Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Quantification of dihydroartemisinin, artesunate and artemisinin in human blood: overcoming the technical challenge of protecting the peroxide bridge.

BACKGROUND Quantification of artemisinin (ARN) and its derivatives in whole blood has hitherto been thought impossible. RESULTS A LC-MS/MS method for the analysis of artesunate (ARS), its metabolite dihydroartemisinin (DHA) and artemisinin in human whole blood has been developed and successfully validated. The method includes stabilization of the blood matrix at the time of collection and at the time of analysis. Addition of potassium dichromate to the blood samples deactivated the Fe(2+) core in hemoglobin, while deferoxamine chelated Fe(3+) and prevented back conversion into Fe(2+). A pilot study showed that the blood:plasma ratio for ARS and DHA is approximately 0.75, indicating a significantly lower uptake in red blood cells than had previously been estimated using radiolabeled drug methodology. CONCLUSIONS The developed LC-MS/MS assay is the first method available for quantification of ARN and its derivatives in blood and opens up new possibilities of studying these drugs inside infected red blood cells.
Characterization of a polydimethylsiloxane-polythiourethane polymer blend with potential as fouling-release coating

Developing reliable and long-lasting antifouling coatings is a most challenging task, because the mechanisms of interactions between a solid surface and the aquatic environment including all abiotic and biotic entities are incredible various. Currently there are some working strategies, but all of them have their disadvantages like negative environmental impact or mechanical instability. The aim of this study is to combine the desirable mechanical stability of the environmentally friendly polymer matrix, PTU, and the fouling-release properties of PDSM in a polymer blend with potential for large-scale applications within the maritime sector. The material, surface and fouling-release properties of the PDMS/PTU blend with varying content of PDMS were characterized and promising properties were found.
Assessing the Effects of Switching Costs on Perceived Values and Brand Loyalty: The Impact of Customers’ Perceived Authenticity in Hotel Sector

Switching costs provide a unique and valid theoretical window into the mechanisms of consumer decision-making process as well as account for the behaviors of dissatisfied customers who still decide to patronize the same product or service. Therefore, switching costs provide a new research paradigm to consumer behavior studies, which are currently dominated by benefit-based articulations. Our study investigates the effects of switching costs on the perceived values and brand loyalty of customers of a luxury hotel in Shanghai, China. Through a structural equation model analysis, we find that switching posts bring about significant effects on perceived values and brand loyalty. The theoretical and practical implications of this study are also discussed.
[Prepregnancy overweight is associated with excessive weight gain during pregnancy].

PURPOSE To evaluate the adequacy of gestational weight gain and to determine its association with maternal socioeconomic, demographic and nutritional factors and health care, to estimate the prevalence of low birth weight, macrosomia, preterm birth and cesarean delivery and to identify the association of these outcomes with the adequacy of weight gain. METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed in 2009/2010 to obtain socioeconomic, demographic, nutritional, dietary and physical activity data of pregnant women assisted by primary health care in a municipality of the state of São Paulo. Subsequently, data were collected from the medical records to evaluate gestational weight gain. Type of delivery, birth weight and gestational age at delivery were obtained from the Livebirths Information System. Gestational weight gain was evaluated according to the recommendations of the Institute of Medicine (2009). Associations were investigated by comparing the frequencies and by logistic regression, with excessive weight gain (yes, no) and insufficient gain (yes, no) being the dependent variables. RESULTS A total of 212 pregnant women were studied: 50.5% had excessive gain and 19.8% insufficient weight gain. Only prepregnancy nutritional status was associated with adequacy of weight gain: compared with normal weight, prepregnancy overweight women had a four-fold higher chance to gain excessive weight (OR 4.66, 95%CI 2.19-9.4). Nearly a third of babies were born by caesarian section, 5.7% were premature, 7.1% were underweight and 4.7% were macrosomic. There was no association between adequacy of gestational weight gain and these outcomes. CONCLUSION The proportion of inadequate gestational weight gain was high. Overweight pregnant women have a four-fold higher chance to gain excessive weight, and priority should be given to actions promoting adequate prenatal weight gain.
Electrical Coupling and Synchronized Subthreshold Oscillations in the Inferior Olive of the Rhesus Macaque

Inferior olive (IO) neurons are critical for motor coordination and exhibit oscillations in membrane potential that are subthreshold for spiking. The prevalence, coherence, and continuity of those subthreshold oscillations (STOs) depend upon resonant interactions between neighboring neurons supported by electrical coupling. Many studies of the olivocerebellar system in rodents, in which STOs were related to tremor, whisking, and licking, fueled a debate over whether IO STOs were relevant for primates whose repertoire of movement is generally less periodic. The debate was never well informed due to the lack of a direct examination of the physiological properties of primate IO neurons. Here, we obtained dual patch-clamp recordings of neighboring IO neurons from young adult macaques in brainstem slices and compared them to identical recordings from rats. Macaque IO neurons exhibited an equivalent prevalence of continuous STOs as rats (45 vs 54%, respectively). However, macaque STOs were slower (1–4 Hz) and did not overlap with the dominant 4–9 Hz frequency of rats. The slower STO frequency of macaques was at least partially due to a prolonged membrane time constant and increased membrane capacitance that could be attributed to stronger electrical coupling and greater total dendritic length. The presence of synchronized STOs in the IO of adult macaques, coincident with strong and prevalent electrical coupling, answers a fundamental outstanding question in cerebellar neuroscience and is consistent with a prominent role for synchronized oscillation in primate sensory-motor control. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT It was debated whether inferior olive (IO) neurons of primates behave as synchronized oscillators as was found for rodents using intracellular, optical, and multielectrode recordings. An inability to resolve this issue using single-Purkinje cell extracellular recordings in monkeys limited our understanding of timing mechanisms in the primate brain. Using dual whole-cell recordings from the IO of young adult rhesus macaques in acutely prepared brainstem slices, our work demonstrates that pairs of primate IO neurons show synchronized oscillations in membrane potential. The findings have strong mechanistic and translational relevance, as IO activation has been implicated in humans' perceptual timing of sensory events and motricity.
Role of B‐mode venous mapping in infrainguinal in situ vein—arterial bypasses

Two hundred and eighty patients underwent B‐mode mapping (B‐map) of their saphenous vein over a period of 3 years (1984–1987) before lower limb revascularization. B‐map deemed that 229 veins were suitable for bypass, 26 were questionable and 25 were unsuitable. A successful bypass was achieved in 97·8 per cent of the suitable group (all in situ), 85 per cent of the questionable group (in situ and composite vein), and 80 per cent of the unsuitable group (composite vein). At a minimum follow‐up period of 1 year the overall patency rate was 95·0 per cent with a revision rate of 15·8 per cent. There was no correlation between revision rate and vein complexity or calf vein diameter. Calf vein diameter > 2·5 mm was correlated with a successful bypass (P < 0·001). It is concluded that B‐map is the investigation of choice for saphenous vein assessment before infrainguinal bypass surgery.
Optimal voltage scheduling procedure for Croatian power system

An optimal voltage scheduling procedure for short-term reactive planning phase is proposed in the paper. Optimal voltage schedule is determined in the day-ahead or hour-ahead planning phase as a result of an optimal power flow algorithm. Optimal power flow objective is a minimization of transmission losses with respect to power system security constraints. Optimal power flow inputs are power system load forecast and generation schedule, while the outputs of an optimization algorithm are voltages in generator's nodes, tap positions of on-load tap changing transformers and reactive power engagement of network compensation devices. The optimization algorithm is tested on Croatian transmission network. Voltage setting procedure is proposed in the paper. Architecture of the system for remote adjustment of control variables is described.
Electric Field Effects on Guinea Pig Serum: The Role of Free Radicals

The present study was carried out to investigate the potential effects of ELF (extremely low frequency) electric field exposure on generating free radicals in guinea pigs. For this purpose, we determined thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) levels, one of the byproducts of lipid peroxidation, the changes of the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), as an antioxidant enzyme, and γ-Glutamyl transferase (GGT) as the key enzyme in GSH metabolism. Moreover, in order to investigate electric field effects on functions of organs, we measured the alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) activity, total cholesterol (TC), LDL cholesterol, HDL cholesterol, VLDL cholesterol, triglycerides (TG), urea, uric acid, creatin, glucose, and blood-urea nitrogen (BUN) in serum of guinea pigs exposed to different intensities and directions electric fields. In this study we have found that vertical and horizontal application of ELF electric fields in the range of 1.35, 1.5, and 1.8 kV/m increased TBARS and SOD levels as compared to the controls (p < 0.05) and to applied electric fields of 0.3, 0.6, 0.8, and 1 kV/m. On the other hand, other serum levels of some biochemical parameters that were also investigated did not undergo statistically significant changes (p > 0.05).
Review of 3200 serially received CSF samples submitted for type-specific HSV detection by PCR in the reference laboratory setting.

Previously, studies of CNS infection have indicated substantially greater prevalence of HSV1 than HSV2. In reviewing unexpectedly high numbers of HSV2 infections among CSF specimens submitted to our laboratories for PCR testing, we discovered an age and gender bias suggesting a need to examine the demographics of those patients whose specimens tested positive for HSV. Some 3200 CSF specimens submitted for HSV testing were randomly selected for analysis. HSV1 was detected in 26 specimens (nine male, 17 female; average age 51 years) and HSV2 in 36 specimens (13 male, 23 female; average age 34 years). In general, there were almost twice as many HSV1 and HSV2 infections detected in females as in males. The entire group (22 male, 40 female) exhibited a preponderance of HSV2 over HSV1 infections (36:26). In contrast, the ratio of HSV2 to HSV1 infection was 3:13 in the over 60 age group of our study (11 of the 13 HSV1 infections in this age group occurred in females). In the subgroup of 21 patients aged 15-40 years (six male, 15 female), the ratio of HSV2 to HSV1 was 16:5. In the 15 infections in the group aged 41-60 years, the ratio of HSV2 to HSV1 was 12:4. In summary, our data indicate extraordinary differences in the relative frequency of HSV1 vs HSV2 CNS infections in teenagers, young adults (15-40 years), middle age (41-60) and in the elderly (>60 years), including a particular bias for HSV1 CNS infection in females over age 70 years.
Histogram matching attack on selective perceptual video encryptions in H.264/AVC

Selective video encryption provide low encryption time by selection of sensible bits from the video codec, which is well suited for real time application like live TV, video conferencing, video telephony, video conferencing etc. During AVC encoding, such sensitive data as NZs in CAVLC, intra-prediction slice and motion vector are encrypted with the use of standard AES algorithm. Perceptual encryption requires that quality of visual data is only partially degraded by encryption i.e., the encrypted multimedia data are still partially perceptible after encryption. It can be noted that the perceptual encryption may be cryptanaysis by perceptual attack. This paper deals with histogram matching attack, which increase the video quality. This paper summarizes the result and proposed the better encryption method to resist the perceptual attack. All simulations are carried out in Intel Core i5 processor having 2.4GHz frequency, 4GB RAM with 64-bit window 7 operating system.
Extending mobile BitTorrent environment with network coding

Peer-to-peer based content sharing is considered as one of the most efficient and popular content distribution solution nowadays. However in such network it is common that parts of the content is not distributed to several peers yet, thus during the download we have to wait a lot for that rare pieces. In addition to that it is also possible that we will not be able to download the rare pieces because the original seeder has already left the network. In this paper we investigate how to increase download efficiency in BitTorrent, in case of rare pieces by using network coding methods. In mobile networks the peer connections are not so reliable, because the phones as peers can leave the network any time e.g. if the network coverage is weak. Bringing BitTorrent technology to mobile phones has already been demonstrated with the implementation of SymTorrent and MobTorrent. In this research we investigate how to extend these implementations with network coding, to increase efficiency in case of rare pieces.
Glucocorticoids increase CD4+CD25high cell percentage and Foxp3 expression in patients with multiple sclerosis

Objectives – To determine whether percentages of CD4+CD25high T cells (a group of regulatory T cells, Treg) differ in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in relapse vs remission after glucocorticoid treatment and whether treatment for relapses changes Treg population and the expression of Foxp3, a key Treg‐associated molecule.
Validity of information on gynecological operations in the Swedish in-patient registry

In order to validate information held at the Swedish Inpatient Registry on oophorectomy and/or hysterectomy procedures, the register codes were compared with data from the medical records in a random sample of 1,338 women. Only 1% of these codes were missing but 5% were erroneous, which in most cases meant that the oophorectomy had been misclassified. The positive predictive value of operation codes was high, ranging from 86 to 100% of the registered events. The actual procedures among women registered with a code for hysterectomy with or without oophorectomy comprised hysterectomy alone in 47% of the women and hysterectomy with a bilateral or unilateral oophorectomy in 30% and 20%, respectively. The reliability of register codes for major gynecological surgical procedures is good, but when the code for hysterectomy is used, medical record data are needed to ascertain the ovarian status. Revised codes are therefore recommended.
[Variations of the urinary pH values in a population of 13.000 patients addressing to the National Health System].

AIM The regulation of the intra and extracellular pH-values plays an essential role in the metabolism of the human body. Whereas metabolic or respiratory acidosis or alkalosis, which include a deviation from the regular blood pH-range of 7.36 to 7.44, are life-threatening conditions, the so-called latent acidosis is a subclinical condition that is caused mainly by high protein intake. The pathobiochemical effects of chronic latent acidosis can be osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus, hyperuricemia, gout or restricted renal function. Recent data show that a high protein diet poor in alkaline elements (fruits and vegetables) is often associated to a low urine pH, which can lead to osteoporosis. METHODS In order to assess the potential relation between nutrition, urine pH and risk of osteoporosis, we examined the urine pH values related to patients of different age groups during an epidemiologic study which involved 12.086 patients, who had been screened by the Italian National Health Care System (ASL Cremona) in 2007. All patients, male and female, have been divided into three groups: Group 1: 10-44 years of age; Group 2: 45-64 years of age; Group 3: 65-80 years of age. RESULTS The statistic study showed very important figures which indicate a significant difference between males and females in the second group. The mean value of urine pH was 6.03 in the first female group, vs. 5.79 in the second female group (P<0.001). It has also been observed that the pH values in the first female group were more alkaline than the mean value in the first male group (men usually eat foods rich in proteins and acidifiers). Women belonging to the second group (pH 5.79) show significantly lower values of urine pH, if compared to the second male group (pH 5.88). Since there weren't any significant differences among the three male groups, the figures suggest an important relation between urine pH and endocrine alteration. CONCLUSION Since the female second group includes the menopausal period, it is reasonable to consider the oestrogen deficiency as responsible for the drastic decrease in the urine pH values, and, particularly for these groups of women, a nutrition intervention with alkalizing nutrients (fruits and vegetables) or with alkalizing food supplements is necessary.
Hepatitis C Positive Grafts may be used in Orthotopic Liver Transplantation: A Matched Analysis

Hepatitis C (HCV)‐positive liver grafts have been increasingly used in patients with decompensated liver disease from HCV because of critical shortage of available organs. Fifty‐nine recipients of HCV‐positive grafts were matched to patients who received HCV‐negative grafts. All recipients were transplanted for HCV liver disease. Matching variables were (1) status, (2) pre‐transplant creatinine, (3) recipient age, (4) donor age, (5) warm ischemia time, and (6) year of transplantation. Both unmatched and matched analyses were performed on patient survival, graft survival, and time to HCV recurrence. There was no significant statistical difference in patient, graft, or HCV recurrence‐free survival between recipients of HCV‐positive and HCV‐negative grafts with matched and unmatched analyses (p > 0.05). The 3‐year estimates of HCV disease‐free survival were 12% (± 9%) and 19% (± 7%) using HCV‐positive and –negative grafts, respectively. The use of HCV‐positive grafts in recipients with HCV does not appear to affect patient survival, graft survival, or HCV recurrence when compared with the use of HCV‐negative grafts. Our results suggest that HCV‐positive grafts can be used in a HCV liver transplant recipient.
A novel 24 kalman filter bank estimator for solar irradiance prediction for PV power generation

This paper presents a novel approach to reduce the post-processing of Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) grid models to extract solar irradiance predictions for “sub-grid” locations. This technique estimates solar irradiance observations from a NWP model using a novel bank of 24 Kalman Filters (KFs) which operate in tandem to accurately predict the Solar irradiance Zt, 24 hours ahead for a desired node point 51.8830N, 8.5353W, at a campus based Photovoltaic (PV) solar energy resource at Cork Institute of Technology (CIT). The NWP model outputs irradiance values mt for Cork Airport 51.8466N, 8.4891W (2.5km from CIT). The 24 KF bank, acting as a post-processing tool with a moving time averaging window, derives a 24 hour look ahead irradiance schedule for CIT by applying a polynomial to map and filter the irradiance bias offset between the two grid points.
Localising the sustainable development goals (SDGs) : the role of local government in context

The United Nations (UN) has of late been debating the new international development framework that will replace the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) post–2015. This process has been popularly referred to as the post-2015 development agenda. It is a fact that many of the sustainable development goals (SDGs) that have been identifi ed will impact on the role and responsibilities of local government, namely, poverty reduction; access to water and sanitation; health; education; economic growth; development of cities and human settlements; and resilience to climate change. A critical issue that was highlighted when the MDGs were introduced in 2000 was the implementation modalities as it was felt that the process and goals were primarily top down (CLGF 2014:3). Consequently, there has been strong advocacy for local government to be a key implementation partner in the achievement of the new sustainable development goals that would have been fi nalised in September 2015 (www.worldwewant2015.org/ localising2015; CLGF 2014:3; www.capacity.undp.org; Slack 2014:1). Key aspects of the debate and discussion to date have been how to localise the new development framework, evaluate the local impact of the future SDGs and ensure that the local dimension is prioritised and successfully implemented (UNDP 2014a:3). There is a fi rm belief that the issue of localisation has to extend beyond national, provincial/state/regional implementation and there should be a focus on how the new development agenda will be implemented locally and the implications for the local level of government in this regard. According to the UN, localisation denotes the “process of defi ning; implementing; and monitoring strategies at the local level for achievable global, national and subnational sustainable goals and targets” (UNDP 2014a:3). This process would involve the utilisation of distinct tools, mechanisms, strategies, platforms and innovations to ensure that the development agenda is effectively translated into fi rm action and concrete results at the local level to benefi t communities. It is envisaged that it will be an inclusive process and will move beyond the municipal jurisdiction to draw in relevant stakeholders to create a strong and capable local authority. Viewed in