Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect on mortality and virological response of delaying antiretroviral therapy initiation in children receiving tuberculosis treatment

Objective:To estimate the effect of delaying antiretroviral treatment (ART) for 15, 30, or 60 days after tuberculosis (TB) treatment initiation on mortality and virological suppression. Design:Cohort of 573 ART-naive HIV-infected children initiated on TB treatment at an outpatient clinic in South Africa between April 2004 and March 2008. Methods:Hazard ratios for mortality and viral suppression were estimated using marginal structural models and multivariate Cox models, respectively. Results:During follow-up (median 9.64 months), 37 HIV-infected children died after a median of 62 days of TB treatment. ART was initiated in 461 children at a median of 17 days after TB treatment initiation, 415 (90%) achieved viral suppression. The hazard ratios of death for initiating ART more than 15, more than 30, or more than 60 days of TB treatment compared with initiating within 15, 30 and 60 days, respectively, were 0.82 (95% CI: 0.48, 1.41), 0.86 (95% CI: 0.46, 1.60), and 1.32 (95% CI: 0.55, 3.16). Hazard ratios for analysis restricted to severely immunosuppressed children were: 0.92 (95% CI: 0.51, 1.63), 1.08 (95% CI: 0.56, 2.08), and 2.23 (95% CI: 0.85, 5.80), respectively. Hazard ratios for viral suppression were 0.98 (95% CI: 0.76, 1.26), 0.95, (95% CI: 0.73, 1.23), 0.84 (95% CI: 0.61, 1.15), respectively and did not change with restriction to children severely immunosuppressed. Conclusion:In this observational study, we found that delaying ART for 2 months or more in children diagnosed with TB may be associated with poorer virological response and increased mortality, particularly in children with severe immunosuppression. These findings should be confirmed in a randomized controlled trial.
Muscle fine structure may maintain the function of oxidative fibres in haemoglobinless Antarctic fishes

SUMMARY Muscle fine structure and metabolism were examined in four species of Antarctic fishes that vary in their expression of haemoglobin (Hb). To determine how locomotory pectoral muscles maintain function, metabolic capacity, capillary supply and fibre ultrastructure were examined in two nototheniid species that express Hb (Notothenia coriiceps and Gobionotothen gibberifrons) and two species of channichthyid icefish that lack Hb (Chaenocephalus aceratus and Chionodraco rastrospinosus). Surprisingly, icefish have higher densities of mitochondria than red-blooded species (C. aceratus, 53±3% of cell volume; C. rastrospinosus, 39±3%; N. coriiceps, 29±3%; G. gibberifrons, 25±1%). Despite higher mitochondrial densities the aerobic metabolic capacities per g wet mass, estimated from measurements of maximal activities of key metabolic enzymes, are lower in icefish compared to red-blooded species. This apparent incongruity can be explained by the significantly lower mitochondrial cristae surface area per unit mitochondrion volume in icefishes (C. aceratus, 20.8±1.6 μm-1; C. rastrospinosus, 25.5±1.8 μm-1) compared to red-blooded species (N. coriiceps, 33.6±3.0 μm-1; G. gibberifrons, 37.7±3.6 μm-1). Consequently, the cristae surface area per unit muscle mass is conserved at approximately 9 m2g-1. Although high mitochondrial densities in icefish muscle do not enhance aerobic metabolic capacity, they may facilitate intracellular oxygen movement because oxygen is more soluble in lipid, including the hydrocarbon core of intracellular membrane systems, than in aqueous cytoplasm. This may be particularly vital in icefish, which have larger oxidative muscle fibres compared to red-blooded nototheniods (C. aceratus, 2932±428 μm2; C. rastrospinosus, 9352±318 μm2; N. coriiceps, 1843±312μ m2; G. gibberifrons, 2103±194μ m2). These large fibres contribute to a relatively low capillary density, which is partially compensated for in icefish by a high index of tortuosity in the capillary bed (C. aceratus=1.4, N. coriiceps=1.1).
Measuring Economic Preparation for Retirement: Income versus Consumption

The income replacement rate (income immediately following retirement divided by income immediately preceding retirement) has become widely used as a measure of economic preparation for retirement. Yet a number of relevant issues are not adequately captured by the replacement rate concept. These include nontraditional transitions from full employment to full retirement, nonparallel transitions by the members of a married couple, and the ability to finance consumption out of savings. In this paper we estimate several measures of the income replacement rate that address some of these issues. Then we compare these income replacement rates with a consumption-based measure of economic preparation that takes into account the ultimate consequences for the retirement-to-death consumption path. Broadly speaking, the measure finds whether a household has, with high probability, the resources to finance a trajectory of spending from shortly following retirement until death. Our preferred measure of the income replacement rate somewhat understates the percentage of single persons adequately prepared for retirement, but it grossly understates the percentage of married persons adequately prepared. Furthermore, there is little relationship between the income replacement rate and our consumption-based measure. The implication is that the income replacement rate is of little use for assessing economic preparation for retirement: the chances that someone with a low income replacement rate is well prepared are not much different from the chances that someone with a high income replacement rate is well prepared.
Sleeping sites, sleeping places, and presleep behavior of gibbons (Hylobates lar)

The sleeping habits of wild white‐handed gibbons (Hylobates lar) were investigated to assess the risk of predation and predation‐avoidance behavior. Sleeping sites were distributed throughout home ranges, including areas where they overlapped with neighbors, and appeared to be selected independently of habitat characteristics. Individuals did not build night nests or otherwise manipulate the vegetation around the sleeping place but slept on open branches. Group members usually slept in separate trees, and, except for females with infants, they never shared a sleeping place. Sleeping trees were entered several hours before dusk and were used for about 14–17 h. The majority of sleeping trees were used only once, and fewer were selected repeatedly by the same or other group members. Usually females with infants went into a sleeping tree first, then juveniles, and last were mostly subadult and adult males. Intragroup competition over access to a sleeping place was observed once. Average time difference between the first and last group member to enter a sleeping tree was 13 min. The sequence of departure from sleeping trees was more variable. Gibbon sleeping habits seem to primarily reflect adaptations to minimize predation risk. The predation‐risk hypothesis was indirectly supported by observations of mobbing pythons, alarm calls given in response to birdes of prey flying low over the canopy, and more importantly by 1) the predominant use of large sleeping trees, which were among the tallest trees available, particularly by adult females with small infants and juveniles, 2) an unpredictable long‐term pattern of reuse of sleeping places, and 3) inconspicuous presleep behavior. Am. J. Primatol. 46:35–62, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
How common are drug and gene interactions? Prevalence in a sample of 1143 patients with CYP2C9, CYP2C19 and CYP2D6 genotyping.

AIM Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) are a widely recognized major cause of adverse drug reactions, but two other newly described important types of interactions also exist: drug-gene interactions (DGIs) and drug-drug-gene interactions (DDGIs). A drug-gene interaction occurs when a patient's genetic CYP450 type (e.g., CYP2D6 poor metabolizer) affects that patient's ability to clear a drug. A drug-drug-gene interaction occurs when the patient's CYP450 genotype and another drug in the patient's regimen (e.g., a CYP2D6 inhibitor) affect that individual's ability to clear a drug. Their prevalence has not been previously described. This pilot study investigates the frequency of DDIs, DGIs and DDGIs in a sample of CYP450 tested individuals. MATERIALS & METHODS The investigators conducted a retrospective analysis of 1143 individuals with known CYP2D6, CYP2C19 and CYP2C9 genotypes. Using the individuals' medication lists and YouScript(®), a software tool to analyze cumulative DDIs and DGIs, the prevalence of DDI, DGI and DDGIs was analyzed. RESULTS A total of 1053 potential major or substantial interactions were identified in 501 individuals. DDIs accounted for 66.1% of the total interactions. The remaining 33.9% of interactions were DGIs (14.7%) and DDGIs (19.2%). When compared with DDIs alone, DGIs and DDGIs increased the total number of potentially clinically significant interactions by 51.3%. CONCLUSION In the future, identifying DGIs and DDGIs may lead to a more comprehensive method of identifying individuals who are at risk for adverse drug reactions.
Reduced lung dose and improved inspiration level reproducibility in visually guided DIBH compared to audio coached EIG radiotherapy for breast cancer patients

Abstract Introduction. Patients with left-sided breast cancer with lymph node involvement have routinely been treated with enhanced inspiration gating (EIG) for a decade at our institution. In a transition from EIG to deep inspiration breath hold (DIBH) we compared the two techniques with focus on target coverage, dose to organs at risk and reproducibility of the inspiration level (IL). Material and methods. Twenty-four patients were computed tomography (CT) scanned with EIG and DIBH. For DIBH we used visual feedback and for EIG audio coaching, both during scan and treatment. Treatment plans for 50 Gy over 25 fractions were calculated. Seventeen of the patients were included in the analysis of reproducibility. They were audio coached for one minute before beam-on in DIBH at nine treatment sessions. These respiration curves were analysed with average maximum IL and standard deviation (SD) for the EIG part of the respiratory signal, and mean IL and SD for the DIBH. Comparison of dosimetric and respiration parameters were performed with the Wilcoxon signed rank-sum test. Results. In DIBH, the ipsilateral lung volume increased further compared to EIG (p < 0.0004, mean increase 11%). This lead to a 9% mean reduction (p = 0.002) of the ipsilateral lung volume receiving 20 Gy (V20 Gy). We found no other significant dosimetric differences between the two methods. The reproducibility of the IL was better with the DIBH method, observed as a significantly smaller SD in most patients (p < 0.04 for 16 of 17 patients). Conclusion. The DIBH method resulted in a significantly larger lung volume and lower ipsilateral lung V20 Gy compared to EIG. The IL for visually guided DIBH was more reproducible than audio-coached EIG. Based on these findings, the DIBH technique is our new breathing adaptation standard for radiotherapy of patients with left-sided breast cancer with lymph node involvement.
Treatment of complete staghorn stones: a prospective randomized comparison of open surgery versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy.

PURPOSE We studied the role of open surgery versus percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) in the treatment of complete staghorn stones in a prospective randomized manner. MATERIALS AND METHODS A total of 79 patients with 88 complete staghorn stones, defined as filling the entire collecting system or at least 80% of it, were prospectively randomized for PCNL (43) or open surgery (45). Intraoperative and postoperative morbidity, operative time, hospital stay, and stone clearance at discharge home and followup were compared for both methods. Patients with significant residuals in both groups were subjected to extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (Dornier Medical Systems, Inc., Marietta, Georgia) on an outpatient basis. Followup was completed for all cases with a mean duration +/- SD of 4.9 +/- 2.5 months (range 3 to 14). Renal function was evaluated by Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine renogram before and after treatment in both groups. RESULTS Intraoperative complications in terms of bleeding requiring blood transfusion, and pleural, vascular or ureteral injuries were recorded in 7 patients (16.3%) in the PCNL and 17 (37.8%) in the open surgery groups, a difference of significant value (p <0.05). Major postoperative complications including massive hematuria requiring blood transfusion, septicemia, urinary leakage and wound infection were observed in 8 patients (18.6%) in the PCNL group and in 14 (31.1%) in the open surgery group, a difference of no significant value. PCNL was associated with shorter operative time (127 +/- 30 vs 204 +/- 31 minutes, p <0.001), shorter hospital stay (6.4 +/- 4.2 vs 10 +/- 4.2 days, p <0.001) and earlier return to work (2.5 +/- 0.8 vs 4.1 +/- 1 weeks, p <0.001). On the other hand both treatment groups were comparable in regard to stone-free rates at discharge home (49% vs 66%) and at followup (74% vs 82%). At followup renal function improved or remained stable in 91% and 86.7% in the PCNL and open surgery groups, respectively. CONCLUSIONS PCNL is a valuable treatment option for complete staghorn stones with a stone-free rate approaching that of open surgery. Moreover, it has the advantages of lower morbidity, shorter operative time, shorter hospital stay and earlier return to work.
Suppression of Clutter Residue in Weather Radar Reveals Birds' Corridors Over Urban Area

An adaptive spectral technique for ground clutter and noise suppression in weather radar echoes is presented. This technique detects weak echoes that are masked by the residuals from ground clutter. The technique is demonstrated on two clear air cases observed with Doppler weather radar. After adaptive suppression of ground clutter and its residue, features appear over the Oklahoma City urban area where otherwise none could be seen. These are interpreted as birds' corridors between two lakes and along a river.
Effects of hostility and lifestyle on coronary heart disease among middle-aged urban Japanese.

OBJECTIVE To explore the association between multi-dimensional aspects of hostility and coronary heart disease among middle-aged urban Japanese. SUBJECTS AND METHODS We conducted a case-control study. Cases were consecutive patients with acute coronary syndrome admitted to a hospital in Japan. Fifty-three patients (45 men and 8 women) aged 35 to 65 were enrolled. For each case, two sex and age (+/-2 years) matched controls were recruited from among participants in a health check-up program at a health promotion center located in the same area as the hospital. Two questionnaires, both with four components, were used to measure hostility and coping with anger: the one was for anger, hostility, physical aggression and verbal aggression, and the other for aggression, social inhibition, guilt, and controlled affect. RESULTS The scores of all components from two questionnaires were higher for cases than controls, but the differences were not significant. Multivariate analysis showed that anger, fat intake, alcohol consumption and house size were significantly associated with the etiology of acute coronary syndrome. CONCLUSION Anger, lifestyle, and socioeconomic status play important roles for the etiology of coronary heart disease in middle-aged urban Japanese.
The Risks in Relying on Stakeholder Engagement for the Achievement of Sustainability

This paper examines the vaunted potential of stakeholder engagement for achieving sustainability, in theory and in practice. It identifies considerable risks inherent in relying on stakeholder engagement for the achievement of sustainability including misguided assumptions around stakeholder priorities in respect of sustainability, and around business interests in always acting to resolve stakeholder concerns. Stakeholder engagement is argued to be a mechanism that in a normative sense may be able to assist business in rethinking its interests in favor of sustainability, but if oversold or implemented instrumentally merely to legitimate 'business as usual', it is shown to represent an ill-fated panacea.
Type 3a and type 3b OFF cone bipolar cells provide for the alternative rod pathway in the mouse retina

The mammalian retina provides several pathways to relay the information from the photoreceptors to the ganglion cells. Cones feed into ON and OFF cone bipolar cells that excite ON and OFF ganglion cells, respectively. In the “classical” rod pathway, rods feed into rod bipolar cells that provide input to both the ON and the OFF pathway via AII amacrine cells. Recent evidence suggests an alternative rod pathway in which rods directly contact some types of OFF cone bipolar cells. The mouse has become an important model system for retinal research. We performed an immunohistochemical analysis on the level of light and electron microscopy to identify the bipolar cells and ganglion cells that are involved in the alternative rod pathway of the mouse retina. 1) We identify a new bipolar cell type, showing that type 3 OFF cone bipolar cells comprise two distinct cell types, that we termed 3a and 3b. Type 3a cells express the ion channel HCN4. Type 3b bipolar cells represent a hitherto unknown cell type that can be identified with antibodies against the regulatory subunit RIIβ of protein kinase A. 2) We show that both 3a and 3b cells form flat contacts at cone pedicles and rod spherules. 3) Finally, we identify an OFF ganglion cell type whose dendrites costratify with type 3a and 3b bipolar cell axon terminals. These newly identified cell types represent the basis of a neuronal circuit in the mammalian retina that could provide for an alternative fast rod pathway. J. Comp. Neurol. 502:1123–1137, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Early relapse of JAK2 V617F‐positive chronic neutrophilic leukemia with central nervous system infiltration after unrelated bone marrow transplantation

Chronic neutrophilic leukemia (CNL) is a rare myeloproliferative disorder characterized by a proliferation mainly of mature neutrophils. The prognosis is generally poor and an optimal therapeutic strategy remains to be determined. Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is expected to be the only curative therapy so far. We report a 46‐year‐old male with progressive CNL who underwent bone marrow transplantation from an HLA‐matched unrelated donor. After engraftment was achieved on day 35, relapse of CNL was confirmed on day 50. The progression of CNL was very rapid afterward and infiltration to the central nervous system was observed. The Janus Kinase 2 (JAK2) V617F homozygous mutation was detected from the peripheral blood or bone marrow samples throughout the clinical course. From comparison with reports of successful HSCT for CNL in the literature, it was inferred that HSCT should be performed in a stable status before progression. Furthermore, JAK2 V617F‐positive CNL may contain an aggressive disease entity in contrast to previous reports. Accumulation of experiences is required to establish a definite role of HSCT in the treatment of CNL and a prognostic significance of JAK2 mutation in CNL. Am. J. Hematol. , 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Biodiversity: higher taxon richness

can be found at: Progress in Physical Geography Additional services and information for http://ppg.sagepub. com/cgi/alerts Email Alerts: http://ppg.sagepub. com/subscriptions Subscriptions: http://www.sagepub. com/journalsReprints.nav Reprints: http://www.sagepub. com/journalsPermissions.nav Permissions: http://ppg.sagepub. com/cgi/content/refs/24/1/117 SAGE Journals Online and HighWire Press platforms): (this article cites 11 articles hosted on the Citations
Comparative Study of Kyphoplasty for Chronic Painful Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures via Unipedicular Versus Bipedicular Approach

Study Design: A comparative study of chronic painful osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs), which underwent kyphoplasty via unipedicular versus bipedicular approach. Objective: To assess the clinical and radiographical outcomes in treating chronic painful OVCFs compared by unipedicular and bipedicular kyphoplasty (KP). Summary of Background Data: OVCFs commonly occur in aged people and as many as one-third of them progress to chronic pain. Our previous research has proved that unipedicular and bipedicular KP can achieve comparable radiographical and clinical results in early stage. To give a medium-term and long-term assessment, we completed the comparison of outcomes 6 months and 2 years after surgery. Methods: Fifty patients with a total of 56 chronic painful OVCFs completed the follow-ups of 2 weeks, 6 months, and 2 years after surgery. Group I (n=27) were treated with unipedicular KP and group II (n=23) with bipedicular KP. Preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores were compared within each group and between groups. The radiographic outcomes were evaluated by the restoration rate and vertebral height lost rate in the most compressed point of the vertebral bodies. Results: Significant improvement on the visual analog scale and Oswestry disability index scores were noted in each group (P<0.001), and there was no significant difference between the 2 groups. Although the restoration rate in group II was higher than in group I (P=0.005) in early stage, the height lost ratio showed no significant differences 6 months or 2 years later (P=0.746, 0.627). Conclusions: Chronic painful OVCFs should be candidates for KP, and there was no difference in pain relief when treated with either unipedicular or bipedicular KP. Although the bipedicular KP is more efficacious in vertebral height restoration in early stage, the unipedicular KP can maintain the same degree of the restored vertebral height in the long run.
A Comparison of the Efficacy of Liquidity, Momentum, Size and Book‐to‐Market Value Factors in Equity Pricing on a Heterogeneous Sample: Evidence from Asia

This paper compares the size and book-to-market value factors of Fama and French (1993) alongside Momentum of Jagadeesh and Titman (1993) with two Liu (2006) liquidity factors formed from 1 year rebalancing and 1 month rebalancing respectively. A heterogeneous and comprehensive sample of the top blue chip stocks of all national Asian equity markets with further differentiation undertaken between sub samples formed for Japan only and Asia excluding Japan for period January 2000 to August 2014. Our empirical results suggest that multifactor time invariant pricing models based on augmented capital asset pricing model (CAPM) framework are ineffective in explaining the cross section of stock returns in the presence of significant inter and intra-market segmentation. However an alternative model specification based on a time varying parameter specification and using same sets of factors yields significant enhancements in explaining cross section of stock returns across universe. We find that momentum factor largely lacks significance while a time varying two factor model, based on CAPM plus liquidity factor, is optimal. The liquidity factor being that of Liu (2006) and annually rebalanced. Our findings are important for investment managers seeking appropriate factors and modelling techniques to hedge against risks as well as firm's financial managers seeking to reduce costs of equity capital.