Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prediction of response to treatment of chronic hepatitis B with pegylated interferon in the Philippines

The response marker for interferon has not been investigated fully for hepatitis B viruses (HBVs) in the Philippines where novel subtypes B5 and C5 were recognized recently. The prediction parameters for interferon treatment were assessed, with emphasis on the mutation patterns in the basal core promoter and precore regions in patients with chronic hepatitis B. Seventeen HBeAg‐positive patients were stratified according to response to treatment with pegylated interferon based on HBe seroconversion and HBV load. Intra‐patient distributions of wild‐type strains (A1762, G1764) and variants (T1762, A1764) were analyzed using HBV‐DNA amplification and subsequent molecular cloning. The rate of variants (T1762, A1764) harbored by a patient was higher among responders (41.2% and 31% per person on average) than among non‐responders (2.4% and 2.4%) to treatment with pegylated interferon at the baseline, respectively (P < 0.05). The rate of variants (T1762, A1764) harbored by responders (41.2% and 31%) decreased to 1.7% and 1.7%, and wild‐type strains (A1762, G1764) conversely became majority (98.3% and 98.3%) after treatment with pegylated interferon, respectively. HBV strains harbored by two of six responders and a patient with lower baseline load (1.0 × 104 copies/ml) showed genotype shift from A to other genotypes, where genotype A disappeared preferentially after the loss of HBeAg and genotypes B and C formed a major population. These results suggest that the HBV variants (T1762, A1764) and HBV genotype A in the Philippines have an advantage in the response to pegylated interferon. These results warrant a large‐scale examination for further precise prediction of the response to treatment with interferon. J. Med. Virol. 82:213–219, 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Design Aspects of an Experimental Test Stand for the Study of Liquid-Lithium-Film Condensation

The benefits of having the walls of fusion devices covered with lithium are widely recognized, as evidenced by the growing number of experimental devices with experiments devoted to lithium wall conditioning. However, there are still many outstanding questions regarding the technology aspects of lithium when it is placed in a tokamak experiment. This paper describes the preliminary design activities of a test facility devoted to the study of lithium-vapor-condensation mechanisms and the subsequent formation of liquid films as well as film stability aspects when thermal gradients are present on downward-facing surfaces. The capability of studying the effect of thermodynamic compatibility between the liquid and the substrate will also be possible in this facility. Initial design features as well as preliminary estimations of achievable film thicknesses are presented. The facility will also have the capability of studying MHD effects since it will be attached to the TPM-1U tokamak, a small machine currently under construction and expected to be operational by 2012. The coupling of the liquid-lithium test stand to the small tokamak will allow the study of liquid-lithium flows subjected to full toroidal fields, with no end effects as in previous experiments.
Seacurity: Improving the Security of the Global Sea Container Shipping System

This paper discusses threats to container commerce, especially maritime transportation, and presents recommendations for increasing its security, and references for further research. It is estimated that about 90% of all cargo are transported in containers. However, only 2% of those containers are checked to verify their contents. It would be quite easy for terrorists to use containers to transport hazardous materials or utilize the actual containers as weapons of mass destruction. This paper discusses the global threats and risks to container security. It relates the impacts of technical and non-technical factors on weak spots in the system. It recommends that implementation strategies be feasibility tested with regard to legal, cultural, political, economic and other contextual aspects. The paper also notes that the development and implementation of extra security measures would require major investments of stakeholders.
The 9.3-µm CO 2 Dental Laser: Technical Development and Early Clinical Experiences

SUMMARY This article summarizes some of the findings of scientific research involving the 9.3-µm laser that led to the development of this latest innovation while referencing its roots in the 10.6-µm soft-tissue-only laser. It describes how use of isotopic carbon dioxide gas as the laser’s active medium furnishes the 9.3-µm wavelength with unique hydroxyapatite absorption characteristics for optimum energy transfer into dental hard tissues while it retains the excellent soft tissue surgical abilities of conventional CO2 at 10.6 µm. A summary of laser device considerations that led to the first practical implementation of this new wavelength for the clinical environment is presented. Selected clinical capabilities of both the 9.3-µm and erbium lasers are then compared. Finally, a report of clinician experience with and patient response to this new laser instrument is provided.
Study on Aerosol Penetration Through Clothing and Individual Protective Equipment

Abstract : Aerosol particles can readily penetrate through air permeable fabrics. Air flow and aerosol deposition models were used to determine the skin deposition rates of aerosols through up to two fabric layers. These models were used in conjunction with a plume dispersion model to examine the risks associated with wearing air permeable CBR protective clothing, to inform IPE fabric development programs and allow assessment of aerosol protection requirements.
THE ICEBERG ON THE SEA: WHAT DO YOU SEE?

Although organizations began to adopt enterprise systems (ES) in the 1980s (Hayman, 2000), academic interests have just started. This literature review of ES articles appearing in academic information systems (IS) journals indicates that while previous ES studies have provided some interesting findings, only limited aspects of enterprise systems have been explored. We have essentially focused on the iceberg above the sea, ignoring what is going on under the water. This paper contributes to the ES research by identifying strengths and weaknesses of ES research to date, and suggesting future research opportunities.
Implementation of an autonomous mobile platform based on computer vision

The public interest in finding affordable solutions for multiple purpose autonomous robots has increased in the last years. The main features are recognition of defined targets and autonomous navigation between them. Human input is only required for defining the main objectives. The case study is represented by the implementation of an automated robotic system for watering indoor plants. Here we present the implementation of a prototype robot that makes the connection between advanced tools offered by image processing software libraries and one of the many commercial affordable mobile platforms based on the Raspberry Pi board.
Noise estimation in digital images using fuzzy processing

Noise estimation is an important issue in image processing because it is a fundamental step in many algorithms for noise suppression and then for image restoration. In the literature, many approaches have been presented in order to obtain good results. This paper presents a novel method suitable for obtaining a good estimation if the type of noise distribution is known. In particular, the algorithm provides the variance of the noise distribution and the proof that the distribution itself matches the foreseen one. The algorithm has been tested on different images affected by Gaussian noise. The simulations show results better than those obtained with other approaches.
Convenience-based food purchase patterns: identification and associations with dietary quality, sociodemographic factors and attitudes

Abstract Objective The present study aimed to derive food purchase patterns considering the convenience level of foods. Associations between identified patterns and dietary quality were analysed, as well as household characteristics associated with the dietary patterns. Design A Convenience Food Classification Scheme (CFCS) was developed. After classifying basic food groups into the CFCS, the formed groups were used to apply a factor analysis to identify convenience-based food purchase patterns. For these patterns nutrient and energy densities were examined. Using regression analysis, associations between the adherence to the patterns and household characteristic and attitude variables were analysed. Subjects The study used representative German food purchase data from 2011. Approximately 12 million purchases of 13 131 households were recorded in these data. Results Three convenience-based patterns were identified: a low-convenience, a semi-convenience and a ready-to-eat food pattern. Tighter adherence to the semi-convenience pattern was shown to result in the lowest nutrient and highest energy densities. Important factors influencing adherence to the patterns were household size, presence of children and attitudes. Working full-time was negatively associated with adherence to the low-convenience pattern and positively with the ready-to-eat pattern. Conclusions Convenience foods were an important part of households’ food baskets which in some cases led to lower nutritional quality. Therefore, it is important to offer convenience foods higher in nutrient density and lower in energy density. Interventions targeted on enhancing cooking skills could be an effective strategy to increase purchases of unprocessed foods, which, in turn, could also contribute to an improved diet quality.
Developing a multiplatform solution for mobile learning

The development of cutting-edge connected mobile applications nowadays brings out several concerns: Should one develop only for one mobile platform or more, and which mobile platforms should be targeted (Android, iOS, Windows or all)? If developing a multiplatform solution, should independent native applications be developed or should a cross-platform framework be used? The dimensions of the before mentioned issues can further be cut by examining the following: Who will application users be? Is application being developed from the scratch or is it based on some previous work? This paper tackles these issues by describing the development of the multiplatform system named SCOLLAm [in]Form by using Xamarin cross-platform mobile development framework. The cross-platform development approach was chosen in order to reduce the problem of the application sustainability since its functionalities are expected to be frequently modified and extended during the 3-year design-based development period. Moreover, the paper discusses the guidelines for choosing a cross-platform development framework and lays out the accompanying development challenges.
Redistribution, Delegation, and Regulators’ Incentives: Evidence from the Clean Air Act

Taking advantage of the structure of the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments (CAAA), we study the tradeoff between efficiency and equity associated with different levels of discretionary power when delegating regulatory authority to lower levels of government. Exploiting an instrumental variables approach, we provide evidence that the benefits of the 1990 CAAA were highly localized and accrued disproportionately to poorer households. Further, under the current structure of the 1990 CAAA, it costs at most about $1.30 for every $1 worth of air quality improvements transferred from richer to poorer areas, suggesting that the program does not entail a large tradeoff between efficiency and equity.
Modulation of lysosomal protease-esterase and lysozyme in Kupffer cells and peritoneal macrophages infected with Nocardia asteroides

Virulent Nocardia asteroides reduces lysosomal acid phosphatase activity in murine macrophages. A computer-assisted imaging photometry system was used to quantitate lysozyme and nonspecific esterase-neutral protease levels within individual macrophages following ingestion of nocardiae. In contrast to acid phosphatase, lysozyme and esterase-neutral protease activity was either unchanged or increased following infection by increasing numbers of nocardial cells.
Internet Financial Reporting Quality and Corporate Characteristics: The Case of Construction Companies Listed in Greek and Cypriot Stock Exchange

This study examines the role of the Internet in the financial reporting practices of publicly traded Greek and Cypriot construction companies. Its key contribution is the development of a relevant index that is assessed against key business characteristics: profitability, leverage, audit firm size, firm size, ownership dispersion, time length of operations, and market to book value. The association between the proposed index and firm characteristics was examined with the use of multiple regression analysis. Our findings indicate, among others, that Internet-related financial disclosure is significantly associated with profitability, leverage, firm age and ownership dispersion.
Use of folic acid supplements in early pregnancy in relation to maternal plasma levels in week 18 of pregnancy.

SCOPE Birth cohorts typically measure plasma folate in midgestation, but effects of folic acid supplementation are sometimes specific to the periconceptional period. The relationship between midgestation plasma folate and periconceptional supplementation is not known. We compared plasma folate at week 18 of gestation with self-report use of supplements comtaining folic acid from before pregnancy to week 17 of gestation. METHODS AND RESULTS The sample comprised 2911 women from The Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study. For women reporting continuous supplementation from gestational week -4 to 17 (N = 238), median plasma folate was 15.72 at week 18 (in nmol/L). This was about threefold higher than the median plasma folate of 5.67 for women reporting no supplementation from week -4 to 17 (N = 844), but only slightly higher than the median plasma folate of 13.34 for all women reporting supplementation in weeks 13-17 (N = 1158). Reported supplementation before week 8 was not associated with plasma folate at week 18, in an analysis that adjusted for continued supplementation after week 8. CONCLUSION Overall we found a strong and coherent relationship between self-reported folic acid use and plasma folate at week 18. We also found that plasma folate at week 18 did not reflect self-reported supplementation before week 8. For periconceptional supplementation per se, self-report data may offer a better measure.
When Bad News is Sugar-Coated: Information Distortion, Organizational Search and the Behavioral Theory of the Firm

Most work in strategy and organization theory assumes that performance feedback is straightforward to interpret and truthfully reported. We raise the following question: How might the systematic distortion of negative performance information affect organizational learning and future performance? We formulate a model where (1) members do not always report the truth about what they know about their performance level, especially when performance is below aspiration and (2) their propensity to distort information is subject to social influence. We find that organizations that are characterized by a high level of information distortion tend to perform more poorly, but that the effect of a low rate of sugar-coating may, in some conditions, be more benign than the literatures seem to suggest.
Joint Estimation of State and Parameter With Synchrophasors—Part I: State Tracking

Applications of synchrophasors to parameter estimation (and state estimation) in power systems are investigated. Joint state-and-parameter estimation in parameter estimation is reformulated as two loosely-coupled linear subproblems of state tracking and parameter tracking. This paper focuses on the state tracking, which can be used to determine bus voltages in parameter estimation or to track the system state in (dynamic) state estimation. Dynamic behavior of bus voltages under possible abrupt changes is studied, using a novel and accurate prediction model. The measurement model is also improved. An adaptive filter based on optimal tracking with correlated prediction-measurement errors, including the module for abrupt-change detection and estimation, is developed. With the above settings, accurate solutions are obtained. They provide a reliable support for the parameter tracking presented in a companion paper. Simulation results reveal that the proposed approach yields improved state estimation accuracy. It also has a desired convergence property.
A w-band thermoelectric power transfer standard

This paper describes a thermoelectric waveguide power sensor for the frequency range 75 GHz to 110 GHz which can be calibrated in a waveguide microcalorimeter. The sensor can be used as a transfer standard to provide traceablity for high frequency power calibrations. The paper summarizes the sensor design and the principle of calorimeter calibration by introducing a novel measuring quantity, referred to as generalized efficiency of the transfer standard. First results of the calorimeter measurements and the sensor performance are given.
Insulin-like Growth Factor I and Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 3 as Determinants of Blood Hemoglobin Concentration in Healthy Subjects

ABSTRACT: We studied the serum concentrations of IGF-I, IGF-binding protein 3 (IGFBP-3), and testosterone in relation to blood Hb in 60 healthy prepubertal or early pubertal boys twice, with a 9-mo interval. Serum IGF-I and testosterone levels were measured by RIA, and serum IGFBP-3 was measured by monoclonal immunofluorometric assay. Positive correlations were observed between the concentrations of blood Hb and serum IGF-I at the first examination (r=0.36, p=0.008) and Hb and IGFBP-3 at both examinations (r=0.53, p<0.001, and r=0.39, p=0.003). No association between Hb and testosterone concentrations was found. Our results show that blood Hb is positively correlated to serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels, indicating indirectly the involvement of growth hormone in the regulation of physiologic Hb concentration. Because no association was found between Hb and testosterone concentrations, this may indicate that the role of androgens in erythropoiesis may be different at different stages of puberty. It is concluded that the IGF system may be involved in the rise of Hb level during early puberty.
ISMCS: An intelligent instruction sequence based malware categorization system

Recently, automated malware (e.g., viruses, backdoors, spyware, Trojans and worms) categorization methods and an industry-wide naming convention have been the computer security topics that are of great interest. Resting on the analysis of function based instruction sequence, we develop an intelligent instruction sequence based malware categorization system (ISMCS) using a novel weighted subspace clustering method. ISMCS is an integrated system consisting of three major modules: feature exactor, malware categorizer using weighted subspace clustering method and malware signature generator. ISMCS can not only effectively categorize malwares to different families, but also automatically generate the unify signature for every family. Promising experimental results demonstrate that the effectiveness of our ISMCS system outperform other existing malware categorization methods, such as K-Means and hierarchical clustering algorithms.
A study of friction factor formulation in pipes using artificial intelligence techniques and explicit equations

The hydraulic design and analysis of flow conditions in pipe networks are dependent upon estimating the friction factor, f. The performance of its explicit formulations and those of artificial intelligence (AI) techniques are studied in this paper. The AI techniques used here include artificial neural networks (ANNs) and genetic programming (GP); both use the same data generated numerically by systematically changing the values of Reynolds numbers, Re, and relative roughness, e/D, and solving the Colebrook-White equation for the value of f by using the successive substitution method. The tests included the transformation of Re and e/D using a logarithmic scale. This study shows that some of the explicit formulations for friction factor induce undue errors, but a number of them have good accuracy. The ANN formulation for the solving of the friction factor in the Colebrook-White equation is less successful than that by GP. The implementation of GP offers another explicit formulation for the friction factor; the performance of GP in terms of R2 (0.997) and the root-mean-square error (0.013) is good, but its numerically obtained values are slightly perturbed.
Interventions for psychosexual dysfunction in women treated for gynaecological malignancy.

BACKGROUND Psychosexual dysfunction (sexual difficulties not directly due to physical factors) is known to be a common complication of treatment for gynaecological cancer. It has a considerable impact on quality of life (QoL) for the increasing number of women who are survivors of gynaecological cancer. OBJECTIVES To determine the effectiveness of interventions for psychosexual dysfunction in women who have been treated for gynaecological malignancy (cancer of uterine cervix, uterine corpus, ovary, vulva). SEARCH STRATEGY We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL, up to October 2008), MEDLINE (1950 to October 2008), EMBASE (1982 to October 2008), CINAHL (1980 to October 2008) and PsycINFO (1806 to October 2008). We hand searched reference lists from eligible trials. SELECTION CRITERIA We selected all randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of a medical or psychological intervention to prevent or treat psychosexual dysfunction in adult women previously treated for gynaecological cancer. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS We selected five studies for inclusion in this review and analysed any outcome data relating to resumption of sexual intercourse, DSM-IV diagnoses or validated scales of sexual functioning. Sensitivity analysis was performed where possible. MAIN RESULTS The review included data from 5 studies, comprising a total of 413 patients, examining 5 different interventions. One trial suggested a short-term benefit for the use of vaginal Dienoestrol in women after pelvic radiotherapy (NNT = 4). Another trial suggested a short-term benefit for one regime of low dose-rate brachytherapy over another but this modality is not in widespread use. Studies of a Clinical Nurse Specialist intervention, Psychoeducational Group Therapy and a Couple-Coping intervention, did not show any significant benefit. All the studies were of poor methodological quality. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is no convincing evidence to support the use of any interventions for psychosexual dysfunction in women treated for gynaecological cancer. There is a need for more studies of high methodological quality.