Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
VEGF polymorphisms and severity of atherosclerosis

Introduction: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is a potent angiogenic factor, and neovascularisation has been shown to be important in atherosclerotic plaque development. There is some disagreement as to whether VEGF acts as a pro-atherosclerotic or anti-atherosclerotic factor. In the present study we have sought to clarify this by determining genotypes and haplotypes for three reportedly functional VEGF SNPs in a large series of well documented coronary atherosclerosis patients. Methods:VEGF −2578, −1154, and −634 single nucleotide polymorphisms were genotyped in 984 subjects from the Southampton Atherosclerosis Study, using the 5′ nuclease assay for allelic discrimination (TaqMan). Results:VEGF −2578 genotypes showed a significantly different distribution in patients without myocardial infarction when stratified according to number of diseased arteries. VEGF −2578 was also associated with mean number of stenotic segments in the same patient group. The AA genotype was a risk factor and CC was protective. These associations were significant before and after adjustment for classic risk factors, and were reflected in associations between VEGF haplotypes and the number of diseased arteries and stenotic segments. As VEGF −2578 CC has been provisionally shown to be associated with higher VEGF expression than the AA genotype, these results are consistent with a protective effect for VEGF in atherosclerosis development. Some changes in VEGF −1154 genotype frequencies were also detected, but no significant associations were detected for any one particular genotype. Conclusions: This study provides preliminary evidence that VEGF polymorphism is associated with development of atherosclerosis, possibly via regulation of VEGF expression, supporting a protective effect for VEGF in atherosclerosis. These results require replication in an independent study group, combined with study of additional candidate polymorphisms in the VEGF gene.
The neuropsychological correlates of leadership effectiveness

Approved: __________________________________ Thesis Supervisor __________________________________ Title and Department __________________________________ Date __________________________________ Thesis Supervisor __________________________________ Title and Department __________________________________ Date THE NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL CORRELATES OF LEADERSHIP EFFECTIVENESS by Kanchna Ramchandran A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Neuroscience in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
High variability in patterns of population decline: the importance of local processes in species extinctions

A fundamental goal of conservation science is to improve conservation practice. Understanding species extinction patterns has been a central approach towards this objective. However, uncertainty remains about the extent to which species-level patterns reliably indicate population phenomena at the scale of local sites, where conservation ultimately takes place. Here, we explore the importance of both species- and site-specific components of variation in local population declines following habitat disturbance, and test a suite of hypotheses about their intrinsic and extrinsic drivers. To achieve these goals, we analyse an unusually detailed global dataset for species responses to habitat disturbance, namely primates in timber extraction systems, using cross-classified generalized linear mixed models. We show that while there are consistent differences in the severity of local population decline between species, an equal amount of variation also occurs between sites. The tests of our hypotheses further indicate that a combination of biological traits at the species level, and environmental factors at the site level, can help to explain these patterns. Specifically, primate populations show a more marked decline when the species is characterized by slow reproduction, high ecological requirements, low ecological flexibility and small body size; and when the local environment has had less time for recovery following disturbance. Our results demonstrate that individual species show a highly heterogeneous, yet explicable, pattern of decline. The increased recognition and elucidation of local-scale processes in species declines will improve our ability to conserve biodiversity in the future.
Spectrum sharing with legacy RANs using cognitive MC-CDMA

In this paper we develop a cellular cognitive radio network based on MC-CDMA, which is able to coexist with a number of legacy RANs in a shared band. Using the simple-to-obtain knowledge of RF environment, namely the bandwidth and frequency location of each legacy system, the cognitive MC-CDMA transmitter mitigates the interference in the corresponding receivers by adaptive transmission. We will develop an algorithm for calculating the adaptive transmission parameters and elaborate on error performance of this approach analytically and numerically.
Minimization of maintenance immunosuppressive therapy after renal transplantation comparing cyclosporine A/azathioprine or cyclosporine A/mycophenolate mofetil bitherapy to cyclosporine A monotherapy: a 10‐year postrandomization follow‐up study

Long‐term outcomes in renal transplant recipients withdrawn from steroid and submitted to further minimization of immunosuppressive regimen after 1 year are lacking. In this multicenter study, 204 low immunological risk kidney transplant recipients were randomized 14.2 ± 3.7 months post‐transplantation to receive either cyclosporine A (CsA) + azathioprine (AZA; n = 53), CsA + mycophenolate mofetil (MMF; n = 53), or CsA monotherapy (n = 98). At 3 years postrandomization, the occurrence of biopsy for graft dysfunction was similar in bitherapy and monotherapy groups (21/106 vs. 26/98; P = 0.25). At 10 years postrandomization, patients’ survival was 100%, 94.2%, and 95.8% (P = 0.25), and death‐censored graft survival was 94.9%, 94.7%, and 95.2% (P = 0.34) in AZA, MMF, and CsA groups, respectively. Mean estimated glomerular filtration rate was 70.4 ± 31.1, 60.1 ± 22.2, and 60.1 ± 19.0 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively (P = 0.16). The incidence of biopsy‐proven acute rejection was 1.4%/year in the whole cohort. None of the patients developed polyomavirus‐associated nephropathy. The main cause of graft loss (n = 12) was chronic antibody‐mediated rejection (n = 6). De novo donor‐specific antibodies were detected in 13% of AZA‐, 21% of MMF‐, and 14% of CsA‐treated patients (P = 0.29). CsA monotherapy after 1 year is safe and associated with prolonged graft survival in well‐selected renal transplant recipient (ClinicalTrials.gov number: 980654).
Whether Commodity Futures Market in Agriculture is Efficient in Price Discovery ? — An Econometric Analysis

In any agriculture-dominated economy, like India, farmers face not only yield risk but price risk as well. Commodity futures and derivatives have a crucial role to play in the price risk management process, especially in agriculture. The present study is an investigation into the futures markets in agricultural commodities in India. The statistical analysis of data on price discovery in a sample of four agricultural commodities traded in futures exchanges have indicated that price discovery does not occur in agricultural commodity futures market. The econometric analysis of the relationship between price return, volume, market depth and volatility has shown that the market volume and depth are not significantly influenced by the return and volatility of futures as well as spot markets. The Bartlett’s test statistic has been found insignificant in both the exchanges, signifying that the futures and spot markets are not integrated. The exchange-specific problems like thin volume and low market depth, infrequent trading, lack of effective participation of trading members, non-awareness of futures market among farmers, no well-developed spot market in the vicinity of futures market, poor physical delivery, absence of a well-developed grading and standardization system and market imperfections have been found as the major deficiencies retarding the growth of futures market. The future of futures market in respect of agricultural commodities in India, calls for a more focused and pragmatic approach from the government. The Forward Markets Commission and SEBI have a greater role in addressing all the institutional and policy level constraints so as to make the agricultural commodity futures and derivatives a meaningful, purposeful and vibrant segment for price risk management in the Indian agriculture.
Two Criteria for Model Selection in Multiclass Support Vector Machines

Practical applications call for efficient model selection criteria for multiclass support vector machine (SVM) classification. To solve this problem, this paper develops two model selection criteria by combining or redefining the radius-margin bound used in binary SVMs. The combination is justified by linking the test error rate of a multiclass SVM with that of a set of binary SVMs. The redefinition, which is relatively heuristic, is inspired by the conceptual relationship between the radius-margin bound and the class separability measure. Hence, the two criteria are developed from the perspective of model selection rather than a generalization of the radius-margin bound for multiclass SVMs. As demonstrated by extensive experimental study, the minimization of these two criteria achieves good model selection on most data sets. Compared with the k-fold cross validation which is often regarded as a benchmark, these two criteria give rise to comparable performance with much less computational overhead, particularly when a large number of model parameters are to be optimized.
Hippocampal Desynchronization of Functional Connectivity Prior to the Onset of Status Epilepticus in Pilocarpine-Treated Rats

Status epilepticus (SE), a pro-epileptogenic brain insult in rodent models of temporal lobe epilepsy, is successfully induced by pilocarpine in some, but not all, rats. This study aimed to identify characteristic alterations within the hippocampal neural network prior to the onset of SE. Sixteen microwire electrodes were implanted into the left hippocampus of male Sprague-Dawley rats. After a 7-day recovery period, animal behavior, hippocampal neuronal ensemble activities, and local field potentials (LFP) were recorded before and after an intra-peritoneal injection of pilocarpine (350 mg/kg). The single-neuron firing, population neuronal correlation, and coincident firing between neurons were compared between SE (n = 9) and nonSE rats (n = 12). A significant decrease in the strength of functional connectivity prior to the onset of SE, as measured by changes in coincident spike timing between pairs of hippocampal neurons, was exclusively found in SE rats. However, single-neuron firing and LFP profiles did not show a significant difference between SE and nonSE rats. These results suggest that desynchronization in the functional circuitry of the hippocampus, likely associated with a change in synaptic strength, may serve as an electrophysiological marker prior to SE in pilocarpine-treated rats.
Pre-Play Communication and Credibility: A Test of Aumann's Conjecture

The effectiveness of pre-play communication in achieving efficient outcomes has long been a subject of controversy. In some environments, cheap talk may help to achieve coordination. However, Aumann conjectures that, in a variant of the Stag Hunt game, a signal for efficient play is not self-enforcing and concludes that an agreement to play [the efficient outcome] conveys no information about what the players will do. " Harsanyi and Selten (1988) cite this example as an illustration of risk-dominance vs. payoff-dominance. Farrell and Rabin (1996) agree with the logic, but suspect that cheap talk will nonetheless achieve efficiency. The conjecture is tested with one-way communication. When the sender first chooses a signal and then an action, there is impressive coordination: a 94% probability for the potentially efficient (but risky) play, given a signal for efficient play. Without communication, efforts to achieve efficiency were unsuccessful, as the proportion of B moves is only 35%. I also test a hypothesis that the order of the action and the signal affects the results, finding that the decision order is indeed important. Aumann's conjecture is rejected when the signal is determined prior to the action. However, the signal's credibility diminishes when the sender is known to have first chosen an action, supporting the conjecture, as the results are not statistically distinguishable from those in the no signal case. Some applications and issues in communication and coordination are discussed.
Tear Breakup Dynamics: A Technique for Quantifying Tear Film Instability

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to develop a novel, quantitative measurement of tear film breakup dynamics (TBUD) to study the phenomenon of tear breakup in dry eye and control subjects and its impact on dry eye symptoms. Methods. Ten control and 10 dry eye subjects completed the Dry Eye (DEQ) and other questionnaires. After the instillation of sodium fluorescein, subjects kept the tested eye open for as long as possible, similar to a staring contest, while tear film breakup was videotaped (S-TBUD). The maximum blink interval (MBI) and tear breakup time (TBUT) were measured from digital movies by a masked observer. Individual frames of movies were converted to gray-scale images, maps of relative tear film fluorescence were generated, and the total area of tear breakup (AB) of the exposed cornea was quantified. Results. On average, dry eye subjects demonstrated a higher AB and shorter TBUT and MBI, but only the AB was significantly different (p = 0.023). Subjects most often used the descriptors stinging and burning to describe their sensations during staring trials. The AB showed a high correlation between eyes and with some DEQ symptom measures. Conclusions. These methods allow objective quantification and tracking of the phenomenon of tear breakup. Our results suggest that tear breakup stresses the corneal surface, resulting in stimulation of underlying nociceptors. The tear film of dry eye subjects was less stable than controls. They had a larger AB measured from the last video frame before MBI (i.e., just before blinking) than did controls. This perhaps reflects adaptation to the repeated stress of tear instability in dry eye.
Image repairing: robust image synthesis by adaptive ND tensor voting

We present a robust image synthesis method to automatically infer missing information from a damaged 2D image by tensor voting. Our method translates image color and texture information into an adaptive ND tensor, followed by a voting process that infers non-iteratively the optimal color values in the ND texture space for each defective pixel. ND tensor voting can be applied to images consisting of roughly homogeneous and periodic textures (e.g. a brick wall), as well as difficult images of natural scenes, which contain complex color and texture information. To effectively tackle the latter type of difficult images, a two-step method is proposed. First, we perform texture-based segmentation in the input image, and extrapolate partitioning curves to generate a complete segmentation for the image. Then, missing colors are synthesized using ND tensor voting. Automatic tensor scale analysis is used to adapt to different feature scales inherent in the input. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach using a difficult set of real images.
A METHOD OF INCREASING THE RATE OF SEED GERMINATION OF TARAXACUM KOK-SAGHYZ.

The germination of kok-saghyz seed is a gradual process, the first seedlings pushing through in a few days, the rest appearing successively during a period of several weeks. Obviously, surface soil moisture must be maintained high throughout this period if a good stand is to be established, especially since the seeds are small and have to be sown very shallow. Since such ideal conditions seldom prevail, and since the long drawn out germination period is highly conducive to damping off, poor stands are frequently obtained. Some means of speeding up the process of germination is therefore desirable.
The Work Limitations Questionnaire

Objective.The objective of this work was to develop a psychometrically sound questionnaire for measuring the on-the-job impact of chronic health problems and/or treatment (“work limitations”). Research Design.Three pilot studies (focus groups, cognitive interviews, and an alternate forms test) generated candidate items, dimensions, and response scales. Two field trials tested the psychometric performance of the questionnaire (studies 1 and 2). To test recall error, study 1 subjects were randomly assigned to 2 different questionnaire groups, a questionnaire with a 4-week reporting period completed once or a 2-week version completed twice. Responses were compared with data from concurrent work limitation diaries (the gold standard). To test construct validity, we compared questionnaire scores of patients with those of healthy job-matched control subjects. Study 2 was a cross-sectional mail survey testing scale reliability and construct validity. Subjects.The study subjects were employed individuals (18–64 years of age) from several chronic condition groups (study 1, n = 48; study 2, n = 121) and, in study 1, 17 healthy matched control subjects. Measures.Study 1 included the assigned questionnaires and weekly diaries. Study 2 included the new questionnaire, SF-36, and work productivity loss items. Results.In study 1, questionnaire responses were consistent with diary data but were most highly correlated with the most recent week. Patients had significantly higher (worse) limitation scores than control subjects. In study 2, 4 scales from a 25-item questionnaire achieved Cronbach alphas of ≥0.90 and correlated with health status and self-reported work productivity in the hypothesized manner (P ≤0.05). Conclusions.With 25 items, 4 dimensions (limitations handling time, physical, mental-interpersonal, and output demands), and a 2-week reporting period, the Work Limitations Questionnaire demonstrated high reliability and validity.
Dialogic Reading with Emotion-Laden Storybooks: Intervention Methods to Enhance Children's Emergent Literacy and Social-Emotional Skills

DIALOGIC READING WITH EMOTION-LADEN STORYBOOKS: INTERVENTION METHODS TO ENHANCE CHILDREN‘S EMERGENT LITERACY AND SOCIALEMOTIONAL SKILLS Melissa S. Mincic, Ph.D. George Mason University, 2009 Dissertation Director: Dr. Susanne A. Denham Improving both literacy and social-emotional skills has become a focus of recent intervention research. Replicating procedures previously implemented by Whitehurst et al. (1994, 1999) with emotion-laden storybooks, this study introduced and evaluated intervention methods (i.e., teacher-directed small-group storybook readings) aiming to simultaneously enhance preschooler's vocabulary and social-emotional skills. Participants included 27 teachers and 114 children in the southern Colorado Rocky Mountain SER Head Start Program divided into 2 groups: the intervention group (i.e., teachers used dialogic reading techniques during storybook readings) and the book reading control group (i.e., teachers read storybooks as usual). Results regarding intervention effects across experimental group assignment and Head Start programming dosage revealed that of children attending half-day and full-day classrooms assigned to the intervention and book reading control groups, children attending half-day Head Start classrooms assigned to the intervention group demonstrated the greatest affective perspective taking skills of all groups. Children attending full-day Head Start classrooms assigned to the intervention group, however, demonstrated the least affective perspective taking skills of all groups. Results also revealed that children in classrooms assigned to the intervention group had stronger vocabulary skills and demonstrated greater productiveness during classroom activities than children in classrooms assigned to the book reading control group. Findings warrant the potential value of future research investigating altered intervention methods. Teachers held favorable attitudes toward intervention implementation. Education and educational policy implications are discussed.
Prevalence of Escherichia coli Virulence Genes in Patients with Diarrhea and a Subpopulation of Healthy Volunteers in Madrid, Spain

Etiological diagnosis of diarrheal diseases may be complicated by their multi-factorial nature. In addition, Escherichia coli strains present in the gut can occasionally harbor virulence genes (VGs) without causing disease, which complicates the assessment of their clinical significance in particular. The aim of this study was to detect and quantify nine VGs (stx1, stx2, eae, aggR, ehxA, invA, est, elt and bfpA) typically present in five E. coli enteric pathotypes [enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC), enterotoxigenic E. coli (ETEC), enteropathogenic E. coli (EPEC), enteroaggregative E. coli (EAEC), and enteroinvasive E. coli (EIEC)] in fecal samples collected from 49 patients with acute diarrhea and 32 healthy controls from Madrid, Spain. In addition, the presence of four serotype-related genes (wzxO104 and fliCH4, rfbO157, and fliCH7) was also determined. Presence of target genes was assessed using a quantitative real-time PCR assay previously developed, and the association of presence and burden of VGs with clinical disease and/or other risk factors was explored. Prevalence of ehxA [typically associated with Shigatoxin producing E. coli (STEC) and (EPEC), invA (EIEC), and the rfbO157+fliCH7 (STEC)] combination were significantly (p < 0.02) higher in the diarrheic group, while the wzxO104+fliCH4 combination was significantly (p = 0.014) more prevalent in the control group. On the other hand, eae was detected in more than 90% of the individuals in both patient and control populations, and it was not associated with bfpA, suggesting the absence of typical EPEC. No significant differences in the quantitative values were detected for any VG among study groups, but the difference in the load of aggR (EAEC) and invA in the patients with respect to the controls was close to the significance, suggesting a potential role of these VGs in the clinical signs observed when they are present at high levels.