Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cytokine detection in HIV‐1/HHV‐8 co‐infected subjects

In a previous work we have evaluated some immunologic and haematologic parameters of HIV‐1 positive subjects co‐infected with HHV‐8. A worsening of these values were generally described in these patients as compared with those HIV‐1 positive, but negative for HHV‐8. Now we have studied the influence of HHV‐8 co‐infection of HIV‐1 positive subjects on the production of some cytokines to make clear the question of its role in the immuno‐deregulation of the above‐mentioned subjects. In particular we have analysed serum levels of IL‐4 and IL‐10, Th2 type T cells cytokines, IFN‐γ, an indirect marker of Th1 cells activation and IL‐18, a cytokine produced by monocytic‐macrophagic cells, which is able to induce IFN‐γ production and Th1 T lymphocytes activation. No significant differences were found as regards the IFN‐γ serum levels (92.1 ± 24.3 pg ml−1 in the case of HIV‐1 positive/HHV‐8 negative subjects and 96.0 ± 17.4 pg ml−1 in those HIV‐1 positive/HHV‐8 positive). In healthy subjects the mean level of this cytokine was 17.6 ± 5.2 pg ml−1 (significant difference with both the former values at p < 0.001). Moreover IL‐4 and IL‐10, which were undetectable in healthy individuals, showed the following values in HIV‐1positive/HHV‐8 negative subjects: 31.9 ± 2.7 pg ml−1 and 119.8 ± 85.1 pg ml−1 respectively and in HIV‐1 positive/HHV‐8 positive subjects: 30.4 ± 4.8 pg ml−1 and 69.4 ± 65.3 pg ml−1 (not significant differences). In contrast IL‐18 reached a mean level of 1001.2 ± 360.5 pg ml−1 in HIV‐1 positive/HHV‐8 negative subjects, but showed a significant reduction in HIV‐1 positive/HHV‐8 positive subjects (737.6 ± 284.3 pg ml−1→p < 0.05) and presented very low levels in healthy individuals (21.3 ± 30.3 pg ml−1). Moreover a significant correlation (−0.984→p < 0.001) was noticed between IL‐18 reduction in HIV‐1 positive subjects co‐infected with HHV‐8 and the degree of positivity of HHV‐8. These data suggest that HHV‐8 co‐infection has no influence on the switch Th1→ Th2 in HIV‐1 positive subjects, but is able to reduce IL‐18 production, useful for Th1 subset restoration. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stacked-FET based GaAs monolithic microwave high-power amplifiers for active electronically scanned array radar front-ends

The High Power Amplifier (HPA) is a key component for any modern Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar front-end, both in terms of costs and performance. The task of this HPA is to generate the high level of required output power with an efficiency that results in feasible requirements for the cooling of the system. This must be combined with a reasonable cost price and reliable operation. To increase the supply voltage of a radar front-end yields several advantages. At the system level, lower DC currents are present, resulting in lower losses in the supply lines. On transistor level, the real part of the optimum load impedance is higher, which eases the matching problem, resulting in matching networks with higher bandwidth or lower loss. State of the art technologies based on wide-bandgap materials such as GaN, support the requirements for high supply voltages. The cost of these technologies, however, is significantly higher than the GaAs technologies, while the latter still have a more proven record of reliability. The research question addressed in this thesis is whether the advantages of an increased supply voltage can be obtained without the use of a wide-bandgap semiconductor technology, specifically by the application of the Stacked-FET technique. At the heart of this approach is a single Common Source (CS) FET, followed by one or more Degenerated Common Gate (DCG) FETs. Stacking a number of transistors linearly increases the overall breakdown voltage and hence the possible drain supply voltage, providing the previously mentioned advantages. An additional benefit of the Stacked-FET concept is due to the internal power combining by voltage summation, which decreases the chip the area required for passive combining networks. The reported results demonstrate that GaAs Stacked-FET power amplifiers, designed according to the strategy defined in this thesis, can deliver an output power in excess of 25 W with a PAE higher than 40 % over a bandwidth of 30 % at S-band frequencies. With this RF performance, these devices can be competitive to many GaN based amplifiers, at significantly lower costs.
Abnormal intracellular sorting of O-linked carbohydrate-deficient interleukin-2 receptors

The synthesis and intracellular sorting of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) receptor were studied with a line of mutant Chinese hamster ovary (CHO) cells with a reversible defect in protein O glycosylation. Under normal culture conditions the mutant ldlD cannot add N-acetylgalactosamine (Ga1NAc) to proteins. Ga1NAc is the first sugar of mucin-type O-linked oligosaccharides attached to protein. This O-glycosylation defect is rapidly corrected when Ga1NAc is added to the culture mediu. An expression vector for the p55 human IL-2 receptor was transfected into wild-type CHO and ldlD cells and the structure, stability, and cell surface expression of the receptor were examined by immunoprecipitation and antibody-binding assays. Essentially all of the mature form of the normally glycosylated IL-2 receptor in both wild-type CHO cells and ldlD cells incubated with Ga1NAc was expressed on the cell surface. The stability of O-linked carbohydrate-deficient (Od) IL-2 receptors (in ldlD cells without Ga1NAc) was normal; however, missorting of the Od receptors resulted in very little cell surface expression. The sialidase sensitivity and endoglycosidase H resistance of mature Od IL-2 receptors suggest that Od receptor missorting occurred in or beyond the trans Golgi apparatus. The abnormal sorting of the Od IL-2 receptor is compared with the O-glycosylation dependence of the surface expression and stability of the low-density lipoprotein receptor, decay-accelerating factor, and the major antigen envelope protein of Epstein-Barr virus.
Compliance after switching from CPAP to bilevel for patients with non-compliant OSA: big data analysis

Introduction For patients with obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) who are initially non-compliant with continuous (automatic) positive airway pressure (CPAP/APAP) therapy, a bilevel PAP (Spont/VAuto) therapy transition pathway is available to improve therapy adherence. The aim of this retrospective study was to compare PAP therapy usage data of patients with non-compliant OSA (ncOSA) on CPAP/APAP who were switched to bilevel PAP. Methods A PAP telemonitoring database was queried between 1 January 2015 and 31 July 2016 for eligible patients started on CPAP/APAP and non-CMS (United States Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services) compliant and switched to bilevel PAP within 90 days of starting CPAP/APAP therapy. PAP therapy data on all patients were compared before switch (CPAP/APAP) and after switch (VAuto/Spont). Results Of the 1496 patients with ncOSA identified, 30.3% used CPAP, 62.3% APAP, and 7.4% both APAP and CPAP before switching to a bilevel mode. 47.8% patients switched to Spont mode and 52.2% to VAuto mode. PAP usage significantly improved by 0.9 h/day (p<0.001) and all other device metrics (residual apnoea–hypopnoea index and unintentional mask leak) also improved after the switch. No patients had achieved US CMS criteria for compliance before the switch, and 56.8% did after. Conclusion This shows for the first time that there may be potential benefit from switching from CPAP/APAP to bilevel PAP for patients struggling with PAP adherence.
A MIMO Antenna Structure that Combines Transmit Beamforming and Spatial Multiplexing

We propose a new closed-loop MIMO (Multiple- Input Multiple-Output) signal processing scheme that combines transmit beamforming and spatial multiplexing in Rayleigh frequency-flat fading channel environment. Diversity gain is achieved by beamforming, and multiplexing gain by spatial multi- plexing. The proposed scheme is particularly useful for downlink communication, where the number of transmit antennas at the base station is greater than the number of receive antennas at the mobile. Beamforming weight vectors are computed at the receiver using the estimated channel matrix and are sent to the transmitter. The computation is based on the mutual information maximization criterion which reduces to a symmetric eigenvalue problem. The BER (Bit Error Rate) performance comparisons with other known schemes are also presented for the cases of the ML (Maximum Likelihood) decoding and the MMSE (Minimum Mean-Squared Error) nulling and ordered-cancellation decod- ing, through extensive Monte-Carlo simulation. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme has lower BER than the other schemes.
PrivHome: Privacy-Preserving Authenticated Communication in Smart Home Environment

A smart home enables users to access devices such as lighting, HVAC, temperature sensors, and surveillance camera. It provides a more convenient and safe living environment for users. Security and privacy, however, is a key concern since information collected from these devices are normally communicated to the user through an open network (i.e. Internet) or system provided by the service provider. The service provider may store and have access to these information. Emerging smart home hubs such as Samsung SmartThings and Google Home are also capable of collecting and storing these information. Leakage and unauthorized access to the information can have serious consequences. For example, the mere timing of switching on/off of an HVAC unit may reveal the presence or absence of the home owner. Similarly, leakage or tampering of critical medical information collected from wearable body sensors can have serious consequences. Encrypting these information will address the issues, but it also reduces utility since queries is no longer straightforward. Therefore, we propose a privacy-preserving scheme, <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sf {PrivHome}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mi mathvariant="sans-serif">PrivHome</mml:mi></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="gope-ieq1-2914911.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula>. It supports authentication, secure data storage and query for smart home systems. <inline-formula><tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\sf {PrivHome}$</tex-math><alternatives><mml:math><mml:mi mathvariant="sans-serif">PrivHome</mml:mi></mml:math><inline-graphic xlink:href="gope-ieq2-2914911.gif"/></alternatives></inline-formula> provides data confidentiality as well as entity and data authentication to prevent an outsider from learning or modifying the data communicated between the devices, service provider, gateway, and the user. It further provides privacy-preserving queries in such a way that the service provider, and the gateway does not learn content of the data. To the best of our knowledge, privacy-preserving queries for smart home systems has not been considered before. Under our scheme is a new, lightweight entity and key-exchange protocol, and an efficient searchable encryption protocol. Our scheme is practical as both protocols are based solely on symmetric cryptographic techniques. We demonstrate efficiency and effectiveness of our scheme based on experimental and simulation results, as well as comparisons to existing smart home security protocols.
Are there Fractal Structures in Language? Units of Measurement and Dimensions in Linguistics

Abstract There is an increasing interest in questions of determining units in linguistics and musicology which can be used for measuring quantitative properties such as length, frequency, and complexity. Up to now, however, their discussion has been restricted to problems of the definition of basic elements in the particular field of research, of their features, of methods for their identification and segmentation in texts, etc. The present contribution considers the question of linguistic units of measurement. Is the kind of formula as used in quantitative linguistics incomplete and incorrect just as a large part of the equations in physics would be if the units (e.g., meter, kilogram, hour, newton, or farad) were omitted? If not, all linguistic quantities introduced so far would be dimensionless, and hence every dependence investigated and every law would be. We will show that this is the case and consider the consequences of this result for relations between elements on different levels of linguistic a.
Breast carcinomas with strong high‐signal intensity on T2‐weighted MR images: Pathological characteristics and differential diagnosis

To investigate the histopathological characteristics of breast carcinomas with strong high‐signal intensity (SHi) on T2‐weighted (T2W) MR images (T2‐SHi), and discuss the differential diagnosis between T2‐SHi breast carcinomas and T2‐SHi fibroadenomas.
The influence of service quality and patients' emotions on satisfaction.

PURPOSE The purpose of this research is to develop and empirically test a model to examine the major factors affecting patients' satisfaction that depict and estimate the relationships between service quality, patient's emotions, expectations and involvement. DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH The approach was tested using structural equation modeling, with a sample of 317 patients from six Portuguese public healthcare centres, using a revised SERVQUAL scale for service quality evaluation and an adapted DESII scale for assessing patient emotions. FINDINGS The scales used to evaluate service quality and emotional experience appears valid. The results support process complexity that leads to health service satisfaction, which involves diverse phenomena within the cognitive and emotional domain, revealing that all the predictors have a significant effect on satisfaction. RESEARCH LIMITATIONS/IMPLICATIONS The emotions inventory, although showing good internal consistency, might be enlarged to other typologies in further research--needed to confirm these findings. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Patient's satisfaction mechanisms are important for improving service quality. ORIGINALITY/VALUE The research shows empirical evidence about the effect of both patient's emotions and service quality on satisfaction with healthcare services. Findings also provide a model that includes valid and reliable measures.
The Effects of Stock Lending on Security Prices: An Experiment: Effects of Stock Lending on Security Prices

investigation, verification or monitoring by us of any content or information contained within or accessible from the linked sites. If you choose to visit the linked sites, you do so at your own risk, and you will be subject to such sites' terms of use and privacy policies, over which AQR.com has no control. In no event will AQR be responsible for any information or content within the linked sites or your use of the linked sites.
Media, sentiment and market performance in the long run

This paper investigates the impact of media pessimism on financial market returns and volatility in the long run. We hypothesize that media sentiment translates into investor sentiment. Based on the underreaction and overreaction hypotheses [Barberis, N. , A. Shleifer, and R. Vishny. 1998. “A Model of Investor Sentiment. ” Journal of Empirical Economics 49 (3): 307–343], we suggest that media pessimism has an effect on market performance after a lag of several months. We construct a monthly media pessimism indicator by taking the ratio of the number of newspaper articles that contain predetermined negative words to the number of newspaper articles that contain predetermined positive words in the headline and in the lead paragraph. Our results indicate that media pessimism is associated with negative (positive) market returns 14–17 (24–25) months in advance and positive market volatilities 1–20 months in advance. Our results are statistically and economically significant. We find evidence for Granger causality of media pessimism on market performance. Our media pessimism indicator possesses additional predictive power for the Baker and Wurgler [2006. “Investor Sentiment and the Cross-section of Stock Returns. ” Journal of Finance 61 (4): 1645–1680] investor sentiment index and the Chicago Board Options Exchange Market Volatility Index.
Linear Aggregation of Economic Relations.

Introducing a new hobby for other people may inspire them to join with you. Reading, as one of mutual hobby, is considered as the very easy hobby to do. But, many people are not interested in this hobby. Why? Boring is the reason of why. However, this feel actually can deal with the book and time of you reading. Yeah, one that we will refer to break the boredom in reading is choosing linear aggregation of economic relations as the reading material.
Markers of Arterial Stiffness Are Risk Factors for Progression to End-Stage Renal Disease among Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease Stages 4 and 5

Background: Factors associated with chronic kidney disease (CKD) contribute to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and death. The impact of vascular disease on CKD progression is, however, less well studied. Methods: We examined the effect of markers of vascular disease on the risk of progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) in 35 patients with CKD stages 4–5. Superficial femoral artery calcification was assessed by CT scan. Augmentation index (AI) and pulse wave velocity (PWV) were measured by applanation tonometry. Results: After 12.4 (5.5–28.4) months, 22/35 patients (63%) had commenced dialysis. Cox regression analysis identified baseline estimated glomerular filtration rate (hazard ratio, HR, 0.54; 95% CI 0.41–0.70; p < 0.0001), urinary protein (HR 1.84; 95% CI 1.32–2.58; p = 0.0005), PWV (HR 1.30; 95% CI 1.07–1.60; p = 0.01), AI (HR 1.08; 95% CI 1.04–1.14; p = 0.0001) and pack years of smoking (HR 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.03; p = 0.02) as independent risk factors for time to ESRD (–2 log likelihood = 86.7; χ2 = 30.9; p < 0.0001). Repeat analysis using AI as a categorical variable revealed an HR of 17.5 (95% CI 4.43–68.9; p < 0.0001) for time to ESRD in those with AI above versus below the median. Conclusions: We have identified two markers of arterial stiffness as independent risk factors for progression to ESRD suggesting that vascular disease may contribute to CKD progression.
Accuracy of Adverse Event Ascertainment in Clinical Trials for Pediatric Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

PURPOSE Reporting of adverse events (AEs) in clinical trials is critical to understanding treatment safety, but data on AE accuracy are limited. This study sought to determine the accuracy of AE reporting for pediatric acute myeloid leukemia clinical trials and to test whether an external electronic data source can improve reporting. METHODS Reported AEs were evaluated on two trials, Children's Oncology Group AAML03P1 and AAML0531 arm B, with identical chemotherapy regimens but with different toxicity reporting requirements. Chart review for 12 AEs for patients enrolled in AAML0531 at 14 hospitals was the gold standard. The sensitivity and positive predictive values (PPV) of the AAML0531 AE report and AEs detected by review of Pediatric Health Information System (PHIS) billing and microbiology data were compared with chart data. RESULTS Select AE rates from AAML03P1 and AAML0531 arm B differed significantly and correlated with the targeted toxicities of each trial. Chart abstraction was performed on 204 patients (758 courses) on AAML0531. AE report sensitivity was < 50% for eight AEs, but PPV was > 75% for six AEs. AE reports for viridans group streptococcal bacteremia, a targeted toxicity on AAML0531, had a sensitivity of 78.3% and PPV of 98.1%. PHIS billing data had higher sensitivity (> 50% for nine AEs), but lower PPV (< 75% for 10 AEs). Viridans group streptococcal detection using PHIS microbiology data had high sensitivity (92.3%) and PPV (97.3%). CONCLUSION The current system of AE reporting for cooperative oncology group clinical trials in pediatric acute myeloid leukemia underestimates AE rates. The high sensitivity and PPV of PHIS microbiology data suggest that using external data sources may improve the accuracy of AE reporting.
The Moderating Effects of Parenting on the Development of Externalizing Problems in Toddlers

This Thesis is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been brought to you by ScholarWorks@UNO with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this Thesis in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rightsholder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself.
Pulmonary Function of Young Muslim Males During the Month of Ramadan

During the month of Ramadan intermittent fasting (RIF), both dietary and sleep patterns are adversely affected to cope with the rituals of Ramadan. Literature suggests that sleep deprivation and alteration of dietary pattern and nutritional impairment affect the pulmonary structure and function. Pulmonary function during RIF was not explored earlier. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of RIF on pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in healthy young Muslim males. Fifty sedentary nonsmoking healthy young Muslim male individuals of 20 to 25 years of age without any history of pulmonary or other major diseases were recruited by simple random sampling from different parts of Kolkata, India. Participants completed the American Thoracic Society questionnaire to record their personal demographic data, health status, and consent to participate in the study. Expirograph and peak flow meter were used to record the pulmonary function parameters (PFTs). PFTs were within the normal range and did not show any significant variation during the RIF. Body height and body mass depicted significant correlation (p < .05, p < .001) with PFTs. Tidal volume, vital capacity, and peak expiratory flow rate had significant correlation (p < .05, p < .01, p < .001) with age. Simple and multiple regression equations were computed to predict PFTs in the studies population. RIF did not affect the normal range of PFTs in young Muslim males of Kolkata, India. Standard errors of estimate of the computed regression equations were substantially small enough to recommend these equations as norms to predict the PFTs in the studied population.
Myocardial biopsy and T2* magnetic resonance in heart failure due to thalassaemia

In thalassaemia major, 71% of deaths are cardiac related. A 29year-old male with beta thalassaemia major, regularly transfused, presented to his local hospital in pulmonary oedema. An echocardiogram showed a dilated and poorly contracting left ventricle. A septal right ventricular myocardial biopsy was taken without complications, and histology showed individual myocyte hypertrophy with multiple deposits of brown granular material within the cytoplasm of the myocytes (left image). These granules stained positive with Prussian blue, confirming heavy myocardial iron deposition (black arrows). Interstitial macrophages containing iron were also present (red arrows). Direct iron quantification (0Æ32 g dry weight specimen) gave a value of 4Æ52 mg/g dry weight (9Æ6 times the upper limit of normal of 0Æ47 g/mg). A cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) scan to assess tissue iron levels using validated T2* measurements demonstrated severe myocardial iron deposition (myocardial T2* 6Æ9 ms; normal >20 ms) as seen by the blackened interventricular septum on the T2* image (white arrow, right image), right, but only modestly increased liver iron (liver T2* of 2Æ2 ms, equivalent iron concentration 6Æ1 mg/g dry weight, 3Æ8 times the upper normal limit of 1Æ6 g/mg). T2* CMR, although validated, has only been calibrated in the liver by correlating with liver biopsy iron concentrations. This is the first human data to directly compare myocardial T2* and iron measurements by myocardial biopsy and provides important evidence that myocardial T2* values reflect myocardial iron, allowing appropriate therapy to this lethal target organ damage, rather than relying on surrogate measures, such as liver iron or ferritin, which may be at wide variance with myocardial iron levels.