Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outcomes among tuberculosis patients with isoniazid resistance in Georgia, 2007-2009.

BACKGROUND The optimal management strategy for patients with isoniazid (INH) monoresistant forms of tuberculosis (TB) has been widely debated. The current daily 9-month regimen of rifampin, pyrazinamide and ethambutol was established based largely on trials in settings with low TB rates and low rates of drug resistance. OBJECTIVE To explore the outcomes of patients with INH-monoresistant TB in the country of Georgia, a setting with both high TB rates and drug-resistant forms of the disease. METHODS Retrospective record review of all patients diagnosed with smear-positive pulmonary TB resistant to either INH or INH+SM (streptomycin) in Georgia between 2007 and 2009. RESULTS Of 8752 patients with pulmonary TB registered in Georgia, 909 were found to have INH or INH+SM resistance. Treatment outcomes were relatively poor in this group, with only 71% treatment success. Outcomes were significantly worse among patients with older age and a history of previous treatment. CONCLUSIONS INH or INH+SM resistance in pulmonary TB patients in Georgia is common. The low rates of treatment success suggest the need for an improved treatment regimen for patients with resistance to these first-line drugs; this need is particularly pronounced among the subset of patients with a history of previous treatment.
Bootstrap confidence intervals for the sensitivity of a quantitative diagnostic test.

We examine bootstrap approaches to the analysis of the sensitivity of quantitative diagnostic test data. Methods exist for inference concerning the sensitivity of one or more tests for fixed levels of specificity, taking into account the variability in the sensitivity due to variability in the test values for normal subjects. However, parametric methods do not adequately account for error, particularly when the data are non-normally distributed, and non-parametric methods have low power. We implement bootstrap methods for confidence limits for the sensitivity of a test for a fixed specificity and demonstrate that under certain circumstances the bootstrap method gives more accurate confidence intervals than do other methods, while it performs at least as well as other methods in many standard situations.
Transfer metric learning by learning task relationships

Distance metric learning plays a very crucial role in many data mining algorithms because the performance of an algorithm relies heavily on choosing a good metric. However, the labeled data available in many applications is scarce and hence the metrics learned are often unsatisfactory. In this paper, we consider a transfer learning setting in which some related source tasks with labeled data are available to help the learning of the target task. We first propose a convex formulation for multi-task metric learning by modeling the task relationships in the form of a task covariance matrix. Then we regard transfer learning as a special case of multi-task learning and adapt the formulation of multi-task metric learning to the transfer learning setting for our method, called transfer metric learning (TML). In TML, we learn the metric and the task covariances between the source tasks and the target task under a unified convex formulation. To solve the convex optimization problem, we use an alternating method in which each subproblem has an efficient solution. Experimental results on some commonly used transfer learning applications demonstrate the effectiveness of our method.
Edge Detection Techniques for Image Segmentation - A Survey of Soft Computing Approaches

Soft Computing is an emerging field that consists of complementary elements of fuzzy logic, neural computing and evolutionary computation. Soft computing techniques have found wide applications. One of the most important applications is edge detection for image segmentation. The process of partitioning a digital image into multiple regions or sets of pixels is called image segmentation. Edge is a boundary between two homogeneous regions. Edge detection refers to the process of identifying and locating sharp discontinuities in an image. In this paper, the main aim is to survey the theory of edge detection for image segmentation using soft computing approach based on the Fuzzy logic, Genetic Algorithm and Neural Network.
Time Domain Processing Techniques Using Ring Oscillator-Based Filter Structures

The ability to process time-encoded signals with high fidelity is becoming increasingly important for the time domain (TD) circuit techniques that are used at the advanced nanometer technology nodes. This paper proposes a compact oscillator-based subsystem that performs precise filtering of asynchronous pulse-width modulation encoded signals and makes extensive use of digital logic, enabling low-voltage operation. First- and second-order primitives are introduced that can be used as TD memory or to enable analogue filtering of TD signals. These structures can be modeled precisely to realize more advanced linear or nonlinear functionality using an ensemble of units. This paper presents the measured results of a prototype fabricated using a 65-nm CMOS technology to realize a fourth-order low-pass Butterworth filter. The system utilizes a 0.5-V supply voltage with asynchronous digital control for closed-loop operation to achieve a 73-nW power budget. The implemented filter achieves a maximum signal to noise and distortion ratio of 53 dB with a narrow 5-kHz bandwidth resulting in an figure-of-merit of 8.2 fJ/pole. With this circuit occupying a compact 0.004-mm2 silicon footprint, this technique promises a substantial reduction in size over conventional Gm-C filters, whilst additionally offering direct integration with digital systems.
A novel type of compliant and underactuated robotic hand for dexterous grasping

The usefulness and versatility of a robotic end-effector depends on the diversity of grasps it can accomplish and also on the complexity of the control methods required to achieve them. We believe that soft hands are able to provide diverse and robust grasping with low control complexity. They possess many mechanical degrees of freedom and are able to implement complex deformations. At the same time, due to the inherent compliance of soft materials, only very few of these mechanical degrees have to be controlled explicitly. Soft hands therefore may combine the best of both worlds. In this paper, we present RBO Hand 2, a highly compliant, underactuated, robust, and dexterous anthropomorphic hand. The hand is inexpensive to manufacture and the morphology can easily be adapted to specific applications. To enable efficient hand design, we derive and evaluate computational models for the mechanical properties of the hand’s basic building blocks, called PneuFlex actuators. The versatility of RBO Hand 2 is evaluated by implementing the comprehensive Feix taxonomy of human grasps. The manipulator’s capabilities and limits are demonstrated using the Kapandji test and grasping experiments with a variety of objects of varying weight. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the effective dimensionality of grasp postures exceeds the dimensionality of the actuation signals, illustrating that complex grasping behavior can be achieved with relatively simple control.
Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport Tactile Stimulation with Kinesiology Tape Alleviates Muscle Weakness Attributable to Attenuation of Ia Afferents

Objective: Prolonged vibration stimulation to normal individuals could lead to muscle weakness attributable to attenuation of afferent feedback. This weakness is neurophysiologically similar to that seen in patients with knee injury. Theoretically, increasing input to gamma motor neurons could reverse this weakness. Sensory input to these neurons from skin could indirectly increase Ia afferent feedback. The present study examined the effect of this tactile stimulation in the form of Kinesiology tape on muscle weakness attributable to attenuation of afferent feedback. Design: Randomized, crossover design. Methods: All participants were measured their eccentric maximal voluntary contractions under the 2 conditions (taping and non-taping). First, maximal voluntary contraction during eccentric contraction was measured as baseline. For the taping condition, Kinesiology tape was applied around each sub-ject's knee joint during maximal voluntary contraction measurement after vibration. For the non-taping condition, tape was not applied during maximal voluntary contraction measurement after vibration. Mean percentage changes between pre-and post-vibration stimulation were compared between two conditions. Results: Maximal voluntary contraction and average electromyography of taping condition was significantly larger than that of non-taping condition. Conclusions: Our results suggest that tactile stimulation in the form of Kinesiology tape inhibits the decline of both strength and electromyography. Alpha motor neuron activity attenuated by prolonged vibration would thus be partially rescued by tactile stimulation. These results indirectly suggest that stimulation of skin around the knee could counter quadriceps femoris weakness due to attenuated Ia afferent activity.
A Review on Pharmacological Profile of Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha).

Withania somnifera (Ashwagandha) is a plant used in medicine from the time of Ayurveda, the ancient system of Indian medicine. The dried roots of the plant are used in the treatment of nervous and sexual disorders. this review article is presented to compile all the updated information on its phytochemical and pharmacological activities, which were performed by widely different methods. Studies indicate ashwagandha possesses antioxidant, anxiolytic, adaptogen, memory enhancing, antiparkinsonian, antivenom, antiinflammatory, antitumor properties. Various other effects like immunomodulation, hypolipidemic, antibacterial, cardiovascular protection, sexual behaviour, tolerance and dependence have also been studied. These results are very encouraging and indicate this herb should be studied more extensively to confirm these results and reveal other potential therapeutic effects. Clinical trials using ashwagandha for a variety of conditions should also be conducted.
How much training is needed in multiple-antenna wireless links?

Multiple-antenna wireless communication links promise very high data rates with low error probabilities, especially when the wireless channel response is known at the receiver. In practice, knowledge of the channel is often obtained by sending known training symbols to the receiver. We show how training affects the capacity of a fading channel-too little training and the channel is improperly learned, too much training and there is no time left for data transmission before the channel changes. We compute a lower bound on the capacity of a channel that is learned by training, and maximize the bound as a function of the received signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), fading coherence time, and number of transmitter antennas. When the training and data powers are allowed to vary, we show that the optimal number of training symbols is equal to the number of transmit antennas-this number is also the smallest training interval length that guarantees meaningful estimates of the channel matrix. When the training and data powers are instead required to be equal, the optimal number of symbols may be larger than the number of antennas. We show that training-based schemes can be optimal at high SNR, but suboptimal at low SNR.
Preventive Effect of Ultraviolet Radiation on Murine Chronic Sclerodermatous Graft-Versus-Host Disease

Although previous studies have demonstrated the efficient modulatory effects of ultraviolet radiation B (UVB) on cutaneous graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), most animal research on GVHD has been performed in murine models of acute GVHD. Here, we studied the preventive effect of UVB radiation on the occurrence of chronic sclerodermatous (Scl) GVHD in a murine model. Scl GVHD was induced by transplanting lethally irradiated BALB/c mice with B10.D2 bone marrow and spleen cells. Recipient mice were exposed to UVB before or after bone marrow and spleen cell infusion. Histological and clinical evaluation of GVHD was performed, in association with the characterization of epidermal Langerhans cells. UVB irradiation of recipients after, and more remarkably before, transplantation induced a decrease of Scl GVHD severity associated with epidermal Langerhans cells depletion. We conclude that UVB irradiation of recipient before or after transplantation has a preventive effect on cutaneous Scl GVHD and may represent an effective strategy for prevention of Scl GVHD.
DNA-binding determinants promoting NHEJ by human Polµ

Non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ), the preferred pathway to repair double-strand breaks (DSBs) in higher eukaryotes, relies on a collection of molecular tools to process the broken ends, including specific DNA polymerases. Among them, Polµ is unique as it can catalyze DNA synthesis upon connection of two non-complementary ends. Here, we demonstrate that this capacity is intrinsic to Polµ, not conferred by other NHEJ factors. To understand the molecular determinants of its specific function in NHEJ, the interaction of human Polµ with DNA has been directly visualized by electromobility shift assay and footprinting assays. Stable interaction with a DNA gap requires the presence of a recessive 5′-P, thus orienting the catalytic domain for primer and nucleotide binding. Accordingly, recognition of the 5′-P is crucial to align the two DNA substrates of the NHEJ reaction. Site-directed mutagenesis demonstrates the relevance of three specific residues (Lys249, Arg253 and Arg416) in stabilizing the primer strand during end synapsis, allowing a range of microhomology-induced distortions beneficial for NHEJ. Moreover, our results suggest that the Polµ BRCT domain, thought to be exclusively involved in interaction with NHEJ core factors, has a direct role in binding the DNA region neighbor to the 5′-P, thus boosting Polµ-mediated NHEJ reactions.
Genetic heterogeneity of surgically resected prostate carcinomas and their biopsy specimens is related to their histologic differentiation

In human prostate carcinogenesis, many genetic analyses including conventional loss of heterozygosity (LOH) studies and microsatellite LOH analyses using the polymerase chain reaction method have revealed frequent LOH events at specific regions on chromosomes 3p, 7q, 8p, 10q, 16q, 17q, and 18q.
The Reharvested Central Third of the Patellar Tendon

We assessed the histologic, mechanical, and structural properties of the reharvested central-third patellar ten don in greyhounds. Twelve dogs had the central third of the patellar tendon (5 mm) removed with corre sponding bone blocks from the patella and tibia; the remaining tendon defect was loosely closed. Six dogs were sacrificed at 6 months and six at 12 months, and the central third of the patellar tendon was harvested from both the operative and the contralateral control knees. Analysis of the structural changes in the ten dons revealed a significant increase in thickness for reharvested tendons at both 6 and 12 months when compared with controls. The entire residual tendons were narrower at 6 months and were shorter at 12 months compared with controls. Mechanical testing showed that the average failure load, ultimate tensile strength, strain at failure, and average modulus for the reharvested central third of the patellar tendon were significantly less than that of controls at both 6 and 12 months. Analysis of collagen fiber size by electron microscopy revealed a significant increase in collagen fiber diameter at 6 months (135 ± 41 nm versus 49 ± 4 nm) but no difference between the operative limbs and controls at 12 months. The reharvested bone- patellar tendon-bone complex does not have the same properties as the primary patellar tendon graft up to 1 year after harvest in a canine model, and its use for revision cruciate ligament reconstruction must be care fully reexamined.
Healthcare in everyday life: designing healthcare services for daily life

Today the design of most healthcare technology is driven by the considerations of healthcare professionals and technology companies. This has several benefits, but we argue that there is a need for a supplementary design approach on the basis the citizen and his or her everyday life. An approach where the main focus is to develop healthcare technology that fits the routines of daily life and thus allows the citizens to continue with the activities they like and have grown used to -- also with an aging body or when managing a chronic condition. Thus, with this approach it is not just a matter of fixing a health condition, more importantly is the matter of sustaining everyday life as a whole. This argument is a result from our work -- using participatory design methods -- on the development of supportive healthcare technology for elderly people and for diabetic, pregnant women.
Mediating Artefacts, Boundary Objects and the Social Construction of Knowledge

It is noteworthy that theories associated with knowledge management and organizational learning focus on economic outputs and the creation of competitive success (Easterby-Smith and Lyles, 2003). Despite a growing critique of these approaches (Lave and Wenger, 1991; Blackler et al., 1993; Swan and Scarbrough, 2001; Easterby-Smith and Lyles, 2003) studies still have a bias towards knowledge as a resource and cognitive learning (Anonymous, forthcoming). Alternatively, writers from a social constructionist perspective argue that knowledge creation and learning occurs through interaction within a unique social milieu (Easterby-Smith and Araujo, 1999). Since individual action is mediated by collective expectations, organizational learning takes place
Physical and Leisure Activity in Older Community-Dwelling Canadians Who Use Wheelchairs: A Population Study

Background. Physical and leisure activities are proven health promotion modalities and have not been examined in older wheelchair users. Main Objectives. Examine physical and leisure activity in older wheelchair users and explore associations between wheelchair use and participation in physical and leisure activity, and wheelchair use, physical and leisure activity, and perceived health. Methods. 8301 Canadians ≥60 years of age were selected from the Canadian Community Health Survey. Sociodemographic, health-related, mobility-related, and physical and leisure activity variables were analysed using logistic regression to determine, the likelihood of participation in physical and leisure activity, and whether participation in physical and leisure activities mediates the relationship between wheelchair use and perceived health. Results. 8.3% and 41.3% older wheelchair users were physically and leisurely active. Wheelchair use was a risk factor for reduced participation in physical (OR = 44.71) and leisure activity (OR = 10.83). Wheelchair use was a risk factor for poor perceived health (OR = 10.56) and physical and leisure activity negatively mediated the relationship between wheelchair user and perceived health. Conclusion. There is a need for the development of suitable physical and leisure activity interventions for older wheelchair users. Participation in such interventions may have associations with health benefits.
Cost-effectiveness of neonatal ECG screening for the long QT syndrome.

AIMS A significant number of preventable cardiac deaths in infancy and childhood are due to long QT syndrome (LQTS) and to unrecognized neonatal congenital heart diseases (CHDs). Both carry a serious risk for avoidable mortality and morbidity but effective treatments exist to prevent lethal arrhythmias or to allow early surgical correction before death or irreversible cardiac damage. As an electrocardiogram (ECG) allows recognition of LQTS and of some of the CHDs that have escaped medical diagnosis, and as LQTS also contributes to sudden infant death syndrome, we have analysed the cost-effectiveness of a nationwide programme of neonatal ECG screening. Our primary analysis focused on LQTS alone; a secondary analysis focused on the possibility of identifying some CHDs also. METHODS AND RESULTS A decision analysis approach was used, building a decision tree for the strategies 'screening'-'no screening'. Markov processes were used to simulate the natural or clinical histories of the patients. To assess the impact of potential errors in the estimates of the model parameters, a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis was performed by varying all baseline values by +/-30%. Incremental cost-effectiveness analysis for the primary analysis shows that with the screening programme, the cost per year of life saved is very low: 11,740 euro. The cost for saving one entire life of 70 years would be 820,000 euro. Even by varying model parameters by +/-30%, the cost per year of life saved remains between 7400 euro and 20,400 euro. These figures define 'highly cost-effective' screening programmes. The secondary analysis provides even more cost-effective results. CONCLUSION A programme of neonatal ECG screening performed in a large European country is cost-effective. An ECG performed in the first month of life will allow the early identification of still asymptomatic infants with LQTS and also of infants with some correctable CHDs not recognized by routine neonatal examinations. Appropriate therapy will prevent unnecessary deaths in infants, children, and young adults.
Programming in a Robotics Context in the Kindergarten Classroom: The Impact on Sequencing Skills

this paper examines the impact of programming of robots on sequencing ability in early childhood and the relationship be tween sequencing skills, class size, and teachers’ comfort lev el and experience with technology. fifty-eight children par ticipated in the study; 54 children were included in data anal ysis. this study was conducted in two different school envi ronments, where class size and teachers’ experiences with the technology use varied – one teacher had used the technology in the prior year; the other teacher had not. school environ ments were further subdivided into control and experimental groups. Children in the experimental group were exposed to the t angibleK program for a period of 20 hours, taught by their classroom teacher. Children participated in computer programming activities using a developmentally appropri ate tangible programming language, specifically designed to program a robot’s behavior. all 54 participants’ sequencing skills were assessed before and after the intervention using a picture story sequencing task and analyzed using a repeated measures, 2x2x2 design ANOVA. A significant interaction was found between group assignment and test results. no significant interactions were found for school assignment. results are discussed taking into account class size, teacher experience, and teacher comfort level with technology.