Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Active referral: an innovative approach to engaging traditional healthcare providers in TB control in Burkina Faso.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The involvement of traditional healthcare providers (THPs) has been suggested among strategies to increase tuberculosis case detection. Burkina Faso has embarked on such an attempt. This study is a preliminary assessment of that model. METHODS Qualitative data were collected using unstructured key informant interviews with policy makers, group interviews with THPs and health workers, and field visits to THPs. Quantitative data were collected from program reports and the national tuberculosis (TB) control database. RESULTS AND ANALYSIS The distribution of tasks among THPs, intermediary organizations and clinicians is appealing, especially the focus on active referral. THPs are offered incentives based on numbers of suspected cases confirmed by health workers at the clinic, based on microscopy results or clinical assessment. The positivity rate was 23% and 9% for 2006 and 2007, respectively. The contribution of the program to national case detection was estimated at 2% for 2006. Because it relied totally on donor funding, the program suffered from irregular disbursements, resulting in periodic decreases in activities and outcomes. CONCLUSIONS The study shows that single interventions require a broader positive policy environment to be sustainable. Even if the active referral approach seems effective in enhancing TB case detection, more complex policy work and direction, domestic financial contribution and additional evidence for cost-effectiveness are needed before the approach can be established as a national policy.
Restoration of proestrous and estrous release of gonadotropins in ovariectomized hamsters: a possible role for inhibin in the female.

Changes in serum concentrations of estradiol (E2) and progesterone (P) similar to those observed in intact female hamsters during proestrus and estrus were restored in ovariectomized hamsters by Silastic capsule implants. E2 alone or E2 in combination with P elicited a surge release of luteinizing hormone (LH) I day after the introduction of the E2 stimulus. Neither steroid treatment regimen, however, caused the biphasic elevation in serum FSH levels normally observed in the cyclic hamster. The administration of bovine follicular fluid (a source of inhibin) on proestrus, either alone or in combination with gonadal steroids, elicited an elevation in serum FSH concentrations, followed by an abrupt decline and a subsequent secondary rise to control levels. These studies suggest that ovarian inhibin may play an important role in the regulation of FSH secretion during the periovulatory period in the female golden hamster.
Effects of Vegetable Consumption on Weight Loss: A Review of the Evidence with Implications for Design of Randomized Controlled Trials

Vegetable consumption is a key strategy in many weight loss programs but establishing the evidence that vegetable consumption per se assists with weight loss may be difficult. Creating a dietary energy deficit involves the whole diet, so research on the effects of vegetables may need to consider the whole-dietary model. The aims of this review were to examine the evidence on whether a higher vegetable consumption resulted in greater weight loss in overweight adults (compared to lower intakes) in view of a critique study designs with respect to their potential impact on outcomes. Using the PubMed search engine, a systematic review of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) published in the period 1988 to 2011 was conducted. Of the 16 RCTs scrutinized, five reported greater weight loss, nine no difference, one showed weight gain, and one reported a positive association between weight loss and high vegetable consumption. Trials which showed beneficial effects compared a healthy high vegetable diet with a control diet based on usual consumption patterns, and/or included behavioral support and counseling. On face value, the evidence reviewed appeared inconclusive but closer examination of study designs exposed important implications for RCTs that examine effects of foods on weight loss.
A new method of measuring aerosol optical properties from digital twilight photographs

Abstract. An optimal-estimation algorithm for inferring aerosol optical properties from digital twilight photographs is proposed. The sensitivity of atmospheric components and surface characteristics to brightness and color of twilight sky is investigated, and the results suggest that tropospheric and stratospheric aerosol optical thickness (AOT) are sensitive to condition of the twilight sky. The coarse–fine particle volume ratio is moderately sensitive to the sky condition near the horizon under a clean-atmosphere condition. A radiative transfer model that takes into account a spherical-shell atmosphere, refraction, and multiple scattering is used as a forward model. Error analysis shows that the tropospheric and stratospheric AOT can be retrieved without significant bias. Comparisons with results from other ground-based instruments exhibit reasonable agreement on AOT. A case study suggests that the AOT retrieval method can be applied to atmospheric conditions with varying aerosol vertical profiles and vertically inhomogeneous species in the troposphere.
Dynamic Model of Switched-Capacitor DC–DC Converters in the Slow-Switching Limit Including Charge Reusing

A reliable model to analyze the dynamic behavior of two-phase switched-capacitor dc–dc converters in the slow-switching limit regime is proposed, taking into account both top and bottom parasitic capacitances as well as the charge reusing approach. This technique features significant improvements in both gain and efficiency with respect to existing solutions. We calculate the slow-switching limit boundary layer taking into account the parasitic capacitances of the flying capacitors and the dynamic and parasitic effects from the switches. The model is highly reliable into this region, featuring better accuracy in both time response and charge consumed than previous models in the literature. Also, as we will show that it can be used outside this region assuming a certain accuracy loss. The model is verified by experimental results and circuit-level simulations. The model has been implemented in an open-access web simulator, saving up to 10 000$\times$ in computation time when compared to well-known circuit-level simulators. The applicability of the model is illustrated through the optimization of charge efficiency and time response in a typical situation for light microenergy harvesting using Dickson, Fibonacci, and exponential solutions.
Gas Transport Model in Organic Shale Nanopores Considering Langmuir Slip Conditions and Diffusion: Pore Confinement, Real Gas, and Geomechanical Effects

Nanopores are extremely developed and randomly distributed in shale gas reservoirs. Due to the rarefied conditions in shale strata, multiple gas transport mechanisms coexist and need further understanding. The commonly used slip models are mostly based on Maxwell slip boundary condition, which assumes elastic collisions between gas molecules and solid surfaces. However, gas molecules do not rebound from solid surfaces elastically, but rather are adsorbed on them and then re-emitted after some time lag. A Langmuir slip permeability model was established by introducing Langmuir slip BC. Knudsen diffusion of bulk phase gas and surface diffusion of adsorbed gas were also coupled into our nanopore transport model. Considering the effects of real gas, stress dependence, thermodynamic phase changes due to pore confinement, surface roughness, gas molecular volume, and pore enlargement due to gas desorption during depressurization, a unified gas transport model in organic shale nanopores was established, which was then upscaled by coupling effective porosity and tortuosity to describe practical SGR properties. The bulk phase transport model, single capillary model, and upscaled porous media model were validated by data from experimental data, lattice Boltzmann method or model comparisons. Based on the new gas transport model, the equivalent permeability of different flow mechanisms as well as the flux proportion of each mechanism to total flow rate was investigated in different pore radius and pressure conditions. The study in this paper revealed special gas transport characteristics in shale nonopores and provided a robust foundation for accurate simulation of shale gas production.
Decentralised feedback connectivity control with application to wireless sensor networks

In this paper we propose a decentralised algorithm for connectivity maintenance in a distributed sensor network. Our algorithm uses the dynamics of a consensus algorithm to estimate the connectivity of a network topology in a decentralised manner. These estimates are then used to initiate a decentralised control algorithm that regulates the network connectivity to some desired level. Under certain realistic assumptions we show the closed loop dynamics can be described as a consensus algorithm with an input, and eventually become scalar systems. Bounds are given to ensure the stability of the algorithm and examples are given to illustrate the efficacy of the proposed algorithm.
Immunoregulation in experimental filariasis. III. Demonstration and characterization of antigen-specific suppressor cells in the spleen of Brugia pahangi-infected jirds.

Antigen specific immunoregulatory phenomena in both human and experimental filariasis are correlated with the presence of circulating microfilariae. Previous studies of inbred jirds infected with Brugia pahangi have demonstrated that the onset of microfilaremia (8-10 weeks post-infection) is associated with a loss of responsiveness to parasite antigens in the spleen, but not the lymph nodes of infected animals. The present experiments defined immunoregulatory phenomena responsible for altered antigen-specific in vitro lymphocyte blastogenesis in the spleen of B. pahangi-infected jirds. Diminished splenic responsiveness to B. pahangi antigens was associated with the presence of a cell capable of suppressing the responsiveness of lymph node cells from infected jirds to parasite antigens. antigen-induced in vitro blastogenic responsiveness of spleen cells from microfilaremic , but not normal animals was restored by depletion of cells adherent to nylon wool or bearing receptors for histamine, peanut agglutinin, soybean agglutinin or jird Fc. The responsiveness of spleen cells from chronically infected (greater than or equal to 20 weeks) animals to mitogens, but not parasite antigens, was enhanced by removal of plastic-adherent cells. The results suggest the involvement of antigen-specific suppressor T cells, in the spleen of B. phangi -infected jirds which are distinct from non-specific suppressor cells previously described in this system.
Usefulness of mass screening for ovarian carcinoma using transvaginal ultrasonography.

BACKGROUND International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics Stage I ovarian carcinoma, which has the worst prognosis among all types of gynecologic carcinoma, has a high cure rate as has been reported, but early diagnosis is difficult and to the authors' knowledge screening methods have not been established. Since 1989, the authors have performed transvaginal ultrasonography (TVS) as a form of screening for ovarian carcinoma. The purpose of the current study was to summarize and evaluate screening results for the last 10 years with respect to ovarian carcinoma diagnosis and risk factors. METHODS Primary screening by TVS was performed in asymptomatic women who participated in annual uterine cervical carcinoma screening. Four scanning sections by TVS were established and all sonograms were recorded. Women with abnormal sonograms (a mass > 30 mm in greatest dimension or a mass with a mixed pattern) received secondary screening and closer examination with a tumor marker and an imaging diagnostic examination. Laparotomy was conducted on all masses with a greatest dimension of >/= 60 mm or on suspected malignant masses. Subject information-related risk factors also were recorded. RESULTS Subjects were 183,034 women who participated in primary screening. Of these women, 51,550 were undergoing screening for the first time. The time required for primary screening was 1 minute per subject. Secondary screening was required for 5309 participants (10.3%) and surgery was performed on 324 participants. Twenty-two primary tumors and 2 metastatic tumors were detected for a diagnostic rate of 0.047%. Of the 22 primary tumors, 17 (77.3%) were classified as Stage I carcinoma, with tumor markers positive only for 5 (29.4%). The percentage of the total number of Stage I ovarian carcinoma cases increased after the induction of screening from 29.7% to 58.8%. CONCLUSIONS These results are significant in that 77.3% of the primary ovarian carcinomas found during the current screening were of curable Stage I. Increased use of TVS screening for ovarian carcinoma may increase the chance for early diagnosis and decrease the mortality of the disease.
A Neural Probabilistic Model for Predicting Melodic Sequences

We present an approach for modelling melodic sequences us- ing Restricted Boltzmann Machines, with an application to folk melody classification. 1Results show that this model's predictive performance is slightly better in our experiment than that of previously evaluated n- gram models (7). The model has a simple structure and in our evaluation it scaled linearly in the number of free parameters with length of the modelled context. A set of these models is used to classify 7 different styles of folk melodies with an accuracy of 61.74%.
Impact of hypoglycemic events and HbA1c level on sulfonylurea discontinuation and down-titration

ABSTRACT Background: A retrospective cohort study using GE Centricity electronic medical records assessed the association between post-index hypoglycemia and HbA1c with discontinuation and down-titration of sulfonylureas among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Adult patients with an index prescription for a sulfonylurea and ≥12 months’ continuous records pre- and post-index were eligible. Sulfonylurea discontinuation and down-titration was assessed 1-year post-index. Discontinuation occurred if the date of a prescription was >90 days from the preceding prescription plus days of supply. Down-titration occurred when a subsequent prescription was lower than the index dose. Cox regression assessed the association between post-index hypoglycemia and HbA1c with time to sulfonylurea discontinuation and down-titration, as well as other factors. Results: 28,371 participants were included in the study; 13,459 (47.4%) were discontinuers, 717 (2.5%) were down-titraters, and 14,195 (50.0%) were continuers. 0.6% of continuers experienced hypoglycemia 1-year post-index, compared with 3.1% of down-titraters and 0.8% of discontinuers (p < 0.0001). Patients with post-index hypoglycemia had a significantly higher rate of discontinuation (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.82, 95% CI: 1.47–2.23) and down-titration (HR = 4.25, 95% CI: 1.92–8.03). Patients with higher post-index HbA1c and use of 2nd generation sulfonylureas had an increased rate of discontinuation (HR = 1.05, 95% CI: 1.04–1.06; HR = 1.19, 95% CI: 1.14–1.24, respectively). Conclusion: Approximately half of participants who initiated sulfonylureas discontinued or down-titrated therapy within one year. Both post-index hypoglycemia and higher HbA1c were significant risk factors for sulfonylurea treatment change.
DESCRIPTION AND MORPHOMETRICAL VARIABILITY OF A NEW SPECIES OF LIGOPHORUS AND OF LIGOPHORUS CHABAUDI (MONOGENEA: DACTYLOGYRIDAE) ON MUGIL CEPHALUS (TELEOSTEI) FROM THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN

A comparative morphological study of specimens of Ligophorus spp. from Mugil cephalus in western Mediterranean and the Black Sea localities has been carried out, indicating the presence of 2 distinct forms, i.e., Ligophorus chabaudi and Ligophorus cephali n. sp. A detailed description of the latter and an up-to-date redescription of L. chabaudi are provided. The existence of these 2 morphological species was additionally supported by principal component analysis based on 19 metric characters of 87 specimens arranged in samples defined by parasite species and geographical locality. The analysis indicated consistent differences between species but not between localities; this pattern was well supported by jackknife procedures. Linear discriminant analyses showed that the main metric differences between the 2 species were attributable to the lengths of the dorsal and ventral bars and to the uncinulus length; use of the first 2 variables was enough to allocate all specimens studied to either form. The erection of L. cephali n. sp. raises the number of sympatric Mediterranean species of Ligophorus on M. cephalus to 3. The known geographical ranges of these species are compared.
Two levels of Bayesian model averaging for optimal control of stochastic systems

Bayesian model averaging provides the best possible estimate of a model, given the data. This article uses that approach twice: once to get a distribution of plausible models of the world, and again to find a distribution of plausible control functions. The resulting ensemble gives control instructions different from simply taking the single best-fitting model and using it to find a single lowest-error control function for that single model. The only drawback is, of course, the need for more computer time: this article demonstrates that the required computer time is feasible. The test problem here is from flood control and risk management.
Time management strategies in nursing practice.

BACKGROUND With the increasing emphasis on efficiency and effectiveness in health care, how a nurse manages her time is an important consideration. Whilst time management is recognized as an important component of work performance and professional nursing practice, the reality of this process in nursing practice has been subject to scant empirical investigation. AIM To explore how nurses organize and manage their time. METHODS A qualitative study was carried out, incorporating narratives (22 nurses), focus groups (24 nurses) and semi-structured interviews (22 nurses). In my role as practitioner researcher I undertook observation and had informal conversations, which provided further data. Study sites were five health care organizations in the United Kingdom during 1995-1999. FINDINGS Time management is complex, with nurses using a range of time management strategies and a repertoire of actions. Two of these strategies, namely routinization and prioritizing, are discussed, including their implications for understanding time management by nurses in clinical practice. CONCLUSIONS Ignoring the influence of 'others', the team and the organization perpetuates a rather individualistic and self-critical perspective of time management. This may lead to a failure to address problems in the organizing of work, and the co-ordinating of care involving other health care workers.
"Rivalry and Forbearance in the European Airline Industry: Evidence of an Inverted U-Shaped Competitive Pattern"

Cet article propose et teste un modele theorique qui suggere que la relation entre le niveau de contact multi-territoires (ou multipoints) et la rivalite entre compagnies aeriennes europeennes se caracterise par une forme en U inverse. Utilisant un echantillon important de compagnies aeriennes sur la periode 2002-2006, nous offrons une confirmation empirique de la relation en U inverse entre contacts multi-territoires et rivalite mesures par les entrees et sorties des territoires d’un concurrent. Nous en concluons que la concurrence entre compagnies aeriennes suit des periodes de rivalite et de retenue, peut-etre independamment de la periode et du contexte institutionnel.
An evaluation of the effect of smoking on coronary heart disease. I. Epidemiological evidence.

In January 1964, the Surgeon General's Advisory Committee on Smoking and Health 1 in considering the available information on smoking and coronary heart disease (CHD) (International Statistical Classification [ISC] 420) reported that "male cigarette smokers have a higher death rate from coronary artery disease than nonsmoking males, but it is not clear that the association has casual significance. " Three points should be noted. First, the committee left no doubt that there was a consistent statistically significant association among cigarette smokers of increased mortality and morbidity from CHD in men, particularly during middle life. Seven large completed or current prospective studies of smoking and death rate gave a CHD median mortality ratio (current cigarette smokers to nonsmokers) of 1.7, with no significant excess deaths among cigar and pipe smokers. Second, the committee recognized that certain factors other than smoking were known or thought to predispose to the condition or to be
Management of a Rapidly Growing Peritoneal Dialysis Population at the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-Sen University

Managing a rapidly growing peritoneal dialysis program with more than 1000 patients involves multiple challenges, labor constraints, logistics, and excessive geographic distance. This paper describes how Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China, manages those issues, while simultaneously improving quality of the care and, subsequently, clinical outcomes.
Indonesian Automatic Speech Recognition system using CMUSphinx toolkit and limited dataset

Building Automatic Speech Recognition (ASR) needs acoustic model, language model and dictionary for intended language, which is also applied for Indonesian ASR. In this paper, Indonesian ASR was built using CMUSphinx toolkit (a Hidden Markov Model based ASR tool) with limited dataset. We use digit corpus and own made language model to trained with the limited dataset. We also investigated the implementation of trained acoustic model by examine it in different SNR condition to several people. The best achievement of word error accuracy of the acoustic model is 86% on average. By examine it in different SNR condition, we got maximum accuracy of 80% on 27.764 dB environment.
The role of cell-mediated immunity in bacterial infections.

A. Macrophage-Dependent Resistance in the Absence of Specific Immune Responses. 1223 B. Augmentation of Macrophage Numbers by Local Proliferation and Influx of Monocytes from the Blood 1223 C. Granuloma Formation 1224 D. Macrophage Activation 1224 E. The Genetic Basis of Mononuclear Phagocyte-Dependent Resistance . 1226 F. Role of Polymorphonuclear Leukocytes . 1226