Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Modelling human immunodeficiency virus infection and acquired immune deficiency syndrome cases in Scotland: data sources, prior information and Bayesian estimation

The paper describes the methodology developed to carry out predictions of the acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) epidemic in Scotland. Information on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) epidemic comes from formal case reports of AIDS cases and HIV positive tests, reports from surveillance schemes and from special studies. These sources of information, up to the end of 1994, are reviewed. Prior information on aspects of HIV disease is available from various published and unpublished sources. A simple model of the HIV epidemic in Scotland is proposed and the information is summarized in terms of this model. Bayesian methodology, using Markov chain Monte Carlo methods, is described and used to predict future cases of AIDS in Scotland and people who will be living with AIDS in the years 1995–1999.
Partial liquid breathing with perflubron improves arterial oxygenation in acute canine lung injury.

Tidal liquid breathing with perfluorocarbon liquid improves lung mechanics and gas exchange in surfactant-deficient lambs. We asked whether an intratracheal dose of perflubron equal to liquid functional residual capacity (FRC) or less (partial liquid breathing) would alter gas exchange in gas-ventilated, anesthetized, and oleic acid (OA)-injured dogs. We gave eight dogs perflubron in six aliquots, each equal to one-sixth of liquid FRC [sequential dose (SEQ) group], starting 90 min after OA. Two other groups of eight dogs each received a liquid FRC dose of perflubron (60-70 ml/kg) either just before (P-Pre) or 90 min after (P-Post) OA, and eight control (CON) dogs received OA but no perflubron. In CON, SEQ, and P-Post dogs, OA caused a significant decrease in static respiratory system compliance (Crs) (1.50 +/- 0.05 to 1.15 +/- 0.06 ml.cmH2O-1.kg-1) and arterial PO2 (508 +/- 10 to 113 +/- 16 Torr) by minute 90. In P-Pre, P-Post, and after the third dose of perflubron (50% FRC) in SEQ dogs, arterial PO2 was significantly higher than that in the CON dogs but was similar to that in the CON dogs after perflubron removal. Perflubron doses less than two-thirds of liquid FRC were associated with increased Crs compared with CON dogs, but further lung filling caused a decrease in Crs. Lung histology showed widespread edema and hemorrhage and was similar in perflubron and CON dogs. O2 delivery and uptake were well maintained in all four groups. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Fast detection of MYCN copy number alterations in brain neuronal tumors by real‐time PCR

Increased MYCN gene copy number is a characteristic property of neurogenic tumors. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and array‐based comparative genomic hybridization (array‐CGH) are traditionally used to determine MYCN amplification for tumor stratification. A unique ability of real‐time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to determine gene copy number, even within a small percent of observed tumor cells, and can be more appropriate. MYCN genomic copy number from 44 human brain tumors (22 medulloblastomas and 22 neurocytomas) was determined by means of FISH, array‐CGH, and qPCR. By qPCR, with the original set of oligonucleotides, 17 out of 44 (38.6%) tumors were found to contain a 1.3‐ to 2.9‐fold increase of MYCN defined as low‐level gain. An absolute qPCR method was used to get high accuracy of results. Strong correlation was observed between the three methods: for medulloblastomas, r=1 (P<0.01) between FISH and array‐CGH and r=0.92 (P<0.01) between qPCR and FISH/array‐CGH. For neurocytomas, r=0.9 (P<0.01) between FISH and array‐CGH and r=0.34/0.43 (P<0.01) between qPCR and FISH/array‐CGH. Absolute qPCR assays possess high precision compared to other conventional methods and can be used for accurate and quickness detection of MYCN status (low‐level gene gain and amplification). J. Clin. Lab. Anal. 22:123–130, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Bank Capital and Aggregate Credit Nataliya Klimenko

This paper seeks to explain the role of bank capital in uctuations of lending and output. We build a continuous time model of an economy in which commercial banks nance their loans by deposits and equity, while facing issuance costs when they raise new equity. The dynamics of the loan rate and the volume of lending in the economy are driven by aggregate bank capitalization. The model has a unique Markovian competitive equilibrium that can be solved in closed form. We show that the competitive equilibrium is constrained ine cient: banks lend too much and hold too little equity, since they do not internalize the impact of their lending decisions on the cost of credit and the social costs of bank distress. We also examine the impact of two regulatory tools: a standard capital ratio and a tax on dividends, showing that the latter is more e cient in dealing with the distortions inherent in the competitive equilibrium.
Conversion to sirolimus immunosuppression in liver transplantation recipients with hepatocellular carcinoma: Report of an initial experience.

AIM To report a retrospective analysis of preliminary results of 36 patients who received sirolimus (SRL, Rapamune, rapamycin) in a consecutive cohort of 248 liver allograft recipients. METHODS Thirty-six liver transplant patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) who were switched to SRL-based immunosuppression therapy from tacrolimus were enrolled in this study. The patients who were diagnosed as advanced HCC before orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) were divided into group A (n = 11), those who were found to have HCC recurrence and/or metastasis after OLT were assigned to group B (n = 18), and those who developed renal insufficiency caused by calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) were assigned to group C (n = 7) after OLT. RESULTS The patients were followed up for a median of 10.4 mo (range, 3.8-19.1 mo) after conversion to SRL therapy and 12.3 mo (range, 5.1-34.4 mo) after OLT. Three patients developed mild acute cellular rejection 2 wk after initiating SRL therapy, which was fully reversed after prednisolone pulse therapy. In group A, only 1 patient was found to have HCC recurrence and metastasis 12 mo after OLT. In group B, 66.7% (12/18) patients (2 with progressive tumor, 7 with stable tumor and 3 without tumor) were still alive due to conversing to SRL and/or resection for HCC recurrence at the end of a median follow-up of 6.8 mo post conversion and 10.7 mo posttransplant. In group C, no HCC recurrence was demonstrated in 7 patients, and renal function became normal after SRL therapy. Thrombocytopenia (n = 2), anemia (n = 8), and oral aphthous ulcers (n = 7) found in our cohort were easily manageable. CONCLUSION The conversion to SRL-based immunosuppression may inhibit the recurrence and metastasis of HCC and improve CNI-induced renal insufficiency in OLT patients with HCC.
Preschoolers' Knowledge About Hospital and Emergency Equipment and Care

Background: Information about preschoolers’ understanding of hospital and emergency care and medical equipment is needed. Objective: The current study contributed to our understanding of young children’s health literacy in these areas. Conclusions: Findings indicated that preschool-age children had more accurate knowledge of an emergency care as opposed to a hospital scenario. Also, young children tended to recount their experiences when discussing what they knew, supporting the idea that they acquire schemas for this information. Parents tended to overestimate their children’s knowledge. Children did not mention school as a place where they learned about hospital care and those health professionals working in school settings may be uniquely positioned to teach young children about hospital care. Children may absorb more information in this environment, and assessing whether this is true remains an area for future research.
Transformational leadership and psychological empowerment: The mediating effect of organizational culture in Indian retail industry

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of transformational leadership in psychological empowerment in Indian retail industry. This study also tries to examine whether organizational culture plays a mediating role in the relationships between transformational leadership and psychological empowerment. Design/methodology/approach A sample of 310 respondents was randomly selected from different Indian retail organizations for the study. Data collections were carried out using a set of standardized questionnaires. Raw data were analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and process plugin of Hayes for mediation analysis. Findings The empirical investigations of the study have shown that transformational leadership is positively related to psychological empowerment. The study also found partial mediation of organizational culture between transformational leadership and psychological empowerment. Research limitations/implications First of all, the sample size of the study is relatively small (n=310). The study is limited to the employees of eastern Indian retail organizations. Second, the common method bias is presumed to influence and inflate the relationships between the variables of the study as the data on all three variables were collected at the same point of time from respondents. Practical implications The road map presented in this paper may be helpful for the retail executives to diagnose organizational culture and leadership styles prevailing in the organization and their influence on psychological empowerment. The study may be helpful for retail managers to develop a desirable culture through the practice of transformational leadership that would enhance the empowerment process. Originality/value This paper adds value to the limited body of knowledge about the association among transformational leadership, psychological empowerment, and organizational culture. The findings presented in this paper would be beneficial for Indian researchers, OD experts and organization scientists in developing a culture of empowerment by the help of transformational leadership. Unique statistical tools have been used for mediation analysis.
TURBULENT, EXTREME MULTI-ZONE MODEL FOR SIMULATING FLUX AND POLARIZATION VARIABILITY IN BLAZARS

The author presents a model for variability of the flux and polarization of blazars in which turbulent plasma flowing at a relativistic speed down a jet crosses a standing conical shock. The shock compresses the plasma and accelerates electrons to energies up to γmax ≳ 104 times their rest-mass energy, with the value of γmax determined by the direction of the magnetic field relative to the shock front. The turbulence is approximated in a computer code as many cells, each with a uniform magnetic field whose direction is selected randomly. The density of high-energy electrons in the plasma changes randomly with time in a manner consistent with the power spectral density of flux variations derived from observations of blazars. The variations in flux and polarization are therefore caused by continuous noise processes rather than by singular events such as explosive injection of energy at the base of the jet. Sample simulations illustrate the behavior of flux and linear polarization versus time that such a model produces. The variations in γ-ray flux generated by the code are often, but not always, correlated with those at lower frequencies, and many of the flares are sharply peaked. The mean degree of polarization of synchrotron radiation is higher and its timescale of variability shorter toward higher frequencies, while the polarization electric vector sometimes randomly executes apparent rotations. The slope of the spectral energy distribution exhibits sharper breaks than can arise solely from energy losses. All of these results correspond to properties observed in blazars.
Long-term Retention Rate of Zonisamide in Patients With Epilepsy: An Observational Study

IntroductionZonisamide (ZNS) is an antiepileptic drug with a broad spectrum of action mechanisms. Although ZNS is usually indicated for the adjunctive treatment of partial seizures in Western countries, it has long been used for partial and generalized seizures as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment in South Korea and Japan. The present study was to evaluate the long-term retention rate of ZNS in clinical practice. MethodsThis was a retrospective, single-center, long-term observational study. A total of 148 patients (82 men, 66 women; 14–85 years) who were treated with ZNS as monotherapy or adjunctive treatment were included. Zonisamide was administrated with a starting dose of 100 mg/d, and optimal-dose adjustments were made according to individual clinical responses. Efficacy and tolerability were analyzed during a 6-year follow-up. ResultsThe overall retention rate was 66.1% at 1-year and 55.1% at 6-year follow-up. Patients with monotherapy (70.8% vs 44.1%) and generalized seizures (71.6% vs 48.2%) were more likely to continue ZNS at 6-year follow-up compared with those with adjunctive therapy and partial seizures. The most common cause of discontinuation was adverse events such as somnolence, rash, and gastrointestinal problems. ConclusionsOur study shows the high retention rate of ZNS in the treatment of patients with epilepsy. The retention rate of ZNS was comparable with those of other antiepileptic drugs including lamotrigine, topiramate, and levetiracetam, and it can be suggested that ZNS can be considered for monotherapy and for the patients with generalized seizures.
Sleep Habits in Mild Cognitive Impairment

We explored the relationship between sleep disturbances and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in community-dwelling seniors. Recent evidence suggests that sleep habits are differentially compromised in different subtypes of MCI, but the relationship between sleep disruption and MCI remains poorly understood. We gathered daily objective measures of sleep disturbance from 45 seniors, including 16 with MCI (mean age, 86.9±4.3 y), over a 6-month period. We also collected self-report measures of sleep disturbance. Although there were no differences between groups in any of our self-report measures, we found that amnestic MCI (aMCI) volunteers had less disturbed sleep than both nonamnestic MCI (naMCI) and cognitively intact volunteers, as measured objectively by movement in bed at night (F2,1078=4.30, P=0.05), wake after sleep onset (F2,1078=41.6, P<0.001), and number of times up at night (F2,1078=26.7, P<0.001). The groups did not differ in total sleep time. In addition, the aMCI group had less day-to-day variability in these measures than the intact and naMCI volunteers. In general, the naMCI volunteers showed a level of disturbed sleep that was intermediate to that of aMCI and intact volunteers. These differences in sleep disruption between aMCI and naMCI may be related to differences in the pathology underlying these MCI subtypes.
Number, size, and distribution of Peyer's patches in the human small intestine

EDITORIAL SYNOPSIS The presence of Peyer's patches is commonly taken for granted but this is the first serious study of the incidence and development of Peyer's patches before and after birth. The number of Peyer's patches found in the various parts of the human small intestine has never been accurately determined. Most textbooks of anatomy put their number at 20 to 30 (Gray 1962), and only slight variations of these figures are given from one textbook to another. However, Sappey (1877), Passow (1885), and Gundobin (1892) occasionally found 70 or more patches, and Hellmann (1921) in his studies on status thymico-lymphaticus found as many as 246 patches in young children who had died suddenly and
Hearing Loss in Graduates of a Tertiary Intensive Care Nursery

At the time of their discharge from a tertiary intensive care nursery, 890 babies were screened for hearing loss by the auditory brain stem response method. Of those who failed (N = 141), 43% were retested within a year; of those then found by auditory brain stem response to suffer binaural hearing loss (N = 331, 16 now wear hearing aids. We conclude that at least 10% of such babies, all of whom are by definition at risk for hearing loss, may leave the hospital with reduced sensitivity in one or both ears which, for at least 2%, is so severe that hearing aids may be necessary to optimize language and psychosocial development.
Monte Carlo Simulation of Silicon Nanowire Thermal Conductivity

Monte Carlo simulation is applied to investigate phonon transport in single crystalline Si nanowires. Phonon-phonon normal (N) and Umklapp (U) scattering processes are modeled with a genetic algorithm to satisfy energy and momentum conservation. The scattering rates of N and U scattering processes are found from first-order perturbation theory. The thermal conductivity of Si nanowires is simulated and good agreement is achieved with recent experimental data. In order to study the confinement effects on phonon transport in nanowires, two different phonon dispersions, one from experimental measurements on bulk Si and the other solved from elastic wave theory, are adopted in the simulation. The discrepancy between simulations using different phonon dispersions increases as the nanowire diameter decreases, which suggests that the confinement effect is significant when the nanowire diameter approaches tens of nanometers. It is found that the U scattering probability in Si nanowires is higher than that in hulk Si due to the decrease of the frequency gap between different modes and the reduced phonon group velocity. Simulation results suggest that the dispersion relation for nanowires obtained from elasticity theory should be used to evaluate nanowire thermal conductivity as the nanowire diameter is reduced to the sub-100 nm scale.
Assessment of mangrove vegetation based on remote sensing and ground-truth measurements at Tumpat, Kelantan Delta, East Coast of Peninsular Malaysia

The lower reaches of River Kelantan form a vast delta (1200 ha) consisting of bay, mangrove and estuary on the northeast coast of Peninsular Malaysia. The present study was conducted to assess the mangrove vegetation at Tumpat based on ground-truth and remote sensing measurements. The mangroves are composed of several species including Nypa fruticans, Sonneratia caseolaris, Avicennia alba, Rhizophora apiculata, R. mucronata and Bruguiera gymnorrhiza, in order of dominance. The point-centred quarter method (PCQM) was used to estimate the stem density (number of stems/0.1 ha) and basal area (m2/0.1 ha) at selected sites on the ground. Recent high-resolution multispectral satellite data (QuickBird 2006, 2.4 m spatial resolution of the multispectral image) were used to produce land-use/cover classification and Normalized Differential Vegetation Index (NDVI) mapping for the delta. The area statistics reveal that mangroves occupy 339.6 ha, while coconut plantation dominates the vegetation (715.2 ha), followed by settlements (621.6 ha), sandbar (148.4 ha), agriculture (89 ha) and aquaculture (42.7 ha). Although the relationship between the spectral indices and dendrometric parameters was weak, we found a very high significance between the (mean) NDVI and stem density (p = 1.3 × 10−8). The sites with young/growing and also mature trees with lush green cover showed greater NDVI values (0.40–0.68) indicating healthy vegetation, while mature forests under environmental stress due to sand deposition and/or poor tidal inundation showed low NDVI values (0.38–0.47) and an unhealthy situation. Overall, a combination of ground survey and remote sensing provided valuable information for the assessment of mangrove vegetation types (i.e. young/growing or mature forest) and their health in Tumpat, Kelantan Delta.
Stimulation of growth rate of chondrocytes by Rous sarcoma virus is not coordinated with other expressions of the src gene phenotype

Infection and transformation of chondrocytes by Rous sarcoma viruses (RSVs) (Schmidt-Ruppin, Prague) stimulated the rate of cell growth. In contrast, several transformation-defective (td) mutants (tdPRA, tdNY105, tdNY106, tdNY107, and tdNY108) retaining various sizes of the src gene did not stimulate cell growth, indicating that the stimulation of growth of chondrocytes is due to the function of the src gene. With the use of various T (transformation)-class temperature-sensitive (ts) mutants of RSV, growth stimulation of chondrocytes by the src gene was examined. It was found that there are two types of T-class ts mutants with regard to the stimulatory effect on the growth of chondrocytes. One type (tsNY68) stimulates cell growth at both permissive (36 degrees C) and nonpermissive (41.5 degrees C) temperature, as does the wild type of RSV. Another type (ts GI201 [clone 9]) stimulates cell growth only at the permissive temperature. Chondrocytes infected with either of these two types of T-class ts mutants showed ts properties in other transformation markers, such as uptake of 2-deoxy-D-glucose, change of cell morphology, and focus formation. These data indicate that the effect of the src gene on cell growth does not occur coordinately with other transformation markers.
Palmprint identification using Hausdorff distance

Palmprint-based personal identification is regarded as an effective method for automatically recognizing a person's identity. In addition, it requires no special hardware except a normal digital camera. This paper presents a new approach to identify palmprint using Hausdorff distance. Line edge map (LEM) of palmprint is extracted as the feature used for identifying. This system employs low-resolution palmprint images to achieve effective personal identification. In contrast to the existing methods, our approach is robust to noise, occlusion, and skewing.
Sialidase Activity in Mycoplasma Synoviae

Abstract Eleven strains of the avian pathogen Mycoplasma synoviae were evaluated for the presence of sialidase activity with the use of the fluorogenic substrate 2′-(4-methylumbelliferyl)-α-d-N-acetylneuraminic acid and the sialidase inhibitor 2-deoxy-2,3-didehydro-N-acetylneuraminic acid. The kinetics of in vitro growth in modified Frey medium were also assessed for each strain. Five strains had been isolated from clinically symptomatic chickens, and strains WVU1853T and K3344 have been demonstrated to be capable of reproducing disease in specific-pathogen-free chickens. All strains exhibited sialidase activity, although the amount varied 65-fold among strains (P < 0.0001) from 1.3 × 10−7 to 2.0 × 10−9 activity units per colony-forming unit. Strains originally isolated from clinically symptomatic birds had more (P < 0.05) sialidase activity than strains from asymptomatic birds. Strain WVU1853T exhibited the most sialidase activity (P < 0.0001) and grew to the highest culture density (P < 0.0001) among strains, but across strains, the rank correlation of growth rate with sialidase activity was not significant. Negligible activity was detected in conditioned culture supernatant fluid. This is the first report of sialidase activity in pathogenic strains of M. synoviae, which suggests a potential enzymatic basis for virulence of the organism.
Dermatomyofibroma: A report of two cases, one occurring in a child

Dermatomyofibroma is a recently described plaque‐like dermal tumour composed of myofibroblasts that usually presents around the shoulder, axilla and posterior neck, often in young adult females. Here, we present two cases, one from the posterior axilla of a 33‐year‐old female and one from the posterior neck of a 7‐year‐old male. Both were clinically red–brown lesions with histological and immunohistochemical features diagnostic of dermatomyofibroma. There was no evidence of aggressive biologic behaviour with 3 months and 2 months follow up, respectively. While the majority of dermatomyofibromas present in post‐pubescent females, the 7‐year‐old male exemplifies a subgroup occurring in male children which appears to show a particular predilection for the posterior neck.