Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Volunteer-powered automatic classification of social media messages for public health in AIDR

Microblogging platforms such as Twitter have become a valuable resource for disease surveillance and monitoring. Automatic classification can be used to detect disease-related messages and to sort them into meaningful categories. In this paper, we show how the AIDR (Artificial Intelligence for Disaster Response) platform can be used to harvest and perform analysis of tweets in real-time using supervised machine learning techniques. AIDR is a volunteer-powered online social media content classification platform that automatically learns from a set of human-annotated examples to classify tweets into user-defined categories. In addition, it automatically increases classification accuracy as new examples become available. AIDR can be operated through a web interface without the need to deal with the complexity of the machine learning methods used.
Presetting pulse-based flip-flop

In this paper, presetting pulse-based flip-flop (PSPFF) is proposed. The flip-flop briefly presets its storage nodes to a medium voltage level between VDD and VSS just before input capturing. This presetting operation allows the proposed flip- flop to be faster and more clock-skew tolerant than conventional pulse-based flip-flops. Comparison results using a 80-nm CMOS process technology indicate that PSPFF has 22% improvement on clock-skew tolerance, 20% decrease of data-to-output delay, 22% reduction of power-delay product, and 21% reduction of layout area, as compared to PCSPFF.
In Vitro Evaluation of a Vancomycin Radioimmunoassay and Observations on Vancomycin Pharmacokinetics in Dialysis Patients

A recently marketed radioimmunoassay (RIA) for vancomycin (Monitor Science Corp.) was evaluated in vitro and in vivo. The RIA and bioassay results on 15 spiked serum samples found no significant difference between the two assays, although RIA results were significantly less variable. The coefficient of variation (RIA) was 5.5%. Vancomycin showed no significant degradation in plasma at 4°C and —20°C for up to 36 days. Five dialysis patients had a total of 62 serum levels determined. When vancomycin 1 g was given weekly to two anuric adults, marked accumulation occurred. This finding was consistent with vancomycin's long terminal half-life (19.8 and 17.8 days) obtained from a new computer subroutine which obtains least square estimators of model parameters from multiple dose data. Despite serum levels well above the MIC, two patients remained bacteremic. Peritoneal levels of vancomycin in two patients with suspected peritonitis equalled corresponding serum levels.
Real-time control of variable air volume system using a SPSA based neural controller

A neural control scheme for variable air volume (VAV) air-conditioning system is proposed. The neural network is trained online by the simultaneous perturbation stochastic approximation (SPSA) method instead of the standard back-propagation algorithm. The closed-loop stability of the proposed control scheme is guaranteed based on the conic sector theory. The new control scheme provides the desired functionality as well as the adaptation of the VAV control system for a wide range of disturbances and parameter changes. To demonstrate the applicability of the proposed method, real-time experiments were carried out on a pilot VAV air-conditioning system and good testing results are obtained.
Identification of a Novel Trimethoprim Resistance Gene, dfrK, in a Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus ST398 Strain and Its Physical Linkage to the Tetracycline Resistance Gene tet(L)

ABSTRACT A novel trimethoprim resistance gene, designated dfrK, was detected in close proximity to the tetracycline resistance gene tet(L) on the ca. 40-kb plasmid pKKS2187 in a porcine methicillin (meticillin)-resistant Staphylococcus aureus isolate of sequence type 398. The dfrK gene encodes a 163-amino-acid dihydrofolate reductase that differs from all so-far-known dihydrofolate reductases.
Human prostate cancer initiating cells isolated directly from localized cancer do not form prostaspheres in primary culture

Recent experimental studies suggest that hierarchical expansion from a minor population of cancer cells with an unlimited self‐renewal capacity, termed cancer initiating cells (CICs), drives both lethality and heterogeneity of prostate cancer. Human prostate CICs have been established from only two primary prostate cancer patients, with the remaining established CIC lines being derived from metastatic sites from <10 patients. This suggests that the established CIC lines are significant “outliers” and may not be representative of the prostate CICs seen clinically. Thus, there is an urgent need to develop new approaches to achieve the “routine” establishment of CIC containing lines, particularly derived from primary prostate cancers.
Identification of compounds that potentiate CREB signaling as possible enhancers of long-term memory

Many studies have implicated the cAMP Response Element Binding (CREB) protein signaling pathway in long-term memory. To identify small molecule enhancers of CREB activation of gene expression, we screened ≈73,000 compounds, each at 7–15 concentrations in a quantitative high-throughput screening (qHTS) format, for activity in cells by assaying CREB mediated β-lactamase reporter gene expression. We identified 1,800 compounds that potentiated CREB mediated gene expression, with potencies as low as 16 nM, comprising 96 structural series. Mechanisms of action were systematically determined, and compounds that affect phosphodiesterase 4, protein kinase A, and cAMP production were identified, as well as compounds that affect CREB signaling via apparently unidentified mechanisms. qHTS folowed by interrogation of pathway targets is an efficient paradigm for lead generation for chemical genomics and drug development.
The Pacific megagash: A future plate boundary?

Seismic anisotropy is an efficient way to investigate the deformation field within the upper mantle. In the framework of rigid tectonic plates, we make use of recent tomographic models of azimuthal anisotropy to derive the best rotation pole of the Pacific plate in the uppermost 200 km of the mantle. It is found to be in good agreement with current plate motion (NUVEL1, HS3, and NNR). However, when dividing the Pacific plate into two subplates separated by what we refer to as the megagash, an east-west low-velocity and low-anisotropy band extending across the Pacific plate from Samoa-Tonga to the Easter–Juan Fernandez Islands, the rotation pole of northern Pacific is still in agreement with current plate motion but not the rotation pole of the southern part of the Pacific, far away from the “classical” rotation pole of the Pacific plate. This result suggests a differential motion between the North and South Pacific and an ongoing reorganization of plates in the Pacific Ocean. The megagash might be a future plate boundary between the North and South Pacific plates, associated with the intense volcanism along this band.
Comparison of Humoral Immune Responses to Epstein-Barr Virus and Kaposi’s Sarcoma–Associated Herpesvirus Using a Viral Proteome Microarray

Abstract Background. Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous herpesvirus, and Kaposi’s sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV) has a restricted seroprevalence. Both viruses are associated with malignancies that have an increased frequency in individuals who are coinfected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). Methods. To obtain an overview of humoral immune responses to these viruses, we generated a protein array that displayed 174 EBV and KSHV polypeptides purified from yeast. Antibody responses to EBV and KSHV were examined in plasma from healthy volunteers and patients with B cell lymphoma or with AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma or lymphoma. Results. In addition to the commonly studied antigens, IgG responses were frequently detected to the tegument proteins KSHV ORF38 and EBV BBRF and BGLF2 and BNRF1 and to the EBV early lytic proteins BRRF1 and BORF2. The EBV vIL-10 protein was particularly well recognized by plasma IgA. The most intense IgG responses to EBV antigens occurred in HIV-1–positive patients. No clear correlation was observed between viral DNA load in plasma and antibody profile. Conclusions. The protein array provided a sensitive platform for global screening; identified new, frequently recognized viral antigens; and revealed a broader humoral response to EBV compared with KSHV in the same patients.
Reconstruction of past events from memory: An alternative to the hypothetico-deductive (H-D) method

According to the demand of the Hypothetico-Deductive (H-D) method, a theory is confirmed when the prediction-observation (p-o) gap is small and disconfirmed when the gap is large. A major goal of this paper is to introduce a research domain for which this demand does not hold. In contrast to the H-D method's demand, this research, called the Catch model for reconstructing a face previously seen from memory, requires an increase, within limits, in the p-o gap. The Catch model research substantiates theoretically and empirically a new proposed method that I call the "Deductive-Reconstruction" (D-R) method. This method provides essential conditions whose fulfillment guarantees successful reconstruction of past events (a face previously seen) from memory. It is argued that the D- R method fits the area of research of reconstructing past events from memory better than the H-D method. Application of the H-D method to the Catch model's research domain leads to an internal contradiction and failure to reconstruct past events (a face previously seen) from memory. Finally, the nature of the D-R method along with the Catch model is discussed from three points of view: confirmation, explanation, and generality.
Molecular Epidemiology and Phylogeny Reveal Complex Spatial Dynamics in Areas Where Canine Parvovirus Is Endemic

ABSTRACT Canine parvovirus type 2 (CPV-2) is a severe enteric pathogen of dogs, causing high mortality in unvaccinated dogs. After emerging, CPV-2 spread rapidly worldwide. However, there is now some evidence to suggest that international transmission appears to be more restricted. In order to investigate the transmission and evolution of CPV-2 both nationally and in relation to the global situation, we have used a long-range PCR to amplify and sequence the full VP2 gene of 150 canine parvoviruses obtained from a large cross-sectional sample of dogs presenting with severe diarrhea to veterinarians in the United Kingdom, over a 2-year period. Among these 150 strains, 50 different DNA sequence types (S) were identified, and apart from one case, all appeared unique to the United Kingdom. Phylogenetic analysis provided clear evidence for spatial clustering at the international level and for the first time also at the national level, with the geographical range of some sequence types appearing to be highly restricted within the United Kingdom. Evolution of the VP2 gene in this data set was associated with a lack of positive selection. In addition, the majority of predicted amino acid sequences were identical to those found elsewhere in the world, suggesting that CPV VP2 has evolved a highly fit conformation. Based on typing systems using key amino acid mutations, 43% of viruses were CPV-2a, and 57% CPV-2b, with no type 2 or 2c found. However, phylogenetic analysis suggested complex antigenic evolution of this virus, with both type 2a and 2b viruses appearing polyphyletic. As such, typing based on specific amino acid mutations may not reflect the true epidemiology of this virus. The geographical restriction that we observed both within the United Kingdom and between the United Kingdom and other countries, together with the lack of CPV-2c in this population, strongly suggests the spread of CPV within its population may be heterogeneously subject to limiting factors. This cross-sectional study of national and global CPV phylogeographic segregation reveals a substantially more complex epidemic structure than previously described.
Acute small bowel obstruction following laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass during pregnancy: two different presentations

Bariatric surgery as laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (LRYGB) is increasing throughout the world and women represent the majority (70%) of patients. Most of them are of reproductive age. As a consequence, surgeons will have to treat more and more pregnant patients with a history of LRYGB for surgical abdominal pain. Reported incidence of small bowel obstruction (SBO) varies from 1.5% to 3.5% after LRYGB including internal hernias, intussusception and volvulus. As two cases of maternal postoperative death have been reported in the literature, diagnosis and surgical treatment shouldn’t be delayed especially during pregnancy. To underline the necessity of a rapid diagnosis and surgical treatment, we reported two cases of severe SBO during pregnancy.
Detection of Cryptococcus neoformans Antigen in Body Fluids by Latex Particle Agglutination.∗

Summary Antigen of C. neoformans was detected in serum and/or CSF from 7 of 9 cases of CNS cryptococcosis by a rapid, sensitive slide test in which antibody-coated latex particles are agglutinated. The procedure yielded few nonspecific reactions, which were of low degree. Decline in reactivity following treatment suggests that the test has prognostic as well as diagnostic value. Lack of reactivity of blood and CSF from 2 patients was shown not to be attributable to serotype variation.
Multi-pass progressive tool path planning in five-axis flank milling by particle swarm optimisation

This article proposes a novel planning method of multi-pass tool path in five-axis flank machining of ruled surfaces. The path planning task is first transformed into an optimal curve matching problem. The objective in the optimisation is represented as a weighted sum of the errors induced by overcut and undercut, respectively. Particle swarm optimisation algorithms are then applied to search for the optimal solutions and the corresponding tool paths. Running the algorithms multiple times generates a multi-pass tool path that progressively reduces machining errors. Different optimised results can be obtained for each pass by properly adjusting the weights in the objective. Numerical results indicate that the proposed method produces smaller machining errors compared to traditional planning of a single tool path. It offers a planning flexibility that has never been realised by previous studies.
Optimal Dividend and Investment Problems under Sparre Andersen Model

In this paper we study a class of optimal dividend and investment problems assuming that the underlying reserve process follows the Sparre Andersen model, that is, the claim frequency is a "renewal" process, rather than a standard compound Poisson process. The main feature of such problems is that the underlying reserve dynamics, even in its simplest form, is no longer Markovian. By using the backward Markovization technique we recast the problem in a Markovian framework with expanded dimension representing the time elapsed after the last claim, with which we investigate the regularity of the value function, and validate the dynamic programming principle. Furthermore, we show that the value function is the unique constrained viscosity solution} to the associated HJB equation on a cylindrical domain on which the problem is well-defined.
Membrane Transport and Communication in Frankfurt: Speakers’ Summary – Highlights

The International Symposium ‘Membrane Transport and Communication’ has stimulated the present highlight issue of Biological Chemistry. From September 29 to October 1, 2014, researchers met at the Biocenter of the Goethe University Frankfurt to report about the latest developments in membrane protein research to an audience of 250 participants. The symposium, organized by the German Collaborative Research Center CRC 807 ‘ Membrane Transport and Communication’, highlighted several topics ranging from membrane receptors, transporters, channels to macromolecular membrane protein complexes as well as new emerging topics and approaches. The conference provided a lively forum for young investigators to present and discuss their recent work.
miRNAs differentially expressed by next-generation sequencing in cord blood buffy coat samples of boys and girls.

AIM Differences in children's development and susceptibility to diseases and exposures have been observed by sex, yet human studies of sex differences in miRNAs are limited. MATERIALS & METHODS The genome-wide miRNA expression was characterized by sequencing-based EdgeSeq assay in cord blood buffy coats from 89 newborns, and 564 miRNAs were further analyzed. RESULTS Differential expression of most miRNAs was higher in boys. Neurodevelopment, RNA metabolism and metabolic ontology terms were enriched among miRNA targets. The majority of upregulated miRNAs (86%) validated by nCounter maintained positive-fold change values; however, only 21% reached statistical significance by false discovery rate. CONCLUSION Accounting for host factors like sex may improve the sensitivity of epigenetic analyses for epidemiological studies in early childhood.
A Comparison of Speech Results After the Pharyngeal Flap and the Dynamic Sphincteroplasty Procedures

Eighty-five patients underwent suzgery to reduce velopharyngeal incompetence with either a pharyngeal flap (n = 75) or a dynamic sphincteroplasty (n = 10) performed between April 1958 and August 1989, and were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively by a plastic surgeon, speech pathologist, and otolaryngologist. Improvement in speech was noted in 75% (n = 56) of the patients with pharyngeal flaps and 70% (n = 7) of the patients with dynamic sphincteroplasties postoperatively. Thirty percent of the patients in both groups showed no improvement postoperatively in speech. Three patients (4%) who underwent pharyngeal flap procedures developed sleep apnea postoperatively. Persistent velopharyngeal incompetence may be treated effectively with either a pharyngeal flap or a dynamic sphincteroplasty. Either procedure appears to result in improved speech in most patients.
Simple Low-Speed Sensorless Dual DTC for Double Fed Induction Machine Drive

In this paper, a doubly fed induction machine (DFIM) operating in motor mode and supplied by two voltage source inverters-in stator and rotor sides-is presented. The aim is to analyze the sensorless rotor position operation of a dual direct torque control (DDTC) of the DFIM. This paper presents a sensorless DDTC for a DFIM speed drive in order to guarantee the static and dynamic system performances. The sensorless DFIM operation provides an analytical redundancy in the case of mechanical sensor failure and ensures the service continuity of the drive. SABER simulation and experimental results illustrate the satisfactory behavior of the system with or without the use of the rotor position sensor. These confirm the preservation of system performances, particularly during the low-speed sensorless control operation. The proposed solution is particularly relevant due to its simplicity.
ESTIMATION OF COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY DOSE INDEX IN CONE BEAM COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY: MOSFET MEASUREMENTS AND MONTE CARLO SIMULATIONS

To address the lack of accurate dose estimation method in cone beam computed tomography (CBCT), we performed point dose metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) measurements and Monte Carlo (MC) simulations. A Varian On-Board Imager® (OBI) was employed to measure point doses in the polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) CT phantoms with MOSFETs for standard and low dose modes. A MC model of the OBI x-ray tube was developed using BEAMnrc/EGSnrc MC system and validated by the half value layer, x-ray spectrum and lateral and depth dose profiles. We compared the weighted computed tomography dose index (CTDIw) between MOSFET measurements and MC simulations. The CTDIw was found to be 8.39 cGy for the head scan and 4.58 cGy for the body scan from the MOSFET measurements in standard dose mode, and 1.89 cGy for the head and 1.11 cGy for the body in low dose mode, respectively. The CTDIw from MC compared well to the MOSFET measurements within 5% differences. In conclusion, a MC model for Varian CBCT has been established and this approach may be easily extended from the CBCT geometry to multi-detector CT geometry.
Licensed-Assisted Access LTE: coexistence with IEEE 802.11 and the evolution toward 5G

LAA is a new operation mode of LTE in the unlicensed spectrum, which will be featured in LTE Release 13. Under LAA, licensed carriers will be aggregated with unlicensed carriers in order to opportunistically enhance downlink user throughput while still offering seamless mobility support. In order to coexist with WiFi, some of the new functionalities required of LAA LTE include a mechanism for channel sensing based on listen-before-talk, discontinuous transmission on a carrier with limited maximum transmission duration, and multicarrier transmission across multiple unlicensed channels. This article presents a detailed overview of the design agreements for LAA, the impact of unlicensed spectrum operation on the LTE physical layer architecture, and the scope of additional enhancements beyond LTE Release 13. A range of simulations for indoor and multicarrier scenarios show that fair coexistence between LAA and WiFi can be achieved, and that deployment of LAA can provide a boost in WiFi performance.
Modeling and experimentation of multi-coil switching coupler for wireless power transfer systems

The efficiency of wireless power transfer (WPT) system is strongly influenced by the lateral misalignment between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil. To solve this problem, this paper proposed a multi-coil switching coupler to increase the coil lateral misalignment tolerance, in which the transmitter consists of thirteen hexagon coils, including three power supply areas and each area consists of seven hexagon coils, while the receiver is a hollow circular coil. Current direction of coils and coupling coefficient under different misalignment conditions are comprehensive analyzed based on finite element method (FEM) firstly, as well as the switching criteria was obtained on this basis. In order to verify the analysis and the simulation results, the experimental prototype was built. Both the experimental and simulation results demonstrates that the proposed multi-coil switching coupler system can improve the lateral misalignment tolerance and efficiency of the WPT system.
Adoption of Health Information Systems by health workers in developing countries — Contextualizing UTAUT

Kenya recently implemented the web-based DHIS2 system as the national Health Information System (HIS) that will facilitate effective management of health information from health facilities in the country. For maximum benefits to be reaped from this implementation, it is important that the DHIS2 gains acceptance from all categories of targeted users. This paper describes a research model that has been adapted from UTAUT to explain the factors that are hypothesized to affect adoption of DHIS2 in Kenya, and by extension the factors that will affection adoption of HIS in developing countries context. Among other modifications, the new model extends UTAUT by adding Computer Anxiety and Training Adequacy as important direct determinants of intention to use and actual use of HIS respectively. Once validated, the model will inform health policy makers and system developers on approaches that can enhance use of HIS in developing countries context.