Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Risk of thrombosis in human atherosclerotic plaques: role of extracellular lipid, macrophage, and smooth muscle cell content.

OBJECTIVE--To assess the size of the lipid pool and the number of smooth muscle cells and monocyte/macrophages in human aortic plaques that were intact and to compare the results with those in aortic plaques undergoing ulceration and thrombosis. DESIGN--The lipid pool was measured as a percentage of the total cross sectional area of the plaque. Immunohistochemistry was used to identify cell types (monocytes/macrophages (M phi) by EBM11 and HAM56, smooth muscle cells by alpha actin). The area of the tissue occupied by each cell type was measured by quantitative microscopy in the peripheral (shoulder) area of the plaque and the plaque cap. Absolute counts of each cell type were expressed as the ratio of SMC:M phi. MATERIAL--Aortas were obtained at necropsy from men aged less than 69 years who died suddenly (within 6 hours of the onset of symptoms) of ischaemic heart disease. 155 plaques from 13 aortas were studied. Four aortas showed intact plaques only (group A, n = 31). Nine aortas showed both intact plaques (group B, n = 79) and plaques that were undergoing thrombosis (group C, n = 45). RESULTS--In 41 (91.1%) of the 45 plaques undergoing thrombosis (group C) lipid pools occupied more than 40% of the cross sectional area of the plaque. Only 12 (10.9%) of the 110 intact plaques (groups A + B) had lipid pools of this size. The mean size of the lipid pool in plaques of groups A, B, and C was 12.7%, 27.3% and 56.7% respectively. Compared with intact plaques those undergoing thrombosis contained a smaller volume of smooth muscle cells (2.8% v 11.8%) and a larger volume of monocyte/macrophages (13.7% v 2.9%) in the plaque cap. The ratio of the number of smooth muscle cells to monocytes/macrophages was 7.8 in group A plaques, 4.1 in group B plaques, and 1.0 in group C plaques. This gradient was the result of an absolute increase in monocyte/macrophages and an absolute decrease in smooth muscle cells. CONCLUSIONS--In the aorta ulceration and thrombosis were characteristic of plaques with a high proportion of their volume occupied by extracellular lipid, and in which there was a shift toward a preponderance of monocyte/macrophages compared with smooth muscle cells in the cap.
Attacking Fingerprint Sensors

We leave our fingerprints behind everywhere like when going to a café for a coffee or a soda, yet we never think of the possibilities that others might steal our prints from the cup or glass we just drank from. In this report we have conducted several experiments of lifting such latent fingerprints, and later having used them to create artificial reproductions. We have tried to use several different materials and techniques to reproduce artificial fingers in both consensual and unconsensual scenarios. The artificial fingers have been tested on two different types of fingerprint sensors.
ENERGIA EÓLICA: ABORDAGEM DE UMA FONTE RENOVÁVEL DE ENERGIA NO ENSINO MÉDIO

Resumo: Energias renovaveis sao aquelas que podem ser regeneradas e, dessa forma, sao fontes inesgotaveis de energia, ao contrario das energias nao renovaveis, que tem uma limitacao quanto ao seu uso. Entre as energias renovaveis temos: a energia eolica; a energia solar; a energia nuclear; a energia hidraulica; a biomassa; a energia geotermica, entre outras. As principais vantagens da utilizacao dessas energias consistem no fato de nao serem poluentes, alem de ser uma energia que pode ser altamente explorada. Pensando na importância da utilizacao dessas energias renovaveis para a diminuicao dos impactos ambientais que vem ocorrendo no nosso planeta, ocasionado pelo desgaste dos recursos naturais, os alunos do Curso de Licenciatura Plena em Quimica realizaram um projeto com os alunos do Ensino Medio, do Instituto Federal de Educacao, Ciencia e Tecnologia da Paraiba – IFPB, do 1a ano do Curso Tecnico de Mecânica, no qual foi abordada a energia eolica, pretendendo despertar neles uma visao critica com relacao a importância da utilizacao dessa energia, alem do fato de colaborar com a construcao de uma abordagem escolar voltada para o consumo energetico sustentavel e auxiliar na promocao da interdisciplinaridade. Com os resultados obtidos pode-se inferir que os conhecimentos com relacao as energias estudadas foram apreendidos de maneira significativa e que as mudancas comportamentais, em relacao ao meio ambiente certamente poderao ser observadas no futuro.
Using the Energy Name Service (ENS) for electric mobility roaming

Electric mobility is becoming an important topic in Germany and many other countries. Many different companies try to participate in this new market. Therefore, standardization of interfaces and processes is very important in order to ensure compatibility and to enable roaming between different providers of charging infrastructure. The most important issues besides technical standardization of for example plugs, are a scheme for unique identification of vehicles and a method for retrieving information on the roaming endpoint for a specific electric vehicle or user. In this paper, we propose an ID scheme called Energy Name Service ID (ENS-ID). It allows for unique identification and integration of other identification schemes while being flexible and easily extendable. We also suggest a DNS-based system for retrieving information on ENS-IDs. Together these two elements build a sound basis for enabling and standardizing roaming for electric mobility.
Prognostic factors in multiple myeloma.

The median duration of survival for patients with multiple myeloma ranges from 2.5 to 3 years. However, there is considerable variability from one patient to another. Renal function as determined from blood urea nitrogen or serum creatinine values, hemoglobin value, calcium level and performance status have been recognized as prognostic factors for more than 20 years. A study of 107 patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma at the Mayo Clinic showed that plasma cell labeling index (PCLI); levels of thymidine kinase, beta 2-microglobulin (beta 2-M), serum albumin, and C-reactive protein; and age were all significant univariate prognostic factors. Only PCLI and beta 2-M levels had independent prognostic significance. Among nine patients younger than 65 years with low PCLI and low beta 2-M levels, eight were alive almost six years after starting chemotherapy. Interleukin 6 (IL-6) is a significant univariate predictor of survival in myeloma. An elevated lactate dehydrogenase content is associated with a poor prognosis. An elevated soluble IL-6 receptor (sIL-6R) level is an independent factor associated with shorter survival. In one study, the addition of sIL-6R to PCLI and beta 2-M to the analysis doubled the proportion of patients identified as high-risk. In this study, the two-year survival was 41% at two years if the PCLI was > or = 2%, beta 2-M was > or = 4.0 micrograms/dl, or sIL-6R was > 300 ng/ml. When none of these three factors were increased, the estimated two-year survival was 83%. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Functional Outcomes in Pediatric Severe Sepsis: Further Analysis of the Researching Severe Sepsis and Organ Dysfunction in Children A Global Perspective Trial*

Objectives: To evaluate risk factors for poor functional outcome in 28-day survivors after an episode of severe sepsis. Design: Retrospective cohort study examining data from the Researching Severe Sepsis and Organ Dysfunction in Children: A Global Perspective trial (NCT00049764). Setting: One hundred and four pediatric centers in 18 countries. Subjects: Children with severe sepsis who required both vasoactive-inotropic infusions and mechanical ventilation and who survived to 28 days (n = 384). Interventions: None. Measurements and Main Results: Poor functional outcome was defined as a Pediatric Overall Performance Category score greater than or equal to 3 and an increase from baseline when measured 28 days after trial enrollment. Median Pediatric Overall Performance Category at enrollment was 1 (interquartile range, 1–2). Median Pediatric Overall Performance Category at 28 days was 2 (interquartile range, 1–4). Thirty-four percent of survivors had decline in their functional status at 28 days, and 18% were determined to have a “poor” functional outcome. Hispanic ethnicity was associated with poor functional outcome compared to the white referent group (risk ratio = 1.9; 95% CI: 1.0–3.0). Clinical factors associated with increased risk of poor outcome included CNS and intra-abdominal infection sources compared to the lung infection referent category (risk ratio = 3.3; 95% CI: 1.4–5.6 and 2.4; 95% CI: 1.0–4.5, respectively); a history of recent trauma (risk ratio = 3.9; 95% CI: 1.4–5.4); receipt of cardiopulmonary resuscitation prior to enrollment (risk ratio = 5.1; 95% CI: 2.9–5.7); and baseline Pediatric Risk of Mortality III score of 20–29 (risk ratio = 2.8; 95% CI: 1.2–5.2) and Pediatric Risk of Mortality III greater than or equal to 30 (risk ratio = 4.5; 95% CI: 1.6–8.0) compared to the referent group with Pediatric Risk of Mortality III scores of 0–9. Conclusions: In this sample of 28-day survivors of pediatric severe sepsis diminished functional status was common. This analysis provides evidence that particular patient characteristics and aspects of an individual’s clinical course are associated with poor functional outcome 28 days after onset of severe sepsis. These characteristics may provide opportunity for intervention in order to improve functional outcome in pediatric patients with severe sepsis. Decline in functional status 28 days after onset of severe sepsis is a frequent and potentially clinically meaningful event. Utilization of functional status as the primary outcome in future pediatric sepsis clinical trials should be considered.
Prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism in coastal Andhra Pradesh

The objective of the present study is to study the prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism and its association with dyslipidemia. Thyroid hormone maintains the development and metabolism of the body. Thyroid dysfunction has been associated with complications like infertility, diastolic hypertension, ischemic heart disease, psychiatric disorders. 1157 sub-jects attending the NRI Hospital, Guntur for routine check up were taken into study. The patients were not under any medication. TSH and lipid profile was determined for all the subjects. The thyroid screening was done on Centaur CP and lipid profile on Dade Behring autoanalyzer. FT4 was estimated in subjects with TSH level 5.5 to 10μIU/ml to confirm SCH. Result: The prevalence of Subclinical Hypothyroidism (SCH) was 8.29% and the SCH was associated with increased dyslipidemia. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, LDL were raised up to 317 mg/dl, 575mg/dl and 201mg/dl respectively. TSH level significantly correlated with total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol.
Development of a brief version of the Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS-B).

BACKGROUND The Burn Specific Health Scale (BSHS) is an outcome scale designed specifically for burn patients. The scale has been abbreviated (BSHS-A) and revised (BSHS-R). We used a factor analytic approach to further improve the scale for clinical use. METHODS Two hundred forty-eight of 350 former patients (70.9%) treated at the Uppsala Burn Unit between 1980 and 1995 responded to 94 questions from previous versions of the BSHS. RESULTS Principal components factor analyses were used to derive an instrument with 40 items called the Burn Specific Health Scale-Brief (BSHS-B), resulting in nine well-defined domains with intercorrelations ranging from 0.11 to 0.56, and Chronbach's factor alphas ranging from 0.75 to 0.93. The domains describe function with respect to Heat Sensitivity, Affect, Hand Function, Treatment Regimens, Work, Sexuality, Interpersonal Relationships, Simple Abilities, and Body Image. CONCLUSION The BSHS-B is a valid but shorter alternative to the previously described BSHS-A. Important domains of postburn distress are captured better in the BSHS-B than in the BSHS-R.
Contribuições ao problema de filtragem H-infinito para sistemas dinâmicos

Este trabalho apresenta novas condicoes na forma de desigualdades matriciais lineares para o projeto de filtros H-infinito de ordem completa em tres diferentes contextos: i) sistemas lineares incertos discretos com um atraso variante no tempo afetando os estados; ii) sistemas lineares com parâmetros variantes no tempo, continuos e discretos, sujeitos a incertezas nas medicoes dos parâmetros; iii) sistemas nao lineares quadraticos continuos e discretos no tempo. Para cada contexto, o objetivo e projetar filtros: i) com termos atrasados nos estados; ii) dependentes dos parâmetros incertos medidos; iii) com termos quadraticos. Em cada um dos casos, o ponto de partida e a existencia de uma funcao de Lyapunov que assegure estabilidade e um limitante para a norma H-infinito do sistema aumentado, ou seja, o sistema original conectado com o filtro de ordem completa. As condicoes de projeto sao obtidas impondo-se uma determinada estrutura para as variaveis de folga, resultando em desigualdades matriciais com parâmetros escalares. A eficacia das condicoes apresentadas e ilustrada por meio de comparacoes numericas utilizando exemplos da literatura. Abstract
Determinación de patrones electroforéticos durante el proceso de deshidratación en semillas de diferente comportamiento de conservación. (ortodoxo, recalcitrante e intermedio)

Se estudio patrones electroforeticos de proteinas en semillas de S. mollissima, I. carnea, C. flexuosa y C. spinosa (Ortodoxo, recalcitrante e intermedio) deshidratadas con gel de silice. Se realizo la extraccion de proteinas totales del macerado de 2 o 3 semillas (0,5 g) por especie en 1ml de tampon de extraccion (Tris – HCl 0.01 M pH 7.0; Mercaptoetanol 0,1%, Acido ascorbico 0,05 M, Triton X–100 al 0,1%). Se efectuo la cuantificacion de proteinas totales mediante metodo Bradford con una solucion patron de Albumina Serica Bovina (BSA), consecuentemente se desarrollo electroforesis SDS-PAGE en un minigel con acrilamida 10%, como separador y acrilamida 5% como concentrador, se uso como amortiguador de corrida SigmaMarkerTM de peso molecular 6,500-200,000Da. Se encontraron bandas de 24 KDa comunes a todas las especies y otras bandas presentes solo en algunas especies, haciendo referencia a proteinas involucrados durante la desecacion LEA 1 (D-19) y 2 (D-11) “dehidrinas”, las cuales se exponen considerablemente durante procesos de desarrollo y maduracion, asi protegiendo a semillas expuesta a procesos de deshidratacion.
Antena de patrón conmutado para la banda ISM (2,45 GHz)

En el articulo se presenta el diseno y comprobacion experimental de una antena de patron conmutado con SLL reducido, conformada por un arreglo lineal de antenas acopladas por abertura de 1x6 elementos y alimentada por una matriz Butler 4x6 de area reducida, para la banda ISM (2.45GHz). La antena es disenada y fabricada en tecnologia Microstrip multicapa, compacta, con espesor total de 62 milesimas de pulgada y con capacidad para conmutar 4 haces.
Consumer personality, privacy concerns and usage of location-based services (LBS)

This paper examines the effects of the Big Five personality traits on concern for information privacy (CFIP) and the effects of the formulated concern for information privacy towards perceived risk, which in turn determine location-based services (LBS) usage intention. Data for this research was collected from 291 users and non-users of LBS. Result from Pearson correlation analysis indicated significant relationships exist between: (1) extraversion, and openness with collection; (2) extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness with improper access; (3) extraversion, conscientiousness, and openness with errors; (4) agreeableness, neuroticism, and openness with secondary use. All four dimensions of CFIP are found to have a significant direct relationship with perceived risk of using LBS. Implications for research and practice for location-based service providers are discussed.
Model Predictive Control: MPC's Role in the Evolution of Power Electronics

The evolution of power electronics and its control has been mainly driven by industry applications and influenced by the development achieved in several technologies, such as power semiconductors, converter topologies, automatic control, and analog and digital electronics. Digital signal processors (DSPs), in particular, have experienced an exponential development in processing power, which until now has not been fully exploited for control purposes in power converters and drive applications. Presently, the control system technology finds itself in a paradigm-changing tipping point, in which more demanding control goals, system flexibility, and functionalities required by emerging applications are driving the control system technology development, in addition to stabilization and robustness, which was the main focus in the past. This article walks briefly through the history of the mainstream power converter control scene, with an emphasis on the more recent introduction of predictive control, and gives a glimpse on the challenges and possibilities ahead. Special attention is given to finite control set (FCS)-model predictive control (MPC), because of its simplicity, flexibility, inherent adaptation to power electronic circuits and their discrete nature, both in the finite amount of switching states and the digital implementation with microprocessors.
Judges support doctors' decision to stop treating dying man

The relatives of an 86 year old Muslim man with multiple organ failure have lost their legal battle to keep him on life support, after the rejection of their last possible appeal. The man, who for legal reasons is known only as Mr A, has been in hospital since July. The NHS trust responsible for the hospital, which also cannot be named, won permission from the High Court on 26 July to cease dialysis and to forego attempting resuscitation in the event of respiratory failure. But the trust was told not to act on the decision until the family had had time to appeal. That …
Does network meta-analysis generate any new knowledge?

doi:10.1160/TH12-10-0749 Thromb Haemost 2013; 109: ■■■■ Dear Sirs, To better understand the point of view presented by Schulman in his recent editorial (1), three points may deserve further comment and clarification. The first is whether network meta-analysis (NETMA) studies should be seen as a big advancement in the knowledge about a clinical problem or as a small one. Schulman is absolutely correct when he points out that the incremental knowledge generated by NETMA is small in comparison with an analysis based on purely narrative approaches or on rudimental, but effective algebraic calculations. For this reason, our approach towards NETMA (2-4) is to present our results exclusively in very short papers (mainly, Letters to the Editors of less than 500 words); in fact, full-length papers of 1,500 words or more would not be justified by the limited advancement in the understanding of the problem. The second point regards the simplified calculation presented by Schulman in his Table 3 (1). Typically, all NETMA studies generate a point estimate for the concerned parameter (e.g. the odds ratio [OR] for indirect comparisons) along with a measure of the statistical variability of the point estimate (e.g. the 95% confidence interval of the OR and/or the p-value). While, on the one hand, there is a lot of mathematical complexity behind the calculations of statistical variability, on the other hand point estimates are devoid of any complexity at least in the simplest models of NETMA. As a result, when Schulman proposes his simple method of calculation (see Table 3 in [1]), actually he is already using the basic formula of NETMA as implemented in the Bucher method (5) and in the ITC software (Canadian Agency for Drugs and Technologies in Health, Indirect Treatment Comparison software, Ottawa, Canada). As expected, the nine pairwise ORs reported by Schulman in his Table 3 (1) are identical or nearly identical with one another, and the very slight variations affecting some of these estimates are likely the result of rounding rather than reflecting a true difference. As third point, in examining the question of whether relative or absolute measures should be incorporated in a NETMA, Schulman addresses a very relevant issue that a few weeks ago has been re-proposed to the attention of the scientific community (6). In line with the general recommendation of preferring absolute measures as opposed to relative ones, we have recently proposed to incorporate absolute measures (e.g. the number needed to treat) also in NETMA (7, 8). However, we admit that using these measures is only a small advancement in the framework of a technique that in turn generates only small advancements.
Genotypic Study of Two Virulence Factors fimH and kpsMTII in Uropathogenic Escherichia coli Isolates from Children Patients with Urinary Tract Infections

Adhesion (type 1 fimbriae) and host defense avoidance mechanisms (capsule or lipopolysaccharide) have been shown to be prevalent in Escherichia coli isolates associated with urinary tract infections. In this work, 50 uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) isolated from children with urinary tract infections were genotypically characterized by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay. We used two genes; fimH and kpsMTII, both of them previously identified in uropathogenic E.coli (UPEC) isolates. The PCR assay results identified fimH (90.0)% and kpsMTII (27.0)% isolates. In the present study, was also demonstrated that these genes may be included in both or one of them within a single isolate.
Rad23 is required for transcription-coupled repair and efficient overrall repair in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

The repair of UV-induced photoproducts (cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers) in a well-characterized minichromosome, genomic DNA, and a transcribed genomic gene (RPB2) of a rad23delta mutant of Saccharomyces care was examined. Isogenic wild-type cells show a strong bias for the repair of the transcribed strands in both the plasmid and genomic genes and efficient overall repair of both DNAs (>80% of the dimers were removed in 6 h). However, the rad23delta mutant shows (i) no strand bias for repair in these genes and decreased repair of both strands, (ii) partial repair of genomic DNA (approximately 45% in 6 h), and (iii) very poor repair of the plasmid overall approximately 15% in 6 h). These features, coupled with the decreased UV survival of rad23delta cells, indicate that Rad23 is required for both transcription-coupled repair and efficient overall repair in S. cerevisiae.