Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of blood bank practices in Karachi, Pakistan, and the government's response.

BACKGROUND National legislation in Pakistan regulating blood banks has been introduced several times, but has never been passed. To support provincial-level efforts to develop legislation we conducted a study to evaluate blood-banking practices in Karachi, Pakistan, to identify areas that could be improved. METHODS Thirty-seven blood banks were randomly selected from a list of 87 Karachi blood banks. The research team interviewed blood bank personnel, inspected available facilities and equipment, and observed blood collection using structured questionnaires and observation forms. RESULTS Of the 37 selected facilities, 25 were operational and 24 agreed to participate. Twelve (50%) of the facilities reported regularly utilizing paid blood donors, while only six (25%) actively recruited volunteer donors. During observation only 8% of facilities asked donors about injecting drug use, and none asked donors any questions about high-risk sexual behaviour. While 95% of blood banks had appropriate equipment and reagents to screen for hepatitis B, only 55% could screen for HIV and 23% for hepatitis C. Twenty-nine percent of the facilities were storing blood products outside the WHO recommended temperature limits. IMPLICATIONS Practives at most Karachi blood banks fell well below WHO standards. Findings from this study were instrumental in developing and passing legislation to regulate blood transfusion throughout Sindh Province, and suggest a method for improving blood transfusion practices in other developing countries (HPP 15 (2):217-22).
La syndicalisation en France

L'evacuation « musclee » des sans-papiers de la Bourse du travail de Paris par le service d'ordre de la CGT le 23 juin dernier -ou plus exactement sa representation mediatique- semble a elle seule resumer les contradictions qui traversent le syndicalisme francais aujourd'hui . A ecouter les commentateurs, y compris les plus avertis, les centrales syndicales « historiques » se seraient eloignees du monde du travail, faute de s'etre adaptees a ses transformations (tertiarisation, precarisation,.
The role of prior task experience in temporal misestimation

The effect of experience with a preceding task on the accuracy of predictions of duration was examined in three experiments, where two tasks comprising similar or different mental operators were performed consecutively. Results supported an anchoring account of misestimation, which states that misestimation occurs because predictions are anchored to the duration of the preceding task. Preceding performance of a longer task led to overestimation on a shorter task with similar mental operators (Experiment 1), whereas preceding performance of a shorter task comprising similar or different mental operators led to underestimation on a longer task (Experiments 1 to 3). Contrary to the planning fallacy account (Kahneman & Tversky, 1979), these findings indicate that preceding task performance is considered when predicting duration, but that using such information does not necessarily improve accuracy.
Feedback of Atmosphere‐Ocean Coupling on Shifts of the Intertropical Convergence Zone

It is well known that the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) shifts in response to remote perturbations in the atmospheric energy balance, with shifts roughly in proportion to changes in the cross‐equatorial atmospheric energy flux. However, atmospheric and oceanic energy fluxes in low latitudes are mechanically coupled, and the oceanic energy flux dominates the atmospheric energy flux. Here a quantitative framework is derived that shows how Ekman coupling of atmospheric and oceanic energy fluxes damps the perturbation response of the atmospheric energy flux, energy flux equator (EFE), and ITCZ. To first order, Ekman coupling alone mutes the response of EFE and ITCZ in the coupled atmosphere‐ocean system by a factor γ = 1+O0/NEI0, where O0 is the ocean energy uptake and NEI0 is the net energy input into the atmosphere at the equator. In the current climate in the zonal and annual mean, this factor is about γ≈3.
Bioassay-Guided Isolated Compounds from Morinda officinalis Inhibit Alzheimer’s Disease Pathologies

Due to the side effects of synthetic drugs, the therapeutic potential of natural products for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has gained interest. Morinda officinalis has demonstrated inhibitory effects on geriatric diseases, such as bone loss and osteoporosis. However, although AD is a geriatric disease, M. officinalis has not been evaluated in an AD bioassay. Therefore, M. officinalis extracts and fractions were tested for AD-related activity, including inhibition of acetylcholinesterase (AChE), butyrylcholinesterase (BChE), β-site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme 1 (BACE1), and advanced glycation end-product (AGE) formation. A bioassay-guided approach led to isolation of 10 active compounds, eight anthraquinones (1–8), one coumarin (9), and one phytosterol (10), from n-hexane and ethyl acetate fractions of M. officinalis. The five anthraquinones (4–8) were stronger inhibitors of AChE than were other compounds. Compounds 3 and 9 were good inhibitors of BChE, and compounds 3 and 8 were good inhibitors of BACE1. Compounds 1–5 and 7–9 were more active than the positive control in inhibiting AGE formation. In addition, we first suggested a structure-activity relationship by which anthraquinones inhibit AChE and BACE1. Our findings demonstrate the preventive and therapeutic efficacy of M. officinalis for AD and its potential use as a natural alternative medicine.
Negative-resistance read and write schemes for STT-MRAM in 0.13µm CMOS

Spin-torque-transfer (STT) magnetoresistive random-access memory (MRAM) [1–3], a successor to field-induced magnetic switching MRAM [4,5], is an emerging non-volatile memory technology that is CMOS-compatible, scalable, and allows for high-speed access. However, two circuit-level challenges remain for STT-MRAM: potentially destructive read access due to device variation and a high-power write access. This paper presents two STT-MRAM access schemes: a negative-resistance read scheme (NRRS) that guarantees non-destructive read by design, and a negative-resistance write scheme (NRWS) that, on average, reduces the write power consumption by 10.5%. A fabricated and measured test-chip in 0. 13µm CMOS confirms both properties.
Analysis of Effect of Nonlinear Magnetic Property of Magnetic Substrate on AC Transport Current Loss of HTS Coated Conductor Using FEM

It is very important to consider the nonlinear magnetic property to understand and estimate the AC transport current loss characteristic of a conductor with magnetic substrate accurately. In this paper, the current distribution and AC loss of HTS coated conductor with the magnetic substrate are analyzed using the finite element method based on edge elements taking account of both the nonlinear E - J characteristics and the nonlinear magnetic property of the substrate. Moreover, the influence of magnetic saturation of the substrate on AC transport current loss is examined. Our numerical results denote that the AC transport current loss is increased until the magnetic saturation in the substrate, because the current distribution in superconducting layer changes due to the concentration of magnetic flux in the substrate. Moreover, when the magnetic flux in the substrate is saturated, the AC transport current loss is close to that of the Norris' strip model.
Physiological responses to passive exercise in adults receiving mechanical ventilation.

BACKGROUND Critical illness may weaken muscles, with long-term consequences. OBJECTIVE To assess physiological responses to an early standardized passive exercise protocol to prevent muscle weakness in adults receiving mechanical ventilation. METHODS A quasi-experimental within-subjects repeated-measures design was used. Within 72 hours of intubation, 30 patients had 20 minutes of bilateral passive leg movement delivered by continuous-passive-motion machines at a standardized rate and flexion-extension. Heart rate, mean blood pressure, oxygen saturation, and cytokine levels were measured before, during, and after the intervention. The Behavioral Pain Scale was used to measure patients' comfort. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to analyze the effect of the exercise on independent variables. RESULTS Patients were mostly white men with a mean age of 56.5 years (SD, 16.9) with moderate mortality risk and illness severity. Heart rate, mean blood pressure, and oxygen saturation did not differ from baseline at any time measured. Pain scores were significantly reduced (F(2.43,70.42) = 4.08; P = . 02) 5 and 10 minutes after exercise started and remained reduced at the end of exercise and 1 hour later. Interleukin 6 levels were significantly reduced (F(1.60,43.1) = 4.35; P = . 03) at the end of exercise but not after the final rest period. Interleukin 10 levels did not differ significantly. Ratios of interleukin 6 to interleukin 10 decreased significantly (F(1.61,43.38) = 3.42; P = . 05) at the end of exercise and again after 60 minutes' rest. CONCLUSION The exercise was well tolerated, and comfort improved during and after the intervention. Cytokine levels provided physiological rationale for benefits of early exercise.
Current status of laparoscopic surgery for gastric cancer

DOI: 10.3760/cma.j.issn.0366-6999.20131537 Department of General Surgery, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China (Xi HQ, Cui JX and Chen L) Correspondence to: Dr. CHEN Lin, Department of General Surgery, Chinese People’s Liberation Army General Hospital, Beijing 100853, China (Tel: 86-10-66938128. Fax: 86-10-68181689. Email: chenlinbj@vip.sina.com) This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 81272698, 81101883, 81172368), the Committee of Science and Technology of Beijing, China, (No. Z111107058811047), and the Special Scientific Research Foundation of the health sector from National Health and Family Planning Commission of China (No. 20130206). Editorial
FORTY YEARS OF FOREST SUCCESSION IN CENTRAL NEW ENGLAND

The first 40 yr of forest succession on permanent plots at the Harvard Forest in central New England followed the initial floristic composition model of forest succession. After the 1938 hurricane removed the previous white pine (Pinus strobus) canopy, species regenerated within 4-6 yr by sprouts, buried seed, and wind-blown seed, with no method of regeneration uniformly contrib- uting more to species success than another. Hemlock (Tsuga canadensis) was the only species suc- cessfully regenerating after 1948. Pin cherry (Prunus pennsylvanica) was the early dominant in size and numbers (5000 stems/ha). At year 10, pin cherry, red maple (Acer rubrum), white ash (Fraxinus americana), and red oak (Quercus rubra) were dominant. Species diversity had reached a maximum. By year 40, red oak and paper birch (Betula papyrifera) showed strong canopy dominance, making up only 7.5 and 4.9W, respectively, of total density but 37.5 and 12.5%, respectively, of the size- dominant stems. Red maple and white pine were also codominant in 1978. Some evidence for an intermediate stage dominated by red maple and gray birch (B. populifolia) was found. On one pre- viously hardwood plot, the same species were present, and similar trends in species composition and dominance were followed, but there was more surviving hemlock advance regeneration and a lower density of some shade-intolerant early dominant species. The canopy structure was loosely multilay- ered, and at any given point in succession, species tended to be found in characteristic layers, although these relative positions could change with time.
Skitourismus in den Bayerischen Alpen: Entwicklung und Zukunftsperspektiven

Der Skitourismus spielt in den Bayerischen Alpen seit etlichen Jahrzehnten eine bedeutende Rolle, ist jedoch besonders sensibel fur die Auswirkungen klimatischer Erwarmungsprozesse. Der Beitrag zielt darauf ab, die historische Entwicklung, den aktuellen Ausbauzustand sowie die Zukunftsaussichten des Skitourismus in den Bayerischen Alpen mithilfe empirischer Daten und Modellierungen darzustellen, die naturliche und technische Schneesicherheit einbeziehen. Der Klimawandel wird die strukturellen Problem beim Skitourismus zukunftig eher verstarken. Aufgrund der Abschreibungshorizonte von Beschneiungs- und Liftanlagen kann es dennoch betriebs- und volkswirtschaftlich sinnvoll sein, heute noch in Skiinfrastruktur in den Bayerischen Alpen zu investieren, auch da der touristische Erfolg der Destinationen signifikant vom Ausbauzustand der Skigebiete abhangt. Steigende Beschneiungskosten sollten bei der Wirtschaftlichkeitsberechnung und der Dimensionierung der Anlagen berucksichtigt und Subventionen hinsichtlich ihrer Wirkung auf nachhaltige Tourismusentwicklung kritisch betrachtet werden.
A 250 mA high-precision DC current source with improved stability for the Joule Balance at NIM

In this paper, the reasons for the unsatisfactory stability of the DC current source early used for the Joule Balance at NIM are discussed. The structure and principle of the compensation circuit to improve the current stability are presented. A 250 mA DC current source with stability about 0.25 ppm in 30 minutes and more than 100 W output power is realized and tested. Measurement results show that the compensation circuit is effective and the current stability is improved more than one order of magnitude than the source early used.
[Prognostic factors of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children].

OBJECTIVE The aim of this retrospective study was to analyze the recovery rate of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children, and explore the prognostic factors in order to guide the clinical diagnosis and treatment. METHOD A retrospective review was conducted for the prognosis of children with sudden sensorineural hearing loss during the past 5 years (from November 2010 to May 2015) in Chinese PLA General Hospital. This paper have a complete clinical data of 101 patients (113 ears)with sudden hearing loss, ranging from 0 to 18 years old Patients were divided into four groups according to hearing recovery and eight putative prognostic factors were analyzed. RESULT Among 101 patients (113 ears), the ratio of male and female was 60:53. Treatment was initiated from 1 to 183 days after disease onset, with an average of (18.5 ± 22.1) d. Bilateral and unilateral hearing loss were 24 ears and 89 ears, respectively. The proportion of mild hearing loss, moderate hearing loss, severe hearing loss and profound hearing loss were 7.1%, 6.2%, 23.9% and 62.8%, respectively. Vertigo and tinnitus occurred in 54.9% and 77.9% of the patients, respectively. After the treatment, the complete recovery rate was 9.7% and the overall recovery rate was 36.3%. The degree of hearing loss, earlier treatment onset, sex and bilateral involvement were significantly associated with hearing recovery (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION Sudden sensorineural hearing loss in children was generally identified as severe and profound hearing loss, but after positive and timely treatment, it can be improved or even cured. The mild hearing loss, earlier treatment onset, unilateral hearing loss and female were positive prognostic factors. The concurrence of tinnitus or vertigo, the results of ABR and DPOAE had no significant influence on prognosis.
Determinants of unemployment amongst Australian systemic sclerosis patients: results from a multicentre cohort study.

OBJECTIVES We sought to assess employment status, risk factors for unemployment and the associations of unemployment with patients' health related quality of life (HRQoL). METHODS All patients enrolled in a systemic sclerosis (SSc) longitudinal cohort study, completed an employment questionnaire on enrolment. Clinical manifestations were defined based on presence at the time of enrolment. Summary statistics, chi-square tests, univariate and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the associations of various risk factors with employment. RESULTS Among 1587 SSc patients, 160 (20%) were unemployed at the time of cohort enrolment excluding retired patients. Of these, 63% had limited disease subtype. Mean (±SD) age at enrollment was 51.9 (±10.4) years; 13 years below the average retirement age in Australia. Mean (±SD) disease duration at recruitment was 11.1 (±10.9) years. Multivariable regression analysis revealed the presence of digital amputation (OR 3.9, 95%CI 1.7-9.1, p=0.002), diffuse disease subtype (OR 2.2, 95%CI 1.3-3.5, p-value=0.002), sicca symptoms (OR 2.7, 95%CI 1.6-4.4, p<0.001), a physical job (OR 1.8, 95%CI 1.1-3.1, p=0.03) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (OR 2.2, 95%CI 1.1-4.5, p=0.02) to be associated with unemployment. Unemployed patients had consistently poorer HRQoL scores in all domains (physical, emotional and mental health) of the SF-36 form than those who were employed. CONCLUSIONS SSc is associated with substantial work disability and unemployment, which is in turn associated with poor quality of life. Raising awareness, identifying modifiable risk factors and implementing employment strategies and work place modifications are possible ways of reducing this burden.
ANAESTHESIA IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE-CELL ANAEMIA.

The condition of sickle-cell anaemia is discussed from the viewpoint of the anaesthetist. Surgical conditions which arise in these patients have been described, and sixteen cases operated on at the University Hospital of the West Indies have been included. There were no complications attributable to anaesthesia. Suggestions have been made as to the pre-anaesthetic and anaesthetic care of these very frail individuals, with particular emphasis on the timing of elective surgery, preparation with alkali, caution in the use of blood transfusion, and the administration of oxygen.
Gauge freedom for degenerate Bloch states

F. Pientka,1,2,* M. Gradhand,3,4 D. V. Fedorov,2,4 I. Mertig,2,4 and B. L. Gyorffy3 1Dahlem Center for Complex Quantum Systems and Fachbereich Physik, Freie Universitat Berlin, D-14195 Berlin, Germany 2Institute of Physics, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, D-06099 Halle, Germany 3H.H. Wills Physics Laboratory, University of Bristol, Bristol BS8 1TH, United Kingdom 4Max Planck Institute of Microstructure Physics, Weinberg 2, D-06120 Halle, Germany (Received 2 February 2012; revised manuscript received 16 May 2012; published 9 August 2012)
Les effets du défrichement de la forêt amazonienne et de la mise en culture sur l'hydrologie de petits bassins versants : opération ECEREX en Guyane française

En guyane francaise, dix petits bassins versants entierement recouverts par la foret primaire ont fait l'objet d'un suivi hydrologique pendant 2 ans. Puis, sept bassins ont ete defriches mecaniquement selon divers protocoles, un bassin a ete defriche manuellement pour une culture traditionnelle sur brulis et deux bassins temoins sont restes en foret primaire. Differents amenagements ont ete implantes sur les bassins apres defrichement: prairie paturee, verger d'agrumes, plantations sylvicoles de pins et d'eucalyptus, recru spontane de la foret. Les modifications provoquees par les differentes utilisations du sol sur l'ecoulement et les debits de pointe sont mises en evidence par la methode des bassins apparies (paired watershed technique). Sur sol nu, l'annee du defrichement, les ecoulements ont augmente de +66 a +200%, selon les bassins. Ces gains ont diminue sur les bassins amenages. Apres 3 a 6 ans, les ecoulements ne sont plus significativement differents de ceux du milieu naturel, sauf sur la prairie paturee (gain de +27%). Sur sol nu, les debits de pointe ont augmente de +17% a +166%, selon les bassins versants et les methodes d'estimation. Sur les bassins amenages, les debits de pointe ont retrouve des valeurs proches du milieu naturel sur les amenagements incluant l'arbre (sylviculture, recru), alors que sur la prairie, et apres 4 annees, les pointes depassaient encore leur valeur naturelle de +76%
Transport stress in caftle as reflected by an increase in faecal cortisol metabolite concentrations

FIG 1: Phylogenetic tree (Clustal method) showing the relationships between the nine serotypes of African horse sickness virus (AHsv) based on amino acid sequence analysis of the protein NS3. sP Spain, M Morocco, us United States Department of Agriculture, Plum Island, New York, SA South Africa, P Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright, U, SEN98 1998 isolate from Senegal (the sources of sequence data are described in Martin and others 1998). t Units indicate the number of substitution events
Statistical confidence in parentage analysis with incomplete sampling: how many loci and offspring are needed?

We have recently presented models to estimate parentage in breeding systems with multiple mating and incomplete sampling of the candidate parents. Here we provide formulas to calculate the statistical confidence and the optimal trade‐off between the number of loci and offspring. These calculations allow an understanding of the statistical significance of the parentage estimates as well as the appropriate sampling regime required to obtain a desired level of confidence. We show that the trade‐off generally depends on the parentage of the putative parents. When parentage is low, sampling effort should concentrate on increasing the number of loci. Otherwise, there are similar benefits from increasing the number of loci or offspring. We demonstrate these methods using genetic data from a nest of the bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus).