Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sensitivity and specificity of anti-HIV ELISA employing recombinant (p24, p66, gp120) and synthetic (gp41) viral antigenic peptides.

We have developed two immunoassay systems, one designated HIV (p24, p66, gp41) ELISA that uses as antigens the immunodominant epitopes mixed from each of three major groups of HIV-1 proteins: the core (p24), the pol (p66) and the env (gp41) gene. The other immunoassay system consists of four separate ELISAs for detection of single antibodies to HIV gag gene (p24), HIV pol gene (p66) and HIV env gene (gp41 and gp120). In the present study 200 specimens from patients with AIDS and 200 specimens from patients with ARC were repeatedly positive by HIV (p24, p66, gp41) ELISA. 1425 specimens from HIV drug addicts positive at W.B. were positive at HIV (p24, gp41, p66) ELISA. In addition, 60 samples that were indeterminate by W.B. , were repeatedly positive at HIV (p24, p66, gp41) ELISA. The sensitivity and specificity of HIV (p24, p66, gp41) is estimated to be 100%. In this study 1507 specimens from HIV drug addicts, positive at W.B. , were all positive (more than one test positive) at HIV p24 ELISA, HIV gp41 ELISA, HIV p66 ELISA and HIV gp120 ELISA used in combination. 135 samples from HIV positive drug addicts, positive at standard ELISA but indeterminate at W.B. , were positive by HIV p24 ELISA, HIV gp41 ELISA, HIV p66 ELISA and HIV gp120 ELISA using the same criteria as in W.B. interpretation. The specificity (defined in terms of percentage of non-reacting persons in a low risk population) of HIV p24 ELISA, HIV gp41 ELISA, HIV p66 ELISA, HIV gp120 ELISA is 100%. In this work we demonstrated that: a) HIV (p24, p66, gp41) ELISA could be used as an adjunct or reliable alternative to standard ELISA for detection or confirmation of HIV antibodies in human sera; b) the specificity and sensitivity of antibodies to p24, p66, gp41, gp120 by ELISA used alone and/or in combination, is equal to or greater than W.B.
Multiple-Symbol Differential Sphere Detection and Decision-Feedback Differential Detection Conceived for Differential QAM

Multiple-symbol differential sphere detection (MSDSD) relies on the knowledge of channel correlation. More explicitly, for differential phase-shift keying (DPSK), the transmitted symbols' phases form a unitary matrix, which can be separated from the channel's correlation matrix by the classic multiple-symbol differential detection (MSDD), so that a lower triangular matrix extracted from the inverted channel correlation matrix is utilized for the MSDSD's sphere decoding. However, for differential quadrature amplitude modulation (DQAM), the transmitted symbols' amplitudes cannot form a unitary matrix, which implies that the MSDD's channel correlation matrix becomes amplitude dependent and remains unknown unless all the data-carrying symbol amplitudes are detected. To tackle this open problem, in this paper, we propose to determine the MSDD's nonconstant amplitude-dependent channel correlation matrix with the aid of a sphere decoder (SD) so that the classic MSDSD algorithms that were originally conceived for DPSK may also be invoked for DQAM detection. As a result, our simulation results demonstrate that the MSDSD-aided DQAM schemes substantially outperform their DPSK counterparts. However, the price paid is that the detection complexity of MSDSD is also significantly increased. To mitigate this, we then propose a reduced-complexity MSDSD search strategy specifically conceived for DQAM constellations, which separately map bits to their ring-amplitude index and phase index. Furthermore, the classic decision-feedback differential detection (DFDD) conceived for DQAM relies on a constant channel correlation matrix, which implies that these DFDD solutions are suboptimal and that they are not equivalent to the optimum MSDD operating in decision-feedback mode. With the advent for solving the open problem of MSDSD-aided DQAM, we further propose to improve the conventional DFDD-aided DQAM solutions in this paper.
The 2001 serologic survey in the Czech Republic--tetanus.

In 2001, a serological survey of antibody against tetanus was carded out in the Czech Republic among 499 individuals aged between 40 and 64 years. It revealed that 2.8% of them had antibody titres below protective levels and 43.3% and 53.9% respectively had medium and high antibody titres, i.e. protective levels of antibodies. These results show a good immunity level against tetanus among the Czech population aged between 40 and 64 years, likely to be ascribed to the good immunization coverage achieved. The individuals with antibody titres below protective levels need revaccination.
Effects of absorbed water on space charge and conduction phenomena in polyimide films

Water absorbed in a polyimide (PI) film largely affects the electrical conduction and space charge behavior. The DC conduction currents increased almost exponentially with the water content. When a DC field was applied to PI films kept in the atmosphere, four kinds of space charges were observed, i.e., positive-and negative-homo space charges and negative-and positive-hetero space charges. After drying, the homo space charges were much reduced. In water-treated samples, positive-and negative-homo space charges were rapidly formed. The absorbed water enhanced not only charge injection from the electrode but also mobility of charge carriers. The space charge accumulation and field distortion of PI films are determined by their balance.
Eliminating the parameter-dependence of recent LMI results on controller design of descriptor systems

In this paper, a novel approach for controller design and H∞ disturbance rejection of continuous-time Takagi-Sugeno descriptor models, is presented. This approach is based on a matrix transformation [1] which eliminates the parameter dependency of the linear matrix inequalities arising in some recent results. The proposed approach is an alternative to former results on the same subject (includes and outperforms previous results or act as a complement of other approaches) as shown both theoretically and via illustrative examples.
Uric Acid Crystals Induce Placental Inflammation and Alter Trophoblast Function via an IL-1–Dependent Pathway: Implications for Fetal Growth Restriction

Excessive placental inflammation is associated with several pathological conditions, including stillbirth and fetal growth restriction. Although infection is a known cause of inflammation, a significant proportion of pregnancies have evidence of inflammation without any detectable infection. Inflammation can also be triggered by endogenous mediators, called damage associated molecular patterns or alarmins. One of these damage-associated molecular patterns, uric acid, is increased in the maternal circulation in pathological pregnancies and is a known agonist of the Nlrp3 inflammasome and inducer of inflammation. However, its effects within the placenta and on pregnancy outcomes remain largely unknown. We found that uric acid (monosodium urate [MSU]) crystals induce a proinflammatory profile in isolated human term cytotrophoblast cells, with a predominant secretion of IL-1β and IL-6, a result confirmed in human term placental explants. The proinflammatory effects of MSU crystals were shown to be IL-1–dependent using a caspase-1 inhibitor (inhibits IL-1 maturation) and IL-1Ra (inhibits IL-1 signaling). The proinflammatory effect of MSU crystals was accompanied by trophoblast apoptosis and decreased syncytialization. Correspondingly, administration of MSU crystals to rats during late gestation induced placental inflammation and was associated with fetal growth restriction. These results make a strong case for an active proinflammatory role of MSU crystals at the maternal–fetal interface in pathological pregnancies, and highlight a key mediating role of IL-1. Furthermore, our study describes a novel in vivo animal model of noninfectious inflammation during pregnancy, which is triggered by MSU crystals and leads to reduced fetal growth.
Probiotics for prevention of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants.

BACKGROUND Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and nosocomial sepsis are associated with increased morbidity and mortality in preterm infants. Through prevention of bacterial migration across the mucosa, competitive exclusion of pathogenic bacteria, and enhancing the immune responses of the host, prophylactic enteral probiotics (live microbial supplements) may play a role in reducing NEC and the associated morbidity. OBJECTIVES To compare the efficacy and safety of prophylactic enteral probiotics administration versus placebo or no treatment in the prevention of severe NEC or sepsis, or both, in preterm infants. SEARCH METHODS For this update, searches were made of MEDLINE (1966 to October 2013), EMBASE (1980 to October 2013), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) in The Cochrane Library (2013, Issue 10), and abstracts of annual meetings of the Society for Pediatric Research (1995 to 2013). SELECTION CRITERIA Only randomized or quasi-randomized controlled trials that enrolled preterm infants < 37 weeks gestational age or < 2500 g birth weight, or both, were considered. Trials were included if they involved enteral administration of any live microbial supplement (probiotics) and measured at least one prespecified clinical outcome. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Standard methods of The Cochrane Collaboration and its Neonatal Group were used to assess the methodologic quality of the trials and for data collection and analysis. MAIN RESULTS Twenty-four eligible trials were included. Included trials were highly variable with regard to enrolment criteria (that is birth weight and gestational age), baseline risk of NEC in the control groups, timing, dose, formulation of the probiotics, and feeding regimens. In a meta-analysis of trial data, enteral probiotics supplementation significantly reduced the incidence of severe NEC (stage II or more) (typical relative risk (RR) 0.43, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.33 to 0.56; 20 studies, 5529 infants) and mortality (typical RR 0.65, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.81; 17 studies, 5112 infants). There was no evidence of significant reduction of nosocomial sepsis (typical RR 0.91, 95% CI 0.80 to 1.03; 19 studies, 5338 infants). The included trials reported no systemic infection with the supplemental probiotics organism. Probiotics preparations containing either lactobacillus alone or in combination with bifidobacterium were found to be effective. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS Enteral supplementation of probiotics prevents severe NEC and all cause mortality in preterm infants. Our updated review of available evidence strongly supports a change in practice. Head to head comparative studies are required to assess the most effective preparations, timing, and length of therapy to be utilized.
Mining consumer reviews to generate ratings of different product attributes while producing feature-based review-summary

ABSTRACT With the massive growth of the internet, product reviews increasingly serve as an important source of information for customers to make choices online. Customers depend on these reviews to understand users’ experience, and manufacturers rely on this user-generated content to capture user sentiments about their product. Therefore, it is in the best interest of both customers and manufacturers to have a portal where they can read a complete comprehensive summary of these reviews in minimum time. With this in mind, we arrived at our first objective which is to generate a feature-based review-summary. Our second objective is to develop a predictive model to know the next week's product sales based on numerical review ratings and textual features embedded in the reviews. When it comes to product features, every user has different priorities for different features. To capture this aspect of decision-making, we have designed a new mechanism to generate a numerical rating for every feature of the product individually. The data have been collected from a well-known commercial website for two different products. The validation of the model is carried out using a crowd-sourcing technique.
Nonoperative treatment of acute traumatic spinal injuries: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND Traumatic spinal injury is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. There is no agreed method of care. Neurological recovery in complete injury has been dismal. Aims and Objectives : The aim of this study is to determine the neurological recovery at discharge in traumatic spinal injury patients managed nonoperatively in our center. MATERIALS AND METHODS This was a prospective descriptive study carried out on traumatic spinal injury patients managed by neurosurgical unit in our center from August 2010 to July 2013. The unit started in July 2010 with virtually no available facilities for surgical care for these patients. All patients were managed nonoperatively. The unit recorded data of the patients in accident and emergency, intensive care unit, and wards using structured proforma. Data were analyzed using Epi Info 7 software. RESULTS There were 76 patients studied of which 57 were males and 25 were females. Fifty three were caused by road traffic accident. Nineteen were complete injury. Patients with incomplete injuries did well at discharge. Completeness of injury significantly affected the outcome. CONCLUSION The neurological recovery in incomplete spinal injuries in our study was good, but poor in complete injury. Conservative treatment should be adopted in developing countries in patients with poor resources and in centers where facilities are not available for adequate imaging and surgical care. Trauma system is imperative in our country.
Noncommunicable Diseases in Ghana

The theory of social gradient in health posits that individuals with lower socioeconomic status (SES) have poorer health outcomes, compared with those in higher socioeconomic brackets. Applied to noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), this theory has largely been corroborated by studies from the West. However, evidence from sub-Saharan Africa are mixed, with those from Ghana conspicuously missing in the literature. Using data from the Study on Global Ageing and Adult Health, and applying random-effects C log-log models, this study examined the relationship between SES and the risks of living with NCDs in Ghana. Results confirmed a negative social gradient, as Ghanaians with higher SES were more likely to live with NCDs compared with those with low SES. The addition of lifestyle factors attenuated the risks of living with NCDs among Ghanaian men and women with higher SES. This study underscores the need for policies targeted at specific socioeconomic and demographic groups, such as the emerging middle and upper class Ghanaians. It is similarly important for interventions to move beyond biomedical solutions that put more emphasis on epidemiological risk factors to strategies that embrace psychosocial factors as important correlates of cardiovascular health.
When Is Helping your Partner with Chronic Pain a Burden? The Relation Between Helping Motivation and Personal and Relational Functioning.

OBJECTIVE Self-determination theory (SDT) may be a useful framework to understand why chronic pain affects partners. SDT postulates that individuals can engage in helping behaviors for different motives varying from more autonomous or volitional motives to more controlled or pressured motives. This article examines the relationship between partners' type of motivation to help (i.e., autonomous vs controlled) and their personal and relational functioning. Furthermore, mechanisms underlying this relationship (i.e., helping exhaustion and relationship-based need satisfaction) were examined. METHODS In a sample of 48 couples, of which one partner had chronic pain (36 female patients), questionnaires measuring life satisfaction, positive and negative affect, anxiety and depressive feelings, relationship quality and relationship-based need satisfaction were filled out. Individuals with chronic pain (ICPs) also reported on pain intensity and disability whereas partners were requested to report on motives for helping and helping exhaustion. RESULTS Data analysis with Structural Equation Modeling revealed that autonomous, relative to controlled, motives for helping among partners related positively to partners' well-being and relationship quality, and negatively to distress. The experience of helping exhaustion and relationship-based need satisfaction mediated these associations. Moreover, partners' autonomous helping motivation related positively to patient-reported relationship quality among ICPs high in pain intensity. CONCLUSIONS Applying SDT in a context of pain provides new insights into why chronic pain affects partners and how partners impact patient outcome. Directions for future research are outlined.
Enantioselective pharmacokinetics of 10‐hydroxycarbazepine after oral administration of oxcarbazepine to healthy Chinese subjects

Oxcarbazepine is a new antiepileptic drug which in humans acts as a prodrug to its central nervous system–active metabolite 10‐hydroxycarbazepine. Because 10‐hydroxycarbazepine is a chiral molecule, the objective of the study was to perform a stereoselective pharmacokinetic analysis of 10‐hydroxycarbazepine in humans.
Symptom burden in HIV-infected adults at time of HIV diagnosis in rural Uganda.

PURPOSE This study aimed to measure symptom burden prior to antitetroviral therapy (ART) initiation in a population of adults with low CD4 presenting for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) care and treatment in Uganda, and to explore the relationship between World Health Organization (WHO) stage, CD4 count, and symptomatology. METHODS HIV-infected, ART-naïve adults with CD4 less than 200 cells per microliter referred from voluntary testing and counseling services in rural Uganda for potential enrollment into a large double-blinded placebo-controlled trial were invited to completed the Memorial Symptom Assessment Scale-Short Form (MSAS-SF). This is a validated symptom assessment tool that records the presence and severity of 37 physical and 4 psychological symptoms. RESULTS Two hundred twelve subjects were enrolled. The mean total number of symptoms was 14.0 (standard deviation [SD] = 6). The 10 most common symptoms were pain (76%), weight loss (70%), itching (67%), feeling drowsy/tired (61%), and lack of energy (61%), numbness /tingling in hands or feet (57%), cough (53%) skin changes (52%), worry (51%), and lack of appetite (49%). The median number of symptoms was not associated with WHO stage CD4 count group. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates that the burden of HIV-related symptoms in individuals presenting for care in Uganda is significant and debilitating.
A Robust Variance Bound on Pricing Kernels

This paper proposes a data-based measure of model performance to discriminate among competing asset pricing models of return predictability. I form a set of variance bounds on pricing kernels based on different systems for predicting asset returns. For a given asset pricing model, I define the robust variance bound to be the tightest variance bound that this model-implied pricing kernel is able to satisfy. Using the diagnostic results of the robust variance bounds, I then construct a model performance index. This index quantifies the degree of return predictability which a given asset pricing model is able to obtain. I apply this method to examine the performance of three leading classes of asset pricing models: long run risk, external habit and rare disasters. The long run risk type of rare disaster model of Nakamura et al. (2013) performs best.
Democratizing Innovation and Capital Access: The Role of Crowdfunding

This article focuses on how crowdfunding might democratize the commercialization of innovation as well as financing. First, it examines how crowdfunders decide what effort to support and asks how do crowd and expert decisions differ? Second, it investigates whether crowdfunding democratizes access to capital by asking whether groups that have historically been underrepresented in capital markets gain additional access to capital markets through crowdfunding. Finally, it investigates whether crowdfunding leads to the growth of new firms in the same way that traditional funding does. Taken together, these questions point at a potentially vast alternative infrastructure for developing, funding, and commercializing innovation.
NASOPHARYNGEAL CARCINOMA IN TURKISH CHILDREN: Review of 33 Cases

A retrospective and prospective analysis is reported of epidemiological, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of 33 children with nasopharyngeal carcinoma who were treated in a single institution over a period of 10 years. Twenty-three male and 10 female children ranging from 9 to 17 years were referred to our center. Histopathology was WHO type 3 carcinoma in 21, WHO type 2 in 8, WHO type 1 in 1, and unclassified in 3 patients. Disease extent was T2a (n = 15), T2b (n = 2), T3 (n = 11), and T4 (n = 5); N1 (n = 5), N2 (n = 12), and N3a (n = 16). Five patients had base of skull invasion. Four patients had M1 disease on admission. Four patients were treated with irradiation only. Three patients received neoadjuvant, 4 patients received adjuvant, and 22 patients received neoadjuvant + adjuvant chemotherapy in addition to radiotherapy. Patients received 50-72 Gy to the primary tumor and involved nodes and 45-50 Gy to uninvolved regions. Chemotherapy consisted of combinations of cisplatin, fluorouracil or Adriamycin, vincristine, and cyclophosphamide. Twenty-nine patients (88%) attained locoregional control. Overall, 10 patients died with progressive disease or infectious complications, and 2 patients are still receiving therapy. Three patients are still living with multiple metastases and stable disease. Eight patients were lost to follow-up. Twelve patients are alive without relapse 3 and 63 months from diagnosis. Seven patients had 6 relapses at distant and 1 relapse at local site. The median time for first relapse was 8 months. Overall, the 5-year survival rate was 63% and disease-free survival rate was 53%. Although the locoregional control rate is high, long-term survival rates will be the real test of the impact of chemotherapy. Further studies are needed to confirm the optimal combination of effective chemotherapeutic agents and radiotherapy.
Periodontal disease and perinatal outcomes: a case-control study.

AIM Our aim was to measure the association of maternal periodontitis with low birth weight (LBW), pre-term LBW, and intra-uterine growth restriction. MATERIAL AND METHODS An inclusive case-control design including subjects examined for periodontitis through attachment loss, information on perinatal outcomes and general health. Data were analysed through conditional logistic regression. RESULTS Cases (n=304) and controls (n=611) had similar prevalence and severity of periodontitis, defined as at least three sites, in different teeth, with loss of three or more millimetres of clinical attachment level. Several factors were associated with the outcome, but the crude odds ratio for periodontitis was not significant. Odds ratio were 0.93 [95% confidence interval (CI): 0.63-1.41] for LBW and 0.92 (95% CI:0.54-1.57) for pre-term LBW in the presence of periodontitis, after adjustment for maternal age, previous pregnancies, pre-natal care, smoking, previous low birth or premature birth and other medical conditions, on a hierarchical model. CONCLUSIONS Results do not support the hypothesis of association observed in previous studies after appropriate controlling for confounding variables. Negative peri-natal outcomes are better explained by determinants other than periodontal health. This study adds to the growing body of literature on the relationship between periodontal diseases and systemic health.