Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Saquinavir exposure in HIV-infected patients with chronic viral hepatitis.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to assess the influence of hepatitis B virus or hepatitis C virus co-infection and the extent of liver fibrosis on saquinavir and ritonavir pharmacokinetics in HIV-infected subjects without liver function impairment. METHODS A cross-sectional, comparative study enrolling HIV-infected adults receiving saquinavir/ritonavir 1000/100 mg twice daily or 1500/100 mg once daily was conducted. Patients with chronic viral hepatitis (HEP+) were grouped as having advanced liver fibrosis (HEP+/FIB+) or not (HEP+/FIB-) based on the FIB-4 index. Saquinavir and ritonavir trough concentrations (C(trough)) in plasma were determined by HPLC. The geometric mean ratio (GMR) was used to compare saquinavir and ritonavir C(trough) between HEP- and HEP+ patients, and the influence of the extent of liver fibrosis on saquinavir and ritonavir pharmacokinetics was explored using analysis of variance. RESULTS One hundred and thirty-eight patients on twice-daily saquinavir/ritonavir (67 HEP-, 71 HEP+) and 36 patients on once-daily saquinavir/ritonavir (12 HEP-, 24 HEP+) were included. Saquinavir C(trough) was comparable between HEP- and HEP+ patients receiving either saquinavir/ritonavir 1000/100 mg twice daily [GMR 0.91, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.60-1.37; P = 0.655] or 1500/100 mg once daily (GMR 0.88, 95% CI 0.39-1.97; P = 0.752). Similarly, ritonavir C(trough) was also comparable between HEP- and HEP+ patients. The extent of liver fibrosis was not significantly related to saquinavir or ritonavir C(trough) in patients receiving either of the two studied doses. CONCLUSIONS Saquinavir C(trough) was not increased in HIV-infected patients with chronic viral hepatitis in the absence of liver function impairment. These results confirm that no specific dose modification of saquinavir/ritonavir should be recommended in this setting.
Magnetic susceptibility.

The magnetic properties of complexes in terms of unpaired electrons and their magnetic or spin properties are useful in determining structural features in transition metal compounds. Complexes that contain unpaired electrons are paramagnetic and are attracted into magnetic fields. Diamagnetic compounds are those with no unpaired electrons are repelled by a magnetic field. All compounds, including transition metal complexes, posses some diamagnetic component which results from paired electrons moving in such a way that they generate a magnetic field that opposes an applied field. A compound can still have a net paramagnetic character because of the large paramagnetic susceptibility of the unpaired electrons. The number of unpaired electrons can be determined by the magnitude of the interaction of the metal compound with a magnetic field. This is directly the case for 3d transition metals but not always for 4d or 5d transition metals, whose observed magnetic properties may arise not only from the spin properties of the electrons, but also from the orbital motion of the electrons.
Mapping distinct timescales of functional interactions among brain networks

Brain processes occur at various timescales, ranging from milliseconds (neurons) to minutes and hours (behavior). Characterizing functional coupling among brain regions at these diverse timescales is key to understanding how the brain produces behavior. Here, we apply instantaneous and lag-based measures of conditional linear dependence, based on Granger-Geweke causality (GC), to infer network connections at distinct timescales from functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data. Due to the slow sampling rate of fMRI, it is widely held that GC produces spurious and unreliable estimates of functional connectivity when applied to fMRI data. We challenge this claim with simulations and a novel machine learning approach. First, we show, with simulated fMRI data, that instantaneous and lag-based GC identify distinct timescales and complementary patterns of functional connectivity. Next, we analyze fMRI scans from 500 subjects and show that a linear classifier trained on either instantaneous or lag-based GC connectivity reliably distinguishes task versus rest brain states, with ~80-85% cross-validation accuracy. Importantly, instantaneous and lag-based GC exploit markedly different spatial and temporal patterns of connectivity to achieve robust classification. Our approach enables identifying functionally connected networks that operate at distinct timescales in the brain.
Ramp Noise Projection in CMOS Image Sensor Single-Slope ADCs

Noise analysis of the ramp reference voltage and its projection at the output of a conventional single-slope ramp analog-to-digital converter (ADC) is presented. This paper gives insight on the reference voltage noise origins during the continuous-time ramping phase of column-parallel CMOS image sensor ADCs, as well as its effect on the final ADC output noise. Theoretical modeling of an occurring random walk noise on continuous-time-based ramp references is presented first. Noise on the ramp does not directly add to the output noise of the ADC, but it is modulated and projected subject to given ramp rise time conditions. Test measurements show that the signal-dependent output noise is consistent with the rate of noise increase by the proposed random walk noise model.
The Effect of Health Risk on Housing Values: Evidence from a Cancer Cluster.

This paper measures the impact of an outbreak of pediatric leukemia on local housing values. A model of location choice is used to describe conditions under which the gradient of the hedonic price function with respect to pediatric leukemia risk is equal to household marginal willingness to pay to avoid risk. This equalizing differential is estimated using property-level sales records from a county in Nevada where residents recently experienced a severe increase in pediatric leukemia. Housing prices are compared before and after the increase with a nearby county acting as a control group. The variation in health risk over time makes it possible to control for unobserved differences across locations. In addition, because many houses were sold repeatedly during the sample period it is possible to control for property-specific heterogeneity. The results indicate that housing values decreased 15.6 percent during the period of maximum risk. Results are similar for different measures of risk and across houses of different sizes. Using lifetime estimates of risk derived from a Bayesian learning process the results imply that the statistical value of pediatric leukemia is $5.6 million. These estimates provide some of the first market-based estimates of the value of health for children.
Phytochemical Screening and Antidiarrhoeal Activity of Hyptis suaveolens

Summary. Hyptis suaveolens leaf has been used in conventional therapies for various disease conditions, including diarrhea. However, some of the therapeutic potentials of the plant have not been scientifically evaluated. Hence, the present study was aimed to evaluate the antidiarrhoeal activity of ethanol extract of Hyptis suaveolens leaf against an experimental model of castor oil-induced diarrhea in mice. Phytochemical screening of the plant extracts for their active constituents was also performed following standard procedures. Oral administration of the said ethanol extract (250 and 500 mg/kg) showed significant (P<0.01) and dose-dependent inhibitory activity against castor oil induced diarrhoea. The onset of diarrhoea induced by castor oil was significantly delayed by administration of the plant extract. The results were comparable to those of standard antimotility drug, loperamide (50 mg/kg). Preliminary phytochemical screening shows the presence of alkaloid, glycoside, saponin, tannin and flavonoid as major constituents. The results indicate the presence of some active principles in the plant extract possessing anti-diarrhoeal effect and justify its traditional use in the treatment for diarrhoea. Industrial relevance. Diarrheal diseases pose a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Moreover, in developing countries, the cost of modern synthetic medicines is out of reach of the common man, especially those in rural areas. A large population of the Indian subcontinent depend on traditional system of medicine for their physical and psychological health needs. Hence there is an intensive search for natural products which are biologically active against diarrhea. In this study, the antidiarrhoeal activity of H S. was studied and the results revealed that the ethanol leaf extract of Hyptis suaveolens extracts significantly reduced induction time of diarrhoea and number of diarrhoeal episodes in the orally treated mice. The results scientifically establish the efficacy of the plant extracts as antidiarrhoeal agents. Isolation and characterization of active principle(s) from this extract could lead to the development of herbal drug more effective in the treatment of diarrhea with less side effect, less costly affordable compared to synthetic drugs. Keywords. Hyptis suaveolens ; Castor oil-induced diarrhea; Anti-diarrhoeal activity; Phytochemical screening; Traditional medicine.
Similarities and Dissimilarities in Coauthorship Networks: Gestalt Theory as Explanation for Well-ordered Collaboration Structures and Production of Scientific Literature

Based on Gestalt theory, the author assumes the existence of a field-force equilibrium to explain how, according to the conciseness principle, mathematically precise gestalts could exist in coauthorship networks. A simple mathematical function is developed for the description of these gestalts which can encompass complementary tendencies (as in the principle of Yin and Yang) in their dynamic interplay and, thus, can reflect the change in gestalts. For example, Birds of a feather flock together and Opposites attract are explained as complementary tendencies. The data are obtained by SCI. In analyzing the coauthorship networks, coauthorship relations Z between scientists (third dimension) are recorded from the point of view of every scientist with productivity X (first dimension) to all the other scientists with productivity Y (second dimension). According to the conciseness principle, three-dimensional well-ordered gestalts from different science disciplines are presented. The results of the study have confirmed Metzger's conjectures that the conciseness principle also has validity for social systems, and is valid even with the same conciseness as in the psychology of perception. It is possible that the presented mathematical function has assumed a more general character and, in consequence, is also more likely applicable to the description of citation networks or the spreading of information.
Electronic institutions development environment

In this paper we present the Electronic Institutions Development Environment (EIDE) to support the engineering of multiagent systems as Electronic Institutions. An electronic institution defines a set of rules that structure agent interactions, establishing what agents are permitted and forbidden to do, as well as the consequences of their actions. EIDE supports and facilitates all the stages of electronic institutions' engineering, namely from the specification of an institutional rules to its execution and monitoring.
Ginsenoside Re, a Main Phytosterol of Panax ginseng, Activates Cardiac Potassium Channels via a Nongenomic Pathway of Sex Hormones

Ginseng root is one of the most popular herbs throughout the world and is believed to be a panacea and to promote longevity. It has been used as a medicine to protect against cardiac ischemia, a major cause of death in the West. We have previously demonstrated that ginsenoside Re, a main phytosterol of Panax ginseng, inhibits Ca2+ accumulation in mitochondria during cardiac ischemia/reperfusion, which is attributable to nitric oxide (NO)-induced Ca2+ channel inhibition and K+ channel activation in cardiac myocytes. In this study, we provide compelling evidence that ginsenoside Re activates endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) to release NO, resulting in activation of the slowly activating delayed rectifier K+ current. The eNOS activation occurs via a nongenomic pathway of each of androgen receptor, estrogen receptor-α, and progesterone receptor, in which c-Src, phosphoinositide 3-kinase, Akt, and eNOS are sequentially activated. However, ginsenoside Re does not stimulate proliferation of androgen-responsive LNCaP cells and estrogen-responsive MCF-7 cells, implying that ginsenoside Re does not activate a genomic pathway of sex hormone receptors. Fluorescence resonance energy transfer experiments with a probe, SCCoR (single cell coactivator recruitment), indicate that the lack of genomic action is attributable to failure of coactivator recruitment. Thus, ginsenoside Re acts as a specific agonist for the nongenomic pathway of sex steroid receptors, and NO released from activated eNOS underlies cardiac K+ channel activation and protection against ischemia-reperfusion injury.
A review of septic induced abortion cases in one year at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar.

BACKGROUND Working in a tertiary level hospital we get complicated cases as a result of termination or attempts at termination of unwanted pregnancies. Most of the patients that we get are complicated and need expensive treatments including surgery. This study was conducted to assess the out come of septic induced abortion cases in a year. METHODS It was conducted at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, unit B, Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, from 1.7. 01 to 30.6. 02. The data of a total of 28 patients admitted as emergency cases with septic induced abortion in above period were collected. History, management given, post operative care, complications and associated morbidity and mortality were taken into account and result compiled. RESULTS 78.5% patients with unsafe abortions were multi gravida. Termination was attempted at home or other small centers. 57%, had history of surgical interference, 28.5% had used a mechanical device. 78.5% patients needed evacuation and curettage, 42% had laparotomy for visceral injuries. 15% patients had a subtotal hysterectomy. 57% patients had associated complications. 7.5% patients who came with septicemic shock died. CONCLUSION Septic induced abortion is an important contributor to maternal morbidity and mortality, increasing the burden on not only the patients but health workers and their resources. However, it is preventable, and we suggest commitment to health education, family planning promotion and bringing down the rates of unsafe abortions as solutions to the problems.
Quantized H∞ control for networked control systems with random packet losses

This paper is concerned with the quantized H∞ state feedback control problem for discrete-time systems subject to limited communication capacity, which includes state quantization and random sensor packet losses. By introducing a random packet-loss model, an quantized state feedback controller is designed to ensure the exponentially mean-square stable of the closed-loop system and to guarantee an optimal H∞ disturbance attenuation level. Finally, a simulation example is given to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Enabling CoAP into the swarm: A transparent interception CoAP-HTTP proxy for the Internet of Things

A major challenge in interconnecting billions of computing devices in the Internet of Things (IoT) is interoperability. One approach that is gaining momentum is the Web of Things, that uses web architecture and web standards as a framework for creating IoT applications. Two main protocols are used in the application layer of the Web of Things: HTTP and CoAP. This work presents the conception, design, and evaluation of an Interception Proxy for HTTP and CoAP interoperability. The proposed proxy preserves the organic nature of the Swarm, by allowing a transparent discovery and communication among devices. In this proposal, the proxy constitutes an independent entity that intercepts Swarm communications, and performs the mapping between HTTP and CoAP or vice versa, thus, extending the interaction capabilities of the network. The implementation is based on an existing library and the validation results show the correct functionality of the proxy and its ability of operating in Swarm scenarios.
Quantum quench influenced by an excited-state phase transition

P.C. acknowledges useful discussions with M. Kastner and J. Hirsch. This work has been partially supported by the Czech Science Foundation (Grant No. 202/09/0084), by the Czech Ministry of Education (Grant No. MSM 0021620859), by the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia and the European regional development fund FEDER (Grants No. FIS2009-07277, No. FIS2008-04189, No. FIS2006-12783-C03-01, No. FPA2006-13807-C02-02, No. FPA2007-63074, and No. FIS2009-11621-C02-01), by CPAN-Ingenio (Grant No. CSPD-2007-00042-Ingenio), by Junta de Andalucia (Grants No. FQM160, No. FQM318, No. P05-FQM437, and No. P07-FQM-02962), and by the Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Grant No. UCM-910059). P.P-F. is supported by a FPU grant of the Spanish Ministerio de Educacion y Ciencia. A.R. is supported by the Spanish program CPAN Consolider-ingenio.
One-step deposition and in-situ reduction of graphene oxide in glass microcapillaries and application to photonics

Films of graphene oxide (GO) were produced on the inner walls of glass microcapillaries via insertion of a GO water suspension followed by quick drying with a hot finger (no previous surface functionalization required). Individual capillaries from an array could also be selectively GO coated. Raman hyperspectral images revealed the films to be continuous along tens of centimeters. Furthermore, the films could be thermally reduced through an annealing process, which also decreased the concentration of defects. As a proof of principle application, the microcapillaries of photonic crystal fibers were covered with a GO film, leading to the demonstration of fiber polarizers and mode lockers for pulsed fiber lasers. A comparison between GO- and reduced GO-coated fibers revealed that shorter pulses are obtained with the latter.
Competition and extrinsic rewards: effect on intrinsic motivation and attribution.

Abstract The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the effect of monetary rewards and success/failure on intrinsic motivation and causal attributions of males and females competing on a motor task. Multivariate analysis of variance produced a significant overall main effect for feedback, with subjects exhibiting more intrinsic motivation after success than after failure. The Sex × Feedback interaction (p < .09) indicated that males exhibited more intrinsic motivation than females after success, whereas females displayed more intrinsic motivation than males after failure. Attribution results showed that success was primarily attributed to high ability, high effort, and good luck while failure was attributed to low ability, low effort, and bad luck. Correlational analysis revealed that success was related to high ability, high effort, good luck, and high intrinsic motivation. Conversely, failure was associated with low ability, low effort, bad luck, and low intrinsic motivation. In addition,.
On the dark rim artifact in dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI myocardial perfusion studies

A dark band or rim along parts of the subendocardial border of the left ventricle (LV) and the myocardium has been noticed in some dynamic contrast‐enhanced MR perfusion studies. The artifact is thought to be due to susceptibility effects from the gadolinium bolus, motion, or resolution, or a combination of these. Here motionless ex vivo hearts in which the cavity was filled with gadolinium are used to show that dark rim artifacts can be consistent with resolution effects alone. Magn Reson Med, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The relationship between employment and neuropsychological impairment in HIV infection

The relationship between neurocognitive impairment and employment in a cohort of 130 predominantly symptomatic individuals with HIV–1 infection was examined. Participants were classified as employed (full or part-time for pay) or unemployed (N = 64) and administered a neuropsychological test battery. When covarying for CD4 count, age, and physical limitations, the results revealed that unemployed men performed below that of employed participants on tasks of memory, set shifting–cognitive flexibility, and psychomotor speed. The results are discussed within the context of similar findings in other illnesses. (JINS, 1999, 5, 534–539.)
Combining Tensor Space Analysis and Active Appearance Models for Aging Effect Simulation on Face Images

Applications of the simulation of adult aging effects are widespread nowadays, whereas the difficulties in certain aspects restrict its development. In this paper, a method is proposed for simulating adult facial aging effects by means of super-resolution. Accounting for the nature of multimodalities in the face image set, multilinear algebra is introduced to represent and process the whole image set in tensor space. To ameliorate the aging simulation results generated by merely the super-resolution method, we further adopt active appearance models to reduce the blurring effects of the results through adding normalization of the faces and postprocessing to the algorithm. To evaluate our aging simulation method, the aged faces obtained are compared with the ground-truth face images of the same individuals and also assessed by several volunteers mainly from two perspectives: the aged faces' perceived age and their preservation effects of the original identities of subjects in the test images. Additionally, objective experiments based on an automatic age estimator and a face recognition method using eigenfaces are also conducted as another way of the evaluation.
The HLA system. Second of two parts.

A man dies because his body has rejected a heart transplant; a woman is crippled by rheumatoid arthritis; a child goes into a coma that is brought on by cerebral malaria; another child dies of an infection because of an immunodeficiency; an elderly man has advanced hepatic cirrhosis caused by iron overload. These five clinical situations are as diverse as can be, yet all have one thing in common: the cause of all of them involves the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, the human version of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Malfunction of the HLA system, which is at the .