Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Bats as a continuing source of emerging infections in humans

Amongst the 60 viral species reported to be associated with bats, 59 are RNA viruses, which are potentially important in the generation of emerging and re‐emerging infections in humans. The prime examples of these are the lyssaviruses and Henipavirus. The transmission of Nipah, Hendra and perhaps SARS coronavirus and Ebola virus to humans may involve intermediate amplification hosts such as pigs, horses, civets and primates, respectively. Understanding of the natural reservoir or introductory host, the amplifying host, the epidemic centre and at‐risk human populations are crucial in the control of emerging zoonosis. The association between the bat coronaviruses and certain lyssaviruses with particular bat species implies co‐evolution between specific viruses and bat hosts. Cross‐infection between the huge number of bat species may generate new viruses which are able to jump the trans‐mammalian species barrier more efficiently. The currently known viruses that have been found in bats are reviewed and the risks of transmission to humans are highlighted. Certain families of bats including the Pteropodidae, Molossidae, Phyllostomidae, and Vespertilionidae are most frequently associated with known human pathogens. A systematic survey of bats is warranted to better understand the ecology of these viruses. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
University of Birmingham The Importance of Proximity to Death in Modelling Community Medication Expenditures for Older People: Evidence from New Zealand

Background Concerns about the long term sustainability of health care expenditures and in particular prescribing expenditures has become an important policy issue in most developed countries. Previous studies suggest that proximity to death (PTD) has a significant effect on total health care expenditures, with its exclusion leading to an overestimation of likely growth. There are limited studies of pharmaceutical expenditures taking PTD into account. Objective This paper presents an empirical analysis of public medication expenditure on older individuals in New Zealand (NZ). The aim of the study is to examine the individual effects of age and proximity to death (PTD) using individual level data. Methods This study uses individual level dispensing data from 2008/2009 covering the whole population of medication users age 70 years or more and resident in New Zealand. A case control methodology is used to examine individual cost and medication use for a 12 month period for decedents (cases) and survivors (controls). A random effects two part model, with a Probit and Generalized Linear Model (GLM) is used to explore the effect of age and proximity to death on expenditures. Results The impact of proximity to death on prescription expenditure is not as dramatic as studies reporting on Acute and/or long term care. The 12 month decedent to survivor mean expenditure ratio was 1.95, 2 2.09 for males and 1.82 for females. The additional cost of dying in terms of prescription drugs decreases with age, with those who die at 90 years of age or older consuming fewer drugs on average and having a lower mean expenditure than those who died in their 70s and 80s. The following variables were found to have a decreasing effect on the mean monthly prescription expenditures, a reduction of 2.2% for each additional year of age, 4.2% being in the Mãori ethnic group and 7.8% for Pacific Islanders. Increases in monthly expenditure were associated with being a decedent 32.1%62.6% (depending on month), being of Asian origin 16.2% or a male 12.6%. Conclusions Given the variance reported between survivors and decedents, to improve accuracy future projections should include PTD in their models. Policies targeted at reducing expenditures should not focus on age but on ensuring appropriate and cost effective prescribing especially towards the end of life. Key points for decision makers:  Despite prescription medications being the most common medical intervention there is limited evidence on how proximity to death and ageing affect prescribing expenditures for older people.  In terms of expenditure on prescription medications, proximity to death would appear to be a more important driver than ageing and should therefore be considered in any future expenditure projections.
Decycling numbers of random regular graphs

The decycling number ϕ(G) of a graph G is the smallest number of vertices which can be removed from G so that the resultant graph contains no cycles. In this paper, we study the decycling numbers of random regular graphs. For a random cubic graph G of order n, we prove that ϕ(G) = ⌈n/4 + 1/2⌉ holds asymptotically almost surely. This is the result of executing a greedy algorithm for decycling G making use of a randomly chosen Hamilton cycle. For a general random d‐regular graph G of order n, where d ≥ 4, we prove that ϕ(G)/n can be bounded below and above asymptotically almost surely by certain constants b(d) and B(d), depending solely on d, which are determined by solving, respectively, an algebraic equation and a system of differential equations. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Random Struct. Alg. , 21: 397–413, 2002
Power Allocation in Distributed Detection with Wireless Sensor Networks

In distributed detection systems with wireless sensor networks, communication between sensors and a fusion center is not perfect due to interference and limited communication power of the sensors to combat noise. The problem of optimizing detection performance with imperfect communication between the sensors and the fusion center over wireless channels brings a new challenge to distributed detection. In this paper, a distributed detection system infrastructure is provided, and a multiaccess channel model is included to account for imperfect communication between the sensors and the fusion center. The J-divergence between the distributions of the detection statistic under different hypotheses is used as a performance criterion instead of the probability of error in order to provide a tractable analysis. Optimizing the performance (in terms of the J-divergence) under a total communication power constraint on the sensors is studied, and the optimal power allocation is provided
Requirements engineering in the year 00: a research perspective

Requirements engineering (RE) is concerned with the identification of the goals to be achieved by the envisioned system, the operationalization of such goals into services and constraints, and the assignment of responsibilities for the resulting requirements to agents such as humans, devices, and software. The processes involved in RE include: domain analysis, elicitation, specification, assessment, negotiation, documentation, and evolution. Getting high quality requirements is difficult and critical. Recent surveys have confirmed the growing recognition of RE as an area of utmost importance in software engineering research and practice. The paper presents a brief history of the main concepts and techniques developed to date to support the RE task, with a special focus on modeling as a common denominator to all RE processes. The initial description of a complex safety-critical system is used to illustrate a number of current research trends in RE-specific areas such as goal oriented requirements elaboration, conflict management, and the handling of abnormal agent behaviors. Opportunities for goal based architecture derivation are also discussed together with research directions to let the field move towards more disciplined habits.
Uniform Interpolation of ALC-Ontologies Using Fixpoints

We present a method to compute uniform interpolants with fixpoints for ontologies specified in the description logic ALC. The aim of uniform interpolation is to reformulate an ontology such that it only uses a specified set of symbols, while preserving consequences that involve these symbols. It is known that in ALC uniform interpolants cannot always be finitely represented. Our method computes uniform interpolants for the target language ALCμ, which is ALC enriched with fixpoint operators, and always computes a finite representation. If the result does not involve fixpoint operators, it is the uniform interpolant in ALC. The method focuses on eliminating concept symbols and combines resolutionbased reasoning with an approach known from the area of second-order quantifier elimination to introduce fixpoint operators when needed. If fixpoint operators are not desired, it is possible to approximate the interpolant.
Assessment of the Clinical Trainer as a Role Model: A Role Model Apperception Tool (RoMAT)

Purpose Positive role modeling by clinical trainers is important for helping trainees learn professional and competent behavior. The authors developed and validated an instrument to assess clinical trainers as role models: the Role Model Apperception Tool (RoMAT). Method On the basis of a 2011 systematic review of the literature and through consultation with medical education experts and with clinical trainers and trainees, the authors developed 17 attributes characterizing a role model, to be assessed using a Likert scale. In 2012, general practice (GP) trainees, in their first or third year of postgraduate training, who attended a curriculum day at four institutes in different parts of the Netherlands, completed the RoMAT. The authors performed a principal component analysis on the data that were generated, and they tested the instrument’s validity and reliability. Results Of 328 potential GP trainees, 279 (85%) participated. Of these, 202 (72%) were female, and 154 (55%) were first-year trainees. The RoMAT demonstrated both content and convergent validity. Two components were extracted: “Caring Attitude” and “Effectiveness. ” Both components had high reliability scores (0.92 and 0.84, respectively). Less experienced trainees scored their trainers significantly higher on the Caring Attitude component. Conclusions The RoMAT proved to be a valid, reliable instrument for assessing clinical trainers’ role-modeling behavior. Both components include an equal number of items addressing personal (Heart), teaching (Head), and clinical (Hands-on) qualities, thus demonstrating that competence in the “3Hs” is a condition for positive role modeling. Educational managers (residency directors) and trainees alike can use the RoMAT.
When Love Meets Money: Priming the Possession of Money Influences Mating Strategies

Money is an important factor that influences the development of romantic relationships. The current paper examines how the feeling of having relatively more or less money influences human mating strategies in long-term and short-term mating contexts under the framework of evolutionary psychology. We recruited mainland Chinese college students involved in steady, heterosexual romantic relationships to participate in two experiments. In each study, we experimentally triggered participants' feelings of having relatively more or less money and then examined their thoughts and behaviors related to mating. Results of Study 1 showed that men who were primed to feel that they had relatively more money were less satisfied with their partners' physical attractiveness than those primed to feel that they had less money, suggesting that the subjective feeling of having more or less money may affect men's preferences regarding the physical appearance of a mate in a long-term relationship. Interestingly, this difference was not significant for women. Results of Study 2 indicated that both men and women who were primed to feel that they had relatively more money exhibited a greater “behavioral approach tendency” toward an attractive member of the opposite sex than those primed to feel that they had less money. This finding suggests that people who feel they have relatively more money may have more interest in an attractive alternative than those who feel they have relatively less money. The differences in mating strategies between and within the genders brought about by money support the evolutionary hypothesis that individuals adopt conditional mating strategies in response to environmental conditions. Additionally, the results of experimental studies provide evidence for the causal effects of money on mating strategies. These findings have both conceptual and practical implications for the psychology of evolution and romantic relationships.
Reversible modulation of GABAA receptor‐mediated currents by light is dependent on the redox state of the receptor

Light has recently been shown to be a physical modulator of GABAA receptor activity. Here, we further characterize the effects of light on a native cortical and retinal population of GABAA receptors, and identify a possible mechanism for light induced potentiation using recombinant receptors. GABA‐induced currents in cortical neurons were observed to be rapidly and reversibly potentiated following exposure to a brief flash of light (0.5–2 s; > 280 nm) directed via an optical fibre (50 µm i.d.). GABAA receptor‐mediated responses in retinal ganglion cells were also enhanced by light, while glycine‐induced currents in these cells were unaffected by the same stimulus. We also determined that physiological levels of light, that is, those that would normally reach the retina, also enhanced GABA‐induced currents. Finally, we observed that chemical reduction of recombinant α1β2 and α1β2γ2S GABAA receptors by dithiothreitol substantially attenuated the effects of light. These results suggest that GABAA receptors can be reversibly modified by a brief pulse of light via an allosteric mechanism that is intimately linked to redox modulation.
End‐Systolic Pressure As a Balance Between Opposing Effects of Ejection

Ejection has previously been thought to exert only negative effects on end-systolic left ventricular pressure, via mechanisms like shortening deactivation and the force-velocity relation. Whether ejection also exerted a positive influence on pressure generation was tested by comparing two successive beats: 1) the last beat of steady-state ejection versus 2) a totally isovolumic contraction at the end-systolic volume. In 12 isolated, blood-perfused canine hearts loaded with a simulated arterial system, ejecting end-systolic pressure exceeded isovolumic pressure by approximately 10 mm Hg when ejection fraction was 0.3. With both higher and lower ejection fractions, the excess of ejecting end-systolic pressure was smaller; beyond an ejection fraction of roughly 0.5, the trend reversed so that ejecting end-systolic pressure fell below isovolumic pressure. The maximum excess in ejecting end-systolic pressure was quite variable (1-17 mm Hg), but the pattern of its variation with ejection fraction was consistent. A correlate of the positive effect of ejection on ventricular pressure was found in the timing of end systole. For an ejection fraction of 0.4, the systolic duration of ejecting beats was approximately 45percent; longer than in isovolumic beats (range, 23-67percent;). Potentially, a positive effect of ejection might be due to a residual influence of the stronger activation of cardiac myofilaments early in ejecting systole during which the sarcomeres were at longer lengths than in the isovolumic beat at end-systolic volume (length-dependent activation). A hypothetical model based on this mechanism reproduced both of the positive effects of ejection that were observed: excess end-systolic pressure and prolonged duration of systole. Thus, the approximate load independence of end-systolic pressure could result from the counter balance between opposing influences of ejection.
In vitro bioactivity of Silver containing sol-gel glasses: FTIR analysis

The main purpose of the presented article is the preparation and evaluation of carbonate apatite formation on the sol-gel glasses in SiO 2 -CaO-P 2 O 5 -xAg 2 O system, where x=0, 1, 2 and 4 wt. % Ag 2 O, after soaking in 1.5 SBF solutions for 12 days in static conditions. The investigated samples were prepared via the polystep sol-gel method and the structure of the obtained samples was monitored by XRD and FTIR. XRD of the synthesized and thermal treated at 600 o C for 6 hrs. samples showed that the presence of some crystalline phases is depended on the gel composition. FTIR revealed the existence of all the characteristic bands for the observed phases. FTIR of the examined samples, after soaking in 1.5 SBF solution for 12 days, confirmed that B-type carbonate apatite was formed preferentially on the soaked surface.
Esophageal obstruction secondary to mediastinal metastasis from breast carcinoma.

Abstract Metastatic breast carcinoma surrounding the esophagus is rare. Forty-six cases have been reported. Dysphagia is the major symptom. The typical x-ray appearance is extrinsic obstruction of a short segment of esophagus. A patient is presented with total esophageal obstruction which extended from the thoracic outlet to the inferior pulmonary ligament. Problems were encountered in diagnosis and management. Radiation appears to be the treatment of choice for metastatic breast carcinoma which obstructs the esophagus.
NF‐κB‐dependent fractalkine induction in rat aortic endothelial cells stimulated by IL‐1β, TNF‐α, and LPS

Fractalkine is an endothelial cell‐derived CX3C chemokine that is chemotactic mainly to mononuclear cells. Fractalkine was induced in rat aortic endothelial cells (RAEC) by interleu‐kin‐1β (IL‐1β), tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) transcriptionally and translationally. This induction correlated with increased NF‐κB DNA binding activity as determined by gel mobility shift assay. Supershift assays revealed that the NF‐κB subunits p50 and p65 were responsible for κB binding. Accordingly, we examined the role of NF‐κB in fractalkine induction in RAEC through the use of an adenovirus‐mediated mutant IκB as a specific inhibitor. Delivery of a dominant‐negative form of IκBα in RAEC dramatically reduced the induction of fractalkine by these stimuli, suggesting a role for NF‐κB activation in fractalkine induction. The inhibition of fractalkine expression by two potent NF‐κB inhibitors, sulfasalazine and sanguinarine, further supported the central role of NF‐κB in fractalkine transcription regulation and suggested a novel therapeutic target aimed at modulating leukocyte endothelial cell interaction. J. Leukoc. Biol. 67: 577–584; 2000.
Department of Economics Working Paper Series Demand for Environmental Quality: a Spatial Hedonic Analysis Demand for Environmental Quality: a Spatial Hedonic Analysis

We first estimate the relationship between house prices and environmental disamenities using spatial statistics, confirming that nearby point-source pollutants depress house price. We then calculate implicit prices of environmental quality and related characteristics from the house price hedonics to estimate a demand curve for environmental quality, finding a price elasticity of demand of –0.12. We find evidence of significant spatial effects in both the hedonic and demand estimations. We find that environmental quality and school quality are purchased together (η=-0.80), environmental quality and house size are substitutes (η=0.91), and environmental quality and lot size are not related goods.
Early-life Risk Factors for Adult Chronic Disease: Follow-up of a Cohort Born During 1964–1978 in an Urban Slum of Lahore, Pakistan

Evidence suggests that risk of chronic diseases may be programmed during the foetal and early life of the infant. With high rates of low birthweight coupled with a rapid nutritional transition, low-income countries are facing an epidemic of chronic diseases. Follow-up of a cohort of adults born during 1964–1978 in an urban slum in Lahore, Pakistan, is presented in this paper. In 695 of these adults (mean age=29.0 years, males=56%), blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, and body mass index (BMI) were measured to assess early-life predictors of risk of chronic diseases. Sixteen percent of the study population was born with a low birthweight (<2,500 g). A significant positive association (p=0.007) was observed between birthweight and BMI; additionally, adjusting for age and gender, the association with BMI was highly significant (p=0.000). Conversely, a significant negative association (p=0.016) was observed between birthweight and adult levels of fasting plasma glucose; after adjustment for age and gender, the association was more significant (p=0.005) No association was observed between birthweight and adult blood pressure. The results suggest that low birthweight may increase later risk of impaired glucose tolerance in urban Pakistani adults. Further research in this area is warranted.
An Architecture Of A Dataflow Single Chip Processor

A highly parallel (more than a thousand) dataflow machine EM-4 is now under development. The EM-4 design principle is to construct a high performance computer using a compact architecture by overcoming several defects of dataflow machines. Constructing the FM-4, it is essential to fabricate a processing element (PE) on a single chip for reducing operation speed, system size, design complexity and cost. In the EM-4, the PE , called EMC-R, has been specially designed using a 50,000-gate gate array chip. This paper focuses on an architecture of the EMC-R. The distinctive features of it are: a strongly connected are dataflow model; a direct matching scheme; a RISC-based design; a deadlock-free on-chip packet switch; and an integration of a packet-based circular pipeline and a register-based advanced control pipeline. These features are intensively examined, and the instruction set architecture and the configuration architecture which exploit them are described.
StrikeAPose: revealing mid-air gestures on public displays

We investigate how to reveal an initial mid-air gesture on interactive public displays. This initial gesture can serve as gesture registration for advanced operations. We propose three strategies to reveal the initial gesture: spatial division, temporal division and integration. Spatial division permanently shows the gesture on a dedicated screen area. Temporal division interrupts the application to reveal the gesture. Integration embeds gesture hints directly in the application. We also propose a novel initial gesture called Teapot to illustrate our strategies. We report on a laboratory and field study. Our main findings are: A large percentage of all users execute the gesture, especially with spatial division (56%). Users intuitively discover a gesture vocabulary by exploring variations of the Teapot gesture by themselves, as well as by imitating and extending other users' variations.
Serum vitamin E concentration and osmotic fragility in female long-distance runners

Abstract The objective of this study was to assess the nutritional adequacy of sub-elite runners with irregular menstrual function (n = 10) and that of a comparable group of runners with regular menstrual function (n = 10), with a special focus on vitamin E. Based on 3 days' records of weighed dietary intake, the mean energy intakes of micro- and macronutrients were estimated. Both estimated daily energy intake (irregular: 9.9 ± 0.4 MJ; regular: 12.2 ± 0.7 MJ; mean ± s x ) and intake of dietary fat (irregular: 61 ± 6 g; regular: 98 ± 12 g) were lower in athletes with irregular menstrual function than in athletes with regular menstrual function (P = 0.01). Estimated intake of vitamin E was below recommended values in both groups. Serum concentrations of α-tocopherol were used to evaluate vitamin E status, which were normal in athletes with regular menstrual function (27.3 ± 3.6 μmol · l−1) but below normal values in athletes with irregular menstrual function (15.7 ± 0.8 μmol · l−1; P = 0.01). Furthermore, post-exercise osmotic fragility in red blood cells was inversely related to resting α-tocopherol concentrations. Our results indicate that irregular menstrual function in athletes on a low-fat diet is associated with low concentrations of circulating α-tocopherol, rendering the red blood cells more susceptible to haemolysis in connection with physical activity.