Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling for TB patients and suspects in Nairobi, Kenya.

SETTING Integrated tuberculosis (TB) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) services in a resource-constrained setting. OBJECTIVE Pilot provider-initiated HIV testing and counselling (PITC) for TB patients and suspects. DESIGN Through partnerships, resources were mobilised to establish and support services. After community sensitisation and staff training, PITC was introduced to TB patients and then to TB suspects from December 2003 to December 2005. RESULTS Of 5457 TB suspects who received PITC, 89% underwent HIV testing. Although not statistically significant, TB suspects with TB disease had an HIV prevalence of 61% compared to 63% for those without. Of the 614 suspects who declined HIV testing, 402 (65%) had TB disease. Of 2283 patients referred for cotrimoxazole prophylaxis, 1951 (86%) were enrolled, and of 1727 patients assessed for antiretroviral treatment (ART), 1618 (94%) were eligible and 1441 (83%) started treatment. CONCLUSIONS PITC represents a paradigm shift and is feasible and acceptable to TB patients and TB suspects. Clear directives are nevertheless required to change practice. When offered to TB suspects, PITC identifies large numbers of persons requiring HIV care. Community sensitisation, staff training, multitasking and access to HIV care contributed to a high acceptance of HIV testing. Kenya is using this experience to inform national response and advocate wide PITC implementation in settings faced with the TB-HIV epidemic.
Estimating a Nonparametric Colored-Noise Model for Linear Slowly Time-Varying Systems

This paper proposes a methodology to easily extract some valuable nonparametric information on linear slowly time-varying systems, which have been excited by multisines. More specifically, it is first explained how time-varying systems behave when excited by multisines and how a rough nonparametric idea of the speed of variation of the instantaneous frequency response function is estimated. Second, a nonparametric model of the disturbing colored noise on the measured input and output signals is estimated. The methodology circumvents the need for repeated experiments, which are, for time-varying systems, usually difficult to perform. The estimation of the disturbing noise is mandatory when identifying dynamic systems within an errors-in-variables framework. The estimated noise model is intended for system identification performed in the frequency domain, where a nonparametric noise model is easily implemented. The noise model is estimated independently of the parameters of the time-varying system under consideration. The estimate of the speed of variation of the instantaneous frequency response function gives some insight into the measured system. It might actually provide an idea of which poles or zeros are actually moving and which are not.
Artificial intelligence in Hematology

Abstract Artificial intelligence (AI) is a computer based science which aims to simulate human brain faculties using a computational system. A brief history of this new science goes from the creation of the first artificial neuron in 1943 to the first artificial neural network application to genetic algorithms. The potential for a similar technology in medicine has immediately been identified by scientists and researchers. The possibility to store and process all medical knowledge has made this technology very attractive to assist or even surpass clinicians in reaching a diagnosis. Applications of AI in medicine include devices applied to clinical diagnosis in neurology and cardiopulmonary diseases, as well as the use of expert or knowledge-based systems in routine clinical use for diagnosis, therapeutic management and for prognostic evaluation. Biological applications include genome sequencing or DNA gene expression microarrays, modeling gene networks, analysis and clustering of gene expression data, pattern recognition in DNA and proteins, protein structure prediction. In the field of hematology the first devices based on AI have been applied to the routine laboratory data management. New tools concern the differential diagnosis in specific diseases such as anemias, thalassemias and leukemias, based on neural networks trained with data from peripheral blood analysis. A revolution in cancer diagnosis, including the diagnosis of hematological malignancies, has been the introduction of the first microarray based and bioinformatic approach for molecular diagnosis: a systematic approach based on the monitoring of simultaneous expression of thousands of genes using DNA microarray, independently of previous biological knowledge, analysed using AI devices. Using gene profiling, the traditional diagnostic pathways move from clinical to molecular based diagnostic systems.
Quantitative structure/property relationship analysis of Caco-2 permeability using a genetic algorithm-based partial least squares method.

Caco-2 cell monolayers are widely used systems for predicting human intestinal absorption. This study was carried out to develop a quantitative structure-property relationship (QSPR) model of Caco-2 permeability using a novel genetic algorithm-based partial least squares (GA-PLS) method. The Caco-2 permeability data for 73 compounds were taken from the literature. Molconn-Z descriptors of these compounds were calculated as molecular descriptors, and the optimal subset of the descriptors was explored by GA-PLS analysis. A fitness function considering both goodness-of-fit to the training data and predictability of the testing data was adopted throughout the genetic algorithm-driven optimization procedure. The final PLS model consisting of 24 descriptors gave a correlation coefficient (r) of 0.886 for the entire dataset and a predictive correlation coefficient (r(pred)) of 0.825 that was evaluated by a leave-some-out cross-validation procedure. Thus, the GA-PLS analysis proved to be a reasonable QSPR modeling approach for predicting Caco-2 permeability.
Differential effects of pannexins on noise-induced hearing loss.

Hearing loss, including noise-induced hearing loss, is highly prevalent and severely hinders an individual's quality of life, yet many of the mechanisms that cause hearing loss are unknown. The pannexin (Panx) channel proteins, Panx1 and Panx3, are regionally expressed in many cell types along the auditory pathway, and mice lacking Panx1 in specific cells of the inner ear exhibit hearing loss, suggesting a vital role for Panxs in hearing. We proposed that Panx1 and/or Panx3 null mice would exhibit severe hearing loss and increased susceptibility to noise-induced hearing loss. Using the auditory brainstem response, we surprisingly found that Panx1-/- and Panx3-/- mice did not harbor hearing or cochlear nerve deficits. Furthermore, while Panx1-/- mice displayed no protection against loud noise-induced hearing loss, Panx3-/- mice exhibited enhanced 16- and 24-kHz hearing recovery 7 days after a loud noise exposure (NE; 12 kHz tone, 115 dB sound pressure level, 1 h). Interestingly, Cx26, Cx30, Cx43, and Panx2 were up-regulated in Panx3-/- mice compared with wild-type and/or Panx1-/- mice, and assessment of the auditory tract revealed morphological changes in the middle ear bones of Panx3-/- mice. It is unclear if these changes alone are sufficient to provide protection against loud noise-induced hearing loss. Contrary to what we expected, these data suggest that Panx1 and Panx3 are not essential for baseline hearing in mice tested, but the therapeutic targeting of Panx3 may prove protective against mid-high-frequency hearing loss caused by loud NE.
The Manifestation of Entrepreneurial Orientation in the Social Entrepreneurship Context

Abstract This study extends theorisation of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) in the social entrepreneurship context by introducing firm performance as a construct for examining social enterprises (SEs) EO. Drawing on EO and firm performance research indicating that EO is related to a better firm performance, this paper argues that EO in SEs is positively related to organisational performance. This research empirically studies 303 social enterprises in Saudi Arabia and develops three hypotheses that examine the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and social entrepreneurs’ firm performance. The results show that innovativeness and proactiveness, but not risk-taking, are positively associated with firm performance. Thus, whilst SEs cover a wide range of business activities there is generally a positive effect of EO across the contexts investigated. Also, this research found that EO can be used as a mechanism to overcome constraints imposed by limited resources in an environment where new opportunities rarely occur.
Computational proteomics of biomolecular interactions in the sequence and structure space of the tyrosine kinome: Deciphering the molecular basis of the kinase inhibitors selectivity

Understanding and predicting the molecular basis of protein kinases specificity against existing therapeutic agents remains highly challenging and deciphering this complexity presents an important problem in discovery and development of effective cancer drugs. We explore a recently introduced computational approach for in silico profiling of the tyrosine kinases binding specificity with a class of the pyrido‐[2,3‐d]pyrimidine kinase inhibitors. Computational proteomics analysis of the ligand–protein interactions using parallel simulated tempering with an ensemble of the tyrosine kinases crystal structures reveals an important molecular determinant of the kinase specificity. The pyrido‐[2,3‐d]pyrimidine inhibitors are capable of dynamically interacting with both active and inactive forms of the tyrosine kinases, accommodating structurally different kinase conformations with a similar binding affinity. Conformational tolerance of the protein tyrosine kinases binding with the pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine inhibitors provides the molecular basis for the broad spectrum of potent activities and agrees with the experimental inhibition profiles. The analysis of the pyrido[2,3‐d]pyrimidine sensitivities against a number of clinically relevant ABL kinase mutants suggests an important role of conformational adaptability of multitargeted kinase inhibitors in developing drug resistance mechanisms. The presented computational approach may be useful in complementing proteomics technologies to characterize activity signatures of small molecules against a large number of potential kinase targets. Proteins 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
“Dark Eyes” antenna for microwave tumor imaging: Assessment of mutual coupling between array elements

In recent years, the contrast of the microwave electric properties between the malign lesions and the healthy breast tissue has been studied as a foundation of novel ways to image early breast tumors [1] [2]. One of the key factors in pulsed microwave (∼6 GHz) breast cancer detection is the design of a suitable broadband antenna-element. We continue our study of the “Dark Eyes” antenna [3] [4] for this purpose.
Induced Human Decidual NK-Like Cells Improve Utero-Placental Perfusion in Mice

Decidual NK (dNK) cells, a distinct type of NK cell, are thought to regulate uterine spiral artery remodeling, a process that allows for increased blood delivery to the fetal-placental unit. Impairment of uterine spiral artery remodeling is associated with decreased placental perfusion, increased uterine artery resistance, and obstetric complications such as preeclampsia and intrauterine growth restriction. Ex vivo manipulation of human peripheral blood NK (pNK) cells by a combination of hypoxia, TGFß-1 and 5-aza-2’-deoxycytidine yields cells with phenotypic and in vitro functional similarities to dNK cells, called idNK cells. Here, gene expression profiling shows that CD56Bright idNK cells derived ex vivo from human pNK cells, and to a lesser extent CD56Dim idNK cells, are enriched in the gene expression signature that distinguishes dNK cells from pNK cells. When injected into immunocompromised pregnant mice with elevated uterine artery resistance, idNK cells homed to the uterus and reduced the uterine artery resistance index, suggesting improved placental perfusion.
Effects of Amrinone on Thrombin-Induced Platelet-Derived Growth Factor-Like Protein Secretion from Endothelial Cells

Endothelial cells (EC) secrete platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-like protein, which is a potent mitogen to smooth muscle and connective tissue cells. The purpose of this study was to determine if amrinone, a phosphodiesterase inhibitor, could inhibit PDGF-like protein secretion on the basis of its ability to increase cAMP. Human umbilical artery endothelial cells (HUAEC) (n = 7) were preincubated for 4 h with amrinone (10 μg/mL) before coincubation with thrombin (10 IU/mL) and amrinone (10 μg/mL) for 18 h. The supernatant was then assayed for the presence of both PDGF-like protein by using a competitive 125I-PDGF radioreceptor inhibition assay, and cAMP by using an RIA. Thrombin-induced PDGF-like protein secretion from HUAEC was significantly inhibited by amrinone (7.8 ± 1.6 fmol/106 EC) when compared with thrombin alone (12.1 ± 2.4 fmol/106 EC) (p < 0.05). Amrinone alone had no effect on baseline PDGF-like protein secretion. Amrinone inhibition of thrombin-induced PDGF-like protein secretion was comparable whether amrinone was added to HUAEC 4 or 0 h before thrombin, and it was dose dependent with a maximal inhibition of 82.7% by amrinone (160 μg/mL). In contrast, IL-1α (10 μg/mL) and tumor necrosis factor (100 ng/mL) induced less secretion of PDGF-like protein from HUAEC, and this secretion was not inhibited by amrinone. Amrinone (10 μg/mL) significantly increased secretion of cAMP from HUAEC from a baseline value of 6.4 ± 0.4 pmol/106 EC to 10.6 ± 0.1 pmol/106 EC (p < 0.01). We conclude that amrinone inhibits thrombin-induced PDGF-like protein secretion from HUAEC. This ability of amrinone to inhibit thrombin-induced PDGF-like protein secretion from EC is associated with an increase in secretion of cAMP from EC, suggesting that this inhibition is associated with, or mediated through, an increased production of cAMP.
The TARGET project in Tuscany: the first disease management model of a regional project for the prevention of hip re-fractures in the elderly.

BACKGROUND The official inquiry on osteoporosis in Italy, promoted by the Italian Senate in 2002 concluded that proper preventive strategies should be adopted at regional level in order to prevent osteoporotic fractures. Tuscany is the first Italian region who has promoted an official program (the TARGET project) aimed to reduce osteoporotic fractures by ensuring adequate treatment to all people aged ≥65 years old who experience a hip fragility fracture. OBJECTIVE this paper provides information concerning the implementation of TARGET project in Tuscany, assuming that it may represent an useful model for similar experiences to be promoted in other Italian Regions and across Europe. METHODS we have examined the model proposed for the regional program, and we have particularly analyzed the in-hospital and post-hospitalization path of hip fractured patients aged >65 years old in Tuscany after the adoption of TARGET project by Tuscany healthcare system and during its ongoing start-up phase. RESULTS orthopaedic surgeons have been gradually involved in the project and are increasingly fulfilling all the clinical prescriptions and recommendations provided in the project protocol. Different forms of cooperation between orthopaedic surgeons and other clinical specialists have been adopted at each hospital for the treatment of hip fractured elderly patients. GPs involvement needs to be fostered both at regional and local level. CONCLUSIONS The effort of Tuscany region to cope with hip fractures suffered from elderly people must be acknowledged as an interesting way of addressing this critical health problem. Specific preventive strategies modelled on the Tuscany TARGET project should be implemented in other Italian regions.
Role of the 25 kDa major outer membrane protein of Legionella pneumophila in attachment to U‐937 cells and its potential as a virulence factor for chick embryos

The gene encoding the 25 kDa major outer membrane protein (MOMP) of Legionella pneumophila was transformed into Escherichia coli JM 83 and the resultant E. coli LP 116 clone expressed the Legionella‐MOMP. Compared with the parent E. coli strain, the clone showed a fivefold increase in opsonin‐independent binding to U‐937 cells. Furthermore, this gene was incorporated by electroporation into a low virulence derivative of Leg. pneumophila which showed reduced expression of the MOMP but enhanced expression of a 31 kDa protein in the OMP profile. After electroporation, the attenuated strain showed an increased expression of the MOMP while the 31 kDa protein was eliminated and virulence for the chick embryo was re‐established. The use of a monoclonal antibody specific for the MOMP abolished virulence and adherence. These studies suggest that the 25 kDa MOMP of Leg. pneumophila serves as an adhesive molecule for host cells and that this protein plays a major role in the virulence of the organism for the chick embryo.
A Differential Capacitive Three-Axis SOI Accelerometer using Vertical Comb Electrodes

This paper reports a differentially detecting capacitive three-axis SOI accelerometer using novel vertical comb electrodes. The accelerometer structure was fabricated by surface-micromachining technique and consists of only the device layer of a SOI wafer without lower or upper electrodes. The bottom faces of both movable and fixed electrodes are in the same plane at their initial positions but those heights are different. It is also an important feature that the device applies fully differential detections in all three-axis by using only two pairs of four type capacitors. As an initial result, the capacitance changes against three-axis acceleration were observed. The capacitance sensitivities to X and Z-axis acceleration against Y-axis rotation were 1.04 fF/G and 1.14 fF/G, respectively.
Rates of sterol synthesis and uptake in the major organs of the rat in vivo.

This study was undertaken to determine the rates of sterol synthesis and uptake in the major organs of the female rat in vivo. At the mid-dark phase of the light cycle, control animals, animals in which hepatic sterol synthesis had been selectively inhibited by chylomicron infusion and animals in which the small intestine and liver had been surgically removed, were administered [(3)H]water, and the content of (3)H-labeled digitonin-precipitable sterols ([(3)H]-DPS) in different organs was measured 1 hr later. In control animals, the highest content of [(3)H]DPS was found in the liver (2279 nmol/hr per g), adrenal gland (1222), ovary (791), and small bowel (529): the content of newly synthesized sterols was much lower in 13 other tissues. By selectively inhibiting sterol synthesis in the liver or by surgically removing the small intestine and liver, it was determined that of the total amount of [(3)H]DPS synthesized in the whole animal about 50% had occurred in the liver, 24% in the small bowel, 8% in the skin, and 18% in the remaining tissues of the carcass combined. By analyzing the relationship between the content of [(3)H]DPS in blood and in each organ, it was further possible to determine how much [(3)H]DPS was synthesized and how much was taken up from the blood in each tissue. The highest rate of uptake was found in the adrenal gland where only 4% of the tissue content of [(3)H]DPS came from local synthesis. Low rates of synthesis relative to the rates of uptake, were also found in the spleen (6%), lung (17%), and kidney (26%). In contrast, in other organs there was little uptake of [(3)H]DPS from blood so that >75% of the [(3)H]DPS present in brain and muscle, for example, was due to local synthesis. Lowering the circulating levels of plasma cholesterol markedly increased the synthesis of [(3)H]DPS in tissues like adrenal gland, spleen, and kidney that were dependent upon plasma cholesterol as the major source of tissue sterols, but not in tissues such as muscle and brain. These studies have quantitated the importance of each major organ to total body synthesis and have delineated the rates of movement of [(3)H]DPS between major tissue compartments of the rat. -Turley, S. D. , J. M. Andersen, and J. M. Dietschy. Rates of sterol synthesis and uptake in the major organs of the rat in vivo.
A Mobility-Aware Channel Allocation Strategy for Clustered Ad Hoc Network

This paper presents a mobility-aware channel allocation strategy for clustered ad hoc network. Our main novelty is to consider the mobility associated with the number of times that the channel with larger spectral distance is allocated to guide the channel allocation process, while quickly responding to changes in the network topology. In our performance evaluation, we use a realistic mobility model based on user behavior and we consider the evaluation metrics of throughput, packet delivery rate, end-to-end delay, overhead, and spectral distance. Obtained results show that our strategy presents lower overhead when compared with TABU algorithm, higher throughput, and lower end-to-end delay when compared with RANDOM and LD algorithms.
Radial Augmentation Index is Related to Cardiovascular Risk in Hemodialysis Patients

Abstract: Cardiovascular accidents related to atherosclerosis are the leading cause of death among hemodialysis patients, which makes continuous monitoring of their cardiovascular status crucial. Recently, a handy device for monitoring the augmentation index (AIx) in the radial artery was introduced in Japan, enabling the use of the AIx in addition to pulse wave velocity (PWV) in the management of hemodialysis patients. In this study the AIx, PWV, abdominal aortic calcification index (ACI), and left ventricular mass index (LVMI) were serially assessed in 108 hemodialysis patients. The radial AIx was monitored using a newly introduced tonometer (HEM‐9010AI), and the interrelationships among the measured parameters and their contributions to the risk of cardiovascular accidents were evaluated. The radial AIx was significantly higher in hemodialysis patients than in healthy subjects (N = 50) and was well correlated with risk markers such as LVMI (r = 0.30, P = 0.019) and ACI (r = 0.38, P < 0.001), but not with PWV. Multiregression analysis showed that radial AIx was also significantly associated with LVMI, ACI and blood pressure; PWV was associated with other parameters such as age, blood pressure, and ACI. The AIx and ACI were both significantly increased in patients with cardiovascular complications. Although PWV was strongly increased in the hemodialysis patients, it failed to discriminate between these subgroups of high‐risk patients. The radial AIx is closely associated with aortic calcification, cardiac hypertrophy, and a history of cardiovascular accidents in hemodialysis patients, and could be a useful marker for management of these patients.
The political economy of labor market deregulation during IMF interventions

ABSTRACT This study examines the relationship between policy interventions by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and de jure labor rights. Combining two novel data sets with unprecedented country-year coverage – leximetric data on labor laws and disaggregated data on IMF conditionality – our analysis of up to 70 developing countries from 1980 to 2014 demonstrates that IMF-mandated labor market policy measures significantly reduce both individual and collective labor rights. Once we control for the effect of labor market policy measures, however, we find that collective labor rights increase in the wake of IMF programs. We argue that this result is explained by the impact of union pressure on governments which, in such a context, are imbued with the policy space to respond to domestic interest groups. The study has broader theoretical implications as to when international organizations are effective in constraining governments’ choices.