Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of Inhaled Nitric Oxide on Outcomes in Children With Acute Lung Injury: Propensity Matched Analysis From a Linked Database*

Objectives:To evaluate the effect of inhaled nitric oxide on outcomes in children with acute lung injury. Design:Retrospective study with a secondary data analysis of linked data from two national databases. Propensity score matching was performed to adjust for potential confounding variables between patients who received at least 24 hours of inhaled nitric oxide (inhaled nitric oxide group) and those who did not receive inhaled nitric oxide (no inhaled nitric oxide group). Setting:Linked data from Virtual Pediatric Systems (LLC) database and Pediatric Health Information System. Patients:Patients less than 18 years old receiving mechanical ventilation for acute lung injury at nine participating hospitals were included (2009–2014). Interventions:None. Measurements and Main Results:A total of 20,106 patients from nine hospitals were included. Of these, 859 patients (4.3%) received inhaled nitric oxide for at least 24 hours during their hospital stay. Prior to matching, patients in the inhaled nitric oxide group were younger, with more comorbidities, greater severity of illness scores, higher prevalence of cardiopulmonary resuscitation, and greater resource utilization. Before matching, unadjusted outcomes, including mortality, were worse in the inhaled nitric oxide group (inhaled nitric oxide vs no inhaled nitric oxide; 25.7% vs 7.9%; p < 0.001; standardized mortality ratio, 2.6 [2.3–3.1] vs 1.1 [1.0–1.2]; p < 0.001). Propensity score matching of 521 patient pairs revealed no difference in mortality in the two groups (22.3% vs 20.2%; p = 0.40; standardized mortality ratio, 2.5 [2.1–3.0] vs 2.3 [1.9–2.8]; p = 0.53). However, the other outcomes such as ventilation free days (10.1 vs 13.6 d; p < 0.001), duration of mechanical ventilation (13.8 vs 10.1 d; p < 0.001), duration of ICU and hospital stay (15.5 vs 12.2 d; p < 0.001 and 28.0 vs 24.1 d; p < 0.001), and hospital costs ($150,569 vs $102,823; p < 0.001) were significantly worse in the inhaled nitric oxide group. Conclusions:This large observational study demonstrated that inhaled nitric oxide administration in children with acute lung injury was not associated with improved mortality. Rather, it was associated with increased hospital utilization and hospital costs.
Wideband Circularly Polarized Microstrip Antenna With Wide Beamwidth

A novel wideband circularly polarized antenna for S-band satellite communications with wide beamwidth is presented. The wide impedance bandwidth is achieved by using the modified inverted-L feeds and stacked patches. The wide beamwidth is obtained by the semi-open metal cavity. A prototype of the antenna is implemented, and the measured bandwidth is 30.1% with the reflection coefficient <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">$\leq \hbox{-}10~\hbox{dB}$</tex> </formula>, axial ratio <formula formulatype="inline"><tex Notation="TeX">$\leq 3~\hbox{dB}$</tex></formula>, half-power beamwidth (HPBW) <formula formulatype="inline"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\geq 100^\circ $</tex></formula>, and gain <formula formulatype="inline"> <tex Notation="TeX">$\geq 3~\hbox{dBic}$</tex></formula>. Experimental results show that the proposed antenna has good impedance matching, circular polarization, and wide beamwidth characteristics.
Acoustic event localization on an Arduino-based wireless sensor network

Valuable information from acoustic signals has not been fully considered into real applications associated with assisting people. In fact, the assessment of acoustic signals as an input parameter for localization techniques has useful applications in detecting the presence of living beings trapped in emergency situations by processing any type of sound emitted in face of danger. Indeed, acoustic signals have several technical considerations that make them very attractive, mainly because of their simple acquisition and processing. Thus, this paper presents the design, implementation and evaluation of a prototype that localizes a sound source through the processing of acoustic signal measurements. Concerning the acoustic event localization, two localization techniques are probed within a reverberated indoor environment. Despite the challenges of acoustic signal processing and real-time event localization, the average error obtained in our system is as low as 22 cm inside an area of 2×2 m.
Adaptable Service Oriented Infrastructure Provisioning with Lightweight Containers Virtualization Technology

Modern computing infrastructures should enable realization of converged provisioning and governance operations on virtualized computing, storage and network resources used on behalf of users' workloads. These workloads must have ensured sufficient access to the resources to satisfy required QoS. This requires flexible platforms providing functionality for construction, activation and governance of Runtime Infrastructure which can be realized according to Service Oriented Infrastructure (SOI) paradigm. Implementation of the SOI management framework requires definition of flexible architecture and utilization of advanced software engineering and policy-based techniques. The paper presents an Adaptable SOI Provisioning Platform which supports adaptable SOI provisioning with lightweight virtualization, compliant with the structured process model suitable for construction, activation and governance of IT environments. The requirements, architecture and implementation of the platform are all discussed. Practical usage of the platform is presented on the basis of a complex case study for provisioning JEE middleware on top of the Solaris 10 lightweight virtualization platform.
Prevalence of blindness and cataract surgery in Gandaki Zone, Nepal

Background/aim: Himalaya Eye Hospital (HEH), established in 1993, is rendering eye care services in the Gandaki and Dhaulagiri zones. The hospital has extensive community outreach activities along with services for outpatients, emergencies, and subspecialties such as vitreoretinal, paediatric, and low vision. The operation theatre is well equipped to match the surgical needs including phaco surgery for cataract. The hospital has performed more than 14 000 cataract surgeries and 250 000 treatment services during this period. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of blindness, visual impairment, and cataract surgical coverage among the older adult population of three districts of Gandaki Zone, where 80% of the hospital’s service recipients reside. Methods: People aged 45 years and older were enrolled in the study using a stratified cluster design. Subjects in 25 randomly selected clusters from the listed 806 were recruited through door to door visits. Each recruited subject had visual acuity (VA) and clinical examination conducted by an ophthalmologist. The survey was preceded by pre-pilot and pilot studies to refine the operational method. To assess quality assurance the interobserver variation in VA measurement was also carried out in five different clusters. Results: Out of 5863 selected subjects 85.3% were examined. Blindness defined as presenting VA <6/60 in both eyes was found in 2.6% (95% confidence interval (CI): 2.2 to 3.9), whereas 16.8% individuals examined had vision <6/19 in one or both eyes. Cataract was the principal cause of blindness in 60.5%, and refractive error was the dominant cause of vision impairment (<6/19) 83.3%. Cataract surgical coverage was 59.5% among the cataract blind and associated with younger age, literacy, and male sex. Conclusion: The finding suggests a positive impact of the HEH programme on the prevalence of blindness and cataract surgical services in the survey area. Strategies to further improve access and utilisation of facilities and increase cataract surgical coverage need to be developed.
Attitudes and Donation Behavior When Reading Positive and Negative Charity Appeals

ABSTRACT This article tries to clarify whether negative charity appeals (i.e., advertisements emphasizing the bad consequences of not helping) or positive charity appeals (i.e., advertisements emphasizing the good consequences of helping) are more effective. Previous literature does not provide a single answer to this question and we suggest that one contributing reason for this is that different studies have operationalized appeal effectiveness in different ways (e.g., actual behavior, self-rated helping intentions, or expressed attitudes about the ad or the organization). Results from four separate studies suggest that positive appeals are more effective in inducing favorable attitudes toward the ad and toward the organization but that negative appeals are more effective (in studies 1A and 1B) or at least equally effective (in studies 1C and 1D) in eliciting actual donations. Also, although people’s attitude toward the appeal (i.e., liking) was a good predictor for the expected effectiveness in increasing donation behavior (in Study 2), it was a poor predictor of actual donation behavior in all four main studies. These results cast doubt on marketing theories suggesting that attitudes toward an advertisement and toward the brand always lead to higher purchase behavior.
Acute decompensation boosts hepatic collagen type III deposition and deteriorates experimental and human cirrhosis

Patients with end‐stage liver disease develop acute decompensation (AD) episodes, which become more frequent and might develop into acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF). However, it remains unknown how AD induces acceleration of liver disease. We hypothesized that remodeling of collagen type III plays a role in the acceleration of liver cirrhosis after AD and analyzed its formation (Pro‐C3) and degradation (matrix metalloproteinase‐degraded type III collagen [C3M]) markers in animal models and human disease. Bile duct ligation induced different stages of liver fibrosis in rats. Fibrosis development (hydroxyprolin content, sirius red staining, α‐smooth muscle actin immunohistochemistry, messenger RNA of profibrotic cytokines), necroinflammation (aminotransferases levels), fibrolysis (matrix metalloproteinase 2 expression and activity, C1M, C4M), and Pro‐C3 and C3M were analyzed 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 weeks after bile duct ligation (n = 5 each group). In 110 patients with decompensated liver cirrhosis who underwent a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt procedure for AD, clinical and laboratory parameters as well as Pro‐C3 and C3M were measured in blood samples from portal and hepatic veins and were collected just before the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt placement and 1‐3 weeks later. Animal studies showed increased markers of collagen type III deposition with fibrosis, necroinflammation, and decompensation of liver cirrhosis, defined as ascites development. Higher Pro‐C3 levels were associated with injury, disease severity scores (Model for End‐Stage Liver Disease, Child‐Pugh, chronic liver failure‐C AD), ACLF development, and mortality. C3M decreased with AD and the chronic liver failure‐C AD score. Collagen type III deposition ratio increased with the risk of ACLF development and mortality. Conclusion: We show for the first time that AD boosts collagen type III deposition in experimental and human cirrhosis, possibly contributing to the worsened outcome in patients with decompensated cirrhosis. (Hepatology Communications 2018;2:211–222)
Biochemical characteristics and physiological significance of major DNA topoisomerases

This review covers the basic biochemistry of the major topoisomerases from procaryotic and eucaryotic cells and attempts to enumerate their differences. Two companion reviews describing the methods used to study topoisomerases and examining the inhibitory effects of quinolone antibacterial agents on topoisomerases and related test systems will follow
(SP-4-4)-[Hydrogen N-({2-[(2S)-1-benzylpyrrolidine-2-carboxamido]phenyl}(phenyl)methylene)-l-glutamato(2−)]nickel(II)

In the molecule of the title complex, [Ni(C30H29N3O5)], the Ni atom is coordinated in a distorted square-planar geometry by three N and one O atoms. The aromatic rings are oriented at dihedral angles of 29.01 (3), 79.73 (3) and 83.37 (3)°. The remaining rings adopt envelope conformations with the C and N atoms at the flap positions. In the crystal structure, intermolecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonds link the molecules into chains along the b axis. There is also a weak C—H⋯π interaction.
Are Passive Investors a Challenge to Corporate Governance?

Corporate governance theories generally suggest that institutional investors could effectively improve the quality of governance through intervention and threat to exit. However, passive institutional investors such as index funds and ETFs lack the ability to exit and may not have strong motivation to intervene, thus lowering the quality of governance of the firms they heavily hold. This paper provides empirical evidence supporting this hypothesis. It shows that higher ownership by passive investors is related to lower firm value measured by Tobin’s Q and weaker operating performance measured by return on assets. Further analysis suggests that passive investors negatively affect several aspects of corporate governance: they exacerbate the managerial myopia problem by discouraging long-term investment, weaken managers’ incentive scheme by lowering the pay-for-performance sensitivity and the probability of performance-based disciplinary turnover, and reduce the independence of the board by raising the probability of CEO-chair duality.
SHORT HYPOCOTYL UNDER BLUE1 Truncations and Mutations Alter Its Association with a Signaling Protein Complex in Arabidopsis[W]

Arabidopsis SHB1 contains two signature domains homologous to the SYG1 protein family from a variety of organisms and plant species, and the function of the two domains remains largely unknown. We report the function of the two signature domains of SHB1 in light signaling and the identification of an SHB1-containing light signaling complex in the nucleus. Higher plants monitor their ambient light signals through red/far-red absorbing phytochromes and blue/UV-A light absorbing cryptochromes. Subsequent signaling cascades alter gene expression and initiate morphogenic responses. We previously isolated SHORT HYPOCOTYL UNDER BLUE1 (SHB1), a putative transcriptional coactivator in light signaling. SHB1 is homologous to the SYG1 protein family and contains an N-terminal SPX domain and a C-terminal EXS domain. Overaccumulation of the SPX domain caused a long hypocotyl phenotype similar to that of shb1-D under red, far-red, or blue light. By contrast, overaccumulation of the C-terminal EXS domain led to a short hypocotyl phenotype similar to that of shb1 under blue light. The N-terminal SPX domain was associated with a smaller protein complex than the native protein complex associated with endogenous SHB1. By contrast, the EXS domain was associated with a slightly smaller protein complex than the native protein complex, but it largely displaced endogenous SHB1 from its native protein complex. In addition, all six missense mutations that we identified from a suppressor screen were clustered within or close to the SPX domain, and these mutations impaired the assembly of the SHB1-containing protein complex. We propose that both SPX and EXS domains likely anchor SHB1 to a protein complex, and the SPX domain is critical for SHB1 signaling.
Mechanisms of interaction between Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans: An experimental and mathematical modelling study

Abstract Objective. To evaluate the mechanisms of microbial interaction between the oral pathogens Candida albicans and Streptococcus mutans. Materials and methods. Growth kinetics for the two micro-organisms, cultured individually or together, were followed experimentally for 36 h. The different growth curves were analysed by means of mathematical modelling. Results. Under the experimental conditions, S. mutans final concentration, when grown individually, was 5-times that of C. albicans. Contrarily, when both micro-organisms grew together, this ratio was inversed and C. albicans final concentration was even higher than that of S. mutans. When both micro-organisms share the niche, a model including linear competition among one another was best suited to reproduce the experimental observations. The results of this model show that the initial growth rates of both species are positively influenced by their mutual interaction. However, at longer incubation times, C. albicans prevents bacterial growth and achieves concentrations 4-times higher than when grown individually. Conclusions. The results suggest that C. albicans biofilm formation could be potentiated by the presence of S. mutans by two mechanisms: synergically at short times and by competition at longer periods.
Systematic review: resilience enablers to combat counterfeit medicines

The purpose of this paper is to understand the role of resilience enablers in combating counterfeits in the medicine supply chain based on a Systematic Literature Review (SLR). The objective is also to help practitioners and scholars as the review revealed that little research has been conducted on selecting and implementing practices to improve resilience to counterfeiting. ,Based on the literature review, a content analysis was performed for 84 selected papers to explore the potential relationship among resilience enablers and counterfeit anti-measures. ,This paper contributes to Supply Chain Resilience (SCR) research by summarizing the highly fragmented literature concerning how to combat counterfeiting. The SLR indicated reengineering, collaboration, visibility, innovation, SCR culture and trust as six key enablers to combat counterfeit medicines and identified literature gaps. Moreover, the paper discusses other resilience enablers which have been less studied in the literature and shows new avenues of research. ,This paper is limited in that it is an exploratory literature review and focuses only on three databases over the past 15 years. Furthermore, counterfeit is a rapidly evolving issue and anti-measure studies require frequent surveillance concerning new discoveries. ,The main contribution of this paper is to provide a better understanding of enablers most often associated with counterfeit anti-measures, which, therefore, might help to increase resilience to counterfeit medicines. Moreover, research gaps involving enablers less associated with anti-measures are presented.
A surgical approach to pulmonary emphysema.

SUMMARY Pulmonary emphysema is classified into primary and secondary types. Each of these is further subdivided into generalized and localized groups. In the localized type of pulmonary emphysema there is airway obstruction only to the area involved by disease. The remainder of the lung is normal. In the generalized or diffuse type of bilateral pulmonary emphysema there is generalized bronchiolaralveolar airway obstruction to all lung tissue whether or not there are blebs and/or bullae. Bronchioles are collapsible tubes. They are normally held open by the physiologic principle of circumferential pull upon the bronchioles. The normal elastic lung is held expanded by a rigid chest wall which causes the lung elasticity to be transferred to a circumferential pull upon the bronchioles. As the chest expands on inspiration the bronchioles are enlarged. The relaxation of the chest on expiration causes the bronchioles to become smaller in diameter. Thus, the expiratory airway obstruction is at least partially accounted for in primary pulmonary emphysema. Whatever may be the cause for the beginning of bronchiolar-alveolar airway obstruction in pulmonary emphysema, the partial loss of the physiologic principle of holding open the bronchioles is an important factor in the well developed disease. Surgery directed at reducing lung volume by sacrifice of functionally useless pulmonary tissue can in some measure restore the partially lost physiologic principle of holding open the bronchioles. Tenaceous sputum in small amounts is characteristic of pulmonary emphysema. The character of the secretion can be altered by denervation of the lung. Of 56 patients operated upon for primary pulmonary emphysema, 42 (75 per cent) are improved. When there occurs a loss of improvement gained by operation on one lung of a patient with primary pulmonary emphysema, the loss of function is usually the result of further degeneration of the unoperated lung. In none of the patients reported in this series has there been detectable evidence of further progression of the disease in the operated lung. The longest follow-up has been eight years. Undoubtedly, some patients will in the future show signs of further progression of the disease.
A Fuzzy Adaptive Differential Evolution Algorithm

Abstract.The differential evolution algorithm is a floating-point encoded evolutionary algorithm for global optimization over continuous spaces. The algorithm has so far used empirically chosen values for its search parameters that are kept fixed through an optimization process. The objective of this paper is to introduce a new version of the Differential Evolution algorithm with adaptive control parameters – the fuzzy adaptive differential evolution algorithm, which uses fuzzy logic controllers to adapt the search parameters for the mutation operation and crossover operation. The control inputs incorporate the relative objective function values and individuals of the successive generations. The emphasis of this paper is analysis of the dynamics and behavior of the algorithm. Experimental results, provided by the proposed algorithm for a set of standard test functions, outperformed those of the standard differential evolution algorithm for optimization problems with higher dimensionality.
Isolation and structural modification of Capsaicin and Dihydrocapsaicin from Capsicum annuum sp

Capsaicin (CAP), the pungent principle from chilli peppers, has shown various activities such as analgesic, anticancer and antioxidant. To further explore a therapeutic application of this compound, several derivatives of CAP were designed and synthesized. Starting materials, CAP and dihydrocapsaicin (DHC), were obtained as a mixture from dried fruits of Capsicum annuum sp. in 0.069 % yield. Structural modification of CAP and DHC provided epoxide, benzyl ether, silyl ether, acetyl ester, phosphate ester and nitro derivatives in 41% 95% yield. Results from this study indicated that CAP and DHC can be used as excellent starting materials in order to supply more interesting compounds for activity-tests. Preliminary results from one of activity-tests demonstrated that DHC, silyl ether and nitro-derivatives of CAP can act as putative inhibitors of histone deacetylase (HDAC) proteins in cancer cells.