Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
In Vitro and In Vivo Studies of a Rapid and Selective Breath Test for Tuberculosis Based upon Mycobacterial CO Dehydrogenase

ABSTRACT One of the major hurdles in treating tuberculosis (TB) is the time-consuming and difficult methodology for diagnosis. Stable-isotope breath tests hold great potential for rapidly diagnosing an infectious disease, monitoring therapy, and determining a bacterial phenotype in a rapid, point-of-care manner that does not require invasive sampling. Here we describe the preclinical development of a potentially highly selective TB diagnostic breath test based upon the organism’s CO dehydrogenase activity. After development of the test in vitro, we were able to use the breath test to discriminate between infected and control rabbits, demonstrating that a diagnosis can potentially be made and also that a complex bacterial phenotype can be noninvasively and rapidly studied in the host. IMPORTANCE Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major infectious cause of disease and death worldwide, and effective diagnosis and then treatment are the tools with which we fight TB. The more quickly and more specific the diagnosis can be made, the better, and this is also true of diagnosis being as close to the patient (point of care) as possible. Here we report our preclinical development of breath tests based upon specific mycobacterial metabolism that could, with development, allow rapid point-of-care diagnosis through measuring the mycobacterial conversion of labeled CO to labeled CO2. Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major infectious cause of disease and death worldwide, and effective diagnosis and then treatment are the tools with which we fight TB. The more quickly and more specific the diagnosis can be made, the better, and this is also true of diagnosis being as close to the patient (point of care) as possible. Here we report our preclinical development of breath tests based upon specific mycobacterial metabolism that could, with development, allow rapid point-of-care diagnosis through measuring the mycobacterial conversion of labeled CO to labeled CO2.
A multispectral view of the periodic events in η Carinae

A full description of the 5.5-yr low excitation events in η Carinae is presented. We show that they are not as simple and brief as previously thought, but a combination of two components. The first, the slow variation component, is revealed by slow changes in the ionization level of circumstellar matter across the whole cycle and is caused by gradual changes in the wind–wind collision shock-cone orientation, angular opening and gaseous content. The second, the collapse component, is restricted to around the minimum, and is due to a temporary global collapse of the wind–wind collision shock. High-energy photons (E > 16 eV) from the companion star are strongly shielded, leaving the Weigelt objects at low-ionization state for more than six months. High-energy phenomena are sensitive only to the collapse, low energy only to the slow variation and intermediate energies to both components. Simple eclipses and mechanisms effective only near periastron (e.g. shell ejection or accretion on to the secondary star) cannot account for the whole 5.5-yr cycle. We find anti-correlated changes in the intensity and the radial velocity of P Cygni absorption profiles in Fe iiλ6455 and He iλ7065 lines, indicating that the former is associated to the primary and the latter to the secondary star. We present a set of light curves representative of the whole spectrum, useful for monitoring the next event (2009 January 11).
Learning Deep Latent Gaussian Models with Markov Chain Monte Carlo

Deep latent Gaussian models are powerful and popular probabilistic models of highdimensional data. These models are almost always fit using variational expectationmaximization, an approximation to true maximum-marginal-likelihood estimation. In this paper, we propose a different approach: rather than use a variational approximation (which produces biased gradient signals), we use Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC, which allows us to trade bias for computation). We find that our MCMC-based approach has several advantages: it yields higher held-out likelihoods, produces sharper images, and does not suffer from the variational overpruning effect. MCMC’s additional computational overhead proves to be significant, but not prohibitive.
Comparison between Centralized & Decentralized Overlay Networks for Media Streaming

paper we examine the performance of two types of Overlay networks i.e. Peer-to-Peer (P2P) & Content Delivery Network (CDN) media streaming using Multiple Description Coding (MDC). In both the approaches many servers simultaneously serve one requesting client with complementary descriptions. This approach improves reliability and decreases the data rate a server has to provide. We have implemented both approaches in the ns-2 network simulator. The experimental results indicate that the performance of Multiple Description Coding-based media streaming in case of P2P network is better than CDN.
Smallholder farmers’ perceptions and constraints on the use of alternative energy sources to miombo wood and energy-efficient barns

Abstract Flue-cured tobacco consumes large quantities of wood, therefore, use of alternative energy sources to preferred indigenous miombo wood and energy-efficient barns may reduce tobacco-related deforestation of miombo woodlands. The objective of this study was to identify smallholder farmers’ perceptions and constraints on use of alternative energy sources to miombo wood and energy-efficient barns for tobacco curing, and identify factors affecting type of barn owned in Zimbabwe’s tobacco growing belt. Multistage sampling of tobacco growers from districts lists, was used to select 200 smallholder farmers. In addition, twelve key informants were interviewed. Semi-structured questionnaires were administered to the respondents. Multinomial regression was used to analyse factors affecting type of barn owned and all the other variables were analysed using descriptive statistics. Eucalyptus species were perceived to have low calorific value, coal was associated with health problems and Bamboo (Oxytenanthera abyssinica) was deemed unsuitable for tobacco curing. Unavailability of electricity was cited as a constraint to the use of coal. Farmers with tertiary education and females were more likely to own more energy-efficient barns, relative to conventional barns. Setting up of electricity-powered tobacco processing centres, and demonstrations on energy-efficient barns and alternative energy sources in communities are recommended.
Structured Arc Reversal and Simulation of Dynamic Probabilistic Networks

We present an algorithm for arc reversal in Bayesian networks with tree-structured conditional probability tables, and consider some of its advantages, especially for the simulation of dynamic probabilistic networks. In particular, the method allows one to produce CPTs for nodes involved in the reversal that exploit regularities in the conditional distributions. We argue that this approach alleviates some of the overhead associated with arc reversal, plays an important role in evidence integration and can be used to restrict sampling of variables in DPNs. We also provide an algorithm that detects the dynamic irrelevance of state variables in forward simulation. This algorithm exploits the structured CPTs in a reversed network to determine, in a time-independent fashion, the conditions under which a variable does or does not need to be sampled.
Functional Characterization of Bone Morphogenetic Protein Binding Sites and Smad1/5 Activation in Human Vascular Cells

Mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) type II receptor (BMPR2) gene cause familial pulmonary arterial hypertension (FPAH), a disease characterized by excessive smooth muscle and endothelial cell proliferation. However, the specific receptors mediating responses to BMPs in human vascular cells are not known. We show that human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs) express high specific 125I-BMP4 binding, whereas human microvascular endothelial cells (HMEC-1) and human pulmonary artery endothelial cells (HPAECs) exhibit low binding. BMP4 competes for both high- and low-affinity 125I-BMP4 binding sites on HPASMCs, yet BMP2 competes only at the low-affinity binding sites. In addition, BMP4, but not BMP2, induced Smad1/5 phosphorylation at low concentrations in HPASMCs. Conversely, HMEC-1 cells exhibited a single binding site population with equal affinity for BMP2 and BMP4. In both cell types, growth differentiation factor-5 (GDF5), BMP6, and BMP7 stimulated Smad1/5 phosphorylation and competed for 125I-BMP4 less efficiently than BMP2 or BMP4. HPAECs exhibited weak Smad responses to BMPs. Expression analysis suggested the low binding in endothelial cells corresponded to lower ALK3 and ALK6 expression. Although transfection of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) for ALK3 and BMPR-II abrogated Smad1/5 phosphorylation to BMP4, BMP2, and GDF5 in HMEC-1 and HPASMCs, they had little effect on 125I-BMP4 binding. ALK6 siRNA did not alter binding or Smad1/5 responses, even to GDF5, a reported ALK6 selective ligand. Therefore, ALK3/BMPR-II is the BMP4/BMP2/GDF5-responsive receptor in human vascular cells, but these studies suggest that a BMP4/GDF5 selective binding protein exists in HPASMCs. These cell-specific differences in BMP responses are important for understanding the pathogenesis of FPAH.
Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome in a 65-Year-Old Male Linked to a Very Unusual Type of stx 2 e-and eae-Harboring O 51 : H 49 Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli

Dominique Fasel, Alexander Mellmann, Nicole Cernela, Herbert Hächler, Angelika Fruth, Nina Khanna, Adrian Egli, Christiane Beckmann, Hans H. Hirsch, Daniel Goldenberger, Roger Stephan Division of Infectious Diseases and Hospital Epidemiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Institute of Hygiene and the National Consulting Laboratory for Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome, University of Münster, Münster, Germany; Institute for Food Safety and Hygiene, National Centre for Enteropathogenic Bacteria and Listeria, University of Zürich, Zürich, Switzerland; Robert Koch Institute (RKI), Wernigerode, Germany; Division of Clinical Microbiology, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Transplantation and Clinical Virology, Department Biomedicine Haus Petersplatz, University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland; Division of Infection Diagnostics, Department Biomedicine (Haus Petersplatz), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland
PERFORMANCE ENHANCEMENT OF DYNAMIC CHANNEL ALLOCATION IN CELLULAR MOBILE NETWORKS BASED ON CARRIER -TO -NOISE INTERFERENCE RATIO

In cellular mobile communication system the existing dynamic channel allocation scheme suffer from high blocking probability and forced termination probability. To mitigate this problem, in this paper we evaluated the performance of dynamic channel allocation scheme based on carrier-to-noise interference ratio. In our system model, uplink power strength from a call-initiating user to the base station is examined. This power is provided by the carrier-to-noise ratio (C/N). The channel search is conducted in the repeated channel numbers of that cell based on the carrier-to-noise ratio so that this system provides the low blocking probability and initiates large number of calls in dynamic channel allocation environment. We have presented the momentous performance in blocking probability and forced termination probability through this research.
Effects Of Drill-pipe Whirling Motion On Cuttings Transport Performance For Horizontal Drilling

xv CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION . 1 1.1 Overview of Cuttings Transport Phenomena . 1 1.2 Basic Physics of Cuttings Transport Phenomena . 3 1.3 Cuttings Transport Mechanism in Inclined and Horizontal Wells . 5 1.4 Scope of the Study . 8 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW . 10 2.1 Cuttings Transport in Complex Structural Wells . 10 2.1.1 Experimental Studies . 10 2.1.2 Theoretical and Numerical Models . 14 2.1.3 Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) Approach . 16 2.2 Modeling of Unsteady Turbulent Flows . 20 2.3 Particulate Flow Modeling using CFD-DEM Coupling . 22 CHAPTER 3: STATEMENT OF PROBLEM AND NUMERICAL APPROACH . 24 CHAPTER 4: TURBULENT FLOW EFFECT ON CUTTINGS TRANSPORT PERFORMANCE . 27 4.1 Turbulence Modeling in CFD Applications . 28 4.1.1 Reynolds-Averaged Navier Stokes Turbulence Modeling . 29 4.1.2 Scale Resolving Simulation . 31 4.2 Non-Newtonian Turbulent Flows in Concentric and Eccentric Annulus without and with Inner Pipe Rotation.33 4.2.1 Initial and Boundary Conditions for Concentric Annular Flow . 33 4.2.2 Results: Velocity Profiles for Non-Rotating and Rotating Flows in Concentric Annulus . 36 4.2.3 Initial and Boundary Conditions for Eccentric Annular Flow . 38 4.2. 4 Results: Velocity Profiles for Non-Rotating Flows in Eccentric Annulus . 39 4.2. 5 Results: Velocity Profiles for Rotating Flows in Eccentric Annulus . 42 4.3 Conclusion . 44
TGF-β Neutralization Enhances AngII-Induced Aortic Rupture and Aneurysm in Both Thoracic and Abdominal Regions

AngII and TGF-β interact in development of thoracic and abdominal aortic diseases, although there are many facets of this interaction that have not been clearly defined. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of TGF-β neutralization on AngII induced-aortic pathologies. Male C57BL/6J mice were administered with either a rabbit or mouse TGF-β neutralizing antibody and then infused with AngII. The rabbit TGF-β antibody modestly reduced serum TGF-β concentrations, with no significant enhancements to AngII-induced aneurysm or rupture. Administration of this rabbit TGF-β antibody in mice led to high serum titers against rabbit IgG that may have attenuated the neutralization. In contrast, a mouse TGF-β antibody (1D11) significantly increased rupture in both the ascending and suprarenal aortic regions, but only at doses that markedly decreased serum TGF-β concentrations. High doses of 1D11 antibody significantly increased AngII-induced ascending and suprarenal aortic dilatation. To determine whether TGF-β neutralization had effects in mice previously infused with AngII, the 1D11 antibody was injected into mice that had been infused with AngII for 28 days and were observed during continued infusion for a further 28 days. Despite near ablations of serum TGF-β concentrations, the mouse TGF-β antibody had no effect on aortic rupture or dimensions in either ascending or suprarenal region. These data provide further evidence that AngII-induced aortic rupture is enhanced greatly by TGF-β neutralization when initiated before pathogenesis.
Geographical Satellite and Survey Data for Prediction of Dengue Cases in Sukoharjo, Indonesia

Background: Dengue fever is a disease based on environment and still a health problem. Problems related to the dengue fever vector distribution factor in terms of the spread of vector space with the use of geographic data and survey data in order to predict the incidence of dengue in the region.Subjects and Methods: This study used analytic observational with cross sectional approach using modeling Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The sampling technique in this research is saturated sampling of secondary data Sukoharjo District Health Profile in 2011-2014, population data and data Geographic, then all the data were analyzed using multiple linear regression.Results: There is a positive relationship between the area per Km2 with the number of new cases of dengue fever, although the relationship was not statistically significant. (B = <0:01; CI -0.01 - 0:02; p = 0.310). There is a positive relationship between population density per soul / Km2dengan number of new cases of dengue fever, a significant relationship between population density with DHF cases. (B = <0:01; CI <0:01 to 0:01; p = 0.013). There is a negative relationship between topography per masl by the number of new cases of dengue fever, although the relationship was not statistically significant. (B = <0:01; CI -0.02 - 0:01; p = 0.335). There is a positive correlation between rainfall per mm / yr with the number of new cases of dengue fever, although the relationship was not statistically significant. (B = <0:01; CI <0:01 to 0:01; p = 0101). There is a positive relationship between river flow per ha by the number of new cases of dengue fever, although the relationship was not statistically significant. (B = 0:02; CI -0.01 - 0:03; p = 0318). There is a negative correlation between% Non Flick figure by the number of new cases of dengue fever, although the relationship was not statistically significant. (B = <0:01; CI -0.02 - 0:01; p = 0764). Conclusions: The increase in land area, population density, rainfall, river flow is predicted to affect the increase in dengue cases, whereas the increase ABJ predicted topography and affecting the decline of dengue cases in the district of Sukoharjo in 2011-2014.Keywords: geographical data and survey data, prediction of dengue casesCorrespondence: Dyah Kusumawati. Academy of Health Analyst 17 Agustus 1945, Semarang, Indonesia. Email: dyahkusumawatiwinarno@yahoo.co.id. Mobile: 085876563978Journal of Epidemiology and Public Health (2016), 1(1): 11-17https://doi.org/10.26911/jepublichealth.2016. 01.01. 02
Marchenko imaging by unidimensional deconvolution

Obtaining an accurate image of the subsurface still remains a great challenge for the seismic method. Migration algorithms aim mainly on positioning seismic events in complex geological contexts. Multiple reflections are typically not accounted for in this process, which can lead to the emergence of artefacts. In Marchenko imaging, we retrieve the complete up‐ and downgoing wavefields in the subsurface to construct an image without such artefacts. The quality of this image depends on the type of imaging condition that is applied. In this paper, we propose an imaging condition that is based on stabilized unidimensional deconvolution. This condition is computationally much cheaper than multidimensional deconvolution, which has been proposed for Marchenko imaging earlier. Two specific approaches are considered. In the first approach, we use the full up‐ and downgoing wavefields for deconvolution. Although this leads to balanced and relatively accurate amplitudes, the crosstalk is not completely removed. The second approach is to incorporate the initial focussing function in the deconvolution process, in such a way that the retrieval of crosstalk is avoided. We compare images with the results of the classical cross‐correlation imaging condition, which we apply to reverse‐time migrated wavefields and to the up‐ and downgoing wavefields that are retrieved by the Marchenko method.
On combining a semantic engine and flexible network policies for P2P knowledge sharing networks

Peer-to-peer (P2P) systems have recently become popular for content sharing, and a number of different approaches have been studied to perform effective content retrieval in such networks. We discuss how conventional P2P network policies for content retrieval could be combined with a semantic engine component to enforce peer-based knowledge sharing. The semantic engine exploits peer ontologies for providing a semantically rich representation of peer knowledge, and matching techniques for comparing ontologies of different peers for knowledge sharing and discovery purposes.
Text types in hypermedia

The discipline of narratology has long recognized the need to classify documents as instances of different text types. We have discovered that classification is as applicable to hypermedia as it is to any other document presentation. Following the work of S. Chatman (1978; 1990), we consider three such text types: description, argument and narrative. The goal of a description document is to describe some object or concept; this is usually achieved by describing component parts and then describing how those parts combine to constitute the entirety. An argument document, on the other hand, is concerned with establishing some assertion or point of view, and it is based on supporting evidence, as well as possible refutations and justifications for defeating those regulations. Finally, a narrative document recounts some sequence of events in time, addressing relationships such as causality and contingency among those events. We analyze these types through case studies that give an example of each as a hypermedia document. We then argue that this classification provides an organizational framework that facilitates the construction of outlines that serve the writer in preparing the actual content of a document. Such outlines can also benefit the reader's understanding of the content that the writer intended to convey; if the writer does not make those outlines available explicitly to the reader, the reader can use knowledge of the document type to construct his own version of those outlines. Finally, we review some early work in content based indexing and search of multimedia documents.
Academic Literacies: A Critical Review of a Core Information Systems Postgraduate Subject

This paper presents a case study review of a major assessment task in a core postgraduatelevel subject in the Information Systems (IS) discipline. Through a critical analysis, the review identified three types of literacies that the subject aims to distil in students: critical, academic and digital literacies. The critical analysis was used to identify whether, and how, students were taught these literacies through the completion of a major assessment, which asked students to review an existing information system. Three opportunities for improvement were identified, these were: greater use of scaffolding in the development of literacy skills; involving experts from across the institution and industry to develop student skills; and embedding technology within assessments. Validation of the case study findings to determine their generalizability is underway. It is envisaged that these three methods can be applied in any information systems subject to improve students’ literacies. Through their application, it is expected that students will be better equipped to deal with the continual changes they will face
Multiple trajectories of cigarette smoking and the intergenerational transmission of smoking: a multigenerational, longitudinal study of a Midwestern community sample.

OBJECTIVE To investigate the relation between developmental phenotypes of parental smoking (trajectories of smoking from adolescence to adulthood) and the intergenerational transmission of smoking to their adolescent children. DESIGN A longitudinal, multigenerational study of a midwestern community sample followed individuals from adolescence into adulthood and was combined with Web-based assessment of participants' spouses and adolescent children. Mixture modeling identified multiple trajectories of smoking, and path analyses related these trajectories to adolescents' smoking (beyond both parents' current smoking). Potential mediations were parental education and adolescents' personality characteristics. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE The outcome measure was adolescent smoking. RESULTS A parent's smoking trajectory had a unique effect on their adolescent's smoking, beyond both parents' current smoking and the parent's educational attainment. However, although adolescents' personality characteristics were related both to adolescent smoking and to their parents' smoking, these characteristics could not explain the effects of the parent's smoking trajectory. CONCLUSION Parents whose smoking had an early onset, steep acceleration, high levels of smoking, and persistence over time had the highest risk for intergenerational transmission of smoking to their adolescent children.