Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Acute Brucellosis on Mean Platelet Volume and Red Blood Cell Distribution

Background: Brucellosis is an inflammatory disease which may infect any organs or systems in the body. Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) is one of the most frequently used surrogate markers of platelet function. It reveals the presence of disease activity in many inflammatory diseases. Red blood cell distribution width (RDW) is a parameter that measures variation in red blood cell size or red blood cell volume. Its predictive value approves inflammatory and infectious diseases. Objectives: The current study aimed to determine the assessment levels of red blood cell distribution in cases with acute brucellosis. Patients and Methods: The current study investigated whether MPV and RDW played any roles in acute brucellosis diagnosis. The study was conducted from 2008 to 2014 through prospective examination of the inflammatory markers found in adult patients with acute brucellosis. Results: The follow-up within the year after treatment was examined. The values of age, gender, leukocyte count, C-reactive protein, RDW and MPV were recorded. The study included 351 subjects, 250 of them in the acute brucellosis group and 101 in the control group. The mean MPV levels were 7.64 ± 1.30 fL, and 7.67 ± 1.29 fL in the acute brucellosis and control groups, respectively (P > 0.05). The mean CRP levels were 32.57 ± 53.20 mg/dL, and 4.81 ± 4.89 mg/dL in the acute brucellosis and control groups, respectively (P < 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups regarding the RDW level and the mean leukocyte count (P > 0.05). Conclusions: While the CRP value was in patients with acute brucellosis in the current study, the MPV, RDW and leukocyte counts were within the normal range. CRP value remains the most valuable inflammatory marker in cases of acute brucellosis.
Investigation and design of 3D metamaterial for the enhancement of patch antenna radiation

This paper presents a design of a 3D metamaterial based on a symmetrical half ring (SHR-W) unit cell. The effective parameters (μeff, εeff) of the SRH cell are presently negative and exhibit low loss. A 3D metamaterial equivalent model based on SHR-W was used like a lens on top of a patch antenna. The results showed an improvement on the directivity and on the gain. The presented work opens the studied field into several directions, especially for the realization of tuneable metamaterials which can be used within reconfigurable antenna systems.
Global abstraction-safe marshalling with hash types

Type abstraction is a key feature of ML-like languages for writing large programs. Marshalling is necessary for writing distributed programs, exchanging values via network byte-streams or persistent stores. In this paper we combine the two, developing compile-time and run-time semantics for marshalling, that guarantee abstraction-safety between separately-built programs. We obtain a namespace for abstract types that is global, i.e. meaningful between programs, by hashing module declarations. We examine the scenarios in which values of abstract types are communicated from one program to another, and ensure, by constructing hashes appropriately, that the dynamic and static notions of type equality mirror each other. We use singleton kinds to express abstraction in the static semantics; abstraction is tracked in the dynamic semantics by coloured brackets. These allow us to prove preservation, erasure, and coincidence results. We argue that our proposal is a good basis for extensions to existing ML-like languages, pragmatically straightforward for language users and for implementors.
Instrumental Procedures for Dysphagia Diagnosis

PROCEDURES Swallowing is a complex, sequential behavior w i ~ h a variety of ir~turdcpcr~derrt FOR DYSPHAGIA patterns of motor activity that occur simulDIAGNOSIS tarleously and rapidly in a predetermined order. The initial rrlotor activity of the tongue stimulates a series of events. The Barbara C . Sonie.7, Ph.D. subsequen~ ~ n o ~ o r patLerrrs prepare and transport a liquid or solid bolus safely SI-om the oral cavity, thl-ough the pharynxbypassing the airway-into the esophagus and lower digestive tract. Accurarc. assc:ssrrlc.rrt of ttlc activity of the oral, pharyngeal, and esophageal areas during swallo~ving requires the use of instrumental diagnostic imaging techniques to view the intrinsic physiology. Instrumental procedures differ from clinical examinations, which are limited to external and observable behaviors. In Irrarl); instances, the instrumental swallowirlg examination requires the use 01' several procedures and more than one imaging system to obtain complete diagnostic information (Sonies and Baum, 1988; Sor~ies and Caruso, 1990). The most commonlv used diagnostic techu nique for swallowing is videofluorosropy, which is often used exclusively and repeatedly with minimal consider-ation of' the risks this procedure may entail. I t is important to know the inherent limitations of any procedure used to evaluate sruallowing. 'l'herefore, the first section of this article provides the clinician with a model for classifying rht: instruments used to evaluate swallowing. Both commonly used and investigational procedures are i~rclutlcd. Thc rlcxt scc. ~ior~ describes the various procedures along with their benefits and limitations. This information should help in selecting the most appropriate method for each patient. Critel-ia used to facilitate the process of matching a clientlpatient to a proper technique are presented. T o establish an W. G. Mag? ~won Clir~ical Center; Depcrtmelrt of appropriate tllatch, the exa~r~ir~ershould Rehabilitation Medicine, Natio? ial firuliiu~e~ of evaluate the safety, invasiveness, and risks Health, Bethesda, Maryland intrinsic to a specific study. Several of' the imaging procedures that employ x-rays Reprint requests; Dr. Sonies, W. G. Mupiwon Clinical Center, Depurbrli~n[ of Rehubilil&'071 Can induce slorvl~ progressive, Medicine, National Instilutes of Health, Bethesda, physi~logi~. al changes the patient, while IMI) 20892. others such as manometry and fiberoptic 185
School Disorder, School Connectedness, and Psychosocial Outcomes: Moderation by a Supportive Figure in the School

The current study examined whether students’ perceptions of school disorder influenced their psychosocial outcomes directly and indirectly via connectedness to school. The current study also explored moderation by the presence of a supportive figure in the school and investigated gender differences. Participants were 28,104 high school students. Results indicated that students’ perceptions of school disorder predicted more externalizing behaviors and internalizing symptoms directly and indirectly via reduced connectedness to school. Perceived school disorder also indirectly predicted lower academic grades. The presence of a supportive figure in the school lessened the detrimental influence of school disorder on student outcomes. Results also indicated that male students may stand to benefit more from the protective influence of a supportive figure in the school.
Presidential Success Through Appointments to the United States District Courts

While many of the decisions of federal district court judges involve the routine application of settled legal rules, a significant minority of decisions present judges with the opportunity for judicial policymaking. A considerable body of literature suggests that when faced with policymaking opportunities, judges' policy preferences exert a significant impact on the nature of those decisions. The present study explores the extent to which the preferences of appointing presidents are manifested in the policy-relevant decisions of district court judges. In particular, we seek to determine the success of presidents in selecting district court judges compared to recent findings on the success of presidents in selecting justices for the Supreme Court.
Regulation of Amyloid Precursor Protein Processing by Serotonin Signaling

Proteolytic processing of the amyloid precursor protein (APP) by the β- and γ-secretases releases the amyloid-β peptide (Aβ), which deposits in senile plaques and contributes to the etiology of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The α-secretase cleaves APP in the Aβ peptide sequence to generate soluble APPα (sAPPα). Upregulation of α-secretase activity through the 5-hydroxytryptamine 4 (5-HT4) receptor has been shown to reduce Aβ production, amyloid plaque load and to improve cognitive impairment in transgenic mouse models of AD. Consequently, activation of 5-HT4 receptors following agonist stimulation is considered to be a therapeutic strategy for AD treatment; however, the signaling cascade involved in 5-HT4 receptor-stimulated proteolysis of APP remains to be determined. Here we used chemical and siRNA inhibition to identify the proteins which mediate 5-HT4d receptor-stimulated α-secretase activity in the SH-SY5Y human neuronal cell line. We show that G protein and Src dependent activation of phospholipase C are required for α-secretase activity, while, unexpectedly, adenylyl cyclase and cAMP are not involved. Further elucidation of the signaling pathway indicates that inositol triphosphate phosphorylation and casein kinase 2 activation is also a prerequisite for α-secretase activity. Our findings provide a novel route to explore the treatment of AD through 5-HT4 receptor-induced α-secretase activation.
Effects of immediacy of feedback on estimations and performance

Abstract We investigated the role of anticipation of feedback in performance and estimation about own performance. We submitted 155 participants to a test of verbal aptitude, and we requested them to give estimations of their own performance and the performance of other participants. There were two treatments: immediate feedback and delayed feedback. Participants in the immediate‐feedback group were informed that they would receive feedback on their performance immediately after finishing the test, whereas participants in the delayed‐feedback group were informed that they would receive feedback a week after taking the test. The immediate‐feedback group performed better than the delayed‐feedback group. Furthermore, the former underestimated their own performance. On the other hand, participants on the delayed‐feedback group made unbiased estimations. We present a mathematical model based on construal‐level theory, decision affect theory, temporal discounting, and Moore and Healy's model of overestimation. The model suggests that the source of differences in performance and in estimations of own performance is a construal of the feedback situation that modifies the expected utility of the task.
Epitypification with an emended description of Tropidia connata (Orchidaceae, Epidendroideae, Tropidieae)

Abstract We found several specimens of Tropidia connata, a mycoheterotrophic orchid from Borneo, with features which have never been described in any of the existing literature, namely subterranean tubers. We mainly focus on the importance of the subterranean structures in comparison with the mycoheterotrophic genus Kalimantanorchis from the tribe Tropidieae. This finding of the tuberous structure gives a new insight into the classification of mycoheterotrohic species of Tropidieae and might affect the generic placement of Kalimantanorchis. We made a detailed study on the newly discovered specimens as well as the type, and found more diagnostic characters of T. connata than the previous description. Considering that the type specimen lacks the whole tuberous character, we consequently designate an epitype with a drawing and emend the description.
Automated test case generation from use case: A model based approach

Automated test case generation from use cases in early development phase is of great benefit to system testing. The paper proposes IFA (interaction finite automaton), a state based model concentrating on formulizing a system's behaviors specified in use cases without knowing its internal structures. The algorithms for transformation from use cases to IFA and generating test cases from IFA are represented in detail. Based on these algorithms, test cases could be generated from use cases automatically. The supporting tool is also presented in this paper.
Toward a Web based Environment for Evaluation and Design of Pedagogical Hypermedia

We are working on a method, called CEPIAH. We propose a web based system used to help teachers to design multimedia documents and to evaluate their prototypes. Our current research objectives are to create a methodology to sustain the educational hypermedia design and evaluation. A module is used to evaluate multimedia software applied in educational context. We structured a knowledge base composed from a list of evaluation criteria, grouped in six themes: general feeling, technical quality, usability, scenario, multimedia documents, and didactical aspects. We insisted on multimedia particular aspects: we thoroughly studied the specificity of multimedia documents (investigating various fields such as photography, typography, picture semantics, cinema…). We also evaluated the way multimedia elements are gathered to prepare the reading acts. We finally determined specific criteria for pedagogical aspects, associated to the previous approaches. A global questionnaire joins all these modules. In this paper, we present the first two modules, EMPI and SP/UL/FC (a method for designing pedagogical hypermedia), and an application of distant teaching (and distant learning), commenting the first results of this experiment. We conclude by a short presentation of the third module, on which we are still working.
Practical partial evaluation for high-performance dynamic language runtimes

Most high-performance dynamic language virtual machines duplicate language semantics in the interpreter, compiler, and runtime system. This violates the principle to not repeat yourself. In contrast, we define languages solely by writing an interpreter. The interpreter performs specializations, e.g., augments the interpreted program with type information and profiling information. Compiled code is derived automatically using partial evaluation while incorporating these specializations. This makes partial evaluation practical in the context of dynamic languages: It reduces the size of the compiled code while still compiling all parts of an operation that are relevant for a particular program. When a speculation fails, execution transfers back to the interpreter, the program re-specializes in the interpreter, and later partial evaluation again transforms the new state of the interpreter to compiled code. We evaluate our approach by comparing our implementations of JavaScript, Ruby, and R with best-in-class specialized production implementations. Our general-purpose compilation system is competitive with production systems even when they have been heavily optimized for the one language they support. For our set of benchmarks, our speedup relative to the V8 JavaScript VM is 0.83x, relative to JRuby is 3.8x, and relative to GNU R is 5x.
Scapular angular positioning at end range internal rotation in cases of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit.

STUDY DESIGN Controlled laboratory study. OBJECTIVES Investigate the relationship between glenohumeral internal rotation range-of-motion deficit and 3-dimensional scapular angular positioning during active arm movements in participants with recent participation in overhead sports activity. BACKGROUND Subacromial impingement is one of the most common shoulder pathologies and is multifactorial in etiology. Posterior glenohumeral joint capsule tightness has been theorized to contribute to one potential causal factor: abnormal scapular positioning. METHODS AND MEASURES Twenty-three subjects, who had participated in competitive sports involving overhead activity within the last 5 years, were categorized into 2 groups based on the degree of glenohumeral internal rotation deficit (20% deficit threshold). Scapular angular positioning of subjects performing shoulder internal rotation from 90 degrees flexion and abduction shoulder positions was evaluated using 3-dimensional electromagnetic surface tracking. Additional sensors monitored trunk and humeral motion. Scapular position data at end range glenohumeral internal rotation, along with glenohumeral internal rotation range of motion measurements, were used to analyze the relationship between glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and scapular position using 2-way ANOVA and regression analyses. RESULTS The internal rotation deficit group had significantly greater scapular anterior tilt (9.2 degrees difference, P = .04) across positions, as compared to the control group. Regression analysis demonstrated a significant association between glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and scapular position (tilting) during flexed internal rotation (r(2) = 0.37, P = . 03) and for scapular position (anterior tilting and upward rotation) during abducted internal rotation (r = 0.35, P = .036). CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate a significant relationship between glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and abnormal scapular positioning, particularly increased anterior tilt. This relationship identifies a possible mechanism for development of excessive scapular anterior tilt.
BRAF and NRAS Mutations are Heterogeneous and Not Mutually Exclusive in Nodular Melanoma

Inhibitors of RAF inhibit the MAPK pathway that plays an important role in the development and progression of those melanoma carrying the V600E BRAF mutation, but there’s a subset of such patients who do not respond to the therapy. Various mechanisms of drug resistance have been proposed which include the clonal heterogeneity of the tumor. We have studied a population of nodular melanoma to investigate the intratumor and intertumor heterogeneity by Laser Capture Microdissection (LCM) analysis. Our results showed that BRAF and NRAS mutations were detected in 47% and 33% of nodular melanoma, respectively, and that there is a discrepancy in mutational pattern of tumoral sample because in the 36% of patients a different mutation, in at least 1 area of the tumor, was found by LCM analysis, giving evidence of the presence of different clonal cells populations. Moreover, we found that mutations in BRAF and NRAS are not mutually exclusive because they were simultaneously present in the same tumor specimens and we observed that when the 2 different mutations were present one is a high-frequency mutation and the other is a low-frequency mutation. This was more evident in lymphonodal metastasis that resulted from wild type to mutational analysis, but showed different mutations following LCM analysis. Therefore, we believed that, when primary tumoral sample results negative to mutational analysis, if it is possible, metastases should be investigated to verify the presence of mutations. Generally, it should be searched for other mutations, in addition to BRAF V600E, so as to better understand the mechanism of drug resistance.
Educational inequalities in smoking among men and women aged 16 years and older in 11 European countries

Objective: To determine those groups who are at increased risk of smoking related diseases, we assessed in which male and female generations smoking was more prevalent among lower educated groups than among the higher educated, in 11 European countries. Design: Cross sectional analysis of data on smoking, covering the year 1998, from a social survey designed for all member states of the European Union. Subjects: Higher and lower educated men and women aged 16 years and older from 11 member states of the European Union. Outcome measures: Age standardised prevalence rates by education and prevalence odds ratios of current and ever daily smoking comparing lower educated groups with higher educated groups. Results: A north–south gradient in educational inequalities in current and ever daily smoking was observed for women older than 24 years, showing larger inequalities in the northern countries. Such a gradient was not observed for men. A disadvantage for the lower educated in terms of smoking generally occurred later among women than among men. Indications of inequalities in smoking in the age group 16–24 years were observed for all countries, with the exception of women from Greece and Portugal. Conclusions: Preventing and reducing smoking among lower educated subgroups should be a priority of policies aiming to reduce inequalities in health in Europe. If steps are not taken to control tobacco use among the lower educated groups specifically, inequalities in lung cancer and other smoking related diseases should be anticipated in all populations of the European Union, and both sexes.
Photodynamic therapy combined with cryotherapy for the treatment of nodular basal cell carcinoma

Carbon dioxide (CO2) laser ablation in combination with photodynamic therapy (PDT) has previously been successfully used to treat superficial basal cell carcinoma (BCC). However, the efficacy of this treatment modality is limited in the treatment of deeper lesions and the more aggressive subtypes of BCC. In order to improve the outcome of PDT, 8 BCC lesions of variable depths (4 lesions ≤2 mm and 4 lesions >2 mm) and subtypes (1 superficial, 6 nodular and 1 infiltrative) were treated with CO2 laser ablation in combination with PDT, followed by modified cryotherapy. The mean number of treatment sessions was 1.5 and the follow-up period was 22 months. All of the patients demonstrated a complete response and no recurrence of disease, while the majority of patients were satisfied with the cosmetic results upon follow-up examination. The combination therapy of CO2 laser ablation with PDT followed by modified cryotherapy demonstrated a good efficacy and satisfactory cosmetic outcomes in the treatment of nodular BCC.
Differential Regulation of the Ten-Eleven Translocation (TET) Family of Dioxygenases by O-Linked β-N-Acetylglucosamine Transferase (OGT)*

Background: TET proteins have been shown to target OGT to chromatin, but whether OGT regulates the TET proteins is not clear. Results: OGT regulates the subcellular localization and enzymatic activity of TET3 but not TET1 and TET2. Conclusion: The TET family of proteins is differentially regulated by OGT. Significance: We reveal a potential mechanism by which glucose metabolism regulates TET3 activity. The ten-eleven translocation (TET) family of dioxygenases (TET1/2/3) converts 5-methylcytosine to 5-hydroxymethylcytosine and provides a vital mechanism for DNA demethylation. However, how TET proteins are regulated is largely unknown. Here we report that the O-linked β-GlcNAc (O-GlcNAc) transferase (OGT) is not only a major TET3-interacting protein but also regulates TET3 subcellular localization and enzymatic activity. OGT catalyzes the O-GlcNAcylation of TET3, promotes TET3 nuclear export, and, consequently, inhibits the formation of 5-hydroxymethylcytosine catalyzed by TET3. Although TET1 and TET2 also interact with and can be O-GlcNAcylated by OGT, neither their subcellular localization nor their enzymatic activity are affected by OGT. Furthermore, we show that the nuclear localization and O-GlcNAcylation of TET3 are regulated by glucose metabolism. Our study reveals the differential regulation of TET family proteins by OGT and a novel link between glucose metabolism and DNA epigenetic modification.