Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Human papillomavirus antibody responses among patients with incident cervical carcinoma

The human papillomavirus (HPV) is recognized as a major cause of cervical cancer precursor lesions. HPV serology is a key method in the continuing elucidation of the importance of HPV exposure for cancer development and in predicting HPV‐associated diseases. To extend previous HPV serological studies on cervical cancer, serum samples from a consecutive series of 216 women with incident untreated cervical carcinoma and 243 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy blood donors were evaluated for the presence of antibodies against HPV capsids, a marker of past or present HPV exposure, as well as against several cervical cancer‐associated defined HPV epitopes. Among the capsid antibody responses, HPV type 16 seropositivity had the strongest association with cervical cancer (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.8–4.2), but HPV 18 and HPV 33 seropositivities were also significantly associated with cervical cancer (OR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1–N2.5; and OR 1.5, 95% CI 1.0–2.2, respectively). The antibody responses against the defined HPV epitopes were confirmed to be associated with cervical cancer, at ORs ranging from 1.4 to 2.0. In conclusion, the study confirms that antibodies against defined HPV epitopes are associated with cervical cancer and provides evidence that seropositivities for HPV types 16, 18, and 33 are associated with cervical cancer risk. J. Med. Virol. 52:436–440, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Predicting hospice appropriateness for patients with dementia of the Alzheimer's type.

The appropriateness of admitting individuals to hospice services is determined by assessing the individual's 6-month survival prognosis. Clinical parameters that guide clinicians in assessing prognosis, however, are not well defined in cases of dementia of the Alzheimer's type (DAT) when compared to other illnesses. The Alzheimer's-Hospice Placement Evaluation Scale (AHOPE) was developed to assess the 6-month prognosis of individuals with late-stage DAT. The purposes of this study were to estimate the reliability and predictive validity of AHOPE and to test additional demographic and clinical indicators to determine their added contribution to predicting 6-month survival and hospice appropriateness. Data were collected on 112 long-term care residents with DAT at enrollment and 6 months following enrollment. Initial reliability and predictive validity of AHOPE were supported. Other demographic and clinical indicators were not predictors of 6-month survival. Although additional research is indicated, nurses can use AHOPE to enhance clinical observation and decision making for implementing appropriate care strategies for patients with end-stage DAT and their families.
Stem cell mobilization by hyperbaric oxygen

We hypothesized that exposure to hyperbaric oxygen (HBO2) would mobilize stem/progenitor cells from the bone marrow by a nitric oxide (.NO) dependent mechanism. The population of CD34+ cells in the peripheral circulation of humans (n=23) doubled in response to a single exposure to 2.0 atmospheres absolute (ATA) O2 for 2 hours. Over a course of twenty treatments, circulating CD34+ cells increased eightfold, although the over‐all circulating white cell count was not significantly increased. The number of colony‐forming cells (CFCs) increased from 16 +/− 2 to 26 +/− 3 CFCs/100,000 monocytes plated. Elevations in CFCs were entirely due to the CD34+ sub‐population, but increased cell growth only occurred in samples obtained immediately post‐treatment. A high proportion of progeny cells express receptors for vascular endothelial growth factor‐2 and for stromal derived growth factor. In mice, HBO2 increased circulating stem cell factor by 50%, increased the number of circulating cells expressing stem cell antigen‐1 and CD34 by 3.4‐fold, and doubled the number of CFCs. Bone marrow . NO concentration increased by 1008 + 255 nM in association with HBO2. Stem cell mobilization did not occur in knock out mice lacking genes for endothelial . NO synthase. Moreover, pre‐treatment of wild type mice with a nitric oxide (.NO) synthase inhibitor prevented the HBO2‐induced elevation in stem cell factor and circulating stem cells. We conclude that HBO2 mobilizes stem/progenitor cells by stimulating . NO synthesis.
Vision-Aided Inertial Navigation Based on Ground Plane Feature Detection

In this paper, a motion estimation approach is introduced for a vision-aided inertial navigation system. The system consists of a ground-facing monocular camera mounted on an inertial measurement unit (IMU) to form an IMU-camera sensor fusion system. The motion estimation procedure fuses inertial data from the IMU and planar features on the ground captured by the camera. The main contribution of this paper is a novel closed-form measurement model based on the image data and IMU output signals. In contrast to existing methods, our algorithm is independent of the underlying vision algorithm for image motion estimation such as optical flow algorithms for camera motion estimation. The algorithm has been implemented using an unscented Kalman filter, which propagates the current and the last state of the system updated in the previous measurement instant. The validity of the proposed navigation method is evaluated both by simulation studies and by real experiments.
Caregiver perceptions of the reasons for delayed hospital discharge.

CONTEXT Financial pressures have increased the emphasis on expeditious hospital discharge. Identification of barriers to timely discharge may help direct efforts to decrease unnecessary hospital days. OBJECTIVE To identify caregivers' perceptions of reasons for discharge delays at an academic medical center. DESIGN Survey and free-form written responses using a convenience sample (overall response rate, 68%). RESPONDENTS 104 housestaff, 34 attending physicians, and 33 nurses. RESULTS Nurses were much more likely than housestaff or attending physicians to cite inadequate communication as a reason for discharge delays. Nurses were also more likely to attribute delays to rounds and other conferences (48% vs. 22% and 9%, respectively; P = 0.05). Physicians, however, were more likely to cite delays in testing and availability of subacute care beds. Almost all housestaff and attendings thought that discharge decisions were generally made in the morning, and over 60% felt that discharge orders were usually written before noon. In contrast, none of the nurses thought that orders were usually written before noon. CONCLUSIONS Caregivers at the same institution perceived different barriers to discharge and believed that discharge-related activities occurred at different times. To facilitate hospital discharge, communication gaps should be addressed and traditional morning routines should be reexamined.
Self-outphasing Chireix power amplifier using device input impedance variation

A new outphasing signal splitter for a radio frequency (RF) single input Chireix power amplifier without using digital signal processing is introduced. Input signal phase control versus power for outphasing operation is obtained by using only a linear circuit, exploiting the input impedance variation of non-ideal devices. A 52.6 dBm peak output power, 6 dB back-off Chireix power amplifier is built operating at 2.17 GHz. More than 50% drain efficiency is maintained over 5.7 dB output power back-off range.
Metformin repositioning as antitumoral agent: selective antiproliferative effects in human glioblastoma stem cells, via inhibition of CLIC1-mediated ion current

Epidemiological and preclinical studies propose that metformin, a first-line drug for type-2 diabetes, exerts direct antitumor activity. Although several clinical trials are ongoing, the molecular mechanisms of this effect are unknown. Here we show that chloride intracellular channel-1 (CLIC1) is a direct target of metformin in human glioblastoma cells. Metformin exposure induces antiproliferative effects in cancer stem cell-enriched cultures, isolated from three individual WHO grade IV human glioblastomas. These effects phenocopy metformin-mediated inhibition of a chloride current specifically dependent on CLIC1 functional activity. CLIC1 ion channel is preferentially active during the G1-S transition via transient membrane insertion. Metformin inhibition of CLIC1 activity induces G1 arrest of glioblastoma stem cells. This effect was time-dependent, and prolonged treatments caused antiproliferative effects also for low, clinically significant, metformin concentrations. Furthermore, substitution of Arg29 in the putative CLIC1 pore region impairs metformin modulation of channel activity. The lack of drugs affecting cancer stem cell viability is the main cause of therapy failure and tumor relapse. We identified CLIC1 not only as a modulator of cell cycle progression in human glioblastoma stem cells but also as the main target of metformin's antiproliferative activity, paving the way for novel and needed pharmacological approaches to glioblastoma treatment.
Automatic Generation of Photorealistic 3D Inner Mouth Animation only from Frontal Images

In this paper, we propose a novel method to generate highly photorealistic three-dimensional (3D) inner mouth animation that is well-fitted to an original ready-made speech animation using only frontal captured images and small-size databases. The algorithms are composed of quasi-3D model reconstruction and motion control of teeth and the tongue, and final compositing of photorealistic speech animation synthesis tailored to the original. In general, producing a satisfactory photorealistic appearance of the inner mouth that is synchronized with mouth movement is a very complicated and time-consuming task. This is because the tongue and mouth are too flexible and delicate to be modeled with the large number of meshes required. Therefore, in some cases, this process is omitted or replaced with a very simple generic model. Our proposed method, on the other hand, can automatically generate 3D inner mouth appearances by improving photorealism with only three inputs: an original tailor-made lip-sync animation, a single image of the speaker’s teeth, and a syllabic decomposition of the desired speech. The key idea of our proposed method is to combine 3D reconstruction and simulation with two-dimensional (2D) image processing using only the above three inputs, as well as a tongue database and mouth database. The satisfactory performance of our proposed method is illustrated by the significant improvement in picture quality of several tailor-made animations to a degree nearly equivalent to that of camera-captured videos.
Two theoretical and practical aspects of knitting technique: invariants and a new class of Petri net

We present two aspects of knitting technique, the structural properties (especially the P- and T-invariants), and the synchronized choice net (a new class of Petri net), that are of both theoretical importance and practical uses to the verification of structural correctness of a Petri net or to detect the structural problem of a Petri net. This work first proves that the ordinary Petri nets synthesized with knitting technique are structurally bounded, consistent, conservative and safe (when each home place holds one token) using the well-known linear algebra approach. It also provides a procedure for finding P- and T-invariants for Petri net synthesized using the knitting technique. We present examples for P-invariants and show that we can synthesize Petri nets more general than the "asymmetric-choice nets". The algorithm for finding P-invariants of ordinary Petri nets is extended to find the P-invariants for a general Petri net synthesized with knitting technique and the arc-ratio rules. We present a new class of Petri nets, called synchronized choice nets, which are the largest set of Petri nets that can be covered by both T-components and P-components. An algorithm is proposed to find its T-components and the P-components, respectively. The complexity of this algorithm is also presented. The theory of synchronized choice nets has the potential to simplify that for free choice nets.
Least mean p-power error criterion for adaptive FIR filter

An adaptive FIR filter based on the least mean p-power error (MPE) criterion is investigated. First, some useful properties of MPE function are studied. Three main results are as follows: 1) MPE function is a convex function of filter coefficients; so it has no local minima. 2) When input process and desired process are both Gaussian processes, then MPE function has the same optimum solution as the conventional Wiener solution for any p. 3) When input process and desired process are non-Gaussian processes, then MPE function may have better optimum solution than Wiener solution. Next, a least mean p-power (LMP) error adaptive algorithm is derived and some application examples are presented. Consequently, when the signal is corrupted by an impulsive noise, the adaptive algorithm with p=1 is preferred. Furthermore, when the signal is corrupted by noise or interference, the adaptive algorithm with proper choice of p may be preferred. >
Unleashing the Powerful Few

Despite their apparent interest, private investors are surprisingly disengaged from sustainable investing, an observation that has received limited scholarly attention. This theory building study draws on the theory of planned behaviour to conceptualize the decision-making process of private investors towards sustainable investing. Findings from literature provide some insights but do not yield a comprehensive answer as to why private investors refrain from sustainable investing. Interviews with wealthy private investors led us to identify a generally high interest in sustainable investing and dominant barriers that prevent actual engagement. Barriers are the perception of high volatility within sustainable investments in combination with, first, a short investment time horizon and, second, recent financial losses. Third, we find that investment advisors withhold required information from their clients. We suggest a decision-making framework that facilitates a better understanding of the engagement of private investors in sustainable investing and outline avenues for future research and implications for practitioners.
The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure: An Outcome Measure for Occupational Therapy

The Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists, in collaboration with Health and Welfare Canada have developed and published a conceptual model for occupational therapy, the Occupational Performance model. This paper describes the development of an outcome measure, The Canadian Occupational Performance Measure (COPM), which is designed to be used with these guidelines for client-centred clinical practice. The COPM is an outcome measure designed for use by occupational therapists to assess client outcomes in the areas of self-care, productivity and leisure. Using a semi-structured interview, the COPM is a five step process which measures individual, client-identified problem areas in daily function. Two scores, for performance and satisfaction with performance are obtained. This paper describes the rationale and development of the COPM as wellas information about its use for therapists.
Low-rank constrained collaborative representation for robust face recognition

Recently, sparse representation based classifiers (SRC) and collaborative representation based classifiers (CRC) have been shown to give very good performance under controlled scenarios. However, in practical applications, face recognition often encounters variations in illumination, expression, noise and occlusion, which cause severe performance degradation (due to the outliers in testing). In this paper, we present a novel robust face recognition algorithm based on class-wise low-rank constrained collaborative representations. We impose a low-rank constraint on the representation coefficient matrix to discriminate against outliers. The resulting low-rank constrained collaborative representation based classifier (LCRC) jointly minimizes the class-wise reconstruction error and rank of coefficient matrix. Experiments show that LCRC outperforms popular classifiers such as SRC, CRC, SVM, PROCRC on the AR, CMU PIE and LFW databases.
A new device for exercise MR imaging.

This work was supported totally by lschemic Heart SCOR Grant, National Institutes of Health grant HL-1 7669, and the Moss Heart Fund, Dallax, TX. 1 Department of Intemal Medicine (Cardiology), The University of Texas Health Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75235. Address reprint requests to S. Schaefer. 2 Department of Radiology (Nuclear Medicine), The University of Texas Health Center at Dallas, 5323 Harry Hines Blvd., Dallas, TX 75235. 1289
Evolution of ‘pollinator’- attracting signals in fungi

Fungi produce a plethora of secondary metabolites yet their biological significance is often little understood. Some compounds show well-known antibiotic properties, others may serve as volatile signals for the attraction of insects that act as vectors of spores or gametes. Our investigations in an outcrossing, self-incompatible fungus show that a fungus-produced volatile compound with fungitoxic activities is also responsible for the attraction of specific insects that transfer gametes. We argue that insect attraction using this compound is likely to have evolved from its primary function of defence—as has been suggested for floral scent in the angiosperms. We, thus, propose that similar yet convergent evolutionary pathways have lead to interspecific communication signals in both fungi and plants.
Antitumor efficacy in H22 tumor bearing mice and immunoregulatory activity on RAW 264.7 macrophages of polysaccharides from Talinum triangulare.

The aim of this paper was to study the antitumor and immunoregulatory activities of a polysaccharide (TTP) from Talinum triangulare. The molecular weight of TTP-IV was 49.9 kDa. The monosaccharide composition analysis of TTP-IV revealed that it was a heteropolysaccharide consisting of rhamnose, arabinose, mannose and galactose with a molar ratio of 1.22 : 1.00 : 1.05 : 1.51. The results of the in vivo study showed that TTP (200 mg per kg bw) significantly inhibited the growth of tumor by 49.07% in H22-bearing Kunming mice. In vitro, the growth of primary murine macrophages was promoted by TTP in a dose- and time-dependent manner significantly. Besides, RAW 264.7 cells were activated by TTP to produce NO and the toxicity of RAW 264.7 supernatant was markedly enhanced in vitro. The levels of iNOS, TLR2, TLR4 and IL-1β were obviously increased by TTP. Therefore, it is suggested that TTP can be utilized as a potent antitumor and immunoenhancing material in functional food.
National policy response to climate change in South Africa.

The South African government has taken several steps in response to climate change and its associated threats to human health. The National Climate Change Response Plan White Paper defines government’s vision for effective climate change response and transitioning to a climate-resilient, low-carbon economy. The White Paper identifies potential health challenges for South Africa (SA), including vectorand water-borne diseases and heat stress. The National Climate Change and Health Adaptation Plan (the Plan), prepared by the National Department of Health, expands on these health challenges, raising not only additional ones, but also related socioeconomic risk factors, such as housing and settlements. Community participation was adopted as one of the guiding principles for implementing the Plan, especially as behavioural change is likely to be important for adaptation and coping strategies. Multisectorial co-operation is also imperative, as many of the climate-related health risks involve multiple multidisciplinary stakeholders to implement appropriate interventions. Addressing inequalities and poverty in SA is critical to ensure that the health impacts from climate change are mitigated, particularly as current evidence suggests that the largest health risks are possibly among communities already most impacted by climate-related diseases. More research is needed to determine the impact of climate on health and which communities are the most vulnerable. Tailored monitoring and evaluation systems, linked with climate surveillance, will provide an opportunity to collect health data on key health risks to inform decision-making.
Alignment-Independent Comparisons of Human Gastrointestinal Tract Microbial Communities in a Multidimensional 16S rRNA Gene Evolutionary Space

ABSTRACT We present a novel approach for comparing 16S rRNA gene clone libraries that is independent of both DNA sequence alignment and definition of bacterial phylogroups. These steps are the major bottlenecks in current microbial comparative analyses. We used direct comparisons of taxon density distributions in an absolute evolutionary coordinate space. The coordinate space was generated by using alignment-independent bilinear multivariate modeling. Statistical analyses for clone library comparisons were based on multivariate analysis of variance, partial least-squares regression, and permutations. Clone libraries from both adult and infant gastrointestinal tract microbial communities were used as biological models. We reanalyzed a library consisting of 11,831 clones covering complete colons from three healthy adults in addition to a smaller 390-clone library from infant feces. We show that it is possible to extract detailed information about microbial community structures using our alignment-independent method. Our density distribution analysis is also very efficient with respect to computer operation time, meeting the future requirements of large-scale screenings to understand the diversity and dynamics of microbial communities.
From disorganized equality to efficient hierarchy: how group size drives the evolution of hierarchy in human societies

A manifest trend is that larger and more productive human groups shift from distributed to centralized decision-making. Voluntary theories propose that human groups shift to hierarchy to limit scalar stress, i.e. the increase in cost of organization as a group grows. Yet, this hypothesis lacks a mechanistic model to investigate the organizational advantage of hierarchy and its role on its evolution. To fill this gap, we describe social organization by the distribution of individuals’ capacity to influence others. We then integrate this formalization into models of social dynamics and evolutionary dynamics. First, our results demonstrate that hierarchy strongly reduces scalar stress, and that this benefit can emerge solely because leaders and followers differ in their capacity to influence others. Second, the model demonstrates that this benefit can be sufficient to drive the evolution of leader and follower behaviours and ultimately, the transition from small egalitarian to large hierarchical groups.