Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevention of cytomegalovirus infection following bone marrow transplantation: a randomized trial of blood product screening.

From 1983 to 1987, cytomegalovirus seronegative allogeneic bone marrow recipients were randomized to receive screened cytomegalovirus (CMV) seronegative or unscreened blood products and 125 patients were available for analysis. CMV infection occurred in 18% of patients in the screened versus 38% in the unscreened blood product group. However, only two of 64 patients in the screened group and seven of 61 in the unscreened group developed culture or biopsy-proven CMV infections. Bone marrow donor CMV seropositivity was associated with an increased risk of developing CMV infection (21% with seronegative and 46% with seropositive donor), and CMV infection was not prevented by blood product screening if the bone marrow donor was sero = positive (62% for screened, 42% for unscreened group, p = 0.80). One year survival censored for relapse was 52% in the screened group versus 68% in the unscreened group (p = 0.08). Gram negative bacteremia complicated bone marrow transplantation (BMT) in 35% of patients receiving screened and 15% of those receiving unscreened blood products (p = 0.02). Relapse did not differ in the screened and unscreened groups. By multivariate analysis, high risk disease (p = 0.0002), CMV infection (p = 0.004), screened blood products group (p = 0.011), recipient age greater than 17 (p = 0.027), chronic graft-versus-host disease (p = 0.014) and gram negative bacteremia (p = 0.004) independently had a negative influence on survival. We conclude that blood product screening was effective in preventing CMV infections following BMT if both the recipient and bone marrow donor were CMV seronegative. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Statistical Analysis of Illness–Death Processes and Semicompeting Risks Data

Summary In many instances, a subject can experience both a nonterminal and terminal event where the terminal event (e.g., death) censors the nonterminal event (e.g., relapse) but not vice versa. Typically, the two events are correlated. This situation has been termed semicompeting risks (e.g., Fine, Jiang, and Chappell, 2001 , Biometrika 88, 907–939; Wang, 2003 , Journal of the Royal Statistical Society, Series B 65, 257–273), and analysis has been based on a joint survival function of two event times over the positive quadrant but with observation restricted to the upper wedge. Implicitly, this approach entertains the idea of latent failure times and leads to discussion of a marginal distribution of the nonterminal event that is not grounded in reality. We argue that, similar to models for competing risks, latent failure times should generally be avoided in modeling such data. We note that semicompeting risks have more classically been described as an illness–death model and this formulation avoids any reference to latent times. We consider an illness–death model with shared frailty, which in its most restrictive form is identical to the semicompeting risks model that has been proposed and analyzed, but that allows for many generalizations and the simple incorporation of covariates. Nonparametric maximum likelihood estimation is used for inference and resulting estimates for the correlation parameter are compared with other proposed approaches. Asymptotic properties, simulations studies, and application to a randomized clinical trial in nasopharyngeal cancer evaluate and illustrate the methods. A simple and fast algorithm is developed for its numerical implementation.
Mutations in Ror1 and Ror2 genes cause modification of hydrogen peroxide accumulation in mlo-barley under attack from the powdery mildew fungus.

Abstract Race nonspecific resistance of barley against the barley powdery mildew fungus (Blumeria Graminis f.sp. Hordei, Speer, Bgh) is mediated by recessive mlo alleles and is controlled by at least two additional genes 'required for ml o-specified disease resistance' (Ror1 and Ror2). The pathogenesis-related accumulation of hydrogen peroxide (H(2)O(2)) was comparatively analysed in a susceptible barley line (Hordeum vulgare L. Cv Ingrid, genotype Mlo Ror1, Ror2), a resistant Ingrid backcross line carrying the mutant allele mlo5 (BCIngrid-mlo5, genotype mlo5 Ror1 Ror2), and in the moderately susceptible mutants A44 and A89 (genotypes mlo5 Ror1 ror2 and mlo5 ror1-2 Ror2, respectively). In situ localization of H(2)O(2) was performed by microscopic detection of 3,3-diaminobenzidine (DAB) polymerization. In BCIngrid-mlo5, penetration resistance against Bgh attack was closely correlated to H(2)O(2) accumulation in cytoplasmic aggregates and cell wall appositions beneath the appressorium. In contrast, H(2)O(2) accumulation was almost completely absent in susceptible Ingrid. Lines with mutations in Ror genes showed less H(2)O(2) accumulation beneath appressoria, but more interaction sites with whole cell H(2)O(2) accumulation and hypersensitive cell death response than resistant BCIngrid-mlo5. Thus, mutations in Ror1 or Ror2 genes influence the cellular pattern of H(2)O(2) accumulation in mlo plants attacked by Bgh. The data support the hypothesis that H(2)O(2) accumulation is involved in resistance to fungal penetration.
A Behavior Sequence Analysis of Perceptions of Alcohol-Related Violence Surrounding Drinking Establishments

Alcohol-related violence surrounding the nighttime economy puts increased pressure and workload on security and police forces. Research surrounding alcohol-related violence consistently identifies risk factors, such as the organizational practices and physical characteristics of drinking establishments, as influential in the generation of violent behavior. The current research uses sequence analysis to investigate dynamic patterns of events perceived to lead to a violent incident. The research was collected using questionnaires across university students with customer experience of the modern nighttime economy. The findings show perceptions of maladaptive patterns of events that may lead to violent incidents in different environments (a brightly lit bar and a nightclub). Analysis demonstrated that participants thought those involved in a violent incident would have consumed large amounts of alcohol throughout the night, fueled by predrinking and irresponsible serving practices of staff. Frustration inducing events were also common stages in the sequences leading to a violent outcome. Finally, staff intervention in violent situations was also considered to be an important predictor of violence, with forceful removal of individuals from premises often considered to be the final event preceding a violent incident. The present sequences analysis supports the suggestion that the organizational practices and physical characteristics of a drinking establishment influence the risk of violent activity and helps identify where initiatives aiming to reduce levels of violence could be effectively targeted.
Range and coexistence analysis of long range unlicensed communication

A broad range of emerging applications require very low power, very long range yet low throughput communication. Different standards are being proposed to meet these novel requirements. In this paper, the technical differences between a wideband spread spectrum (LoRa-like) and an ultra narrowband (Sigfox-like) network will be explained and evaluated. On the physical layer, simulation results show that an ultra narrowband network has a larger coverage, while wideband spread spectrum networks are less sensitive to interference. When considering the contention between nodes and interference between different networks, simulations show that adaptation of frequency and modulation is imperative for efficiently dealing with varying contention and interference in long range unlicensed networks. Depending on network load, size and distance, a device in a wideband network can send 6 times more packets to the base station when there is active rate and frequency management and an intra-technology control plane.
Why is rehabilitation not yet fully person-centred and should it be more person-centred?

Aims. It is a generally shared opinion that rehabilitation is not (yet) ‘fully person-centred’ and that it should be more. For a certain number of authors, this deficit in person-centredness has originated from the important weight of a ‘medical framework’ within rehabilitation. In this paper, we will discuss this criticism and its corollary: the idea that rehabilitation is bound to choose between a non-medical and a medical paradigm, since there is a fundamental contradiction between medicine and person-centredness. In the first section of the paper, we will examine the conceptual history of rehabilitation and question whether this history can really be summarized as a ‘shift from a medical approach to a person-centred approach’. In the second section, we will question assumptions and suggestions that have been made to develop person-centredness in rehabilitation. In the third section, we will discuss what might be gained but also what might be lost by reinforcing person-centredness in rehabilitation. Key findings and implications. (i) The history of rehabilitation is complex with several stages and paradigm shifts. Furthermore, these paradigms do not succeed one another but overlap. It would therefore be erroneous to reduce the history of rehabilitation to merely a shift ‘from a medical approach to a person-centred approach’. (ii) Several proposals of how to make rehabilitation more person-centred are found within the literature. However, none of these appears satisfactory with each leading to theoretical and practical difficulties. (iii) Although person-centredness has unquestionably contributed to the overall progress of rehabilitation, it is not certain that more person-centredness is the solution to current challenges to rehabilitation. Conclusion and recommendations. In some ways, the challenge rehabilitation faces is the need to transpose and adapt a notion (person-centredness) that has emerged from fields that are in fact unrelated to disability such as, for example, clinical psychology. The difficulties encountered are therefore not so much related to the particular dominance of a ‘medical model’ in rehabilitation than they are to the complexities of the concept of disability. We argue that one way forward might be to clarify further the respective role of the medical and non-medical aspects of rehabilitation in ways that go beyond what has been already achieved in either the ICIDH or ICF but which is still unsatisfactory or incomplete in many respects.
Evaluation of the intraocular pressure in obese adolescents.

AIM The aim of this study was to evaluate the intraocular pressure (IOP) levels of children with normal and high Body Mass Index (BMI) and to find out the potential correlation between glaucoma and obesity. METHODS Thirty obese and thirty healty children were enrolled in this study. Physical examinations and anthropometric measurements of all patients and controls were performed. Obesity was defined as a BMI exceeding the 95th percentile for the patients according to age and sex. All participants were underwent a complete eye examination. The results of these measurements were considered for statistical analysis. RESULTS Mean age was 13.5±2.1 years in obese group and 13.3±2.0 years in control group. Mean BMIs were 28.1±3.9 kg/m2 and 19.7±1.2 kg/m2 in obese and control groups, respectively. No significant difference was found in mean IOP levels of both right and left eyes between two groups (P=0.837 and P=0.755, respectively). There was no significant difference in cup/disc ratios of each eyes and mean central corneal thickness of both right and left eyes between obese patients and controls. In visual field analysis, no statistically significant difference in mean false negativeness and mean false positiveness were found between two groups. There were not also any significant correlations in both mean deviation of each eyes (P=0.78 and P=0.94, respectively) and pattern standart deviation of right and left eyes (P=0.89 and P=0.90, respectively) between obese cases and controls. CONCLUSION In this study, there were no significant difference in IOP measurements, central corneal thicknesses, cup/disc ratios and visual field parameters between obese and normal children. No significant correlation was found between obesity and glaucoma or elevated IOP in children.
A comparison of the prevalence of Spirocerca lupi in three groups of dogs with different life and hunting styles

The prevalence of Spirocerca lupi in 260 privately owned dogs with different life and hunting styles in Greece was based on the examination of randomly taken faecal samples using Teleman's sedimentation technique. The dogs did not demonstrate any clinical signs of spirocerciasis. Although the prevalence was 10%, it was found to be significantly higher in trace hunting dogs (21%), than in scent hunting dogs (5%) and household pets (0%). There was no relationship between prevalence and age/sex of dogs. The impact of life and hunting styles on the prevalence of S. lupi in the dog and that of the faecal examination technique, are discussed.
The impacts on short-circuit current and protection in distribution network caused by DFIG-based wind generation

Small scale wind power is usually accessed to distribution network as the distributed generation. This interconnected mode can greatly alleviate the negative impact of wind power and even improve the reliability of grid. However, the access of wind power will make the transient and steady characteristics of distribution network changing. This variation would cause the failure of traditional protection and control, and even affect the safe operation of power grid. In particular, because the operating condition of DFIG depends on the characteristics of grid and its control, the short-circuit current in distribution network will become more complex after the access of DFIG-based wind generation. Consequently, this article has studied on this issue. Firstly, based on the Park model of induction, this paper has analyzed the short circuit current characteristics of interconnected DFIG, and presented the analytical expression of short-circuit current contributed by DFIG. Then, this paper has analyzed the distribution of short-circuit current in distribution network. Through the analysis, the influences caused by the access of DFIG for the steady short-circuit current and the existing protections have been presented. Finally, the simulation shows these influences and also verifies the correctness of the study.
Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor‐enriched CD34+ cells are mobilized into peripheral blood during stress related to ischemic stroke or acute myocardial infarction

Abstract: The hematopoietic and non‐hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells harvested directly from the bone marrow (BM) or G‐CSF mobilized peripheral blood were demonstrated to play an important role in regeneration of damaged organs ( 1, 2 ). Here, we asked if the stroke‐ or acute heart infarct‐related stress triggers mobilization of stem/progenitor‐enriched CD34+cells from the BM into the peripheral blood, which subsequently could contribute to regeneration of damaged tissues. To address this question the peripheral blood samples were harvested from patients with ischemic stroke during the first 24 h of manifestation of symptoms and on the second and sixth day afterwards or during the first 24 h of acute cardiac pain as well as on the second and sixth day of infarct. We measured in these patients (i) percentage of circulating hematopoietic stem/progenitor‐enriched CD34+ cells in peripheral blood by employing fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS) and (ii) number of hematopoietic progenitor cells for the granulocyte‐monocytic colony‐forming unit (CFU‐GM) and erythoid burst‐forming unit (BFU‐E) lineages circulating in peripheral blood. We concluded that stress related to ischemic stroke or acute myocardial infarction triggers the mobilization of hematopoietic stem/progenitor‐enriched CD34+ cells from the BM into peripheral blood. These circulating stem/progenitor‐enriched CD34+ cells may contribute to the regeneration of ischemic tissues, however, this possibility requires further studies.
Defining Subpopulations of Arcuate Nucleus GABA Neurons in Male, Female, and Prenatally Androgenized Female Mice

Background/Aims: Arcuate nucleus (ARN) γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neurons are implicated in many critical homeostatic mechanisms, from food intake to fertility. To determine the functional relevance of ARN GABA neurons, it is essential to define the neurotransmitters co-expressed with and potentially co-released from ARN GABA neurons. Methods: The present study investigated the expression of markers of specific signaling molecules by ARN GABA neurons in brain sections from male, female, and, in some cases, prenatally androgen-treated (PNA) female, vesicular GABA transporter (VGaT)-ires-Cre/tdTomato reporter mice. Immunofluorescence for kisspeptin, β-endorphin, neuropeptide Y (NPY), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) was detected by confocal microscopy, and co-localization with tdTomato VGaT reporter expression throughout the ARN was quantified. Results: GABA neurons rarely co-localized with kisspeptin (<2%) or β-endorphin (<1%), and only a small proportion of kisspeptin (∼10%) or β-endorphin (∼3%) neurons co-localized with VGaT in male and female mice. In contrast, one-third of ARN GABA neurons co-localized with NPY, and nearly all NPY neurons (>95%) co-localized with VGaT across groups. Both TH and nNOS labeling was co-localized with ∼10% of ARN GABA neurons. The proportion of TH neurons co-localized with VGaT was significantly greater in males than either control or PNA females, and the proportion of nNOS neurons co-localizing VGaT was higher in control and PNA females compared with males. Conclusion: These data highlight NPY as a significant subpopulation of ARN GABA neurons, demonstrate no significant impact of PNA on signal co-expression, and, for the first time, show sexually dimorphic co-expression patterns of TH and nNOS with ARN GABA neurons.
Initial chemotherapeutic doses and survival in patients with limited small-cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND Moderate increases in the initial doses of certain chemotherapeutic drugs, such as cisplatin and cyclophosphamide, may prolong overall survival in patients with limited small-cell lung cancer. METHODS We conducted a prospective study of 105 patients with limited small-cell lung cancer. The patients were randomly assigned to receive higher or lower initial doses of cisplatin (100 or 80 mg per square meter of body-surface area) and cyclophosphamide (300 or 225 mg per square meter daily for four days); all patients received the same doses of doxorubicin and etoposide. The first course of chemotherapy was followed by five additional courses and by three courses of radiotherapy. All patients received the lower doses of cisplatin and cyclophosphamide and the same doses of doxorubicin and etoposide from the second through the sixth cycle of chemotherapy. RESULTS The median follow-up was 33 months. The two-year survival rate for the 55 patients who received the higher doses of chemotherapy was 43 percent, as compared with 26 percent for the 50 patients who received the lower doses (P = 0.02). The rates of complete response at six months were 67 percent in the higher-dose group and 54 percent in the lower-dose group (P = 0.16). Disease-free survival at two years was 28 percent in the higher-dose group, as compared with 8 percent in the lower-dose group (P = 0.02). Side effects from treatment were not increased in the higher-dose group. CONCLUSIONS Higher initial doses of cyclophosphamide and cisplatin improve disease-free and overall survival in patients with limited small-cell lung cancer.
Barriers to internationalization: Firm-level evidence from Germany

Exporters and multinationals are larger and more productive than their domestic counterparts. In addition to productivity, financial constraints and labor market constraints might constitute barriers to entry into foreign markets. We present new empirical evidence on the extensive and intensive margin of exports and FDI based on detailed micro-level data of German firms. Our paper has three main findings. First, in line with earlier literature, we find a positive impact of firm size and productivity on firms’ international activities. Second, small firms suffer more frequently from financial constraints than bigger firms, but financial conditions have no strong effect on internationalization. Third, labor market constraints constitute a more severe barrier to foreign activities than financial constraints. Being covered by collective bargaining particularly impedes international activities.
Biosonar sources in odontocetes: considering structure and function

In a recent paper in The Journal of Experimental Biology , Madsen and his colleagues, ‘hypothesize that all toothed whale species only click with one set of their phonic lips at a time, and preferably their right pair’ [([Madsen et al., 2010][1]) see p. 3110 of their article]. This conclusion
Effect of Experience on Judgments of Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia

Objectives: We performed a prospective, exploratory study 1) to determine differences in judgments of overall severity (OS) and vocal effort (VE) in adductor spasmodic dysphonia (ADSD) when judgments are made by experienced listeners, naive listeners, and speakers with ADSD; 2) to determine differences in judgments of listener comfort (LC) in ADSD when judgments are made by experienced and naive listeners; and 3) to determine relationships between auditory-perceptual ratings of voice and speakers' voice handicap. Methods: Twenty speakers with ADSD provided speech recordings. They judged their own speech samples for OS and VE and completed the Voice Handicap Index (VHI). Twenty naive and 8 experienced listeners evaluated speech samples for OS, VE, and LC using rating scales. Results: No differences were found for judgments of OS, VE, or LC across the groups. However, the strategies used by the speakers seemed to differ from those used by the other listeners in making OS and VE judgments. The speakers' self-judged VE correlated moderately with voice handicap; experienced and naive listeners' judgments were only weakly related to VHI scores. Conclusions: Speakers with ADSD and listeners appear to use auditory-perceptual dimensions differently. Voice handicap is best predicted by patient-perceived VE, and not by clinician or naive listeners' judgments.
Production and characterization of monoclonal antibodies to Mobiluncus species

Members of the genus Mobiluncus are anaerobic motile curved rods which are associated with bacterial vaginosis (BV). Murine monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) to the ATCC type strains of M. curtisii subsp. curtisii, M. curtisii subsp. holmesii, and M. mulieris were produced and characterized by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and indirect immunofluorescence assay. Four MAbs were subspecies specific and reacted with M. curtisii subsp. curtisii but not with M. curtisii subsp. holmesii; four were specific for M. mulieris. The remaining antibodies demonstrated some cross-reactivity: three were species specific and reacted with both subspecies of M. curtisii, and one defined an epitope shared by M. curtisii subsp. holmesii and M. mulieris but not by M. curtisii subsp. curtisii. None of the MAbs reacted with a panel of other bacteria commonly present in the vaginas of normal women or women with BV. Examination of the molecular specificities of the antibodies by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and immunoblotting revealed four antibodies which were specific for an 82,000-dalton molecule of M. curtisii subsp. curtisii and five antibodies which bound a major band of M. mulieris at 93,000 daltons. Selected MAbs reacted in the indirect immunofluorescence assay with 24 of 25 Mobiluncus spp. clinical isolates from local women with BV and could be used for direct detection of Mobiluncus spp. in vaginal fluid from a patient with BV.