Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Establishment of Baseline Susceptibility Data to Various Insecticides for Homalodisca coagulata (Homoptera: Cicadellidae) by Comparative Bioassay Techniques

Abstract Homalodisca coagulata Say , adults from three locations in California were subjected to insecticide bioassays to establish baseline toxicity. Initially, two bioassay techniques, petri dish and leaf dip, were compared to determine the most useful method to establish baseline susceptibility data under laboratory and greenhouse conditions. Comparative dose-response data were determined by both techniques to endosulfan, dimethoate, cyfluthrin, and acetamiprid. Toxic values were similar to some insecticides with both techniques but not for all insecticides, revealing susceptibility differences among the three populations of H. coagulata. In subsequent tests, the petri dish technique was selected to establish baseline susceptibility data to various contact insecticides. A systemic uptake bioassay was adapted to estimate dose-mortality responses to a systemic insecticide, imidacloprid. A 2-yr comparison of toxicological responses showed all three populations of H. coagulata to be highly susceptible to 10 insecticides, including chlorpyrifos, dimethoate, endosulfan, bifenthrin, cyfluthrin, esfenvalerate, fenpropathrin, acetamiprid, imidacloprid, and thiamethoxam. In general, two pyrethroids, bifenthrin and esfenvalerate, were the most toxic compounds, followed by two neonicotinoids, acetamiprid and imidacloprid. The LC50 values for all insecticides tested were lower than concentrations used as recommended field rates. Baseline data varied for the three geographically distinct H. coagulata populations with the petri dish technique. Adult H. coagulata collected from San Bernardino County were significantly more susceptible to select pyrethroids compared with adults from Riverside or Kern counties. Adults from San Bernardino County also were more sensitive to two neonicotinoids, acetamiprid and imidacloprid. The highest LC50 values were to endosulfan, which nonetheless proved highly toxic to H. coagulata from all three regions. In the majority of the tests, mortality increased over time resulting in increased susceptibility at 48 h compared with 24 h. These results indicate a wide selection of highly effective insecticides that could aid in managing H. coagulata populations in California.
The Impact of Nursing Care and Other Healthcare Attributes on Hospitalized Patient Satisfaction and Behavioral Intentions

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Healthcare organizations in the United States are struggling to find ways to survive in their uncertain and competitive environments. One of the survival strategies used by those organizations is to increase patient satisfaction. This article presents research on factors that influence hospitalized patients' satisfaction and their intention to return to and recommend the hospital. The first objective of this study was to find out, using a comprehensive set of healthcare attributes, which attributes play a more important role in increasing patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions. The second objective was to analyze the relative importance of those attributes and the nature of the relationships across the values of the attributes. More specifically, this study attempted to identify any existing curvilinear relationships among these variables. If any curvilinear relationships exist, do they show an increasing or a decreasing marginal‐utility function? Included in this article is an example, featuring a hospital‐discharged patient, that explains the importance and uniqueness of this curvilinear relationship. This study found that among six attributes, nursing care showed the largest parameter estimate for the patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions models. Thus, simply improving the nursing care attribute seems to be the most effective manner to enhancing patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions. However, nursing care also showed a diminishing marginal‐utility function for both models. To assess the effect of this diminishing marginal‐utility function, the impact of nursing care was computed for each unit of improvement together with other attributes. The finding from this study provides information needed to increase patient satisfaction and behavioral intentions and should result in more effective and efficient healthcare management.
Prevalence of common and dysplastic naevi in a Swedish population

The naevus profile was examined in a Swedish population that was randomly selected from a census file. The participation rate was considered high at 82%. The number of common naevi (CN) and the prevalence of dysplastic naevi (DN) were investigated in 379 subjects (aged 30–50 years). The mean total body count of CN2 mm was 67 (range 1–300). As many as 22% of the population had 100 naevi or more and only 18% had less than 25. The counts were not influenced by age or sex. DN were diagnosed clinically in 18% (CI 14–22%) of the subjects and histologically in 8% (CI 5–11%). Subjects with dysplastic naevi had a significantly larger number of common naevi and a more sun‐sensitive skin type than subjects without DN, P<0.001.
Imatinib failed to eradicate chronic myeloid leukemia in a patient with minimal residual disease.

Imatinib induces complete cytogenetic remissions (CCR) in over 75% of patients with chronic myeloid leukemia (CML) treated at diagnosis, while in early chronic phase. However, fewer than 10% of such patients achieve a molecular remission, defined as negative quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR) confirmed by nested PCR. The significance of molecular responses is unknown at present, since most patients continue treatment. We report here on an exceptional case in which imatinib treatment was started in a patient who had already achieved CCR with interferon-a (IFN-α) in whom molecular remission was obtained very early after starting imatinib, and persisted unaltered for 16 months, but which was rapidly lost after forced drug discontinuation. A 41-year old male patient was diagnosed with CML in 1999. The patient started treatment with at IFN-α 3MU/ day and obtained a CCR by April 2000. He started imatinib at 400 mg/ day in June 2000 because of imatinib intolerance (hepatic toxicity). At that time his only sign of disease was a positivity for Bcr-Abl transcripts by nested PCR. By month 3 he became PCR negative (sensitivity 10), and tested negative at months 6, 9, 12, 15, and 16 (December 2001). The patient lived in the far East, and because of employment problems (he feared for his position because of too many sick leaves) he skipped a follow-up appointment in October 2001. In the following months, because of the international situation after september 11th, his home country did not allow the shipment of imatinib to him. For this reason, the patient had to stop imatinib for 4 months (from December 2001 to April 2002). In April 2002 he was finally able to return to Italy; at that time PCR analysis was positive and cytogenetics showed 3/20 Ph+ metaphases. Imatinib was resumed at the same dosage: CCR and molecular remission were again achieved after 3 and 6 months respectively, and are continuing (month 67). Cortes recently published similar data in three CML patients. Our case does, however differ significantly from those of Cortes. Who had more advanced disease (one in late chronic phase resistant to IFN-α, one in accelerated phase), and started imatinib with Ph+ cells being the dominant population in their marrow. In contrast, our patient was in early phase disease, was responding to IFN-α, started imatinib treatment with less than 1/1000 Ph+ cells, and remained continuously negative by PCR for 16 months. In spite of this, a cytogenetic relapse was detected 4 months after treatment discontinuation. This case must however, also be considered in the frame of the evolving data emerging from the long-term follow-up of the initial cohorts of patients showed more recently than our case and the report by Cortes, disease relapse no longer seems to be a universal and constant consequence of imatinib discontinuation, especially when there have been at least 2 years of continuous PCR negativity prior to drug discontinuation. Further studies and techniques will be needed to define the patients in whom treatment discontinuation can be safely attempted.
A modelação do jogo em Futsal: Análise sequencial do 1x1 no processo ofensivo

RESUMO As interrogacoes classicas dos jogos desportivos colectivos, o que, quando, como e porque fazer, adquirem na situacao de 1x1 em Futsal uma importância crucial, em virtude das caracteristicas especificas desta modalidade. No presente artigo procura-se: (i) identificar as accoes tactico-tecnicas que sao induzidas (activadas) pelo 1x1, e as que sao indutoras (activadoras) da referida situacao; (ii) descrever as caracteristicas das situacoes de 1x1 que mais frequentemente induzem o desequilibrio defensivo do adversario; (iii) fornecer, a partir dos resultados obtidos, algumas orientacoes praticas para o treino do 1x1. A amostra do estudo foi constituida por cinco jogos do campeonato nacional da primeira divisao, tendo-se registado 853 sequencias e 8559 ocorrencias. Em termos metodologicos foi utilizada a metodologia observacional, mais concretamente, a analise sequencial e a tecnica de coordenadas polares. Recorreu-se ao software SDISGSEQ para o registo e tratamento dos dados. A partir dos resultados obtidos conclui-se que: prospectivamente, o 1x1 parece fomentar o desequilibrio defensivo do adversario, uma vez que e activador de situacoes de falta e de remate; retrospectivamente, o 1x1 parece ser activado por condutas de conducao de bola, combinacao tactica com progressao e recuperacao de bola; a medida que o 1x1 e realizado numa zona mais ofensiva do campo, parece aumentar a probabilidade de este originar um desequilibrio na estrutura defensiva adversaria; o drible de progressao e o drible para remate sao os tipos de 1x1 que mais provocam o desequilibrio defensivo do adversario; ao nivel do contexto de cooperacao, o 1x1 com varios apoios e aquele que apresenta maior probabilidade de conduzir a uma situacao de remate.
Characteristics comparison of standard logic and HVCMOS processed SGLC embedded NVM

The novel select gate lateral coupling (SGLC) cell has a single poly structure and operates using a lateral coupling between the floating gate (FG) and the select gate (SG) without additional processes on a base platform. In this paper, we have fabricated a pure logic CMOS processed SGLC cell for the first time and compared it with an HVCMOS processed SGLC cell. Because of the thinner gate oxide, the pure logic process fabricated SGLC cell has a lower coupling value than that of the HVCMOS process fabricated cell. However, the logic CMOS process fabricated cell shows a higher current performance than the HVCMOS process fabricated cell having a thicker gate oxide. Thanks to the inverse relationship between the coupling ratio and cell current, and the additional back bias effect, the logic CMOS processed cell gives comparable performance in terms of the programming speed, program-erase threshold voltage (VT) window and cell current. Both types of cells show more than 10 years of data retention lifetime at 85°C.
Involvement of cytochrome P450 3A4 enzyme in the N-demethylation of methadone in human liver microsomes.

Methadone has become one of the most widely used drugs for opiate dependency treatment. This drug is extensively metabolized by the cytochrome P450 hepatic enzyme family in man, yielding an N-demethylated metabolite that cyclizes spontaneously into 2-ethylidene-1,5-dimethyl-3,3-diphenylpyrrolidine. The specific forms of cytochrome P450 involved in this oxidative N-demethylation were examined in a panel of 20 human liver microsomal preparations previously characterized with respect to their P450 enzyme contents. Methadone was demethylated with an apparent Km of 545 +/- 258 microM (n = 3). The metabolic rates were 745 +/- 574 pmol/(min.mg of protein). This metabolic pathway was strongly correlated with estradiol 2-hydroxylation, testosterone 6 beta-hydroxylation, nifedipine oxidation, erythromycin N-demethylation, and toremifene N-demethylation, all of these monooxygenase activities being supported by P450 3A4. Furthermore, the total P450 3A content of liver microsomal samples, determined by immuno-quantification using a monoclonal anti-human P450 3A4 antibody, was correlated with methadone demethylation (r = 0.72; p < 0.003). Methadone metabolism was 60-72% inhibited either by three mechanism-based inhibitors of P450 3A4 (gestodene, TAO, and erythralosamine) or by four reversible inhibitors of P450 3A (ketoconazole, dihydroergotamine, quercetin, and diazepam with an apparent Ki of 50 microM) and by two nonspecific inhibitors (metyrapone and SKF-525A). Conversely, quinidine (inhibitor of P450 2D6), 7,8-benzoflavone (inhibitor of P450 1A), or sulfaphenazole (inhibitor of P450 2C) did not significantly inhibit, and may even have activated, methadone metabolism. Four heterologously expressed P450 proteins were able to catalyze the N-demethylation of methadone, namely, P450 2C8, P450 2C18, P450 2D6, and P450 3A4. However, referring to their relative liver content, it can be asserted that P450 3A4 is the major enzyme involved in the N-demethylation of methadone on average. Accordingly, caution should be advised in the clinical use of methadone when other drugs are also administered that induce or inhibit P450 3A4, such as rifampicin or diazepam, respectively.
Pattern and Risk Factors for Retinal Vein Occlusion in Onitsha, Nigeria

Objectives: To determine the pattern and risk factors for retinal vein occlusion at the Guinness Eye Center, Onitsha, Nigeria. Materials and Methods: Case files of all patients with retinal vein occlusion between May 1997 and April 2004 were reviewed. Information on age, sex, visual acuity, ocular complications and associated risk factors were abstracted into a standard proforma and analysed. Results: 45 patients (48 eyes) were seen with a mean age of 58 years; range - 41-77 years. There were 16 (35.6%) male patients and 29(64.4%) female patients. Thirty-eight (84.4%) patients (40 eyes) had central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), 7 (15.6%) patients (8 eyes) had branch vein occlusion (BRVO), and 29 (60.4%) eyes (all CRVO) had ischaemic vein occlusion. Twenty-eight (58.3%) eyes were blind, while 18 (37.5%) had visual impairment. Twenty-five (55.6%) patients had hypertension, 10 (22.2%) were diabetic and 10 (22.2%) had glaucoma. Conclusions: Retinal vein occlusion is an important retinal vascular disease that causes visual loss. The incidence of the disease could be reduced if the associated risk factors were detected and treated early. A prospective study was carried out to clearly identify the modifiable risk factors for the disease in our environment. Keywords : retinal vein occlusion, incidence, pattern, risk factors, Nigeria Nigerian Journal of Ophthalmology Vol. 16 (1) 2008: pp. 30-32
Improved physiological properties of gravity‐enforced reassembled rat and human pancreatic pseudo‐islets

Previously we demonstrated the superiority of small islets vs large islets in terms of function and survival after transplantation, and we generated reaggregated rat islets (pseudo‐islets) of standardized small dimensions by the hanging‐drop culture method (HDCM). The aim of this study was to generate human pseudo‐islets by HDCM and to evaluate and compare the physiological properties of rat and human pseudo‐islets. Isolated rat and human islets were dissociated into single cells and incubated for 6–14 days by HDCM. Newly formed pseudo‐islets were analysed for dimensions, morphology, glucose‐stimulated insulin secretion (GSIS) and total insulin content. The morphology of reaggregated human islets was similar to that of native islets, while rat pseudo‐islets had a reduced content of α and δ cells. GSIS of small rat and human pseudo‐islets (250 cells) was increased up to 4.0‐fold (p < 0.01) and 2.5‐fold (p < 0.001), respectively, when compared to their native counterparts. Human pseudo‐islets showed a more pronounced first‐phase insulin secretion as compared to intact islets. GSIS was inversely correlated to islet size, and small islets (250 cells) contained up to six‐fold more insulin/cell than large islets (1500 cells). Tissue loss with this new technology could be reduced to 49.2 ± 1.5% in rat islets, as compared to the starting amount. With HDCM, pseudo‐islets of standardized size with similar cellular composition and improved biological function can be generated, which compensates for tissue loss during production. Transplantation of small pseudo‐islets may represent an attractive strategy to improve graft survival and function, due to better oxygen and nutrient supply during the phase of revascularization. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Intensive induction chemotherapy and radiation for organ preservation in patients with advanced resectable head and neck carcinoma.

PURPOSE We designed a protocol to evaluate the possibility of organ preservation in patients with advanced, resectable carcinoma of the head and neck. The regimen consisted of intensive chemotherapy followed by radiation therapy alone for patients with good response to treatment. The end points of the study were response rate, organ preservation, toxicity, and survival. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-two eligible patients with carcinoma of the oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and paranasal sinuses were enrolled. Induction chemotherapy consisted of three cycles of mitoguazone, fluorouracil (5-FU), and high-dose continuous infusion cisplatin. Patients who had a complete response to chemotherapy, or whose tumor was downstaged to T1N1, were treated with definitive radiation therapy, to a total dose of 66 to 73.8 Gy. Patients with residual disease greater than T1N1 underwent surgery and postoperative radiation. RESULTS The overall response rate to chemotherapy was 84%, with a 43% complete response rate, and a 68% complete response rate at the primary tumor site. Sixty-nine percent of patients (29 of 42) were initially spared surgery to the primary tumor site, and four of these patients (14%) required neck dissection only, after radiation therapy. These tumor sites included oral cavity, oropharynx, hypopharynx, larynx, and sinuses. Eventually, five of these patients (17%) required salvage surgery and eight patients (28%) had unresectable or metastatic relapses. With a median follow-up duration of 38.5 months, 36% of all patients have had preservation of the primary tumor site and remain disease-free. The median survival duration is 26.8 months. Toxicity was substantial, with a 70% incidence of grade 3 to 4 granulocytopenia and two septic deaths. CONCLUSION Organ preservation without apparent compromise of survival was achieved in patients with selected nonlaryngeal sites of head and neck carcinoma. Larger site-specific trials with less toxic regimens conducted in randomized fashion are required to extend these data.
KATILIM BANKALARINDA MÜŞTERİ MEMNUNİYETİNİN BELİRLENMESİ ÜZERİNE HATAY İLİNDE BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Bu calisma katilim bankalarinda musteri memnuniyetini olcmek ve musteri odakli bir hizmet anlayisi guden katilim bankalarina musteri memnuniyeti ve sadakati saglayabilmeleri icin gerekli oneri ve gorusleri sunmayi amaclamaktadir Arastirmanin evreni Hatay illinde faaliyet gosteren katilim bankalarinin musterileri olusturmaktadir Katilim bankasi subeleriyle yapilan gorusmelerde musterilere sube icinde anket uygulamasi yapilmasinin genel mudurluklerce uygun bulunmamasi sebebiyle musterilere sube disinda kendi belirledikleri ortamlarda anket yontemi uygulanmistir Anket sorularinin hazirlanmasinda Parasuraman Zeithaml ve Berry tarafindan gelistirilen ve hizmet kalitesini musterilerin beklentileriyle firmanin sundugu hizmet algilamasi arasindaki farkin buyuklugu olarak tanimlayan ‘’Servqual Yontemi’ kullanilmistir Elde edilen sonuclar ‘’SPSS For Windows Programi’ ile analiz edilerek elde edilen bulgular degerlendirilmistir
Performance analysis of space-time codes with channel information errors

Many space-time codes (STC) have been proposed to enhance the performance of wireless communications in flat fading channels. All of them rely on knowledge of the channel, and hence are affected by channel estimation errors. Most previous research on STC performance evaluation assumed perfect channel information. We investigate STC robustness under imperfect channel knowledge. We first define the concept of "closeness" by comparing the BER under channel estimation errors with that of perfect channel knowledge, aiming to characterize STC performance degradation due to imperfect channel knowledge. Then the robustness of STC can he compared by their "closeness" to perfect results. In our computer simulations, we apply the same channel estimator to different STCs in OFDM communication systems. We find that for systems with two and three transmit antennas, space time block codes (STBC) are always more robust to channel estimation errors than space time trellis codes (STTC). With the increase of receive diversity, all STCs become more robust to channel estimation errors. For STTC, as the number of trellis states increases, the codes become less robust to channel estimation errors. We also compare the BER performance of STC in the presence of channel estimation errors. For a two-transmit-antenna system, the performance of STBC is always better than that of 4-state STTC, but is always worse than 16-state STTC. For systems with three transmit antennas, the BER performance of STTC is much better than that of STBC.
3D-based location positioning using the Dew Computing approach for indoor navigation

In the field of indoor navigation, there is still a lack of a unified system which could be applied to different buildings. As far as existing indoor navigation solutions are concerned, there is a recognised need for developing an application which would allow users to navigate within large buildings, especially when educational institutions are in question. Thus, in our study, we designed, developed and evaluated a web-based application “Virtual FERI” which allows indoor navigation of the G3 building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (FERI) in Maribor, Slovenia. Following the 3D model of the building, it simplifies the process of seeking the specific classroom in the building which could help newcomer students and guest lecturers to navigate within the building. To evaluate the application, we conducted an experiment with 25 students from the University of Maribor who had not been in building G3 before. Usability and user experience of the application were assessed with a User Experience Questionnaire and System Usability Scale. Time was measured as well. The findings revealed that navigating within the buildings can be faster by using the “Virtual FERI” where usability was sufficient and user experience was satisfactory.