Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A national facility for small area disease mapping and rapid initial assessment of apparent disease clusters around a point source: the UK Small Area Health Statistics Unit.

BACKGROUND Reports of disease clusters are often received by district health authorities and are, in some cases, associated with concerns about a pollution source. The Small Area Health Statistics Unit (SAHSU) has developed a Rapid Inquiry Facility, which will produce an estimated relative risk for any given condition for the population within defined areas around a point source, relative to the population in a local reference region. The system can also facilitate the production of annual reports and other health studies for Departments of Public Health Medicine through the creation of ward-level maps to illustrate disease variation across small areas. METHODS The facility uses routinely collected morbidity, mortality and population data at a small area scale, together with the computing facilities and expertise necessary to run such analyses quickly and efficiently. Using this facility SAHSU can supply a report within three working days. To aid interpretation, smoothed small area maps that account for sampling variability in the observed data can also be produced. RESULTS The paper reports on two case studies where the pilot system has been utilized by health authorities for both point source analyses and small area disease mapping. CONCLUSIONS We believe that this facility would be of considerable use to districts. The local knowledge and expertise of the local public health specialist is essential in the interpretation and presentation of the facility's output. Feedback from public health specialists is helping SAHSU refine the output of the facility, so as to make the information presented as comprehensive and as useful as possible.
4E-4 Propagation Characteristics of SH-SAW in (1120) ZnO Layer/Silica Glass Substrate Structures

A (1120) textured ZnO film can excite SH-SAW. Therefore, the film on various substrates is an attractive option for fabricating the SH-SAW device on a silicon IC, and the device on a curved surface. In this report, the electromechanical coupling coefficients (K1) in the ZnO (0deg, 90deg, psi) film/silica glass substrate structures were theoretically estimated. The theoretical results showed that the IDT electrode/ZnO (0deg, 90deg, 55deg) film/silica glass substrate structure had a relatively large K2 value of 3.4 % at H/lambda=0.21. This structure was then fabricated using RF magnetron sputtering technique. The experimental results clearly demonstrated SH-SAW excitation in the structure.
Clinical feasibility of fast psychophysical tuning curves evaluated using normally hearing adults: Success rate, range of tip shift, repeatability, and comparison of methods used for estimation of frequency at the tip

Abstract Objective: Psychophysical tuning curves (PTCs) have been used predominantly in laboratory settings to assess frequency selectivity in the auditory system. Recently, a fast-PTC procedure has been developed for diagnosis of cochlear dead regions. In this study the clinical feasibility of using fast PTCs in adults was investigated. Success rate (the number of successes per number of attempts) and repeatability were assessed. The range of the tip frequency (ftip) shift was established and different methods of ftip estimation compared. Design: Fast PTCs were measured for signal frequencies (fs) of 500, 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 Hz on two occasions using an upward-sweeping masker. Five methods were used to estimate ftip for each PTC. Study sample: Thirty-two adults with normal hearing were tested. Results: All participants were able to successfully complete the task, the majority of them with minimal training. The moving average, quadratic function, and double lowpass filtering methods had the highest success rate in ftip estimation. The quadratic function method had the smallest 95% range of − 3.4% fs to 10.2% fs and the best test-retest reliability of 5.1% fs. Conclusions: Fast PTCs show potential for clinical use due to a high success rate with minimal training required. We suggest the quadratic function method for routine clinical use as it had the smallest 95% range, a high success rate in ftip estimation and the best test-retest reliability. For fast PTCs measured for signal frequencies from 500 to 4000 Hz using an upward-sweeping masker, we suggest the normative range of ftip to be − 3% fs to 10% fs with a test-retest reliability of 5% fs.
A high-transformation-efficiency cloning vector for Thermus thermophilus.

The cloning vector pMK18 was developed through the fusion of the minimal replicative region from an indigenous plasmid of Thermus sp. ATCC27737, a gene cassette encoding a thermostable resistance to kanamycin, and the replicative origin and multiple cloning site of pUC18. Plasmid pMK18 showed transformation efficiencies from 10(8) to 10(9) per microgram of plasmid in Thermus thermophilus HB8 and HB27, both by natural competence and by electroporation. We also show that T. thermophilus HB27 can take pMK18 modified by the Escherichia coli methylation system with the same efficiency as its own DNA. To demonstrate its usefulness as a cloning vector, a gene encoding the beta-subunit of a thermostable nitrate reductase was directly cloned in T. thermophilus HB27 from a gene library. Its further transfer to E. coli also proved its utility as a shuttle vector.
Multicast routing in BMSNs through greedy, weighted greedy, and Dijkstra algorithms: a comparative analysis

The performances of some popular routing algorithms used for multicast communications are extensively simulated and analyzed in comparative terms, assuming the Bidirectional Manhattan Street Network as a valued test-bed. Multicast traffic is inserted over a substrate of point-to-point communications, contributing to increase the value of some cost parameters, suitably defined to express the routing efficiency. Both the cases of uncorrelated and bursty traffic are considered. The analysis confirms that the superiority of an algorithm over the others cannot be claimed since it depends on the input variables and on the criterion used for performance evaluation. Anyway conclusions can be drawn under specific assumptions, and they are usable in the framework of the network design.
Methylation status of fragile histidine triad (FHIT) gene and its clinical impact on prognosis of patients with multiple myeloma

Abstract: Aberrant methylation of tumor suppressor genes (TSG) has been studied in multiple myeloma (MM). We determined the methylation status of the FHIT (fragile histidine triad) gene, a putative TSG, in 48 patients with MM. Clinical association with its methylation status was then analyzed. The FHIT gene methylation was observed in 21 of the 48 patients (44%). No association between FHIT gene methylation and clinical variables such as age, gender and clinical stage was found. However, the estimated 50% survival time of the methylated group was significantly shorter than that of the unmethylated group (18.2 vs. 45.1 months, P < 0.05). Univariate analysis revealed adverse prognostic factors: FHIT gene methylation (P = 0.028), poor performance status (I to IV, P = 0.002), anemia (≤8.5 g/dL, P = 0.007), hypoalbuminemia (≤3.5 g/dL, P < 0.002), high serum C‐reactive protein levels (>0.5 mg/dL, P = 0.002), elevated beta‐2‐microglobulin serum levels (>6.5 mg/L, P < 0.001), and treatments not including autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (auto‐PBSCT) (P = 0.007). Multivariate analysis identified FHIT gene methylation [hazard ratio (HR) 1.722, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.150–2.603, P = 0.009], elevated beta‐2‐microglobulin serum levels (>6.5 mg/L, HR 2.005, 95% CI 1.035–3.937, P = 0.004), and treatments not including auto‐PBSCT are independent predictive variables. These findings indicate that aberrant methylation of the FHIT gene is an independent adverse prognostic factor in MM.
Design and Simulated Annealing Optimization of a Static Comparator for Low-Power High-Speed CMOS VLSI

In this work, we present a new architecture for designing static low-power high-speed comparators based on tristate buffers. The delay of this structure is a logarithmic function of the fan-in. With a minor modification, the circuit can be optimized for high speed or low power operation. The performance of the circuit has also been optimized using simulated annealing method. To assess the efficiency of the comparators, they have been simulated in a 100nm CMOS technology. The results for VDD = 1V show a maximum delay of 302ps (570ps) and a power consumption of 614μw (150μw) for a 64 bit high-speed (low-power) comparator at 2GHz. Compared to a conventional tree comparator, the high-speed (low-power) circuits show a 9 (10) times better energy delay product (EDP).
Generalized Markov Chain Monte Carlo Initialization for Clustering Gaussian Mixtures Using K-means

Gaussian mixtures are considered to be a good estimate of real life data. Any clustering algorithm that can efficiently cluster such mixtures is expected to work well in practical applications dealing with real life data. K-means is popular for such applications given its ease of implementation and scalability; yet it suffers from the plague of poor seeding. Moreover, if the Gaussian mixture has overlapping clusters, k-means is not able to separate them if initial conditions are not good. Kmeans++ is a good seeding method with high time complexity. It can be made fast by using Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling. This paper proposes a method that improves seed quality and retains speed of sampling technique. The desired effects are demonstrated on several Gaussian mixtures.
Laughter modulation: from speech to speech-laugh

Laughing while speaking, also referred to as speech-laugh, oc-curs frequently in social conversations. In order to understand how laughter inﬂuences the acoustics of its co-occurring speech signal, we take a synthesis approach in designing an interactive system for artiﬁcial “laughter modulation”: users input an arbi-trary speech signal, and the system processes the signal to yield acoustic patterns characteristic of a speech-laugh. Implemented using the ChucK audio programming language, our prototype allows for real-time manipulation of modulation parameters for rapid experimentation. This paper describes key components of our prototype, to be demonstrated at the 2013 Interspeech Show & Tell. This synthesis-based approach to speech-laughs may serve as a starting point for the future of affective machine-generated speech.
Heat transfer modeling of concentrator multijunction solar cell assemblies using finite difference techniques

Information on the temperature of a packaged III–V multijunction solar cell mounted on a heat sink, operating under concentrated light is often not readily available. Availability of such information would facilitate the design of different receiver module configurations in a concentrating photovoltaic system (CPV). To this end, a heat transfer model is developed from finite difference techniques to predict the temperature from various parts of a concentrator cell assembly (CCA). The CCA consists of a solar cell mounted on a direct-bonded copper ceramic substrate with bypass diode. Temperatures of the solar cell with applied conformal coating are modeled as well as the temperature difference, ΔT, between the various layers within the CCA. Isotherm contour plots are generated for the cell under different conditions. It is found that the solar cell temperature in the CCA without conformal coating is 32 °C when illuminated at 50 W/cm2 with the CCA back surface temperature at 25 °C. When the CCA is bonded to a surface with thin bondline of a silicone-based thermal adhesive of 2 W/m K under the same intensity and back surface temperature, the cell rises to 37.3 °C. Further, the effects of the thermal adhesive thickness as well as the adhesive thermal conductivity on the solar cell temperature are examined. An effective thermal resistance of the CCA is determined to help in the design of a CPV system. The results from the model are validated against conservation of energy where the heat input from solar radiation on the solar cell is equal to the heat rate by conduction minus the converted electrical power of the cell.
Developmental expression of two antigens associated with mouse intestinal crypts

Two monoclonal antibodies were prepared against the duodenal mucosa of fourday‐old mice (MIM‐1/39 and MIM 1/130). The expression of the antigens was associated with the crypts of the small and large intestine in the fetus and adult. MIM‐1/39 was present in epithelial cells of the intervillous areas in the small intestine at 17 and 18 days of gestation; afterwards its expression was detected only in crypt cells from birth to adulthood. Transition from the mouth of the crypts to intestinal villi was abrupt. Expression of MIM‐1/39 was first detected at time of birth in the colon: In the adult, only crypt cells expressed the antigen and goblet cells were negative. Antigen MIM‐1/130 was detected from 16 to 18 days of gestation in the small intestine, in the mesenchymal matrix lying under the intervillous epithelium. After birth, it was present in the pericryptal mesenchymal matrix. This antigen was also expressed at birth in the colon and remained in the pericryptal matrix in the adult. In vivo, multiple injections of an organic extract of rat amniotic fluid to mothers, starting at 14 days of gestation, induced a profound modulation in the pattern of expression of both antigens at 17 days of gestation: The pattern of expression was comparable to that observed at least 5 days after birth in untreated animals. The expression of both antigens before crypt appearance may reflect some molecular differentiation in preparation for the formation of crypts, while their association with differentiated crypts may indicate that they have a role in the maintenance of crypt functional and/or morphological integrity. Finally, the fact that their expression can be modulated experimentally may prove to be a breakthrough for the study of crypt formation. © 1992 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nitric Oxide-Mediated Intracellular Growth Restriction of Pathogenic Rhodococcus equi Can Be Prevented by Iron

ABSTRACT Rhodococcus equi is an intracellular pathogen which causes pneumonia in young horses and in immunocompromised humans. R. equi arrests phagosome maturation in macrophages at a prephagolysosome stage and grows inside a privileged compartment. Here, we show that, in murine macrophages activated with gamma interferon and lipopolysaccharide, R. equi does not multiply but stays viable for at least 24 h. Whereas infection control of other intracellular pathogens by activated macrophages is executed by enhanced phagosome acidification or phagolysosome formation, by autophagy or by the interferon-inducible GTPase Irgm1, none of these mechanisms seems to control R. equi infection. Growth control by macrophage activation is fully mimicked by treatment of resting macrophages with nitric oxide donors, and inhibition of bacterial multiplication by either activation or nitric oxide donors is annihilated by cotreatment of infected macrophages with ferrous sulfate. Transcriptional analysis of the R. equi iron-regulated gene iupT demonstrates that intracellular R. equi encounters iron stress in activated, but not in resting, macrophages and that this stress is relieved by extracellular addition of ferrous sulfate. Our results suggest that nitric oxide is central to the restriction of bacterial access to iron in activated macrophages.
Laparoscopic Vagotomy: Feasible Option for the Chronic Peptic Ulcer Patient

Result: The average age of these patients was 44.9 years, ranging from 33 to 64 years. Nine patients were males and two patients were females. Five patients had laparoscopic highly selective vagotomy. There were no immediate postoperative complications in this group. The average length of hospital stay was 7.8 days ranging from 3-17days. Five patients had laparoscopic truncal vagotomy with open pyloroplasty. The complications reported in this group were a case of intestinal obstruction and another case of persistent symptoms. The average length of hospital stay was 16 days, ranging from 6 to 46 days. One patient underwent laparoscopic truncal vagotomy with gastro-jejunostomy due to gastric outlet obstruction. The patient had intestinal obstruction postoperatively. Conclusion: Laparoscopic highly selective vagotomy has a significantly lower complication rate than other laparoscopic surgeries for chronic peptic ulcer disease, which makes it a feasible option. However, the hospital stay for these surgeries are higher than reported studies which hinders its cost-effectiveness.
Sketchy Inference : Towards Streaming LDA

Recent developments in inference algorithms based on stochastic Expectationmaximization or stochastic cellular automata (SCA) have made it possible to employ a variety of randomized data structures that are unavailable to the dominant inference methods in the Bayesian toolkit, including collapsed Gibbs sampling and stochastic variational inference (SVI). Equipped with this recent capability, we make progress towards a true streaming inference algorithm for LDA that makes novel use of these random data-structures. We mean “true” in the sense that the algorithm avoids entirely the need for pre-computation, which many current “streaming” variants of latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) must perform. We find that despite using various randomized data-structures to represent the sufficient statistics, the inference algorithm converges to similar perplexities as more conventional LDA while producing equally interpretable topics.
“When my Moods Drive Upward There Is Nothing I Can Do about It”: A Review of Extreme Appraisals of Internal States and the Bipolar Spectrum

The integrative cognitive model provides a comprehensive account of bipolar disorder (BD) that, if empirically supported, has important potential implications for psychological therapies. This article is the first to review the evidence for this model. We evaluate the evidence (up to 2017) for four hypotheses derived uniquely from the model: extreme positive and negative appraisals of internal states are associated with (1) risk of developing BD; (2) BD diagnosis; (3) relevant clinical and functional outcomes including hypomanic and depressive mood symptoms; and (4) outcomes over time. Research involving individuals with diagnosed mood disorders as well as non-clinical populations is reviewed. The hypotheses were broadly supported and several consistent findings were not accounted for by alternative psychological models of BD. The evidence base is limited by a relative paucity of prospective studies; only 6 of the 31 studies identified. Implications for theory, research and clinical practice are discussed.
Immunoglobulin M anti-hepatitis A virus determination reorienting gradient centrifugation for diagnosis of Acute Hepatitis A

The persistence of antibody to hepatitis A antigen (anti-HAV) of the immunoglobulin M (IgM) class was evaluated in 88 sera of 51 acute hepatitis A patients. IgM was separated from IgG by a 2-h reorienting sucrose gradient ultracentrifugation, and the titer of anti-HAV was determined in the IgG- and IgM-containing fractions by solid-hase radioimmunoassay. IgM anti-HAV was the predominating antibody at onset of jaundice and persisted in these patients for at least 60 days, but not longer than 115 days. The demonstration of IgM anti-HAV is therefore a valuable tool for the diagnosis of recent hepatitis A infection.
Intestinal Microbiota in the Control of Pathogens

The intestinal mucosa contains innumerable species of commensal microorganisms, at equilibrium end up preventing the persistence of or even eliminating pathogenic microorganisms. The manner by which the intestinal microbiota eliminates pathogenic microorganisms has been extensively studied by diverse researchers throughout the world. This is mainly due to the fact that the indiscriminate use of antibiotics has given rise to a global problem of great importance to public health. Consequently, diverse products that constitute alternatives to the use of antibiotics, such as probiotics, which act against pathogens. Currently, probiotics are being utilized commercially on a large scale in the production of animal products, and to a lesser degree in such human foods. We know of the existence of many other bacteria present in normal intestinal microbiota that are not known. Exact knowledge on how these microorganisms interact is the objective of researchers throughout the world, specifically by understanding the true function of all intestinal microbiota, thereby gaining the ability to combat intestinal pathogens in a safe and healthy manner in relation to public health.
Small Sample Error Rate Estimation for k-NN Classifiers

Small sample error rate estimators for nearest-neighbor classifiers are examined and contrasted with the same estimators for three-nearest-neighbor classifiers. The performance of the bootstrap estimators, e0 and 0.632B, is considered relative to leaving-one-out and other cross-validation estimators. Monte Carlo simulations are used to measure the performance of the error-rate estimators. The experimental results are compared to previously reported simulations for nearest-neighbor classifiers and alternative classifiers. It is shown that each of the estimators has strengths and weaknesses for varying apparent and true error-rate situations. A combined estimator that corrects the leaving-one-out estimator (by combining bootstrap and cross-validation estimators) gives strong results over a broad range of situations. >
Impact of Channel Hot Carrier Effect in Junction-and Doping-Free Devices and Circuits

In this brief, we have investigated the time-dependent performance degradation of digital benchmark circuits due to channel hot carrier (CHC) stress in junction-and doping-free devices. For device-circuit interaction, we have developed the lookup table-based Verilog-A models of both devices for circuit simulations. At device level, the drain current of conventional n-type junctionless FET (JLFET) is degraded by 20%-25%; however, dopingless JLFET experiences 10%-15% degradation in drain current due to CHC stress of different time spans. The circuit-level simulations of digital benchmark circuits, such as standard six-transistor static random access memory (SRAM) cell and ring oscillator (RO), have large impact of CHC stress. For example, operating frequency of RO designed with conventional JLFET is degraded by 3.3 to 5 times due to CHC stress of 2000 and 6000 s. Similarly, read and write delays of SRAM cell are also degraded by CHC stress conditions.
An Automated System for Categorizing Transthoracic Echocardiography Indications According to the Echocardiography Appropriate Use Criteria

The Echocardiography Appropriate Use Criteria (EAUC) are a set of indications for transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) developed to guide physician decision making around ordering of TTE. In this study, an automated rule-based method for processing "indications" listed within TTE reports and classification into one of the major EAUC categories was developed and validated against a clinician-annotated reference standard. The system performed at a comparable level to trained physicians allowing for the automated classification of more than 30,000 TTE indications from a public database in less than ten minutes. The most common indication for TTE was Valvular assessment closely followed by General. Hypertension/Heart Failure/Cardiomyopathy, Acute, and Cardiac Structure assessment each contributed more than ten percent within this patient population. These results suggest potential for automated approaches for tracking appropriate use of TTE, as well as guide the development of systems for prospectively identifying when TTE use is recommended.