Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Long‐term lamivudine monotherapy prevents development of hepatitis B virus infection in hepatitis B surface‐antigen negative liver transplant recipients from hepatitis B core‐antibody‐positive donors

Abstract: Background: Liver transplantation from hepatitis B core‐antibody (HBcAb)‐positive donors to hepatitis B surface‐antigen (HBsAg)‐negative recipients has been associated with a risk of hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in the absence of antiviral prophylaxis. The aim of this study is to assess the efficacy of long‐term lamivudine monotherapy to prevent development of HBV infection in HBsAg‐negative recipients of liver allografts from HBcAb‐positive donors.
Long-term comparison of porous and hydroxyapatite sleeves in femoral revision using the S-ROM modular stem

We prospectively evaluated the results of a single-surgeon series of 28 femoral revision arthroplasties using the S-ROM modular stem with either a porous-coated sleeve (15 hips) or a hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve (13 hips) after a mean of 10 years (range, 8–14 years). Three femoral stems underwent repeat femoral revision for aseptic loosening in association with Paprosky type III bone defects after a mean of 9 years in vivo (range, 8–10 years). One on these 3 had a porous-coated sleeve and the other 2 had a hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve. With repeat revision for any reason as the end point, femoral component survival was 83.8% at 10 years for the entire series, and 93.3% for the porous-coated sleeve group and 76.2% for the hydroxyapatite-coated sleeve group, respectively (log-rank test, P=0.588). No significant difference was detected between the 2 groups regarding postoperative Harris hip scores, bone ingrowth, stress-shielding, osteolysis, or complication rates. At a mean of 10 years postoperatively, hydroxyapatite-coated sleeves offered no clinical benefit over porous-coated sleeves for revision hip replacement using the S-ROM modular stem. Our findings also indicate that hydroxyapatite-coated sleeves did not reduce late mechanical stem failures in cases with a deficient femur.
Hallux Valgus in Men: Effect of the Distal Metatarsal Articular Angle on Hallux Valgus Correctiong

The results of hallux valgus correction were reviewed for 34 male patients (41 feet). The severity of the preoperative deformity determined the operative technique of correction. A distal soft tissue procedure with proximal first metatarsal osteotomy was performed in 30 patients (35 feet) with an average correction of the hallux valgus angle of 22°. A chevron procedure was performed in five cases and a McBride procedure in one other case, all with less severe deformities. Complications included one deep wound infection, one broken screw at the metatarsal osteotomy site, and three cases of hallux varus. No patients underwent reoperation. Undercorrection was noted in 10 of 35 cases (29%) where a distal soft tissue procedure with proximal first metatarsal osteotomy was performed. A nonsubluxated (congruent) metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joint associated with a hallux valgus deformity was present in 15 of 41 (37%) of all cases and 10 of 35 (29%) of cases that underwent a distal soft tissue procedure with proximal metatarsal osteotomy (DSTR with PMO). A subluxated (noncongruent) MTP joint associated with hallux valgus was present in 26 of 41 (63%) of all cases and 25 of 35 (71 %) of cases undergoing a DSTR with PMO. There was a highly significant difference in the average distal metatarsal articular angle (DMAA) as measured in the nonsubluxated (congruent) MTP joints (20.7°) and the subluxated (noncongruent) MTP joints with hallux valgus (10°) (P = 0.0001). The average distal metatarsal articular angle for all cases undergoing DSTR with PMO was 13°. When the postoperative hallux valgus angle was compared with the DMAA, the average residual hallux valgus angle was 10.1°. With a subluxated (noncongruent) first MTP joint with hallux valgus (a low DMAA), the percent of hallux valgus correction (hallux valgus correction [in degrees])preoperative hallux valgus deformity [in degrees]) was 77%. In patients with a nonsubluxated (congruent) first MTP joint with hallux valgus (a high DMAA), the percent correction was 46%, an almost twofold difference in percent correction. There was a close correlation between the preoperative DMAA and the postoperative hallux valgus angle in both the subluxated and congruent subgroups (P = 0.0003). With an intra-articular repair (a DSTP with PMO), the magnitude of correction of a hallux valgus deformity is limited at the MTP joint by the distal metatarsal articular angle.
Quercetin and its principal metabolites, but not myricetin, oppose lipopolysaccharide‐induced hyporesponsiveness of the porcine isolated coronary artery

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Quercetin is anti‐inflammatory in macrophages by inhibiting lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐mediated increases in cytokine and nitric oxide production but there is little information regarding the corresponding effect on the vasculature. We have examined the effect of quercetin, and its principal human metabolites, on inflammatory changes in the porcine isolated coronary artery.
A QoE-Aware Joint Resource Allocation and Dynamic Pricing Algorithm for Heterogeneous Networks

The rise of third-party content providers and the introduction of numerous applications has been driving the growth of mobile data traffic in the past few years. The applications' various Quality of Service (QoS) requirements as well as the use of multiple devices per user have increased the traffic heterogeneity, pressing the telecommunications industry to the deployment of dense Heterogeneous Networks (HetNets). At the same time, the content providers' rise has also led to the decrease of the Mobile Network Operators' (MNOs) revenues. Under these circumstances, the MNOs need to guarantee the users' Quality of Experience (QoE) requirements, while ensuring the sustainability of HetNet investments. To this end, we consider a HetNet deployment where MNOs offer a multitude of services with diverse pricing. We propose a heuristic, joint QoE-aware resource allocation and dynamic pricing algorithm with overall user satisfaction constraints to maximize the MNO profit, while providing high QoE. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can handle traffic heterogeneity by achieving substantial profit and QoE gains, compared to a state of the art algorithm. Moreover, we demonstrate the benefits of our dynamic pricing scheme and its applicability on other resource allocation algorithms.
The Mechanism of Mammalian Gene Replacement Is Consistent with the Formation of Long Regions of Heteroduplex DNA Associated with Two Crossing-Over Events

ABSTRACT In this study, the mechanism of mammalian gene replacement was investigated. The system is based on detecting homologous recombination between transferred vector DNA and the haploid, chromosomal immunoglobulin μ-δ region in a murine hybridoma cell line. The backbone of the gene replacement vector (pCμCδpal) consists of pSV2neo sequences bounded on one side by homology to the μ gene constant (Cμ) region and on the other side by homology to the δ gene constant (Cδ) region. The Cμ and Cδ flanking arms of homology were marked by insertions of an identical 30-bp palindrome which frequently escapes mismatch repair when in heteroduplex DNA (hDNA). As a result, intermediates bearing unrepaired hDNA generate mixed (sectored) recombinants following DNA replication and cell division. To monitor the presence and position of sectored sites and, hence, hDNA formation during the recombination process, the palindrome contained a unique NotI site that replaced an endogenous restriction enzyme site at each marker position in the vector-borne Cμ and Cδ regions. Gene replacement was studied under conditions which permitted the efficient recovery of the product(s) of individual recombination events. Analysis of marker segregation patterns in independent recombinants revealed that extensive hDNA was formed within the Cμ and Cδ regions. In several recombinants, palindrome markers in the Cμ and Cδ regions resided on opposite DNA strands (trans configuration). These results are consistent with the mammalian gene replacement reaction involving two crossing-over events in homologous flanking DNA.
The value of ultrasound in the prediction of successful induction of labor

To examine the value of pre‐induction sonographic assessment of cervical length, posterior cervical angle and occipital position in the prediction of the induction‐to‐delivery interval within 24 h, the likelihood of vaginal delivery within 24 h, the likelihood of Cesarean section and to compare sonographic assessment with the Bishop score.
The Herbal Preparation Padma® 28 Protects Against Neurotoxicity in PC12 Cells

Padma® 28 is a multicompound herbal preparation based on the camphor formulas from traditional Tibetan medicine (TTM). It contains a variety of different secondary plant substances, which include terpenes and polyphenols such as flavonoids and tannins. As a rich source of antioxidant polyphenols, this herbal Padma 28 preparation seems to be a promising candidate for the treatment of degenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease (AD), a condition involving oxidative stress. Moreover, polyphenols have also been shown to mitigate AD neuropathology. The study investigated the protective effect of Padma 28 and of certain polyphenols on the neurotoxicity of PC12 cells induced by the neurotoxins: amyloid‐beta (Aβ), glutamate, 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) and 3‐nitropropionate (3‐NP), known to be involved in AD, Parkinson's disease (PD), amyotrophic‐lateral‐sclerosis (ALS) and Huntington's disease (HD), respectively. The decrease in cell viability induced by each of the toxins was significantly attenuated by Padma 28 treatment. Also, a decrease in the oxidative capacity of PC12 cells treated with Padma 28 was noted, indicating that the decrease in cell viability induced by the toxins might have been the result of an oxidative stress which could be attenuated by Padma 28 acting as a potent antioxidant. Padma 28, which is available in Europe and USA, seems to be a promising candidate for the treatment of CNS diseases. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Essays in Organizational Economics: Information Sharing and Organizational Behavior

One theoretical research topic in organizational economics is the information issues raised in different organizations. This has been extensively studied in last three decades. One common feature of these research is focusing on the asymmetric information among different agents within one organization. However, in reality, we usually face the following situation. A group of people within an organization are completely transparent to each other; however, their characters are not known by other organization members who are outside this group. In my dissertation, I try to study how this information sharing would affect the outcome of different organizations. I focus on two organizations: corporate board and political parties. I find that this information sharing may be detrimental for (some of) the members who shared information. This conclusion stands in contrast to the conventional wisdom in both corporate finance and political party literature.
Attending to depth: electrophysiological evidence for a viewer-centered asymmetry

It has been proposed that the configuration of visuospatial attention in depth is viewer-centered such that an attentional gradient is concentrated between an observer and attended depth, trailing off steeply beyond. To investigate this asymmetry, event-related potentials were recorded while participants attended to far or near depths in a pictorial scene. The attention-sensitive visual components, P1 (100–160 ms) and N1 (160–220 ms), were assessed for amplitude differences. Amplitude enhancement of the P1 component was present when participants attended far but not near depths. Reaction time facilitation also followed this pattern. Results are consistent with a viewer-centered asymmetry because such a configuration predicts the gradient of attention to distribute differentially to far depths but to remain constant for near depths.
Costs and compensation of work-related injuries in British Columbia sawmills

Objective: To estimate the costs of work-related injury in a cohort of sawmill workers in British Columbia from the perspective of the workers’ compensation system. Methods: Hospital discharge records were extracted from 1989 to 1998 for a cohort of 5786 actively employed sawmill workers. A total of 173 work-related injury cases were identified from these records using the International classification of diseases—ninth revision (ICD-9) external cause of injury codes and the responsibility of payment schedule. Workers’ compensation records were extracted and matched with hospital records by dates and ICD-9 diagnosis codes. All costs were converted into 1995 constant Canadian dollars using the Provincial General Consumer Price Index for the non-healthcare costs and Medical Consumer Price Index for the healthcare costs. A 5% discounting rate was applied to adjust for the time value of money. For the uncompensated cases, costs were imputed from the compensated cases using the median cost for a similar nature of injury. Results: 370 hospitalisation events due to injury were captured, and by either of the two indicators (E Codes or payment schedules), 173 (47%) hospitalisation events due to injury, were identified as work related. The median healthcare cost was $4377 and the median non-healthcare cost was $16 559 for a work-related injury. The median non-healthcare and healthcare costs by injury were falls, $19 978 and $5185; struck by falling object, $32 398 and $8625; struck against, $12 667 and $5741; machinery related, $26 480 and $6643; caught in or between, $24 130 and $4389; and overexertion, $7801 and $2710. The total cost was $10 374 115 for non-healthcare and $1 764 137 for healthcare. The compensation agency did not compensate $874 871 (8.4%) of the non-healthcare costs and $200 588 (11.4%) of the healthcare costs. Conclusion: Eliminating avoidable work-related injury events can save valuable resources.
Identification and accumulation of aromatic sensitizers in fish from paper recycling in Japan

Aromatic sensitizers and related compounds (SRCs) originating from thermal recording material as impurities in waste paper have been detected in aquatic environments near cities where the paper industry is flourishing. In the present study, the levels of exposure to such SRCs and the stable isotope ratios (δ13C and δ15N) in different fish species (Konosirus punctatus, Takifugu niphobles, and Tribolodon hakonensis) were analyzed. These fish species were collected from the vicinity of waste paper recycling plants in Japan. Eleven SRCs were identified in fish muscle at total concentration levels (ΣSRCs) of 64 to 818 ng/g wet weight (mean 181 ng/L wet wt). The dominant SRCs in the fish samples were 1,1‐di(4‐methylphenyl)ethane, 1,2‐bis(3‐methylphenoxy)ethane, and 1,4‐dibenzyloxybenzene. Stable isotope ratios showed that, although three species feed on the same trophic level, K. punctatus and T. niphobles live in waters farther offshore than those in which T. hakonensis live. The contributions of various factors to the accumulation were also assessed. The lipid content (r2 = 0.512, p < 0.001) was found to be the significant factor that influenced accumulation of SRCs in fish. The results also revealed significant positive correlation between the accumulation patterns and SRC components in water (r2 = 0.512–0.658, all p values <0.05), but they showed negative correlations between the SRCs in fish and log KOW values. This suggests that the aqueous route is the predominant route for the accumulation of SRCs in fish. This is the first study on the accumulation of aromatic sensitizers in aquatic biota. Environ. Toxicol. Chem. 2012;31:1202–1208. © 2012 SETAC
Meniscal tear—a feature of osteoarthritis

Meniscectomy is recognized as an important risk factor for the development of knee osteoarthritis (OA), a disease that traditionally has been considered as a simple “wear and tear” phenomenon. However, despite numerous reports, little evidence has been presented that a limited meniscal resection, compared with a more extensive resection, reduces the risk of OA by preserving meniscal function. Why? This thesis provides one possible answer to that question. Patients, who had undergone isolated meniscal resection in 1973, 1978, or between 1983 and 1985 at Lund University Hospital, Sweden, were reviewed clinically and radiographically 15–22 years after the surgical procedure. Of the subjects (n = 317) almost 50% had developed radiographic OA in their operated knee, but just over half of these patients were symptomatic. An additional 20% of the patients had knee symptoms, but did not have radiographic knee OA. These results confirm a limited correlation between radiographic features of the disorder and symptoms. A degenerative type of meniscal tear and obesity were the factors most strongly associated with both radiographic knee OA and symptomatic radiographic knee OA. Partial meniscal resection induced less radiographic changes related to knee OA compared with total meniscectomy, but the patient-relevant outcomes remained essentially the same. If radiographic hand OA was present there was an increased likelihood of the patient also having knee OA following meniscectomy. This finding was independent of age, and therefore an inherited susceptibility to the disease contributes to the risk of knee OA after meniscal tear. Genetic and environmental risk factors interact in OA development. A degenerative meniscal lesion is often associated with early-stage knee OA, a disorder also involving the meniscal tissue. The tear may thus represent the first “signal” feature of OA. The challenge for the health professional is to discriminate between symptoms caused by a meniscal tear and those caused by OA. Meniscal resection may not benefit the patient with early-stage knee OA. The intervention merely removes evidence of the disorder, while the OA joint degradation proceeds.
Some Thoughts About the Epidemiology of Alcohol and Drug Use Among American Indian/Alaska Native Populations

Researchers have established that rates of alcohol and illicit drug use among American Indians/Alaska Natives vary by tribe, gender, and age group, making it difficult to get an accurate estimate of the actual extent of the problem of substance abuse within this population group. Although percentage rates of alcohol consumption are higher in non-Hispanic Whites, American Indians/Alaska Natives nevertheless have the highest alcohol-related mortality rates and rates of substance use and dependence of all ethnic groups. Alcohol-related motor vehicle accidents are especially high for American Indian/Alaska Natives. Similarly, illicit drug use is higher among American Indians/Alaska Natives across all age groups compared to non-Indians. Data indicate that American Indians/Alaska Natives have the highest rates of use for marijuana, cocaine, inhalants, hallucinogens, and non-medical use of psychotherapeutics compared to other ethnic groups. Anecdotally, use of amphetamine appears to be high within some American Indian/Alaska Native tribes and has become a serious concern for most American Indian/Alaska Native communities. The percentage of American Indian/Alaska Native women using illicit drugs is lower than that found in men, except in younger age groups, in which percentage rates of illicit drug use by women in some tribes are comparable to rates for men.
Dispersion Characteristics of a Rectangular Helix Slow-Wave Structure

A special type of helical slow-wave structure encompassing a rectangular geometry is investigated in this paper, and the slow-wave characteristics are studied taking into account the anisotropically conducting helix. By using the electromagnetic integral equations at the boundaries, the dispersion equation and the interaction impedance of transverse antisymmetric modes in this structure are derived. Moreover, the obtained complex dispersion equation is numerically calculated. The calculation results by our theory agree well with the results obtained by the 3-D EM simulation software HFSS. The numerical results reveal that the phase velocity decreases and interaction impedance increases at higher frequencies by flattening (increasing the aspect ratio of) the rectangular helix structure. In addition, a comparison of slow-wave characteristics of this structure with a conventional round helix is made.
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Elderly Patients with Acute Exacerbation of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Chronic Bronchitis

The syndrome of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) consists of chronic bronchitis (CB), bronchiectasis, emphysema, and reversible airway disease that combine uniquely in an individual patient. Older patients are at risk for COPD and its components—emphysema, CB, and bronchiectasis. Bacterial and viral infections play a role in acute exacerbations of COPD (AECOPD) and in acute exacerbations of CB (AECB) without features of COPD. Older patients are at risk for resistant bacterial organisms during their episodes of AECOPD and AECB. Organisms include the more‐common bacteria implicated in AECOPD/AECB such as Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae. Less‐common nonenteric, gram‐negative organisms including Pseudomonas aeruginosa, gram‐positive organisms including Staphylococcus aureus, and strains of nontuberculosis Mycobacteria are more often seen in AECOPD/AECB episodes involving elderly patients with frequent episodes of CB or those with bronchiectasis. Risk‐stratified antibiotic treatment guidelines appear useful for purulent episodes of AECOPD and episodes of AECB. These guidelines have not been prospectively validated for the general population and especially not for the elderly population. Using a risk‐stratification approach for elderly patients, first‐line antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin, ampicillin, pivampicillin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, and doxycycline), with a more‐limited spectrum of antibacterial coverage, are used in patients who are likely to have a low probability of resistant organisms during AECOPD/AECB. Second‐line antibiotics (e.g., amoxicillin/clavulanic acid, second‐ or third‐generation cephalosporins, and respiratory fluoroquinolones) with a broader spectrum of coverage are reserved for patients with significant risk factors for resistant organisms and those who have failed initial antibiotic treatment.
The innovation of the internet: a semantic network analysis of the Internet of Things

The internet is evolving toward internet of everything. This study tracks the trends of academic research on Internet of Things (IoT) by examining Web of Science database using semantic network analysis. Although past studies provided a lot of insights on technological aspects of IoT, they have failed to investigate technological acceptance of the technology in academia, industry, and government. As the first step of such an analysis, this study analysed academia perception of IoT using the analysis of words frequency, co-occurrence, and distance. Many clusters were identified from the semantic network of 2017–2015 including smart home and smart grid, sensor networking, physical networking, environmental monitoring and security, and cloud computing and big data. Suggestions for future studies are addressed.