Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
High-Sensitivity CRP Is Correlated With Neurologic Symptoms and Plaque Instability in Patients With Severe Stenosis of the Carotid Bifurcation

The aim of this study is to investigate the correlation of high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and E-selectin with clinical manifestations and plaque characteristics in 88 patients (69 with and 19 without neurological symptoms) with high-grade stenosis of the carotid bifurcation who underwent endarterectomy. The grade of stenosis was quantified by duplex ultrasonography and digital subtraction angiography. Preoperatively, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein and E-selectin were measured. Postoperatively, carotid plaque morphology was established according to the American Heart Association classification. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels were significantly (P < .001) higher in symptomatic than in asymptomatic patients, as well as in patients with unstable compared with those with stable plaques (P < .001). Serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels correlated significantly ( P < .05) with macrophage count on the plaque. In conclusion, serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels are associated with presence of neurological symptoms and plaque instability in patients with high-grade stenosis of the carotid bifurcation.
Spontaneous clearance and treatment of acute hepatitis C infection in HIV-positive men with 48 weeks of interferon-alpha and Ribavirin

Acute hepatitis C infection in the context of HIV is an emerging problem in men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a retrospective cohort study of MSM diagnosed with and treated for acute hepatitis C infection over 10 years. Genotype 1 was the commonest type representing 69% of cases; the spontaneous clearance rate was 20%. The overall sustained virological response (SVR) rate on an intention-to-treat basis was 83%; SVR and was 92% for those completing 48 weeks of treatment. The presence of detectable RNA at week 12 had a 100% negative predictive value for SVR. This is the largest single cohort treated with 48 weeks of interferon and ribavirin and the treatment SVR is one of the highest reported. We propose that a 48-week treatment regimen may be superior to shorter (24-week) regimens though we acknowledge the need for a randomized controlled trial.
A 0.775mW 10-bit 40-MS/s SAR ADC in 0.18μm CMOS process

This paper presents the design of 10-bit, 40-MS/s successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC). A new asynchronous control structure is proposed. To reduce the power consumption, the monotonic capacitor switching procedure is used. To enhance the linearity of ADC, a two-phase non-overlapping clock is used. In order to improve the speed of comparison, redundant MOS transistor is added to the comparator. The prototype was implemented in 0.18pm 1P6M CMOS process. Under a 1.8-V supply and a 40-MS/s sampling rate, the power consumption of SAR ADC is only 0.775mW.
Biomedical Waste Management in India: Awareness and Novel Approaches

Healthcare is becoming one of India’s largest sectors both in terms of revenue and employment and with growing healthcare, there is a requirement of management of Bio-Medical Waste (BMW). Currently, in India, 550.9 tons of Bio-medical waste is generated daily and is likely to reach about 775.5 tons per day by 2022 from the current level [1]. Approximately 75-90% of the biomedical waste is non-hazardous and as harmless as any other Municipal waste however, the remaining 10-25%, though mixed with non-hazardous waste, can be injurious to humans or animals as also being detrimental to the environment and needs special handling and treatment due to its highly toxic contents and infectious properties [2].
Limit Induced Bifurcation Caused by SVC Capacity Limit

The paper demonstrates and studies limit induced bifurcation (LIB) caused by SVC capacity limit. If the capacity limit is greater than a critical value, LIB occurs when an SVC reaches limit. In static analysis, the operating point is on the lower half of the PV curve after limit. Dynamic analysis reveals the immediate change of stability when LIB occurs. A stable equilibrium point and an unstable equilibrium point meet and vanish at the bifurcation. The consistency of the results of static and dynamic approaches verifies the validity of static voltage stability analysis. LIB caused by SVC capacity limit in the IEEE 30-bus system is also presented.
Evidence for a Role of the Gut Hormone PYY in the Regulation of Intestinal Fatty Acid-binding Protein Transcripts in Differentiated Subpopulations of Intestinal Epithelial Cell Hybrids*

Peptide tyrosine tyrosine (PYY) is a gut hormone present in endocrine cells in the lower intestine that can be released by the presence of luminal free fatty acids (FFAs). The biological action of this peptide includes inhibition of gut motility and gastrointestinal and pancreatic secretions. Intestinal fatty acid-binding protein (I-FABP) binds FFA and may be involved in their cytosolic trafficking. Quantitative in situ hybridization on heterogeneous populations of small intestinal somatic cell hybrids selected for endogenous I-FABP expression (hBRIE 380i cells) demonstrated a 5-fold increase in I-FABP transcripts in response to PYY (within 6 h) that was confined to clusters of differentiated cells, whereas ribonuclease protection assays performed on heterogeneous populations of these cells showed no significant differences. High affinity PYY receptors, with an IC50 of 5–50 pm, were identified in both differentiated and nondifferentiated cell populations, as determined by competitive binding assays and autoradiography. In situ hybridization of rat ileal tissue also revealed differing patterns of mRNA expression for liver fatty acid-binding protein (L-FABP) and I-FABP. Only I-FABP mRNA was detected in the villus tips. This localization correlated with the expression pattern of I-FABP mRNA in the hBRIE 380i cells where changes in transcripts were observed only in differentiated cells that did not incorporate bromodeoxyuridine. The sustained expression of I-FABP transcripts in the villar tips suggests (unlike L-FABP) that older terminally differentiated cell populations of the mucosa can still be PYY responsive. These studies demonstrate that physiological concentrations of PYY can regulate I-FABP and place this peptide in a key position as part of a feedback system that determines the processing of cytosolic FFA in the enterocyte. In addition, these studies suggest a mechanism whereby luminal agents can modulate expression of proteins in terminally differentiated cells in the gastrointestinal mucosa.
Effect of interferon on transcription and translation of vesicular stomatitis virus in human and simian cell cultures.

The effect of interferons on vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) primary transcription, amplified RNA synthesis [i.e. the sum of primary transcription RNA replication (leading to [ - ] RNA) and secondary transcription (leading to [ + ] RNA) and virus protein synthesis were studied. In a human cell line, both human and simian interferons inhibited the initiation of primary transcription and amplified RNA synthesis. In contrast, in a simian cell line tested similarly, the initiation of these activities was not affected, though they decreased as the infection progressed. Nevertheless, virus protein synthesis was completely inhibited. These results demonstrate that the action of interferon on virus transcription and/or translation may depend more on the host cell than on the particular interferon used.
The eXperience Methodology for Writing IS Case Studies

eXperience stands for the method of imparting authentic knowledge concerning information systems in the form of case studies, practiced since 2000. Its core consists in the collecting and editing of empirical bestpractice solutions following a uniform structure. The methodology encompasses a uniform template (grid) for the presentation of case studies as well as a scheme for a common terminology in the domain of business software. We present the template with a focus on the four different views (business, process, application, technical) and discuss the use of uniform graphics for each of these views. The final chapter gives an overview of current activities around the eXperience initiative.
Basic Characteristics of Czech Business Entities in the Context of National and International Accounting

The paper deals to analyze the selected accounting aspects of the micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in the Czech Republic in the context of accounting harmonization. The aim of this paper is to identify and evaluate whether there are dependencies between accounting indicators in the context of domestic and international environment by using selected methods of correlation analysis as well as the methods of analysis, synthesis and comparison are used. The paper follows the research implemented at Moravian College Olomouc in the field of small and medium-sized enterprises (Sikorová et al., 2009-13 and 2016) and the authors ́ own research. The evaluation of companies showed that a higher number and growth of enterprises is in enterprises with international activities. The number of companies which increasingly cooperate with foreign business entities is growing in connection with the reasons for processing financial statements according to the international form of accounting harmonization.
The complete mitochondrial genome of Barbatula nuda (Cypriniformes: Nemacheilidae)

Abstract In this study, we cloned and sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome of Barbatula nuda. The genome was found to be 16,619 bp in size with a mostly conserved structural organization when compared with that of other teleost fish. It contained 37 genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 2 ribosomal RNA genes) and 2 main non-coding regions (the control region and the origin of the light-strand replication). All protein-coding genes are initiated with ATG except for COX 1, which begin with GTG instead. However, the termination codons of 13 protein-coding genes varied with TAA, TA, T or TAG. The complete mitochondrial genome sequence is useful for phylogenetic analysis and studies of population genetics of B. nuda.
Effect of vitamin C supplementation on oxidative stress and lipid profiles in hemodialysis patients.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS The increase in oxidative stress is the main factor in acceleration of atherosclerosis, leading to death in hemodialysis patients. Vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants that inhibits lipid peroxidation and improves endothelial function. This study aims to assess the effects of vitamin C supplementation on lipid profiles as well as markers of lipid peroxidation among hemodialysis patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS In this double-blind, randomized, controlled clinical trial, a total of 42 patients were randomly assigned to vitamin C (n=21) or placebo groups (n=21). Patients in the vitamin C group consumed 250 mg vitamin C and those in the placebo group were given placebo every other day for 12 weeks. Fasting blood samples were collected at baseline and at the end of the study to measure serum concentrations of lipid profiles, as well as malondialdehyde (MDA) and vitamin C. RESULTS After supplementation with vitamin C, serum vitamin C levels increased significantly in the vitamin C group as compared to baseline (p=0.033). There was also a significant difference in serum vitamin C levels between vitamin C and placebo groups (p=0.001). Serum MDA concentrations were marginally decreased in the vitamin C group after taking supplements (p=0.057). A significant difference was also seen in mean MDA changes between vitamin C and placebo groups (p=0.002). There was a significant difference in serum levels of total cholesterol (p=0.005), low-density lipoprotein (LDL-C) (p=0.012), and LDL-C/high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) ratio (p=0.018) between the two groups; however, serum triglyceride and HDL-C levels were not significantly different between groups. CONCLUSION Every other day supplementation with 250 mg vitamin C for 12 weeks increases serum vitamin C, decreases MDA levels, and improves lipid profiles in hemodialysis patients.
Proteomic analysis of the effect of heat stress on hexaploid wheat grain: Characterization of heat‐responsive proteins from total endosperm

High temperatures during grain filling have been reported to be one of the factors that can affect the dough properties and quality characteristics of wheat. Responses to high temperature have been related to changes in protein composition at both quantitative and qualitative levels. The present study was conducted to determine the influence of high temperature during grain filling on the protein composition of bread wheat evaluated by proteomic tools. Plants were grown in the field and transferred to cabinets soon after flowering. They were subjected to two thermal regimes 18°C/10°C (day/night) and 34°C/10°C. Total proteins were extracted from control grains and treated plants at three different post‐anthesis stages. The proteins were separated by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis and analysed by Melanie 3 software. Of the total number of mature wheat grain proteins, 37 were identified as significantly changed by heat treatment. Analysis by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry and tandem mass spectrometry coupled with database searching allowed the characterization of 25 heat‐induced proteins and only one heat‐decreased protein spot. To learn more about the function of the identified proteins, we examined their expression during treatment.
Features contributing sense of scale in photographs

Miniature-like photographs of real scenery can be obtained by focusing only on a very small area on the film in an analog camera, as well as by post-processing by computers. Such a sense of miniature on human vision has not been well examined so far. This paper investigates image features contributing sense of scale in photographs. Three key features; blur, saturation and intensity of images are examined with their effects on the enhancement of miniature effects in user experiments. The degrees of these three features are varied for generating sample images presented in the experiments. The participants evaluated the degree of miniature effect of presented images on a 0–10 scale. The results have shown that these three factors account for 79% of the subject evaluations and their coefficients 2.02, 1.72, and 0.37 were obtained by a multiple regression analysis. These facts suggest that the saturation of images, as well as blur, highly affects the sense of scale in human vision. A series of experiments on a variety of features with a number of images should be conducted in future work.
Parameters that influence the efficiency of processing antigenic epitopes expressed in Salmonella typhimurium

We investigated parameters that affect the efficiency with which antigenic epitopes from Salmonella typhimurium are processed for presentation to T lymphocytes. As a model system, the hen egg white lysozyme 52-61 [HEL(52-61)] epitope, which binds the murine major histocompatibility complex class II (MHC-II) molecule I-Ak, was expressed in soluble fusion proteins in S. typhimurium. Murine peritoneal macrophages mediated phagocytic processing of viable S. typhimurium expressing fusion proteins of the HEL epitope for presentation via I-Ak regardless of the bacterial compartment in which the epitope was contained (i.e., surface exposed, facing the periplasmic space, or in the cytoplasm). Minor differences in processing efficiency observed with different epitope compartmentalizations could be overcome by altering the relative expression level, indicating that epitope abundance is an important factor for efficient processing of epitopes from S. typhimurium. This processing pathway required phagocytosis of bacteria followed by passage through an acidic compartment, suggesting a pathway involving phagolysosomal degradation of the bacteria to liberate epitopes that bind MHC-II. HEL(52-61) was processed more efficiently from heat-killed S. typhimurium than from viable bacteria, and in addition, the HEL epitope was processed more efficiently from a rough lipopolysaccharide (LPS) strain than from its isogenic smooth LPS counterpart, most likely because of enhanced phagocytosis of the rough LPS strain. These data suggest that the efficiency of epitope processing from S. typhimurium for presentation via MHC-II is affected by bacterial viability, epitope abundance, and LPS phenotype, factors which may be important to consider in development of recombinant S. typhimurium vaccine strains.
Fusimotor stimulation and the dynamic sensitivity of the secondary ending of the muscle spindle

The response of secondary endings of de‐efferented muscle spindles in the soleus muscle of the anaesthetized cat was recorded during stretching of the muscle at velocities of 5‐30 mm/sec. Stimulation of single fusimotor fibres, most and probably all of which were static fusimotor fibres, produced no appreciable change in the normally small dynamic sensitivity of these endings.
Mycophenolate Mofetil Is Effective and Well Tolerated in the Treatment of Refractory Acute and Chronic Graft-versus-Host Disease

We enrolled 11 patients with refractory graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) in a prospective trial evaluating the efficacy of mycophenolate mofetil (MMF). Four (67%) of the 6 patients with acute GVHD and all 5 patients with chronic GVHD responded to MMF. Ten (91%) of the 11 patients were able to decrease steroid use (median decrease, 86%; range, 25%-100%). After a median follow-up of 18 months (range, 1-65 months), 7 patients (64%) remained alive. The adverse events were infectious complications (36%), diarrhea (27%), and neutropenia (18%); the only patient discontinuing MMF did so because of grade 4 neutropenia. This preliminary study suggests that MMF is a well-tolerated agent and has a beneficial effect in the treatment of refractory acute and chronic GVHD.
Adaptive control of Hammerstein–Wiener nonlinear systems

The Hammerstein–Wiener model is a block-oriented model, having a linear dynamic block sandwiched by two static nonlinear blocks. This note develops an adaptive controller for a special form of Hammerstein–Wiener nonlinear systems which are parameterized by the key-term separation principle. The adaptive control law and recursive parameter estimation are updated by the use of internal variable estimations. By modeling the errors due to the estimation of internal variables, we establish convergence and stability properties. Theoretical results show that parameter estimation convergence and closed-loop system stability can be guaranteed under sufficient condition. From a qualitative analysis of the sufficient condition, we introduce an adaptive weighted factor to improve the performance of the adaptive controller. Numerical examples are given to confirm the results in this paper.
Data Visualisation and Decision Making Solutions to Forecast and Manage Complex Urban Challenges : STAKEHOLDER EVALUATION REPORT

Decision-making based on large amounts of data and different data sources constitutes a growing challenge for many actors in society. An increased flow of information from social media and open data sources means that decentralized decision-makers such as regions, municipalities and cities are forced to change, adapt, and modify their existing decision-making (Voight & Bright 2016). What is the current status of European cities and municipalities? How do municipalities and cities in Europe work with data-driven decision-making today? What are the future opportunities and challenges? This report provides an overview and examples of how different organisations in the European cities of Malmo, Copenhagen, Oxford, Manchester and Vienna work with and relate to possibilities, challenges and limitations of data-driven decision making. Furthermore, the report presents different views of urban stakeholders’ on data-driven decision making and how they relate to concepts of open data, big data, social media data and visualization. The purpose of this report is to outline current strategies and main points on how data is used in decision making in selected European Cities and to evaluate the current state and possible outlooks for data-driven decision making. The selected cities are either city partners in the UrbanData2Decide consortium or cities which collaborate closely with universities and institutes involved in the consortium. (Less)
Nodal and splenic marginal zone B cell lymphomas

Splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL) and nodal marginal zone lymphoma (NMZL) are newly defined, separate clinicopathological entities. Both are rare lymphoma types, with low reproducibility in the diagnosis, although a conjunction of molecular and clinical studies seems to be now facilitating a more accurate diagnosis and understanding of the neoplastic process. SMZL is a disease involving the spleen, bone marrow and peripheral blood since the initial manifestations of the disease. The diagnosis has been until very recently based on the pathological study of the spleen with the conjunction of the clinical features, although the integration of the morphology in bone marrow and peripheral blood with the immunophenotype and molecular characteristics of the tumour makes a more accurate diagnosis now possible. The most frequent molecular alteration found in SMZL is allelic loss at the 7q chromosomal region. SMZL is an indolent lymphoma, although there is small subset of patients in which it follows an aggressive course. Molecular studies of SMZL are starting to reveal new diagnostic and prognostic markers, and to identify new potentially useful therapeutic targets. Nodal marginal zone lymphoma is a B‐cell neoplasm originated in the lymph node, whose histology resembles the nodal infiltration by MALT‐ or Splenic‐type marginal zone lymphoma, in the absence of clinical evidence of extranodal or spleen disease. The lack of characteristic phenotypic or molecular diagnostic findings is still hampering the reproducibility of this diagnosis. Here we review the main morphological and immunophenotypical markers, discussing the differential with other overlapping entities, singularly follicular lymphoma. Specific therapeutic protocols and prognostic factors are required to more precisely define this tumour. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Non-beneficial treatments in hospital at the end of life: a systematic review on extent of the problem.

PURPOSE To investigate the extent of objective 'non-beneficial treatments (NBTs)' (too much) anytime in the last 6 months of life in routine hospital care. DATA SOURCES English language publications in Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane library, and the grey literature (January 1995-April 2015). STUDY SELECTION All study types assessing objective dimensions of non-beneficial medical or surgical diagnostic, therapeutic or non-palliative procedures administered to older adults at the end of life (EOL). DATA EXTRACTION A 13-item quality score estimated independently by two authors. RESULTS OF DATA SYNTHESIS Evidence from 38 studies indicates that on average 33-38% of patients near the EOL received NBTs. Mean prevalence of resuscitation attempts for advanced stage patients was 28% (range 11-90%). Mean death in intensive care unit (ICU) was 42% (range 11-90%); and mean death rate in a hospital ward was 44.5% (range 29-60%). Mean prevalence of active measures including dialysis, radiotherapy, transfusions and life support treatment to terminal patient was 7-77% (mean 30%). Non-beneficial administration of antibiotics, cardiovascular, digestive and endocrine treatments to dying patients occurred in 11-75% (mean 38%). Non-beneficial tests were performed on 33-50% of patients with do-not-resuscitate orders. From meta-analyses, the pooled prevalence of non-beneficial ICU admission was 10% (95% CI 0-33%); for chemotherapy in the last six weeks of life was 33% (95% CI 24-41%). CONCLUSION This review has confirmed widespread use of NBTs at the EOL in acute hospitals. While a certain level of NBT is inevitable, its extent, variation and justification need further scrutiny.