Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sexual Risk Trajectories Among MSM in the United States: Implications for Pre-exposure Prophylaxis Delivery

Background:Despite evidence supporting pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) efficacy, there are concerns regarding the feasibility of widespread PrEP implementation among men who have sex with men (MSM). To inform the development of targeted PrEP delivery guidelines, sexual risk trajectories among HIV-negative MSM were characterized. Methods:At semiannual visits from 2003 to 2011, HIV-negative MSM (N = 419) participating in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study provided data on sexual risk behaviors (SRBs) since their last visit. Based on their reported behaviors, participants were assigned a SRB score at each visit as follows: 0 = no insertive or receptive anal intercourse, 1 = no unprotected insertive or receptive anal intercourse, 2 = only unprotected insertive anal intercourse, 3 = unprotected receptive anal intercourse with 1 HIV-negative partner, 4 = condom serosorting, 5 = condom seropositioning, and 6 = no seroadaptive behaviors. Group-based trajectory modeling was used to examine SRB scores (<4 vs. ≥4) and identify groups with distinct sexual risk trajectories. Results:Three sexual risk trajectory groups were identified: low-risk (n = 264; 63.0%), moderate-risk (n = 96; 22.9%; mean duration of consecutive high-risk intervals ∼1 year), and high-risk (n = 59; 14.1%; mean duration of consecutive high-risk intervals ∼2 years). Compared to low-risk group membership, high-risk group membership was associated with younger age (in years) [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.88 to 0.96], being White (AOR = 3.67, 95% CI: 1.48 to 9.11), earning an income ≥$20,000 (AOR = 4.98, 95% CI: 2.13 to 11.64), distress/depression symptoms (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale ≥ 16) (AOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.14 to 4.92), and substance use (AOR = 2.00, 95% CI: 1.01 to 3.97). Conclusions:Screening for the sociodemographic and behavioral factors described above may facilitate targeted PrEP delivery during high-risk periods among MSM.
Mice Deficient in the Serine/Threonine Protein Kinase VRK1 Are Infertile Due to a Progressive Loss of Spermatogonia1

Abstract The VRK1 protein kinase has been implicated as a pro-proliferative factor. Genetic analyses of mutant alleles of the Drosophila and Caenorhabditis elegans VRK1 homologs have revealed phenotypes ranging from embryonic lethality to mitotic and meiotic defects with resultant sterility. Herein, we describe the first genetic analysis of murine VRK1. Two lines of mice containing distinct gene-trap integrations into the Vrk1 locus were established. Insertion into intron 12 (GT12) spared VRK1 function, enabling the examination of VRK1 expression in situ. Insertion into intron 3 (GT3) disrupted VRK1 function, but incomplete splicing to the gene trap rendered this allele hypomorphic (∼15% of wild-type levels of VRK1 remain). GT3/GT3 mice are viable, but both males and females are infertile. In testes, VRK1 is expressed in Sertoli cells and spermatogonia. The infertility of GT3/GT3 male mice results from a progressive defect in spermatogonial proliferation or differentiation, culminating in the absence of mitotic and meiotic cells in adult testis. These data demonstrate an important role for VRK1 in cell proliferation and confirm that the need for VRK1 during gametogenesis is evolutionarily conserved.
The influence of emotional valence on word recognition in people with aphasia

ABSTRACT Although several studies have demonstrated that emotional valence facilitates lexical processing in neurotypical adults, there has been limited work involving people with aphasia. This study explored the effects of valence (valenced/neutral) and polarity (positive/negative) on single word processing. Twenty people with chronic aphasia and 20 neurotypical controls completed a written lexical decision task in which valence was manipulated. An effect of valence (i.e. better performance for valenced vs. neutral words) was found in both accuracy and response time in the aphasic group and in response time for controls. Both groups showed an effect of polarity, with aphasic participants generating fewer errors for positive (vs. negative and neutral) stimuli, and controls responding more quickly to positive (vs. neutral) stimuli. Additionally, performance with positive words was impacted less by aphasia severity than negative and neutral words. The results highlight the importance of valence as a psycholinguistic factor in aphasia assessment and intervention.
An AT-barrier mechanically controls DNA reannealing under tension

Regulation of genomic activity occurs through the manipulation of DNA by competent mechanoenzymes. Force-clamp optical tweezers that allow the structural dynamics of the DNA molecule to be measured were used here to investigate the kinetics of mechanically-driven strand reannealing. When the force on the torsionally unconstrained λ-phage DNA is decreased stepwise from above to below the overstretching transition, reannealing occurs via discrete shortening steps separated by exponentially distributed time intervals. Kinetic analysis reveals a transition barrier 0.58 nm along the reaction coordinate and an average reannealing-step size of ∼750 bp, consistent with the average bp interval separating segments of more than 10 consecutive AT bases. In an AT-rich DNA construct, in which the distance between segments of more than 10 consecutive AT is reduced to ∼210 bps, the reannealing step reduces accordingly without changes in the position of the transition barrier. Thus, the transition barrier for reannealing is determined by the presence of segments of more than 10 consecutive AT bps independent of changes in sequence composition, while the length of the reannealing strand changes according to the distance between poly-AT segments at least 10 bps long.
Comparison of Filter Bank Based Multicarrier Systems with OFDM

Multicarrier systems are favored for contemporary and future, both stationary and mobile, communication systems. They promise a high bandwidth efficiency and at the same time the capability to cope with frequency selective (radio) channels. Unfortunately, the peak-to-average power ratio (PAPR) is increased at the transmitter of multicarrier systems compared to single carrier systems. Filter bank based multi-carrier systems, i. e. transmultiplexer filter banks, provide a much better spectral shaping of the subcarriers than orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM). This leads to several advantages against OFDM systems, which are highlighted in this contribution. Particularly, the PAPR performance of filter bank based multicarriers systems and OFDM are compared
A N-Body Solver for Free Mesh Interpolation

Factorization of the Gaussian RBF kernel is developed for free-mesh interpolation in the flat, polynomial limit corresponding to Taylor expansion and the Vandermonde basis of geometric moments. With this spectral approximation, a top-down octree-scoping of an interpolant is found by recursively decomposing the residual, similar to the work of Driscoll and Heryudono (2007), except that in the current approach the grid is decoupled from the low rank approximation, allowing partial separation of sampling errors (the mesh) from representation errors (the polynomial order). Then, it is possible to demonstrate roughly 5 orders of magnitude improvement in free-mesh interpolation errors for the three-dimensional Franke function, relative to previous benchmarks. As in related work on $N$-body methods for factorization by square root iteration (Challacombe 2015), some emphasis is placed on resolution of the identity.
A systematic review of risk factors associated with accidental falls, outcome measures and interventions to manage fall risk in non-ambulatory adults

Abstract Purpose: To systematically review peer-reviewed literature pertaining to risk factors, outcome measures and interventions managing fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Methods: Twenty-one papers were selected for inclusion from databases including PubMed/Medline, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), Cochrane Library, Scopus, Consumer Health Complete and Web of Science. Selected studies involved a description of fall related risk factors, outcomes to assess fall risk and intervention studies describing protocols to manage fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Studies were selected by two reviewers and consultation provided by a third reviewer. Results: The most frequently cited risk factors/characteristics associated with falls included: wheelchair related characteristics, transfer activities, impaired seated balance and environmental factors. The majority of the outcomes were found to evaluate seated postural control. One intervention study was identified describing a protocol targeting specific problems of individual participants. A global fall prevention program was not identified. Conclusion: Several risk factors associated with falls were identified and must be understood by clinicians to better serve their clients. To improve objective assessment, a comprehensive outcome assessment specific to non-ambulatory adults is needed. Finally, additional research is needed to examine the impact of structured protocols to manage fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Implications for Rehabilitation Falls are a common health concern for non-ambulatory adults. Risk factors commonly associated with falls include wheelchair related characteristics, transfer activities, impaired seated balance and environmental factors. Limited outcome measures are available to assess fall risk in non-ambulatory adults. Clinicians must be aware of the known risk factors and provide comprehensive education to their clients on the potential for falls. Additional research is needed to develop and evaluate protocols to clinically manage fall risk.
Ag{+} Enhanced Silymarin Production in Hairy Root Cultures of 'Silybum Marianum' (L.) Gaertn

Seeds of Silybum marianum which have been used to treat liver diseases have an active component called silymarin. Hairy root cultures of S. marianum could be able to produce silymarin. There is evidence that the use of elicitors has been an important strategy for improving the production of secondary metabolites. Elicitation is an interesting topic to investigate cell signaling pathway in secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Lipoxiganase is an important enzyme in octadecanoid pathway related to the biosynthesis of jasmonic acid. The relationship between elicitors and jasmonic acid signaling pathways has been shown in previous researches. In the present study, we examined silymarin accumulation, linoleic acid content and lopoxigenas activity in hairy roots of S. marianum induced through the use of an abiotic elicitor, Ag{+}. Hairy root cultures of S. marianum were fed by different concentration of Ag{+} (0.2, 0.4, 0.8, 1 and 2 mM) and harvested 72h after elicitation. Detection and identification of flavonolignans was carried out by high performance liquid chromatograph method. The highest content of silymarin was 0.56 mg g {-1} DW that was obtained with 2 mM of Ag{+} which was 2 times of non-treated hairy roots. In the next stage, hairy roots were treated with 2 mM Ag{+} for different times (0, 24, 48, 72, 96 and 120h). The highest silymarin production reached to 1.2 mg g {-1} DW, 96h after elicitation. The content of silybin, isosilybin, taxifolin, silycristin and silydianin were 0.069, 0.031, 0.688, 0.388 and 0.024 mg g {-1} DW, respectively. The maximum lipoxigenase activity was obtained 72h after elicitation that was 4.33 times of non-treated hairy roots. Linoleic acid content was 19.9 mg g {-1} DW, 96h after elicitation. Dry weight of treated hairy roots decreased, as compared to non-treated hairy roots. It is feasible that elicitation with Ag{+} changes lipoxigenase activity which mediates signal transduction pathway for production of silymarin.
Uses of Theory in Randomized Field Trials

By design, randomized field trials (RFTs) avoid many of the problems that plague observational studies, foremost among them being the introduction of selection biases. In practice, however, RFTs regularly confront other difficulties, such as chance differences between treatment and control groups and attrition from the study. To address these issues, baseline data on the variable of primary interest are essential. Theory also aids the analytic process, identifying ways in which data should be disaggregated and determining the generalizability of the findings uncovered. Theory and testing are not neatly divided enterprises. Theory informs the initial design whereas empirical findings from RFTs motivate analysts to update and occasionally abandon their theoretical priors.
Impact damage and damage tolerance of fibre reinforced advanced composite laminate structures

The primary objective of this work is to experimentally examine the effect of various geometric parameters on the impact damage and damage tolerance of thin carbon/epoxy plate and panel structures. Due to the number of parameters involved in a low velocity impact event and the complexity of the damage created, determining what effect individual parameters have is extremely demanding, especially when some of the parameters may even be coupled. However, by experimentally simulating in a controlled manner, either the impact event or the damage created, the effect of individual geometric parameters can be isolated and determined. A quasi-static indentation test has been used to simulate an impact event. The parameters of indenter size, nose shape, plate size and boundary condition, were examined. Four different plate failure modes were identified. Indenter nose shape was found to be the dominant geometric parameter, as a change in nose shape resulted in a change in failure mode and hence maximum load. From this work, a set of geometric parameters was selected for impact testing. Impact testing at various Incident Kinetic Energies (IKE) was performed on an instrumented drop weight impact rig. From examination of internal and external damage, the development of damage to increasing IKE was determined and shown to have four distinctive phases. Coupled with strike and rebound velocity measurementsa, non-linear relationship between IKE-damage area was established and a delamination threshold energy level of 1.1 J was calculated. Damaget olerance assessmenot f impacted panels was then performed in a Compression-After- Impact (CAI) rig. Strain gauge responses allowed global and local behaviour to be compared to intact specimens. It was found that once a critical damage size was surpassed, a gradual nonlinear degradation in compressive strength was observed until a point was reached where no further degradation in performance was attained. Furthermore, propagation of internal damage in a stable and unstable manner was directly linked to the nature of sublaminate buckling behaviour. Damaget olerance assessmenot f artificially delaminatedp anels loaded in compressionw as then performed. A single artificial delamination of various size, shape and orientation, embedded at the centre of a panel was examined. Delamination width was found to be the dominant geometric parameter. Hence, when comparing a circular delamination to an elliptical one of the same area, the effect of orientation and shape is aspect ratio dependent. Finally, a comparison of impacted and artificially delaminated panels was made.
Joint Iterative Detection and Decoding in the Presence of Phase Noise and Frequency Offset

We present a new algorithm for joint detection and decoding of iteratively decodable codes transmitted over channels affected by a time-varying phase noise (PN) and a constant frequency offset. The proposed algorithm is obtained as an application of the sum-product algorithm to the factor graph representing the joint a posteriori distribution of the information symbols and the channel parameters given the channel output. The resulting algorithm employs the soft-output information on the coded symbols provided by the decoder and performs forward-backward recursions, taking into account the joint probability distribution of phase and frequency offset. We present simulation results for high-order coded modulation schemes based on low-density parity-check codes and serially concatenated convolutional codes, showing that, despite its low complexity, the algorithm is able to cope with a strong PN and a significant uncompensated frequency offset, thus avoiding the use of complicated data-aided frequency-estimation schemes operating on a known preamble. The robustness of the algorithm in the presence of a time-varying frequency offset is also discussed
BRCA1 p.His1673del is a pathogenic mutation associated with a predominant ovarian cancer phenotype

We have investigated the clinical significance of the BRCA1 variant p.His1673del in 14 families from the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, including 20 breast and 23 ovarian cancer cases; four families displayed site-specific ovarian cancer. The variant, absent in human variation databases, has been reported three times in BRCA1 specific databases; all probands shared the same rare haplotype at the BRCA1 locus, consistent with a common ancestor. The multifactorial likelihood method by Goldgar, used to estimate the probability of the variant being causative, gave a ratio of 2,263,474:1 in favor of causality. Moreover, in silico modeling suggested that His1673-lacking BRCA1 protein may have a decreased ability to bind BARD1 and other related proteins. All six ovarian carcinomas and two out of four breast carcinomas available showed a loss of the BRCA1 wild-type allele, which in three out of four ovarian carcinomas analyzed by FISH was associated with duplication of the chromosome 17 containing the variant. Although the pathogenicity of the allele is strongly supported by the multifactorial ratio, we cannot exclude that p.His1673del is not itself deleterious, but is linked to another undetected mutation on the same ancestral allele.
An Inordinate Fondness? The Number, Distributions, and Origins of Diatom Species

The number of extant species of diatoms is estimated here to be at least 30,000 and probably ca. 100,000, by extrapolation from an eclectic sample of genera and species complexes. Available data, although few, indicate that the pseudocryptic species being discovered in many genera are not functionally equivalent. Molecular sequence data show that some diatom species are ubiquitously dispersed. A good case can be made that at least some diatom species and even a few genera are endemics, but many such claims are still weak. The combination of very large species numbers and relatively rapid dispersal in diatoms is inconsistent with some versions of the “ubiquity hypothesis” of protist biogeography, and appears paradoxical. However, population genetic data indicate geographical structure in all the (few) marine and freshwater species that have been examined in detail, sometimes over distances of a few tens of kilometres. The mode of speciation may often be parapatric, in the context of a constantly shifting mosaic of temporarily isolated (meta) populations, but if our “intermediate dispersal hypothesis” is true (that long‐distance dispersal is rare, but not extremely rare), allopatric speciation could also be maximized.
Caffeine is ergogenic after supplementation of oral creatine monohydrate.

PURPOSE The purpose of this investigation was to assess the acute effects of caffeine ingestion on short-term, high-intensity exercise (ST) after a period of oral creatine supplementation and caffeine abstinence. METHODS Fourteen trained male subjects performed treadmill running to volitional exhaustion (T(lim)) at an exercise intensity equivalent to 125% VO(2max). Three trials were performed, one before 6 d of creatine loading (0.3 g x kg x d(-1) baseline), and two further trials after the loading period. One hour before the postloading trials, caffeine (5 mg x kg(-1)) or placebo was orally ingested in a cross-over, double-blind fashion. Four measurements of rating of perceived exertion were taken, one every 30 s, during the first 120 s of the exercise. Blood samples were assayed for lactate, glucose, potassium, and catecholamines, immediately before and after exercise. RESULTS Body mass increased (P < 0.05) over the creatine supplementation period, and this increase was maintained for both caffeine and placebo trials. There was no increase in the maximal accumulated oxygen deficit between trials; however, total VO(2) was significantly increased in the caffeine trial in comparison with the placebo trial (13.35 +/- 3.89 L vs 11.67 +/- 3.61 L). In addition, caffeine T(lim) (222.1 +/- 48.9 s) was significantly greater (P < 0.05) than both baseline (200.8 +/- 33.4 s) and placebo (198.3 +/- 45.4 s) T(lim). RPE was also lower at 90 s in the caffeine treatment (13.8 +/- 1.8 RPE points) in comparison with baseline (14.6 +/- 1.9 RPE points). CONCLUSION As indicated by a greater T(lim), acute caffeine ingestion was found to be ergogenic after 6-d of creatine supplementation and caffeine abstinence.
Mood, anxiety, and physical illness: body and mind, or mind and body?

This research review examines the recent articles that have investigated the relationship between mood, anxiety, and physical illness (e.g., asthma, autoimmune disorders, cancer, cardiovascular disease, obesity, and sexual dysfunction). There is growing evidence of an overall negative impact of depression and other mood states, and anxiety on numerous physical illnesses and conditions, and their outcome. Depression and Anxiety 23:377–387, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Observation of Lightning Discharges in Indonesia by Lightning Detection Network

A real-time lightning location network started to operate in Indonesia in mid 1995 and began providing reliable data in the end of the same year. The network consists of 8 signal receiving stations and works using the Time-Of-Arrival (TOA) technique. Area covered by the network includes: Java Island, Bali Island, Southern part of Sumatra Island, Southern part of Kalimantan Island, and Southern part of Sulawesi Island. The present work reports on the lightning stroke density obtained by the TOA network for 5 consecutive years from 1996 to 2000 on the Java Island. Maps of the lightning stroke density and its annual variations are presented. Further, monthly variation of the detected lightning strokes is also discussed. Lightning activity on the Island shows a consistent high density. The spatial and temporal distribution of lightning activity on the Island as reported by Hidayat and Ishii are confirmed. The density obtained using the present network is comparable to that reported by Hidayat and Ishii. On the other hand, the current amplitude is almost two-fold higher with an increasing tendency from 1995 to 1999
Stochastic re-calibration: contextual effects on perceived tilt

The human visual system exaggerates the difference between the tilts of adjacent lines or grating patches. In addition to this tilt illusion, we found that oblique flanks reduced acuity for small changes of tilt in the centre of the visual field. However, no flanks—regardless of their tilts—decreased sensitivity to contrast. Thus, the foveal tilt illusion should not be attributed to orientation-selective lateral inhibition. Nor is it similar to conventional crowding, which typically does not impair letter recognition in the fovea. Our observers behaved as though the reference orientation (horizontal) had a small tilt in the direction of the flanks. We suggest that the extent of this re-calibration varies randomly over trials, and we demonstrate that this stochastic re-calibration can explain flank-induced acuity loss in the fovea.