Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of disease activity on RA treatment choices in countries with restricted access to expensive, innovative drugs: a discrete choice experiment among rheumatologists

Objective To assess the influence of disease activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis on treatment choices of rheumatologists in countries with restricted access to expensive, innovative drugs. Methods Rheumatologists from Hungary, Romania and UK were invited to complete two consecutive discrete choice experiments with hypothetical drug treatments for two different patient profiles: high and moderate disease activity. Rheumatologists were asked to choose repeatedly between two unlabelled treatment options that differed in five attributes: efficacy (expected improvement and achieved disease activity state), safety (probability of serious adverse events), patient's preference (level of agreement), total medication costs and cost-effectiveness. A heteroscedastic discrete choice model using interaction terms between attribute levels and patient profiles (binary variable) was used to assess the preferences of rheumatologists towards each attribute and the influence of the patient profile. Results Overall, 148 rheumatologists completed the survey (46% females, mean age 49 years, 49% academic). For both patient profiles, efficacy dominated the treatment choice over patient's preference, safety and economic aspects. However, for patients with high compared with moderate disease activity, the importance of drug efficacy significantly increased (from 48% for moderate to 57% for high disease activity), whereas the importance of patient's preference significantly decreased (from 15% to 11%). No significant differences were observed for economic and safety considerations. Conclusion Rheumatologists were willing to give up some efficacy to account for patient's preference when choosing treatments for patients with moderate compared to high disease activity. Disease activity however did not influence importance of economic aspects in treatment choices.
High thermal conductivity in electrostatically engineered amorphous polymers

High thermal conductivity in amorphous polymer films via ionization-induced chain extension and stiffening, and dense packing. High thermal conductivity is critical for many applications of polymers (for example, packaging of light-emitting diodes), in which heat must be dissipated efficiently to maintain the functionality and reliability of a system. Whereas uniaxially extended chain morphology has been shown to significantly enhance thermal conductivity in individual polymer chains and fibers, bulk polymers with coiled and entangled chains have low thermal conductivities (0.1 to 0.4 W m−1 K−1). We demonstrate that systematic ionization of a weak anionic polyelectrolyte, polyacrylic acid (PAA), resulting in extended and stiffened polymer chains with superior packing, can significantly enhance its thermal conductivity. Cross-plane thermal conductivity in spin-cast amorphous films steadily grows with PAA degree of ionization, reaching up to ~1.2 W m−1 K−1, which is on par with that of glass and about six times higher than that of most amorphous polymers, suggesting a new unexplored molecular engineering strategy to achieve high thermal conductivities in amorphous bulk polymers.
Complex, not monosomal, karyotype is the cytogenetic marker of poorest prognosis in patients with primary myelodysplastic syndrome.

PURPOSE Complex karyotype (CK) is the poorest risk factor in patients with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). It has recently been reported that monosomal karyotype (MK) worsens the prognosis of patients with CK. PATIENTS AND METHODS; We analyzed 1,054 adult patients with MDS with an abnormal karyotype from the Spanish Registry of MDS. The aim of the study was to describe the incidence, characteristics, and prognosis of MK; the main end points were overall survival (OS) and leukemia-free survival. RESULTS MK was identified in 172 patients (16%), most of whom (88%) presented with CK. Variables significantly associated with OS were age (hazard ratio [HR], 1.90; P < .001), bone marrow (BM) blast percentage (HR, 1.05; P < .001), hemoglobin level (HR, 1.71; P < .001), platelet count (HR, 1.41; P < .001), karyotype complexity (CK [three abnormalities]: HR, 1.81; P = .003; very CK [> three abnormalities]: HR, 2; P < .001), and abnormalities of chromosome 5 and/or 7 (HR, 1.89; P < .001). Variables significantly related to the risk of transformation to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) were higher BM blast percentage (HR, 1.12; P < .001) and karyotype complexity (CK: HR, 2.53; P = .002; very CK: HR, 2.77; P < .001). CONCLUSION After accounting for karyotype complexity, MK was not associated with OS or evolution to AML. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that the prognostic value of MK in MDS is not independent and is mainly the result of its strong association with number of chromosomal abnormalities.
Constraint Relaxation for Learning the Structure of Bayesian Networks

This paper introduces constraint relaxation, a new strategy for learning the structure of Bayesian networks. Constraint relaxation identifies and “relaxes” possibly inaccurate independence constraints on the structure of the model. We describe a heuristic algorithm for constraint relaxation that combines greedy search in the space of undirected skeletons with edge orientation based on the constraints. This approach produces significant improvements in the structural accuracy of the learned models compared to four well-known structure learning algorithms in an empirical evaluation using data sampled from both real-world and randomly generated networks.
Seasonal Variation and the Effect of the Transition Period on Physical Fitness Parameters in Youth Female Soccer Players

This study examined seasonal variation and the effect of the transition period on physical fitness parameters in female youth soccer players. Twenty-four players (13–17 years old) were assessed through field and laboratory testing. They completed laboratory testing three times: (1) at the beginning of the season (post-preseason), (2) at the end of the regular season (postseason), and (3) following the transition period (preseason). Field testing was conducted post-preseason and postseason. Results indicated that weight and body fat significantly increased from post-preseason to postseason and following the transition period. A paired samples T-test revealed that the players performed significantly better in the vertical jump and 30 m sprint test (all p < 0.01) postseason compared to post-preseason. Also, it was indicated that torque production for the right quadriceps, left quadriceps, and right hamstring (all p < 0.01) was significantly reduced after the transition period by 10%, 11.8%, and 10.5%, respectively. Cardiorespiratory measurements demonstrated that performance on an incremental cardiopulmonary treadmill test, maximal oxygen consumption, velocity at the first ventilatory threshold, velocity at the second ventilatory threshold, and velocity at maximal oxygen consumption (all p < 0.01) were significantly reduced postseason and following the transition period. Based on the results, coaches and trainers should primarily focus on maintaining the aerobic capacity of the players during the season, as it has been indicated to be reduced from the beginning to the end of the competitive period (VO2max reduced by 3.3%). In addition, they should focus on maintaining lower body strength and aerobic capacity during the transition period.
Improving consistency of the ERB record measured by CERES scanners aboard Terra/Aqua/S-NPP satellites

A purpose of this paper is to present verification of the consistency of unfiltered radiances measured by CERES instruments over their mission 2000-2016. The FM1 scanner on Terra, designated as the climate instrument, is used as a benchmark. The degradation modeling while the instruments on Terra and Aqua were operating in the RAPS mode is being revised, and the rate of the monthly degradation is shown to be 0.03%. The focus of this paper is on consistency between Terra CERES scanners, and it is a part of a broader investigation. Results of comparing FM2 and FM1 are reported for all-sky condition and selected scene types for shortwave and long-wave radiances based on Edition 4 ERBE-like (ES8) data product. Some scene type based results are also verified using an SSF product that contains imager (MODIS) information.
The phagocytic capacity and immunological potency of human dendritic cells is improved by α2,6‐sialic acid deficiency

Dendritic cells (DCs) play an essential role in immunity against bacteria by phagocytosis and by eliciting adaptive immune responses. Previously, we demonstrated that human monocyte‐derived DCs (MDDCs) express a high content of cell surface α2,6‐sialylated glycans. However, the relative role of these sialylated structures in phagocytosis of bacteria has not been reported. Here, we show that treatment with a sialidase significantly improved the capacity of both immature and mature MDDCs to phagocytose Escherichia coli. Desialylated MDDCs had a significantly more mature phenotype, with higher expression of MHC molecules and interleukin (IL)‐12, tumour necrosis factor‐α, IL‐6 and IL‐10 cytokines, and nuclear factor‐κB activation. T lymphocytes primed by desialylated MDDCs expressed more interferon‐γ when compared with priming by sialylated MDDCs. Improved phagocytosis required E. coli sialic acids, indicating a mechanism of host–pathogen interaction dependent on sialic acid moieties. The DCs harvested from mice deficient in the ST6Gal.1 sialyltransferase showed improved phagocytosis capacity, demonstrating that the observed sialidase effect was a result of the removal of α2,6‐sialic acid. The phagocytosis of different pathogenic E. coli isolates was also enhanced by sialidase, which suggests that modifications on MDDC sialic acids may be considered in the development of MDDC‐based antibacterial therapies. Physiologically, our findings shed new light on mechanisms that modulate the function of both immature and mature MDDCs, in the context of host–bacteria interaction. Hence, with particular relevance to DC‐based therapies, the engineering of α2,6‐sialic acid cell surface is a novel possibility to fine tune DC phagocytosis and immunological potency.
Cognitive biases in binge eating disorder: the hijacking of decision making

Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common of eating disorders and is characterized by excessive, out-of-control, rapid food intake. This review focuses on cognitive impairments in BED, which represent an endophenotype that mediates brain function and behavior. Here we focus on reviewing impulsivity, compulsivity, attentional biases to food cues, and executive function. Behavioral regulation in BED appears to be influenced by the context of motivationally salient food cues and the degree of obesity. Deficits in delay discounting and risk taking under ambiguity are impaired in obesity irrespective of BED status. However, in BED subjects with milder obesity, greater risk seeking under explicit probabilistic risk is observed to monetary rewards, whereas this shifts to risk aversion and enhanced delay discounting in more severe obesity. Relative to non-BED obese subjects, BED is characterized by enhanced behavioral inflexibility or compulsivity across multiple domains, with subjects selecting the same choices despite change in relevance (set shifting), being no longer rewarding (habit formation), or irrespective of outcome (perseveration). The context of food cues was associated with multiple attentional and early and late inhibitory impairments and enhanced memory bias, although BED patients also have generalized cognitive interference in working memory. These findings may help explain the phenotype of binge eating. Motivationally salient food cues provoke attentional and memory biases along with impairing response inhibitory processes. Those with BED are also more susceptible to cognitive interference and have impaired decisional impulsivity, with the tendency to inflexibly stick with the same choices irrespective of changes in context. These findings suggest critical cognitive domains that may guide therapeutic interventions.
Maternal origin of transferrin receptor positive cells in venous blood of pregnant women

We studied the origin of transferrin receptor (CD71) positive cells in blood from seven women pregnant with a male fetus in order to explore if fetal cells could be detected among them. We used a technique that allows direct chromosomal analysis by in situ hybridization on immunologically and morphologically classified cells. Enrichment was performed by magnetic activated cell sorting (miniMACS)® using an anti‐CD71 monoclonal antibody. The cells were immunophenotyped by alkaline phosphatase anti‐alkaline phosphatase immunostaining with the same antibody. The origin of the immunophenotyped cells was studied by in situ hybridization using an X cosmid Y repeat chromosome specific probe cocktail. CD71 positive cells were found in six of the seven women at the range of 4 to 43 in respective samples. Over 90% of the CD71 positive cells were nucleated erythrocytes. None of the detected positive cells were shown to be fetal. Thus, the use of transferrin receptor antigen alone in combination with the miniMACS® may not be sufficient for enrichment of fetal cells.
Whole Transcriptome Sequencing Reveals Gene Expression and Splicing Differences in Brain Regions Affected by Alzheimer's Disease

Recent studies strongly indicate that aberrations in the control of gene expression might contribute to the initiation and progression of Alzheimer's disease (AD). In particular, alternative splicing has been suggested to play a role in spontaneous cases of AD. Previous transcriptome profiling of AD models and patient samples using microarrays delivered conflicting results. This study provides, for the first time, transcriptomic analysis for distinct regions of the AD brain using RNA-Seq next-generation sequencing technology. Illumina RNA-Seq analysis was used to survey transcriptome profiles from total brain, frontal and temporal lobe of healthy and AD post-mortem tissue. We quantified gene expression levels, splicing isoforms and alternative transcript start sites. Gene Ontology term enrichment analysis revealed an overrepresentation of genes associated with a neuron's cytological structure and synapse function in AD brain samples. Analysis of the temporal lobe with the Cufflinks tool revealed that transcriptional isoforms of the apolipoprotein E gene, APOE-001, -002 and -005, are under the control of different promoters in normal and AD brain tissue. We also observed differing expression levels of APOE-001 and -002 splice variants in the AD temporal lobe. Our results indicate that alternative splicing and promoter usage of the APOE gene in AD brain tissue might reflect the progression of neurodegeneration.
Semantically-Secure Coding Scheme Achieving the Capacity of a Gaussian Wiretap Channel

We extend a recently proposed wiretap coding scheme to the Gaussian wiretap channel and show that it is semantically-secure. Denoting by SNR the signal-to-noise ratio of the eavesdropper's channel, the proposed scheme converts a transmission code of rate R for the channel of the legitimate receiver into a code of rate R - 0.5 log(1 + SNR) for the Gaussian wiretap channel. The conversion has a polynomial complexity in the codeword length and the proposed scheme achieves semantic security. In particular, when the underlying transmission code is capacity achieving, this scheme achieves the secrecy capacity of the Gaussian wiretap channel. Our security analysis relies on a single-shot bound on the mutual information between the message and the eavesdropper's observation for the proposed scheme, which may be of independent interest.
UV Study of the Fourth Positive Band System of CO and O i 135.6 nm From Electron Impact on CO and CO2

We have measured the 30 and 100 eV far ultraviolet (FUV) emission cross sections of the optically allowed Fourth Positive Group (4PG) band system (A1Π → X1Σ+) of CO and the optically forbidden O (5So → 3P) 135.6 nm atomic transition by electron‐impact‐induced‐fluorescence of CO and CO2. We present a model excitation cross section from threshold to high energy for the A1Π state, including cascade by electron impact on CO. The A1Π state is perturbed by triplet states leading to an extended FUV glow from electron excitation of CO. We derive a model FUV spectrum of the 4PG band system from dissociative excitation of CO2, an important process observed on Mars and Venus. Our unique experimental setup consists of a large vacuum chamber housing an electron gun system and the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission Imaging Ultraviolet Spectrograph optical engineering unit, operating in the FUV (110–170 nm). The determination of the total O i (5So) at 135.6 nm emission cross section is accomplished by measuring the cylindrical glow pattern of the metastable emission from electron impact by imaging the glow intensity about the electron beam from nominally zero to ~400 mm distance from the electron beam. The study of the glow pattern of O i (135.6 nm) from dissociative excitation of CO and CO2 indicates that the O i (5So) state has a kinetic energy of ~1 eV by modeling the radial glow pattern with the published lifetime of 180 μs for the O i (5So) state.
Oil Price Volatility and Fiscal Behaviour if Government in Nigeria

This paper examined the fiscal response of government to oil price volatility in Nigeria during the period 1970-2013. This is because no study has analysed the peculiar fiscal behaviour of the government given the unpredictable nature of oil prices. Yet, government fiscal activities had significantly determined and shaped the growth path of the economy. The multivariate vector Auto regression model was explored for the empirical analysis. Our findings showed that real oil prices had driven government expenditure dynamics and a long run relationship between real oil prices and government spending, non-oil growth, inflation and discount rate differential exist; and no asymmetric effect of oil price shocks on the government spending. However, these results are robust to different non-linear transformation of the real oil prices and inclusion of additional variables. Since oil price is highly volatile, it is advised that the government diversify the sources of foreign exchange inflows.
A case study of using LinkedIn for professional development

LinkedIn, one of the world's largest professional networks, has the potential to become a professional development tool for adults. This mixed-methods research provides an insight on how adults use LinkedIn group and explores adults' perception on using LinkedIn group for their professional development. Findings show that adults use LinkedIn for sharing resources professionally. The results show that while adults are basically satisfied with the technological and pedagogical affordances LinkedIn offer for professional development, there are mixed-responses with regards to its social affordances. Using LinkedIn as a professional development tool also has its limitations such as privacy and professional authentication. This paper examines the content of an instructional design and e-learning professionals' group in LinkedIn, analyses findings of the study and offers suggestions for future research.
Effects of environment forcing on marine boundary layer cloud‐drizzle processes

Determining the factors affecting drizzle formation in marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds remains a challenge for both observation and modeling communities. To investigate the roles of vertical wind shear and buoyancy (static instability) in drizzle formation, ground‐based observations from the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program at the Azores are analyzed for two types of conditions. The type I clouds should last for at least 5 h and more than 90% time must be nondrizzling and then followed by at least 2 h of drizzling periods, while the type II clouds are characterized by mesoscale convection cellular structures with drizzle occur every 2 to 4 h. By analyzing the boundary layer wind profiles (direction and speed), it was found that either directional or speed shear is required to promote drizzle production in the type I clouds. Observations and a recent model study both suggest that vertical wind shear helps the production of turbulent kinetic energy (TKE), stimulates turbulence within cloud layer, and enhances drizzle formation near the cloud top. The type II clouds do not require strong wind shear to produce drizzle. The small values of lower tropospheric stability (LTS) and negative Richardson number (Ri) in the type II cases suggest that boundary layer instability plays an important role in TKE production and cloud‐drizzle processes. By analyzing the relationships between LTS and wind shear for all cases and all time periods, a stronger connection was found between LTS and wind directional shear than that between LTS and wind speed shear.
Social-Oriented Adaptive Transmission in Opportunistic Internet of Smartphones

Stable and reliable wireless communication is one of the critical demands for smart cities to connect people and devices. Although intelligent terminals can be leveraged to deliver and exchange data through Internet, poor network coverage and expensive network access challenge the deployment of network infrastructure. In this paper, we propose a social-oriented smartphone-based adaptive transmission mechanism to improve the network connectivity and throughput in Internet of Things (IoTs) for smart cities. First, a social-oriented double-auction-based relay selection scheme is investigated to stimulate the relay smartphones to forward packets for others so that the network connectivity can be strengthened. Furthermore, for the sake of achieving high throughput in smartphone-based IoTs, the relay method selection is determined by integrating various kinds of transmission schemes in an optimal fashion to make full use of wireless spectrum resource. Due to its high computational complexity, a firefly-algorithm-based scheme is investigated, by which the formulated NP-complete problem can be solved effectively. Simulation results demonstrate the superiority of our proposed method.
Robust backstepping control for slew maneuver using nonlinear tracking function

The backstepping control method provides useful control logic, especially for a cascaded system. Because spacecraft dynamics and kinematics form a cascaded system, the spacecraft slew maneuver problem can be solved using the backstepping control method. However, the simple linear backstepping controller may result in poor design: sluggish motion, trivial nonlinear term cancellation, and excessive control input. To overcome these defects, an effective backstepping control method using a nonlinear tracking function is proposed. The proposed backstepping control method is based on the redesign of the Lyapunov function and careful gain selections. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed method, numerical simulations including parameter uncertainties are performed. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed backstepping controller can achieve the slew maneuver with shorter settling time and smaller peak control torque than existing methods.