Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Including Classical Galactosaemia in the Expanded Newborn Screening Panel Using Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Galactose-1-Phosphate

Galactosaemia has been included in various newborn screening programs since 1963. Several methods are used for screening; however, the predominant methods used today are based on the determination of either galactose-1-phosphate uridyltransferase (GALT) activity or the concentration of total galactose. These methods cannot be multiplexed and therefore require one full punch per sample. Since the introduction of mass spectrometry in newborn screening, many diseases have been included in newborn screening programs. Here, we present a method for including classical galactosaemia in an expanded newborn screening panel based on the specific determination of galactose-1-phosphate by tandem mass spectrometry. The existing workflow only needs minor adjustments, and it can be run on the tandem mass spectrometers in routine use. Furthermore, compared to the currently used methods, this novel method has a superior screening performance, producing significantly fewer false positive results. We present data from 5500 routine newborn screening samples from the Danish Neonatal Screening Biobank. The cohort was enriched by including 14 confirmed galactosaemia positive samples and 10 samples positive for other metabolic disorders diagnosed through the Danish newborn screening program. All galactosaemia positive samples were identified by the method with no false positives. Furthermore, the screening performance for other metabolic disorders was unaffected.
The Relation of Income Inequality, Growth and Poverty and the Effect of IMF and World Bank Programs on Income Inequality

This essay analyses the role that income inequality plays in the economic development of developing countries and investigates the effects of IMF and World Bank Programs on income inequality. It is argued that income inequality and economic growth are determined partly by the same factors. Moreover income inequality inhibits the accumulation of human capital, has an adverse effect on economic growth and effects poverty reduction in several ways. I conclude that the close relationship between inequality, growth and poverty needs to be considered by countries that are trying to increase economic growth in order to reach that goal. Furthermore this essay analyses the effect of participation in IMF and World Bank programs on income inequality. It seems that participation in these structural adjustment programs have an adverse effect on income equality, growth and poverty reduction. But the reason for this adverse effect cannot be pointed out yet due to a lack of research.
Foot and Mouth Disease in Livestock and Reduced Cryptosporidiosis in Humans, England and Wales

During the 2001 epidemic of foot and mouth disease (FMD) in livestock in England and Wales, we discovered a corresponding decrease in laboratory reports of cryptosporidiosis in humans. Using a regression model of laboratory reports of cryptosporidiosis, we found an estimated 35% (95% confidence interval [CI] 20% to 47%) reduction in reports during the weeks spanning the period from the first and last cases of FMD. The largest reduction occurred in northwest England, where the estimated decrease was 63% (95% CI 31% to 80%). Genotyping a subgroup of human isolates suggested that the proportion of Cryptosporidium genotype 2 strain (animal and human) was lower during the weeks of the FMD epidemic in 2001 compared with the same weeks in 2000. Our observations are consistent with livestock making a substantial contribution to Cryptosporidium infection in humans in England and Wales; our findings have implications for agriculture, visitors to rural areas, water companies, and regulators.
A simple fluid model to analyze resource sharing in Internet routers

Abstract— It has been widely recognized that providing a simple priority to short flows in Internet routers can dramatically reduce their mean delay while having little impact on the long flows which carry the bulk of Internet traffic. In this paper, we present simple fluid models which can be used to quantify the above observation. Further, we justify these fluid models by showing that stochastic models of resource-sharing among TCP flows converge to the fluid models when the router capacity and the number of users are large, which is the typical scenario of interest.
Assessment of American Crocodile , Crocodylus acutus ( Crocodylidae ) , and Brown Caiman , Caiman crocodilus fuscus ( Alligatoridae ) , Populations in the Paramillo National Natural Park , Colombia

—We assessed abundance and population structure of the American Crocodile (Crocodylus acutus) and Brown Caiman (Caiman crocodilus fuscus) from the Manso and Tigre rivers in Paramillo National Natural Park (NNP), Department of Córdoba, Colombia. This is a protected area in the remote northwest of the country, and is a potentially important area for the conservation of crocodilians. We surveyed 27.9 km of the Manso and Tigre rivers during February 2015. We observed 64 crocodilians, of which we reliably identified 49 (77%) individuals to species, with 37 identified as C. acutus and 12 identified as C. c. fuscus. Average encounter rate was 5.7 individuals/ km for C. acutus and 2.8 individuals/km for C. c. fuscus. The total estimated population for the entire area surveyed of the Manso and Tigre rivers was 87 C. acutus and 35 C. c. fuscus. We found no significant difference in population structure (adults versus juveniles) between the species. We did find a significant difference in abundance and habitat preference between the two species, with C. acutus associated with flooded forest and C. c. fuscus associated with riverside forest. Our study highlights the importance of the Paramillo NNP for both national and regional crocodilian conservation planning. Evaluación de Poblaciones de Caimán Aguja, Crocodylus acutus (Crocodylia: Crocodylidae), y Babilla, Caiman crocodilus fuscus (Crocodylia: Alligatoridae), en el Parque Nacional Natural Paramillo, Colombia Resumen. —Evaluamos la abundancia y la estructura de las poblaciones del Caimán Aguja (Crocodylus acutus) y la Babilla (Caiman crocodilus fuscus) en los ríos Manso y Tigre del Parque Nacional Natural Paramillo, departamento de Córdoba en Colombia. Estos ríos están ubicados en un área protegida remota, ubicada al noroeste de Colombia, y representa un área importante para la conservación de poblaciones silvestres de crocodílidos. Durante la temporada seca de la región, realizamos censos nocturnos que abarcaron 27.9 kilómetros de los ríos Manso y Tigre. De las 64 observaciones, logramos la identificación específica de 49 (77%), de las cuales 37 fueron identificadas como C. acutus y 12 como C. c. fuscus. La tasa de encuentro promedio fue de 5,7 individuos/km para caimanes y de 2,8 individuos/km para babillas. El tamaño total estimado de población para el área estudiada fue de 87 caimanes y 35 a babillas. No detectamos diferencias significativas en la estructura de la población (adultos vs. juveniles) para ninguna de las especies. Hallamos diferencias significativas entre la abundancia y el tipo de hábitat, C. acutus se asoció a bosque inundable y C. c. fuscus a rastrojos. Nuestro estudio resalta la importancia del PNN Paramillo para la conservación de crocodilianos a nivel nacional y regional.
Usage of Complementary Medicine in Switzerland: Results of the Swiss Health Survey 2012 and Development Since 2007

Background Complementary medicine (CM) is popular in Switzerland. Several CM methods (traditional Chinese medicine/acupuncture, homeopathy, anthroposophic medicine, neural therapy, and herbal medicine) are currently covered by the mandatory basic health insurance when performed by a certified physician. Treatments by non-medical therapists are partially covered by a supplemental and optional health insurance. In this study, we investigated the frequency of CM use including the evolvement over time, the most popular methods, and the user profile. Methods Data of the Swiss Health Surveys 2007 and 2012 were used. In 2007 and 2012, a population of 14,432 and 18,357, respectively, aged 15 years or older answered the written questionnaire. A set of questions queried about the frequency of use of various CM methods within the last 12 months before the survey. Proportions of usage and 95% confidence intervals were calculated for these methods and CM in general. Users and non-users of CM were compared using logistic regression models. Results The most popular methods in 2012 were homeopathy, naturopathy, osteopathy, herbal medicine, and acupuncture. The average number of treatments within the 12 months preceding the survey ranged from 3 for homeopathy to 6 for acupuncture. 25.0% of the population at the age of 15 and older had used at least one CM method in the previous 12 months. People with a chronic illness or a poor self-perceived health status were more likely to use CM. Similar to other countries, women, people of middle age, and those with higher education were more likely to use CM. 59.9% of the adult population had a supplemental health insurance that partly covered CM treatments. Conclusions Usage of CM in Switzerland remained unchanged between 2007 and 2012. The user profile in Switzerland was similar to other countries, such as Germany, United Kingdom, United States or Australia.
Gender differences in cue preference during path integration in virtual environments

Three studies were conducted to examine whether men and women differ in how they recalibrate their path-integration systems when walking without vision in virtual environments. Distance cues provided by a scene and a tone, which ended each trial, were placed in conflict. Participants briefly viewed a room with a target, which was offset from their midlines and hung inside a doorframe on the far wall. After viewing, participants walked to the target's position until a tone sounded, ending the trial. In two experiments the doorframe was placed at 6 m and the tone sounded at 4 or 8 m. The rooms had minimal or photorealistic texturing applied. The third experiment used photorealistic texturing, but here the tone sounded at 6 m and the doorframe was presented at 4 or 8 m. Path angles were recorded to estimate perceived distance to the target. In all conditions tested, the women failed to scale their path angles. The men, however, scaled their path-angles with the auditory cue in the minimal-texture condition, but with the visual cue in the photorealistic-texture conditions. These results suggest that gender differences exist in the way that humans recalibrate their path-integration systems when walking without vision in virtual environments.
Endoluminal Closure of Colon Perforation with Endoscopic Band Ligation: Technical Feasibility and Safety in an In Vivo Canine Model

Background/Aims: Endoscopic band ligation (EBL) is an accepted method in the management of variceal bleeding; however, there is little evidence on the safety and feasibility of EBL for the closure of bowel perforation. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the technical feasibility and efficacy of EBL in iatrogenic colon perforation by using a canine model. Methods: We established an iatrogenic colon perforation model by using seven beagle dogs. Longitudinal 1.5- to 1.7-cm colon perforations were created with a needle knife and an insulated-tip knife, and the perforation was subsequently closed with EBL. During a 2-week follow-up period, the animals were carefully monitored and then euthanized for pathologic examination. Results: The EBL of iatrogenic colon perforations was successful in all dogs. The mean procedure time for EBL closure with one to three bands was 191.7 seconds, and there were no immediate complications. One animal was euthanized after 3 days because of peritonitis. There were no clinical and laboratory features of sepsis or peritonitis in the remaining six animals. On necropsy, we did not find any fecal peritonitis, pericolonic abscess formation, or transmural dehiscence at the perforation site. Histopathology demonstrated inflamed granulation tissue and scar lesions replaced by fibrosis. Conclusions: EBL might be a feasible and safe method for the management of iatrogenic colon perforations in an in vivo model.
Combining Methods to Stabilize and Increase Performance of Neural Network-Based Classifiers

In this paper we present a set of experiments in order to recognize materials in multispectral images, which were obtained with a tomograph scanner. These images were classified by a neural network based classifier (Multilayer Perceptron) and classifier combining techniques (Bagging, Decision Templates and Dempster-Shafer) were investigated. We also present a performance comparison between the individual classifiers and the combiners. The results were evaluated by the estimated error (obtained using the Hold-Out technique) and the Kappa coefficient, and they showed performance stabilization.
Improved Learning and Memory in Aged Mice Deficient in Amyloid β-Degrading Neutral Endopeptidase

Background Neutral endopeptidase, also known as neprilysin and abbreviated NEP, is considered to be one of the key enzymes in initial human amyloid-β (Aβ) degradation. The aim of our study was to explore the impact of NEP deficiency on the initial development of dementia-like symptoms in mice. Methodology/Principal Findings We found that while endogenous Aβ concentrations were elevated in the brains of NEP-knockout mice at all investigated age groups, immunohistochemical analysis using monoclonal antibodies did not detect any Aβ deposits even in old NEP knockout mice. Surprisingly, tests of learning and memory revealed that the ability to learn was not reduced in old NEP-deficient mice but instead had significantly improved, and sustained learning and memory in the aged mice was congruent with improved long-term potentiation (LTP) in brain slices of the hippocampus and lateral amygdala. Our data suggests a beneficial effect of pharmacological inhibition of cerebral NEP on learning and memory in mice due to the accumulation of peptides other than Aβ degradable by NEP. By conducting degradation studies and peptide measurements in the brain of both genotypes, we identified two neuropeptide candidates, glucagon-like peptide 1 and galanin, as first potential candidates to be involved in the improved learning in aged NEP-deficient mice. Conclusions/Significance Thus, the existence of peptides targeted by NEP that improve learning and memory in older individuals may represent a promising avenue for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases.
Applying centroid based adjustment to kernel based object tracking for improving localization

In recent studies kernel based object tracking (KBOT) using Bhattacharya coefficient as similarity measure is shown to be robust and efficient object tracking technique. Image histogram provides a compact summarization of the distribution of data in an image. Due to computational efficiency; histogram has been successfully applied in KBOT based tracking algorithms. However without spatial or shape information, similar objects of different color may be indistinguishable based solely on histogram comparisons. The application of meanshift algorithm (the core of KBOT) on 1-D low level features of histogram may converge to false local maxima and cause inaccuracy of target localization. In this paper we presented a robust and efficient tracking approach using structural features along with histogram based Bhattacharya coefficient similarity measure for tracking non rigid objects. It is proposed that integrating the edge based target information as post processing step for updating estimated mean shift centroid in KBOT improves the localization problem. Experimental results show the updated algorithm has achieve more precise tracking results as compared to original kernel based object tracking
First-passage properties of the Pólya urn process

We study first-passage statistics of the Pólya urn model. In this random process, the urn contains balls of two types. In each step, one ball is drawn randomly from the urn, and subsequently placed back into the urn together with an additional ball of the same type. We derive the probability Gn that the balls of the two types become equal in number, for the first time, when there are a total of 2n balls. This first-passage probability decays algebraically, Gn ∼ n − 2, when n is large. We also derive the probability that a tie ever happens. This probability is between zero and one, so a tie may occur in some realizations but not in others. The likelihood of a tie is appreciable only if the initial difference in the number of balls is of the order of the square root of the total number of balls.
A Review of Recent Developments in Research and Theories on Human Contingency Learning

Over the past 20 years, human contingency learning has resurfaced as an important topic within experimental psychology. This renewed interest was sparked mainly by the proposal that associative models of Pavlovian conditioning might also apply to human contingency learning—a proposal that has led to many new empirical findings and theoretical developments. We provide a brief review of these recent developments and try to point to issues that need to be addressed in future research.
Development of new yield loci description by combining the Taylor and the Relaxed Taylor theory for sheet steels

Recently, many flexible constitutive equations have been proposed for sheet forming simulations. However, various mechanical tests are required to determine the many material parameters needed for such models. In the present work, effort has been made to investigate the correlation between the polycrystal plasticity based yield loci and those determined from mechanical tests, in order to define yield functions easily and accurately with minimal experimental work. The results for different materials indicate that, in many cases, the Hill quadratic yield function deviates significantly from measured yield loci. The yield loci derived from measured texture and polycrystal plasticity perform better than the Hill’48 yield function in general. Based on the two yield loci derived from the Taylor full constraint model and the relaxed Pancake model, a new combined model referred to as CTFP is proposed. The new model retains roughly the shape of the yield loci derived from the Taylor full constraint model, but the size is scaled using the averaged biaxial points of each model in the stretching regime. The proposed new description has been validated using several forming steel grades. This model can be used to generate input data for other constitutive equations used in sheet metal forming simulations. Keywords, Constitutive modelling, yield locus, Crystal plasticity, anisotropic materials, mechanical testing
Maass spaces on U(2,2) and the Bloch-Kato conjecture for the symmetric square motive of a modular form

Let K be an imaginary quadratic field of discriminant -D_K k, we then construct (mod l) congruences between the Maass form corresponding to \phi and hermitian modular forms orthogonal to S_{k,-k/2}^M whenever the l-adic valuation of L^{alg}(\Sym^2 \phi, k) is positive. This gives a proof of the holomorphic analogue of the unitary version of Harder's conjecture. Finally, we use these congruences to provide evidence for the Bloch-Kato conjecture for the motives \Sym^2 \rho_{\phi}(k-3) and \Sym^2 \rho_{\phi}(k), where \rho_{\phi} denotes the Galois representation attached to \phi.
Offshoring and the Onshore Composition of Occupations, Tasks and Skills∗

Using plant data that distinguish between occupations, tasks, and workforce skills, this paper investigates the relationship between offshoring and the onshore workforce composition at German multinational enterprises (MNEs) in manufacturing and services. There is no statistically significant association between offshoring and the share of whiteand blue-collar jobs in the onshore wage bill. The proportion of non-routine and interactive tasks, however, increases with offshoring, especially at services MNEs. In excess of what is implied by changes in either the occupational or task composition, offshoring predicts an increase in the wage-bill share of workers with upper-secondary education. While this excess educational upgrading beyond occupational and task recomposition is statistically significant, the economic effect of offshoring on the wage-bill composition is estimated to be small. ∗We thank Costas Arkolakis, Beata Javorcek, Andres Rodriguez-Clare and Deborah Swenson for insightful comments. We thank Heinz Herrmann, Alexander Lipponer, Beatrix Stejskal-Passler, and Elisabetta Fiorentino for support with BuBa firm data, and Stefan Bender, Iris Koch and Stephan Heuke at BA for assistance with the plant records. Karin Herbst and Thomas Wenger kindly shared string-matching expertise, and Alexandra Spitz-Oener generously contributed task classifications for robustness checks. Ming Zeng provided excellent research assistance. We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the VolkswagenStiftung, the Fritz-Thyssen-Stiftung, the Wallander Foundation, the Swedish Council for Working Life and Social Research, and the Ifo Institute. ¶sbecker@lmu.de (www.sobecker.de), corresponding. Ph: +49 (89) 2180-6252.
Kinetics of .VO2 and femoral artery blood flow during heavy-intensity, knee-extension exercise.

It has been suggested that, during heavy-intensity exercise, O(2) delivery may limit oxygen uptake (.VO2) kinetics; however, there are limited data regarding the relationship of blood flow and . VO2 kinetics for heavy-intensity exercise. The purpose was to determine the exercise on-transient time course of femoral artery blood flow (Q(leg)) in relation to . VO2 during heavy-intensity, single-leg, knee-extension exercise. Five young subjects performed five to eight repeats of heavy-intensity exercise with measures of breath-by-breath pulmonary . VO2 and Doppler ultrasound femoral artery mean blood velocity and vessel diameter. The phase 2 time frame for . VO2 and Q(leg) was isolated and fit with a monoexponent to characterize the amplitude and time course of the responses. Amplitude of the phase 3 response was also determined. The phase 2 time constant for . VO2 of 29.0 s and time constant for Q(leg) of 24.5 s were not different. The change (Delta) in . VO2 response to the end of phase 2 of 0.317 l/min was accompanied by a DeltaQ(leg) of 2.35 l/min, giving a DeltaQ(leg)-to-Delta.VO2 ratio of 7.4. A slow-component . VO2 of 0.098 l/min was accompanied by a further Q(leg) increase of 0.72 l/min (DeltaQ(leg)-to-Delta.VO2 ratio = 7.3). Thus the time course of Q(leg) was similar to that of muscle . VO2 (as measured by the phase 2 .VO2 kinetics), and throughout the on-transient the amplitude of the Q(leg) increase achieved (or exceeded) the Q(leg)-to-. VO2 ratio steady-state relationship (ratio approximately 4.9). Additionally, the . VO2 slow component was accompanied by a relatively large rise in Q(leg), with the increased O(2) delivery meeting the increased Vo(2). Thus, in heavy-intensity, single-leg, knee-extension exercise, the amplitude and kinetics of blood flow to the exercising limb appear to be closely linked to the . VO2 kinetics.