Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[The prognostic value of the Acute Kidney Injury Network criteria in patients with acute paraquat poisoning].

OBJECTIVE To explore the prognostic value of the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria in patients with acute paraquat (PQ) poisoning. METHODS A retrospective study on 184 patients with acute PQ poisoning admitted to the Shandong Provincial Hospital from April 2010 to March 2013 was done. The clinical data and AKIN stage were compared between survivors and non-survivors, and multivariate analysis was done by Cox-proportional hazards regression model. Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival rate of the patients in different stages of poisoning. RESULTS The 60-day mortality was 42.93% (79/184). There were no significant differences between the survival and non-survival groups in respect of gender, simultaneous alcohol drinking, duration between ingestion and gastric lavage, duration between ingestion and first hemoperfusion, and number of hemoperfusion. Significant differences were found between two groups in age, quantity of ingestion, receiving hemoperfusion or not, AKIN stage, and initial laboratory data including white blood cell count, the percentage of neutrophil, blood glucose, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, β2-microglobulin (β2-MG), serum K+, CO2, anion gap, and urinary concentration of PQ. The AKIN stage [odds ratio (OR)=3.242, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 2.236-4.701, P=0.000], urinary concentrations of PQ (OR=1.773, 95%CI 1.008-3.116, P=0.047), the amount of ingestion (OR=1.003, 95%CI 1.000-1.006, P=0.040), and CO2 (OR=0.094, 95%CI 0.891-0.991, P=0.021) were independent prognostic factors for death among them. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis showed the survival rate of AKIN 3 group was significantly lower than that in AKIN 2 group (5.88% vs. 56.25%, χ2=16.149, P=0.000), AKIN 1 group (5.88% vs. 78.95%, χ2=62.444, P=0.000) and non-AKI group(5.88% vs. 100.0%, χ2=173.549, P=0.000). CONCLUSIONS The AKIN staging is a reliable marker for mortality prediction in acute PQ poisoning patients. In cases without facilities to determine plasma PQ concentration, the staging of AKIN may be a simple and practical tool for assessing the severity of PQ poisoning.
Population Pharmacokinetics and Penetration into Prostatic, Seminal, and Vaginal Fluid for Ciprofloxacin, Levofloxacin, and Their Combination

Background: Our objectives were to assess the pharmacokinetic interaction and body fluid penetration of ciprofloxacin and levofloxacin. Methods: This study was a single-dose open randomized three-way crossover in 15 healthy volunteers receiving 500 mg oral levofloxacin, 500 mg oral ciprofloxacin, or 250 mg levofloxacin and 250 mg ciprofloxacin co-administered. Serum, urine, and body fluid concentrations were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography and analyzed via population pharmacokinetic modeling. Results: Modeling indicated that ciprofloxacin inhibited the renal reabsorption of levofloxacin. Ciprofloxacin increased the net renal clearance of levofloxacin by 13%, as its estimated affinity for a putative tubular reabsorption transporter was 12-fold higher (Km: 568 µM) compared to levofloxacin (Km: 6,830 µM). Levofloxacin increased the bioavailability of ciprofloxacin by 12% and achieved significantly (p < 0.05) higher concentrations at 3 h in ejaculate, prostatic, seminal, and vaginal fluid compared to ciprofloxacin. Conclusion: Modeling suggested that ciprofloxacin inhibited the tubular reabsorption of levofloxacin due to a 12-fold higher affinity for a putative tubular reabsorption transporter compared to levofloxacin. This pharmacokinetic interaction was not clinically relevant.
Beta-cell dysfunction in subjects with impaired glucose tolerance and early type 2 diabetes: comparison of surrogate markers with first-phase insulin secretion from an intravenous glucose tolerance test.

OBJECTIVE Methods to assess beta-cell function in clinical studies are limited. The aim of the current study was to compare a direct measure of insulin secretion with fasting surrogate markers in relation to glucose tolerance status. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS In 1,380 individuals from the Insulin Resistance Atherosclerosis Study, beta-cell function was assessed using a frequently sampled intravenous glucose tolerance test (first-phase insulin secretion; acute insulin response [AIR]), homeostasis model assessment of beta-cell function (HOMA-B), proinsulin levels, and the proinsulin-to-insulin ratio. Beta-cell function was cross-sectionally analyzed by glucose tolerance categories (normal glucose tolerance [NGT], n = 712; impaired glucose tolerance [IGT], n = 353; newly diagnosed diabetes by 2-h glucose from an oral glucose tolerance test [OGTT] [DM2h], n = 80; newly diagnosed diabetes by fasting glucose [DMf], n = 135; or newly diagnosed diabetes by fasting and 2-h glucose and established diabetes on diet/exercise only [DM], n = 100). RESULTS In Spearman correlation analyses, proinsulin and the proinsulin-to-insulin ratio were only modestly inversely related to AIR (r values from -0.02 to -0.27), and AIR was strongly related to HOMA-B (r values 0.56 and 0.58). HOMA-B markedly underestimated the magnitude of the beta-cell defect across declining glucose tolerance, especially for IGT and new DM by OGTT compared with AIR. Analyses adjusting for insulin sensitivity showed that beta-cell function was compromised in IGT, DM2h, DMf, and DM, relative to NGT, by 13, 12, 59, and 62% (HOMA-B) and by as much as 40, 60, 80, and 75%, using AIR. CONCLUSIONS Subjects with IGT and early-stage, asymptomatic type 2 diabetic patients have more pronounced beta-cell defects than previously estimated from epidemiological studies using homeostasis model assessment.
Popularity-based Detection of Domain Generation Algorithms

In order to stay undetected and keep their operations alive, cyber criminals are continuously evolving their methods to stay ahead of current best defense practices. Over the past decade, botnets have developed from using statically hardcoded IP addresses and domain names to randomly-generated ones, so-called domain generation algorithms (DGA). Malicious software coordinated via DGAs leaves however a distinctive signature in network traces of high entropy domain names, and a variety of algorithms have been introduced to detect certain aspects about currently used DGAs. In this paper, we look ahead and evaluate the utility of today's detection mechanisms if botnets make the next obvious evolutionary step, and replace domain names generated from random letters with randomly selected, but actual dictionary words. We find that the performance of state-of-the-art solutions that rely on linguistic feature detection would significantly decline after this transition, and discuss an alternative novel approach to detect DGAs without making any assumptions on the internal structure and generating patterns of these algorithms.
The role of regional location in innovativeness

The relationship between innovation and regional location is the object of much debate in management studies. This paper analyses the role of the regional location environment in firms’ innovative behaviour using data of 8,193 Spanish firms from different regions in Spain. Our results show that regional-specific factors (autonomous regions, spending on innovation, number of patents applied for and number of science and technology parks in the region) as well as other firm-specific factors (size, sector, turnover and start-up) have a significant impact on the innovativeness of Spanish companies.
Study of some aspects of autoimmune response for patients of thyroiditis

A study were performed to estimation the concentrations of the hormones (T3, T4 and TSH) , thyroglobulin(Tg) and thyroid peroxidase (TPO) aut antibodies , and the concentration of HLA-DR alleles in patients with thyroid diseases in Babylon province . The study reveals that the T4 levels were significantly increased (p< 0.05) in hyperthyroidism patients compared with other groups and healthy subject , also there is a significant increased (p< 0.05) in TSH level in hypothyroidism group compared with other groups; furthermore , the concentration of TPO auto-antibody show highly significant elevation (p<0.05) in hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism patients compared with other group and healthy individuals . Meantime , there is significant differences (p<0.05) in TG auto-antibody between hyperthyroidism patients and other groups ;while there were significantly increased (p<0.05) in frequency of HLA-DR alleles in all groups of patients compared with healthy subjects , furthermore , the results reveals increased ratio of disease in females compared with males , also the ratio of thyroiditis patients were higher in second age categories compared with first and third age categories .
Probabilités - Préparation à l'agrégation interne

Ces notes de cours couvrent les notions de probabilites au programme de l’agregation interne de mathematiques. Elles ne constituent pas des modeles de lecons d’oral. La version electronique est disponible gratuitement sur HAL tandis que la version papier est vendue a prix coutant sur Amazon Europe.
Three-Phase Operation of Brushless DC Motor Drive Controlled by a Predictive Algorithm

A novel predictive control algorithm for the current control of brushless DC drives is presented in the paper. It allows to exploit the three phase of the motor simultaneously. The pulse width of the chain voltages are determined by means of the proposed algorithm, under the constraints of minimum Joule losses and torque ripple free operation. At maximum speed, high torque ripple appears but it is lower than that of six step operation of the traditionally controlled drive. Also the mean torque is higher than that of six step operation. Simulation results highlight the better dynamic and steady state performance of the drive controlled by the propose algorithm, with respect to the one of the traditional control
Pinning Alone? A Study of the Role of Social Ties on Pinterest

This paper seeks to answer the question of whether social ties are important on interest-driven social networks, by analysing 4-years of activities of 50,000 randomly sampled users on Pinterest, a social image discovery website. We find that a non-trivial number of users’ images are copied or repinned from strangers instead of friends, suggesting that social-based information exploration is not important. However, social interactions and social repins are critical for user retention: users interacting with friends are more likely to return Pinterest soon. These results suggest that the real role of social ties on interest-driven social networks is to enable bonding of users rather than seeking information.
Leucémie aigue érythroblastique: à propos de sept observations

La leucémie aigue érythroblastique (LAM-M6) est une entité rare, représente 3 à 4% de l'ensemble des leucémies aigues. Il en existe deux types: l’érythroleucémie et la leucémie érythroïde pure. Elle se manifeste le plus souvent par des signes de cytopénie et d'infiltration des tissus extra-hématopoïétiques, elle est plus fréquente chez les adultes que chez les enfants et est de mauvais pronostic. Le but de notre travail est de mettre en évidence les particularités épidémiologiques, diagnostiques et évolutives de cette pathologie rare au sein du CHU HASSAN II de Fès. Nous rapportons le cas de sept patients diagnostiqués leucémie aigue érythroblastique LAM-M6 au laboratoire d'hématologie du CHU Hassan II de Fès entre Janvier 2009 et Aout 2013. Le diagnostic de leucémie aigue érythroblastique a été retenu sur un examen cytologique du frottis sanguin et du médullogramme ainsi que l'examen immunophénotypique. Il s'agit de deux adultes et cinq enfants, la plupart ont présenté une altération de l’état général, des signes de cytopénie et un syndrome tumoral. L’étude cytologique du frottis sanguin et du médullogramme ainsi que les résultats de l'immunophénotypage ont conduit au diagnostic de l’érythroleucémie chez six de nos patients et de leucémie érythroïde pure chez un seul patient. L’évolution a été différente pour ces patients. Le pronostic est grave d'où l'intérêt d'un diagnostic rapide et d'une prise en charge adéquate.
Amber from western Amazonia reveals Neotropical diversity during the middle Miocene

Tertiary insects and arachnids have been virtually unknown from the vast western Amazonian basin. We report here the discovery of amber from this region containing a diverse fossil arthropod fauna (13 hexapod families and 3 arachnid species) and abundant microfossil inclusions (pollen, spores, algae, and cyanophyceae). This unique fossil assemblage, recovered from middle Miocene deposits of northeastern Peru, greatly increases the known diversity of Cenozoic tropical–equatorial arthropods and microorganisms and provides insights into the biogeography and evolutionary history of modern Neotropical biota. It also strengthens evidence for the presence of more modern, high-diversity tropical rainforest ecosystems during the middle Miocene in western Amazonia.
Dynamic Test Composition In Hierarchical Software Testing

Testing of large software systems is essential to assure the desired system reliability, but it involves large amounts of computer resources. It turns out that working in mid-range test granularity obtains very regular hierarchical test graphs, implying significant savings of testing-time, by dynamic generation of the strictly necessary tests. We formulate general analytic expressions for time savings and obtain the important result that savings increases with system size. The approach was demonstrated by actually implementing a testing system for large bundles of content files.
Primary care groups and trusts: a threat or an opportunity for the development of community-based nursing in England.

AIMS OF THE STUDY To examine the role of Primary Care Groups and Trusts (PCG/T) in relation to nurses working in general practice and community health services. BACKGROUND Over the past two decades there have been rapid changes in the numbers and roles of nurses working in primary care and community based settings. The establishment of Primary Care Groups offers health care professionals, including nurses, the chance to develop local primary care services and to integrate community and primary care nursing. These developments may offer opportunities or pose threats to nursing staff. RESEARCH METHODS Data are drawn from a longitudinal study of a randomly selected sample of Primary Care Groups in England (n = 72). In a second survey of Groups carried out in autumn/winter 2000, Primary Care Group chairs and chief officers were interviewed by telephone. RESULTS Response rates were 97% for both chairs and chief officers (69 of each). Chairs indicated that in most areas Primary Care Groups were consulting with local nurses to develop policy. Fifty-seven (85%) reported that investment in nursing staff and nursing services was a high priority in their area. Twenty-eight (41%) indicated that nurse-led services designed to increase patient access had already been established in their area, and 20 (29%) were planning new nurse-led services. Many developments had been initiated by Primary Care Groups. Initiatives to integrate community and general practice based staff were underway in most areas. CONCLUSIONS Primary Care Groups and Trusts are initiating changes in general practice and community based services which are likely to have long-term and important implications for nurses in terms of their roles, conditions of work and future careers. It is important that nurses are consulted and are involved in developing and implementing policy change.
Influence of essential oil components on growth performance and the functional activity of the pancreas and small intestine in broiler chickens

To investigate the efficacy of alternatives to antibiotics, the present study was conducted to compare the effects of antibiotic, lactic acid, a blend of commercial essential oils (EOs) and EOs in combination with lactic acid on growth performance and the functional activity of the gut in broiler chickens. A total of 168 broiler chickens were given the basal diet supplemented with 10 ppm colistin (T1), 0.1% lactic acid (T2), 25 ppm EOs (T3), 25 ppm EOs+0.1% lactic acid (T4), 50 ppm EOs (T5) or 50 ppm EOs+0.1% lactic acid (T6) in the period 3 to 35 days of age. As a result, the broiler chickens assigned to T4 group throughout the experimental period had apparently (p<0.05) greater body weight and total gain than these assigned to T1, T2, T3 and T5 groups. However, there was no difference in growth performance among the birds fed the diets supplemented with antibiotic (T1), lactic acid (T2) and EOs (T3 and T5) alone. The weights of digestive organs and the number of lactobacilli and E. coli in the lower ileum were not affected by dietary treatments. Total trypsin activity was significantly (p<0.05) greater in T4 than T1, T2, T3 and T5 groups. Total and specific pancreatic α- amylase activities were significantly (p<0.05) enhanced in the broiler chickens fed T4 diet compared with these fed T1, T2 and T3 diets. However, there were no differences in growth performance and digestive enzyme activities including pancreatic trypsin and α-amylase between T4 and T6 groups fed the diets supplemented with either low or high EOs levels in combination of lactic acid. In conclusion, a blend of commercial EOs combined with lactic acid showed significant increases in digestive enzyme activities of the pancreas and intestinal mucosa, leading to increase in growth performance. (Asian-Aust. J. Anim. Sci. 2004. Vol 17, No. 3 : 394-400)
Does circulating IL-17 identify a subset of patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension?

To the Editor: We read with great interest the article in CHEST (June 2015) by Hautefort et al, 1 who demonstrated activity of the T helper 17 pathway in patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Th e authors further substantiated a potential role of an autoimmune pathogenesis in IPAH, a disease defi ned by the absence of known causes or associated conditions. “A fl avor of autoimmunity” in IPAH, as discussed by the authors, 1 also arises from studies showing a high prevalence of auto-antibodies in patients with IPAH and their role in in vitro models. 1 , 2 IL-17A can be detected in the circulation of patients with cardiovascular diseases. However, in that population, concerns regarding the pathogenic infl uence of IL-17A are raised by Simon et al, 3 who showed, albeit inconsistently with the assumed deleterious role for IL-17A in atherosclerosis, a favorable outcome for patients with acute myocardial infarction and high levels of circulating IL-17A. 4 We hypothesized that circulating IL-17A levels are also altered in a subset of patients with IPAH. Th irty-two patients with IPAH, diagnosed according to current recommendations, 5 and seven ageand
Potential for Integrated Control of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in Glasshouse Lettuce Using Coniothyrium minitans and Reduced Fungicide Application.

ABSTRACT All pesticides used in United Kingdom glasshouse lettuce production (six fungicides, four insecticides, and one herbicide) were evaluated for their effects on Coniothyrium minitans mycelial growth and spore germination in vitro agar plate tests. Only the fungicides had a significant effect with all three strains of C. minitans tested, being highly sensitive to iprodione (50% effective concentration [EC(50)] 7 to 18 mug a.i. ml(-1)), moderately sensitive to thiram (EC(50) 52 to 106 mug a.i. ml(-1)), but less sensitive to the remaining fungicides (EC(50) over 200 mug a.i. ml(-1)). Subsequently, all pesticides were assessed for their effect on the ability of C. minitans applied as a solid substrate inoculum to infect sclerotia of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum in soil tray tests. Despite weekly applications of pesticides at twice their recommended concentrations, C. minitans survived in the soil and infected sclerotia equally in all pesticide-treated and untreated control soil trays. This demonstrated the importance of assessing pesticide compatibility in environmentally relevant tests. Based on these results, solid substrate inoculum of a standard and an iprodione-tolerant strain of C. minitans were applied individually to S. sclerotiorum-infested soil in a glasshouse before planting lettuce crops. The effect of a single spray application of iprodione on disease control in the C. minitans treatments was assessed. Disease caused by S. sclerotiorum was significantly reduced by C. minitans and was enhanced by a single application of iprodione, regardless of whether the biocontrol agent was iprodione-tolerant. In a second experiment, disease control achieved by a combination of C. minitans and a single application of iprodione was shown to be equivalent to that of prophylactic sprays with iprodione every 2 weeks. The fungicide did not affect the ability of C. minitans to spread into plots where only the fungicide was applied and to infect sclerotia. These results indicate that integrated control of S. sclerotiorum with soil applications of C. minitans and reduced foliar iprodione applications was feasible, did not require a fungicide tolerant isolate, and that suppression of Sclerotinia disease by C. minitans under existing chemical control regimes has credence.
Mercados laborales en entornos de conflictos armados: un análisis empírico para Colombia

Historicamente se ha reconocido que los conflictos internos afectan de manera directa variables a nivel individual como la salud de las personas, los niveles de escolaridad y el desplazamiento forzoso de los afectados. Sin embargo, solo hasta la ultima decada las investigaciones academicas se han inclinado en documentar y cuantificar rigurosamente los efectos colaterales de la violencia sobre las condiciones de vida de los individuos. La presente investigacion estudia como la exposicion al conflicto en Colombia ha afectado las decisiones en terminos de mercado laboral de las personas. La estrategia de identificacion internaliza los reconocidos problemas de endogeneidad del conflicto con variables de actividad y desarrollo economico y presenta resultados robustos a fenomenos de migracion interna y desplazamiento. En terminos de participacion laboral y desempleo, se encuentran efectos heterogeneos a nivel de genero como respuestas a la violencia experimentada. En particular, la probabilidad de participacion laboral de las mujeres se incremente como consecuencia de la exposicion al conflicto, mientras que la de desempleo disminuye. Para los hombres, los resultados muestran una menor probabilidad de participacion, efecto contrario al de las mujeres, y un efecto analogo en terminos de desempleo. La investigacion no encuentra efectos diferenciales en terminos de informalidad laboral.
Distributed management in local area networks

llis research hypothesized that distributed data management in a local area network environment is mudl more like data management in closely coupled multiprocessor systems than in amventional networks. That is, the performance characteristics are suds that wmmunications costs do not dominate the design, and in fact may be disaxmted. Further, a distributed operating system that provides a high degree of network transparency (logically similar to MP systems) permits a distnbuted database architecture that is dramatically simpler to build than conventional approaches, and performs at least as well as the alternatives. In this paper we first summa&e a simple performancc model, validated by expeximental results, to support this perspective. Then a case study, the adaptation of smgle machine Ingrea [Held 751 to distributed data management is presented to support the architectural view expressed above. We conclude that the database architecture outlined here is far superior to older, more conventional approaches.