Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Chromosomal and allozyme analysis of a hybrid zone between parapatric Robertsonian races of the house mouse: a case of monobrachial homology

A detailed chromosomal and allozyme analysis of Robertsonian (Rb) populations of the house mouse in Alsace (France) was performed to evaluate the model of speciation by monobrachial centric fusions. The karyological analysis confirmed the existence of a hybrid zone between two Rb races differentiated by monobrachially homologous Rb fusions. The clinal distribution of Rb fusions showed that almost no overlap occurred between the Rb fusions specific to each race, indicating the presence of an acrocentric peak in the center of the hybrid zone. Thus, only chromosomal heterozygotes carrying one to three trivalents were present, instead of the expected highly unfit interracial hybrids, none of which were observed. The effect of karyotypic differentiation on genic divergence was tested across the hybrid zone by comparing levels of genetic structure for chromosomal and allozyme markers according to the isolation by distance model. Results confirmed the highly significant spatial structure for chromosomes, but revealed none for allozymes, indicating that genic diversity was not structured according to karyotype. These data suggest the absence of a strong chromosomal barrier to gene flow, which does not conform with predictions of the model of speciation by monobrachial centric fusions. In addition, the relatedness of these Rb races to neighboring ones, as well as the nonrandom contribution of several chromosomes to the Rb fusions, was analyzed.
Galectin-3 in Peripheral Artery Disease. Relationships with Markers of Oxidative Stress and Inflammation

Galectin-3 is a modulator of oxidative stress, inflammation, and fibrogenesis involved in the pathogenesis of vascular diseases. The present study sought to characterize, in patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD), the localization of galectin-3 in arterial tissue, and to analyze the relationships between the circulating levels of galectin-3 and oxidative stress and inflammation. It also sought to compare the diagnostic accuracy of galectin-3 with that of other biochemical markers of this disease. We analyzed femoral or popliteal arteries from 50 PAD patients, and four control arteries. Plasma from 86 patients was compared with that from 72 control subjects. We observed differences in the expression of galectin-3 in normal arteries, and arteries from patients with PAD, with a displacement of the expression from the adventitia to the media, and the intima. In addition, plasma galectin-3 concentration was increased in PAD patients, and correlated with serologic markers of oxidative stress (F2-isoprostanes), and inflammation [chemokine (C−C motif) ligand 2, C-reactive protein, β-2-microglobulin]. We conclude that the determination of galectin-3 has good diagnostic accuracy in the assessment of PAD and compares well with other analytical parameters currently in use.
On the Accuracy of Representing Heartbeats with Hermite Basis Functions

Automatic ECG analysis requires choosing a representation for heartbeats. A common approach is using some basis of functions to represent the heartbeat as a linear combination of these functions. The coefficients of the linear combination are used as the features that represent the heartbeat, providing a very compact representation. The most used basis of functions is the one made up of the Hermite functions. Some authors have used as few as 3 Hermite polynomials to represent each heartbeat, while others have used as many as 20. Often little or no justification for the choice of the number of polynomials is given. This paper aims to analyze the impact of using a certain number Hermite polynomials on the accuracy of heartbeat representation. Tests were run fitting the heartbeats of the MIT-BIH arrhythmia database with a number of polynomials ranging from 2 to 20. Three different strategies to determine the heartbeat’s position were used. The fitting errors are reported here. Based on these results, some guidelines to choose a suitable number of Hermite polynomials for different applications are given.
Education attainment as a predictor of HIV risk in rural Uganda: results from a population-based study

We examined the association between education and prevalent HIV-1 infection in the Rakai district, rural Uganda based on a cross-sectional analysis of a population-based cohort. In 1990, 1397 men and 1705 women aged 13 years and older, were enrolled in 31 randomly selected communities. Strata were comprised of main road trading centres, secondary road trading villages and rural villages. Sociodemographic and behavioural data were obtained by interview and serum for HIV serostatus were obtained in the home. The analysis examines the association between sex-specific prevalent HIV infection and educational attainment, categorized as secondary, primary or none. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) of HIV infection were estimated, using no education as the referent group. Higher levels of education were associated with a higher HIV seroprevalence in bivariate analyses (OR 2.7 for primary and 4.1 for secondary education, relative to no education). The strength of the association was diminished but remained statistically significant after multivariate adjustment for sociodemographic and behavioural variables (adjusted OR of HIV infection 1.6 (95% CI: 1.2-2.1)) for primary education and 1.5 (95% CI: 1.0-2.2) for secondary education. Stratified multivariate analyses by place of residence indicated that the association between education and HIV prevalence was statistically significant in the rural villages, but not in the main road trading centres and intermediate trading villages. Educational attainment is a significant predictor of HIV risk in rural Uganda, in part because of risk behaviours and other characteristics among better educated individuals. Preventive interventions need to focus on better educated adults and on school-aged populations.
Personalized messages invite more mammography.

TAILORED LETTERS and telephone calls may emerge as effective new weapons in the stepped-up fight against breast cancer. The tactics can't come quickly enough. New national figures show that more women past age 40 have received mammograms in recent years, but most still are not routinely screened. Conflicting guidelines don't help. Many physicians now question what constitutes "routine" screening, so experts say it's increasingly important to discuss mammography, along with breast self-examination, with patients. And even though family physicians may be trying to prompt more women to have mammograms, experts attribute low screening rates to high-risk patients being cared for by specialists who overlook the need for mammography. Patterns in Mammography From 1987 to 1990, the number of women older than age 40 who received a mammogram in the past year nearly doubled, from 17% to 33%, according to figures compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Md.
Communities in control of their own integrated technology development processes

This article studies technology-driven, development-focused initiatives (information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) projects) at a community level in South Africa. This study forms part of the existing debate on ICT4D project success and suggests answers toward accelerating ICT4D projects’ growth toward maturity and sustainability. Concerns that receive attention include the level of ownership and control taken by members of benefiting local communities in ICT4D projects, the level of social embeddedness of ICT4D projects, and a revision of the concept of sustainability within the ICT4D context. A detailed case study that compares two similar ICT4D projects influencing four local communities, focusing on educational institutions within the communities in South Africa, provides the foundation for this article. Adjustments are made to the Five Stages Maturity Model for ICT projects (Leem et al., 2008) and then used to guide our critical discussion regarding each community's relationship with the information and communication technology for development (ICT4D) projects currently running within each society, and how these relationships can be matured and sustained. Findings include a discussion of the importance of direct and diffused increases in freedom resulting from an ICT4D project and the often discounted role of recognition, celebration of achievements within the local community, and media involvement in the maturity, and hence sustainability, of ICT4D projects.
CONSTRUCTING A BAYESIAN BELIEF NETWORK TO GENERATE LEARNING PATH IN ADAPTIVE HYPERMEDIA SYSTEM

There are many methods and techniques which have been promoted to develop adaptive hypermedia systems (1). Our model approach (2), generating adaptive courses based on learner's profile which learner's includes background, skills, style.etc. One of important steps in our model is to generate learning path adaptive for each learner. In this paper, we promote an algorithm based on shortest path search algorithm to evaluate learning object (LO) based on its attributes (3) and constructed a Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) to generate learning path for each learner.
Cerebral Perfusion Defects Secondary to Simple Craniosynostosis

Premature fusion of multiple cranial sutures has been associated with increased intracranial pressure and the potential for mental impairment. Isolated craniosynostosis, however, has been thought to be a benign condition primarily reconstructed for aesthetic purposes. On the basis of subjective developmental improvement postoperatively, an objective radiographic analysis (single positron emission computed tomography [SPECT]) was used to assess differences in cerebral perfusion in the areas compressed secondary to the fused cranial suture both before and after cranial reconstructive surgery in patients with simple craniosynostosis. Seven children with craniosynostosis, six boys and one girl (age range, 3–28 months), were enrolled in this prospective study. Six of the seven had cranial asymmetry on preoperative cranial computed tomographic scans, and one had a symmetric defect and was used as a control. Each subject had a preoperative SPECT scan approximately 3 to 5 days before the cranial reconstruction procedure and a follow-up scan 6 to 10 weeks postoperatively. Preoperative asymmetries in cerebral perfusion ranged from 0 to 30 (mean, 13±) in the areas compressed secondary to the premature suture fusion. In five patients cerebral blood flow, which was asymmetric before surgery, became symmetric after craniofacial reconstruction, and no new perfusion defects were documented. The control patient and one other patient had symmetric perfusion both pre- and postoperatively. Craniosynostosis may be associated with decreased cerebral blood flow as a result of the constriction of the brain from the prematurely fused suture. The correction of asymmetric cranial single-suture synostosis is more than a cosmetic procedure in that it allows for normalization of cerebral blood flow. This difference in blood flow supports early surgical intervention to prevent any potential central nervous system compromise secondary to abnormal blood flow.
Impact of a mother–infant intervention in an indigent peri-urban South African context

Background A high rate of maternal depression and associated disturbance in the mother–infant relationship has been found in an indigent peri-urban South African community Khayelitsha. The question arises whether a community-based intervention could be beneficial. Aims To train community workers to deliver an intervention to mothers and infants in Khayelitsha, and to compare mothers and infants receiving this intervention with a sample receiving no such intervention. Method Four Khayelitsha women were trained in a mother-infant intervention, which they delivered to 32 women recruited in late pregnancy. At 6 months post-partum, maternal mood, the mother–infant relationship and infant growth were assessed. The findings were compared with a matched group of 32 mothers and infants. Results There was no reliable impact of the intervention on maternal mood. However, compared with the comparison sample, the quality of mother – infant engagement was significantly more positive for those who had received the intervention. Conclusions The pilot study produced preliminary evidence of a benefit of a community-based mother – infant intervention delivered by trained, but otherwise unqualified, community workers, sufficient to warrant a formal controlled evaluation of this treatment.
Dynamic DNA Methylation and Histone Modifications Contribute to Lentiviral Transgene Silencing in Murine Embryonic Carcinoma Cells

ABSTRACT Embryonic stem cells are subjected to a dynamic genome regulation during development. Here we report that the ectopic lentiviral transgenes are quickly silenced in murine embryonic carcinoma P19 cells. The silencing was correlated with CpG hypermethylation in the transgene promoter. Using high-resolution sodium bisulfite genome sequencing, we detected distinct DNA methylation kinetics in different proviral regions. DNase I sensitivity and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays revealed condensed chromatin structure and histone code switch during silencing. Longitudinal analysis of nonsilenced and silenced identical single-cell clones revealed that the silencing was coupled with CpG methylation in the promoter, as well as a global histone H3 deacetylation. Interestingly, the primer binding site and the packaging signal region appeared to serve as a DNA methylation initiation center which was rapidly hypermethylated regardless of transgene silencing and chromatin modifications. Analysis of cellular genes 45 to 50 kbp upstream and downstream of the integration site indicated that transcriptional activities of the flanking host genes were not affected. Genetic modifications of stem cells have great therapeutic potentials and our results picture a dynamic embryonic genome response to ectopic transgene integration that may have important implications in the future safety and efficacy modifications of stem cells.
Dishonesty of Accounting Students at Higher Learning Institutions

Academic dishonesty is a serious educational problem. One of the major consequences of academic dishonesty is the increasing cases of corporate scandals involving accountants. The integrity of accounting programs has been repeatedly questioned since the accounting profession is being entrusted with immense responsibility of preparing and communicating high quality information to a multitude of stakeholders for decision-making purposes. Considering that the accounting students are future business leaders, their academic integrity at the educational level should be given close attention. The main purpose of this paper is to provide a general discussion on an array of academic dishonesty committed by accounting students at higher learning institutions. The discussion also includes factors leading to academic dishonesty such as poor academic policy, the advent of advanced technology and the demographic profile of the students. The penultimate part of the discussion proposes several corrective measures that can be implemented in reducing cases of academic dishonesty. These measures, to be successful, require integrated efforts by many parties concerned. Overall, this paper offers some insights that can be useful in overcoming academic dishonesty from continually being an epidemic on campus.
Antiphospholipid Antibodies in Stillbirth

OBJECTIVE: To compare antiphospholipid antibodies in deliveries with and without stillbirth using a multicenter, population-based case–control study of stillbirths and live births. METHODS: Maternal sera were assayed for immunoglobulin (Ig)G and IgM anticardiolipin and anti-&bgr;2-glycoprotein-I antibodies. Assays were performed in 582 stillbirth deliveries and 1,547 live birth deliveries. RESULTS: Elevated levels of IgG anticardiolipin and IgG anti-&bgr;2-glycoprotein-I antibodies were associated with an approximate threefold increased odds of stillbirth (crude odds ratio [OR] 3.43, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.79–6.60, 3.8% compared with 1.1% and OR 3.17, 95% CI 1.30–7.72, (1.9% compared with 0.6%, respectively) when all deliveries with stillbirth were compared with all deliveries with live birth. When the subset of stillbirths not associated with fetal anomalies or obstetric complications was compared with term live births, elevated IgG anticardiolipin antibodies were associated with stillbirth (5.0% compared with 1.0%; OR 5.30, 95% CI, 2.39–11.76; IgG anti-&bgr;2-glycoprotein-I antibodies (1.9% compared with 0.6%) had an OR of 3.00 (95% CI 1.01–8.90) and IgM anticardiolipin antibodies (6.0% compared with 3.0%) had an OR of 2.03 (95% CI 1.09–3.76). Elevated levels of anticardiolipin and anti-&bgr;2-glycoprotein-I antibodies were associated with a threefold to fivefold increased odds of stillbirth. CONCLUSIONS: Our data support consideration of testing for antiphospholipid antibodies in cases of otherwise unexplained stillbirth. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: II
Changes of effective connectivity between the lateral and medial parts of the prefrontal cortex during a visual task

Structural equation modelling was used to study the change of connectivity during a visual task with continuous variation of the attention load. The model was based on areas defined by the haemodynamic responses described elsewhere [Mazoyer, P., Wicker, B. & Fonlupt, P. (2002) A neural network elicited by parametric manipulation of the attention load. Neuroreport, 13, 2331–2334], including occipitotemporal, parietal, temporal and prefrontal (lateral and medial areas) cortices. We have studied stationary‐ (which does not depend on the attentional load) and attention‐related coupling between areas. This allowed the segregation of two subsystems. The first could reflect a system performing the integration step of the visual signal and the second a system participating in response selection. The major finding is the mutual negative influence between the lateral and medial parts of the prefrontal cortex. This negative influence between these two brain regions increased with the attention load. This is interpreted as a modification of the balance between integration and decision processes that are needed for the task to be efficiently completed.
Performance Modeling for Multipath Mobile Data Offloading in Cellular/Wi-Fi Networks

With the proliferation of mobile devices in recent years, the volume of global mobile data traffic has grown exponentially. As a result, effective approaches for mobile data offloading are urgently required. In the past few years, two main Wi-Fi offloading techniques, namely, opportunistic offloading and delayed offloading, have been widely discussed. A promising L4-approach known as multipath transmission control protocol has recently been standardized, which allows a single transport connection to use multiple paths simultaneously over multiple interfaces, which then calls for a new Wi-Fi offloading model that considers discontinuous Wi-Fi connection periods. This paper presents an analytical model for multipath Wi-Fi offloading in deriving the aggregate offloading time via an alternative path for the use of multipath offloading. Then, the respective offloading volume and ratio are computed. Our theoretical results are supported by extensive simulations. We show how this model further assists the cellular operators to make better decision in resource allocation. Compared with opportunistic offloading, multipath offloading results in a significantly improved performance in the support for a guaranteed minimum bit rate.
An Alteration in the Hypothalamic Action of Estradiol Due to Lack of Progesterone Exposure Can Cause Follicular Cysts in Cattle1

Abstract Many mammals, including cattle, can develop ovarian follicular cysts, but the physiological mechanisms leading to this condition remain undefined. We hypothesized that follicular cysts can develop because estradiol will induce a GnRH/LH surge on one occasion but progesterone exposure is required before another GnRH/LH surge can be induced by estradiol. In experiment 1, 14 cows were synchronized with an intravaginal progesterone insert (IPI) for 7 days, and prostaglandin F2α was given on the day of IPI removal. Estradiol benzoate (EB; 5 mg i.m.) was given 3 days before IPI removal to induce atresia of follicles. Cows were given a second EB treatment 1 day after IPI removal to induce a GnRH/LH surge in the absence of an ovulatory follicle. All cows had an LH surge following the second EB treatment, and 10 of 14 cows developed a large-follicle anovulatory condition (LFAC) that resembled follicular cysts. These LFAC cows were given a third EB treatment 15 days later, and none of the cows had an LH surge or ovulation. Cows were then either not treated (control, n = 5) or treated for 7 days with an IPI (n = 5) starting 7 days after the third EB injection. Cows were treated for a fourth time with 5 mg of EB 12 h after IPI removal. All IPI-treated, but no control, cows had an LH surge and ovulated in response to the estradiol challenge. In experiment 2, cows were induced to LFAC as in experiment 1 and were then randomly assigned to one of four treatments 1) IPI + EB, 2) IPI + GnRH (100 μg), 3) control + EB, and 4) control + GnRH. Control and IPI-treated cows had a similar LH surge and ovulation when treated with GnRH. In contrast, only IPI-treated cows had an LH surge following EB treatment. Thus, an initial GnRH/LH surge can be induced with high estradiol, but estradiol induction of a subsequent GnRH/LH surge requires exposure to progesterone. This effect is mediated by the hypothalamus, as evidenced by similar LH release in response to exogenous GnRH. This may represent the physiological condition that underlies ovarian follicular cysts.
Semantic priming in the lexical decision task: roles of prospective prime-generated expectancies and retrospective semantic matching.

In semantic priming paradigms for lexical decisions, the probability that a word target is semantically related to its prime (the relatedness proportion) has been confounded with the probability that a target is a nonword, given that it is unrelated to its prime (the nonword ratio). This study unconfounded these two probabilities in a lexical decision task with category names as primes and with high- and low-dominance exemplars as targets. Semantic priming for high-dominance exemplars was modulated by the relatedness proportion and, to a lesser degree, by the nonword ratio. However, the nonword ratio exerted a stronger influence than did the relatedness proportion on semantic priming for low-dominance exemplars and on the nonword facilitation effect (i.e., the superiority in performance for nonword targets that follow a category name rather than a neutral XXX prime). These results suggest that semantic priming for lexical decisions is affected by both a prospective prime-generated expectancy, modulated by the relatedness proportion, and a retrospective target/prime semantic matching process, modulated by the nonword ratio.