Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Musculoskeletal Health of 40-65 Year Old Males and Females in Kosova and the Impact of N05B, A02B (PPI, H2RA), H02AB and Lifestyle Factors on It

Background: This observational, cross-sectional study investigates the impact of medication usage, physical activity (PA) and nutritional status on musculoskeletal health (MSH) in males and females aged 40-65 in the population of a post conflict, developing country. Methods: Bone Mineral Density (BMD), T-score and Z-score at distal forearm regions (measured by DEXA scan), together with isometric hand grip strength (dynamometer) were evaluated in a total of 162 subjects (53 Males, average age 55.15±7.12 and 109 Females, 54.27±5.1). Additionally, bio-anthropometric assessments, medication usage, PA level and nutritional status were assessed. Results: Significant differences (p<0.05) were found in total subjects Body Mass Index (BMI), PA, BMD, T-score and Hand grip between genders. 42% of total participants met the diagnostic criteria of, out of which 6.8% with T-score below -2, while no cases of Osteoporosis was recorded. N05B Anxiolytics and A02B Drugs for peptic ulcer and gastro-oesophageal reflux disease medication groups consumption turned to have no significant differences (p>0.05) in BMD, T-score, and hand grip in total population, except for A02B where p<0.05 were found in Hand grip, as well as between female consumers and no consumers in all variables. Meanwhile, in total subjects consuming H02AB Glucocorticoids p<0.05 were observed in BMD and T-score, but not on hand grip. Conclusions: This study shows a low risk for MSH problems amongst the studied population in Kosova, while the consumption of H02AB medication group in both genders and A02B in females only for extended periods might effect MSH, therefore appropriate benefit/risk assessment should be made before prescribing these medications, notwithstanding age, gender, PA or nutritional status.
Impact of Global Geographic Region on Time in Therapeutic Range on Warfarin Anticoagulant Therapy: Data From the ROCKET AF Clinical Trial

Background Vitamin K antagonist (VKA) therapy remains the most common method of stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation. Time in therapeutic range (TTR) is a widely cited measure of the quality of VKA therapy. We sought to identify factors associated with TTR in a large, international clinical trial. Methods and Results TTR (international normalized ratio [INR] 2.0 to 3.0) was determined using standard linear interpolation in patients randomized to warfarin in the ROCKET AF trial. Factors associated with TTR at the individual patient level (i‐TTR) were determined via multivariable linear regression. Among 6983 patients taking warfarin, recruited from 45 countries grouped into 7 regions, the mean i‐TTR was 55.2% (SD 21.3%) and the median i‐TTR was 57.9% (interquartile range 43.0% to 70.6%). The mean time with INR <2 was 29.1% and the mean time with an INR >3 was 15.7%. While multiple clinical features were associated with i‐TTR, dominant determinants were previous warfarin use (mean i‐TTR of 61.1% for warfarin‐experienced versus 47.4% in VKA‐naïve patients) and geographic region where patients were managed (mean i‐TTR varied from 64.1% to 35.9%). These effects persisted in multivariable analysis. Regions with the lowest i‐TTRs had INR distributions shifted toward lower INR values and had longer inter‐INR test intervals. Conclusions Independent of patient clinical features, the regional location of medical care is a dominant determinant of variation in i‐TTR in global studies of warfarin. Regional differences in mean i‐TTR are heavily influenced by subtherapeutic INR values and are associated with reduced frequency of INR testing. Clinical Trial Registration URL: ClinicalTrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00403767.
Technical Implementation of SMOS Data in the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System

The launch of the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite of the European Space Agency opens the way to using a new type of satellite data that are very sensitive to soil moisture for numerical weather prediction. The European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) has developed an operational chain which makes it possible to process SMOS data in near real time (NRT) and compare it with a model equivalent. This process has been very challenging. The main reasons are the particular characteristics of the SMOS observation system and the large volume of data. Despite these obstacles, SMOS data are being processed successfully in NRT within the ECMWF Integrated Forecasting System (IFS). The ultimate objective is to assimilate these data in the IFS. It is expected to have an impact on the weather forecast at short and medium ranges. Prior to assimilation experiments, the quality of the data has to be assessed. This can be done through monitoring activities. Monitoring is a routine task performed with all satellite data, and among other things, it makes it possible to localize temporal (or spatial) bias or drifts in the data, thus providing NRT reports to the calibration and validation teams, which can act accordingly. In this letter, the implementation of SMOS data in the ECMWF IFS for monitoring purposes is discussed. The system was developed using a simulated file for the NRT processor, and it was tested using real data from the first year since the launch date.
The origin of neocortical nitric oxide synthase-expressing inhibitory neurons

Inhibitory neurons are critical for regulating effective transfer of sensory information and network stability. The precision of inhibitory function likely derives from the existence of a variety of interneuron subtypes. Their specification is largely dependent on the locale of origin of interneuron progenitors. Neocortical and hippocampal inhibitory neurons originate the subpallium, namely in the medial and caudal ganglionic eminences (MGE and CGE), and in the preoptic area (POA). In the hippocampus, neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-expressing cells constitute a numerically large GABAergic interneuron population. On the contrary, nNOS-expressing inhibitory neurons constitute the smallest of the known neocortical GABAergic neuronal subtypes. The origins of most neocortical GABAergic neuron subtypes have been thoroughly investigated, however, very little is known about the origin of, or the genetic programs underlying the development of nNOS neurons. Here, we show that the vast majority of neocortical nNOS-expressing neurons arise from the MGE rather than the CGE. Regarding their molecular signature, virtually all neocortical nNOS neurons co-express the neuropeptides somatostatin (SST) and neuropeptide Y (NPY), and about half of them express the calcium-binding protein calretinin (CR). nNOS neurons thus constitute a small cohort of the MGE-derived SST-expressing population of cortical inhibitory neurons. Finally, we show that conditional removal of the transcription factor Sox6 in MGE-derived GABAergic cortical neurons results in an absence of SST and CR expression, as well as reduced expression of nNOS in neocortical nNOS neurons. Based on their respective abundance, origin and molecular signature, our results suggest that neocortical and hippocampal nNOS GABAergic neurons likely subserve different functions and have very different physiological relevance in these two cortical structures.
Differential regulation of acetylcholine sensitivity and alpha- bungarotoxin-binding sites on ciliary ganglion neurons in cell culture

Levels of acetylcholine (ACh) sensitivity and numbers of alpha- bungarotoxin (alpha-Bgt)-binding sites have been measured for chick ciliary ganglion neurons grown in cell culture under various conditions. The two properties were found not to change in parallel. Neurons maintained in culture medium supplemented with embryonic eye extract developed high levels of ACh sensitivity and low numbers of alpha-Bgt-binding sites, whereas neurons grown in medium containing elevated K+ concentrations displayed the reverse. Neurons from media containing both eye extract and elevated K+ concentrations had both low levels of sensitivity and low numbers of toxin sites. The growth conditions do not alter the basic binding properties of the ACh receptors and alpha-Bgt-binding sites. Both the ACh receptor dose- response characteristics and the pharmacological properties of the toxin-binding sites were similar for neurons grown in media containing eye extract or elevated K+ concentrations. The inhibitory effects of eye extract on development of alpha-Bgt-binding sites appeared to be specific: eye extract had previously been shown to stimulate neuronal growth and cholinergic development, and in the present study eye extract enhanced development of ACh sensitivity and had no effect on mechanisms responsible for binding and accumulation of tetanus toxin. Eye extract did not block alpha-Bgt binding in competition binding experiments and did not cause redistribution of toxin sites away from the neuronal soma. These results demonstrate that ACh sensitivity and alpha-Bgt-binding sites can be independently regulated on the neurons and suggest that the two membrane properties are associated with separate membrane components.
Integron, Plasmid and Host Strain Characteristics of Escherichia coli from Humans and Food Included in the Norwegian Antimicrobial Resistance Monitoring Programs

Antimicrobial resistant Escherichia coli (n=331) isolates from humans with bloodstream infections were investigated for the presence of class 1 and class 2 integrons. The integron cassettes arrays were characterized and the findings were compared with data from similar investigations on resistant E. coli from meat and meat products (n=241) produced during the same time period. All isolates were obtained from the Norwegian monitoring programs for antimicrobial resistance in human pathogens and in the veterinary sector. Methods used included PCR, sequencing, conjugation experiments, plasmid replicon typing and subtyping, pulsed-field-gel-electrophoresis and serotyping. Integrons of class 1 and 2 occurred significantly more frequently among human isolates; 45.4% (95% CI: 39.9-50.9) than among isolates from meat; 18% (95% CI: 13.2 -23.3), (p<0.01, Chi-square test). Identical cassette arrays including dfrA1-aadA1, aadA1, dfrA12-orfF-aadA2, oxa-30-aadA1 (class 1 integrons) and dfrA1-sat1-aadA1 (class 2 integrons) were detected from both humans and meat. However, the most prevalent cassette array in human isolates, dfrA17-aadA5, did not occur in isolates from meat, suggesting a possible linkage between this class 1 integron and a subpopulation of E. coli adapted to a human host. The drfA1-aadA1 and aadA1 class 1 integrons were found frequently in both human and meat isolates. These isolates were subjected to further studies to investigate similarities with regard to transferability, plasmid and host strain characteristics. We detected incF plasmids with pMLST profile F24:A-:B1 carrying drfA1-aadA1 integrons in isolates from pork and in a more distantly related E. coli strain from a human with septicaemia. Furthermore, we showed that most of the class 1 integrons with aadA1 were located on incF plasmids with pMLST profile F51:A-:B10 in human isolates. The plasmid was present in unrelated as well as closely related host strains, demonstrating that dissemination of this integron also could be attributed to clonal spread. In conclusion, among the systematically collected isolates from two different sources, some significant differences concerning integron prevalence and integron variants were observed. However, closely related plasmids as vehicles for specific class 1 integrons in isolates from meat and from a human with bloodstream infection were found. The occurrence of similar multi-resistance plasmids in bacteria from a food source and from a human clinical sample highlights the possible role of meat as a source of resistance elements for pathogenic bacteria.
Objective Automatic Assessment of Rehabilitative Speech Treatment in Parkinson's Disease

Vocal performance degradation is a common symptom for the vast majority of Parkinson's disease (PD) subjects, who typically follow personalized one-to-one periodic rehabilitation meetings with speech experts over a long-term period. Recently, a novel computer program called Lee Silverman voice treatment (LSVT) Companion was developed to allow PD subjects to independently progress through a rehabilitative treatment session. This study is part of the assessment of the LSVT Companion, aiming to investigate the potential of using sustained vowel phonations towards objectively and automatically replicating the speech experts' assessments of PD subjects' voices as “acceptable” (a clinician would allow persisting during in-person rehabilitation treatment) or “unacceptable” (a clinician would not allow persisting during in-person rehabilitation treatment). We characterize each of the 156 sustained vowel /a/ phonations with 309 dysphonia measures, select a parsimonious subset using a robust feature selection algorithm, and automatically distinguish the two cohorts (acceptable versus unacceptable) with about 90% overall accuracy. Moreover, we illustrate the potential of the proposed methodology as a probabilistic decision support tool to speech experts to assess a phonation as “acceptable” or “unacceptable. ” We envisage the findings of this study being a first step towards improving the effectiveness of an automated rehabilitative speech assessment tool.
M-Ras/R-Ras3, a Transforming Ras Protein Regulated by Sos1, GRF1, and p120 Ras GTPase-activating Protein, Interacts with the Putative Ras Effector AF6*

M-Ras is a Ras-related protein that shares ∼55% identity with K-Ras and TC21. The M-Ras message was widely expressed but was most predominant in ovary and brain. Similarly to Ha-Ras, expression of mutationally activated M-Ras in NIH 3T3 mouse fibroblasts or C2 myoblasts resulted in cellular transformation or inhibition of differentiation, respectively. M-Ras only weakly activated extracellular signal-regulated kinase 2 (ERK2), but it cooperated with Raf, Rac, and Rho to induce transforming foci in NIH 3T3 cells, suggesting that M-Ras signaled via alternate pathways to these effectors. Although the mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor, PD98059, blocked M-Ras-induced transformation, M-Ras was more effective than an activated mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase mutant at inducing focus formation. These data indicate that multiple pathways must contribute to M-Ras-induced transformation. M-Ras interacted poorly in a yeast two-hybrid assay with multiple Ras effectors, including c-Raf-1, A-Raf, B-Raf, phosphoinositol-3 kinase δ, RalGDS, and Rin1. Although M-Ras coimmunoprecipitated with AF6, a putative regulator of cell junction formation, overexpression of AF6 did not contribute to fibroblast transformation, suggesting the possibility of novel effector proteins. The M-Ras GTP/GDP cycle was sensitive to the Ras GEFs, Sos1, and GRF1 and to p120 Ras GAP. Together, these findings suggest that while M-Ras is regulated by similar upstream stimuli to Ha-Ras, novel targets may be responsible for its effects on cellular transformation and differentiation.
Induced Acyclic Tournaments in Random Digraphs: Sharp Concentration, Thresholds and Algorithms

Abstract Given a simple directed graph D = (V,A), let the size of the largest induced acyclic tournament be denoted by mat(D). Let D ∈ D(n, p) (with p = p(n)) be a random instance, obtained by randomly orienting each edge of a random graph drawn from Ϟ(n, 2p). We show that mat(D) is asymptotically almost surely (a.a.s.) one of only 2 possible values, namely either b*or b* + 1, where b* = ⌊2(logrn) + 0.5⌋ and r = p−1. It is also shown that if, asymptotically, 2(logrn) + 1 is not within a distance of w(n)/(ln n) (for any sufficiently slow w(n) → ∞) from an integer, then mat(D) is ⌊2(logrn) + 1⌋ a.a. s. As a consequence, it is shown that mat(D) is 1-point concentrated for all n belonging to a subset of positive integers of density 1 if p is independent of n. It is also shown that there are functions p = p(n) for which mat(D) is provably not concentrated in a single value. We also establish thresholds (on p) for the existence of induced acyclic tournaments of size i which are sharp for i = i(n) → ∞. We also analyze a polynomial time heuristic and show that it produces a solution whose size is at least logrn + Θ(√logrn). Our results are valid as long as p ≥ 1/n. All of these results also carry over (with some slight changes) to a related model which allows 2-cycles
The diffraction of cathode rays by thin films of copper, silver and tin

The experiments to be described are a continuation of the work done by Prof. G. P. Thomson on the scattering of cathode rays by thin films. The details of the apparatus will be found in his paper. Cathode rays are generated in hydrogen in a discharge tube by an induction coil and pass through a fine tube at the end of which a film is mounted. The rays pass through this film and travel along the camera to the photographic plate which, when an exposure is to be made, is lowered into the path of the rays. The camera is exhausted along with the tube to a low vacuum by a three-stage mercury diffusion pump. The camera and anode are earthed, and the spark gap between two 4 cm. brass balls, which are connected directly across the tube, is read to give the potential through which the electron falls. A mercury break acts as interrupter in the primary and a rectifying valve is used in the secondary.
Constructing Bayesian Networks from WordNet for Word-SenseDisambiguation : Representational and Processing Issues

This paper describes a probabilistic model that is formed from the integration of an analytical and empirical component. The analytical component is a Bayesian network derived from WordNet, and the empirical component is composed of compatible probabilistic models formulated from tagged training data. The components are integrated in a formal , uniform framework based on the semantics of causal dependence. The paper explores various rep-resentational issues that must be addressed when formulating a Bayesian network representation of lexical information such as that expressed in Word-Net. These issues are essential to the design of such a network and they have not been previously explored. We describe two choices for the representation of lexical items and two choices for the representation lexical relations. The eeect of each combination of choices on evidence propagation in the network is discussed.
MassVis: Visual analysis of protein complexes using mass spectrometry

Protein complexes are formed when two or more proteins non-covalently interact to form a larger three dimensional structure with specific biological function. Understanding the composition of such complexes is vital to understanding cell biology at the molecular level. MassVis is a visual analysis tool designed to assist the interpretation of data from a new workflow for detecting the composition of such protein complexes in biological samples. The data generated by the laboratory workflow naturally lends itself to a scatter plot visualization. However, characteristics of this data give rise to some unique aspects not typical of a standard scatter plot. We are able to take the output from tandem mass spectrometry and render the data in such a way that it mimics more traditional two-dimensional gel techniques and at the same time reveals the correlated behavior indicative of protein complexes. By computationally measuring these correlated patterns in the data, membership in putative complexes can be inferred. User interactions are provided to support both an interactive discovery mode as well as an unsupervised clustering of likely complexes. The specific analysis tasks led us to design a unique arrangement of item selection and coordinated detail views in order to simultaneously view different aspects of the selected item.
Non-Destructive Testing Technologies

ABSTRACT In this study, the application of the Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) as a nondestructive testing (NDT) tool was investigated for evaluating perpetual pavements. In total, eight in-service Texas perpetual pavement sections were evaluated and are discussed in this paper. Based on this study, the GPR was found to be an ideal NDT tool for structurally evaluating perpetual pavements. Concerns were raised in this paper about the uniformity and permeability of the 1-inch Stone Filled HMA layer, which is the main structural layer in the Texas perpetual pavement structure. The results obtained indicated that the GPR has great potential for determining pavement layer thickness, assessing compaction uniformity, locating areas of moisture retention, and identifying low density areas in the upper asphalt layers. Additionally, TTI's GPR system has the advantage of rapidly and continuously collecting pavement data up to a depth of 610 mm, together with integrated video images, over any desired highway length while travelling at a speed of about 113 km/hr. Overall, the GPR was found to be a highly beneficial and effective NDT tool for forensic and structural evaluation of perpetual pavement structures. Based on the findings of this study and subsequent validation of the GPR results through coring, the Texas DOT has modified its recommendations for future perpetual pavement designs.
Development and Characterization of a Microfluidic System to Model the Transendothelial Migration Mechanism of the Lyme Disease Pathogen Borrelia burgdorferiM

Blood-borne bacteria like the Lyme disease pathogen Borrelia burgdorferi cause infection by migrating across the vascular endothelial barrier into target tissues. The mechanisms by which this occurs are poorly understood, largely because model systems inadequately mimic the in vivo environment or are too inefficient to dissect mechanisms. This unmet need is addressed in this thesis by the development of a microfluidic system and live cell imaging methods to model and study transendothelial migration of bacteria in vitro under physiologically relevant conditions. Real-time transmigration kinetics of B. burgdorferi across intact endothelium were obtained, for the first time, under static and flow conditions. Validation studies confirmed that B. burgdorferi transmigrate actively, with similar kinetics to conventional Transwell systems under static conditions. Additionally, physiological shear stress conditions appeared not to significantly alter transmigration kinetics. These data were uniquely obtainable with the microfluidic platform, supporting its utility for studying extravasation of blood-borne pathogens of worldwide significance.
Integrated modelling of population, employment and land-use change with a multiple activity-based variable grid cellular automaton

A constrained cellular automaton (CA) framework is used to model both land use and, at the same resolution, densities of population and economic activity. The multi-scale processes determining the location of population, economic activity and land use are captured in a variable grid CA, in which the neighbourhood of each cell includes the entire modelled area. The transition rules generating the spatial dynamics incorporate both the land use and the activities, and because they cover the entire modelled area, they represent interaction effects at all spatial scales; effectively, they are distance decay functions. In general, any particular cell hosts a number of activities (population, employment in various sectors) regardless of its land use, so in effect multiple land uses are modelled as multiple activities, although activity levels are normally highest on cells of the corresponding land use. The model is applied to both the urban-centred Greater Dublin Region and the country of Belgium, which consists of the entire polycentric urban system and its rural matrix. Results for both applications are good, as measured by the errors of both predicted populations and fractal dimensions, and the model outperforms the best existing models by these measures.