Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
[Neuroepidemiology in the eastern region of Colombia].

OBJECTIVE To determine the presence of eight neurological disorders (migraine, cerebrovascular disease, disorders of movement, peripheral neuropathy, mental retardation, epilepsy, dementia and the sequelas of head injuries) in the eastern region of Colombia. PATIENTS AND METHODS Using the neuro epidemiological protocol of the World Health Organization (WHO), modified by our group, together with a questionnaire to determine the sequelas of head injuries and the abbreviated mental test (Mini mental), we interviewed people in the municipalities of Bucaramanga, Piedecuesta and Aratoca. The persons suspected of having neurological disorders, who were over 12 years old, were evaluated by neurologists and those under 12 years old by a neuropaediatrician. RESULTS In the eastern region, 1,454 persons altogether were interviewed. Neurological conditions were suspected in 454 of these (31.2%), and confirmed in 437 (30.1%). The specific results for these neurological disorders and their respective confidence intervals (in brackets) were: migraine 198.8 (178.7 220.4); peripheral neuropathy: 26.8 (19.4 36.9); epilepsy: 22.7 (15.9 32.1); dementia: 17.9 (11.9 26.5); cerebrovascular disease: 17.2 (11.4 25.7); mental retardation and delayed nervous system development: 15.1 (9.7 23.2); extrapyramidal disorders: 8.3 (4.5 14.8); sequelas of head injuries: 6.9 (3.5 13.1). RESULTS These results, obtained using a modified version of a WHO protocol, together with dementia and the sequelas of head injuries, will permit the development of health policies and programmes for the control and treatment of neurological disorders prevalent in this region of Colombia
A Quantitative In Vitro Cultivation Technique to Determine Cell Number and Growth Rates in Strains of Crithidia bombi (Trypanosomatidae), a Parasite of Bumblebees

ABSTRACT. The protozoan parasite Crithidia bombi and its host, the bumblebee Bombus terrestris, are used as a model system for the study of the evolutionary ecology of host–parasite interactions. In order to study these interactions we established a method for in vitro cultivation of single parasite strains. Additionally, a high‐throughput method is developed for the determination of cell numbers in cultures by means of optical density (OD) measurements. The protocol for in vitro cultivation allowed for growing different strains on agar plates as well as in culture medium. A calibration curve for the relationship between cell number and OD has been developed. Subsequently, growth rates for different genotypes of C. bombi have been recorded. Significant differences in the growth rates and generation times between these genotypes were demonstrated. As this might be related to the virulence of the parasite, this relationship may be confirmed by in vivo growth rate determination. In comparison with conventional cell counting, the application of OD measurements allows for high‐throughput experiments as the time taken to record each sample is reduced by a factor of 30. The in vitro cultivation method allows for controlled infection experiments in order to study host–parasite interactions.
REWIMO

Industrial applications and cyber-physical systems rely on real-time wireless networks to deliver data in a timely and reliable manner. However, existing solutions provide these guarantees only for stationary nodes. In this article, we present REWIMO, a solution for real-time and reliable communications in mobile networks. REWIMO has a two-tier architecture composed of (i) infrastructure nodes and (ii) mobile nodes that associate with infrastructure nodes as they move. REWIMO employs an on-join bandwidth reservation approach and benefits from a set of techniques to efficiently reserve bandwidth for each mobile node at the time of its admission and over its potential data forwarding paths. To ensure association of mobile nodes with infrastructure nodes over high-quality links, REWIMO uses the two-phase scheduling technique to coordinate neighbor discovery with data transmission. To mitigate the overhead of handling network dynamics, REWIMO employs an additive scheduling algorithm, which is capable of additive bandwidth reservation without modifying existing schedules. Compared to the algorithms used by static real-time wireless networks, the techniques and the algorithms employed by REWIMO result in a significant increase in real-time capacity, enhanced reliability, and considerably faster handling of network dynamics.
Association of fatty acid-binding protein 2 and fat mass and obesity-associated gene polymorphism with primary open-angle glaucoma

Purpose: The present study was carried out to investigate the association of fatty acid-binding protein 2 (FABP2) and fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) gene polymorphism with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) cases and controls. Materials And Methods: This study includes 122 POAG cases and 112 controls. FABP2 and FTO gene polymorphisms in cases and controls were evaluated by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method. Results: The mean ages were 49.88 ± 12.34 and 53.74 ± 11.87 years in POAG cases and control groups, respectively. The FABP2 gene AA, AT, TT genotype frequencies were 12.90%, 62.40%, 24.80% in POAG cases and 20.60%, 64.70%, 14.70% in healthy controls, respectively. The frequencies of A and T allele in POAG cases were 44.06% and 55.94% as compared to 52.94% and 47.06% in the controls. The FTO gene AA, AT, TT genotype frequencies were 2.00%, 79.20%, 18.80% in cases and 0%, 75.50%, 24.50% in healthy controls, respectively. The frequencies of A and T allele in POAG cases were 41.58% and 58.42% as compared to 37.75% and 62.25% in the controls. No significant difference in the frequencies of FABP2 and FTO genotype was found between POAG cases and controls. Conclusion: We could not identify the possible association of FABP2 and FTO gene polymorphism with POAG; however, further studies with larger sample size in different population are require to clarify the role of FABP2 and FTO genes in susceptibility to POAG.
How the Blockchain Revolution Will Reshape the Consumer Electronics Industry [Future Directions]

Discusses how Blockchains will revolutionize the consumer electronics markets. Blockchains have attracted wide attention as the basis of the cryptocurrencies, e.g., bitcoin. Cryptocurrencies may or may not be the future of money, but blockchains are a different matter. Blockchains are considered a new form of information technology that could revolutionize technology, industry, and commerce. In this article, we analyze the winds of change currently blowing on the booming multibillion-dollar global consumer electronics (CE) industry. The revolutionary impact of blockchain technology on supply chain management is discussed as well as potential use cases for CE. We conclude by stating that blockchain technology has the power to make the CE industry a more transparent, safer, and honest place.
Secondhand effects of alcohol use among students in Vietnam

Background In many countries worldwide, heavy drinking can cause harm not only to drinkers but also to those around them. Objective To examine the prevalence and predictors of secondhand effects of alcohol use among students in Vietnam. Design In this cross-sectional study, a multistage sampling strategy was used to select 6,011 students (from the first to final study year) of 12 universities/faculties in four provinces in Vietnam. During class, students filled in a questionnaire asking for demographic information, and about alcohol-related problems and details of secondhand effects of alcohol during the past year. Exploratory factor analysis of the secondhand effects indicated two factors: non-bodily harm and bodily harm. A logistic regression model was used to explore the association between predictors and non-bodily harm and bodily harm. Results The prevalence of secondhand effects of alcohol is high among students in Vietnam: 77.5% had non-bodily effects and 34.2% had bodily effects. More than 37% of the population reported three to four non-bodily effects and more than 12% reported two to three bodily harms due to the drinking of others. However, most respondents who reported secondhand effects experienced these less than once per month. Factors most strongly associated with the yearly non-bodily harm were the weekly drinking habits of the people the respondents live with, and living in a smaller city; the factor most strongly associated with the yearly bodily harm was the respondent's own alcohol-related problems. Moreover, weekly drinking habits of the people the respondents live with, and respondent's own alcohol-related problems are strongly associated with the frequent experience of non-bodily and bodily effects of alcohol. Conclusions In addition to dealing with alcohol-related harm of drinkers themselves, preventing secondhand effects should also be a major focus of prevention policy.
Ultrasound evaluation of clobetasol propionate 0.05% foam application in psoriatic and healthy skin: a pilot study

The aim of the present study was to evaluate through ultrasound imaging the response to treatment of twice and once daily application of clobetasol propionate 0.05% foam on psoriatic skin as well as the atrophogenic potential of once daily application of the foam on healthy skin. The study included a total of 40 participants, 30 affected by Psoriasis vulgaris and 10 healthy volunteers. Patients with psoriasis were branched in two groups of 15 subjects: in the first group, clobetasol propionate 0.05% foam was applied twice daily for up to 2 weeks on targeted plaques, in the second group, it was applied once daily for up to 4 weeks. Ten healthy adult volunteers were instructed to apply the foam to a 4 × 4 cm area on the volar aspect of the forearm once daily for 4 weeks. Ultrasound evaluation was performed in all treated areas using a 20‐MHz B‐mode high‐resolution system (EasyScan Echo®, Business Enterprise, Trapani, Italy). At the end of the study, ultrasound showed a reduction of psoriatic skin thickness, with values equal to those of adjacent healthy skin, in all treated plaques. No differences in treatment efficacy between the two groups of patients with psoriasis were observed. As regards the healthy group, no ultrasound variations in skin thickness were observed at the end of the study. Ultrasound imaging, allowing an objective and reproducible measurement of skin thickness, is a useful technique for a noninvasive evaluation both of the efficacy of psoriasis treatment and of the potential side effects of topical corticosteroids.
The information content of implied volatility in developed versus developing FX markets

ABSTRACT This article predicts the daily movement of monthly foreign exchange (FX) rate volatility using a linear combination of a time-series model and implied volatilities from options. The focus is on analysing the FX volatilities in three developing economies (the Brazilian real (BRL), the Indian rupee (INR) and the Russian ruble (RUB)) against the US dollar (USD). The empirical exercise utilizes two time-series models, mixed data sampling (MIDAS) and GARCH. The analysis indicates that for both developed and developing economies the predictive power of MIDAS and that of GARCH is comparable. Further on in this article, we will ascertain whether the relationship between realized and implied volatility is fundamentally different in the case of developing economies from that among developed economies. Thus, we compare the pairs USD/BRL, USD/INR and USD/RUB against EURO/USD and USD/Japanese yen to determine the information content and predictive power of implied volatilities. Plots of the MIDAS coefficients show that the volatility is more persistent in developing economies than in developed economies.
Quinidine blocks cardiac sodium channels during opening and slow inactivation in guinea‐pig papillary muscle

1 In order to quantify the time‐and voltage‐dependent block of sodium channels by quinidine, we voltage clamped guinea‐pig papillary muscles and measured the maximum upstroke velocity () of the cardiac action potential. 2 Quinidine reduces presumably by blocking cardiac sodium channels. In therapeutic concentrations, quinidine causes a small amount of tonic block. Upon depolarization of the cardiac cell membrane, a use‐dependent block develops. 3 A slow component of use‐dependent block has time‐and voltage‐dependence similar to that of slow inactivation, develops for the duration of the depolarization or until a steady state is reached. 4 In addition, closely associated with the action potential upstroke, a fraction of the channels blocks very quickly. This represents block of activated or open channels. 5 Near the normal resting potential, channels recover from block with a time constant of 3 to 8 s. At more negative membrane potentials recovery from block occurs slightly faster, while at more positive potentials recovery from block proceeds somewhat more slowly. 6 In terms of the modulated receptor hypothesis, quinidine has a low affinity for the rested state, avidly blocks open sodium channels, but does not bind significantly to inactivated channels. In addition, quinidine blocks channels as they exhibit slow inactivation.
Patterned control of human locomotion

Abstract There is much experimental evidence for the existence of biomechanical constraints which simplify the problem of control of multi‐segment movements. In addition, it has been hypothesized that movements are controlled using a small set of basic temporal components or activation patterns, shared by several different muscles and reflecting global kinematic and kinetic goals. Here we review recent studies on human locomotion showing that muscle activity is accounted for by a combination of few basic patterns, each one timed at a different phase of the gait cycle. Similar patterns are involved in walking and running at different speeds, walking forwards or backwards, and walking under different loading conditions. The corresponding weights of distribution to different muscles may change as a function of the condition, allowing highly flexible control. Biomechanical correlates of each activation pattern have been described, leading to the hypothesis that the co‐ordination of limb and body segments arises from the coupling of neural oscillators between each other and with limb mechanical oscillators. Muscle activations need only intervene during limited time epochs to force intrinsic oscillations of the system when energy is lost.
A Power-Scalable DCO for Multi-Standard GSM/WCDMA Frequency Synthesizers

A Digitally Controlled Oscillator (DCO) whose power consumption can be reconfigured while maintaining an almost constant phase-noise figure-of-merit (FoM). This is achieved by using either a single-switch-pair or a complementary (i.e., double-switch-pair) oscillator topology, without disturbing the optimized LC tank of the DCO. The optimal power consumption in the complementary (P-N) configuration is reduced by 75% compared to the single-switch-pair (N-only) configuration, while the FoM is kept constant. Measurements on a 55 nm CMOS 4 GHz DCO prototype show a minimum phase noise of -129.3 dBc/Hz at 2 MHz offset from the carrier in the P-N configuration, and of -134.7 dBc/Hz in the N-only configuration, with a phase noise difference very close to the 6 dB expected from theory. The current consumption is 6 mA and 24 mA, respectively, resulting in approximately the same FoM of -185 dBc/Hz.
The genetic determinant of adhesive function in type 1 fimbriae of Escherichia coli is distinct from the gene encoding the fimbrial subunit

The role of type 1 fimbriae in the mannose-sensitive attachment of Escherichia coli to eucaryotic cells was investigated by deletion mutation analysis of a recombinant plasmid, pSH2, carrying the genetic information for the synthesis and expression of functional type 1 fimbriae. A mutant, pUT2002, containing a deletion remote from the structural gene encoding the 17-kilodalton subunit protein of type 1 fimbriae failed to agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes even though the bacteria expressed fimbriae morphologically and antigenically indistinguishable from those produced by the intact recombinant plasmid. Fimbriae isolated from pUT2002 failed to agglutinate guinea pig erythrocytes, but reacted with a monoclonal antibody specific for quaternary structural determinants of type 1 fimbriae. Moreover, the dissociated fimbrial subunits from this mutant were indistinguishable from normal fimbriae by their migration during electrophoresis in sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gels, by their reactivity with a monoclonal antibody directed against a subunit-specific epitope, and in enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays with monospecific antisera. These results indicate that the adhesive functions in type 1 fimbriae are dependent on a factor(s) encoded by a gene other than those required for synthesis, assembly, and expression of the structural 17-kilodalton subunit.
Increasing vigilance on the medical/surgical floor to improve patient safety.

AIM This paper reports a study designed to assess an automated non-invasive, patient vigilance system, the (L)G(1TM) system, for determining heart rate and respiration rate. The study uses collected data to optimize the (L)G(1TM)'s alert management scheme for medical/surgical wards. BACKGROUND Thousands of patients die unnecessarily each year because of compromised patient safety in hospitals. Economic pressures to reduce hospitalization costs, exacerbated by increasing nursing shortages, have created a need for new approaches to patient vigilance. Advanced technologies may help nurses to provide high-quality care while controlling costs and improving patient safety. METHODS Heart and respiration waveforms from 287 patients were captured by sensor arrays embedded in the mattress coverlets of their beds. No real-time monitoring was performed. Raw data were processed by proprietary algorithms and compared with data captured by a standard reference device. Alert performance was verified by hand-scoring the signal data and matching it against clinical events observed through a systematic review of each patient's medical record. The data were collected between June 2004 and February 2005. RESULTS Experimental algorithms for heart rate had an accuracy of -1.47 (sd 1.90) and a precision of 4.60 (sd 2.46). Respiration rate algorithms showed an accuracy of -0.94 (sd 1.26) and a precision of 4.02 (sd 1.17). Algorithms identified 178 true-positive physiological alerts on 15 patients. None of the events was deemed clinically significant at chart review. The combined false-positive alert rate for the algorithms was 0.007 events per hour. CONCLUSION This study demonstrates the accuracy and precision of the signal processing algorithms in the (L)G(1TM) system. Future work will focus on assessing the system's impact on patient outcomes and its integration into the nursing workflow.
National and International Returns to Scale in the Modern Theory of International Trade

Since the WWII the largest and fastest growing component of world trade has been the exchange of manufactures between industrialized economies. The emerging of the intraindustry trade has somewhat challenged and cast doubts on the traditional Heckscher-Ohlin-Samuelson (H-O-S) trade model. Economists have some insight into this phenomenon, and attention has accordingly shifted to influence of the product differentiation on the economies of scale. But their research has no little impact on the dominating trade theory. What's more, they cannot give sufficient explanation to the modern trade practices. This paper focuses on the differentiated producer goods and constructs a model yielding international returns to scale. It also employs this model to explore the relations between international returns, the traditional national returns to scale and the factor endowments theory of international trade.
Modeling and control of the heart left ventricle supported with a rotary assist device

A rotary left ventricular assist device (RLVAD) is a mechanical pump implanted in patients with congestive heart failure to assist their left ventricle in pumping blood through the circulatory system. This blood pump is controlled by varying the rotor speed to adjust the amount of blood flow pumped into the circulatory system. If the patient is in a health care facility, the pump speed can be adjusted manually by a trained clinician to meet the patient¿s blood needs depending on his or her activity level. However, an important challenge facing the increased use of the RLVAD is the desire to allow the patient to return home. The development of an appropriate feedback controller that is capable of automatically adjusting the pump speed is therefore a crucial step in meeting this challenge. In order to be able to develop such a controller an appropriate dynamic mathematical model of the combined cardiovascular system and RLVAD must first be developed. In this paper, we review progress on a state space model for this system that can be used to develop the controller. The model is 6th order, nonlinear, and time-varying and is a combination of a 5th order model of the left ventricle and circulatory system and a 1st order model of the RLVAD along with its inlet and outlet cannulae. The entire combined system is controlled by the rotational speed of the pump. Using this model we will discuss some of the challenges faced in the development of a useful feedback controller for this system. We will also present some preliminary results on a simple partial state feedback controller whose purpose is to prevent the occurrence of a dangerous phenomenon called ventricular suction.
Eccentric, nonspinning, inspiral, Gaussian-process merger approximant for the detection and characterization of eccentric binary black hole mergers

National Science Foundation [OCI-0725070, ACI-1238993]; State of Illinois; NCSA; SPIN (Students Pushing Innovation) Program at NCSA; CITA from NSERC of Canada; Ontario Early Researcher Awards Program; Canada Research Chairs Program; Canadian Institute for Advanced Research; European Union's Horizon research and innovation program under the Marie Sklodowska-Curie Grant [690904]; STFC Consolidator Grant [ST/L000636/1]; NSF [1550514]
Growth‐Phase Dependent Substrate Adhesion in Crithidia fasciculata

Abstract. Crithidia fasciculata is a trypanosomatid flagellate that parasitizes several species of mosquito. Within the alimentary tract of its host, C. fasciculata exists in two forms: one is a non‐motile form, attached in clusters to the lining of the gut, the other a more elongated form swimming freely in the gut lumen. We have developed an in vitro culture system that reproduces the appearance of these two distinct morphological forms. Using two different cultivation methods, shaking and stationary incubations, we have demonstrated that adherence phenotypes are growth‐phase dependent. Organisms in the logarithmic phase of growth possess the ability to adhere to substrates; this ability is lost when the organism enters a stationary growth phase. Parasite adherence was independent of cultivation method or substrate. Furthermore, adherent forms of Crithidia maintained their adhesive properties following their removal from substrates. Our data reveal a growth‐phase‐regulated process of cell attachment that may influence the transmission and dissemination of this parasitic flagellate.
Spatial and Color Adaptive Gamut Mapping: A Mathematical Framework and Two New Algorithms

A general framework for adaptive gamut mapping is presented in which a wide range of published spatial gamut mapping algorithms fit. Two new spatial and color adaptive gamut mapping algorithms are then introduced. Based on spatial color bilateral filtering, they take into account the color properties of the neighborhood of each pixel. Their goal is to preserve both the color values of the pixels and their relations between neighbors. Results of psychophysical experiments confirm the good performance of the proposed algorithms.