Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an Iranian Home-made Helicobacter pylori Stool Antigen ELISA Kit

Background: Current diagnosis of Helicobacter pylori infection by biopsy-based tests requires invasive sampling. Non-invasive methods such as the H. pylori stool-antigen (HpSA) test may be the best alternative for diagnosis of active infection. However, due to the presence of antigenic-diversity among the strains, various commercial tests have shown some discrepancies in different geographical-areas. Objectives: This study evaluates a homemade HpSA kit developed by using the H. pylori antigens from Iranian-isolates for detection of H. pylori in the stool of infected patients. Patients and Methods: Based on the endoscopic features and/or a rapid-urease test (RUT), 30 child and 50 adult patients, were recruited. From these candidates, three biopsies for RUT, culture and histology, and a stool-sample, were obtained. Patients were considered as H. pylori-positive if culture alone or RUT plus histology were found to be positive. Presence of H. pylori antigens in their stools was detected by the homemade HpSA test and an imported HpSA kit (Immundiagnostik, Germany). Results: Using the biopsy-based tests with RUT, histology and culture, 53% (16/30) of children were diagnosed as H. pylori–positive while using the imported kit 57% and the homemade kit 50% of the candidates showed positive results. Also by the biopsy-based tests, 54% of the adults were diagnosed as H. pylori-positive while by the homemade kit 56% showed positive results. Considering the biopsy-based tests as the gold standard, sensitivity and specificity for the imported kit was 94% and 86%, respectively, while the mean sensitivity and specificity for the homemade kit was 96% and 98%, respectively. Conclusions: The homemade kit, compared with the imported kit and biopsy-proven tests may be a valid and reliable method for determining the presence of H. pylori infection in Iran.
MF59-adjuvanted vaccines: increased immunogenicity with an optimal safety profile

The need to enhance the immunogenicity of purified subunit antigens has prompted the development of several new adjuvants. However, many of these new molecules have demonstrated a reactogenicity profile that is not suitable for their inclusion in vaccines for human use. In this context, the adjuvant emulsion MF59™ has been developed, tested in combination with different antigens in several animal models and subsequently evaluated in humans. Clinical trials with several MF59-adjuvanted vaccines have been performed in different age groups (from newborns to the elderly) and have shown an increased immunogenicity of coadministered antigens, associated with a high level of safety and tolerability. MF59 has been the first adjuvant to be licensed for human use after alum and, as part of an enhanced influenza vaccine for the elderly, is now available in the marketplace of several countries worldwide.
Potential Intussusception Risk Versus Benefits of Rotavirus Vaccination in the United States

Background: International data show a low-level increased risk of intussusception associated with rotavirus vaccination. Although US data have not documented a risk, we assumed a risk similar to international settings and compared potential vaccine-associated intussusception cases with benefits of prevention of rotavirus gastroenteritis by a fully implemented US rotavirus vaccine program. Methods: To calculate excess intussusception cases, we used national data on vaccine coverage and baseline intussusception rates, and assumed a vaccine-associated intussusception relative risk of 5.3 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 3.0–9.3) in the first week after the first vaccine dose, the risk seen in international settings. We used postlicensure vaccine effectiveness data to calculate rotavirus disease burden averted. Results: For a US birth cohort of 4.3 million infants, vaccine-associated intussusception could cause an excess 0.2 (range: 0.1–0.3) deaths, 45 (range: 21–86) hospitalizations and 13 (range: 6–25) cases managed in short-stay or emergency department settings. Vaccination would avert 14 (95% CI: 10–19) rotavirus-associated deaths, 53,444 (95% CI: 37,622–72,882) hospitalizations and 169,949 (95% CI: 118,161–238,630) emergency department visits. Summary benefit–risk ratios for death and hospitalization are 71:1 and 1093:1, respectively. Conclusions: The burden of severe rotavirus disease averted due to vaccination compared with the vaccine-associated intussusception events offers a side-by-side analysis of the benefits and potential risks. If an intussusception risk similar to that seen internationally exists in the United States, it is substantially exceeded by the benefits of rotavirus disease burden averted by vaccination.
Evolution of the Helicobacter pylori Vacuolating Cytotoxin in a Human Stomach

ABSTRACT We describe two subclones of Helicobacter pylori, isolated contemporaneously from a human stomach, which differ markedly in the vacuolating cytotoxin gene, vacA, but whose near identity in sequences outside this locus implies a very recent common origin. The differences are consistent with homologous recombination with DNA from another strain and result in a changed vacA midregion and, importantly, in changed toxicity.
Cost-effectiveness of anaesthesia

Cost-effectiveness analyses of anaesthesia regimens will become more and more important in the future because of increasing pressure to reduce the cost of health care. Inhalational and intravenous techniques are vying for the position of being the most cost-effective form of general anaesthesia. However, erroneous or misleading results are a considerable risk if the boundary conditions of the analyses are not chosen carefully. Recent comparative studies on this topic are analyzed with regard to their results and to the premises under which they were conducted.
Insight into structural phase transitions from the decoupled anharmonic mode approximation

We develop a formalism (decoupled anharmonic mode approximation, DAMA) that allows calculation of the vibrational free energy using density functional theory even for materials which exhibit negative curvature of the potential energy surface with respect to atomic displacements. We investigate vibrational modes beyond the harmonic approximation and approximate the potential energy surface with the superposition of the accurate potential along each normal mode. We show that the free energy can stabilize crystal structures at finite temperatures which appear dynamically unstable at T = 0. The DAMA formalism is computationally fast because it avoids statistical sampling through molecular dynamics calculations, and is in principle completely ab initio. It is free of statistical uncertainties and independent of model parameters, but can give insight into the mechanism of a structural phase transition. We apply the formalism to the perovskite cryolite, and investigate the temperature-driven phase transition from the P21/n to the Immm space group. We calculate a phase transition temperature between 710 and 950 K, in fair agreement with the experimental value of 885 K. This can be related to the underestimation of the interaction of the vibrational states. We also calculate the main axes of the thermal ellipsoid and can explain the experimentally observed increase of its volume for the fluorine by 200–300% throughout the phase transition. Our calculations suggest the appearance of tunneling states in the high temperature phase. The convergence of the vibrational DOS and of the critical temperature with respect of reciprocal space sampling is investigated using the polarizable-ion model.
Object tracking algorithm based on HSV color histogram and block-sparse representation

Sparse representation has been applied in tracking rapidly. However, most of these methods use the holistic model and grayscale image which result in insensitiveness to color information and ineffectiveness to deformation of non-rigid object. In this paper, we propose a robust and effective tracking method (SRH) based on the block-sparse representation (local information) and HSV color histogram (spatial information). This method not only keeps the merits of block-sparse representation in handling illumination changes and occlusions, but also adds the object color resolution and is not subjected to similar colors interference. It improves the accuracy and efficiency of tracking result. In addition, we calculate the weight of block-sparse representation and HSV color histogram and introduce a fusion method to fuse these two data. Furthermore, the occlusion handling reduces the influence of heavy block, the update strategy guarantees the tracker to adapt to the complex background and morphological changes of target which enhances the reliability of this method. Experimental results compared with several state-of-the-art trackers on challenging sequences demonstrate the robustness and accuracy of the proposed tracking algorithm.
combiSQORE: A Combinative-Ontology Retrieval System for Next Generation Semantic Web Applications

In order to timely response to a user query at run-time, next generation Semantic Web applications demand a robust mechanism to dynamically select one or more existing ontologies available on the Web and combine them automatically if needed. Although existing ontology retrieval systems return a lengthy list of resultant ontologies, they cannot identify which ones can completely meet the query requirements nor determine a minimum set of resultant ontologies that can jointly satisfy the requirements if no single ontology is available to satisfy them. Therefore, this paper presents an ontology retrieval system, namely combiSQORE, which can return single or combinative ontologies that completely satisfy a submitted query when the available ontology database is adequate to answer such query. In addition, the proposed system ranks the returned results based on their semantic similarities to the given query and their modification (integration) costs. The experimental results show that combiSQORE system yields practical combinative ontologies and useful rankings.
Tombatossals: A humanoid torso for autonomous sensor-based tasks

Research reproducibility is now being considered as the key quality requisite for research articles in engineering. The UJI Robotics Intelligence Laboratory has been presenting results in the last years based on Tombatossals, the UJI humanoid torso, but a full description of this system has never been published. This paper presents Tombatossals, a multipurpose humanoid torso, for research of autonomous grasping and manipulation tasks in unstructured household scenarios. Its actuators, sensors, computer and software architectures are described. Moreover, the robot current abilities, including perception, manipulation and task execution, are also explained. Finally, this paper also summarizes several experiments and projects showing the capabilities of the system. We expect this paper contributes to the reproducibility of our past and future research.
Position of hip resurfacing component affects strain and resistance to fracture in the femoral neck.

BACKGROUND Retrieval studies have suggested that the cause of femoral implant failure after metal-on-metal hip resurfacing is multifactorial. Both varus positioning of the femoral component and notching of the superior part of the femoral neck have been associated with femoral component failure. The hypotheses of this study were that placement of a femoral resurfacing component alters femoral neck loading and that the cortical strain pattern reflecting this loading is directly related to the spatial orientation of the resurfacing component. An additional hypothesis was that notching of the superior part of the neck during implantation results in a decreased resistance to neck fracture under axial loading. METHODS Varus, anteverted, retroverted, and anatomic positions of the femoral component were tested in sixty-four cadaveric femora. Simulated stance-phase loading was applied, and the shear strain on the femoral neck cortex was quantified with use of a photoelastic method. Preimplantation and postimplantation strain levels were compared over the entire neck region with use of generalized estimating equations. The influence of anteversion and retroversion of the component and notching of the superior part of the neck on the neck strength were evaluated. RESULTS Placement of the implant in 10 degrees of varus alignment relative to anatomic positioning increased strain on the superior aspect of the neck by 19% to 23% compared with intact femora. Anteverted and retroverted placement of the implant produced elevated strain in the anterior-inferior and posterior-inferior aspects of the neck, respectively. Placement of the component stem in alignment with the anatomic neck axis decreased neck cortical strain 6% to 19% compared with intact femora. Notching of the superior aspect of the neck decreased neck strength by 21%. CONCLUSIONS Relatively small deviations from anatomic alignment of a resurfacing hip component result in marked localized increases in loading of the femoral neck under conditions approximating single-limb stance. Neutral positioning of the femoral component results in localized strain reduction. Notching of the superior aspect of the femoral neck significantly reduces the resistance to fracture (p = 0.008).
War and Default

Sovereign borrowing is often used to cover the costs of war. This borrowing, coupled with war’s economic disruptions, strains states’ ability to honor debt promises. Contrary to conventional expectations, however, we find that default is not common after wars. To explain the relationship between war and sovereign default, this article lays out a selection effect argument: war participants are unlikely to default in the first place, while states likely to default are unable to acquire the financing necessary to fight a war. In sum, states that lack the financial means to adequately borrow avoid paths to war. After offering some examples of the selection mechanism at work, we present evidence that states unlikely to default will avoid entering the war sample. Our findings have implications for the inferences researchers make about war finance and war onset.
Spermatogenic defects in F2 mice between normal mouse strains C3H and C57BL/6 without mutation

Genetic disorders are usually considered to be caused by harmful gene mutations, as well as by chromosomal aberrations, including small insertions, duplications and/or deletions. However, as infertile individuals often arise among the offspring of crosses between two fertile mouse strains, we postulate that a certain combination of ‘normal’ genes with neither gene mutations nor chromosomal aberrations can cause such serious phenotypic alterations as reproductive dysfunction. In this study, we show evidence that a combination of multiple normal genes from two different normal mouse strains manifests a wide range of male reproductive dysfunctions, from benign changes to complete infertility. These abnormal phenotypes are thought to have occurred by epistatic interactions of alleles.
Renal Effects of Saline-based 10% Pentastarch versus 6% Tetrastarch Infusion in Ovine Endotoxemic Shock

Background:Conflicting data exist on the renal effects of hydroxyethyl starch (HES) preparations. The current study evaluates the effects of saline-based 6% HES 130/0.4, 10% HES 200/0.5, and a balanced isotonic crystalloid on renal function and microscopic changes in ovine endotoxemic shock. Methods:Thirty sheep were subjected to endotoxin infusion (Salmonella typhosa) at incremental doses until mean arterial pressure was less than 65 mmHg. Animals were randomized to receive fluid resuscitation with saline-based 6% HES 130/0.4, 10% HES 200/0.5, or a balanced isotonic crystalloid (n = 10 each). Animals surviving the 12-h intervention period were anesthetized and killed. Kidney samples were taken for microscopic analyses. Results:Endotoxemia was associated with hemoconcentration, protein extravasation, and arterial hypotension. Fluid resuscitation established a hypotensive–hyperdynamic circulation with increased cardiac index and oxygen delivery and decreased afterload. Diuresis was lowest in animals treated with 10% HES 200/0.5. In addition, plasma creatinine and urea concentrations increased in sheep treated with 10% HES 200/0.5 (1.2 ± 0.1 and 19 ± 2 mg/dl) when compared with the other two groups (0.9 ± 0.1 and 15 ± 1 mg/dl, 6% HES 130/0.4; 0.9 ± 0.1 and 15 ± 1 mg/dl, crystalloids; each P < 0.05). Electron microscopic tubular injury score was highest in sheep treated with 10% HES 200/0.5 (P < 0.001 vs. 6% HES 130/0.4). Conclusions:In ovine endotoxemic shock, saline-based 10% HES 200/0.5 was linked to impaired renal function and more pronounced tubular epithelial injury when compared with 6% HES 130/0.4 and balanced crystalloids.
SURVEY ON THE EMPLOYEES’ FITNESS CONDITION AND THE EMPLOYERS’ HEALTH PRESERVATION POSSIBILITIES IN CASE OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZED ENTERPRISES

Consideration of the employees’ health preservation results in direct cost savings at corporate level by decreasing the measure of sick leave and ensuring the continuous and smooth production. Nowadays, ensuring the health of labour force has already become an employer interest, of course, in addition to that it is also the interest of everyone. In our research, we have asked employees of Hungarian small and medium-sized enterprises in the framework of questionnaire survey. It was clearly apparent that the physical activity of workers has to be enhanced and their sporting activities have to be supported. According to the results of our research, these types of organizations support the health protection of their employees, moreover in financing form of allowances primarily.
Tail dependence analysis of stock markets using extreme value theory

ABSTRACT Financial risk modelling frequently uses the assumption of a normal distribution when considering the return series which is inefficient if the data is not normally distributed or if it exhibits extreme tails. Estimation of tail dependence between financial assets plays a vital role in various aspects of financial risk modelling including portfolio theory and hedging amongst applications. Extreme Value Theory (EVT) provides well established methods for considering univariate and multivariate tail distributions which are useful for forecasting financial risk or modelling the tail dependence of risky assets. The empirical analysis in this article uses nonparametric measures based on bivariate EVT to investigate asymptotic dependence and estimate the degree of tail dependence of the ASX-All Ordinaries daily returns with four other international markets, viz., the S&P-500, Nikkei-225, DAX-30 and Heng-Seng for both extreme right and left tails of the return distribution. It is investigated whether the asymptotic dependence between these markets is related to the heteroscedasticity present in the logarithmic return series using GARCH filters. The empirical evidence shows that the asymptotic extreme tail dependence between stock markets does not necessarily exist and rather can be associated with the heteroscedasticity present in the financial time series of the various stock markets.
Surgical Correction of Limb Malalignment for Instability of the Patella

Background Although patients considered “successful” at longer-term follow-up no longer exhibited patellar instability, those with more severe malalignment issues had other, gradually worsening symptoms such as activity-related pain, crepitation, swelling with activities, and pain with weather changes. Hypothesis Improvement of patellar tracking by correction of the tubercle-sulcus angle and related ligament deficiencies will result in good to excellent results, regardless of the technique employed. Study Design Cohort study; Level of evidence, 3. Methods Twenty-five patients with dislocating patellae and significant lower leg deformity were treated; 12 patients (group 1) underwent a derotational high tibial osteotomy and 13 patients (group 2) underwent an Elmslie-Trillat-Fulkerson proximal-distal realignment. All were prospectively evaluated a minimum of 24 months postoperatively with a physical examination, validated outcome questionnaires, radiographs, and computerized axial tomography scans. Postoperative 3-dimensional bilateral gait analyses were performed on all subjects walking on a 3-dimensional force treadmill to measure stance kinematics, foot progression angle, knee flexion, knee valgus-varus, hip flexion, and patella angle. Contralateral limbs with similar preoperative alignment were used as controls. Results Group 1 patients significantly improved over their preoperative status in all primary subjective and functional outcome parameters, and were significantly better than group 2 patients. Group 2 patients improved, but not to the degree of group 1 patients. Gait analysis revealed group 1 patients had more symmetrical gait patterns, with less variability and less compensatory gait changes, than group 2 patients. Conclusion The original hypothesis proved to be incorrect. The simultaneous correction of ligament imbalance, excessive tubercle-sulcus angle, and lower limb torsional deformity produced significantly better results than conventional proximal-distal realignment.
Economic Growth and Financial Statement Verification

We use a proprietary dataset of financial statements collected by banks to examine whether economic growth is related to the use of financial statement verification in debt financing. Exploiting the distinct economic growth and contraction patterns of the construction industry over the years 2002 to 2011, our estimates reveal that banks reduced their collection of unqualified audited financial statements from construction firms at nearly twice the rate of firms in other industries during the housing boom period before 2008. This reduction was most severe in the regions that experienced the most significant construction growth. These trends reversed during the sub-sequent housing crisis in 2008 to 2011 when construction activity contracted. Moreover, using bank- and firm-level data we find a strong negative (positive) relation between audited financial statements during the growth period and subsequent loan losses (construction firm survival) during the contraction period. Collectively, our results reveal that macroeconomic fluctuations pro-duce temporal shifts in the overall level of financial statement verification and that temporal shifts in verification are related to bank loan portfolio quality and borrower performance.
Gender Differences in Careers

Past literature has shown that job segregation by gender is one major cause of the widely observed gender pay gap and that there is also a gender difference in developmental job assignments for broader job experience. This paper examines how gender differences in job assignments are associated with the gender gap in pay and promotion using the personnel records of a Japanese manufacturing company. One of the major findings is that broader work experience through job transfers across establishments are associated with a higher promotion probability and future wages for employees of both genders, but this relationship is especially strong for women, which is consistent with the existence of statistical discrimination against them. Furthermore, according to our fixed effects model estimation of wage function, broader work experience leads to higher wages for men but not for women, implying that women accept promotions without pay raises much more often than men.