Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Artesunate and Dihydroartemisinin (DHA): Unusual Decomposition Products Formed under Mild Conditions and Comments on the Fitness of DHA as an Antimalarial Drug

Artesunate drug substance, for which a rectal capsule formulation is under development for the treatment of severe malaria, when heated at 100 °C for 39 h gives β‐artesunate, artesunate dimers, 9,10‐anhydrodihydroartemisinin (glycal), a DHA β‐formate ester, and smaller amounts of other products that arise via intermediate formation of dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and subsequent thermal degradation. Solid DHA at 100 °C provides an epimeric mixture of a known peroxyhemiacetal, arising via ring opening to a hydroperoxide and re‐closure, smaller amounts of a 3:1 mixture of epimers of a known tricarbonyl compound, and a single epimer of a new dicarbonyl compound. The latter arises via homolysis of the peroxide and an ensuing cascade of α‐cleavage reactions which leads to loss of formic acid incorporating the C10 carbonyl group of DHA exposed by this 'unzipping' cascade. The tricarbonyl compound that arises via peroxide homolysis and extrusion of formic acid from a penultimate hydroxyformate ester incorporating C12 of the original DHA, is epimeric at the exocyclic 1′′‐aldehyde, and not in the cyclohexanone moiety. It is converted into the dicarbonyl compound by peroxide‐induced deformylation. The dicarbonyl compound is not formed during anhydrous ferrous bromide mediated decomposition of DHA at room temperature, which provides the 1′′‐R epimer of the tricarbonyl compound as the dominant product; this equilibrates at room temperature to the 3:1 mixture of epimers of the tricarbonyl compound obtained from thermolysis. Each of artesunate and DHA decomposes readily under aqueous acidic conditions to provide significant amounts of the peroxyhemiacetal, which, like DHA, decomposes to the inert end product 2‐deoxyartemisinin under acidic or basic conditions. DHA and the peroxyhemiacetal are the principal degradants in aged rectal capsule formulations of artesunate. TGA analysis and thermal degradation of DHA reveals a thermal lability which would pose a problem not only in relation to ICH stability testing guidelines, but in the use of DHA in fixed formulations currently under development. This thermolability coupled with the poor physicochemical properties and relative oral bioavailability of DHA suggests that it is inferior to artesunate in application as an antimalarial drug.
Three-dimensional finite element analysis of different implant configurations for a mandibular fixed prosthesis.

PURPOSE The distribution of stresses in bone, implants, and prosthesis were analyzed via three-dimensional finite element modeling in different implant configurations for a fixed implant-supported prosthesis in an edentulous mandible. MATERIALS AND METHODS A finite element model was created with data obtained from computed tomographic scans of a human mandible. Anisotropic characteristics for cortical and cancellous bone were incorporated into the model. Six different configurations of intraforaminal implants were tested, with the number of implants varying from three to five and the distal implants inserted either parallel to the other implants or tilted distally by 17 or 34 degrees. A prosthetic structure connecting the implants was designed, with 20-mm posterior cantilevers for the parallel implant configurations, and a load of 200 N was applied to the distal portion of the cantilevers. Stresses were measured at the level of the implant, the prosthetic structure, and the bone. Bone-level stresses were analyzed at the implant-bone interface, at the external cortical bone surface, distal to the terminal implant, and in the cancellous bone along the implant body. RESULTS A three-parallel-implant configuration resulted in higher stress in the implant and bone than configurations with four or five parallel implants. Configurations with the distal implants tilted resulted in a more favorable stress distribution at all levels. CONCLUSION In parallel-implant configurations for fixed implant-supported mandibular prostheses, four and five implants resulted in similar stress distribution in the bone, framework, and implants. A distribution of four implants with the distal implants tilted 34 degrees (ie, the "All-on-Four" configuration) resulted in a favorable reduction of stresses in the bone, framework, and implants.
Supercomputer Modeling of Stochastic Dynamics of the Mercury Ion Array in an Optical Lattice

Simulations of the resonant ions stochastic dynamics in the polychromatic optical field are presented. We prove the possibility of long-term fourand nine-particle ionic Coulomb planar clusters (crystals) by all-optical method. An estimate of lifetime of a single particle in an optical lattice is also carried out. Our analysis is based on the numerical solution of the stochastic differential equations with multiplicative noise using MVS-100K and MVS-10P supercomputers.
Primary prevention of risk factors for eating disorders in adolescent girls: learning from practice.

OBJECTIVE This study evaluates the effectiveness and feasibility of a primary prevention program for risk factors for eating disorders in adolescent girls. METHOD Nearly 500 seventh-grade girls participated in "Full of Ourselves: Advancing Girl Power, Health, and Leadership," and were assessed at baseline, immediately after program completion, and 6 months later on several self-report measures of knowledge, body image, and eating and weight-related behaviors. RESULTS Significant differences were found between participants and controls on measures of knowledge and weight-related body esteem, which were maintained at 6-month follow-up. Eating related behaviors, including skipping meals and dieting, appeared unaffected by program participation. DISCUSSION The program was feasible, safe, and resulted in positive and maintained changes in knowledge and weight satisfaction for adolescent girls.
A dynamic method for discovering density varied clusters

Density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN) is a base algorithm for density based clustering. It can find out the clusters of different shapes and sizes from a large amount of data, which is containing noise and outliers. However, it fails to handle the local density variation that exists within the cluster. Thus, a good clustering method should allow a significant density variation within the cluster because, if we go for homogeneous clustering, a large number of smaller unimportant clusters may be generated. In this paper an enhancement of DBSCAN algorithm is proposed, which detects the clusters of different shapes, sizes that differ in local density. We introduce new algorithm Dynamic Method DBSCAN (DMDBSCAN). It selects several values of the radius of a number of objects (Eps) for different densities according to a k-dist plot. For each value of Eps, DBSCAN algorithm is adopted in order to make sure that all the clusters with respect to the corresponding density are clustered. For the next process, the points that have been clustered are ignored, which avoids marking both denser areas and sparser ones as one cluster. Experimental results are obtained from artificial data sets and UCI real data sets. The final results show that our algorithm get a good results with respect to the original DBSCAN and DVBSCAN algorithms.
Enhanced AM and FM modulation response of complex coupled DFB lasers

Significant improvements in the small AM bandwidth and FM efficiency of a DFB laser are obtained by introducing a carrier dependent complex coupling coefficient. A simulation using a large-signal dynamic model shows that the 3-dB cutoff frequencies for AM can be increased by factors of three by having the index and gain coefficients in antiphase. In contrast, the efficiency of FM, at low frequencies, can be similarly improved if the index and gain coupling are in phase. <<ETX>>
The influence of sediment cover variability on long‐term river incision rates: An example from the Peikang River, central Taiwan

[1] This study explores the hypothesis that the relative frequency of rock exposure in the bed of an incising channel can have a first-order impact on the long-term average erosion rate. The 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake in central Taiwan generated thousands of landslides along the middle reach of the Peikang River. Sediment from these landslides produced widespread aggradation, such that much of the river's bed remains shielded from active bedrock incision. We present data that constrain the spatial and temporal variability of sediment cover for the Peikang River. Because the river is undergoing spatially variable Holocene bedrock incision (1–10 mm/yr), it offers a unique natural experiment to test the influence of intermittent sedimentation on long-term incision rates. Published electrical resistivity surveys at seven locations along the river reveal median sediment depth values ranging from 1.9 to 11.5 m. The sediment depth correlates inversely with long-term incision rate and sediment transport capacity. We interpret this as an indication that the frequency of bedrock exposure exerts a major influence on incision along the Peikang River.
Preparation of a Promising Angiogenesis PET Imaging Agent: 68Ga-Labeled c(RGDyK)–Isothiocyanatobenzyl-1,4,7-Triazacyclononane-1,4,7-Triacetic Acid and Feasibility Studies in Mice

Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) derivatives have been labeled with various radioisotopes for the imaging of angiogenesis in ischemic tissue, in which αvβ3 integrin plays an important role. In this study, cyclic Arg-Gly-Asp-d-Tyr-Lys [c(RGDyK)] was conjugated with 2-(p-isothiocyanatobenzyl)-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4,7-triacetic acid (SCN-Bz-NOTA) and then labeled with 68Ga. The labeled RGD so produced was subjected to an in vitro binding assay and in vivo biodistribution and PET studies. Methods: A mixture of SCN-Bz-NOTA (660 nmol) and c(RGDyK) (600 nmol) in 0.1 M sodium carbonate buffer (pH 9.5) was allowed to react for 20 h at room temperature in the dark for thiourea bond formation. The conjugate obtained was purified by semipreparative high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The purified c(RGDyK)–SCN-Bz-NOTA (NOTA-RGD) was then labeled with 68Ga from a 68Ge/68Ga generator and purified by semipreparative HPLC. A competitive binding assay for c(RGDyK) and NOTA-RGD was performed with 125I-c(RGDyK) as a radioligand and αvβ3 integrin–coated plates as a solid phase. 68Ga-NOTA-RGD (0.222 MBq/100 μL) was injected, through a tail vein, into mice with hind limb ischemia and into mice bearing human colon cancer SNU-C4 xenografts. Biodistribution and imaging studies were performed at 1 and 2 h after injection. Results: The labeling of NOTA-RGD with 68Ga was straightforward. The Ki values of c(RGDyK) and NOTA-RGD were 1.3 and 1.9 nM, respectively. In the biodistribution study, the mean ± SD uptake of 68Ga-NOTA-RGD by ischemic muscles was 1.6 ± 0.2 percentage injected dose per gram (%ID/g); this uptake was significantly blocked by cold c(RGDyK) to 0.6 ± 0.3 %ID/g (P < 0.01). Tumor uptake was 5.1 ± 1.0 %ID/g, and the tumor-to-blood ratio was 10.3 ± 4.8. Small-animal PET revealed rapid excretion through the urine and high levels of tumor and kidney uptake. Conclusion: Stable 68Ga-NOTA-RGD was obtained in a straightforward manner at a high yield and showed a high affinity for αvβ3 integrin, specific uptake by angiogenic muscles, a high level of uptake by tumors, and rapid renal excretion. 68Ga-NOTA-RGD was found to be a promising radioligand for the imaging of angiogenesis.
Symbiosis and Insect Diversiﬁcation: an Ancient Symbiont of Sap-Feeding Insects from the Bacterial Phylum Bacteroidetes

Several insect groups have obligate, vertically transmitted bacterial symbionts that provision hosts with nutrients that are limiting in the diet. Some of these bacteria have been shown to descend from ancient infections. Here we show that the large group of related insects including cicadas, leafhoppers, treehoppers, spittlebugs, and planthoppers host a distinct clade of bacterial symbionts. This newly described symbiont lineage belongs to the phylum Bacteroidetes . Analyses of 16S rRNA genes indicate that the symbiont phylogeny is completely congruent with the phylogeny of insect hosts as currently known. These results support the ancient acquisition of a symbiont by a shared ancestor of these insects, dating the original infection to at least 260 million years ago. As visualized in a species of spittlebug (Cercopoidea) and in a species of sharpshooter (Cicadellinae), the symbionts have extraordinarily large cells with an elongate shape, often more than 30 (cid:1) m in length; in situ hybridizations verify that these correspond to the phylum Bacteroidetes . “ Candidatus Sulcia muelleri” is proposed as the name of the new symbiont. of late-stage nymphs of C. arizonana were dissected into PA buffer (50 mM Tris- HCl [pH 7.6], 100 mM EDTA, 250 mM sucrose), disrupted by manipulating gently under a coverslip, stained with SYBR-Gold, and examined using ﬂuores- cence at a 1,000-fold magniﬁcation. The same procedure was applied to the entire bacteriome of Homalodisca lacerta . To determine the organisms corresponding to the Bacteroidetes rRNA gene sequences, in situ hybridization was performed. We used two probes, each 20 nucleotides long. One, CFB319 (5 (cid:2) -TGG TCC GTG TCT CAG TAC-3 (cid:2) ), was a perfect match to positions 319 to 336 of the 16S rRNA of Bacteroidetes species, including all of our sequences from these symbionts; this probe shows two or more mismatches to known bacteria in other phyla. The other, Pro319 (5 (cid:2) -TGG ACC GTG TCT CAG TTC-3 (cid:2) ), differed at two sites and was a perfect match to 16S rRNA sequences of Buchnera , “ Candidatus Baumannia cicadellinicola”, and some other Gammaproteobacteria . CFB319 was linked to 6-carboxytetramethyl-rhodamine (absorption/emission of 551/576 nm); Pro319 was linked to Alexa488 nm). determine the speciﬁcity hybridiza- bacteriocytes
Factors influencing teenagers behavior on posting and sharing messages via Facebook

This paper proposes a hypothetical model of factors influencing the behavior of teenagers posting or sharing messages on Facebook. Personality (based on the Big five model), Social influence and perceived ability to control user interfaces and devices for posting are presumed as primary factors in the study. The statistical ANCOVA analysis was conducted to evaluate the model based on a questionnaire responded by 180 teenagers aged between 13 and 15 living in Thailand. Key experimental results are that the trait of extraversion and perceived control over the device and Facebook functions are vital influences and disconfirmation of the expected results of posting can aggravate the posting direction.
Racial identification, racial composition, and substance use vulnerability among African American adolescents and young adults.

OBJECTIVE Two studies examined racial identity (RI) as a protective factor against substance-related cognitions and substance use among Black adolescents and young adults living in high versus low percentage Black social environments. METHOD Using structural equation modeling techniques, Study 1 examined longer term effects of RI on substance use cognitions and behaviors among 720 Black adolescents. Study 2 examined the impact of RI and percentage Black peer environment on alcohol use among 203 Black young adults. RESULTS Study 1 revealed that RI was prospectively associated with lower levels of perceived friends' use and lower favorability of the substance user prototype and, in turn, lower substance willingness and use, but only among Black adolescents in predominantly White neighborhoods. These adolescents also reported greater access to substances. In Study 2, low RI Black young adults who reported predominantly White peer environments reported the highest levels of alcohol use. CONCLUSIONS These findings highlight the importance of RI among Black youth and the impact of the social context on the health risk behaviors of adolescents and young adults. This research also demonstrates the utility of social psychological models, such as the prototype-willingness model, to examine mediating and moderating effects of individual differences and contextual factors on health risk cognitions and behavior. Theoretical and applied implications of the results are discussed.
Financial Reporting Quality, Private Information, Monitoring and the Lease-Versus-Buy Decision

ABSTRACT: A flourishing stream of research suggests that liquidity-constrained firms with low accounting quality have limited access to capital for investments. We extend this research by investigating whether these firms are more likely to lease their assets. Lessors’ superior control rights allow them to provide capital to constrained firms with low-quality accounting reports. Consistent with this conjecture, we find that low accounting quality firms have a higher propensity to lease than purchase assets. To verify that leasing does not merely reflect these firms’ desire for off-balance-sheet accounting, we investigate whether banks’ access to private information and monitoring affect the relation between accounting quality and leasing. We find the association between accounting quality and leasing decreases when banks have higher monitoring incentives and when loans contain capital expenditure provisions. These results suggest that other mechanisms can substitute for the role of accounting quality in r.
Realistic built-in self-test for static RAMs

The authors present the specification and design of a self-test mechanism for static random-access memories (RAMs). The test algorithm provides excellent fault detection, and its structure is independent of address and data scrambling. The self-test machine generates data backgrounds on chip and is therefore suitable for both bit-oriented and word-oriented SRAMs. It is also suitable for both embedded SRAMs and stand-alone SRAMs, and adapts to boundary-scan environment. Because of the regular and symmetric structure of the test algorithm, the silicon overhead is only 3% for a 16 K synchronous SRAM. <<ETX>>
Psychosis Prevention: A Modified Clinical High Risk Perspective From the Recognition and Prevention (RAP) Program.

OBJECTIVE Early intervention and prevention of psychosis remain a major challenge. Prediction would be greatly advanced with improved ability to identify individuals at true risk, which, at present, is moderate at best. The authors tested a modified strategy to improve prediction by selecting a more homogeneous high-risk sample (attenuated positive symptom criteria only, age range of mid-teens to early 20s) than is currently standard, combined with a systematic selection of neurodevelopmental deficits. METHOD A sample of 101 treatment-seeking adolescents (mean age, 15.9 years) at clinical high risk for psychosis were followed clinically for up to 5 years (mean follow-up time, 3.0 years, SD=1.6). Adolescents were included only if they exhibited one or more attenuated positive symptoms at moderate to severe, but not psychotic, severity levels. Cox regression was used to derive a risk index. RESULTS The overall conversion rate to psychosis was 28.3%. The final predictor model, with a positive predictive validity of 81.8%, consisted of four variables: disorganized communication, suspiciousness, verbal memory deficits, and decline in social functioning during follow-up. Significant effects also suggest narrowing the risk age range to 15-22 years. CONCLUSIONS Clinical high risk criteria that emphasize disorganized communication and suspiciousness while also including compromised verbal memory and declining social functioning have the potential to improve predictive accuracy compared with attenuated positive symptoms used alone. On the resulting risk index (a weighted combination of the predictors), low scores were interpreted as signifying minimal risk, with little treatment necessary, high scores as suggesting aggressive intervention, and intermediate scores, although less informative, as supporting psychosocial treatment.
[Ten years of laparoscopy and laparoscopic surgery at the Jeanne Ebori foundation in Libreville (Gabon)].

OBJECTIVE The authors report their experience with 614 laparoscopies performed from 1 January 1996 through 31 December 2005 at the Jeanne EBORI Foundation. The purpose of this study is to show the benefits of laparoscopy for day-to-day gynaecological treatment in developing countries. PATIENTS AND METHODS We reviewed all laparoscopies performed during this period. RESULTS The women's average age was 26.2 years (range: 16-48 years); 68.6% of the procedures were laparoscopic surgery. The main indication for diagnostic laparoscopy was pelvic pain. We performed laparoscopy surgery for ectopic pregnancies and cystectomies (38.9%). The mean operating time was 35 to 50 minutes for diagnostic and 60 to 150 minutes for surgical laparoscopy. Bleeding was the leading complication (1.4%) followed by ruptured cysts (0.7%) and visceral wounds (1.3%). CONCLUSION In view of the public health benefits of this technology, the authors recommend it be acquired in developing countries to improve the therapeutic approach available to their doctors and patients.
Speed and Efficiency in Walking and Wheeling with Novel Stimulation and Bracing Systems After Spinal Cord Injury: A Case Study

To compare various novel and conventional systems for locomotion, a 25‐year‐old man was studied with motor complete spinal cord injury at the T4/5 level. He used various devices in the community, and changes in speed, physiological cost index (PCI), and oxygen consumption were measured periodically. Speed was fastest with a conventional manual wheelchair (nearly 120 m/min in a 4‐min test). Speed was about 30% less, but the PCI was lowest (highest efficiency) using functional electrical stimulation (FES) of the quadriceps and hamstring muscles to propel a novel wheelchair. He walked with knee‐ankle‐foot orthoses (KAFO) at much lower speed (8.8 m/min) and higher PCI. He walked with an alternating gait using a new stance‐control KAFO with FES. The speed was still slow (5 m/min), but he prefers the more normal‐looking gait and uses it daily. Walking with FES and ankle‐foot orthoses (AFO) was slowest (3.5 m/min) and had the highest PCI. In conclusion, the leg‐propelled wheelchair provides a more efficient method of locomotion. A new stance‐controlled KAFO with FES may provide a more acceptable walking system, but must be tested on other subjects.
Analyse, représentation et traitement du geste instrumental : application aux instruments à clavier. (Analysis, representation and processing of the instrumental gesture: application to keyboard instruments)

Dans le cadre de la conception et de la realisation d'un outil informatique pour la creation musicale, on s'interesse au geste instrumental pour controler en temps reel des processus de synthese sonore par simulation de mecanismes instrumentaux et pour etudier sa relation a la composition musicale. Pour decrire et classifier le geste instrumental, assimile a une sequence d'evenements gestuels, capte et memorise sous la forme de signaux echantillonnes, nous posons le probleme de la segmentation. En considerant le jeu instrumental sur clavier, nous proposons des elements de syntaxe gestuelle et en deduisons des criteres pour la segmentation automatique. Nous nous interessons ensuite a la representation graphique des evenements gestuels segmentes et a leur composition et transformation. Nous definissons plusieurs niveaux de representation et, pour chacun d'eux, des procedures de traitement manuel ou pris en charge, tout ou en partie, par des modeles de composition. L'editeur de geste, integre dans le systeme de synthese sonore CORDIS-ANIMA, synthetise l'ensemble de ces possibilites.