Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lateral flow immunoassay with upconverting nanoparticle‐based detection for indirect measurement of interferon response by the level of MxA

Myxovirus resistance protein A (MxA) is a biomarker of interferon‐induced gene expression state involved in many viral infections and some autoimmune disorders. It has a variety of potential utilities in clinical diagnostics, including distinguishing between bacterial and viral infections. Currently, MxA‐assays are used for monitoring of IFN‐β therapy in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients. As a proof‐of‐concept for rapid quantitative measurement of interferon response, a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) with upconverting nanoparticle (UCNP) reporters was developed and evaluated with clinical whole blood samples to assess the potential for a rapid and user‐friendly quantitative assay for MxA, since the currently available rapid test for MxA (FebriDX) produces only qualitative result. The high detection sensitivity enabled by the UCNP reporter technology allowed the sample pre‐treatment with dilution of whole blood into lysis buffer at a detectable analyte concentration. The assay can be done within 2 hr and the results correlate with the reference MxA‐ELISA, which requires an overnight incubation. With 36 samples, R2 for linear regression was 0.86. The assay detected 96% of the IFN‐β responders with 89% specificity using a cut‐off level of 100 μg/L for an elevated MxA‐concentration. J. Med. Virol. 89:598–605, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Room-Temperature Operation of Silicon Single-Electron Transistor Fabricated Using Optical Lithography

We report on room-temperature operation of Si nanowires (SiNWs) based single-electron transistors (SETs) fabricated based on the top-down approach using conventional optical lithography. The SETs exhibit strong Coulomb oscillation at room temperature due to extreme small size of SiNW, which has a diameter of 4 nm. The optical lithography approach is attractive compared to the commonly used electron beam lithography for the fabrication of SETs because it offers the possibility of integrating Si single-electron electronics with CMOS technology.
Integrating schemas of heterogeneous relational databases through schema matching

Database integration aims at providing a uniform and consistent view called global schema, over a set of autonomous and heterogeneous data sources, so that data residing in different sources can be accessed as if it was in a single schema. The integration of databases' schemas can be performed in four main phases, namely: preintegration, comparing of the schemas, conforming of the schemas, and merging and restructuring. The second and third phases can be combined and normally is known as schema matching. Schema matching, the focus of this paper, is a fundamental operation in the manipulation of schema in formatting match, which takes two schemas that correspond semantically to each other. Manually specifying schema matches is a tedious, time consuming, error-prone, and therefore expensive process, which is a growing problem given the rapidly increasing number of data sources to integrate. As systems become able to handle more complex databases and applications, their schemas become large, further increasing the number of matches to be performed. Thus, automating this process, which attempts to achieve faster and less labor-intensive, has been one of the main tasks in data integration. However, it is not possible to determine fully automatically the different correspondences between schemas, primarily because of the differing and often not explicated or documented semantics of the schemas. Several solutions in solving the issues of schema matching have been proposed. Nevertheless, these solutions are still limited, as they do not explore most of the available information related to schemas and thus affect the result of integration. This paper presents an approach for integrating heterogeneous relational databases' schemas through schema matching that utilizes most of the information related to schemas, which indirectly explores the implicit semantics of the schemas, that further improves the results of the integration. This paper also shows that the produced integrated schemas (global schemas) maintained the properties of the initial input schemas and also the characteristics of the relational model.
Health behaviors and risk factors among American Indians and Alaska Natives, 2000-2010.

OBJECTIVES We provided contextual risk factor information for a special supplement on causes of death among American Indians and Alaska Natives (AI/ANs). We analyzed 11 years of Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data for AI/AN respondents in the United States. METHODS We combined BRFSS data from 2000 to 2010 to determine the prevalence of selected risk factors for AI/AN and White respondents residing in Indian Health Service Contract Health Service Delivery Area counties. Regional prevalence estimates for AI/AN respondents were compared with the estimates for White respondents for all regions combined; respondents of Hispanic origin were excluded. RESULTS With some regional exceptions, AI/AN people had high prevalence estimates of tobacco use, obesity, and physical inactivity, and low prevalence estimates of fruit and vegetable consumption, cancer screening, and seatbelt use. CONCLUSIONS These behavioral risk factors were consistent with observed patterns of mortality and chronic disease among AI/AN persons. All are amenable to public health intervention.
A buck-boost converter based multi-input DC-DC/AC converter

The buck-boost inverter can be easily used to construct a multi-input converter due to its inherent symmetrical and extendable differential structure. This paper proposed a multi-input converter derived from the buck-boost inverter to interface different input sources. When two pure DC voltages are chosen as the references for the two output capacitor voltages, the proposed converter will operate in DC-DC mode. When two dc-biased sinusoidal voltages with 180° phase shift are chosen as the references, the proposed converter will operate in DC-AC mode. Compared to the boost inverter based multi-input converters, an advantage is that the output voltages of the capacitors are not limited to be larger than the input voltages. A control strategy based on the average model of the circuit is proposed for the proposed converter. Single current control loops are designed for the buck-boost converters that used for interfacing the input sources and controlling the input power. Voltage-current double control loops are designed for the buck-boost converters that used for forming the buck-boost inverter and interfacing the energy storage system. The proposed control strategy can deal well with the varying operating points and the disturbances of the input voltage and load conditions. Simulation results are worked out to verify the effectiveness and validity of the proposed converter and its control strategy.
Techniques for efficiency gains in soft switching full-bridge Fuel Cell power conversion

This paper presents a set of novel soft switching techniques to increase the power conversion efficiency in Fuel Cell (FC) systems using a full-bridge topology. For this purpose, a special right-aligned modulation sequence is developed to minimize conduction losses while maintaining soft switching characteristics in the MOSFETs. Traditional auxiliary elements in the primary, such as series inductors that are impractical to realize due the extreme input current, are avoided and reflected to the output of the rectifier to minimize circulating current and generate soft transitions in the output diodes. As a result, the proposed combined techniques successfully reduce conduction losses, minimize reverse recovery losses in the output rectifiers, minimize transformer ringing, and ensure low stress in all the switches. The high efficiency is maintained in the entire range of loading conditions (0–100%) while taking into consideration remarkable challenges associated with FC power conversion: high input current, low voltage and poor regulation, and wide range of loading conditions. A detailed analysis of the techniques for efficiency gains are presented and a phase-shift ZVS topology is employed as a reference topology to highlight the mechanisms for performance enhancement and the advantages in the use of the special modulation. Experimental results of a 1kW power converter are presented to validate the efficiency gains, illustrate the benefits of the special modulation, and demonstrate the soft switching transitions.
Comparison of nucleotide sequences of recent and previous lineages of peste-des-petits-ruminants viruses of sheep and goats in Nigeria

Peste-des-petits-ruminants virus (PPRV) is a highly contagious, fatal and economically important viral disease of small ruminants that is still endemic and militates against the production of sheep and goats in endemic areas of the world. The aim of this study was to describe the viral strains within the country. This was carried out by collecting tissue and swab samples from sheep and goats in various agro-ecological zones of Nigeria. The phylogeny of archived PPRV strains or isolates and those circulating and causing recent outbreaks was determined by sequencing of the nucleoprotein (N)-gene. Twenty tissue and swab samples from apparently healthy and sick sheep and goats were collected randomly from 18 states, namely 3 states in each of the 6 agro-ecological zones visited. A total of 360 samples were collected. A total of 35 samples of 360 (9.7%) tested positive by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction, of which 25 were from oculo-nasal swabs and 10 were from tissue samples. Neighbour-joining phylogenetic analysis using Phylogenetic Analysis Using Parsimony (PAUP) identified four different lineages, that is, lineages I, II, III and IV. Interestingly, the Nigerian strains described in this study grouped in two separate major lineages, that is, lineages II and IV. Strains from Sokoto, Oyo, Plateau and Ondo states grouped according to the historical distribution of PPRV together with the Nigerian 75/1 strain of lineage II, while other strains from Sokoto, Oyo, Plateau, Akwa-Ibom, Adamawa, Kaduna, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger and Kano states grouped together with the East African and Asian strains of lineage IV. This finding confirms that both lineage II and IV strains of PPRV are circulating in Nigeria. Previously, only strains of lineage II were found to be present in the country.
Circulating brain-derived neurotrophic factor is decreased in women with anorexia and bulimia nervosa but not in women with binge-eating disorder: relationships to co-morbid depression, psychopathology and hormonal variables

Background. Several lines of evidence indicate a role of the brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) in the modulation of eating behaviour. Therefore, alterations in the physiology of this neurotrophin may be involved in the pathogenesis of eating disorders. In the present study, we investigated serum levels of BDNF in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN) and binge-eating disorder (BED). Method. Ninety-nine drug-free women (27 with AN, 24 with BN, 24 with BED and 24 healthy controls) underwent both a blood sample collection in the morning and diagnostic and psychopathological assessments by means of structured clinical interviews and ad-hoc rating scales. Serum levels of BDNF, 17β-oestradiol, FT3 and FT4 were measured. Results. Compared to healthy controls, serum levels of BDNF were significantly reduced in underweight AN women and in normal weight BN women, but not in overweight BED women. Changes in circulating BDNF levels were not affected by the presence of co-morbid depressive disorders. No significant correlation emerged between neurotrophin concentrations and psychopathological, nutritional, demographic and hormonal variables. Conclusions. These findings evidentiate alterations in serum BDNF levels in malnourished patients with AN or BN, but not in well-nourished individuals with BED. Since BDNF seems to exert a satiety effect, its reduction may represent an adaptive change to counteract the decreased calorie ingestion of AN and BN individuals.
Interleukin-12p40 in the spinal fluid as a biomarker for clinically isolated syndrome

Background: The cerebrospinal (CSF) constitutes a specific immune micro-environment to the central nervous system, thus it may contain specific biomarkers involved in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS). Objectives: We aimed to study a large array of inflammatory CSF biomarkers in patients with suspected MS to recognize potential early diagnostic markers. Methods: CSF samples were obtained from 115 patients who presented with neurological symptomatology suggestive of MS as follows: clinically isolated syndrome (CIS) = 49, relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) = 29, and other neurologic disorders (OND) = 37. Protein expression profiles of 30 inflammatory biomarkers were measured by multiplex Luminex bead assay and further analyzed by group comparison statistics, correlation studies and receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Interleukin-12 subunit p40 (IL12p40) demonstrated a significant differential expression pattern between the groups (CIS vs OND: p = 1.17*10−7; RRMS vs OND: p = 4.98*10−5), with higher levels in CIS and RRMS patients. ROC analysis demonstrated excellent diagnostic performance of IL12p40 for discrimination between CIS and OND patients (area under the curve = 0.87 (95% CI 0.78–0.93), p = 0.0001). No associations were found with disease activity or severity measures. Conclusions: An increased IL12p40 level characterizes the CSF of MS patients and appears to be helpful in identifying CIS and OND patients early in the process of clinical diagnostic assessment.
Fibroblast growth factor 10 gene regulation in the second heart field by Tbx1, Nkx2-5, and Islet1 reveals a genetic switch for down-regulation in the myocardium

During cardiogenesis, Fibroblast Growth Factor (Fgf10) is expressed in the anterior second heart field. Together with Fibroblast growth factor 8 (Fgf8), Fgf10 promotes the proliferation of these cardiac progenitor cells that form the arterial pole of the heart. We have identified a 1.7-kb region in the first intron of Fgf10 that is necessary and sufficient to direct transgene expression in this cardiac context. The 1.7-kb sequence is directly controlled by T-box transcription factor 1 (Tbx1) in anterior second heart field cells that contribute to the outflow tract. It also responds to both NK2 transcription factor related, locus 5 (Nkx2-5) and ISL1 transcription factor, LIM/homeodomain (Islet1), acting through overlapping sites. Mutation of these sites reduces transgene expression in the anterior second heart field where the Fgf10 regulatory element is activated by Islet1 via direct binding in vivo. Analysis of the response to Nkx2-5 loss- and Isl1 gain-of-function genetic backgrounds indicates that the observed up-regulation of its activity in Nkx2-5 mutant hearts, reflecting that of Fgf10, is due to the absence of Nkx2-5 repression and to up-regulation of Isl1, normally repressed in the myocardium by Nkx2-5. ChIP experiments show strong binding of Nkx2-5 in differentiated myocardium. Molecular and genetic analysis of the Fgf10 cardiac element therefore reveals how key cardiac transcription factors orchestrate gene expression in the anterior second heart field and how genes, such as Fgf10, normally expressed in the progenitor cell population, are repressed when these cells enter the heart and differentiate into myocardium. Our findings provide a paradigm for transcriptional mechanisms that underlie the changes in regulatory networks during the transition from progenitor state to that of the differentiated tissue.
ScholarWorks@UARK ScholarWorks@UARK

We investigate a method, weighted average model fusion, that enables neural networks to learn from the experiences of other networks, as well as from their own experiences. This method is inspired by the the social natural of humans, which has been shown to be one of the biggest factors in the development of our cognitive abilities. Modern machine learning has focuses predominantly on learning from direct training, and has largely ignored learning through social engagement with peers, neural networks will the same topology. In order to explore learning through engagement with peers, we have created a way for neural networks to teach each other. Our method allows neural networks to exchange knowledge by combining their weights. It calculates a pairwise weighted average of the weights of two neural networks, and then replaces the existing weight with the new value. We ﬁnd that weighted average model fusion successfully enables neural networks to learn from the experiences of their peers and combine it with the knowledge that is gained from its own individual experiences. Additionally, we explore the effects that several meta-parameters have on model fusion to provide deeper insights into how the behaves in a variety of scenarios.
Forecasting the equity premium in the Australian market

This paper provides a forecasting methodology for estimating the market risk premium in Australia. We employ an in-sample and out-of-sample forecast estimate using various dividend yield measures. The lagged dividend yield model is used to predict future equity premia on a data series that includes the top 85 percent of the Australian stock market. An important concern in this paper is the accuracy of dividend yield in forecasting the equity premium in the Australian market. We find that the level of predictability in the later part of the series is very weak compared to in-sample prediction during the 70s and 80s. This finding is similar to many claims in most U.S. studies that find that other macroeconomic factors such as the business cycle, inflation and the level of economic growth can play a part in the prediction process.
Prevalence of mental disorders and psychosocial impairments in adolescents and young adults

Background. As part of a longitudinal study, prevalence findings of DSM-IV disorders are presented for a random sample of 3021 respondents aged 14 to 24, with response rate 71%. Method. Assessment included various subtypes of disorders, subthreshold conditions and disorders that have only rarely been studied in other epidemiological surveys. The computer-assisted Munich-Composite International Diagnostic Interview (M-CIDI) was used to derive DSM-IV diagnoses. Results. Substance disorders were the most frequent (lifetime 17·7%; 12-month 11·4%), with abuse being considerably more frequent than dependence. Other mental disorders had a lifetime prevalence of 27·5% (12-month, 17·5%) with depressive disorders (16·8%) being more frequent than anxiety disorders (14·4%). Eating disorders (3·0%) and threshold somatoform disorders (1·2%) were rare disorders. Subthreshold anxiety and somatoform disorders, however, were more frequent than threshold disorders. Prevalence of disorders was equally high for males and females, although specific disorder prevalence varied significantly by gender. The co-occurrence of disorders (co-morbidity) was substantial and was significantly related to greater reductions in work productivity and increased rates of professional helpseeking behaviour. Conclusions. Findings underline that mental disorders in young adults are frequent and impairing, limiting work and education ability and social interaction. Given the fact that adolescents and young adults are in a key phase of socialization in terms of professional career and interpersonal relationships, our findings indicate a considerable risk potential for an accumulation of complicating factors and future chronicity. This paper is the first report of this ongoing longitudinal study about early developmental conditions of mental disorders.
A Contrastive Study of the English and Chinese Comparative Constructions

Pan, Gui Xin. 2012. A Contrastive Study of the English and Chinese Comparative Constructions. SNU. SNU Working Papers in English Linguistics and Language X, XX-XX. Comparison is a common feature of all natural languages. Therefore, it is of great importance to analyze different ways of comparison expressions in Chinese and English and then to find out the reasons that generate the differences. With the help of library and Internet, the present study will analyze comparison in three aspects: semantically, syntactically and then to analyze the reasons that generate the differences in order to help English learners in China gain a better insight into peculiarities of their mother language and English in comparison expressions so that it is possible for them to be more conscious of not making mistakes in English writing or daily communications. Furthermore, by way of a contrastive study of English and Chinese expressions of comparison systematically, it is hopeful to improve the English teaching and translation from English into Chinese and vice versa. (Seoul National University)
Noncausal finite time interval iterative learning control law design

Iterative learning control has been developed for processes or systems that complete the same finite duration task over and over again. The exact mode of operation is that after each execution is complete the system resets to the starting location and the next execution can begin, either immediately or after a finite time has elapsed. Each execution is known as a trial over the finite duration trial length. Once each trial is complete the information generated is available for use in computing the control input for the next trial. This paper gives further results on the use of 2D systems theory as a starting point to address the question of how to maximize the benefits of using previous trial information in the control law.
The Nature of the N-Terminal Amino Acid Residue of HIV-1 RNase H Is Critical for the Stability of Reverse Transcriptase in Viral Particles

ABSTRACT Reverse transcriptase (RT) of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) is synthesized and packaged into the virion as a part of the GagPol polyprotein. Mature RT is released by the action of viral protease. However, unlike other viral proteins, RT is subject to an internal cleavage event leading to the formation of two subunits in the virion: a p66 subunit and a p51 subunit that lacks the RNase H domain. We have previously identified RNase H to be an HIV-1 protein that has the potential to be a substrate for the N-end rule pathway, which is an ubiquitin-dependent proteolytic system in which the identity of the N-terminal amino acid determines the half-life of a protein. Here we examined the importance of the N-terminal amino acid residue of RNase H in the early life cycle of HIV-1. We show that changing this residue to an amino acid structurally different from the conserved residue leads to the degradation of RT and, in some cases, integrase in the virus particle and this abolishes infectivity. Using intravirion complementation and in vitro protease cleavage assays, we show that degradation of RT in RNase H N-terminal mutants occurs in the absence of active viral protease in the virion. Our results also indicate the importance of the RNase H N-terminal residue in the dimerization of RT subunits. IMPORTANCE HIV-1 proteins are initially made as part of a polyprotein that is cleaved by the viral protease into the proteins that form the virus particle. We were interested in one particular protein, RNase H, that is cleaved from reverse transcriptase. In particular, we found that the first amino acid of RNase H never varied in over 1,850 isolates of HIV-1 that we compared. When we changed the first amino acid, we found that the reverse transcriptase in the virus was degraded. While other studies have implied that the viral protease can degrade mutant RT proteins, we show here that this may not be the case for our mutants. Our results suggest that the presence of active viral protease is not required for the degradation of RT in RNase H N-terminal mutants, suggesting a role for a cellular protease in this process.