Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ankylosing spondylitis assessment group preliminary definition of short-term improvement in ankylosing spondylitis.

OBJECTIVE To develop criteria for symptomatic improvement in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), using outcome domain data from placebo-controlled clinical trials of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). METHODS Patient data from 5 short-term, randomized, controlled trials were used to assess equivalence, reliability, and responsiveness of multiple items in the 5 outcome domains for AS treatment: physical function, pain, spinal mobility, patient global assessment, and inflammation. At least one measure per domain was responsive (standardized response mean of > 0.5), except for the spinal mobility domain, which was omitted from the criteria. We developed and tested candidate improvement criteria in a random two-thirds subset from the 3 largest trials and used the remaining one-third for validation. These 3 largest trials included 923 patients (631 receiving NSAIDs, 292 in placebo groups). We selected the multiple domain definition that best distinguished NSAID treatment from placebo by chi-square test and that had a placebo response rate of < or = 25%. RESULTS Candidate definitions were changes in single domains and in multiple measure indices, as well as combinations of improvements in multiple domains. Worsening in a domain was defined as a change for the worse of > or = 20% and a net change for the worse of > or = 10 units on a scale of 0-100. Partial remission (for comparison purposes) was defined as an end-of-trial value of < 20/100 in each of the 4 domains. Among 20 candidate criteria, change of > or = 20% and > or = 10 units in each of 3 domains and absence of worsening in the fourth discriminated best in the development subset (51% of patients improved with NSAIDs, 25% with placebo; chi2 = 36.4, P < 0.001). Results were confirmed in the validation subset. Almost all patients satisfying the definition of partial disease remission at the end of the trial had also improved by this criterion. Among all 923 patients, improvement rates using this criterion were 49% for NSAID-treated patients and 24% for placebo-treated patients. CONCLUSION Although further validation using data from new trials is still needed, we conclude that we have developed a clinically valid, easy-to-use measure of short-term improvement in AS.
A New Acute Oral Chagas Disease Outbreak in Merida , Venezuela : A Comprehensive Study

A massive, simultaneous and severe acute Chagas disease micro-epidemic outbreak associated with Trypanosoma cruzi oral transmission, detected in a rural locality of Merida, Venezuela, is reported. The presence of similar severe clinical profiles, massive active parasitemia, specific anti-T. cruzi IgM and infection by the same genetic T. cruzi genotype (DTU I) detected in nine patients involved in the outbreak, together with the absence of Romaña’s sign, strongly indicate simultaneous infections by ingesting T. cruzi-contaminated food. The analysis of the clinical profiles detected in the acute chagasic patients revealed a total of 18 symptoms with an average per patient of 9±4 (range: 5-16) symptoms with 44% lethality. In the four fatal cases hepatomegaly was present (100%) and myocarditis, pericardial effusion and cardiomegaly were respectively detected in 75%, 50% and 25% of them. In all cases, similar values of anti-T. cruzi antibodies, amount of blood circulating trypomastigotes and same DNA bands obtained by combination of sero-parasitological and molecular (Polymerase Chain Reaction-PCR) assays revealed patients with a similar clinical history, which support the oral mode of infection. Histopathological observations revealed the presence of large number of T. cruzi-tissue forms and massive lymphomonocytic infiltration in samples from heart, liver, spleen, skeletal muscle and tongue of a fatal case, which demonstrated the severity of the parasite circulating in the studied area. The epidemiological significance of the findings is discussed, and the alert to clinicians and population on the orally transmitted Chagas disease is provided.
Radiation Responses of Embryonal and SV40 Transformed Hamster Cells in Culture∗

The mechanisms of virus-host cell interaction resulting in the transformation of normal cells to neoplastic cells has been examined in several systems. Elegant experiments with the SV40-3T3 mouse fibroblast system reported by Todaro and Green (1) demonstrated that active cell replication and DNA synthesis are required to fix the transforming event between virus and target cell. Stoker (2) observed that the frequency of transformation of polyoma virus was increased among BHK-21 hamster cells which have survived X-irradiation. Exposure of mouse fibroblast cells to radiomimetic thymidine analogues enhanced the efficiency of SV40 transformation fivefold (3). Borek and Sachs observed that 300 R of X-irradiation induced the in vitro transformation of hamster embryo cells when cultured on mouse cell feeder layers (4). Processes associated with cell replication were essential soon after irradiation to fix the transformed state (5). A hereditary and a physiological state of susceptibility to transformation appeared to exist in X-irradiated cells and mechanisms for repair of radiation damage (“error correction”) directly controlled the development of the transformed state (6). Recent studies in this laboratory demonstrated that exposure of primary hamster embryonic cells to 150 R of X-irradiation prior to infection produced a 15- to 50-fold increase in the number of transformed clones when compared with unirradiated controls (7). Radiation alone under these conditions did not produce transformed cells. Characterization of the radiation responses of normal embryonal cells in culture is fundamental to understanding the role of irradiation in sensitizing these cells to transformation by SV40 virus. The present report describes results obtained in the investigation of several parameters of radiation induced changes in normal hamster cells in culture. A parallel study was conducted on the radiation response of SV40 transformed isogenic hamster cells to define potential viral induced changes that may exist.
Serotonin in Obsessions, Compulsions, and the Control of Aggressive Impulses

Serotonin has been implicated in a number of psychiatric syndromes, but it is obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) which currently provides the most compelling evidence of a link between serotonin and psychopathology. The precise nature of this link remains unclear-in spite of strong evidence implicating serotonin in the treatment of OCD, we still lack a clear model of serotonergic dysfunction to explain the pathophysiology of this syndrome. This paper will review the current literature regarding serotonin and OCD with a perspective relating serotonin not only to this syndrome but to disorders of impulse control. To this end, we will review clinical studies implicating serotonin in the modulation of aggressive and impulsive behavior.
The piezoresistance of aluminum alloy interconnect structures

The effects of applied strain on the resistivity of Al thin film metallization interconnects have been measured with a novel methodology that uses thermal expansion mismatch to produce the strain. The interconnect volumetric strain is induced by thermal cycling of passivated and unpassivated interconnects between ≈70 and 373 K. The coefficient of piezoresistivity, defined as dρ/dev, where ρ=resistivity and ev=volumetric strain, is determined by properly accounting for the degree of interconnect constraint and thermal expansion mismatch strain induced during temperature changes. The volumetric strains are calculated for unpassivated and passivated lines of varying thickness and width. A model which incorporates the geometrical and piezoresistance effects on the measured interconnect resistance during temperature changes is described. The coefficient of piezoresistivity is calculated by a fitting procedure which provides an accurate and consistent fit for both unpassivated and passivated interconnects of di.
Soft-X-ray CCD imagers for AXAF

We describe the key features and performance data of a 1024/spl times/1026-pixel frame-transfer imager for use as a soft-X-ray detector on the NASA X-ray observatory Advanced X-ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF). The four-port device features a floating-diffusion output circuit with a responsivity of 20 /spl mu/V/e/sup -/ and noise of about 2 e/sup -/ at a 100-kHz data rate. Techniques for achieving the low sense-node capacitance of 5 fF are described. The CCD is fabricated on high-resistivity p-type silicon for deep depletion and includes narrow potential troughs for transfer inefficiencies of around 10/sup -7/. To achieve good sensitivity at energies below 1 keV, we have developed a back-illumination process that features low recombination losses at the back surface and has produced quantum efficiencies of about 0.7 at 277 eV (carbon K/spl alpha/).
Cultural Traditions as “Protective Factors” Among Latino Children of Illicit Drug Users

Family bonding was examined among Hispanic adolescents whose fathers are illicit drug users to ascertain whether such adolescents maintain close affective family ties or alienate themselves from their families given their father's use of illicit drugs and referral to a drug screening and treatment program. It was hypothesized that high levels of paternal drug use would be associated with the youth's alienation from the family. In addition, it was postulated that the adolescent's endorsement of traditional cultural values and social responsibility would protect her or him against this effect in relation to family bonding. These hypotheses are based on prior research that suggests that youth bonding to prosocial institutions, such as family, school, church, and community organizations, can be “protective” against drug use. More specifically, our analyses examined the role of level of acculturation in middle school, family traditionalism, American orientation, Latino orientation, and social responsibility in predicting adolescents' family bonding. Results indicated that the father's level of marijuana and/or methamphetamine use was unrelated to youth family bonding. Additionally, Latino and American cultural orientations and level of acculturation in middle school were not associated with family bonding. By contrast, social responsibility (the youth's citizenship and responsibility to the community) and family traditionalism (endorsing conservative cultural values regarding the maintenance of family traditions and respect for elders and family) were significantly associated with family bonding. In other words, among children of Latino illicit drug users, the youth's conservative family values and a responsible attitude toward community traditions were dual factors related to family bonding, perhaps operating also as sources of “protection” against youth problem behaviors.
Interpretation of Bayesian neural networks for predicting the duration of detected incidents

ABSTRACT This study introduces Bayesian learning to neural networks for accurate prediction of incident duration. Network parameters are updated using a hybrid Monte Carlo algorithm, and yield reasonable accuracy with mean absolute percentage error of 29%. A pedagogical rule extraction algorithm (TREPAN) is applied to extract comprehensible representations from the neural networks. The TREPAN facilitates better comprehensibility with M-of-N expression, and maintains high predictive accuracy to its respective network. Extracted decision trees provide a discovery and explanation of previously unknown relationships present in incident nature, and represent a series of decisions to assist traffic management operators in better decision making. Furthermore, to quantify the importance of variables from the neural network, a connection weight approach is used. Factors appearing in the first splitter of decision tree show high relative importance, indicating that they are influential for longer or shorter incident duration. Interpretation of Bayesian neural networks is an important addition to the Advanced Traveler Information Systems toolkit.
Noninvasive prediction of chronic atrophic gastritis in autoimmune thyroid disease in primary care

Division of Surgery,“P. Colombo” Hospital, Velletri (Rome), ItalyDear Editor,Autoimmune thyroiditis (AT) is often associated withotherautoimmunedisorders[1]. Autoimmuneatrophicgastritis (AG) occurs in 20–30% of asymptomaticpatients suffering from AT and likely affects 2–8% ofthegeneralpopulation[2,3]. Serumpositivitytoparietalcell antibodies (APCAs) is a marker of autoimmuneAG,buthistologyiscurrentlythegoldstandardmethodowing to its ability to detect each type of AG [4]. The major problem in primary care is to screen andselectpatientsneedingconsultationandtheirfollowup,includinganappropriatetimingforendoscopy.Indeed,for this purpose, the role of pepsinogens (PGs) inscreening those patients has been suggested [5,6]. GastroPanel
Au-delà des modèles standards en cosmologie

La description actuelle des interactions fondamentales repose sur deux theories ayant le statut de modele standard. Les interactions electromagnetiques et nucleaires sont decrites a un niveau quantique par le Modele Standard de la physique des particules, alliant theories de jauge et brisures spontanees de symetrie par le mecanisme de Higgs. A l'oppose, l'interaction gravitationnelle est decrite par la relativite generale,basee sur une description dynamique de l'espace-temps dans un cadre classique.Bien que ces deux modeles soient verifies avec une grande precision dansle systeme solaire, ils sont affliges d’un certain nombre de problemes theoriques et manquent de force predictive aussi bien a l'echelle de Planck qu’a l'echelle cosmologique ;ils ne sont par consequent plus percus comme fondamentaux. La cosmologie, dont la phenomenologie fait apparaitre ces deux echelles extremes, apparait alors comme un laboratoire privilegie pour tester les theories au dela de ces modeles standards.La premiere partie de cette these concerne l'etude des cordes cosmiques, defauts topologiques se formant lors de la brisure spontanee de theories de grande unification dans l'univers primordial.J’y montre notamment comment etudier ces defauts en prenant en compte la structure complete des theories de physique des particules dont ils sont issus, ce qui represente une avancee importante par rapport a la description courante en termes de modeles ”jouets”tres simplifies. La deuxieme partie de cette these consiste en la construction et l'etude de differentes theories de gravite modifiee liees au modele de Galileon, un modele tentant notamment d'expliquer la phenomenologie liee a l'energie noire.
Characterization of a tightly controlled promoter of the halophilic archaeon Haloferax volcanii and its use in the analysis of the essential cct1 gene

A system where archaeal gene expression could be controlled by simple manipulation of growth conditions would enable the construction of conditional lethal mutants in essential genes, and permit the controlled overproduction of proteins in their native host. As tools for the genetic manipulation of Haloferax volcanii are well developed, we set out to identify promoters with a wide dynamic range of expression in this organism. Tryptophan is the most costly amino acid for the cell to make, so we reasoned that tryptophan‐regulated promoters might be good candidates. Microarray analysis of H. volcanii gene expression in the presence and absence of tryptophan identified a tryptophanase gene (tna) that showed strong induction in the presence of tryptophan. qRT‐PCR revealed a very fast response and an up to 100‐fold induction after tryptophan addition. This result has been confirmed using three independent reporter genes (cct1, pyrE2 and bgaH). Vectors containing this promoter will be very useful for investigating gene function in H. volcanii and potentially in other halophilic archaea. To demonstrate this, we used the promoter to follow the consequences of depletion of the essential chaperonin protein CCT1, and to determine the ability of heterologous CCT proteins to function in H. volcanii.
Genetic factors for alcohol dependence and schizophrenia: common and rare variants.

Alcohol dependence (AD) is a complex disease, with devastating effects on individuals, families and society. It is estimated that 76.3 million people worldwide suffered from alcohol use disorders (AUD) (WHO, 2004). In the United States (US), more than18 million adults (7% of the population) have been diagnosed with AUD including alcohol abuse or dependence (Li et al., 2004). Family, twin, and adoption studies have indicated that genetic and environmental factors and their interactions contribute to the development of AD, with a heritability of more than 0.5 (Goldman et al., 2005; Heath et al., 1997; Schuckit, 2000). Schizophrenia (SCZ) is a mental disorder characterized by auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking with significant social or occupational dysfunction. It is estimated that 1% of the population may suffer from schizophrenia worldwide (Mowry 2001). Approximately 2.4 million US adults (about 1.1 percent of the population aged 18 and older in a given year) have schizophrenia (Regier 1993, US census bureau 2005). SCZ is a multifactorial disorder characterized, to a large extent, by the contribution of multiple susceptibility genes, which may interact, in a stochastic manner, with epigenetic processes and environmental factors (Karayiorgou et al., 2006; Danese, 2006). SCZ is known to be a multifactorial disorder with a demonstrated heritability of 80% in family studies and meta-analysis of multiple twin studies (Gejman et al., 2010; Sullivan 2003). Epidemiological studies have shown that there is a high alcohol/substance use disorder comorbidity rate in schizophrenia; however, the interrelationship between AD and SCZ is very complex. Previous study has suggested that chronic alcohol dependence alone can result in a chronic, schizophrenia-like psychosis (alcoholic hallucinosis) which cannot be distinguished from schizophrenia on the basis of psychopathological or clinical symptoms; however, recent clinical and epidemiological studies have pointed at a significantly increased prevalence for substance abuse and dependence in schizophrenia, especially of alcohol (Soyka 1994). However, the hypothesis that substance abuse causes schizophrenia is not generally supported (Hambrecht 96). Recently, one study has reported that individuals with SCZ are at increased risk for developing substance abuse disorders (Krystal et al., 2006); while another study has indicated that approximately every fifth patient with schizophrenia has lifetime AUD diagnosis (Koskinen 2009). More recently, it is suggested that AUDs are a common sequela of schizophrenia (Jones 2011).
Impact of solid Earth tide models on GPS coordinate and tropospheric time series

Unmodelled sub‐daily periodic signals can propagate into time series of daily geodetic coordinates and tropospheric estimates at various different frequencies. Geophysical interpretations of geodetic products, particularly at seasonal timescales, can therefore be affected by poorly modelled signals in the geodetic analysis. In this study, we use two solid Earth tide models (IERS2003 and IERS1992) and analyses of global GPS data to demonstrate how this process occurs. Aliased annual and semi‐annual signals are evident in the vertical component of the GPS time series, with the amplitudes increasing as a function of latitude up to approximately 2.0 and 0.4 mm, respectively. Tropospheric zenith delay estimates show differences at the 2 mm level, with a dominant diurnal frequency. These results have significant implications in regard to the geophysical interpretation of GPS time series computed using the outdated IERS1992 model and, more generally, for any mis‐ or unmodelled periodic signals that affect geodetic sites.
Sensitivity and False Alarm Rate of a Fall Sensor in Long-Term Fall Detection in the Elderly

Background: About a third of home-dwelling older people fall each year, and institutionalized older people even report a two- or threefold higher rate for falling. Automatic fall detection systems have been developed to support the independent and secure living of the elderly. Even though good fall detection sensitivity and specificity in laboratory settings have been reported, knowledge about the sensitivity and specificity of these systems in real-life conditions is still lacking. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term fall detection sensitivity and false alarm rate of a fall detection prototype in real-life use. Methods: A total of 15,500 h of real-life data from 16 older people, including both fallers and nonfallers, were monitored using an accelerometry-based sensor system with an implemented fall detection algorithm. Results: The fall detection system detected 12 out of 15 real-life falls, having a sensitivity of 80.0%, with a false alarm rate of 0.049 alarms per usage hour with the implemented real-time system. With minor modification of data analysis the false alarm rate was reduced to 0.025 false alarms per hour, equating to 1 false fall alarm per 40 usage hours. Conclusion: These data suggest that automatic accelerometric fall detection systems might offer a tool for improving safety among older people.
Non-local heat transport in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas

Non-local heat transport experiments were performed in Alcator C-Mod ohmic L-mode plasmas by inducing edge cooling with laser blow-off impurity (CaF2) injection. The non-local effect, a cooling of the edge electron temperature with a rapid rise of the central electron temperature, which contradicts the assumption of ‘local’ transport, was observed in low collisionality linear ohmic confinement (LOC) regime plasmas. Transport analysis shows this phenomenon can be explained either by a fast drop of the core diffusivity, or the sudden appearance of a heat pinch. In high collisionality saturated ohmic confinement (SOC) regime plasmas, the thermal transport becomes ‘local’: the central electron temperature drops on the energy confinement time scale in response to the edge cooling. Measurements from a high resolution imaging x-ray spectrometer show that the ion temperature has a similar behaviour as the electron temperature in response to edge cooling, and that the transition density of non-locality correlates with the rotation reversal critical density. This connection may indicate the possible connection between thermal and momentum transport, which is also linked to a transition in turbulence dominance between trapped electron modes (TEMs) and ion temperature gradient (ITG) modes. Experiments with repetitive cold pulses in one discharge were also performed to allow Fourier analysis and to provide details of cold front propagation. These modulation experiments showed in LOC plasmas that the electron thermal transport is not purely diffusive, while in SOC the electron thermal transport is more diffusive like. Linear gyrokinetic simulations suggest the turbulence outside r/a = 0.75 changes from TEM dominance in LOC plasmas to ITG mode dominance in SOC plasmas.
Influence on flexibility of networked C2 structure with different importance of tasks

It is extremely important to optimize the C2 structure to suit to the information warfare. The proposed networked C2 structure, which is composed of a C2 capacity array and a task array, based on the long chain system in industry, aims to fill the gap. This article lucubrates two typical systems, the long chain system (LCS) and 3-chain system (3CS), to explore how they perform when tasks array with value weight array. By the research we find that the typical networked C2 systems, long chain and 3-chian system, have high flexibility to meet the situation when the combat tasks array has different value weights and have high flexibility to meet the changeable tasks in practical battlefield.