Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fiscal Decentralization: Factors Influencing Cost Effectiveness of Constituency Development Fund Case Study of Kaloleni Constituency

The study aim to determine factors influencing cost effectiveness of Constituency Development Fund case study of Kaloleni constituency. In carry-out the research 61 questionnaires were distributed to Head of Departments in Kaloleni District, Civil Society Organisations, Constituency Development Fund Committee members and Project Management Committees.The study is a descriptive research which adopted cross-sectional study technique where different strata were used to carry-out data collection, the stratas being Head of Departments in Kaloleni District, Civil Society Organisations, Constituency Development Fund Committee members and Project Management Committees.Implementation of CDF projects was evaluated from the perspective of the variables persistent in the implementation process and how these factors influence cost effectiveness. variables such as Variation of materials prices, Compliance, Delay in government disbursement of CDF funds to the constituency, Technical incapacities of the Constituency Development Fund committees and the Project Management Committees, Monitoring and Evaluation of the CDF projects by the CDF committee and service providers (Line Ministries), Ministry of Roads and Public Works supervision, Value Added Tax (VAT) cumulatively impact on the level of cost effectiveness by 81%. Ministry of Roads and Public Works supervision, Variation of materials price, Value Added Tax (VAT) was observed to significantly impact on cost effectiveness of CDF by approximately 200% effect positively as well as negatively dependent on the scenario of the projects implementation.
Bordetella pertussis Isolates Circulating in China Where Whole Cell Vaccines Have Been Used for 50 Years.

TO THE EDITOR—Despite extensive vaccinations, whooping cough has resurged in industrial countries. The major explanations include wanning immunity associated with the acellular pertussis vaccines (ACVs) and Bordetella pertussis adaptation to vaccine-induced immunity. ACVs contain purified antigens in different combinations: pertussis toxin (Ptx), filamentous hemagglutin, pertactin (Prn), and fimbriae (Fim) 2 and Fim3. However, divergence in vaccine antigens have been found between vaccine strains and circulating isolates [1–3]. Moreover, contiunous changes occur in B. pertussis genomes as determined by multilocus variable number of tandem repeat analysis (MLVA) and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) [1–3]. Today the common allele profile and MLVA type found in the industrial countries are ptxA1/prn2/ptxP3/fim3-2 and MT27. The vaccine strains used for ACVs or whole cell vaccines (WCVs) are mostly with ptxA2 or ptxA3/prn1/ptxP1/ fim3-1. Our current knowledge of B. pertussis adaptation is obtained from studies conducted in industrial countries where ACVs were introduced in the 1990s. To better understand bacterial adaptation to ACVs induced selection pressurewe need to compare B. pertussis in countries where WCVs have been continuously used. In China, vaccination with WCVs was introduced in the early 1960s. In 1982, a booster dose given at 18–24 months was added [4]. The vaccination schedule has remainedunchanged,althoughbothWCVs and ACVs have been used since 2007. The number of notified cases has been decreasing, and a total of 2183 and 1712 cases were reported in 2012 and 2013 [5]. Most reported cases were infants. We analyzed 16 B. pertussis isolates collected from 2012 to 2013 during a prospective study in Xi’an, China (Table 1) [6]. They were isolated throughout the study period and not from local small outbreaks. The analyses included sequencing of ptxA, prn, ptxP, and fim3 genes, MLVA and PFGE using XbaI as the restriction enzyme [1]. PFGE profiles were analyzed at National Pertussis Reference Laboratory, Turku, Finland. The nomenclature was based on the profiles already defined for Finland (BpFINR)
Maximising the potential of voluntary counselling and testing for HIV: sexually transmitted infections and HIV epidemiology in a population testing for HIV and its implications for practice

Objectives This study aimed to describe the epidemiology of HIV infection and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among persons who attended voluntary counselling and testing (VCT) service for HIV and to assess whether the VCT programme reached the right population at risk in Taiwan. Methods From 2006 to 2010, questionnaire interview, integrated pretesting and post-testing counselling, followed by serological tests for HIV, Treponema pallidum and Entamoeba histolytica were performed for all VCT clients; additional tests for Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae using PCR assays of urine specimens were provided when the assays became available in two periods. Results During the study period, 10 198 VCT attendances occurred in 6863 clients, in whom 1685 (24.6%) had re-attendances. Male clients, men who have sex with men and clients with one-night stand and casual sexual partners were more likely to re-attend VCT service in the next 12 months. The overall STI prevalence was 3.5% for HIV infection, 2.2% syphilis, 1.0% amoebiasis, 4.7% chlamydia and 0.7% gonorrhoea. In logistic regression model, men who have sex with men were consistently independently associated with HIV infection, syphilis and amoebiasis. Among the repeaters, the incidence rate of HIV infection and syphilis was 3.4 and 1.6 per 100 person-years of follow-up, respectively. In Cox regression analysis, clients who used illicit non-injection recreational drugs and who practiced unprotected anal sex were at significantly higher risk of acquiring HIV infection and syphilis. Conclusions With higher rates of re-attendances and STIs, the VCT programme reached the population most at risk for HIV and STIs compared with other screening programmes in Taiwan. The potential of VCT programme can be maximised in the prevention and control of HIV infection and STIs by providing tests for more STIs and counselling to avoid use of recreational drugs and to promote safe sex.
In Vitro Antiviral Activity of AG7088, a Potent Inhibitor of Human Rhinovirus 3C Protease

ABSTRACT AG7088 is a potent, irreversible inhibitor of human rhinovirus (HRV) 3C protease {inactivation rate constant (kobs/[I]} = 1,470,000 ± 440,000 M−1 s−1 for HRV 14) that was discovered by protein structure-based drug design methodologies. In H1-HeLa and MRC-5 cell protection assays, AG7088 inhibited the replication of all HRV serotypes (48 of 48) tested with a mean 50% effective concentration (EC50) of 0.023 μM (range, 0.003 to 0.081 μM) and a mean EC90 of 0.082 μM (range, 0.018 to 0.261 μM) as well as that of related picornaviruses including coxsackieviruses A21 and B3, enterovirus 70, and echovirus 11. No significant reductions in the antiviral activity of AG7088 were observed when assays were performed in the presence of α1-acid glycoprotein or mucin, proteins present in nasal secretions. The 50% cytotoxic concentration of AG7088 was >1,000 μM, yielding a therapeutic index of >12,346 to >333,333. In a single-cycle, time-of-addition assay, AG7088 demonstrated antiviral activity when added up to 6 h after infection. In contrast, a compound targeting viral attachment and/or uncoating was effective only when added at the initiation of virus infection. Direct inhibition of 3C proteolytic activity in infected cells treated with AG7088 was demonstrated by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis analysis of radiolabeled proteins, which showed a dose-dependent accumulation of viral precursor polyproteins and reduction of processed protein products. The broad spectrum of antiviral activity of AG7088, combined with its efficacy even when added late in the virus life cycle, highlights the advantages of 3C protease as a target and suggests that AG7088 will be a promising clinical candidate.
Rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, vincristine and prednisone (R-CHOP) for treatment of early-stage gastric diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

BACKGROUND Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) of the stomach is a relatively common disease. Recently, chemotherapy consisting of doxorubicin, cyclophosphamide, vincristine and prednisone (CHOP) has been reported as effective treatment for early-stage gastric DLBCL. Given the fact that the application of the CD20 antibody rituximab (R) in addition to CHOP has improved outcomes in nodal DLBCL, we have analysed our experience with application of R-CHOP in patients with early-stage gastric DLBCL. PATIENTS AND METHODS Patients with histologically verified early-stage gastric DLBCL undergoing treatment with R-CHOP for initial management were analysed. RESULTS Fifteen patients received a total of 79 cycles, with a median of six cycles per patient. All patients responded to therapy, 13 had a complete remission (CR) (87%) and two (13%) a partial remission. All patients in CR, except one who died unrelated to lymphoma, have remained so with a median follow-up of 15 months (range 4-42) after treatment. Subjective tolerance was moderate, and toxicities were mainly haematological, including leukocytopenia WHO grade 3 and 4 in 10 and five patients each. The addition of rituximab to the standard CHOP regimen did not appear to significantly increase toxicity. CONCLUSIONS Our data indicate that R-CHOP is an effective regimen for management of early-stage gastric DLBCL. However, given the excellent results with CHOP alone in such patients, the value of adding rituximab to standard CHOP remains to be determined in a randomised trial.
Neuroanatomical markers of genetic liability to psychosis and first episode psychosis: A voxelwise meta-analytical comparison

Abstract Objectives. To address at a meta-analytical level the neuroanatomical markers of genetic liability to psychosis and a of first episode of psychosis. Methods. Fifteen voxel-based morphometry (VBM) studies of antipsychotic-naive subjects at genetic high-risk (HR) for psychosis or with a first-episode psychosis (FEP) were included in a Signed Differential Mapping (SDM) meta-analysis. Publication bias was assessed with funnel plots and Egger's intercept. Heterogeneity was assessed with Q statistics and I 2 index. Results. The database comprised 458 HR and 206 antipsychotic-naïve FEP subjects, matched with controls. Gray matter (GM) reductions as compared to controls, were observed in the left parahippocampal gyrus and in the bilateral anterior cingulate gyrus in the HR group, and in the right superior temporal gyrus, in the left insula and in the left cerebellum in the FEP group. Further GM decreases were observed in the FEP group as compared to the HR group in the left anterior cingulate, in the right precuneus, in the left cerebellum and in the right superior temporal gyrus. Limitations. The cross-sectional nature of the included studies prevented the comparison of high risk subjects who later did or did not develop a psychotic episode. Other caveats are based on the methodological heterogeneity across individual imaging studies. Conclusions. GM reductions in the anterior cingulate are markers of genetic liability to psychosis while reductions in the superior temporal gyrus and cerebellum can be interpreted as markers of a first onset of the illness.
Combination of azelaic acid 5% and clindamycin 2% for the treatment of acne vulgaris

Context and objective: Acne vulgaris, an inflammatory skin disease with different clinical appearances, is a common problem in most adolescents. It seems that using combinations of topical agents can decrease resistance to the treatment and improve the efficacy. Therefore, we evaluated the effects of azelaic acid (AA) 5% and clindamycin (Clin) 2% combination (AA-Clin) on mild-to-moderate acne vulgaris. Materials and methods: The efficacy and safety of 12-week treatment with AA-Clin in patients with mild-to-moderate facial acne vulgaris were evaluated by a multicenter, randomized, and double-blind study. A total of 88 male and 62 female patients were randomly assigned to one of these treatments: AA 5%, Clin 2%, and combination of them. Every 4 weeks, total inflammatory and noninflammatory lesions were counted, acne severity index (ASI) was calculated, and patient satisfaction was recorded. Results: Treatment for 12 weeks with combination gel significantly reduced the total lesion number compared with baseline (p < 0.01), as well as Clin 2% or AA 5% treatment groups (p < 0.05 or p < 0.01). The percentage of reduction in ASI in combination treated group (64.16 ± 6.01) was significantly more than those in the Clin 2% (47.73 ± 6.62, p < 0.05) and 5% AA (32.46 ± 5.27, p < 0.01) groups after 12 weeks. Among the patients in the AA-Clin group, 75.86% of males were satisfied or very satisfied and 85.71% of females were satisfied or very satisfied. This trend was significant in comparison to the number of patients who were satisfied with AA 5% or Clin 2% treatment (p < 0.01). Seven patients in AA-Clin group (incidence = 22%) showed adverse effects that were not statistically significant compared to treatment with individual active ingredients. Discussion and conclusion: The profound reduction in lesion count and ASI by combination therapy with AA-Clin gel in comparison to individual treatment with 5% AA or Clin 2% suggested the combination formula as an effective alternative in treatment of acne vulgaris.
Simultaneous mobilization of Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) and formyl peptide chemoattractant receptors in human neutrophils.

Mobilization of a distinct subset of specific granules provides a physiologically important mechanism to recruit Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18) from an intracellular pool to the external surface of the neutrophil plasma membrane, where the functionally active heterodimer mediates several adherence-dependent processes that are crucial for adequate host defense and cellular inflammatory responses. We observed similar characteristics for translocation of Mac-1 and neutrophil formyl peptide receptors (FPR) and hypothesize that the readily accessible pools of both Mac-1 and FPR are colocalized within this specific granule subset. Plasma membrane levels of both FPR (assessed with 3H-FMLP) and Mac-1 (assessed by fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis of fluorescein isothiocyanate [FITC]-Mo-1-labeled cells) were markedly downregulated in cells prepared at low temperature from blood cooled to 4 degrees C immediately after removal from the circulation. Levels of both FPR and Mac-1 remained low on cells held at 4 degrees C. Upon warming, spontaneous upregulation of Mac-1 and FPR occurred with similar kinetics and temperature dependency. Translocation of both Mac-1 and FPR was markedly potentiated by exposure of cells to either fluoride ion (which has been shown by others to specifically elicit exocytosis of gelatinase-rich and vitamin B-12 binding protein-poor granules) or granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), a cytokine that markedly potentiates the neutrophils' host defense capabilities. Levels of both FPR and Mac-1 on F-- or GM-CSF-treated neutrophils exceeded those present on cells incubated at 37 degrees C for extended time intervals, indicating that stimulated translocation may involve mobilization of an additional granule subset. Scatchard analysis showed that only low-affinity FPR were translocated during spontaneous and stimulus-dependent upregulation. To directly compare FPR levels on the surface of cells displaying varying levels of Mac-1 within a single cell suspension, cells were labeled with FITC-Mo-1 and sorted into subpopulations based on fluorescence intensity. After sorting, the individual populations were held at 4 degrees C to prevent further spontaneous upregulation, concentrated by centrifugation, and assayed for FPR levels. Under a variety of conditions, FPR levels correlated with Mac-1 (CD11b) expression on cell populations selected on the basis of CD11b fluorescence intensity. Analysis of subcellular fractions obtained from disrupted neutrophils before and after upregulation provided additional support for the hypothesis that Mac-1 and FPR are colocalized within a readily accessible subset of neutrophil granules. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Edinburgh Research Explorer Closed-Form Expressions for ICI/ISI in Filtered OFDM Systems for Asynchronous 5G Uplink

—One of the major purposes for ﬁfth generation (5G) communications waveform design is to relax the synchronisation requirements for supporting efﬁcient massive machine type communications (MTC). Polynomial cancellation coded orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (PCC-OFDM) and universal ﬁltered multi-carrier (UFMC) are designed to reduce the side-lobes of the orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) waveform to protect against intercarrier interference (ICI) in the 5G uplink. To the best of our knowledge, there is no analysis of the effect of ICI for the UFMC system with time offset transmissions that many arise in MTC scenarios. Furthermore, there is no study on reducing the computational complexity of the UFMC system. This paper provides closed-form expressions for time offsets interference in such a case for OFDM, PCC-OFDM and UFMC. This paper also presents theoretical analysis for the signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR), achievable rate and bit error ratio (BER) performance. The results show that PCC-OFDM signiﬁcantly protects against ICI at the cost of halving the spectral efﬁciency. UFMC improves the ICI and intersymbol interference (ISI) protection performance, especially when the length of time offset is very small, at the cost of signiﬁcantly increasing the computational complexity. Finally, this paper proposes the overlap and add UFMC (OA-UFMC) and a variant of UFMC using inﬁnite impulse response prototype ﬁlter banks (IIR-UFMC) to reduce the processing complexity.
Protection of children in forward-facing child restraint systems during oblique side impact sled tests: Intrusion and tether effects

ABSTRACT Objective: Testing was conducted to quantify the kinematics, potential for head impact, and influence on head injury metrics for a center-seated Q3s in a forward-facing child restraint system (FFCRS) in oblique impacts. The influences of a tether and intruded door on these measures were explored. Methods: Nine lateral oblique sled tests were conducted on a convertible forward-facing child restraint seat (FFCRS). The FFCRSs were secured to a bench seat from a popular production small SUV at the center seating position utilizing the lower anchor and tether for children (LATCH). The vehicle seat was fixed on the sled carriage at 60° and 80° from full frontal (30° and 10° forward rotation from pure lateral) providing an oblique lateral acceleration to the Q3s and FFCRS. A structure simulating an intruded door was mounted to the near (left) side of vehicle seat. The sled input acceleration was the proposed FMVSS 213 lateral pulse scaled to a 35 km/h delta-V. Tests were conducted with and without the tether attached to the FFCRS. Results: Results indicate the influence of the tether on kinematics and injury measures in oblique side impact crashes for a center- or far-side-seated child occupant. All tests without a tether resulted in head contact with the simulated door, and 2 tests at the less oblique angle (80°) with a tether also resulted in head contact. No head-to-door contact was observed in 2 tests utilizing a tether. High-speed video analysis showed that the head moved beyond the CRS head side wings and made contact with the simulated intruded door. Head injury criterion (HIC) 15 median values were 589 without the tether vs. 332 with the tether attached. Tests utilizing a tether had less lateral head excursion than tests without a tether (median 400 vs. 442 mm). Conclusion: These tests demonstrate the important role of the tether in controlling head excursion for center- or far-side-seated child occupants in oblique side impact crashes and limiting the head injury potential with an intruded door. The tether may not influence the kinematics of a near-side-seated occupant as strongly where the vehicle door or side structure interacts with the CRS and influences its motion. The results indicate that there may be an opportunity to improve child head kinematics and head protection in oblique side impacts through different CRS attachment methods and/or alternative vehicle side structure protection or padding.
Molecular markers in bladder cancer: Novel research frontiers

Abstract Bladder cancer (BC) is a heterogeneous disease encompassing distinct biologic features that lead to extremely different clinical behaviors. In the last 20 years, great efforts have been made to predict disease outcome and response to treatment by developing risk assessment calculators based on multiple standard clinical–pathological factors, as well as by testing several molecular markers. Unfortunately, risk assessment calculators alone fail to accurately assess a single patient’s prognosis and response to different treatment options. Several molecular markers easily assessable by routine immunohistochemical techniques hold promise for becoming widely available and cost-effective tools for a more reliable risk assessment, but none have yet entered routine clinical practice. Current research is therefore moving towards (i) identifying novel molecular markers; (ii) testing old and new markers in homogeneous patients’ populations receiving homogeneous treatments; (iii) generating a multimarker panel that could be easily, and thus routinely, used in clinical practice; (iv) developing novel risk assessment tools, possibly combining standard clinical–pathological factors with molecular markers. This review analyses the emerging body of literature concerning novel biomarkers, ranging from genetic changes to altered expression of a huge variety of molecules, potentially involved in BC outcome and response to treatment. Findings suggest that some of these indicators, such as serum circulating tumor cells and tissue mitochondrial DNA, seem to be easily assessable and provide reliable information. Other markers, such as the phosphoinositide-3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT (serine–threonine kinase)/mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) pathway and epigenetic changes in DNA methylation seem to not only have prognostic/predictive value but also, most importantly, represent valuable therapeutic targets. Finally, there is increasing evidence that the development of novel risk assessment tools combining standard clinical–pathological factors with molecular markers represents a major quest in managing this poorly predictable disease.
Acoustic Monitoring of Lung Sounds for the Detection of One-Lung Intubation

INTRODUCTION:Monitoring methods for the early diagnosis of one-lung intubation (OLI) are nonspecific and controversial. In this study, we evaluated a new acoustic monitoring system for the detection of OLI. METHODS:Lung sounds were collected from 24 adult surgical patients scheduled for routine surgical procedures. Four piezoelectric microphones attached to the patients' backs were used to sample lung sounds during induction of anesthesia and endotracheal tube positioning. To achieve OLI, the endotracheal tube was inserted and advanced down the airway so that diminished or no breath sounds were heard on the left side of the chest. The tube was then withdrawn stepwise until equal breath sounds were heard. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy confirmed the tube's final position. Acoustic analyses were preformed by a new algorithm which assumes a Multiple Input Multiple Output system, in which a multidimensional Auto-Regressive model relates the input (lungs) and the output (recorded sounds) and a classifier, based on a Generalized Likelihood Ratio Test, indicates the number of ventilated lungs without reconstructing the original lung sounds from the recorded samples. RESULTS:This algorithm achieved an OLI detection probability of 95.2% with a false alarm probability of 4.8%. CONCLUSION:Higher detection values can be achieved at the price of a higher incidence of false alarms.