Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human psychophysiological state recognition based on analysis of thermograms of face and neck regions

A technique for features extraction on thermograms of face and neck regions, characterizing subjects and their following psychophysiological states: normal (calm), drowsiness and a state of alcohol intoxication is proposed. A method of subject-dependent recognition of these states (with the need to create templates of each person's states) is proposed with an error rate of 1.5% and subject-independent state recognition (no templates are required) with an error rate of 24.2%.
Asset-Liability Management with in Life Insurance JAKOB GIP ORREBORN

In recent years, new regulations and stronger competition have further increased the importance of stochastic asset-liability management (ALM) models for life insurance firms. However, the often complex nature of life insurance contracts makes modelling to a challenging task, and insurance firms often struggle with models quickly becoming too complicated and inefficient. There is therefore an interest in investigating if, in fact, certain traits of financial ratios could be exposed through a more efficient model. In this thesis, a discrete time stochastic model framework, for the simulation of simplified balance sheets of life insurance products, is proposed. The model is based on a two-factor stochastic capital market model, supports the most important product characteristics, and incorporates a reserve-dependent bonus declaration. Furthermore, a first approach to endogenously model customer transitions is proposed, where realized policy returns are used for assigning transition probabilities. The model’s sensitivity to different input parameters, and ability to capture the most important behaviour patterns, are demonstrated by the use of scenario and sensitivity analyses. Furthermore, based on the findings from these analyses, suggestions for improvements and further research are also presented.
‘Metabolic Syndrome’ in a Middle-Aged Finnish Population

Objective To investigate methods for the detection of different clusterings of the insulin-resistant abnormalities consistent with the concept of the ‘metabolic syndrome’ in clinical practice, and to research the occurrence of these clusters in a middle-aged Finnish population. Methods We studied a random sample of 207 middle-aged subjects in the city of Tampere, and all 1148 subjects of four middle-aged age groups in Pieksämäki town, in central Finland. Clusterings of the following eight markers of insulin resistance were recorded as the main outcome measures: 1) at least one first-degree relative with non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM); 2) obesity: Body mass index (BMI) ≥30 kg/m2; 3) central adiposity: Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) ≥ 1.00 in men and ≥ 0.88 in women; 4) hypertension: Systolic blood pressure ≥ 160 mmHg or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 95 mmHg, or receiving drug treatment for hypertension; 5) hypertrigly-ceridaemia ≥ 1.70mmol/l; 6) low high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol: < 1.0 mmol/l in men and < 1.20mmol/l in women; 7) abnormal glucose metabolism according to WHO criteria and 8) hyperinsulinaemia: Fasting plasma insulin ≥ 13.0 mU/l. Results The metabolic syndrome, defined as a clustering of dyslipidaemia (hypertriglyceridaemia, low HDL cholesterol, or both) and insulin resistance (abnormal glucose tolerance, hyperinsulinaemia, or both) was present in 17% of men and in 8% of women; this sex difference was statistically significant (P< .001). The syndrome was detectable with a sensitivity of 96% and a specificity of 55% by the combined four markers of insulin resistance (NIDDM in a close relative, obesity, central adiposity and hypertension). Conclusion In clinical practice, the metabolic syndrome can be detected during normal clinical examination. The occurrence of the syndrome is already high by middle age.
SOLUBILIZATION OF CELECOXIB USING ORGANIC COSOLVENT AND NONIONIC SURFACTANTS OPTIMIZED BY EXPERIMENTAL DESIGN

Objective: The solubility of drug substances in water is one of the major factors taken into account in the formulation of oral solutions and parenteral forms. The present study aims to evaluate the utility of a mixture design in improving water solubility of celecoxib through a micellar system by the use of organic co solvent and nonionic surfactants that are well tolerated by the parenteral route. Methods: In our study, a design of experiments approach was tested using a mixture design of nonionic surfactants (Tween ® 80 and Solutol ® HS 15), an organic cosolvent (ethanol) and celecoxib. Solubility determination was based on the analysis of samples absorbance at 215 nm. A particles size measurement was conducted using a Dynamic Light Scattering at the point showing the maximum of solubility. Results: The results showed a significant solubility increase in most of tested mixtures. The analysis of the design space showed that the solubility of celecoxib varies very closely with the concentration of Tween ® 80 associated with ethanol and Solutol ® HS 15 in water. Run 19 containing 0.8% of celecoxib, 10% of ethanol, 2% of Tween ® 80, 2% of Solutol ® HS 15 and water q. s. for 100% w/w improved celecoxib solubility by about 90 %, and showed an average particles size of 9.67 nm. Conclusion: Micellar solubilisation associating a cosolvent and nonionic surfactants seems to improve celecoxib solubility significantly. Mixture design provides maximum information about the effects and the proportions of each component from a limited number of experiments. Keywords : Solubility, Celecoxib, Mixture design, Cosolvent, Surfactants
Dietary Calcium and Vitamin D Intake and Risk of Colorectal Cancer: A Prospective Cohort Study in Women

Although laboratory data and a few adenoma prevention trials suggest that calcium supplementation may reduce the risk of colorectal neoplasia, the results of observational studies of calcium intake and colorectal cancer risk are contradictory. However, few studies have examined the association among women or effects in specific colon subsites. Women with colorectal cancer diagnosed through 31 December 2000 were identified by linkage to regional cancer registries. During an average 11.3 yr of follow-up of 61,463 women, we observed 572 incident cases of colorectal cancer. Using data obtained from a 67-item food frequency questionnaire and Cox proportional hazards models to estimate rate ratios and 95% confidence intervals, we found an inverse association between dietary calcium intake and colorectal cancer risk. Women with the highest calcium intake (median 914 mg/day) had a reduced risk of colorectal cancer (rate ratio = 0.72, 95% confidence interval = 0.056-0.93, P for trend = 0.02) compared with women with the lowest intake (median 486 mg/day). Furthermore, our results suggest that the inverse association may be strongest in relation to distal cancers and among older women. The association with dairy products was less clear, suggesting that calcium intake per se is more important than specific calcium sources. Vitamin D intake was not clearly associated with risk. In sum, our data suggest that high calcium intake may lower colorectal cancer risk.
Relationships Among Professionals' Knowledge, Experience, and Expectations Regarding Cochlear Implants

The present study examined the relationships between teachers' and communication clinicians' self-reported knowledge on cochlear implants and their expectations of CIs. The authors also explored these professionals' views regarding the child's communication mode, educational setting, and social options following cochlear implantation. The participants were 47 teachers of deaf students and 35 communication clinicians. The results showed that there were no significant differences between the two groups in self-reported knowledge on CI. Both groups knew very little about mapping, costs, or insurance, and reported good knowledge about candidacy. Expectations from CIs were moderate to high, and were significantly related to respondents' knowledge and specific experience with CIs. Most professionals in both groups supported spoken-language communication, individual inclusion, and social exposure to children with normal hearing as well as to children with hearing impairments.
Down-regulation of ZIP 2 and ZIP 8 expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from hepatitis B patients and hepatitis C patients

ZIP2 and ZIP8 belong to the ZIP family of metal-ion transporters. It can transport zinc. ZIP8 is closely related with inflammation and immunity. ZIP8 caused T cells to exhibit enhanced activation. Our lab found that ZIP2 was over-expressed in leukocytes of asthmatic infants and pulmonary tuberculosis patients with lower serum zinc level. The persistence of virus that resulted from the low antiviral immune response had been thought to contribute to the pathogenesis of Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-induced diseases. So we wondered whether ZIP2 and ZIP8 were changed in the patients with chronic hepatitis B patients (CHB) and chronic hepatitis C patients (CHC). We examined the mRNA and protein expression levels of ZIP2 and ZIP8 zinc transporters in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) from patients with CHB (n=40), CHC (n=23) and healthy controls (n=39). Both ZIP2 and ZIP8 mRNA levels as well as protein expression levels were significantly decreased in CHB and CHC patients compared with healthy controls. While ZIP2 and ZIP8 mRNA levels had no significant difference among CHB patients with different HBV-DNA copy numbers. ZIP2 and ZIP8 mRNA levels had no significant difference among CHC patients with different HCV-RNA copy numbers. The results indicated that decreased expression of ZIP2 and ZIP8 genes are closely associated with immunity of CHB and CHC patients and suggest a role for ZIP2 and ZIP8 genes in the initial control infection and mediate the resistance and immunity of CHB and CHC patients through the promotion and maintenance immune response of adaptive T cell.
Presence of triploids among oak species.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Polyploids, organisms that have multiple sets of chromosomes, are common in certain plant and animal taxa. However, there are only a few reports of intraspecific ploidy variation within the genus Quercus. The aim of the study was to investigate the suspected ploidy level of two oaks that have unusual microsatellite banding patterns. METHODS Polyploidy was investigated by using microsatellite analysis, stomata length measurements and nuclear DNA content estimation by flow cytometry. KEY RESULTS Each putative triploid tree has patterns of microsatellite variation unexpected for diploid genomes, with up to three alleles at some loci, significantly longer stomata and 1.5 times more DNA per nucleus compared with diploids. CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this report contains the first evidence for triploidy in Q. petraea and confirmation of this phenomenon in Q. robur. Regardless of the positive or negative aspects of the presence of triploid oaks in forest stands, it is of value to be able to screen for them. This study demonstrates that nuclear microsatellites and estimation of DNA content by flow cytometry can readily be used for this purpose.
Effectiveness of erbium:YAG laser and cryosurgery in seborrheic keratoses: Randomized, prospective intraindividual comparison study

Abstract Background and objective: Seborrheic keratoses (SK) are benign cutaneous lesions frequently seen in old age. The aim of the study is to compare the efficiency of Er:YAG lasers with cryotherapy in the treatment of SK. Patients and methods: The study was carried out on 42 patients with SK sized 0.5–3 cm, located on the back, chest, face and neck. Lesions with a similar size and location on the same patient were matched. In the same session, half of the lesions were treated with cryotherapy, while the other half were treated with Er:YAG lasers. All of the patients were clinically evaluated in two recalls with a one-month interval between appointments. The efficiency of the treatments was clinically evaluated. Results: Following the first treatment, complete healing was detected in all of the lesions (100%) treated with Er:YAG lasers, while the healing rate was 68% in the cryotherapy group (p < 0.01). In the Er:YAG laser-treated group, hyperpigmentation was significantly lower and more erythema developed than in the cryotherapy group. Conclusion: Er:YAG lasers offer a one-step procedure which is a very simple and economic treatment and provides an alternative treatment method with better cosmetic results compared to cryotherapy.
Body weight, sodium intake and blood pressure

The aim of the present review is to examine the evidence that blood pressure may be reduced and hypertension prevented by decreasing body weight and sodium consumption. Cross-sectional and longitudinal population studies, and intervention studies in individual subjects, suggest that hypertension can be prevented by avoiding excessive weight. Children and adolescents should particularly avoid becoming overweight as this is strongly associated with hypertension in adult life. In contrast, the hypothesis that hypertension might be reduced by restricting sodium intake is less convincing. Moreover, the amount of sodium restriction needed to significantly reduce blood pressure might make it a less practical preventative measure in the struggle against hypertension than weight loss
A Comparison of the Suitability of Alizarin Red S and Calcein for Inducing a Nonlethally Detectable Mark in Juvenile Guppies

Abstract Mark–recapture studies are an important component of fisheries research. A diversity of marks is needed to meet the demands of experimental designs and to overcome species-specific variation in marking success. Suitable marks must not alter the viability of marked individuals, must be easy to detect, and must be retained for an appropriate period of time. I compared the effect of alizarin red S and calcein on the individual growth and mortality rates of guppies Poecilia reticulata via short-term experiments (<14 d) conducted both in environments where alizarin- and calcein-marked fish were allowed to interact with unmarked fish and in environments where fish were segregated by mark. Neither mark affected the growth or mortality of marked individuals. Both marks were easily applied, did not affect the appearance of fish, and could be detected on the skeleton of live, anesthetized fish or ethanol-preserved specimens without the additional preparation (or lethality) involved in detecting marks on ot.
Familial aggregation of urothelial cell carcinoma

Urothelial cell carcinoma (UCC) is not considered to be a familial disease. Familial clustering of UCC was described in several case reports, however, some with an extremely early age at onset suggesting a genetic component. Epidemiological studies yielded inconsistent evidence of familial UCC, possibly because of low power and the inability to adjust for strong confounding. In our study the existence of a familial subtype of UCC was evaluated, as well as familial clustering of UCC with other types of cancer. A population‐based family case‐control study was performed including patients newly diagnosed with UCC of the bladder, ureter, renal pelvis or urethra, between January 1995 and December 1997, in the southeastern part of the Netherlands. Information on the patients' first‐degree relatives was collected by postal questionnaire and subsequent telephone calls. The patients' partners filled out a similar questionnaire on their relatives. All reported occurrences of UCC were verified using medical records. Disease occurrence among case‐relatives and control‐relatives was compared to obtain the familial risk. Random effect proportional hazards regression analyses were used to calculate this familial risk while adjusting for age, gender and smoking behavior. In 95 families of the 1,193 patients and in 36 families of the 853 partners at least 1 relative was diagnosed with UCC. This yielded an adjusted hazard ratio (HR) of 1.8 (95% CI: 1.3–2.7). An increased risk was also found for cancer of the hematolymphopoietic system (hazard ration = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.2–3.1) among case‐relatives. These results indicate that UCC has a familial component with an almost 2‐fold increased risk among first‐degree relatives of patients with UCC, which cannot be explained by smoking. Future segregation analyses may indicate whether this clustering can be attributed to genetic susceptibility. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fertility and development: evidence from Brazil

Using microdata from the Brazilian demographic censuses of 1960, 1970, 1980, and 1991, aggregated into 518 consistently defined spatial units called microregions, we estimated fertility and mortality and constructed indicators of development and living conditions in the rural and urban areas of the microregions in each census. We then estimated cross-sectional and fixed-effects models to answer questions about the degree to which changes in these indicators are associated with changes in fertility and whether the relationship between fertility and development shifts through time. We found strong and consistent relationships between the decline in fertility and measurable changes in social and economic circumstances.
Alcohol-related mortality in California, 1980 to 1989.

OBJECTIVES This study sought to examine the impact of alcohol use and misuse on mortality in California during the 1980s. METHODS Alcohol-Related Disease Impact estimation software and California vital statistics data were used to calculate alcohol-related mortality, mortality rates, and years of potential life lost. Statistical tests were applied to detect significant differences in death rates by sex and race/ethnicity. Time trends in death rates for a subset of alcohol-defined diagnoses were examined using regression analysis. RESULTS An estimated 6.2% of all deaths for California residents during 1989 were related to alcohol, making it one of the top 10 leading causes of death. Injury diagnoses were major contributors to the total estimated number of alcohol-related deaths and years of potential life lost before age 65. Alcohol-related mortality rates were significantly higher for men and for Blacks. However, age-adjusted death rates for alcohol-defined diagnoses declined significantly from 1980 to 1989. CONCLUSIONS A structured data-base approach to analyzing mortality data represents an important advance for alcohol research that has implications for policy and program planning. Future refinements and enhancements to the disease impact estimation methodology will add precision to determining how alcohol use and misuse affect public health in California.
Possible Risk Modification by Polymorphisms of Estrogen Metabolizing Genes in Familial Breast Cancer Susceptibility in an Indian Population

ABSTRACT This case control study investigated whether polymorphisms of estrogen metabolizing genes CYP1A1 MspI, CYP17 MspAI, COMT Val158 Met, and SULT1A1 Arg213 His have any role in familial breast cancer susceptibility risk. Logistic regression analysis adjusted to age was used to calculate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). Familial breast cancer risk due to CYP1A1 wt/m1 and m1/m1 genotypes was 2.3 (1.51–3.61)-fold and 7.1 (3.69–13.7)-fold, respectively. In addition to the main effects, certain first-order interactions were also significantly associated with familial breast cancer. Our results favor a possible risk modification by estrogen metabolizing gene polymorphisms in familial breast cancer susceptibility.
Organization of the inner plexiform layer of the turtle retina: An electron microscopic study

We have performed a serial‐section electron microscopic study of the inner plexiform layer (IPL) of the retina of the turtle Pseudemys scripta elegans. A qualitative and quantitative assessment of the neuropil of the IPL has been done from photomontages taken from the linear visual streak area and peripheral retina.
Dynamics and Robust Control of a Grid-Connected VSC in Multiterminal DC Grids Considering the Instantaneous Power of DC- and AC-Side Filters and DC Grid Uncertainty

The electric energy sector is moving toward extensive integration of renewable and clean energy resources, energy storage units, and modern loads via highly efficient and flexible multiterminal dc grids integrated within the traditional ac grid infrastructure. A voltage-source converter (VSC) is the main technology enabling the interconnection of dc and ac grids. In such demanding applications, dc-link voltage control is crucial to maintain system stability. However, the dynamics and control of VSCs considering the instantaneous power of both ac- and dc-side filters and dc grid uncertainties are not addressed in the current literature. Furthermore, as shown in this paper, the uncertainty in the effective dc grid parameters, including filter capacitance and dc-side inductance owing to connecting/disconnecting electric devices to/from the dc grid remarkably affects the converter stability and performance. To overcome these difficulties, this paper presents 1) a detailed small-signal model of the dc-link dynamics in grid-connected VSCs considering the instantaneous power of both ac- and dc-side energy storage components, and 2) a robust optimal dc-link voltage controller. The proposed controller ensures excellent tracking performance, robust disturbance rejection, and robust performance against operating point and parameter variation with a simple fixed-parameter controller. A theoretical analysis, comparative simulation studies, and experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed control structure.
Native early antigen of Epstein–Barr virus, a promising antigen for diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) early antigen (EA) complex consists of multiple proteins with relevance for diagnosis of acute, chronic and malignant EBV related diseases, including nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). In a recent study, it was found that the molecular diversity of EBV‐specific IgG and IgA antibody responses in NPC patients and demonstrated that these reflect independent B‐cell triggering leading to distinct EBV antigen‐recognition profiles. The fine‐specificity of NPC‐related IgG and IgA responses was explored further against defined recombinant and synthetic EBV‐EA antigens using immunofluorescence, immunoblot and ELISA techniques and determined their diagnostic value in a large panel of sera from NPC (n = 154), non‐NPC tumor patients (n = 133), acute mononucleosis patients (n = 70) and healthy EBV carriers (n = 259). Individual recombinant EBV‐EA markers yielded sensitivity/specificity values not exceeding 86%, whereas selected EA‐specific peptide epitopes were rather poorly recognized by IgG and IgA antibodies in NPC sera. Surprisingly, we found that a “low salt” native EA‐protein extract reproducibly prepared from purified nuclei of EA‐induced HH514 cells, and containing characteristic EA(D)‐polypeptides, such as p47‐54 (BMRF1), p138 (BALF2), p55‐DNAse (BGLF5), and p65‐TK (BXLF1), but without viral capsid (VCA) or nuclear antigen (EBNA) reactivity, gave highest sensitivity (90.4%) and specificity (95.5%) values for NPC diagnosis in both IgG and IgA ELISA. The data support further the notion that EBV‐EA reactive IgG and IgA antibodies in NPC patients are directed against distinct conformational and—in part—linear epitopes on EBV‐specific proteins, barely recognized in other EBV‐related syndromes. The use of a defined native EBV EA‐specific antigen opens the way to further improve serological diagnosis of NPC. J. Med. Virol. 79:1710–1721, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.