Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Considering Voltage Dips Mitigation in Distribution Network Planning

Voltage dips are disturbances that undermine the quality of supply or, more precisely, the power quality perceived by the customers, often causing heavy economic damages to the end-users. Methods for mitigating voltage dips have been widely investigated in literature, but poor attention has been given to solutions that consider their mitigation at the planning stage. In previous works, the authors have proposed a distribution network planning methodology to deal simultaneously with the network design and the power quality. The optimization algorithm is able to find some convenient solutions to comply with power quality constraints. To reduce the expected number of voltage dips above a threshold established by regulators and to protect the customers, the planner is driven to perform specific actions, as the installation of custom power devices in particular nodes of the network. In this paper, an improved model of dynamic voltage restorer has been developed and implemented in the optimization methodology. Accordingly with this model the effectiveness of the compensation device has been evaluated with the aim at finding the most economical solution to voltage-dip problems. In the paper, examples are provided to showing the impact of voltage dips and their mitigation in distribution planning.
Migration-Related Stressors and Their Effect on the Severity Level and Symptom Pattern of Depression among Vietnamese in Germany

Objectives Vietnamese in Germany represent a scarcely researched and vulnerable group for mental health problems, especially under exposure to migration-related stressors (MRS). This study analyzes the effect of those MRS on the severity level and symptom pattern of depression. Design We analyzed the data of 137 depressed Vietnamese patients utilizing Germany's first Vietnamese psychiatric outpatient clinic. Hierarchical linear regression models were applied to investigate how the quantity of MRS influenced (1) the overall severity of self-reported depression symptoms; (2) the cognitive, affective, and somatic BDI-II subscale; and (3) the single BDI-II items of these subscales. Results A greater number of MRS were related to a higher severity level of depression in general, as well as to a higher level on the cognitive depression subscale in particular. The BDI-II single items pessimism, past failure, guilt feelings, punishment feelings, and suicidal thoughts were particularly associated with a higher quantity of perceived MRS. Conclusion Among depressed Vietnamese migrants in Germany, a higher number of reported MRS were associated with higher overall depression severity. Within the domains of depression, particularly the cognitive domain was linked to perceived MRS. The association between MRS and suicidal thoughts is clinically highly relevant.
Lichen Striatus: Clinical and Laboratory Features of 115 Children

Abstract: To analyze the clinical features, response to treatment, and follow‐up of lichen striatus and any associated symptoms or disease, we designed a retrospective study involving 115 affected children at the Pediatric Dermatology Unit of the Department of Dermatology of the University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy. Between January 1989 and January 2000 we diagnosed lichen striatus in 37 boys and 78 girls (mean age 4 years 5 months). We studied their family history and the season of onset, morphology, distribution, extent, duration, histopathology, and treatment of their lichen striatus. We found that family history was negative in all our patients except for two pairs of siblings. The majority of children had the disease in the cold seasons; precipitating factors were found in only five cases. The most frequently involved sites were the limbs, with no substantial difference between upper and lower limb involvement. When lichen striatus was located on the trunk and face, it always followed Blaschko lines; in seven children the bands on the limbs appeared to be along the axial lines of Sherrington. In 70 cases, lichen striatus was associated with atopy. The mean duration of the disease was 6 months and relapses were observed in five children, and in one instance the disease had a prolonged course. Only a few case study series of lichen striatus in children have been reported and ours is the largest to date. The etiology of lichen striatus remains unknown in the majority of our patients. The confirmed association with atopy observed in our patients may be a predisposing factor. It has generally been accepted that lichen striatus follows the lines of Blaschko, and this distribution is a sign of both a topographic and a pathogenetic concept. In patients where lichen striatus is along axial lines, a locus minoris resistentiae, we suppose that this distribution may only be an illusory phenomenon in instances in which the trigger factor prefers this route, consisting of several successive Blaschko lines, but appearing as a single band.
Correlates of Injection Drug Use Among Rural Appalachian Women

BACKGROUND Limited research has focused on correlates of injection drug use (IDU) among high-risk subgroups of drug users, particularly women, who may be at increased risk for transmission of infectious diseases such as HIV and Hepatitis C. The purpose of this study is to better understand the contextual and health correlates of IDU among women living in rural Appalachia by examining (1) differences between injectors and noninjectors, and (2) the unique correlates of recent IDU and past IDU. METHODS This study involved random selection, screening, and face-to-face interviews with 400 rural Appalachian women from jails in one state. Analyses included descriptive statistics, multinomial logistic regression, and stepwise regression to identify significant correlates of recent IDU and past IDU compared to never injecting. RESULTS Findings indicated that 75.3% of this randomly selected sample reported lifetime injection of drugs. Contextual factors including drug use severity (RRR = 8.66, P < .001), more male sex partners (RRR = 1.01, P < .05), and having injecting partners (RRR = 7.60, P < .001) were robust correlates of recent injection practices. CONCLUSIONS This study makes an important contribution to understanding factors associated with IDU among rural Appalachian women drug users, which are strongly associated with both relational and health factors. Study findings on the specific factors associated with IDU risk have important implications for tailoring and targeting interventions that should include a focus on the relationship context reducing high-risk injection practices.
The positive and negative affect schedule (PANAS): construct validity, measurement properties and normative data in a large non-clinical sample.

OBJECTIVES To evaluate the reliability and validity of the PANAS (Watson, Clark, & Tellegen, 1988b) and provide normative data. DESIGN Cross-sectional and correlational. METHOD The PANAS was administered to a non-clinical sample, broadly representative of the general adult UK population (N = 1,003). Competing models of the latent structure of the PANAS were evaluated using confirmatory factor analysis. Regression and correlational analysis were used to determine the influence of demographic variables on PANAS scores as well as the relationship between the PANAS with measures of depression and anxiety (the HADS and the DASS). RESULTS The best-fitting model (robust comparative fit index = .94) of the latent structure of the PANAS consisted of two correlated factors corresponding to the PA and NA scales, and permitted correlated error between items drawn from the same mood subcategories (Zevon & Tellegen, 1982). Demographic variables had only very modest influences on PANAS scores and the PANAS exhibited measurement invariance across demographic subgroups. The reliability of the PANAS was high, and the pattern of relationships between the PANAS and the DASS and HADS were consistent with tripartite theory. CONCLUSION The PANAS is a reliable and valid measure of the constructs it was intended to assess, although the hypothesis of complete independence between PA and NA must be rejected. The utility of this measure is enhanced by the provision of large-scale normative data.
Comparison of MALDI-TOF MS, gene sequencing and the Vitek 2 for identification of seventy-three clinical isolates of enteropathogens.

OBJECTIVE This study was performed to evaluate the analytical and practical performance of the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) compared to the sequencing method and the Vitek 2 system for identiﬁcation of enteropathogens in the clinical microbiology laboratory. METHODS Ten type strains and 73 clinical isolates of enteropathogens representing eight genera were analyzed by MALDI-TOF MS. All isolates were also characterized by gene sequencing allowing interpretation of the results from MALDI-TOF MS. In addition, MALDI-TOF MS was compared with the Vitek 2 system for the identiﬁcation of ten isolates of Aeromonas and six of Salmonella. RESULTS As previously known, identification between Shigella and Escherichia coli is not possible to distinguish. MALDI-TOF MS produced the correct identifications for all other type strains and clinical isolates to the genus level. Fifteen Campylobacter jejuni, six Campylobacter coli, three Plesiomonas shigelloides, three Yersinia enterocolitica, two Clostridium difficile, one Vibrio parahaemolyticus, one Vibrio fluvialis, and one Vibrio cholera were all correctly identiﬁed to the species level. Genus and species identifications of ten Aeromonas and six Salmonella isolates by MALDI-TOF MS were consistent with those by the Vitek 2, but with much less cost and about ten times faster. CONCLUSIONS This study demonstrates that MALDI-TOF MS is a powerful tool for fast, accurate and low-cost identiﬁcation of enteropathogens in the clinical microbiology laboratory.
The Effect of Backpacks on the Lumbar Spine in Children: A Standing Magnetic Resonance Imaging Study

Study Design. This study is a repeated measures design to measure the lumbar spine response to typical school backpack loads in healthy children. The lumbar spine in this setting was measured for the first time by an upright magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner. Objective. The purpose of this study is to measure the lumbar spine response to typical school backpack loads in healthy children. We hypothesize that backpack loads significantly increase disc compression and lumbar curvature. Summary of Background Data. Children commonly carry school backpacks of 10% to 22% bodyweight. Despite growing concern among parents about safety, there are no imaging studies which describe the effect of backpack loads on the spine in children. Methods. Three boys and 5 girls, age 11 ± 2 years (mean ± SD) underwent T2 weighted sagittal and coronal MRI scans of the lumbar spine while standing. Scans were repeated with 4, 8, and 12 kg backpack loads, which represented approximately 10%, 20%, and 30% body weight for our sample. Main outcome measures were disc compression, defined as post- minus preloading disc height, and lumbar asymmetry, defined as the coronal Cobb angle between the superior endplates of S1 and L1. Results. Increasing backpack loads significantly compressed lumbar disc heights measured in the midline sagittal plane (P < 0.05, repeated-measures analysis of variance [ANOVA]). Lumbar asymmetry was: 2.23° ± 1.07° standing, 5.46° ± 2.50° with 4 kg, 9.18° ± 2.25° with 8 kg, and 5.68° ± 1.76° with 12 kg (mean ± SE). Backpack loads significantly increased lumbar asymmetry (P < 0.03, one-way ANOVA). Four of the 8 subjects had Cobb angles greater than 10° during 8-kg backpack loads. Using a visual-analogue scale to rate their pain (0-no pain, 10-worst pain imaginable), subjects reported significant increases in back pain associated with backpack loads of 4, 8, and 12 kg (P < 0.001, 1-way ANOVA). Conclusion. Backpack loads are responsible for a significant amount of back pain in children, which in part, may be due to changes in lumbar disc height or curvature. This is the first upright MRI study to document reduced disc height and greater lumbar asymmetry for common backpack loads in children.
Infections acquired in clinical laboratories in Utah

We reviewed laboratory-acquired infections occurring in Utah from 1978 through 1982. Written and telephone interviews of supervisors of 1,191 laboratorians revealed an estimated annual incidence of 3 laboratory-acquired infections per 1,000 employees. Infections, in order of frequency, included hepatitis B (clinical cases), shigellosis, pharyngitis, cellulitis, tuberculosis (skin test conversion), conjunctivitis, and non-A, non-B hepatitis. One-half of large laboratories (over 25 employees), but only 12% of smaller laboratories, reported infections. The annual incidence, however, at smaller laboratories was more than three times greater than at large laboratories (5.0 versus 1.5 per 1,000; P less than 0.05, chi-square test). Microbiologists were at greatest risk of infection, with an incidence of almost 1%, followed by generalists and phlebotomists. Shigellosis was acquired only by microbiologists and accounted for more than half of their infections. The most common laboratory-acquired infection, hepatitis B, affected a microbiologist, a hematologist, a phlebotomist, a pulmonary blood gas technician, and a blood bank technologist who died from her illness. Clinical cases of hepatitis B occurred at a rate 10 times higher than the rate in the general U.S. population. The incidence of tuberculosis skin test conversion was intermediate between rates reported for hospital employees and for the state of Utah.
Etiology and treatment of post-surgical blepharoptosis.

PURPOSE To investigate the etiology and the treatment of acquired blepharoptosis inpatients, especially secondary to surgery. METHODS The clinical records of 65 consecutive patients with acquired ptosis were reviewed from an eye center and a comprehensive hospital. Potential factors responsible for acquired ptosis were investigated. Surgical management principles and post-operative exposure keratitis are discussed. RESULTS The top three causes of acquired ptosis were postsurgical ptosis (20/65, 30.8%), traumatic ptosis (17/65, 26.2%) and senile aponeurotic ptosis (12/65, 18.5%). Twenty patients had post-surgical ptosis secondary to orbital surgery (8/20, 40.0%), enucleation and hydroxyapatite (HA) artificial eye implantation (4/20, 20%), eyelid surgery (3/20, 15%), cataract or glaucoma surgery (2/20, 10%), conjunctive surgery (2/20, 10%) and superior oblique muscle surgery (1/20, 5%). The levator palpebrae superioris (LPS) muscle of ten eyes (10/20, 50%) was found during exploration and reattached to the tarsal plate, with shortening of the LPS. Nine eyes (9/20, 45%) underwent a frontalis suspension (FS) operation because the LPS muscle was missing. One(1/20, 5%) patient was not operated on due to a poor Bell's phenomenon. Two patients (2/65, 3.1%)--one patient with post-surgical ptosis and another with aponeurotic ptosis--developed exposure keratitis after ptosis correction. CONCLUSION Post-surgical ptosis is one of the most common causes of acquired ptosis. It is important to explore LPS muscle during surgery. LPS reattachment is performed if the muscle is found; otherwise, a FS operation is chosen. Exposure keratitis after correction should be monitored.
The S-acetyl coenzyme A-dependent metabolic activation of the carcinogen N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene by human liver cytosol and its relationship to the aromatic amine N-acetyltransferase phenotype.

A genetic polymorphism in the enzymatic N-acetylation of sulfamethazine and other drugs in humans is well known and has been related to differential susceptibility to drug toxicities. Carcinogenic aromatic amines such as 2-aminofluorene also undergo N-acetylation, and phenotypic slow acetylator individuals have been suggested to be at increased risk to arylamine-induced urinary bladder cancer. However, acetyltransferases have also been shown to catalyze a final metabolic activation step in the conversion of both hydroxamic acid (e.g. N-hydroxy-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene N,O-acyltransferase) and N-hydroxy-arylamine (e.g. N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene O-acetyltransferase) metabolites to DNA-bound adducts. In this regard, rapid acetylators have recently been reported to be at higher risk for colorectal cancer. In this study, we examined the enzymatic activity of 35 human liver cytosol samples (obtained surgically from organ donors) for sulfamethazine and 2-aminofluorene N-acetyltransferase activities, N-hydroxy-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene N,O-acyltransferase activity, and the acetyl coenzyme A (CoA)-dependent O-acetylation of N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene to form DNA-bound products. The results with sulfamethazine indicated that about two-thirds of the human liver samples were of the slow acetylator phenotype; the same individuals also exhibited levels of 2-aminofluorene N-acetylation that were consistent with their respective sulfamethazine-N-acetylation activity. N-Hydroxy-N-acetyl-2-aminofluorene N,O-acyltransferase activity was not detected. However, the acetyl CoA-dependent activation of N-hydroxy-2-aminofluorene was observed for nearly all of the samples and was consistently higher in the fast acetylator group. These data support the hypothesis that phenotypic rapid acetylator individuals are likely to be at higher risk to aromatic amine-induced cancers in those tissues containing appreciable levels of N-hydroxy arylamine O-acetyltransferase.
Correlates of susceptibility to smoking among secondary school students in Kota Tinggi district, Johor, Malaysia.

BACKGROUND Smoking among adolescents has been linked to a variety of adverse and long term health consequences. "Susceptibility to smoking" or the lack of cognitive commitment to abstain from smoking is an important predictor of adolescent smoking. In 2008, we conducted a study to determine the psycho-sociological factors associated with susceptibility to smoking among secondary school students in the district of Kota Tinggi, Johor. MATERIALS AND METHODS Two thousand seven hundred students were randomly selected by proportional stratified sampling. Analyses on 1,736 non-smoking students revealed that prevalence of adolescents susceptible to smoking was 16.3%. RESULTS Male gender (aOR=2.05, 95%CI= 1.23-3.39), poor academic achievement (aOR 1.60, 95%CI 1.05-2.44), ever-smoker (aOR 2.17, 95%CI 1.37-3.44) and having a smoking friend (aOR 1.76, 95%CI 1.10-2.83) were associated with susceptibility to smoking, while having the perception that smoking prohibition in school was strictly enforced (aOR 0.55, 95%CI 0.32-0.94), and had never seen friends smoking in a school compound (aOR 0.59, 95%CI 0.37-0.96) were considered protective factors CONCLUSIONS These results indicate that follow-up programmes need to capitalise on the modifiable factors related to susceptibility to smoking by getting all stakeholders to be actively involved to stamp out smoking initiation among adolescents.
Molecular analysis of exons 6 and 7 of phenylalanine hydroxylase gene mutations in Phenylketonuria patients in Western Iran

BACKGROUND: Phenylketonuria (PKU) is an inborn error of amino acid metabolism that results from a deficiency of phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH). According to PAH database, exons 6 and 7 and their flanking introns of PAH gene contain the greatest number of mutant alleles. Therefore, as a preliminary study, nucleotide sequence analysis of exons 6 and 7 of the PAH gene has been performed in 25 PKU patients whose ancestors lived in Kermanshah province of Iran. To date, there has been no mutation data describing the genotypes of the PKU disease in this Kurdish ethnic region background. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Twenty-five patients (aged between 2 and 23 years) participated in this study. The DNA fragments containing two exons of the PAH gene [6 and 7] and their exon-flanking intronic sequences were amplified and sequenced. RESULTS: The total of detected mutations were R261X (8%), R176X (4%), R243Q (4%), R243X (2%) and R261Q (2%), as they accounted for 20% of all mutant alleles in this study. The identified polymorphisms are: IVS5 -54 G > A (22%), Q232Q (8%) and V245V (4%). All of the detected mutations in this study are related to CpG dinucleotides in the PAH gene sequence. CONCLUSION: The frequency of R261X, the most common mutation in our study, in Iranian population is <5%. Furthermore, there is no report of detection of R176X and R243Q in Isfahan and Azeri Turkish populations. These findings confirm the common Mediterranean mutations in this local population, although with more or lower frequencies than those reported in other related studies in Iran. Therefore, it may be necessary to study the PAH gene mutations in other provinces of Iran separately.
Identification of Potential Plasma microRNA Stratification Biomarkers for Response to Allogeneic Adipose‐Derived Mesenchymal Stem Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

The ability to identify and stratify patients that will respond to specific therapies has been transformational in a number of disease areas, particularly oncology. It is anticipated that this will also be the case for cell‐based therapies, particularly in complex and heterogeneous diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Recently, clinical results with expanded allogenic adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (eASCs) have indicated clinical efficacy in highly refractory RA patients. In this study, we set out to determine if circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) could be identified as potential biomarkers associated with response to eASCs in these RA patients. The miRNA expression profiles of pre‐treatment plasma samples from responder and nonresponder patients were determined using microarrays. Ten miRNAs were identified that were differentially expressed in the responder group as compared to the nonresponder group. To confirm the differential expression of these 10 miRNA biomarkers, they were further assayed by quantitative reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (QRT‐PCR). From this analysis, three miRNAs, miR‐26b‐5p, miR‐487b‐3p and miR‐495‐3p, were confirmed as being statistically significantly upregulated in the responder group as compared with the nonresponder group. Receiver operating characteristic analysis confirmed their diagnostic potential. These miRNAs could represent novel candidate stratification biomarkers associated with RA patient response to eASCs and are worthy of further clinical validation. Stem Cells Translational Medicine 2017;6:1202–1206
Transient acute neurologic sequelae of sexual activity: headache and amnesia.

INTRODUCTION Sexual activity may on occasion be complicated by neurologic syndromes of headache and amnesia. These syndromes may be alarming not only to patients but also to medical practitioners unfamiliar with them, initiating inappropriate investigations or advice. AIMS To review the clinical features, differential diagnosis, investigation, pathophysiology, and treatment of primary headache associated with sexual activity and of transient global amnesia precipitated by sexual activity. METHODS Selective literature review. CONCLUSION Transient headache and amnesia associated with sexual activity are generally benign, self-limited syndromes of presumed vascular origin. The most important differential diagnosis in both instances is subarachnoid hemorrhage, but this may be readily excluded on the basis of clinical and investigational findings. Reassurance, based on clear diagnosis, is the most important treatment.