Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Can Redundancy and Masking Improve the Performance of Synchronizers?

This paper considers the possibility of achieving improvements in the reliability of synchronizing an asynchronous signal, by exploiting redundancy and masking. Redundancy and masking techniques have been applied successfully to mask both permanent and transient hardware faults. However, it is shown in this paper that redundancy and masking techniques are ineffective against synchronization failures which arise because of metastable behavior of synchronizing elements.
Prevalence of Neuropathic Pain in Patients Scheduled for Lumbar Spine Surgery: Nationwide, Multicenter, Prospective Study.

BACKGROUND There is limited evidence about surgical outcomes after lumbar spinal surgery in patients with neuropathic pain (NP) or the prevalence of NP proportions among patients with degenerative lumbar diseases who are candidates for a surgical interventions. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this study were to investigate the prevalence of NP among patients scheduled for lumbar spinal surgery and the relationship between health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and NP. This study also aimed to identify the risk factors related to NP and compare the clinical outcomes after surgical treatment between patients with and without NP. STUDY DESIGN This study was a nationwide, multicenter, prospective, and observational study. It was conducted from Sep-Oct 2011 to May 2013, and included a total of 1,109 patients who were scheduled for lumbar spinal surgery from 44 spinal centers (both orthopedics and neurosurgeons). SETTING Multicenter study. METHODS Patients were diagnosed of having NP if the Leeds Assessment of Neuropathic Symptoms and Signs (LANSS) pain scale was = 12 points. The patients were investigated to assess the differences in their clinical outcomes one week and 3 months after surgery and were followed-up with regards to pain and HRQoL to explore the risk factors affecting NP. RESULTS Of 1,109 recruited patients, 404 (36.4%) suffered from NP (mean age 62.06 years; 37.9% men) with mean LANSS score of 17.44 ± 4.06, while 705 (63.6%) had nociceptive pain with mean LANSS score of 6.03 ± 3.52. At baseline, patients with NP showed lower HRQoL and more severe pain compared to nociceptive pain patients. However, 3 months after surgical treatment, the NP group showed greater improvement in pain NRS (P = 0.087) and EQ-5D (P = 0.029) as compared to nociceptive pain group. Longer symptom duration was identified as a risk factor for NP (OR 1.003, respectively, P = 0.020). CONCLUSION There was a high prevalence of NP in Korean patients scheduled for lumbar spine surgery, and these patients suffered greater pain and lower HRQoL than nociceptive pain patients. The more remarkable improvement NP patients showed after treatment highlights the importance of appropriate diagnosis and treatment of NP.
Vitamin E deficiency in dogs with retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy

The role of vitamin E deficiency in the development of retinal pigment epithelial dystrophy was investigated in 11 cocker spaniels and four other dogs. The concentration of α-tocopherol was measured by high performance liquid chromatography in plasma samples obtained from the affected dogs and from 28 ophthalmoscopically normal, healthy control dogs. The mean (sd) plasma α-tocopherol concentration in the normal dogs was 20.2 (7.1) μg/mI, compared with 1.14 (0.67) μg/mI in the 11 affected cocker spaniels. The difference between the two groups remained highly significant when the α-tocopherol concentrations were expressed relative to the concentrations of the plasma lipids cholesterol and triglycerides. Low plasma concentrations of α-tocopherol were observed in the four affeded dogs of other breeds, but the finding was not so consistent. The plasma lipid concentrations were normal in the affecded dogs. The deficiency of α-tocopherol in the affeded dogs appeared to be primary, because there was no clinical, biochemical or pathological evidence of underlying disease, or any indication of a dietary deficiency which might have contributed to the low concentrations of α-tocopherol.
Pitting scars in progressive systemic sclerosis.

The digital pitting scar is a common clinical feature in patients with progressive systemic sclerosis (PSS). Its pathogenesis is unclear, but it may result in small ulcerations. The clinical and histological features of these lesions are poorly understood. Eighty-seven patients with PSS were examined at least once per year. Pitting scars were defined as pinhole-sized digital concave depressions with hyperkeratosis. They were seen in 34 cases (39%) and were located not only on the tips of the fingers, but also on the sides, especially on the radial border of the index and middle finger and the ulnar side of the thumb, where they had a linear arrangement. Additional pitting scars were noticed on the dorsal surface of the proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints. Pitting was closely associated with several signs of PSS, e.g. Raynaud's phenomenon, skin thickening or articular involvement (e.g. stiffness, swelling, pain). There was no relationship between the number of pitting scars and the duration of PSS. Biopsy samples were taken of the lesions on the lateral sides of fingers in 3 patients. Histologically, there was a plug-like hyperkeratosis with parakeratosis, homogenized collagen fibers and slight perivascular mononuclear cell infiltration. Calcification and altered collagen fibers were observed in the deep dermis. Although pitting scars of the fingertips may be different from those of the lateral sides of the fingers, both histologically and pathogenetically, they were similar clinically. The scar locations on the fingertips and finger joints (proximal interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal) suggest that exogenous trauma, vibration injury and/or cold exposure may play a role in their pathogenesis.
The management of change in primary education : nine headteachers' perspectives of their management and leadership styles through a period of educational reform

The primary headteacher's role has always involved two inter-linked and interpenetrating aspects: the chief executive (managerial/administration) and the leading professional functions first advocated by Hughes in 1976. Since ERA (DES 1988) and subsequent educational reforms in England and Wales, there has been increased activity in both these aspects of the headteacher's role. This study examined the impact of specific government legislation since 1997 on primary headship using a multimethod approach. The Hughes (1976) dual model of headship was applied to a sample of headteachers in Merseyside to ascertain its relevance to modem primary headship. Through the use of postal questionnaires, in depth interviews and the analysis of individual school's OfSTED reports, data were collected which enabled the development of a picture of the strategies used by headteachers in Merseyside to try to maintain a balance between the chief executive and leading professional aspects of their role (Hughes 1976). Headteachers' management style was studied in the context of the macro, meso and micro factors that affected their roles within school. Macro factors included influence from government reforms and demands from Local Education Authorities; meso factors included organisational structures and control by school governors and micro factors involved relationships with staff in schools and decision-making at school level. The most successful heads in the sample were learning to delegate a great deal of the leading professional aspects of their roles to their senior members of staff. They were using a more coercive method of management to ensure that government initiatives were implemented in their schools. This had, in most cases, led to an inability to use their preferred style of management and had decreased their levels of job satisfaction. The least successful heads were trying to maintain both of the increased aspects of their role by working exceedingly long hours out of school. It was found that the although the headteachers in the sample were all affected by the same macro factors, they had started to delegate various aspects of both their chief executive and leading professional sub roles according to the meso and micro factors influencing their particular schools. Through this study, an updated version of Hughes' dual model of headship was developed to incorporate the affects of macro, meso and micro factors to make it relevant to modem primary headship.
Removal of Arsenate from Aqueous Solution by Adsorption onto Titanium Dioxide Nanoparticles

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) was investigated for the removal of pentavalent arsenate from aqueous solution. Kinetic results revealed that arsenate adsorption was almost instantaneous. The extent of arsenate adsorption decreased with increasing pH owing to the decrease of positively charged binding sites on the TiO2 surface. Adsorption isotherms measured at pH 3 and 7 generally followed the Langmuir model. The maximum uptake capacity ranged from 8 mg g−1 at pH 3 to 2.7 mg g−1 at pH 7. Addition of phosphate resulted in a significant reduction in arsenate adsorption, indicating that phosphate—a molecular analogue of arsenate—competes with arsenate for the same surface binding sites. By contrast, bicarbonate had little effect on arsenate adsorption, whereas sulfate exhibited a moderate suppression effect. A considerable reduction in arsenate adsorption was also observed in the presence of relatively high concentrations of background electrolytes (>50 mmol L−1).
Preparation of magnetic gelatin nanoparticles and investigating the possible use as chemotherapeutic agent

Abstract Iron oxide nanoparticles coated with gelatin trough two-step desolvation method and characterized. SEM analyse showed that the nanoparticles are spherical and TEM image showed that the iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated with gelatin. Also FTIR, TG and magnetization analyses exhibited that iron oxide nanoparticles encapsulated as well. Drug loading by adsorption studied under various conditions as different temperature, contact time and initial cisplatin concentration. Also, Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin-Raduskevich adsorption isotherm curves were constracted and constants were calculated. In vitro drug release was performed at pH 5 and 7.4 and hyperthermic drug release investigated at 42°C and compared with non-hyperthermic drug release.
Molecular Characterization of hCTR1, the Human Copper Uptake Protein*

We have expressed hCTR1, the human copper transporter, in Sf9 cells using a baculovirus-mediated expression system, and we observed greatly enhanced copper uptake. Western blots showed that the protein is delivered to the plasma membrane, where it mediates saturable copper uptake with aK m of ∼3.5 μm. We also expressed functional transporters where the N-linked glycosylation sites were substituted, and we provided evidence for the extracellular location of the amino terminus. Accessibility of amino-terminal FLAG epitope to antibody prior to permeabilization and of carboxyl-terminal FLAG only after permeabilization confirmed the extracellular location of the amino terminus and established the intracellular location of the carboxyl terminus. Tryptic digestion of hCTR1 occurred within the cytoplasmic loop and generated a 10-Da carboxyl-terminal peptide; cleavage was prevented by the presence of copper. hCTR1 mutants where Cys-161 and Cys-189, the two native cysteines, were replaced with serines also mediated copper uptake, indicating that neither cysteine residue was essential for transport. However, the mutants provided evidence that these residues may stabilize hCTR1 oligomerization. Western blots of hCTR1 in Sf9 cells showed expression levels 100-fold higher than in mammalian (HepG2) cells. The high level of functional expression and the low level of endogenous copper uptake will enable future structure-function analysis of this important protein.
The global burden of disease attributable to contaminated injections given in health care settings

As part of the 2000 Global Burden of Disease study, we quantified the death and disability from injection-associated infections with hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). We modelled the fraction of incident infections attributable to health care injections in the year 2000 on the basis of the annual number of injections, the proportion of injections administered with reused equipment, the probability of transmission following percutaneous exposure, the prevalence of active infection, the prevalence of immunity and the total incidence. Infections in 2000 were converted into disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2000–2030 using natural history parameters, background mortality, duration of disease, disability weights, age weights and a 3% discount rate. Four Global Burden of Disease regions where reuse of injection equipment in the absence of sterilization was negligible were excluded from the analysis. In the remaining 10 regions, in 2000, persons received an average of 3.4 injections per year, 39.3% of which were given with reused equipment. In 2000, contaminated injections caused an estimated 21 million HBV infections, two million HCV infections and 260,000 HIV infections, accounting for 32%, 40% and 5%, respectively, of new infections for a burden of 9,177,679 DALYs between 2000 and 2030. Injection overuse and unsafe practices account for a substantial burden of death and disability worldwide. There is a need for policies and plans for the safe and appropriate use of injections in countries where practices are poor.
Nationwide seroepidemiology of hepatitis B virus infection in South Korea in 2009 emphasizes the coexistence of HBsAg and anti‐HBs

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the major cause of chronic liver disease in Korea. This study investigated the seroprevalence of HBV infection with an emphasis on the coexistence of hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) and antibody (anti‐HBs). In all, 290,212 people undergoing health check‐up examinations in 29 institutions during 2009 were recruited. The crude seroprevalences of HBsAg and anti‐HBs was adjusted by age, sex, and geographic area using the 2009 estimated population of Korea. The adjusted seroprevalences of HBsAg and anti‐HBs was 4.0% and 73.5%, respectively. Males showed higher HBsAg positivity and lower anti‐HBs positivity than females (P < 0.001). HBsAg positivity increased with age from 3.5% in people 20–29 years old to 4.8% in people 40–49 years old, followed by a decrease in people ≥50 years old. HBsAg positivity in Southern provinces (4.5%) including Jeju (5.9%), was significantly higher than that in Central provinces (3.6%; P < 0.001). Interestingly, HBsAg and anti‐HBs coexisted in 0.1% of the total subjects and in 2.9% of the HBsAg‐positive group, showing distinct age distribution and higher alanine aminotransferase levels than those of the group positive for only HBsAg. In conclusion, the seroprevalence of HBsAg and anti‐HBs in Korea varies significantly by age, sex and geographical location and coexisted in 2.9% of HBsAg‐positive subjects. Continuous monitoring of seroepidemiology may facilitate the eventual eradication of HBV infection. J. Med. Virol. 85:1327–1333, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Review of the Statistical and Quantitative Methods Used to Study Alcohol-Attributable Crime

Modelling the relationship between alcohol consumption and crime generates new knowledge for crime prevention strategies. Advances in data, particularly data with spatial and temporal attributes, have led to a growing suite of applied methods for modelling. In support of alcohol and crime researchers we synthesized and critiqued existing methods of spatially and quantitatively modelling the effects of alcohol exposure on crime to aid method selection, and identify new opportunities for analysis strategies. We searched the alcohol-crime literature from 1950 to January 2014. Analyses that statistically evaluated or mapped the association between alcohol and crime were included. For modelling purposes, crime data were most often derived from generalized police reports, aggregated to large spatial units such as census tracts or postal codes, and standardized by residential population data. Sixty-eight of the 90 selected studies included geospatial data of which 48 used cross-sectional datasets. Regression was the prominent modelling choice (n = 78) though dependent on data many variations existed. There are opportunities to improve information for alcohol-attributable crime prevention by using alternative population data to standardize crime rates, sourcing crime information from non-traditional platforms (social media), increasing the number of panel studies, and conducting analysis at the local level (neighbourhood, block, or point). Due to the spatio-temporal advances in crime data, we expect a continued uptake of flexible Bayesian hierarchical modelling, a greater inclusion of spatial-temporal point pattern analysis, and shift toward prospective (forecast) modelling over small areas (e.g., blocks).
A novel visually CO2 controlled alveolar breath sampling technique.

BACKGROUND A crucial issue in the analysis of exhaled breath is the collection of gaseous samples. The analysis of pure alveolar gas is the method of choice if contamination of samples is to be minimized. Monitoring of expired CO2 can be used to identify alveolar gas. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a bed side version of this technique using visual CO2 control by means of a capnometer. METHODS 22 mechanically ventilated patients of an ICU were enrolled into the study. Alveolar and mixed expiratory gas, and arterial blood were sampled. PCO2 in blood and gas was determined in a blood gas analyzer. End tidal PCO2 was monitored in all patients by a fast responding main stream capnometry. Taking the gaseous samples was visually synchronized with the expired CO2. RESULTS Alveolar CO2 contents measured during two different respiratory cycles were identical (p 0.86). The variation of the CO2 content during 10 measurements in one patient was lower than 4%. Arterial PCO2, PCO2 in alveolar gas and end tidal PCO2 showed positive correlation. CONCLUSIONS The visually CO2-controlled sampling technique of alveolar gas is a reliable and reproducible method. It represents an important step in simplifying and standardizing breath analysis.
Inhibitory effect of ATP‐sensitive K+ channel regulators on forskolin‐stimulated short‐circuit current across the isolated mucosa of the rat colon

Forskolin concentration‐dependently increased the short‐circuit current (Isc) across the isolated mucosa of rat colon, which was carried mainly by Cl secretion from the mucosal membrane. The sulfonylureas such as glibenclamide, tolbutamide, glipizide and the ATP‐sensitive K+ channel opener cromakalim inhibited the forskolin (1 μM)‐induced increase of short‐circuit current (ΔIsc) when these drugs were applied to the basolateral side. The rank order of potency for inhibition of ΔIsc was: glibenclamide > cromakalim > tolbutamide > glipizide. Glibenclamide (100 μM) and cromakalim (100 μM) caused transient or small reduction of the A23187‐induced ΔIsc when applied to the basolateral side. Glibenclamide, tolbutamide and cromakalim decreased the forskolin‐induced ΔIsc when applied to the mucosal side; however, the responses produced by basolateral application were greater and faster than those elicited by mucosal application. None of these four agents affected the basal transepithelial current. The results indicate that the cAMP‐dependent Cl secretion in the rat colon could be modulated by ATP‐sensitive K+ channel regulators. © 1996 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Immunomagnetically Captured Thermophilic Sulfate-Reducing Bacteria from North Sea Oil Field Waters

Immunomagnetic beads (IMB) were used to recover thermophilic sulfate-reducing bacteria from oil field waters from oil production platforms in the Norwegian sector of the North Sea. IMB coated with polyclonal antibodies against whole-cell antigens of the thermophilic Thermodesulfobacterium mobile captured strains GFA1, GFA2, and GFA3. GFA1 was serologically and morphologically identical to T. mobile. GFA2 and GFA3 were spore forming and similar to the Desulfotomaculum strains T90A and T93B previously isolated from North Sea oil field waters by a classical enrichment procedure. Western blots (immunoblots) of whole cells showed that GFA2, GFA3, T90A, and T93B are different serotypes of the same Desulfotomaculum species. Monoclonal antibodies (MAb) against T. mobile type strain cells were produced and used as capture agents on IMB. These MAb, named A4F4, were immunoglobulin M; they were specific to T. mobile and directed against lipopolysaccharides. The prevailing cells immunocaptured with MAb A4F4 were morphologically and serologically similar to T. mobile type strain cells. T. mobile was not detected in these oil field waters by classical enrichment procedures. Furthermore, extraction with antibody-coated IMB allowed pure strains to be isolated directly from primary enrichment cultures without prior time-consuming subculturing and consecutive transfers to selective media.
A Multi-Currency Model with FX Volatility Skew

The paper develops a multi-currency model with FX skew for power-reverse dual-currency (PRDC) swaps, with a particular emphasis on model calibration to FX options across different maturities and strikes. New theoretical results on locally-optimal Markovian projections are obtained. When combined with powerful skew averaging techniques, a fast and robust calibration method is developed. The impact of the FX skew on cancellable and knockout PRDC swaps is analyzed.
Protective anti-reovirus monoclonal antibodies and their effects on viral pathogenesis

We used a recently isolated and characterized panel of monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) specific for cross-reactive determinants on reovirus outer capsid proteins to define mechanisms of antibody-mediated protection in vivo. We studied the capacities of MAbs to protect against lethal infection with reoviruses which differ in site of primary replication, route of spread, and central nervous system tropism. We found the following. (i) MAbs specific for each of the viral outer capsid proteins (sigma 1, sigma 3, and mu 1) and the core spike protein (lambda 2) were protective under certain circumstances. (ii) In vitro properties of MAbs, including isotype, neutralization of viral infectivity, inhibition of virus-induced hemagglutination, and avidity of binding, were poorly predictive of the capacities of MAbs to protect in vivo. (iii) MAbs did not act at a single stage during pathogenesis to mediate protection; instead, protective MAbs were capable of altering a variety of stages in reovirus pathogenesis. (iv) MAbs protective against one reovirus also protected against other reoviruses that utilized different pathogenetic strategies, suggesting that the viral epitope bound by an antibody rather than the pathogenetic strategy employed by the virus is a critical determinant of antibody-mediated protection in vivo. (v) A prominent mechanism of protective MAb action is inhibition of viral spread through nerves from a site of primary replication (e.g., the intestine or muscle tissue) to the central nervous system.
TEM/local excision: Indications, techniques, outcomes, and the future

Transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM) has emerged as a safe method for excising virtually any rectal adenoma and carefully selected cancers. Extended applications include treatment of extra‐ and supra‐sphincteric fistulae, rectovaginal fistulae, anastomotic strictures, and sinus tracts. The procedure utilizes an air‐tight system, long shafted instruments, high‐quality magnifying optics, and constant carbon dioxide insufflation, all of which facilitate a precise excision and closure with clear margins. Complications are few, most patients can be treated as an outpatient. J. Surg. Oncol. 2007;96:644–650. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.