Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Improved Protection of Rhesus Macaques against Intrarectal Simian Immunodeficiency Virus SIVmac251 Challenge by a Replication-Competent Ad5hr-SIVenv/rev and Ad5hr-SIVgag Recombinant Priming/gp120 Boosting Regimen

ABSTRACT In this study we investigated the ability of a replication-competent Ad5hr-SIVenv/rev and Ad5hr-SIVgag recombinant priming/gp120 boosting regimen to induce protective immunity in rhesus macaques against pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virusmac251. Immunization of macaques by two sequential administrations of the same recombinants by the same route resulted in boosting and persistence of SIV-specific cellular immune responses for 42 weeks past the initial immunization. Anti-SIV gp120 immunoglobulin G (IgG) and IgA antibodies were induced in secretory fluids, and all macaques exhibited serum neutralizing antibody activity. After intrarectal SIVmac251 challenge, all of the macaques became infected. However, relative protection, as assessed by statistically significant lower SIV viral loads in plasma at both acute infection and set point, was observed in 8 out of 12 immunized non-Mamu-A∗01 animals. Elevated mean cellular immune responses to Gag and Env, neutralizing antibody activity, and IgG and IgA binding antibody levels were observed in the eight protected macaques. Statistically significant correlations with protective outcome were observed for cellular immune responses to SIV Env and Gag and for SIV gp120-specific IgG antibodies in nasal and vaginal fluids. Two macaques that exhibited the greatest and most persistent viremia control also exhibited strong CD8+ T-cell antiviral activity. The results suggest that a spectrum of immune responses may be necessary for adequate control of viral replication and disease progression and highlight a potential role for nonneutralizing antibodies at mucosal sites.
Selecting predicate logic for knowledge representation by comparative study of knowledge representation schemes

In Artificial Intelligence, knowledge representation is a combination of data structures and interpretive procedures that leads to knowledgeable behavior. Therefore, it is required to investigate such knowledge representation technique in which knowledge can be easily and efficiently represented in computer. This research paper compares various knowledge representation techniques and proves that predicate logic is a more efficient and more accurate knowledge representation scheme. The algorithm in this paper splits the English text/sentences into phrases/constituents and then represents these in predicate logic. This algorithm also generates the original sentences from the representation in order to check the accuracy of representation. The algorithm has been tested on real text/sentences of English. The algorithm has achieved an accuracy of 80%. If the text is in simple discourse units, then the algorithm accurately represents it in predicate logic. The algorithm also accurately retrieves the original text/sentences from such representation.
Survival Benefits of Treatment Access Among Underserved Breast Cancer Patients Diagnosed Through the Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Services Program.

PURPOSE The Texas Breast and Cervical Cancer Services (BCCS) program was established to address socioeconomic disparities in breast and cervical cancer screening and survival. This study examined the impact of the program on treatment and survival of breast cancer patients. METHODS A retrospective analysis was performed using the Texas Cancer Registry data linked to the BCCS program data. The sample consisted of 40- to 64-year-old women screened and diagnosed with breast cancer through the BCCS program (participants) and similar women living in low socioeconomic status census tracts and diagnosed outside the program (comparison group) during 1995-2008. Regular screeners among the participants were also compared with the comparison group. RESULTS Participants had lower rates of breast surgery and higher rates of chemotherapy as compared with the comparison group. Participants undergoing surgery had higher rates of mastectomy (as compared with breast-conserving surgery) and lower rates of adjuvant radiation therapy. Unadjusted survival rates were similar between the participants and the comparison group, and higher among regular screeners, which was primarily driven by stage at diagnosis. Adjusted survival rates were similar between the 3 groups. CONCLUSIONS Although there are differences in the types of treatment provided to the participants and the comparison group, there is no evidence of guideline noncompliance or stage-inappropriate treatment provision in either of the groups. Despite being diagnosed with a more advanced stage, the participants had similar unadjusted and adjusted survival rates as the comparison group. Access to timely treatment improved survival and brought the underserved participants on par with the comparison group.
Longitudinal Association Between Physical Activity and Body Fat During Adolescence: A Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND Physical activity (PA) practice has been inversely associated to body fat (BF) and recommended as a way to reduce and prevent obesity. The objective of this study was to conduct a systematic review on the association of PA and BF in adolescence. METHODS The review includes 18 longitudinal studies found in the PubMed database, comprising papers published from January 1990 to July 2014. Studies assessing BF only through body mass index were excluded. RESULTS Among the outcomes analyzed, waist circumference, skinfolds, and absolute and relative fat mass measurement were identified. Questionnaires were the more predominant way to evaluate PA. Most studies showed that PA promotes a protective effect against a higher BF gain. CONCLUSION It was concluded that PA has a protective effect against BF with differences between the genders and according to the BF marker or measurement assessed; higher intensity PA leads to a greater effect against BF gain in both genders; and the maintenance or increase of PA level on BF observed through analysis of change in PA level yielded more consistent findings in the relation between PA and BF.
Uniquely decodable codes for deterministic relay channels

The deterministic relay channel is analyzed and explicit code constructions for all binary and all ternary/binary channels are given. An explicit set of equivalence conditions is used to make a classification of all such relay channels, for which also the capacity is evaluated. The coding problem is then reduced to finding all possible output sequences of a certain finite-state channel determined by the relay coding strategy. The channel states correspond to the possible relay memory contents. For some relay channels capacity is reached by using simple uniquely decodable codes, thus establishing the zero-error capacity of those channels with finite-memory relay strategies. For other relay channels the relay memory must be arbitrarily large to achieve zero-error rates arbitrarily close to capacity. One such code construction is given. It is not known whether there exist relay channels for which the zero-error capacity is strictly smaller than the average-error capacity. The code construction problem for the semideterministic relay channel and for the nonsynchronized relay channel is briefly considered. >
Myeloid-specific estrogen receptor α deficiency impairs metabolic homeostasis and accelerates atherosclerotic lesion development

ERα is expressed in macrophages and other immune cells known to exert dramatic effects on glucose homeostasis. We investigated the impact of ERα expression on macrophage function to determine whether hematopoietic or myeloid-specific ERα deletion manifests obesity-induced insulin resistance in mice. Indeed, altered plasma adipokine and cytokine levels, glucose intolerance, insulin resistance, and increased adipose tissue mass were observed in animals harboring a hematopoietic or myeloid-specific deletion of ERα. A similar obese phenotype and increased atherosclerotic lesion area was displayed in LDL receptor-KO mice transplanted with ERα−/− bone marrow. In isolated macrophages, ERα was necessary for repression of inflammation, maintenance of oxidative metabolism, IL-4–mediated induction of alternative activation, full phagocytic capacity in response to LPS, and oxidized LDL-induced expression of ApoE and Abca1. Furthermore, we identified ERα as a direct regulator of macrophage transglutaminase 2 expression, a multifunctional atheroprotective enzyme. Our findings suggest that diminished ERα expression in hematopoietic/myeloid cells promotes aspects of the metabolic syndrome and accelerates atherosclerosis in female mice.
Fall Detection and Prevention Control Using Walking-Aid Cane Robot

An intelligent walking-aid cane robot is developed for assisting the elderly and the physically challenged with walking. A motion control method is proposed for the cane robot based on human walking intention estimation. Moreover, the safety is investigated for both the cane robot and the elderly. The fall detection and prevention concepts are proposed to guarantee the safety of the elderly while walking with the cane robot. However, the deficiency of the cane robot is that it can be overturned easily because of its small size and light weight. Therefore, a controllable universal joint is designed for adjusting the tilted angle of its stick. The stability of the cane robot during the fall prevention procedure can then be enhanced by controlling the tilted angle of stick to an optimal position. A center of pressure (COP)-based fall detection (COP-FD) method is used to detect the risk of falling. In this method, the user's COP is calculated in real time using an integrated force sensory system, which comprises a six-axis force/torque sensor and an inshoe load sensor. When the COP reaches the boundary of the specified safety area, i.e., the support polygon, it is assessed that the user is going to fall down. The COP-FD method can be used in various cases of falling. However, for cases of stumbling, a rapid fall detection method is proposed based on leg motion detection, and Dubois' fuzzy possibility theory is applied to adapt to different users. When the risk of falling has been detected, a fall prevention impedance control is executed considering both the interaction compliance and system stability. In the study, a control simulation platform was established to obtain the optimal controller parameters, and all the proposed methods were finally verified through simulations and experiments.
Partitioned Matrix Algorithms for VLSI Arithmetic Systems

A new class of partitioned matrix algorithms is developed for possible VLSI implementation of large-scale matrix solvers. Fast matrix solvers are higherly demanded in signal/image processing and in many real-time and scientific applications. Only a few functional types of VLSI arithmetic chips are needed for submatrix computations after partitioning. This partitioned approach is not restricted by problem sizes and thus can be applied to solve arbitrarily large linear systems of equations in an iterative fashion. The following four matrix computations are shown systematically partitionable into submatrix operations, which are feasible for direct VLSI implementation.
The Detection and Characterization of a Nontransiting Planet by Transit Timing Variations

Unseen Planet The orbits of planetary bodies can be affected by gravitational interactions with other planets in the same system. If the planets can be seen to pass in front of their star (or to transit), the gravitational perturbations translate into variations in transit duration. Nesvorný et al. (p. 1133, published online 10 May; see the Perspective by Murray) inferred the presence of a far distant, previously unknown planet from the transit timing variations of a planet previously detected by the Kepler space telescope. The new planet is in a 57-day orbit and does not transit its host star. The analysis also revealed a third possible planet with a mass 1.7 times that of the Earth in a 6.8-day orbit. The radially spaced, roughly coplanar, and nearly circular orbits of the two confirmed planets mirror planetary orbits in our own solar system. Analysis of the deviations in the orbit of a transiting exoplanet revealed an outer planet in the same planetary system. The Kepler mission is monitoring the brightness of ∼150,000 stars, searching for evidence of planetary transits. As part of the Hunt for Exomoons with Kepler (HEK) project, we report a planetary system with two confirmed planets and one candidate planet discovered with the publicly available data for KOI-872. Planet b transits the host star with a period Pb = 33.6 days and exhibits large transit timing variations indicative of a perturber. Dynamical modeling uniquely detects an outer nontransiting planet c near the 5:3 resonance (Pc = 57.0 days) with a mass 0.37 times that of Jupiter. Transits of a third planetary candidate are also found: a 1.7–Earth radius super-Earth with a 6.8-day period. Our analysis indicates a system with nearly coplanar and circular orbits, reminiscent of the orderly arrangement within the solar system.
Category-Specific Naming Impairments? Yes

Recently, Stewart, Parkin, and Hunkin (1992) have questioned previously reported cases of selective damage in processing items from categories of animate objects, arguing that there has been a lack of adequate control for visual familiarity, visual complexity, and name frequency of the stimuli employed. When re-testing Michelangelo (see Sartori & Job, 1988), one of the patients cited by Stewart et al. (1992), with a set of materials matched on all three factors, the asymmetry in naming animal and artefact items still remains. An analogous pattern is obtained when–-in addition to such factors–-the visual similarity within the sub-sets of animals and artefacts is taken into account. These results constitute empirical evidence for category-specific impairments and cannot be interpreted as being due to isolated or conjoint effects of visual familiarity, visual complexity, or name frequency.
CT Image Denoising Using Dual Tree Discrete Wavelet Transform and Wiener Filter

Work discussed in this paper is related to the denoising of a CT image before further using it. In order to attain the objective Dual Tree Discrete Wavelet Transform (DT-DWT) and wiener filter are being used to remove the noise that are either introduced in the image during capturing or injected into the image during transmission. The DT-DWT has an excellent performance in the denoising field and Wiener filter can further enhance the image by filtering out the Gaussian noise. In this work PSNR and MSE parameters are being improved using combination of DT-DWT and Wiener filter. Index Terms – Denoising, Dual Tree Discrete Wavelet Transform (DT-DWT), Wavelet Transform (WT), Wiener Filter, Peak Signal to Noise Ratio (PSNR), Mean Square Error (MSE).
The A4‐structure of a graph

We define the A4‐structure of a graph G to be the 4‐uniform hypergraph on the vertex set of G whose edges are the vertex subsets inducing 2K2, C4, or P4. We show that perfection of a graph is determined by its A4‐structure. We relate the A4‐structure to the canonical decomposition of a graph as defined by Tyshkevich [Discrete Math 220 (2000) 201–238]; for example, a graph is indecomposable if and only if its A4‐structure is connected. We also characterize the graphs having the same A4‐structure as a split graph.
Circuits and protocols for low duty cycle wireless systems

IoT devices are helping improve efficiency and expanding capabilities in an increasing number of applications including industrial, home and personal fitness. Device lifetimes are still a concern, and improved energy efficiency is needed. Additionally, aggressive duty cycling is needed to operate these IoT devices in severely energyconstrained applications. Wireless communication, which consumes a large fraction of the power in these devices, is the primary focus of this thesis. We present circuit (active RF, leakage management and timing) and protocol (medium access and coding) techniques for total power minimization in low duty cycle systems. First, we present a Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) transmitter optimized for low duty cycles. It maintains a high efficiency >40% while delivering +10dBm. At the same time, aggressive power gating brings the leakage down to <400pW, giving an on/off power ratio of 7.6×10. Second, we look at protocols for low duty cycle wireless communication. The tradeoffs between network capacity and sensor node power consumption are considered and a fully asynchronous protocol is proposed. Additionally, we look at two coding techniques, Digital Network Coding (DNC) and Spinal coding, to enhance the intrinsic range of communication. Finally, for systems requiring accurate clocks, the standard is to use crystal oscillators. However, in order to reduce cost and board area, we propose a fully-integrated RC oscillator architecture that achieves high stability while maintaining low power. Overall, the techniques explored in this thesis aim to expand operation of IoT devices to ever more energy constrained situations and with increased lifetimes. Thesis Supervisor: Anantha P. Chandrakasan Title: Joseph F. and Nancy P. Keithley Professor of Electrical Engineering
Characteristics of Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis and Staphylococcus aureus isolated from the nasopharynx of healthy children attending day-care centres in the Czech Republic

Nasopharyngeal carriage of potential pathogens was studied in 425 healthy 3- to 6-year-old children attending 16 day-care centres (DCCs) in nine Czech cities during the winter 2004–2005. The overall carriage of pathogens was 62·8% (Streptococcus pneumoniae, 38·1%; Haemophilus influenzae, 24·9%; Moraxella catarrhalis, 22·1%; Staphylococcus aureus, 16%). An age-related downward trend was observed for colonization with respiratory pathogens in contrast to Staph. aureus whose carriage was significantly higher among older children. The following serotypes of colonizing S. pneumoniae were the most predominant: 23F (20·6%), 6A (15·1%), 6B (12·7%), 18C (7·8%), 15B and 19F (6% each). The majority (94·3%) of H. influenzae isolates were non-typable; among capsulated isolates, serotype b was not found. Decreased susceptibility to penicillin was determined in 3% of pneumococci; 4·6% of H. influenzae strains and 85·1% of M. catarrhalis strains produced β-lactamase. As for non-β-lactam antibiotics, pneumococci resistant to trimethoprim–sulphamethoxazole were the most common (15·7%) among the attendees.
Profiling T Cell Activation Using Single-Molecule Fluorescence In Situ Hybridization and Flow Cytometry

Flow cytometric characterization of Ag-specific T cells typically relies on detection of protein analytes. Shifting the analysis to detection of RNA would provide several significant advantages, which we illustrate by developing a new host immunity–based platform for detection of infections. Cytokine mRNAs synthesized in response to ex vivo stimulation with pathogen-specific Ags are detected in T cells with single–molecule fluorescence in situ hybridization followed by flow cytometry. Background from pre-existing in vivo analytes is lower for RNAs than for proteins, allowing greater sensitivity for detection of low-frequency cells. Moreover, mRNA analysis reveals kinetic differences in cytokine expression that are not apparent at the protein level but provide novel insights into gene expression programs expected to define different T cell subsets. The utility of probing immunological memory of infections is demonstrated by detecting T cells that recognize mycobacterial and viral Ags in donors exposed to the respective pathogens.
Analysing accident reports using structured and formal methods

Formal methods are proposed as a means to improve accident reports, such as the report into the 1996 fire in the Channel Tunnel between the UK and France. The size and complexity of accident reports create difficulties for formal methods, which traditionally suffer from problems of scalability and poor readability. This thesis demonstrates that features of an engineering-style formal modelling process, particularly the structuring of activity and management of information, reduce the impact of these problems and improve the accuracy of formal models of accident reports. This thesis also contributes a detailed analysis of the methodological requirements for constructing accident report models. Structured, methodical construction and mathematical analysis of the models elicits significant problems in the content and argumentation of the reports. Once elicited, these problems can be addressed. This thesis demonstrates the benefits and limitations of taking a wider scope in the modelling process than is commonly adopted for formal accident analysis. We present a deontic action logic as a language for constructing models of accident reports. Deontic action models offer a novel view of the report, which highlights both the expected and actual behaviour in the report, and facilitates examination of the conflict between the two. This thesis contributes an objective analysis of the utility of both deontic and action logic operators to the application of modelling accident reports. A tool is also presented that executes a subset of the logic, including these deontic and action logic operators.
Recent developments to the MICHELLE 2-D/3-D electron gun and collector modeling code

Recent developments to the MICHELLE electron gun and collector design tool are reported in this paper. The MICHELLE code is a new finite-element (FE) two-dimensional and three-dimensional electrostatic particle-in-cell code that has been designed to address the recent beam optics modeling and simulation requirements for vacuum electron devices, ion sources, and charged-particle transport. Problem classes specifically targeted include depressed collectors, gridded-guns, multibeam guns, sheet-beam guns, and ion thrusters. The focus of the development program is to combine modern FE techniques with improved physics models. The code employs a conformal mesh, including both structured and unstructured mesh architectures for meshing flexibility, along with a new method for accurate, efficient particle tracking. New particle emission models for thermionic beam representation are included that support primary emission, with an advanced secondary emission model. This paper reports on three significant advances to MICHELLE over the past year; hybrid structured/unstructured mesh support, a time-domain electrostatic algorithm, and an ion plasma model with charge exchange.
Step Matrices and the Interpretation of Homoplasy

—Assumptions aboutthecostsofcharacterchange,codedintheformofastepmatrix,deter- mine most-parsimonious inferences of character evolution on phylogenies. We present a graphical approach toexploring therelationship between cost assumptions andevolutionary inferences from character data. The number of gains and losses of a binary trait on a phylogeny can be plotted over a rangeof cost assumptions, toreveal the in(cid:143)ection point atwhich there is a switch from moregains to more losses and the point at which all changes are inferred to be in one direction or the other. Phylogenetic structure in the data, the tree shape, and the relative frequency of states among the taxa in(cid:143)uence the shape of such graphs and complicate the interpretation of possible permutation-based tests for directionality of change. The costs at which the most-parsimonious state of each internal node switches from one state to another can also be quanti(cid:142)ed by iterative ancestral-state reconstruction over a range of costs. This procedure helps identify the most robust inferences of changeineachdirection, which shouldbeofuseindesigningcomparativestudies. [Ancestralstates; character evolution; homoplasy; parsimony; phylogenetic inference. ]