BACKGROUND & AIMS Clinical trials evaluating second-generation direct-acting antiviral agents (DAAs) have shown excellent rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) and good safety profiles in patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infection. We aimed to investigate the effectiveness and safety of two oral DAA combination regimens, ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir plus dasab...

Pure carbon bulk junctions are fabricated based on carbon nanotube (CNT) macrostructures and their electrical transport characteristics are investigated. The planar 1D/2D strand-on-film (SOF) junctions show interesting forceand light-controlled transport behaviors. Considering the excellent chemical stability and good mechanical properties (strength, hardness and elasticity) of CNTs, the SOF ju...

The scintillator with optical fiber (SOF) dosimeter consists of a miniature scintillator mounted on the tip of an optical fiber. The scintillator of the current SOF dosimeter is a 1-mm diameter hemisphere. For a scintillation dosimeter coupled with an optical fiber, measurement accuracy is influenced by signals due to Cerenkov radiation in the optical fiber. We have implemented a spectral filte...

The rapid expansion of Special Operations Forces (SOF) since the beginning twenty-first century is largely seen as a response to necessity fight post–11 September 2001 counterterrorism wars. Strike and intelligence, previously studied distinct functions for military forces, have been increasingly intertwined in contemporary SOF operations. This study examines evolution strike intelligence North...

The United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) has emphasized the importance of international SOF collaboration, or what USSOCOM refers to as a “global SOF network.” It is difficult to achieve requisite levels of collaboration even among departments and agencies within a single country, much less on an international basis. Yet USSOCOM has been rightly praised for its trailblazing collab...

This paper is concerned with the problems of H∞ static output feedback (SOF) control synthesis for discretetime systems. New linear matrix inequality (LMI) characterizations are derived, which enable one SOF controller by using parameter-dependent Lyapunov function. The relationship between the proposed methods include and the existing ones are clarified, which shows that our new results includ...

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES Satisfactory composite restoration depends upon its smooth finish, quality of polishing agents, type of composite material used, and its composition. The present study evaluated the effect of different polishing systems on the surface roughness of composite resin. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty discs of composite were prepared and equally subjected to different finishing and ...

BACKGROUND & AIMS The new pan-genotypic regimen [sofosbuvir (SOF) and velpatasvir (VEL)] for hepatitis C virus (HCV) has been associated with high efficacy. The aim of this study was to assess patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of this regimen. METHODS The PRO data (CLDQ-HCV, SF-36, FACIT-F, WPAI) came from the ASTRAL-1 study, a multicenter multinational blinded placebo-controlled phase 3 clini...

AIM To determine if our health system's integrated model reflects sustained virologic response (SVR) outcomes similar to those in clinical trial data, maximizes adherence, and averts drug interactions. METHODS Subjects with chronic hepatitis C had their medical records reviewed from November 1st, 2014 through March 1st, 2016. Patients eligible for treatment were entered into an integrated car...

Exposure to human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is a recognized occupational hazard to healthcare personnel. The virus also presents an operational hazard to deployed Special Operations Forces (SOF) personnel. Management guidelines for work related exposure to HIV mainly deal with healthcare workers in a first world hospital environment. Formal guidelines for postexposure prophylaxis (PEP) regar...