Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparison of Factor VIII concentrates in non-bleeding patients.

: The comparison of in vivo recovery of Factor VIII:C of 3 Factor VIII concentrates in two consecutive cross-over studies on non-bleeding patients suffering from a severe hemophilia A showed in both instances equally strong differences; values more than twice as high were obtained with product C than with product A. The cause for this was found to lie in the different declarations of the products. With calculations based on the results of the in vitro testing of the concentrates, the recoveries of the 3 products largely converged. For this reason one should demand that declarations for all products be made in accordance with uniform rules. In both studies the mean values of the half elimination times (half-lives) of Factor VIII:C were in each case the same for the 3 products; but in study a) the mean value of half-lives was distinctly longer (14.1 hrs) than in study b) (10.5 hrs). The recovery, too, was higher in study a) (1.96 YO) per injected unit measured than in study b) (1.4%). This occurred despite identical conditions in both studies. An explanation for this was not found. There was a tendency towards a positive relationship between recovery and body weight. According to the applied cross-over design, the rank order of the Factor VIII:C recoveries found between the various concentrates were not blurred by the individual differences from patient to patient; nor were they blurred by the strong varying hematocrit values and other unknown factors relating to deviations in recovery, distribution time and elimination time from patient to patient. There can be no doubt as to the advantages of the cross-over methodoly when performing direct in vivo comparisons.
East German Children's and Adolescents’ Friendship and Moral Reasoning Before and After German Reunification

ABSTRACT Few studies so far have investigated whether abrupt social changes in a society affect the development of friendship and moral reasoning. In this study, 2 cohorts of 188 East German children and adolescents (aged 7, 9, 12, and 15 years) were interviewed in 1990 and 2005. Participants were asked about the importance of close friendship (friendship concept) as well as their moral decisions and reasoning in a friendship dilemma. Overall, results show that in 2005, East German participants referred to normative and interpersonal–altruistic-empathic concerns significantly more often than participants interviewed in 1990. Reference to relationship concerns decreased from 1990 to 2005. With few exceptions, these cohort effects were equally found in younger (children) and older (adolescents) age groups.
Evolutionary Relationships among Parvoviruses: Virus-Host Coevolution among Autonomous Primate Parvoviruses and Links between Adeno-Associated and Avian Parvoviruses

ABSTRACT The current classification of parvoviruses is based on virus host range and helper virus dependence, while little data on evolutionary relationships among viruses are available. We identified and analyzed 472 sequences of parvoviruses, among which there were (virtually) full-length genomes of all 41 viruses currently recognized as individual species within the family Parvoviridae. Our phylogenetic analysis of full-length genomes as well as open reading frames distinguished three evolutionary groups of parvoviruses from vertebrates: (i) the human helper-dependent adeno-associated virus (AAV) serotypes 1 to 6 and the autonomous avian parvoviruses; (ii) the bovine, chipmunk, and autonomous primate parvoviruses, including human viruses B19 and V9; and (iii) the parvoviruses from rodents (except for chipmunks), carnivores, and pigs. Each of these three evolutionary groups could be further subdivided, reflecting both virus-host coevolution and multiple cross-species transmissions in the evolutionary history of parvoviruses. No parvoviruses from invertebrates clustered with vertebrate parvoviruses. Our analysis provided evidence for negative selection among parvoviruses, the independent evolution of their genes, and recombination among parvoviruses from rodents. The topology of the phylogenetic tree of autonomous human and simian parvoviruses matched exactly the topology of the primate family tree, as based on the analysis of primate mitochondrial DNA. Viruses belonging to the AAV group were not evolutionarily linked to other primate parvoviruses but were linked to the parvoviruses of birds. The two lineages of human parvoviruses may have resulted from independent ancient zoonotic infections. Our results provide an argument for reclassification of Parvovirinaebased on evolutionary relationships among viruses.
Genetic differences in internal transcribed spacer 1 between Dermanyssus gallinae from wild birds and domestic chickens

Abstract We investigated the presence of the poultry red mite or the chicken mite, Dermanyssus gallinae De Geer, Acari: Dermanyssidae, in wild bird populations in four different geographical regions of Sweden. The mites identified as D. gallinae were compared genetically with D. gallinae from egg‐producing poultry farms in the same regions. The small subunit (SSU) gene, the 5.8S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene and the two internal transcribed spacers (ITS) of the rRNA genes were used in the genetic analysis. All D. gallinae mites had identical SSU rRNA, 5.8S rRNA and ITS2 sequences independent of their origin. By contrast, we identified significant differences in the ITS1 sequences. Based on the differences in the ITS1 sequences, the mites could be divided into two genotypes, of wild and domesticated origin, with no variation within the groups. These results imply that wild bird populations are of low importance, if any, as natural reservoirs of D. gallinae in these four geographical regions of Sweden.
Improving Preschoolers' self-regulation of energy intake.

BACKGROUND Children exhibit individual differences in their ability to self-regulate energy intake. Feeding strategies that focus on external signals, like the time of day or amount of food left on a plate, tend to diminish children's ability to respond to internal cues of hunger and fullness. OBJECTIVES We investigated whether children could be taught to focus on internal cues of hunger and satiety, and consequently improve their self-regulation of energy intake. We explored whether parents' eating behaviors and adiposity were related to their children's self-regulation skills and adiposity. DESIGN In a pretest and posttest design, preschoolers participated in single-meal protocols to assess their individual ability to self-regulate food intake. During a 6-week intervention period, children took part in individual and group activities designed to help them recognize internal cues. Parents completed questionnaires regarding adult dietary restraint and disinhibition. RESULTS At baseline, we found a large individual variability in children's regulation: some children overate, some regulated accurately, and others underate. At baseline, children's eating related to their adiposity and to mothers' disinhibition: heavier children and children whose mothers' reported difficulty controlling food intake showed less evidence of self-regulation. Both overeaters and undereaters responded to the intervention, improving their ability to self-regulate, and children's eating was no longer significantly related to mother's eating. CONCLUSIONS Children's disregulated energy intake is related to mothers' weight status and mothers' perceived control over eating. Cues can be provided that help children to focus on internal signals and improve their ability to self-regulate energy intake.
Remote measuring and control terminal based on linux platform and embedded web server

The paper gives a comprehensive description about how to construct a web server for remote measuring and control needs, proposes a solution under Linux software and HMS30C7202 embedded hardware platform. Combined with web browser and application interface based on Java Applet technology, dynamic flush on control web page was executed. Particular application layer data protocol was designed; dynamic exchange information between browsers and terminal was implemented by calling socket function. Adopted multi-thread mechanism and semaphore in Linux, administration on terminal was performed.
A comparison of spatial predictors when datasets could be very large

In this article, we review and compare a number of methods of spatial prediction. To demonstrate the breadth of available choices, we consider both traditional and more-recently-introduced spatial predictors. Specifically, in our exposition we review: traditional stationary kriging, smoothing splines, negative-exponential distance-weighting, Fixed Rank Kriging, modified predictive processes, a stochastic partial differential equation approach, and lattice kriging. This comparison is meant to provide a service to practitioners wishing to decide between spatial predictors. Hence, we provide technical material for the unfamiliar, which includes the definition and motivation for each (deterministic and stochastic) spatial predictor. We use a benchmark dataset of $\mathrm{CO}_{2}$ data from NASA's AIRS instrument to address computational efficiencies that include CPU time and memory usage. Furthermore, the predictive performance of each spatial predictor is assessed empirically using a hold-out subset of the AIRS data.
Enabling the Chaos Networking Primitive on Bluetooth LE

Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) integrate physical processes, sensors, and embedded computers to facilitate advanced control systems such as autonomous cars and smart cities. Communication in CPS has tight constraints regarding reliability and latency, while traditional networking primitives can not guarantee these constraints. We base our thesis on the Chaos networking primitive which is a new paradigm that overcomes these limitations of traditional networking primitives. The current radio standard on which Chaos relies, is used more in science and industry, but less in everyday devices. We want to bring Chaos from the lab to the real world by porting the primitive to Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE). This thesis presents Chaos BLE: an implementation of the Chaos communication primitive on Bluetooth Low Energy. We characterised the capture effect on BLE and achieved accurate time synchronisation among nodes (< 2.5? s), both of which are key for the operation of the Chaos primitive. We validated our design and implementation on a 25 node BLE testbed that we have build at Delft University of Technology. In order to improve the performance of Chaos BLE and to mitigate channel interference, we propose a multichannel approach. The Chaos Multichannel primitive enables the network to use multiple channels in parallel, such that smaller sub-networks arise. Chaos Multichannel outperforms the single channel primitive in terms of reliability and latency. It achieves reliabilities close to 100% while finding a consensus among the nodes up to 2 times faster, compared to the single channel approach.
Association of autoimmunity to peptidyl arginine deiminase type 4 with genotype and disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE Protein citrullination is an important posttranslational modification recognized by rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-specific autoantibodies. One of the citrullinating enzymes, peptidyl arginine deiminase type 4 (PAD-4), is genetically associated with development of RA in some populations, although the mechanism(s) mediating this effect are not yet clear. There have been descriptions of anti-PAD-4 autoantibodies in different rheumatic diseases. This study was undertaken to investigate whether anti-PAD-4 antibodies are specific to RA, are associated with disease phenotype or severity, and whether PAD-4 polymorphisms influence the anti-PAD-4 autoantibody response. METHODS Sera from patients with established RA, patients with other rheumatic diseases, and healthy adults were assayed for anti-PAD-4 autoantibodies by immunoprecipitation of in vitro-translated PAD-4. The epitope(s) recognized by PAD-4 autoantibodies were mapped using various PAD-4 truncations. PAD-4 genotyping was performed on RA patients with the TaqMan assay. Joint erosions were scored from hand and foot radiographs using the Sharp/van der Heijde method. RESULTS PAD-4 autoantibodies were found in 36-42% of RA patients, and were very infrequent in controls. Recognition by anti-PAD-4 autoantibodies required the 119 N-terminal amino acids, which encompass the 3 nonsynonymous polymorphisms associated with disease susceptibility. Strikingly, the anti-PAD-4 immune response was associated with the RA susceptibility haplotype of PADI4. Anti-PAD-4 antibodies were associated with more severe joint destruction in RA. CONCLUSION Our findings indicate that anti-PAD-4 antibodies are specific markers of RA, independently associated with more severe disease, suggesting that an anti-PAD-4 immune response may be involved in pathways of joint damage in this disease. Polymorphisms in the PADI4 gene influence the immune response to the PAD-4 protein, potentially contributing to disease propagation.
Neutrophil counts in persons of African origin

Purpose of reviewThe causes of ethnic or benign neutropenia have long been unclear. Here, we discuss the emerging data on the causes and consequences of neutropenia and discuss the relevance of these data for African populations, in which the prevalence of neutropenia is high. Recent findingsGenetic deletion of the Duffy antigen receptor for chemokines (DARC-null genotype) has been identified as a major determinant for neutropenia. DARC acts as a receptor for Plasmodium vivax malaria and the DARC-null genotype has thus been positively selected among Africans; however, recent studies suggest that Duffy-null-linked neutropenia could increase the risk of HIV infection. Data are emerging that neutrophils are versatile cells that play a critical role not only in direct antimicrobial activity but also in priming and regulating the activity of other innate and adaptive immune cells. Therefore, we discuss here the imperative to better understand the causes, consequences, and the underlying mechanisms of neutropenia among Africans as a prerequisite for rational and optimal biomedical interventions to improve health outcomes. SummaryNeutropenia among Africans, linked to the Duffy-null trait or otherwise, may have significant health consequences that remain largely undetermined and could have a significant impact on the pathogenesis of diseases.
Peak-to-Peak Dynamics: a Critical Survey

This paper is devoted to the study of a particular form of deterministic chaos, here called peak-to-peak dynamics (PPD). When a continuous-time system of order n has PPD, the amplitude and the time of occurrence of the next peak of its output variable can be predicted from information concerning at most two previous peaks. In other words, n differential equations can be substituted by a reduced order model, if attention is restricted to the peaks of the variable of concern. The observation of the output peaks is equivalent to the observation of the system on a Poincare section. This is why the existence of PPD is simply related to the dimension of the attractor. The usefulness of peak-to-peak analysis for the retrieval of one-dimensional dynamics within the attractor and for the estimate of the first Liapunov exponent is demonstrated through examples. Particular attention is devoted to the possibility of exploiting the PPD reduced order models for forecasting the next peak and for the regularization of the dynamics of chaotic systems by means of piecewise constant controls.
Using repetitive control for THD reduction over wide load range for boost digital PFC converters

This paper proposes a control scheme for the reduction of the line current total harmonic distortion (THD) over wide load variation range. A new current sensing scheme is used to detect the average current under fixed or variable switching frequency condition. A repetitive controller is designed to minimize periodic errors within the current loop bandwidth. A design procedure is given for synthesizing the current loop controller to achieve good current tracking under wide input voltage variation range. A single-phase boost PFC converter with single-chip DSP controller has been constructed for the verification of the proposed control scheme. Simulation and experimental results confirm the feasibility and performances of the proposed control scheme.
ROBUST VARIABLE STRUCTURE / GENETIC ALGORITHMS CONTROLLER FOR IMPROVING POWER SYSTEMS DYNAMIC STABILITY

In this paper, a combined variable structure / genetic algorithms controller is presented to improve the dynamic stability of a power system. The design of variable structure controller is formulated as an optimization problem and genetic algorithms are used in the optimization process. Contrary to the design methods reported in the literature, which depend partially on trial and error approach for the selection of controller parameters, the proposed method provides an optimal and systematic design procedure. The proposed design method has been applied to the design of a power system controller of a single machine power system model. The system performance against step load and parameter variations has been simulated and compared to previous designs. Simulation results show improvements in the dynamic system performance and control effort.
Mixed-Infection of Papaya Ring Spot Virus and Tomato Leaf Curl New Delhi Virus in Coccinia grandis in India

Natural mixed infections of plant viruses are found frequently all over the world, leading to the variations in symptoms, infectivity, vector transmissibility and economic loss. Mixed infections with potyvirus and geminivirus have been reported in several hosts over a wide geographic area (Martín and Elena, 2009; Verma et al., 2014). The Potyvirus is the largest genus of the family Potyviridae. It contains more than 200 definite and tentative species (Berger et al., 2005) which cause significant losses in agricultural, pasture, horticultural and ornamental plants (Ward and Shukla, 1991). They infect a wide range of monocotyledonous and dicotyledonous plant species and have been found in most parts of the world (Gibbs and Ohshima 2010). Potyvirus distribution is worldwide, they are most prevalent in tropical and subtropical countries (Shukla et al., 1998). On the other hand geminiviruses make up a large, diverse family of plant viruses that infect a broad variety of food and fiber crops and cause significant losses worldwide. The majority of begomoviruses have a genome comprising two similar sized DNA components (DNA A and DNA B). The DNA A component encodes a replication-associated protein (Rep) International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences ISSN: 2319-7706 Volume 6 Number 7 (2017) pp. 1221-1228 Journal homepage: http://www.ijcmas. com
Simulation–optimization approach for a continuous-review, base-stock inventory model with general compound demands, random lead times, and lost sales

A continuous-review, base-stock inventory model considering lost sales is proposed for general compound demands and random lead times. This model is a generalized form of the (S, d) policy, which has already been shown to be the best modified base-stock policy (MBSP) for Poisson demand and fixed lead times. In this paper, customers’ inter-arrival times, demand sizes, and lead times are extended in a probabilistic situation with free distributions. Then, a hybrid simulation–optimization approach is developed to handle these generalized conditions. This approach uses design of experiments, a simulation model, and regression analysis to obtain the long-run cost function of the system under this extended MBSP. The optimal settings of this policy are achieved using a mathematical optimization model. Employing a simulation model, a cost function, and mathematical models makes this approach applicable for finding the optimal settings even in the presence of realistic restrictions and uncertainties. Moreover, a simulation-based procedure is introduced to find the optimal stock level for the traditional base-stock policy. The applicability of the proposed approach is illustrated through a real-world case study. Finally, a sensitivity analysis is applied using a series of benchmark instances, and some robustness properties are shown.
Statistical modeling of gate-delay variation with consideration of intra-gate variability

This paper proposes a model to calculate statistical gate-delay variation caused by intra-chip and inter-chip variabilities. The variation of each gate delay directly influences the variation of circuit delay, so it is important to characterize each gate-delay variation accurately. Our model characterizes the gate delay by transistor characteristics. Every transistor in a gate affects the transient characteristics of the gate, so it is indispensable to consider the intra-gate variability for the modeling of gate-delay variation. This effect is not captured in a statistical delay analysis reported so far. Our model characterizes a statistical gate-delay variation using a response surface method (RSM) and represents the intra-gate variability with a few parameters. We evaluate the accuracy of our model, and we show some simulated results of a circuit delay variation.
Pharmacophore Modeling and in Silico Screening for New P450 19 (Aromatase) Inhibitors

Cytochrome P450 19 (P450 19, aromatase) constitutes a successful target for the treatment of breast cancer. This study analyzes chemical features common to P450 19 inhibitors to develop ligand-based, selective pharmacophore models for this enzyme. The HipHop and HypoRefine algorithms implemented in the Catalyst software package were employed to create both common feature and quantitative models. The common feature model for P450 19 includes two ring aromatic features in its core and two hydrogen bond acceptors at the ends. The models were used as database search queries to identify active compounds from the NCI database.
Leptin induces ovulation in GnRH‐deficient mice

Leptin‐deficient ob/ob mice have reduced gonadotropin‐releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, leading to gonadotropin deficiencies, hypogonadism, and anovulation, which are completely reversed following leptin administration. To determine whether the role of leptin in ovulation is mediated exclusively through GnRH, we studied leptin's action in GnRH‐deficient (hpg) mice, as well as ob/ob mice and normal, prepubertal mice in which the GnRH axis was blocked with antide. Following pretreatment with pregnant mare serum gonadotropin, leptin induced ovulation in all three mouse models. Unlike mature normal mice, these ovulations were not triggered by a luteinizing hormone (LH) surge, as demonstrated by lack of increase in its surrogate marker progesterone. Rather, leptin induced hyperemia and leakage in the follicle, as well as the proteinase ADAMTS‐1 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase with a thrombospondin‐like motif), which facilitates extrusion of the follicular content. These data show that on top of its role as an inducer of GnRH secretion, leptin may elicit an LH‐independent ovulation.
A linear temperature-to-frequency converter using a thermistor

A novel technique for output frequency linearization of a thermistor-astable multivibrator is presented. An analytical expression for the linearity condition is obtained and demonstrated experimentally. The astable multivibrator incorporating this technique is shown to offer an approximately linear temperature-to-frequency conversion in the range 0 to 86°C with a sensitivity of 21 Hz/°C. The experimental circuit exhibits excellent thermal stability for ambient temperature variations. The technique can also be used successfully in the lower temperature range -50 to 0°C.