Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Aging and the occurrence of dementia: findings from a population-based cohort with a large sample of nonagenarians.

CONTEXT In spite of numerous studies on the occurrence of dementia, many questions remain, such as the relation between age, aging, and dementing disorders. This question is relevant both for understanding the pathogenetic mechanism of the dementias and for the public health prospective because of the increasing number of 85-year-old or older persons in our population. OBJECTIVE To estimate the occurrence of dementia in the very old, including nonagenarians, in relation to age, gender, and different dementia types. DESIGN An epidemiological survey where all participants were clinically examined by physicians, assessed by psychologists, and interviewed by nurses. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition (DSM-III-R) criteria for dementia were followed. A category of "questionable dementia" was added when all criteria were not fulfilled. A double diagnostic procedure was used for all subjects. SETTING Community-based population, including all inhabitants of 2 areas in central Stockholm, Sweden (N = 1848). PARTICIPANTS Of the 1848 subjects in the study population, 168 (9.1%) had died and 56 (3%) moved before examination. Of the remaining subjects, 1424 (87.7%) were examined, and the refusal rate was 12.3%. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Age- and gender-specific prevalence figures, and gender- and education-adjusted odds ratios were used. RESULTS At the end of the diagnostic procedure, 358 clinically definite cases of dementia and 101 questionable cases of dementia were identified. Alzheimer disease (AD) contributed to 76.5%, and vascular dementia (VaD) to 17.9%. The prevalence of dementia increases from 13% in the 77- to 84-year-old subjects to 48% among persons 95 years and older (from 18% to 61% when questionable cases were included). The odds ratio for subjects 90 to 94 years and 95 years and older in comparison with 77- to 84-year-old subjects was 3.7 (95% confidence interval [CI], 2.7-5.1) and 6.5 (95% CI, 3.9-10.8) for dementia, 4.8 (95% CI, 3.3-7.0) and 8.0 (95% CI, 4.6-14.0) for persons with AD, 2.3 (95% CI, 1.3-4.2) and 4.6 (95% CI, 1.9-11.2) for VaD, respectively. CONCLUSIONS Dementia prevalence continues to increase even in the most advanced ages. This increase is especially evident among women and is more clear for AD. We believe that our prevalence data reflect the differential distribution of dementia risk.
U-TV: User-centric scalable DTV broadcast over heterogeneous wireless networks

This paper presents an innovative multi-faceted architecture, named U-TV, that provides user-centric and adaptive digital television (DTV) broadcast for heterogeneous users over heterogeneous wireless networks. The service providers (SPs) are the DTV base station (DTV BS) and Wi-Fi access points (Wi-Fi APs). The Bertrand duopoly game theoretic approach determines the pricing policy of the SPs and also the proportion of subscribers each of these SPs serve. The proposed framework incorporates the user-end as well as system utility definitions based on the users' energy-saving and price trade-off. The joint-optimization solution facilitates scalable video encoding subject to the device display resolutions, and energy and price sensitivities. The proposed solution results in an increased user satisfaction by providing them with optimized video content over the price competent SPs. Additionally, the SPs are able to serve more customers with acceptable user experience, as compared to the conventional as well as adaptive DTV service networks.
Identification and Functional Characterization of a Cryptococcus neoformans UPC2 Homolog

Azoles are currently the most widely used class of antifungal drugs clinically, and are effective for treating fungal infections. Target site of azoles is ergosterol biosynthesis in fungal cell membrane, which is absent in the mammalian host. However, the development of resistance to azole treatments in the fungal pathogen has become a significant challenge. Here, we report the identification and functional characterization of a UPC2 homolog in the human pathogen Cryptococcus neoformans. UPC2 plays roles in ergosterol biosynthesis, which is also affected by the availability of iron in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Candida albicans. C. neoformans mutants lacking UPC2 were constructed, and a number of phenotypic characteristics, including antifungal susceptibility and iron utilization, were analyzed. No differences were found between the mutant phenotypes and wild type, suggesting that the role of C. neoformans UPC2 homolog may be different from those in S. cerevisiae and C. albicans, and that the gene may have a yet unknown function.
Reflections on the Commentaries

Our paper (Child & Marinova, 2014) argues the need for an analytical framework that takes both home and host country contexts into account, and the implications that different alignments between such contexts have for the strategies and requisite capabilities of foreign-investing firms. The four commentaries on the paper raise important issues that further the discussion of context and strategy in the globalization of firms. They pose fundamental questions concerning the conceptualization of context, the role of culture in such conceptualization, the linking of levels of analysis (abstract and concrete, macro and micro), and the potential for theoretical generalization from the particular case of Chinese globalizing firms.
Y‐chromosomal microdeletions among infertile Finnish men

Background. Microdeletions in the Y‐chromosome are known to cause a significant proportion of azoo‐ and oligozoospermia in men. The reported frequency of deletions varies greatly between the studies. Probable reasons for this variation are different selection criteria and number of patients included, and possibly also methodological aspects, whereas the contribution of environmental and genetic factors is not known. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence of Y‐chromosome microdeletions among infertile Finnish men.
Towards Pointless Structure from Motion: 3D Reconstruction and Camera Parameters from General 3D Curves

Modern structure from motion (SfM) remains dependent on point features to recover camera positions, meaning that reconstruction is severely hampered in low-texture environments, for example scanning a plain coffee cup on an uncluttered table. We show how 3D curves can be used to refine camera position estimation in challenging low-texture scenes. In contrast to previous work, we allow the curves to be partially observed in all images, meaning that for the first time, curve-based SfM can be demonstrated in realistic scenes. The algorithm is based on bundle adjustment, so needs an initial estimate, but even a poor estimate from a few point correspondences can be substantially improved by including curves, suggesting that this method would benefit many existing systems.
A Key Backup Scheme Based on Bitcoin

Since first introduced by Satoshi Nakamoto in 2008, Bitcoin has become the biggest and most well-known decentralized digital currency. Its anonymity allows users all over the world to make transactions with each other and keep their identities hidden. However, protecting private key becomes a very important issue because it is the only access to a unique account and can hardly be recovered if missing. Storing an encrypted backup of private key and its corresponding advanced key is a traditional but effective way, and many other techniques help to make the backup harder to obtain by attackers. While in this paper, we introduce a new backup scheme that can provide protection when an attacker manages to obtain the backup. It is based on Bitcoin system and ECDSA signature scheme. The biggest difference is the generation and recovery of the backup processes are both related with some specific transactions on blockchain, thus it creates a gap for legal users and attackers who manages to obtain backup to recover key. The gap is decided by the number of accounts and transactions on the blockchain which increases rapidly with the growth of Bitcoin’s popularity and therefore strengthens the security of our scheme at the same time. What’s more, our technique can also be combined with former ones to achieve better security.
The Role of Alpha/Beta and Gamma Interferons in Development of Immunity to Influenza A Virus in Mice

ABSTRACT During influenza virus infection innate and adaptive immune defenses are activated to eliminate the virus and thereby bring about recovery from illness. Both arms of the adaptive immune system, antibody neutralization of free virus and termination of intracellular virus replication by antiviral cytotoxic T cells (CTLs), play pivotal roles in virus elimination and protection from disease. Innate cytokine responses, such as alpha/beta interferon (IFN-α/β) or IFN-γ, can have roles in determining the rate of virus replication in the initial stages of infection and in shaping the initial inflammatory and downstream adaptive immune responses. The effect of these cytokines on the replication of pneumotropic influenza A virus in the respiratory tract and in the regulation of adaptive antiviral immunity was examined after intranasal infection of mice with null mutations in receptors for IFN-α/β, IFN-γ, and both IFNs. Virus titers in the lungs of mice unable to respond to IFNs were not significantly different from congenic controls for both primary and secondary infection. Likewise the mice were comparably susceptible to X31 (H3N2) influenza virus infection. No significant disruption to the development of normal antiviral CTL or antibody responses was observed. In contrast, mice bearing the disrupted IFN-α/β receptor exhibited accelerated kinetics and significantly higher levels of neutralizing antibody activity during primary or secondary heterosubtypic influenza virus infection. Thus, these observations reveal no significant contribution for IFN-controlled pathways in shaping acute or memory T-cell responses to pneumotropic influenza virus infection but do indicate some role for IFN-α/β in the regulation of antibody responses. Recognizing the pivotal role of CTLs and antibody in virus clearance, it is reasonable to assume a redundancy in IFN-mediated antiviral effects in pulmonary influenza. However, IFN-α/β seems to be a valid factor in determining tissue tropism and replicative rates of highly virulent influenza virus strains as reported previously by others, and this aspect is discussed here.
Linear, parameter varying model reduction for aeroservoelastic systems

This paper applies a model reduction method for linear parameter-varying (LPV) systems based on parameter-varying balanced realization techniques to a body freedom utter (BFF) vehicle. The BFF vehicle has a coupled short period and rst bending mode with additional structural bending and torsion modes that couple with the rigid body dynamics. These models describe the BFF vehicle dynamics with considerable accuracy, but result in high-order state space models which make controller design extremely dicult. Hence, reduced order models for control synthesis are generated by retaining a common set of states across the ight envelope. Initially the full order BFF models of 148 states are reduced to 43 states using standard truncation and residualisation techniques. The application of balanced realization techniques at individual point designs result in 20 state models. Unfortunately, the application of balanced realization techniques at individual operating conditions results in dierent states being eliminated at each operating condition. The objective of LPV model reduction is to further reduce the model state order across the ight envelope while retaining consistent states in the LPV model. The resulting reduced order LPV models with 26 states capture the dynamics of interest and can be used in the synthesis of active utter suppression controllers.
A New Contribution to Distribution Load Flow Analysis for Radial and Mesh Distribution Systems

This paper presents a new and efficient method for solving the load flow problem of a distribution system. It is mainly based on network topology, basic circuit laws and power summation technique. The main contribution of this paper is: (i) proposing a new and efficient load flow method for radial and weakly meshed distribution systems, (ii) evaluating the impact of load models, different X/R ratios, load growth and tolerance levels, (iii) analysis of impact of number of loops on weakly meshed distribution systems, (iv) comparison of radial and weakly meshed distribution system. The results are obtained for voltage profile, total power losses time of computation, and number of iterations. Computer program coded to implement this power flow solution scheme in MATLAB and successfully applied to several practical distribution networks with radial and weakly meshed structure. Effectiveness of the proposed load flow method has been presented on IEEE 33 bus and IEEE 69 bus radial and meshed distribution networks. The proposed load flow method is compared with existing load flow method Teng J. H. To demonstrate its effectiveness. The test result shows that the proposed method possesses faster convergence characteristics for the distribution networks.
Structural Characterization and Assembly of the Distal Tail Structure of the Temperate Lactococcal Bacteriophage TP 901-1

Structural Characterization and Assembly of the Distal Tail Structure of the Temperate Lactococcal Bacteriophage TP901-1 Christina S. Vegge, Lone Brøndsted, Horst Neve, Stephen Mc Grath, Douwe van Sinderen, and Finn K. Vogensen* Department of Food Science, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, The Royal Veterinary and Agricultural University, Frederiksberg C, Denmark; Institute for Microbiology, Federal Research Centre for Nutrition and Food, Kiel, Germany; National Food Biotechnology Centre and Department of Microbiology, National University of Ireland, Cork, Ireland; and Alimentary Pharmabiotic Centre, University College Cork, Cork, Ireland
Sign-based morphology and phonology with special attention to optimality theory

Sign-Based Morphology and Phonology with special attention to Optimality Theory by Cemil Orhan Orgun B.S. (University of the Bosphorous, Turkey) 1988 M.S. (University of California, Berkeley) 1991 M.A. (University of California, Berkeley) 1993 A dissertation submitted in partial satisfaction of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Linguistics in the GRADUATE DIVISION of the UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY Committee in charge: Professor Larry M. Hyman, Chair Professor Jaye Padgett Professor Andreas Kathol Professor Thomas F. Shannon Fall 1996 R eproduced with perm ission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission.
The short-term impact of government budgets on prices Evidence from macroeconometric models

This paper reviews the existing empirical evidence on the short-term impact on prices of fiscal variables and assesses it against new results from harmonised simulations, conducted with six well-established econometric models used by the ECB and five national central banks (NCBs) of the Eurosystem. The outcome is also compared with results from the European Commission and the OECD models. Overall, a broad consensus appears on the impact on prices of changes in individual government budget items in the euro area. In all cases, changes in government demand and in direct taxes paid by households have a limited impact on prices in the first year while, in contrast, changes in indirect taxes and employersi? ½ social security contributions have a relatively large impact. The second year results show that the effects on prices usually take some time to materialise fully; in particular, they often become large for the public consumption shock.
Nanoparticles with surface antibody against CD98 and carrying CD98 small interfering RNA reduce colitis in mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Nanoparticles have been explored as carriers of small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) and might be developed to treat patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Overexpression of CD98 on the surface of colonic epithelial cells and macrophages promotes the development and progression of IBD. We developed an orally delivered hydrogel that releases nanoparticles with single-chain CD98 antibodies on their surface (scCD98 functionalized) and loaded with CD98 siRNA (siCD98). We tested the ability of the nanoparticles to reduce levels of CD98 in the colons of mice with colitis. METHODS scCD98-functionalized siCD98-loaded nanoparticles were fabricated using a complex coacervation technique. We investigated the cellular uptake and lysosome escape profiles of the nanoparticles in Colon-26 cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages using fluorescence microscopy. Colitis was induced by transfer of CD4(+)CD45RB(high) T cells to Rag(-/-) mice or administration of dextran sodium sulfate to C57BL/6 mice. Mice were then given hydrogel (chitosan and alginate) containing scCD98-functionalized nanoparticles loaded with siCD98 or scrambled siRNA (control) via gavage. RESULTS The scCD98-functionalized nanoparticles were approximately 200 nm in size and had high affinity for CD98-overexpressing cells. The scCD98-functionalized siCD98-loaded nanoparticles significantly reduced levels of CD98 in Colon-26 cells and RAW 264.7 macrophages, along with production of inflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-6, and interleukin-12). In mice with colitis, administration of the scCD98-functionalized siCD98-loaded nanoparticles reduced colon expression of CD98. Importantly, the severity of colitis was also reduced compared with controls (based on loss of body weight, myeloperoxidase activity, inflammatory cytokine production, and histological analysis). Approximately 24.1% of colonic macrophages (CD11b(+)CD11c(-)F4/80(+)) in the mice had taken up fluorescently labeled siRNA-loaded nanoparticles within 12 hours of administration. CONCLUSIONS Nanoparticles containing surface CD98 antibody and loaded with siCD98 reduce expression of this protein by colonic epithelial cells and macrophages, and oral administration decreases the severity of colitis in mice. This nanoparticle in hydrogel (chitosan/alginate) formulation might be developed to treat patients with IBD.
Beyond methods and models. Semiotics as a distinctive discipline and an intellectual tradition

Such familiar characterisations of semiotics as being a method, a model, an interdisciplinary perspective, or a philosophical movement are inadequate, because semiotics itself comprehends many models, methods, and philosophical perspectives, and it is just one of the many enterprises which may be seen as occupying a space intermediate to the traditional sciences. Semiotics must be considered a science in its own right, defined by a particular point of view, rather than a domain of reality. As such it is in many ways comparable to cognitive science. A distinct advantage of cognitive science is being by definition a confluence of different research traditions, whereas semiotics has long been hampered by the autonomy postulate. On the other hand, cognitive science still seems to be stuck in an epistemological impasse, just as semiotics was at the time of structuralism. Cognitive semiotics could be a promising way out of both quandaries.
Análisis de comportamientos relacionados con el uso/abuso de Internet, teléfono móvil, compras y juego en estudiantes universitarios

El objetivo de este trabajo de investigacion es conocer los habitos relacionados con posibles conductas adictivas (juego patologico, Internet, compras, uso del telefono movil, etc.) que pueden presentar los jovenes estudiantes de la Universidad de Cordoba (Espana), y relacionar dichos comportamientos con variables como la edad, el sexo, el curso y las macroareas de conocimiento (letras y ciencias). Con un diseno expostfacto de grupo unico (Montero y Leon, 2007), se elaboro un cuestionario de datos sociodemograficos en el que se incluia el Test de adiccion a las compras, el Test de adiccion a Internet de Echeburua (2003), el Cuestionario Breve de Juego Patologico de Fernandez-Montalvo y Echeburua (1997) y algunos items sobre el uso del telefono movil. Participaron 1011 estudiantes, 42,7% hombres y 57,3% mujeres, con un rango de edad entre los 18 y 29 anos. Se dan diferencias estadisticamente significativas entre la puntuacion media obtenida en los cuestionarios y variables como la edad, el sexo, el curso o la macroarea de conocimiento. Parece que ser mujer es un factor protector para la adiccion a Internet y al Juego, ser de ciencias es un factor de riesgo para una posible adiccion al Juego, ser de letras y tener mas edad son factores de riesgo ante una posible adiccion a las Compras. En conclusion, los estudiantes encuestados realizan un uso moderado de conductas como navegar por Internet, el juego, las compras y el telefono movil, siendo un grupo muy reducido de jovenes los que si se encuentran cercanos a tener un problema de adiccion con este tipo de comportamientos.
Quantification of spatial repolarization heterogeneity: Testing the robustness of a new technique

The V-index is a recently-proposed metric related to repolarization heterogeneity (RH) across the myocardium, a key quantity for the development of arrhythmias. The metric is derived from multi-leads ECG recordings and this paper investigates two of its properties: i) the dependency on the lead system (Frank's orthogonal vs. 12 standard leads); ii) the influence of errors in the location of the T-end position. The first investigation was performed by simulations, using a forward ECG model (ECGSIM). In the lead system of interest, the V-index was computed varying the standard deviation of RH (sv). The results showed that the average bias in the estimate of RH (at σφ = 1 ms) ranged from -20.4±4.0% (sv = 20.6 ms) to -26.3±4.0% (sv = 70.9 ms) for the standard system and from -7.0 ± 4.2% to - 19.0 ± 4.2% for the Frank's one. While the bias diminished, the vulnerability to noise slightly increased. Secondarily, 68 ECGs from the E-OTH-12-0068-010 THEW database were analyzed. To simulate mislocation, the T-end point was consistently moved (±20 ms) around its correct position and the V-index computed. The average differences in the V-index estimates across the population were always smaller than 1%. This is a desirable property, given the discrepancies across methods in locating T-end positions.
How the eyes, head and hand serve definite reference

Babies followed manual pointing by an adult to locate the more peripheral of a pair of identical targets, whereas a change of head and gaze direction allowed accurate target identification only for the first target to enter the infant's field of view. Babies accurately followed manual pointing into the periphery of their right visual field some 3 months before they did so to their left. To investigate whether following pointing involves precise linear vector extrapolation, different combinations of head, eye and pointing cues were studied with 4.5-year-old children and adults. Neither head movements, nor head and eye movements, nor eye movements alone were accurate cues for children, whereas pointing allowed accurate spatial localization to peripheral positions. Adults accurately followed pointing to the outer periphery, but not to inner positions. These studies suggest that comprehension of pointing is unlikely to depend on extrapolating precise linear vectors along the pointing arm because a precise vector system should yield accurate localization irrespective of the position of the referent. Instead, eyes, head, nose and manual pointing cues may differentially refer to broad zones of visual space. They serve as differential cues because each varies in the extent of lateral movement. Thus, babies and children may follow pointing more accurately than head and eye movements simply because this is the most effective cue for redirecting attention to the outer periphery of each visual hemifield.