Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Effect of Specimen-Handling Parameters for Plasma Preparation Tubes on Viral Load Measurements Obtained by Using the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 Load Assay

ABSTRACT HIV-1 viral load testing is essential to the management of HIV-1-infected patients, and proper specimen handling ensures accurate viral load (VL) results. This study was performed to (i) evaluate the effect of freezing plasma in situ in BD Vacutainer plasma preparation tubes (PPT) on the accuracy of HIV-1 viral load results using the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay and (ii) evaluate the effect of whole-blood storage in the PPT for 6 h at room temperature prior to centrifugation (PPT6H) rather than 2 h as specified in the PPT product insert. Of the 64 HIV-positive subjects evaluated, 29 had average viral load counts of >40 copies/ml in at least one of the tubes tested and 35 subjects had a result of either “undetected target” or “below the limit of quantification” (LOQ) for all or some of the tubes regardless of handling condition. For the 29 subjects with VLs that were >LOQ, the mean biases between plasma from Vacutainer K2EDTA tubes and plasma frozen in situ in PPT and between K2EDTA tube plasma and plasma from PPT6H (log10 copies/ml) were 0.005 and −0.001, respectively, and r2 was >0.92 for all correlations. We conclude that VLs determined from plasma frozen in situ in PPT are equivalent to VLs in K2EDTA tube plasma and can be used for accurate quantification of HIV-1 RNA in the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay. Furthermore specimens collected in PPT can be stored for 6 h at room temperature with no effect on viral load results as measured by the Abbott RealTime HIV-1 assay.
The Road to Parenthood: Income and First Births in Sweden

This paper considers the effect of income on the risk of having the first births in Sweden from 1968 to 2009. Variations by gender are given particular atention. The study follows men and women from the moment they turn 18 until they enter parenthood and it is based on register-based data covering the entire population of Sweden. Complementary log-log models show that there is a positive association between income and the risk of childbearing. The association gets stronger over time and the differences between men and women diminish. Gender differences appear when the income effect is related to the demand for work in the economy. An income above the median does not increase the risk of childbearing for women when the demand for work is relatively high.
Food preference and acceptance of novel foods by lambs depend on the composition of the basal diet.

Ruminants eat a variety of foods, varying in toxins and nutrients, but no hypotheses adequately explain this behavior. We offer an explanation, one which encompasses avoidance of toxins and acquisition of nutrients. A key concept in this hypothesis is aversion, the decrease in preference for food just eaten as a result of sensory input (taste, odor, texture, i.e., a food's flavor) and postingestive effects (of toxins and nutrients on chemo-, osmo-, and mechano-receptors) unique to each food. On the basis of this hypothesis, we predicted lambs would prefer familiar and novel foods that complemented the macronutrient composition of their basal diet. To assess the validity of this prediction, we fed 10 lambs in each of three treatments different levels of ground barley (high in energy) and alfalfa (high in protein) as a basal diet. We then offered them daily a meal of three ground foods differing in proportions of barley and alfalfa (familiar foods) or wheat and rabbit pellets (novel foods). We found that lambs fed a basal diet high in energy (barley) preferred food lower in energy and higher in protein (alfalfa); those fed a diet high in alfalfa preferred food high in barley (P < .01). In addition, the higher the barley or alfalfa content of the basal diet, the greater the acceptance of novel foods high in alfalfa (i.e., rabbit pellets) or grain (i.e., wheat), respectively (P < .01). All lambs preferred foods high in wheat to rabbit pellets or alfalfa (P < 0.01), evidently because wheat is high in energy and it differs in flavor from barley, which was eaten repeatedly as part of the basal diet. On the basis of these results, we contend that lambs preferred familiar and novel foods that complemented the flavors and macro-nutrient contents of their basal diet.
Community Health Center Quality Improvement: A Systematic Review and Future Directions for Research

Background: Leaders and policymakers need an accurate appraisal of the federally qualified community health center (CHC) quality improvement (QI) literature to make informed decisions for the CHC program. Objectives: This paper aims to (1) summarize the content and findings of CHC QI studies to date, (2) systematically rate the quality of those studies, and (3) outline 10 important areas for future CHC QI research. Methods: We searched medical and nonmedical databases to identify QI studies in CHC settings. We systematically reviewed identified studies for the features of their QI interventions and for the methodological quality of their evaluations. We combined results from the review with input from the CHC community to generate an agenda for future CHC QI research. Results: Eighteen studies were identified and reviewed. Interventions mainly targeted chronic conditions and screening practices and used 1 to 11 of 14 different QI tactics; evaluations comprised 14 observational and 4 randomized study designs. CHC QI interventions have been effective in improving processes of care for diabetes and cancer screening in the short term; their effectiveness in the long term and regarding outcomes of care have not been demonstrated. Conclusions: QI interventions in CHC setting are promising, but future interventions and evaluations should answer critical basic questions about QI, including the following: What are the best models of QI? How can QI improvements be effectively implemented and sustained? What are the global effects of QI (positive and negative)? How can QI be made financially viable and sensible from both the CHC and societal perspectives?
Immigration as a Policy Instrument in an Economy with an Aging Population: A Longer-Run Perspective

Population aging is a problem common to many countries: an increasing proportion of retired people, a decreasing proportion of working age, and resultant downward pressure on national product per capita. We explore longer-run aspects of immigration as a policy instrument in this context. We consider, by simulation, the importance of immigrant age distribution, proportion of child immigrants, productivity growth as an offset to aging, possible higher fertility, increased life expectancy, and greater labour force participation among older people. Our laboratory for exploration is a mythical country Alpha with a simple economy and realistic characteristics of an aging population.
Clinical practice variation

Although difficult to quantify, there is known widespread variation in the way that best available evidence is applied in clinical practice. The reasons for gaps between evidence and practice are complex, and efforts to improve uptake are unlikely to be successful if they are one‐dimensional or focus on individual health professionals. This article provides contextual reference for articles in this Supplement in addressing how and why clinical variation exists, the importance of reducing it and strategies to drive a more streamlined approach to evidence‐based care in Australian health care systems.
A new multi-modal similarity measure for fast gradient-based 2D-3D image registration

2D-3D image registration has been adopted in many clinical applications such as image-guided surgery and the kinematic analysis of bones in knee and ankle joints. In this paper we propose a new single-plane 2D-3D registration algorithm which requires far less iteration than previous techniques. The new algorithm includes a new multi-modal similarity measure and a novel technique for the analytic calculation of the required gradients. Our experimental results show that, when compared to existing gradient and non-gradient based techniques, the proposed algorithm has a wider range of initial poses for which registration can be achieved and requires significantly fewer iterations to converge to the true 3D position of the anatomical structure.
Outcomes Associated with Post-Discharge Insulin Continuity in US Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Initiating Insulin in the Hospital

Abstract Aim: Hyperglycemia in hospitalized patients is associated with adverse outcomes; treatment of hyperglycemia in the hospital improves outcomes. We investigated clinical outcomes and hospital readmissions associated with insulin continuation and discontinuation post-discharge in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) who initiated insulin therapy during hospitalization. Materials and Methods: This observational retrospective database analysis was performed using medical records obtained from a US coordinated health system. Patients with T2DM, glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels ≥ 8.0%, naïve to insulin, and initiating insulin during hospitalization were included. Clinical outcomes and hospital readmissions were compared between patients who continued and discontinued insulin post-discharge. Results: Of 732 patients initiating insulin during hospitalization, 180 (24.6%) continued and 552 (75.4%) discontinued insulin. Higher mean baseline HbA1c levels were observed in patients continuing insulin compared with those discontinuing insulin (11.1 % vs 9.5%; P < 0.001). A significantly higher percentage of patients continuing insulin achieved target HbA1c levels (< 7.0%) compared with those discontinuing insulin (P = 0.023), with no difference in hypoglycemia rates. In patients with a baseline HbA1c of ≥ 9.0%, insulin continuation was significantly associated with lower risks of all-cause (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36−0.93; P = 0.0276) and diabetes-related (adjusted hazard ratio, 0.46; 95% CI, 0.23−0.87; P = 0.0204) hospital readmissions. Conclusion: Continuation of insulin post-discharge in insulin-naïve patients with T2DM is associated with better HbA1c target level achievement, no difference in hypoglycemia rates, and a reduced risk of hospital readmission in patients with baseline HbA1c levels ≥ 9.0%).
Genotypic Characterization of Enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli Strains Causing Traveler's Diarrhea

ABSTRACT This study aims to characterize the presence of virulence factors of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC) causing traveler's diarrhea. Among 52 ETEC isolates, the most common toxin type was STh, and the most frequent colonization factors (CFs) were CS21, CS6, and CS3. On the other hand, the nonclassical virulence factors EAST1 and EatA were frequently present.
Analysis of population genetic structure with RAPD markers

Recent advances in the application of the polymerase chain reaction make it possible to score individuals at a large number of loci. The RAPD (random amplified polymorphic DNA) method is one such technique that has attracted widespread interest. The analysis of population structure with RAPD data is hampered by the lack of complete genotypic information resulting from dominance, since this enhances the sampling variance associated with single loci as well as induces bias in parameter estimation. We present estimators for several population‐genetic parameters (gene and genotype frequencies, within‐ and between‐population heterozygosities, degree of inbreeding and population subdivision, and degree of individual relatedness) along with expressions for their sampling variances. Although completely unbiased estimators do not appear to be possible with RAPDs, several steps are suggested that will insure that the bias in parameter estimates is negligible. To achieve the same degree of statistical power, on the order of 2 to 10 times more individuals need to be sampled per locus when dominant markers are relied upon, as compared to codominant (RFLP, isozyme) markers. Moreover, to avoid bias in parameter estimation, the marker alleles for most of these loci should be in relatively low frequency. Due to the need for pruning loci with low‐frequency null alleles, more loci also need to be sampled with RAPDs than with more conventional markers, and some problems of bias cannot be completely eliminated.
Repression of A TAF(II)32 isoform as part of a program of genes regulated during mpl ligand-induced megakaryocyte differentiation.

Circulating platelets, essential for thrombosis and hemostasis, originate from megakaryocytes. Megakaryocyte growth, differentiation and survival processes are regulated by the c-Mpl receptor ligand. In the current study we used differential display to identify part of the program of genes regulated during Mpl ligand-induced murine megakaryocyte differentiation. Several of the genes, including the retinoblastoma binding protein p84, were found to be induced, while others were repressed. One such repressed gene was identified as a TATA-binding protein (TBP)-Associated Factor (TAF) family member, TAF(II)32, previously reported to be upregulated during apoptosis. Our analysis of various cell types suggested that the previously identified species homologs, human TAF(II)32 and murine TAF(II)32, are in fact different isoforms, which we propose to re-name TAF(II)32alpha and TAF(II)32beta, respectively. Only the TAF(II)32beta isoform is regulated during Mpl ligand-induced megakaryocyte differentiation, which suggests individual roles for the two forms.
Three Residual Income Valuation Methods and Discounted Cash Flow Valuation

In this paper we show that the three residual Income models for equity valuation always yield the same value as the Discounted Cash Flow Valuation models. We use three residual income measures: Economic Profit, Economic Value Added (EVA) and Cash Value Added. We also show that economic profit and EVA are different, although Copeland, Koller and Murrin (2000, page 55) say that economic profit is a synonym of EVA. Specifically, we first show that the present value of the Economic Profit discounted at the required return to equity plus the equity book value equals the value of equity. The value of equity is the present value of the Equity cash flow discounted at the required return to equity. Then, we show that the present value of the EVA discounted at the WACC plus the enterprise book value (equity plus debt) is the enterprise market value. The enterprise market value is the present value of the Free cash flow discounted at the WACC. Then, we show that the present value of the Cash Value Added discounted at the WACC plus the enterprise book value (equity plus debt) is the enterprise market value. The enterprise market value is the present value of the Free cash flow discounted at the WACC.
Post binaural cochlear implant fluctuating hearing loss - A case study

So far, there seems to be no sufficient therapy for stopping the progression of hearing loss. It has been shown that a cochlear implantation is a worthwhile procedure, if the patient is almost deaf. The aim of current study is to review literature and compare them with our case study report of some of the common conditions related to the etiology of Fluctuating Sensorineural Hearing Loss (FSNHL). This is supported by similar clinical picture, outcome and is commonly considered to involve cochlear implant as a possible form of their treatment. Design: Case reporting study. Setting: Ear Nose Throat (ENT) Audiology Unit, and Endocrinology outpatient clinics of the Hamad General and Rumailah Hospitals, Hamad Medical Corporation. Case study. Full clinical, audiological and laboratory evaluation and patient follow up with comprehensive review of literature. The baby’s hearing, speech, social and mental development were reviewed and was decided that, in order to improve the state of hearing, speech performance and future education, the baby is considered for cochlear implant. Thus he started to have preparatory speech and audiological rehabilitation sessions for Cochlear implantation (CI) prior to surgery and found to score well in them. The baby was fitted with cochlear implant in both ears at consecutive dates. Following the first CI intraoperative electrical check was normal and postoperative telemetry and programming was done properly at later date and hearing remarkably improved with discrimination score (DS) score of 100% at 40 dB HTL FF. The patient continued to have the same evaluation figures till early 2007 and start to deteriorate after. The patient started medication with Steroid treatment on the account of diagnosis of AIED. He was started with prednisolone 20 mg, 4 times daily for one day followed by 20mg tds (60mg) for 3 days. The patient showed remarkable improvement that hearing improved to normal in the right ear with DS of 100% at 40 dB but to HTL of 50 dB with poor DS 40% at 100dB in left ear. All treatment showed a remarkable improvement of hearing and speech discrimination. An improvement in addition of methotrexate is done on the basis of reducing steroid dosage without hearing deterioration progressing with no registered serious side effects. All performed treatment has been revealed a remarkable improvement of hearing and speech discrimination with no registered serious side effects.
Control of Formation and Cellular Detachment from Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 Biofilms by Cyclic di-GMP

ABSTRACT Stability and resilience against environmental perturbations are critical properties of medical and environmental biofilms and pose important targets for their control. Biofilm stability is determined by two mutually exclusive processes: attachment of cells to and detachment from the biofilm matrix. Using Shewanella oneidensis MR-1, an environmentally versatile, Fe(III) and Mn(IV) mineral-reducing microorganism, we identified mxdABCD as a new set of genes essential for formation of a three-dimensional biofilm. Molecular analysis revealed that mxdA encodes a cyclic bis(3′,5′)guanylic acid (cyclic di-GMP)-forming enzyme with an unusual GGDEF motif, i.e., NVDEF, which is essential for its function. mxdB encodes a putative membrane-associated glycosyl transferase. Both genes are essential for matrix attachment. The attachment-deficient phenotype of a ΔmxdA mutant was rescued by ectopic expression of VCA0956, encoding another diguanylate cyclase. Interestingly, a rapid cellular detachment from the biofilm occurred upon induction of yhjH, a gene encoding an enzyme that has been shown to have phosphodiesterase activity. In this way, it was possible to bypass the previously identified sudden depletion of molecular oxygen as an environmental trigger to induce biofilm dissolution. We propose a model for c-di-GMP as a key intracellular regulator for controlling biofilm stability by shifting the state of a biofilm cell between attachment and detachment in a concentration-dependent manner.
Identification of the Substrate and Pseudosubstrate Binding Sites of Phosphorylase Kinase γ-Subunit (*)

Using site-directed mutagenesis, we proposed that an autoinhibitory domain(s) is located at the C-terminal region (301-386) of the phosphorylase kinase γ-subunit (Huang, C.-Y. F., Yuan, C.-J., Livanova, N. B., and Graves, D. J. (1993) Mol. Cell. Biochem. 127/128, 7-18). Removal of the putative inhibitory domain(s) by truncation results in the generation of a constitutively active and calmodulin-independent form, γ1-300. To probe the structural basis of autoinhibition of γ-subunit activity, two synthetic peptides, PhK13 (γ303-327) and PhK5 (γ343-367), corresponding to the two calmodulin-binding regions, were assayed for their ability to inhibit γ1-300. Competitive inhibition of γ1-300 by PhK13 was found versus phosphorylase b (Ki = 1.8 μM) and noncompetitive inhibition versus ATP. PhK5 showed noncompetitive inhibition with respect to both phosphorylase b and ATP. Calmodulin released the inhibition caused by both peptides. These results indicate that there are two distinct autoinhibitory domains within the C terminus of the γ-subunit and that these two domains overlap with the calmodulin-binding regions. Two mutant forms of γ1-300, E111K and E154R, were used to probe the enzyme-substrate-binding region using peptide substrate analogs corresponding to residues 9-18 of phosphorylase b (KRK11Q12ISVRGL). The data suggest that Glu154 interacts with the P-3 position of the substrate (Lys11) and Glu154 interacts with the P-2 site (Gln12). Both E111K and E154R were competitively inhibited with respect to phosphorylase b by PhK13, with 14- and 8-fold higher Ki values, respectively, than that observed with the wild-type enzyme. These data are consistent with a model for the regulation of the γ-subunit of phosphorylase kinase in which PhK13 acts as a competitive pseudosubstrate that directly binds the substrate binding site of the γ-subunit (Glu154 and Glu154).
Sequence Characterization of Heat Shock Protein Gene of Cyclospora cayetanensis Isolates from Nepal, Mexico, and Peru

Abstract: We have described the development of a 2-step nested PCR protocol based on the characterization of the 70-kDa heat shock protein (HSP70) gene for rapid detection of the human-pathogenic Cyclospora cayetanensis parasite. We tested and validated these newly designed primer sets by PCR amplification followed by nucleotide sequencing of PCR-amplified HSP70 fragments belonging to 16 human C. cayetanensis isolates from 3 different endemic regions that include Nepal, Mexico, and Peru. No genetic polymorphism was observed among the isolates at the characterized regions of the HSP70 locus. This newly developed HSP70 gene-based nested PCR protocol provides another useful genetic marker for the rapid detection of C. cayetanensis in the future.