Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the AMPLICOR Cytomegalovirus Test with Specimens from Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Infected Subjects

ABSTRACT The AMPLICOR cytomegalovirus (CMV) test, a new qualitative assay for the detection of CMV DNA in plasma, was compared to conventional methods and quantitative PCR (Q-PCR) assays by using leukocytes and plasma from 179 blood samples from subjects with AIDS. For the diagnosis of CMV disease, cell-based assays such as a Q-PCR with polymorphonuclear leukocytes (Q-PCR-PMNL) and a pp65 antigenemia assay had the highest sensitivities but suffered from a lack of specificity. The best agreement between the results of the Q-PCR-PMNL assay and those of the AMPLICOR test was found when a threshold diagnostic value of 690 copies per 105 cells was selected for the Q-PCR-PMNL assay. In that context, the AMPLICOR CMV test had a sensitivity of 96.4% and a specificity of 95.3% when results were compared to results of the cell-based PCR assay. This threshold was close to the one described as associated with the best sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of CMV disease in a recently published study (4). Blood samples that tested positive by the Q-PCR-PMNL assay but negative by the AMPLICOR CMV test were associated with viral loads (mean, 785 copies, median, 96 copies per 105leukocytes) lower than the viral loads of blood samples that tested positive by both assays (mean, 21,452 copies; median, 9,784 copies per 105 leukocytes) (P = 0.003). The AMPLICOR CMV test gave positive results at least 48 days before the development of symptomatic CMV disease in a longitudinal analysis of a limited subset of patients (n = 6) from whom sequential specimens were available for testing. In conclusion, the AMPLICOR CMV test is a very convenient assay combining rapidity, simplicity, and the possibility of batch testing. A positive result by this test seems particularly important since this implies, in most instances, the presence or the imminence of CMV disease, although a negative test result does not rule out disease.
Human-machine interaction through object using robot arm with tactile sensors

This paper presents a tactile interaction system for human-machine interaction and an active sensing technique to realize object surface sensing for human-machine interaction tasks. The tactile sensor unit implemented on the robot hand consists of three force-sensitive resistors arranged triangularly. The unit not only can detect the reactive force from the object but also determine the orientation of the object surface. Our research goal is to realize an effective robot controller for the 3D object handling. As a possible application, we also introduce an effective human-robot cooperation to move an object together. This application is realized by a control of a hand pose to keep the direction of the hand normal to the object surface in 3-D, which is often necessary when pushing an object. We also show the experimental results using the proposed sensor unit.
Unsupervised Discovery of Abnormal Activity Occurrences in Multi-dimensional Time Series, with Applications in Wearable Systems

We present a method for unsupervised discovery of abnormal occurrences of activities in multi-dimensional time series data. Unsupervised activity discovery approaches differ from traditional supervised methods in that there is no requirement for manually labeled training datasets. In addition, they minimize the need for field experts’ knowledge during the setup phases, which makes the deployment phase faster and simpler. We focus our attention on wearable computing systems and their applications in human activity monitoring for health care and medicine. The developed method constructs activity models in multi-dimensional time series based on the frequency and coincidence of activity perceptual primitives in single-dimensional time series data. We study the frequent variations exposed in human activity time series data and leverage physical attributes of the data to classify the activity primitives. A graph clustering approach is used to construct the frequent activity structures. Such structures are used to locate normal and abnormal occurrences of activities in time series. A method is presented to distinguish the abnormal activity occurrences from the normal occurrences. Two state-of-theart wearable embedded systems (Smartcane and Smartshoe) are used to perform empirical evaluation of the developed methods.
A large-scale, passive analysis of end-to-end TCP performance over GPRS

In this paper a passive methodology for TCP performance evaluation over general packet radio service (GPRS) networks is presented that relies on traffic monitoring at the GPRS ingress/egress router interface (Gi). Based on the IP and TCP headers of the packets we estimate the end-to-end performance of TCP connections such as connection setup behavior and data transfer goodput. In order to identify the effects behind the measured performance the introduced algorithms estimate round trip delays, packet loss ratios, available channel rates, throughput and cany out bottleneck analysis. Large-scale GPRS measurements in seven countries are presented to analyze TCP performance and demonstrate the applicability of the method. The effects of different TCP parameters such as maximum segment size, selective acknowledgements, timestamp usage and receiver window size are also quantified. GPRS measurement results are compared to a wireline dial-up network to identify the effects specific to the wireless environment
Formal Verification of Dynamic Evolution Processes of UML Models Using Aspects

The rapidly changing requirements and environments of system operation demand dynamic changes to systems with as short downtimes as possible. System availability is a relevant feature for such dynamic changes, which we call dynamic evolution. One of the most promising approaches to highly available dynamic evolution is dynamic aspect weaving, a technique of aspect-oriented programming technology. It enables part of a program to dynamically change without stopping its execution. Another feature relevant to dynamic evolution is the assurance of correctness of evolution. However, this is not easy for dynamic evolution, mainly because the evolution process is rather complicated. Formal modeling and verification (specifically, model checking) are other promising technologies. Many researchers have proposed various approaches to model and verify dynamic evolution. However, highly available dynamic evolution processes tend to be too complicated to verify with existing techniques because such processes need to be simultaneously controlled with system functionalities and the operations for evolution that include dynamic aspect weaving. We propose a formal verification tool called CAMPer that analyzes the unified modeling language (UML) models of dynamic evolution processes that consist of multiple steps with sophisticated control that includes dynamic aspect weaving. This tool is able to verify functional requirements for the processes that would be complicated to attain high availability. Our approach uses the Maude specification language to systematically express dynamic evolution and dynamic aspect weaving by using reflection. We also used a model checker for Maude to verify the evolution processes. We conducted experiments using an example Tele Assistance System (TAS) to demonstrate the advantages of our approach and evaluate its feasibility.
Finding and Feeling the Musical Beat: Striatal Dissociations between Detection and Prediction of Regularity

Perception of temporal patterns is critical for speech, movement, and music. In the auditory domain, perception of a regular pulse, or beat, within a sequence of temporal intervals is associated with basal ganglia activity. Two alternative accounts of this striatal activity are possible: “searching” for temporal regularity in early stimulus processing stages or “prediction’ of the timing of future tones after the beat is found (relying on continuation of an internally generated beat). To resolve between these accounts, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate different stages of beat perception. Participants heard a series of beat and nonbeat (irregular) monotone sequences. For each sequence, the preceding sequence provided a temporal beat context for the following sequence. Beat sequences were preceded by nonbeat sequences, requiring the beat to be found anew (“beat finding” condition), or by beat sequences with the same beat rate (“beat continuation”), or a different rate (“beat adjustment”). Detection of regularity is highest during beat finding, whereas generation and prediction are highest during beat continuation. We found the greatest striatal activity for beat continuation, less for beat adjustment, and the least for beat finding. Thus, the basal ganglia's response profile suggests a role in beat prediction, not in beat finding.
The study of the Association of Decay Risk With Malocclusions in Mixed Dentition at Children From Northeast Romania. A Transversal Retrospective Study.

Aim The purpose of this study was to investigate if high values of DMFT/dmft indices constitute risk factors for installation in various types of malocclusions in mixed dentition. Material and Methods The study consisted of 600 study-cast with mixed dentitions coming from the children in northeastern Romania. WHO (World Health Organization) dental caries criteria were applied to both groups. The existence of an increased caries risk was deducted from the dmft (decay, missed, filled temporary teeth) and DMFT (Decay, Missed, Filled Teeth) indices related to age. Malocclusion was classified in the three planes in accordance with the major symptom. The statistical study was conducted in SPSS 16.0 for Windows. The risk factors we have identified through calculating the odds ratio and relative risk. Results Mean value dmft/DMFT (index in mixed dentition was found 3.64±2.686. The highest values of the dmft/DMFT indices were found in patients with normal overjet (4.73± 2.892) and normal overbite (4.04±2.781). In the transverse plane, the lowest value of DMFT/dmft index was recorded in patients with spacing (2.63±1.915), and the highest values were observed in patients with the combined diagnosis of crowding and lateral cross bite (4.97±3.010) respectively of crowding and spacing (4.65 ±2.792). The presence of malocclusions in the three plans is not influenced by increased DMFT/dmft index (DMFT/dmft>5) unless combined diagnoses of crowding and lateral cross bite, and crowding and spacing where the relative risks are over 2.5. Conclusions The present study concluded that the prevalence of dental caries in children with mixed dentition is higher in patients with normal overjet and overbite. In terms of the risk of developing a certain malocclusion with dental crowding associate with lateral cross bite, respectively dental crowding associate false spacing are present under a high caries activities.
Physical Properties and Processing of Fine Merino Lamb's Wool

Literature pertinent to fiber properties and handle of fine Merino lamb's and fleece wool is critically discussed. The softness of handle of fine Merino wool varies inversely with loose fiber resistance to compression. This complex raw wool parameter has geo metric and mechanical attributes. Fiber bending and torsional rigidity are important mechanical factors that depend on mean fiber diameter, cross-sectional shape, and Young's modulus. Crimp frequency, amplitude, and form are equally important geo metric factors. Those characteristics that distinguish lamb's and adult wool and appear to account for the relative softness of hand of lamb's compared with fleece wool are presented in Part II.
Alternative Algorithms for Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection Diagnosis Using Tests That Are Licensed in the United States

ABSTRACT Serodiagnosis of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection in the United States has traditionally relied on a sequential two-test algorithm: an initial screen with an enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and reflex testing of EIA-reactive specimens with a more specific supplemental test such as Western blotting or immunofluorescence. The supplemental tests are tedious, subjective, and expensive. In addition, there have been major improvements in the performance and accuracy of the EIA tests as well as the introduction of rapid serologic tests (RT) and HIV nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT). Related to these improvements is the possibility that alternative algorithms using combinations of currently approved HIV tests may function as well as if not better than the current algorithm, with more flexibility, improved accuracy, and lower cost. To this end, we evaluated the performance of 12 currently licensed tests and 1 in-house HIV test (6 EIA, 4 RT, and 3 NAAT) on panels of plasma samples from HIV-infected (n = 621 HIV type 1 [HIV-1] and 34 HIV-2) and uninfected (n = 513) people and of sequential specimens from people early in seroconversion (183 specimens from 15 patients). Test combinations were analyzed in two dual-test (sensitivity-optimized and specificity-optimized) algorithms and in a three-test (tie-breaking) algorithm, and performance was compared to the conventional algorithm. The results indicate that alternative algorithm strategies with currently licensed tests compare favorably with the conventional algorithm in detecting and confirming established HIV infection. Furthermore, there was a lower frequency of discordant or indeterminate results that require follow-up testing, and there was improved detection of early infection.
Sub-10-nm planar-bulk-CMOS devices using lateral junction control

Sub-10-nm planar-bulk-CMOS devices were clearly demonstrated by a lateral source/drain (S/D) junction control using the precisely-controlled gate-electrode, shallow source/drain extensions (SDE) and steep halo. Good cut-off characteristics were observed for n/pMOSFETs with the gate length of 5 nm at 0.4 V for the first time.
Remediation of deficits affecting different components of the spelling process

Background: There have been relatively few studies concerned with the treatment of spelling deficits. Among these, there have been a small number that have targeted specific components of the spelling process. Although most of these studies report success using treatments that involve repeated spelling and/or copy, the results have been mixed, especially as concerns the generalisation of treatment benefits to untreated items. Aims: This investigation was designed to examine the responsiveness to the same treatment protocol of deficits affecting different cognitive mechanisms of the spelling process. Methods & Procedures: We applied the same delayed-copy treatment protocol to two individuals with selective deficits of the orthographic output lexicon and the graphemic buffer. The two individuals were otherwise matched in terms of the severity of their deficits and their general cognitive profiles. Outcomes & Results: Both individuals exhibited long-lasting word-specific benefits from the treatment. However, they differed in that the graphemic buffer deficit exhibited generalisation to untreated words, whereas the orthographic output lexicon did not. Conclusions: The absence of presence of generalisation effects in response to the successful treatment of target items is determined by the specific cognitive component/s that constitute the source of the deficit.
Featural and Configurational Processes in the Recognition of Faces of Different Familiarity

Previous research suggests that face recognition may involve both configurational and piecemeal (featural) processing. To explore the relationship between these processing modes, we examined the patterns of recognition impairment produced by blurring, inversion, and scrambling, both singly and in various combinations. Two tasks were used: recognition of unfamiliar faces (seen once before) and recognition of highly familiar faces (celebrities). The results provide further support for a configurational–featural distinction. Recognition performance remained well above chance if faces were blurred, scrambled, inverted, or simultaneously inverted and scrambled: each of these manipulations disrupts either configurational or piecemeal processing, leaving the other mode available as a route to recognition. However, blurred/scrambled and blurred/inverted faces were recognised at or near chance levels, presumably because both configurational processing and featural processing were disrupted. Similar patterns of effects were found for both familiar and unfamiliar faces, suggesting that the relationship between configurational and featural processing is qualitatively similar in both cases.
Experimental evidence for offspring learning in parent–offspring communication

The offspring of birds and mammals solicit food from their parents by a combination of movements and vocalizations that have come to be known collectively as ‘begging’. Recently, begging has most often been viewed as an honest signal of offspring need. Yet, if offspring learn to adjust their begging efforts to the level that rewards them most, begging intensities may also reflect offsprings' past experience rather than their precise current needs. Here we show that bird nestlings with equal levels of need can learn to beg at remarkably different levels. These experiments with hand–raised house sparrows (Passer domesticus) indicated that chicks learn to modify begging levels within a few hours. Moreover, we found that the begging postures of hungry chicks in natural nests are correlated with the average postures that had previously yielded them parental feedings. Such learning challenges parental ability to assess offspring needs and may require that, in response, parents somehow filter out learned differences in offspring signals.
Effect of Rosiglitazone on Serum Liver Biochemistries in Diabetic Patients with Normal and Elevated Baseline Liver Enzymes

OBJECTIVES:Thiazolidinediones (TZD) are recommended to be used cautiously in diabetics with mild elevations in liver enzymes and not to be used in those with alanine aminotransferase >2.5 upper limit normal (ULN). However, studies are not adequate that evaluated the risk of TZD hepatotoxicity in diabetics with elevated liver enzymes. We conducted a study to test if diabetics with elevated liver enzymes have increased risk for hepatotoxicity from rosiglitazone (only TZD available on our formulary). METHODS:This study consisted of two cohorts of patients prescribed rosiglitazone since January 2000. Cohort 1: 210 diabetics with elevated baseline liver enzymes (aspartate aminotransferase (AST) >40 IU/L and/or alanine aminotransferase (ALT) >35 IU/L) who received rosiglitazone, and cohort 2: 628 diabetics with normal liver enzymes who received rosiglitazone. Elevations in liver biochemistries over a 12-month period after initiating rosiglitazone were characterized into mild to moderate or severe elevations and into “Hy's rule” based on published criteria.RESULTS:Compared to cohort 2, patients in cohort 1 did not have higher incidence of mild to moderate (10% vs 6.6%, p= 0.2) or severe elevations (0.9% vs 0.6%, p= 0.9) in liver biochemistries. Similarly, the incidence of liver biochemistry abnormalities meeting the Hy's Rule was statistically not different between the two cohorts (0% vs 0.3%, p= 0.9). The frequency of discontinuing rosiglitazone therapy during the follow-up was similar between cohorts 1 and 2 (8.6% vs 8.1%, p= 1.0). CONCLUSIONS:These results suggest that diabetics with elevated baseline liver enzymes do not have a higher risk of hepatotoxicity from rosiglitazone than those with normal enzymes.
Improving Understanding of the Fate and Transport of Munitions Constituents to Enhance Sustainability of Operational Ranges

Abstract : The objective was to develop models supported by appropriate data. The project team generated data and developed a model for the kinetics of adsorption and desorption of 2,4-dinitrotoluene and nitroglycerin to and from the nitrocellulose matrix itself. Additionally, they developed a model for the partitioning of RDX, HMX, TNT, nitroglycerin, 2,4-dinitrotoluene, and nitroguanadine and mixtures of these munitions constituents to soils of varying physical/chemical characteristics. They developed and used a chemical probe to determine the magnitude of clay mineral binding sites and ascertained the soil composition responsible for irreversible binding. They modeled the results using polyparameter partitioning models, and models for irreversible bonding using soils spanning a variety of properties including soils typical of those found at operational ranges. They provided initial validation of the models developed in this project by comparing model results to those determined in soil column studies.
Observation of Shoemaker-Levy Impacts by the Galileo Photopolarimeter Radiometer

The Galileo Photopolarimeter Radiometer experiment made direct photometric observations at 678 and 945 nanometers of several comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 fragments impacting with Jupiter. Initial flashes occurred at (fragment G) 18 July 1994 07:33:32, (H) 18 July 19:31:58, (L) 19 July 22:16:48, and (Q1) 20 July 20:13:52 [equivalent universal time coordinated (UTC) observed at Earth], with relative peak 945-nanometer brightnesses of 0.87, 0.67, 1.00, and 0.42, respectively. The light curves show a 2-second rise to maximum, a 10-second plateau, and an accelerating falloff. The Q1 event, observed at both wavelengths, yielded a color temperature of more than 10,000 kelvin at its peak.
Effect of Stretching on Electrical Properties of Low Density Polyethylene/MgO Nanocomposites

Pulsed electroacoustic (PEA) method, dielectric analyzer, and high resistance meter were used to research the DC breakdown, space charge behavior, permittivity, loss tangent, and volume resistivity of neat low density polyethylene (LDPE) and LDPE/MgO nano- composites with concentration of 1, 3, and 5 wt% with and without the elongation ratio of 1.1. Results indicate that the DC breakdown strengths of neat LDPE and nanocompos- ites decrease after stretching. The heterocharges near electrodes in neat LDPE change to homocharges after stretching and a large amount of positive and negative charges accumulated in samples with concentration of 3 and 5 wt%. Meanwhile, homocharges near cathode electrode in nanocomposite with concentration of 1 wt% decrease a little and a small amount of positive charges were observed in the samples after stretching. Furthermore, there are different increases in amplitudes of permittivity in all the samples after stretching, as well as the loss of tangents especially in the frequency domain from 10 −1 to 10 2 Hz. The results of volume resistivity show that comparing with the nanocomposite with the concentration of 1 wt% whose volume resistivity decrease after stretch- ing, larger volume resistivity is observed in neat LDPE and nanocomposites with the concentration of 3 and 5 wt%.