Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Statistical Models for Causation : A Critical Review

Regression models are often used to infer causation from association. For instance, Yule [79] showed – or tried to show – that welfare was a cause of poverty. Path models and structural equation models are later refinements of the technique. Besides Yule, examples to be discussed here include Blau and Duncan [12] on stratification, as well as Gibson [28] on the causes of McCarthyism. Strong assumptions are required to infer causation from association by modeling. The assumptions are of two kinds: (a) causal, and (b) statistical. These assumptions will be formulated explicitly, with the help of response schedules in hypothetical experiments. In particular, parameters and error distributions must be stable under intervention. That will be hard to demonstrate in observational settings. Statistical conditions (like independence) are also problematic, and latent variables create further complexities. Causal modeling with path diagrams will be the primary topic. The issues are not simple, so examining them from several perspectives may be helpful. The article ends with a review of the literature and a summary.
Part-of-speech Tagging of Code-Mixed Social Media Text

A common step in the processing of any text is the part-of-speech tagging of the input text. In this paper, we present an approach to tackle code-mixed text from three different languages Bengali, Hindi, and Tamil - apart from English. Our system uses Conditional Random Field, a sequence learning method, which is useful to capture patterns of sequences containing code switching to tag each word with accurate part-of-speech information. We have used various pre-processing and post-processing modules to improve the performance of our system. The results were satisfactory, with a highest of 75.22% accuracy in Bengali-English mixed data. The methodology that we employed in the task can be used for any resource poor language. We adapted standard learning approaches that work well with scarce data. We have also ensured that the system is portable to different platforms and languages and can be deployed for real-time analysis.
Prostaglandin E1 potentiates the effects of P2Y12 blockade on ADP-mediated platelet aggregation in vitro: Insights using short thromboelastography

Abstract In addition to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), a number of platelet function tests including the VerifyNow P2Y12 assay (VN-P2Y12) employ prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) to improve specificity for P2Y12 blockade by mitigating the contribution of the P2Y1 pathway on ADP-mediated platelet aggregation. Using short thromboelastography (s-TEG), we have previously shown that VN-P2Y12 overestimates the functional effect of clopidogrel in some individuals. We investigated whether PGE1 systematically increases the inhibitory effects of P2Y12 blockade on ADP-mediated platelet aggregation in an in vitro model. Using s-TEG, we measured ADP-induced platelet aggregation either in the presence or absence of PGE1 (11 or 22 nM) in blood samples taken from healthy volunteers pre-incubated with prasugrel active metabolite (PAM; 0, 1, 3 or 10 µM). Individually, both PGE1 (p < 0.02) and PAM (p < 0.0001) inhibited ADP-mediated platelet aggregation in a dose-dependent manner, as expected. Furthermore, inclusion of PGE1 augmented inhibition of ADP-mediated platelet aggregation in response to PAM (p < 0.02) in a dose-dependent manner such that a 10-fold higher dose of PAM was required to attain equivalent inhibition of ADP-mediated platelet aggregation to that achieved by 1 µM PAM in the presence of 11 nM PGE1. In conclusion, PGE1 potentiates the anti-aggregatory effects of P2Y12 blockade on ADP-mediated platelet aggregation. Assays that employ PGE1 with ADP may therefore overestimate therapeutic response to prasugrel in a proportion of individuals, potentially making them unsuitable candidates for guiding delivery of personalized antiplatelet therapy.
New methods for computing a closest saddle node bifurcation and worst case load power margin for voltage collapse

Voltage collapse and blackout can occur in an electric power system when load powers vary so that the system loses stability in a saddle node bifurcation. The authors propose new iterative and direct methods to compute load powers at which bifurcation occurs and which are locally closest to the current operating load powers. The distance in load power parameter space to this locally closest bifurcation is an index of voltage collapse. The pattern of load power increase need not be predicted; instead the index is a worst case load power margin. The computations are illustrated in the six-dimensional load power parameter space of a five bus power system. The normal vector and curvature of a hypersurface of critical load powers at which bifurcation occurs are also computed. The sensitivity of the index to parameters and controls is easily obtained from the normal vector. >
miR-150 as a potential biomarker associated with prognosis and therapeutic outcome in colorectal cancer

Background MicroRNAs (miRNA) have potential as prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in cancer. A study was undertaken to investigate the association between miRNA expression patterns and the prognosis and therapeutic outcome of colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods miRNA expression profiling in tumour, adenoma and normal colorectal tissues was performed to identify tumour-related miRNAs in the course of colorectal malignant changes. Quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) assays were used to measure tumour-related miRNA and to assess its association with survival and response to adjuvant chemotherapy in 239 patients. In addition, to validate the findings, associations of the tumour-related miRNA with clinical characteristics of CRC were analysed in 185 patients by in situ hybridisation (ISH) analysis. Results Only one miR-150 was found to show a decrease in expression levels in the three tissue groups (normal, adenoma and cancer tissue) in parallel with increasing carcinogenesis of the colorectal tissue. In both ISH and qRT-PCR analysis, tumour tissue had reduced levels of miR-150 expression compared with paired non-cancerous tissue, which indicated that the levels of miR-150 expression were associated with CRC. Moreover, patients whose tumours had low miR-150 expression had shorter survival and a worse response to adjuvant chemotherapy than patients whose tumours had high miRNA expression. Conclusions The miR-150 expression status of patients with CRC is associated with survival and response to adjuvant chemotherapy. It is suggested that miR-150 should be considered as a potential biomarker associated with the prognosis and therapeutic outcome in CRC.
The first detection of [O iii] emission from high-redshift damped Lyman-α galaxies

We present the detection of [O iii] emission lines from the galaxies responsible for two high-redshift z > 1.75 damped Lyman-α (DLA) absorption lines. We find two sources of [O iii] emission corresponding to the z= 1.92 DLA absorber towards the quasar Q 2206−1958, and we also detect [O iii] emission from the galaxy responsible for the z= 3.10 DLA absorber towards the quasar 2233.9+1381. These are the first detections of rest-frame optical emission lines from high-redshift DLA galaxies. Unlike the Lyα line, the [O iii] line provides a measure of the systemic velocity of the galaxy. We compare the [O iii] redshifts with the velocity profile of the low-ionization metal lines in these two absorbers, with the goal of distinguishing between the model of Prochaska and Wolfe of DLA absorbers as large rapidly rotating cold thick discs, and the standard hierarchical cold dark matter model of structure formation, in which DLAs arise in protogalactic fragments. We find some discrepancies with the predictions of the former model. Furthermore, the image of the DLA galaxy towards Q 2206−1958 shows a complex disturbed morphology, which is more in accord with the hierarchical picture. We use the properties of the rest-frame optical emission lines to further explore the question posed by Moller et al.: are high-redshift DLA galaxies Lyman-break galaxies (LBGs) selected by gas cross-section? The measured velocity dispersions of the DLA galaxies are in agreement with this picture, while the data on the [O iii] luminosities and the velocity differences between the Lyα and [O iii] lines are inconclusive, as there are insufficient LBG measurements overlapping in luminosity. Finally, we estimate the star formation rates in these two DLA galaxies, using a variety of diagnostics, and include a discussion of the extent to which the [O iii] line is useful for this purpose.
Structure of glycosylated NPC1 luminal domain C reveals insights into NPC2 and Ebola virus interactions

Niemann‐pick type C1 (NPC1) is an endo/lysosomal membrane protein involved in intracellular cholesterol trafficking, and its luminal domain C is an essential endosomal receptor for Ebola and Marburg viruses. We have determined the crystal structure of glycosylated NPC1 luminal domain C and find all seven possible sites are glycosylated. Mapping the disease mutations onto the glycosylated structure reveals a potential binding face for NPC2. Knowledge‐based docking of NPC1 onto Ebola viral glycoprotein and sequence analysis of filovirus susceptible and refractory species reveals four critical residues, H418, Q421, F502 and F504, some or all of which are likely responsible for the species‐specific susceptibility to the virus infection.
Adenosine deaminase activity in serum of patients with hepatitis -- a useful tool in monitoring clinical status.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The evaluation of adenosine deaminase (ADA) activity in sera of patients with hepatitis should be considered a useful tool in the monitoring of their clinical status. In this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between viral load, transaminase levels, and serum ADA levels in hepatitis B virus (HBV)- and hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected patients. METHODS Seventy three patients with hepatitis B, 71 patients with hepatitis C and 40 healthy individuals were included. Patients with HBV and HCV infections were classified into 3 groups according to viral load. Serum ADA levels were investigated by colorimetric assays. RESULTS Serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and ADA levels of HBV- and HCV-infected patients were higher than those of the control group. These differences were statistically significant for the levels of all enzymes in HCV-infected patients (p<0.05), and all except AST (p>0.05) in HBV-infected patients. ADA levels of HBV-infected patients with high viral loads were higher than those in HBV-infected patients with intermediate and low viral loads, and the difference was detectably significant between patients with high and intermediate viral loads. Evaluation of HCV-infected patients according to viral load showed no statistically significant relationship between viral load and serum ADA, ALT, and AST levels (p>0.05). HBV- and HCV-infected patients with high ALT and AST levels showed statistically significantly higher levels of ADA than patients with normal ALT and AST levels (p<0.001). CONCLUSIONS We suggest that serum ADA levels are associated more with the level of serum transaminases than viral load in HBV- and HCV-infected patients. In the treatment of patients with hepatitis, serum ADA levels should be considered a useful tool for the monitoring of liver condition.
The logrank test

We often wish to compare the survival experience of two (or more) groups of individuals. For example, the table shows survival times of 51 adult patients with recurrent malignant gliomas1 tabulated by type of tumour and indicating whether the patient had died or was still alive at analysis—that is, their survival time was censored.2 As the figure shows, the survival curves differ, but is this sufficient to conclude that in the population patients with anaplastic astrocytoma have worse survival than patients with glioblastoma? View this table: Weeks to death or censoring in 51 adults with recurrent gliomas1 (A=astrocytoma, G=glioblastoma) Fig 1 Survival curves for women with glioma by diagnosis We could compute survival curves3 for each group and compare the proportions surviving at any specific time. The weakness of this approach is that it does not provide a comparison of the total survival experience of the two groups, but rather gives a comparison at some arbitrary time point(s). In the figure the difference in survival is greater at some times than others and eventually becomes …
INTEGRATING SLEEP, SEDENTARY BEHAVIOUR, AND PHYSICAL ACTIVITY RESEARCH IN THE EMERGING FIELD OF TIME-USE EPIDEMIOLOGY: DEFINITIONS, CONCEPTS, STATISTICAL METHODS, THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK, AND FUTURE DIRECTIONS

Nearly 70 years of sleep, sedentary behaviour, physical activity, and time-use research has led to the recent development of time-use epidemiology. To conceptualise the emerging research field and provide a framework for its further development, this paper defines its position among established branches of science, explains its main concepts and defines associated terms, recommends suitable data analysis methods, proposes a theoretical model for future research, and identifies key research questions. Time-use epidemiology is defined as the study of determinants, incidence, distributions, and effects of health-related time-use patterns in populations, and methods for preventing unhealthy time-use patterns and achieving the optimal distribution of time for population health. As a theoretical model for future studies, this paper proposes The Framework for Viable Integrative Research in Time-Use Epidemiology (VIRTUE framework), acknowledging the compositional nature of time-use data and incorporating research on: 1) methods in time-use epidemiology; 2) outcomes of time-use composition; 3) optimal time-use balance and its prevalence in populations; 4) determinants and correlates of time-use composition; and 5) effectiveness of time-use interventions. It is likely that in total more deaths worldwide can be attributed to unhealthy time use than to smoking or obesity, potentially making it the most relevant modifiable behavioural and lifestyle risk factor of our time. We hope that governments and leading health organisations will recognise the enormous importance of healthy time use, and provide adequate support for future research in time-use epidemiology.
Evolving Spiking Networks with Variable Resistive Memories

Neuromorphic computing is a brainlike information processing paradigm that requires adaptive learning mechanisms. A spiking neuro-evolutionary system is used for this purpose; plastic resistive memories are implemented as synapses in spiking neural networks. The evolutionary design process exploits parameter self-adaptation and allows the topology and synaptic weights to be evolved for each network in an autonomous manner. Variable resistive memories are the focus of this research; each synapse has its own conductance profile which modifies the plastic behaviour of the device and may be altered during evolution. These variable resistive networks are evaluated on a noisy robotic dynamic-reward scenario against two static resistive memories and a system containing standard connections only. The results indicate that the extra behavioural degrees of freedom available to the networks incorporating variable resistive memories enable them to outperform the comparative synapse types.
Epitope mapping of Brugia malayi ALT-2 and the development of a multi-epitope vaccine for lymphatic filariasis

Abstract Human lymphatic filariasis is a neglected tropical disease, causing permanent and long-term disability with severe immunopathology. Abundant larval transcript (ALT) plays a crucial role in parasite establishment in the host, due to its multi-faceted ability in host immune regulation. Although ALT protein is a key filarial target, its exact function is yet to be explored. Here, we report epitope mapping and a structural model of Brugia malayi ALT-2, leading to development of a multi-epitope vaccine. Structural analysis revealed that ALT represents unique parasitic defence proteins belonging to a toxin family that carries a ‘knottin’ fold. ALT-2 has been a favourite vaccine antigen and was protective in filarial models. Due to the immunological significance of ALT-2, we mapped B-cell epitopes systematically and identified two epitope clusters, 1–30 and 89–128. To explore the prophylactic potential of epitope clusters, a recombinant multi-epitopic gene comprising the epitopic domains was engineered and the protective efficacy of recombinant ALT epitope protein (AEP) was tested in the permissive model, Mastomys coucha. AEP elicited potent antibody responses with predominant IgG1 isotype and conferred significantly high protection (74.59%) compared to ALT-2 (61.95%). This proved that these epitopic domains are responsible for the protective efficacy of ALT-2 and engineering protective epitopes as a multi-epitope protein may be a novel vaccine strategy for complex parasitic infections.
Mortality from cancers of the extra-thoracic airways in relation to radon progeny in the Wismut cohort, 1946–2008

Abstract Purpose: Inhalation of radon progeny can cause high lung and respiratory tract radiation doses. The aim of this paper was to examine the relationship between radon progeny and cancers of the extra-thoracic airways in the German uranium miner cohort for an extended follow-up through 2008. Methods: The cohort included 58,690 workers employed between 1946 and 1989 at the Wismut company. Exposure to radon progeny in Working Level Months (WLM) was determined from a comprehensive job-exposure matrix. The mean (max) cumulative exposure to radon among exposed cohort members (86%) was 280 WLM (3,224 WLM). Internal Poisson regression models were applied to estimate the linear Excess Relative Risk (ERR) per unit of cumulative exposure to radon. Results: A small increase in the mortality from all cancers of the extra-thoracic airways combined with increasing cumulative exposure to radon was found (ERR/100 WLM = 0.036, p = 0.12), based on 234 deaths. The estimated ERR per 100 WLM for relevant cancer sub-groups were: 0.017 (p > 0.5) larynx (n = 94); 0.077 (p = 0.20) pharynx (n = 74); and 0.030 (p > 0.5) tongue and mouth (n = 55). Conclusion: Results indicated a small but not statistically significant increase in mortality from cancers of the extra-thoracic airways in relation to radon. Low statistical power and uncontrolled confounding were limitations of this study.
Leopard (Panthera pardus) status, distribution, and the research efforts across its range

The leopard’s (Panthera pardus) broad geographic range, remarkable adaptability, and secretive nature have contributed to a misconception that this species might not be severely threatened across its range. We find that not only are several subspecies and regional populations critically endangered but also the overall range loss is greater than the average for terrestrial large carnivores. To assess the leopard’s status, we compile 6,000 records at 2,500 locations from over 1,300 sources on its historic (post 1750) and current distribution. We map the species across Africa and Asia, delineating areas where the species is confirmed present, is possibly present, is possibly extinct or is almost certainly extinct. The leopard now occupies 25–37% of its historic range, but this obscures important differences between subspecies. Of the nine recognized subspecies, three (P. p. pardus, fusca, and saxicolor) account for 97% of the leopard’s extant range while another three (P. p. orientalis, nimr, and japonensis) have each lost as much as 98% of their historic range. Isolation, small patch sizes, and few remaining patches further threaten the six subspecies that each have less than 100,000 km2 of extant range. Approximately 17% of extant leopard range is protected, although some endangered subspecies have far less. We found that while leopard research was increasing, research effort was primarily on the subspecies with the most remaining range whereas subspecies that are most in need of urgent attention were neglected.
New perspectives on the nutritional factors influencing growth rate of Candida albicans in diabetics. An in vitro study

BACKGROUND The link between Candida albicans and diabetes mellitus is well-acknowledged, but incompletely elucidated. OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study is to assess the growth rate of C. albicans (CA) in the presence of different concentrations of glucose and fructose, two of the main pathophysiologic and nutritionally relevant sugars in diabetic patients, in order to obtain a better understanding of the nutrient acquisition strategy and its possible relation to the hyperglycemic status of diabetic patients. METHODS The effects of different concentrations of glucose and fructose (1000 mg%, 500 mg%, 250 mg% and 100 mg% w/v) on the growth rate of CA have been studied by flow-cytometry. FINDINGS We found that glucose concentration is directly related to CA growth, which may be linked to the frequent yeast infections that occur in non-controlled diabetic patients; we also show that fructose inhibits CA growth rate. MAIN CONCLUSIONS As a consequence of our hypothesis, the study demonstrates that fructose-containing food may prevent the development of candidiasis, at least in oral sites.
Effect of yoga module on pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines in industrial workers of lonavla: a randomized controlled trial.

INTRODUCTION Inflammatory markers play a very important role in body's defense mechanism. Pro-inflammatory markers and anti-inflammatory markers counterbalance each other. It is extremely essential for the body to maintain their balance for a good immune response. OBJECTIVES To study the effect of yoga practices on selected pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokine among industrial workers. MATERIALS AND METHODS Forty eight male study participants, aged 30-58 years, were randomly divided into experimental (n=24) & control (n=24) groups. Pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-1β and anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 were evaluated at the baseline and at the end of 12 wk of yoga training in both the groups. During the experimental study, all the study participants continued with their daily lifestyle and diet. Data were analysed using paired t-test and independent t-test. RESULTS The result of within group comparison revealed that the yoga group showed a significant decrease in IL-1 β while significant increase in IL-10 (p < 0.05), whereas the control group revealed no change in IL-1 β (p > 0.05) and IL-10 (p > 0.05). Further, the results between the groups confirmed that the yoga group had significantly lower level of IL-1 β and increase in IL-10 as compared to control group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION The present study has demonstrated that yoga practices could reduce pro-inflammatory cytokine and increase anti-inflammatory cytokine in industrial workers.