Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inner myometrial laceration – an unusual presentation of antepartum and postpartum hemorrhage: case reports and review of the literature

Abstract Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate the diagnostic criteria, treatment options and progression of cases who have antenatal or postpartum hemorrhage due to internal myometrial laceration (IML) and to review the literature. Study design: The files of eight patients who were diagnosed to have IML between August 2012 and July 2015 were evaluated retrospectively. Results: The patient group consisted of four patients who had an emergency c-section due to massive bleeding during labor and four patients who had an emergency laparotomy due to uncontrolled bleeding after vaginal delivery after evaluation of the patient for signs of 4Ts (trauma, tissue retention, uterine tonus, and trombin). Primary suturation was the first-line treatment in all patients. In two of the patients, hysterectomy was performed after the defined surgical procedures were not successful in controling the bleeding. Conclusion: The presented case series is a pioneering study that describes IM which is a poorly defined reason of postpartum hemorrhage, as the cause of bleeding during labor. Primary suturation is the first-step, further surgery might be required in order to treat this life-threathening condition and the decision should be based on the age and the fertility status of the patient.
Policy Development for the Energy Mix in Indonesia Using System Dynamics

"Objective – This paper discusses a literature review regarding finding system dynamics modeling as the preferred approach to building the national energy system model in Indonesia and introduces the uniqueness of the initial system dynamics model of the Indonesia energy mix today. Methodology/Technique – A literature review about system modeling of energy portfolio management worldwide to find the research gaps and to screen for the preferred modeling approach for the country. Along with past statistics in the background, a combination of system dynamics modeling and focus group discussion is subsequently expected to answer the research questions, bridge the research gaps, and contribute a new invention to management science. Findings – The theoretical testing reveals that system dynamics modeling is suitable to simplify and simulate very large, complex dynamic systems of energy supply that get feedback from many subsystems in non-linear fashions and is a good methodology for holistic approaches to understand underlying behavior over time, taking into account all sorts of feedback, including time delays and feedback loops, and those cannot be easily represented by conventional models, vastly applied in a study of sustainable development. Novelty – The uniqueness of the proposed system dynamics approach lies in the inclusion of a series of new variables developed from common characteristic impediments in public policy development using a traditional non-simulation approach, besides its focus on the unprecedented energy supply quality side of the archipelagic country with its unique parameters being highlighted. "
Distribution of single wall carbon nanotubes in the Xenopus laevis embryo after microinjection

Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are advanced materials with the potential for a myriad of diverse applications, including biological technologies and large‐scale usage with the potential for environmental impacts. SWCNTs have been exposed to developing organisms to determine their effects on embryogenesis, and results have been inconsistent arising, in part, from differing material quality, dispersion status, material size, impurity from catalysts and stability. For this study, we utilized highly purified SWCNT samples with short, uniform lengths (145 ± 17 nm) well dispersed in solution. To test high exposure doses, we microinjected > 500 µg ml–1 SWCNT concentrations into the well‐established embryogenesis model, Xenopus laevis, and determined embryo compatibility and subcellular localization during development. SWCNTs localized within cellular progeny of the microinjected cells, but were heterogeneously distributed throughout the target‐injected tissue. Co‐registering unique Raman spectral intensity of SWCNTs with images of fluorescently labeled subcellular compartments demonstrated that even at regions of highest SWCNT concentration, there were no gross alterations to subcellular microstructures, including filamentous actin, endoplasmic reticulum and vesicles. Furthermore, SWCNTs did not aggregate and localized to the perinuclear subcellular region. Combined, these results suggest that purified and dispersed SWCNTs are not toxic to X. laevis animal cap ectoderm and may be suitable candidate materials for biological applications. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Serum osteoprotegerin is associated with arterial stiffness assessed according to the cardio-ankle vascular index in hypertensive patients.

AIM Arterial stiffness is recognized to be an independent risk factor for cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Recent studies have found that osteoprotegerin (OPG) is associated with increased pulse wave velocity and may reflect endothelial dysfunction. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the serum OPG level and arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients using the cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI). METHODS Fasting blood samples were obtained from 115 hypertensive patients and 52 healthy participants. The CAVI value was derived using the waveform device (CAVI-VaSera VS-1000). The serum OPG levels were measured using a commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. A CAVI value of ≥9 defined the high arterial stiffness group. RESULTS Sixty-five hypertensive patients (56.5%) were included in the high arterial stiffness group. Diabetes (p=0.032), smoking (p=0.044), age (p < 0.001), systolic blood pressure (p=0.001), diastolic blood pressure (p=0.024), pulse pressure (p=0.046) and the creatinine (p=0.013) and serum OPG (p < 0.001) levels were higher in the high arterial stiffness group than in the low arterial stiffness group, while the glomerular filtration rate (p=0.003) was lower in the high arterial stiffness group than in the low arterial stiffness group among the hypertensive patients. The results of the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient test also indicated a strong positive correlation between the OPG and CAVI values (r=0.484, p < 0.001) in the hypertensive patients. In addition, a multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (odds ratio: 1.162, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.070-1.263, p < 0.001), diastolic blood pressure (odds ratio: 1.109, 95% CI: 1.033-1.190, p=0.004), and serum OPG level (odds ratio: 1.275, 95% CI: 1.030-1.580, p=0.026) were independent predictors of arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients. CONCLUSIONS The serum OPG level is positively associated with arterial stiffness in hypertensive patients.
Femoral Shaft Fractures in Children Treated with Early Spica Cast

We retrospectively reviewed 51 patients aged 3–11 years with femoral shaft fractures selected for treatment with early spica cast immobilization. Shortening > 20 mm was the most common complication, occurring in 22 (43%) of the 51 patients. Factors associated with unacceptable shortening were shortening at the time of spica cast application > 10 mm, shortening > 20 mm at initial examination, and increasing age. Achieving < 1 cm shortening at the time of cast application and close follow-up during the first 2 weeks after cast application are advised in order to achieve an acceptable final outcome.
Real-time Quantitative Assay for Routine Testing of HCV RNA in Formalin-fixed, Paraffin-embedded Liver Samples

The assessment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) RNA in liver tissues is clinically relevant in cases where histology, liver function tests, and HCV serology are not sufficient for a definitive diagnosis of HCV-related hepatitis. We analyzed 215 formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded liver needle biopsies from patients infected with HCV genotypes 1b and 2. HCV RNA extracted from paraffin sections were quantified by means of a TaqMan real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method. The quantification of HCV RNA in liver tissue was correlated with the amount of HCV detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) on paired frozen biopsies, the HCV RNA load in the serum, and the main serum tests of liver function and cholestasis. HCV RNA was detected by real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction in 169 liver biopsies (78.6%) with a mean value of 13.59±37.25 IU/ng. Tissue HCV RNA levels strongly correlated with the IHC results (P<0.001, Spearman test), HCV serum load (P<0.001), aspartate aminotransferase (P=0.001), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (P=0.012), and aspartate aminotransferase/alanine aminotransferase ratio (P=0.029). HCV RNA was amplified in up to 7-year-old archival tissue samples. Real-time HCV RNA quantification on archival liver tissue may be clinically relevant in case of “occult” HCV infection or for the diagnosis of patients with known HCV infection and hepatic dysfunction but seronegative for HCV RNA. The assessment of the levels of HCV RNA in the liver might also be important for monitoring the effectiveness of antiviral therapy and the progression of disease in patients with chronic HCV hepatitis.
Gender Inequalities in Labor Market Outcomes of Informal Caregivers near Retirement Age in Urban China

ABSTRACT This study examines the impacts of unpaid family care on labor supply and earnings of women and men near retirement age in urban China. Using the 2011 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) and ordinary least squares (OLS) and instrumental variable approaches, it finds that grandchild care is negatively associated with both women's and men's labor force participation, while there are no effects for eldercare. For women caregivers, caring for grandchildren substantially lowers paid labor hours compared to noncaregivers. No significant relationships are found between eldercare and paid labor hours of women workers. For men workers, neither grandchild care nor eldercare is significantly associated with labor hours. The study also finds no statistically significant relationships between grandchild care and labor earnings for either women or men. Eldercare, however, is positively associated with the earnings of men workers.
Busting the Myth: The Impact of Increasing the Minimum Wage: The Experience of Romania

This paper discusses the impact of a gradual, pre-announced significant increase of the minimum wage during 2013–16 in Romania. The main finding is that the positive effects prevail when the starting level of increase in the minimum wage is very low and the economy is in a negative output gap. Evidence shows that employment has increased, mainly at the minimum wage level, therefore making a shift toward a more balanced wage distribution. This measure might have contributed to a decrease of the shadow economy and a decrease in the share of people at risk of poverty. The impact on inflation was very limited, and the impact on the public budget was positive. Moreover, firms' profits were not affected, as the negative impact of the measure on unit labor costs and exports was limited.
Behavioral Biases in Firms' Growth Expectations

This paper provides evidence that firms exhibit behavioral biases in their growth expectations. Using firm-level survey data, we document that optimism and pessimism biases are generated by the business cycle, financial market conditions, and firm-specific factors including firms' past experiences. We also demonstrate that biases affect the real business decisions of firms. Firms' fixed investment and R&D spending are raised by optimism and hampered by pessimism. The above findings imply that behavioral biases generated by the firms can be an alternative mechanism on how macroeconomic and financial conditions affect their investment behavior in addition to the traditional optimization mechanism.
Feasibility of a new model for early detection of patients with multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis in a developed setting of eastern China

The poor detection rate of multidrug‐resistant tuberculosis (MDR‐TB) highlights the urgent need to explore new case finding model to improve the detection of MDR‐TB in China. The aim of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of a new model that combines molecular diagnostics and sputum transportation for early detection of patients with MDR‐TB in Zhejiang.
Interleukin-12 as an Adjuvant for an Antischistosome Vaccine Consisting of Adult Worm Antigens: Protection of Rats from Cercarial Challenge

ABSTRACT Our group previously demonstrated that a detergent extract (fraction S3) prepared from immature (4-week) Schistosoma mansoni parasites can induce partial, serum-transferable immunity to challenge infection in rats when administered as an alum precipitate. In the present study, we examined whether S3 prepared from adult (7-week) worms could similarly induce protection and whether immunity could be positively influenced by treatment with interleukin-12 (IL-12). IL-12 coadministered to Fischer rats and C57BL/6 mice at the time of S3 vaccination altered the prechallenge kinetics of S3-specific antibody titers in both species, ultimately leading to a stable enhancement of titers (relative to those in animals vaccinated without IL-12) in mice but not rats. Immunoblot analysis of prechallenge immune sera demonstrated that IL-12 treatment was associated with changes in the S3 antigen recognition profile in each species. Isotyping of specific antibodies in S3- plus IL-12-vaccinated mice prior to challenge infection revealed a moderate elevation in immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) responses, strongly enhanced IgG2a and IgG2b responses, as well as diminished total serum IgE responses compared to those in mice given S3 only. In vaccinated rats, IL-12 profoundly suppressed specific IgG1 and enhanced IgG2b responses but did not affect IgG2a responses. S3- plus IL-12-vaccinated rats also produced less total IgE upon challenge infection. Enumeration of worm burdens revealed that vaccination with S3 plus IL-12 conferred 50% protection from cercarial challenge to rats, whereas rats given S3 only were not protected; mice were not protected by S3 vaccination regardless of IL-12 coadministration. The protection observed in S3- plus IL-12-vaccinated rats could not be transferred with serum, suggesting participation of an activated cellular component in the expression of immunity.
A complete categorization of multiscale models of infectious disease systems

ABSTRACT Modelling of infectious disease systems has entered a new era in which disease modellers are increasingly turning to multiscale modelling to extend traditional modelling frameworks into new application areas and to achieve higher levels of detail and accuracy in characterizing infectious disease systems. In this paper we present a categorization framework for categorizing multiscale models of infectious disease systems. The categorization framework consists of five integration frameworks and five criteria. We use the categorization framework to give a complete categorization of host-level immuno-epidemiological models (HL-IEMs). This categorization framework is also shown to be applicable in categorizing other types of multiscale models of infectious diseases beyond HL-IEMs through modifying the initial categorization framework presented in this study. Categorization of multiscale models of infectious disease systems in this way is useful in bringing some order to the discussion on the structure of these multiscale models.
Quasi Linear Parameter Varying modeling for wind farm control using the 2D Navier-Stokes equations

Controlling the flow within wind farms, to increase the overall energy capture and to reduce the fatigue loads, is a challenging control problem due to its size and the underlying time-varying dynamics. State-of-the-art wind farm controllers follow the open-loop control paradigm by computing optimal set-points using static models. However, due to the time-varying inflow conditions and uncertain flow dynamics the closed-loop control paradigm should be used. In this work, a control-oriented quasi Linear Parameter Varying (LPV) descriptor model will be derived using the two dimensional (2D) Navier-Stokes equations. Sparsity of the system matrices make it possible to use this model for closed-loop controller synthesis. Some key features of the approach will be presented using a two turbine test case.
Impact of unrelated donor status on the incidence and outcome of cytomegalovirus infections after non‐myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation

Summary. Little is known about the impact of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infections that occur after human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐matched unrelated donor (MUD) non‐myleoablative haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HCT). We analysed the incidence, onset and outcomes of CMV infections in 59 recipients of MUD and in 109 recipients of HLA‐matched related donor (MRD) allogeneic HCT following non‐myeloablative conditioning containing 2 Gy total body irradiation and fludarabine. In CMV seropositive recipients, antigenaemia occurred in 68% (MUD) and in 49% (MRD, P = 0·08); there were no differences in the maximum levels of CMV antigenaemia and the time to cessation with antiviral therapy. CMV viraemia by culture was more common in MUD compared with MRD HCT recipients in univariate analysis (26% vs. 6%, P = 0·01), however, this difference was not detectable after controlling for other factors. The rates of CMV disease in the first 100 d were similar in MUD (9%) and MRD (5%) HCT recipients. CMV disease tended to occur earlier in the MUD compared with the MRD recipients (median day 41 vs. day 80). Beyond day 100, rates of CMV disease remained similar in both cohorts (cumulative incidence: MUD 21% and MRD 14%). The 30‐d and 1‐year survivals after CMV disease diagnosis were not significantly different in both groups. Thus, there appeared to be a trend toward increased CMV reactivation in MUD compared with MRD non‐myeloablative allogeneic HCT recipients; however, these differences did not reach statistical significance in this cohort and preemptive therapy was similarly effective in preventing CMV diseases.
Graduate labour market analysis in Malaysia

This thesis studies several aspects related to graduate employment in Malaysia. The first chapter examines graduate's transition from education to work which includes the analysis of the first destination choice after study and occupational types using multinomial logit model. Within each occupational category, we use Fairlie's non-linear decomposition technique to compute the differences in the participation rate between gender and ethnic groups. Women and Malay's under-representation in superior occupational types are largely due to their choice of less attractive courses that are associated with low market demand. The second chapter analyzes the wage differentials between the public-private sectors, gender and ethnic groups. The earning equation is adjusted to account for the sample selection bias due to the participation rate. We use the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition technique to compute the wage differences between the groups. The difference in the sectoral wage is non-significant, and there is no evidence of wage differential in the public sector. Gender and ethnic pay gap only occur in the private sector where male and Chinese consistently earn higher. The third chapter explores another dimensions of graduate's transition from education to work. First, we found that higher ability graduates are more inclined to migrate in order to maximize their employment prospects as well as compensating for their superior human capital. Indeed, graduate's migration results in higher earning but not necessarily reduce education-job mismatch. Second, graduates who possess better characteristics took longer to obtain their first job but they ended up with superior occupational types and higher earning. Yet, social attributes such as being a male, a Chinese, or originating from an urban state increases the probability for faster transition from education to work. Third, using a pseudo-panel data and controlling for cohort heterogeneity shows that the remaining variables that significantly affect earning are family income and locality.
Non‐transcriptional action of oestradiol and progestin triggers DNA synthesis

The recent findings that oestradiol and progestins activate the Src/Ras/Erks signalling pathway raise the question of the role of this stimulation. Microinjection experiments of human mammary cancer‐derived cells (MCF‐7 and T47D) with cDNA of catalytically inactive Src or anti‐Ras antibody prove that Src and Ras are required for oestradiol and progestin‐dependent progression of cells through the cell cycle. The antitumoral ansamycin antibiotic, geldanamycin, disrupts the steroid‐induced Ras–Raf‐1 association and prevents Raf‐1 activation and steroid‐induced DNA synthesis. Furthermore, the selective MEK 1 inhibitor, PD 98059, inhibits oestradiol and progestin stimulation of Erk‐2 and the steroid‐dependent S‐phase entry. The MDA‐MB231 cells, which do not express oestradiol receptor, fail to respond to oestradiol in terms of Erk‐2 activation and S‐phase entry. Fibroblasts are made equally oestradiol‐responsive in terms of DNA synthesis by transient transfection with either the wild‐type or the transcriptionally inactive mutant oestradiol receptor (HE241G). Co‐transfection of catalytically inactive Src as well as treatment with PD98059 inhibit the oestradiol‐dependent S‐phase entry of fibroblasts expressing either the wild‐type oestrogen receptor or its transcriptionally inactive mutant. The data presented support the view that non‐transcriptional action of the two steroids plays a major role in cell cycle progression.
Horizon 2020 in Diabetic Kidney Disease: The Clinical Trial Pipeline for Add-On Therapies on Top of Renin Angiotensin System Blockade

Diabetic kidney disease is the most frequent cause of end-stage renal disease. This implies failure of current therapeutic approaches based on renin-angiotensin system (RAS) blockade. Recent phase 3 clinical trials of paricalcitol in early diabetic kidney disease and bardoxolone methyl in advanced diabetic kidney disease failed to meet the primary endpoint or terminated on safety concerns, respectively. However, various novel strategies are undergoing phase 2 and 3 randomized controlled trials targeting inflammation, fibrosis and signaling pathways. Among agents currently undergoing trials that may modify the clinical practice on top of RAS blockade in a 5-year horizon, anti-inflammatory agents currently hold the most promise while anti-fibrotic agents have so far disappointed. Pentoxifylline, an anti-inflammatory agent already in clinical use, was recently reported to delay estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) loss in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 3–4 diabetic kidney disease when associated with RAS blockade and promising phase 2 data are available for the pentoxifylline derivative CTP-499. Among agents targeting chemokines or chemokine receptors, the oral small molecule C-C chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2) inhibitor CCX140 decreased albuminuria and eGFR loss in phase 2 trials. A dose-finding trial of the anti-IL-1β antibody gevokizumab in diabetic kidney disease will start in 2015. However, clinical development is most advanced for the endothelin receptor A blocker atrasentan, which is undergoing a phase 3 trial with a primary outcome of preserving eGFR. The potential for success of these approaches and other pipeline agents is discussed in detail.