Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Safety of fluoroquinolone use in patients with hepatotoxicity induced by anti-tuberculosis regimens.

BACKGROUND Fluoroquinolones are frequently used to replace agents in first-line anti-tuberculosis (anti-TB) regimens in patients with TB who have drug-induced hepatic dysfunction. We investigated the safety of using fluoroquinolone in an area where TB is endemic and where there is a high incidence of drug-induced liver injury. METHODS From September 2003 through August 2006, patients who had aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase levels >3 times the upper limit of normal in the presence of hepatitis symptoms or who had aspartate aminotransferase and/or alanine aminotransferase levels >5 times the upper limit of normal after receipt of anti-TB treatment were enrolled. The control group received ethambutol, with or without streptomycin; study groups received either (1) ethambutol plus levofloxacin, with or without streptomycin; or (2) ethambutol plus moxifloxacin, with or without streptomycin. The outcome measurement was the time from onset of hepatitis to normalization of liver functions. RESULTS One hundred thirty-four (11.3%) of 1191 patients received a diagnosis of hepatotoxicity and needed to stop anti-TB treatment. The risk factor was abnormal baseline transaminase levels. Twenty-two of the 134 patients received the control medication, 40 received levofloxacin, and 45 received moxifloxacin; the remaining patients were excluded from the study. There were no significant prestudy differences between groups. Time to liver function normalization was almost the same for all groups (mean +/- standard deviation, 29.1+/-21.4, 25.5+/-17.6, and 29.7+/-14.3 days, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Abnormal baseline transaminase levels are the independent risk factors for anti-TB therapy-induced hepatitis. Levofloxacin and moxifloxacin caused no additional hepatotoxicity when they were used by patients with hepatitis induced by first-line anti-TB drugs.
Using Partial Correlation Coefficient to Assess the Importance of Quality Attributes: Study Case for Tourism Romanian Consumers

The importance-performance grid is a marketing instrument used to optimize the attributes of products in order to increase the consumers' satisfaction. A special place for debates is represented by the way in which the importance of attributes is determined, the direct research way having many weak points, among which we mention: it aggravates the application of the survey, the answers are already influenced by the perceived performance of the products, the answers are not authentic or they are too polite so that the values obtained are high and the inter-item differences are little and pointless etc. The aim of this paper is to test a mathematic method recommended by the literature in the field, in order to indirectly determine the importance of the attributes, starting from the evaluation of the performance of products in relation to global satisfaction. Methodology contain: a survey through a questionnaire which recorded the importance assigned by candidates to the quality attributes and evaluated the performance of the touristic services considering the quality attributes; determined the importance of the attributes through the partial correlation coefficient, by correlating the attributes' perceived individual performance with the global satisfaction and compared the two matrixes pertaining to the information obtained by the two ways considering the marketing decisions. The results obtained indirectly through the partial correlation coefficient substantially differs from the results obtained by directly investigating the importance of the attributes, in order to make marketing decisions. The present paper continues previous researches, in which we tested two methods meant to indirectly determine the importance of the attributes, the Spearman coefficient and the entropy calculus. Index Terms—Importance-performance analysis, importance attributes, partial correlation, study case, tourism.
Cell-specific Induction of Distinct Oncogenes of the Jun Family Is Responsible for Differential Regulation of Collagenase Gene Expression by Transforming Growth Factor- in Fibroblasts and Keratinocytes (*)

Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) plays a major role in regulating connective tissue deposition by controlling both extracellular matrix production and degradation. In this study, we show that TGF-β transcriptionally represses both basal and tumor necrosis factor-α-induced collagenase (matrix metalloprotease-1) gene expression in dermal fibroblasts in culture, whereas it activates its expression in epidermal keratinocytes. We demonstrate that this differential effect of TGF-β on collagenase gene expression is due to a cell type-specific induction of distinct oncogenes of the Jun family, which participate in the formation of AP-1 complexes with different trans-activating properties. Specifically, our data indicate that the inhibitory effect of TGF-β in fibroblasts is likely to be mediated by jun-B, based on the following observations: (a) TGF-β induces high levels of jun-B expression and (b) over-expression of jun-B mimics TGF-β effect in inhibiting basal collagenase promoter activity and preventing tumor necrosis factor-α-induced trans-activation of the collagenase promoter. In contrast, TGF-β induction of collagenase gene expression in keratinocytes is preceded by transient elevation of c-jun proto-oncogene expression. Over-expression of c-jun leads to trans-activation of the collagenase promoter in both cell types, suggesting that c-jun is a ubiquitous inducer of collagenase gene expression. Transfection of keratinocytes with an antisense c-jun construct together with a collagenase promoter/reporter gene construct inhibits basal and TGF-β-induced up-regulation of the collagenase promoter activity, implying that c-jun mediates TGF-β effect in this cell type. Collectively, our data suggest differential signaling pathways for TGF-β in dermal fibroblasts and epidermal keratinocytes, leading to cell type-specific induction of two AP-1 components with opposite transcriptional activities.
Does Equity-Based Compensation Really Have a 'Dark Side'? The Influence of Regulatory Discretion

Using a recent sample of firms subject to SEC litigations for fraud and employing a detection-controlled estimation technique, we find that equity-based executive compensation (EBC) is positively related to both the probability of fraud commission and the probability of being prosecuted by the SEC. Moreover, EBC usage significantly decreased post Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX), but only in high-growth industries. Finally, post SOX, fraud commission dramatically declined by 60-70%, and this appears to be driven by the increased fraud penalties in SOX. These empirical results highlight the influence of potential regulatory discretion on fraud commission, fraud detection, and the usage of EBC.
Chemical basis of the sulfo-phospho-vanillin reaction for estimating total serum lipids.

Results with the "sulfo-phospho-vanillin" reaction, much used for determining total serum lipids, have been favorably compared with those for the gravimetric method. We investigated the basic chemistry of the reaction and determined the reactivity of this single reagent with various lipids. Our results suggest that: ( a ) The reaction requires a carbon-carbon double bond. ( b ) Concentrated sulfuric acid reacts with unsaturated lipids in the initial step to form a carbonium ion. ( c ) Phosphoric acid reacts with vanillin to produce a phosphate ester, with a resulting increase in the reactivity of the carbonyl group. ( d ) The carbonium ion reacts with the carbonyl group of phosphovanillin to form a colored compound, which is stabilized by resonance. ( e ) Unsaturated compounds with more than one double bond react, but reaction may vary with steric hindrance. ( f ) The method is reasonably precise, but its accuracy depends primarily on the reference standard used.
A Robust Approach to Hedging and Pricing in Imperfect Markets

This paper proposes a model-free approach to hedging and pricing in the presence of market imperfections such as market incompleteness and frictions. The generality of this framework allows us to conduct an in-depth theoretical analysis of hedging strategies with a wide family of risk measures and pricing rules, and study the conditions under which the hedging problem admits a solution and pricing is possible. The practical implications of our proposed theoretical approach are illustrated with an application on hedging economic risk.
A Development of Computer-Aided Diagnosis Tools of vascular retinopathy using Fundus Images

The identification of eye diseases in retinal images is the subject of several researches in the field of medical image processing.We developed a computerized aid diagnosis system to help specialists by displaying useful information such as the location of abnormalities in fundus images . This paper proposes three efficient approaches:for automatic detection of optic disk(OD) and exudates , and for automatic measure of vascular tortuosity in ocular fundus images. The extraction procedure of OD comprises two independents methodologies: one for automatic location of the center using an iterative thresholding flowed by the PCA , and other for boundary segmentation by applying region-based-active contour model in a variational level set formulation(RSF). In exudates identification method there are two main steps.First, detection of candidates regions by preprocessing, and OD elimination.Final exudates are obtained by morphological reconstruction. Finally, we will describe an other tool for automatic measurement of vascular tortuosity while ocular disease.
Coffee increases state anxiety in males but not in females

Coffee, reproducing the conditions under which caffeine is normally ingested, containing 3, 75, 150 or 300 mg of caffeine was given to healthy male and female volunteers. 25–30 min after drinking the beverage, they completed the Spanish version of the state‐trait anxiety inventory (STAI). The beverage increased state anxiety, in a dose‐dependent manner, in males but not in females. This could be due to a lesser sensitivity of females to coffee. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Attitude of rheumatoid arthritis patients to treatment with oral corticosteroids.

OBJECTIVE To assess the attitudes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to oral corticosteroid treatment, factors influencing these views and their likely clinical impact. METHODS A cross-sectional survey of 158 consecutive RA out-patients was carried out at two centres over 2 weeks. Demography, disease duration, function [Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ)], erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), years of formal education and social deprivation index were noted. Prospective recruitment into the multicentre West of Scotland Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Corticosteroid Trial (WOSERACT) was monitored and reasons for refusal to participate (when available) were noted at three of the centres. RESULTS Forty-eight (32%) patients were willing to be treated with oral corticosteroid and 100 (68%) were not. The former were older (P = 0.002), had a higher ESR (P = 0.007), poorer function (P = 0.001) and greater previous exposure to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (P = 0.013). Ninety patients refused to participate in WOSERACT, in 46 cases (40 female, 6 male) the reason being concerns about corticosteroids. CONCLUSIONS This study shows a high level of concern about and refusal of corticosteroid treatment in RA, due mainly to patient concerns about adverse effects. Rheumatologists need to be aware of these attitudes as they are likely to affect prescribing.
Sex‐ and tissue‐specific changes in mTOR signaling with age in C57BL/6J mice

Inhibition of the mTOR (mechanistic Target Of Rapamycin) signaling pathway robustly extends the lifespan of model organisms including mice. The precise molecular mechanisms and physiological effects that underlie the beneficial effects of rapamycin are an exciting area of research. Surprisingly, while some data suggest that mTOR signaling normally increases with age in mice, the effect of age on mTOR signaling has never been comprehensively assessed. Here, we determine the age‐associated changes in mTORC1 (mTOR complex 1) and mTORC2 (mTOR complex 2) signaling in the liver, muscle, adipose, and heart of C57BL/6J.Nia mice, the lifespan of which can be extended by rapamycin treatment. We find that the effect of age on several different readouts of mTORC1 and mTORC2 activity varies by tissue and sex in C57BL/6J.Nia mice. Intriguingly, we observed increased mTORC1 activity in the liver and heart tissue of young female mice compared to male mice of the same age. Tissue and substrate‐specific results were observed in the livers of HET3 and DBA/2 mouse strains, and in liver, muscle and adipose tissue of F344 rats. Our results demonstrate that aging does not result in increased mTOR signaling in most tissues and suggest that rapamycin does not promote lifespan by reversing or blunting such an effect.
Legal analysis of a contract for advanced logistics services

Purpose – This paper aims to study an advanced third/fourth party logistics (3/4PL) relationship in which the logistics service provider extended normal services by taking ownership of the goods during global distribution. It also aims to describe and analyze the approach to the legal rules a 3/4PL provider and its client company took in their contract, and present some remarks on the extent to which these contract solutions are legally sound.Design/methodology/approach – A cross‐functional (business law and logistics) approach is applied to a single case study. The main data source is a written contract, complemented by in‐depth interviews with the 3/4PL's managing director. A legal analysis is made from four perspectives of non‐mandatory and mandatory commercial legal rules.Findings – Issues between the offered service, the legal function and reaction in contracts are pointed out, e.g. doubts regarding the legal risk of sales uncertainty, the ownership of goods, the product liability, and the roles as c.
Weighted Sum Rate Maximization of Correlated MISO Interference Broadcast Channels under Linear Precoding: A Large System Analysis

The weighted sum rate (WSR) maximizing linear precoder algorithm is studied in large correlated multiple-input single output (MISO) interference broadcast channels (IBC). We consider an iterative WSR design which exploits the connection with Weighted sum Minimum Mean Squared Error (WMMSE) designs as in [1], [2] and [3], focusing on the version in [1]. We propose an asymptotic approximation of the signal- tointerference plus noise ratio (SINR) at every iteration. We also propose asymptotic approximations for Matched Filter (MF) precoders. Simulations show that the approximations are accurate, especially when the channels are correlated.
Self-consistent performance modeling for dualband detectors

Dualband and multiband detectors have generated interest for their ability to measure two very different wavelength bands simultaneously. The dualband detection is achieved by using two different mechanisms to cover the two separate response bands: an interband process for the shorter wavelengths, and free carrier absorption followed by internal photoemission for the longer wavelengths. Previously the two processes have been modeled separately, and a reasonable agreement has been obtained on the spectral shape, although the entire wavelength range has not been covered in a single model. Also, the previous modeling efforts did not give an absolute scale for the response, instead using an experimentally determined gained factor to fix the absolute response. Here a model is presented (which does not use any fitting parameters) which can provide absolute responsivity values and detector performance parameters. By using a Monte Carlo approach including various scattering mechanisms, the carrier transport is mo.
A sort method to enhance significant spectral components of test set

A sort method is proposed to enhance the significant spectral components of test set. In the field of integrated circuit testing, to calculate significant spectral components, it's necessary to do spectrum analysis for the test set. In this paper, a bipartite graph and weight matrix are constructed based on the test set and its significant spectral components. Therefore, the problem of enhancement of significant spectrum components is transformed into a bipartite graph matching problem that can be solved by KM(Kuhn-Munkras) algorithm. After the order adjustment of the test set according to the matching relationship, the correlation between the significant component and test set has been increased, and the significant spectral components are enhanced. Finally, the experimental results on the test set of the ISCAS-89 benchmark circuits show that the coefficients of the sorted test have increased by 9.47% on average, and the incompatible bits between the test set and its significant spectral components have effectively reduced by 14.18% on average.
The Study of Risk Management in Total Life Cycle of a Project

In this paper,the risks and relationships among them in total life cycle of a project was described firstly.Then,as the key to manage risks, continuous risk management(CRM) was also pointed.Additionally,the advantages of team risk management based on communication and knowledge sharing was analyzed.At last,a new system model for total life cycle risk management of a project was proposed.
Geldanamycin induces heat shock proteins in brain and protects against focal cerebral ischemia

Geldanamycin (GA), a benzoquinone ansamycin, binds Hsp90 in vitro, releases heat shock factor (HSF1) and induces heat shock proteins (Hsps). Because viral and transgenic overexpression of Hsps protects cells against ischemia in vitro, we hypothesized that GA would protect brain from focal ischemia by inducing Hsps in vivo. Adult male Sprague–Dawley rats were subjected to 2‐hour middle cerebral artery occlusions (MCAO) using the suture technique followed by 22‐h reperfusions. GA or vehicle was injected into the lateral cerebral ventricles (i.c.v) 24 h before ischemia. Geldanamycin at 1 µg/kg decreased infarct volumes by 55.7% (p < 0.01) and TUNEL‐positive cells by 30% in cerebral cortex. GA also improved behavioral outcomes (p < 0.01) and reduced brain edema (p < 0.05). Western blots showed that the 1 µg/kg GA dose induced Hsp70 and Hsp25 protein 8.2‐fold and 2.7‐fold, respectively, by 48 h following administration. Immunocytochemistry showed that GA induced Hsp70 in neurons and Hsp25 in glia and arteries in cortex, hippocampus, hypothalamus, and other brain regions. GA reduced co‐immunoprecipitation of HSF1 with Hsp90 in brain tissue homogenates, promoted HSE‐binding of HSF in brain nuclear extracts using gel shift assays, and increased luciferase reporter gene transcription for the Hsp70 promoter in PC12 cells. The data show that geldanamycin protects brain from focal ischemia and that this may be due, at least in part, to geldanamycin stimulation of heat shock gene transcription.
Almost All Cubic Graphs Are Hamiltonian

In a previous article the authors showed that at least 98.4% of large labelled cubic graphs are hamiltonian. In the present article, this is improved to 100% in the limit by asymptotic analysis of the variance of the number of Hamilton cycles with respect to populations of cubic graphs with fixed numbers of short odd cycles. © 1992 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Orthographic Learning during Reading: The Role of Whole-Word Visual Processing.

The self-teaching hypothesis suggests that knowledge about the orthographic structure of words is acquired incidentally during reading through phonological recoding. The current study assessed whether visual processing skills during reading further contribute to orthographic learning. French children were asked to read pseudowords. The whole pseudoword letter string was available at once for half of the targets while the pseudoword’s sub-lexical units were discovered in turn for the other half. Then memorisation of the targets’ orthographic form was assessed. Although most pseudowords were accurately decoded, target orthographic forms were recognised more often when the pseudowords entire orthographic sequence was available at once during the learning phase. The whole-word presentation effect was signifi cant and stable from third to fi fth grades. This effect was affected neither by target reading accuracy nor by target reading speed during the learning phase. Results suggest that beyond recoding skills, the ability to process the entire orthographic letter string at once during reading contributes to effi cient orthographic learning.
Practice in an Age of Entrepreneurship : Can Occupational Therapy Educators

O ccupational therapy faculty members who seek tenure at research universities rarely focus on one role at a time. It is the nature of the faculty appointment to produce in a minimum of three areas-teaching, research, and service, which includes practice. Outstanding performance in these areas has served as the cri terion for the awarding of tenure, an important career goal for most academicians. To successfully achieve tenure, a faculty member must obtain multiple benefits from each endeavor of teaching, research, and service. Decreased financial support for public universities has profoundly affected faculty roles and responsibilities, especially in research-oriented academic health centers. One response to these economic changes is the formalization of faculty practice plans. In these plans, teaching faculty members provide clinical services as a means of generating institutional hmds. When the primary goal of faculty clinical practice is shifted from academic purposes to revenue production, the interests of the faculty members are at risk of becoming subservient to the needs of the university and the service contract. Our issue is, how can occupational therapy educators in academic health centers meet the expectations of their academic appointments while simultaneously generating revenue for their university? In this article, we discuss our experiences as educator-clinicians and make suggestions regarding the essential components of successful faculty practice. Though we support the idea of clinical practice for faculty members because of the numerCarolyn Hanson, Robert W. Gibson, Angela E. Scoggin
The 2nd Generation Street Children (SGSC) in Accra: Developing Teaching Strategies To Enhance Positive Learning Outcomes in Schools

Ghana is witnessing an increasing number of 2nd generation street children (SGSC) living in the street of Accra, the capital city as a result of many factors including teenage pregnancy among street girls, ethnic conflicts and rural-urban migration. Street presents enormous risks to street children; they are excluded from safe-family environment, basic services like health and education, and protection against exploitation. This article explored the inclusion of 27 SGSC in regular schools in Accra. Using qualitative methods, we obtained data from 15 teachers and social workers directly involved in the inclusion project. Finding revealed that SGSC were provided with pedagogical materials, daily feeding and school-related needs to encourage school attendance. To enhance positive learning outcomes of SGSC, teachers employed explicit instruction, cooperative learning, and social skills instruction. The study concludes that inclusion of SGSC in regular schools requires a willing and responsible school leadership; a comprehensive needs assessment including street mapping and social investigation on SGSC; financial support; and training of school personnel on streetism.