Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Adherence to Hepatitis B Antiviral Therapy: A Qualitative Study

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) antiviral therapies potentially suppress HBV viral load to an undetectable level reducing the risk of progressive liver disease and the development of HBV-related hepatocellular carcinoma. Adherence to antiviral therapies is imperative to achieve and maintain viral suppression. To date, there has been limited research on adherence to HBV therapies. Our study aimed to explore factors influencing adherence to antiviral therapy. A total of 29 participants consented to in-depth qualitative interviews at three outpatient clinics in Sydney, New South Wales, Australia. Interviews were digitally recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were initially classified as adherent or nonadherent and thematic analysis was used to identify dominant themes. Adherent behavior was reported by 59% (n = 17) of participants. Several themes influenced adherence including routine, fear of HBV-related disease progression, clinician–patient communication, treatment knowledge, and forgetfulness. To our knowledge, this is the first qualitative study to explore adherence to HBV antiviral therapy. An interplay of several dominant themes emerged from our data including fear of chronic HBV disease progression, clinician–patient communication, treatment knowledge, routine, and forgetfulness. Study findings have the potential to change nursing clinical practice, especially the way nurses and other clinicians target key HBV treatment messages and education, while monitoring adherence.
A TMR Scheme for SEU Mitigation in Scan Flip-Flops

Radiation from outer space comprising of charged particles can affect transistors in integrated circuits resulting in a change in the state of transistors. This creates a temporary transient effect that corrupts logic within a circuit, and hence it is called a single event upset (SEU). The SEU if captured may lead to soft error. With the progress of microelectronic technology, the shrinkage of transistor sizes is enabling the integration of more transistors in a circuit, making them more vulnerable to soft errors. Any future attempt toward scaling will have to address the problems of circuit reliability which is affected by the increasing number of failures arising from soft errors. In this paper the authors present a novel register design which can detect and correct soft errors. The authors add a redundant latch to the existing structure of a flip-flop and functional data is simultaneously registered at multiple latches. The content of these multiple latches are fed to a majority voter, and if the content of any of these latches is corrupted by a soft error, it is filtered out through the majority voting circuit. This design provides tolerance over the entire vulnerability region of a flip-flop unlike other published solutions. This design can be operated as a simple scan flip-flop or scan hold flip-flop and thus is useful for system testability purposes. The detection and correction operation takes place concurrently, with 23% degradation in system performance
Triggering of CD23b antigen by anti‐CD23 monoclonal antibodies induces interleukin‐10 production by human macrophages

The aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of human macrophages to produce interleukin (IL)‐10 upon stimulation of membrane CD23. An anti‐CD23 monoclonal antibody (mAb) was found to elicit the expression of the specific mRNA for IL‐10 in CD23‐bearing macrophages, and to induce a time‐dependent production of this cytokine with a maximal effect reached after 12 h. Inasmuch as we previously reported that CD23 ligation evoked the generation of nitric oxide and of cAMP, the effect of the Rp diastereoisomer of adenosine 3′, 5′‐cyclic phosphorothioate (Rp‐cAMP, an inhibitor of the cAMP pathway) and of NG‐monomethyl‐L‐arginine (L‐NMMA, an inhibitor of the nitric oxide pathway) were evaluated on CD23‐induced IL‐10 production. In the presence of Rp‐cAMP, the CD23‐induced production of IL‐10 and of the pro‐inflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor‐γ (TNF‐γ) was totally abrogated, whereas, in the presence of L‐NMMA, IL‐10 production was enhanced and TNF‐γ production was suppressed. In addition, neutralization of IL‐10 with an anti‐IL‐10 mAb increased both the magnitude and duration of CD23‐driven TNF‐α production. Such an inducing effect was observed with different anti‐CD23 mAb (clone 135, MHM6 and 25), indicating that the triggering of the CD23 molecule at the surface of human macrophages induced the generation of IL‐10 through a cAMP‐dependent mechanism. Concomitantly this generation of IL‐10 was down‐regulated by nitric oxide, which was also produced after triggering of the CD23 antigen. Taken together these data indicated that human macrophages produced IL‐10 after triggering of the CD23 molecule and that this production could regulate the inflammatory state of these cells.
Predictors of tuberculosis treatment outcomes.

OBJECTIVE To analyze tuberculosis treatment outcomes and their predictors. METHODS This was a retrospective longitudinal cohort study involving tuberculosis patients treated between 2004 and 2006 at the Instituto de Pesquisa Evandro Chagas, in the city of Rio de Janeiro. We estimated adjusted risk ratios (ARRs) for the predictors of treatment outcomes. RESULTS Among 311 patients evaluated, the rates of cure, treatment abandonment, treatment failure, and mortality were 72%, 19%, 2%, and 6%, respectively. Changes in the treatment regimen due to adverse events occurred in 8%. The factors found to reduce the probability of cure were alcoholism (ARR, 0.30), use of the streptomycin+ethambutol+ofloxacin (SEO) regimen (ARR, 0.32), HIV infection without the use of antiretroviral therapy (ART; ARR, 0.36), and use of the rifampin+isoniazid+pyrazinamide+ethambutol regimen (ARR, 0.58). Being younger and being alcoholic both increased the probability of abandonment (ARR, 3.84 and 1.76, respectively). It was impossible to determine the ARR for the remaining outcomes due to their low prevalence. However, using the relative risk (RR), we identified the following potential predictors of mortality: use of the SEO regimen (RR, 11.43); HIV infection without ART (RR, 9.64); disseminated tuberculosis (RR, 9.09); lack of bacteriological confirmation (RR, 4.00); diabetes mellitus (RR, 3.94); and homosexual/bisexual behavior (RR, 2.97). Low income was a potential predictor of treatment failure (RR, 11.70), whereas disseminated tuberculosis and HIV infection with ART were potential predictors of changes in the regimen due to adverse events (RR, 3.57 and 2.46, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The SEO regimen should not be used for extended periods. The data confirm the importance of ART and suggest the need to use it early.
Examination and characterization of distribution system biofilms

Investigations concerning the role of distribution system biofilms on water quality were conducted at a drinking water utility in New Jersey. The utility experienced long-term bacteriological problems in the distribution system, while treatment plant effluents were uniformly negative for coliform bacteria. Results of a monitoring program showed increased coliform levels as the water moved from the treatment plant through the distribution system. Increased coliform densities could not be accounted for by growth of the cells in the water column alone. Identification of coliform bacteria showed that species diversity increased as water flowed through the study area. All materials in the distribution system had high densities of heterotrophic plate count bacteria, while high levels of coliforms were detected only in iron tubercles. Coliform bacteria with the same biochemical profile were found both in distribution system biofilms and in the water column. Assimilable organic carbon determinations showed that carbon levels declined as water flowed through the study area. Maintenance of a 1.0-mg/liter free chlorine residual was insufficient to control coliform occurrences. Flushing and pigging the study area was not an effective control for coliform occurrences in that section. Because coliform bacteria growing in distribution system biofilms may mask the presence of indicator organisms resulting from a true breakdown of treatment barriers, the report recommends that efforts continue to find methods to control growth of coliform bacteria in pipeline biofilms.
Inverse Modeling Approach to Allogenic Karst System Characterization

Allogenic karst systems function in a particular way that is influenced by the type of water infiltrating through river water losses, by karstification processes, and by water quality. Management of this system requires a good knowledge of its structure and functioning, for which a new methodology based on an inverse modeling approach appears to be well suited. This approach requires both spring and river inflow discharge measurements and a continuous record of chemical parameters in the river and at the spring. The inverse model calculates unit hydrographs and the impulse responses of fluxes from rainfall hydraulic head at the spring or rainfall flux data, the purpose of which is hydrograph separation. Hydrograph reconstruction is done using rainfall and river inflow data as model input and enables definition at each time step of the ratio of each component. Using chemical data, representing event and pre‐event water, as input, it is possible to determine the origin of spring water (either fast flow through the epikarstic zone or slow flow through the saturated zone). This study made it possible to improve a conceptual model of allogenic karst system functioning. The methodology is used to study the Bas‐Agly and the Cent Font karst systems, two allogenic karst systems in Southern France.
A closer look at non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cases in a national Swedish systemic lupus erythematosus cohort: a nested case-control study

Objective: To investigate risk factors for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) and analyse NHL subtypes and characteristics in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods: A national SLE cohort identified through SLE discharge diagnoses in the Swedish hospital discharge register during 1964 to 1995 (n = 6438) was linked to the national cancer register. A nested case control study on SLE patients who developed NHL during this observation period was performed with SLE patients without malignancy as controls. Medical records from cases and controls were reviewed. Tissue specimens on which the lymphoma diagnosis was based were retrieved and reclassified according to the WHO classification. NHLs of the subtype diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) were subject to additional immunohistochemical staining using antibodies against bcl-6, CD10 and IRF-4 for further subclassification into germinal centre (GC) or non-GC subtypes. Results: 16 patients with SLE had NHL, and the DLBCL subtype dominated (10 cases). The 5-year overall survival and mean age at NHL diagnosis were comparable with NHL in the general population—50% and 61 years, respectively. Cyclophosphamide or azathioprine use did not elevate lymphoma risk, but the risk was elevated if haematological or sicca symptoms, or pulmonary involvement was present in the SLE disease. Two patients had DLBCL-GC subtype and an excellent prognosis. Conclusions: NHL in this national SLE cohort was predominated by the aggressive DLBCL subtype. The prognosis of NHL was comparable with that of the general lymphoma population. There were no indications of treatment-induced lymphomas. Molecular subtyping could be a helpful tool to predict prognosis also in SLE patients with DLBCL.
Behavior of infants with iron-deficiency anemia.

This study tested the hypothesis that infants with iron-deficiency anemia show behaviors, such as increased proximity to caregivers, increased wariness or hesitance, and decreased activity, that could contribute to "functional isolation. " The behavior of 52 Costa Rican 12- to 23-month-old infants with iron-deficiency anemia was contrasted with that of 139 comparison group infants with better iron status during free play and mental and motor testing and in the home. Infants with iron-deficiency anemia maintained closer contact with caregivers; showed less pleasure and delight; were more wary, hesitant, and easily tired; made fewer attempts at test items; were less attentive to instructions and demonstrations; and were less playful. Adult behavior also differed. The results indicate that iron-deficiency anemia in infancy is associated with alterations in affect and activity, suggesting that functional isolation is a useful framework for understanding poorer developmental outcome in iron-deficiency anemia, the world's most common single nutrient deficiency.
Surface functionalized thiol‐ene waveguides for fluorescence biosensing in microfluidic devices

Thiol‐ene polymers possess physical, optical, and chemical characteristics that make them ideal substrates for the fabrication of optofluidic devices. In this work, thiol‐ene polymers are used to simultaneously create microfluidic channels and optical waveguides in one simple moulding step. The reactive functional groups present at the surface of the thiol‐ene polymer are subsequently used for the rapid, one step, site‐specific functionalization of the waveguide with biological recognition molecules. It was found that while the bulk properties and chemical surface properties of thiol‐ene materials vary considerably with variations in stoichiometric composition, their optical properties remain mostly unchanged with an average refractive index value of 1.566 ± 0.008 for thiol‐ene substrates encompassing a range from 150% excess ene to 90% excess thiol. Microfluidic chips featuring thiol‐ene waveguides were fabricated from 40% excess thiol thiol‐ene to ensure the presence of thiol functional groups at the surface of the waveguide. Biotin alkyne was photografted at specific locations using a photomask, directly at the interface between the microfluidic channel and the thiol‐ene waveguide prior to conjugation with fluorescently labeled streptavidin. Fluorescence excitation was achieved by launching light through the thiol‐ene waveguide, revealing bright fluorescent patterns along the channel/waveguide interface.
REGULATION OF EXTRACELLULAR MATRIX PROTEINS BY TRANSFORMING GROWTH FACTOR β1IN CULTURED PULMONARY ENDOTHELIAL CELLS

Transforming growth factor beta‐1 (TGF‐β1), which is present in lung tissue, has been suggested to play a role in modulating vascular cell function in vivo. The action of TGF‐β1in vivo, especially at the local site of application to connective tissue, is anabolic and leads to pulmonary fibrosis and angiogenesis, strongly indicating that TGF‐β may have practical applications in repair of tissue injury caused by burns, trauma, or surgery. In the present study, we have used cultured bovine pulmonary artery endothelial (BPAE) cells as a model system. Expression of various proteins, including SPARC (secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteines), type IV procollagen and fibronectin (FN) was examined by radiolabeling the cells with [3H]proline, immunoprecipitation with specific antibodies, and Northern blot analyses by using specific cDNA probes. Cultured cells were labeled with [3H]proline for 24h in either the absence or in the presence of TGF‐β1(0–20ng/ml). Incorporation of radioactivity was observed in a concentration‐dependent manner, maximal at 5ng/ml. Northern blot hybridization demonstrated that TGF‐β1(5ng/ml) treatment of BPAE cells caused an increase in steady‐state levels of mRNA for SPARC (75%) and FN, thus, indicating a positive modulation. To determine whether TGF‐β1has an effect on cell proliferation in the cultures, the incorporation of [3H]thymidine into cellular nuclei was used to measure DNA replication; 5ng/ml had an inhibitory effect (42%) on cell proliferation. Protein production by TGF‐β1, surprisingly, showed decrease in SPARC levels (42%) and in contrast increased levels of FN (86%) and type IV procollagen (334%). Our results indicate that on exposure to TGF‐β1, cultured BPAE cells differentially change expression of extracellular matrix proteins which may be important in remodeling of tissue and healing at sites of injury.
Treatment of Surgical Scars with the Cryogen‐Cooled 595 nm Pulsed Dye Laser Starting on the Day of Suture Removal

BACKGROUND Cosmetic results after skin surgery are a key component of patient satisfaction and self-image. Various lasers have been used to attempt scar improvement without consistent results. The optimal time to initiate laser treatment has not been determined. A recent study using a noncooled 585 nm pulsed dye laser starting on the day of suture removal demonstrated substantial improvement in scar appearance. OBJECTIVE To determine the efficacy of the 595 nm cryogen-cooled pulsed dye laser in the treatment of surgical scars starting on the day of suture removal. METHODS Sixteen patients with postoperative linear scars of greater than 2 cm were treated three times at 4- to 8-week intervals with a 595 nm cryogen-cooled pulsed dye laser. All patients had Fitzpatrick skin types I to IV. Each scar was divided at the midline into two fields, with half receiving treatment using a 7 mm spot size at 1.5 ms with 8 J/cm2 and a 30 ms spray duration with a 10 ms delay. The other half was not treated. Scars were evaluated for pigmentation, vascularity, pliability, and height by a blinded examiner using the Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS). In addition, the same blinded examiner evaluated the cosmetic appearance using a scale from 0 (worst) to 10 (best) prior to the second treatment and 1 month after the final treatment. RESULTS The average sum of all parameters in the VSS showed significant improvement from 1-month post-treatment to the final evaluation of 60% compared with the control of −3%. Also, scars in the treated portions scored an average of 2 points higher in the overall cosmetic appearance by the same blinded examiner based on a scale of 0 (worst) to 10 (best). Among the individual parameters in the VSS, the most significant improvements were found in vascularity and pliability. CONCLUSION The cryogen-cooled 595 nm pulsed dye laser is a safe and effective option to improve the cosmetic appearance of surgical scars in skin types I to IV starting on the day of suture removal.
Clinical and histologic evaluation of bone-replacement grafts in the treatment of localized alveolar ridge defects. Part 2: bioactive glass particulate.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the feasibility of using a bioactive alloplast and a physical barrier to augment localized alveolar ridge defects for the subsequent placement of dental implants. Twelve systemically healthy patients (aged 29 to 55 years) with inadequate dental alveolar ridge widths were selected for study. All patients completed initial therapy, which included scaling, root planing, and oral hygiene instruction. All ridge defects were augmented with a bioactive glass alloplast and a titanium-reinforced e-PTFE barrier. Vertical (height) and horizontal (width) hard tissue measurements were taken the day of ridge augmentation surgery (baseline) and at the 6-month reentry surgery. The change in ridge width varied from a loss of 1 mm to a gain of 4.5 mm, with a mean gain of 1.1 mm (P < .03). Eight of the 12 sites gained 1 mm or less. The difference in mean ridge width gain between maxillary and mandibular sites was not statistically significant (P > .08). Mean ridge width gain was 1.1 mm for both maxillary and mandibular sites. There was a loss in bone height of 0.3 mm from baseline. Four implants in four patients could not be placed because of inadequate ridge width augmentation. Histologic examination of the grafted sites revealed connective tissue encapsulation of most residual graft particles. In this study, bioactive glass particulate and an e-PTFE barrier did not consistently augment localized ridge defects for dental implant placement.
Event-related potential correlates of individual differences in working memory capacity.

The capacity of working memory has been suggested to differ among people and these differences affect performance in a wide variety of cognitive tasks. This study explored electrophysiological correlates of individual differences in working memory capacity by means of event-related potentials. Thirty-four healthy students performed two- and five-choice reaction time tasks. In the two-choice reaction time (2CRT) task, two digits (3 and 7) were presented visually with probabilities of . 20 and . 80. In the five-choice reaction time (5CRT) task, five digits (3, 4, 5, 6, and 7) were presented equiprobably in a random order. Participants were required to press a button corresponding to each digit with a different finger. Working memory capacity of each participant was assessed by the reading span test originated by M. Daneman and P.A. Carpenter (1980). Participants with high reading span produced larger P300s than did persons with low reading span in the 5CRT task, but the difference was not significant in the 2CRT task. It had been suggested that individual differences in working memory capacity would affect initial stages of information processing as early as 300 ms after stimulus onset.
Obesity and Cancer: An Angiogenic and Inflammatory Link

With the current epidemic of obesity, a large number of patients diagnosed with cancer are overweight or obese. Importantly, this excess body weight is associated with tumor progression and poor prognosis. The mechanisms for this worse outcome, however, remain poorly understood. We review here the epidemiological evidence for the association between obesity and cancer, and discuss potential mechanisms focusing on angiogenesis and inflammation. In particular, we will discuss how the dysfunctional angiogenesis and inflammation occurring in adipose tissue in obesity may promote tumor progression, resistance to chemotherapy, and targeted therapies such as anti‐angiogenic and immune therapies. Better understanding of how obesity fuels tumor progression and therapy resistance is essential to improve the current standard of care and the clinical outcome of cancer patients. To this end, we will discuss how an anti‐diabetic drug such as metformin can overcome these adverse effects of obesity on the progression and treatment resistance of tumors.
Fast photomultipliers for TOF PET

Presently, a major of detectors for PET systems are based on scintillator crystals read by photomultipliers. In our previous work, a very good time resolution recorded with a 10x10x5 mm3 LSO crystal coupled to a Photonis XP20D0 and Hamamatsu R5320 photomultipliers was shown. Results for both detectors were almost identical and close to 170 ps but their properties such us quantum efficiency of the photocathode and time jitter were significantly different. The XP20D0 possessed high QE and the measured photoelectron number was 40% larger than that of R5320. The R5320 had a time jitter of 140 plusmn 7 ps at FWHM, three times better than that of XP20D0. The fact, that despite of large differences in parameters of the used PMTs a comparable time resolution was achieved, triggered our further study of the most important properties of the photomultipliers and their influence on timing and energy resolution towards to optimize TOF PET systems. Thanks to a close cooperation with Photonis, during last few years we gathered a large amount of information and experimental data of various types of PMTs. The aim of this paper is to present general conclusions and dependencies that were derived from these multiple experiments. This should help to develop an ultimate, PMT based detector, for TOF PET systems.