Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
metallic weave" by N. Fries, K. Odic, M. Conrath and M. Dreyer

Fries et al. [1] reported careful experiments on capillary rise of a liquid in a weave both with and without evaporation. They used a model based on the assumption that the liquid wets the weave to saturation, i.e., the weave’s saturation has only two states, completely saturated (all the pore space is filled with liquid) or completely unsaturated (all the pore space contains no liq-uid). They observed during liquid imbibition that, with evaporation, “there seems to be a trend that the mathematical model overestimates the height … . The average deviation is found to be in the range of 20%” ([1], pg. 127). Of various explanations for this discrepancy, they suggest that probably “the most influential is the assumption of a constant evaporation distribution all over the wet weave” and further suggested that their theory could explain the experimental data if “by some means the evaporation rate (might) be higher at the top of the weave”. However, the au-thors present no mechanistic basis for this suggestion. Here, we propose an alternative to explain their observations. We observe that the two-state, wet/dry model invoked by that authors, while a useful ap-proximation for imbibition into a dry porous medium, is of only limited applicability for a drain-ing or drying porous medium. For the case of imbibition into a dry medium with a limited range of pore sizes, a sharp saturation change at the wetting front is typical. For a medium with a satu-rated region that is allowed to drain or dry, there will typically be a gradual change in saturation throughout the medium. Case (6) in Fig. 10 shows the reduction in mass of a wetted weave due to evaporation. In their analysis of this case, Fries et al. (
Examining the Product Quality Attributes That Influences Customer Satisfaction Most When the Price Was Discounted: A Case Study in Kuching Sarawak

The study is about customer satisfaction towards the product quality.The effect of low pricing product with the product quality plays the same result of low price products produces low quality product and vice-versa. Data instrument that is used in obtaining data is by distributing survey questionnaire. The main purpose of this research is to classify whether the eight dimension of product quality after price discounting is satisfying towards customer. The respondent of the research was chosen through sampling method by using the non-probability sampling. The results infer that that the customer’s satisfaction towards the discounted product quality is based on the three attributes most namely perceived quality, performance and reliability. The Perceived quality- on image, brand name, and advertising is positively related to the level of satisfaction towards the quality of discounted product; were all supported as the relationships between the variables were statistically significant. This study does also provide useful guidelines for future researcher to be more rigorous and also in-depth to empirical and theoretical processes. In future study, customer satisfaction towards discounted product quality of the product to be specified to a product only determine by one gender (female) and also a perception towards a certain discounted price level of a product and its quality with extension of product design and customer requirements.
Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 is a novel prognostic biomarker in nonsmall cell lung cancer

Enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) epigenetically silences many genes through the trimethylation of histone H3 lysine 27 and is implicated in tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis. However, its role in lung cancer has not been well characterized. The objective of the current study was to elucidate the role of EZH2 in nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) by investigating both clinical samples and cell lines.
Sex and the course of HIV infection in the pre- and highly active antiretroviral therapy eras

We reviewed the available literature on the potential effects of sex on the course of HIV infection and found that there is little evidence for sex differences in the rate of disease progression in the pre-highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and HAART era. Compared to men, women appeared to have lower HIV RNA levels and higher CD4 cell counts shortly after infection with HIV, but studies were inconclusive regarding whether these differences diminish over time. Differences in viral load or CD4+ cell count might cause women to delay initiation of HAART. Nonetheless, we found no substantial sex difference in the benefit of antiretroviral therapy. The studies we reviewed failed to find any harmful effect of pregnancy on HIV disease progression. With the availability of effective antiretroviral agents, HIV-infected women have increasingly decided to have children. Conflicting results exist on the effect of HAART on regression of cervical intra-epithelial neoplasia (CIN). Unlike CIN, invasive cervical cancer has not been found to be much higher in HIV-infected women than in HIV-uninfected women. Although publication bias cannot be ruled out, published studies suggest higher rates of adverse events among HIV-infected women on therapy as compared to men. As more pharmacological agents are developed, it is especially important that potential sex differences in pharmacodynamics are assessed. The relationship between metabolic abnormalities, changes in body habitus, and endocrine perturbations has not been extensively studied. Whether sex differences are due to unalterable genetic factors or social and environmental conditions, it is imperative that all HIV-infected individuals have equal access to interventions that can slow disease progression.
Proximity and Information Technology Outsourcing: How Local Are IT Services Markets?

We examine the question of which services are tradable within a concrete setting: the outsourcing of information technology (IT) services across a broad cross-section of establishments in the United States. If markets for IT services are local, then we should expect increases in local supply would increase the likelihood of outsourcing by lowering the cost of outsourcing. If markets are not local, then local supply will not affect outsourcing demand. We analyze the outsourcing decisions of a large sample of 99,775 establishments in 2002 and 2004, for two types of IT services—programming and design and hosting. Programming and design projects require communication of detailed user requirements whereas hosting requires less coordination between client and service provider than programming and design. Our empirical results bear out this intuition: the probability of outsourcing programming and design is increasing in the local supply of outsourcing, and this sensitivity to local supply conditions has been increasing over time. This suggests there is some nontradable or "local" component to programming and design services that cannot be easily removed. In contrast, the decision to outsource hosting is sensitive to local supply only for firms for which network uptime and security concerns are particularly acute.
Profile of Gene Expression in a Murine Model of Allergic Bronchopulmonary Aspergillosis

ABSTRACT Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (ABPA) results from the interactions of the Aspergillus allergens and immune system of the patients. We studied the gene expression profile in a mouse model of ABPA. Of the 12,000 genes studied, 1,300 genes showed enhanced expression and represent chemokine, cytokine, growth factor, signal transduction, and transmembrane receptor genes as well as genes related to arginine metabolism.
Colonic inflammation increases Na+ currents in bladder sensory neurons

The purpose of this study was to determine whether sensitization of pre-spinal afferents induced by colonic inflammation can affect the physiology of the urinary bladder. Tetrodotoxin-resistant (TTX-R) Na+ currents were examined in bladder sensory neurons after experimental colitis. Cell bodies of bladder dorsal root ganglia were retrogradely labeled and TTX-R Na+ currents were recorded in capsaicin-sensitive neurons. Colitis significantly enhanced response of bladder neurons to capsaicin by ∼60% and the peak amplitude of TTX-R Na+ current by 51%. These results suggest that colonic inflammation leads to increased excitability of nociceptive bladder neurons.
The Dynamics of Coordination in Innovation Networks

Despite abundant literature dedicated to networks and coordination, few empirical studies address the internal operations of inter-organizational networks. This research therefore aims to characterize coordination mechanisms of various forms and analyse their evolution through an empirical analysis of six innovation networks. A comparative case study approach examines how three main dimensions (dependency, prior business relations, and type of conflict) influence the type of coordination adopted by a hub firm, as well as its evolution. Each case serves as a distinct experiment that stands on its own as an analytic unit. The six cases thus are discrete experiments that serve as replications and contrasts. The study reveals a negative effect of a singular reliance on trust. Indirect guarantees need to combine with direct guarantees to facilitate hub firm dependence. Moreover, the coordination modes and the use of hard conflict resolution mechanisms vary with the type of conflict (i.e., project or behavioural). These findings have key implications for research and practice.
Deregulated Production of Protective Cytokines in Response to Candida albicans Infection in Patients with Chronic Mucocutaneous Candidiasis

ABSTRACT Patients with chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis (CMC) are selectively unable to clear the yeast Candida, which results in persistent debilitating infections affecting the skin, nails, and mucous membranes. The underlying defect is unknown. Recent animal studies highlighted the importance of type 1 cytokines in protection against Candida, and previous work suggested that CMC patients may exhibit altered cytokine production in response to Candida. Based on these findings, in this study we investigated cytokine production in CMC patients by assessing a range of inflammatory, anti-inflammatory, type 1, and type 2 cytokines (interleukin-2 [IL-2], IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-10, IL-12, gamma interferon [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]) in whole-blood cultures in response to five different fractions of Candida albicans (carbohydrate, purified mannan, and protein-rich fractions, etc.), as well as non-Candida antigens. Our results demonstrate that cytokine production is deregulated in a Candida-specific way for some cytokines (IL-2, IL-10), is deregulated more generally for other cytokines (IL-12, IL-6, IFN-γ), and is not markedly altered for still other cytokines (TNF-α, IL-4, IL-5). The most notable finding in CMC patients was the markedly impaired production of IL-12 in parallel with dramatically increased levels of IL-6 and IL-10 that occurred selectively in response to Candida. These results suggest that patients with CMC have impaired production of type 1-inducing cytokines (possibly a macrophage or dendritic cell defect? ), which could result in an inability to mount protective cell-mediated responses and a failure to clear Candida. Continued tissue damage and inflammation may trigger production of high levels of inhibitory cytokines, such as the IL-10 production seen in our study, which would further reduce production of type 1-inducing cytokines in a positive feedback loop leading to persistent infection.
WALL SHEAR STRESS IN A SUBJECT SPECIFIC HUMAN AORTA - INFLUENCE OF FLUID-STRUCTURE INTERACTION

Vascular wall shear stress (WSS) has been correlated to the development of atherosclerosis in arteries. As WSS depends on the blood flow dynamics, it is sensitive to pulsatile effects and local changes in geometry. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate if the effect of wall motion changes the WSS or if a rigid wall assumption is sufficient. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to acquire subject specific geometry and flow rates in a human aorta, which were used as inputs in numerical models. Both rigid wall models and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) models were considered, and used to calculate the WSS on the aortic wall. A physiological range of different wall stiffnesses in the FSI simulations was used in order to investigate its effect on the flow dynamics. MRI measurements of velocity in the descending aorta were used as validation of the numerical models, and good agreement was achieved. It was found that the influence of wall motion was low on time-averaged WSS and oscillating shear index, but when regarding instantaneous WSS values the effect from the wall motion was clearly visible. Therefore, if instantaneous WSS is to be investigated, a FSI simulation should be considered.
Sustainable Festival Populations: an Application of Organizational Ecology

This article addresses the sustainability of festival populations from the perspective of organizational ecology theory, and in particular age and density dependence. Data from whole populations of festivals in three Norwegian counties are examined. Analyses of festival start-ups demonstrate that the number of events in each county had risen faster than population growth before plateauing, and changes were correlated significantly with trends in the Norwegian gross domestic product. Data on festival age, theme, and other variables were also considered in the light of whole population dynamics. It is concluded that the fundamental tenets of density dependence theory were empirically demonstrated insofar as rapid growth in the festival populations was not sustainable when resources diminished, but no data were available on festival failures. It appears that the hypothetical legitimation of festivals helps to explain rapid growth, as festivals have become popular instruments of public policy. Implications are drawn for future whole population studies and for policy makers who would seek to manage portfolios or whole populations of festivals.
Perceptions and views of regulatory pharmacists on the registration system for generic drugs for human use in Kenya.

BACKGROUND Generic drugs play an important role in the delivery of healthcare services in Kenya because of their affordability and availability. The Pharmacy and Poisons Board (PPB) is the body mandated to regulate the manufacture and supply of all drugs in Kenya. Approximately 90% of all applications for registration of drugs in Kenya are for generic drugs; however, there are concerns about the quality of generic drugs supplied to patients in Kenya. OBJECTIVE The study aimed to investigate the perceptions and views of the regulatory pharmacists on the registration system for generic drugs in Kenya, and the role of the National Quality Control Laboratory (NQCL). DESIGN A cross-sectional survey was designed to collect the views and perceptions of regulatory pharmacists on the system for the registration of generic drugs for human use in Kenya. SETTING The survey was conducted in the capital city of Kenya, Nairobi from January to February 2007. Nairobi was selected because it has a high concentration of pharmaceutical manufacturers and distributors involved in drug registration. PARTICIPANTS The sample included regulatory pharmacists working in the registration departments of pharmaceutical companies dealing in generic drugs for human use. A sample of 40 participants was recruited for the survey and a response rate of 60% was targeted. RESULTS Over half (55.6%) of the respondents reported satisfaction with the drug registration system while 33.3% were unsatisfied. The level of satisfaction did not seem to be associated with the length of time it takes to register a generic drug (p-value=0.74) or the gender of the respondent (p-value=0.94). The respondents had confidence in the analytical procedures carried out by NQCL but were less satisfied with its role in generic drug registration process. The respondents made a number of recommendations towards better drug registration mechanisms for generic drugs in Kenya. CONCLUSION The study suggests that although the drug registration procedures appear to be working, there is need for improvement. One area in which the registration of generic drugs in Kenya can benefit is in the observation of the operation of what other countries have done to streamline their drug registration systems.
A meta-analysis of avascular necrosis in systemic lupus erythematosus: prevalence and risk factors.

OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of and risk factors for avascular necrosis (AVN) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS MEDLINE, CINAHL, Web of Science, EMBASE and Cochrane Library were searched from inception to July, 2015 and a random effects model was used to combine frequencies; study quality was assessed using STROBE. RESULTS 2,041 citations identified 62 articles. Many results had high heterogeneity. The prevalence of symptomatic AVN was 9% (range 0.8%-33%) in SLE and 29% for asymptomatic AVN; femoral head was the most common location (8.0%). High-dose corticosteroids (CS) any CS use, maximum and cumulative dose, pulse therapy, and CS side-effects (hypertension, Cushings, but not diabetes mellitus or hyperlipidaemia) were associated with AVN, as was active SLE (cutaneous vasculitis, renal and neuropsychiatric manifestations, serositis, cytopenias) and Sjögren's, Raynaud's phenomenon, arthritis, cyclophosphamide (but not azathioprine mycophenolate mofetil, or methotrexate) and more damage (excluding musculoskeletal system). Antimalarial drugs were not protective. Rashes and oral ulcers were not associated with AVN. Mean daily dose of CS and duration of CS use had no impact on AVN occurence. Autoantibodies and other immunological markers did not predispose to AVN, except IgM anticardiolipin antibodies which doubled the risk. African Americans experienced more AVN (OR 1.8, p=0.04). CONCLUSIONS AVN may occur in 1/3 of patients with SLE and 9% with symptoms. Features of active organ SLE (CNS, renal, cutaneous vasculitis, serositis, cytopenias) are associated with AVN as are CS, especially early in disease and at high doses. Those with early CS side-effects seem to have the highest risk of AVN.
Capsular warning syndrome caused by anterior choroidal artery stenosis : report of a case

The “capsular warning syndrome” (CWS) is characterized by recurrent stereotypical episodes of motor and/or sensory deficits without cortical symptoms. CWS is associated with a high risk of capsular stroke. The stroke is most likely due to the hemodynamic changes in the diseased single small penetrating vessels. However, till date, the exact pathophysiological mechanism of CWS has not been fully understood. The available treatment options remain controversial and non-effective. The patients with CWS are refractory to classical therapies, including aspirin. We described an unique case of a 63-year-old woman with CWS having 19 episodes of transient ischemic attacks. DSA demonstrated the anterior choroidal artery stenosis. According to the finding of DSA, possible mechanisms of CWS are discussed. Combination therapy including dual antiplatelets, heparin, hydration and statin also proved to be effective in the treatment of CWS.
Diabetes in China: Epidemiology and Genetic Risk Factors and Their Clinical Utility in Personalized Medication

The incidence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) has rapidly increased over recent decades, and T2D has become a leading public health challenge in China. Compared with European descents, Chinese patients with T2D are diagnosed at a relatively young age and low BMI. A better understanding of the factors contributing to the diabetes epidemic is crucial for determining future prevention and intervention programs. In addition to environmental factors, genetic factors contribute substantially to the development of T2D. To date, more than 100 susceptibility loci for T2D have been identified. Individually, most T2D genetic variants have a small effect size (10–20% increased risk for T2D per risk allele); however, a genetic risk score that combines multiple T2D loci could be used to predict the risk of T2D and to identify individuals who are at a high risk. Furthermore, individualized antidiabetes treatment should be a top priority to prevent complications and mortality. In this article, we review the epidemiological trends and recent progress in the understanding of T2D genetic etiology and further discuss personalized medicine involved in the treatment of T2D.
A Survival Analysis Model for Sewer Pipe Structural Deterioration

Abstract: The structural state of sewer systems is often quantified using condition classes. The classes are based on the severity of structural defects observed on individual pipes within the system. Here, a survival analysis model was developed to predict the overall structural state of a sewer network based on camera inspection data from a sample of pipes in the system. The convolution product was used to define the survival functions for cumulative staying times in each condition class. An original calibration procedure for the sewer deterioration model was developed to overcome the censored nature of data (left censored and right censored) available for the calibration of sewer deterioration models. The exponential and Weibull functions were used to represent the distribution of waiting times in each deterioration state. Cross‐validation tests showed that the Weibull function led to greater uncertainty than the exponential function for the simulated proportion of pipes that are in a deteriorated state. Using various sample sizes for model calibration, these cross‐validation tests also showed that the model's results are robust to smaller calibration sample sizes. This confirms the model's potential for predicting the overall state of deterioration of a sewer network when only a small proportion of the pipes have been inspected.
Intrauterine application of progestins in hormone replacement therapy: a review

The intrauterine application of progestins as endometrial protection against hyperstimulation by estrogen replacement therapy has been investigated in clinical trials since the early 1990s and one product has become available for this indication. This review considers the available published and presented reports on intrauterine use of progestin to date. Reports of 19 studies were reviewed. These studies included both peri- and postmenopausal women (826 in total), treated with different types of estrogens administered via various routes. Progesterone was used in two small studies, while all other studies used different doses of levonorgestrel for periods ranging from 6 months to more than 5 years. Endometrial effects, bleeding profiles, systemic effects (symptoms and metabolic), as well as clinical experience, were considered and were comparable to other forms of continuous combined hormone replacement therapy (HRT). It is concluded that the current evidence supports complete endometrial protection and a good safety profile. The observed bleeding profiles appear favorable but have not yet been directly compared with other forms of continuous combined HRT. A favorable effect on serum lipids has been observed and also awaits direct comparative confirmation. Progestin-attributable side-effects, effects on bone and breast tissues and other systemic effects have not yet been studied. Acceptance by patients has been good, while insertion did not present undue problems for the investigating physicians. Retention of the studied intrauterine systems has been very good. Intrauterine use of progestins, especially levonorgestrel, by purpose-designed systems as part of combined HRT, is a new way of administration and carries good benefits, while some aspects require more clinical evidence.