Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oxygen delivery index in homozygous sickle cell disease: steady and crisis states

Abstract One of the common complications of sickle cell disease is the vaso-occlusive crisis or sickle cell crisis which could result in impaired oxygen delivery to the tissues. This study investigates the oxygen delivery index (ODI) in 38 patients with homozygous sickle cell anaemia. Thirty-three patients were in the steady state and five were experiencing crisis at the time of recruitment. Whole blood viscosity was measured with a Wells Brookfield viscometer at a shear rate of 230 sec–1 and haematocrit was measured with an AC Tron Coulter Counter. The ODI, which is an indirect measure of the capacity of blood to deliver oxygen to tissues, was calculated as the ratio of haematocrit to whole blood viscosity values. There was no statistically significant difference in the ODI between the steady and crisis states, suggesting that tissue oxygenation is not the only factor involved in the sickle cell crisis.
Synergism of Vancomycin-Gentamicin and Vancomycin-Streptomycin Against Enterococci

The in vitro activity of vancomycin and combinations of vancomycin-gentamicin and vancomycin-streptomycin against enterococci was investigated. The minimal inhibitory concentration of vancomycin for 99 of 100 enterococcal strains isolated clinically was 3.12 μg or less/ml. When cultures of eight strains were incubated with vancomycin, regardless of the inoculum size (106, 105, or 104) and concentration of vancomycin (10 or 20 μg/ml), there was no significant reduction in the number of viable enterococci at 6, 24, and 48 h. Gentamicin and streptomycin in concentrations attainable clinically were not effective against enterococci. Vancomycin combined with gentamicin or streptomycin was tested against 41 enterococcal strains. With the combination of vancomycin at 10 μg/ml and gentamicin at 4 μg/ml or vancomycin at 5 μg/ml and gentamicin at 4 μg/ml, synergism was demonstrated against all 41 strains at 6 h. The combination of vancomycin at 10 μg/ml and streptomycin at 10 μg/ml was only synergistic against 25 of 41 strains at 6 h, and only 22 of 41 strains were affected synergistically at 6 h by vancomycin at 5 μg/ml with streptomycin at 10 μg/ml. With few exceptions, the enhanced killing was more pronounced at 24 and 48 h. The combination of vancomycin and gentamicin or vancomycin and streptomycin (where in vitro studies demonstrate synergism) may be a useful alternate therapy in enterococcal endocarditis.
Relation of uric acid levels to aortic root dilatation in hypertensive patients with and without metabolic syndrome

ObjectiveUric acid (UA) is considered to be a powerful predictor of cardiovascular risk and hyperuricemia might be involved in the metabolic syndrome (MS). This study aims to investigate the relation between UA levels and aortic root dilatation.Methods|A total of 348 hypertensive patients [age (67.5±9.8) years] with or without MS were included in the study. The aortic root diameters at the aortic annulus, the sinuses of Valsalva, the sinotubular junction, and the proximal part of the ascending aorta were measured using a two-dimensional (2D) echocardiography. Serum UA levels were also measured for all patientsResultsA high UA level is independently associated with aortic root diameters at the sinuses of Valsalva (P=0.001) and the proximal ascending aorta (P<0.0001) in the hypertensive patients without MS. In contrast, aortic root diameters were not significantly related to UA levels in the hypertensive patients with MS. Furthermore, increased UA levels were associated with an increased risk for aortic root dilatation in the patients without MS (sex-adjusted hazard ratio 1.75, 95% confidence intervals (CI) 1.27–2.41), but not in those with MS.ConclusionsThis study demonstrated an independent relationship between the aortic root dimensions and increased levels of serum UA in the hypertensive patients without MS. Further understanding of the mechanisms underlying these associations may allow a clearer interpretation of the potential value of specific urate-lowering treatment on cardiovascular disease.
Multiple virulence factors are required for Staphylococcus aureus‐induced apoptosis in endothelial cells

Staphylococcus aureus infections can result in sepsis and septic shock associated with vascular damage and multiple organ failure. Apoptosis appears to play a key role during sepsis, and the ability of S. aureus to induce apoptosis in endothelial cells might contribute to metastatic infection. In contrast to leukocytes, in human umbilical vein endothelial cells and two endothelial cell lines neither purified α‐toxin nor staphylococcal supernatants were sufficient to induce apoptosis. Apoptosis induction instead required staphylococcal invasion as well as signals from metabolically active intracellular staphylococci. Only strongly haemolytic and invasive staphylococci, but not non‐invasive strains induced apoptosis that was caspase‐dependent but Fas‐independent. However, only a subgroup of clinical isolates with an invasive and haemolytic phenotype induced apoptosis. Expression of α‐toxin in a non‐haemolytic strain partially restored apoptosis induction, suggesting a role of α‐toxin as a trigger of apoptosis. Furthermore, infection of endothelial cells with isogenic mutants of various regulator genes revealed that apoptosis induction was dependent on the global regulator agr and the alternative sigma factor sigB, but not influenced by sarA. Together, our results indicate that the ability of S. aureus to induce apoptosis in endothelial cells is determined by multiple virulence factors.
Emergence, Circulation, and Spatiotemporal Phylogenetic Analysis of Coxsackievirus A6- and Coxsackievirus A10-Associated Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease Infections from 2008 to 2012 in Shenzhen, China

ABSTRACT Sporadic hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) outbreaks and other infectious diseases in recent years have frequently been associated with certain human enterovirus (HEV) serotypes. This study explored the prevalences and genetic characteristics of non-HEV71 and non-coxsackievirus A16 (CV-A16) human enterovirus-associated HFMD infections in Shenzhen, China. A total of 2,411 clinical stool specimens were collected from hospital-based surveillance for HFMD from 2008 to 2012. The detection of HEV was performed by real-time reverse transcription-PCR (RT-PCR) and RT-seminested PCR, and spatiotemporal phylogenetic analysis was performed based on the VP1 genes. A total of 1,803 (74.8%) strains comprising 28 different serotypes were detected. In the past 5 years, the predominant serotypes were HEV71 (60.0%), followed by CV-A16 (21.2%) and two uncommon serotypes, CV-A6 (13.0%) and CV-A10 (3.3%). However, CV-A6 replaced CV-A16 as the second most common serotype between 2010 and 2012. As an emerging pathogen, CV-A6 became as common a causative agent of HFMD as HEV71 in Shenzhen in 2012. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that little variation occurred in the Chinese HEV71 and CV-A16 strains. The genetic characteristics of the Chinese CV-A6 and CV-A10 strains displayed geographic differences. The CV-A6 and CV-A10 strains circulating in Shenzhen likely originated in Europe. It was found that human enteroviruses have a high mutation rate due to evolutionary pressure and frequent recombination (3.2 × 10−3 to 6.4 ×10−3 substitutions per site per year for HEV71, CV-A6, CV-A16, and CV-A10). Since certain serotypes are potential threats to the public health, this study provides further insights into the significance of the epidemiological surveillance of HFMD.
Talking About Antismoking Campaigns: What Do Smokers Talk About, and How Does Talk Influence Campaign Effectiveness?

Campaign-stimulated conversations have been shown to increase the effectiveness of antismoking campaigns. In order to explore why such effects occur, in the current study we coded the content of naturally occurring conversations. We also examined whether the short-term effects of talking, and of different types of talk, on quitting intentions were mediated through intrapersonal message responses. Using the Natural ExposureSM methodology, we exposed 411 smokers to 1 of 6 antismoking advertisements while they were watching television at home. Responses to the advertisement—conversation participation and content, emotional responses, personalized perceived effectiveness, and changes in intentions to quit—were measured within 3 days of exposure. Conversations were coded for appraisal of the advertisement (favorable, neutral, or unfavorable) and the presence of quitting talk and emotion talk. Mediation analyses indicated that the positive effects of talking on intention change were mediated through personalized perceived effectiveness and that the positive effects were driven by conversations that contained a favorable appraisal and/or quitting talk. Conversely, conversations that contained an unfavorable appraisal of the advertisement were negatively associated with campaign effectiveness. These findings highlight the importance of measuring interpersonal communication when evaluating campaigns and the need for further research to identify the message characteristics that predict when smokers talk and when they talk only in desirable ways.
[Development of a structural equation model for children's adaptation in divorced families].

PURPOSE This study was designed to develop and test a structural model for children's adaptation in divorced families. The hypothetical model was constructed based on the Family Resilience Model by McCubbin and McCubbin. METHODS Data were collected using self-report questionnaires from 219 children (3-6th grade) in divorced families. The children attended one of 22 community agencies, 8 after-school programs, 3 elementary schools in three cities in South Korea. The collected data were analyzed using LISREL program to test the hypothetical model. RESULTS The modified model was constructed by deleting four paths in accordance with the statistical and theoretical criteria. Compared to the hypothetical model, the revised one had a better fit to the data. Self-esteem, and beliefs about parental divorce had direct effects, and family communication and internal control had indirect effects on children's adaptation in divorced families. These variables explained 56% of the variance in children's adaptation. CONCLUSION The modified model was supported by empirical data. This model could be applied to family nursing interventions with divorced families or any other suffering family transition. When working with children experiencing parental divorce, it is important for nurses to enhance children's self-esteem, family communication and to decrease children's negative beliefs about parental divorce to help in their adaptation.
Development of real-time tracking and control mobile robot using video capturing feature for unmanned applications

A wireless tracking and controlling the mobile robot using video capturing feature (VCF) for unmanned applications is presented. It is a wheel-based and Radio frequency (RF wireless communicated) is used for communication between controller and the robot. The available motions of the robot are forward, backward, right, left and the combination of these movements. Besides, a camera is built in the robot for tracking. The video captured by the camera is displayed in the computer or Laptop by using the Window Media Encoder (WME) software that is able to be controlled by using Windows GUI remote control. It is built for the purpose of viewing the places that humans cannot reach. Same with other robots which are built to work at dangerous environment, it can be used to explore the situation of dangerous place that human cannot reach, for example, the natural disaster area, cave, underground and so on. On the others hand, it can also serve as an investigation robot in military field. It suits the task of searching for ambush or sneaking into enemy base to gather information
Effects of missing data and locational errors on spatial concentration measures based on Ripley’s K-function

ABSTRACT Effects of missing data and locational errors on spatial concentration measures based on Ripley’s K-function. Spatial Economic Analysis. Measures based on Ripley’s K-function are the preferred tools to test the concentration of individual agents in an economic space. In many empirical cases, however, the datasets contain different inaccuracies due to missing data or uncertainty about the location of the agents. Little is known thus far about the effects of these inaccuracies on the K-function. This paper sheds light on the problem through a theoretical analysis supported by Monte Carlo experiments. The results show that patterns of clustering or inhibition may be observed not as genuine phenomena but only as the effect of data imperfections.
Does Artificial Neural Network Forecast Better for Excessively Volatile Currency Pairs

This study predicts the exchange rates for three currency pairs (USD-INR, GBP-INR, and EUR-INR). We have used multi-layer perceptron (MLP) neural network architecture based on feed-forward with back-propagation learning method. The sample of the study covers daily data for the period from January 2009 to January 2016. The findings of the study confirm that the neural network predicts better for more volatile currency pairs (GBP-INR and EUR-INR) as compared to a less volatile currency pair (USD-INR). The study further observes that the optimal forecast horizon for the neural network model should be equal to the optimal lag length used in the construction of the model. This study aims to contribute in the area of foreign exchange forecasting. Exchange rate plays a crucial role in the macro-economy of a country. Hence, prediction of currency exchange rate becomes imperative for various stakeholders such as government, the central bank, and investors to maximize the returns and minimize the risk in their decision-making.
Chinese Spelling Check System Based on N-gram Model

This paper presents our system in the Chinese spelling check (CSC) task of SIGHAN-8 Bake-Off. Given a sentence, our systems are designed to detect and correct the spelling error. As we know, CSC is still a hot topic today and it is an open problem yet. N-gram language modeling (LM) is widely used in CSC, since its simplicity and power. We present a model based on joint bi-gram and trigram LM and Chinese word segmentation. Besides, we apply dynamic programming to increase efficiency and employ smoothing technique to address the sparseness of the n-gram in training data. The evaluation results show the utility of our CSC system.
Prognostic Value of 18F-FDG PET/CT Metabolic Parameters in Metastatic Differentiated Thyroid Cancers

Purpose To evaluate the prognostic value of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (FDG PET) with quantitative analysis using metabolic parameters in metastatic differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Materials and Methods The FDG-PET scans of 37 patients with metastatic DTC were studied retrospectively. The number of FDG-avid lesions, the SUVmax, the SULpeak of the lesion with the highest FDG uptake, the overall metabolic tumor volume (MTV), and the total lesion glycolysis (TLG) were measured. Curves of progression-free survival (Kaplan-Meier) and Cox univariate and multivariate analyses determined the prognostic factors for survival. Results Progression-free survival was better in patients with less than 10 FDG-avid lesions (P = 0.0089), the SUVmax less than 10 (P = 0.0026), the SULpeak less than 5 (P = 0.0004), and the TLG less than 154 (P = 0.0110). Cox analyses showed that only the result of the PET scan was predictive of survival (age, TNM stage, histology, and the 131I whole body radioiodine scan were not associated with prognosis). In the univariate analysis, prognostic factors for progression-free survival and overall survival were the SUVmax (P = 0.004; P = 0.018), the SULpeak (P = 0.001; P = 0.017), and the TLG (P = 0.014; P = 0.012). The number of FDG-avid lesions was significantly associated with progression-free survival (P = 0.012), but not the MTV. In the multivariate analysis, the number of FDG-avid lesions and the SULpeak were independent prognostic factors. Conclusions FDG PET using metabolic parameters is a prognostic factor in metastatic DTC. It could improve the therapeutic management and follow-up of patients.
Health‐related Quality of Life in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease Measured with the Short Form‐36: Psychometric Assessments and a Comparison with General Population Norms

Background: We compared health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) in a population‐based cohort of Norwegian patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with a normal reference population by means of the short form‐36 (SF‐36) questionnaire, including the effect of age, sex, educational status, and symptom severity and the psychometric properties of the questionnaire. Methods: The SF‐36 was self‐administered and was answered by the patients at the hospital at 2 occasions that were 6 months apart. Results: Five hundred fourteen patients with IBD were eligible for analysis: 348 with ulcerative colitis (UC) and 166 with Crohn's disease (CD). The comparison group consisted of 2323 Norwegian people. The dimension scores for SF‐36 were significantly lower in 6 of 8 dimensions for patients with UC and in 7 of 8 dimensions for patients with CD than for the reference population. In both patients with UC and patients with CD, we found lower scores in elderly patients, which also was found in the background population. Women scored lower than men in all dimension scores. In both patients with UC and patients with CD, there was a statistically significant reduction in HRQOL score with increasing symptoms. The SF‐36 has satisfactory reliability and discriminant ability for scores for all dimensions in both patients with UC and patients with CD. However, when measuring responsiveness, the figures were generally low. This finding, together with the high ceiling effects, may indicate that the SF‐36 has limitations regarding detecting deterioration or improvement over time. Conclusion: We have shown that HRQOL in a Norwegian population‐based cohort of patients with IBD, measured with the SF‐36, is lower than that of a Norwegian reference population. In general, the SF‐36 was found to have satisfactory psychometric properties in this IBD population.
Transient climate–carbon simulations of planetary geoengineering

Geoengineering (the intentional modification of Earth's climate) has been proposed as a means of reducing CO2-induced climate warming while greenhouse gas emissions continue. Most proposals involve managing incoming solar radiation such that future greenhouse gas forcing is counteracted by reduced solar forcing. In this study, we assess the transient climate response to geoengineering under a business-as-usual CO2 emissions scenario by using an intermediate-complexity global climate model that includes an interactive carbon cycle. We find that the climate system responds quickly to artificially reduced insolation; hence, there may be little cost to delaying the deployment of geoengineering strategies until such a time as “dangerous” climate change is imminent. Spatial temperature patterns in the geoengineered simulation are comparable with preindustrial temperatures, although this is not true for precipitation. Carbon sinks in the model increase in response to geoengineering. Because geoengineering acts to mask climate warming, there is a direct CO2-driven increase in carbon uptake without an offsetting temperature-driven suppression of carbon sinks. However, this strengthening of carbon sinks, combined with the potential for rapid climate adjustment to changes in solar forcing, leads to serious consequences should geoengineering fail or be stopped abruptly. Such a scenario could lead to very rapid climate change, with warming rates up to 20 times greater than present-day rates. This warming rebound would be larger and more sustained should climate sensitivity prove to be higher than expected. Thus, employing geoengineering schemes with continued carbon emissions could lead to severe risks for the global climate system.
State Transition Analysis: A Rule-Based Intrusion Detection Approach

The paper presents a new approach to representing and detecting computer penetrations in real time. The approach, called state transition analysis, models penetrations as a series of state changes that lead from an initial secure state to a target compromised state. State transition diagrams, the graphical representation of penetrations, identify precisely the requirements for and the compromise of a penetration and present only the critical events that must occur for the successful completion of the penetration. State transition diagrams are written to correspond to the states of an actual computer system, and these diagrams form the basis of a rule based expert system for detecting penetrations, called the state transition analysis tool (STAT). The design and implementation of a Unix specific prototype of this expert system, called USTAT, is also presented. This prototype provides a further illustration of the overall design and functionality of this intrusion detection approach. Lastly, STAT is compared to the functionality of comparable intrusion detection tools. >
Types of Dyslipidemia in Type 2 Diabetic Patients of Haryana Region

Dyslipidemia is elevation of serum total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TGs), or both, or low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) level that contributes to the development of atherosclerosis, which is a hallmark of diabetes. This research determined the influence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (Type 2 DM) on lipid profile of diabetic patients reporting in a tertiary hospital in Haryana. 100 confirmed Type 2 DM patients and 100 non-diabetic control patients were recruited for the study. Fasting blood samples were collected from both study and control patients and analyzed for TC, TG, HDL-C, LDL-C, VLDL-C, plasma glucose and HbA1c. Fifty-three (53%) of diabetic patients were males whilst 47 (47%) were females. The mean plasma glucose levels, HbA1c, TC and TG were significantly raised in the diabetics as compared to those in the controls. TC, HDL-C, LDL-C were significantly different in diabetic males as compared to diabetic females, while this was not so in controls. High TG (56%) was most commonly present in diabetics. HDL-C alone (27%) was the most common dyslipidemia in diabetics followed by combination of TG and HDL-C (20%). There was a significant association of abnormal lipid parameters in type 2 diabetic subjects, TG correlated positively with plasma glucose and HbA1c, while TC, LDL-C correlated only with postprandial plasma glucose only. Thus type 2 diabetes abnormally influences lipids of patients thus denoting the importance of lipid control on diabetes and exposing them to potential associated cardiovascular diseases.
TaqMan DNA technology confirms likely overestimation of cod (Gadus morhua L.) egg abundance in the Irish Sea: implications for the assessment of the cod stock and mapping of spawning areas using egg‐based methods

Recent substantial declines in northeastern Atlantic cod stocks necessitate improved biological knowledge and the development of techniques to complement standard stock assessment methods (which largely depend on accurate commercial catch data). In 2003, an ichthyoplankton survey was undertaken in the Irish Sea and subsamples of ‘cod‐like’ eggs were analysed using a TaqMan multiplex, PCR (polymerase chain reaction) assay (with specific probes for cod, haddock and whiting). The TaqMan method was readily applied to the large number of samples (n = 2770) generated during the survey and when combined with a manual DNA extraction protocol had a low failure rate of 6%. Of the early stage ‘cod‐like’ eggs (1.2–1.75 mm diameter) positively identified: 34% were cod, 8% haddock and 58% whiting. As previous stock estimates based on egg surveys for Irish Sea cod assumed that the majority of ‘cod‐like’ eggs were from cod, the TaqMan results confirm that there was probably substantial contamination by eggs of whiting and haddock that would have inflated estimates of the stock biomass.