Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Decline in working memory associated with HIV infection

Synopsis HIV infection has been associated with decline in a number of cognitive functions that are components of ‘working memory’. Thus, tests of working memory that require the interaction of these components may be particularly sensitive to cognitive dysfunction that arises from HIV infection. To assess this possibility, working memory was examined in 147 HIV-seropositive (HIV+) and 38 HIV-seronegative (HIV−) males using the Reading Span Test and the Digit Span subtest from the Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised (WMS-R). Speed of information processing, a component of some working memory tasks, was assessed with a version of the Sternberg Memory Scanning task. Results indicated that symptomatic HIV+ subjects were impaired relative to HIV− control subjects on the Reading Span and Digit Span tests. Asymptomatic and mildly symptomatic HIV+ groups exhibited a trend toward impairment on these tests, and on the whole, a greater proportion of HIV+ subjects than HIV− subjects were impaired. The groups did not differ significantly in information processing speed. These results indicate that deficits in working memory are apparent in at least a subset of HIV-infected individuals. These deficits are most apparent in symptomatic HIV+ individuals, but the decline may begin during the asymptomatic phase of infection.
Narcotics and diabetes. II. Streptozotocin-induced diabetes selectively alters the potency of certain narcotic analgesics. Mechanism of diabetes: morphine interaction.

The antinociceptive potencies of phenazocine and levorphanol were altered similarly to that of morphine in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic and transiently hyper- or hypoglycemic mice, but the potencies of methadone, propoxyphene and meperidine were not altered by changes in serum glucose levels. The acute, s.c. LD50 of morphine in STZ-induced diabetic mice was significantly lower than in the control mice, but the acute s.c. LD50 of methadone was not altered by STZ-induced diabetes. By using morphine as the prototype drug for subsequent experiments, it was demonstrated that the potency of naloxone in antagonizing the effects of morphine in te tail-flick test was not altered in diabetics. Levels of morphine in the brains of STZ-induced diabetic mice were not significantly different from control mice. The durations of action of morphine in STZ-induced diabetes and control mice were similar. We conclude that changes in serum glucose levels can selectively alter the potency of certain narcotic analgesics. The interaction between STZ-induced diabetes and morphine-induced antinociception does not appear to be due to differences in the absorption, distribution or elimination of morphine between diabetic and nondiabetic mice.
The first zoeal stages of Grapsus grapsus ( Linnaeus ) and Geograpsus lividus ( H . Milne Edwards ) ( Decapoda , Brachyura , Grapsidae ) from the western Atlantic

The first zoeal stages of Grapsus grapsus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Geograpsus lividus (H. Milne Kdwards, 1837) were obtained from laboratory-batched material originating from the Gulf of Mexico (Veracruz, Mexico). The zoeac are described and illustrated in detail. Comparisons are made with previous larval descriptions of both genera. Morphological differences found between the first zoeal stage of Grapsus grapsus and G. adscensionis (Osbeck, 1765) confirm the validity of both taxa and give evidence for the isolating effect of the Atlantic Basin. The first zoea of Geograpsus lividus from the present study presents marked morphological differences when compared to the same zoeal stage of G. lividus from the Pacific coast of Panama. These differences are at a level of distinction normally found between congeneric species, and support a possible taxonomic separation between these trans-isthmian populations, as suggested previously.
The Underlying Mechanism for the Diversity of Disulfide Folding Pathways*

The disulfide folding pathway of bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor (BPTI) is characterized by the predominance of folding intermediates with native-like structures. Our laboratory has recently analyzed the folding pathway(s) of four 3-disulfide-containing proteins, including hirudin, potato carboxypeptidase inhibitor, epidermal growth factor, and tick anticoagulant peptide. Their folding mechanism(s) differ from that of BPTI by 1) a higher degree of heterogeneity of 1- and 2-disulfide intermediates and 2) the presence of 3-disulfide scrambled isomers as folding intermediates. To search for the underlying causes of these diversities, we conducted kinetic analyses of the reductive unfolding of these five proteins. The experiment of reductive unfolding was designed to evaluate the relative stability and interdependence of disulfide bonds in the native protein. It is demonstrated here that among these five proteins, there exists a striking correlation between the mechanism(s) of reductive unfolding and that of oxidative folding. Those proteins with their native disulfide bonds reduced in a collective and simultaneous manner exhibit both a high degree of heterogeneity of folding intermediates and the accumulation of scrambled isomers along the folding pathway. A sequential reduction of the native disulfide bonds is associated with the presence of predominant intermediates with native- like structures.
Recognition of conspecifics by honeybee guards uses nonheritable cues acquired in the adult stage

Social insects use both environmental and heritable (genetic) recognition cues when discriminating between nestmates and non-nestmates. In honeybees, Apis mellifera, both types of recognition cues are used, although their relative importance depends upon context, experimental design and environmental factors. Our aim in this study was to investigate which cues honeybees use to discriminate between nestmates and non-nestmates under natural conditions. To do this, we used an assay of nestmate recognition that very closely simulated natural conditions, with naturally occurring guards at actual nest entrances and workers that had been naturally reared and had spent their adult life in a hive. Guards exclusively used environmental recognition cues when encountering entering bees. There was no evidence that guards used heritable cues: related nestmates and unrelated nestmates, unrelated non-nestmates and related non-nestmates all had the same probability of being accepted (ca. 80 versus 20%). Possible reasons why heritable cues are not used are discussed. Copyright 1999 The Association for the Study of Animal Behaviour.
Right Bundle Branch Block, Right Precordial ST-Segment Elevation, and Sudden Death in Young People

Background —Patients with the ECG pattern of right bundle branch block and right precordial ST-segment elevation may experience sudden death in the setting of either arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC) or a functional electrical disorder such as Brugada syndrome. Methods and Results —Among a series of 273 young (≤35 years) victims of cardiovascular sudden death who were prospectively studied from 1979 to 1998 in the Veneto Region of Italy, 12-lead ECG was available in 96 cases. Thirteen (14%; 12 males and 1 female aged 24±8 years) had right precordial ST-segment elevation, either isolated (9 cases) or associated with right bundle branch block (4 cases). At autopsy, all patients had ARVC (92%) except one, who had no evidence of structural heart disease. Compared with the 19 young sudden death victims with ARVC and no ST-segment abnormalities from the same series, those with AVRC and right precordial ST-segment elevation included fewer competitive athletes (17% versus 58%;P =0.03), more often died suddenly at rest or during sleep (83% versus 26%;P =0.003), and showed serial ECG changes over time (83% versus 0;P =0.015), polymorphic ventricular tachycardia (33% versus 0;P =0.016), and predominant fatty replacement of the right ventricular anterior wall (58% versus 21%;P =0.05), Conclusions —Right precordial ST-segment elevation was found in 14% of young sudden death victims with available ECG. It mostly reflected underlying ARVC with predominant right ventricular anterior wall involvement and characterized a subgroup of patients who share with Brugada patients the propensity to die from non–exercise-related cardiac arrest and to exhibit dynamic ECG changes and polymorphic ventricular tachycardia.
The role of the asymptotic equipartition property in noiseless source coding

The (noiseless) fixed-length source coding theorem states that, except for outcomes in a set of vanishing probability, a source can be encoded at its entropy but not more efficiently. It is well known that the asymptotic equipartition property (AEP) is a sufficient condition for a source to be encodable at its entropy. This paper shows that the AEP is necessary for the source coding theorem to hold for nonzero-entropy finite-alphabet sources. Furthermore, we show that a nonzero-entropy finite-alphabet source satisfies the direct coding theorem if and only if it satisfies the strong converse. In addition, we introduce the more general setting of nonserial information sources which need not put out strings of symbols. In this context, which encompasses the conventional serial setting, the AEP is equivalent to the validity of the strong coding theorem. Fundamental limits for data compression of nonserial information sources are shown based on the flat-top property-a new sufficient condition for the AEP.
A pathway-based classification of human breast cancer

The hallmark of human cancer is heterogeneity, reflecting the complexity and variability of the vast array of somatic mutations acquired during oncogenesis. An ability to dissect this heterogeneity, to identify subgroups that represent common mechanisms of disease, will be critical to understanding the complexities of genetic alterations and to provide a framework to develop rational therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe a classification scheme for human breast cancer making use of patterns of pathway activity to build on previous subtype characterizations using intrinsic gene expression signatures, to provide a functional interpretation of the gene expression data that can be linked to therapeutic options. We show that the identified subgroups provide a robust mechanism for classifying independent samples, identifying tumors that share patterns of pathway activity and exhibit similar clinical and biological properties, including distinct patterns of chromosomal alterations that were not evident in the heterogeneous total population of tumors. We propose that this classification scheme provides a basis for understanding the complex mechanisms of oncogenesis that give rise to these tumors and to identify rational opportunities for combination therapies.
Associative Stigma among Mental Health Professionals

In contrast with growing attention given to the stigma experiences of mental health service users, the stigma literature has paid almost no attention to mental health professionals. This study focuses on experiences of associative stigma among these professionals. We investigate the link between associative stigma and three dimensions of burnout as well as job satisfaction among mental health professionals, and the link of associative stigma with self-stigma and client satisfaction among service users. Survey data from 543 professionals and 707 service users from diverse mental health services are analyzed using multilevel techniques. The results reveal that among mental health professionals associative stigma is related to more depersonalization, more emotional exhaustion, and less job satisfaction. In addition, in units in which professionals report more associative stigma, service users experience more self-stigma and less client satisfaction. The results reveal that associative stigma is related to more depersonalization, more emotional exhaustion, and less job satisfaction among mental health professionals.
Moving frames, Geometric Poisson brackets and the KdV-schwarzian evolution of pure spinors

— In this paper we describe a non-local moving frame along a curve of pure spinors in O(2m, 2m)/P , and its associated basis of differential invariants. We show that the space of differential invariants of Schwarzian-type define a Poisson submanifold of the spinor Geometric Poisson brackets. The resulting restriction is given by a decoupled system of KdV Poisson structures. We define a generalization of the Schwarzian-KdV evolution for pure spinor curves and we prove that it induces a decoupled system of KdV equations on the invariants of projective type, when restricted to a certain level set. We also describe its associated Miura transformation and non-commutative modified KdV system. Résumé. — Nous décrivons un repère mobile non local pour les courbes de spineurs purs dans O(2m, 2m)/P , et la base correspondante d’invariants différentiels. Nous montrons que l’espace des invariants différentiels de type Schwarzien définit une sous-variété de crochets de Poisson géométriques de spineurs purs. La restriction résultante est donnée par un systéme découplé de crochets de Poisson de KdV . Nous définissons une généralisation de l’évolution de Schwarz-KdV pour les courbes de spineurs purs et nous montrons que, en restriction à un niveau fixé, cela induit un système d’équations de KdV découplé pour les invariants de type projectif. Nous décrivons par ailleurs la transformation correspondante de Miura et le système non commutatif modifié de KdV.
Real-time assay for testing components of protein synthesis

We present a flexible, real-time-coupled transcription–translation assay that involves the continuous monitoring of fluorescent Emerald GFP formation. Along with numerical simulation of a reaction kinetics model, the assay permits quantitative estimation of the effects on full-length protein synthesis of various additions, subtractions or substitutions to the protein synthesis machinery. Since the assay uses continuous fluorescence monitoring, it is much simpler and more rapid than other assays of protein synthesis and is compatible with high-throughput formats. Straightforward alterations of the assay permit determination of (i) the fraction of ribosomes in a cell-free protein synthesis kit that is active in full-length protein synthesis and (ii) the relative activities in supporting protein synthesis of modified (e.g. mutated, fluorescent-labeled) exogenous components (ribosomes, amino acid-specific tRNAs) that replace the corresponding endogenous components. Ribosomes containing fluorescent-labeled L11 and tRNAs labeled with fluorophores in the D-loop retain substantial activity. In the latter case, the extent of activity loss correlates with a combination of steric bulk and hydrophobicity of the fluorophore.
Predictors for heparin resistance in patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting

Heparin resistance (HR) is a common event in cardiac operations. At present, no clear recognition of the risk factors for HR has been reached. The aim of this study was to determine a predictive model for HR, based on the preoperative patient’s profile. Two hundred consecutive patients scheduled for elective coronary artery bypass operations were enrolled in a prospective trial. Demographics, type of preoperative anticoagulation therapy and preoperative coagulation profile were collected and statistically analysed with respect to the evidence of a HR. Heparin resistance was defined as at least one activated clotting time < 400 s after heparinization and/or the need for purified antithrombin III (AT-III) administration. With a multivariate analysis we could identify five predictors for HR: AT-III ≤ 60%; preoperative subcutaneous heparin therapy; intravenous heparin therapy; platelet count ≥ 300 000 cells/mm3; age ≥ 65 years. We conclude that HR is a predictable event. In the presence of all the risk factors, the likelihood of HR is 99%; in the absence of all of them, it is 10%. Predicting HR allows us to apply many possible therapeutic strategies.
A two-phase bidirectional heuristic search algorithm

This work describes a new best-first bidirectional heuristic search algorithm with two phases. The new algorithm is based on a critical review of the basic search reduction operations in previous algorithms like BS* or Switch-A*. The general guideline is to let search fronts meet as close to midground as possible. In a first phase, search is discontinued at nodes as soon as the opposite frontier is met, terminating when one of the fronts runs out of open nodes. In a second phase, unidirectional search is conducted from the discontinued nodes until an optimal solution can be guaranteed. The new algorithm is tested on random instances of the 15-puzzle and on path-finding problems. A significant improvement in efficiency is observed when compared with other bidirectional algorithms.
Motivation and User Engagement in Fitness Tracking: Heuristics for Mobile Healthcare Wearables

Wearable fitness trackers have gained a new level of popularity due to their ambient data gathering and analysis. This has signalled a trend toward self-efficacy and increased motivation among users of these devices. For consumers looking to improve their health, fitness trackers offer a way to more readily gain motivation via the personal data-based insights the devices offer. However, the user experience (UX) that accompanies wearables is critical to helping users interpret, understand, gain motivation and act on their data. Despite this, there is little evidence as to specific aspects of fitness tracker user engagement and long-term motivation. We report on a 4-week situated diary study and Healthcare Technology Self-efficacy (HTSE) questionnaire assessment of 34 users of two popular American fitness trackers: JawBone and FitBit. The study results illustrate design implications and requirements for fitness trackers and other self-efficacy mobile healthcare applications.
A New Interpretation of Chain Galaxies at High Redshift

We propose a possible new model for the formation of chain galaxies at high redshift. Our model is summarized as follows. (1) Successive merging of subgalactic gas clumps results in the formation of a galaxy with a mass of 1011-1012 M☉ at redshift z ~ 5. (2) Subsequently, supernova explosions occur inside the galaxy and then blow out as a galactic wind (or a superwind). This wind expands into the intergalactic space and then causes a large-scale shell with a radius of several hundred kiloparsecs. Since this radius may be smaller than the typical separation between galaxies, interactions of shells may also occur, resulting in the formation of a large-scale gaseous slab. (3) Since the shell or the slab can be regarded as a gaseous sheet, filament-like gravitational instability is expected to occur. (4) Further gravitational instability occurs in each filament, leading to intense star formation along the filament. This is the chain galaxy phase. (5) The filament collapses gravitationally into one spheroidal system like an elliptical galaxy within one dynamical timescale of the filament (~108 yr). Therefore, it seems quite difficult to find remnants of chain galaxies. We also discuss that shocked shells driven by superwinds may be responsible for some Lyman limit systems and damped Lyα systems because their H I column densities are expected to be N ≳ 1019 cm-2.
Friction Reduction through Ultrasonic Vibration Part 1: Modelling Intermittent Contact

Ultrasonic vibration is employed to modify the friction of a finger pad in way that induces haptic sensations. A combination of intermittent contact and squeeze film levitation has been previously proposed as the most probable mechanism. In this paper, in order to understand the underlying principles that govern friction modulation by intermittent contact, numerical models based on finite element (FE) analysis and also a spring-Coulombic slider are developed. The physical input parameters for the FE model are optimized by measuring the contact phase shift between a finger pad and a vibrating plate. The spring-slider model assists in the interpretation of the FE model and leads to the identification of a dimensionless group that allows the calculated coefficient of friction to be approximately superimposed onto an exponential function of the dimensionless group. Thus, it is possible to rationalize the computed relative reduction in friction being (i) dependent on the vibrational amplitude, frequency, and the intrinsic coefficient of friction of the device, and the reciprocal of the exploration velocity, and (ii) independent of the applied normal force, and the shear and extensional elastic moduli of the finger skin provided that intermittent contact is sufficiently well developed. Experimental validation of the modelling using real and artificial fingertips will be reported in part 2 of this work, which supports the current modelling.
Performance analysis of triple selection diversity over exponentially correlated Nakagami-m fading channels

An approach to the performance analysis of a triple selection-diversity system over exponentially correlated Nakagami-m fading channels is presented. Closed-form expressions of converged sums for both outage and average error probabilities are derived. Numerical results are presented to point out the effect of the fading correlation, the fading severity, as well as the improvement achieved by the triple selection combining compared with the corresponding dual diversity case.
Discriminative k-shot learning using probabilistic models

This paper introduces a probabilistic framework for k-shot image classification. The goal is to generalise from an initial large-scale classification task to a separate task comprising new classes and small numbers of examples. The new approach not only leverages the feature-based representation learned by a neural network from the initial task (representational transfer), but also information about the classes (concept transfer). The concept information is encapsulated in a probabilistic model for the final layer weights of the neural network which acts as a prior for probabilistic k-shot learning. We show that even a simple probabilistic model achieves state-of-the-art on a standard k-shot learning dataset by a large margin. Moreover, it is able to accurately model uncertainty, leading to well calibrated classifiers, and is easily extensible and flexible, unlike many recent approaches to k-shot learning.
CCVP: Cost-efficient centrality-based VNF placement and chaining algorithm for network service provisioning

Network services have been significantly increased in today's enterprise networks. The time and cost of deploying these services are recently considered as critical challenges for enterprise networks. Network Functions Virtualization (NFV) is a promising solution to offer cost-efficient, scalable and more rapid deployment of such services. It allows the implementation of fine-grained services as a chain of Virtual Network Functions (VNFs). These chains need to be placed in the network. The chain placement is critical since it effects on both quality of service (QoS) and the provider cost. This paper formulates the problem of VNF placement and chaining as an Integer Linear Program (ILP) and proposes a Cost-efficient Centrality-based VNF Placement and chaining algorithm (CCVP). The objective is to find the optimal number of VNFs along with their locations in such a manner that the provider cost is minimized. Apart from cost minimization, the support for large-scale environments with a large number of servers and end-users is an important feature of the proposed algorithm. Finaly, the algorithm behavior is analyzed through simulations.