Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Generalized Luenberger observer design for matrix second-order linear systems

In this paper, the issue of designing a type of generalized Luenberger observers for matrix second-order linear (MSOL) systems is addressed in the matrix second-order framework. By introducing the concept of stable matrix pair for MSOL systems, sufficient and necessary conditions for the design of the type of generalized Luenberger observers are given under the assumption of controllability and observability of the MSOL system. Based on the proposed conditions and the right coprime factorization of the system, a parametric approach to the design of such type of observers is presented, and a corresponding design algorithm is proposed. The proposed approach provides all the degrees of design freedom, which can be further utilized to achieve additional system specifications. A spring-mass system is utilized to show the effect of the proposed algorithm.
Mapping the SF-12 to the HUI3 and VAS in a Managed Care Population

Background:Transforming generic health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments to a summary utility index is useful for deriving quality-adjusted life years (QALY) in any cost/QALY analysis. Objective:The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of the SF-12 in predicting utility scores derived from Health Utility Index (HUI3) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Method:Data were obtained from a survey of 6923 managed care patients in the United States, aged 18 to 93 years, selected by strata of medication usage (at least 1 medication in target year, 5 or more medications, target medications, and both). The SF-12 was used to assess self-reported HRQOL. Utility was measured by the HUI3 and a VAS. The SF-12 items were used to predict HUI3 and VAS scores using ordinary least square regressions, with sociodemographic covariates. A second model entered each SF-12 item as categorized responses. A third model used the Physical Composite and Mental Composite scores to predict HUI3 and VAS scores. Results:The SF-12 items and sociodemographic covariates accounted for 35% to 55% of the variations in HUI3 and VAS scores, respectively. Age and most SF-12 items were significantly (P < 0.0001) associated with both utility scores in all 3 models. Conclusions:This research provides support that an algorithm can be derived from the SF-12 to estimate utility scores based on the HUI3 and VAS for studies in populations where utility has not or cannot be measured directly.
Antibacterial activity of povidone iodine towards non-sporing bacteria.

The antibacterial activity of povidone iodine was examined in vitro in saline, in nutrient broth, in simulated ulcer experiments and in the presence of blood components. Minimum inhibitory and minimum bactericidal concentrations were within a narrow concentration range. Nutrient broth and plasma had little inactivating activity but 1 g haemoglobin inactivated 50 mg of free iodine: experiments with 125I showed that uptake of iodine by red cells occurred rapidly. Optimal antimicrobial effects in clinical use should be achieved in relatively blood-free situations. Povidone iodine produced a potent, and sometimes persistent bactericidal effect towards bacteria on healthy skin. It is suggested that antiseptics such as povidone iodine should continue to replace topical antibiotics for prevention and treatment of wound infection.
Community Journalism & Empowerment: Do they go hand in hand?

With the credibility of mainstream journalism decreasing each passing day, Community Journalism (CJ), assisted by Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), stands out as a workable and interesting alternative. Using Rowland's Empowerment framework, this paper analyzes what impact CJ has on individual empowerment. The study is based on CGNet-Swara, a CJ project launched for tribal and marginalized communities of India. The study uses case study research design following hermeneutics as the method of data analysis. The study indicates that CJ projects do not strive to provide empowerment to the individuals in all its manifestations. Moreover, although these projects do empower individuals to certain extent, they sometimes also create false consciousness of attaining power.
Loss of the SUMO protease Ulp2 triggers a specific multichromosome aneuploidy

The SUMO protease Ulp2 modulates many of the SUMO-dependent processes in budding yeast. Ryu et al. discovered that cells lacking Ulp2 display a twofold increase in transcript levels across two particular chromosomes: chromosome I (ChrI) and ChrXII. Extra copies of ChrI and ChrXII can be eliminated following reintroduction of ULP2, suggesting that aneuploidy is a reversible adaptive mechanism to counteract loss of the SUMO protease.
Experimental Validation and Simulation of Fourier and Non-Fourier Heat Transfer Equation during Laser Nano-Phototherapy of Lung Cancer Cells: An in Vitro Assay

This paper investigated the numerical scheme extended to solve the hyperbolic non-Fourier form of bioheat transfer equation and the experimental trials were conducted to validate the numerical simulation. MNPs were prepared via co-precipitation and modified with a silica layer. The amino modified Fe3O4/SiO2 nanoshells were covered with gold colloids producing nanoshells of Fe3O4/SiO2/Au (MNSs). In vitro assays were performed to determine the effect of apoptosis of QU-DB lung cancer cells based on the cells morphology changes. Cell damage was reduced by decreasing the power density of laser. Also, a larger area of damage on cell culture plates was observed at longer intervals of laser irradiation. The effect of nanoshell concentration and irradiation rate has been evaluated. A maximum temperature rise of 6°C was achieved at 184 W/cm2 and concentration of 0.01 mg/ml. The experiment confirmed a hyperbolic behaviour of thermal propagation. The results revealed that the three-dimensional implementation of bioheat equation is likely to be more accurate than the two-dimensional study.
Plan recommended guidelines for initial antiretroviral therapy in HIV-infected adults

Introduction: GESIDA and the National AIDS Plan panel of experts suggest preferred (PR) and alternative (AR) regimens of antiretroviral treatment (ART) as initial therapy in HIV-infected patients for 2014. The objective of this study is to evaluate the costs and the efficiency of initiating treatment with these regimens. Methods: An economic assessment was made of costs and efficiency (cost/efficacy) based on decision tree analyses. Efficacy was defined as the probability of reporting a viral load <50 copies/mL at week 48, in an intention-to-treat analysis. Cost of initiating treatment with an ART regimen was defined as the costs of ART and its consequences (adverse effects, changes of ART regimen, and drug resistance studies) during the first 48 weeks. The payer perspective (National Health System) was applied by considering only differential direct costs: ART (official prices), management of adverse effects, studies of resistance, and HLA B*5701 testing. The setting is Spain and costs correspond to those of 2014. A sensitivity deterministic analysis was conducted, building three scenarios for each regimen: base case, most favourable and least favourable. Results: In the base case scenario, the cost of initiating treatment ranges from 5133 Euros for ABC/3TC + EFV to 11,949 Euros for TDF/FTC + RAL. The efficacy varies between 0.66 for ABC/3TC + LPV/r and ABC/3TC + ATV/r, and 0.89 for TDF/FTC/EVG/COBI. Efficiency, in terms of cost/efficacy, ranges from 7546 to 13,802 Euros per responder at 48 weeks, for ABC/3TC + EFV and TDF/FTC + RAL respectively. Conclusion: Considering ART official prices, the most efficient regimen was ABC/3TC + EFV (AR), followed by the non-nucleoside containing PR (TDF/FTC/RPV and TDF/FTC/EFV). The sensitivity analysis confirms the robustness of these findings. © 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved. ∗ Corresponding author. E-mail address: gatell0@attglobal.net (J.M. Gatell). 1 See The GESIDA ART Cost-efficacy Study Group member in Appendix 1. http://dx.doi. org/10.1016/j.eimc. 2014.05. 016 0213-005X/© 2014 Elsevier España, S.L. U. and Sociedad Española de Enfermedades Infecciosas y Microbiología Clínica. All rights reserved. Document downloaded from http://www.elsevier. es, day 03/07/2017. This copy is for personal use. Any transmission of this document by any media or format is strictly prohibited.
Frequent allocation of rotationally grazed dairy cows changes grazing behavior and improves productivity.

Twenty Holstein cows were blocked in 2 groups according to milk yield to evaluate the effect of frequency of allocation to new grazing plots on pasture intake, grazing behavior, rumen characteristics, and milk yield. The 2 treatments, daily allocation to 0.125-ha plots (1D) or allocation every 4 d to 0.5-ha plots (4D) of Lolium perenne L. , were tested in a randomized block design (2 rotations with 3 or 4 measuring periods of 4 d each) with mixed model analysis accounting for repeated measures. There were no differences in the chemical composition of offered pasture and in pasture dry matter intake (DMI) between 1D and 4D. However, an interaction between treatment and rotation indicated a difference in pasture DMI between treatments during the first rotation (4D, 16.5 vs. 1D, 18.3 kg/d) but not during the second rotation (4D, 15.0 vs. 1D, 14.7 kg/d), possibly a result of a greater pasture mass in the first rotation. Grazing time (average 562 min/d) and ruminating time (average 468 min/d), observed using IGER graze recorders, were similar between treatments, but grazing time increased numerically (549 to 568 min/d), and ruminating time decreased linearly (471 to 450 min/d) within periods in the 4D treatment. Mean rumen pH (6.16 vs. 6.05) and rumen NH(3)-N concentration (113.7 vs. 90.1 mg/L) were higher in 4D than in 1D, and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations did not differ. Molar proportions of VFA, except butyrate, differed between treatments, causing the nonglucogenic to glucogenic VFA ratio to be greater in 4D than in 1D. Within days in the 4D treatment, the molar proportion of acetate increased and those of all other VFA decreased linearly. Rumen NH(3)-N concentration within the 4D treatment declined quadratically from 170.3 mg/L on d 1 to 80.7 mg/L on d 4. In contrast to rumen NH(3)-N concentration, milk urea content did not differ between treatments, but decreased quadratically from d 1 to 4 in the 4D treatment (from 26.7 to 20.7 mg/dL). Mean fat- and protein-corrected milk was greater in 1D than in 4D (23.5 vs. 22.8 kg/d), mainly due to a difference in milk yield (24.5 vs. 23.7 kg/d). Fat and protein content were slightly lower in the 1D than in the 4D treatment (3.66 vs. 3.76% and 3.28 vs. 3.34%, respectively). This study confirmed that increasing pasture allocation frequency from once every 4 d to every day improved milk production in grazing dairy cows, especially when offered pasture was high.
Significance of HIV-1 Genetic Subtypes

HIV is the most significant new pathogen that emerged during the twentieth century. Since the recognition of AIDS in 1981, HIV has caused a worldwide epidemic. HIV-1 mutates extensively and shows high genetic diversity and thereby poses significant challenges for effective surveillance and disease control. At the beginning of the 1990s phylogenetic analyses of HIV-1 sequences from different sources of the world epidemic revealed that HIV-1 can be divided into different clades or subtypes. However, most of the knowledge from that time was based on information from western countries, where subtype B predominated. Important questions were raised about the possibility that genetic and phenotypic differences in HIV-1 may affect transmissibility, infectivity and pathogenicity, in addition to responses to therapy and vaccines. On this basis this study was initiated in 1994, and presented as a thesis in 1999. This paper gives an overview of the results from this thesis (based on 6 original papers) and the conclusions drawn. In summary, determination of the genetic subtype of HIV-1 probably has little value for routine clinical care of individual patients, but provides a powerful tool for monitoring changes in local and global transmission patterns.
Camera Parameter Estimation Method Using Infrared Markers for Live TV Production

We have developed a robust method for estimating camera parameters for live TV production based on infrared markers whose feature-point extraction is simple and two-dimensional color histogram matching that considers the effects of specular reflection due to lighting. We first explain the principle of the proposed technique. We then present the results of a basic experiment for evaluating the accuracy of marker identification and the results of an image-compositing experiment using estimated camera parameters. We show that the proposed technique is effective based on those results.
Managing high‐acuity‐depressed adults in primary care

Purpose: To identify strategies for managing high‐acuity‐depressed adults in primary care settings. Patients who do not achieve remission with initial treatment, patients at risk for suicide, and patients with co‐occurring substance use disorders are specifically addressed. Data sources: Scientific literature and evidence‐based practice guidelines. Conclusion: Accurate diagnosis is best accomplished using screening instruments as an adjunct to a thorough history and assessment. The goal of interventions is remission of symptoms as opposed to a partial response. Patient preferences regarding choice of intervention must be considered. Initial pharmacotherapy must include adequate doses and a trial of adequate duration. Patients who do not respond to two medication trials are at risk for suicide and/or have a co‐occurring substance use disorder may require: (a) a combination of medications coupled with psychotherapy; or (b) referral to mental health specialists to achieve the best outcomes. Implications for practice: High‐acuity patients with mental health needs will continue to be seen in primary care settings. Through educational preparation and a patient‐centered focus, advanced practice nurses in primary care settings are in an optimal position to set a high standard of care for complex mental health patients.
An introduction to DNA technologies and their role in livestock production: a review.

DN A technologies have revolutionalized modern science in many ways. DNA (Deoxyribonucleic acid), the heredit ary material in all living organism from bacteria to bull, controls and directs all the functions of a living organism. Many techniques have beenevolvedto understand and manipulate the DNA for many purposes like parentage analysis, curing genetic diseases, forensics, gene therapy and to improve the livestock production. In this paper DNA technologies . Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), DNA sequencing, R ecombinant DNA technology, DNA microarray technology, marker assisted selection (MAS), stem cell, genetic engineering and their role in order to improve livestock production are reviewed.
Enhancing Educational Opportunities with Computer-Mediated Assessment Feedback

As internet technologies make their way into developing areas, so too does the possibility of education and training being delivered to the people living in those previously unserved areas. The growing catalogue of free, high quality courseware, when combined with the newly acquired means of delivery, creates the potential for millions of people in the developing world to acquire a good education. Yet a good education obviously requires more than simply delivering information; students must also receive high quality feedback on their assessments. They must be told how their performance compares with the ideal, and be shown how to close the gap between the two. However, delivering high quality feedback is labor-intensive, and therefore expensive, and has long been recognized as a problematic issue by educators. This paper outlines a case study that uses a Learning Management System (LMS) to efficiently deliver detailed feedback that is informed by the principles of best practice. We make the case that the efficiencies of this method allow for large-scale courses with thousands of enrolments that are accessible to developing and developed areas alike. We explore the question; is computer-mediated feedback delivery efficient and effective and might it be applied to large-scale courses at low-cost?
Joint optimization of DVFS and low-power sleep-state selection for mobile platforms

To provide the ultimate mobile user experience, extended battery life is critical to small form-factor mobile platforms such as smartphones and tablets. Dynamic voltage and frequency scaling (DVFS) and low-power CPU/platform sleep states are commonly used power management features, as they allow dynamic control of power and performance to the time-varying needs of workloads. Despite the potential power saving benefit from synergistic integration of DVFS and sleep-state selection, it is challenging to optimize them jointly for mobile workloads (e.g., video streaming), and most existing work considers them only individually. To address this problem, we study joint optimization of CPU frequency (a.k.a. CPU P-states) and CPU/platform sleep-state selections to reduce energy consumption in mobile platforms. This joint optimization becomes feasible with advanced power management techniques and power aware software development methodologies that regulate (e.g., coalesce/align) system activities, making workload characteristics and system idle duration more deterministic and predictable. We then analyze the optimal operating state that minimizes the expected platform energy consumption based on workload characteristics, and present an algorithm to adapt to it at run time. Our evaluation results on mobile workloads show that the proposed scheme can reduce system power consumption by up to 24%, compared to the conventional CPU-utilization-based approach, which seeks mainly to minimize processor energy.
Treatment of Glucantim TM-Resistant Cutaneous Leishmaniasis Using Combination Therapy of Allopurinol and Trichloroacetic Acid ( TCA ) 50 % ; Report of Three Cases

Background: There are 3 main forms of leishmaniasis-visceral, cutaneous, and mucocutaneous. Leishmania parasites are transmitted by the bite of infected female phlebotomine sand flies. Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is the most common form of leishmaniasis and causes skin lesions, leaving life-long scars and serious disability. About 95% of CL cases occur in the Americas, the Mediterranean basin, the Middle East and Central Asia. Over two thirds of new CL cases occur in 6 countries that Iran (Islamic Republic of) is one of them. An estimated 0.6 million to 1 million new cases occur worldwide annually. If there is no remission with Glucantim as a choice of drug, other treatments such as cryotherapy and thermotherapy methods are used or other drugs such as allopurinol, pentamidine and amphotericin are prescribed in this disease. The use of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) 50% solution is another effective treatment. Case presentation: We report three cases (two women and one man) of cutaneous leishmaniasis resistant to Glucantim treated with combination therapy of allopurinol and TCA 50%. Conclusion: According to the results, the use of combination therapy of allopurinol and TCA 50% could be used as one of the alternative treatments in GlucantimTMresistant cutaneous leishmaniasis.
Sex and test verification bias. Impact on the diagnostic value of exercise echocardiography.

BACKGROUND The use of exercise echocardiography for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease (CAD) has been validated in pilot studies but is not documented in clinical practice and in women comparatively with men. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of sex and of test verification bias on the diagnostic performance of exercise echocardiography. METHODS AND RESULTS Three thousand six hundred seventy-nine consecutive patients (1714 women, 1965 men) who underwent an exercise echocardiographic study were studied; the observed sensitivity, specificity, and correct classification rate were calculated among 340 patients (244 men, 96 women) who underwent angiography; to study the effect of test verification bias, sensitivity and specificity were estimated for all patients who underwent exercise echocardiography including those not referred to angiography. In the angiographic group, the prevalence of CAD was 60% in women and 80% in men. The observed sensitivity and specificity of exercise echocardiography was 78% and 44% in men and 79% and 37% in women. After adjustment for test verification bias, the estimated sensitivity was lower in women (32% versus 42% in men), whereas specificity was similar in both sexes. The positive predictive value was lower in women (66%) compared with men (84%). CONCLUSIONS In clinical practice, test verification bias results in a lower observed specificity and a higher sensitivity of exercise echocardiography. In women, positive predictive value and adjusted sensitivity are lower compared with that in men.
Distinction of road surface conditions at nighttime using brightness co-occurrence matrix

In this paper, we propose a distinction method of road surface conditions by using only video information from a visible video camera. The feature of this method is simply to use the cars' headlights as the light source. In this method, using the probability function of brightness, we extract the road area that is having moderate quantities of light, touched by the headlights. Then, we differentiate two road surface conditions such as dry and wet, by using the amount of characteristic of the brightness co-occurrence matrix. As a result, by using this method, it became possible to distinguish the road surface conditions with high accuracy.
Detection of prognostic factors in children and adolescents with Burkitt and Diffuse Large B‐Cell Lymphoma treated with the AIEOP LNH‐97 protocol

Burkitt lymphoma (BL) and Diffuse Large B‐Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) account for most cases of non‐Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) in childhood. We report the clinical characteristics, outcome and prognostic factors in children with BL or DLBCL treated according to the Associazione Italiana Ematologia Oncologia Pediatrica (AIEOP) LNH‐97 protocol. Patients aged up to 18 years that were newly diagnosed with BL/DLBCL were included in the study. Therapy consisted of pre‐phase followed by 2–6 high‐dose chemotherapy courses tailored according to lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) value and disease stage. A total of 442 patients (379 BL, 63 DLBCL) were enrolled between 1997 and 2014, of whom 18 failed to achieve remission, 6 experienced treatment‐related death, 2 developed second malignancy and 20 relapsed. At a median follow‐up time of 5 years, overall survival was 93% (±1%) and event‐free survival was 90% (±1%). LDH value above the median value had an independently negative prognostic value (P < 0·0001). However, in the subgroup of 128 patients in which minimal disseminated disease (MDD) was analysed, MDD‐positivity became the only unfavourable prognostic factor for progression‐free survival. Tailored chemotherapy could be extremely effective with limited toxicity. Identification of MDD as a hallmark of a higher risk of treatment failure may provide a target population for treatment intensification by anti‐CD20.