Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Utility of Cytomegalovirus Cell-Mediated Immunity in Transplant Recipients With Cytomegalovirus Viremia

Background. A CD8+ T-cell response to cytomegalovirus (CMV) has been associated with control of viral replication. Assessment shortly after the onset of asymptomatic viremia could help significantly refine preemptive strategies. Methods. We conducted a prospective study of organ transplant recipients who developed asymptomatic low-level viremia not initially requiring antiviral therapy. Cell-mediated immunity (CMI) was measured shortly after viremia onset and longitudinally using the Quantiferon-CMV assay. The primary outcome was the ability to predict spontaneous clearance versus virologic and/or clinical progression. Results. We enrolled 42 transplant patients, of which 37 were evaluable. Viral load at onset was 1140 copies/mL (interquartile range 655–1542). Spontaneous viral clearance occurred in 29 of 37 (78.4%) patients and 8 of 37(21.6%) had clinical and/or virologic progression requiring antivirals. At baseline, a positive CMI test (interferon-&ggr;≥0.2 IU/mL) was present in 26 of 37(70.3%) patients. In patients with a positive CMI, the incidence of subsequent spontaneous viral clearance was 24 of 26 (92.3%) compared with 5 of 11 (45.5%) in patients with a negative CMI at onset (P=0.004). The absolute interferon-&ggr; production was higher in patients with spontaneous clearance versus progression at all time points tested. Analysis of different cutoffs for defining a positive test suggested that the best threshold was 0.1 or 0.2 IU/mL of interferon-&ggr;. Conclusions. CMI assessment shortly after the onset of CMV viremia may be useful to predict progression versus spontaneous viral clearance, thereby helping guide the need for antiviral therapy and refining current preemptive strategies.
Latent class regression: Inference and estimation with two‐stage multiple imputation

Latent class regression (LCR) is a popular method for analyzing multiple categorical outcomes. While nonresponse to the manifest items is a common complication, inferences of LCR can be evaluated using maximum likelihood, multiple imputation, and two‐stage multiple imputation. Under similar missing data assumptions, the estimates and variances from all three procedures are quite close. However, multiple imputation and two‐stage multiple imputation can provide additional information: estimates for the rates of missing information. The methodology is illustrated using an example from a study on racial and ethnic disparities in breast cancer severity.
WITHDRAWN: Resection versus no intervention or other surgical interventions for colorectal cancer liver metastases.

BACKGROUND About one in four of patients with metastatic colorectal cancer have metastases isolated to the liver, of which 10-25% are eligible for ablation of the liver metastases, improving the 5-year survival rate. Treatments include hepatic resection and non-surgical tumor ablation using cryosurgery and radiofrequency thermal ablation. Although new modalities allow safe ablation of liver metastases without the need for surgical intervention, there are still no clear guidelines on the appropriate management of patients with colorectal cancer and hepatic metastases. OBJECTIVES The primary objectives were to compare resection of liver metastases to no intervention and other modalities of intervention (including cryosurgery and radiofrequency ablation), in terms of the benefits and harms for each intervention. SEARCH STRATEGY We identified randomized controlled trials from MEDLINE, Embase, and the Cochrane Controlled Trials Register up to October 2006, based upon the search strategy developed for MEDLINE, and revised appropriately for each database. In addition, references were scrutinized in identified eligible trials. SELECTION CRITERIA We only considered randomized controlled trials reporting patients of any age and sex, who have had curative surgery for adenocarcinoma of the colon or rectum, diagnosed with liver metastases that are candidates for liver resection, i.e., with no evidence of primary or metastatic cancer elsewhere. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed trial quality using a data-extraction form designed for this review. Discrepancies were resolved in consensus. MAIN RESULTS Only one trial fulfilled our inclusion criteria. The data of this 10-year prospective, randomized clinical trial suggest that hepatic cryosurgery is effective in the treatment of resectable and non-resectable liver metastases. The results show intra-operative tumor reduction (> or = 90% < or = 97%) and extended higher survival in these patients. The study indicated a 5-year and 10-year survival rate of 44% and 19% after cryosurgery, respectively. However, it was not possible to separate out and unravel the outcomes data that related only to the participants (66.6%) with liver metastases from colorectal cancer as opposed to those with liver metastases from other primary tumors. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is currently insufficient evidence to support a single approach, either surgical or non-surgical for the management of colorectal liver metastases. Therefore, treatment decisions should continue to be based on individual circumstances and clinician's experience. We concede that local ablative therapies are probably useful, but they need to be further evaluated in a randomized controlled trial.
Single-vessel coronary artery stenosis: myocardial perfusion imaging with Gadomer-17 first-pass MR imaging in a swine model of comparison with gadopentetate dimeglumine.

PURPOSE To evaluate the ability of Gadomer-17 to depict perfusion defects in a closed-chest swine model of single-vessel coronary artery disease. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twelve pigs underwent closed-chest placement of a flow reducer for 70%-90% luminal stenosis in the proximal left anterior coronary artery. Magnetic resonance (MR) perfusion imaging with Gadomer-17 and gadopentetate dimeglumine, microsphere blood flow (MBF) testing, and technetium 99m ((99m)Tc) 2 methoxyisobutylisonitrile (MIBI) single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) were performed during dipyridamole vasodilation. Comparisons of percentage signal intensity (SI) increase (PSIC) in remote and ischemic myocardium were made with repeated measurements analysis of variance after injection of both tracers. RESULTS Perfusion defects and reduced PSIC in the anterior ischemic versus the inferior remote myocardium could be identified after injection of both Gadomer-17 (PSIC, 66% +/- 30 [mean +/- SD] vs 100% +/- 32, respectively; P <.001) and gadopentetate dimeglumine (PSIC, 49% +/- 31 vs 81% +/- 43, respectively; P <.005). The size of perfusion defect depicted with both tracers was highly correlated with defect size at (99m)Tc MIBI SPECT (r = 0.69, P <.05 for Gadomer-17 and r = 0.60, P =.05 for gadopentetate dimeglumine) and with areas of reduced MBF (r = 0.70, P <.05 for Gadomer-17 and r = 0.80, P <.05 for gadopentetate dimeglumine). PSIC also correlated with MBF (r = 0.89, P <.001 for Gadomer-17 and r = 0.75, P <.001 for gadopentetate dimeglumine). Gadomer-17 allowed differentiation of ischemic from nonischemic myocardium, as demonstrated by reduced PSIC (PSIC, 48% +/- 38 vs 72% +/- 31, respectively; P <.001) until 20 minutes after contrast material injection. In contrast, differentiation of ischemic from nonischemic myocardium was possible only until 55 seconds after injection of gadopentetate dimeglumine (PSIC, 36% +/- 24 vs 56% +/- 27, respectively; P <.005) but not at any time point thereafter. CONCLUSION With the study conditions, Gadomer-17 provided more prolonged differentiation of ischemic from remote myocardium than that with gadopentetate dimeglumine.
Comparison of HSPF and SWAT models performance for runoff and sediment yield prediction

A watershed model can be used to better understand the relationship between land use activities and hydrologic/water quality processes that occur within a watershed. The physically based, distributed parameter model (SWAT) and a conceptual, lumped parameter model (HSPF), were selected and their performance were compared in simulating runoff and sediment yields from the Polecat Creek watershed in Virginia, which is 12,048 ha in size. A monitoring project was conducted in Polecat Creek watershed during the period of October 1994 to June 2000. The observed data (stream flow and sediment yield) from the monitoring project was used in the calibration/validations of the models. The period of September 1996 to June 2000 was used for the calibration and October 1994 to December 1995 was used for the validation of the models. The outputs from the models were compared to the observed data at several sub-watershed outlets and at the watershed outlet of the Polecat Creek watershed. The results indicated that both models were generally able to simulate stream flow and sediment yields well during both the calibration/validation periods. For annual and monthly loads, HSPF simulated hydrologic and sediment yield more accurately than SWAT at all monitoring sites within the watershed. The results of this study indicate that both the SWAT and HSPF watershed models performed sufficiently well in the simulation of stream flow and sediment yield with HSPF performing moderately better than SWAT for simulation time-steps greater than a month.
Multi Core ARM Processors in Mobile Devices

In this era of a highly competitive market of mobile devices, ARM processors are in demand for their cutting edge power efficient processors. These RISC based processors, originally designed by Acorn Computers Ltd. , have evolved into a family of microprocessors, widely used in mobile electronic devices like phones, PDAs and multimedia players. This paper gives a brief insight into the RISC architecture of ARM processors and their traits, which have made them very popular for use. It then briefly outlines the evolution stages of ARM processors from its nascent ARM1 to the Cortex A15 cores. The paper then highlights the need and design of multiple core ARM processors. It explains the features of an example multi core arm processor, the ARM Cortex A9 MP Core processor, in detail. It gives an insight into how the mobile device companies harness the multi core features of these processors and help to provide numerous advantages in terms of internal device technical capabilities as well as the external user interface experiences. Using the Cortex A9 as the base, it then discusses about new features of the newer multi core processors released and their applications. It concludes by outlining the planned features of upcoming processors, with an eye on how they will revolutionize the industry further.
Eliminate the Negative: Managers Should Optimize Rather than Maximize Performance to Enhance Patient Satisfaction

Performance on a particular attribute has an asymmetric impact on patient satisfaction. Gaining insight into this asymmetric effect can help refine management tools such as impact analysis. For overall satisfaction, negative performance on an attribute will have a much larger impact than positive performance. Therefore, managers should optimize, rather than maximize attribute-level performance to maximize patient satisfaction. Because of this asymmetry, the benefit from eliminating negative performance may be larger than the benefit gained from increasing positive performance on an attribute. So you can increase overall satisfaction faster by eliminating the negatives.
OCORRÊNCIA DE DOENÇAS CLÍNICAS E REPRODUTIVAS EM VACAS LEITEIRAS

1 Projeto de Iniciação Científica. 2 Aluna do Curso de Graduação em Medicina Veterinária da UNIJUÍ, bolsista PIBIC/UNIJUÍ, eliana.parmeggiani@unijui.edu. br 3 Aluno do Curso de Graduação em Medicina Veterinária da UNIJUÍ, bolsista PIBITI/UNIJUÍ, jonasbaroni.vet@gmail.com 4 Aluno do Curso de Graduação em Medicina Veterinária da UNIJUÍ, samuel.grazziotin@unijui.edu. br 5 Professora Mestre, Curso de Medicina Veterinária do Departamento de Estudos Agrários (DEAg), da UNIJUÍ, cristiane.beck@unijui.edu. br 6 Professora Doutora, Curso de Agronomia do Departamento de Estudos Agrários (DEAg), da UNIJUÍ, cleusa.bianchi@unijui.edu. br 7 Professora Orientadora, Mestre em Medicina Veterinária, Curso de Medicina Veterinária do Departamento de Estudos Agrários (DEAg), da UNIJUÍ, denise.fraga@unijui.edu. br
Measurement and Characterization of High Frequency Losses in Nonideal Litz Wires

Commercially available litz wires are fabricated in several ways, depending on the number of strands and on the cost frame, either as twisted strands, as twisted bundles of twisted strands or as braided strands. The bundles have a finite pitch length, and the permutation of strands within this length is not perfect. This paper illustrates the effects of this nonideal construction on skin and proximity losses in the winding and indicates some applications where this may become important. Test setups have been developed to measure skin losses and proximity losses separately, thus offering the possibility of quantifying the quality of real litz wires by comparing the test results with the ideal behavior.
Effects of Ovariectomy and Estrogen Treatment on Learning and Hippocampal Neurotransmitters in Mice

This study examined the effects of long-term estrogen treatment (sc 17 beta-estradiol minipellets) on learning in C57BL/6J female and male mice using a position discrimination task in the T-maze and a win-stay task (1/8 arms baited) in the radial arm maze (RAM). In addition, hippocampal monoamines and ChAT activity were measured at the end of the study and correlated to task performance. Female sham-operated (gonadally intact) and ovariectomized (OVX) mice were treated with estrogen either for 7 or 40 days before the behavioral tests and intact male mice for 7 days before the behavioral tests. In sham-operated mice the 40-day estrogen treatment improved RAM performance and in OVX mice both the 7- and 40-day estrogen treatments improved the performance in both maze tasks. The estrogen treatment also improved RAM performance in males. The hippocampal ChAT, NA, 5-HIAA, and DOPAC levels were decreased in OVX mice. Furthermore, the effects of estrogen treatment on the levels of hippocampal 5-HT and its metabolite 5-HIAA were different in sham-operated than in OVX mice. We could find no correlation between cognitive measures and neurochemical variables. This study gives new information about the effects of estrogen on learning and hippocampal neurotransmitters in mice.
Mass Compromise of IIS Shared Web Hosting for Blackhat SEO: A Case Study

This case study studies in great detail a recent breach of a shared webserver running Microsoft IIS. We describe how to detect the intrusion on a particular GoDaddy-hosted webserver controlled by the authors. We review a recent mass compromise of IIS shared hosting to provide context for the case study. We describe how the attackers have used the compromise as part of a larger blackhat search engine optimization (SEO) campaign. We then locate the hacker's backdoor into the server and proceed to deobfuscate the malicious script. Once deobfus- cated, we explain how the attack operates and link the attack to websites promoting counterfeit goods. We developed a program called the 'Link Spider' to recursively crawl all malicious URLs and scripts placed on our server collecting any associated websites which are connected. We examine the links gathered by the 'Link Spider' to determine the top name brands being solicited by the hackers. Next, we research the hacker's counterfeit good storefronts and describe how the counterfeit goods supply chain operates at various stages. We next examine China's role in the counterfeit goods websites reviewed, and the role of various web hosting companies which act as safe-havens for these illegal storefronts. We show that some of these companies and web hosts participate in the sale of online pharmaceuticals as well. We also estimate the amount of illegal web traffic which may be supported by these hosts. Finally, we inspect a random sample of GoDaddy-hosted IIS webservers to estimate the prevalence of this particular backdoor.
Biotransformation of medetomidine in the rat.

1. The metabolites of a novel alpha 2-adrenoceptor agonist, medetomidine, in rat urine after subcutaneous administration at two dose levels (80 micrograms/kg or 5 mg/kg), and after incubation with rat liver fractions, were characterized by h.p.l.c. , 1H-n.m. r and mass spectrometry. 2. Hydroxylation of a methyl substituent was the main biotransformation in vitro. Hydroxylation occurred at a rate sufficient for high metabolic clearance. 3. The major urinary metabolites were the glucuronide of hydroxymedetomidine (about 35% of urinary metabolites) and medetomidine carboxylic acid (about 40%). 4. Medetomidine unchanged represented about 1% or 10% of the urinary excretion products, dependent on dose. 5. A metabolic pathway consisting of hydroxylation with subsequent glucuronidation, or further oxidation to carboxylic acid, is suggested.
A pin-count reduction algorithm for flow-based microfluidic biochips

Microfluidic biochips are replacing the conventional biochemical analyzers integrating the necessary functions on-chip. We are interested in flow-based biochips, where a continuous flow of liquid is manipulated using integrated microvalves, controlled from external pressure sources via off-chip control pins. Recent research has addressed the physical design of such biochips. However, such research has so far ignored the pin-count, which rises with the increase in the number of microvalves. Given a biochip architecture and a biochemical application, we propose an algorithm for reducing the number of control pins required to run the application. The proposed algorithm has been evaluated using several benchmarks.
Deadlock-Free Dynamic Reconfiguration Schemes for Increased Network Dependability

Network-based parallel computing systems often require the ability to reconfigure the routing algorithm to reflect changes in network topology if and when voluntary or involuntary changes occur. The process of reconfiguring a network's routing capabilities may be very inefficient and/or deadlock-prone if not handled properly. We propose efficient and deadlock-free dynamic reconfiguration schemes that are applicable to routing algorithms and networks which use wormhole, virtual cut-through, or store-and-forward switching, combined with hard link-level flow control. One requirement is that the network architecture use virtual channels or duplicate physical channels for deadlock-handling as well as performance purposes. The proposed schemes do not impede the injection, transmission, or delivery of user packets during the reconfiguration process. Instead, they provide uninterrupted service, increased availability/reliability, and improved overall quality-of-service support as compared to traditional techniques based on static reconfiguration.
Modified embedded-atom potentials for cubic materials and impurities.

In a comprehensive study, the modified embedded-atom method is extended to a variety of cubic materials and impurities. In this extension, all functions are analytic and computationally simple. The basic equations of the method are developed and applied to 26 elements: ten fcc, ten bcc, three diamond cubic, and three gaseous materials. The materials modeled include metals, semiconductors, and diatomic gases, all of which exhibit different types of bonding. Properties of these materials, including equation of state, elastic moduli, structural energies and lattice constants, simple defects, and surfaces, are calculated. The formalism for applying the method to combinations of these elements is developed and applied to the calculation of dilute heats of solution. In all cases, comparison is made to experiment or higher-level calculations when possible.
AC 2009-1891: USE OF A SIMULATION SWITCH MATRIX FOR EFFICIENT DESIGN OF CMOS ANALOG INTEGRATED CIRCUITS

CMOS analog integrated circuit (IC) design is a technology-dependent process. Analog design follows a process for which transistor sizing is necessary to achieve performance goals that are defined by a series of simulation tests. Both the design and the pedagogical processes make use of one or more algorithms in which a set of subcircuits are separately tested and then linked together into an integrated cell design, usually that of the 8-transistor operational transconductance amplifier (OTA). This paper identifies a technique that reduces much of the extra design overhead by framing the OTA as a single schematic who test configurations are controlled by a simulation version of a switch matrix. The switch matrix (1) links a set of independent sources and loads to the circuit under test and (2) reconfigures the test topology of the circuit. The new technique is of value to both the instruction process and the circuit designer since it is simple and direct. Given the simplicity it is also possible to compare effects of different technologies, usually by a collateral use of a spreadsheet utility and its graph capabilities. The student version of Cadence/ORCAD/pSPICE is the principal simulation design utility, with the Excel platform as a complementary utility.
Localization and comparative analysis of acid‐sensing ion channel (ASIC1, 2, and 3) mRNA expression in mouse colonic sensory neurons within thoracolumbar dorsal root ganglia

Reducing colonic mechanosensitivity is an important potential strategy for reducing visceral pain. Mice lacking acid‐sensing ion channels (ASIC) 1, 2, and 3 show altered colonic mechanosensory function, implicating ASICs in the mechanotransduction process. Deletion of ASICs affects mechanotransduction in visceral and cutaneous afferents differently, suggesting differential expression. We determined relative expression of ASIC1, 2, and 3 in mouse thoracolumbar dorsal root ganglia (DRG) by quantitative reverse‐transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) analysis (QPCR) and specifically in retrogradely traced colonic neurons isolated via laser capture microdissection. Localization of ASIC expression in DRG was determined with fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and retrograde tracing. QPCR of whole thoracolumbar DRG revealed and abundance of ASIC2 > ASIC1 > ASIC3. Similarly, FISH of all neurons in thoracolumbar DRG demonstrated that ASIC2 was expressed in the most (40 ± 1%) neurons, followed by ASIC3 (24 ± 1%), then ASIC1 (18 ± 1%). Retrograde tracing from the distal colon labeled 4 ± 1% of neurons in T10‐L1 DRG. In contrast to whole DRG, FISH of colonic neurons showed ASIC3 expression in 73 ± 2%, ASIC2 in 47 ± 0.5%, and ASIC1 in 30 ± 2%. QPCR of laser captured colonic neurons revealed that ASIC3 was the most abundant ASIC transcript, followed by ASIC1, then ASIC2. We conclude that ASIC1, 2, and 3 are expressed preferentially in colonic neurons within thoracolumbar DRG. In particular ASIC3, the least abundant in the general population, is the most abundant ASIC transcript in colonic neurons. The prevalence of ASIC3 in neurons innervating the colon supports electrophysiological data showing that it makes a major contribution to colonic mechanotransduction and therefore may be a target for the treatment of visceral pain. J. Comp. Neurol. 500:863–875, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Diagnosis and management of sand impaction of the large intestine in an Alsatian puppy

A four-month-old, male German Shepherd puppy previously (six weeks ago) managed for babesiosis and toxocariasis was re-presented with complaints of weakness and poor growth. Physical examination revealed body weakness, emaciation, rough hair coat and dried muzzle. Empty rectum and caudal abdominal pain with crepitating hard masses were felt on palpation. Plane lateral thoraco-abdominal radiograph revealed gas-trapped (impacted) radio-opaque masses in the transverse and descending colon. Oral administration of vegetable oil (total of 300ml) given to effect was employed to soften and evacuate bowel content (within 3 hours of treatment). Radiographic examination 14 hours post management revealed a completely empty bowel. Compounded cereal paste-like diet was given for 5 days and the puppy was discharged 6 days after presentation.