Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combination phentermine and topiramate extended release in the management of obesity

Introduction: Losing ≥ 5% of initial weight improves quality of life and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in obese individuals. Lifestyle modification, the cornerstone of weight reduction, may be complemented by pharmacotherapy. In 2012, the FDA approved the combination of phentermine and topiramate extended release (ER) for chronic weight management, as an adjunct to lifestyle modification. Areas covered: This review examines the safety and efficacy of phentermine-topiramate ER, as determined by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A preliminary study confirmed the benefit of combining the two medications for improving weight loss and reducing adverse effects, as compared to using equivalent-dose monotherapy alone. Expert opinion: Across RCTs, groups prescribed phentermine 15 mg/topiramate ER 92 mg lost an average of 10% of initial weight, ∼ 8% more than placebo and 2% more than phentermine 7.5 mg/topiramate 46 mg. Weight loss reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improved CVD risk factors. Phentermine-topiramate ER, however, was associated with increased heart rate, the clinical significance of which is being investigated in an FDA-required CVD outcomes study. The medication also must be used with caution in women of child-bearing age because of an increased risk to infants of oral cleft.
Long non‐coding RNA MALAT1 is an inducible stress response gene associated with extramedullary spread and poor prognosis of multiple myeloma

Extramedullary myeloma (EMM) occurs when myeloma develops outside the bone marrow; it often develops after chemotherapy and is associated with the acquisition of chemo‐resistance and a fatal course. The mechanisms underlying extramedullary spread have not yet been fully elucidated. MALAT1 is a highly abundantly and ubiquitously expressed long non‐coding RNA that plays important roles in cancer metastasis. The aims of this study were to clarify the association of MALAT1 with EMM and to elucidate the underlying mechanism of EMM formation under chemotherapeutic pressure. MALAT1 expression was significantly higher in multiple myeloma (MM) than in monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance. Furthermore, MALAT1 expression was markedly higher in EMM compared with that in corresponding intramedullary myeloma cells. A higher MALAT1 level was associated with shorter overall and progression‐free survival. MALAT1 expression level was positively correlated with expression of HSP90AA1, HSP90AB1 and HSP90B1 but not with TP53 expression. MALAT1 was significantly upregulated by bortezomib and doxorubicin. Considering the known functions of MALAT1, our results suggest that it acts as a stress response gene that is upregulated by chemotherapy, thereby linking chemotherapy to EMM formation. Elucidating the biological implication of long non‐coding RNA contributes to deeper understanding concerning the pathogenesis and investigation of novel therapeutic targets for MM.
Therapeutic levels of human Factor VIII in mice implanted with encapsulated cells: potential for gene therapy of haemophilia A

A gene therapy delivery system based on microcapsules enclosing recombinant cells engineered to secrete a therapeutic protein has been evaluated. The microcapsules are implanted intraperitoneally. In order to prevent cell immune rejection, cells are enclosed in non‐antigenic biocompatible alginate microcapsules prior to their implantation into mice. It has been shown that encapsulated myoblasts can deliver therapeutic levels of Factor IX (FIX) in mice. The delivery of human Factor VIII (hFVIII) in mice using microcapsules was evaluated in this study.
Production of biosurfactant by hydrocarbon degrading Rhodococcus ruber and Rhodococcus erythropolis

There is world wide concern about the liberation of hydrocarbons in the environment, both from industrial activities and from accidental spills of oil and oilrelated compounds. Biosurfactants, which are natural emulsifiers of hydrocarbons, are produced by some bacteria, fungi and yeast. They are polymers, totally or partially extracellular, with an amphipathyc structure, which allows them to form micelles that accumulate at the interface between liquids of different polarities such as water and oil. This process is based upon the ability of biosurfactants to reduce surface tension, blocking the formation of hydrogen bridges and certain hydrophilic and hydrophobic interactions. The ability of biosurfactant production by five strains of Rhodococcus isolated from oil prospecting sites was evaluated. Surface tension measurement and emulsifying index were used to quantify biosurfactant production. The influence of environmental conditions was also investigated - pH, temperature, medium composition, and type of carbon source - on cell growth and biosurfactant production. Strain AC 239 was shown to be a potential producer, attaining 63% of emulsifying index for a Diesel-water binary system. It could be used, either directly on oil spills in contained environments, or for the biotechnological production of biosurfactant.
Getting the Most Out of Your First Computer System

Since the early 1970's there has been a tremendous growth in the use of mini-computers and micro-computers by small business. Tens of thousands of firms have acquired computing systems in an effort to improve their operations and better serve their customers. Unfortunately, in many cases, these systems have not worked as well as they should have. Most of the published literature concerning small business has been prescriptive in terms of describing how a firm should select, acquire, and implement a new computer system. Very little has been done of an empirical nature concerning the frequencies of success or failure or the reasons for success or failure of these systems. This paper describes a recent study which attempts to determine how successful these systems have been and further tries to identify some of the reasons why these systems have failed. Variables that were found to affect the successful implementation of computer systems fell into three categories: 1) the design of the software programs; 2) hardware problems; and 3) the implementation process. Each of these groups of factors will be discussed, in an effort to assist other first-time computer users in avoiding implementation problems.
Service Quality Management Based on Quality of Experience

This study provides a framework to assess network design under the regime of QoE (Quality of Experience). Our approach is expected to reveal the necessity of developing the QoE measures and applying this notion to network design, particularly in the mobile environment. Furthermore, our model shows the ample potential that both users and network providers are able to attain a win-win case by shifting the focus on network design and service operations from QoS (Quality of Service) to QoE. Since the former considers only relevant technological specifications, it may fail in capturing critical factors surrounding users, such as a context where the corresponding user is working on. For example, according to one study [13], the bit-rate, a widely employed QoS measure, shows inferior performance in provisioning network resources to the MOS (Mean Opinion Score), a representative QoE measure. Our framework develops the idea and construct a prototype to systematically assess network design and operations in terms of QoE. The proposed prototype aims at achieving a higher level of efficiency without severely deteriorating users’ satisfaction level. We also provide some simulation results which support our idea. That is, reducing the chance of over-provisioning on the basis of the QoE paradigm results in a great flexibility. It may give price cut for users or postponement of network investment for providers or both. Our simulation results also seem robust irrespective of the forms of the QoS-QoE relationship.
Cell proliferation at 122°C and isotopically heavy CH4 production by a hyperthermophilic methanogen under high-pressure cultivation

We have developed a technique for cultivation of chemolithoautotrophs under high hydrostatic pressures that is successfully applicable to various types of deep-sea chemolithoautotrophs, including methanogens. It is based on a glass-syringe-sealing liquid medium and gas mixture used in conjunction with a butyl rubber piston and a metallic needle stuck into butyl rubber. By using this technique, growth, survival, and methane production of a newly isolated, hyperthermophilic methanogen Methanopyrus kandleri strain 116 are characterized under high temperatures and hydrostatic pressures. Elevated hydrostatic pressures extend the temperature maximum for possible cell proliferation from 116°C at 0.4 MPa to 122°C at 20 MPa, providing the potential for growth even at 122°C under an in situ high pressure. In addition, piezophilic growth significantly affected stable carbon isotope fractionation of methanogenesis from CO2. Under conventional growth conditions, the isotope fractionation of methanogenesis by M. kandleri strain 116 was similar to values (−34‰ to−27‰) previously reported for other hydrogenotrophic methanogens. However, under high hydrostatic pressures, the isotope fractionation effect became much smaller (<−12‰), and the kinetic isotope effect at 122°C and 40 MPa was −9.4‰, which is one of the smallest effects ever reported. This observation will shed light on the sources and production mechanisms of deep-sea methane.
Differentiation of in vitro-modified human peripheral blood monocytes into hepatocyte-like and pancreatic islet-like cells.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Adult stem cells provide a promising alternative for the treatment of diabetes mellitus and end-stage liver diseases. We evaluated the differentiation potential of human peripheral blood monocytes into hepatocyte-like and pancreatic islet-like cells. METHODS Monocytes were treated with macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 3 for 6 days, followed by incubation with hepatocyte and pancreatic islet-specific differentiation media. Cells were characterized by flow cytometry, gene-expression analysis, metabolic assays, and transplantation for their state of differentiation and tissue-specific functions. RESULTS In response to macrophage colony-stimulating factor and interleukin 3, monocytes resumed cell division in a CD115-dependent fashion, which was associated with a down-regulation of the PRDM1 and ICSBP genes. These programmable cells of monocytic origin were capable of differentiating into neohepatocytes, which closely resemble primary human hepatocytes with respect to morphology, expression of hepatocyte markers, and specific metabolic functions. After transplantation into the liver of severe combined immunodeficiency disease/nonobese diabetic mice, neohepatocytes integrated well into the liver tissue and showed a morphology and albumin expression similar to that of primary human hepatocytes transplanted under identical conditions. Programmable cells of monocytic origin-derived pancreatic neoislets expressed beta cell-specific transcription factors, secreted insulin and C peptide in a glucose-dependent manner, and normalized blood glucose levels when xenotransplanted into immunocompetent, streptozotocin-treated diabetic mice. Programmable cells of monocytic origin retained monocytic characteristics, notably CD14 expression, a monocyte-specific methylation pattern of the CD115 gene, and expression of the transcription factor PU.1. CONCLUSIONS The ability to reprogram, expand, and differentiate peripheral blood monocytes in large quantities opens the real possibility of the clinical application of programmable cells of monocytic origin in tissue repair and organ regeneration.
Synchronization in networks of mutually delay-coupled phase-locked loops

Electronic components that perform tasks in a concerted way rely on a common time reference. For instance, parallel computing demands synchronous clocking of multiple cores or processors to reliably carry out joint computations. Here, we show that mutually coupled phase-locked loops (PLLs) enable synchronous clocking in large-scale systems with transmission delays. We present a phase description of coupled PLLs that includes filter kernels and delayed signal transmission. We find that transmission delays in the coupling enable the existence of stable synchronized states, while instantaneously coupled PLLs do not tend to synchronize. We show how filtering and transmission delays govern the collective frequency and the time scale of synchronization.
Open-System Orchestration as a Relational Source of Sensing Capabilities: Evidence from a Venture Association

Research on innovation networks has highlighted the pivotal role that actors with more prominence and power, such as hub firms, may play in orchestrating the activities of other network members along a collective innovation effort. Our study examined the undertheorized, but no less important, type of orchestration that characterizes other organizations, such as business incubators and venture associations, who seek to support the dispersed entrepreneurial efforts of network members. We refer to this type as ‘open-system’ orchestration, as opposed to the commonly studied ‘closed-system’ type performed by hub firms. Our findings reveal how the processes of open-system orchestration differ markedly from those of closed-system orchestration, and detail how these processes influence the micro-foundations of network members’ sensing capabilities. By doing so, we also offer empirical substantiation and theoretical elaboration to the idea that dynamic capabilities might not reside exclusively inside firms, but could be co-created relationally with other parties in the business ecosystem.
Universal fungus‐specific primer systems and group‐specific hybridization oligonucleotides for 18S rDNA

Summary. We designed two primer systems that amplify a fragment of the gene coding for the small ribosomal subunit (18S rRNA). A broadly reactive, yet fungus‐specific, primer cocktail comprises two previously published primers, TR1 and TR2, which specifically amplify dermatophytes, and two newly designed primers, CA1 and AF2, which specifically amplify Candida and Aspergillus respectively. This primer cocktail amplifies a DNA fragment of approximately 578 basepairs (bp) in length (from position 838 to 1415), which contains variable, possibly species‐specific regions (V5, partly V7). Another newly designed primer, UF1 (universal fungal primer 1), along with the eukaryotic primer S3 amplifies a 926‐bp fragment (from position 263 to 1188) that includes the variable regions V3, V4 and V5. Both primer systems amplified DNA from Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Candida albicans, Cryptococcus neoformans, Aspergillus fumigatus, Penicillium marneffei, Fusarium oxysporum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes, but not the DNA from Prototheca zopfii, Escherichia coli or humans. The previously published oligonucleotides TR and HC, which are specific for dermatophytes and Histoplasma respectively, and the newly designed group‐specific oligonucleotides, CA and AF, hybridized with T. mentagrophytes, Histoplasma capsulatum, C. albicans and A. fumigatus respectively, but not with the other six fungi or with the three controls.
An initial study into silver corrosion in transformers following oil reclamation

The problem of corrosive sulfur is extremely well documented in the electrical power industry and to some extent remains a global problem. The presence of corrosive sulfur in transformers is widely reported as a cause of sudden and unexpected failure. Regeneration of transformer oil using a reactivating sorbent in the form of bauxite clays has proven effective in removal of oxidation products in transformer oils. Unfortunately, in some cases, increased levels of silver corrosion have been observed shortly after oil reclamation. It is, therefore, important to understand fully the chemistry occurring both during the oil reclamation and during silver corrosion. Once a fuller understanding of the causes of increased oil corrosivity is obtained, effective precautions can be taken to limit the formation of corrosive species, whilst minimizing the volume of oil wastage during reclamation. In this paper, the problem of silver corrosion is discussed. Initial results from corrosion tests using transformer oils are described, with particular attention paid to the analytical methods used. Scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDX) was found to be a good method of characterizing the topology and elemental composition of the corroded silver surface. In terms of the oil composition, x-ray fluorescence spectroscopy is a very effective method for monitoring total sulfur and copper content. It is anticipated that once corrosive species are identified from the buffer tank samples, it will be possible to target such species in future analyses, allowing the detection of corrosive species at very low concentrations.
Characterization of Drug-Specific T Cells in Phenobarbital- Induced Eruption

Phenobarbital has a high potential to elicit adverse reactions including severe skin eruptions and systemic involvements among the worldwide-prescribed drugs. Although phenobarbital hypersensitivity is thought to be mediated by T cells specific to the drug, its precise mechanism remains not fully elucidated. To characterize T cells reactive with phenobarbital, we generated drug-specific T cell clones and lines from PBMCs of patients with phenobarbital hypersensitivity showing various degrees of cutaneous and extracutaneous involvements. Although the TCR Vβ repertoire and phenotype in the T cell clones/T cell lines were heterogeneous among the patients, Vβ13. 1+ and Vβ5. 1+ clones or lines were raised from the individuals examined who possessed different HLA haplotypes. Histopathological examination suggested that Vβ5. 1+CD8+ T cells and Vβ13. 1+ T cells played a role in cutaneous and extracutaneous involvements, respectively. A Vβ13. 1+CD4+ clone was found to proliferate in response to the Ag with processing-impaired, fixed APCs. Most of the clones and lines belonged to the Th2 phenotype, producing IL-4 and IL-5 but not IFN-γ upon phenobarbital stimulation. Clones/lines with Th1 or Th0 phenotypes also constituted minor populations. These observations clearly indicate the heterogeneity and a marked individual deviation of reactive T cell subsets among the patients in terms of CD4/8 phenotype, Vβ repertoire, Ag recognition pattern, and cytokine production; and thus provide evidence whereby each pathogenic T cell subset contributes to special elements of clinical presentation.
An empirical study on employee engagement in private sector banks

In recent years, there has been a great deal of interest in employee engagement. Employee Engagement is the extent to which employees think, feel, and act, in ways that represent high levels of commitment to their organization. Engaged Employees are motivated to contribute 100% of their knowledge, skills, and abilities to help their organization succeed. High level of Employee Engagement increases the growth of the organization and acts as an effective retention strategy. It benefits both the organization and the employees. From the data analysis and findings, we can say that the employees are not satisfied about various factors like demographics, working environment, job satisfaction, etc. These factors influence Employee Engagement and it means that Employee Engagement level in private banks is very much non-satisfactory. Employee engagement refers to the emotional attachment of the employees towards the organization. Employee engagement is about creating the passion among the employees to do things beyond what is expected from them. Employee engagement creates engaged employees. Engaged employees will have high involvement and commitment in their job. This paper analyses an empirical study on employee’s opinion on employee engagement and its influence on their performance in private sector banks.
Privacy and Quality

This paper analyzes the effects of a privacy regulation that caps the level of data disclosure on investment in quality and social welfare. We develop a model in which a monopolist offers a service to consumers for free, and derives revenues from disclosing user data to third parties. Consumers choose whether to use the service and how much information to provide. We find that when the market is fully covered, a disclosure cap set prior to the firm's investment decision (an ex ante cap) always decreases quality level, but is socially desirable if quality and information are not strong complements from consumers' perspective. When the market is partially covered, quality may increase under an ex ante cap and, setting a cap may be socially desirable even when quality and information are strongly complementary. Finally, we extend our analysis to scenarios involving heterogeneous third-party data buyers, a consumer-surplus-maximizing regulator and the regulation of disclosure ex post.
Caesarean and post‐partum hysterectomy 1968–1983

Summary. There have been 47 caesarean or post‐partum hysterectomies over a period of 15 years at Birmingham Maternity Hospital, a frequency of 7 per 10 000 deliveries. In 12 patients the procedure was performed electively for a gynaecological or haematological disorder. In the remainder, emergency hysterectomy was necessary as a life saving measure, in most instances to overcome uncontrollable haemorrhage. The commonest cause of uncontrollable bleeding was a morbidly adherent placenta which occurred in 1 per 4348 pregnancies, and was associated with previous uterine surgery particularly if combined with placenta praevia. Such patients require the presence of an experienced obstetrician to make an early decision to operate and perform a technically demanding operation.
Semester project-An analysis of bidding strategies for the Trading Agent Competition

The Trading Agent Competition/Ad Auctions game (TAC/AA), taking place annually since 2009 at University of Michigan, offers an opportunity to compare the bidding strategies of the different participants. The simulated market environment of this competition is therefore a good place to study dynamics of ad auctions. This paper reports simulations made on a strategy using no advanced prediction models as well as the testing environment created to analyze the obtained data. It then compares this simple, model-light strategy to more advanced ones such as winners of last years’ competitions and those developed by previous students at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (EPFL).