Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular characterization of swine hepatitis E virus from Southeastern Brazil

Despite serological evidences of presence of hepatitis E virus (HEV) in humans or other animals, until this study the virus had not been detected and molecular characterization of the isolate that circulates in Brazil had not been described. Thus, we collected stool samples of young pigs and tested for presence of HEV RNA by RT-PCR, using primers for partial amplification of ORF2 sequence. Phylogenetic analysis with sequence obtained from the amplified products revealed that the HEV isolate identified here was most closely related to HEV isolates of genotype 3, which is commonly detected in HEV infected pigs. Nucleotide sequence analyses carried out with the entire amplified fragment, ORF2/ORF3 overlapping and ORF2 non-overlapping sequences showed highest identities with the US isolate of genotype 3. Similarly, amino acid sequence analyses done with the entire amplified fragment, ORF2 non-overlapping, ORF2 and ORF3 overlapping sequences also showed highest identities with the genotype 3 isolate. Presence, in Brazil, of HEV of genotype 4, which also infects pigs, as well as HEV strains that infect humans still remain to be detected and characterized.
Accuracy of Triage for Children With Chronic Illness and Infectious Symptoms

OBJECTIVE: This prospective observational study aimed to assess the validity of the Manchester Triage System (MTS) for children with chronic illnesses who presented to the emergency department (ED) with infectious symptoms. METHODS: Children (<16 years old) presenting to the ED of a university hospital between 2008 and 2011 with dyspnea, diarrhea/vomiting, or fever were included. Chronic illness was classified on the basis of International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification, codes. The validity of the MTS was assessed by comparing the urgency categories of the MTS with an independent reference standard on the basis of abnormal vital signs, life-threatening working diagnosis, resource utilization, and follow-up. Overtriage, undertriage, and correct triage were calculated for children with and without a chronic illness. The performance was assessed by sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic odds ratios, which were calculated by dichotomizing the MTS into high and low urgency. RESULTS: Of the 8592 children who presented to the ED with infectious symptoms, 2960 (35%) had a chronic illness. Undertriage occurred in 16% of children with chronic illnesses and in 11% of children without chronic illnesses (P < .001). Sensitivity of the MTS for children with chronic illnesses was 58% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 53%–62%) and was 74% (95% CI: 70%–78%) for children without chronic illnesses. There was no difference in specificity between the 2 groups. The diagnostic odds ratios for children with and without chronic illnesses were 4.8 (95% CI: 3.9–5.9) and 8.7 (95% CI: 7.1–11), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: In children presenting with infectious symptoms, the performance of the MTS was lower for children with chronic illnesses than for children without chronic illnesses. Nurses should be particularly aware of undertriage in children with chronic illnesses.
Role of Fibroblast Growth Factor 23 and Klotho Crosstalk in Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive fibrosing interstitial pneumonia that mainly affects the elderly. Several reports have demonstrated that aging is involved in the underlying pathogenic mechanisms of IPF. α-klotho (KL) has been well characterized as an 'age-suppressing' hormone and can provide protection against cellular senescence and oxidative stress. In this study, Kl levels were assessed in human plasma and primary lung fibroblasts from patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF-FB) and in lung tissue from mice exposed to bleomycin, which showed significant downregulation when compared to controls. Conversely, transgenic mice overexpressing KL were protected against bleomycin-induced lung fibrosis. Treatment of human lung fibroblasts with recombinant KL alone was not sufficient to inhibit TGF-b-induced collagen deposition and inflammatory marker expression. Interestingly, Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF)23, a pro-inflammatory circulating protein for which KL is a co-receptor, was upregulated in IPF and bleomycin lungs. To our surprise, FGF23 and KL co-administration led to a significant reduction in fibrosis and inflammation in IPF-FB; FGF23 administration alone or in combination with KL stimulated KL upregulation. We conclude that in IPF, downregulation of KL may contribute to fibrosis and inflammation and FGF23 may act as a compensatory anti-fibrotic and anti-inflammatory mediator via inhibition of TGF-β signaling. Upon restoration of KL levels, the combination of FGF23 and KL leads to resolution of inflammation and fibrosis. Altogether, these data provide novel insight into the FGF23/ KL axis and its anti-fibrotic/anti-inflammatory properties, which opens new avenues for potential therapies in aging-related diseases like IPF.
Impaired Acetylcholine-Induced Release of Nitric Oxide in the Aorta of Male Aromatase-Knockout Mice: Regulation of Nitric Oxide Production by Endogenous Sex Hormones in Males

Abstract— The consequences of estrogen deficiency on the cardiovascular system have been widely examined in females. The effects of endogenous estrogen deficiency in males are less clear. The aromatase-knockout (ArKO) mouse lacks a functional Cyp19 gene, which encodes aromatase, and is thus incapable of synthesizing endogenous estrogen. In the present study, we examined the effect of lack of endogenous estrogens on vascular function in aortic rings isolated from male ArKO mice and compared these effects to rings from wild-type (WT) littermates. Full concentration-response curves to norepinephrine, acetylcholine, isoprenaline, and sodium nitroprusside were obtained in the absence and presence of the nitric oxide synthase inhibitor N&ohgr;-nitro-l-arginine in aortic segments set up in isometric myographs. Responses to noradrenaline were not different in aorta from ArKO compared with WT mice. Both N&ohgr;-nitro-l-arginine and endothelium denudation significantly shifted the noradrenaline concentration-response curve to the left; however, this shift was not different in ArKO compared with WT. Responses to the endothelium-dependent vasodilator acetylcholine were significantly blunted in aortic rings from ArKO mice (Emax, 58.2±0.9% and 34.0±0.5% in wild-type and ArKO, respectively; P <0.05), whereas responses to the endothelium-independent agonist sodium nitroprusside and to the partial endothelium-dependent agonist isoprenaline were not affected. These findings suggest that endogenous estrogen facilitate vasorelaxation in males. This may be via modulating endothelial function rather than vascular smooth muscle cell responsiveness.
Proteome profiling reveals gender differences in the composition of human serum

Proteome analysis using human serum is a technological advancement that will enable the discovery of novel biomarkers and biomarker patterns of various human diseases. Although proteome analysis using serum has potential in disease prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of diseases, and evaluation of pharmacotherapies, this technology is still in its infancy. Thus, we sought to develop an advanced method of conducting proteome analysis on human serum. In this study, we report the development of the semi‐comprehensive protein analytical technique, which involves the systematic use of iTRAQ labeling, HPLC, nano‐LC and MS. We compared the composition of the serum proteome in males and females using this technique and detected gender‐based differences in serum protein composition. This technology will enable the generation of databases that may ultimately lead to the discovery of specific biomarkers or biomarker patterns of various diseases.
Inflammatory Stimuli Reprogram Macrophage Phagocytosis to Macropinocytosis for the Rapid Elimination of Pathogens

Following an infectious challenge, macrophages have to be activated in order to allow efficient clearance of infectious pathogens, but how macrophage activation is coupled to increased clearance remains largely unknown. We here describe that inflammatory stimuli induced the reprogramming of the macrophage endocytic machinery from receptor-mediated phagocytosis to macropinocytosis, allowing the rapid transfer of internalized cargo to lysosomes in a receptor-independent manner. Reprogramming occurred through protein kinase C-mediated phosphorylation of the macrophage protein coronin 1, thereby activating phosphoinositol (PI)-3-kinase activity necessary for macropinocytic uptake. Expression of a phosphomimetic form of coronin 1 was sufficient to induce PI3-kinase activation and macropinocytosis even in the absence of inflammatory stimuli. Together these results suggest a hitherto unknown mechanism to regulate the internalization and degradation of infectious material during inflammation.
A High Efficiency Twin Coil Ferrite Rod Antenna for RF Energy Harvesting in AM Band

Wireless sensor networks (WSN) has been widely used in many areas, Energy harvesting as an emerging technology has drawn much attention in wireless sensor network applications area recently. In this paper, various ambient energy sources are studied and compared with their advantages and disadvantages. A new twin coil ferrite rod (TCFR) antenna for RF energy harvesting in amplitude modulation (AM) band is proposed, modeled and simulated, results indicated a 20.9% increase of E-field performance compared with the conventional single coil ferrite rod antenna (SCFR).
Rates of litter decomposition in terrestrial ecosystems: global patterns and controlling factors

Aims We aim to construct a comprehensive global database of litter decomposition rate (k value) estimated by surface floor litterbags, and investigate the direct and indirect effects of impact factors such as geographic factors (latitude and altitude), climatic factors (mean annual tempePlrature, MAT; mean annual precipitation, MAP) and litter quality factors (the contents of N, P, K, Ca, Mg and C:N ratio, lignin:N ratio) on litter decomposition. Methods We compiled a large data set of litter decomposition rates (k values) from 110 research sites and conducted simple, multiple regression and path analyses to explore the relationship between the k values and impact factors at the global scale. Important findings The k values tended to decrease with latitude (LAT) and lignin content (LIGN) of litter but increased with temperature, precipitation and nutrient concentrations at the large spatial scale. Single factor such as climate, litter quality and geographic variable could not explain litter decomposition rates well. However, the combination of total nutrient (TN) elements and C:N accounted for 70.2% of the variation in the litter decomposition rates. The combination of LAT, MAT, C:N and TN accounted for 87.54% of the variation in the litter decomposition rates. These results indicate that litter quality is the most important direct regulator of litter decomposition at the global scale. This data synthesis revealed significant relationships between litter decomposition rates and the combination of climatic factor (MAT) and litter quality (C:N, TN). The global-scale empirical relationships developed here are useful for a better understanding and modeling of the effects of litter quality and climatic factors on litter decomposition rates.
Preserved Priming of Novel Objects in Patients with Memory Disorders

Amnesic patients perform poorly on explicit memory tests that require conscious recollection of recent experiences, but frequently show preserved facilitations of performance or priming effects on implicit memory tasks that do not require conscious recollection. We examined implicit memory for novel visual objects on an object decision test in which subjects decide whether structurally possible and impossible objects could exist in three-dimensional form. Patients with organic memory disorders showed robust priming effects on this task---object decision accuracy was higher for previously studied objects than for nonstudied objects---and the magnitude of priming did not differ from matched control subjects or college students. However, patients showed impaired explicit memory for novel visual objects on a recognition test. We argue that priming is mediated by the structural description system, a subsystem of the perceptual representation system, that operates at a presemantic level and is preserved in amnesic patients.
A meshless, high-order integral equation method for smooth surfaces, with application to biomolecular electrostatics

In this thesis, we develop methods for efficient simulation of biomolecular electrostatics based on Poisson-Boltzmann equation. Current techniques using finite-difference solution of differential formulation have many drawbacks. We present an integral formulation that resolves these difficulties and enables an efficient implementation using a recently developed fast solver. The new approach can solve practical engineering problems with good accuracy, but only with an aid of a high quality mesh generator, and sometimes require a large number of panels to discretize a surface. To this end, a novel approach to discretize singular integral equations is proposed. Unlike the traditional boundary element method using panel discretization, the new method is meshless and capable of achieving spectral convergence: numerical errors decrease exponentially fast with increasing size of basis set. We will describe a number of techniques in our approach, including the use of global, high order basis, quadrature-based panel integration, and innovative surface representation. The biomolecular problem is particularly suited for this method because molecular surfaces are typically smooth and can be represented globally using spherical harmonics. The use of flat panels in the traditional approach would incur significant geometrical distortion, in addition to much slower convergence rate. Computational results demonstrate that for a practical problem at engineering accuracy (a tolerance of 10-3) this new approach requires one to two orders of magnitude fewer unknowns than a flat panel method. For a more stringent tolerance of 10-6, a comparison to an analytically solvable problem reveals that an improvement more than three orders of magnitude has been achieved.
Using interactive health communication technology in a renewed approach to nursing.

The use of information and communication technology (ICT) as an interactive means of transmitting information is on the increase. It appears to be the key to meeting the challenges of accessibility and continuity of care and services faced by our health-care system. ICT provides unprecedented access and exchange of the kinds of information that can ultimately transform many facets of nursing. It already supports professional practice by allowing ready access to information that is on the cutting edge of health-care knowledge — knowledge that has become indispensable for informed decision-making. Nurses can now benefit from remote continuing education, access to databases from their work stations, and interactive communication with peers through Internet discussion groups, as evidenced in virtual practice communities. Telehealth is another field of application for ICT. We are now seeing the deployment of a multitude of innovative approaches that take advantage of technological solutions in order to provide enhanced patient follow-up. Nurses are being called upon to participate in the development of services better adapted to the needs of the population. Of particular note are telemonitoring, which allows for remote observation of patients’ physiological parameters and readjustment of their therapeutic regimen as needed, and teletriage, which permits evaluation of a client’s health status and the formulation of recommendations relative to treatment and follow-up. Additional ICT initiatives now being elaborated will make areas such as continuity, caregiving, and updating of electronic health files more efficient and effective. These new monitoring and triage approaches are changing the ways in which nurses’ organize their work, making services available to a greater number of individuals. Several innovative ICT nursing projects have been initiated in Quebec over the past 5 years. Two nurse researchers from the Groupe de recherche interuniversitaire en sciences infirmières de Montréal, whose CJNR 2006, Vol. 38 No 4, 135–136
Polyphonic music transcription using note onset and offset detection

In this paper, an approach for polyphonic music transcription based on joint multiple-F0 estimation and note onset/offset detection is proposed. For preprocessing, the resonator time-frequency image of the input music signal is extracted and noise suppression is performed. A pitch salience function is extracted for each frame along with tuning and inharmonicity parameters. For onset detection, late fusion is employed by combining a novel spectral flux-based feature which incorporates pitch tuning information and a novel salience function-based descriptor. For each segment defined by two onsets, an overlapping partial treatment procedure is used and a pitch set score function is proposed. A note offset detection procedure is also proposed using HMMs trained on MIDI data. The system was trained on piano chords and tested on classic and jazz recordings from the RWC database. Improved transcription results are reported compared to state-of-the-art approaches.
Persistence and transmission of tick-borne viruses: Ixodes ricinus and louping-ill virus in red grouse populations

SUMMARY The population dynamics of tick-borne disease agents and in particular the mechanisms which influence their persistence are examined with reference to the flavivirus that causes louping-ill in red grouse and sheep. Pockets of infection cause heavy mortality and the infection probably persists as a consequence of immigration of susceptible hosts. Seroprevalence is positively associated with temporal variations in vectors per host, although variation between areas is associated with the abundance of mountain hares. The presence of alternative tick hosts, particularly large mammals, provides additional hosts for increasing tick abundance. Grouse alone can not support the vectors and the pathogen but both can persist when a non-viraemic mammalian host supports the tick population and a sufficiently high number of nymphs bite grouse. These alternative hosts may also amplify virus through non-viraemic transmission by the process of co-feeding, although the relative significance of this has yet to be determined. Another possible route of infection is through the ingestion of vectors when feeding or preening. Trans-ovarial transmission is a potentially important mechanism for virus persistence but has not been recorded with louping-ill and Ixodes ricinus. The influence of non-viraemic hosts, both in the multiplication of vectors and the amplification of virus through non-viraemic transmission are considered significant for virus persistence.
Rough Sets

This chapter discusses ways in which rough-set theory can enhance databases by allowing for the management of uncertainty. Rough sets can be integrated into an underlying database model, relational or object oriented, and also used in the design and uerying of databases, because roughsets are a versatile theory, theories. The authors discuss the rough relational databases model, the rough object-oriented database model, and fuzzy set and intuitionistic set extensions to each of these models. Comparisons and benefits of the various approaches are discussed, illustrating the usefulness and versatility of rough sets for uncertainty management in databases. INtrODUctION Rough-set theory has become well established since first introduced by Pawlak in the 1970s. It is based on two simple concepts: indiscernibility and approximation regions. Rough-set theory is a formal theory, mathematically sound. It has been applied to several areas of research such as logic and knowledge discovery, and has been implemented in various applications in the real world. Because of rough sets’ ability to define uncertain things in terms of certain, definable things, it is a natural mechanism for integrating real-world uncertainty in computerized databases. Moreover, other uncertainty-management techniques may be combined with rough sets to
Software-controlled multithreading using informing memory operations

To help tolerate the latency of accessing remote data in a shared-memory multiprocessor, we explore a novel approach to switch-on-miss multithreading that is software-controlled rather than hardware-controlled. Our technique uses informing memory operations to trigger the thread switches with sufficiently low over-head that we observe speedups of 10% or more for four out of seven applications, with one application speeding up by 14%. By selectively applying register partitioning to reduce thread switching overhead, we can achieve further gains: e.g. an overall speedup of 23% for FFT. Although this software-controlled approach does not match the performance of hardware-controlled schemes on multithreaded workloads, it requires substantially less hardware support than preview schemes and is nor likely to degrade single-thread performance. As remote memory accesses continue to become more expensive relative to software overheads, we expect software-controlled multithreading to become increasingly attractive in the future.
The impact of tolerance limit on cost of quality

In this paper, the recommended extensions by Chiadamrong [1] was successfully adopted and significant modifications was proposed when computing costs of quality model in a manufacturing system In the literature shows that there is strong connection exist between the tolerance designs with the quality characteristic of a product and the cost associate in achieving the specific quality of the product. With the intention of utilizing the reciprocal power model in determine the relation between the tolerance and the cost, the tolerance has to be converted and set to a standard value at different confidence level. The proposed costs of quality model was tested using real life data obtain from the industry and through simulation works, the results was generated.