Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical characteristics of non-tuberculous mycobacterial pulmonary infections in Bamako, Mali

Abstract The global spread of non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) may be due to HIV/AIDS and other environmental factors. The symptoms of NTM and tuberculosis (TB) disease are indistinguishable, but their treatments are different. Lack of research on the epidemiology of NTM infections has led to underestimation of its prevalence within TB endemic countries. This study was designed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of pulmonary NTM in Bamako. A cross-sectional study which include 439 suspected cases of pulmonary TB. From 2006 to 2013 a total of 332 (76%) were confirmed to have sputum culture positive for mycobacteria. The prevalence of NTM infection was 9.3% of our study population and 12.3% of culture positive patients. The seroprevalence of HIV in NTM group was 17.1%. Patients who weighed <55 kg and had TB symptoms other than cough were also significantly more likely to have disease due to NTM as compared to those with TB disease who were significantly more likely to have cough and weigh more than 55 kg (OR 0.05 (CI 0.02–0.13) and OR 0.32 (CI 0.11–0.93) respectively). NTM disease burden in Bamako was substantial and diagnostic algorithms for pulmonary disease in TB endemic countries should consider the impact of NTM.
High-voltage pulsed power supply for the igniter circuit of a pulsed plasma thruster

In nano-satellites, the pulsed plasma thruster (PPT) is a promising electric propulsion system for orbit maintenance and attitude control. In this paper, a pulse power supply based on a flyback circuit is investigated for the PPT igniter. The proposed circuit uses the resonance among the magnetizing inductance of transformer and parasitic capacitances to generate a high pulse voltage. When compared with other topologies, the flyback circuit does not require a physical high voltage capacitor. Consequently, the reliability is improved. With a reduced number of components, the circuit suits well to the size constraint of a nano-satellite. Moreover, the output pulse voltage can be easily controlled by adjusting the peak charging current. To validate the concept, a prototype circuit has been developed. The experimental results show that the proposed circuit has a medium voltage conversion gain, and the plasma can be generated in vacuum environment successfully.
CUNY Academic Works

This paper describes the design and the implementation of the TOAM (Tree-Oriented Abstract Machine) for Prolog and its extensions. The TOAM, as a Prolog machine, is based on the famous WAM model but diﬀers from it in argument passing, stack management, and clause indexing. The original TOAM for Prolog was designed over ten years ago and the architecture was published in ACM TOPLAS in 1996 [26]. Since then, the machine has been extended to support several extensions of Prolog, including even-driven action rules, constraint solving, and tabling. The stack management scheme of the TOAM proved to be amenable to these extensions. The TOAM is employed in B-Prolog, a complete and eﬃcient CLP system. The ﬁnite-domain constraint solver and the tabling sys-tem in B-Prolog represent the state-of-the-art implementations. This paper reviews the evolution of the TOAM as a Prolog machine, describes the changes needed to support the extensions, and reports the result of a comparison of B-Prolog and many other systems.
Development and in vitro/in vivo evaluation of HPMC/chitosan gel containing simvastatin loaded self-assembled nanomicelles as a potent wound healing agent

Abstract The aim of this study was to develop hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC)/chitosan gel containing polymeric micelles loaded with simvastatin (Sim) and evaluates its wound healing properties in rats. An irregular full factorial design was employed to evaluate the effects of various formulation variables including polymer/drug ratio, hydration temperature, hydration time, and organic solvent type on the physicochemical characteristics of pluronic F127-cholesterol nanomicelles prepared using the film hydration method. Among single studied factors, solvent type had the most impact on the amount of drug loading and zeta potential. Particle size and release efficiency was more affected by hydration temperature. The optimized formulation suggested by desirability of 93.5% was prepared using 1 mg of Sim, 10 mg of copolymer, dichloromethane as the organic solvent, hydration time of 45 min and hydration temperature of 25 °C. The release of the drug from nanomicelles was found to be biphasic and showed a rapid release in the first stage followed by a sustained release for 96 h. The gel-contained nanomicelles exhibited pseudo-plastic flow and more sustained drug release profile compared to nanomicelles. In excision wound model on normal rats, the wound closure of the group treated by Sim loaded micelles-gel was superior to other groups. Taken together, Sim loaded micelles-gel may represent a novel topical formulation for wound healing.
Effect of Exchange Transfusion on Brain Perfusion and Electrocortical Brain Activity in Newborn Lambs

Changes in brain perfusion (using ultrasonic-determined changes in carotid artery blood flow: Qcar) and electrocortical brain activity (ECBA, obtained by a Lectromed cerebral function monitor) were studied during exchange transfusion using the push-pull method in the newborn lamb. Changes in mean arterial blood pressure (MABP), Qcar, heart rate (HR), and ECBA were observed during all exchange transfusions: MABP, Qcar, and ECBA decreased during the withdrawal period and increased during the infusion period, whereas HR showed the opposite phenomenon. Changes in ECBA appeared to be primarily associated with changes in brain perfusion (p < 0.05). These changes in brain perfusion were, however, caused by changes in MABP (p < 0.0001). We concluded that exchange transfusions caused moderate changes in brain perfusion, however changes in ECBA appeared to be very small, and have probably no clinical importance.
Contributions à l'observation et à la commande tolérante aux fautes des systèmes incertains. (Contributions to observation and fault-tolerant control of uncertain systems)

Les travaux de recherche presentes dans ce memoire portent sur la synthese d'observateurs intervalles pour la commande tolerante aux fautes de systemes incertains. La presence de defauts, d'incertitudes et de perturbations peut provoquer des reactions indesirables du systeme commande. Dans ce contexte, nous avons developpe deux approches de commande tolerante aux fautes basees sur des observateurs intervalles dans le cas ou les defauts et les incertitudes sont inconnus mais bornes. La premiere approche, dite passive, permet de garantir la stabilite du systeme en boucle fermee y compris en presence de defauts actionneurs et/ou composants. La seconde approche, dite active, permet de compenser l'effet des defauts et d'assurer la stabilite et les performances desirees du systeme. Ces contributions sont validees par des simulations numeriques.
Novel Design of a Soft Lightweight Pneumatic Continuum Robot Arm with Decoupled Variable Stiffness and Positioning

Abstract Soft robot arms possess unique capabilities when it comes to adaptability, flexibility, and dexterity. In addition, soft systems that are pneumatically actuated can claim high power-to-weight ratio. One of the main drawbacks of pneumatically actuated soft arms is that their stiffness cannot be varied independently from their end-effector position in space. The novel robot arm physical design presented in this article successfully decouples its end-effector positioning from its stiffness. An experimental characterization of this ability is coupled with a mathematical analysis. The arm combines the light weight, high payload to weight ratio and robustness of pneumatic actuation with the adaptability and versatility of variable stiffness. Light weight is a vital component of the inherent safety approach to physical human-robot interaction. To characterize the arm, a neural network analysis of the curvature of the arm for different input pressures is performed. The curvature-pressure relationship is also characterized experimentally.
Serum Levels of Soluble Interleukin–2 Receptor at Acute Asthma Exacerbation: Relationship with Severity of Exacerbation and Bronchodilator Response

Background: T lymphocytes play a central role in the regulation of airway inflammation in asthma, and T cell activation appears to be a characteristic feature of acute asthma. It is not clear, however, whether this is proportional to the severity of acute asthma and is directly related to airway inflammation relevant to airflow obstruction during acute asthma. It is presumed that the extent to which bronchoconstriction or inflammation contributes to airflow obstruction in acute asthma may determine responsiveness to bronchodilator therapy. Methods: Fifty asthmatic children who visited the emergency room due to acute exacerbation were studied. Serum levels of soluble interleukin–2 receptor (sIL–2R), a marker of T cell activation, were measured at the time of acute exacerbation and of clinical remission. At acute exacerbation, FEV1 was assessed before and after the administration of aerosolized salbutamol. Results: The mean (±SD) serum level of sIL–2R at acute exacerbation (854±248 U/ml) was significantly higher (p<0.01) than at clinical remission (676±211 U/ml). It correlated positively with the severity of exacerbation (r = 0.47, p<0.01), but showed no significant relationship with bronchodilator response (r = –0.17, p = 0.20). Conclusion: A higher serum level of sIL–2R at acute exacerbation was associated with more severe exacerbation but not with lower bronchodilator response. These findings suggest that in the context of acute asthma, T cell activation is proportional to disease activity, but its relationship to airway inflammation relevant to the genesis of airflow obstruction remains obscure.
Families and Researchers Collaborate in Advancing Therapy: The Role of NTSAD, Together with Parents, in Driving Toward Treatments.

‘‘IS THERE A TREATMENT? ’’ are always the first words uttered when a parent or relative of a newly diagnosed child contacts National Tay-Sachs & Allied Diseases Association (NTSAD) upon hearing the devastating news that their loved one was diagnosed with one of the life-limiting diseases supported by NTSAD. The simple answer is always the same: ‘‘There are no treatments. ’’ But first we try to inject hope by telling them about the ongoing research, especially in gene therapy, as it has received much NTSAD research grant support for a number of years and has produced promising results in animal models. Investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies are in process; we remain optimistic for reaching the next major milestone and then hopefully demonstrating efficacy in affected children or adults.
Is a Paradigm Shift Occurring in Brief Psychological Treatments?

Accessible online at: http://BioMedNet.com/karger The value of several brief psychological treatments has long been shown for anxiety and depressive disorders. Overlap in their various components, however, made it unclear what aspects of the treatments improved patients. For example, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) combines both the cognitive and behavioural components. In the last few years, a growing number of randomised controlled trials (RCTs) in Europe and North America have examined behaviour therapy and cognitive therapy on their own; these RCTs found that each therapy on its own was comparably effective for a range of both anxiety and depressive disorders. Other approaches, too, have been helpful. In RCTs in anxiety disorders, behaviour therapy (exposure) alone and cognitive therapy alone obtained similar improvements in obsessive-compulsive disorder [1], in posttraumatic stress disorder [2, 3] and in hypochondriasis [4]. Blood phobia improved lastingly when sufferers learned a physiological coping response – muscle tension (without exposure and without cognitive therapy) – to prevent the fainting that is the hallmark of blood phobia; improvement was even greater with muscle tension than with exposure [5]. Generalised anxiety disorder improved with a problem-solving approach that contained minimal exposure or cognitive components [6]. In a large RCT in depressive disorder, behavioural activation alone led to as much improvement up to 6 months follow-up as did attenuated cognitive therapy which taught the modification of automatic thoughts plus behavioural activation, or full cognitive therapy which also added a focus on core schema [7]. Other RCTs in depressive disorder found value in a problem-solving approach that was not cognitive and did not promote behavioural activation [8]. A multicentre NIMH study found similar improvements in mild-to-moderate depression from interpersonal therapy, from cognitive therapy and from imipramine [9]. It is not the case that all treatments get prizes. Some do not. In RCTs, relaxation, anti-exposure and standard primary care treatment were less useful than the above effective approaches for anxiety disorders, and drug-placebo and standard primary care were less helpful for depression. The superior results of several brief treatments thus cannot all be accounted for by general non-specific effects. Such results have important theoretical implications. Prevailing paradigms of therapeutic mechanisms will have to change. In anxiety disorders, it is now clear that habituation from systematic exposure is sufficient, but not necessary to reduce fear. The package that is called cognitive therapy can also reduce fear, but there is doubt whether it usually works by cognitive restructuring. Specific physiological coping skills and also problem-solving approaches have a role to play in certain disorders. It is not necessary to try to change cognitions to improve mood reliably, e.g. depression improves with non-cogni-
0.85  PW laser operation at 3.3  Hz and high-contrast ultrahigh-intensity λ = 400  nm second-harmonic beamline.

We demonstrate the generation of 0.85 PW, 30 fs laser pulses at a repetition rate of 3.3 Hz with a record average power of 85 W from a Ti:sapphire laser. The system is pumped by high-energy Nd:glass slab amplifiers frequency doubled in LiB3O5 (LBO). Ultrahigh-contrast λ=400 nm femtosecond pulses were generated in KH2PO4 (KDP) with >40% efficiency. An intensity of 6.5×1021 W/cm2 was obtained by frequency doubling 80% of the available Ti:sapphire energy and focusing the doubled light with an f/2 parabola. This laser will enable highly relativistic plasma experiments to be conducted at high repetition rate.
Statistical analysis of Glanzmann's thrombasthenia in Japan.

Kojiro Yasunaga, First Department of Internal Medicine, Kansai Medical University, 1-Fumizonocho, Moriguchi, Osaka 570 (Japan) Glanzmann’s thrombasthenia (GT) is a well-defined inherited disorder ofplatelet function [1-3]. GT has an au-tosomal recessive inheritance and is characterized by the absence of ADP-induced platelet aggregation. It is caused by a deficiency or abnormality of the membrane glycopro-tein (GP) Ilb/ΠIa complex, with bleeding occurring due to defective platelet haemostatic plug formation. We have carried out nationwide surveys of congenital platelet function disorders in Japan on four occasions (in 1976,1981, 1986 and 1991). There were 98 patients in 1976,160 in 1981,178 in 1986, and 192 in 1991. Bleeding symptoms appeared at around 3 years of age in 60% of GT patients in all four surveys. The most common symptoms were epistaxis (70.7% in 1976, 70.8% in 1981, 70.2% in 1986, and 70.4% in 1991) and pur-pura (63.9% in 1976, 62.4% in 1981, 62.7% in 1986 and 61.9% in 1991). These were followed in descending order by oral mucosal bleeding, genital bleeding, excessive bleeding after tooth extraction, haematemesis and me-laena, excessive bleeding following trauma, and haematu-ria. In all 4 surveys, laboratory studies showed that the platelet count was normal in these patients, while the bleeding time was prolonged and ADP-induced aggregation was absent or decreased by more than 90%. The most interesting results were the mortality rate and the age distribution. The mortality rate was 6.8% in 1976, being slightly higher than that for haemophilia and related disorders (4.4% of 3,193 patients in 1976). The reason for this difference may be the lack of an effective haemostatic drug for GT patients, while coagulant factor therapy can be utilized for haemophilia. The mortality rate of GT patients has slowly declined since that time, with the standardized mortality ratios for age and sex showing a similar pattern (table 1). Table 1. Changes of the mortality rate of GT patients Year Mortality rate Standardized mortality ratio
A Bodybuilder With Weak Hands and Feet: Corticosteroid‐Responsive Pure Motor Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyradiculoneuropathy Following Anabolic Steroid Use

of conditions with a spectrum of clinical severity ranging from mild Bethlem myopathy (BM) to severe Ullrich muscular dystrophy. The disease is a result of heterozygous-dominant mutations in the COL6A1, COL6A2, and COL6A3 genes that encode 3 of the collagen 6 (COL6) chains, with the glycine substitution causing a kink in the tetramer and, consequently, an inability to form microfibrils. BM can be either inherited from an affected parent or occur de novo in sporadic cases especially involving glycine substitutions, although recessive inheritance has also been described. BM is a benign myopathy with onset in the first 2 decades of life. It is characterized by contractures (commonly finger flexors and ankles) and slowly progressive proximal muscle weakness. A majority of patients remain ambulatory into their fifth decade of life, although muscle weakness may occur after this time. Other atypical presentations include a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy phenotype without contractures. Immunohistochemical COL6 staining on muscle biopsies (which was not performed in this case) may reveal alterations in the amount of COL6 in the muscle or basement membrane. However, such immunostaining is often normal on muscle biopsies of patients with genetically confirmed BM, and the current “gold standard” diagnostic test for BM is molecular genetic testing. This case demonstrates a previously unreported atypical presentation of BM or COL6A-related disorders. The patient presented with facial and proximal upper limb weakness and eyelid ptosis without contractures, due to a novel mutation in the COL6A2 gene. This expands the phenotypical heterogeneity of the COL6A-related myopathies.
Remarkable magnetostructural coupling around the magnetic transition in CeCo0.85Fe0.15Si

We report a detailed study of the magnetic properties of CeCo0.85Fe0. 15Si under high magnetic fields (up to 16 Tesla) measuring different physical properties such as specific heat, magnetization, electrical resistivity, thermal expansion and magnetostriction. CeCo0.85Fe0. 15Si becomes antiferromagnetic at TN≈6.7 K. However, a broad tail (onset at TX≈13 K) in the specific heat precedes that second order transition. This tail is also observed in the temperature derivative of the resistivity. However, it is particularly noticeable in the thermal expansion coefficient where it takes the form of a large bump centered at TX. A high magnetic field practically washes out that tail in the resistivity. But surprisingly, the bump in the thermal expansion coefficient becomes a well pronounced peak fully split from the magnetic transition at TN. Concurrently, the magnetoresistance also switches from negative to positive above TN. The magnetostriction is considerable and irreversible at low temperature (ΔLL(16 T)∼4×10−4 at 2 K) when the magnetic interactions dominate. A broad jump in the field dependence of the magnetostriction observed at low T may be the signature of a weak ongoing metamagnetic transition. Taking altogether the results indicate the importance of the lattice effects on the development of the magnetic order in these alloys.
Factors Determining Psychological Contract of IT Employees in India

This article explores the domain of psychological contract with respect to employees of IT industry in India and identifies the factors that determine positive psychological contract amongst the employer and employees. Longitudinal data was collected from 245 employees of top Indian IT companies based out of Pune and Bengaluru. Through exploratory factor analysis, the determining factors of psychological contract were identified. The significant differences of variables like gender, marital status, work experience, designation with factors of the psychological contract were also determined by using T-test and ANOVA. The results show that gender has no significant difference w.r. t. the factors determining psychological contract as far as IT professionals are concerned. However, marital status, total work experience, designation and tenure in the current organisation do have a significant difference as far as the determinant factors of psychological contract are concerned.
Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations and selected diet components in postmenopausal women.

BACKGROUND Nutrition and lifestyle factors play an important role in the development and maintenance of peak bone mass and the prevention of bone degradation. The aim of the present study was to assess 25-hydroxy- cholecalciferol [25(OH)D] serum concentration in postmenopausal women during the winter period and the supply of selected components in their diet. METHODS The study was conducted on a group of 35 women aged 54–77, using a question- naire, including a 24-hour recall related to a subject’s nutrient consumption. Serum concentrations of 25(OH) D were determined. Body composition was assessed with bioelectrical impedance analysis. RESULTS Mean 25(OH)D serum concentration was found to be 61.2% of the minimum healthy level, according to the reference values. The supply of vitamin D and calcium covered 36.2% and 56.7% of RDA respectively. Correlation analysis has shown a significant inverse relationship between 25(OH)D serum con- centration and body fat (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The study indicates a decreased serum concentration of 25(OH)D in postmenopausal women during the winter period and a low supply of vitamin D and calcium in their diet. Nutrition education should be introduced to the adult population to prevent bone fractures.
Age-Dependent Risk of Graft Failure in Young Kidney Transplant Recipients

Background The risk of graft failure in young kidney transplant recipients has been found to increase during adolescence and early adulthood. However, this question has not been addressed outside the United States so far. Our objective was to investigate whether the hazard of graft failure also increases during this age period in France irrespective of age at transplantation. Methods Data of all first kidney transplantation performed before 30 years of age between 1993 and 2012 were extracted from the French kidney transplant database. The hazard of graft failure was estimated at each current age using a 2-stage modelling approach that accounted for both age at transplantation and time since transplantation. Hazard ratios comparing the risk of graft failure during adolescence or early adulthood to other periods were estimated from time-dependent Cox models. Results A total of 5983 renal transplant recipients were included. The risk of graft failure was found to increase around the age of 13 years until the age of 21 years, and decrease thereafter. Results from the Cox model indicated that the hazard of graft failure during the age period 13 to 23 years was almost twice as high as than during the age period 0 to 12 years, and 25% higher than after 23 years. Conclusions Among first kidney transplant recipients younger than 30 years in France, those currently in adolescence or early adulthood have the highest risk of graft failure.