Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Error bounds for parallel distributed detection under the Neyman-Pearson criterion

The Neyman-Pearson performance of a distributed detection system is considered wherein n independent and identically distributed observations are quantized locally into M-ary messages and transmitted to a fusion center. Under fairly general assumptions, it is shown that the type II error probability achieved by the best identical-quantizer system is at most a fixed (in n) multiple of that achieved by the absolutely optimal system. >
FLUORCAPHITE, A SECOND OCCURRENCE AND DETAILED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS: SIMULTANEOUS ACCOMMODATION OF Ca, Sr, Na, AND LREE IN THE APATITE ATOMIC ARRANGEMENT

Fluorcaphite is a common accessory mineral in albitite developed at the contact of quartzite and peralkaline nepheline syenites of the Lovozero complex, in northwestern Russia. The rock consists predominantly of albite, aegirine, sodic amphibole (arfvedsonite ‐ magnesio-arfvedsonite) and narsarsukite. Fluorcaphite forms euhedral prismatic crystals up to 0.3 mm in length. Most of the crystals are homogeneous, but a few contain a resorbed core relatively depleted in Sr, Na and light rare-earth elements (LREE). This pattern of zoning arose from two overprinting episodes of metasomatism. In terms of composition, both core and rim are intermediate members of a solid solution between fluorapatite and belovite-(Ce), with the belovite content increasing toward the rim. Homogeneous crystals are compositionally equivalent to the rim, and contain approximately 50 mol. % of the belovite component. The crystal structure of the Lovozero fluorcaphite was studied by high-precision single-crystal methods and compared to that of the type material from Khibina (as re-examined in the present work). In both cases, the structure is an acentric derivative (space group P63) of the P63/m apatite archetype. The dissymmetrization, involving loss of the center of symmetry and mirror plane, results from transformation of the Ca1 site into two non-equivalent sites tailored to accommodate different cations as substituents. The larger Ca1 site hosts a significant proportion of Sr, whereas the Ca1' site excludes Sr in the structure. The observed symmetry-breaking is subtle and poses obvious difficulties for correct space-group assignment. Potential pitfalls of space-group analysis in ordered apatite-group phases are evaluated with the Durango fluorapatite, which has a well-established P63/m symmetry, as an example. We found no evidence that enrichment of apatite (sensu lato) in Na, Sr and LREE causes phase separation and formation of intimately intergrown domains of fluorapatite and belovite.
Joint equalization and coding for intersymbol interference channels

We present a novel scheme that combines decision feedback equalization (DFE) with high-rate error-detection coding in an efficient manner. The proposed scheme is shown to considerably outperform the conventional practice on channels with high SNR, such as those encountered in twisted-pair telephony systems. In order to analyze the performance of our method, we introduce an approximate mathematical model taking into account the error propagation phenomenon. Based on this model, upper and lower bounds on the overall probability of error are developed. These show that a simple low-redundancy error-detecting code, when properly integrated with the equalizer, can make the overall probability of error several orders of magnitude lower than that obtained with the conventional DFE, or with a DFE followed by an error-correcting code. Computer simulations of the proposed method have been performed for several channels, including the so-called high-bit-rate digital subscriber line (HDSL) test-loop 4, which is known to have a considerable amount of intersymbol interference. For all these channels, our results show that a reduction in the probability of error by more than three orders of magnitude can be obtained using codes of rate 0.96 and above. This, in turn, translates into power savings (coding gain) of 2.5 to 3 dB.
Intolerance of uncertainty: a common factor in the treatment of emotional disorders.

UNLABELLED Intolerance of uncertainty (IU) is a characteristic predominantly associated with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); however, emerging evidence indicates that IU may be a shared element of emotional disorders. AIMS This study aimed to examine IU across diagnostic categories, change in IU during transdiagnostic treatment, and the relationship between change in IU and treatment outcome. METHOD Patients diagnosed with heterogeneous anxiety and depressive disorders received up to 18 weeks of a transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral therapy intervention. Patient self-reported IU and self-report and clinician-rated symptom/functioning measures were administered at pretreatment and posttreatment. RESULTS When controlling for negative affectivity, IU correlated with measures of depressive symptoms and worry severity at pretreatment. Patients with GAD and panic disorder exhibited the highest pretreatment IU scores, yet IU scores did not differ significantly based on the presence or absence of a specific diagnosis. A significant decrease in IU was observed, and change in IU was related to reduced anxiety and depressive symptom levels at posttreatment across diagnostic categories. DISCUSSION Change in IU can be observed across problem areas in transdiagnostic treatment and such change is correlated with treatment outcome.
Chronic immune activation in the T cell compartment of HCV/HIV-1 co-infected patients

Activation of innate and adaptive immune mechanisms in response to infection is necessary to control and clear infections. However, chronic immune activation in human immunodeficiency virus 1 (HIV-1) infection has a series of detrimental effects and is a major driving force in HIV-1 disease progression. We recently found that patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV)/HIV-1 co-infection display sharply elevated immune activation as determined by expression of CD38 in T cells. High immune activation was observed despite that these patients were on effective antiretroviral therapy (ART), which usually brings down activation levels in HIV-infected people. HCV treatment with pegylated interferon-α (IFNα) and ribavirin reduced activation, and this was at first glance unexpected as IFNα is believed to be involved in driving activation. Here, we briefly summarize these findings and discuss them in context of the emerging roles of the gut barrier and the liver in chronic immune activation and viral disease progression.
Relaxation and the Role of Calcium in Isolated Contracting Myocardium From Patients With Hypertensive Heart Disease and Heart Failure With Preserved Ejection Fraction

Background Relaxation characteristics and Ca2+ homeostasis have not been studied in isolated myocardium from patients with hypertensive heart disease (HHD) and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Prolonged myocardial relaxation is believed to play an important role in the pathophysiology of these conditions. In this study, we evaluated relaxation parameters, myocardial calcium (Ca2+), and sodium (Na+) handling, as well as ion transporter expression and tested the effect of Na+-influx inhibitors on relaxation in isolated myocardium from patients with HHD and HFpEF. Methods and Results Relaxation characteristics were studied in myocardial strip preparations under physiological conditions at stimulation rates of 60 and 180 per minute. Intracellular Ca2+ and Na+ were simultaneously assessed using Fura-2 and AsanteNATRIUMGreen-2, whereas elemental analysis was used to measure total myocardial concentrations of Ca, Na, and other elements. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure expression levels of key ion transport proteins. The lusitropic effect of Na+-influx inhibitors ranolazine, furosemide, and amiloride was evaluated. Myocardial left ventricular biopsies were obtained from 36 control patients, 29 HHD and 19 HHD+HFpEF. When compared with control patients, half maximal relaxation time (RT50) at 60 per minute was prolonged by 13% in HHD and by 18% in HHD+HFpEF (both P<0.05). Elevated resting Ca2+ levels and a tachycardia-induced increase in diastolic Ca2+ were associated with incomplete relaxation and an increase in diastolic tension in HHD and HHD+HFpEF. Na+ levels were not increased, and expression levels of Ca2+- or Na+-handling proteins were not altered. Na+-influx inhibitors did not improve relaxation or prevent incomplete relaxation at high stimulation rates. Conclusions Contraction and relaxation are prolonged in isolated myocardium from patients with HHD and HHD+HFpEF. This leads to incomplete relaxation at higher rates. Elevated calcium levels in HFpEF are neither a result of an impaired Na+ gradient nor expression changes in key ion transporters and regulatory proteins.
Contrasting prototypes and dimensions in the classification of personality pathology: evidence that dimensions, but not prototypes, are robust

Background DSM-5 may mark the shift from a categorical classification of personality pathology to a dimensional system. Although dimensional and categorical conceptualizations of personality pathology are often viewed as competing, it is possible to develop categories (prototypes) from combinations of dimensions. Robust prototypes could bridge dimensions and categories within a single classification system. Method To explore prototype structure and robustness, we used finite mixture modeling to identify empirically derived personality pathology prototypes within a large sample (n=8690) of individuals from four settings (clinical, college, community, and military), assessed using a dimensional measure of normal and abnormal personality traits, the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality (SNAP). We then examined patterns of convergent and discriminant external validity for prototypes. Finally, we investigated the robustness of the dimensional structure of personality pathology. Results The resulting prototypes were meaningful (externally valid) but non-robust (sample dependent). By contrast, factor analysis revealed that the dimensional structures underlying specific traits were highly robust across samples. Conclusions We interpret these results as further evidence of the fundamentally dimensional nature of an empirically based classification of personality pathology.
Collateral Sprouting of Central Noradrenergic Neurons during Aging: Histochemical and Neurochemical Studies in Intraocular Triple Transplants

The sprouting capacity of aged noradrenergic neurons of the brain-stem nucleus locus coeruleus (LC) was examined using intraocular transplants of fetal tissues. Fetal hippocampal tissue (E18) and LC tissue (E15) were transplanted together as a double transplant into the anterior chamber of the eye of young adult Fischer 344 rats. The double transplants were allowed to mature for 14-18 months, after which an additional fetal hippocampal transplant was placed next to the LC graft. The triple transplants were monitored for overall growth and vascularization for an additional 2-6 months. Immunohistochemical examinations showed that both young (2-6 months old) and aged (16-24 months old) hippocampal cografts contained a plexus of thin varicose tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-immunoreactive fibers extending throughout the grafted hippocampal tissues. However, the aged hippocampal grafts contained a denser uniform plexus of TH-positive fibers compared to the young transplants. Immunohistochemistry with synapsin antibodies demonstrated that both the young and the aged hippocampal transplants contained much higher densities of synaptic elements than the LC grafts. In vivo electrochemical measurements of potassium-evoked overflow of norepinephrine (NE) in the grafts showed that similar amounts of NE overflow were detected in both the young and the aged hippocampal grafts. HPLC-EC measurements of NE levels in the grafts revealed that there were similar amounts of NE in the young and the aged grafts, and the grafts did not contain serotonin or dopamine. In summary, the findings of the present study show that aged LC neurons are capable of undergoing collateral sprouting producing a functional NE neuronal system when introduced to an appropriate young target.
Management of cases testing positive for gonococcal infection in a community-based chlamydia screening programme

Background The National Chlamydia Screening Programme in Greater Manchester (NCSP-GM) commissioned an evaluation of the management of gonorrhoea cases identified using the Gen-Probe APTIMA Combo 2 assay (AC2). Methods NCSP-GM provided data on gonorrhoea cases from a 6-month period (September 2007–February 2008). Data were collected from patient referral pathways to genitourinary medicine (GUM) clinics, including confirmatory testing, antibiotic resistance patterns and contact tracing. The AC2 positive predictive value (PPV) was calculated. Results 111 individuals tested positive for gonococcal infection using AC2 (0.7% of 16 028 individuals tested). Of these, 96 (0.6% of all tested) known index cases were seen at Greater Manchester GUM clinics. 78/96 (14 men, 64 women) underwent confirmatory microscopy and gonococcal culture. Confirmatory tests were positive in 14 men (100%) but only 40 women (63%). Thus the PPV of AC2 was 69% (54/78). Sensitivity in women may have been reduced by limited partner information and sample-taking (only 28% had a full gonorrhoea screen). Conclusion Gonorrhoea screening in an NCSP-targeted population identified gonorrhoea in a low-risk population. Subsequent management in GUM clinics was variable and limited sample-taking may have decreased the sensitivity of confirmatory testing in women. Appropriate antibiotic sensitivity tests or, in their absence, a test of cure may be needed to ensure effective treatment.
The Association Between Cost and Quality in Trauma: Is Greater Spending Associated With Higher-Quality Care?

Objective:To examine the association between trauma center quality and costs. Background:Current efforts to reduce health care costs and improve health care quality require a better understanding of the relationship between cost and quality. Methods:Using data from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Projects Nationwide Inpatient Sample, we performed a retrospective observational study of 67,124 trauma patients admitted to 73 trauma centers. Generalized linear models were used to explore the association between hospital cost and in-hospital mortality, controlling for hospital and patient factors as follows: injury diagnoses, age, gender, mechanism of injury, comorbidities, teaching status, hospital ownership, geographic region, and hospital wages. Results:Patients treated in hospitals with low risk-adjusted mortality rates had significantly lower costs than those treated in average-quality hospitals. The relative cost of patients treated in high-quality hospitals was 0.78 (95% confidence interval: 0.64, 0.95) compared with average-quality hospitals. The cost of treating patients in average- and high-mortality trauma centers was similar. Conclusion:In this study based on the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project Nationwide Inpatient Sample, the care of injured patients is less expensive in hospitals with lower risk-adjusted mortality rates. Hospitals with low risk-adjusted mortality rates have adjusted mortality rates that are 34% lower while spending nearly 22% less compared with average-quality hospitals.
A comparison of the biochemical properties of the human diaphorase (DIA3) isozymes determined by the common alleles DIA13, DIA23 and DIA33

(1) Various buffer systems for the starch gel electrophoresis of human diaphorase isozymes have been explored. Electrophoresis in a Tris/Borate system at pH 8.6 which includes 70 micron NADH in the gel and cathodal electrode buffers, provides good resolution of the six DIA3 phenotypes previously resolved by isoelectric focusing. (2) The variant genes DIA13, DIA23 and DIA33 occur with frequencies of about 0.76, 0.23 and 0.01 respectively in the English population. (3) The isozymes determined by the least common gene, DIA33, are markedly different from the isozymes determined by DIA13 and DIA23 in their relatively low heat stability, high affinity for Blue Sepharose and slow anodal electrophoretic mobility in buffer systems containing borate. The DIA3 1 and DIA3 2 isozymes are similar to one another in these characteristics.
Clinical Application of Estimating Hepatitis B Virus Quasispecies Complexity by Massive Sequencing: Correlation between Natural Evolution and On-Treatment Evolution

Aim To evaluate HBV quasispecies (QA) complexity in the preCore/Core regions in relation to HBeAg status, and explore QA changes under natural evolution and nucleoside analogue (NUC) treatment. Methods Ultra-deep pyrosequencing of HBV preCore/Core regions in 30 sequential samples (baseline [diagnosis], treatment-free, and treatment-nonresponse) from 10 retrospectively selected patients grouped according to HBeAg status over time: HBeAg+ (N = 4), HBeAg- (N = 2), and fluctuating HBeAg (transient seroreversion/seroconversion pattern) (N = 4). QA complexity was defined by Shannon entropy, mutation frequency, nucleotide diversity, and mutation frequency of amino acids (MfAA) in preCore and Core. Results The QA was less complex in HBeAg+ than in HBeAg- or fluctuating HBeAg. High complexity in preCore was associated with decreased viral replication (preCore MfAA negatively correlated with HBV-DNA, p = 0.005). QA complexity in the treatment-free period negatively correlated with values seen during treatment. Specific variants were mainly selected in the Core region in HBeAg- and fluctuating HBeAg patients, suggesting higher immune pressure than in HBeAg+. Conclusions The negative correlation between QA natural evolution and on-treatment evolution indicates the importance of pre-treatment QA study to predict QA changes in NUC nonresponders. Study of QA complexity could be useful for managing HBV infection.
Effects of phytase supplementation on ileal digestibility of phytate phosphorus and total phosphorus of feed ingredients for broiler chickens

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a heat stable phytase derived from Citrobacter braakii on true digestibility of P and on phytate dephosphorylation at the terminal ileum segment in broiler chickens. Four semi-synthetic diets, each containing either wheat, maize, soybean meal or rapeseed meal as the only source of phosphorus and calcium were supplemented with microbial phytase at 1000 U per kg feed and fed along with a non-supplemented corresponding diet. A total of 540, 24-day old male broiler chickens were used in this 4-day digestibility study. A phosphorus-free diet was used to estimate endogenous ileal phosphorus losses. Ileal contents were collected and analyzed, along with the diets, for total phosphorus and phytate phosphorus. Endogenous ileal phosphorus flow was determined to be 37 mg/kg of feed dry matter. When compared to the control diet, phytase supplementation resulted in a significantly (P<0.05) greater phytate P disappearance from the terminal ileum, for soybean meal, rapeseed meal and maize but not for wheat. Similarly, true ileal phosphorus digestibility was significantly increased when phytase was added to rapeseed meal (+24%), soybean meal (+28 %), wheat (+37 %) and corn (+73 %) based diets. It was concluded that microbial phytase supplementation was effective in improving significantly phosphorus digestibility and phytate degradation in the four tested phytate containing feed ingredients.
Trajectories of maternal depression over 7 years: Relations with child psychophysiology and behavior and role of contextual risks

Abstract This study examines the relation between the longitudinal course of maternal depression during the child's early life and children's psychophysiology and behavior at age 6.5 years. One hundred fifty-nine children of depressed and nondepressed mothers were followed from infancy through age 6.5 years. Growth mixture modeling was used to identify classes of depressed mothers based on the longitudinal course of the mother's depression. School-aged children of chronically depressed mothers were found to have elevated externalizing behavior problems, decreased social competence, reduced frontal brain activation (EEG power), and higher respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity. Children of mothers with decreasing and stable mild depression were found to have increased hyperactivity and attention problems compared to children of nondepressed mothers. Contextual risk factors were found to mediate the relation between maternal depression and child behavioral outcomes.
BRAF mutation is a prognostic biomarker for colorectal liver metastasectomy

In metastatic colorectal cancer, v‐Ki‐ras2 Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is a predictive biomarker for anti‐epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) treatment and V‐raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B1 (BRAF) is a prognostic biomarker. We aimed to determine the impact of KRAS and BRAF mutation as determined from liver metastases specimens on overall survival (OS) in patients following colorectal liver metastasectomy.
Operant conditioning of H-reflex changes synaptic terminals on primate motoneurons.

Operant conditioning of the primate triceps surae H-reflex, the electrical analog of the spinal stretch reflex, creates a memory trace that includes changes in the spinal cord. To define the morphological correlates of this plasticity, we analyzed the synaptic terminal coverage of triceps surae motoneurons from animals in which the triceps surae H-reflex in one leg had been increased (HRup mode) or decreased (HRdown mode) by conditioning and compared them to each other and to motoneurons from unconditioned animals. Motoneurons were labeled by intramuscular injection of cholera toxin-horseradish peroxidase. A total of 5055 terminals on the cell bodies and proximal dendrites of 114 motoneurons from 14 animals were studied by electron microscopy. Significant differences were found between HRup and HRdown animals and between HRup and naive (i.e., unconditioned) animals. F terminals (i.e., putative inhibitory terminals) were smaller and their active zone coverage on the cell body was lower on motoneurons from the conditioned side of HRup animals than on motoneurons from the conditioned side of HRdown animals. C terminals (i.e., terminals associated with postsynaptic cisterns and rough endoplasmic reticulum) were smaller and the number of C terminals in each C complex (i.e., a group of contiguous C terminals) was larger on motoneurons from the conditioned side of HRup animals than on motoneurons either from the conditioned side of HRdown animals or from naive animals. Because the treatment of HRup and HRdown animals differed only in the reward contingency, the results imply that the two contingencies had different effects on motoneuron synaptic terminals. In combination with other recent data, they show that H-reflex conditioning produces a complex pattern of spinal cord plasticity that includes changes in motoneuron physiological properties as well as in synaptic terminals. Further delineation of this pattern should reveal the contribution of the structural changes described here to the learned change in behavior.