Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Visceral Leishmaniasis and HIV Coinfection in Latin America

Visceral leishmaniasis (VL) is an endemic zoonotic disease in Latin America caused by Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum, which is transmitted by sand flies from the genus Lutzomyia. VL occurs in 12 countries of Latin America, with 96% of cases reported in Brazil. Recently, an increase in VL, primarily affecting children and young adults, has been observed in urban areas of Latin America. The area in which this spread of VL is occurring overlaps regions with individuals living with HIV, the number of whom is estimated to be 1.4 million people by the World Health Organization. This overlap is suggested to be a leading cause of the increased number of reported VL-HIV coinfections. The clinical progression of HIV and L. infantum infections are both highly dependent on the specific immune response of an individual. Furthermore, the impact on the immune system caused by either pathogen and by VL-HIV coinfection can contribute to an accelerated progression of the diseases. Clinical presentation of VL in HIV positive patients is similar to patients without HIV, with symptoms characterized by fever, splenomegaly, and hepatomegaly, but diarrhea appears to be more common in coinfected patients. In addition, VL relapses are higher in coinfected patients, affecting 10% to 56.5% of cases and with a lethality ranging from 8.7% to 23.5% in Latin America, depending on the study. With regards to the diagnosis of VL, parasitological tests of bone marrow aspirates have proven to be the most sensitive test in HIV-infected patients. Serologic tests have demonstrated a variable sensitivity according to the method and antigens used, with the standard tests used for diagnosing VL in Latin America displaying lower sensitivity. For this review, few articles were identified that related to VL-HIV coinfections and originated from Latin America, highlighting the need for improving research within the regions most greatly affected. We strongly support the formation of a Latin American network for coinfections of Leishmania and HIV to improve the consistency of research on the current situation of VL-HIV coinfections. Such a network would improve the collection of vital data and samples for better understanding of the clinical manifestations and immunopathogenic aspects of VL in immunosuppressed patients. Ultimately, a concerted effort would improve trials for new diagnostic methodologies and therapeutics, which could accelerate the implementation of more specific and effective diagnosis as well as public policies for treatments to reduce the impact of VL-HIV coinfections on the Latin American population.
Single-Trial Sparse Representation-Based Approach for VEP Extraction

Sparse representation is a powerful tool in signal denoising, and visual evoked potentials (VEPs) have been proven to have strong sparsity over an appropriate dictionary. Inspired by this idea, we present in this paper a novel sparse representation-based approach to solving the VEP extraction problem. The extraction process is performed in three stages. First, instead of using the mixed signals containing the electroencephalogram (EEG) and VEPs, we utilise an EEG from a previous trial, which did not contain VEPs, to identify the parameters of the EEG autoregressive (AR) model. Second, instead of the moving average (MA) model, sparse representation is used to model the VEPs in the autoregressive-moving average (ARMA) model. Finally, we calculate the sparse coefficients and derive VEPs by using the AR model. Next, we tested the performance of the proposed algorithm with synthetic and real data, after which we compared the results with that of an AR model with exogenous input modelling and a mixed overcomplete dictionary-based sparse component decomposition method. Utilising the synthetic data, the algorithms are then employed to estimate the latencies of P100 of the VEPs corrupted by added simulated EEG at different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. The validations demonstrate that our method can well preserve the details of the VEPs for latency estimation, even in low SNR environments.
Lecture on the automatic computing engine; reprinted in (Copeland 2004)

Amphibious communication and RAID have garnered tremendous interest from both biologists and cyberinforma ticians in the last several years. After years of technical res earch into gigabit switches, we prove the evaluation of Boolean logic. We describe a novel application for the exploration o f access points, which we call Die.
Criterion Related Validity of Karate Specific Aerobic Test (KSAT)

Background: Karate is one the most popular combat sports in the world. Physical fitness assessment on a regular manner is important for monitoring the effectiveness of the training program and the readiness of karatekas to compete. Objectives: The aim of this research was to examine the criterion related to validity of the karate specific aerobic test (KSAT) as an indicator of aerobic level of karate practitioners. Patients and Methods: Cardiorespiratory responses, aerobic performance level through both treadmill laboratory test and YoYo intermittent recovery test level 1 (YoYoIRTL1) as well as time to exhaustion in the KSAT test (TE’KSAT) were determined in a total of fifteen healthy international karatekas (i.e. karate practitioners) (means ± SD: age: 22.2 ± 4.3 years; height: 176.4 ± 7.5 cm; body mass: 70.3 ± 9.7 kg and body fat: 13.2 ± 6%). Results: Peak heart rate obtained from KSAT represented ~99% of maximal heart rate registered during the treadmill test showing that KSAT imposes high physiological demands. There was no significant correlation between KSAT’s TE and relative (mL/min kg) treadmill maximal oxygen uptake (r = 0.14; P = 0.69; [small]). On the other hand, there was a significant relationship between KSAT’s TE and the velocity associated with VO2max (vVO2max) (r = 0.67; P = 0.03; [large]) as well as the velocity at VO2 corresponding to the second ventilatory threshold (vVO2 VAT) (r = 0.64; P = 0.04; [large]). Moreover, significant relationship was found between TE’s KSAT and both the total distance covered and parameters of intermittent endurance measured through YoYoIRTL1. Conclusions: The KSAT has not proved to have indirect criterion related validity as no significant correlations have been found between TE’s KSAT and treadmill VO2max. Nevertheless, as correlated to other aerobic fitness variables, KSAT can be considered as an indicator of karate specific endurance. The establishment of the criterion related validity of the KSAT requires further investigation.
Efficient Boundary Integral Equation Method for Photonic Crystal Fibers

Photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) with many air holes and complicated geometries can be difficult to analyze using conventional waveguide mode solvers such as the finite element method. Boundary integral equation (BIE) methods are suitable for PCFs, since they formulate eigenvalue problems only on the interfaces and are capable of computing leaky modes accurately. To improve the efficiency, it is desirable to have high-order BIE methods that calculate the minimum number of functions on the interfaces. Existing BIE methods calculate two or four functions on the interfaces, but high-order implementations are only available for those with four functions. In this paper, a new high-order BIE method is developed and it calculates two functions on the interfaces. Numerical results indicate that the new BIE method achieves exponential convergence and extremely high accuracy.
Oral Hygiene in the Elderly with Different Degrees of Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

The control of bacterial dental plaque through daily oral hygiene is essential to prevent oral diseases such as caries or periodontal disease, especially in at‐risk populations, including the elderly with mild cognitive impairment and dementia. The aim of this study was to determine the association between different levels of cognitive impairment and dementia in an elderly population and their capacity to maintain adequate oral hygiene. A case–control study (elderly with versus without mild cognitive impairment or dementia) was performed in Granada, Spain. Outcome variables were tooth/prosthesis‐brushing frequency/day, bacterial plaque index, and gingival bleeding index. Statistical models were adjusted by age, sex, educational level, and tobacco and alcohol habits. The study included 240 cases and 324 controls. The final model, adjusted by age, sex, educational level, and tobacco and alcohol consumption, showed a significant association between degree of cognitive impairment and daily oral hygiene, accumulation of bacterial plaque, and gingival bleeding. In summary, deficient daily oral hygiene, evidenced by greater bacterial dental plaque accumulation and gingival inflammation, is independently associated with cognitive impairment, even at its earliest stage.
The influence of source credibility on attitude certainty: Exploring the moderating effects of timing of source identification and individual need for cognition

This research investigates the influence of source credibility on attitude certainty, referring to an individual’s subjective confidence in his/her attitude. Results of a laboratory experiment (N 220) show that low source credibility, compared with high source credibility, leads to greater attitude certainty. This relationship, however, only holds when the source is identified before message exposure and for people who are low in need for cognition. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The emergent properties of a dolphin social network

Many complex networks, including human societies, the Internet, the World Wide Web and power grids, have surprising properties that allow vertices (individuals, nodes, Web pages, etc.) to be in close contact and information to be transferred quickly between them. Nothing is known of the emerging properties of animal societies, but it would be expected that similar trends would emerge from the topology of animal social networks. Despite its small size (64 individuals), the Doubtful Sound community of bottlenose dolphins has the same characteristics. The connectivity of individuals follows a complex distribution that has a scale-free power-law distribution for large k. In addition, the ability for two individuals to be in contact is unaffected by the random removal of individuals. The removal of individuals with many links to others does affect the length of the 'information' path between two individuals, but, unlike other scale-free networks, it does not fragment the cohesion of the social network. These self-organizing phenomena allow the network to remain united, even in the case of catastrophic death events.
On the convergence speed of spatially coupled LDPC ensembles

Spatially coupled low-density parity-check codes show an outstanding performance under the low-complexity belief propagation (BP) decoding algorithm. They exhibit a peculiar convergence phenomenon above the BP threshold of the underlying non-coupled ensemble, with a wave-like convergence propagating through the spatial dimension of the graph, allowing to approach the MAP threshold. We focus on this particularly interesting regime in between the BP and MAP thresholds. On the binary erasure channel, it has been proved [1] that the information propagates with a constant speed toward the successful decoding solution. We derive an upper bound on the propagation speed, only depending on the basic parameters of the spatially coupled code ensemble such as degree distribution and the coupling factor w. We illustrate the convergence speed of different code ensembles by simulation results, and show how optimizing degree profiles helps to speed up the convergence.
On the existence of maximizers for functionals with critical exponential growth in R^2

In this paper we establish the existence of extremal functions for weighted functionals with critical exponential growth in R^2, which arise from Henon-type equations. The proof is based on the notion of spherical symmetrization with respect to a measure, which allows us to reduce the problem to a one dimensional functional as in the proof due to Carleson and Chang for the unweighted case.
Generating efficient test sets with a model checker

It is well-known that counterexamples produced by model checkers can provide a basis for automated generation of test cases. However when this approach is used to meet a coverage criterion, it generally results in very inefficient test sets having many tests and much redundancy. We describe an improved approach that uses model checkers to generate efficient test sets. Furthermore, the generation is itself efficient, and is able to reach deep regions of the statespace. We have prototyped the approach using the model checkers of our SAL system and have applied it to model-based designs developed in Stateflow. In one example, our method achieves complete state and transition coverage in a Stateflow model for the shift scheduler of a 4-speed automatic transmission with a single test case.
Analysis of the Effects of Hydrotalcite Inclusion on the Temperature-Sensing Properties of CNT-Epoxy Nanocomposites

Multiphase nanocomposites based on epoxy resin loaded with 1 wt% of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and different amounts of hydrotalcite clay (HT) are experimentally characterized in order to investigate their possible usage as temperature sensors and/or heating elements. In particular, the effects of clay content on the temperature dependence of the electrical and thermal properties of the samples are investigated. Moderate clay content (0.7% or 1% by weight) induces an improvement of the electrical and thermal conductivities, thus allowing to achieve fixed heating power levels with applied voltages lower than those required for MWCNT filled epoxy systems. The operating temperatures can be designed to be lower than that the glass transition reducing the risk of material degradation. Furthermore, the presence of clay increases the sensitivity compared to the (binary) MWCNT-based composites. The proposed multiphase nanocomposites could be used for the deicing of aircraft structural parts, in small boilers, floor pipes, and so on.
Challenges and Issues in Knowledge Management

Introduction. Anthony F. Buono and Flemming Poulfelt. PART I: KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND THE MANAGEMENT CONSULTING INDUSTRY. Managing Organizational Knowledge Networks in a Professional Services Firm: Interrelating Knowledge Management and Intellectual Capital. Jan Mouritsen and Per Nikolaj Bukh. Knowledge Management in Practice: Examining Knowledge as Modes of Production. Anne Bang. The Fallacy of Simplistic Notions of the Transfer of ""Best Practice"". Sue Newell. ""Knowing"" in the Consultancy Firm: Exploring Knowledge, People, Context and Tools in Action. Elena Bou and Alfons Sauguet. Co-evolution of Knowledge Management Processes: Project Experience in a Global Engineering Consulting Firm. Antti Ainamo. PART II: DYNAMICS OF KNOWLEDGE SHARING AND DISSEMINATION. A Dispersed Repertoire: Exploring Struggles to Knowledge Dissemination within Consultancies. Stefan Heusinkveld and Jos Benders. In Search of Knowledge Sharing in Practice. Lotte Henriksen. Merging Knowledge: A Study of Knowledge Management in a Consulting-Firm Merger. Markus Ejenas and Andreas Werr. Knowledge-Sharing Behavior and Post-Acquisition Integration Failure. Kenneth Husted, Jens Gammelgaard and Snejina Michailova. PART III: METHODOLOGICAL APPROACHES TO STUDYING KNOWLEDGE IN ORGANIZATIONS. Organizational Photography: A ""Snapshot"" Approach to Understanding Knowledge Sharing. Nicoline Jacoby Petersen and Sille Ostergaard. Video-Views of Knowing in Action: Analytical Views ""In Situ"" in an IT Firm's Development Department. Sisse Siggaard Jensen. Complex Project Management in Small High-Technology Firms: Small Firms as Learning Models? Mette Monsted. PART IV: REFLECTIONS ON KNOWLEDGE MANAGEMENT AND MANAGEMENT CONSULTING. Flaws in the ""Engine"" of Knowledge Creation: A Critique of Nonaka's Theory. Stephen Gourlay and Andrew Nurse. Ten Years of Knowledge Management: Ramifications for Consultants. Nicolas Rolland, Alice Guilhon and Georges Trepo. The Wonderful World of Knowledge Management: Does Knowledge Management Really Add Value? Peter Holdt Christensen. Knowledge and Consultancy. Hans Siggaard Jensen. Contributors.
ZIEHL-NEELSEN MICROSCOPY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF TUBERCULOSIS IN SETTINGS OF HIGH HUMAN IMMUNODEFICIENCY VIRUS PREVALENCE.

OBJECTIVE To determine the accuracy of Ziehl-Neelsen microscopy in the diagnosis of TB in setings of high HIV prevalence. DESIGN Cross-sectional descriptive study. SETTING Hospitals serving areas of high human immunodeficiency virus prevalence in western Kenya. The study was conducted between September 2007 and September 2009. RESULTS In total, 341/872(39.1%) of the TB suspects were positive in ZN, 53.1% (181/341) of them culture positive. Only 3.8% (20/531) of the ZN smear negatives were culture positive. Of the 695 suspects evaluated for both Mycobacterium and HIV infection, 255 (36.7%) were ZN smear positive, 42.7% of them HIV positive. Out of the 440 ZN smear negatives, 37% were HIV positive. Similarly, 168 suspects were culture positive, 46.4% of them HIV positive. The HIV infection did not significantly reduce ZN smear positivity rate (P = 0.42) and culture sensitivity (P = 0.09). The ZN sensitivity and specificity were 88.1% and 79.7%, respectively. The predictive values were 58.0 (PPV), and 95.5% (NPV), respectively. However, the area under the ROC curve was 0.84, with 95% CI between 0.80-0.87 and P < 0.001). The ZN smear microscopy had a lesser ability to distinguish between TB and non-TB cases compared to culture. CONCLUSION ZN microscopy causes a significant over-diagnosis of TB in settings of high HIV/AIDS prevalence. There is need for further studies on this subject taking into consideration the various confounding factors.
Improving the ratio of memory operations to floating-point operations in loops

Over the past decade, microprocessor design strategies have focused on increasing the computational power on a single chip. Because computations often require more data from cache per floating-point operation than a machine can deliver and because operations are pipelined, idle computational cycles are common when scientific applications are executed. To overcome these bottlenecks, programmers have learned to use a coding style that ensures a better balance between memory references and floating-point operations. In our view, this is a step in the wrong direction because it makes programs more machine-specific. A programmer should not be required to write a new program version for each new machine; instead, the task of specializing a program to a target machine should be left to the compiler. But is our view practical? Can a sophisticated optimizing compiler obviate the need for the myriad of programming tricks that have found their way into practice to improve the performance of the memory hierarchy? In this paper we attempt to answer that question. To do so, we develop and evaluate techniques that automatically restructure program loops to achieve high performance on specific target architectures. These methods attempt to balance computation and memory accesses and seek to eliminate or reduce pipeline interlock. To do this, they estimate statically the balance between memory operations and floating-point operations for each loop in a particular program and use these estimates to determine whether to apply various loop transformations. Experiments with our automatic techniques show that integer-factor speedups are possible on kernels. Additionally, the estimate of the balance between memory operations and computation, and the application of the estimate are very accurate—experiments reveal little difference between the balance achieved by our automatic system that is made possible by hand optimization.
Characterization of Turn-On Time Delay in a Fiber Grating Fabry–Perot Lasers

In this paper, turn-on time delay characteristics of a fiber grating Fabry-Perot (FGFP) laser are numerically investigated by considering all the carrier recombination rate (CRR) R(N) coefficients (nonradiative, Anr; radiative, B; and Auger coefficient, C). The results show that the turn-on time delay significantly reduces by increasing the injection current (Iinj) and/or the initial value of carrier density (Ni). Meanwhile, the turn-on time delay increases by increasing the CRR coefficients. However, its effect can be minimized by increasing Iinj and/or Ni. In addition, the turn-on time delay can be reduced by increasing the external optical feedback (OFB) level. Moreover, it is shown that the optimum external-cavity length (Lext) is 3.1 cm. Furthermore, an antireflection (AR) coating reflectivity value of 1 × 10-2 is sufficient for the laser to operate at good turn-on time delay and low fabrication complexity. The obtained results can provide an important idea for the practical fabrication of the FGFP laser used in the dense wavelength-division multiplexing (DWDM) systems and optical access networks.
Thermodynamic properties and phase relations in mantle minerals investigated by first principles quasiharmonic theory

This research has been motivated by geophysics and materials physics. The objective of this research has been to advance materials theory and computations for high pressure and high temperature applications to the point that it can make a difference in our understanding of the Earth. Understanding of the mineralogy, composition, and thermal structure of the Earth evolves by close interaction of three fields: seismology, geodynamics, and mineral physics. Earth’s structure is imaged by seismology, which obtains body wave velocities and density throughout the Earth’s interior (Fig. 1⇓). Interpretation of this data relies on knowledge of aggregate properties of Earth forming materials either measured in laboratory or calculated, in many cases by both. However, the conditions of the Earth’s interior, especially at the core, may be challenging for important experiments, and materials computations have emerged to contribute decisively to this field. Earth’s evolution is simulated by geodynamics, but these simulations need as input information about rheological and thermodynamic properties of minerals, including phase transformation properties such as Clapeyron slopes. Our research has concentrated on the phases of the Earth’s mantle, particularly the deep mantle whose conditions are more challenging for experiments. The mantle accounts for ~83% of the Earth’s volume. In this article we will review the essential first-principles approach used to investigate solids at high temperatures and pressures, summarize their performance for mantle minerals (Fig. 2⇓), and point to critical results that have stirred us in the current research path. The success is remarkable, but some limitations point the way to future developments in this field. Figure 1. (a) Velocities and density profiles (Kennett et al. 1995), (b) Earth’s cross section, and (c) composition and mineralogy of Earth’s layers. Figure 2. Phases proportions versus depth and or pressure. Ol = (Mg,Fe)2SiO4 olivine, also known as α-phase; β = (Mg,Fe) …