Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human papillomavirus infection and abnormal cytology of the anus in HIV-infected and uninfected adolescents

Objective: To examine the prevalence of and risk for anal human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and abnormal anal cytology in sexually active adolescents. Design: Prevalence data from adolescents aged 13–18 years with and without HIV infection and with a history of high-risk sexual behavior. Methods: HPV DNA was detected using amplification techniques. Abnormal anal cytology was defined as atypical squamous cell of undetermined significance or worse. Results: Prevalence of anal HPV infection was similar in HIV-infected [28/58 (48%)] and uninfected [9/25 (36%)] boys (P = 0.3). but greater in HIV-infected [59/183 (59%)] than in uninfected [11/82 (13%)] girls (P < 0.001). Perianal warts were a risk for anal HPV in both boys [odds ratio (OR), 15.5; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.6–149] and girls (OR, 9.9; 95% CI, 1.9–51.3). In subjects without anal warts, HIV infection was significant for girls (OR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.1–4.9) and homosexual/bisexual orientation was significant for boys (OR, 5.2; 95% CI, 1.3–20.6). Abnormal anal cytology was more common among boys [32/77 (41.6%)] than girls [38/230 (16.5%)] (P < 0.001) and in addition to anal HPV, independent risk factors were positive HIV status in boys (OR, 6.5; 95% CI, 1.5–11.9) and number of partners within the past 3 months in girls (OR, 4.2; 95% CI, 1.5–11.9). Conclusions: Strong risk factors for abnormal anal cytology were HIV infection and anal HPV in boys and anal HPV and higher number of sexual partners for girls. The results suggest that anal cytology screening should be considered in HIV infected homosexual/bisexual males.
Intramembrane Proteolysis of GXGD-type Aspartyl Proteases Is Slowed by a Familial Alzheimer Disease-like Mutation*

More than 150 familial Alzheimer disease (FAD)-associated missense mutations in presenilins (PS1 and PS2), the catalytic subunit of the γ-secretase complex, cause aberrant amyloid β-peptide (Aβ) production, by increasing the relative production of the highly amyloidogenic 42-amino acid variant. The molecular mechanism behind this pathological activity is unclear, and different possibilities ranging from a gain of function to a loss of function have been discussed. γ-Secretase, signal peptide peptidase (SPP) and SPP-like proteases (SPPLs) belong to the same family of GXGD-type intramembrane cleaving aspartyl proteases and share several functional similarities. We have introduced the FAD-associated PS1 G384A mutation, which occurs within the highly conserved GXGD motif of PS1 right next to the catalytically critical aspartate residue, into the corresponding GXGD motif of the signal peptide peptidase-like 2b (SPPL2b). Compared with wild-type SPPL2b, mutant SPPL2b slowed intramembrane proteolysis of tumor necrosis factor α and caused a relative increase of longer intracellular cleavage products. Because the N termini of the secreted counterparts remain unchanged, the mutation selectively affects the liberation of the intracellular processing products. In vitro experiments demonstrate that the apparent accumulation of longer intracellular cleavage products is the result of slowed sequential intramembrane cleavage. The longer cleavage products are still converted to shorter peptides, however only after prolonged incubation time. This suggests that FAD-associated PS mutation may also result in reduced intramembrane cleavage of β-amyloid precursor protein (βAPP). Indeed, in vitro experiments demonstrate slowed intramembrane proteolysis by γ-secretase containing PS1 with the G384A mutation. As compared with wild-type PS1, the mutation selectively slowed Aβ40 production, whereas Aβ42 generation remained unaffected. Thus, the PS1 G384A mutation causes a selective loss of function by slowing the processing pathway leading to the benign Aβ40.
CART peptide immunoreactivity in the hypothalamus and pituitary in monkeys: Analysis of ultrastructural features and synaptic connections in the paraventricular nucleus

Cocaine and amphetamine regulated transcript (CART) has been identified as one of the most abundant mRNAs in the rat hypothalamus. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the distribution of CART peptide immunoreactive (CARTir) neurons in the monkey hypothalamus and characterize their ultrastructural features and synaptic connections in the paraventricular nucleus (PVN). CARTir neurons were particularly abundant in the PVN, supraoptic nucleus (SON), infundibular nucleus, and premammillary nucleus, whereas the anterior, lateral, and posterior hypothalamic areas as well as the posterior nucleus displayed moderate immunoreactivity. Dense bundles of CARTir fibers exited the PVN and SON and followed a trajectory to the infundibulum similar to that previously shown for vasopressin and oxytocin fibers. The posterior pituitary was densely packed with large CARTir varicosities which, in some cases, were apposed to labeled pituicytes. The external/palisade zone of the median eminence contained rich plexuses of small CARTir varicose fibers, and the internal/fibrous zone was enriched in large axon‐like processes. Electron microscope analysis of the PVN revealed (1) that CART peptide immunoreactivity is found in neurosecretory and non‐neurosecretory neurons contacted predominantly by unlabelled terminals forming asymmetric synapses, (2) that CARTir terminals resemble glutamatergic and/or noradrenergic boutons and form asymmetric synapses with non‐neurosecretory dendrites, and (3) that neuropeptide Y (NPY)‐containing terminals are apposed to CARTir neurons in the medial part of the nucleus. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate that CART peptide is abundant in neuronal perikarya and axon terminals throughout the monkey hypothalamus and along the hypothalamopituitary axis. This strengthens the idea that CART peptides may act as putative neurotansmitters/neuromodulators that mediate various neuroendocrine and autonomic functions in primates. J. Comp. Neurol. 416:291–308, 2000. © 2000 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Multiple-Ligament Injured Knee

Objective To evaluate magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) in detecting soft tissue, neurovascular, and bony injury after multiple ligament knee injury, including knee dislocation. Materials and Methods A retrospective search was performed for patients presenting with reported knee dislocation from May 1993 through May 2000 who underwent both MRI and surgical reconstruction. Twenty-one patients met these criteria (15 men and six women; age range 14 to 75 years; mean 32.6 years). Magnetic resonance diagnoses of soft tissue and bony injury were compared with the patients' operative findings. MRA of the popliteal vessels was performed in seventeen of our twenty-one patients, and the results of these studies are described. Results Multiple ligamentous, tendinous, meniscal, chondral, osseous, and neural injuries were seen. There was excellent correlation (kappa > 0.8) between the magnetic resonance and operative findings with regard to the size and location of tears. Regarding meniscal tears, the type (e.g., bucket, radial split, meniscocapsular separation) and location correlated well with surgery. All ten nerve injuries noted on magnetic resonance were confirmed at surgery. Six of our patients had both conventional angiograms and MRAs with 100 percent agreement between the studies. In one patient an intimal flap in the popliteal artery was seen on MRA and confirmed on conventional angiographic images. Conclusion MRI is an accurate method of assessing soft tissue, osseous, and neural damage after knee dislocation. Our early experience with popliteal fossa MRA is encouraging with complete agreement between the MRA and conventional angiography in patients who had both studies.
The Adoption of E-Business Websites within Arab and UK Cultures (Comparison Study)

This study aims to investigate the cultural differences between Arab and UK cultures in terms of the acceptance of e-business websites. In addition, a Culturally -- Sensitive Technology Acceptance Model (CTAM) was devised to include cultural variables which explain in more detail the influence of cultural factors on user's acceptance behaviour. Different methods of analysis were applied to analyse the research data such as Mean and Te-test, Pearson and correlation coefficient. The results indicate that there is a significant relationship between cultural aspects and e-business website acceptance.
Micafungin in combination with voriconazole in Aspergillus species: a pharmacodynamic approach for detection of combined antifungal activity in vitro.

OBJECTIVES Preclinical and clinical evidence indicate that echinocandin-triazole combinations provide enhanced killing versus triazoles alone against some Aspergillus isolates, however, in vitro test results designed to detect this combined effect are difficult to interpret. METHODS We used a straightforward pharmacodynamic approach based on a microdilution format and a colorimetric analysis to harmonize growth end points. RESULTS We detected a fourfold decrease in the EC90 of voriconazole when tested in combination with micafungin (4 mg/L) against isolates of Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus terreus, but not against an isolate of Aspergillus flavus. Echinocandin-enhanced voriconazole activity was confirmed in A. fumigatus and A. terreus but not A. flavus by fluorescent morbidity staining and fluorescence microscopic analysis of damaged hyphae. CONCLUSIONS A microdilution-based pharmacodynamic method for testing antifungal combinations provides a less ambiguous description of the combined effects of antifungals against moulds and could be useful in reference laboratories that routinely evaluate the activity of antifungal combinations in vitro and in vivo.
Anti-human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) activity, safety, and pharmacokinetics of adefovir dipivoxil (9-[2-(bis-pivaloyloxymethyl)-phosphonylmethoxyethyl]adenine) in HIV-infected patients.

A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-escalation study of adefovir dipivoxil, an oral prodrug of adefovir, was conducted in 36 human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected subjects to evaluate its anti-HIV activity, safety, and pharmacokinetics. Subjects received placebo or one of three dosages of adefovir dipivoxil daily for 14 days. Median decreases in serum p24 antigen of 31% (P = .02), 25% (P = .31), and 30% (P = .01) occurred in each drug-treated group, respectively, compared with an increase of 17% in the placebo group. Median decreases in serum HIV RNA of 0.4-0.6 log10 copies/mL occurred in the drug-treated groups (P = .03), compared with no change in the placebo group. Gastrointestinal complaints and reversible liver transaminase elevations were the most frequently noted adverse events. Decreases in serum free carnitine occurred in each drug-treated group during treatment. After 14 days of dosing, adefovir dipivoxil demonstrated anti-HIV activity and was best tolerated at the lowest dosage studied, 125 mg daily.
Transporter Associated with Antigen Processing Preselection of Peptides Binding to the MHC: A Bioinformatic Evaluation

TAP is responsible for the transit of peptides from the cytosol to the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. In an immunological context, this event is followed by the binding of peptides to MHC molecules before export to the cell surface and recognition by T cells. Because TAP transport precedes MHC binding, TAP preferences may make a significant contribution to epitope selection. To assess the impact of this preselection, we have developed a scoring function for TAP affinity prediction using the additive method, have used it to analyze and extend the TAP binding motif, and have evaluated how well this model acts as a preselection step in predicting MHC binding peptides. To distinguish between MHC alleles that are exclusively dependent on TAP and those exhibiting only a partial dependence on TAP, two sets of MHC binding peptides were examined: HLA-A*0201 was selected as a representative of partially TAP-dependent HLA alleles, and HLA-A*0301 represented fully TAP-dependent HLA alleles. TAP preselection has a greater impact on TAP-dependent alleles than on TAP-independent alleles. The reduction in the number of nonbinders varied from 10% (TAP-independent) to 33% (TAP-dependent), suggesting that TAP preselection is an important component in the successful in silico prediction of T cell epitopes.
Consumption and Investment with Interest Rate Risk

Abstract This paper investigates the optimal investment and consumption problem in a continuous-time financial market for agents who maximize expected power utility from consumption, facing partially hedgeable interest rate risk. With no analytic solution available for the optimal strategy, we find closed-form approximate strategies by solving the same optimization problem in two fictitious complete markets. The approximate strategies help verify the existence and the optimality of the solution to the original optimization problem and provide bounds of the optimal consumption strategy and the approximation error, both in closed form. As the interest rate increases, if the investor's risk aversion is greater than one, the wealth effect dominates the substitution effect, and consumption increases. If the risk aversion is less than one, then the substitution effect dominates, and the investor consumes less.
Capsaicin desensitization induces atrophy of brown adipose tissue in rats.

Interscapular brown adipose tissue (BAT) of capsaicin-desensitized (Cap-Des) rats is atrophied, having a lower wet weight, a reduced total protein content, and as little as 10% of the normal content of uncoupling protein (UCP). Because the mitochondrial concentration of UCP, relative to other mitochondrial proteins, is not altered in Cap-Des rats, it is concluded that most of the mitochondria of BAT of Cap-Des rats have been lost. Consistent with this interpretation is a reduction of almost 40% of the overall thermogenic response to infused norepinephrine by anesthetized Cap-Des rats. Feeding a palatable diet had a delayed thermogenic effect and no trophic effect on BAT of Cap-Des rats. Food selection and intake were normal in Cap-Des rats, and diet-induced weight gain was the same as in control rats. Exposure of Cap-Des rats to cold for 1 or 7 days exerted a normal thermogenic effect on BAT but a delayed trophic effect. The cold-induced increase in thyroxine 5'-deiodinase in BAT occurred normally. Cap-Des rats were hypothermic at 1 day but normothermic by 7 days of cold exposure. The concentration of thyroid hormones in their blood was normal. It is suggested that the depletion of sensory neuropeptides in BAT presumed to be brought about by Cap-Des results either in loss of a trophic influence on mitochondriogenesis in BAT or in lack of an inhibitory influence on mitochondrial breakdown in BAT and leads to atrophy of BAT in rats living at 26 degrees C and an impaired response to stimulation by diet. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Percutaneous Ultrasound-guided Central Venous Catheters: The Lateral In-plane Technique for Internal Jugular Vein Access

Purpose To describe the possible ultrasound guidance techniques for the insertion of central venous catheters (CVCs), with emphasis particularly to the lateral short axis in-plane technique. Methods Numerous articles have shown significant benefits of using ultrasound guidance for venous access. Two main approaches to vein puncture are available, when considering visualization of the needle during its entry into the vein under the ultrasound beam: in-plane and out-of-plane, which can be combined with two types of vein visualization, placing the ultrasound probe on the vein long axis or short axis. Results Advantages and limitations in internal jugular vein (IJV) cannulation for long-term dialysis CVCs are described for the above-mentioned approaches and visualizations. The lateral short axis in-plane technique has virtually no limitations, ensuring most benefits. Conclusions The lateral short axis in-plane technique should be considered the first-line technique for IJV cannulation.
The fear of food measure: a novel measure for use in exposure therapy for eating disorders.

OBJECTIVE Exposure therapy for mealtime anxiety has preliminarily been effective at increasing food intake and decreasing anxiety in individuals with anorexia nervosa (AN). To enhance our knowledge of exposure therapy for AN researchers and clinicians need a comprehensive measure that assesses outcomes relevant to exposure therapy for AN. METHOD In the current four studies we developed Fear of Food Measure (FOFM) that assesses three cognitive and behavioral outcomes: trait anxiety about eating, food avoidance behaviors, and feared concerns related to eating. RESULTS In a community (N = 399) and undergraduate female sample (N = 203) the FOFM exhibited a good three-factor structure and convergent and divergent validity. In a sample of women (N = 72) we showed that the anxiety about eating subscale significantly predicted in vivo food intake over and above other established predictors of eating (e.g., restraint). In a clinical sample diagnosed with an eating disorder (N = 41) we showed that anxiety about eating was associated with food intake and anxiety during an exposure meal and that all subscales of the FOFM significantly decreased over the course of a four-session exposure intervention. Finally, we found that participants diagnosed with an eating disorder had higher levels of fear of food than did matched controls (N = 23). DISCUSSION The FOFM is a psychometrically valid measure that can assess if patients are improving while undergoing exposure therapy and could be used to pinpoint problematic behaviors that can be addressed in exposure therapy.
Zero-Shot Text-Guided Object Generation with Dream Fields

We combine neural rendering with multi-modal image and text representations to synthesize diverse 3D objects solely from natural language descriptions. Our method, Dream Fields, can generate the geometry and color of a wide range of objects without 3D supervision. Due to the scarcity of diverse, captioned 3D data, prior methods only generate objectsfrom a handful of categories, such as ShapeNet. Instead, we guide generation with image-text models pre-trained on large datasets of captioned images from the web. Our method optimizes a Neural Radiance Field from many camera views so that rendered images score highly with a target caption according to a pre-trained CLIP model. To improve fidelity and visual quality, we introduce simple geometric priors, including sparsity-inducing transmittance regularization, scene bounds, and new MLP architectures. In experiments, Dream Fields produce realistic, multi-view consistent object geometry and color from a variety of natural language captions.
Damped Lyα Absorbers in Star-forming Galaxies at z < 0.15 Detected with the Hubble Space Telescope and Implications for Galactic Evolution

We report Hubble Space Telescope Cosmic Origins Spectrograph spectroscopy of 10 quasars with foreground star-forming galaxies at 0.02 < z < 0.14 within impact parameters of ∼1–7 kpc. We detect damped/sub-damped Lyα (DLA/sub-DLA) absorption in 100% of cases where no higher-redshift Lyman-limit systems extinguish the flux at the expected wavelength of Lyα absorption, obtaining the largest targeted sample of DLA/sub-DLAs in low-redshift galaxies. We present absorption measurements of neutral hydrogen and metals. Additionally, we present Green Bank Telescope 21 cm emission measurements for five of the galaxies (including two detections). Combining our sample with the literature, we construct a sample of 117 galaxies associated with DLA/sub-DLAs spanning 0 < z < 4.4, and examine trends between gas and stellar properties, and with redshift. The H i column density is anticorrelated with impact parameter and stellar mass. More massive galaxies appear to have gas-rich regions out to larger distances. The specific star formation rate (sSFR) of absorbing galaxies increases with redshift and decreases with M*, consistent with evolution of the star formation main sequence (SFMS). However, ∼20% of absorbing galaxies lie below the SFMS, indicating that some DLA/sub-DLAs trace galaxies with longer-than-typical gas-depletion timescales. Most DLA/sub-DLA galaxies with 21 cm emission have higher H i masses than typical galaxies with comparable M*. High M HI/M* ratios and high sSFRs in DLA/sub-DLA galaxies with M* < 109 M ⊙ suggest these galaxies may be gas-rich because of recent gas accretion rather than inefficient star formation. Our study demonstrates the power of absorption and emission studies of DLA/sub-DLA galaxies for extending galactic evolution studies to previously under-explored regimes of low M* and low SFR.
Research methods in Australian policy research: a critical analysis

Policy research can play an important role in understanding, and informing public policy making. We explore policy research in Australia through leading Australian policy texts, and find the focus to be on how to understand policy, rather than how to conduct policy research. More attention to the conduct of research could contribute to an enhanced understanding of how knowledge about policy is generated and contribute to policy investigation. We then consider the various methods used in current policy research through an empirical analysis drawing on 120 recent Australian public policy papers. What emerges is a limited focus on methodology, and an unexpected prevalence of qualitative methods compared to comparative, quantitative or mixed methods. We argue that there is considerable scope for Australian policy scholars to pursue research using a range of methods and to become more reflective about methodology, its documentation and development, so that the state of knowledge about Australian public policy can be improved, and the reputation, profile and impact of the profession can be enhanced.
Association of atherosclerotic risk factors with carotid adventitial thickness assessed by ultrasonography

There is increasing evidence that adventitial inflammation may participate in atherosclerosis development. The aim of this study was to investigate which atherosclerotic risk factors correlated with carotid adventitial thickness (AT) and to compare them with those associated with carotid intima‐media thickness (IMT). We also set out to test the hypothesis that there is a significant correlation between IMT and AT in the carotid arteries.
Unlikely Partners: Chinese Reformers, Western Economists, and the Making of Global China

In Unlikely Partners: Chinese Reformers, Western Economists and the Making of Global China, Julian Gewirtz documents the interactions between western economists and Chinese intellectuals and decision-makers in the pursuit of a wealthier China between 1976 and 1993. Yao Han appreciates Gewirtz’s work in filling the gap in understanding the influence of western economists and the dramatic debates over ideology and policy regarding China’s development.