Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinically indicated replacement versus routine replacement of peripheral venous catheters in adults: A nonblinded, cluster‐randomized trial in China

AIM The purpose of this study was to investigate the safety of clinically indicated peripheral intravenous catheters (PIVC) replacement intervals. BACKGROUND Peripheral intravenous catheters are used internationally, including in China where PIVCs are routinely replaced every 72 to 96 hours. Despite some recent international evidence showing such routine replacement is unnecessary, developing countries such as China have no supporting data. METHOD This cluster-randomized trial was conducted between December 2 and December 31, 2013, in 10 internal medicine wards and 10 surgery wards at a tertiary referral teaching hospital in Xiamen, China. Patients were randomly divided into an experimental group (PIVCs were replaced only when clinical indications appeared) and a control group (PIVCs were routinely changed every 72-96 hours). Per-protocol analysis and intention-to-treat analysis were used to analyse the data. Primary end point was the incidence of phlebitis. RESULTS This study analysed the data of 1198 patients (553 patients in the experimental group and 645 patients in the control group). There were no catheter-related bloodstream infections or local infections in the 2 groups. The 2 groups showed no statistically significant differences in the incidence of phlebitis, catheter occlusion, infiltration, and accidental removal. CONCLUSIONS Clinically indicated PIVC replacement is feasible, and it may reduce nursing staff workload and patient discomfort.
The role of intrinsic (sensory) cues and the extrinsic cues of country of origin and price on food product evaluation

Consumers use both intrinsic and extrinsic cues when forming opinions regarding product quality. Research has shown that consumers are often unable to assess these cues accurately and may ignore product attributes that significantly influence product quality in favor of others that contribute little. Country-of-origin and price have been found to be examples of extrinsic cues repeatedly used by consumer to form product quality opinions, both before and after purchase. 3 International Wine Business & Marketing Research Conference, Montpellier, 6-7-8 July 2006
Integrity of normal-appearing white matter: Influence of age, visible lesion burden and hypertension in patients with small-vessel disease

White matter hyperintensities accumulate with age and occur in patients with stroke, but their pathogenesis is poorly understood. We measured multiple magnetic resonance imaging biomarkers of tissue integrity in normal-appearing white matter and white matter hyperintensities in patients with mild stroke, to improve understanding of white matter hyperintensities origins. We classified white matter into white matter hyperintensities and normal-appearing white matter and measured fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, water content (T1-relaxation time) and blood–brain barrier leakage (signal enhancement slope from dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging). We studied the effects of age, white matter hyperintensities burden (Fazekas score) and vascular risk factors on each biomarker, in normal-appearing white matter and white matter hyperintensities, and performed receiver-operator characteristic curve analysis. Amongst 204 patients (34.3–90.9 years), all biomarkers differed between normal-appearing white matter and white matter hyperintensities (P < 0.001). In normal-appearing white matter and white matter hyperintensities, mean diffusivity and T1 increased with age (P < 0.001), all biomarkers varied with white matter hyperintensities burden (P < 0.001; P = 0.02 signal enhancement slope), but only signal enhancement slope increased with hypertension (P = 0.028). Fractional anisotropy showed complex age-white matter hyperintensities-tissue interactions; enhancement slope showed white matter hyperintensities-tissue interactions. Mean diffusivity distinguished white matter hyperintensities from normal-appearing white matter best at all ages. Blood–brain barrier leakage increases with hypertension and white matter hyperintensities burden at all ages in normal-appearing white matter and white matter hyperintensities, whereas water mobility and content increase as tissue damage accrues, suggesting that blood–brain barrier leakage mediates small vessel disease-related brain damage.
Draft Genomes Shed Light on the Dual Bacterial Symbiosis that Dominates the Microbiome of the Coral Reef Sponge Amphimedon queenslandica

Amphimedon queenslandica is a coral reef demosponge that houses a low complexity and low abundance microbiota dominated by a proteobacterial duo for which draft genomes are presented here. The most prevalent symbiont, AqS1, is a sulphur-oxidising gammaproteobacterium closely related to other demosponge symbionts and to free-living Ectothiorhodospiraceae (Chromatiales). The predicted gene repertoire of AqS1 indicates that it is capable of sulphur oxidation, carbon monoxide oxidation and inorganic phosphate assimilation, and that some of its metabolic capabilities may have been acquired via horizontal gene transfer from alphaproteobacteria. The second most prevalent symbiont, AqS2, is a betaproteobacterium whose closest known relatives are other demosponge symbionts. AqS1 has characteristic sponge symbiont features, including a versatile nutrient use with large number of transporters, ankyrin-repeat-containing proteins, and a CRISPR system. Based on the size of its genome assembly, AqS2 is predicted to have a much smaller genome with many fewer symbiotic features than AqS1. The smaller is reflected in its more limited metabolic capabilities that include carbohydrate metabolism, but not sulphur oxidation or phosphorus metabolism. Within-pathway complementation and resource partitioning potentially occur between the two bacteria. The addition of these symbiont genomes to extensive genome and transcriptome resources already available for the sponge host now permits the development of mixed-species genome-scale metabolic models as a foundation for experimental investigations of resource partitioning between symbionts and host.
Solid phase synthesis of peptide aldehyde protease inhibitors. Probing the proteolytic sites of hepatitis C virus polyprotein

The solid phase synthesis of a set of peptide aldehydes derived from the NS5A/NS5B junction of hepatitis C virus (HCV) viral polyprotein is demonstrated using an oxazolidine linker and the Multipin™ method. Deletion of the P6 and P5 residues results in a dramatic loss of inhibitory activity. Copyright © 2000 European Peptide Society and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Color image processing and content-based image retrieval techniques for the analysis of dermatological lesions

This paper presents color image processing methods for the analysis of dermatological images in the context of a content-based image retrieval (CBIR) system. Tests were conducted on the classification of tissue components in skin lesions, in terms of necrotic tissue, fibrin, granulation, and mixed composition. The images were classified based on color components by an expert dermatologist following a black-yellow-red model. Indexing and retrieval of images were performed based on texture information obtained from the red, green, blue, hue, and saturation components of the color images. The performance of the CBIR system was measured in terms of precision and recall. Initial results demonstrate the potential of the proposed methods with the best precision result of 70% obtained for the characterization of mixed tissue composition.
The correlation between audible noise and corona current in time domain caused by single positive corona source on the conductor

Audible noise and corona current are two main DC corona effects, and they may both highly depend on the characteristics of space charges generated during corona discharge. However, relatively little investigation has previously been done on the correlation between them especially in time-domain. In the present work, the time-domain waveforms of audible noise and corona current generated by single positive corona source were recorded simultaneously. Their characteristics were carefully analyzed and found to be closely related. It was found that both the audible noise and the corona current consisted of repetitive pulses, and one-to-one relationship in time could be observed and confirmed between them. Furthermore, a linear correlation between the peak-to-peak values of audible noise pulses and the amplitude of corona current pulses was obtained. Empirical formulas with the same forms for them were derived to further prove the linear correlation. The close correlation between the audible noise and the corona current was interpreted qualitatively in the presented work and found to be highly related to the generated space charges.
Clinical relevance of access targets for elective dental treatment under general anesthesia in pediatrics.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the clinical relevance of access targets for elective dental procedures performed under general anesthesia at The Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Ontario, by assessing incremental changes in the burden of dental disease over wait times for such procedures. METHODS Children scheduled for elective dental procedures under general anesthesia were assigned a priority according to the dental diagnosis and the medical risk status. Each priority level was defined by a specific diagnostic code and access target (maximum acceptable wait time). The dental records of children who underwent dental procedures with general anesthesia between June 2005 and December 2008 were assessed retrospectively. A novel assessment scale was used to measure the cumulative burden of dental disease during the waiting period. RESULTS A total of 378 children (age range 10 months to 17 years) met the inclusion criteria. Statistically significant correlations were identified between disease burden and wait times for priority group IV (access target 90 days) (p=0.004), for the entire sample (p<0.001), for children with advanced dental caries and low medical risk (p=0.005), for patients with comorbidities (p=0.036), for healthy patients (p<0.001), for females (p=0.014) and for males (p=0.008). The mean cumulative burden of disease over time did not differ between matched groups with and without comorbidity (p=0.38). CONCLUSIONS A trend suggestive of increasing burden of dental disease for children with longer wait times for elective dental procedures involving general anesthesia was found, but it was not clinically significant. Refinements in the assessment scale and a better understanding of the natural history of dental disease will likely be useful in developing clinically relevant access targets.
Evaluation of a liquid bead array system for high-risk human papillomavirus detection and genotyping in comparison with Hybrid Capture II, DNA chip and sequencing methods.

Since persistent infection with high-risk human papillomavirus (HPV) is a known cause of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia and cervical cancer, several HPV DNA detection methods have been developed during the last decade. The Hybrid Capture II (HCII) assay, which allows detection of 13 high-risk HPVs, has been well validated; however, it does not provide any genotype-specific information. The oncogenic activity of HPV is dependent on its genotype. The prophylactic effects of HPV vaccines are based on L1 virus-like particles and are limited mainly to infections corresponding to the HPV type used to develop the immunogen. Therefore, accurate detection and genotyping are important for treatment as well as screening. A newly developed HPV genotyping system using a liquid bead array was evaluated with 286 cervical samples and the results were compared to two commercially available methods, i.e. the HCII and HPV DNA chip assays, and sequencing. The sensitivity for detection of high-risk HPV was 85.3 % (HCII), 94.7 % (DNA chip) and 99.0 % (liquid bead array). The liquid bead array showed almost perfect agreement (κ=0.95) with genotype information confirmed by sequencing, while substantial agreement (κ=0.8) was observed between DNA chip and sequencing. Furthermore, the liquid bead array had superior detection of 26 HPVs (16 high-risk and 10 low-risk types) and has proven to be as accurate as sequencing in identifying individual HPV types, even in cases with multiple HPV infections.
Mutagenic Analysis of the 5′ Arm of the Influenza A Virus Virion RNA Promoter Defines the Sequence Requirements for Endonuclease Activity

ABSTRACT Short synthetic influenza virus-like RNAs derived from influenza virus promoter sequences were examined for their ability to stimulate the endonuclease activity of recombinant influenza virus polymerase complexes in vitro, an activity that is required for the cap-snatching activity of primers from host pre-mRNA. An extensive set of point mutants of the 5′ arm of the influenza A virus viral RNA (vRNA) was constructed to determine the cis-acting elements which influenced endonuclease activity. Activity was found to be dependent on three features of the conserved vRNA termini: (i) the presence of the 5′ hairpin loop structure, (ii) the identity of residues at positions 5 and 10 bases from the 5′ terminus, and (iii) the presence of base pair interactions between the 5′ and 3′ segment ends. Further experiments discounted a role for the vRNA U track in endonuclease activation. This study represents the first mutagenic analysis of the influenza virus promoter with regard to endonuclease activity.
Using Focus Groups to Characterize the Health Beliefs and Practices of Black Women with Non-Insulin-Dependent Diabetes

The purpose of this focus group intervention was to characterize the health beliefs, self care practices, diabetes education needs, weight-loss issues, and facilitators and barriers to diabetes health care in black women with non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Major themes that emerged from the focus group were motivation to prevent complications, unrealistic weight goals set by providers, multiple barriers to diet and exercise, and a dual role of family as supporter and deterrent to diabetes management, especially related to diet. These findings suggest that culturally sensitive and appropriate patient educational programs must be provided for minority groups such as black women who have higher rates of diabetes-related complications.
Replication of hepatitis delta virus RNA: effect of mutations of the autocatalytic cleavage sites

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) contains a circular RNA genome of 1.7 kb. HDV RNA replication is thought to proceed via a rolling-circle mechanism that is dependent on autocatalytic cleavage and ligation reactions. However, it has never been established that these ribozyme activities are indeed involved in HDV RNA replication. To investigate the possible biological significance of HDV RNA self-cleavage, we constructed several HDV dimer cDNAs containing single-base substitutions of the 3' nucleotide of the genomic and the antigenomic self-cleavage sites. These mutations were known to affect self-cleavage in vitro to various extents. The effects of these mutations on HDV RNA replication were examined in hepatic and nonhepatic cell lines. The results showed that all of the mutants which had lost the in vitro self-cleavage activity could not replicate. The only mutant which retained full cleavage activity replicated as efficiently as the wild-type RNA. Thus, this study established that self-cleavage activity is required for HDV RNA replication in cells. Interestingly, the level of HDV RNA detected in cells transfected with this replication-competent mutant and that detected in cells transfected with the wild-type construct were similar in COS-7 cells but vastly different in HepG2 and Huh-7 cells, suggesting that HDV RNA self-cleavage activity may be modulated by cell-specific factors. We also compared the effects of mutations when the primary transcripts of these constructs were of either genomic or antigenomic sense. In constructs which synthesize primary transcripts of genomic sense, all of the antigenomic self-cleavage mutants produced as much hepatitis delta antigen (HDAg) as did the wild-type construct, even in the absence of detectable HDV RNA replication, whereas the genomic self-cleavage mutants produced very little HDAg. These and other data suggest that (i) the primary HDV RNA transcripts of both genomic and antigenomic polarities must first be processed to serve as a template for HDV RNA transcription, (ii) efficient cleavage at the antigenomic self-cleavage site is not required for HDAg expression, and (iii) HDV RNA replication most likely occurs by a double-rolling-circle mechanism.
Experimental Measurement of the  ${\hbox{Ne}}^{+}$ and  ${\hbox{Ne}}_{2}^{+}$ Mobilities in Ne and the Reaction Rate Coefficient for ${\hbox{Ne}}^{+} + 2{\hbox{Ne}} \ura{} {\hbox{Ne}}_{2}^{+} +{\hbox{Ne}}$

We measured the reduced mobilities of the atomic, Ne<sup>+</sup>, and dimer, Ne<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup>, ions in Ne, under different pressures and reduced electric fields, at 300 K. Extrapolation to zero field yields values of 4.4 cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> for Ne<sup>+</sup> and 6.2 cm<sup>2</sup> V<sup>-1</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> for Ne<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup>, which are in relative good agreement with other published data. The Ne<sup>+</sup> ions are converted to Ne<sub>2</sub><sup>+</sup> by a three-body reaction with a rate constant that was also measured. Its average value for reduced electric fields in the 8 to 12 Td range was (5.6 ± 0.1) × 10<sup>-32</sup> cm<sup>6</sup> s<sup>-1</sup> at 300 K, also agreeing with the results from other authors using other techniques.
A block-based MAP segmentation for image compressions

A novel block-based image segmentation algorithm using the maximum a posteriori (MAP) criterion is proposed. The conditional probability in the MAP criterion, which is formulated by the Bayesian framework, is in charge of classifying image blocks into edge, monotone, and textured blocks. On the other hand, the a priori probability is responsible for edge connectivity and homogeneous region continuity. After a few iterations to achieve a deterministic MAP optimization, we can obtain a block-based segmented image in terms of edge, monotone, or textured blocks. Then, using a connected block-labeling algorithm, we can assign a number to all connected homogeneous blocks to define an interior of a region. Finally, uncertainty blocks, which are not given any region number yet, are assigned to one of the neighboring homogeneous regions by a block-based region-growing method. During this process, we can also check the balance between the accuracy and the cost of the contour coding by adjusting the size of the uncertainty blocks. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm yields larger homogeneous regions which are suitable for the object-based image compression.
Progress in ecological services evaluation of urban forest

With the acceleration of urbanization,environmental problems are becoming more and more critical. As an important subsystem of urban environment,urban forest offers many kinds of ecological services which benefit the city dwellers. The assessment of urban forest ecological services can improve the construction of urban forest effectively and guild strategic decisions,so that urban forest's ecological services can be maximized. This paper clarified the concepts of urban forest and the connotation of urban forest ecological service values,and compared and analysed different methods. Based on the development of urban forest ecological services,this paper concluded the approaches of urban forest ecological services into three categories:economic valuation of single trees,comprehensive valuation of ecological services,and spatially explicit landscape model valuation. Finally,the shortness of current urban forest ecological services evaluation methods and its prospects were concluded to enrich the theory of urban forest ecological services valuation,and to direct the planning of urban forest.
Serum Cardiac Troponin T in Asphyxiated Term Neonates Delivered at Two Teaching Hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria

Background: Asphyxia is a leading cause of perinatal morbidity and mortality in the developing countries. All organs including the myocardium are vulnerable to ischemic injury in asphyxia. The aim of the current study was to assess myocardial injury in asphyxiated full-term neonates using their serum cardiac troponin T levels. Methods: In all, 30 term asphyxiated neonates and 30 gestational age-, birth weight-, and sex-matched controls were studied. Asphyxia was defined by double criteria of low umbilical arterial blood pH <7.20 and low five-minutes Apgar score ≤6, while the controls were term nonasphyxiated neonates with umbilical arterial blood pH ≥7.20 and five minutes Apgar score >6. The umbilical arterial pH was done soon after delivery, while the serum cardiac troponin T was done within the first 4 to 24 hours of life. Results: Participants and controls were similar in terms of mean gestational age, mode of delivery, gender, and birth weight (P = 1.0, .07, 1.0, and 1.0, respectively). Two thirds of the asphyxiated babies had elevated serum cardiac troponin T in the high risk range (> 0.1 ng/mL). On the contrary, none of the controls had serum cardiac troponin T in that range. Serum cardiac troponin T showed negative correlation with pH (r = −.75), five-minute Apgar score (r = −.74), and one-minute Apgar score (r = −0.70). Conclusion: The study identified perinatal asphyxia as a high-risk factor for elevated serum cardiac troponin T and hence for myocardial cellular injury.
Pasar Modal dan Pedoman Umum Penerapan Prinsip Syariah di Bidang Pasar Modal

Abstraksi Pasar Modal mempunyai posisi yang strategis dalam pembangunan ekonomi nasional. Pertumbuhan suatu pasar modal sangat tergantung dari kinerja perusahan efek. Untuk mengkordinasikan modal, dukungan teknis, dan sumberdaya manusia dalam pengembangan pasar modal diperlukan suatu kepemimpinan yang efektif. Perusahaan-perusahaan harus menjalin kerjasama yang erat untuk menciptakan pasar yang mampu menyediakan berbagai jenis produk dan alternatif infvestasi bagi masyarakat. Di pasar modal terdapat berbagai macam infomasi seperti laporan keuangan, kebijakan manajemen, rumor di pasar modal, prospektus, saran dari broker , dan informasi lainnya. Landasan operasional pasar modal di indonesia adalah Fatwa Dewan Syariah Nasional (DSN) No : 40/DSN-MUI/X/2003 tentang pasar modal dan pedoman umum penerapan prinsip syariah di bidang pasar modal, menyatakan pengembangan ekonomi suatu negara tidak lepas dari perkembangan pasar modal, sebagaimana kita ketahui prinsip syariah telah dikembangkan di berbagai negara, di Indonesia memerlukan pasar modal yang aktifitasnya sejalan dengan prinsip syariah, hal ini merupakan suatu keniscayaan dimana Indonesia merupakan negara terbesar yang penduduknya memeluk agama Islam. Kata Kunci : Pasar Modal, Prinsip Syaraiah, Investasi