavicular, rigid and ≥3 cm lymphadenopathies had a high risk of malignancy, although not at a statistically significant level. Conclusion: Age is a parameter that can be used in the prediction of malignancy in cervical lymphadenopathies.
Stimulation of monovalent cation active transport by low concentrations of cardiac glycosides. Role of catecholamines.

The stimulatory effect of low concentrations of ouabain on the Na-K pump in isolated guinea pig left atria was studied in vitro by assessing active transport of the K(+) analog Rb(+). Active transport of Rb(+) was stimulated 20+/-8% (SEM, P < 0.05) above control values by 3 nM ouabain, but was inhibited by concentrations >10 nM. Preincubation with the beta-adrenergic antagonist propranolol (1 muM) completely blocked stimulation of active transport of Rb(+) by 3 nM ouabain. Norepinephrine, 10 nM, increased Rb(+) active transport 29+/-10% (P < 0.02) above control values. The beta-adrenergic agonist l-isoproterenol, 10 nM, increased active transport of Rb(+) by 33+/-10% (P < 0.01) above control levels. This stimulatory effect was abolished if tissues were first exposed to propranolol. Tyramine (0.1 muM), a stimulator of endogenous catecholamine release, increased active transport of Rb(+) 26+/-12% (P < 0.05) above control values. Rb(+) active transport was not significantly changed when left atrial tissues were incubated with alpha-adrenergic agonists or antagonists. Ouabain stimulation of Rb(+) active transport was prevented by in vivo depletion of myocardial endogenous catecholamines by either reserpine or 6-hydroxydopamine. These findings indicated that in myocardial tissue, Na-K pump stimulation by low concentrations of ouabain is mediated at least in part through beta-adrenergic effects of endogenous catecholamines.
CYP2A6- and CYP2A13-Catalyzed Metabolism of the Nicotine Δ5′(1′)Iminium Ion

Nicotine, the major addictive agent in tobacco, is metabolized primarily by CYP2A6-catalyzed oxidation. The product of this reaction, 5′-hydroxynicotine, is in equilibrium with the nicotine Δ5′(1′)iminium ion and is further metabolized to cotinine. We reported previously that both CYP2A6 and the closely related extrahepatic enzyme CYP2A13 were inactivated during nicotine metabolism; however, inactivation occurred after metabolism was complete. This led to the hypothesis that oxidation of a nicotine metabolite, possibly the nicotine Δ5′(1′)iminium ion, was responsible for generating the inactivating species. In the studies presented here, we confirm that the nicotine Δ5′(1′)iminium ion is an inactivator of both CYP2A6 and CYP2A13, and inactivation depends on time, concentration, and the presence of NADPH. Inactivation was not reversible and was accompanied by a parallel loss in spectrally active protein, as measured by reduced CO spectra. These data are consistent with the characterization of the nicotine Δ5′(1′)iminium ion as a mechanism-based inactivator of both CYP2A13 and CYP2A6. We also confirm that both CYP2A6 and CYP2A13 catalyze the metabolism of the nicotine Δ5′(1′)iminium ion to cotinine and provide evidence that both enzymes catalyze the sequential metabolism of the nicotine Δ5′(1′)iminium ion. That is, a fraction of the cotinine formed may not be released from the enzyme before further oxidation to 3′-hydroxycotinine.
Qualitative Research: Reaching the parts other methods cannot reach: an introduction to qualitative methods in health and health services research

Medical advances, increasing specialisation, rising patient expectations, and the sheer size and diversity of health service provision mean that today's health professionals work in an increasingly complex arena. The wide range of research questions generated by this complexity has encouraged the search for new ways of conducting research. The rapid expansion of research on and about health and health services, and the relatively recent demarcation of a distinct field of "health services research" depend heavily on doctors and other health professionals being investigators, participants, and peer reviewers. Yet some of the most important questions in health services concern the organisation and culture of those who provide health care, such as why the findings of randomised controlled trials are often difficult to apply in day to day clinical practice. The social science methods appropriate to studying such phenomena are very different from the methods familiar to many health professionals.
Effects of high-dose and conventional-dose adjuvant chemotherapy on long-term cognitive sequelae in patients with breast cancer: an electrophysiologic study.

BACKGROUND The mechanisms underlying cognitive deficits found in a number of patients with breast cancer treated with adjuvant chemotherapy are still unclear. In the current study, we used a combination of measures of brain electric activity and cognitive performance during information processing to elucidate the origin of these cognitive deficits. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twenty-nine patients at high risk with breast cancer treated with adjuvant conventional-dose cyclophosphamide/epirubicin/5-fluorouracil or adjuvant high-dose cyclophosphamide/thiotepa/carboplatin were compared with 23 patients with stage I breast cancer not treated with chemotherapy approximately 4 years after completion of treatment. We studied reaction times and the amplitudes and latencies of the P3, an electrophysiologic index of information processing, in a task with different conditions related to input, central, and output processing of information. RESULTS The amplitude of the P3 component was significantly reduced in patients with breast cancer treated with high-dose cyclophosphamide/thiotepa/carboplatin compared with patients with breast cancer not treated with chemotherapy. We observed no significant differences in reaction times and P3 latency between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION Our data show electrophysiologic alterations in patients with breast cancer treated with high-dose chemotherapy 4 years after completion of treatment. The observed P3 reduction might be a result of suboptimal phasic cortical arousal and problems with the allocation of processing resources in these patients.
G × E interaction and Stability Analysis of Maize Hybrids Using Eberhart and Russell Model

The present study was carried out to identify stable Maize hybrids across various environments as the performance of each hybrid tends to vary when grown in different seasons or locations. Twenty one Maize hybrids and two commercial checks were tested over three locations in India viz., Viluppuram, Trivandrum and Nagercoil. Eberhart and Russell model of stability analysis was carried out which revealed a significant effect of each environment on the hybrids taken, for all the ten morphological traits except the number of leaves. The hybrid AU-101 was identified as a stable hybrid with high mean under less favourable conditions and the hybrid AU-114 was recognized as a stable hybrid under favourable conditions. None of the check hybrids viz., CP-818 and Bioseed-TX369 showed stability in any of the environment. Thus, it emphasized the need for the development of location specific hybrids or a hybrid that is, stable across environments.
Talus Fractures: Evaluation and Treatment

&NA; Fractures of the talus are uncommon. The relative infrequency of these injuries in part accounts for the lack of useful and objective data to guide treatment. The integrity of the talus is critical to normal function of the ankle, subtalar, and transverse tarsal joints. Injuries to the head, neck, or body of the talus can interfere with normal coupled motion of these joints and result in permanent pain, loss of motion, and deformity. Outcomes vary widely and are related to the degree of initial fracture displacement. Nondisplaced fractures have a favorable outcome in most cases. Failure to recognize fracture displacement (even when minimal) can lead to undertreatment and poor outcomes. The accuracy of closed reduction of displaced talar neck fractures can be very difficult to assess. Operative treatment should, therefore, be considered for all displaced fractures. Osteonecrosis and malunion are common complications, and prompt and accurate reduction minimizes their incidence and severity. The use of titanium screws for fixation permits magnetic resonance imaging, which may allow earlier assessment of osteonecrosis; however, further investigation is necessary to determine the clinical utility of this information. Unrecognized medial talar neck comminution can lead to varus malunion and a supination deformity with decreased range of motion of the subtalar joint. Combined anteromedial and anterolateral exposure of talar neck fractures can help ensure anatomic reduction. Posttraumatic hindfoot arthrosis has been reported to occur in more than 90% of patients with displaced talus fractures. Salvage can be difficult and often necessitates extended arthrodesis procedures.
Challenges and success factors of female entrepreneurs: evidence from a developing country

Entrepreneurship is claimed as an important element to stimulate growth and development of most countries. It is also posited that female entrepreneurs took part and played a vital role in the economic development and helped to stabilize the economy particularly during the economic recession periods. Thus, this paper attempts to explore the success factors of women entrepreneurs in Malaysia, one of the developing countries in Asia. In addition, it also examines the challenges faced by these women in conducting their businesses. Interviews were conducted with ten successful female entrepreneurs. The interview results appear to indicate that support from family members is important and contribute to the sustainability of their businesses. In addition, their internal motivation and creativity help them to attract the customers and compete in the market. This study provides information to the regulators and government agencies about the training, support and financial resources needed by this group of entrepreneurs.
Contradictions of capitalism in the South African Kalahari: Indigenous Bushmen, their brand and baasskap in tourism

ABSTRACT The question of who controls Indigenous tourism is of wide and growing relevance in post-colonial societies, especially in so-called transition economies, that are moving from state-led economies to mostly market-based economies. This paper explores such global–local dynamics for an Indigenous group in South Africa in relation to authenticity, development and power relations. Based on ethnographic fieldwork among the Indigenous South Kalahari Bushmen (≠Khomani) and their interactions with the tourism sector, especially up-market accommodation projects, it questions assumptions that economic and educational benefits will “trickle down” to the poor. It exposes two key contradictions in the capitalist tourist system. The first is that authenticity is opposed to becoming inauthentic; the Bushmen stay “authentic” for tourists who impose modernity as consumers, making the Bushmen merely an “Indigenous brand” that attracts tourists, creating revenue that trickles down into the area but hardly to those who are the brand. The second contradiction is that of poverty alleviation through a system that marginalises the Indigenous, and critically probes the concept of tourism “developing” (educating) Indigenous people. This assumed education is minimal: Bushmen and white managers are entangled in colonial paternalism (baasskap), with managers often lacking broader understanding of development, focusing mainly on economic growth.
Irinotecan in combination with fluorouracil in a 48-hour continuous infusion as first-line chemotherapy for elderly patients with metastatic colorectal cancer: a Spanish Cooperative Group for the Treatment of Digestive Tumors study.

PURPOSE Elderly patients constitute a subpopulation with special characteristics that differ from those of the nonelderly and have been underrepresented in clinical trials. This study was performed to determine the efficacy and safety of irinotecan (CPT-11) in combination with fluorouracil (FU) administered as a 48-hour continuous infusion twice a month in elderly patients. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients > or = 72 years old with metastatic colorectal cancer, Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group performance status of 0 to 1, no geriatric syndromes, and no prior treatment were treated every 2 weeks with CPT-11 180 mg/m2 plus FU 3,000 mg/m2 in a 48-hour continuous infusion. RESULTS By intent-to-treat analysis, in 85 assessable patients, the objective response rate was 35% (95% CI, 25% to 46%), and stable disease was 33% (95% CI, 23% to 44%). Median time to progression was 8.0 months (95% CI, 6.0 to 10.0 months), and median overall survival time was 15.3 months (95% CI, 13.8 to 16.9 months). Toxicity was moderate. Grade 3 and 4 neutropenia, diarrhea, and asthenia were observed in 21%, 17%, and 13% of patients, respectively. Only one case of neutropenic fever occurred. There were two toxic deaths, one was a result of grade 4 diarrhea and acute kidney failure, and the other was a result of massive intestinal hemorrhage in the first cycle. The study of prognostic factors did not reveal any predictive factor of response. Response to treatment and baseline lactate dehydrogenase were the main factors conditioning progression-free and overall survival. CONCLUSION Twice a month continuous-infusion CPT-11 combined with FU is a valid therapeutic alternative for elderly patients in good general condition.
Receptor Binding of Angiotensin II and Antagonists: Correlation with Aldosterone Production by Isolated Canine Adrenal Glomerulosa Cells

The binding properties of the angiotensin II receptors of the adrenal cortex have been studied in isolated cells prepared by collagenase dispersion of the zona glomerulosa of the canine adrenal gland. Such cell preparations are responsive to physiological concentrations of angiotensin II, and permit correlation of binding of angiotensin II and its analogues with aldosterone production in vitro. Uptake of 125I-angiotensin II (5 × 10−11 M) by glomerulosa cells at 37°C reached a steady state at 45 minutes, with a subsequent plateau for at least 60 minutes. Angiotensin II binding was also dependent upon the hormone and cell concentrations employed during uptake studies. Bound angiotensin II was rapidly dissociated from canine adrenal cells after addition of the unlabeled octapeptide. High affinity sites with equilibrium association constant (Ka of 3.3 × 108M−1 comprised 25–33% of the receptor population and the remainder of the sites were of lower affinity, 2.5 × 108m−1. Binding of angiotensin II analogues and antagonists was found to be consistent with their biological activities. The analogue most extensively evaluated was [Sar1]angiotensin II, which exhibited enhanced binding activity when compared to angiotensin II, and had a higher equilibrium association constant by kinetic analysis and direct binding studies. Direct binding of labeled angiotensin II to the adrenal glomerulosa receptor has been correlated with a progressive response in aldosterone production. The steroidogenic response to angiotensin II was maximal when 25% of the receptor population was occupied; this fraction corresponds to the proportion of high affinity receptor sites measured by binding analysis. In addition, inhibition of angiotensin II binding to receptor sites by the competitive antagonist [Sar1,Ala8]angiotensin II has been correlated with inhibition of aldosterone production. These findings serve to demonstrate the biological significance of the angiotensin II binding sites of the adrenal cortex, and confirm their role as receptors which mediate the steroidogenic responses to angiotensin II.
Dentate gyrus mediates cognitive function in the Ts65Dn/DnJ mouse model of down syndrome

In the Ts65Dn/DnJ mouse model of Down syndrome (DS), hippocampal deficits of learning and memory are the most robust features supporting this mouse as a valid cognitive model of DS. Although dentate gyrus (DG) dysfunction is suggested by excessive GABAergic inhibition, its role in perturbing DG functions in DS is unknown. We hypothesize that in the Ts65Dn/DnJ mouse, the specific role of the DG is disturbed in its support of contextual and spatial information. Support for this hypothesis comes from rats with DG lesions that show similar deficits. In order to test this hypothesis, we have developed a novel series of spontaneous exploratory tasks that emphasize the importance of recognizing spatial and contextual cues and that involve DG function. The results with this exploratory battery show that Ts65Dn/DnJ mice are impaired in DG‐dependent short‐term recognition tests involving object recognition with contextual cues, in place recognition and in metric distance recognition relative to wild type littermate controls. Further, whereas Ts65Dn/DnJ mice can recognize object novelty in the absence of contextual cues after a 5‐min delay, they cannot do so after a delay of 24 h, suggesting a problem with CA1‐mediated consolidation. The results also show that Ts65Dn/DnJ mice are not impaired in tasks (object recognition and configural object recognition) that are mediated by the perirhinal cortex (PRh). These results implicate the DG as a specific therapeutic target and the PRh as a potential therapeutic strength for future research to ameliorate learning and memory in DS. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Multifocal ERG findings in complete type congenital stationary night blindness.

PURPOSE To study the multifocal electroretinogram (mfERG) in patients with the complete type of congenital stationary night blindness (cCSNB), which is thought to be due to a defect in neurotransmission from the photoreceptors to the ON-bipolar cells. METHODS mfERGs were recorded with the VERIS recording system from four patients with cCSNB, none of whom had nystagmus. The stimulus array consisted of 61 hexagons, and the total recording time was approximately 4 minutes. The amplitudes and implicit times of the first- and second-order kernels of the local responses were compared with those from 20 myopic controls. Waveforms of the summed response from all locations were also compared between the two groups. RESULTS The first-order kernels of the mfERGs of cCSNB patients had normal amplitudes but delayed implicit times for nearly the whole field tested. The second-order kernel was severely attenuated in amplitude in cCSNB patients. The ratios of the second- to first-order kernel amplitudes were significantly reduced in cCSNB and clearly separated the cCSNB group from the control group without any overlap of the values. CONCLUSIONS The second-order kernel, which is involved in adaptative mechanism of the retina to repeated flashes, is selectively reduced in cCSNB. The delay of the implicit times of the first-order kernel in patients with cCSNB may be related to the severe amplitude reduction of the second-order kernel.
Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccine--Equally Effective for Everyone?

In Europe, community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is the most common infectious disease leading to hospital admission, carrying a high morbidity and mortality. Data from the Global Burden of Disease study show 230 000 deaths (2.3%) from CAP, making CAP the fifth most frequent cause of death in Europe (1). In Germany, something over 258 000 patients with CAP were treated in hospital in 2014; hospital mortality was just below 13% (2). A prospective cohort study showed in addition that 10-year mortality is higher in patients who have experienced a CAP episode than in a control group (3), because the pneumonia is accompanied by exacerbation of other pathological conditions, especially cardiovascular disease. Since the incidence of CAP increases with age, the changing demographics worldwide mean that the rise in CAP cases is set to continue.