Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incidence of Zika Virus Disease by Age and Sex - Puerto Rico, November 1, 2015-October 20, 2016.

Zika virus is a flavivirus transmitted primarily by Aedes species mosquitoes; symptoms of infection include rash, arthralgia, fever, and conjunctivitis. *,† Zika virus infection during pregnancy can cause microcephaly and other serious brain anomalies (1), and in rare cases, Zika virus infection has been associated with Guillain-Barré syndrome (2) and severe thrombocytopenia (3). This report describes the incidence of reported symptomatic Zika virus disease in the U.S. territory of Puerto Rico by age and sex. During November 1, 2015-October 20, 2016, 62,500 suspected Zika virus disease cases were reported to the Puerto Rico Department of Health (PRDH); 29,345 (47%) were confirmed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) testing, or were presumptively diagnosed based on serological testing. The highest incidence among confirmed or presumptive cases occurred among persons aged 20-29 years (1,150 cases per 100,000 residents). Among 28,219 (96.2%) nonpregnant patients with confirmed or presumptive Zika virus disease, incidence was higher among women (936 per 100,000 population) than men (576 per 100,000) for all age groups ≥20 years, and the majority (61%) of reported Zika virus disease cases occurred in females. Among suspected Zika virus disease cases in nonpregnant adults aged ≥40 years, the percentage that tested positive among females (52%) was higher than that among males (47%) (p<0.01). Reasons for the higher incidence of Zika virus disease among women aged ≥20 years are not known; serosurveys of persons living near confirmed Zika virus disease cases might help to elucidate these findings. Residents of and travelers to Puerto Rico should remove or cover standing water, practice mosquito abatement, employ mosquito bite avoidance behaviors, take precautions to reduce the risk for sexual transmission, and seek medical care for any acute illness with rash or fever.
A Structural Equation Model for data warehouse adoption in a government department

The purpose of this study was to design a data warehouse framework in government departments. Based on the Theory of Task Technology Fit, The Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology and the Technology Organization Environment model, a conceptual framework was designed that was validated with data collected from South African department of rural development and land reform (DRDLR). The collected data was analysed quantitatively using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM), and the findings indicated that; performance expectancy, effort expectancy, behavioural intention, environmental and technological characteristics were significant for the adoption of data warehouse (DW). The framework developed by this study will act as a baseline in implementing DW, hence helping government departments to avoid having failed DW projects. This framework also provides a baseline for researches of technology adoption not only in government departments but also in other organizations.
T‐cadherin loss induces an invasive phenotype in human keratinocytes and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells in vitro and is associated with malignant transformation of cutaneous SCC in vivo

Background Cadherins play important roles in controlling keratinocyte growth, differentiation and survival. Atypical glycosylphosphatidylinositol‐anchored T‐cadherin (T‐cad) is highly expressed in the basal keratinocyte layer of skin. The role of T‐cad in keratinocyte biology and pathology is unclear.
Relative Costs of Various Preserved Artificial Tear Solutions for the Treatment of Dry Eye Conditions

Purpose Tear substitutes are one of the primary treatment modalities for dry eye conditions. The goal of this research was to determine the least costly preserved artificial tear product for treating patients with mild dry eye conditions. Methods Eight manufacturers’ samples of artificial tears were examined to determine the effect of bottle angle on the dispensing drop size, the average drop volume, the number of drops per bottle, the measured volume of a bottle compared with its advertised volume, and the approximate cost per year for dry eye treatment. Drop sizes (mass) were determined by weighing to the nearest milligram. The retail cost was assessed to determine the most economical tear substitute. Results For all samples tested, a smaller drop was produced when the bottle was held at a 45-degree angle as compared with a 90-degree angle from horizontal. At a 45-degree angle, Natural Tears Formula by Murine and Artificial Tears by Heath Pride produced the smallest drops, less than 0.030 g, closest to the volume of the lacrimal lake. Smaller drop size produced accordingly more drops per bottle. The measured total bottle volume averaged 3.5% more than the volumes stated on the labels. The most inexpensive sample based on cost per year of treatment was Natural Tears Formula by Murine at $11.29 annually. Conclusions Cost comparison of commercial over-the-counter artificial tears is an important factor to patients being treated for a dry eye condition. Several factors are important when considering the economics of article tear substitutes: drop size, number of drops per bottle, the volume of the bottle, and the cost of treatment per year. Because this information may not be readily available to patients, it is of great importance that physicians educate their patients to make treatment of dry eye as affordable as possible. The least expensive artificial tear treatments could require prolonged use of the same bottle, which may be associated with contamination of the contents of that bottle over time. The potential contamination with the long-term use of artificial tears in a bottle is significant. Patients using the least expensive artificial tear treatments should be advised against prolonged use of the same bottle.
A Physiological, Histological and Clinical Study of the Degeneration and Regeneration in Peripheral Nerve Fibres after Severance of their connections with the Nerve Centres

THE interest which the degeneration and regeneration of peripheral nerve fibres has aroused, especially among physiologists and surgeons, is fully shown by the extraordinarily volumirnous literature bearing upon the subject. The changes which take place during these processes have been observed and described with more or less completeness over and over again, so that it would seem almost impossible to add any strikingly new observations to those already recorded. In our investigations we have borne in miind the leading questions' as to the possibility of a " union and return of function in severed nerves without degeneration of the distal portion," and, furthermore, the " possibility of union with return of function between the central portion of any onie spinal nerve and the distal portion of any other. " It may be said that to both of these questions our work, physiological and histological, has given, for the animal experimented upon, the most satisfactory and unmistakable answers. With reference to the more difficult undertaking of a complete description of the histogenesis of the regenerated fibres, which we have attempted to include in this research, our results are in the nature of the case far less convincing. In this, as in other histological problemns, the facts may bear several interpretations, and the piecing together of the whole story from many isolated observations is necessarily attended with many chances of error. We believe, however, that our work in this field has given results of positive value,
Maturity models in supply chain sustainability: A systematic literature review

A systematic literature review of supply chain maturity models with sustainability concerns is presented. The objective is to give insights into methodological issues related to maturity models, namely the research objectives; the research methods used to develop, validate and test them; the scope; and the main characteristics associated with their design. The literature review was performed based on journal articles and conference papers from 2000 to 2015 using the SCOPUS, Emerald Insight, EBSCO and Web of Science databases. Most of the analysed papers have as main objective the development of maturity models and their validation. The case study is the methodology that is most widely used by researchers to develop and validate maturity models. From the sustainability perspective, the scope of the analysed maturity models is the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) and environmental dimension, focusing on a specific process (eco-design and new product development) and without a broad SC perspective. The dominant characteristics associated with the design of the maturity models are the maturity grids and a continuous representation. In addition, results do not allow identifying a trend for a specific number of maturity levels. The comprehensive review, analysis, and synthesis of the maturity model literature represent an important contribution to the organization of this research area, making possible to clarify some confusion that exists about concepts, approaches and components of maturity models in sustainability. Various aspects associated with the maturity models (i.e., research objectives, research methods, scope and characteristics of the design of models) are explored to contribute to the evolution and significance of this multidimensional area.
A theorem on the entropy of certain binary sequences and applications-II

In this, the first part of a two-part paper, we establish a theorem concerning the entropy of a certain sequence of binary random variables. In the sequel we will apply this result to the solution of three problems in multi-user communication, two of which have been open for some time. Specifically we show the following. Let X and Y be binary random n -vectors, which are the input and output, respectively, of a binary symmetric channel with "crossover" probability p_0 . Let H\{X\} and H\{ Y\} be the entropies of X and Y , respectively. Then \begin{equation} \begin{split} \frac{1}{n} H\{X\} \geq h(\alpha_0), \qquad 0 \leq \alpha_0 &\leq 1, \Rightarrow \\ \qquad \qquad \&\qquad \frac{1}{n}H\{Y\} \geq h(\alpha_0(1 - p_0) + (1 - \alpha_0)p_0) \end{split} \end{equation} where h(\lambda) = -\lambda \log \lambda - (1 - \lambda) \log(l - \lambda), 0 \leq \lambda \leq 1 .
Socioeconomic Status and Learning from Financial Information

The majority of lower socioeconomic status (SES) households do not have any stock investments, which is detrimental to wealth accumulation. Here, we examine one potential driver of this puzzling fact, namely, that SES may influence the process by which people learn from information in financial markets. In an experimental setting we find that low SES participants, relative to medium or high SES ones, form more pessimistic beliefs about the distribution of stock investment outcomes and are less likely to invest in stocks. The pessimism bias in assessing risky assets induced by low SES is robust to several ways of measuring one’s socioeconomic standing and it replicates out of sample. These results suggest that SES shapes in predictable ways people’s beliefs about financial assets, which in turn may induce large differences across households in their propensity to participate in financial markets.
Purification and properties of Epstein-Barr virus DNase expressed in Escherichia coli

A cDNA corresponding to the BGLF5 open reading frame of the Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) genome and coding for an early DNase was inserted into the procaryotic expression vector pKK223-3. One bacterial clone producing the expected 52-kilodalton DNase was used as a source of EBV DNase. The 52-kilodalton Dnase was purified in the active form to near homogeneity by ammonium sulfate precipitation and successive chromatographies on phosphocellulose, DNA-cellulose, and gel filtration columns. The purified enzyme exhibited both exonuclease and endonuclease activities, an absolute requirement for divalent cations, an alkaline pH preference, and a typical residual activity in presence of 300 mM KCl. Moreover, the enzyme was specifically inhibited by human sera with high antibody titers to EBV early antigens. These properties are similar to those observed for EBV-induced DNase from lymphoblastoid cell extracts. In addition, the enzyme was recognized by both immunoglobulin G and A serum fractions from patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). From these results and previous studies which demonstrated the value of antibody titers to this viral DNase as an NPC marker, it appears that EBV-encoded DNase produced in a heterologous expression system could be used in the development of a specific and early NPC diagnosis test.
Strategies for Online Academic Research (SOAR): Digital Literacy for Middle School Students

The ability to conduct research is essential for meeting Common Core State Standards, for success in post-secondary education, and for access to many 21st-century careers. Although today's students increasingly turn to the Internet for information, they are often unprepared to engage effectively in academic research online. This article describes work at the University of Oregon's Center for Advanced Technology in Education in developing and testing nine Strategies for Online Academic Research SOAR designed for middle school students, with specific attention to the needs of students with learning disabilities. Included is information about the SOAR Student Toolkit, a multimedia website with step-by-step instructional modules for learning the nine strategies, as well as results from an evaluation in Connecticut. Results indicate that using the SOAR Student Toolkit improves online research performance for sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade general education students and students with learning disabilities. Implications for future research are discussed.
Significance of human herpesviruses to transplant recipients

Purpose of review Despite recent great advances in transplantation techniques, herpesvirus infections remain a major cause of morbidity and mortality in transplant recipients. While improvement in immunosuppressive drug regimens have decreased the risk of graft-versus-host disease and rejection in bone marrow transplant recipients and solid organ transplant recipients, all such drugs carry with them an increased risk of herpesvirus reactivation. The following review consolidates recent findings in this field, covering reports published from January 2002 to August 2003. Recent findings Real-time polymerase chain reaction has improved the ability to distinguish between latent and active herpesvirus infection, which had been a major difficulty in the diagnosis of such conditions. It has been suggested that evaluation of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity is important for prediction of viral diseases. Development of new antiviral drugs has provided other therapeutic options. However, neither prophylactic nor preemptive administration of antiviral drugs can completely abolish the risk of herpesvirus infection. Transfusion of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes has been suggested to be a useful treatment for recipients with continuous viral replication due to severe immunosuppression. Summary Recent progress has been made in learning more about the role of virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes, and developing better diagnostic procedures and therapeutic protocols that are efficient and have reduced adverse side effects. Reliable monitoring methods for viral load, in combination with evaluation of virus-specific cytotoxic T cells, has made possible the prediction of viral diseases and furthered understanding of the role of these cells in controlling viral infections. Furthermore, adoptive immunotherapy has been improved by analyzing host immune responses.
[The correlation between serum uric acid level and abdominal obesity or metabolic syndrome].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relationship between serum uric acid (UA) level and abdominal obesity or metabolic syndrome (MS). METHODS A total of 875 subjects, with 350 males and 525 females, aged 40-65 years old, were enrolled in this study. The clinical and biochemical data were collected and MRI was used to assess the visceral and subcutaneous adipose tissues. The relationships between UA level and abdominal obesity or MS were analyzed, and the cut-off values of UA for abdominal obesity and MS were determined. RESULTS Raised risks of abdominal obesity(OR = 4.35, 95%CI 1.91-9.90 in males; OR = 5.44, 95%CI 2.41-12.31 in females) and MS(OR = 4.47, 95%CI 2.08-9.62 in males; OR = 11.62, 95%CI 3.43-39.37 in females) were observed with the increase of UA level. The multiple logistic regression analysis showed that UA was an independent risk factor for hypertriglyceridemia(OR = 2.23, 95%CI 1.02-4.87 in males; OR = 3.04, 95%CI 1.49-6.23 in females) in all subjects and for abdominal obesity(OR = 3.23, 95%CI 1.32-7.91) and hypertension (OR = 2.35, 95%CI 1.37-4.05) in the females. Among the females, the regression line analyzed by simple correlation indicated that the UA level of 244.0 µmol/L was corresponded to the visceral adipose tissue area of 80 cm(2). The optimal cut-off point of UA for the diagnosis of MS was 258.8 µmol/L determined by the receiver operating characteristic curve. CONCLUSIONS The level of UA is closely correlated with abdominal obesity and MS in the middle-aged Chinese. The elevated UA level is an independent risk factor for abdominal obesity and MS in the female.
Prevalence of DSM-IV Disorders in Children and Adolescents with Asthma versus Diabetes

Objective: To evaluate the relationships between asthma and type and incidence of psychiatric problems in a pediatric population. Methods: A series of 93 children and adolescents with asthma presenting during a 1-year period to a pediatric pneumology and allergy service was studied. Their psychopathological problems were compared with those of 93 children with insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM). Various questionnaires were completed by the patients: the Child Depression Inventory (CDI), the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (STAIC), and the Coopersmith Self-Esteem Inventory (SEI). Their parents were administered the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL). The patients were examined using the revised Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS-R). Results: There were more symptoms in the asthma group than in the IDDM group, as indicated by total CBCL scores, internalization and externalization CBCL subscores, and the STAIC scores. Asthma was often associated with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) psychiatric disorders. We found 30 anxiety disorders, 5 affective disorders, and 6 disruptive behaviour disorders. Asthmatic children did not seem to be more depressed than the IDDM group, and their self-esteem, overall, was good. However, the asthma subgroup presenting with psychiatric disorders had poorer self-esteem and social competence. Adolescents did not seem to suffer more psychiatric disturbances than did younger patients. Girls did not suffer more psychiatric disturbances than did boys. Conclusion: Asthma appears to be associated both with higher overall incidence of psychiatric problems than in IDDM and with particular categories of psychiatric problems. In particular, the problems include anxiety disorders, internalizing symptoms, and disruptive behaviours.
Long-Term Results of a Randomized Prospective Study Comparing Medical and Surgical Treatment of Barrett’s Esophagus

ObjectiveTo compare the results of medical treatment and antireflux surgery in patients with Barrett’s esophagus (BE). Summary Background DataThe treatment of choice in BE is still controversial. Some clinical studies suggest that surgery could be more effective than medical treatment in preventing BE from progressing to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. However, data from prospective comparative studies are necessary to answer this question. MethodsOne hundred one patients were included in a randomized prospective study, 43 with medical treatment and 58 with antireflux surgery. All patients underwent clinical, endoscopic, and histologic assessment. Functional studies were performed in all the operated patients and in a subgroup of patients receiving medical treatment. The median follow-up was 5 years (range 1–18) in the medical treatment group and 6 years (range 1–18) in the surgical treatment group. ResultsSatisfactory clinical results (excellent to good) were achieved in 39 of the 43 patients (91%) undergoing medical treatment and in 53 of the 58 patients (91%) following antireflux surgery. The persistence of added inflammatory lesions was significantly higher in the medical treatment group. The metaplastic segment did not disappear in any case. Postoperative functional studies showed a significant decrease in the median percentage of total time with pH below 4, although 9 of the 58 patients (15%) showed pathologic rates of acid reflux. High-grade dysplasia appeared in 2 of the 43 patients (5%) in the medical treatment group and in 2 of the 58 patients (3%) in the surgical treatment group. In the latter, both patients presented with clinical and pH-metric recurrence. There was no case of malignancy after successful antireflux surgery. ConclusionsThese results show that there are no differences between the two types of treatment with respect to preventing BE from progressing to dysplasia and adenocarcinoma. However, successful antireflux surgery proved to be more efficient than medical treatment in this sense, perhaps because it completely controls acid and biliopancreatic reflux to the esophagus.
Surgical management of extra-regional lymph node metastasis in colorectal cancer

ABSTRACT One of the major problems in rectal cancer surgery is local recurrence, found in an average of 21% to 46% cases in 1990. However, the advent of chemo-radiotherapy (CRT) and total mesorectal excision (TME) improve local control and enhances survival rates in colorectal cancer (CRC). Regional lymph node involvement is determined to be an independent prognostic factor in local recurrence; however, extra-regional lymph node (ERLN) metastasis has a higher recurrence rate (up to 58.1%). Lack of supportive data in management of ERLN metastasis in CRC has added further strain and challenges to structure a unique treatment strategy. ERLN refers to extra-mesenteric involvement either in the para-aortic lymph node (PALN) or the lateral pelvic lymph node (LPLN). Treatment of ERLN metastasis is challenging because of the shortage of the resources. Here, we will outline and summarize approaches and management of ERLN metastasis. We also aim to clarify the role of surgical intervention in CRC