Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gender disparities in HIV treatment outcomes following release from jail: results from a multicenter study.

OBJECTIVES We assessed gender differences in longitudinal HIV treatment outcomes among HIV-infected jail detainees transitioning to the community. METHODS Data were from the largest multisite prospective cohort study of HIV-infected released jail detainees (n = 1270)-the Enhancing Linkages to HIV Primary Care and Services in Jail Setting Initiative, January 2008 and March 2011, which had 10 sites in 9 states. We assessed baseline and 6-month HIV treatment outcomes, stratifying by gender. RESULTS Of 867 evaluable participants, 277 (31.9%) were women. Compared with men, women were more likely to be younger, non-Hispanic White, married, homeless, and depressed, but were similar in recent alcohol and heroin use. By 6 months postrelease, women were significantly less likely than men to experience optimal HIV treatment outcomes, including (1) retention in care (50% vs 63%), (2) antiretroviral therapy prescription (39% vs 58%) or optimal antiretroviral therapy adherence (28% vs 44%), and (3) viral suppression (18% vs 30%). In multiple logistic regression models, women were half as likely as men to achieve viral suppression. CONCLUSIONS HIV-infected women transitioning from jail experience greater comorbidity and worse HIV treatment outcomes than men. Future interventions that transition people from jail to community-based HIV clinical care should be gender-specific.
Modeling the habit of self-service technology usage

Prior self-service technology (SST) studies focus primarily on the initial adoption and its drivers. However, the long-term viability and success of an SST depend on regular and frequent usage. Therefore, this study draws on social psychology and information system/information technology literature to investigate the habit of SST usage and its driving forces. Using panel data pertaining to 626 Australian customers who used a supermarket self-checkout machine over 12 weeks, the results reveal a strong carryover effect of habit. Satisfaction and self-efficacy positively contribute to habit development. Past behavior exerts an impact through frequency and recency effects. Moreover, the driving forces of habit are more complicated for men than for women. The findings provide important implications for service providers planning technology upgrades. The results suggest that to prevent habit disruption, gradual improvements are a better and safer strategy than introducing a new, disruptive technology.
The effect of underwriter’s market share, spread and management earnings forecasts bias and accuracy on underpricing of Malaysian IPOs

Purpose - – Underpricing is one of the most important anomalies associated with initial public offerings (IPOs). The purpose of this paper is twofold; first, it examines the impact of underwriter’s market share and spread on the underpricing of IPOs; and second, it investigates the effect of management earnings forecasts bias and accuracy on the underpricing of IPOs. Design/methodology/approach - – A sample of 190 Malaysian IPOs listing on the main market of Bursa Malaysia from January 1, 2002 to February 29, 2012 was used and collected data were analyzed through univariate analysis and pooled ordinary least squares regression. Findings - – The empirical evidence shows that IPOs underwritten by underwriters as having high market share and charging low underwriting spread experience higher level of underpricing. The paper also finds that IPOs issued more biased earnings forecasts are related with severe underpricing. Finally, this paper reveals that the more accurate the earnings forecasts are, the more minimized will be the asymmetric information and hence, the less will be IPO underpricing. Practical implications - – The paper has some implications for policy makers, investors and underwriters. First, this study offers some insights for policy makers who are responsible for Malaysian financial markets current reforms. Further, knowing the importance of the economic outcomes of the earnings forecasts on underpricing for policy makers, they may adopt the findings in their discussion of costs of litigation and potential modifications in the requirements of issuing earnings forecasts. For the investors, findings may improve their understanding of equity valuation and for the underwriters, it would assist them in identifying underwriting cost. Originality/value - – This paper is considered the first study to extend IPO literature by investigating the relationships between underwriter’s market share, underwriter’s spread, earnings forecasts bias, earnings forecasts accuracy and IPO underpricing in an emerging country, such as Malaysia.
Use of life support in acutely admitted ICU patients. An international cohort study

Use of life support in intensive care unit (ICU) patients has been associated with increased risk of poor outcome. The prognostic importance of the duration of support is less studied. We assessed the use of life support and the association between its duration and 90‐day mortality in a contemporary cohort of acutely admitted adult ICU patients.
Periodontal probing versus radiographs for the diagnosis of furcation involvement.

BACKGROUND Decisions in periodontal therapy for multirooted teeth are essentially based on accurate diagnosis of the furcation involvement (FI). Furcation probing (FP) is still the basic diagnostic measure, although the assessment may be difficult. The aim of this study is to evaluate the validity of FP and radiographic assessment of FI compared with visual assessment during open flap surgery (OFS). METHODS In this retrospective clinical cohort study, 215 participants with periodontal disease and at least one molar treated with OFS were enrolled, and a total of 834 molars were assigned for FI by FP and in radiographs analyzed by an experienced (EE) and less experienced examiner (LE). For the investigation, 143 panoramic radiographs (OPGs) and 77 intra-oral radiographs (I-Os) were evaluated. RESULTS The Class of FI by FP was confirmed in 56%, whereas 15% were overestimated and 29% underestimated. FI Class 0 and I had been detected with high probability (74% and 54%, respectively). Of all FI Class III, 57% were detected correctly by radiographs and 32% by FP. FP and OFS revealed a weighted κ-coefficient (κw) = 0.588; radiographs and OFS had κw = 0.542 (OPG κw = 0.555 and I-O κw = 0.521). The interrater reliability for radiographs was dependent on the experience of the examiner (EE κw = 0.618; LE κw = 0.426). CONCLUSIONS Experience in analyzing conventional radiographs increases the potential of correct diagnosis of advanced FI. The reliability of FP compared with radiographic assessment depends on the anatomy and location of the tooth. Both diagnostic tools should be used in cases of suspected FI.
Influence of angiotensin II on pressure natriuresis and renal hemodynamics in volume-expanded rats.

This study examined whether angiotensin II (ANG II) influences the pressure-natriuretic (PN) response by altering renal cortical or medullary hemodynamics. Studies were performed in Inactin-anesthetized rats that were acutely volume expanded to maintain plasma renin activity and ANG II levels in the physiological range. Neural influences on the kidney were eliminated by renal denervation, and plasma levels of norepinephrine, vasopressin, cortisol, and aldosterone were fixed by intravenous infusion. In control rats (n = 8), sodium excretion increased from 3 to 17 microeq.min-1.g kidney wt-1 as renal perfusion pressure (RPP) was elevated from 96 to 141 mmHg (n = 8). Captopril (2 mg/kg, n = 9) reduced plasma levels of ANG II from 48 +/- 5 to 18 +/- 2 pg/ml, but it did not alter the PN relationship. Infusion of ANG II (20 ng.kg-1.min-1, n = 9) increased plasma levels of ANG II to 232 +/- 42 pg/ml and shifted the PN relationship to the right by 14 mmHg. Captopril increased renal blood flow, and infusion of ANG II returned it to control. Captopril had no effect on glomerular filtration rate (GFR) or glomerular capillary pressure (Pglom); however, subsequent ANG II infusion decreased Pglom from 56 +/- 2 to 48 +/- 2 mmHg and reduced GFR by 30%. Neither captopril nor ANG II altered papillary bloodflow or vasa recta capillary pressure at normal levels of RPP. These results indicate that the shift of the PN relationship during infusion of ANG II is due to a decrease in filtered load and enhanced tubular reabsorption of sodium. Acute blockade of the renin-angiotensin system had little effect on the PN response in volume-expanded rats despite affecting renal hemodynamics, because either the plasma and/or intrarenal levels of ANG II were already suppressed below those needed to influence tubular function or volume expansion inhibits tubular reabsorption in the nephron segments normally influenced by ANG II.
Identification of Bacteria in Pasteurized Zucchini Purées Stored at Different Temperatures and Comparison with Those Found in Other Pasteurized Vegetable Purées

ABSTRACT One hundred nineteen isolates from a commercial zucchini purée stored at 4, 10, and 20 to 25°C were fingerprinted using repetitive sequence-based PCR (REP-PCR) and classified into 35 REP types. One representative isolate of each REP type was subsequently identified by API50CHB/20E profile and partial rrs gene sequence analysis. Nine REP types were misidentified by the API system. Strains were misidentified as being in the Bacillus circulans (group 2) API taxon or in taxa with a low number of positive API characters such as Brevibacillus brevis. A phylogenetic analysis pointed to one new species ofBacillus and three new species ofPaenibacillus among the misidentified REP types. Bacterial components in zucchini purée were compared phenotypically with those obtained in previous work on broccoli, carrot, leek, potato, and split pea purées, based on simple matching coefficient and unweighted pair group method with averages cluster analysis. Out of 254 strains, 69 strains previously identified as B. circulans (group 2) or B. circulans/B. macerans/B.polymyxa were assigned to a newPaenibacillus taxon phylogenetically related toP. azotofixans. Storage conditions at 4°C favored the development of “B. macroides/B. maroccanus” and Paenibacillus spp. in zucchini purées andPaenibacillus spp. in other purées. Storage conditions at 20 to 25°C favored the development of B. subtilis group (B. licheniformis and B. subtilis) and B. cereus group strains. At 10°C, Paenibacillus spp. were always present at high frequencies, whereas the occurrence of B. macroides/B. maroccanus (in zucchini purées), B. cereus, and B. pumilus varied with the experiment.
Design of power electronic digital controller based on FPGA/SOC using VHDL-AMS language

In this paper, authors detail a Top-down design methodology for Power Electronic digital controller based on Field Programmable Gate Aray or System-On-Chip. This design flow uses VHDL-AMS language. The application case of a shunt three phase power active filter is studied. An optimised architecture is designed and each step is detailed. Each block of the architecture is modeled in VHDL at several abstraction levels, from real data format to specific binary format. To achieve closed loop simulation, analog and power elements are modeled in VHDL-AMS. The whole closed loop system is successfully validated at various abstraction levels of the digital control, using ADVanceMS.
Elevation in cerebral blood flow velocity with aerobic fitness throughout healthy human ageing

It is known that cerebral blood flow declines with age in sedentary adults, although previous studies have involved small sample sizes, making the exact estimate of decline imprecise and the effects of possible moderator variables unknown. Animal studies indicate that aerobic exercise can elevate cerebral blood flow; however, this possibility has not been examined in humans. We examined how regular aerobic exercise affects the age‐related decline in blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (MCAv) in healthy humans. Maximal oxygen consumption, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure and MCAv were measured in healthy sedentary (n= 153) and endurance‐trained (n= 154) men aged between 18 and 79 years. The relationships between age, training status, BMI and MCAv were examined using analysis of covariance methods. Mean ±s.e. m. estimates of regression coefficients and 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were calculated. The age‐related decline in MCAv was −0.76 ± 0.04 cm s−1 year−1 (95% CI =−0.69 to −0.83, r2= 0.66, P < 0.0005) and was independent of training status (P= 0.65). Nevertheless, MCAv was consistently elevated by 9.1 ± 3.3 cm s−1 (CI = 2.7–15.6, P= 0.006) in endurance‐trained men throughout the age range. This ∼17% difference between trained and sedentary men amounted to an approximate 10 year reduction in MCAv ‘age’ and was robust to between‐group differences in BMI and blood pressure. Regular aerobic‐endurance exercise is associated with higher MCAv in men aged 18–79 years. The persistence of this finding in older endurance‐trained men may therefore help explain why there is a lower risk of cerebrovascular disease in this population.
Gender affects survival for medulloblastoma only in older children and adults: A study from the surveillance epidemiology and end results registry

Males have a higher incidence of medulloblastoma (MB) than females, but the effect of gender on survival is unclear. Studies have yielded conflicting results, possibly due to small sample sizes or differences in how researchers defined MB. We aimed to determine the effect of gender on survival in MB using a large data set and strict criteria for defining MB.
Resource predictability and specialization in avian malaria parasites

We tested the hypothesis that avian haemosporidian (malaria) parasites specialize on hosts that can be characterized as predictable resources at a site in Amazonian Ecuador. We incorporated host phylogenetic relationship and relative abundance in assessing parasite specialization, and we examined associations between parasite specialization and three host characteristics – abundance, mass and longevity – using quantile regression, phylogenetic logistic regression and t‐tests. Hosts of specialist malaria parasite lineages were on average more abundant than hosts of generalist parasite lineages, but the relationship between host abundance and parasite specialization was not consistent across analyses. We also found support for a positive association between parasite specialization and host longevity, but this also was not consistent across analyses. Nonetheless, our findings suggest that the predictability of a host resource may play a role in the evolution of specialization. However, we also discuss two alternative explanations to the resource predictability hypothesis for specialization: (i) that interspecific interactions among the parasites themselves might constrain some parasites to a specialist strategy, and (ii) that frequent encounters with multiple host species, mediated by blood‐sucking insects, might promote generalization within this system.
Enforcing Consensus on Adaptive Parameter Estimation of Structurally Perturbed Infinite Dimensional Systems

The aim of this note is to investigate the agreement between state and parameter estimates for a class of infinite dimensional systems that utilize distributed adaptive filters. It is assumed that the unknown parameters take the form of a structured perturbation with an unknown constant parameter, and the nominal system satisfies an infinite dimensional analog of positive real lemma. The proposed adaptive observers generated by m agents follow the structure of adaptive identifiers for infinite dimensional systems with the added feature of a penalty term in both the state and parameter estimates. Unlike earlier efforts, the proposed adaptive laws include a penalty term of the mismatch between the parameter estimates generated by the other agents. Conditions that provide uniform boundedness of the estimator dynamics and the parameter estimates are examined. Additionally, the effects of these modifications on the agreement amongst the state and parameter estimates are studied. The convergence of the deviation from the mean estimate is established as a metric for the performance of the consensus filters for both state and parameter estimates. The effects of the proposed consensus enforcement are illustrated with a diffusion partial differential equation example, which yield convincing numerical findings.
Correlation-Based Carrier Phase Estimation for WDM DP-QPSK Transmission

A novel algorithm for frequency offset compensation and carrier phase estimation in systems with 40 or 111 Gb/s coherent dual-polarization quadrature phase-shift keying (DP-QPSK) with on-off keying or DP-QPSK neighbors is demonstrated. The algorithm, which applies correlation phase adjustment embedded between digital differential demodulation and nonredundant error correction, leads to a significant performance improvement over standard algorithms.
Frameless deep brain stimulation using intraoperative O-arm technology. Clinical article.

OBJECT Correct lead location in the desired target has been proven to be a strong influential factor for good clinical outcome in deep brain stimulation (DBS) surgery. Commonly, a surgeon's first reliable assessment of such location is made on postoperative imaging. While intraoperative CT (iCT) and intraoperative MR imaging have been previously described, the authors present a series of frameless DBS procedures using O-arm iCT. METHODS Twelve consecutive patients with 15 leads underwent frameless DBS placement using electrophysiological testing and O-arm iCT. Initial target coordinates were made using standard indirect and direct assessment. Microelectrode recording (MER) with kinesthetic responses was performed, followed by microstimulation to evaluate the side-effect profile. Intraoperative 3D CT acquisitions obtained between each MER pass and after final lead placement were fused with the preoperative MR image to verify intended MER movements around the target area and to identify the final lead location. Tip coordinates from the initial plan, final intended target, and actual lead location on iCT were later compared with the lead location on postoperative MR imaging, and euclidean distances were calculated. The amount of radiation exposure during each procedure was calculated and compared with the estimated radiation exposure if iCT was not performed. RESULTS The mean euclidean distances between the coordinates for the initial plan, final intended target, and actual lead on iCT compared with the lead coordinates on postoperative MR imaging were 3.04 ± 1.45 mm (p = 0.0001), 2.62 ± 1.50 mm (p = 0.0001), and 1.52 ± 1.78 mm (p = 0.0052), respectively. The authors obtained good merging error during image fusion, and postoperative brain shift was minimal. The actual radiation exposure from iCT was invariably less than estimates of exposure using standard lateral fluoroscopy and anteroposterior radiographs (p < 0.0001). CONCLUSIONS O-arm iCT may be useful in frameless DBS surgery to approximate microelectrode or lead locations intraoperatively. Intraoperative CT, however, may not replace fundamental DBS surgical techniques such as electrophysiological testing in movement disorder surgery. Despite the lack of evidence for brain shift from the procedure, iCT-measured coordinates were statistically different from those obtained postoperatively, probably indicating image merging inaccuracy and the difficulties in accurately denoting lead location. Therefore, electrophysiological testing may truly be the only means of precisely knowing the location in 3D space intraoperatively. While iCT may provide clues to electrode or lead location during the procedure, its true utility may be in DBS procedures targeting areas where electrophysiology is less useful. The use of iCT appears to reduce radiation exposure compared with the authors' traditional frameless technique.
Cutaneous expression of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin, and CRH receptors

Studies in mammalian skin have shown expression of the genes for corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) and the related urocortin peptide, with subsequent production of the respective peptides. Recent molecular and biochemical analyses have further revealed the presence of CRH receptors (CRH‐Rs). These CRH‐Rs are functional, responding to CRH and urocortin peptides (exogenous or produced locally) through activation of receptor(s)‐mediated pathways to modify skin cell phenotype. Thus, when taken together with the previous findings of cutaneous expression of POMC and its receptors, these observations extend the range of regulatory elements of the hypo‐thalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal axis expressed in mammalian skin. Overall, the cutaneous CRH/POMC expression is highly reactive to common stressors such as immune cytokines, ultraviolet radiation, cutaneous pathology, or even the physiological changes associated with the hair cycle phase. Therefore, similar to its central analog, the local expression and action of CRH/POMC elements appear to be highly organized and entrained, representing general mechanism of cutaneous response to stressful stimuli. In such a CRH/ POMC system, the CRH‐Rs may be a central element. —Slominski, A. , Wortsman, J., Pisarchik, A. , Zbytek, B. , Linton, E. A. , Mazurkiewicz, J., Wei, E. T. Cutaneous expression of corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH), urocortin, and CRH receptors. FASEB J. 15, 1678–1693 (2001)
ZEBRA cell‐penetrating peptide as an efficient delivery system in Candida albicans

There is increasing interest in drug delivery systems, such as nanoparticles, liposomes, and cell‐penetrating peptides, for the development of new antimicrobial treatments. In this study, we investigated the transduction capacity of a carrier peptide derived from the Epstein–Barr virus ZEBRA protein in the pathogenic fungus Candida albicans. ZEBRA‐minimal domain (MD) was able to cross the cell wall and cell membrane, delivering eGFP to the cytoplasm. Uptake into up to 70% of the cells was observed within two hours, without toxicity. This new delivery system could be used in C. albicans as a carrier for different biological molecules including peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids. Thereby, in antifungal therapy, MD may carry promising bioactive fungal inhibitors that otherwise penetrate poorly into the cells. Furthermore, MD will be of interest for deciphering molecular pathways involving cell‐cycle control in yeast or signaling pathways. Short interfering peptides could be internalized using MD, providing new tools for the inhibition of metabolic or signaling cascades essential for the growth and virulence of C. albicans, such as yeast‐to‐hyphae transition, cell wall remodeling, stress signaling and antifungal resistance. These findings create new possibilities for the internalization of cargo molecules, with applications for both treatment and functional analyses.