Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Clinical Study of Rape against Females at the Yaoundé Gyneco-Obstetric and Pediatric Hospital, Cameroun

Objective: To describe the clinical and therapeutic aspects of rape against females in a tertiary level hospital, Yaounde, Cameroon. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a retrolective collection of data, concerning the female patients with a clinical diagnosis of rape received from January 1st 2008 to December 31st 2012. Results: Rape was confirmed at physical examination in 131 cases. The rape victim survivals were mostly aged less than 20 years (85/131; 64.9%), unmarried (127/131; 97.0%), with no income (95/131; 72.5%) and had no university education level (110/131; 83.9%). The aggression commonly took place during the night (68/131; 51.9%), at the victim’s or aggressor’s home (70/131; 53.4%), with physical constraint (73/131; 55.8%), by an unknown aggressor (88/131; 67.2%). A vaginal penetration was reported by 97.0% of the victims (127/131) while 12.2% of them (16/122) had an anal ingress. Condom usage was uncommon during rape (3/131; 2.3%). Vulvar and vaginal lesions were encountered in 32.8% of the cases (43/131). Only 27.5% (36/131) of the victims were prescribed an emergency contraception, while antiretroviral prophylaxis was administered to 46.6% (61/131) of them. Conclusion: These data might be useful for prevention of rape. The clinical management of survival victims of rape needs to be improved.
Consequences of Puberty on Efficacy of Intraocular Pressure-Lowering Drugs in Male Dutch-Belted Rabbits.

PURPOSE To investigate the changes in intraocular pressure (IOP), aqueous flow, and outflow facility, as well as efficacy of IOP-lowering drugs before and after sexual development in rabbits. METHODS Male Dutch-belted rabbits were studied at night between the ages of 8 and 44 weeks. During these times, body weight, testicular volume, and serum testosterone were measured to monitor sexual maturity. Ocular measurements included anterior chamber depth, central corneal thickness, IOP, aqueous flow, and outflow facility. Systemic acetazolamide or topical timolol, latanoprost, or saline were administered pre- and postpuberty to assess drug effects on these parameters. RESULTS Body weight, testicular volume, and serum testosterone increased until 28 weeks of age. IOP increased during prepuberty (R2 = 0.49, P = 0.003), dropped significantly during puberty, rising again immediate postpuberty, and changing little thereafter. Postpuberty compared with prepuberty found higher IOP (P < 0.0001), slower aqueous flow (P = 0.008), lower outflow facility (not statistically significant, P = 0.07), increased central cornea thickness, and increased anterior chamber volume. Timolol lowered IOP both pre- and postpuberty, whereas, latanoprost and acetazolamide decreased IOP postpuberty only. CONCLUSIONS As male rabbits mature, the cornea thickens and the anterior chamber volume increases. At the same time, aqueous flow slows, yet, IOP increases. This suggests that decreased outflow facility and/or increased episcleral venous pressure might contribute to the puberty-related changes in IOP. Underdevelopment of tissues of the outflow pathways may contribute to the differences in drug efficacy in rabbits when young compared with after sexual maturity.
Soft wearable motion sensing suit for lower limb biomechanics measurements

Motion sensing has played an important role in the study of human biomechanics as well as the entertainment industry. Although existing technologies, such as optical or inertial based motion capture systems, have relatively high accuracy in detecting body motions, they still have inherent limitations with regards to mobility and wearability. In this paper, we present a soft motion sensing suit for measuring lower extremity joint motion. The sensing suit prototype includes a pair of elastic tights and three hyperelastic strain sensors. The strain sensors are made of silicone elastomer with embedded microchannels filled with conductive liquid. To form a sensing suit, these sensors are attached at the hip, knee, and ankle areas to measure the joint angles in the sagittal plane. The prototype motion sensing suit has significant potential as an autonomous system that can be worn by individuals during many activities outside the laboratory, from running to rock climbing. In this study we characterize the hyperelastic sensors in isolation to determine their mechanical and electrical responses to strain, and then demonstrate the sensing capability of the integrated suit in comparison with a ground truth optical motion capture system. Using simple calibration techniques, we can accurately track joint angles and gait phase. Our efforts result in a calculated trade off: with a maximum error less than 8%, the sensing suit does not track joints as accurately as optical motion capture, but its wearability means that it is not constrained to use only in a lab.
Recurrent Marked Temporal Point Processes: Embedding Event History to Vector

Large volumes of event data are becoming increasingly available in a wide variety of applications, such as healthcare analytics, smart cities and social network analysis. The precise time interval or the exact distance between two events carries a great deal of information about the dynamics of the underlying systems. These characteristics make such data fundamentally different from independently and identically distributed data and time-series data where time and space are treated as indexes rather than random variables. Marked temporal point processes are the mathematical framework for modeling event data with covariates. However, typical point process models often make strong assumptions about the generative processes of the event data, which may or may not reflect the reality, and the specifically fixed parametric assumptions also have restricted the expressive power of the respective processes. Can we obtain a more expressive model of marked temporal point processes? How can we learn such a model from massive data? In this paper, we propose the Recurrent Marked Temporal Point Process (RMTPP) to simultaneously model the event timings and the markers. The key idea of our approach is to view the intensity function of a temporal point process as a nonlinear function of the history, and use a recurrent neural network to automatically learn a representation of influences from the event history. We develop an efficient stochastic gradient algorithm for learning the model parameters which can readily scale up to millions of events. Using both synthetic and real world datasets, we show that, in the case where the true models have parametric specifications, RMTPP can learn the dynamics of such models without the need to know the actual parametric forms; and in the case where the true models are unknown, RMTPP can also learn the dynamics and achieve better predictive performance than other parametric alternatives based on particular prior assumptions.
Apoptosis in Breast Cancer

OBJECTIVE To evaluate apoptotic rates on fine needle aspiration (FNA) samples of infiltrating duct carcinoma of the breast and to determine whether cytologic grading improved with consideration of the apoptotic rate in comparison with histologic grading. STUDY DESIGN We studied 35 women who underwent mastectomy following an FNA diagnosis of infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Concordance between cytologic and histologic grades was calculated. Next, cytologic grades were considered with the apoptotic rates and compared with the histologic grades. RESULTS An overall concordance of 82.9% was noted between the cytologic and histologic grading systems, with maximum concordance in grade 1 and minimum in grade 3 breast cancers. A highly significant difference in the apoptotic rates, as calculated on cytology, existed between the three histologic grades, indicating a significant increase in apoptosis with rising histologic grade. Applying multiple regression analysis, a significant improvement of cytologic grade with consideration of the apoptotic rate was observed. CONCLUSION Employing histologic grade as the yardstick, cytology was less sensitive for the purpose of grading breast ductal carcinoma. However, by considering the apoptotic rates, the sensitivity of cytologic grading significantly rose in relation to histologic grade. Larger studies are required to determine whether apoptosis can be incorporated into the existing cytologic grading systems to increase their sensitivity.
In Candida albicans, the Nim1 kinases Gin4 and Hsl1 negatively regulate pseudohypha formation and Gin4 also controls septin organization

In the development of hyphal germ tubes of Candida albicans, a band of septin forms at the base of the germ tube (basal septin band). Later, a septin ring forms, which organizes the first septum within the germ tube (septin ring). We have investigated the role of the Nim1 kinases, Gin4 and Hsl1, in the formation of these septin structures. We show that during germ tube formation, Gin4 is required for the organization of the septin ring but not the basal septin band. Hsl1 is not required for the formation of either septin rings or basal bands. Unexpectedly, we found that both gin4Δ and hsl1Δ mutants form pseudohyphae constitutively, in a fashion that in the case of gin4Δ, is partly independent of Swe1. Gin4-depleted pseudohyphae are unable to form hyphae when challenged with serum, but this can be overcome by ectopic expression of Gin4 from the MET3 promoter. Thus, Gin4 may regulate the developmental switch from pseudohyphae to hyphae.
Automatic Chemical Design Using a Data-Driven Continuous Representation of Molecules

We report a method to convert discrete representations of molecules to and from a multidimensional continuous representation. This model allows us to generate new molecules for efficient exploration and optimization through open-ended spaces of chemical compounds. A deep neural network was trained on hundreds of thousands of existing chemical structures to construct three coupled functions: an encoder, a decoder, and a predictor. The encoder converts the discrete representation of a molecule into a real-valued continuous vector, and the decoder converts these continuous vectors back to discrete molecular representations. The predictor estimates chemical properties from the latent continuous vector representation of the molecule. Continuous representations of molecules allow us to automatically generate novel chemical structures by performing simple operations in the latent space, such as decoding random vectors, perturbing known chemical structures, or interpolating between molecules. Continuous representations also allow the use of powerful gradient-based optimization to efficiently guide the search for optimized functional compounds. We demonstrate our method in the domain of drug-like molecules and also in a set of molecules with fewer that nine heavy atoms.
Towards secure and dependable software-defined networks

Software-defined networking empowers network operators with more flexibility to program their networks. With SDN, network management moves from codifying functionality in terms of low-level device configurations to building software that facilitates network management and debugging. By separating the complexity of state distribution from network specification, SDN provides new ways to solve long-standing problems in networking --- routing, for instance --- while simultaneously allowing the use of security and dependability techniques, such as access control or multi-path. However, the security and dependability of the SDN itself is still an open issue. In this position paper we argue for the need to build secure and dependable SDNs by design. As a first step in this direction we describe several threat vectors that may enable the exploit of SDN vulnerabilities. We then sketch the design of a secure and dependable SDN control platform as a materialization of the concept here advocated. We hope that this paper will trigger discussions in the SDN community around these issues and serve as a catalyser to join efforts from the networking and security & dependability communities in the ultimate goal of building resilient control planes.
Directed self-assembly of block copolymers for use in bit patterned media fabrication

Reduction of the bit size in conventional magnetic recording media is becoming increasingly difficult due to the superparamagnetic limit. Bit patterned media (BPM) has been proposed as a replacement technology as it will enable hard disk areal densities to increase past 1 Tb in−2. Block copolymer directed self-assembly (BCP DSA) is the leading candidate for forming BPM due to its ability to create uniform patterns over macroscopic areas. Here we review the latest research into two different BCP DSA techniques: graphoepitaxy and chemoepitaxy (or chemical prepatterning). In addition to assessing their potential for forming high density bit patterns, we also review current approaches using these techniques for forming servo patterns, which are required for hard disk drive (HDD) operation. Finally, we review the current state of UV nanoimprint lithography, which is the favoured technique for enabling mass production of BPM HDDs.
Exploring the contributions of the supplementary eye field to subliminal inhibition using double‐pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation

It is widely accepted that the supplementary eye fields (SEF) are involved in the control of voluntary eye movements. However, recent evidence suggests that SEF may also be important for unconscious and involuntary motor processes. Indeed, Sumner et al. ([2007]: Neuron 54:697–711) showed that patients with micro‐lesions of the SEF demonstrated an absence of subliminal inhibition as evoked by masked‐prime stimuli. Here, we used double‐pulse transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) in healthy volunteers to investigate the role of SEF in subliminal priming. We applied double‐pulse TMS at two time windows in a masked‐prime task: the first during an early phase, 20–70 ms after the onset of the mask but before target presentation, during which subliminal inhibition is present; and the second during a late phase, 20–70 ms after target onset, during which the saccade is being prepared. We found no effect of TMS with the early time window of stimulation, whereas a reduction in the benefit of an incompatible subliminal prime stimulus was found when SEF TMS was applied at the late time window. These findings suggest that there is a role for SEF related to the effects of subliminal primes on eye movements, but the results do not support a role in inhibiting the primed tendency. Hum Brain Mapp 38:339–351, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Thin-Layer Preparations of Dithiothreitol-Treated Bronchial Washing Specimens

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the combined effect of dithiothreitol (DTT) treatment and ThinPrep (TP) (Cytyc Corp, Boxborough, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) processing on bronchial washing specimens. STUDY DESIGN A total of 431 bronchial washing specimens were initially treated with 0.05% DTT in a 30% methanol solution. After centrifugation, 1 TP slide and 2-4 conventional cytospin or smear preparations (CPs) were prepared. The reports of both preparations were compared in all cases. All 48 abnormal cases and 52 consecutive negative cases were also compared for cellular composition, distribution of the cells, ease of interpretation and overall preparation quality. Screening time was recorded for 20 of the cases. RESULTS The diagnostic accuracy of one TP slide appeared comparable to that of 2-4 CPs. The TP slide was assessed to be equal or superior in overall quality to CP in 85% of 100 cases of paired specimens. The cleaner background and smaller cellular area of TP slides significantly reduced the screening time. Mucolysis and specimen homogenization were not always optimal, occasionally resulting in uneven subsampling and poorly cellular TPs. However, in general, TP slides were considered superior to CPs in overall quality. CONCLUSION Improvement in specimen quality and reduced screening time have to be balanced against the high cost of consumables with the TP technique.
Forbidden fruit: human settlement and abundant fruit create an ecological trap for an apex omnivore

Habitat choice is an evolutionary product of animals experiencing increased fitness when preferentially occupying high-quality habitat. However, an ecological trap (ET) can occur when an animal is presented with novel conditions and the animal's assessment of habitat quality is poorly matched to its resulting fitness. We tested for an ET for grizzly (brown) bears using demographic and movement data collected in an area with rich food resources and concentrated human settlement. We derived measures of habitat attractiveness from occurrence models of bear food resources and estimated demographic parameters using DNA mark-recapture information collected over 8 years (2006-2013). We then paired this information with grizzly bear mortality records to investigate kill and movement rates. Our results demonstrate that a valley high in both berry resources and human density was more attractive than surrounding areas, and bears occupying this region faced 17% lower apparent survival. Despite lower fitness, we detected a net flow of bears into the ET, which contributed to a study-wide population decline. This work highlights the presence and pervasiveness of an ET for an apex omnivore that lacks the evolutionary cues, under human-induced rapid ecological change, to assess trade-offs between food resources and human-caused mortality, which results in maladaptive habitat selection.
Phosphatidylserine exposure on stored red blood cells as a parameter for donor-dependent variation in product quality.

BACKGROUND Exposure of phosphatidylserine on the outside of red blood cells contributes to recognition and removal of old and damaged cells. The fraction of phosphatidylserine-exposing red blood cells varies between donors, and increases in red blood cell concentrates during storage. The susceptibility of red blood cells to stress-induced phosphatidylserine exposure increases with storage. Phosphatidylserine exposure may, therefore, constitute a link between donor variation and the quality of red blood cell concentrates. MATERIALS AND METHODS In order to examine the relationship between storage parameters and donor characteristics, the percentage of phosphatidylserine-exposing red blood cells was measured in red blood cell concentrates during storage and in fresh red blood cells from blood bank donors. The percentage of phosphatidylserine-exposing red blood cells was compared with red blood cell susceptibility to osmotic stress-induced phosphatidylserine exposure in vitro, with the regular red blood cell concentrate quality parameters, and with the donor characteristics age, body mass index, haemoglobin level, gender and blood group. RESULTS Phosphatidylserine exposure varies between donors, both on red blood cells freshly isolated from the blood, and on red blood cells in red blood cell concentrates. Phosphatidylserine exposure increases with storage time, and is correlated with stress-induced phosphatidylserine exposure. Increased phosphatidylserine exposure during storage was found to be associated with haemolysis and vesicle concentration in red blood cell concentrates. The percentage of phosphatidylserine-exposing red blood cells showed a positive correlation with the plasma haemoglobin concentration of the donor. DISCUSSION The fraction of phosphatidylserine-exposing red blood cells is a parameter of red blood cell integrity in red blood cell concentrates and may be an indicator of red blood cell survival after transfusion. Measurement of phosphatidylserine exposure may be useful in the selection of donors and red blood cell concentrates for specific groups of patients.
Asymmetric synthesis of all stereoisomers of demethylsorgolactone. Dependence of the stimulatory activity of Striga hermonthica and Orobanche crenata seed germination on the absolute configuration

Strigol and sorgolactone belong to the class of “strigolactones”, which are highly potent germination stimulants of seeds of the parasitic weeds Striga and Orobanche. The aim of the present work was to synthesize all four stereoisomers of demethylsorgolactone (6), which lacks the methyl group in the A-ring of naturally occurring sorgolactone, and to evaluate their activities in the stimulation of germination of Striga hermonthica and Orobanche crenata seeds. Two diastereomers of demethylsorgolactone (6) were prepared and resolved in the corresponding enantiomers. Bioassays revealed that the germination stimulatory activity of 6 is comparable to that of strigol and that there exist significant differences in activity among the individual stereoisomers.
NVC-Hashmap: A Persistent and Concurrent Hashmap For Non-Volatile Memories

Non-volatile RAM (NVRAM) will fundamentally change in-memory databases as data structures do not have to be explicitly backed up to hard drives or SSDs, but can be inherently persistent in main memory. To guarantee consistency even in the case of power failures, programmers need to ensure that data is flushed from volatile CPU caches where it would be susceptible to power outages to NVRAM. In this paper, we present the NVC-Hashmap, a lock-free hashmap that is used for unordered dictionaries and delta indices in in-memory databases. The NVC-Hashmap is then evaluated in both stand-alone and integrated database benchmarks and compared to a B+-Tree based persistent data structure.
Atomic-Scale Nuclear Spin Imaging Using Quantum-Assisted Sensors in Diamond

Nuclear spin imaging at the atomic level is essential for the understanding of fundamental biological phenomena and for applications such as drug discovery. The advent of novel nano-scale sensors has given hope of achieving the long-standing goal of single-protein, high spatial-resolution structure determination in their natural environment and ambient conditions. In particular, quantum sensors based on the spin-dependent photoluminescence of Nitrogen Vacancy (NV) centers in diamond have recently been used to detect nanoscale ensembles of external nuclear spins. While NV sensitivity is approaching single-spin levels, extracting relevant information from a very complex structure is a further challenge, since it requires not only the ability to sense the magnetic field of an isolated nuclear spin, but also to achieve atomic-scale spatial resolution. Here we propose a method that, by exploiting the coupling of the NV center to an intrinsic quantum memory associated with the Nitrogen nuclear spin, can reach a tenfold improvement in spatial resolution, down to atomic scales. The spatial resolution enhancement is achieved through coherent control of the sensor spin, which creates a dynamic frequency filter selecting only a few nuclear spins at a time. We propose and analyze a protocol that would allow not only sensing individual spins in a complex biomolecule, but also unraveling couplings among them, thus elucidating local characteristics of the molecule structure.
Non-Newtonian flow-induced deformation from pressurized cavities in absorbing porous tissues

Abstract We investigate the behavior of a spherical cavity in a soft biological tissue modeled as a deformable porous material during an injection of non-Newtonian fluid that follows a power law model. Fluid flows into the neighboring tissue due to high cavity pressure where it is absorbed by capillaries and lymphatics at a rate proportional to the local pressure. Power law fluid pressure and displacement of a solid in the tissue are computed as function of radial distance and time. Numerical solutions indicate that shear thickening fluids exhibit less fluid pressure and induce small solid deformation as compared to shear thinning fluids. Absorption in the biological tissue increases as a consequence of flow-induced deformation for power law fluids. In most cases non-Newtonian results are compared with the viscous fluid case to magnify the differences.