Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seroepidemiology of hepatitis A virus infection among schoolchildren in Taiwan

Taiwan was a hyperendemic area for hepatitis A virus (HAV) infection before 1980. The aim of this study was to examine the association between seropositivity of antibodies against HAV (anti‐HAV) by a community‐based survey. School children from 10 elementary and 3 junior high schools, as well as staff members who worked at the above schools in central Taiwan were selected at random in this study. Anti‐HAV was tested in sera of 1,954 healthy schoolchildren (aged 7–15 years old) and 254 teachers by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Schoolchildren had a low prevalence of anti‐HAV (2.3%) in contrast to the high seroprevalence in their teachers (52%). The seropositive rates of HAV antibody among the study subjects were increasing with age. No significant differences of anti‐HAV seroprevalence among the study subjects were observed when they were stratified by gender, geographical area, household members, and parental education. Whereas, the anti‐HAV seroprevalence was significantly higher in schoolchildren who were either aboriginal or living in areas without a supply of drinking tap‐water. The seroprevalence of HAV data among the healthy pediatric population would be helpful to evaluate the need for mass vaccination policies. J. Med. Virol. 83:196–200, 2011. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A new algorithm to determine the magnitudes of dc voltage sources in asymmetric cascaded multilevel converters capable of using charge balance control methods

In this paper, a new algorithm is proposed to determine the magnitudes of dc voltage sources used in asymmetric cascaded multilevel converters. Using this algorithm, it is possible to generate the maximum number of output voltage levels and maximum output voltage amplitude using the minimum number of dc voltage sources. The magnitudes of dc voltage sources are determined in a way considering which it is possible to use charge balance control methods to all dc sources except the minimum amplitude dc voltage source (first bridge). Therefore, the lifetime of dc voltage sources used in different bridges of cascaded asymmetric multilevel converter except the first bridge are the same, considering which the system's low maintenance cost can be noted as a result. The simulation results in PSCAD/EMTDC confirm the abilities of the proposed method.
TMEM16 Proteins Produce Volume-regulated Chloride Currents That Are Reduced in Mice Lacking TMEM16A*

All vertebrate cells regulate their cell volume by activating chloride channels of unknown molecular identity, thereby activating regulatory volume decrease. We show that the Ca2+-activated Cl− channel TMEM16A together with other TMEM16 proteins are activated by cell swelling through an autocrine mechanism that involves ATP release and binding to purinergic P2Y2 receptors. TMEM16A channels are activated by ATP through an increase in intracellular Ca2+ and a Ca2+-independent mechanism engaging extracellular-regulated protein kinases (ERK1/2). The ability of epithelial cells to activate a Cl− conductance upon cell swelling, and to decrease their cell volume (regulatory volume decrease) was dependent on TMEM16 proteins. Activation of ICl,swell was reduced in the colonic epithelium and in salivary acinar cells from mice lacking expression of TMEM16A. Thus TMEM16 proteins appear to be a crucial component of epithelial volume-regulated Cl− channels and may also have a function during proliferation and apoptotic cell death.
IDEOLOGY IN INFRASTRUCTURE: ARCHITECTURE AND SOVIET IMAGINATION

L'ideologie ne s'exprime pas seulement par le langage: elle apparait aussi dans les structures materielles. Selon la vision du monde de l'Etat-parti sovietique, l'architecture pouvait avoir un effet transformateur et les logements collectifs devaient donc etre encourages pour donner naissance a un nouveau mode de vie socialiste. Quelles en furent les consequences ? A partir d'exemples tels que l'auberge de jeunesse et la cour d'immeuble, l'auteur suggere qu'il faut tenir compte de la socialisation quotidienne qui finit par se creer, et au-dela, etudier l'action de l'imagination dans ces lieux. La structure materielle n'a pas tout a fait donne forme aux valeurs socialistes esperees. La fiction et la satire ont montre que l'architecture avait plutot une fonction de prisme, deformant les idees d'une facon qui n'est cependant pas totalement aleatoire.
Sialic acid binding receptors (siglecs) expressed by macrophages

Sialic acids are structurally and topographically well‐suited to function as ligands in cellular recognition events. Sialoadhesin (Sn) is a sialic acid binding receptor uniquely expressed by macrophage subsets. It is a member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily with 17 extracellular domains. Sn is a prototypical member of the siglec family of sialic acid binding proteins, which includes CD22, myelin‐associated glycoprotein, CD33, and siglec‐5. These membrane proteins are involved in discrete functions in the hemopoietic, immune, and nervous systems. The sialic acid binding region of siglecs is localized within the membrane‐distal, amino‐terminal domain and in the case of Sn, it has been characterized in atomic detail by X‐ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance, and site‐directed mutagenesis. Our studies on Sn indicate that this receptor is likely to function as a macrophage accessory molecule in a variety of cell‐cell and cell‐extracellular matrix interactions. CD33 and siglec‐5 are also expressed on macrophage subsets as well as other myeloid cells. However, unlike Sn, the properties of these molecules indicate a predominant role in signaling functions rather than in cell‐cell interactions. J. Leukoc. Biol. 66: 705–711; 1999.
Holistic Vocabulary Independent Spoken Term Detection

Within this thesis, we aim at designing a loosely coupled holistic system for Spoken Term Detection (STD) on heterogeneous German broadcast data in selected application scenarios. Starting from STD on the 1-best output of a word-based speech recognizer, we study the performance of several subword units for vocabulary independent STD on a linguistically and acoustically challenging German corpus. We explore the typical error sources in subword STD, and find that they differ from the error sources in wordbased speech search. We select, extend and combine a set of state-of-the-art methods for error compensation in STD in order to explicitly merge the corresponding STD error spaces through anchor-based approximate lattice retrieval. Novel methods for STD result verification are proposed in order to increase retrieval precision by exploiting external knowledge at search time. Error-compensating methods for STD typically suffer from high response times on large scale databases, and we propose scalable approaches suitable for large corpora. Highest STD accuracy is obtained by combining anchor-based approximate retrieval from both syllable lattice ASR and syllabified word ASR into a hybrid STD system, and pruning the result list using external knowledge with hybrid contextual and anti-query verification.
Beliefs and perceptions toward quitting waterpipe smoking among cafe waterpipe tobacco smokers in Bahrain.

INTRODUCTION There is a rising prevalence of waterpipe smoking worldwide, but still a paucity of information on perceptions toward quitting waterpipe use. We set out to establish the beliefs and perceptions of café waterpipe smokers toward quitting waterpipe smoking in the Kingdom of Bahrain. METHODS A cross-sectional study. A random sample of 20 of 91 cafés serving waterpipe tobacco in Bahrain was taken. A questionnaire was administered in each café to 20 participants aged 18 and above. RESULTS Three hundred eighty participants completed questionnaires from waterpipe smokers. Eighty-four percent of participants were Bahraini and 71% had a university degree. Mean age was 28.9 years. Average age of waterpipe smoking initiation was 20.3 years. The majority of waterpipe users chose flavored tobacco. Sixty-one percent smoked waterpipe tobacco daily with a mean smoking time of 2.6hr/day. Seventy-two percent considered waterpipe tobacco as harmful as or more harmful than cigarettes, but 67% considered cigarettes as more addictive. Eighty-two percent stated that they could quit waterpipe at any time, but only 40% were interested in quitting. Interest in quitting smoking was related to 4 variables: a physician mentioning the need to quit smoking, being non-Bahraini, having a family with a hostile attitude toward waterpipe smoking, and not considering oneself "hooked" on waterpipe tobacco. CONCLUSIONS Waterpipe smokers in Bahrain cafés are frequent and high users. Health professionals must consider waterpipe smoking in all consultations and health promotion messages. A partnership between health professionals and disapproving members of families may be an effective strategy in encouraging waterpipe smokers to quit.
Paroxysmal Nocturnal Haemoglobinuria in Thailand with Special Reference to an Association with Aplastic Anaemia

Eighty‐five cases of PNH in Thailand were analysed, with emphasis on the comparison with European series and on an association with aplastic anaemia. Compared with European series, two points emerge: (1) the disease in Thai affects individuals of younger age group with a tendency to male preponderance; (2) the incidence of arterial and venous thrombosis is relatively rare. In association with aplastic anaemia, two main categories of PNH patients, are described, which differ in their clinical and laboratory citeria.
Test-Retest Reliability of the Bod Pod: The Effect of Multiple Assessments

The Bod Pod uses air-displacement plethysmography to estimate body fat percentage (BF%). This study was designed to assess the test-retest reliability of the Bod Pod. The study included 283 women (M age =41.0 yr., SD = 3.0). Each participant was tested at least twice in the Bod Pod. Results showed no significant mean difference between the test and the retest. The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was . 991. However, the absolute value of the initial trial differences (absolute mean difference) was . 96 (SD = .90). A third assessment of BF% was taken when the initial trial difference was greater than 1 percentage point, and the two closest values were compared. This strategy resulted in a significant decrease in the absolute mean difference, from . 96 to . 55 percentage point, and ICC increased to . 998. The Bod Pod appears to measure body fat percentage reliably; however, findings suggest that multiple trials may be necessary to detect small treatment effects.
Non-Indicative Wh-Complements of Possessive and Existential Predicates

In (1a), an infinitival wh-clause is embedded under an existential verb; in (1b), a subjunctive wh-clause is the complement of a possessive.1 The common meaning of the matrix predicates is the assertion of existence; this meaning is typically expressed by either be or have. Predicates that assert true possession, e.g. owe, are prohibited; similarly unavailable are the various other interpretations of be and have, e.g. causative, obligational, experiential.
Surfactant-water interactions in lamellar phases. An equilibrium binding description of interbilayer forces.

The importance of ‘hydration forces’ in controlling short-range interactions in colloidal and biological systems has been recognised for some time, although their origin remains controversial. Equilibrium water vapour pressures and X-ray repeat spacings for a number of polyoxyethylene alkyl ether-type non-ionic surfactant–water liquid-crystalline phases as functions of both concentration and temperature have been measured in order to investigate hydration effects in simple systems where electrostatic interactions are absent. Measurements on the lamellar phases of C12EO3 and C12EO4, and on the hexagonal phase of C12EO8 are reported. The results have been analysed, along with published data on C12EO6, in terms of force–distance relationships. Although the net repulsive force decays approximately exponentially, the decay distances are significantly longer than those reported previously for phospholipid–water systems. An alternative treatment in terms of binding of water molecules to surfactant headgroups has been proposed. Using this simple approach, which does not require layers of ‘structured water’, the current thermodynamic data have been linked with earlier n.m. r. results for the non-ionic surfactant systems.
Current evidence for subjective cognitive impairment (SCI) as the pre-mild cognitive impairment (MCI) stage of subsequently manifest Alzheimer's disease

At the present time, there is increasing recognition and understanding of the mild cognitive impairment (MCI) entity as a stage which is a frequent precursor and harbinger of subsequently manifest Alzheimer's disease (AD) and, perhaps, other related conditions, such as vascular dementia (Gauthier et al., 2006). MCI has been defined in two disparate but generally compatible ways in the current literature (see Reisberg et al., 2008 (this issue), for a more complete historical overview of MCI). These two definitional approaches might be termed: (a) the clinical approach to MCI, and (b) the clinical plus psychometric approach to MCI.
Incorporating E-learning in teaching English language to medical students: exploring its potential contributions

Background: The spread of technology has influenced different aspects of human life, and teaching and learning are not exceptions. This study aimed to examine the potential contribution of the use of technology in teaching English language to medical students. Methods: This qualitative-action research study was conducted in Birjand University of Medical Sciences (BUMS), with 60 medical students taking a general English course in the Fall Semester of 2015. The class favored different tools and multimedia facilities such as a tube channel, e-dictionaries, educational films, and etextbooks to enhance students’ learning. In addition, the class had a weblog in which students could upload assignments and receive feedback from peers and the instructors. Results: The results revealed that e-learning could enhance students’ language proficiency and facilitate the teaching process. Learners preferred to use more e-dictionaries to learn the meaning of the new words, watch English medical films to boost their speaking and listening skills, and use the electronic version of their textbook as they could carry it wherever they wanted. Conclusion: The students preferred this method of learning English as they became more independent by using the electronic facilities. They found that learning English did not have a fixed institutionalized method, and e-learning activities could provide them with authentic input for language learning even outside of the classroom.
PIL5, a Phytochrome-Interacting bHLH Protein, Regulates Gibberellin Responsiveness by Binding Directly to the GAI and RGA Promoters in Arabidopsis Seeds[W]

Previous work showed that PHYTOCHROME-INTERACTING FACTOR3-LIKE5 (PIL5), a light-labile basic helix-loop-helix protein, inhibits seed germination by repressing GIBBERELLIN 3β-HYDROXYLASE1 (GA3ox1) and GA3ox2 and activating a gibberellic acid (GA) catabolic gene (GA2ox2). However, we show persistent light-dependent and PIL5-inhibited germination behavior in the absence of both de novo GA biosynthesis and deactivation by GA2ox2, suggesting that PIL5 regulates not only GA metabolism but also GA responsiveness. PIL5 increases the expression of two GA repressor (DELLA) genes, GA-INSENSITIVE (GAI) and REPRESSOR OF GA1-3 (RGA/RGA1), in darkness. The hypersensitivity of gai-t6 rga-28 to red light and the suppression of germination defects of a rga-28 PIL5 overexpression line show the significant role of this transcriptional regulation in seed germination. PIL5 also increases abscisic acid (ABA) levels by activating ABA biosynthetic genes and repressing an ABA catabolic gene. PIL5 binds directly to GAI and RGA promoters but not to GA and ABA metabolic gene promoters. Together, our results show that light signals perceived by phytochromes cause a reduction in the PIL5 protein level, which in turn regulates the transcription of two DELLA genes directly and that of GA and ABA metabolic genes indirectly.
Uplink capacity of VoIP on LTE system

In this paper, performance of VoIP service on LTE UL system is studied and analyzed via semi-static system level simulations. Simulations show that different scheduling schemes have a big influence on the UL VoIP capacity - semi-persistent method is quite promising due to its ability to decrease DL signaling overhead and a good performance that is comparable to more advanced methods. The impacts of different VoIP packet sizes, different usage scenarios and different scheduling mechanism are analyzed as well. Those are concluded from the simulation results.
Bilateral psoas abscesses and vertebral osteomyelitis in a patient with sickle cell disease

The authors present a case of a patient with sickle-β thalassaemia (Sβ0 Thal) who had bilateral psoas abscesses on a background of splenectomy in early childhood. The patient also turned out to have vertebral osteomyelitis and hydronephrosis on the side of the larger abscess. The only organism recovered from the patient was a Bacteroides species. The patient was managed with percutaneous drainage and intravenous antibiotics and made a full recovery.
A Development and Empirical Validation of The Consumer Response Towards Sponsored Search Advertising (SSA) Model

Dramatic structural changes are taking place within the rapidly growing Web advertising sector; the most notable being the rise to prominence of Sponsored Search Advertising (SSA) which developed because of the need to find solutions to the increased market demand for more consumer-oriented and targeted advertising and non-intrusive Web Advertising format (Weidlich, 2002). Moreover, SSA offered advertisers the ability to more precisely target Web users, as well as making the advertisements more relevant and meaningful to the consumers (Dou et al., 2001). However, very little attention has been given to SSA in terms of how consumers respond to such advertising within the Web context, and what particular factors drive consumers to attend to, and respond to, SSA. To address this gap in the marketing literature, the current study sought to, firstly present a theoretical Model of Consumer Response Towards SSA by incorporating variables synthesized from the advertising and consumer behaviour literature. Secondly, this study empirically validated the model from the consumer’s perspective.
Basic helix–loop–helix gene Hes6 delineates the sensory hair cell lineage in the inner ear

The basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH) gene Hes6 is known to promote neural differentiation in vitro. Here, we report the expression and functional studies of Hes6 in the inner ear. The expression of Hes6 appears to be parallel to that of Math1 (also known as Atoh1), a bHLH gene necessary and sufficient for hair cell differentiation. Hes6 is expressed initially in the presumptive hair cell precursors in the cochlea. Subsequently, the expression of Hes6 is restricted to morphologically differentiated hair cells. Similarly, the expression of Hes6 in the vestibule is in the hair cell lineage. Hes6 is dispensable for hair cell differentiation, and its expression in inner ear hair cells is abolished in the Math1‐null animals. Furthermore, the introduction of Hes6 into the cochlea in vitro is not sufficient to promote sensory or neuronal differentiation. Therefore, Hes6 is downstream of Math1 and its expression in the inner ear delineates the sensory lineage. However, the role of Hes6 in the inner ear remains elusive. Developmental Dynamics 235:1689–1700, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Epidemiology of Cardiovascular Disease in India: II. Ischemic Heart Disease

INDIA is fertile ground for the cardiovascular epidemiologist. With a population of 430 million and an area of 1,266,922 square miles, it offers great variety in ethnic groups and food habits. The population in the North is a mixture of the original Indo-Aryans with successive waves of invaders from the Northwest. That in the South is not quite so mixed, a large Dravidian element still being present. In addition, there are many so-called aboriginals with primitive ways of life. Food habits vary. The carbohydrate eaten may be rice, wheat, or millets. The common cooking oils and fats used in the different regions vary in their effect on the serum cholesterol levels. ' Thus coconut oil used in the Southwest and mustard oil used in Bengal have a cholesterolraising effect, while sesame oil and safflower oil used in parts of the South and Central India have the opposite effect. Although it is not our confirmed belief that the diet and its fat content are the only causes of coronary atherosclerosis, it would be proper to summarize here the data available at present on this aspect. Epidemiologic studies carried out over the past 5 years in four Indian cities* suggest these tentative conclusions: 1. The great majority of people (the low-income group) have a diet of low-fat content irrespective of the type of fat eaten
Social inequality and common mental disorders.

OBJECTIVE To analyze the association between the socioeconomic characteristics of individuals and common mental disorders. METHOD A cross-sectional survey of a representative sample of the urban population, 14 years and older, in Campinas (Brazil) (n=515) was conducted using a multipurpose instrument that included the Self-Reporting Questionnaire (SRQ-20) to assess common mental disorders in the previous 3 months. Weighted prevalence of common mental disorders was calculated for each independent variable. Crude and adjusted prevalence ratios were estimated using Poisson regression. RESULTS The overall prevalence was 17% (95% CI 12.8-22.3), 8.9% in males and 24.4% in females. An inverse association was found between common mental disorders and the socioeconomic characteristics (schooling and employment) even after controlling for all the other variables. Higher common mental disorders prevalence was observed in those with less than 5 years of schooling (PR=5.5) and unemployed or underemployed (PR=2.0). CONCLUSIONS As in other studies, common mental disorders were unevenly distributed; it was significantly more frequent in socially disadvantaged individuals. Specific actions to reduce inequalities in the general and mental health system should be studied.
Passivity-Based Dynamic Visual Feedback Control for Three-Dimensional Target Tracking: Stability and $L_{2}$-Gain Performance Analysis

This paper investigates vision-based robot control based on passivity for three-dimensional (3-D) target tracking. First, using standard body-attached coordinate frames (the world frame, camera frame, and object frame), we represent the relative position and orientation between a moving target and a camera as an element of SE(3). Using this representation we derive a nonlinear observer to estimate the relative rigid body motion from the measured camera data. We then establish the relationship between the estimation error in a 3-D workspace and in the image plane. We show passivity of the dynamic visual feedback system by combining the passivity of both the visual feedback system and the manipulator dynamics which allows us to prove stability in the sense of Lyapunov for the full 3-D dynamic visual feedback system. The L2 -gain performance analysis, which deals with the disturbance attenuation problem, is then considered via dissipative systems theory. Finally, experimental results are presented to verify the stability and L2-gain performance of the dynamic visual feedback system