Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
UVA/riboflavin crosslinking as treatment for corneal melting.

PURPOSE To demonstrate that UVA/riboflavin crosslinking (CXL) can stop corneal melting in therapy resistant infectious corneal ulceration. METHODS We will present a case report on a 70-year-old female patient referred for severe infectious ulcerative keratitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. After intensive treatment with fortified antibiotics, corneal melting developed. CXL was performed to avoid imminent corneal perforation. RESULTS The CXL treatment was successful: the corneal melting was stopped and the lesion cicatrized, thereby avoiding emergency keratoplasty. CONCLUSION This case report highlights that CXL may be a valuable addition to our therapeutic armamentarium in the treatment of corneal melts.
Guidelines for Cauda Equina Syndrome Management

ever, proper diagnosis is often confused. There are some clinical check points; bilateral radiculopathy, impaired perineal sensation, impaired anal tone, and urinary retention. In addition, magnetic resonance image should match the clinical symptom. With these clinical and radiographic evidences, we can classify CES as CES suspected or suspicious (CESS), incomplete CES (CESI), and CES with neurogenic retention of urine (CESR). All these situations may need surgery, however, the timing of surgery and neurologic outcomes are various. Herein we prescribe the guideline for proper treatment strategy of CES.
Role of genetic variants of the renin-angiotensin system in chronic renal allograft injury.

In the the vast majority of patients undergoing kidney transplantation, long-term success is markedly limited by a gradual decrease in graft function over time, often termed as "chronic rejection" or "chronic allograft injury. " Although there have been no formal studies examining the role of genetic factors other than those related to histocompatibility for the development or progression of chronic allograft rejection, it is likely that genetic factors affecting blood pressure regulation, mesangial or vascular proliferation, or aspects of inflammatory response including thrombosis, chemotaxis, or fibrosis may play an important role in this complex syndrome. There is currently little hope that the responsible genes can be identified through sib-pair or linkage studies in families. Therefore, the study of candidate genes selected on the basis of our current understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in the chronic rejection response appears the only feasible approach. Thus far, studies have focused mainly on the role of functional genetic variants of the renin-angiotensin system on renal allograft funding. These studies, however, have not identified these variants as important determinants of renal allograft survival. Clearly, future studies will have to address the role of other variants of this system as well as genes encoding for other systems deemed to be of pathophysiological significance for the development and progression of chronic transplant injury.
Chromosome aberrations in pesticide-exposed greenhouse workers.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility of subtoxic exposure to pesticides causing chromosome aberrations in greenhouse workers. METHODS In a cross-sectional and prospective study design chromosome aberration frequencies in cultured lymphocytes were examined for 116 greenhouse workers exposed to a complex mixture of almost 50 insecticides, fungicides, and growth regulators and also for 29 nonsmoking, nonpesticide-exposed referents. RESULTS The preseason frequencies of chromosome aberrations were slightly but not statistically significantly elevated for the greenhouse workers when they were compared with the referents. After a summer season of pesticide spraying in the greenhouses, the total frequencies of cells with chromosome aberrations were significantly higher than in the preseason samples (P=0.02) and also higher than for the referents (P=0.05). This finding was especially due to an increased number of cells with chromatid gaps between the first and second samples (P=0.001). The results may reflect an additive genotoxic effect of the spraying season, for which the use of insecticides and growth regulators (but not fungicides) culminates. The highest elevation in the risk of chromatid gaps was observed for persons who did not use gloves during re-entry activities such as nipping, cutting, pricking, and potting (risk ratio 2.88, 95% confidence interval 1.63-5.11). CONCLUSIONS The present results suggest a genotoxic effect from a complex subtoxic occupational pesticide exposure. In general, the findings indicate the importance of personal protection, during high-exposure re-entry activities, in preventing pesticide uptake and genetic damage.
Determination of endotoxin in injectable antibiotic preparations by the chromogenic assay method using a Limulus reagent (Tachypleus hemocyte lysate) and a chromogenic substrate

The effects of 50 antibiotics on the detection and determination of bacterial endotoxins by the chromogenic method using a Limulus reagent (Tachypleus hemocyte lysate) and a chromogenic substrate of p-nitroaniline derivatives were tested, and the antibiotic concentration for 50% inhibition of the chromogenic reaction in the presence of 0.5 ng of endotoxin (Escherichia coli 0111:B4) per ml was estimated. All the antibiotic preparations were depyrogenized by ultrafiltration treatment before they were subjected to the test. The reaction was conducted in the presence of a high concentration (0.5 M) of Tris buffer to constantly maintain the pH of the reaction mixture, and liberated p-nitroaniline was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Several aminoglycosides (amikacin, bekanamycin, kanamycin, and streptomycin sulfate), bleomycin hydrochloride, and fosfomycin disodium showed no inhibition of the reaction up to 20 mg/ml. However, other antibiotics, including penicillins, cephalosporins, macrolides, and tetracyclines, inhibited the reaction concentration dependently. Polymyxin B sulfate was the most potent inhibitor, with less than 8 micrograms/ml for 50% inhibition. It was concluded that the chromogenic method can be applied to the detection and determination of endotoxin in most of the antibiotic preparations. An application of this method to carbenicillin disodium preparations was exemplified.
Loss of gene function as a consequence of human papillomavirus DNA integration

Integration of the human papillomavirus (HPV) genome into the host chromatin is a characteristic step in cervical carcinogenesis. Integration ensures constitutive expression of the viral oncogenes E6 and E7 which drive carcinogenesis. However, integration has also an impact on host DNA. There is increasing evidence that integration not only occurs in fragile sites and translocation breakpoints but also in transcriptionally active regions. Indeed, a substantial number of integration sites actually disrupt host genes and may thereby affect gene expression. No doubt, even subtle changes in gene expression may influence the cell phenotype but small fold changes are difficult to quantify reliably in biopsy material. We have, therefore, addressed the question whether a complete loss of gene function that is insertional mutagenesis in combination with deletion or epigenetic modification of the second allele is also a phenomenon pertinent to cervical cancer. Out of the ten preselected squamous cell carcinomas analyzed, all viral integration sites were located within the intron sequences of known genes, giving rise to viral–cellular fusion transcripts of sense orientation. Moreover, for two tumors, we provide evidence for complete functional loss of the gene affected by HPV integration. Of particular note is that one of the genes involved is the recently described novel tumor suppressor gene castor zinc finger 1. Although our study provides no functional proof that any of the genes affected by HPV integration are causally involved in the transformation process, an exhaustive systematic look at the role of insertional mutagenesis in cervical cancer appears to be warranted.
Existence of a genetic risk factor on chromosome 5q in Italian Coeliac Disease families

Coeliac disease (CD) is a malabsorptive disorder of the small intestine resulting from ingestion of gluten. The HLA risk factors involved in CD are well known but do not explain the whole genetic susceptibility. Several regions of potential linkage on chromosomes 3q, 5q, 10q, 11q, 15q and 19q have already been reported in the literature. These six regions were analyzed with the Maximum Lod Score method on a dense set of markers. A new sample of 89 Italian sibpairs was available for study. There was no evidence for linkage for any of the regions tested, except for chromosome 5q. For this region, our data, as well as a sample of 93 sibpairs from our first genome screen (Greco et al. 1998), are compatible with the presence of a risk factor for CD with a moderate effect.
Private provision of public goods by firms

In the standard Nash equilibrium of private provision of public goods only the firm with the highest demand contributes. The existence of the contribution game may affect firms’ ex-ante decisions on technology, factor inputs and capacity in a way that leads to a decrease of the quantity of the public good that is finally provided. Further, the sequential equilibrium of private provision of a public good by firms is considered. The quantity provided is typically smaller than in the Nash equilibrium, although some firms may contribute more than they would in autarchy. Kai A. Konrad Department of Economics University of Munich Ludwigstrasse 33 D—8000 Munich 22 Germany
The impact of Facebook on Zimbabwean University students: Culture dilution or Pedagogical?

The study sought to establish consumer attitudes towards the effect of one Social Network Site (SNS), Facebook on culture dilution or pedagogical potential among university students. This has been necessitated by a plethora of unique social interactions in this era of technological affordances. Many SNSs are in use: Facebook, MySpace, Cyworld, Bebo, WhatsUp, LinkedIn, ChatOn, Opera Mini, Twitter and other new forms keep on emerging. However, of interest Facebook was used in this study because it is impacting the ways in which university students use the Internet. Technology has mediated communication in countless ways. The values and norms of culture have to be cherished the young generation. In investigating this problem, two hundred (200) students were interviewed at their university campus in Zimbabwe. The sample comprised students from Great Zimbabwe University. The research findings proved that Facebook contributes to the dilution of the Zimbabwean culture. It was also interesting to note that other students see the pedagogical potentials of Facebook.
Using a Simplified Nutritional Point System Fails to Alter Food Choices with College Students

To increase healthy food choices, research must examine those variables that influence food choice. These variables include preference between two options and the substitutability of those options. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the NuVal® System on food choice by evaluating food choices across two alternating meal conditions while considering preference and substitutability. Results from seven participants indicated that food choice across the meal conditions did not significantly change as a function of the NuVal® System, despite changes in preferences and participant rankings of the substitutability of the food options. A visual and statistical analysis of the data indicated that the NuVal® System did not effectively improve the overall healthfulness of each of the participants’ meals. Suggestions for future research are provided, and include single case, longitudinal studies that examine changes in preference and substitutability of certain food items over time.
A "Fix" of Reality

paired. If one argues that this incompetence is speciacally related to heroin, then addicts cannot be charged with any crime related to the procurement or use of the drug. But if a heroin addict murders his dealer, is he mentally incompetent at the time of the murder? Further, if one gives in to the author’s argument, then one must assume that a heroin addict’s incompetence is permanent, since, as in all clinical trials, consent can be withdrawn at any time and there is no evidence that this happened in the Swiss trial. This brings us not to Cynthia’s dilemma but to the dilemma of Cynthia. Was Cynthia competent to enter into a discussion with the author? Would we all be in a state of incompetence because we love something too much? Mea culpa. The lesson here, it would appear, is that it is generally a bad idea to enter into a philosophical discussion with an addict whose competency may be in doubt.
TOPIC: MOBILE COMPUTING AND SECURITY ISSUES.

The past decade has seen a growth in the use of mobile computing. Its use can be found in areas such as social media, information exchange, online social gaming amongst others. However its use in the transmission of more sensitive data gives causes for concern due to its security vulnerabilities. Traditional computing systems make use of certain detection technologies and firewalls to prevent intrusion but such methods are difficult to apply with mobile computing thus making the security of data between mobile workstations and mobile unit a challenge. Challenges experienced in mobile communication include: forced de-authentication, disconnection and mimicry of the host mobile station or unit. The purpose of this research is to propose a secure mobile communication scheme that makes use of an asymmetric algorithm to encode the messages before transmission so as to provide secure communication over the channel. The mobile client will have a public key and a private key that will be used to encode messages sent over the communication channel while the server side decrypts themessage using the private key
Constituency-Tree Recursive Neural Network for Quiz Bowl Answering

Quiz bowl answering represents a challenging task in natural language processing where few indication entities of answers are given in the questions. Traditional approaches such as manual feature engineering and bag of words representations can fail to reason the correct answers due to such lack of direct indications. Recently recursive neural network (RNN) model shows promising performance in quiz bowl answering by outperforming multiple baselines. In this work, we introduce a constituency-tree recursive neural network (CT-RNN) and evaluate its performance on a public dataset.
Plant dispersal in the sub‐Antarctic inferred from anisotropic genetic structure

Climatic conditions and landscape features often strongly affect species’ local distribution patterns, dispersal, reproduction and survival and may therefore have considerable impacts on species’ fine‐scale spatial genetic structure (SGS). In this study, we demonstrate the efficacy of combining fine‐scale SGS analyses with isotropic and anisotropic spatial autocorrelation techniques to infer the impact of wind patterns on plant dispersal processes. We genotyped 1304 Azorella selago (Apiaceae) specimens, a wind‐pollinated and wind‐dispersed plant, from four populations distributed across sub‐Antarctic Marion Island. SGS was variable with Sp values ranging from 0.001 to 0.014, suggesting notable variability in dispersal distance and wind velocities between sites. Nonetheless, the data supported previous hypotheses of a strong NW–SE gradient in wind strength across the island. Anisotropic autocorrelation analyses further suggested that dispersal is strongly directional, but varying between sites depending on the local prevailing winds. Despite the high frequency of gale‐force winds on Marion Island, gene dispersal distance estimates (σ) were surprisingly low (<10 m), most probably because of a low pollen dispersal efficiency. An SGS approach in association with isotropic and anisotropic analyses provides a powerful means to assess the relative influence of abiotic factors on dispersal and allow inferences that would not be possible without this combined approach.
Antibacterial Titanium Plate Anodized by being Discharged in NaCl Solution Exhibits Cell Compatibility

Implant surfaces should be modified to achieve excellent cell compatibility as well as antibacterial activity. Our previous study demonstrated that titanium plates anodized by being discharged in NaCl (Ti-Cl) exhibited high antibacterial activity. Since Ti-Cl was prepared with a NaCl solution, we hypothesized that Ti-Cl would exhibit low toxicity toward cells. The aims of this study were to characterize the surface of Ti-Cl and investigate the cell compatibility (MC3T3-E1 and L929 cells) of Ti-Cl. The results demonstrated that, since the TiCl3 formed on the Ti-Cl surface was hydrolyzed into HCl, HClO, and TiOH after immersion in pure distilled water, TiCl3 contributed to the antibacterial activity of Ti-Cl. On the other hand, TiO formed on the Ti-Cl surface enhanced cell extension and cell growth through a larger adsorption of fibronectin compared with the pure titanium control. These findings suggest that antibacterial titanium is a promising material for use in dental implant systems.
A novel peripheral circuit for RRAM-based LUT

Resistive random access memory (RRAM) is a promising candidate to substitute static random access memory (SRAM) in lookup table (LUT) design for its high density and non-volatility. RRAM cells are fabricated at backend CMOS process and have negligible area cost. However, the complex peripheral circuit design to satisfy performance and accuracy requirements becomes a major issue. In this work, we propose a novel peripheral circuit for RRAM-based LUT. A new decoding scheme that supports dynamic programming is introduced. Furthermore, the expanded RRAM crossbar array together with the latch comparator based sense amplifier can dramatically reduce design complexity, decrease area cost, and improve tolerance on process variations. Compared to a 6-input SRAM-based LUT, the proposed RRAM-based one cuts off 60.4% of layout area. The maximal operating frequency reaches 1GHz at 10mV input difference. Simulations also show that the proposed LUT functions properly even RRAM resistances deviates 20% from the design value.
The urokinase‐type plasminogen activator system in cancer metastasis: A review

The urokinase‐type plasminogen activator (u‐PA) system consists of the serine proteinases plasmin and u‐PA; the serpin inhibitors α2‐anti‐plasmin, PAI‐1 and PAI‐2; and the u‐PA receptor (u‐PAR). Two lines of evidence have strongly suggested an important and apparently causal role for the u‐PA system in cancer metastasis: results from experimental model systems with animal tumor metastasis and the finding that high levels of u‐PA, PAI‐1 and u‐PAR in many tumor types predict poor patient prognosis. We discuss here recent observations related to the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying this role of the u‐PA system. Many findings suggest that the system does not support tumor metastasis by the unrestricted enzyme activity of u‐PA and plasmin. Rather, pericellular molecular and functional interactions between u‐PA, u‐PAR, PAI‐1, extracellular matrix proteins, integrins, endocytosis receptors and growth factors appear to allow temporal and spatial re‐organizations of the system during cell migration and a selective degradation of extracellular matrix proteins during invasion. Differential expression of components of the system by cancer and non‐cancer cells, regulated by paracrine mechanisms, appear to determine the involvement of the system in cancer cell–directed tissue remodeling. A detailed knowledge of these processes is necessary for utilization of the therapeutic potential of interfering with the action of the system in cancers. Int. J. Cancer 72:1–22, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss Inc.
Memory impairment on free and cued selective reminding predicts dementia

Objective: To estimate the relative rates of dementia in initially nondemented subjects with and without memory impairment defined by baseline free recall from the Free and Cued Selective Reminding (FCSR) test. Background: Our approach to identifying persons at high risk for future dementia is to show the presence of memory impairment not caused by other cognitive deficits by using a memory test that controls attention and cognitive processing. When the conditions of testing are not adequately controlled, prediction is reduced because age-associated memory deficits due to other cognitive deficits are confused with dementia-associated memory deficits. Methods: Longitudinal evaluation of 264 initially nondemented, elderly community volunteers from the Einstein Aging Study with clinical and psychometric examinations every 12 to 18 months for up to 10 years. Main Outcome Measures: Dementia was defined by an algorithmic definition that required a Blessed Information Memory and Concentration score >8 and clinical evidence of functional decline. Results: Thirty-two incident cases of dementia developed during follow-up. Survival analyses indicated that subjects with impaired free recall at baseline had dementia develop (relative risk = 75.2, 95% CI = 9.9 to 567) over 5 years of follow-up at dramatically higher rates than subjects with intact free recall after adjusting for age, gender, and education. Conclusion: Poor performance on free recall from FCSR predicts future dementia. These findings support the existence of a preclinical phase of dementia characterized by memory impairment, which is present for at least 5 years before diagnosis.
Variables Influencing Movement of G-Sec. Yields: An Empirical Approach

On a day-to-day basis, market participants look at many other variables as well e.g. crude prices, commodity prices, GDP growth rates, etc. However, the end implication of these factors has been captured in the statistical study done in this paper. For Example, higher crude or commodity price would result in higher inflation, which has been studied here. A higher GDP growth rate would give a larger scope of RBI to hike rates (in case inflation is high); we have studied the co-relation with Repo and Reverse Repo Rates. Higher investment by FIIs in Indian equities may result in higher rupee liquidity; we have studied the impact of system liquidity on yield levels. At a given point of time, one factor may be overbearing over others e.g. if inflation is too high or if system liquidity too much in surplus it may overshadow other parameters.
Exchange Rates, Borrowing Costs, and Exports: Firm-Level Evidence

This study empirically examines the effects of currency depreciation on the exporting firms' borrowing costs and exports. Using Korean data, first we find novel evidence that unanticipated currency depreciation increases the firm-level real interest rate for firms in sectors importing intermediate inputs. Next, we show that currency depreciation has contractionary effects of rising costs of borrowing and imported inputs, and an expansionary effect of an improvement in price competitiveness. The overall effect of currency depreciation on exports is found to be contractionary, and our estimation has captured the effects of large financial shocks during financial crises.