Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
C1-esterase inhibitor attenuates the inflammatory response during human endotoxemia

Objective:Besides its role in regulation of the complement and contact system, C1-esterase inhibitor has other immunomodulating effects that could prove beneficial in patients with acute inflammation such as during sepsis or after trauma. We examined the immunomodulating properties of C1-esterase inhibitor during human experimental endotoxemia, in which the innate immune system is activated in the absence of activation of the classic complement pathway. Design:Double-blind placebo-controlled study. Setting:Research intensive care unit of the Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Centre. Subjects:Twenty healthy volunteers. Interventions:Intravenous injection of 2 ng/kg Escherichia coli lipopolysaccharide. Thirty minutes thereafter (to prevent binding of lipopolysaccharide), C1-esterase inhibitor concentrate (100 U/kg, n = 10) or placebo (n = 10) was infused. Measurements and Main Results:Pro- and anti-inflammatory mediators, markers of endothelial and complement activation, hemodynamics, body temperature, and symptoms were measured. C1-esterase inhibitor reduced the release of proinflammatory cytokines as well as C-reactive protein (peak levels of: interleukin-6 1521 ± 209 vs. 932 ± 174 pg/mL [p = .04], tumor necrosis factor-&agr; 1213 ± 187 vs. 827 ± 167 pg/mL [p = .10], monocyte chemotactic protein-1 6161 ± 1302 vs. 3373 ± 228 pg/mL [p = .03], interleukin-1&bgr; 34 ± 5 vs. 23 ± 2 pg/mL [p < .01], C-reactive protein 39 ± 4 vs. 29 ± 2 mg/L [p = .02]). In contrast, release of the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 was increased by C1-esterase inhibitor (peak level 73 ± 11 vs. 121 ± 18 pg/mL, p = .02). The increase in interleukin-1 receptor antagonist tended to be smaller in the C1-esterase inhibitor group, but this effect did not reach statistical significance (p = .07). Markers for endothelial activation were increased after lipopolysaccharide infusion, but no significant differences between groups were observed. The lipopolysaccharide-induced changes in heart rate, blood pressure, body temperature, and symptoms (all p < .001 over time) were not influenced by C1-esterase inhibitor. Complement fragment C4 was not increased after lipopolysaccharide challenge. Conclusions:This study is the first to demonstrate that C1-esterase inhibitor exerts anti-inflammatory effects in the absence of classic complement activation in humans.
Norm evolution and violation on Facebook

This study explores how norms on social network sites evolve over time and how violations of these norms impact individuals’ self-presentational and relationship goals. Employing Expectancy Violations Theory (Burgoon, 1978) as a guiding framework, results from a series of focus groups suggest that both the content of the violation and the users’ relationship to the violator impact how individuals react to negative violations. Specifically, acquaintances who engage in minor negative violations are ignored or hidden, while larger infractions (that could negatively impact the individual) result in deletion of the offending content and – in extreme cases – termination of the Facebook friendship. Negative violations from close friends (that did not impact participants’ goals) resulted in confrontations, while similar violations from acquaintances were often ignored by participants in an effort to ‘keep the peace. ’ Furthermore, positive violations were more likely to arise from acquaintances than close friends.
Long-term pharmacotherapy for obesity and overweight.

BACKGROUND Worldwide prevalence rates of obesity and overweight are rising and safe and effective treatment strategies are urgently needed. A number of anti-obesity agents have been studied in short-term clinical trials, but long-term efficacy and safety need to be established. OBJECTIVES To assess/compare the effects and safety of approved anti-obesity medications in clinical trials of at least one-year duration. SEARCH STRATEGY MEDLINE, EMBASE, the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register, the Current Science Meta-register of Controlled Trials, and reference lists of original studies and reviews were searched. Date of last search was December 2002. Drug manufacturers and two obesity experts were contacted in to detect unpublished trials. No language restrictions were imposed. SELECTION CRITERIA Double-blind, randomised controlled weight loss and weight maintenance trials of approved anti-obesity agents that 1) enrolled adult overweight or obese patients, 2) included a placebo control group or compared two or more anti-obesity drugs 3) used an intention-to-treat analysis, and 4) had a minimum follow-up period of one year. Abstracts and pseudo-randomised trials were not included. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers independently assessed all potentially relevant citations for inclusion and methodological quality. The primary outcome measure was weight loss. MAIN RESULTS Of the eight anti-obesity agents investigated, only orlistat and sibutramine trials met inclusion criteria. Eleven orlistat weight loss studies (four of which reported a second year weight maintenance phase) and five sibutramine studies (three weight loss and two weight maintenance trials) were included. Attrition rates averaged 33% during the weight loss phase of orlistat trials and 43% in sibutramine studies. All patients received lifestyle modification as a co-intervention. Compared to placebo, orlistat-treated patients lost 2.7 kg (95% CI: 2.3 kg to 3.1 kg) or 2.9% (95% CI: 2.3 % to 3.4%) more weight and patients on sibutramine experienced 4.3 kg (95% CI: 3.6 kg to 4.9 kg) or 4.6% (95% CI: 3.8% to 5.4%) greater weight loss. The number of patients achieving ten percent or greater weight loss was 12% (95% CI: 8% to 16%) higher with orlistat and 15% (95% CI: 4% to 27%) higher with sibutramine therapy. Weight loss maintenance results were similar. Orlistat caused gastrointestinal side effects and sibutramine was associated with small increases in blood pressure and pulse rate. REVIEWER'S CONCLUSIONS Studies evaluating the long-term efficacy of anti-obesity agents are limited to orlistat and sibutramine. Both drugs appear modestly effective in promoting weight loss; however, interpretation is limited by high attrition rates. Longer and more methodologically rigorous studies of anti-obesity drugs that are powered to examine endpoints such as mortality and cardiovascular morbidity are required to fully evaluate any potential benefit of such agents.
Novel configuration and controlling method on islanded microgrid in order to share active and reactive loads on energy supply units without voltage and frequency drop

Configuring and novel controlling method on islanded micro grid in order to share active and reactive load on energy supply units are represented in this article. In a micro grid which is supplying its network load in islanded mode, stable operation of micro grid and sharing load on energy supply units are necessary. Therefore Droop control method is using as an effective method for load sharing on energy supply units. This method, in addition to hardening access to stable network during the load variations, causes voltage and frequency droop within the network. In this article the problem of voltage and frequency droop has been solved by presenting a new structure in micro grid configuration which consists distributed generation and power-electronic converters. As a result, access to a stable network during load variations will be achievable. Furthermore, active and reactive load sharing on energy supply units will be done. Simulation results of a micro grid with configuration and suggested controlling structure in Matlab/Simulink are the validation of proposed method in this matter.
Estudio de caso para evaluar el efecto de la terapia conductual en el desarrollo de un niño de dos años cuatro meses diagnosticado con trastorno autista

A traves de un diseno de investigacion tipo experimental caso unico de linea base multiple se analiza la efectividad de las tecnicas de la Terapia Conductual basado en los estudios de Dr. Lovaas (Analisis Aplicado de la Conducta) y Dr. Gutstein (Relationship Development Intervention), aplicada a un nino de dos (2) anos cuatro (4) meses diagnosticado con Trastorno Autista. Con la aplicacion del tratamiento por diez (10) horas semanales durante un (1) ano los sintomas que se buscan reducir son los criterios diagnosticos del DSM-IV-TR: a) alteracion cualitativa de la interaccion social, b) alteracion cualitativa de la comunicacion y c) patrones de comportamiento, intereses y actividades restringida, repetitiva y estereotipada; ademas aumentar las habilidades de desarrollo en las areas personal social, adaptativa, motora, comunicacion y cognitiva de acuerdo al Inventario de Desarrollo Battelle. Los resultados de esta investigacion indican que la terapia conductual disminuye los sintomas del Trastorno Autista y aumenta el puntaje del Inventario de Desarrollo Battelle.
Applications of tensor (multiway array) factorizations and decompositions in data mining

Tensor (multiway array) factorization and decomposition has become an important tool for data mining. Fueled by the computational power of modern computer researchers can now analyze large‐scale tensorial structured data that only a few years ago would have been impossible. Tensor factorizations have several advantages over two‐way matrix factorizations including uniqueness of the optimal solution and component identification even when most of the data is missing. Furthermore, multiway decomposition techniques explicitly exploit the multiway structure that is lost when collapsing some of the modes of the tensor in order to analyze the data by regular matrix factorization approaches. Multiway decomposition is being applied to new fields every year and there is no doubt that the future will bring many exciting new applications. The aim of this overview is to introduce the basic concepts of tensor decompositions and demonstrate some of the many benefits and challenges of modeling data multiway for a wide variety of data and problem domains. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2011 1 24‐40 DOI: 10.1002/widm.1
Hormone therapy for menopausal symptoms--update for the clinical nurse specialist.

CLIN ICAL NURSE SPEC IALI STTM Clinical Nurse SpecialistTM Copyright © 2004 by Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, Inc. B July 2002, prescribing hormone therapy (HT) for menopausal symptoms—hot flashes, sleep disturbance, headache, mood problems, and vaginal dryness—was easier. However, when the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI) halted its trial of estrogen-plus-progestin therapy because adverse events outweighed HT’s benefits, determining therapy became much more difficult. Intense media attention surrounding the study generated confusion, even fear. Patients flooded telephone lines of their healthcare providers, querying whether they should continue HT while others went “cold turkey. ” The WHI’s halting of the estrogen-plus-progestin trial prompted major changes in treatment of menopausal symptoms. First, no longer is HT deemed the panacea for preventing multiple signs and symptoms of menopause. Healthcare providers are more cautious when prescribing HT and individualizing their approach to menopausal relief.
Etude des corrélats électrophysiologiques du traitement des erreurs motrices et des mécanismes de l'adaptation sensorimotrice

Chez l’humain, les correlats EEG du systeme de supervision de l’action ont largement ete explores dans le cadre de travaux sur la prise de decision, mettant en evidence plusieurs potentiels evoques caracteristiques du traitement des erreurs de selection de l'action. Typiquement, les tâches employees impliquent des reponses motrices elementaires et l’evaluation des performances est de nature categorielle. En contraste, l'EEG n'a que rarement ete associee a des tâches motrices plus complexes, dans lesquelles les erreurs d'execution du mouvement correspondent a des evenements spatio-temporels variant en amplitude de maniere continue. Pour explorer les correlats EEG du traitement des erreurs d’execution du mouvement nous avons enregistre l'activite cerebrale de participants engages dans des tâches d'adaptation visuomotrice impliquant des perturbations mecaniques ou visuelles.Dans une premiere etude, nous avons identifie une negativite fronto-centrale sensible a la taille des erreurs cinematiques. Sa forte similitude avec la negativite liee au feedback (FRN), classiquement associee aux erreurs de prediction de la recompense (EPR) suggere que le traitement des erreurs de prediction sensorielles recrute des processus neuronaux communs a celui des EPR. Dans une seconde etude, nous avons explore la sensibilite de l'activite oscillatoire β aux erreurs cinematiques. Nous avons ainsi mis en evidence deux patrons de modulation distincts. Alors que la modulation du rebond β post-mouvement serait liee a la saillance des erreurs cinematiques independamment de l’adaptation sensorimotrice, la modulation de la puissance β pre-mouvement semble etre le reflet de mecanismes adaptatifs.
Exposing knowledge in speech: Monitoring conceptual development in spoken conversation

Automatic evaluation of verbal activities has always been hard. On the one hand, teachers want to stimulate student engagement and therefore often base grades on the number of participations. On the other hand, if quantity is more important than quality, students might participate, but add nothing new to the conversation. Providing feedback for spoken conversations is another challenge, one that is often solved by doing things manually. Both aspects originate from the same problem, the difficulty of extracting semantic knowledge from speech. In this contribution we present our approach to extracting and visualising this semantic knowledge using an open source speech recognition engine and Latent Semantic Analysis.
Fibrosis and Atrophy in the Renal Allograft: Interim Report and New Directions

The topic of chronic allograft nephropathy/chronic rejection is reviewed, with focus on fibrosing/sclerosing changes and late loss of function in renal allografts. Discussion includes a review of the problem, pathological and clinical findings, and new directions. Emphasis is placed on definition of specific diagnostic entities in these allografts, and identification of ongoing/active processes in this setting that might be amenable to direct intervention. A schema for categorizing these cases is proposed.
Evaluation of a targeted HIV prevention programme among female commercial sex workers in the south of Thailand.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a targeted HIV prevention programme among female commercial sex workers (CSWs) in the south of Thailand. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A pretest-post-test comparison group study was carried out in Sungai Kolok and Betong between June and December 1994. In June 408 CSWs were entered in Sungai Kolok (the intervention area) and 343 CSWs were enrolled in Betong (the comparison area). In December 1994, 416 women were enrolled in Sungai Kolok and 342 in Betong. Of these women 37% (n = 283) also participated in the June survey. All women completed an oral interview and blood samples were collected for HIV serology. The intervention programme consisted of an informational and educational campaign and peer educator training. RESULTS: Increase in knowledge and perceived vulnerability was more pronounced in the intervention area but did not translate into a greater increase in condom use. Refusal of customers unwilling to use a condom and manager support in doing so were the only factors independently related to positive changes in condom use. HIV prevalence (approximately 20%) and incidence (approximately 4.2 per 100 women years) were the same in both study locations. Women in the intervention area reported significantly fewer customers and income from sex work, possibly as a result of a coincidental police campaign to suppress (child) prostitution. CONCLUSIONS: HIV incidence among CSWs in the south of Thailand is still high. Prevention programmes should focus on improvement of negotiation and refusal skills and manager support in using condoms.
COMPLEXIDADE DA FARMACOTERAPIA PÓS-TRANSPLANTE RENAL: INFLUÊNCIA NA ADESÃO AO TRATAMENTO

Objetivo: Analisar a influencia da complexidade da farmacoterapia (CFT) na adesao ao tratamento imunossupressor. Metodos: Trata-se de um estudo analitico, observacional e transversal, baseado nos registros do atendimento farmaceutico de pacientes transplantados renais de um hospital universitario (Fortaleza/Ceara). A CFT foi avaliada em consulta farmaceutica no periodo de janeiro a julho/2014, utilizando-se o Indice de Complexidade da Farmacoterapia (ICFT). A analise da adesao foi realizada atraves do nivel serico dos inibidores da calcineurina e imTor. Resultados: Analisou-se o acompanhamento de 36 pacientes: sendo 52,78% (n=19) homens; 27,80% (n=10) entre 41 e 50 anos; 41,70% (n=15) com ensino fundamental incompleto e 72,22% (n=26) possuiam cuidador. A media de medicamentos foi nove e de pontos no ICFT foi de 50,94. O ICFT maximo foi registrado na faixa de 31-60 dias pos-transplante. Analisando o nivel serico dos imunossupressores, observou-se prevalencia de pacientes classificados como “nao aderentes” maior no periodo menor de 60 dias pos-transplante. Conclusao: Concluiu-se que no pos-transplante renal a adesao dos pacientes ao tratamento imunossupressor aumenta com a diminuicao da CFT, sendo necessaria uma maior e melhor orientacao dos pacientes no inicio do pos-transplante.
Finite-time speed regulation control for permanent magnet synchronous motor system

Aiming at the speed regulation system of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), the research and analysis of PMSM speed regulating system are made. Based on the finite time control technique, a finite time controller is designed in this paper. This design utilizes the error between the output of the speed and the reference speed, to be controlled by a finite time controller to obtain the q-axis current reference iq∗. And, based on the second-order model of speed control system, the reference speed can be tracked by the output speed in finite time. At the same time, the feasibility and validity of the verification is simulated by Matlab. The simulation results show that the proposed method guarantee that the output speed track the reference speed in finite time.
Sensory platform architecture based on cyberphysical systems for climate behaviors detecting in urban forest environments

This paper presents a cyberphysical sensory platform is developed through the integration of different kinds of sensors in a system in order to obtain some climate characteristic of the environment scenario. The platform contains an intelligent agent to detect the behavior of environmental variables that result in risk or without risk of fire or rain, and to validate integration between sensor and physical environment. The results of empirical experiments with this platform are provided. So, this work considers a novel CPS solution based on sensory platform for environmental monitoring.
Dietary fat and age-related maculopathy.

I read with considerable interest the article "Dietary Fat and Age-Related Maculopathy" by Mares-Perlman et al in the June 1995 issue of theArchives. 1 I agree with their conclusion that their results support the hypothesis that the risk factors for atherosclerosis are related to age-related maculopathy. I would like to suggest, however, that the relationship should be between the risk factors for arteriosclerosis and age-related maculopathy, rather than atherosclerosis . This suggestion is based on a recently published model of pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration( Figure ). 2 This model proposes that this disorder is the end result of a process involving the aging sclera that is initiated by lipoidal infiltration and resembles arteriosclerosis. The risk factors for arteriosclerosis and atherosclerosis are similar if not identical;
Comment on: Use of chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing to prevent vascular and epidural catheter colonization and infection: a meta-analysis.

Objectives: Vascular and epidural catheter-related infections cause significant morbidities and mortality in hospitalized patients. This meta-analysis assessed the effect of chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing on the risk of vascular and epidural catheter bacterial colonization and infection. Methods: Literature search was based on MEDLINE (1966 to 1 November 2005), EMBASE and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register (2005 issue 3) databases. Only randomized controlled clinical trials comparing chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing with placebo or povidine-iodine dressing were included in this meta-analysis. Two reviewers reviewed and extracted the data independently. Results: Eight studies assessing a single type of chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing were identified and subjected to meta-analysis. The chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing reduced the risk of epidural [3.6% versus 35%, odds ratio (OR) 0.07, 95% CI: 0.02–0.31, P = 0.0005] and intravascular catheter or exit-site bacterial colonization (14.8% versus 26.9%, OR 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34–0.65, P < 0.00001) (overall 14.3% versus 27.2%, OR 0.40, 95% CI: 0.26–0.61; P < 0.0001). The use of chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing was associated with a trend towards reduction in catheter-related bloodstream or CNS infections (2.2% versus 3.8%, OR 0.58, 95% CI: 0.29–1.14, P = 0.11). Local cutaneous reactions to chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing were reported in 5.6% of the patients in three studies (OR 8.17, 95% CI: 1.19–56.14, P = 0.04), and 96% of these reactions occurred in neonatal patients. The number needed to prevent one episode of intravascular catheter-related bloodstream infection was 142 for an average period of catheter in situ of 10 days and a change of dressing every 5 days. The cost of preventing one vascular catheter-related bloodstream infection was estimated to be £298 (US$532.5). Conclusions: Chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing is effective in reducing vascular and epidural catheter bacterial colonization and is also associated with a trend towards reduction in catheter-related bloodstream or CNS infections. A large randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm whether chlorhexidine-impregnated dressing is cost-effective in preventing bacterial infection related to vascular and epidural catheters.