Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Distribution of Serum Uric Acid in Black Africans and Its Association With Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Hyperuricemia is associated with cardiovascular disease and its prevalence is unknown in black Africans. This study reports hyperuricemia distribution and its association with cardiovascular risk factors in a selected Angolan population. A cross‐sectional study in 585 black Africans was performed. Hyperuricemia was defined as uric acid >7.0 mg/dL in men or >5.7 mg/dL in women. Overall prevalence was 25%. Hyperuricemia was associated with hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 2.20; confidence interval [CI], 95% 1.41–3.47), high waist circumference (OR, 1.67; CI, 95% 1.05–2.65), and metabolic syndrome (OR, 1.66; CI, 95% 1.07–2.57). Compared to those with uric acid levels in the first quartile, individuals in the fourth quartile showed higher body mass index, waist circumference, systolic blood pressure, and plasma levels of creatinine and triglycerides. Hypertension, high waist circumference, and metabolic syndrome were the major cardiovascular risk factors associated with hyperuricemia.
Stochastic parameters identification and localization of mobile robots

In this paper, a stochastic estimation algorithm based on a hybrid Genetic-Hidden Markov Models (GHMMs) technique is presented, with an application to nonlinear dynamic parameters identification and localization of a wheeled mobile robot. The stochastic kinematic and dynamic models of the robot and environment are introduced in order to take into account inherent uncertainties of the robot's dynamics and sensory measurements. The identification algorithm is then developed for the resulting nonlinear doubly stochastic model in a framework based on Hidden Markov Models technique. The robot state is estimated using a genetic optimization of the maximum likelihood solution. Implementation issues related to GHMMs are provided along with simulation results. Comparisons are performed and discussed with the Extended Kalman Filter for the parameters identification and state estimation problem.
B cells populating the multiple sclerosis brain mature in the draining cervical lymph nodes

In multiple sclerosis patients, B cells mature in the draining cervical lymph nodes before trafficking across the blood-brain barrier. B Cells Flip the Switch for MS B cells in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients may mature outside the central nervous system (CNS). Two complementary studies report that B cells found outside the CNS—in peripheral blood and draining cervical lymph nodes (CLNs)—share antigen specificity with intrathecal B cell repertoires. In patients with MS, immune cells attack the CNS; however, it remains unclear whether these cells mature in the CNS or traffic to the CNS as mature cells. Using paired tissues and high-throughput sequencing, Stern et al. found that clonally expanded B cells are found in both the CNS and CLNs but that founding members were more often found in the draining CLNs. Palanichamy et al. extend these findings by reporting a peripheral blood/CNS axis of mature B cells that have undergone class switch. These data support the therapeutic use of monoclonal antibodies that prevent lymphocytes from crossing the blood-brain barrier or induce peripheral B cell depletion in MS patients. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory disease of the central nervous system (CNS) characterized by autoimmune-mediated demyelination and neurodegeneration. The CNS of patients with MS harbors expanded clones of antigen-experienced B cells that reside in distinct compartments including the meninges, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and parenchyma. It is not understood whether this immune infiltrate initiates its development in the CNS or in peripheral tissues. B cells in the CSF can exchange with those in peripheral blood, implying that CNS B cells may have access to lymphoid tissue that may be the specific compartment(s) in which CNS-resident B cells encounter antigen and experience affinity maturation. Paired tissues were used to determine whether the B cells that populate the CNS mature in the draining cervical lymph nodes (CLNs). High-throughput sequencing of the antibody repertoire demonstrated that clonally expanded B cells were present in both compartments. Founding members of clones were more often found in the draining CLNs. More mature clonal members derived from these founders were observed in the draining CLNs and also in the CNS, including lesions. These data provide new evidence that B cells traffic freely across the tissue barrier, with the majority of B cell maturation occurring outside of the CNS in the secondary lymphoid tissue. Our study may aid in further defining the mechanisms of immunomodulatory therapies that either deplete circulating B cells or affect the intrathecal B cell compartment by inhibiting lymphocyte transmigration into the CNS.
Expression of FcRL4 defines a pro-inflammatory, RANKL-producing B cell subset in rheumatoid arthritis

Objectives The success of B cell targeting therapies has highlighted the importance of B cells in rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis. We have previously shown that B cells in the RA synovium are capable of producing pro-inflammatory and bone-destructive cytokines including RANKL. Here we sought to characterise the nature and functional relevance of the RANKL-producing B cell subset in the RA synovium. Methods Synovial fluid and peripheral blood B cells from patients with RA were analysed by flow cytometry for markers of B cell differentiation and activation and for chemokine receptors. FcRL4+ and FcRL4− B cells sorted from synovial fluid were analysed for cytokine expression using Taqman low-density arrays. Synovial tissue biopsies obtained from patients with RA were analysed by immunofluorescence for CD20, RANKL and FcRL4. FCRL4 mRNA expression was determined in synovial tissue of RA patients and non-inflammatory control subjects by real-time PCR. Results RANKL-producing B cells in RA synovial tissue and fluid were identified as belonging to a distinct subset of B cells defined by expression of the transmembrane protein FcRL4. FcRL4+ B cells express a distinct combination of cytokines and surface proteins indicating a function distinct from that of FcRL4− B cells. Notably, FcRL4+ B cells expressed high levels of TNF-α and RANKL mRNA. Conclusions We have identified a novel pro-inflammatory B cell population in the RA synovium which is defined by expression of FcRL4 and responsible for RANKL production. This B cell population expresses high levels of CD20, and its removal by rituximab may contribute to the anti-inflammatory effect of this drug.
Hepatitis C virus‐polymerase chain reaction of routinely processed liver biopsies

The aim of the study was to evaluate the specificity and sensitivity of detection of hepatitis C virus (HCV)‐RNA in formalin‐fixed paraffin‐embedded (FFPE) liver biopsies by polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Routinely processed FFPE diagnostic needle liver biopsies as well as stored serum samples from 43 patients with liver disease were tested for HCV‐RNA by reverse transcription‐nested PCR using the same sets of primers and following strict anticontamination measures.
An Ascending Vickrey Auction for Selling Bases of a Matroid

Consider selling bundles of indivisible goods to buyers with concave utilities that are additively separable in money and goods. We propose an ascending auction for the case when the seller is constrained to sell bundles whose elements form a basis of a matroid. It extends easily to polymatroids. Applications include scheduling, allocation of homogeneous goods, and spatially distributed markets, among others. Our ascending auction induces buyers to bid truthfully and returns the economically efficient basis. Unlike other ascending auctions for this environment, ours runs in pseudopolynomial or polynomial time. Furthermore, we prove the impossibility of an ascending auction for nonmatroidal independence set-systems.
Selective generation of training examples in active meta-learning

Meta-Learning has been successfully applied to acquire knowledge used to support the selection of learning algorithms. Each training example in Meta-Learning (i.e. each meta-example) is related to a learning problem and stores the experience obtained in the empirical evaluation of a set of candidate algorithms when applied to the problem. The generation of a good set of meta-examples can be a costly process depending for instance on the number of available learning problems and the complexity of the candidate algorithms. In this work, we proposed the Active Meta-Learning, in which Active Learning techniques are used to reduce the set of meta-examples by selecting only the most relevant problems for meta-example generation. In an implemented prototype, we evaluated the use of two different Active Learning techniques applied in two different Meta-Learning tasks. The performed experiments revealed a significant gain in the Meta-Learning performance when the active techniques were used to support the meta-example generation.
Densely sampled local visual features on 3D mesh for retrieval

The Local Depth-SIFT (LD-SIFT) algorithm by Darom, et al. [2] captures 3D geometrical features locally at interest points detected on a densely-sampled, manifold mesh representation of the 3D shape. The LD-SIFT has shown good retrieval accuracy for 3D models defined as densely sampled manifold mesh. However, it has two shortcomings. The LD-SIFT requires the input mesh to be densely and evenly sampled. Furthermore, the LD-SIFT can't handle 3D models defined as a set of multiple connected components or a polygon soup. This paper proposes two extensions to the LD-SIFT to alleviate these weaknesses. First extension shuns interest point detection, and employs dense sampling on the mesh. Second extension employs remeshing by dense sample points followed by interest point detection a la LD-SIFT Experiments using three different benchmark databases showed that the proposed algorithms significantly outperform the LD-SIFT in terms of retrieval accuracy.
Potential dual molecular interaction of the Drosophila 7-pass transmembrane cadherin Flamingo in dendritic morphogenesis

Seven-pass transmembrane cadherins (7-TM cadherins) play pleiotropic roles in epithelial planar cell polarity, shaping dendritic arbors and in axonal outgrowth. In contrast to their role in planar polarity, how 7-TM cadherins control dendritic and axonal outgrowth at the molecular level is largely unknown. Therefore, we performed extensive structure-function analysis of the Drosophila 7-TM cadherin Flamingo (Fmi) and investigated the activities of individual mutant forms mostly in dendritogenesis of dendritic arborization (da) neurons. One of the fmi-mutant phenotypes was overgrowth of branches in the early stage of dendrite development. In da neurons but not in their adjacent non-neuronal cells, expression of a truncated form (ΔN) that lacks the entire cadherin repeat sequence, rescues flies - at least partially - from this phenotype. Another phenotype is observed at a later stage, when dendritic terminals outgrowing from the contralateral sides meet and then avoid each other. In the fmi mutant, by contrast, those branches overlapped. Overexpression of the ΔN form on the wild-type background phenocopied the overlap phenotype in the mutant, and analysis in heterologous systems supported the possibility that this effect might be because the Fmi-Fmi homophilic interaction is inhibited by ΔN. We propose that a dual molecular function of Fmi play pivotal roles in dendrite morphogenesis. In the initial growing phase, Fmi might function as a receptor for a sofar-unidentified ligand and this hypothetical heterophilic interaction would be responsible for limiting branch elongation. At a later stage, homophilic Fmi-binding at dendro-dendritic interfaces would elicit avoidance between dendritic terminals.
Joint Scheduling and Resource Allocation in Uplink OFDM Systems

Orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) with dynamic scheduling and resource allocation is widely considered to be a key component of 4G cellular networks. However, scheduling and resource allocation in an OFDM system is complicated, especially in the uplink due to two reasons: (1) the discrete nature of channel assignments, and (2) the heterogeneity of the users' channel conditions, individual resource constraints and application requirements. We approach this problem using a gradient-based scheduling framework presented in previous work. Physical layer resources (bandwidth and power) are allocated to maximize the projection onto the gradient of a total system utility function which models application-layer Quality of Service (QoS). This is formulated as a convex optimization problem. We present an optimal solution using a dual decomposition. This solution has prohibitively high computational complexity but reveals guiding principles that we use to generate a family of lower complexity sub-optimal algorithms. We compare the performance of these algorithms via a realistic OFDM simulator.
Formal Verification of Lock-Free Algorithms

he current trend towards multi-core processors has renewedthe interest in the development and correctness of concurrent algorithms.Most of these algorithms rely on locks to protect critical sectionsfrom unwanted interference. Recently a new class of nonblockingalgorithms has been developed which do not rely on critical sections,but on atomic compare-and-set instructions. Such lock-free algorithmsare less vulnerable to the typical problems of concurrent algorithms:deadlocks, livelocks and priority inversion. On the other hand, thelack of a uniform principle to rule out interference results inincreased complexity. This makes it harder to understand thesealgorithms and to verify their correctness.The paper gives a simple example to demonstrate thecentral correctness criteria of linearizability (a safety property)and lock-freeness (a liveness property) for lock-free algorithms.It then sketches our approach to the modular verification oflock-free algorithms which uses rely-guarantee reasoning anda powerful temporal logic to derive refinement proof obligationsthat can be verified with the interactive theorem prover KIV.Finally an overview over related work and techniques that arerelevant to automate proofs is given.
High-Dose Atorvastatin Reduces Total Plasma Levels of Oxidized Phospholipids and Immune Complexes Present on Apolipoprotein B-100 in Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes in the MIRACL Trial

Background—Oxidized phospholipids (OxPL) are present within atherosclerotic plaques and bound by lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] in plasma. This study evaluated the impact of atorvastatin on oxidized LDL (OxLDL) in patients with acute coronary syndromes (ACS). Methods and Results—OxLDL-E06 (OxPL content on apolipoprotein B-100 [apoB] detected by antibody E06), apoB-100 immune complexes (apoB-IC), OxLDL autoantibodies, and Lp(a) levels were measured in 2341 patients at baseline and after 16 weeks of treatment with atorvastatin 80 mg/d or placebo. The OxLDL-E06 and apoB-IC data are reported per apoB-100 particle (OxPL/apoB, IC/apoB) and as total levels on all apoB-100 particles (total apoB-OxPL and total apoB-IC [eg, OxPL/apoB or IC/apoB×apoB-100 levels]). Compared with baseline values, atorvastatin reduced apoB-100 (−33%), total apoB-OxPL (−29.7%), total apoB-IC IgG (−29.5%), and IgM (−25.7%) (P<0.0001 for all), whereas no change or an increase was observed with placebo. When normalized per apoB-100, compared with placebo, atorvastatin increased OxPL/apoB (9.5% versus −3.9%, P<0.0001) and Lp(a) (8.8% versus −0.7%, (P<0.0001). A strong correlation was noted between OxPL/apoB and Lp(a) (R=0.85, P<0.0001), consistent with previous data that Lp(a) binds OxPL. Conclusions—After atorvastatin treatment, total OxPL on all apoB-100 particles was decreased. However, there was enrichment of OxPL on a smaller pool of apoB-100 particles, in parallel with similar increases in Lp(a), suggesting binding by Lp(a). These data support the hypothesis that atorvastatin promotes mobilization and clearance of proinflammatory OxPL, which may contribute to a reduction in ischemic events after ACS.
The Structure of Religious Mystical Experience in Relation to Pre- and Postexperience Lifestyles

Understanding religious experience constitutes one of the perennial problems of the psychology of religion. Though formal work on this topic began almost a century ago (Coe, 1990; Cutten, 1908; Hall, 1904; James, 1902; Starbuck, 1899), the questions phrased by early scholars have still to be definitively answered. Following the landmark research of E. T. Clark in 1929 on "religious awakening," research on religious experience essentially disappeared from mainstream psychology until about 1960 (W. H. Clark, 1971; W. H. Clark, Malony, Daane, & Tippett, 1973; Godin, 1985; Stark, 1965). Ralph Hood rapidly became the key research scholar in this area (Hood, 1985, 1986; Spilka, Hood, & Gorsuch, 1985). Despite his very significant efforts, including the construction of a mysticism scale (Hood, 1975), there is still a need for theoretically and operationally understanding the complex nature of intense religious experience. Specifically, this domain merits examination in terms of (a) possible pre-experience correl.
Church-based social support and mortality.

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to see if support provided and received from fellow church members reduced the deleterious effects of financial strain on mortality in late life. METHODS Interviews were conducted with a nationwide sample of 1,500 older adults in 2001 and 2004. Participants were asked in 2001 about financial strain, church-based social support, and a range of private and public religious practices. Mortality status was determined at the follow-up interview in 2004. RESULTS The findings indicated that providing social support to fellow church members reduced the effects of support providers' own financial problems on mortality. In contrast, the data suggested that receiving support from people at church did not have the same stress-buffering effect. DISCUSSION Finding ways to help older adults become more involved in providing support to others at church may form the basis for developing interventions aimed at improving their quality of life.
Sibling Relationships in Adulthood and Old Age

Using data from a study of 1996 adults aged 20 and older in Taiwan, this study examines the changing pattern of sibling relationships in adulthood across the life span, including young adulthood, middle age and old age. This study provides evidence that sibling ties in general provide more help in the form of social companionship and emotional support, and less in instrumental support. Furthermore, sibling contact and sibling support both vary inversely with age. In comparison to people in young adulthood and middle age, older people have less contact with siblings, and they also receive less assistance from siblings. This present study shows that the hypothesis generated by the life course perspective for analysis of changes in sibling relationships across life span is not supported. The results show that brother—brother dyads tend to provide the most help, which is different from the findings in western society where women are kin keepers. Such difference illustrates how the family—kinship institution affects sibling relationships across different cultures. Social companionship with siblings is a significant predictor of actual support from siblings, irrespective of whether it is emotional or instrumental in form.
DELEGATION OF SEQUENCING OPERATIONS TO THE FLIGHT CREW FIRST QUANTITATIVE RESULTS

In the scope of assessing the impact of the delegation of sequencing operations to the flight crew, an experiment with twelve controllers from different European countries has been carried out. The airspace simulated was a part of the Paris terminal area, and consisted of two measured sectors with arrival flights from cruise level to initial approach fix. The feeling from controllers is positive: the delegation is perceived as satisfying, and should enable a workload reduction. The acceptance is also revealed by the significant rate of use. The delegation allows for a significant reduction in the number of instructions given, specifically those given near the exit point. This suggests a positive impact on controller activity. Typically, while building sequences still remain to the controllers, maintaining sequences were delegated to flight crews. It was observed however that the sector configuration has an impact on the use of delegation. In terms of efficiency, time, distance and fuel consumption are also reduced, and it appears also that trajectories become more stable. For one of the two sessions, workload issues were investigated through selfassessment and physiological measurements. However, due to problems encountered, they did not provide a clear view. In terms of safety, no significant trend emerges although errors were observed.
Impact of Measurement Error on Statistical Power: Review of an Old Paradox

Abstract The relation between test reliability and statistical power has been a controversial issue, perhaps due in part to a 1975 publication in the Psychological Bulletin by Overall and Woodward, “Unreliability of Difference Scores: A Paradox for the Measurement of Change”, in which they demonstrated that a Student t test based on pretest-posttest differences can attain its greatest power when the difference score reliability is zero. In the present article, the authors attempt to explain this paradox by demonstrating in several ways that power is not a mathematical function of reliability unless either true score variance or error score variance is constant.
A MEMS Resonant Sensor to Measure Fluid Density and Viscosity under Flexural and Torsional Vibrating Modes

Methods to calculate fluid density and viscosity using a micro-cantilever and based on the resonance principle were put forward. Their measuring mechanisms were analyzed and the theoretical equations to calculate the density and viscosity were deduced. The fluid-solid coupling simulations were completed for the micro-cantilevers with different shapes. The sensing chips with micro-cantilevers were designed based on the simulation results and fabricated using the micro electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology. Finally, the MEMS resonant sensor was packaged with the sensing chip to measure the densities and viscosities of eight different fluids under the flexural and torsional vibrating modes separately. The relative errors of the measured densities from 600 kg/m3 to 900 kg/m3 and viscosities from 200 μPa·s to 1000 μPa·s were calculated and analyzed with different microcantilevers under various vibrating modes. The experimental results showed that the effects of the shape and vibrating mode of micro-cantilever on the measurement accuracies of fluid density and viscosity were analyzed in detail.
Lifted Probabilistic Inference

Many AI problems arising in a wide variety of fields such as machine learning, semantic web, network communication, computer vision, and robotics can elegantly be encoded and solved using probabilistic graphical models. Often, however, we are facing inference problems with symmetries and redundancies only implicitly captured in the graph structure and, hence, not exploitable by efficient inference approaches. A prominent example are probabilistic logical models that tackle a long standing goal of AI, namely unifying first-order logic — capturing regularities and symmetries — and probability — capturing uncertainty. Although they often encode large, complex models using few rules only and, hence, symmetries and redundancies abound, inference in them was originally still at the propositional representation level and did not exploit symmetries. This paper is intended to give a (not necessarily complete) overview and invitation to the emerging field of lifted probabilistic inference, inference techniques that exploit these symmetries in graphical models in order to speed up inference, ultimately orders of magnitude.