Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences between completers and early dropouts from 2 HIV intervention trials: a health belief approach to understanding prevention program attrition.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to identify factors predicting program attrition among participants in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) risk reduction trials. METHODS Participants were gay/bisexual men and severely mentally ill adults recruited to take part in HIV risk reduction small-group interventions. Program completers were compared with participants who were assessed at baseline but then failed to attend any sessions. The health belief model provided a framework for selection of possible predictors of program attrition. RESULTS Younger age was associated with early dropout in both samples. Other predictors among gay/bisexual men included involvement in an exclusive sexual relationship, minority ethnicity, injection drug use, and higher perceived severity of AIDS. Severely mentally ill dropouts were less knowledgeable about safer sex methods and more likely to hold positive outcome expectancies for condom use. CONCLUSIONS Evaluation of intervention effectiveness among vulnerable population segments is threatened if there is selective attrition. Better methods are needed to attract and maintain participation in HIV prevention programs. Alternatively, wider application of "intention to treat" analysis of intervention outcomes is recommended to minimize selection bias due to program dropout.
InventAIRy-Identification with Autonomous Micro Aerial Vehicles View project Video-based parking scenarios View project

Accurately self-localizing a vehicle is of high importance as it allows to robustify nearly all modern driver assistance functionality, e.g . lane keeping and coordinated autonomous driving maneuvers. We examine vehicle self-localization relying only on video sensors, in particular, a system of four fisheye cameras providing a view surrounding the car, a setup currently growing popular in upper-class cars. The presented work aims at an autonomous parking scenario. The method is based on park markings as orientation marks since they can be found in nearly every parking deck and require only little additional preparation. Our contribution is twofold: 1) We present a new real-time capable image processing pipeline for topview systems extracting park markings and show how to obtain a reliable and accurate ego pose and ego motion estimation given a coarse pose as starting point. 2) The aptitude of this often neglected sensor array for vehicle self-localization is demonstrated. Experimental evaluation yields a precision of 0.15m±0.18m and 2.01 ±1.91 . The final publication is available at http://link.springer. com/article /10.1007/s11554-015-0529-z S. Houben, M. Neuhausen, M. Michael Institut für Neuroinformatik, Ruhr-Universität Bochum Universitätsstraße 150, Bochum Germany tel: +49(0)234 32 25566 fax: +49(0)234 32 14210 E-mail: sebastian.houben(at)ini.rub. de R. Kesten GIGATRONIK Ingolstadt Am Augraben 19, Gaimersheim Germany F. Mickler, F. Schuller Audi Electronics Venture GmbH Sachsstraße 20, Gaimersheim Germany
[Clinical analysis of obvious and hidden blood loss in inter-trochanter fracture patients treated with proximal femoral nail anti-rotation and dynamic hip screw].

OBJECTIVE To analyze the obvious and hidden blood loss before and after operations in the inter-trochanter fracture patients treated with proximal femoral nail anti-rotation (PFNA) and dynamic hip screw (DHS) to provide the data support for clinical perioperative period treatment. METHODS The clinical data of 216 cases of inter-trochanter fracture patients treated with PFNA and 168 cases of inter-trochanter fracture patients treated with DHS from Dec. 30, 2001 to Sep. 30, 2010, and the obvious, hidden blood loss and blood transfusion before and after operations were retrospectively analyzed, using SPSS 13.0 statistical package. RESULTS The PFNA group: The mean blood loss of (48.9±2.8) mL was found in 216 cases of inter-trochanter fracture patients during operation. The mean obvious blood loss was (62.3±3.8) mL while the hidden blood loss was (385.0±6.2) mL. The DHS group: The mean blood loss of (124.9±7.8) mL was found in 168 cases during operation. The mean obvious blood loss was (73.9±4.7) mL and the hidden blood loss was (243.4±6.3) mL after operation. The blood loss during operation and obvious blood loss after operation of DHS was larger than that of PFNA, while the hidden blood loss of DHS was smaller than that of PFNA. The gross total blood loss and the hidden blood loss of group PFNA was bigger than that of DHS group. CONCLUSION There were much hidden blood loss in both PFNA and DHS group for inter-trochanter fracture internal fixation after operation. This reminds surgeons to monitor the life vital signs after PFNA or DHS internal fixation operation in order to decrease the complication.
Japanese Kampo medicine ninjin'yoeito synergistically enhances tumor vaccine effects mediated by CD8+ T cells

Although Japanese traditional herbal medicine (Kampo) has been widely applied to the treatment of various diseases, including cancer, their mechanisms of action have not yet been elucidated in detail, particularly regarding their role in tumor immunology. The present study investigated the antitumor effects of the Japanese Kampo medicine, ninjin'yoeito (NYT; Ren-Shen-Yang-Rong-Tang in Chinese), which was orally administered with or without an irradiated tumor cell vaccine to a subcutaneous CT26 colon carcinoma tumor model. The irradiated tumor cell vaccine in a prophylactic setting significantly delayed tumor growth in mice fed a control diet, whereas a diet containing NYT alone did not exert any antitumor effects in vivo. However, the inhibition of tumor growth was significantly greater in vaccinated mice fed the NYT diet compared with in vaccinated mice given the control diet. These results suggest that NYT synergistically enhances the effects of the antitumor vaccine. The depletion of cluster of differentiation (CD)8+ T cells abrogated these effects, indicating that antitumor activity required CD8+ T cells. Furthermore, reductions in CD4+ CD25+ and forkhead box protein 3+ T regulatory cell numbers were more apparent between vaccinated mice fed the NYT diet and non-vaccinated mice fed the control diet than between vaccinated mice and non-vaccinated mice fed the control diet, suggesting that the weaker impact of T regulatory cells contributes to the augmentation of antitumor immunity by CD8+ T cells in vaccinated mice fed with NYT. Overall, these results indicate that NYT synergistically enhances the effects of the prophylactic tumor vaccine mediated by CD8+ T cells and that this Japanese Kampo medicine has potential as a useful adjuvant agent for cancer immunotherapy.
Mycotoxins and cyanogenic glycosides in staple foods of three indigenous people of the Colombian Amazon

A study was conducted to determine the incidence and levels of mycotoxins in the main staple foods of three indigenous people of the Colombian Amazon. A total of 20 corn, 24 rice and 59 cassava samples were analysed by a multi-analyte liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method covering the major classes of mycotoxins. In addition, cassava samples were also analysed for cyanogenic glycosides. The indigenous Amazon communities tested are exposed to potentially carcinogenic mycotoxins (particularly aflatoxins), as well as other mycotoxins, mainly through the intake of locally grown corn. Citrinin content in this corn was unusually high and has not been reported elsewhere. Two cassava samples contained high levels of cyanogenic glycosides. It is strongly recommended not to grow corn in the Amazon but instead purchase it from vendors capable of guaranteeing mycotoxin levels below the maximum allowable concentration in Colombia.
Taxonomia Antroponímica nas Línguas de Sinais – A Motivação dos Sinais-Nomes

Resumo: A “Taxonomia Antroponimica nas Linguas de Sinais” e uma proposta inedita no Brasil e, ate onde conseguimos levantar dados bibliograficos, tambem no restante do mundo, para a categorizacao de sinais-nomes em linguas de sinais. Essa taxonomia foi criada inicialmente a partir do conheicmento da autora de uma variedade de sinais-nomes e ampliada posteriormente com base em sinais-nomes reais coletados especificamente para fins desta pesquisa. Baseamo-nos em trabalhos anteriores que elaboraram taxonomia toponimica em geral (DICK, 1980) e especificamente na Lingua Brasileira de Sinais (SOUZA JUNIOR, 2012) e em um estudo sobre sinais-nomes (SUPALLA, 1992). Uma taxonomia e um sistema classificatorio que inclui a identificacao, descricao, nomenclatura e enfim, a categorizacao dos elementos observados (BUGUENO, 2014). Assim, ao propor uma taxonomia antroponimica nas linguas de sinais, tivemos os objetivos de identificar os elementos constitutivos dos sinais-nomes, descrever cada um deles, nomea-los e, por fim, agrupa-los em categorias. Palavras-chave: Taxonomia; sinais-nomes; linguas de sinais.
Facial Lacerations in Children

AbstractThe aim of this study was to evaluate the demographics and treatment of facial lacerations in pediatric patients. A retrospective record-based analysis was administered on 3783 patients (<15 years of age) presenting with facial lacerations from March 2002 to February 2011. Males were injured more frequently across all age groups (65.3%) and especially in the 13- to 15-year-old group (81.3%) (P = 0.012, Pearson &khgr;2). Overall, 48.9% of injuries occurred outdoors and 45.1% in homes. Only 6.0% occurred in schools or kindergartens. Injuries that occurred in schools or kindergarten increased with the age groups (from 2.3% for 0- to 3-year-olds to 19.1% for 13- to 15-year-olds). In the age groups younger than 12 years, injury occurred more frequently on the weekend. In the 13-to 15-year-old group, however, injury occurred more frequently on weekdays (odds ratio, 2.46). Injury occurred most frequently at the times of 7 to 9 PM and least frequently from midnight to 6 AM. The most frequent cause of injury in children was by being struck or by bumping something (32.5%), followed by slip-down (31.5%). Accidents involving furniture and stairs accounted for 9% each. Accidents caused by stairs decreased with age (from 10.2% for 0–3 years of age to 5.5% for 13–15 years of age, P = 0.000, Pearson &khgr;2). In a little less than half (47.2%) of the cases, parents accompanied their children at the time of injury. In the 13- to 15-year age group, only 17.9% of the children were accompanied by their parents. Foreheads (26.4%) took the brunt of most frequent injuries, followed by the eyelids (20.6%), eyebrows including the glabella (19.7%), and chin injuries (15.7%). Only 58 cases had associated injuries. Among 3783 cases of facial lacerations, 3745 patients did not have facial bone fractures or associated injuries and were managed under local anesthesia or through dressings only. A sound knowledge about the epidemiology of lacerations might be beneficial for the prevention of pediatric facial lacerations, which occurs more frequently than facial fractures. It is noteworthy that slip-down showed a peak in kindergarteners (4–6 years, 36.1%) and then decreased with age. The incidence of slip-down might be reduced if attention is paid when the kindergarteners are walking on steep stairs or steep flights of stairs. Injury at the educational institutions increases with the pupil’s age, and therefore safety management in schools is important.
A Regulatory Element in Intron 1 of the Cystic Fibrosis Transmembrane Conductance Regulator Gene (*)

The cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) gene exhibits a tightly regulated pattern of expression in human epithelial cells. The mechanism of this regulation is complex and is likely to involve a number of genetic elements that effect temporal and spatial expression. To date none of the elements that have been identified in the CFTR promoter regulate tissue-specific expression. We have identified a putative regulatory element within the first intron of the CFTR gene at 181+10kb. The region containing this element was first identified as a DNase I hypersensitive site that was present in cells that express the CFTR gene but absent from cells not transcribing CFTR. In vitro analysis of binding of proteins to this region of DNA sequence by gel mobility shift assays and DNase I footprinting revealed that some proteins that are only present in CFTR-expressing cells bound to specific elements, and other proteins that bound to adjacent elements were present in all epithelial cells irrespective of their CFTR expression status. When assayed in transient expression systems in a cell line expressing CFTR endogenously, this DNA sequence augmented reporter gene expression through activation of the CFTR promoter but had no effect in nonexpressing cells.
The Parathyroids and the Gut

This review discusses gastrointestinal manifestations of parathyroid diseases. Parathyroid hormone is the primary regulator of calcium physiology. Hypoparathyroidism can be idiopathic, hereditary, or secondary to surgery in the neck. Hyperparathyroidism is usually from adenomas or hyperplasia. Hypoparathyroidism is associated with steatorrhea that may improve with medium-chain triglycerides, correction of the hypoparathyroidism, or administration of vitamin D. Hyperparathyroidism results in constipation because of reduction in neuromuscular excitability by high calcium levels. According to old literature, the incidence of peptic ulcer disease (PUD) in patients with hyperparathyroidism is 9% compared with autopsy rates of 4% to 5%. Any association is difficult to prove today, as hyperparathyroidism is usually mild due to early detection of cases through routine automated measurements of calcium. In addition, PUD is less prevalent now than before the advent of proton pump inhibitors. The presence of ulcers or ulcer symptoms may correct in some patients after parathyroidectomy, suggesting an association. The incidence of pancreatitis in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism ranges from 1.5% to 12% and may be because of the hypercalcemia. Complicating the issue is secondary hyperparathyroidism in response to hypocalcemia from pancreatitis. Pancreatitis may improve in some individuals after parathyroidectomy. Pancreatitis may follow parathyroid surgery because of an acute rise in calcium levels with manipulation of the parathyroid glands or to a blunted response of calcitonin-producing cells from fatigue. Parathyroid diseases have a few distinct effects on the gut: steatorrhea in hypoparathyroidism, and constipation, PUD, and pancreatitis in hyperparathyroidism.
The malleability of human memory.

Considerable research has been done which indicates that new information about an experienced event may supplement and even alter the recollection of that event (e.g. subjects would be shown some pictures of an event and then asked questions about it, some of which were misleading by suggesting the existence of objects which had not actually appeared in the pictures). This article reviews the literature of this phenomenon and then describes experiments which tried to determine under what circumstances misleading information will be incorporated in recollections. If the person has a strong recollection of a given detail (either because of close attention or recent exposure to it), false information about it is less likely to be accepted. The opposite is true in the case of little attention to it or a long interval of time passing before the "new information" is presented. Not surprisingly, it is easier to get a witness to accept a detail that is plausible in its context than one that is not. Timing is also a factor. Misleading information introduced subsequent to an event has greater impact if it is introduced just prior to the test rather than immediately after the event.
Characterization of magnetoelastic materials and its application to vibration control

La caracterizacion y aplicacion de materiales magnetoelasticos a problemas de control de vibraciones se afronta en esta tesis. Aunque este tema ha sido ampliamente estudiado desde el siglo XIX, y a pesar del hecho de que este tipo de materiales presentan un interes muy actual debido a su uso como materiales inteligentes en numerosos campos de la ciencia y la tecnologia, aun hay espacio para nuevas investigaciones en este campo, especialmente en temas concernientes a la medida y aplicacion de los efectos ? E y ? A lo largo de este trabajo pueden encontrarse numerosas contribuciones. En primer lugar, un nuevo sistema experimental para la medida de los efectos ? E y ? , simultaneamente, ha sido desarrollado con profundidad los tres materiales ferromagneticos clasicos: niquel, cobalto e hierro, y tambien Terfenol-D, una aleacion especial que muestra una gran respuesta magnetoelastica. En tercer lugar, la influencia de las tensiones internas en los efectos ? E y ? ha sido estudiada por medio de diferentes tratamientos termicos aplicados a especimenes de niquel. Y en cuarto lugar, los materiales mas adecuados respecto a sus efectos ? E y ? fueron seleccionados y aplicados a novedosos modos de control de vibraciones. Los resultados obtenidos en las diferentes partes de esta tesis son, en nuestra humilde opinion, muy valiosos. Respecto al nuevo sistema experimental, las mejoras confieren al metodo notables ventajas sobre otras tecnicas, como ausencia de interaccion mecanica o magnetica con la muestra, alta precision y resolucion en campo magnetico, rapidez de medicion, preparacion de la muestra no necesaria, posibilidad de estudio de la dependencia de la tension, plena automatizacion e integracion de las fases de medida y post-procesado. Respecto de la medida de los efectos ? E y ? , nuestros resultados estan de acuerdo con la literatura pero proporcionan una mayor precision. El Terfenol-D muestra el mayor efecto ? E (95%), seguido muy de lejos por el niquel (3,75%), cobalto (0,60%) e hierro (0,22%), mientras que el efecto ? es elevado en todos los casos (40% en la mayoria de los casos, 80% en niquel). Respecto la influencia de las tensiones internas, se afirma que los tratamientos de recocido conducentes a menores tensiones internas maximizan el comportamiento magnetoelastico del material, como en el caso del niquel donde los efectos ? E y ? fueron maximizados desde un 3,75% hasta un 13% y desde un 80% hasta un 99,99%, respectivamente. Finalmente, respecto al problema del control de vibraciones, se probaron dos estrategias diferentes: control pasivo y control pasivo-adaptativo. Ambos metodos muestran resultados excelentes en terminos de reduccion del tiempo de establecimiento en vibracion libre (63% con niquel recocido) y en terminos de reduccion del factor de amplificacion en vibracion forzada (34% con niquel recocido y 53% con Terfenol-D).
A Persistent Giant Algal Virus, with a Unique Morphology, Encodes an Unprecedented Number of Genes Involved in Energy Metabolism

Viruses on Earth are tremendously diverse in terms of morphology, functionality, and genomic composition. Over the last decade, the conceptual gap separating viruses and cellular life has tightened because of the detection of metabolic genes in viral genomes that express complex virus phenotypes upon infection. ABSTRACT Viruses have long been viewed as entities possessing extremely limited metabolic capacities. Over the last decade, however, this view has been challenged, as metabolic genes have been identified in viruses possessing large genomes and virions—the synthesis of which is energetically demanding. Here, we unveil peculiar phenotypic and genomic features of Prymnesium kappa virus RF01 (PkV RF01), a giant virus of the Mimiviridae family. We found that this virus encodes an unprecedented number of proteins involved in energy metabolism, including all four succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) subunits (A to D), as well as key enzymes in the β-oxidation pathway. The SDHA gene was transcribed upon infection, indicating that the viral SDH is actively used by the virus, potentially to modulate its host’s energy metabolism. We detected orthologous SDHA and SDHB genes in numerous genome fragments from uncultivated marine Mimiviridae viruses, which suggests that the viral SDH is widespread in oceans. PkV RF01 was less virulent than other cultured prymnesioviruses, a phenomenon that may be linked to the metabolic capacity of this virus and is suggestive of relatively long coevolution with its hosts. It also has a unique morphology compared to those of other characterized viruses in the Mimiviridae family. Finally, we found that PkV RF01 is the only alga-infecting Mimiviridae virus encoding two aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and enzymes corresponding to an entire base excision repair (BER) pathway, as seen in heterotroph-infecting Mimiviridae viruses. These Mimiviridae encoded-enzymes were found to be monophyletic and branching at the root of the eukaryotic tree of life. This placement suggests that the last common ancestor of Mimiviridae was endowed with a large, complex genome prior to the divergence of known extant eukaryotes. IMPORTANCE Viruses on Earth are tremendously diverse in terms of morphology, functionality, and genomic composition. Over the last decade, the conceptual gap separating viruses and cellular life has tightened because of the detection of metabolic genes in viral genomes that express complex virus phenotypes upon infection. Here, we describe Prymnesium kappa virus RF01, an alga-infecting large virus with a unique morphology, an atypical infection profile, and an unprecedented number of genes involved in energy metabolism (such as the tricarboxylic acid [TCA] cycle and the β-oxidation pathway). Moreover, we show that the gene corresponding to one of these enzymes (the succinate dehydrogenase subunit A) is transcribed during infection and is widespread among marine viruses. This discovery provides evidence that a virus has the potential to actively regulate energy metabolism with its own genes.
Antimicrobial activity of linezolid combined with minocycline against vancomycin-resistant Enterococci.

BACKGROUND Vancomycin-resistant Enterococci (VRE) cause serious infections that are difficult to treat. We carried out this study to determine the mutant prevention concentration (MPC) of linezolid when combined with minocycline against VRE strains, to determine the mechanism of drug resistance in vitro, and to provide a theoretical basis for the rational use of drugs against VRE. METHODS The minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of linezolid and minocycline against 30 Enterococci (E.) isolates (including 20 VRE strains) were determined by the broth microdilution method. Drug interactions were assessed by the checkerboard microdilution tests and confirmed by time-kill studies. Two vancomycin-susceptible strains N27 and N40 (linezolid MIC, 2 g/ml; minocycline MIC, 4 µg/ml) and control strains E. faecalis ATCC 29212 and ATCC 51299 were also tested. The MPCs of linezolid and minocycline (alone and combined) were determined using the agar dilution method. Strains showing stable resistance were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of domain V of the 23S rRNA gene. RESULTS Checkerboard titration studies revealed synergistic effects of combination therapy in 26.7% of 30 E. isolates. Antagonism was not observed. The G2576U mutation was detected in stable linezolid-resistant strains of ATCC 29212, N40, and N27 before and after resistance screening, and MIC values increased with the number of G2576U mutations. The MPC of linezolid against E. decreased dramatically when combined with minocycline, and vice versa. CONCLUSION Linezolid or minocycline alone produce resistant strains; however, their joint use may reduce the MPC of each agent against VRE, thereby decreasing resistant mutants and bacterial infections.