Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Preferential immunoglobulin oxidation in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis

Objective: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a rare chronic inflammatory disorder of the joints. There is strong evidence that oxidative damage occurs in rheumatoid diseases, including JIA. The increased level of protein oxidation products in total plasma proteins has recently been reported in children with diagnosed JIA. The objective of this study was to find out which fraction of plasma proteins is mostly damaged by oxidative stress and whether the damaging effect correlates with certain clinical or laboratory parameters. Methods: A new approach to estimate the carbonyl content of plasma protein fractions was developed, based on two‐stage electrophoresis and immunochemical detection of the carbonyl derivatives of the proteins. This method allowed us to detect and quantitate carbonyl groups in the albumin, alpha‐2, beta and gamma‐globulin fractions. Sera of 25 children with JIA and 13 healthy controls were tested. Results: Albumin and gamma‐globulins were found to be most modified by oxidation. In a group of children with systemic JIA, both albumin and gamma‐globulins were oxidized while plasma gamma‐globulin fraction damage was prevalent in pauciarticular JIA. Conclusions: Among plasma proteins of children with JIA, gamma‐globulins were preferentially oxidized, whereas most of the other proteins did not seem to be affected. Oxidative modification of plasma proteins was correlated with the type of JIA. These findings may allow the use of carbonyls as clinical markers of inflammatory process activity in patients with different types of JIA. It is also a potential tool for monitoring oxidative protein damage in other diseases and therapies.
Multiple line source array for SPECT transmission scans: simulation, phantom and patient studies.

UNLABELLED Accurate attenuation and scatter corrections in quantitative SPECT studies require attenuation maps of the density distribution in the scanned object. These can be obtained from simultaneous emission/transmission scans. METHODS A new method has been developed using a multiple line source array (MLA) for transmission scans, and its performance has been investigated using computer simulations and experimental data. The activity in the central lines of the MLA was higher than at the edges of the system, so that more transmission photons would be directed toward the thicker parts of the human body. A series of transmission-only and simultaneous emission/transmission studies were performed for different phantom configurations and human subjects. Attenuation maps were generated and used in reconstruction of attenuation-corrected emission images. RESULTS The mu coefficients for attenuation maps obtained using the MLA system and simulated and experimental data display no artifacts and are qualitatively and quantitatively correct. For phantoms, the agreement between the measured and the true value of mu for water was found to be better than 4%. The attenuation-corrected emission images for the phantom studies demonstrate that the activity in the heart can be accurately reconstructed. A significant qualitative improvement was also obtained when the attenuation correction was used on patient data. CONCLUSION Our results indicate that the MLA transmission source can be used in simultaneous transmission/emission imaging to generate accurate attenuation maps. These maps allow for performing an object-specific, attenuation correction of the emission images.
Foreign investor trading and information asymmetry: evidence from a leading emerging market

ABSTRACT This article examines the influence of foreign investor trading on information asymmetry in the Korean stock market, a representative emerging market characterized by a high level of information asymmetry between corporate insiders and outsiders, and among investors. We find a significantly positive relationship between foreign investor trading and the consequent bid–ask spread – the latter of which is considered as a proxy for the degree of information asymmetry – on both daily and weekly bases. Our results indicate that active foreign investor trading tends to exacerbate informational variation.
Recombinant Respiratory Syncytial Virus Bearing a Deletion of either the NS2 or SH Gene Is Attenuated in Chimpanzees

ABSTRACT The NS2 and SH genes of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have been separately deleted from a recombinant wild-type RSV strain, A2 (M. N. Teng and P. L. Collins, J. Virol. 73:466–473, 1998; A. Bukreyev et al., J. Virol. 71:8973–8982, 1997; and this study). The resulting viruses, designated rA2ΔNS2 and rA2ΔSH, were administered to chimpanzees to evaluate their levels of attenuation and immunogenicity. Recombinant virus rA2ΔNS2 replicated to moderate levels in the upper respiratory tract, was highly attenuated in the lower respiratory tract, and induced significant resistance to challenge with wild-type RSV. The replication of rA2ΔSH virus was only moderately reduced in the lower, but not the upper, respiratory tract. However, chimpanzees infected with either virus developed significantly less rhinorrhea than those infected with wild-type RSV. These findings demonstrate that a recombinant RSV mutant lacking either the NS2 or SH gene is attenuated and indicate that these deletions may be useful as attenuating mutations in new, live recombinant RSV vaccine candidates for both pediatric and elderly populations. The ΔSH mutation was incorporated into a recombinant form of thecpts248/404 vaccine candidate, was evaluated for safety in seronegative chimpanzees, and can now be evaluated as a vaccine for humans.
Therapeutic Advances in Neurological Disorders

Background: With recent developments in drug therapy for multiple sclerosis (MS), new treatment options have become available presenting patients with complex treatment decisions. Objectives: The objective of this study was to elicit patients’ preferences for different attributes of MS drug therapy. Methods: A representative sample of patients with MS across Canada (n=189) participated in a best–worst scaling study to quantify preferences for different attributes of MS drug therapy, including delaying progression, improving symptoms, preventing relapse, minor side effects, rare but serious adverse events (SAEs), and route of administration. Conditional logit models were fitted to estimate the relative importance of each attribute in influencing patients’ preferences. Results: A latent-class analysis revealed heterogeneity of preferences across respondents, with preferences differing across five classes. The most important attributes of drug therapy were the avoidance of SAEs for three classes and the improvement of symptoms for two other classes. Only a smaller group of patients demonstrated a specific preference for avoiding SAEs, and route of administration. Conclusion: This study shows that preferences for drug therapy among patients with MS are different, some of which can be explained by experiences with their disease and treatment. These findings can help to inform the focus of interactions that healthcare practitioners have with patients with MS, as well as further drug development.
Advanced life support for out-of-hospital respiratory distress.

BACKGROUND Respiratory distress is a common symptom of patients transported to hospitals by emergency medical services (EMS) personnel. The benefit of advanced life support for such patients has not been established. METHODS The Ontario Prehospital Advanced Life Support (OPALS) Study was a controlled clinical trial that was conducted in 15 cities before and after the implementation of a program to provide advanced life support for patients with out-of-hospital respiratory distress. Paramedics were trained in standard advanced life support, including endotracheal intubation and the administration of intravenous drugs. RESULTS The clinical characteristics of the 8138 patients in the two phases of the study were similar. During the first phase, no patients were treated by paramedics trained in advanced life support; during the second phase, 56.6% of patients received this treatment. Endotracheal intubation was performed in 1.4% of the patients, and intravenous drugs were administered to 15.0% during the second phase. This phase of the study was also marked by a substantial increase in the use of nebulized salbutamol and sublingual nitroglycerin for the relief of symptoms. The rate of death among all patients decreased significantly, from 14.3% to 12.4% (absolute difference, 1.9%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.4 to 3.4; P=0.01) from the basic-life-support phase to the advanced-life-support phase (adjusted odds ratio, 1.3; 95% CI, 1.1 to 1.5). CONCLUSIONS The addition of a specific regimen of out-of-hospital advanced-life-support interventions to an existing EMS system that provides basic life support was associated with a decrease in the rate of death of 1.9 percentage points among patients with respiratory distress.
Extended warranty in competing dual-channel supply chains

This article considers extended warranty decisions in competing dual-channel supply chains and uses game theories to analyze three model. We also discuss scenarios when the manufacturer provides the extended warranty and when the retailer does in each model. Our analysis reveals that: 1) In model MR, scenario MR-R outperforms MR-M for the manufacturer, the retailer and the whole system. 2) In model MRR, scenario MRR-R outperforms MRR-M for the manufacturer, while scenario MRR-R outperforms MRR-M under certain conditions for the retailers and the whole system. 3) In model MMR, scenario MMR-R outperforms MMR-M for the retailer and the whole system, while for the manufacturer, it depends on parameters such as channel substitutability and extended warranty sensitivity.
Application of Accurate Online Support Vector Regression in Stock Market Index Forecasting

In this paper,AOSVR is applied to the online training of the index-forecasting model of stock market.It modifies the model each time when the additional data are obtained,so it can catch the real time change of the market.Numerical testing results of the AOSVR and two competitive methods are given.The results show that AOSVR is more suitable for the forecasting of the index time series of stock market.
The relationship between the implementation and effectiveness of a nationwide physical activity telephone counseling service for adults with spinal cord injury

Abstract Purpose: Get in Motion (GIM) is an evidence-based telephone counseling service that promotes leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) among Canadian adults with spinal cord injury (SCI). The first phase of GIM sustained intentions for, and increased participation in, LTPA; however, it is unclear how GIM led to these outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore the implementation correlates of change in LTPA intentions and behavior in the second phase of GIM. Methods: The frequency, duration, and content of counseling sessions were tailored to meet clients’ (N = 46; 50.0% male; 50.0% paraplegia; 51.46 (SD 12.36) years old) needs and preferences. Intervention dose and content were monitored using Counseling Session Checklists. Clients self-reported their intentions for and actual aerobic and strength-training LTPA participation at baseline, 2-, 4-, and 6-months, and their perceptions of service quality at 6-months. Results: The second phase of GIM effectively sustained LTPA intentions and increased time spent on moderate-to-vigorous strength-training and total LTPA. Increases in clients’ moderate-to-vigorous aerobic LTPA were significantly positively related to intervention dose, intervention content (both informational and behavioral strategies), and clients’ perceptions of service credibility. Conclusions: This study identified intervention dose and content as key implementation variables for an LTPA telephone counseling service for adults with SCI. Implications for Rehabilitation An evidence- and theory-based telephone counseling service can effectively sustain LTPA intentions and increase LTPA behavior among adults with SCI. The first two months of the service are a critical period for enhancing LTPA participation and for minimizing dropouts. The provision of both informational and behavioral strategies is important for increasing aerobic LTPA levels among adults with SCI.
A new species of Phosocephala Townsend, 1908 (Diptera: Tachinidae) from Area de Conservación Guanacaste in northwestern Costa Rica

Abstract Background We describe a new species of Phosocephala Townsend, and provide a new collection record, and description of the previously unknown male, of Phosocephala metallica Townsend, from Area de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG), northwestern Costa Rica. All ACG specimens were reared from wild-caught Lepidoptera larvae (Lepidoptera: Erebidae, Nolidae). We provide a concise description of both species using morphology, life history, molecular data, and photographic documentation. The new species is authored and described by Fleming and Wood. New information Phosocephala alexanderi sp. n.
Coordinating supply chain of Stackelberg game model based on evolutionary game with GA-RL

Problems of coordinating supply chain are based on Stackelberg game model,but if research object is complex supply chain,it is difficult to find equilibrium of Stackelberg game,so evolutionary game theory was introduced.According to characteristics of leaders and followers in Stackelberg game model,learning mechanism is designed for each player respectively.An algorithm of reinforcement learning combined with genetic searching is proposed for leaders(manufacturers),and a learning model of best-reply is designed for followers(retailers).
Meta-modelling for distributed object environments

Meta-modeling is critical to the success of distributed object environments such as CORBA and ActiveXI DCOM. However, there is a surprisingly large variation in the nature of the meta-models (and meta-meta-models) that have been proposed for such environments. This paper investigates this phenomenon by examining the basic tenets of meta-modeling in the context of distributed object environments, and by defining the basic properties required of a suitable meta-modeling framework. The paper is not concerned with the content of the meta-models, per se, but rather with the form that this content should take, and the rules that it should adhere to. The ramifications of these rules on the notations and languages for distributed object environments are then considered.
Criteria for evaluating protein structures derived from comparative modeling

Following the first experiment for the Critical Assessment of methods for protein Structure Prediction (CASP1), numerical criteria were devised to analyze the performance of prediction methods. We report here the criteria for comparative modeling, and how effective they were in CASP2. These criteria are intended to evolve into a set of numerical measures that provide a comprehensive assessment of the quality of a structure produced by comparative modeling, and provide a means of investigating which modeling methods are most effective, so as to establish where future effort may be most productively applied. Proteins, Suppl. 1:7–13, 1997. © 1998 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Finite Element Discretization of State-Constrained Elliptic Optimal Control Problems with Semilinear State Equation

We study a class of semilinear elliptic optimal control problems with pointwise state constraints. The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, we present convergence results for the finite element discretization of this problem class similarly to known results with finite-dimensional control space, thus extending results that are---for control functions---only available for linear-quadratic convex problems. We rely on a quadratic growth condition for the continuous problem that follows from second order sufficient conditions. Second, we show that the second order sufficient conditions for the continuous problem transfer to its discretized version. This is of interest, for example, when considering questions of local uniqueness of solutions or the convergence of solution algorithms such as the SQP method.
Efficiency and Convergence of Electricity Use——An Empirical Study Based on Cross-Province Panel Data in China

By using the panel data of China provinces in 2000-2007,this paper calculates and decomposes the electricity use efficiency of China based on DEA-Malmlquist method,and then tests the convergence of China's regional electricity use efficiency.The study shows the electricity use technical efficiency of China takes on upward tendency,but the overall level remains low;The technical efficiency and pure technical efficiency levels of electricity use decrease gradually from east to west as trapezoid;The pure technical efficiency of electricity use shows the shape of arc,firstly ascending and then descending;The rate of technological progress is the main reason restraining the rapid growth of electricity efficiency.The scale efficiency has a larger contribution to the progress of electricity use technical efficiency,and that the pure technical efficiency promotes the progress of technology efficiency in the east and middle,while restrains that of in the west.The estimation of absolute β convergence model displays that overall regional disparity of electricity use efficiency is becoming narrow gradually.
In vitro and in vivo evaluation of cubosomal in situ nasal gel containing resveratrol for brain targeting

Abstract The aim of this study was to enhance the delivery of resveratrol to the brain through the transnasal route by cubosomes. Cubosomes were prepared using glycerol monooleate and Lutrol F127 by probe sonication method. A 32 full factorial design was used for optimization of cubosomes and batch containing 4% w/v glycerol monooleate and 1.5% w/v of Lutrol F 127 was optimized. The selected cubosomal batch was cubical in shape, having mean particle size 161.5 ± 0.12 nm. Entrapment efficiency was found to be 83.08% with zeta potential of –20.9 mV. In vitro release of cubosomal batch showed controlled release of drug profile (67%) up to 24 h. The optimized cubosomal dispersion was dispersed into gelling polymer (poloxamer 407) to form in situ gel for nasal use. The optimal cubosomal gel (containing 12% w/v poloxamer 407) had been subjected to ex-vivo permeation and in vivo biodistribution studies. It showed significantly higher transnasal permeation and better distribution to brain, when compared to the drug solution (i.n.) and drug solution (oral). Finally the cubosomal gel could be considered as a promising carrier for brain targeting of Resveratrol (Res) through transnasal route.
RSS item ranking based on implicit feedback

Really Simple Syndication(RSS) has been widely used in our daily lives, but RSS doesn't always collect interesting articles, user has to sift through every subscription for articles they like. The ranking of unread RSS articles has the potential power to release user from this heavy burden. Although user preferences can be learned from explicit feedbacks such as rating or tagging, implicit feedback techniques which collect information by monitoring users' natural behavior instead of asking them to explicitly give feedbacks become more attractive. There are several implicit feedbacks including scrolling and gazing, however, some of them may not be effective or require special equipments. In this article, we present a model-based approach for ranking unread RSS items and make recommendations via implicit behavior analysis. Since time spent on reading has been proved to be a useful measurement for user modelling, the approach aims at learning predictive models of user preferences from their implicit feedback of reading time only. User preference are expressed by latent semantic classes, and Bayesian inference with a set of heuristics is used to reveal the probability that an article may attract the user. Experimental evaluation shows substantial improvements over existing methods.
A combined MMSE receiver for high data rate UWB systems

In this paper, an ultra wideband (UWB) receiver is proposed based on optimally combining of multiple minimum mean square error (MMSE) detector outputs. These outputs are obtained by applying shifted observation windows. On one hand, each MMSE detector uses smaller number of taps and can be trained separately. This makes the combined structure suitable for adaptive filter bank implementation and for parallel processing. On the other hand, the system performance is effectively improved by diversity combining. The analysis and simulation results show that the combined MMSE receiver is capable of very high data rate transmission based on IEEE 802.15. 3a channel model recommendation (J. Foerster)
3-(Ammoniomethyl)pyridinium bis(perchlorate)

In the title molecular salt, C6H10N2 2+·2ClO4 −, the Cl—O bond lengths [anion 1: 1.369 (3)–1.415 (3); anion 2: 1.420 (2)–1.441 (2) Å] and the O—Cl—O angles [anion 1: 105.4 (2)–111.8 (4); anion 2: 107.8 (1)–110.3 (1)°] indicate a slight distortion of the perchlorate anions from regular tetrahedral symmetry. In the crystal, the components are linked into columns along the a-axis direction via N—H⋯O and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds, with stacks of the organic molecules being surrounded by stacks of perchlorate anions.
Audible handheld Doppler ultrasound determines reliable and inexpensive exclusion of significant peripheral arterial disease

Objective To determine the accuracy of audible arterial foot signals with an audible handheld Doppler ultrasound for identification of significant peripheral arterial disease as a simple, quick, and readily available bedside screening tool. Methods Two hundred consecutive patients referred to an interprofessional wound care clinic underwent audible handheld Doppler ultrasound of both legs. As a control and comparator, a formal bilateral lower leg vascular study including the calculation of Ankle Brachial Pressure Index and toe pressure (TP) was performed at the vascular lab. Diagnostic reliability of audible handheld Doppler ultrasound was calculated versus Ankle Brachial Pressure Index as the gold standard test. Results A sensitivity of 42.8%, a specificity of 97.5%, negative predictive value of 94.10%, positive predictive value of 65.22%, positive likelihood ratio of 17.52, and negative likelihood ratio of 0.59. The univariable logistic regression model had an area under the curve of 0.78. There was a statistically significant difference at the 5% level between univariable and multivariable area under the curves of the dorsalis pedis and posterior tibial models (p < 0.001). Conclusion Audible handheld Doppler ultrasound proved to be a reliable, simple, rapid, and inexpensive bedside exclusion test of peripheral arterial disease in diabetic and nondiabetic patients.
SeaDataNet - Pan-European infrastructure for marine and ocean data management: Unified access to distributed data sets (www.seadatanet.org)

SeaDataNet is a leading infrastructure in Europe for marine & ocean data management. It is actively operating and further developing a Pan-European infrastructure for managing, indexing and providing access to ocean and marine data sets and data products, acquired via research cruises and other observational activities, in situ and remote sensing. The basis of SeaDataNet is interconnecting 40 National Oceanographic Data Centres and Marine Data Centers from 35 countries around European seas into a distributed network of data resources with common standards for metadata, vocabularies, data transport formats, quality control methods and flags, and access. Thereby most of the NODC’s operate and/or are developing national networks to other institutes in their countries to ensure national coverage and long-term stewardship of available data sets.