Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Incident HIV infection in a high-risk, homosexual, male cohort in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

An HIV seroincidence study was conducted to identify a high-risk population for HIV prevention trials. Inclusion criteria were male gender, homosexual behavior, age between 18 and 50 years, and negative HIV serostatus; 862 study subjects were screened and 753 were enrolled and observed during follow-up for a mean of 1.5 years. In this population, 34 people had HIV seroconversions for an overall annual seroincidence of 3.1% (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.1%-4.1%). Among study subjects <20 years old, annual incidence was 8.4% (95% CI, 1.7%-15%). Independent risk factors for seroconversion were age <25 years (p = .01), hepatitis B core antibody seropositivity (p > .01), sex at first encounter in the preceding 6 months (p = .11), and a history of gonorrhea or condyloma in the 6 months before seroconversion (p = .04 and p = .08, respectively). At enrollment, 85% of the eventual seroconverters said they would participate in a vaccine trial; all agreed to participate when told there would be a placebo arm. Follow-up rates were 97%, 91%, and 88% at 6, 12, and 18 months, respectively. The HIV-1 subtype was B for each of the first 17 seroconverters. These data demonstrate the suitability of this cohort for HIV prevention trials, based on high HIV incidence and retention rates, and a willingness to participate in such trials.
Potentially Inappropriate Medication Use and Healthcare Expenditures in the US Community-Dwelling Elderly

Background:Potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use is a major source of drug-related problems in the elderly. Few studies have quantified the effect of PIM use on total healthcare expenditures in the United States. Objectives:We sought to determine the relationship between PIM use and healthcare expenditure and to estimate the annual incremental healthcare expenditures related to PIM use in the community-dwelling elderly population in the United States in 2001. Methods:This was a retrospective cohort study. Participants were age 65 years or older who had no PIM use in rounds 1 and 2 of the 2000–2001 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey, a nationally representative survey of the US noninstitutionalized population. On the basis of the 2002 Beers criteria, PIM users were identified as those who had been prescribed at least one PIM during specified time periods in the study. Propensity scores were used to match PIM users and nonusers in the analysis examining differences in total healthcare expenditures. Results:PIM utilization is a significant predictor for higher healthcare expenditures (P < 0.05). A conservative estimate of the incremental healthcare expenditures related to PIM use in the community-dwelling elderly population would be $7.2 billion (95% confidence interval, $3.4 billion–$15.7 billion) in the United States in 2001. Conclusions:PIM use is a major patient safety concern that results in increased healthcare expenditures. This study emphasizes the need for continued provider education to inform prescribers of the potential risks of using certain medications in the elderly and to improve prescribing practices.
Light-intensity physical activity is associated with adiposity in adolescent females.

INTRODUCTION Sedentary behavior (SB) research has relied on accelerometer thresholds to distinguish between sitting/lying time (SLT) and light-intensity physical activity (LIPA). Such methods may misclassify SLT, standing time (StT), and LIPA. This study examines the association between directly measured SB, physical activity (PA), and adiposity in an adolescent female sample. METHODS Female adolescents (n = 195; mean age, 15.7 yr (SD, 0.9)) had body mass index (BMI) (median, 21.7 kg·m (interquartile range, 5.2 kg·m)) and four-site sum of skinfolds (median, 62.0 mm; interquartile range, 37.1 mm) measured and wore an activPAL™ activity monitor for 7 d. SLT, StT, breaks in SLT, and bouts of SLT <30 and ≥30 min were determined from activPAL outputs. A threshold of 2997 counts per 15 s determined moderate-to-vigorous PA. All remaining time was quantified as LIPA. Mixed linear regression models examined associations between PA variables, SB variables, and adiposity. RESULTS Participants spent a mean of 65.3% (SD, 7.1) of the waking day in SLT, 23.0% (SD, 5.3) in StT, 5.6% (SD, 1.5) in LIPA, and 6.1% (SD, 2.4) in moderate-to-vigorous PA. Significant effects for the percentage of LIPA (which excluded StT) with both BMI (β = -4.38, P = 0.0006) and sum of skinfolds (β = -4.05, P = 0.006) were identified. Significant effects for breaks in SLT with BMI (β = -0.30, P = 0.04) were also observed. No additional significant associations were found between activity measures and adiposity. CONCLUSIONS Increased LIPA (excluding StT) and breaks in SLT were negatively associated with adiposity in this sample, independent of age. Interventional work should examine whether reducing SLT through breaks and increasing LIPA may prevent increases in adiposity in adolescent females.
Detection of a Novel Exon 4 Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor Gene Deletion in a Swiss Family with Severe Familial Hypercholesterolemia

Abstract Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is an autosomal dominant disease which results in 2-3-fold elevated cholesterol levels and in accelerated atherosclerosis. FH is caused by small mutations or larger rearrangements in the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR). Here, we report that screening the LDLR gene in a Swiss family (n = 15) with clinical symptoms of FH by combined single strand conformation polymorphism and long-distance PCR identified a novel 1.3 kb deletion in the LDLR. The deletion eliminated exon 4 of the LDLR presumably by recombination between two identical 25 bp repeats present in intron 3 and 4. The 25 bp sequence in intron 3 is part of an Alu repeat, whereas no homology to Alu repeats was found for the intron 4 region. This 1.3 kb LDLR deletion allele cosegregated with elevated cholesterol levels over three generations. Even on high-dose statin therapy, carriers of the deletion averaged 1.6 times higher cholesterol levels and 1.9 times higher apolipoprotein B-100 (apoB-100) levels than non-carriers who had lipid and apoB-100 levels within the range of the Swiss population. Most affected members of the first and second generation of this family had experienced a first myocardial infarction (MI) before the age of 55 years and most LDLR gene deletion carriers older than 40 years showed severe coronary artery disease (CAD). Hence, we conclude that deletion of exon 4 in the LDLR gene drastically decreases low-density lipoprotein binding leading to severe hypercholesterolemia.
A randomized, controlled trial of methotrexate versus placebo in early diffuse scleroderma.

OBJECTIVE Early diffuse scleroderma (systemic sclerosis; SSc) has no proven treatment. This study was undertaken to examine the efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) in improving the skin and other disease parameters in early diffuse SSc. METHODS Seventy-one patients with diffuse SSc of <3 years' duration were enrolled in a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind trial. Thirty-five patients were treated with MTX and 36 with placebo. Treatment was administered for 12 months. The primary outcome measures were skin score (as determined with 2 different indices) and physician global assessment. RESULTS At baseline, there were no statistically significant differences in skin scores, carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLco), physician global assessment, or other secondary outcome measurements between the 2 treatment groups. At study completion, results slightly favored the MTX group (mean +/- SEM modified Rodnan skin score 21.4+/-2.8 in the MTX group versus 26.3+/-2.1 in the placebo group [P < 0.17]; UCLA skin score 8.8+/-1.2 in the MTX group versus 11.0+/-0.9 in the placebo group [P < 0.15]; DLco in the MTX group 75.7+/-4.6 versus 61.8+/-3.4 in the placebo group [P < 0.2]). In addition, physician global assessment results favored MTX (P < 0.035), whereas patient global assessment did not differ significantly between groups. When between-group differences for changes in scores from baseline to 12 months were examined using intent-to-treat methodology, MTX appeared to have a favorable effect on skin scores (modified Rodnan score -4.3 in the MTX group versus 1.8 in the placebo group [P < 0.009]; UCLA score -1.2 in the MTX group versus 1.2 in the placebo group [P < 0.02]), but differences in the degree of change in the DLco and physician global assessment were not significant. For the UCLA skin score, these differences in results were not statistically significant after adjustment for baseline differences in sex distribution and steroid use. Dropout rates were similar in the 2 groups. CONCLUSION Although results of this trial demonstrated a trend in favor of MTX versus placebo in the treatment of early diffuse SSc, the between-group differences were small and the power to rule out false-negative results was only 50%. Our findings do not provide evidence that MTX is significantly effective in the treatment of early diffuse SSc.
Named data networking for infrastructure wireless networks

Named Data Networking(NDN) has emerged to support content-oriented services that are currently prevalent in the Internet. It successfully minimizes redundant transmission on wired links by adopting name-based access and in-network caching. In this paper, we discuss NDN in the IOT world, and propose its enhancement for efficient usage in IOT.
Funções executivas na segunda infância: comparação quanto à idade e correlação entre diferentes medidas

As funcoes executivas (FE) vem sendo objeto de grande interesse na literatura devido a sua importância e complexidade para a cognicao e o comportamento humanos. Sao operacoes mentais envolvidas no controle consciente de pensamentos e acoes, incluindo uma gama de componentes em relacao com outros processos cognitivos. Apesar dos diversos estudos realizados sobre o desenvolvimento das FE, o conhecimento desta tematica e incipiente, principalmente no que se refere a populacao infantil. Neste contexto, objetivou-se investigar o desenvolvimento tipico de FE na segunda infância, a partir de dois estudos empiricos. O primeiro verificou o papel da idade no desempenho de 90 criancas, de escolas publicas, em tarefas que avaliam componentes executivos. Comparou-se o desempenho de tres grupos etarios (6-7, 8-10 e 11-12 anos de idade) em fluencia verbal, geracao aleatoria de numeros, Teste de Cancelamento dos Sinos, Teste Hayling e N-Back. O segundo estudo buscou identificar possiveis correlacoes entre as diferentes medidas de FE examinadas. A amostra foi composta por 59 criancas de 8 a 12 anos, de escolas publicas, com os mesmos instrumentos e procedimentos do primeiro estudo. Dentre os principais resultados, no Estudo 1, observou-se que a idade influenciou em todas as variaveis mensuradas, com diferencas mais frequentes entre as criancas de 6 e 7 e de 11 e 12 anos. No Estudo 2, encontrou-se correlacao entre componentes de inibicao e flexibilidade cognitiva. Assim, resultados iniciais sugerem um desenvolvimento progressivo dos componentes executivos na segunda infância, assim como uma relacao mais proxima entre alguns componentes e paradigmas de avaliacao das FE.
Preoperative Application of Selective Angiographic Embolization in the Treatment of Focal Nodular Hyperplasia

A focal nodular hyperplasia (FNH) rarely requires surgical intervention unless complications or clinical symptoms come into play. In 2 female patients, ages 35 and 44, with symptomatic tumors of that entity (10 and 14 cm, respectively, in size) we performed a laparoscopic liver resection. Directly before undergoing this operation they underwent a selective angiographic embolization of the arterial inflow for control of hemorrhage by application of polyvinyl alcohol particles to the afferent arteries. This procedure led to a complete interruption in arterial inflow and the subsequent laparoscopic resection itself could be carried out as planned with minimal blood loss as well an uncomplicated postoperative course. The patients demonstrated a high degree of subjective satisfaction with the procedure. A reduction in arterial inflow through selective embolization is a useful tool in the preparation for laparoscopic resection of large, well-vascularized liver tumors.
Fast Normal Map Generation for Simplified Meshes

Abstract Approximating detailed models with coarse, normal mapped meshes is a very efficient method for real-time rendering of complex objects with fine surface detail. In this paper, we present a new and fast normal map construction algorithm. We scan-convert each triangle of the simplified model, which results in a regularly spaced point set on the surface of each triangle. The original model and all these point samples of the simplified model are rendered from uniformly distributed camera positions. The actual normal map is created by computing the corresponding . normals for the point sets. For each point, the normal of the closest point from the high resolution mesh over the set of all camera positions is chosen. Our approach works for general triangle meshes and exploits fully common graphics rendering hardware. Normal map construction times are generally in the range of only a few seconds even for large models. We render our normal-mapped meshes in real-time with a slightly modified version of the standard bump-mapping algorithm. In order to evaluate the approximation error, we investigate the distance and normal errors for normal-mapped meshes. Our investigation of the approximation errors shows that using more than 12 viewpoints does not result in a further improvement in the normal maps for our test cases.
Sponsorship, authorship, and accountability.

As editors of general medical journals, we recognize that the publication of clinical-research findings in respected peer-reviewed journals is the ultimate basis for most treatment decisions. Public discourse about this published evidence of efficacy and safety rests on the assumption that clinical-trials data have been gathered and are presented in an objective and dispassionate manner. This discourse is vital to the scientific practice of medicine because it shapes treatment decisions made by physicians and drives public and private health care policy. We are concerned that the current intellectual environment in which some clinical research is conceived, study subjects are recruited, .
Noninvasive Method for Glucose Level Estimation by Saliva

Aims: Diagnostic devices available in the market to measure blood glucose level require blood as diagnostic body fluid. Hence, necessity arises to find some non-invasive diagnostic mean to measure body glucose level frequently without any discomfort to the patient. The present study was aimed at estimation of blood and salivary glucose level in diabetic and non diabetic subjects. Methods: Forty diabetic and forty non-diabetic subjects were randomly selected. A detailed history of each patient was obtained. The quantitative estimation of blood and saliva glucose levels was performed by glucose oxidase method using enzymatic kit GOD-POD, glucose oxidase-peroxidase. Results: A correlation was observed between FSG, fasting saliva glucose and FPG, fasting plasma glucose of diabetic as well as non diabetic subjects. The correlation coefficient for non-diabetic and diabetic subjects were +0.58 and +0.40 respectively, proving the correlation between fasting saliva glucose and fasting blood glucose values statistically. Conclusion: Values observed regarding blood and saliva glucose level were found distinctly different between normal and diabetic subjects suggesting that monitoring of saliva glucose level can be used as an index of diabetes mellitus.
RAPID COMMUNICATION oPer1 is an Early Response Gene Under Photoperiodic Regulation in the Ovine Pars Tuberalis

Mammalian Per1 (or RIGUI) is a recently described putative clock gene that is expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus. It is also expressed in the pars tuberalis (PT) of the pituitary, where melatonin appears to drive its expression. This study examines the regulation of Per1 expression. In ovine PT cells, oPer1 is an early response gene transiently expressed after stimulation with forskolin, but melatonin has no independent effect on its expression. In sheep, PT tissue photoperiodic background influences the magnitude or timing of expression of oPer1 2 h after lights‐on. These data demonstrate that oPer1 mRNA is elevated in the PT following the decline in night‐time melatonin, and that the amplitude or timing of this elevation is dependent upon the duration of the nocturnal melatonin signal.
Cellular Characterization of a Novel Focal Adhesion Kinase Inhibitor*

Focal adhesion kinase (FAK) is a member of a family of non-receptor protein-tyrosine kinases that regulates integrin and growth factor signaling pathways involved in cell migration, proliferation, and survival. FAK expression is increased in many cancers, including breast and prostate cancer. Here we describe perturbation of adhesion-mediated signaling with a FAK inhibitor, PF-573,228. In vitro, this compound inhibited purified recombinant catalytic fragment of FAK with an IC50 of 4 nm. In cultured cells, PF-573,228 inhibited FAK phosphorylation on Tyr397 with an IC50 of 30–100 nm. Treatment of cells with concentrations of PF-573,228 that significantly decreased FAK Tyr397 phosphorylation failed to inhibit cell growth or induce apoptosis. In contrast, treatment with PF-573,228 inhibited both chemotactic and haptotactic migration concomitant with the inhibition of focal adhesion turnover. These studies show that PF-573,228 serves as a useful tool to dissect the functions of FAK in integrin-dependent signaling pathways in normal and cancer cells and forms the basis for the generation of compounds amenable for preclinical and patient trials.
Furans in foods.

Furan represent a class of compounds that have been reported in a wide variety of foods. Normally, they result from thermal decomposition reactions, and, as such, are important in foods. They also possess unique sensory properties and, thus, can significantly contribute to food flavor. This review shall attempt to summarize their food occurrences, organoleptic properties, and formation pathways.
[Primary central nervous system tumours reported in Cartagena, 2001-2006].

OBJECTIVES Determining the frequency of primary central nervous system tumours diagnosed in Cartagena; Colombia, from 2001-2006 and determining the demographic, epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients having central nervous system tumours reported by a single institution in Cartagena between 2001 and 2006. METHODS A passive epidemiological surveillance descriptive study was carried out. The pathology reports of new diagnosed central nervous system primary tumours from all laboratories in Cartagena were taken and the available clinical records regarding these cases were analysed. The overall incidence rate and incidence rates by year, gender, age and histological type were estimated, with 95 % confidence intervals. Standardised morbidity rates were also calculated. RESULTS There were 390 such cases during 2001-2006. The overall incidence rate was 6.91/100,000 people-year. Meningiomas were the most frequently occurring histological types (3.46/100,000 people-year). The provenance could only be determined in 43.1 % of cases. Standardised morbidity rates were higher in Cartagena regarding those reported in the United States and by the Colombian National Cancer Institute and the Population-based Cali Cancer Registry. CONCLUSIONS There was a higher incidence of primary central nervous system tumours in Cartagena than in the rest of the country. Registry and surveillance systems should be improved and research into risk factors encouraged.
Isolation and characterization of a novel leaf‐inhabiting osmo‐, salt‐, and alkali‐tolerant Yarrowia lipolytica yeast strain

Salt‐excreting leaves of Atriplex halimus plants harvested in the central Negev Highlands of Israel were screened for yeasts inhabiting their surfaces. Several aerobic, moderately salt‐ and alkalitolerant yeasts were isolated. One of the isolates (tentatively designated S‐8) was identified as Yarrowia lipolytica (Wick.) van der Walt and Arx, on the basis of its morphological, biochemical/physiological characteristics, and of quantitative chemotaxonomic and molecular marker analyses. However, the strain is distinguished from the known members of the type Y. lipolytica strain by its pronounced osmo‐, salt‐, and pH tolerance. Cells displayed a unique capacity to grow over a wide pH range (from 3.5 to 11.5) with a pH optimum at 4.5 to 7.5. It is proposed that the S‐8 strain be assigned to a single Y. lipolytica species as its anamorpha, or as a new variety, Y. lipolytica var. alkalitolerance. The ecophysiological properties and biotechnological potentials of the new strain are discussed.
Value of qualitative research in polycystic ovary syndrome

Objective This article aims to introduce the benefits of qualitative research and to discuss how such research can be applied to the study of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Data sources Relevant articles were published in English as of May 2013 from Pubmed. Terms “polycystic ovary syndrome/PCOS, qualitative research and methodology” were used for searching. Study selection Articles studying PCOS with qualitative methods were reviewed. Articles associated with the use of qualitative research in clinical research were cited. Results Six qualitative studies related to PCOS were found in the literature search. These studies addressed different aspects in PCOS women including their womanhood, lived experience, information need, and experience of treatment with acupuncture. Five of these six studies used phenomenology as guiding theory. Conclusion Quantitative research has been the dominant approach in the field so far, qualitative research is relevant to the advancement of PCOS.
Costs and efficacy of public health interventions to reduce aflatoxin-induced human disease

This study reviews available information on the economics and efficacy of aflatoxin risk-reduction interventions, and it provides an approach for analysis of the cost-effectiveness of public health interventions to reduce aflatoxin-induced human disease. Many strategies have been developed to reduce aflatoxin or its adverse effects in the body. However, a question that has been under-addressed is how likely these strategies will be adopted in the countries that need them most to improve public health. This study evaluates two aspects crucial to the adoption of new technologies and methods: the costs and the efficacy of different strategies. First, different aflatoxin risk-reduction strategies are described and categorized into pre-harvest, post-harvest, dietary, and clinical settings. Relevant data on the costs and efficacy of each strategy, in reducing either aflatoxin in food or its metabolites in the body are then compiled and discussed. In addition, we describe which crops are affected by each intervention, who is likely to pay for the control strategy, and who is likely to benefit. A framework is described for how to evaluate cost-effectiveness of strategies according to World Health Organization (WHO) standards. Finally, it is discussed which strategies are likely to be cost-effective and helpful under different conditions worldwide of regulations, local produce and soil ecology, and potential health emergencies.
The effect of container size

Transplants for both vegetable and floral crops are produced in a number of various sized containers or cells. Varying container size alters the rooting volume of the plants, which can greatly affect plant growth. Container size is important to transplant producers as they seek to optimize p roduction space. Transplant consumers are interested in container size as it relates to optimum post-transplant performance. The following is a comprehensive review of literature on container size, root restriction, and plant growth, along with suggestions for future research and concern.