Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment outcomes of gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist in obese girls with central precocious puberty

Purpose This study investigated the influence of obesity on the clinical course and effect of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analog (GnRHa) treatment in girls with central precocious puberty (CPP). Methods Medical records of 182 girls with CPP treated with GnRHa were reviewed. They were divided into 2 groups: normal weight (n=108) and overweight/obesity (n=74). Chronological age (CA), bone age (BA), difference between BA and CA (BA–CA), standard deviation score (SDS) of height, body mass index (BMI), predicted adult height (PAH), and laboratory findings were compared at baseline, after 1 year, and at the end of GnRHa treatment in both groups. Results Mean BMI SDS at baseline was 0.08±0.60 in the normal weight group and 1.55±0.36 in the overweight/obesity group. Initial CA, BA, midparental height, and PAH were similar between the 2 groups. BA–CA after treatment was significantly decreased compared to baseline in both groups (P<0.001). Between the 2 groups, a decrease in BA–CA during treatment showed no significant difference. PAH at the end of treatment was significantly increased compared to baseline in both groups (P<0.001). PAH at the end of treatment in the overweight/obesity group (159.88±3.41 cm) was similar to that of the normal weight group (159.19±3.25 cm). Comparing the 2 groups according to change in BMI after treatment, there were no differences in ΔPAH, ΔBA–CA, and Δheight SDS for BA. Conclusions GnRHa treatment in obese girls with CPP improved the height outcome and had similar results in normal weight CPP girls. Obesity might not affect the efficacy of GnRHa in girls with CPP.
Male-Biased Predation and Its Effect on Paternity Skew and Life History in a Population of Common Brushtail Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula)

Differences in predation risk may exert strong selective pressures on life history strategies of populations. We investigated the potential for predation to shape male mating strategies in an arboreal folivore, the common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula Kerr). We predicted that possums in a tropical population exposed to high natural levels of predation would grow faster and reproduce earlier compared to those in temperate populations with lower predation. We trapped a population of possums in eucalypt woodland in northern Australia each month to measure life history traits and used microsatellites to genotype all individuals and assign paternity to all offspring. We observed very high levels of male-biased predation, with almost 60% of marked male possums being eaten by pythons, presumably as a result of their greater mobility due to mate-searching. Male reproductive success was also highly skewed, with younger, larger males fathering significantly more offspring. This result contrasts with previous studies of temperate populations experiencing low levels of predation, where older males were larger and the most reproductively successful. Our results suggest that in populations exposed to high levels of predation, male possums invest in increased growth earlier in life, in order to maximise their mating potential. This strategy is feasible because predation limits competition from older males and means that delaying reproduction carries a risk of failing to reproduce at all. Our results show that life histories are variable traits that can match regional predation environments in mammal species with widespread distributions.
Research methodology and publications: Are we following the correct science?

Sir, This is regarding an article entitled “Increased prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) in females in the mountainous valley of Kashmir” published in your journal. [1] We went through the contents of this article in hope to fi nd a pure epidemiological study refl ecting on the increase in prevalence of SCH in females in Kashmir valley. However, we were disappointed to note that the study based on pure laboratory investigations on patients probably referred from clinical departments for evaluation of hypothyroidism could yield prevalence, leave alone increased prevalence. Even if, we accept that prevalence estimates could be arrived at by this methodology, there is no way we can arrive at increased prevalence unless we have comparative statistics to prove this. We hardly fi nd that. Further, the authors mention this as a retrospective study, but go on to write that the patients were re-evaluated with repeat thyroid profi le after 3 months again. In fact, this forms the basis of their diagnosis for SCH. In materials and methods section the authors mention that patients with thyroid hormone evaluation picture of elevated serum thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) levels (>4.3 to ≥10 mIU/ml) with normal levels of serum thyroxine (T4) and tri-iodothyronine (T3) were categorized as SCH if similar levels were observed in repeated thyroid profi le after a lapse of three months. However, in the results section the authors mention that the TSH value above 4.3-10 mU/l and free T4 within normal range was taken as criteria for SCH. This essentially confuses a reader looking for quality research work in your journal. In the same issue of the journal, a better methodology has been adopted by the authors of the article “High prevalence of SCH during the fi rst trimester of pregnancy in North India. ”[2] Further, we would like to draw your attention to an article on SCH published in Jounal of American Medical Association JAMA. [3] It defi nes SCH as a serum TSH above the defi ned upper limit of the reference range, with a T4 within the reference range. Other causes of a raised TSH, a past history of thyroid disease and patients on T4 hormone treatment need to be excluded.
Serum Cystatin C for the Diagnosis of Acute Kidney Injury in Patients Admitted in the Emergency Department

Background. Early diagnosis of acute kidney injury (AKI) at emergency department (ED) is a challenging issue. Current diagnostic criteria for AKI poorly recognize early renal dysfunction and may cause delayed diagnosis. We evaluated the use of serum cystatin C (CysC) for the early and accurate diagnosis of AKI in patients hospitalized from the ED. Methods. In a total of 198 patients (105 males and 93 females), serum CysC, serum creatinine (sCr), and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) were calculated at 0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours after presentation to the ED. We compared two groups according to the presence or absence of AKI. Results. Serial assessment of CysC, sCr, and eGFR was not a strong, reliable tool to distinguish AKI from non-AKI. CysC > 1.44 mg/L at admission, both alone (Odds Ratio = 5.04; 95%CI 2.20–11.52; P < 0.0002) and in combination with sCr and eGFR (Odds Ratio = 5.71; 95%CI 1.86–17.55; P < 0.002), was a strong predictor for the risk of AKI. Conclusions. Serial assessment of CysC is not superior to sCr and eGFR in distinguishing AKI from non-AKI. Admission CysC, both alone and in combination with sCr and eGFR, could be considered a powerful tool for the prediction of AKI in ED patients.
Weight Loss, Cardiovascular Risk Factors, and Quality of Life After Gastric Bypass and Duodenal Switch

BACKGROUND Gastric bypass and duodenal switch are currently performed bariatric surgical procedures. Uncontrolled studies suggest that duodenal switch induces greater weight loss than gastric bypass. OBJECTIVE To determine whether duodenal switch leads to greater weight loss and more favorable improvements in cardiovascular risk factors and quality of life than gastric bypass. DESIGN Randomized, parallel-group trial. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration number: NCT00327912) SETTING 2 academic medical centers (1 in Norway and 1 in Sweden). PATIENTS 60 participants with a body mass index (BMI) between 50 and 60 kg/m(2). INTERVENTION Gastric bypass (n = 31) or duodenal switch (n = 29). MEASUREMENTS The primary outcome was the change in BMI after 2 years. Secondary outcomes included anthropometric measures; concentrations of blood lipids, glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein, and vitamins; and health-related quality of life and adverse events. RESULTS Fifty-eight of 60 participants (97%) completed the study. The mean reductions in BMI were 17.3 kg/m(2) (95% CI, 15.7 to 19.0 kg/m(2)) after gastric bypass and 24.8 kg/m(2) (CI, 23.0 to 26.5 kg/m(2)) after duodenal switch (mean between-group difference, 7.44 kg/m(2) [CI, 5.24 to 9.64 kg/m(2)]; P < 0.001). Total cholesterol concentration decreased by 0.24 mmol/L (CI, -0.03 to 0.50 mmol/L) (9.27 mg/dL [CI, -1.16 to 19.3 mg/dL]) after gastric bypass and 1.07 mmol/L (CI, 0.79 to 1.35 mmol/L) (41.3 mg/dL [CI, 30.5 to 52.1 mg/dL]) after duodenal switch (mean between-group difference, 0.83 mmol/L [CI, 0.48 to 1.18 mmol/L]; 32.0 mg/dL [CI, 18.5 to 45.6 mg/dL]; P ≤ 0.001). Reductions in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration, anthropometric measures, fat mass, and fat-free mass were also greater after duodenal switch (P ≤ 0.010 for each between-group comparison). Both groups had reductions in blood pressure and mean concentrations of glucose, insulin, and C-reactive protein, with no between-group differences. The duodenal switch group, but not the gastric bypass group, had reductions in concentrations of vitamin A and 25-hydroxyvitamin D. Most Short Form-36 Health Survey dimensional scores improved in both groups, with greater improvement in 1 of 8 domains (bodily pain) after gastric bypass. From surgery until 2 years, 10 participants (32%) had adverse events after gastric bypass and 18 (62%) after duodenal switch (P = 0.021). Adverse events related to malnutrition occurred only after duodenal switch. LIMITATION Clinical experience was greater with gastric bypass than with duodenal switch at the study centers. CONCLUSION Duodenal switch surgery was associated with greater weight loss, greater reductions of total and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentrations, and more adverse events. Improvements in other cardiovascular risk factors and quality of life were similar after both procedures. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE South-Eastern Norway Regional Health Authority.
Adaptive compensation of frequency response mismatches in high-resolution time-interleaved ADCs using a low-resolution ADC and a time-varying filter

This paper investigates the adaptive compensation of frequency response mismatches in an M-channel time-interleaved analog-to-digital converter (TI-ADC) using an extra low-resolution ADC and a time-varying FIR filter. The introduced compensation structure may be used to compensate any linear frequency response mismatches including time skew mismatches. The coefficients of the time-varying filter are adapted using the least-mean square (LMS) algorithm. The performance of the proposed compensation structure is demonstrated through numerical simulations.
Psychological Momentum in Target Shooting: Cortical, Cognitive-Affective, and Behavioral Responses

The purpose of this study was to investigate the extent to which perceptions of psychological momentum (PM) are associated with affect and whether affective responses accounted for a significant proportion of target shooting performance variance. This purpose was examined within the framework of the multidimensional model of momentum. Precipitating PM events were manipulated by providing false performance feedback to isolate psychological effects on performance. EEG data were obtained during real-time performance, and frontal asymmetry was analyzed to assess the viability of the approach-withdrawal motivational system as an underlying mechanism to explain the PM-performance relationship. Although cognitive perceptions of PM were reliably altered by the feedback in the hypothesized direction, affective responses, frontal asymmetry, and shooting performance did not significantly differ among feedback conditions. Overall, these findings suggest that cognitive PM perceptions may evolve in response to precipit.
Rodent blood-stage Plasmodium survive in dendritic cells that infect naive mice

Plasmodium spp. parasites cause malaria in 300 to 500 million individuals each year. Disease occurs during the blood-stage of the parasite's life cycle, where the parasite is thought to replicate exclusively within erythrocytes. Infected individuals can also suffer relapses after several years, from Plasmodium vivax and Plasmodium ovale surviving in hepatocytes. Plasmodium falciparum and Plasmodium malariae can also persist after the original bout of infection has apparently cleared in the blood, suggesting that host cells other than erythrocytes (but not hepatocytes) may harbor these blood-stage parasites, thereby assisting their escape from host immunity. Using blood stage transgenic Plasmodium berghei-expressing GFP (PbGFP) to track parasites in host cells, we found that the parasite had a tropism for CD317+ dendritic cells. Other studies using confocal microscopy, in vitro cultures, and cell transfer studies showed that blood-stage parasites could infect, survive, and replicate within CD317+ dendritic cells, and that small numbers of these cells released parasites infectious for erythrocytes in vivo. These data have identified a unique survival strategy for blood-stage Plasmodium, which has significant implications for understanding the escape of Plasmodium spp. from immune-surveillance and for vaccine development.
Learning to Distribute Vocabulary Indexing for Scalable Visual Search

In recent years, there is an ever-increasing research focus on Bag-of-Words based near duplicate visual search paradigm with inverted indexing. One fundamental yet unexploited challenge is how to maintain the large indexing structures within a single server subject to its memory constraint, which is extremely hard to scale up to millions or even billions of images. In this paper, we propose to parallelize the near duplicate visual search architecture to index millions of images over multiple servers, including the distribution of both visual vocabulary and the corresponding indexing structure. We optimize the distribution of vocabulary indexing from a machine learning perspective, which provides a “memory light” search paradigm that leverages the computational power across multiple servers to reduce the search latency. Especially, our solution addresses two essential issues: “What to distribute” and “How to distribute”. “What to distribute” is addressed by a “lossy” vocabulary Boosting, which discards both frequent and indiscriminating words prior to distribution. “How to distribute” is addressed by learning an optimal distribution function, which maximizes the uniformity of assigning the words of a given query to multiple servers. We validate the distributed vocabulary indexing scheme in a real world location search system over 10 million landmark images. Comparing to the state-of-the-art alternatives of single-server search [5], [6], [16] and distributed search [23], our scheme has yielded a significant gain of about 200% speedup at comparable precision by distributing only 5% words. We also report excellent robustness even when partial servers crash.
Further results on implicit factoring in polynomial time

In PKC 2009, May and Ritzenhofen presented interesting problems related to factoring large integers with some implicit hints. One of the problems is as follows. Consider $N_1 = p_1 q_1$ and $N_2 = p_2 q_2$, where $p_1, p_2, q_1, q_2$ are large primes. The primes $p_1, p_2$ are of same bit-size with the constraint that certain amount of Least Significant Bits (LSBs) of $p_1, p_2$ are same. Further the primes $q_1, q_2$ are of same bit-size without any constraint. May and Ritzenhofen proposed a strategy to factorize both $N_1, N_2$ in poly$(\log N)$ time ($N$ is an integer with same bit-size as $N_1, N_2$) with the implicit information that $p_1, p_2$ share certain amount of LSBs. We explore the same problem with a different lattice-based strategy. In a general framework, our method works when implicit information is available related to Least Significant as well as Most Significant Bits (MSBs). Given $q_1, q_2 \approx$ N α , we show that one can factor $N_1, N_2$ simultaneously in poly$(\log N)$ time (under some assumption related to Grobner Basis) when $p_1, p_2$ share certain amount of MSBs and/or LSBs. We also study the case when $p_1, p_2$ share some bits in the middle. Our strategy presents new and encouraging results in this direction. Moreover, some of the observations by May and Ritzenhofen get improved when we apply our ideas for the LSB case.
KDEIM at NTCIR-12 IMine-2 Search Intent Mining Task: Query Understanding through Diversified Ranking of Subtopics

In this paper, we describe our participation in the Query Understanding subtask of the NTCIR-12 IMINE Task. We propose a method that extracts subtopics by leveraging the query suggestions from search engines. The importance of the subtopics with the query is estimated by exploiting multiple query-dependent and query-independent features with supervised feature selection. To diversify the subtopics, we employ maximum marginal relevance ( MMR ) framework based diversi(cid:12)cation technique by balancing the relevance and nov-elty. The best performance of our method achieves an I-rec of 0.7557, a D-nDCG of 0.6644, a D#-nDCG of 0.7100, and a QU-score of 0.5057 at the cutoﬀ rank 10 for query understanding task.
Web directories as topical context

In this paper we explore whether the Open Directory (or DMOZ) can be used to classify queries into topical categories on different levels and whether we can use this topical context to improve retrieval performance. We have set up a user study to let test persons explicitly classify queries into topical categories. Categories are either chosen freely from DMOZ, or from a list of suggestions created by several automatic topic categorization techniques. The results of this user study show that DMOZ categories are suitable for topic categorization. Either free search or evaluation of a list of suggestions can be used to elicit the topical context. Free search leads to more specific topic categories than the list of suggestions. Different test persons show moderate agreement between their individual judgments, but broadly agree on the initial levels of the chosen categories. When we use the topic categories selected by the free search as topical context, this leads to significant improvements over the baseline retrieval results. The more general topic categories selected from the suggestions list, and top level categories do not lead to significant improvements.
Proteolytic Processing of Turnip Yellow Mosaic Virus Replication Proteins and Functional Impact on Infectivity

ABSTRACT Turnip yellow mosaic virus (TYMV), a positive-strand RNA virus belonging to the alphavirus-like supergroup, encodes its nonstructural replication proteins as a 206K precursor with domains indicative of methyltransferase (MT), proteinase (PRO), NTPase/helicase (HEL), and polymerase (POL) activities. Subsequent processing of 206K generates a 66K protein encompassing the POL domain and uncharacterized 115K and 85K proteins. Here, we demonstrate that TYMV proteinase mediates an additional cleavage between the PRO and HEL domains of the polyprotein, generating the 115K protein and a 42K protein encompassing the HEL domain that can be detected in plant cells using a specific antiserum. Deletion and substitution mutagenesis experiments and sequence comparisons indicate that the scissile bond is located between residues Ser879 and Gln880. The 85K protein is generated by a host proteinase and is likely to result from nonspecific proteolytic degradation occurring during protein sample extraction or analysis. We also report that TYMV proteinase has the ability to process substrates in trans in vivo. Finally, we examined the processing of the 206K protein containing native, mutated, or shuffled cleavage sites and analyzed the effects of cleavage mutations on viral infectivity and RNA synthesis by performing reverse-genetics experiments. We present evidence that PRO/HEL cleavage is critical for productive virus infection and that the impaired infectivity of PRO/HEL cleavage mutants is due mainly to defective synthesis of positive-strand RNA.
Cluster Based Peers Configuration Using HCNP in Peer-to-Peer Overlay Networks

The paper addresses the need of efficient collaboration of peers with different levels of heterogeneity in order to share resources in p2p overlay networks. Here the heterogeneity reflects differences in peers physical resources like free storage space, processor speed etc. A non-hierarchical cluster-based approach has been introduced to make the network comprising of heterogeneous nodes, more efficient and scalable. NP (newscast protocol) has been used to generate the nodes (peers) randomly in the network, where nodes also maintain the properties of its neighboring nodes in a cache associated to each node. NP has proved to be the most efficient protocol to maintain the current state of the network. In this paper a heterogeneous cluster-based NP (HCNP) has been introduced, which, not only preserves the properties of NP, but also configures clusters on the basis of changes in physical parameters of the node at any particular time instant.
Active databases as information systems

Database driven Information Systems (IS) have two distinct integrity concerns: static, or data integrity and dynamic integrity. Static integrity addresses situations within a particular database state, or instance and dynamic integrity is concerned with state sequences instead. Dynamic integrity issues come to the fore when services are designed over the database. Information systems are defined as a collection of services and dynamic integrity is therefore an essential part of IS design. Consequently, designers of information systems have been routinely concerned with dynamic integrity. Active databases (ADBs) that add an element of dynamics into database systems, have mainly addressed static integrity concerns. While there have been some attempts to incorporate dynamic integrity concerns within the framework of ADBs, a general solution is still wanting. This work addresses dynamic integrity concerns in ADBs by changing the perspective of an ADB from a database system augmented with rules to a database driven IS that offers rule-based services. This change in perspective offers a promising approach for addressing ADB shortcomings, and reveals a roadmap of directions for future ADB research.
Deploying Large File Transfer on an HTTP Content Distribution Network

While HTTP-based Content Distribution Networks have been successfully used to serve Web users, several design and operational issues have prevented them from being used for the scalable and efficient transfer of large files. We show that with a small number of changes, supporting large file transfer can be efficiently handled on existing HTTP CDNs, without modifying client or server software. This approach not only reduces infrastructure and the need for resource provisioning between services, but can also improve reliability by leveraging the stability of the existing CDN to deploy this new service. We show that this approach can be implemented at low cost, and provides efficient transfers even under heavy load.