Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Reassessment of the cardio-respiratory stress response, using the king penguin as a model

Abstract Research in to short-term cardio-respiratory changes in animals in reaction to a psychological stressor typically describes increases in rate of oxygen consumption () and heart rate. Consequently, the broad consensus is that they represent a fundamental stressor response generalizable across adult species. However, movement levels can also change in the presence of a stressor, yet studies have not accounted for this possible confound on heart rate. Thus the direct effects of psychological stressors on the cardio-respiratory system are not resolved. We used an innovative experimental design employing accelerometers attached to king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus) to measure and thus account for movement levels in a sedentary yet free-to-move animal model during a repeated measures stress experiment. As with previous studies on other species, incubating king penguins (N = 6) exhibited significant increases in both and heart rate when exposed to the stressor. However, movement levels, while still low, also increased in response to the stressor. Once this was accounted for by comparing periods of time during the control and stress conditions when movement levels were similar as recorded by the accelerometers, only significantly increased; there was no change in heart rate. These findings offer evidence that changing movement levels have an important effect on the measured stress response and that the cardio-respiratory response per se to a psychological stressor (i.e. the response as a result of physiological changes directly attributable to the stressor) is an increase in without an increase in heart rate.
On Optimal Control of Wireless Networks with Multiuser Detection, Hybrid ARQ and Distortion Constraints

We present a novel optimization framework based on stochastic control and Markov theory for wireless networks where users concurrently access the channel and implement retransmission-based error control. In order to let users transmit at the same time, we consider an interference mitigation, rather than a collision avoidance approach. Our focus is on the interaction between the stochastic processes modeling the various individual sources of the network. Due to retransmissions, transmission by a user does not only instantaneously interfere with other simultaneous communications, but also biases the future evolution of the stochastic processes describing the other users. We, thus, define a novel interference measure called process distortion, that takes this effect into account. We investigate the optimization of access and power control for a network with two groups of users where transmission by the second group is constrained by the process distortion generated to the first group. We present algorithms to solve the unconstrained and constrained infinite horizon average cost per stage problems modeling this scenario. We discuss in detail the application of this framework to cognitive networks.
The Burden of Single Virus and Viral Coinfections on Severe Lower Respiratory Tract Infections Among Preterm Infants: A Prospective Birth Cohort Study in Brazil

Background: Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is associated with severe lower respiratory tract infection (LRTI), especially in preterm infants. Other viruses, co-detected with RSV, may play a role in the severity of respiratory outcomes. Methods: This prospective epidemiologic study of severe LRTI incidence among children born ⩽35 weeks gestational age at 3 sites in Brazil (2008–2010) followed a birth cohort for 1 year post-enrollment. Nasal washes from subjects with LRTI were tested for respiratory viruses using polymerase chain reaction. The primary outcome was the incidence of severe LRTI requiring hospitalization associated with RSV infection. Secondary outcomes included identification of viruses associated with LRTI, alone or coinfections, and risk factors associated with severe LRTI. Results: Among 303 subjects, 176 (58.1%) experienced LRTI. Among these subjects, 162 had samples tested using polymerase chain reaction; 27.8% (45/162) experienced severe LRTI. More subjects with severe LRTI were infected with RSV (30/45, 66.7%) than with other viruses. RSV was present in 33.1% (143/432) of LRTI events tested, 57.3% (82/143) were coinfections. RSV was the virus most frequently associated with severe LRTIs (34/56 events, 60.7%); 50% (17/34 events) single and 50% coinfections. Significantly longer hospital stays were associated with LRTI events involving RSV coinfections compared with RSV single infections (P = 0.012). Infants with severe LRTIs had significantly lower mean RSV-IgG levels at study entry compared with those with nonsevere or no LRTIs (P < 0.05). Conclusions: This study confirms the association of RSV alone or as a coinfection with severe LRTI and reinforces the importance of providing adequate prophylaxis for susceptible infants.
Altered oxidant-antioxidant status in non-obese men with moderate essential hypertension.

BACKGROUND Although a wide number of experimental evidences are available regarding oxidant-antioxidant disturbance in hypertension, clinical data supporting it is lacking in men in early stages of hypertension. AIMS The objective of the study was to evaluate oxidative status and antioxidant activities in males with stage I essential hypertension. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty hypertensives and 21 normotensives were included in the study. Protein carbonyl, reduced glutathione, glutathione peroxidase, catalase and fasting glucose were assessed in both the groups. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS Results were analyzed by student's 't' test and linear regression analysis test. RESULTS Plasma protein carbonyl and glutathione peroxidase were significantly increased and catalase and GSH were significantly reduced in the hypertensive group compared to normotensive subjects. There was a significant negative correlation between glutathione peroxidase and catalase in the test group. CONCLUSIONS The data from the present study indicates an alteration in oxidant-antioxidant status in non-obese men in early stages of essential hypertension.
PERFIL EPIDEMIOLÓGICO DE VÍTIMAS DE COLISÕES AUTOMOBILÍSTICAS ATENDIDOS PELO SERVIÇO DE ATENDIMENTO MÓVEL DE URGÊNCIA

A pesquisa objetiva caracterizar as vitimas de colisao automobilistica envolvendo motocicletas atendidas pelo Servico de Atendimento Movel de Urgencia (SAMU) do municipio de Ananindeua no Para. Trata-se de um estudo epidemiologico retrospectivo, no qual se consultaram as fichas de eventos traumaticos de pacientes atendidos pelo SAMU. Os dados foram armazenados em um banco de dados computadorizado, e analisados por meio de estatistica descritiva. Constatou-se que 74,6% das vitimas eram do genero masculino na faixa etaria de 26 a 35 anos (37,0%), e (78,2%) nao usavam capacete. Os maiores indices de eventos traumaticos ocorrem por colisao de motocicletas com carro (36,4%), seguida de queda de moto (29,1%), aos domingos (15,5%), entre as 20h e as 21h (14,1%). Conclui-se que e necessario implementar estrategias de educacao para o trânsito a partir de estudos realizados sobre os fatores determinantes que permeiam a idiossincrasia, possibilitando mudancas no comportamento humano.
Reducing the Dimensionality of Data Streams using Common Sense

Increasingly, we need to computationally understand real-time streams of information in places such as news feeds, speech streams, and social networks. We present Streaming AnalogySpace, an efficient technique that discovers correlations in and makes predictions about sparse natural-language data that arrives in a real-time stream. AnalogySpace is a noise-resistant PCA-based inference technique designed for use with collaboratively collected common sense knowledge and semantic networks. Streaming AnalogySpace advances this work by computing it incrementally using CCIPCA, and keeping a dense cache of recently-used features to efficiently represent a sparse and open domain. We show that Streaming AnalogySpace converges to the results of standard AnalogySpace, and verify this by evaluating its accuracy empirically on common-sense predictions against standard AnalogySpace.
Plaque assay of neonatal calf diarrhea virus and the neutralizing antibody in human sera

Neonatal calf diarrhea virus (a bovine rotavirus) formed distinct plaques in monolayers of MA-104 cells, an established macacus rhesus monkey kidney cell line, when diethylaminoethyl dextran and trypsin were included in the overlay medium. By using this plaque assay method, titration of neutralizing antibody to neonatal calf diarrhea virus was made feasible. It was demonstrated that some human sera contained neutralizing antibody to this agent.
Seeing the forest and the trees: A meta-analysis of information security policy compliance literature

A rich stream of research has identified numerous antecedents to employee compliance with information security policies. However, the breadth of this literature and inconsistencies in the reported findings warrants a more in-depth analysis. Drawing on 25 quantitative studies focusing on security policy compliance, we classified 105 independent variables into 17 distinct categories. We conducted a metaanalysis for each category’s relationship with security policy compliance and then analyzed the results for possible moderators. Our results revealed a number of illuminating insights, including (1) the importance of categories associated with employees’ personal attitudes, norms and beliefs, (2) the relative weakness of the link between compliance and rewards/punishment, and (3) the enhanced compliance associated with general security policies rather than specific policies (e.g., anti-virus). These findings can be used as a reference point from which future scholarship in this area can be guided.
c‐erbB‐2 proto‐oncogene expression and its relationship to survival in gastric carcinoma: An immunohistochemical study on archival material

The c‐erbB‐2 proto‐oncogene encodes a growth factor receptor which is over‐expressed in a variety of human adenocarcinomas. Recent reports suggest that it may be of value in arriving at prognosis in breast and ovarian cancer. In this study, c‐erbB‐2 expression was investigated in 93 routinely processed cases of gastric carcinoma, using an immunohisto‐chemical technique. c‐erbB‐2 membrane immunoreactivity was observed in 11% (10/93) of tumours, all of whkh were of the well differentiated intestinal type (p < 0.01). Overall, patients with tumours expressing this proto‐oncogene had a significantly improved prognosis (p < 0.05). Within the group of intestinal‐type tumours, those that were c‐erbB‐2‐positive formed a distinct sub‐population which had a better prognosis (p < 0.02), suggesting possible differences in aetiology.
The WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey: probing the epoch of radiation domination using large-scale structure

We place the most robust constraint to date on the scale of the turnover in the cosmological matter power spectrum using data from the WiggleZ Dark Energy Survey. We find this feature to lie at a scale of k_0 = 0.0160^(+ 0.0035)_(− 0.0041) (h Mpc^−1) (68 per cent confidence) for an effective redshift of z_(eff) = 0.62 and obtain from this the first ever turnover-derived distance and cosmology constraints: a measure of the cosmic distance–redshift relation in units of the horizon scale at the redshift of radiation–matter equality (r_H) of D_V(z_(eff) = 0.62)/r_H = 18.3^(+6.3)_(−3.3) and, assuming a prior on the number of extra relativistic degrees of freedom N_(eff) = 3, constraints on the cosmological matter density parameter Ω_M h^2 = 0.136^(+0.026)_(−0.052) and on the redshift of matter–radiation equality z_(eq) = 3274^(+631)_(−1260). We stress that these results are obtained within the theoretical framework of Gaussian primordial fluctuations and linear large-scale bias. With this caveat, all results are in excellent agreement with the predictions of standard ΛCDM models. Our constraints on the logarithmic slope of the power spectrum on scales larger than the turnover are bounded in the lower limit with values only as low as −1 allowed, with the prediction of P(k) ∝ k from standard ΛCDM models easily accommodated by our results. Finally, we generate forecasts to estimate the achievable precision of future surveys at constraining k_0, Ω_M h^2, z_(eq) and N_(eff). We find that the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey should substantially improve upon the WiggleZ turnover constraint, reaching a precision on k_0 of ±9 per cent (68 per cent confidence), translating to precisions on Ω_M h^2 and z_(eq) of ±10 per cent (assuming a prior N_(eff) = 3) and on Neff of + 78− 56 per cent (assuming a prior Ω_M h^2 = 0.135). This represents sufficient precision to sharpen the constraints on N_(eff) from WMAP, particularly in its upper limit. For Euclid, we find corresponding attainable precisions on (k_0, Ω_M h^2, N_(eff)) of (3, 4,^(+ 17)_(− 21)) per cent. This represents a precision approaching our forecasts for the Planck Surveyor.
Smoking cessation in rehabilitation treatment Efficacy of an Internet program for smoking cessation during and after inpatient rehabilitation treatment : a quasi-randomized controlled trial

Objective: To test the feasibility and efficacy of an Internet program for smoking cessation during and after inpatient treatment in rehabilitation centers. Methods: A total of 7574 consecutively admitted inpatients from three German rehabilitation centers were assessed for smoking status. Daily smokers or former daily smokers who regularly used the Internet and email were proactively invited for study participation. Out of 749 eligible patients, 477 (64%) participated in the study and were randomly assigned to an intervention or an assessment only control group based on the calendar week of admission. Patients of the intervention group had the possibility to use an Internet program for smoking cessation for a period of six months. The program provided at least one but up to seven individual counseling sessions through a computer expert system, informational websites and a message board. Results: At six-months follow-up, seven-day point prevalence smoking abstinence was twice as high in the intervention group as in the control group (OR=2.0; CI 1.1-3.8; p=.02). Conclusions: Proactive recruitment of smokers in combination with the provision of an Internet program for smoking cessation allow for an inexpensive and effective smoking cessation support during and after inpatient rehabilitation treatment.
Lipopolysaccharide Reduces the Primordial Follicle Pool in the Bovine Ovarian Cortex Ex Vivo and in the Murine Ovary In Vivo1

ABSTRACT Infections of the uterus or mammary gland with Gram-negative bacteria cause infertility in cattle, not only during disease but also for some time afterward. Even though these infections are in organs distant from the ovary, metritis and mastitis perturb antral follicle development and function in vivo. Although granulosa cells from antral follicles express toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4), and detect and mount an inflammatory response to lipopolysaccharide (LPS) from Gram-negative bacteria, it is not known whether LPS impacts preantral follicle development. The present study tested the hypothesis that LPS perturbs the development of primordial ovarian follicles. Exposure of bovine ovarian cortex ex vivo to LPS reduced the primordial follicle pool associated with increased primordial follicle activation. Ovarian cortex culture supernatants accumulated the inflammatory mediators IL-1beta, IL-6, and IL-8 in an LPS concentration-dependent manner. In addition, LPS exposure modulated key intracellular regulators of follicle activation with loss of the primordial follicle PTEN and cytoplasmic translocation of FOXO3. Acute exposure of mice in vivo to LPS also reduced the primordial follicle pool associated with increased follicle atresia. The increased follicle atresia was TLR4-dependent as Tlr4-deficient mice were insensitive to LPS-mediated follicle atresia. However, LPS did not affect the diameter of individually cultured bovine secondary follicles or their enclosed oocytes. In conclusion, LPS reduced the primordial ovarian follicle pool in the bovine ovarian cortex ex vivo and in the murine ovary in vivo. These observations provide an insight into how bacterial infections distant from the ovary have long term effects on fertility.
Numerical study of shadowing in electromagnetic scattering from rough dielectric surfaces

A numerical study has been performed to examine the effects of surface self-shadowing on the electromagnetic scatter from rough dielectric interfaces. A hybrid numerical technique combining the moment method and geometrical theory of diffraction was used in the numerical calculations. This technique was first extended to be applicable to general dielectric media as well as perfectly conducting and high loss, high permittivity surfaces. The numerical calculations show that weakly shadowed small-scale roughness can contribute significantly to the backscatter at extreme grazing angles. This effect is more pronounced at VV polarization than at HH polarization when the surface is perfectly conducting, but is approximately the same at both polarizations when a finite-conductivity interface is considered. Scattering models that depend on a shadowing function based on geometrical optics are likely to fail at extreme grazing angles for lossy dielectric as well perfectly conducting scattering surfaces.
High expression of leptin receptor mRNA in breast cancer tissue predicts poor prognosis for patients with high, but not low, serum leptin levels

The association of mRNA expression levels of leptin receptors (long isoform: Lep‐R(L) and short isoform: Lep‐R(S)) in breast cancer tissue with patient prognosis was studied with special reference to the serum leptin level or the leptin mRNA level in tumor tissue. Lep‐R(L), Lep‐R(S) and leptin mRNA levels in breast cancer tissue (n = 91) were determined with a real‐time PCR assay, and serum leptin levels in breast cancer patients (n = 67) with an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Neither Lep‐R(L) nor Lep‐R(S) mRNA levels in tumor tissue were significantly associated with patient prognosis, but both intratumoral Lep‐R(L) and Lep‐R(S) mRNA high tumors were significantly (p < 0.01) associated with a poor prognosis. Multivariate analysis showed that a high level of both Lep‐R (L) and Lep‐R (S) mRNA in tumor tissue was a significant risk factor, independent of other risk factors. The subset analysis demonstrated that both intratumoral Lep‐R(L) and Lep‐R(S) mRNA high tumors were significantly associated with a poor prognosis for the subset of patients with high serum leptin or high intratumoral leptin mRNA levels but not in the subset of patients with low serum leptin or low intratumoral leptin mRNA levels. The association between both intratumoral Lep‐R(L) and Lep‐R(S) mRNA high tumors and a poor prognosis in the presence of high serum leptin or high intratumoral leptin mRNA levels seems to suggest that the leptin and Lep‐R(L)/Lep‐R(S) pathways are implicated in the growth stimulation of breast tumors. The well‐established finding that obesity serves as a risk factor for relapse in breast cancer patients may thus be partially explained by the high serum leptin level seen in obese women. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dolutegravir Monotherapy in HIV-Infected Naive Patients With <100,000 Copies/mL HIV RNA Load.

0.5–11.4 years). Thirty-six people did not experience a decrease in the serum M-protein level: 19 (52.8%) had a detectable HIV load at last follow-up, 7 (19.4%) started ART after the age of 50, 5 (13.9%) were coinfected with HCV, 3 (8.3%) had a disseminated Mycobacterium avium complex disease and 2 (5.6%) had an IgM M-protein. Unfortunately, the retrospective nature of our study prevented us from investigating other causes of lymphocyte B stimulation, including viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus or cytomegalovirus, whose viral loads were not tested in this cohort, although Epstein-Barr virus and cytomegalovirus serological profiles showed evidence of past infection in all these patients. In agreement with the observed trends, ART seems to have a favorable impact on the serum M-protein level. These results support the hypothesis that the therapy improves the well-known Bcell dysfunction in HIV-infected people, by lowering, first, the antigenic stimulation; consequently, the B-lymphocyte expansion; and, finally, the monoclonal paraproteinemia. Unlike the disappearance described in 66.2% of the population included in Casanova’s article, the M-protein remained almost always detectable in our cohort, although we obtained a similar proportion of improvements: it decreased in 66.7% of cases, becoming unquantifiable in many of them. Our results are similar to the ones obtained by Amara et al in their retrospective analysis of 25 patients and by Genet et al in their retrospective analysis of 12 patients. MG in the general population has been associated with an increased risk for progression to multiple myeloma, plasmacytoma, macroglobulinemia, and other malignant plasma cell disorders. According to current clinical recommendations, this is the reason why a detected MG should be monitored indefinitely in any case, even when the abovementioned risk could be considered low (if the serum monoclonal protein is ,15 g/L, IgG type and the free light chain ratio is normal and the risk for progression is low). Given that we adopted the same methods as the ones used by Casanova et al to analyze electrophoretic patterns, our results support the hypothesis that M-protein remains detectable lifelong in most of the patients on ART, who should be followed for the development of hematologic malignancies. HIV viral load blips, which usually occur randomly in those who take the therapy regularly, could be a possible explanation for the failure to complete disappearance of the serum monoclonal spike, although they do not seem to vanish the benefic effect produced by ART on M-protein. Another possible explanation could be represented by the onset of an irreversible impairment in B-cell function, which may persist in patients with an undetectable HIV viral load. Persistence of MG despite ART still requires exploration: further prospective studies with a long-term follow-up are needed to assess the risk for subsequent development of malignant plasma cell disorders in this population.
Seasonal Variation of Surface Sediments Composition in Mondego River Estuary

Abstract Concentrations of major (Al, Si, Ca, Mg, Fe), minor (Mn), and trace elements (Zn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Ag, Cd, Hg) and organochlorine compounds (PCB congeners, pp′DDT, and metabolites) were determined in 24 samples of surface sediments (0–5 cm) collected along the Mondego River estuary in two periods: February and August 2003. All sediment samples showed low levels of contamination reflecting the weak industrialization of the region. Higher incorporation of elements (Mg, Fe, Zn, Cr, Cu, Cd, Hg) and DDT was registered in muds deposited in the inner part of the south channel. Sediments of the rest of the estuary are coarser (mean Si/Al ratio around 11) and showed much lower Me/Al ratios. Concentrations of Mn, Pb, Ag, and PCB showed no geographical distribution tendency. However, Pb, Cu, Ag, Zn, Cd ratios to Al and PCB concentrations were higher in coarser sediments collected in February than in August. In addition, the lower chlorinated CBs (tri + tetra-CB) showed a higher proportion in sediments collected in February, due to its higher mobility and low contamination in the area. The results obtained in this river-dominated estuarine system, with weak local contamination sources, indicate that chemical composition of surface sediments reflects the diffuse source of contaminants associated with the rainy season.