Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neuropsychological functioning in a cohort of HIV infected women: Importance of antiretroviral therapy

We evaluated neurocognitive function in 149 HIV-seropositive and 82 seronegative women enrolled in the Women's Interagency HIV Study (WIHS), a large multi-center study of disease progression in women living with HIV/AIDS. We evaluated the prevalence of abnormal neuropsychological (NP) test findings in HIV-seropositive and seronegative women and factors associated with increased risk of abnormal NP test performance. Risk of NP impairment was no higher for HIV positive women receiving antiretroviral therapy at testing than for HIV-negative women (OR = 1.00). However, the risk of abnormal NP performance increased significantly for seropositive women not receiving antiretroviral therapy (OR = 2.43). Further, treatment status was a significant predictor of NP impairment in a multivariate analysis that included viral load (OR = 1.48) and CD4 count (OR = 1.08) which were not significant. The multivariate analyses controlled for substance use, age, education, head injury, ethnicity, estimated IQ, and psychological distress. This study emphasizes the critical association of antiretroviral therapy with the risk of neurocognitive impairment in women living with HIV/AIDS. (JINS, 2002, 8, 781–793.)
Fishing strategy choices of purse seines in the Mediterranean: implications for management

An observer’s sampling scheme, that employed fisheries scientists onboard fleet vessels was used to examine temporal fishing tactics and strategies affecting catches of the purse seine fishery in the Mediterranean. The month, water depth and the fishers’ behavior were found to have an effect on total and Trachurus spp. retained catches, with fishers’ behavior explaining the largest percentage of the data variation. The distance of the fishing ground from port and the market price modulated both the retained catches and the fishing location choice. Results confirmed that fishers while in a specific fishing ground developed strategies that would allow them to retain, and thus land, the best possible combination of landings x market value. The current findings also revealed that, when constrained by physical and economic conditions, fishers preferred to minimise risk rather than maximize landings. The observed major switches in fishing strategy were attributed to fishers’ risk attitude response towards higher profitability. As the Mediterranean fishery system is mainly based on control effort and technical measures regimes, the current findings are discussed in the light of the need to consider additional information to management plans and decisions.
On the application of recursive principal component analysis method to fault detection and isolation

This communication suggests an extension of an online fault detection method [1] to fault isolation. This proposed method is titled Recursive Principal Component Analysis based on First Order Perturbation RPCA-FOP and it is based on first order perturbation theory (FOP) and partial PCA models where the eigenvalues and eigenvectors of the covariance matrix are updated taking into account the effect of new acquired data as a perturbation.
Discrimination of Psychrotrophic and Mesophilic Strains of the Bacillus cereus Group by PCR Targeting of Major Cold Shock Protein Genes

ABSTRACT Detection of psychrotrophic strains (those able to grow at or below 7°C) of the Bacillus cereus group (Bacillus cereus, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Bacillus mycoides) in food products is at present extremely slow with conventional microbiology. This is due to an inability to discriminate these cold-adapted strains from their mesophilic counterparts (those able to grow only above 7°C) by means other than growth at low temperature, which takes 5 to 10 days for detection. Here we report the development of a single PCR assay that, using major cold shock protein-specific primers and appropriate annealing temperatures, is capable of both rapidly identifying bacteria of the B. cereus group and discriminating between psychrotrophic and mesophilic strains. It is intended that this development help to more accurately predict the shelf life of refrigerated pasteurized food and dairy products and to reduce the incidence of food poisoning by psychrotrophic strains of the B. cereus group.
Conformational Studies of the O-specific Polysaccharide of Shigella flexneri 5a and of Four Related Synthetic Pentasaccharide Fragments Using NMR and Molecular Modeling*

As part of a program for the development of synthetic vaccines against the pathogen Shigella flexneri, we used a combination of NMR and molecular modeling methods to study the conformations of the O-specific polysaccharide (O-SP) of S. flexneri 5a and of four related synthetic pentasaccharide fragments. The NMR study, based on the analysis of 1H and 13C chemical shifts, the evaluation of inter-residue distances, and the measurement of one- and three-bond heteronuclear coupling constants, showed that the conformation of one of the four pentasaccharides is similar to that of the native O-SP in solution. Interestingly, inhibition enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay demonstrated that a protective monoclonal antibody specific for S. flexneri 5a has a greater affinity for this pentasaccharide than for the others. We carried out a complete conformational search on the pentasaccharides using the CICADA algorithm interfaced with MM3 force field. We calculated Boltzmann-averaged inter-residue distances and 3JC,H coupling constants for the different conformational families and compared the results with NMR data for all pentasaccharides. Our experimental data are consistent with only one conformational family. We also used molecular modeling data to build models of the O-SP with the molecular builder program POLYS. The models that are in agreement with NMR data adopt right-handed 3-fold helical structures in which the branched glucosyl residue points outwards.
Correction for population stratification in random forest analysis.

BACKGROUND Population structure (PS), including population stratification and admixture, is a significant confounder in genome-wide association studies (GWAS), as it may produce spurious associations. Random forest (RF) has been increasingly applied in GWAS data analysis because of its advantage in analysing high dimensional genetic data. RF creates importance measures for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), which are helpful for feature selections. However, if PS is not appropriately corrected, RF tends to give high importance to disease-unrelated SNPs with different frequencies of allele or genotype among subpopulations, leading to inaccurate results. METHODS In this study, the authors propose to correct for the confounding effect of PS by including the information of PS in RF analysis. The correction procedure starts by extracting the information of PS using EIGENSTRAT or multi-dimensional scaling clustering procedure from a large number of structure inference SNPs. Phenotype and genotypes adjusted by the information of PS are then used as the outcome and predictors in RF analysis. RESULTS Extensive simulations indicate that the importance measure of the causal SNP is increased following the PS correction. By analysing a real dataset, the proposed correction removes the spurious association between the lactase gene and height. CONCLUSION The authors propose a simple method to correct for PS in RF analysis on GWAS data. Further studies in real GWAS datasets are required to validate the robustness of the proposed approach.
First Commissioning of an SRF Photo-Injector Module for BERLinPro

Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB) is currently building an high average current superconducting (SRF) Energy Recovery Linac (ERL) to demonstrate ERL operation with low normalized beam emittance of 1 mm⋅mrad at 100 mA and short pulses of about 2 ps. For the injector section a series of SRF photoinjector cavities is being developed. The medium power prototype presented here features a 1.4⋅λ/2 cell SRF cavity with a normal-conducting, high quantum efficiency CsK2Sb cathode, implementing a modified HZDRstyle cathode insert. This injector potentially allows for 6 mA beam current at up to 3.5 MeV kinetic energy. In this contribution, the module assembly and first cool-down and RF commissioning results of the photo-injector module will be presented and compared to the level of performance during the cavity production and string assembly process.
Altered MAP kinase phosphorylation and impaired motor coordination in PTPRR deficient mice

The neuronal protein tyrosine phosphatases encoded by mouse gene Ptprr (PTPBR7, PTP‐SL, PTPPBSγ‐42 and PTPPBSγ‐37) have been implicated in mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase deactivation on the basis of transfection experiments. To determine their physiological role in vivo, we generated mice that lack all PTPRR isoforms. Ptprr−/− mice were viable and fertile, and not different from wildtype littermates regarding general physiology or explorative behaviour. Highest PTPRR protein levels are in cerebellum Purkinje cells, but no overt effects of PTPRR deficiency on brain morphology, Purkinje cell number or dendritic branching were detected. However, MAP kinase phosphorylation levels were significantly altered in the PTPRR‐deficient cerebellum and cerebrum homogenates. Most notably, increased phospho‐ERK1/2 immunostaining density was observed in the basal portion and axon hillock of Ptprr−/− Purkinje cells. Concomitantly, Ptprr−/− mice displayed ataxia characterized by defects in fine motor coordination and balance skills. Collectively, these results establish the PTPRR proteins as physiological regulators of MAP kinase signalling cascades in neuronal tissue and demonstrate their involvement in cerebellum motor function.
A probabilidade e a estatistica no ensino fundamental : uma analise curricular

Este estudo teve como objetivo investigar e analisar o ensino da Probabilidade e da Estatistica dentro do curriculo de Matematica na Escola Fundamental. A questao orientadora da investigacao foi a seguinte: Como sao tratados e quais os objetivos do ensino da Probabilidade e da Estatistica nas propostas curriculares de Matematica dos estados de Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Santa Catarina e nos Parâmetros Curiculares Nacionais, tendo como referencial alguns curriculos internacionais? Para nortear essa analise foram utilizados os seguintes criterios: - a concepcao de Estatistica e Probabilidade subjacentes a essas propostas; - a selecao de nocoes estatisticas e probabilisticas feita por essas propostas para serem “transpostas” para o plano escolar; - o modo como as propostas sugerem o tratamento dessas nocoes junto aos estudantes; - as finalidades da abordagem de tais nocoes, junto aos estudantes, explicitadas ou nao pelas propostas. A partir desses criterios, consideramos alguns aspectos que emergiram a medida que a analise foi sendo desenvolvida. Assim, ressaltamos a importância desses temas a formacao dos estudantes, por possibilitarem a ruptura com uma visao determinista da Matematica. O ensino de Probabilidade e Estatistica pode ser um amplo espaco de trabalho pedagogico interdisciplinar e proporcionar, atraves da realizacao de experimentos, a exploracao da ideia de acaso. Realizando observacoes, registros e representacoes de dados, os estudantes estarao aptos a leitura e interpretacao de informacoes diferenciadas. Os conceitos estatisticos sao importantes “ferramentas” para a resolucao de problemas. O trabalho com a probabilidade auxiliara os alunos na tomada de decisoes. Com isso, enfatizamos a necessidade de propormos situacoes de aprendizagem que possibilitem o desenvolvimento do pensamento estatistico e do pensamento probabilistico se buscamos a formacao de um individuo que exerca consciente e criticamente sua cidadania. Abstract
Propuesta Teorica de Entrevista Socratica a la Luz del Modelo de van Hiele Theoretical Proposal of Socratic Interview in the Frame of van Hiele's Model

The goal of this paper is the description of some guides which can help in the disign of a socratic interview when the van Hiele model is applied to some concepts of mathematical analysis, whenever it is possible, in order to be sure of the detection of several reasoning levels, and the corresponding confection of descriptors in agrement with the model. These guides are the product of the experience gathered in research developed during the last years, related with the infinite reasoning processes of local aproximation.
Learning specifications of interaction protocols and business processes and proving their properties

In this paper we overview our recent research activity concerning the induction of Logic Programming specifications, and the proof of their properties via Abductive Logic Programming. Both the inductive and abductive tools here briefly described have been applied to respectively learn and verify (properties of) interaction protocols in multi-agent systems, Web service choreographies, careflows and business processes.
Fluorometric Determination of Vitamin Constituents in Human Plasma Using Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography

Purpose: A rapid, selective and sensitive ultra performance liquid chromatography method has been developed for the detection and quantification of several vitamins in human plasma. Methods: Alpha tocopherol, gamma tocopherol, and retinol are assayed using fluorescence detection. Excitation/emission wavelengths are 295 nm/330 nm and 325 nm/470 nm for the analysis of both tocopherols and retinol, respectively. Retinol acetate is employed as the internal standard. The reversed phase method incorporates gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of methanol and acetonitrile. Separation of vitamin compounds is achieved using a bridged ethyl-hybrid C18 column. Results: The retention times for retinol, retinol acetate, gamma tocopherol and alpha tocopherol are 1.6 minutes, 1.8 minutes, 3.9 minutes and 4.3 minutes, respectively. The limits of quantification for retinol, gamma tocopherol and alpha tocopherol, were 0.02 μg/ml, 0.02 μg/ml, and 0.1 μg/ml, respectively. Conclusion: The assay method is suitable for the analysis of these vitamins in human plasma following the ingestion of foods fortified with these fat soluble vitamins.
Une nouvelle approche de classification de personnes à partir d'une plate-forme multi-kinect

Dans ce papier nous presentons un descripteur 3D original pour la classification de personnes. Nous avons realise une plate-forme multi-kinect qui fait l'acquisition de nuages de points complets (c'est a dire selon une vue a 360°). Un post-traitement (suppression d'arriere-plan) isole les elements qui sont candidats a representer une personne. Notre descripteur exploite ces donnees et permet, au travers d'un classifieur SVM (Support Vector Machine), de classifier les personnes et de determiner l'orientation du plan frontal de la personne. Il utilise la repartition spatiale et l'orientation des normales aux surfaces dans un procede derive de celui des HOG (Histogram of Oriented Gradient). Nous avons construit une base de donnees originale pour l'apprentissage du classifieur et l'evaluation de notre descripteur. Le descripteur permet de reconnaitre une personne d'un objet de maniere tres satisfaisante et fournit egalement l'orientation du plan frontal de la personne avec une grande precision.
Evaluation of Wheel Performance on Rough Terrain and Development of HS Wheel

We are in the process of development of the“HELIOS-V”, which is equipped with 4 low-pressure tires outside and 2 high-pressure tires inside. This vehicle is designed to acquire the performance to ascend and descend stairs using low-pressure tires and move effectively on even ground by using high-pressure tires. To make the most of the characteristics of the vehicle, we have to understand the performance of the wheels in accordance with the terrain condition quantitatively. Therefore we constructed an experiment setup to evaluate performance of wheels on several terrain conditions without influence of the vehicle motion. By this experiment, we compared a low-pressure tire with a high-pressure tire and showed superiority of a low-pressure tire on rough terrain. We also evaluated 2 kinds of tires with slits and ribs to make grip force. Based on these considerations, we developed a Hard-Soft Wheel, or HS Wheel having both of the advantages of a low-pressure and high-pressure tire.
Cicero, Sigonio, and Burrows: investigating the authenticity of the Consolatio

When his daughter Tullia died in 45 BC, the Roman orator Marcus Tullius Cicero (106-43 BC) was assailed by grief, which he attempted to assuage by writing a philosophical work now known as the Consolatio. Despite its high reputation in the classical world, only fragments of this text - in the form of quotations by subsequent authors - are known to have survived the fall of Rome. However, in 1583 a book was printed in Venice purporting to be a rediscovery of Cicero's Consolatio. Its editor was a prominent humanist scholar and Ciceronian stylist called Carlo Sigonio. Some of Sigonio's contemporaries, notably Antonio Riccoboni, voiced doubts about the authenticity of this work; and since that time scholarly opinion has differed over the genuineness of the 1583 Consolatio. The main aim of this study is to bring modern stylometric methods to bear on this question, to see whether internal linguistic evidence supports the belief that the Consolatio of 1583 is a fake, very probably perpetrated by Sigonio himself. A secondary objective is to test the application of methods previously used almost exclusively on English texts to a language with a different structure, namely Latin. Our findings show that language of the 1583 Consolatio is extremely uncharacteristic of Cicero, and indeed that the text is much more likely to have been written during the Renaissance than in classical times. The evidence that Sigonio himself was the author is also strong, though not conclusive
[Early detection of diabetic nephropathy].

Due to the unfavorable prognosis of advanced stages of diabetic nephropathy (DN), the ideal approach is to identify renal involvement as early as possible. It is recommended to measure urinary albumin excretion (UAE) annually, in random urine samples, in order to detect the stages of DN [microalbuminuria (UAE 17-174 mg/l or 30-300 mg albumin/g of creatinine) and macroalbuminuria (> 174 mg/l or > 300 mg/g)]. However, it has been suggested that UAE levels below the threshold of consensus could already signal the risk for DN progression and increased mortality, indicating the need to revise cutoff values. As a substantial amount of UAE (the immunounreactive fraction), is not detected by conventional methods, HPLC would be more sensitive to identify the presence of damage by measuring total UAE (immunoreactive + immunounreactive). Another recent observation is that diminished glomerular filtration rates (GFR) occurs in the presence of normoalbuminuria. Therefore, besides evaluating UAE, it is recommended to estimate GFR with equations employing creatinine; such as the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD) study, available at www.mdrd. com. Owing to the known limitations of creatinine, alternative endogenous markers are being studied, and cystatin-C is a promising marker under investigation. Finally, new strategies that could detect DN even earlier, include biomarkers such as proteomics, defining a profile of urinary protein excretion able to identify the subsequent risk of renal disease.
Computed tomographic contrast tenography of the digital flexor tendon sheath of the equine hindlimb

Pre-surgical investigation of digital flexor tendon sheath pathology remains challenging with current standard imaging techniques. The aim of this prospective, anatomical, pilot study was to describe the anatomy of the equine hind limb digital flexor tendon sheath using a combination of computed tomography (CT) and computed tomographic contrast tenography in clinically normal cadaver limbs. Ten pairs of hind limbs with no external abnormalities were examined from the level of the tarsometatarsal joint distally. Limbs initially underwent non-contrast CT examination using 120 kVp, 300 mAs, and 1.5 mm slice thickness. Sixty millilitres of ioversol iodinated contrast media and saline (final concentration 100 mg/ml) were injected using a basilar sesamoidean approach. The computed tomographic contrast tenography examination was then repeated, before dissection of the specimens to compare gross and imaging findings. The combined CT and computed tomographic contrast tenography examinations provided excellent anatomical detail of intra-thecal structures. The borders of the superficial and deep digital flexor tendons, and the manica flexoria were consistently identifiable in all limbs. Detailed anatomy including that of the mesotenons, two of which are previously undescribed, and the plantar annular ligament were also consistently identifiable. Dissection of all 10 pairs of limbs revealed there to be no pathology, in accordance with the imaging findings. In conclusion, the combination of CT and computed tomographic contrast tenography may be useful adjunctive diagnostic techniques to define digital flexor tendon sheath pathology prior to surgical exploration in horses.
Ectopic pregnancy: using the hCG ratio to select women for expectant or medical management

Objective. To identify variables that can be used to select women with an ectopic pregnancy for expectant or medical management with systemic methotrexate. Design. Cohort study. Setting. Early Pregnancy Unit of a London teaching hospital. Population. Women with a tubal ectopic pregnancy managed non‐surgically. Methods. The diagnosis of tubal ectopic pregnancy was made using transvaginal sonography. Human chorionic gonadotrophin (hCG) levels had to be taken at 0 hour and 48 hours pre‐treatment. Other recorded variables include presenting complaints, gestational age, progesterone levels, size of the ectopic mass and appearance of the ectopic on transvaginal sonography. Women were followed up until the outcome (success or failure) of management was known. Main outcome measures. Univariable analysis was performed to identify the variables associated with successful management using area under curves and relative risks. Results. Thirty‐nine women underwent expectant management (overall success rate 71.8%) and 42 had medical management (overall success rate 76.2%). The pre‐treatment hCG ratio (hCG 48 hours/hCG 0 hour) was related to the failure of both expectant (area under curve 0.86, 95% CI 0.67–0.94) and medical (area under curve 0.79, 95% CI 0.58–0.90) management. History of ectopic pregnancy was related to failure of expectant management only (relative risk 0.46, 95% CI 0.16–0.92). Conclusions. The most important variable for predicting the likelihood of successful non‐surgical management was the pre‐treatment hCG ratio. New studies are required to validate the use of this variable and of history of ectopic pregnancy to predict the likelihood of successful non‐surgical management in clinical practice.
Heart rate estimation on a beat-to-beat basis via ballistocardiography - a hybrid approach

We present an algorithm for obtaining the heart rate from the signal of a single, contact-less sensor recording the mechanical activity of the heart. This vital parameter is required on a beat-to-beat basis for applications in sleep analysis and heart failure disease management. Our approach bundles information from various sources for first robust estimates. These estimates are further refined in a second step. An unambiguous comparison with the ECG RR-intervals taken as reference is possible for 98.5% of the heart beats. In these cases, a mean absolute error of 17 ms for the inter-beat interval lengths has been achieved, over a test corpus of 20 whole nights.