Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Is HIV/Sexually Transmitted Disease Prevention Counseling Effective Among Vulnerable Populations?: A Subset Analysis of Data Collected for a Randomized, Controlled Trial Evaluating Counseling Efficacy (Project RESPECT)

Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate counseling efficacy among high-risk groups. Study: We conducted a subset analysis of data collected from July 1993 through September 1996 during a randomized, controlled trial (Project RESPECT). Participants (n = 4328) from 5 public U.S. sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics were assigned to enhanced counseling, brief counseling, or educational messages. For 9 subgroups (sex, age, city, education, prior HIV test, STD at enrollment, race/ethnicity, injection drug use, exchanging sex for money/drugs), we compared STD outcomes for those assigned either type of counseling with STD outcomes for those assigned educational messages. Results: After 12 months, all subgroups assigned counseling (brief or enhanced) had fewer STDs than those assigned educational messages. STD incidence was similar for most subgroups assigned enhanced or brief counseling. All subgroups had an appreciable number of STDs prevented per 100 persons counseled, especially adolescents (9.4 per 100) and persons with STD at enrollment (8.4 per 100). Conclusions: HIV/STD prevention counseling (brief or enhanced counseling) resulted in fewer STDs than educational messages for all subgroups of STD clinic clients, including high-risk groups such as adolescents and persons with STDs at enrollment.
Dispossession for Arrears: The Weight of Home

This paper explores the extent to which the processes involved in dispossessing a person of their home allow, or require, consideration of what is described as "the personal home story" before the decision to evict the person is made. It concludes that the present law gives little formal account to the personal home story. It argues that all occupiers should be able to tell their personal stories before an independent tribunal before the home is taken, and suggests that new tools should be developed to enable these personal stories to be weighed in the balance.
EHRA/HRS/APHRS/SOLAECE expert consensus on atrial cardiomyopathies: definition, characterization, and clinical implication.

The atria provide an important contribution to cardiac function.1,2 Besides their impact on ventricular filling, they serve as a volume reservoir, host pacemaker cells and important parts of the cardiac conduction system (e.g. sinus node, AV node), and secrete natriuretic peptides like atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) and brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) that regulate fluid homeostasis. Atrial myocardium is affected by many cardiac and non-cardiac conditions3 and is, in some respects, more sensitive than ventricular.4 The atria are activated, besides the three specialized intermodal tracts,5,6 through working cardiomyocytes, so that any architectural or structural change in the atrial myocardium may cause significant electrophysiological disturbances. In addition, atrial cells (both cardiomyocytes and non-cardiomyocyte elements like fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and neurons) react briskly and extensively to pathological stimuli3 and are susceptible to a range of genetic influences.7 Responses include atrial cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and contractile dysfunction, arrhythmogenic changes in cardiomyocyte ion-channel and transporter function, atrial fibroblast proliferation, hyperinnervation, and thrombogenic changes.2 Thus, atrial pathologies have a substantial impact on cardiac performance, arrhythmia occurrence, and stroke risk.1,8 Ventricular cardiomyopathies have been well classified; however, a …
Biological Variability in Submaximal Parameters of Performance and Strain

Marschall F, Ferger K, Mueller H. Biological Variability in Submaximal Parameters of Performance and Strain. JEPonline 2014;17(4):102-112. The use of performance and strain parameters to evaluate training effects depends on the assessment of biological day-to-day variability. Without control of this variability, exerciseinduced effects cannot be separated and/or adequately interpreted. In five studies within this study, the variability of the performance parameter ‘physical work capacity’ (PWC150/170) and two strain parameters [heart rate (HR) and oxygen uptake (VO2) at submaximal loads] were determined. Sixty subjects completed 6 consecutive submaximal bicycle ergometric tests during which HR, PWC, and VO2 were recorded. The within-subject coefficient of variation (CV) was determined on the individual average, relativized to the individual standard deviation. The CV of PWC, HR, and VO2 range between 2.35% (CI95 % = 1.22/3.48) for the HR at a 5-min continuous exposure and 4.84% (CI95 % = 4.21/5.46) for the PWC measured with a step protocol. The results indicate that the biological variability is taken into account when interpreting changes in performance. A post hoc analysis using principal component analysis (PCA) makes it clear that a distinction between measurement error and biological variability should be made for further interpretation of the CV.
Increasing the performance of superscalar processors through value prediction. (La prédiction de valeurs comme moyen d'augmenter la performance des processeurs superscalaires)

Although currently available general purpose microprocessors feature more than 10 cores, many programs remain mostly sequential. This can either be due to an inherent property of the algorithm used by the program, to the program being old and written during the uni-processor era, or simply to time to market constraints, as writing and validating parallel code is known to be hard. Moreover, even for parallel programs, the performance of the sequential part quickly becomes the limiting improvement factor as more cores are made available to the application, as expressed by Amdahl's Law. Consequently, increasing sequential performance remains a valid approach in the multi-core era. Unfortunately, conventional means to do so - increasing the out-of-order window size and issue width - are major contributors to the complexity and power consumption of the chip. In this thesis, we revisit a previously proposed technique that aimed to improve performance in an orthogonal fashion: Value Prediction (VP). Instead of increasing the execution engine aggressiveness, VP improves the utilization of existing resources by increasing the available Instruction Level Parallelism. In particular, we address the three main issues preventing VP from being implemented. First, we propose to remove validation and recovery from the execution engine, and do it in-order at Commit. Second, we propose a new execution model that executes some instructions in-order either before or after the out-of-order engine. This reduces pressure on said engine and allows to reduce its aggressiveness. As a result, port requirement on the Physical Register File and overall complexity decrease. Third, we propose a prediction scheme that mimics the instruction fetch scheme: Block Based Prediction. This allows predicting several instructions per cycle with a single read, hence a single port on the predictor array. This three propositions form a possible implementation of Value Prediction that is both realistic and efficient.
Cooperative Relaying of Superposition Coding with Simple Feedback for Layered Source Transmission

We consider a relay network that delivers a Gaussian source by employing successive refinement source coding and superposition coding of layers at the source node and successive decoding at the relay and destination nodes. For the network, making use of the decoding results at the relay and destination nodes of the first transmission, an efficient relaying strategy of layers is proposed to minimize the expected distortion (ED) when only the average channel state information is available at the source node. Three types of the proposed scheme, defined as Prop-DF, using decode-and-forward signals, Prop-AF, using amplify-and-forward signals, and Prop-MF, using mixed-forward signals, are addressed and analyzed in terms of the outage probability and distortion exponent. Unlike other studies, we have also taken the relay location into account in deriving the distortion exponent showing the high SNR behavior of the ED. The results show that the proposed scheme increases the distortion exponent up to twice that of the conventional relaying schemes when the relay is close to the source node, and that Prop-MF provides the best performance for most relay locations.
The effect of feed level during oestrus on ovulation rate in the gilt.

The effect of feed intake during estrus on ovulation rates were studied in the gilt. The animals received either 1.8 kg feed/day (controls) or 3.6 kg feed/day. The ovulation rate of animals on the higher intake diet was significantly higher than that of controls (P less than .05). An increase of intake to 3.6 kg feed for 1 day on the day following mating did not markedly affect the ovulation rate pituitary rate or residual luteinizing hormone (LH) potency. However the same increase in intake on the day of mating significantly (p less than .05) increased the number of ova by 1.3 + or - . 15 but did not affect pituitary weight or residual LH potency. Animals on the higher intake diet had significantly heavier dried pituitary glands (p less than .05). Residual pituitary LH potency was not altered by feed level. The results indicate that the maximum increase in the ovulation rate in the pig occurs when extra nutrition is provided around the time of the ovulatory release of gonadotropins.
Case analyses of the “3 Rs” of information technology benefit management

Investments in information technology (IT) are large and growing and require management attention. This study investigated processes associated with IT benefit management (ITBM) to realise benefits during the development of a new system, to retrofit ITBM processes against an existing system, and to review ITBM processes against an existing system without retrofitting. The case study approach was used to ameliorate the shortage of qualitative research in IT value. The study identified key processes required during IT benefit realisation, changes in processes during retrofitting and strong and weak processes during review. All three approaches were found to be operational effective with the review approach having some strategic effectiveness. Operational effectiveness ensured that social subsystem costs and benefits and complementary assets were identified. To make the review approach more strategically effective requires definitive IT goals to be set. The application of the “3Rs” during case analyses enabled success factors for ITBM to be identified.
Issues in inter-organisational information system development

Inter-organisational information system developments differ from intraorganisational ones in several aspects. This article discusses a development project that, in addition to producing an inter-organisational information system, was carried out by several organisations that also included the future user organisations. The research highlights issues that are special to multi-organisational projects. The core in the research is the social dynamics instead of the technical information system. Interaction between stakeholders is emphasised and collaboration is needed both in and between organisations. The research material was collected from a case by using participatory observation and the approach is intentionally subjective. We argue that the findings are alike in other organisations and that the nature of the organisations does not matter. Despite a challenging starting point, the output was evaluated successful both by the users and owners.
Formative assessment of practical skills with peer-assessors: quality features of an OSCE in general medicine at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty

Background: Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs) have become an established examination format at German medical faculties. Medical experts routinely use a summative assessment to evaluate practical and communicative skills, while the use of the OSCE format by student examiners, as a formative examination, remains rather limited. Objective: The formative OSCE program of the Department of General Practice and Implementation Research at the Heidelberg Medical Faculty, which is conducted and evaluated by peer tutors, is examined with regard to its quality criteria and compared with summative OSCEs from other departments. Methods: Difficulties and discriminatory power of individual testing stations were determined for the summative, as well as the formative OSCE, and compared with each other. To assess the reliability of the measurements, an analysis of the data was carried out using the Generalizability theory. In addition, a comparison is made between the assessments of student examiners and second assessments by medical experts. Results: The stations of the formative OSCE show similar difficulties as those of the summative comparison OSCEs (Pform=0.882; Psum=0.845 – 0.902). With respect to measurement reliability, there are no differences between the OSCE in General Medicine and the other subjects. The assessments of student examiners and medical experts correlate highly (r=0.888). Conclusion: The formative OSCE in General Medicine is comparable to the summative comparison formats in terms of its quality criteria. The use of student examiners can be a reliable alternative to medical experts in formative OSCEs.
Quantitative Metabolite Patterns of Human Brain Tumors: Detection by 1H NMR Spectroscopy In Vivo and In Vitro

Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate quantitative metabolite patterns in human brain tumors by 1H nuclear MR spectroscopy (1H MRS). Materials and Methods Single voxel 1H MRS was used in studying metabolites in 23 primary brain tumors in vivo. The T2 relaxation times and saturation factors were determined for N-acetylaspartate (NAA), total creatine (Cr), choline-containing compounds (Cho), and water, which was used as an internal standard in computations of metabolite concentrations in vivo. Metabolites in biopsy specimens from 75 tumors were quantified by means of 1H MRS in vitro. Results The NAA concentrations were lower in brain tumors than in normal tissue in vitro and in vivo, irrespective of the histological type. The NAA was some threefold higher in vivo than in vitro, which could be due to partial volume effect and/or contributions from other metabolites to the peak at 2.02 ppm in vivo. Ratios of Cho to Cr concentrations were elevated in tumors relative to normal brain in vivo. Absolute Cho was some 50% higher in both benign astrocytomas and oligodendrogliomas in vivo than in normal brain. However, Cho concentration in vitro was significantly higher only in pituitary adenomas than in healthy white matter. Total creatine was ∼50% lower in malignant astrocytomas and meningiomas than in normal brain. Conclusion It is concluded that absolute concentrations of metabolites in vivo yield a different picture of tumor metabolites than that derived from uncorrected metabolite ratios.
The economic impact of AIDS in Africa.

This paper examines the economic repercussions for families and communities affected with AIDS in Africa. It was reported that one-quarter of the working population in Africa have been inflicted with AIDS and the money saved for basic necessities and investment in the children's future is used up to cover the high cost of medical expenses. An annual health care expenditure by the government of less than $100 is not enough to cover the cost of antiretroviral therapy of $10,000-20,000 per individual. When these patients die, the government must bear the burden of caring for the orphaned children and elderly. Also, the increasing number of HIV infection has taken a toll on the medical resources thus resulting to a rise in the price of medical services. Gross Domestic Product (GNP) has been used to evaluate the effect of AIDS in the region's productivity but was found out that it is the wrong way of measuring the effect. A larger context of human welfare must be considered and nations must realize that they lost 10-20 productive years due to a single disease. An estimate of just an annual decrease of 1.5% in the incidence of AIDS could increase the GNP by 56% in that same period. These figures are used as measures on a massive representation of human suffering and tragedy but they do not measure the agony of the survivors and ignore the loss of the dead and the dying.
Proteinase C (carboxypeptidase Y) mutant of yeast

A mutant of yeast lacking proteinase C (carboxypeptidase Y) activity has been found by using a histochemical stain to screen mutagenized colonies. This defect segregates 2:2 in meiotic tetrads. Cell extracts lacked the esterolytic, amidase, and proteolytic activities associated with proteinase C. The absence of proteinase C does not affect mitotic growth and has no obvious effect on the formation of viable ascospores or meiotic segregation. The mutant grows on peptides known to be cleaved by proteinase C in vitro. This finding is consistent with the idea that other enzymes exist in vivo with overlapping substrate specificities.
Transcriptomic Analysis of the Adaptation of Listeria monocytogenes to Lagoon and Soil Matrices Associated with a Piggery Environment: Comparison of Expression Profiles

Understanding how Listeria monocytogenes, the causative agent of listeriosis, adapts to the environment is crucial. Adaptation to new matrices requires regulation of gene expression. To determine how the pathogen adapts to lagoon effluent and soil, two matrices where L. monocytogenes has been isolated, we compared the transcriptomes of L. monocytogenes CIP 110868 20 min and 24 h after its transfer to effluent and soil extract. Results showed major variations in the transcriptome of L. monocytogenes in the lagoon effluent but only minor modifications in the soil. In both the lagoon effluent and in the soil, genes involved in mobility and chemotaxis and in the transport of carbohydrates were the most frequently represented in the set of genes with higher transcript levels, and genes with phage-related functions were the most represented in the set of genes with lower transcript levels. A modification of the cell envelop was only found in the lagoon environment. Finally, the differential analysis included a large proportion of regulators, regulons, and ncRNAs.
Salient task environment, reverse logistics and performance

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of the salient task environment on reverse logistics (RL) practices and organizational performance in the context of Taiwanese computer, communication, and consumer (3C) electronics retail industry. Design/methodology/approach – A hierarchical regression analysis was employed to test relationships between four constituents of the task environment and RL, as well as relationships between RL and environmental/economic performance. In addition, a regression analysis was used to examine the mediating effect of RL on relationships between the constituents of the task environment and environmental/economic performance. Data and information collected from a sample of 284 companies from the Taiwanese 3C retail industry were used for analysis. Findings – Results suggest that three out of four constituents of task environment including government agencies, suppliers, and customers are associated positively with RL activities. In other words, as the sa.
Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell cancer syndrome associated renal cell carcinoma

Hereditary leiomyomatosis and renal cell carcinoma (HLRCC) is a recently described entity with unknown exact prevalence. The affected individuals are predisposed to have multiple leiomyomas and renal cancer due to germline mutation in fumarate hydratase gene on chromosome 1. The knowledge of this rare tumour is essential for early recognition and institution of appropriate therapy, since they have a grave prognosis. Herein, we present the first case from India of HLRCC in a 42 year old lady who presented with a renal mass and metastasis with consequent fulminant course of disease. We discuss the detailed histomorphologic features and iunique immunohistochemical signature of this unusual renal tumour with discussion of differential diagnosis.
Baseline Specific IgE levels Are Useful to Predict Safety of Oral Immunotherapy in Egg-Allergic Children

M Vazquez-Ortiz, M Alvaro, M Piquer. Clin Exp Allergy. 2014;44(1):130–141 The goal of this study was to evaluate the safety of egg oral immunotherapy (OIT) and to predict who may have significant reactions or complications during the therapy. This study was a nonrandomized controlled, parallel-group intervention trial with an active study population of 50 consecutively enrolled children aged 5 to 18 years. The study children underwent egg OIT after confirming immunoglobulin (Ig)E-mediated egg allergy by using a double-blind, placebo-controlled egg food challenge (DBPCFC). The control group included 32 children who also had a positive DBPCFC but continued avoidance during a median observation period of 18 months. Subjects were started on an induction phase that lasted 16 weeks, including a …
A Novel Gene, hKCa4, Encodes the Calcium-activated Potassium Channel in Human T Lymphocytes*

We have isolated a novel gene, hKCa4, encoding an intermediate conductance, calcium-activated potassium channel from a human lymph node library. The translated protein comprises 427 amino acids, has six transmembrane segments, S1–S6, and a pore motif between S5 and S6. hKCa4 shares 41–42% similarity at the amino acid level with three small conductance calcium-activated potassium channels cloned from brain. Northern blot analysis of primary human T lymphocytes reveals a 2.2-kilobase transcript that is highly up-regulated in activated compared with resting cells, concomitant with an increase in KCa current. hKCa4 transcript is also detected by Northern blots or by polymerase chain reaction in placenta, prostate, thymus, spleen, colon, and many cell lines of hematopoietic origin. Patch-clamp recordings of hKCa4-transfected HEK 293 cells reveal a large voltage-independent, inwardly rectifying potassium current that is blocked by externally applied tetraethylammonium (K d = 30 ± 7 mm), charybdotoxin (K d = 10 ± 1 nm), and clotrimazole (K d = 387 ± 34 nm), but is resistant to apamin, iberiotoxin, kaliotoxin, scyllatoxin (K d > 1 μm), and margatoxin (K d > 100 nm). Single hKCa4 channels have a conductance of 33 ± 2 picosiemens in symmetrical potassium solutions. The channel is activated by intracellular calcium (K d = 270 ± 8 nm) with a highly cooperative interaction of approximately three calcium ions per channel. These properties of the cloned channel are very similar to those reported for the native KCa channel in activated human T lymphocytes, indicating that hKCa4 encodes this channel type.
Deposit Dollarization and its Impact on Financial Deepening in the Developing World

One of the main reasons for dollarization is the erosion of money's function as a store of value as the Currency Substitution view suggests. It has not been uncommon for countries with high inflationary processes to have high dollarization ratios and banking system that faces important challenges and risks that significantly affect their ability to provide capital to the overall economy (financial intermediation). In these economies, dollarization played a dual role: in one hand, the role of a hedging instrument protecting the value of money and, in the other hand, contributing to generate the so-called currency mismatch and default risks. This paper investigates the role of dollarization on the development of financial intermediation in developing economies. Our empirical findings suggest that dollarization has a negative impact on financial deepening, except on high-inflation economies.