Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of 4 New Generation Portable Ventilators

BACKGROUND: Portable ventilators are increasingly utilized in the intra- and inter-hospital transport of patients. We evaluated 4 portable ventilators, Impact EMV, CareFusion LTV 1200, Newport HT70, and Hamilton T1, in terms of triggering, delivered tidal volume (VT) accuracy, battery duration, delivered FIO2 accuracy, and gas consumption. METHODS: Triggering was tested using a microprocessor controlled breathing simulator that simulated a weak, normal, and aggressive inspiratory effort using muscle pressures of −2, −4, and −8 cm H2O respectively. Delivered VT and FIO2 accuracy were evaluated across a range of operation. To determine gas consumption, the ventilators were attached to an E type oxygen cylinder and operated at an FIO2 of 1.0 until the tank was depleted. Battery duration was tested by operating each ventilator at an FIO2 of 0.21 until the device ceased to operate. RESULTS: Differences remain among devices in several aspects of the testing protocol. Gas consumption ranged from 9.2 to 16 L/min. Battery duration ranged from 101 to 640 min. Triggering performance varied among devices but was consistent breath to breath within the same device, using the fastest and slowest rise time settings. FIO2 accuracy varied at the low range on the 50 mL VT setting with one device, and at the high range on both the 50 mL and 500 mL VT settings with another. CONCLUSIONS: Manufacturers continue to improve the performance of portable ventilators. All the ventilators we tested performed well on VT delivery across a range of settings, using both the internal drive mechanism (FIO2 0.21) and compressed oxygen (FIO2 1.0). Two of the ventilators were unable to deliver accurate FIO2 across the range of VT. None of the devices was clearly superior to the others in all aspects of our evaluation.
Influences of Intellectual Property and Capital to the Performance of the Corporate Image Award Winning Companies in Indonesia

The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship and influence of Intellectual Property as measured by Goodwill and Intellectual Capital, as measured by the Modified Value Added Intellectual coeficient (MVAIC) on the performance of the company that became the winner of the competition Corporate Image Award. Analysis of the use of intangible assets as a step to increase the value of the company and achieve good performance as the provision of competition in the future. Of all the population there are only 23 companies already meet the criteria to be sampled during 2011-2013. Data used in the study in the form of annual reports, financial statements and summary of performance that has been published on the official website of the Indonesia Stock Exchange. Analysis of the data used in the test Goodwill, MVAIC, and corporate performance adalaah multiple linear regression analysis. The results of this study indicate that there is a negative effect of the Property and Intellectual Capital Intelllectual positive effect on firm performance significantly.
Children's Sleep Behavior Scale: Normative Data on 870 Children in Grades 1 to 6

A 22-item Likert-type rating scale for parents was developed for screening a broad range of specific sleep-related behaviors of elementary school children. The prevalence of these behaviors was reported by parents for boys (n = 459) and girls (n = 411) in three age groups, less than 8.5 yr. , between 8.5 and 11.5 yr, and greater than 11.5 yr. For all age groups, the most prevalent behaviors were restlessness, waking up at night, pleasant dreams, getting up to go to the bathroom, talking while asleep, and complaints about not being able to sleep, while the least frequent were rhythmical movements and crying while asleep. The self-reports suggest that many of the behaviors are underestimated in the literature. Some sex and age differences were found, but the number of siblings, birth order, change in family structure, and educational status of father and mother were unrelated to the sleep variables. Test-retest reliabilities of self-reports by these parents to individual items were adequate.
Ground State Structure of F1-ATPase from Bovine Heart Mitochondria at 1.9 Å Resolution*

The structure of bovine F1-ATPase, crystallized in the presence of AMP-PNP and ADP, but in the absence of azide, has been determined at 1.9Å resolution. This structure has been compared with the previously described structure of bovine F1-ATPase determined at 1.95Å resolution with crystals grown under the same conditions but in the presence of azide. The two structures are extremely similar, but they differ in the nucleotides that are bound to the catalytic site in the βDP-subunit. In the present structure, the nucleotide binding sites in the βDP- and βTP-subunits are both occupied by AMP-PNP, whereas in the earlier structure, the βTP site was occupied by AMP-PNP and the βDP site by ADP, where its binding is enhanced by a bound azide ion. Also, the conformation of the side chain of the catalytically important residue, αArg-373 differs in the βDP- and βTP-subunits. Thus, the structure with bound azide represents the ADP inhibited state of the enzyme, and the new structure represents a ground state intermediate in the active catalytic cycle of ATP hydrolysis.
Association between the Prevalence of Indigestible Foreign Objects in the Gastrointestinal Tract of Slaughtered Cattle and Body Condition Score

Simple Summary The South African national cattle herd has increased from 6 million head since the 1970s to 14 million and more than two-thirds of the 14 million cattle in South Africa reside in the Eastern Cape Province (ECP), yet the Province has one of the highest poverty indexes. While this improvement is commendable, there are still many challenges to efficient livestock production notably infectious and non-infectious diseases. Many non-infectious diseases of the fore-stomach, such as rumenitis, rumen parakeratosis, traumatic reticuloperitonitis and poly bezoars, are rarely reported, but are known to obstruct the digestive functions of the fore-stomach, causing a marked reduction in animal weight, reproduction, feed absorption and productivity, and death. The pathogenesis of these diseases often begins with the consumption of indigestible foreign objects (IFOs). Animal husbandry in the ECP is mostly communal, with an extensive system of rearing animals as the most popular production system. This system of rearing animals exposes them to consumption of litter, especially when there is drought. This study provides knowledge on the prevalence, type and effect of the indigestible foreign object on the body condition score of animals slaughtered in the ECP. Abstract It is estimated that South Africa’s population will be above 65 million in 2050. Thus, food production needs to triple to alleviate poverty and food insecurity. However, infectious and non-infectious diseases affect livestock productivity, thereby hampering food supply. Non-infectious disease/conditions caused by the consumption of solid waste material are rarely reported. Hence, this study investigates the occurrence and type of indigestible foreign objects (IFOs) in the stomach of slaughtered cattle in two high-throughput abattoirs (n = 4424) in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. The study revealed that metallic and non-metallic indigestible objects had an overall prevalence of 63% in cattle slaughtered in Queenstown abattoir (QTA, (n = 1906)) and 64.8% at the East London abattoir (ELA, (n = 2518)). Most of the IFOs were found in the rumen (64.2% and 70.8%) and reticulum (28.5% and 20.6%) at QTA and ELA respectively. The leading IFOs in the stomach of cattle at QTA were plastics (27.7%), poly bezoars (10.7%) and ropes (10.7%), while poly bezoars (19.8%), ropes (17.6%) and stones (10.7%) were the main IFOs seen in cattle at ELA. The study showed a statistical significance (p < 0.05) between body condition score and the prevalence of indigestible objects in cattle. The study concluded that litter and waste containing IFOs could pose a threat to livestock health and productivity. The practice of good animal husbandry and efficient solid waste management will mitigate the problem of animals consuming IFOs.
Parenting Support in Europe's North: How Is It Understood and Evaluated in Research?

Parenting support in the Nordic countries builds upon a century-long tradition of controls and services run by municipalities and county councils (Hagelund, 2008; Danielsen and Mühleisen, 2009; Lundqvist, 2015). However, with the introduction of structured parental guidance programmes from the 1990s onward (mainly based on research insights and experiences from the US and UK), new elements have been added to the former policy legacy (Lundqvist, 2015).
Mycobacterium tuberculosis LprA Is a Lipoprotein Agonist of TLR2 That Regulates Innate Immunity and APC Function1

TLR2 recognizes components of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) and initiates responses by APCs that influence both innate and adaptive immunity. Mtb lipoproteins are an important class of TLR2 ligand, but only two, LpqH and LprG, have been characterized to date. In this study, we characterize a third Mtb lipoprotein, LprA, and determine its effects on host macrophages and dendritic cells. LprA is a cell wall-associated lipoprotein with no homologs outside the slow-growing mycobacteria. Using Mycobacterium smegmatis as an expression host, we purified 6× His-tagged LprA both with and without its acyl modifications. Acylated LprA had agonist activity for both human and murine TLR2 and induced expression of TNF-α, IL-10, and IL-12. LprA also induced dendritic cell maturation as shown by increased expression of CD40, CD80, and class II MHC (MHC-II). In macrophages, prolonged (24 h) incubation with LprA decreased IFN-γ-induced MHC-II Ag processing and presentation, consistent with an observed decrease in MHC-II expression (macrophage viability was not affected and apoptosis was not induced by LprA). Reduced MHC-II Ag presentation may represent a negative feedback mechanism for control of inflammation that may be subverted by Mtb for immune evasion. Thus, Mtb LprA is a TLR2 agonist that induces cytokine responses and regulates APC function.
Creative industries and economic growth: stability of creative products exports earnings

ABSTRACT The contribution of creative goods and services has been recognised as an important pathway to economic development. Both transnational organisations and national governments have been paying more attention to the creative industries. We use a sample of 57 countries, accounting for over 90% of creative products exports, over the period 2003–2011, to assess the stability of earnings from exports of creative products. We assess the sensitivity of countries’ exports of creative products to fluctuations in the global trade of creative products, using the Single Index Model (SIM) to analyse the export performance of countries’ export portfolios of creative products. Our results indicate that there are vast differences in the export performance of countries in our sample, indicating that the composition of a country's creative exports portfolio, i.e. what it exports, has a direct impact on the performance of the export portfolio of creative products. Our study fills the lacuna of empirical examinations of creative products and their exports earnings. We discuss implications for governmental – national and local – policy-makers, export promotions policies, their roles in encouraging and nurturing the creative industries, and businesses and artisans themselves. The recognition of the importance of the creative industries is most gratifying.
Route of Administration Modulates the Induction of Dendritic Cell Vaccine–Induced Antigen-Specific T Cells in Advanced Melanoma Patients

Purpose: It is unknown whether the route of administration influences dendritic cell (DC)-based immunotherapy. We compared the effect of intradermal versus intranodal administration of a DC vaccine on induction of immunologic responses in melanoma patients and examined whether concomitant administration of interleukin (IL)-2 increases the efficacy of the DC vaccine. Experimental Design: HLA-A2.1+ melanoma patients scheduled for regional lymph node dissection were vaccinated four times biweekly via intradermal or intranodal injection with 12 × 106 to 17 × 106 mature DCs loaded with tyrosinase and gp100 peptides together with keyhole limpet hemocyanin (KLH). Half of the patients also received low-dose IL-2 (9 MIU daily for 7 days starting 3 days after each vaccination). KLH-specific B- and T-cell responses were monitored in blood. gp100- and tyrosinase-specific T-cell responses were monitored in blood by tetramer analysis and in biopsies from delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) skin tests by tetramer and functional analyses with 51Cr release assays or IFNγ release, following coculture with peptide-pulsed T2 cells or gp100- or tyrosinase-expressing tumor cells. Results: In 19 of 43 vaccinated patients, functional tumor antigen–specific T cells could be detected. Although significantly more DCs migrated to adjacent lymph nodes upon intranodal vaccination, this was also highly variable with a complete absence of migration in 7 of 24 intranodally vaccinated patients. Intradermal vaccinations proved superior in inducing functional tumor antigen–specific T cells. Coadministration of IL-2 did not further augment the antigen-specific T-cell response but did result in higher regulatory T-cell frequencies. Conclusion: Intradermal vaccination resulted in superior antitumor T-cell induction when compared with intranodal vaccination. No advantage of additional IL-2 treatment could be shown. Clin Cancer Res; 17(17); 5725–35. ©2011 AACR.
Evidence Supporting an Association Between Expression of Major Histocompatibility Complex II by Microglia and Optic Nerve Degeneration During Experimental Glaucoma

Aim:We acquired age-matched and sex-matched Sprague-Dawley rats from 2 independent breeding establishments. Serendipitously, we observed that constitutive, and bacterial toxin–induced, expression of major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II RT1B chain in the uveal tract was much lower in one of the cohorts. Activated microglia are known to upregulate MHC II RT1B expression during optic nerve (ON) degeneration induced by raised intraocular pressure (IOP). We investigated whether, in a model of experimental glaucoma, microglial upregulation of MHC II RT1B was less efficacious and ON degeneration correspondingly less severe in the cohort of rats with low MHC II RT1B expression. Methods:Experimental glaucoma was induced by lasering the trabecular meshwork using a standard protocol. After 2 weeks of elevated IOP, retinal ganglion cells (RGC) survival, ON degeneration, and microglial responses were determined in both cohorts of rats. Results:Raised IOP-induced expression of MHC II RT1B by microglia was muted in the “Low” cohort compared with the “High” cohort. Axonal degeneration, RGC loss, and microgliosis were all significantly lower in the cohort of rats with low basal and induced expression of MHC II RT1B, despite both cohorts displaying IOP responses that were indistinguishable in terms of peak IOP and IOP exposure. Conclusions:Expression of MHC II RT1B by activated microglia in the ON during experimental glaucoma was associated with more severe RGC degeneration. Further studies are needed to elucidate the role of MHC II during experimental glaucoma.
The accuracy of surrogate decision makers: a systematic review.

BACKGROUND Clinicians currently rely on patient-designated and next-of-kin surrogates to make end-of-life treatment decisions for incapacitated patients. Surrogates are instructed to use the substituted judgment standard, which directs them to make the treatment decision that the patient would have made if he or she were capacitated. However, commentators have questioned the accuracy with which surrogates predict patients' treatment preferences. METHODS A systematic literature search was conducted using PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and manuscript references, to identify published studies that provide empirical data on how accurately surrogates predict patients' treatment preferences and on the efficacy of commonly proposed methods to improve surrogate accuracy. Two of us (D.I.S. and D.W.) reviewed all articles and extracted data on the hypothetical scenarios used to assess surrogate accuracy and the percentage of agreement between patients and surrogates. RESULTS The search identified 16 eligible studies, involving 151 hypothetical scenarios and 2595 surrogate-patient pairs, which collectively analyzed 19 526 patient-surrogate paired responses. Overall, surrogates predicted patients' treatment preferences with 68% accuracy. Neither patient designation of surrogates nor prior discussion of patients' treatment preferences improved surrogates' predictive accuracy. CONCLUSIONS Patient-designated and next-of-kin surrogates incorrectly predict patients' end-of-life treatment preferences in one third of cases. These data undermine the claim that reliance on surrogates is justified by their ability to predict incapacitated patients' treatment preferences. Future studies should assess whether other mechanisms might predict patients' end-of-life treatment preferences more accurately. Also, they should assess whether reliance on patient-designated and next-of-kin surrogates offers patients and/or their families benefits that are independent of the accuracy of surrogates' decisions.
Confocal microscopy of corneas with an intracorneal lens for hyperopia.

PURPOSE We evaluated short-term results and confocal microscopic corneal changes following intracorneal lens implantation. METHODS In six eyes of three patients with hyperopia between +3.00 and +6.00 diopters (D), an intrastromal hydrogel lens (Permavision, Anamed, Anaheim, Calif) was implanted. Mean baseline hyperopia was +3.90 D. Manifest refraction, uncorrected visual acuity, and spectacle-corrected visual acuity were evaluated. We also performed confocal real-time microscopy with a water immersion objective. Corneal optical sections were recorded and reviewed frame by frame. Examinations were done at months 3, 6, and 12 after intracorneal lens implantation. RESULTS After surgery, the spherical equivalent refraction was within +/- 0.50 D in 83% (five of six eyes) at 3 months and 100% (six eyes) at 6 and 12 months. Uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) at 3 months was within 20/40 or better in 67% (four eyes) and in 100% (six eyes) at 6 and 12 months; no eyes had 20/20 or better UCVA at 3 and 6 months. One eye (17%) had 20/20 or better UCVA at 12 months. On confocal microscopy, one eye had an amorphous deposit adjacent to the lens and presumed fibroblastic activity in the same stromal area at 6 months, which was non-progressive up to 12 months. CONCLUSION Intracorneal lenses may be a treatment option for correction of spherical hyperopia. Predictability must be improved but results in these six eyes were stable up to 1 year. Confocal miscroscopy confirmed biocompatibility and showed no abnormal changes, except two spots of hypercellularity in one eye.
IREB2, CHRNA5, CHRNA3, FAM13A & hedgehog interacting protein genes polymorphisms & risk of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease in Tatar population from Russia

Background & objectives: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a complex chronic inflammatory disease of the respiratory system affecting primarily distal respiratory pathways and lung parenchyma. This study was aimed at investigating the association of COPD with IREB2, CHRNA5, CHRNA3, FAM13A and hedgehog interacting protein (HHIP) genes in a Tatar population from Russia. Methods: Six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs13180, rs16969968, rs1051730, rs6495309, rs7671167, rs13118928) were genotyped by the real-time polymerase chain reaction in this study (511 COPD patients and 508 controls). Logistic regression was used to detect the association of SNPs and haplotypes of linked loci in different models. Linear regression analyses were performed to estimate the relationship between SNPs and lung function parameters and pack-years. Results: The rs13180 (IREB2), rs16969968 (CHRNA5) and rs1051730 (CHRNA3) were significantly associated with COPD in additive model [Padj=0.00001, odds ratio (OR)=0.64; Padj=0.0001, OR=1.41 and Padj=0.0001, OR=1.47]. The C-G haplotype by rs13180 and rs1051730 was a protective factor for COPD in our population (Padj=0.0005, OR=0.61). These results were confirmed only in smokers. The rs16969968 and rs1051730 were associated with decrease of forced expiratory volume in 1 sec % predicted (Padj=0.005 and Padj=0.0019). Interpretation & conclusions: Our study showed the association of rs13180, rs16969968 and rs1051730 with COPD and lung function in Tatar population from Russia. Further studies need to be done in other ethnic populations.
Presence and Sources of Contrarian Profits in the Bangladesh Stock Market

This article, using weekly data for the period 2002 through 2013, investigates the presence of both contrarian and momentum profits and their sources in the Bangladesh stock market. It follows the methodology of Lo and MacKinlay (Review of Financial Studies, 1990, 3(2), 175–205) to form portfolios with a weighted relative strength scheme (WRSS). The methodology of Jegadeesh and Titman (Review of Financial Studies, 1995, 8(4), 973–993) is used to decompose the contrarian/momentum profits into three elements: compensation for cross-sectional risk, lead–lag effect in time series with respect to the common factor and the time-series pattern of stock returns. Results provide the evidence of significant contrarian profits for the holding period of one through eight weeks. There is a stronger presence of contrarian profits during 2002–2008 sub-period. The time-series pattern is found to be the main source of contrarian profits, suggesting that idiosyncratic (firm-specific) information is the main contributor to contrarian profits. Interestingly, the influence of idiosyncratic information on such profits has gradually decreased since 2008. Contrarian profits are robust to market sentiment and other systematic risk factors.
Rapid differentiation of bovine and human tubercle bacilli based on a characteristic mutation in the bovine pyrazinamidase gene

Bovine tuberculosis (TB) caused by Mycobacterium bovis is an important veterinary disease that can also afflict humans. Although M. bovis shares an almost identical genome with M. tuberculosis, subtle differences in host specificity and several biochemical parameters can be used to distinguish the two closely related species. The current method for distinguishing M. bovis from M. tuberculosis relies on tedious testing of biochemical parameters, including natural resistance to pyrazinamide and defective pyrazinamidase (PZase) activity of M. bovis strains. In this study, we report the development of a rapid PCR-single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) assay to differentiate M. bovis from M. tuberculosis strains, based on the detection of a single characteristic point mutation in the PZase gene (pncA) of M. bovis. Eighty-seven of 89 M. bovis strains could be distinguished from M. tuberculosis strains. Surprisingly, two animal isolates which were initially identified as M. bovis were shown to be M. africanum because they had a wild-type pncA sequence with positive PZase. These two M. africanum strains contain multiple (three and six) copies of insertion sequence IS6110, a feature they have in common with M. tuberculosis. The implication of this finding for the taxonomy of M. tuberculosis complex is discussed in relation to host preference and epidemiology. The development of a rapid PCR-SSCP test for distinguishing M. bovis from M. tuberculosis will be useful for monitoring the spread of bovine TB to humans in areas where bovine TB is endemic and for directing the treatment of human TB caused by M. bovis.