Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
An increased risk of cervical intra‐epithelial neoplasia grade II‐III among human papillomavirus positive patients with the HLA‐DQA1*0102‐DQB1*0602 haplotype: A population‐based case–control study of Norwegian women

Several recent studies have reported different associations between HLA specificities and human papillomavirus (HPV)‐associated disease of the cervix. We report the distribution of DQA1 and DQB1 genes and HPV infection in a population‐based case–control study including 92 patients with histologically verified cervical intraepithelial neoplasia grade II‐III (CIN II‐III) (thus including moderate and severe dysplasia and carcinoma in situ) and 225 control subjects. We found an overrepresentation of the DQA1*0102‐DQB1*0602 haplotype among HPV‐positive cases compared with controls. The association was even stronger when comparing HPV‐16–positive cases with HPV‐16–positive controls. In addition, among HPV‐16–positive individuals, we observed a decreased frequency of DQA1*0102‐DQB1*0604 in cases compared with controls. We were not able to detect any association between CIN II‐III and DQB1*03. Compared with previous findings in cervical cancer, our data indicate that carrying the DQA1*0102‐DQB1*0602 haplotype gives an increased risk of developing CIN when infected with HPV‐16, without influencing progression to cancer. Int. J. Cancer 76:19–24, 1998. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Social support and prognosis in patients at increased psychosocial risk recovering from myocardial infarction.

OBJECTIVE To compare the impact of network support and different types of perceived functional support on all-cause mortality or nonfatal reinfarction for patients with a recent acute myocardial infarction (AMI). DESIGN Participants were recruited from the Enhancing Recovery in Coronary Heart Disease (ENRICHD) trial; 2,481 AMI patients with depression or low social support were randomized to a cognitive-behavioral intervention or to a usual care control group. Data collection for certain measures of social support was limited: 2,466 participants completed the ENRICHD Social Support Inventory; 2,457 completed the Perceived Social Support Scale; 1,296 completed the Social Network Questionnaire; and 707 completed the Interpersonal Support and Evaluation List, Tangible Support subscale. Patients also completed the Beck Depression Inventory and were followed for up to 4.5 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Time to death or nonfatal reinfarction. RESULTS Over the follow-up period, 599 patients (24%) died or had a nonfatal AMI. Survival models controlling age, sex, race, socioeconomic status, smoking, antidepressant use, and a composite measure of increased risk revealed that higher levels of perceived social support were associated with improved outcome for patients without elevated depression but not for patients with high levels of depression. Neither perceived tangible support nor network support were associated with more frequent adverse events. CONCLUSION AMI patients should be assessed for multiple dimensions of perceived functional support and depression to identify those at increased psychosocial risk who may benefit from treatment.
Influence of irrigation during the growth stage on yield and quality in mango (Mangifera indica L)

Although being one of the few drought-tolerant plants, mango trees are irrigated to ensure optimum and consistent productivity in China. In order to better understand the effects of soil water content on mango yield and fruit quality at fruit growth stage, irrigation experiments were investigated and the object was to determine the soil water content criteria at which growth and quality of mango would be optimal based on soil water measured by RHD-JS water-saving irrigation system through micro-sprinkling irrigation. Five soil water content treatments (relative to the percentage of field water capacity) for irrigation (T1:79%-82%, T2:75%-78%, T3:71%-74%, T4: 65%-70%, T5:63%-66%) were compared in 2013. Amount of applied irrigation water for different treatments varied from 2.93m3 to 1.08 m3. The results showed that mango fruit production and quality at fruit growth stage were significantly affected under different irrigation water amounts. Variation in soil water content not only had effects on fruit size, but also on fruit yield. The highest fruit yield and irrigation water use efficiency were obtained from the T4 treatment. Irrigation water amount also affected fruit quality parameters like fruit total soluble solids, soluble sugar, starch, titratable acid and vitamin C content. Comprehensive evaluation of the effect of indexs of correlation on irrigation treatment by subordinate function showed that when the soil moisture content were controlled at about 65–70% of the field water moisture capacity, water demand in the growth and development of mango could be ensured, and maximum production efficiency of irrigation and the best quality of fruit could be achieved. In conclusion, treatment T4 was the optimum irrigation schedule for growing mango, thus achieving efficient production of mango in consideration of the compromise among mango yield, fruit quality and water use efficiency.
Detection of Toxigenic Clostridium difficile: Comparison of the Cell Culture Neutralization, Xpert C. difficile, Xpert C. difficile/Epi, and Illumigene C. difficile Assays

ABSTRACT Clostridium difficile is the most important cause of nosocomial diarrhea. Several laboratory techniques are available to detect C. difficile toxins or the genes that encode them in fecal samples. We evaluated the Xpert C. difficile and Xpert C. difficile/Epi (Cepheid, CA) that detect the toxin B gene (tcdB) and tcdB, cdt, and a deletion in tcdC associated with the 027/NAP1/BI strain, respectively, by real-time PCR, and the Illumigene C. difficile (Meridian Bioscience, Inc.) that detects the toxin A gene (tcdA) by loop-mediated isothermal amplification in stool specimens. Toxigenic culture was used as the reference method for discrepant stool specimens. Two hundred prospective and fifty retrospective diarrheal stool specimens were tested simultaneously by the cell cytotoxin neutralization assay (CCNA) and the Xpert C. difficile, Xpert C. difficile/Epi, and Illumigene C. difficile assays. Of the 200 prospective stools tested, 10.5% (n = 23) were determined to be positive by CCNA, 17.5% (n = 35) were determined to be positive by Illumigene C. difficile, and 21.5% (n = 43) were determined to be positive by Xpert C. difficile and Xpert C. difficile/Epi. Of the 50 retrospective stools, previously determined to be positive by CCNA, 94% (n = 47) were determined to be positive by Illumigene C. difficile and 100% (n = 50) were determined to be positive by Xpert C. difficile and Xpert C. difficile/Epi. Of the 11 discrepant results (i.e., negative by Illumigene C. difficile but positive by Xpert C. difficile and Xpert C. difficile/Epi), all were determined to be positive by the toxigenic culture. A total of 21% of the isolates were presumptively identified by the Xpert C. difficile/Epi as the 027/NAP1/BI strain. The Xpert C. difficile and Xpert C. difficile/Epi assays were the most sensitive, rapid, and easy-to use assays for the detection of toxigenic C. difficile in stool specimens.
A randomized controlled study on assessment of health status, depression, and anxiety in coal miners with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease following yoga training

Context: Psychological comorbidities are prevalent in coal miners with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and contribute to the severity of the disease reducing their health status. Yoga has been shown to alleviate depression and anxiety associated with other chronic diseases but in COPD not been fully investigated. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the role of yoga on health status, depression, and anxiety in coal miners with COPD. Materials and Methods: This was a randomized trial with two study arms (yoga and control), which enrolled 81 coal miners, ranging from 36 to 60 years with stage II and III stable COPD. Both groups were either on conventional treatment or combination of conventional care with yoga program for 12 weeks. Results: Data were collected through standardized questionnaires; COPD Assessment Test, Beck Depression Inventory and State and Trait Anxiety Inventory at the beginning and the end of the intervention. The yoga group showed statistically significant (P < 0.001) improvements on all scales within the group, all significantly different (P < 0.001) from changes observed in the controls. No significant prepost changes were observed in the control group (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Yoga program led to greater improvement in physical and mental health status than did conventional care. Yoga seems to be a safe, feasible, and effective treatment for patients with COPD. There is a need to conduct more comprehensive, high-quality, evidence-based studies to shed light on the current understanding of the efficacy of yoga in these chronic conditions and identify unanswered questions.
Identifying mild cognitive impairment at baseline in the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory (GEM) study

Objectives: To identify, characterize and compare the frequency of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) subtypes at baseline in a large, late-life cohort (n = 3063) recruited into a dementia prevention trial. Method: A retrospective, data-algorithmic approach was used to classify participants as cognitively normal or MCI with corresponding subtype (e.g. amnestic vs. non-amnestic, single domain vs. multiple domain) based on a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological test scores, with and without Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) global score included in the algorithm. Results: Overall, 15.7% of cases (n = 480) were classified as MCI. Amnestic MCI was characterized as unilateral memory impairment (i.e. only verbal or only visual memory impaired) or bilateral memory impairment (i.e. both verbal and visual memory impaired). All forms of amnestic MCI were almost twice as frequent as non-amnestic MCI (10.0% vs. 5.7%). Removing the CDR = 0.5 (‘questionable dementia’) criterion resulted in a near doubling of the overall MCI frequency to 28.1%. Conclusion: Combining CDR and cognitive test data to classify participants as MCI resulted in overall MCI and amnestic MCI frequencies consistent with other large community-based studies, most of which relied on the ‘gold standard’ of individual case review and diagnostic consensus. The present data-driven approach may prove to be an effective alternative for use in future large-scale dementia prevention trials.
Interleaved Triangular Current Mode (TCM) resonant transition, single phase PFC rectifier with high efficiency and high power density

This paper presents a new topology for a highly compact and highly efficient single-phase Power Factor Corrected (PFC) rectifier system. The new topology consists of several interleaved boost stages which operate in a mode called Triangular Current Mode (TCM) in order to simultaneously achieve a high power density as well as a high efficiency. Applying TCM, ZVS is achieved over the full mains period by proper control of the power MOSFETs. The high TCM inductor current ripple is not transferred to the mains as the superposition of all boost cell input currents results in a smooth mains current waveform. Furthermore, one bridge leg operates synchronously to the mains frequency and connects the mains directly to an output rail. This results in very low common mode noise and only a small common mode filter has to be considered. The excellent behavior of this topology also applies to inverter operation.
Bis(1-amino-4-methylpyridinium) bis(1,2-dicyanoethene-1,2-dithiolato-κ2 S,S′)nickelate(II)

The asymmetric unit of the title compound, (C6H9N2)2[Ni(C4N2S2)2], contains one half of an [Ni(mnt)2]2− anion (mnt is maleonitriledithiolate or 1,2-dicyanoethene-1,2-dithiolate) and one 1-amino-4-methylpyridinium cation. The NiII atom is located on an inversion centre. In the crystal structure, intermolecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the molecules.
Elevated Glucose Oxidation, Reduced Insulin Secretion, and a Fatty Heart May Be Protective Adaptions in Ischemic CAD

Background: Insulin resistance, β-cell dysfunction, and ectopic fat deposition have been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronary artery disease (CAD) and type 2 diabetes, which is common in CAD patients. We investigated whether CAD is an independent predictor of these metabolic abnormalities and whether this interaction is influenced by superimposed myocardial ischemia. Methods and Results: We studied CAD patients with (n = 8) and without (n = 14) myocardial ischemia and eight non-CAD controls. Insulin sensitivity and secretion and substrate oxidation were measured during fasting and oral glucose tolerance testing. We used magnetic resonance imaging/spectroscopy, positron emission and computerized tomography to characterize CAD, cardiac function, pericardial and abdominal adipose tissue, and myocardial, liver, and pancreatic triglyceride contents. Ischemic CAD was characterized by elevated oxidative glucose metabolism and a proportional decline in β-cell insulin secretion and reduction in lipid oxidation. Cardiac function was preserved in CAD groups, whereas cardiac fat depots were elevated in ischemic CAD compared to non-CAD subjects. Liver and pancreatic fat contents were similar in all groups and related with surrounding adipose masses or systemic insulin sensitivity. Conclusions: In ischemic CAD patients, glucose oxidation is enhanced and correlates inversely with insulin secretion. This can be seen as a mechanism to prevent glucose lowering because glucose is required in oxygen-deprived tissues. On the other hand, the accumulation of cardiac triglycerides may be a physiological adaptation to the limited fatty acid oxidative capacity. Our results underscore the urgent need of clinical trials that define the optimal/safest glycemic range in situations of myocardial ischemia.
Functioning network structures: the role of collaboration processes and their management

The purpose of this paper is to broaden the understanding of network processes (Doz, 1996) and network management (Agranoff and McGuire, 2001; Järvensivu and Möller, 2009) by using Social Network Analysis (Bonacich, 1987; Borgatti and Forster, 2003; Cross, Parker and Borgatti, 2002) and additional qualitative data. We study the structure of the network to understand the success or failure of the studied networking process and its management. We divide our findings into three managerial and theoretical contributions. Firstly, we suggest that a network should foremostly concentrate on the development of the network before allocating majority of the time and resources to the development of the substance. Development of the substance refers to, for example new innovative services for elderly care or product development in gaming industry. The development of the network instead refers to the creation of trust and commitment. We comprise the findings into a framework of evaluating collaboration processes and their management. In the network management also lies the managerial contribution of this study. Secondly, we highlight the value of combining Social Network Analysis data to qualitative data. Thirdly, we reflect the role of network management to the eco network of the most important actor in the networks structure by looking into constructs like structural holes (Burt, 1992; 2004; Ahuja, 2000) centrality (Freeman, 1979; Borgatti, 2005) power and influence (Bonacich, 1987) and reflect on the role of the network broker to network manager. Katri Nykänen, Aalto University School of Economics
Which wider social roles? An analysis of social roles ascribed to voluntary sports clubs

Abstract It has long been established that voluntary sports clubs (VSCs) are ascribed a prominent social role by governments. Several scholars highlight the ascribed social values in sport policy to voluntary sports clubs and their possible implications for these voluntary organizations. Most of these studies focus on national sport policies. However, several studies signal a dominant role for local government in the public funding of sport. This discrepancy between local funding responsibility and scholarly attention to national sport policy legitimizes the following question: Which social roles do local governments ascribe to voluntary sports clubs? Further, the particularities of the social values of voluntary sports clubs have received only sparse attention. Using institutional theory as a theoretical lens, this paper addresses these lacunae through a systematic document analysis of the municipal sport policies of the twenty largest Dutch municipalities. These municipalities address four different social roles for voluntary sports clubs: (1) sports clubs as social infrastructure operators, (2) sports clubs as educational institutes, (3) sports clubs as service providers, and (4) sports clubs as project implementers. The article further elaborates on these four social roles and argues that these form a normative institutional framework for VSCs.
Inhibition of Caveolae Contributes to Propofol Preconditioning-Suppressed Microvesicles Release and Cell Injury by Hypoxia-Reoxygenation

Endothelial microvesicles (EMVs), released after endothelial cell (EC) apoptosis or activation, may carry many adverse signals and propagate injury by intercellular transmission. Caveolae are 50–100 nm cell surface plasma membrane invaginations involved in many pathophysiological processes. Recent evidence has indicated EMVs and caveolae may have functional effects in cells undergoing H/R injury. Propofol, a widely used anaesthetic, confers antioxidative stress capability in the same process. But the connection between EMVs, H/R, and caveolae remains largely unclear. Here, we found that H/R significantly increased the release of EMVs, the expression of CAV-1 (the structural protein responsible for maintaining the shape of caveolae), oxidative stress, and the mitochondrial damage, and all these changes were inhibited by propofol preconditioning. Interestingly, the caveolae inhibitor Mβ-CD strengthened the protective effect of propofol preconditioning. We further found that the release of EMVs is more significantly reduced under propofol preconditioning in the presence of the caveolae inhibitor Mβ-CD. EMVs released from H/R-treated cells caused a substantially increased mitochondrial and cellular damage to normal HUVECs after 4 hours of coculture. Thus, we conclude that inhibition of caveolae contributes to propofol preconditioning-suppressed microvesicles release and cell injury by H/R.
An Autopsy Case of Binswanger's Disease without Hypertension and Associated with Cerebral Infarction in the Terminal Stage

Abstract: We report here an autopsy case of Binswanger's disease (BD) without hypertension and associated with cerebral infarction in the terminal stage. The female patient, who was 74 years old at the time of death, had initially demonstrated manic‐depressive disorder‐like mental disorder, followed by dementia and neurological deficits. A brain CT scan showed white matter low attenuation bilaterally and symmetrically. BD was clinically diagnosed despite the lack of hypertension. In the terminal stage, she suffered an infarction in the left anterior cerebral artery region, and died of pneumonia. Neuropathologically, we found the infarction of the left anterior cerebral artery region, demyelination, fibrillary gliosis, lacunae and arteriosclerosis of the small arteries and arterioles in the white matter.
Dichlorido-2κ2 Cl-{μ-6,6′-dimethoxy-2,2′-[propane-1,3-diylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato-1κ4 O 1,N,N′,O 1′:2κ2 O 1,O 1′}copper(II)zinc(II)

In the title compound, [CuZnCl2(C19H20N2O4)], the CuII ion exhibits a slightly distorted square-planar coordination geometry defined by two N atoms and two O atoms of the 6,6′-dimethoxy-2,2′-[propane-1,3-diylbis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolate Schiff base ligand. The ZnII ion is also four-coordinated by the two phenolate O atoms of the Schiff base ligand and by two cis-coordinated chloride anions.
The dynamics of group codes: State spaces, trellis diagrams, and canonical encoders

A group code C over a group G is a set of sequences of group elements that itself forms a group under a component-wise group operation. A group code has a well-defined state space Sigma /sub k/ at each time k. Each code sequence passes through a well-defined state sequence. The set of all state sequences is also a group code, the state code of C. The state code defines an essentially unique minimal realization of C. The trellis diagram of C is defined by the state code of C and by labels associated with each state transition. The set of all label sequences forms a group code, the label code of C, which is isomorphic to the state code of C. If C is complete and strongly controllable, then a minimal encoder in controller canonical (feedbackfree) form may be constructed from certain sets of shortest possible code sequences, called granules. The size of the state space Sigma /sub k/ is equal to the size of the state space of this canonical encoder, which is given by a decomposition of the input groups of C at each time k. If C is time-invariant and nu -controllable, then mod Sigma /sub k/ mod = Pi /sub 1 >
Weather Shocks and Urban Livelihood Strategies: The Gender Dimension of Household Vulnerability in the Kumi District Of Uganda

ABSTRACT The Teso sub-region of Uganda suffered numerous weather shocks in the past, with devastating food security consequences. Using household fixed effects and propensity score matching methods, we analyse the impact of exposure to drought, flood and severe incidence of pests and diseases on household consumption expenditure per adult equivalent for a random sample of households from Kumi Town Council. We find that weather shocks reduce consumption by 17 per cent and that the consumption decline is significantly larger among female-headed households. We also find a higher likelihood of non-farm employment, borrowing and receiving remittances in order to cope with the shocks.
Exploring writing institutes for teachers in South Africa

This paper describes an exploratory study based on anecdotal evidence, investigating the need for and feasibility of establishing a formal Writing Institute Program in South Africa. These institutes are modeled on the National Writing Project (NWP) Invitational Summer Institutes, held at 200 sites in the United States (US), Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico during the June-August summer break. Several thousand teachers in the US participate each year in these invitational summer institutes, which are based on the NWP’s model of teachers teaching teachers. The US Embassy’s Regional English Language Office in South Africa collaborated with directors of writing projects in the United States, and South Africans were invited to attend summer institutes to explore the possibilities of duplicating the model in South Africa. Since 2008, institutes have been held in South Africa in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Limpopo, Pretoria and Durban. This paper is a report on the observed impact of the institutes at these sites, lessons learned about teacher training centres as viable homes for these sites and suggestions for future writing institutes in South Africa. Evidence is presented in the form of vignettes, which explore perceptions on the positive impact of writing institutes in South Africa. Keywords : Writing institutes; National Writing Project; In-service teacher training.