Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Symbiont diversity and non‐random hybridization among indigenous (Ms) and invasive (B) biotypes of Bemisia tabaci

The whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae) is a worldwide pest and a vector of numerous plant viruses. B. tabaci is composed of dozens of morphologically indistinguishable biotypes and its taxonomic status is still controversial. This phloem‐feeder harbours the primary symbiont Portiera aleyrodidarum and potentially six secondary symbionts: Cardinium, Arsenophonus, Hamiltonella, Rickettsia, Wolbachia and Fritschea. In the southwest Indian Ocean, La Réunion hosts two biotypes of this species: B (invasive) and Ms (indigenous). A multiplex PCR was developed to study the symbiont community of B. tabaci on La Réunion. Symbiont community prevalence and composition, host mitochondrial and nuclear genetic diversity, as well as host plant and localization, were described on field populations of La Réunion for B and Ms B. tabaci biotypes and their hybrids. A clear association between symbiotypes and biotypes was shown. Cardinium, Arsenophonus and Rickettsia were found in the Ms biotype (73.6%, 64.2% and 3.3%, respectively). Hamiltonella (exclusively) and Rickettsia were found in the B biotype (78% and 91.2%, respectively). Hybrids harboured all symbiotypes found in Ms and B populations, but with a higher prevalence of Ms symbiotypes than expected under random hybridization. An unexpected majority was Cardinium mono‐infected (65.6%), and a striking minority (9%) harboured Cardinium/Arsenophonus. In the hybrids only, genetic diversity was linked to symbiotype. Among the hybrids, significant links were found between symbiotypes and: (i) mitochondrial COI sequences, i.e. maternal origin; and (ii) alleles of nuclear microsatellite loci, specific to either Ms or B parental biotype. Taken together, our results suggest that Cardinium and/or Arsenophonus may manipulate the reproduction of indigenous (Ms) with invasive (B) biotypes of Bemisia tabaci.
Experiment of 28 GHz Band 5G super wideband transmission using beamforming and beam tracking in high mobility environment

This paper presents some results of experimental trial in high mobility environment for the 5th generation (5G) mobile communication systems using 28 GHz band. In order to tackle rapidly increasing traffic for 2020 and beyond, new radio access network for the 5G mobile communication systems will introduce the use of higher-frequency bands such as spectra higher than 10 GHz to achieve higher capacity and super high bit rate transmission of several tens of Gbps. The target of this experimental trial is to evaluate the effectiveness of using 28 GHz band with super-wide bandwidth of 800 MHz for 5G mobile communication systems. To compensate large path-loss in higher frequency, the beamforming based on Massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) is one of promising techniques and can be combined with spatial multiplexing of multiple data streams to achieve much higher capacity. In addition, to support the mobility of mobile station (MS), beam tracking technique is important. In this paper, we show some results of the outdoor experiment of Massive MIMO beamforming combined with spatial multiplexing in high mobility environment with MS speed of up to 60 km/h by using prototype system with base station (BS) having 96-element array antenna and MS having smartphone-shape antenna with 8 elements. We also show that maximum throughput of 3.77 Gbps can be achieved with MS speed of 60 km/h by using beamforming with 2-stream multiplexing and beam tracking.
Validity of medico-administrative data related to amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in France: A population-based study

Abstract The accuracy of French medico-administrative data concerning amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is to date unknown. We aimed to assess the validity of hospital discharge data (HDD) and health insurance data (HID) related to ALS. A retrospective population-based study was performed. The French register of ALS in Limousin (FRALim) was used as gold standard (2000–2013 period). All patients discharged from the regional hospitals with a ‘G12.2’ code in their HDD (according to the International Classification of Disease-10th version) or having a G12 HID code were considered. In the study period, the register included a total of 322 incident ALS patients. Among 451 subjects identified through HDD, 290 were true incident ALS cases, corresponding to 90.1% (95% CI 86.3–93.1) sensitivity and 64.3% (95% CI 59.7–68.7) positive predictive value (PPV). A total of 184 subjects were identified through HID, 142 of which were true ALS cases. This corresponded to 44.1% (95% CI 38.6–49.7) sensitivity and 75.5% (95% CI 68.7–81.5) PPV. The combination of both HDD and HID led to 93.8% (95% CI 90.6–96.2) sensitivity and 60.8% (95% CI 56.3–65.1) PPV. This study shows that French HDD and HID, even if combined, are not per se suitable for accurate and exhaustive direct identification of ALS cases.
Effects of ozone therapy on cyclophosphamide-induced urinary bladder toxicity in rats.

PURPOSE This study investigated the efficacy of ozone therapy (OT) in a rat model of cyclophosphamide-induced hemorrhagic cystitis (HC). METHODS Forty Wistar Albino male rats were divided into five groups: sham, OT, cyclophosphamide (CP), OT+CP and CP+OT. Hemorrhagic cystitis (HC) was induced by intraperitoneal (i.p) administration a single dose of 100 mg/kg CP. OT was performed once daily for three days. The CP+OT group received OT (0.2 mg/kg) i.p 24 h after CP administration. CP was injected to the OT+CP group the day after the third course of OT. All animals were killed four days after CP administration. Bladder injury and oxidative stress parameters were determined from tissue samples. RESULTS We found small, but non-statistically significant biochemical and histological changes in the animals treated with OT alone. CP administration induced cystitis, as manifested by a marked loss of urothelial cells, as well as hemorrhaging and edema in the bladder as determined by histopathological examination. It also caused a significant decrease in the endogenous antioxidant compound glutathione (GSH) and elevation of lipid peroxidation, and nitric oxide (NO) and myeloperoxidase (MPO) levels in the rats' urinary bladder tissue. OT was able to ameliorate these changes; however these effects were prominent in the CP+OT group when compared with the OT+CP group. : For example, the NO level in the CP+OT group was 68% of the OT+CP group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION OT prevented CP-induced urothelial damage by diminishing bladder oxidative stress, inflammation and NO levels. OT may help to ameliorate bladder damage induced by CP in the clinical setting.
[Own and parental predictors of arterial prehypertension and hypertension in children of persons with premature coronary heart disease].

AIM to elucidate own and parental predictors of arterial prehypertension (PreHT) and hypertension (HT) in children of patients with premature manifested before 55 years in men or before 60 years in women) coronary heart disease (CHD). METHODS We surveyed 276 families: 258 probands parents with premature CHD, their 214 spouses and 362 native probands children aged 5-37 years. In persons aged 17 years we used criteria of 4 th Report National Education Program Working Group on High BP in Children and Adolescents, in persons 18 years - 7 th Report Joint National Committee (USA). Predictors were selected by logistical regression with adjustment for sex and age. RESULTS PreHT/HT was revealed in 26/143 (18.2%) children aged 5-17 years. Their own (body mass index [BMI], waist circumference, glucose) and parental (diastolic BP of proband) predictors related to the presence of PreHT/HT with <0.1 in univariate analysis were included in stepwise regression procedure. PreHT/HT was independently associated only with higher own BMI: odds ratio (OR) of top vs bottom tertile 10.2 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.99-52.8; p=0.005). PreHT and HT were found in 75/219 (34.2%) and 40/219 (18.3%) children aged 18-37 years, respectively. Their own (BMI, waist circumference, glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol) and parental (waist circumference, BMI, diabetes mellitus, PreHT/HT and triglycerides of proband; education level, alcohol consumption and oral hormonal contraceptive drugs use of spouse) predictors selected in univariate analysis with <0.1, were included in stepwise regression procedure. HT was independently associated with higher BMI (OR top vs bottom tertile 19.9 [95% CI 4.34-90.8]; <0.0001) and glucose (OR top vs bottom tertile 7.85 [95% CI 2.73-22.6]; <0.0001) of children, and PreHT/HT of probands (OR 2.80 [95% CI 1.13-6.94]; =0.026). CONCLUSION PreHT and HT (age group 5-17 years) and HT (age group 18-37 years) in children of persons with premature CHD were independently related to own "metabolic" risk factors (BMI in both age groups and basal glucose in adult children). Association of preHT/HT of proband with HT in their children became manifested later in childrens life (18-37 years).
Donepezil Versus Vitamin E in Alzheimer's Disease Part 2: Mild Versus Moderate–Severe Alzheimer's Disease

Early studies showed that the latency of P300 (P3) event related potential increases or diminishes when anticholinergic o cholinergic drugs are administered. We tested the hypothesis that new cholinesterase inhibitors like Donepezil (DPZ) may have an effect on the often abnormal P300 of patients with Alzheimer's Disease (AD), and therefore, that P300 recordings might simplify the evaluation of responses to cholinesterase inhibitor in patients with mild and moderate–severe AD. We evaluated 60 patients with AD: 30 patients with “mild” (Mini Mental State Examination 26–19) and 30 patients with “moderate–severe” (Mini Mental State Examination 18–10), according to the National Institute of Neurological and Communicative Disorders and Alzheimer's Disease and Related Disorders Association criteria in comparison with 40 age-matched controls. All subjects underwent P300 recordings and neuropsychologic examinations (Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognition and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale) during the 6-month follow-up. Patients were divided into four groups of 15 patients each: Group I DPZ (10 mg/day) and Group I Vitamin E (2000 IU/day) with “mild” AD; Group II DPZ and Group II Vitamin E with “moderate–severe” AD and same drug dosages. In patients treated with Vitamin E, we observed P3 latency increments (delta) by 11.8 ± 1.8 ms in Group I and by 12.8 ± 2.8 ms in Group II at 6 months; neuropsychologic test scores significantly worsened at 6 months (p < 0.001) in Group II patients. Donepezil induced significant P3 latency reductions (11.2 ± 2.4 ms) in nine patients of Group I and all patients of Group II (16.1 ± 4.0 ms), reaching a maximum at 3 months (23.2 ± 2.7 ms). Alzheimer's Disease Assessment Scale-Cognition and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale scores improved during the same period, and the difference between Vitamin E and DPZ treated patients was highly significant for P3 (analysis of variance) and for P3-Alzheimer's Diseases Assessment Scale-Cognition (analysis of covariance) with p < 0.001 for pooled groups of patients with AD and Group II (DPZ) versus Group II (Vitamin E). Combined P3 event related potentials measurements, neuropsychologic test comparison evidences significant effects of DPZ in mild and in moderate–severe AD.
A Double Staining Method Using SYTOX Green and Calcofluor White for Studying Fungal Parasites of Phytoplankton

ABSTRACT We propose a double staining method based on the combination of two fluorochromes, calcofluor white (CFW; specific chitinous fluorochrome) and SYTOX green (nucleic acid stain), coupled to epifluorescence microscopy for counting, identifying, and investigating the fecundity of parasitic fungi of phytoplankton and the putative relationships established between hosts and their chytrid parasites. The method was applied to freshwater samples collected over two successive years during the terminal period of autumnal cyanobacterial blooms in a eutrophic lake. The study focused on the uncultured host-parasite couple Anabaena macrospora (cyanobacterium) and Rhizosiphon akinetum (Chytridiomycota). Our results showed that up to 36.6% of cyanobacterial akinetes could be parasitized by fungi. Simultaneously, we directly investigated the zoosporic content inside the sporangia and found that both the host size and intensity of infection conditioned the final size and hence fecundity of the chytrids. We found that relationships linking host size, final parasite size, and chytrid fecundity were conserved from year to year and seemed to be host-chytrid couple specific. We concluded that our double staining method was a valid procedure for improving our knowledge of uncultured freshwater phytoplankton-chytrid couples and so of the quantitative ecology of chytrids in freshwater ecosystems.
The ICT-Supported Unified Process Model of Offshore Outsourcing of Software Production: Exploratory Examination and Validation

Various important benefits can be achieved through the successful management of offshore outsourcing. Numerous studies exist on outsourcing in general, yet the large extant literature on offshore outsourcing has dealt with information technology (IT) outsourcing from the client's perspective. Several frameworks, focusing on guiding information systems managers, for IT outsourcing have been developed. However, none of these frameworks attempted to provide a holistic guideline to manage the entire process of offshore outsourcing of software production. There is a significant lack of studies dealing with the management of offshore outsourcing of software production from both the vendor's and client's perspectives. Thus, there is a great need for studying such a multifaceted and complex phenomenon more deeply from both scenarios to find out the best practices for managing the unified process. In this study, we utilize the conceptual framework of the ICT-supported unified process model of offshore software production outsourcing as our research model. We then validate this model by reviewing the large extant literature, and conducting multiple case studies from both the vendor's and client's viewpoints, where professionals with extensive experience in managing offshore outsourcing of software production are interviewed. The implications of the findings are discussed for both practical and research purposes.
High-density lipoprotein stimulates endothelial cell movement by a mechanism distinct from basic fibroblast growth factor.

Endothelial cell (EC) migration is a regulatory event in the formation and repair of blood vessels. Although serum contains substantial promigratory activity, the responsible components and especially the role of lipoproteins have not been determined. We examined the effect of plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) on the movement of ECs in vitro. Confluent cultures of bovine aortic ECs in serum-free medium were "wounded," and migration was measured after 24 hours. HDL stimulated migration in a concentration-dependent manner with a half-maximal response at 25 to 40 micrograms cholesterol per milliliter and a maximal twofold stimulation at approximately 150 micrograms cholesterol per milliliter. HDL-stimulated migration was not due to cell proliferation, since migration was increased in the presence of hydroxyurea at a concentration that blocked proliferation. At optimal concentrations, HDL was at least as stimulatory as basic fibroblast growth factor (FGF). However, the activity of HDL was not due to contamination by basic FGF, since antibodies to basic FGF did not block HDL-stimulated movement and since the maximum promigratory activities of basic FGF and HDL were additive. These results indicate that HDL and basic FGF may use distinct signaling pathways to initiate EC movement. This possibility was confirmed by results showing that pertussis toxin suppressed basic FGF-stimulated but not HDL-stimulated EC motility and that inhibitors of phospholipase A2, aristolochic acid and ONO-RS-082, also blocked the promigratory activity of basic FGF but had no effect on the activity of HDL. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Attentional control is partially impaired in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is associated with executive cognitive impairment. An important question is whether impairment in executive functioning in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is independent of dysfunction in attention. Attentional control is a subcomponent of executive functioning that is mediated by frontal lobe processing. In the current study, we investigated whether attentional control is deficient in obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Attentional control processes were investigated through conflict adaptation and conflict frequency paradigms. These neuropsychological paradigms were assessed by using the Simon, Flanker and Stroop tasks. We additionally analysed post‐error slowing data within these tasks. Error processing is another index of cognitive control that is mediated by frontal lobe functioning. Our sample consisted of 14 healthy adults and 24 patients with untreated moderate–severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Results indicated that attentional control is partially dysfunctional among patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Attentional control processes were deficient when focal attention (Flanker task) processes were involved, but were intact when observed using the Simon and Stroop tasks. A non‐significant trend in post‐error slowing data suggested that error processing, assessed with the Flanker task, was diminished among patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. These results support the view that obstructive sleep apnea syndrome leads to some amount of frontal lobe dysfunction, and that attentional control and error processing might be particularly affected by obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
A new binaural detection model based on contralateral inhibition

Binaural models attempt to explain binaural phenomena in terms of neural mechanisms that extract binaural information from accoustic stimuli. In this paper, a model setup is presented that can be used to simulate binaural detection tasks. In contrast to the most often used cross correlation between the right and left channel, this model is based on contralateral inhibition. The presented model is applied to a wide range of binaural detection experiments. It shows a good fit for changes in masker bandwidth or masker correlation, static and dynamic ues and level and frequency dependencies.
Calcium ionophore-induced acrosome reaction correlates with fertilization rates in vitro in patients with teratozoospermic semen.

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between calcium ionophore A23187-induced acrosome reaction (AR) and sperm fertilizing ability. Semen samples remaining after preparation for standard IVF were studied in 109 patients who had sperm concentrations > or =20 x 10(6)/ml. Ionophore-induced AR was performed on motile spermatozoa selected by centrifugation on a Percoll gradient. Semen analysis was performed using standard methods. Patients with higher (>50%, n = 76) fertilization rates had significantly higher ionophore-induced AR than patients with lower (<50%, n = 33) fertilization rates (49 +/- 14 versus 38 +/- 21%, P < 0.05). When the data from all patients were analysed by logistic regression, only the percentage sperm motility in insemination medium and ionophore-induced AR were significantly related to fertilization rates. Similar results were also obtained when the data from a subgroup of patients with poor (<15% normal) sperm morphology were analysed. However, when patients with normal sperm morphology > or =15% were analysed separately, only sperm count and the percentage of spermatozoa with progressive motility in semen were significantly related to fertilization rates. In conclusion, ionophore-induced AR was significantly related to fertilization rates in vitro mainly in patients with teratozoospermic semen. Tests for ionophore-induced AR may provide additional information about sperm fertilizing ability but may not indicate specific defects of the physiological AR.
Effect of CAHPS Performance Information on Health Plan Choices by Iowa Medicaid Beneficiaries

This evaluation tested if Consumer Assessment of Health Plans Study (CAHPS) information on plan performance affected health plan choices by new beneficiaries in Iowa Medicaid. New cases entering Medicaid in selected counties during February through May 2000 were assigned randomly to experimental or control groups. The control group received standard Medicaid enrollment materials, and the experimental group received these materials plus a CAHPS report. We found that CAHPS information did not affect health plan choices by Iowa Medicaid beneficiaries, similar to previously reported findings for New Jersey Medicaid. However, it did affect plan choice in an earlier laboratory experiment. The value of this information may be limited to a subset of receptive
Multiplexed FEC for multiple streams with different playout deadlines

We study a setting where two source streams with different decoding deadlines must be transmitted over a burst erasure channel. The source streams are multiplexed into a single stream of channel-packets at the encoder and transmitted over a packet erasure channel. The decoder must recover the source-packets within each stream sequentially, by their corresponding deadlines. We consider the burst-erasure channel model and characterize the capacity region for a certain range of system parameters. We show that the operation of the system can be divided into three different regimes based on the relative values of decoding deadlines. On the achievability side, we show that jointly coding across the two streams, despite their different deadlines, is necessary to achieve capacity. On the converse side we develop information theoretic outer bounds on the capacity region. We find that the capacity region exhibits a “corner point” where we can transmit the urgent stream at a positive rate, yet attain a sum-rate equal to the capacity of the non-urgent stream.
Visual evoked potentials in young persons with newly diagnosed diabetes: a long‐term follow‐up

To evaluate the presence of electrophysiological abnormalities in the visual function of young persons with diabetes, visual evoked potentials were recorded, in basal conditions and after photostress, in 30 patients with newly diagnosed insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus. Their mean age was 17.6 years (3.6 SD), and their glycosated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was 9.4% (1.6 SD). Thirty healthy age‐ and sex‐matched individuals were evaluated as the control group. This study showed that the P100 latency was significantly delayed in patients with diabetes compared with the control group (p<0.01), while the N75 to P100 amplitude was similar in both groups. These measurements were repeated after 6 months, when all participants with diabetes had achieved good metabolic control (HbA1c 7.2% [1.5 SD]). At this second evaluation a complete normalisation of all parameters was observed. These findings suggest that early functional abnormalities of the optic nerve can be detected at onset of diabetes, and that glycaemic control reverses these abnormalities.