Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tumour necrosis factor-alpha in comparison to adenosine deaminase in tuberculous pleuritis.

BACKGROUND Adenosine deaminase (ADA) is already used for the differential diagnosis of tuberculosis pleurisy. Tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF) is another marker which has been investigated for this purpose. OBJECTIVE We evaluated the diagnostic value of pleural fluid and serum TNF concentrations in tuberculous pleuritis and compared them to ADA. METHODS Sixty-two patients (24 tuberculous pleuritis, 38 non-tuberculous pleuritis) with exudative pleurisy were included. Serum and pleural fluid TNF concentrations were determined in all patients and ADA activity in 54 patients. Pleural fluid TNF concentrations and pleural fluid/serum TNF were compared to pleural fluid ADA activity and pleural fluid/serum ADA. RESULTS When the tuberculous and non-tuberculous groups were compared, pleural fluid TNF concentrations (65.4 +/- 136.9 pg/ml vs. 54.5 +/- 144.2 pg/ml, respectively; p < 0.001), pleural fluid ADA activity (74.2 +/- 33.3 U/l vs. 23 +/- 16.3 U/l; p < 0.0001), pleural fluid/serum TNF (2.55 +/- 5.23 vs. 0.26 +/- 0.2; p < 0.001) and pleural fluid/serum ADA (4.58 +/- 8.14 vs. 1.15 +/- 0.7; p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the tuberculous group. When cut-off points were assessed, 8 pg/ml and 40 U/l were found for pleural fluid TNF concentrations and pleural fluid ADA activity, respectively. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve were 87.5%, 76.3%, 0.772 for pleural fluid TNF concentrations and 90.9%, 89.5%, 0.952 for pleural fluid ADA activity, respectively; the difference between these areas under the curves was significant (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Pleural fluid TNF levels and pleural fluid/serum TNF were higher in tuberculous effusions than in other exudates, but their diagnostic value appears to be poorer than that of ADA.
Job Strain, Effort-Reward Imbalance and Mental Distress: A study of occupations in general medical practice

There is increasing evidence to support the predictive power of social epidemiological models such as Effort-Reward Imbalance (Siegrist, 1996) and the Job-Strain Model (Karasek, and Theorell, 1990) for explaining occupational stress, although it has been suggested that the models may have distinctive contributions towards explaining work stress in specific work settings. Alternatively, it has been suggested that the explanatory power of the different models might be enhanced if they were combined. The aim of this paper is to explore these questions by examining the power of the two different models both separately and in combination for explaining job satisfaction and mental distress in general medical practice. This analysis was based on data collected from a postal survey of the members of staff (N=1089, response rate = 70%) of 81 practices, which were randomly selected from all general practices in the National Health Service Executive South East region. The results show that while both models were predictors of mental distress and job satisfaction the models that combined different dimensions were the strongest predictors.
Treatment Strategies for Enhancing Motor Recovery in Stroke Rehabilitation

Motor dysfunction, the most common clinical accompaniment of stroke, is associated with functional disability, and is a major concern of patients and family. Although current strategies to treat motor deficits are largely educational and adaptive in nature, better understanding of the underlying physiologic and neurochemical processes that accompany motor recovery will result in improved treatments in the near future. The natural history of recovery of motor deficits following stroke, current treatment strategies, and current concepts likely to lead to new strategies are discussed.
A Heuristic Method for Scheduling Band Concert Tours

Scheduling band concert tours is an important and challenging task faced by many band management companies and producers. A band has to perform in various cities over a period of time, and the specic route they follow is subject to numerous constraints, such as: venue availability, travel limits, and required rest periods. A good tour must consider several objectives regarding the desirability of certain days of the week, as well as travel cost. We developed and implemented a heuristic algorithm in Java, which was based on simulated annealing, to automatically generate good tours that both satised the above constraints and improved objectives signicantly, when compared to the best manual tour created by the client. Our program also enabled the client to see and explore trade-os among objectives while choosing the best tour that meets the requirements of the business.
Distributed intensities: Whiteness, mestizaje and the logics of Mexican racism

By analysing racist moments, this article engages with debates about the existence of racism in Mexico and how whiteness, as an expression of such racism, operates. It draws on empirical research that explores Mexican women’s understandings of mestizaje (mixed-race discourses) and experiences of racism. It assesses how racism is lived, its distributed intensity, within the specific racist logics that organize everyday social life. I build upon arguments that Latin American racist logics emerge from the lived experience of mestizaje and its historical development as a political ideology and a complex configuration of national identity. Mestizaje enables whiteness to be experienced as both normalized and ambiguous, not consistently attached to the (potentially) whiter body, but as a site of legitimacy and privilege.
Prospective study of sentinel lymph node biopsy for conjunctival melanoma

Background To report our experience with sentinel lymph node biopsy for staging patients with conjunctival melanoma. Methods A prospective review of patients with conjunctival melanoma who underwent sentinel lymph node biopsy at St Bartholomew's Hospital from May 2008 to May 2012. The selection criterion for sentinel node biopsy depended on the tumour thickness (≥2 mm) and location of the conjunctival melanoma. The main outcome measures were the incidence of sentinel lymph node positivity and the procedure-related complications. Results In 4 years, 26 out of 70 patients met the selection criteria for sentinel lymph node biopsy. 4 patients declined and 22 patients consented for the procedure. Technetium-99m failed to identify a sentinel lymph node in four of the 22 patients (18%). Of the remaining 18 patients, two were found to have subclinical micrometastasis in regional lymph nodes. Median follow-up was 20 months (range 6–36 months). No false-negative events were observed. Complications of the procedure included transient blue staining of the epibulbar surface in five patients and transient facial nerve palsy in one patient. Conclusions Sentinel lymph node biopsy is a safe procedure with minimal complications. It should be considered for the staging of conjunctival melanomas, especially melanomas in non-limbal location or conjunctival melanomas ≥2 mm thick.
Descendant root volume varies as a function of root type: estimation of root biomass lost during uprooting in Pinus pinaster

Root systems of woody plants generally display a strong relationship between the cross-sectional area or cross-sectional diameter (CSD) of a root and the dry weight of biomass (DWd) or root volume (Vd) that has grown (i.e., is descendent) from a point. Specification of this relationship allows one to quantify root architectural patterns and estimate the amount of material lost when root systems are extracted from the soil. However, specifications of this relationship generally do not account for the fact that root systems are comprised of multiple types of roots. We assessed whether the relationship between CSD and Vd varies as a function of root type. Additionally, we sought to identify a more accurate and time-efficient method for estimating missing root volume than is currently available. We used a database that described the 3D root architecture of Pinus pinaster root systems (5, 12, or 19 years) from a stand in southwest France. We determined the relationship between CSD and Vd for 10,000 root segments from intact root branches. Models were specified that did and did not account for root type. The relationships were then applied to the diameters of 11,000 broken root ends to estimate the volume of missing roots. CSD was nearly linearly related to the square root of Vd, but the slope of the curve varied greatly as a function of root type. Sinkers and deep roots tapered rapidly, as they were limited by available soil depth. Distal shallow roots tapered gradually, as they were less limited spatially. We estimated that younger trees lost an average of 17% of root volume when excavated, while older trees lost 4%. Missing volumes were smallest in the central parts of root systems and largest in distal shallow roots. The slopes of the curves for each root type are synthetic parameters that account for differentiation due to genetics, soil properties, or mechanical stimuli. Accounting for this differentiation is critical to estimating root loss accurately.
Diffusion and Adoption of Thematic Interpretation at an Interpretive Historic Site

Abstract Thematic interpretation has become a standard approach in both natural and cultural heritage interpretation programs and institutions across the world have begun the process of training their staff in the thematic approach. Depending on many factors, successful transition to this new way of thinking can be fast or slow, smooth or difficult. Using the recent experience of Sovereign Hill (a well-known outdoor museum in Victoria, Australia) as a case-study, this paper examines the diffusion and adoption of the thematic interpretive approach in order to explore the extent to which the process, from conception to adoption, is occurring at Sovereign Hill. At an organizational level, Sovereign Hill is seen as possessing an advantageous combination of factors that can facilitate and accelerate the adoption process, along with predictable barriers. Rogers7’ ‘diffusion and adoption model’ offers a useful conceptual framework for understanding how organisations like Sovereign Hill gradually embrace this new way of approaching interpretation. Implications for training and institutional adaptation are presented.
Aqueous outflow-enhancing effect of tert-butylhydroquinone: involvement of AP-1 activation and MMP-3 expression.

PURPOSE To test the effect of stimulators of activator protein (AP)-1, on expression of stromelysin (MMP-3) in human TM cells and on aqueous outflow in perfused human anterior segments. METHODS Change in MMP-3 expression was determined by immunoassay of proMMP-3 levels in the media of cultured human TM cells. Anterior segments of human donor eyes with or without glaucoma were perfused with vehicle or the AP-1 stimulator tert-butylhydroquinone (tBHQ). The outflow rates or intraocular pressure (IOP), and proMMP-3 levels in the perfusate were monitored. RESULTS AP-1 stimulators, such as beta-naphthoflavone, 3-methylcholanthrene, and tBHQ, significantly upregulated (2-4-fold) TM cell expression of MMP-3. The stimulatory effect of tBHQ was concentration dependent, with an EC(50) of approximately 3 micro M, and was blocked by concomitant treatment with 100 nM SR11302, which sequesters AP-1. When nonglaucomatous human eyes were perfused with tBHQ (10 micro M), both outflow rates and perfusate proMMP-3 level increased significantly within the first 24 hours. The outflow effect of tBHQ was suppressed when SR11302 (100 nM) was added in the perfusate. tBHQ also lowered the IOP by more than 40% in perfused glaucomatous eyes. CONCLUSIONS An AP-1 activator, tBHQ, upregulated expression of MMP-3 in cultured human TM cells and perfused human eyes and enhanced outflow ex vivo. These effects were blocked by sequestering AP-1, suggesting that activation of AP-1 can lead to increased MMP-3 production in the TM, which in turn improves outflow facility. This unique mechanism may provide a novel therapy for glaucoma.
Designing for effective end-user interaction with machine learning

End-user interactive machine learning is a promising tool for enhancing human capabilities with large data. Recent work has shown that we can create end-user interactive machine learning systems for specific applications. However, we still lack a generalized understanding of how to design effective end-user interaction with interactive machine learning systems. My dissertation work aims to advance our understanding of this question by investigating new techniques that move beyond naïve or ad-hoc approaches and balance the needs of both end-users and machine learning algorithms. Although these explorations are grounded in specific applications, we endeavored to design strategies independent of application or domain specific features. As a result, our findings can inform future end-user interaction with machine learning systems.
Hippocampal Injections of Oligomeric Amyloid β-peptide (1–42) Induce Selective Working Memory Deficits and Long-lasting Alterations of ERK Signaling Pathway

Increasing evidence suggests that abnormal brain accumulation of soluble rather than aggregated amyloid-β1–42 oligomers (Aβo(1–42)) plays a causal role in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, as yet, animal’s models of AD based on oligomeric amyloid-β1–42 injections in the brain have not investigated their long-lasting impacts on molecular and cognitive functions. In addition, the injections have been most often performed in ventricles, but not in the hippocampus, in spite of the fact that the hippocampus is importantly involved in memory processes and is strongly and precociously affected during the early stages of AD. Thus, in the present study, we investigated the long-lasting impacts of intra-hippocampal injections of oligomeric forms of Aβo(1–42) on working and spatial memory and on the related activation of ERK1/2. Indeed, the extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) which is involved in memory function had been found to be activated by amyloid peptides. We found that repeated bilateral injections (1injection/day over 4 successive days) of oligomeric forms of Aβo(1–42) into the dorsal hippocampus lead to long-lasting impairments in two working memory tasks, these deficits being observed 7 days after the last injection, while spatial memory remained unaffected. Moreover, the working memory deficits were correlated with sustained impairments of ERK1/2 activation in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) and the septum, two brain areas tightly connected with the hippocampus and involved in working memory. Thus, our study is first to evidence that sub-chronic injections of oligomeric forms of Aβo(1–42) into the dorsal hippocampus produces the main sign of cognitive impairments corresponding to the early stages of AD, via long-lasting alterations of an ERK/MAPK pathway in an interconnected brain networks.
Working Memory and Reading: A Life-span Perspective

The relationships among working memory, memory span, and reading skills were studied in 1266 individuals, aged 6-49. They were administered tests of word recognition, pseudoword decoding, reading comprehension, a working memory (listening span) task that required the simultaneous processing of syntax and the recall of linguistic information, and a short-term memory task that required the recall of rhyming or nonrhyming letters presented visually. The results indicated that there is a gradual growth in the development of working memory skills from ages 6 to 19 and a gradual decline after adolescence. The short-term memory task did not show a decline in performance among older individuals. On both of these memory tasks and at most of the age levels, individuals with a reading disability performed at significantly lower levels than individuals with normal reading skills. An important component of the development of reading skills appears to be memory for verbal information. Age-related declines in memory appear to be related to the processing demands of the task, which may affect the degree to which rehearsal strategies are possible within the task.
Keeping Them Off the Corner

We present a typology of tactics used by probation officers to steer probationers away from day-to-day crime opportunities based on 40 qualitative officer interviews. Concerns about probationers’ unstructured activities, time at crime-prone locations, and “at-risk” social interactions led officers to reduce probationers’ unstructured time, set limits to locations and persons with whom they associated, and coach them to side-step such opportunities. In support of these tactics, they collaborated with community handlers, worked to enhance probationers’ motivation and deter them from risky activities, leveraged probation conditions, and encouraged alternative activities.
A Cross-Layer-Based Clustered Multipath Routing with QoS-Aware Scheduling for Wireless Multimedia Sensor Networks

Wireless multimedia sensor networks (WMSNs) can handle different traffic classes of multimedia content (video, audio streams, and still images) as well as scalar data over the network. To ensure correct delivery of real-time multimedia data and efficient resource utilization, a proposed solution should provide both quality of service (QoS) assurance and energy efficiency. In this paper, we propose a cross-layer-based routing protocol that can utilize MAC-layer QoS-based scheduling for more efficient routing mechanism in WMSNs. Our proposed optimization is based on clustered multipath routing protocol and adaptive QoS-aware scheduling for the different traffic classes in WMSNs. Our design exploits the hierarchical structure of powerful cluster heads and the optimized multiple paths along with the adaptive scheduling to support reliable, high-throughput, and energy-efficient multimedia transmission in WMSNs. Simulation results show a significant performance improvement of our proposed design when compared to other similar routing schemes.
The Parallels Between Philosophical Inquiry and Scientific Inquiry: Implications for science education

The ‘community of inquiry’ as formulated by C. S. Peirce is grounded in the notion of communities of discipline‐based inquiry engaged in the construction of knowledge. The phrase ‘transforming the classroom into a community of inquiry’ is commonly understood as a pedagogical activity with a philosophical focus to guide classroom discussion. But it has a broader application. Integral to the method of the community of inquiry is the ability of the classroom teacher to actively engage in the theories and practices of discipline‐based communities of inquiry so as to become informed by the norms of the disciplines, not only to aspire to competence within the disciplines, but also to develop habits of self‐correction for reconstructing those same norms when faced with novel problems and solutions, including those in the classroom. This has implications for science education and the role of educational philosophy in developing students' ability to think scientifically. But it also has broader implications for thinking critically within all key learning areas. Here we concentrate on science education. We present the parallels between philosophical inquiry and scientific inquiry that need to be realised to promote and engage with scientific inquiry in the classroom. We also discuss the conflicts between philosophical inquiry and the way inquiry science in the classroom is portrayed in the education literature. Based on philosophical and historical perceptions of science as inquiry, a practical approach to implementation of scientific inquiry in the science classroom is presented.
Executing Long-Running Transactions in Synchronization-Free Main Memory Database Systems

Powerful servers and growing DRAM capacities have initiated the development of main-memory DBMS, which avoid lock-based concurrency control by executing transactions serially on partitions. While allowing for unprecedentedly high throughput for homogeneous workloads consisting of short pre-canned transactions, heterogeneous workloads also containing long-running transactions cannot be executed efciently. In this paper, we present our approach, called ‘tentative execution’, which retains the high throughput of serial execution for good-natured transactions while, at the same time, allowing for long-running and otherwise ill-natured transactions to be executed. To achieve this, we execute longrunning transactions on a consistent snapshot and integrate their eects into the main database using a deterministic and short apply transaction. We discuss various implementation choices and oer an in-depth evaluation based on our main-memory database system prototype HyPer.
A Preliminary Examination of the Relationship between Exposure to Community Violence and Academic Functioning.

This article provides a preliminary examination of the relationship between exposure to community violence and academic functioning in a group of 45 African American children (mean age = 12.8 years) living in an impoverished urban environment. In addition, the role of family achievement expectations and religion, two previously identified family compensatory factors related to academic resilience, were evaluated as moderators of the relationship between community violence and academic functioning. Results suggested that exposure to community violence had only a weak relationship with academic functioning in general, but that relationship was intensified under certain circumstances. Significant interactions between exposure to community violence, and both family achievement orientation and religious emphasis suggest that exposure to community violence may alter the role of previously identified compensatory factors. Children who perceived very high achievement expectations and a very strong moral-religious emphasis were most at risk for poor academic functioning as exposure to community violence increased, although children from these types of families displayed the highest academic functioning at lower levels of community violence exposure.
Making data prefetch smarter: Adaptive prefetching on POWER7

Hardware data prefetch engines are integral parts of many general purpose server-class microprocessors in the field today. Some prefetch engines allow the user to change some of their parameters. The prefetcher, however, is usually enabled in a default configuration during system bring-up and dynamic reconfiguration of the prefetch engine is not an autonomic feature of current machines. Conceptually, however, it is easy to infer that commonly used prefetch algorithms, when applied in a fixed mode will not help performance in many cases. In fact, they may actually degrade performance due to useless bus bandwidth consumption and cache pollution. In this paper, we present an adaptive prefetch scheme that dynamically modifies the prefetch settings in order to adapt to the workload requirements. We implement and evaluate adaptive prefetching in the context of an existing, commercial processor, namely the IBM POWER7. Our adaptive prefetch mechanism improves performance with respect to the default prefetch setting up to 2.7X and 30% for single-threaded and multiprogrammed workloads, respectively.