Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Hepatic fibrosis and gene expression changes induced by praziquantel treatment during immune modulation of Schistosoma japonicum infection

SUMMARY In the present study fibrogenic gene expression was determined in murine Schistosoma japonicum infection during the progression of immune modulation of infection and following chemotherapy during the course of immune modulation. Histomorphometric analysis of granuloma size and collagen deposition revealed peak granuloma size in acute infection (5 weeks) and peak hepatic collagen content at 16 weeks of infection. Peak Type I collagen gene expression was concomitant with TGF-β1 gene expression at 8–11 weeks. Chemotherapy during either acute (9 weeks) or chronic (24, 28 weeks) infection resulted in increased collagen deposition and increased gene expression of Type I collagen and TGF-β1. However, chemotherapy at 14–16 weeks resulted in decreased levels of TGF-β1 gene expression and essentially minimal change in Type I collagen deposition and gene expression. These data indicate that chemotherapy of schistosomiasis japonica does not reverse hepatic fibrogenesis when administered in acute infection – when granuloma size is maximal – or in chronic infection. However, a beneficial effect on hepatic fibrogenesis is seen when chemotherapy is administered at 14–16 weeks post-infection, a time of decreasing granuloma size and maximal hepatic collagen content. Thus the ability to reverse schistosomal-induced hepatic fibrogenesis by chemotherapy may depend on disease stage.
Statin use and survival after colorectal cancer: the importance of comprehensive confounder adjustment.

BACKGROUND Statins have been associated with moderate reductions in mortality among colorectal cancer (CRC) patients, but these studies lacked adjustment for some potentially relevant factors associated with statin use. We aimed to provide more detailed results on this association from a population-based patient cohort study. METHODS Use of statins and other risk or protective factors were assessed in standardized interviews with 2697 patients from southern Germany with a diagnosis of incident CRC between 2003 and 2009 (Darmkrebs: Chancen der Verhütung durch Screening [DACHS] study). Follow-up included assessment of therapy details, recurrence, vital status, and cause of death. Information about molecular pathological subtypes of CRC was available for 1209 patients. Cox proportional hazard regression models were used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and their 95% confidence intervals (CIs). All statistical tests were two-sided. RESULTS Patients were age 68 years on average, 412 used statins (15%), and 769 died during follow-up (29%). After a median follow-up time of 3.4 years, use of statins was not associated with overall (HR = 1.10, 95% CI = 0.85 to 1.41), CRC-specific (HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 0.82 to 1.50), or recurrence-free survival (HR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.63 to 1.27). Analyses in relevant subgroups also showed no association of statin use with overall and CRC-specific survival, and no associations were observed after stratifying for major pathological subtypes. Among stage I and II patients, statin use was associated with better recurrence-free but not with better CRC-specific survival. CONCLUSIONS Statin use was not associated with reduced mortality among CRC patients. Effects reported in previous studies might reflect incomplete control for stage at diagnosis and other factors associated with the use of statins.
Electronic Communications of the EASST Volume ? ? ( 2011 ) Proceedings of the Workshop on OCL and Textual Modelling ( OCL 2011 ) Aligning OCL with UML

OCL is widely used by UML and other languages to constrain metamodels and perform evaluations on models. Unfortunately no OCL 2.x specification has ever been aligned with any UML 2.x specification. This lack of alignment makes some OCL compliance points such as XMI interchange unachievable. This paper describes how introduction of an OCL Pivot Meta-Model and clear exposition of the Values package may provide a solution to the alignment and a variety of other specification issues.
Web Information Recommendation Making Based on Item Taxonomy

Recommender systems have been widely applied in the domain of ecommerce. They have caught much research attention in recent years. They make recommendations to users by exploiting past users’ item preferences, thus eliminating the needs for users to form their queries explicitly. However, recommender systems’ performance can be easily affected when there are no sufficient item preferences data provided by previous users. This problem is commonly referred to as cold-start problem. This paper suggests another information source, item taxonomies, in addition to item preferences for assisting recommendation making. Item taxonomy information has been popularly applied in diverse ecommerce domains for product or content classification, and therefore can be easily obtained and adapted by recommender systems. In this paper, we investigate the implicit relations between users’ item preferences and taxonomic preferences, suggest and verify using information gain that users who share similar item preferences may also share similar taxonomic preferences. Under this assumption, a novel recommendation technique is proposed that combines the users’ item preferences and the additional taxonomic preferences together to make better quality recommendations as well as alleviate the cold-start problem. Empirical evaluations to this approach are conducted and the results show that the proposed technique outperforms other existing techniques in both recommendation quality and computation efficiency.
Trends in child support outcomes

This paper examines trends in child support award rates, award amounts, and receipts, We investigate four hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the downward trend in these outcomes during the 1980s: (1) changes in the demographic composition of the population eligible for child support, (2) increases in mothers/ income, (3) decreases in fathers’ income, and (4) inflation. Our results indicate that trends in nonmarital fertility can explain much of the decline in award rates. The steady downward trend in fathers’ incomes during the 1980s also explains a considerable portion of the decline in award rates, award amounts, and receipts. Our results are also consistent with the notion that persistent money illusion is responsible for the decline in real child support awards.
Approximating the volume of definable sets

The first part of this paper deals with finite-precision arithmetic. We give an upper bound on the precision that should be used in a Monte-Carlo integration method. Such bounds have been known only for convex sets; our bound applies to almost any "reasonable" set. In the second part of the paper, we show how to construct in polynomial time first-order formulas that approximately define the volume of definable sets. This result is based on a VC dimension hypothesis, and is inspired from the well-known complexity-theoretic result "BPP/spl sube//sub 2/". Finally, we show how these results can be applied to sets defined by systems of inequalities involving polynomial or exponential functions. In particular, we describe an application to a problem of structural complexity in the Blum-Shub-Smale model of computation over the reals.
ALGORITHM FOR SEQUENCES DATA MINING IN BIOLOGY

Biological data mining has become an important research area in recent years due to the exponential increase in the amount of biological data. In this paper, we discuss the applications of data mining methods in biological sequences analysis. The algorithms we analyze fall into support vector machine type Key-Words: Data mining, biology, vector machine, biological sequences.
An experimental evaluation of an incentive program to reduce serum cholesterol levels among health fair participants.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the impact of a health fair and incentive program on the reduction of serum cholesterol levels among participants. DESIGN Pretest-posttest control group design, with a 6-month delay between pretest and posttest screenings. SETTING Health fair program for employees of a large midwestern school district. PARTICIPANTS Volunteer sample among persons with serum cholesterol levels above 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL). Participants were randomly assigned to experimental (N = 29) and comparison groups (N = 34). INTERVENTION The intervention consisted of four components: a health fair, health risk information, announcement of follow-up screening, and an incentive program. The incentive program consisted of five $100 cash prizes for reducing serum cholesterol levels by 20% or below 5.17 mmol/L (200 mg/dL). The comparison group received only the first three components. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Serum cholesterol levels were measured by a venipuncture, nonfasting, chemical analysis process. RESULTS The experimental group showed a 13.2% reduction in serum cholesterol levels, and the comparison group exhibited an 11.3% reduction (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS A health fair, consisting of information on the level of risk and how to reduce risk, and announcement of follow-up screening and incentives can reduce the risk for cardiovascular disease.
LGB-affirmative cognitive-behavioral therapy for young adult gay and bisexual men: A randomized controlled trial of a transdiagnostic minority stress approach.

OBJECTIVES We tested the preliminary efficacy of a transdiagnostic cognitive-behavioral treatment adapted to improve depression, anxiety, and co-occurring health risks (i.e., alcohol use, sexual compulsivity, condomless sex) among young adult gay and bisexual men. Treatment adaptations focused on reducing minority stress processes that underlie sexual orientation-related mental health disparities. METHOD Young gay and bisexual men (n = 63; M age = 25.94) were randomized to immediate treatment or a 3-month waitlist. At baseline, 3-month, and 6-month assessments, participants completed self-reports of mental health and minority stress and an interview of past-90-day risk behavior. RESULTS Compared to waitlist, treatment significantly reduced depressive symptoms (b = -2.43, 95% CI: -4.90, 0.35, p < .001), alcohol use problems (b = -3.79, 95% CI: -5.94, -1.64, p < .001), sexual compulsivity (b = -5.09, 95% CI: -8.78, -1.40, p < .001), and past-90-day condomless sex with casual partners (b = -1.09, 95% CI: -1.80, -0.37, p < .001), and improved condom use self-efficacy (b = 10.08, 95% CI: 3.86, 16.30, p < .001). The treatment yielded moderate and marginally significant greater improvements than waitlist in anxiety symptoms (b = -2.14, 95% CI: -4.61, 0.34, p = .09) and past-90-day heavy drinking (b = -0.32, 95% CI: -0.71, 0.07, p = .09). Effects were generally maintained at follow-up. Minority stress processes showed small improvements in the expected direction. CONCLUSION This study demonstrated preliminary support for the first intervention adapted to address gay and bisexual men's co-occurring health problems at their source in minority stress. If found to be efficacious compared to standard evidence-based treatments, the treatment will possess substantial potential for helping clinicians translate LGB-affirmative treatment guidelines into evidence-based practice. (PsycINFO Database Record
Evaluation of DC-link decoupling using electrolytic or polypropylene film capacitors in three-phase grid-connected photovoltaic inverters

The life expectancy and long term reliability of grid-connected three-phase photovoltaic (PV) inverters can be increased by replacing the conventional electrolytic film capacitors by metallized polypropylene film capacitors. This paper presents a detailed evaluation of a three-phase grid-connected PV inverter performance when replacing the electrolytic capacitor with a minimum value of metallized polypropylene film capacitor-one. The minimum dc bus capacitance leads to larger voltage ripples. However, such ripples were found to be within acceptable limits to run the inverter satisfactorily. Simulation results are presented for a 15-kW grid-connected inverter at nominal voltage of 700V dc and experimental results are provided for a 3.0-kW system at a nominal voltage of 400V dc, built in the laboratory.
Multilocus Sequence Typing of Streptococcus uberis Provides Sensitive and Epidemiologically Relevant Subtype Information and Reveals Positive Selection in the Virulence Gene pauA

ABSTRACT Control of the bovine mastitis pathogen Streptococcus uberis requires sensitive and epidemiologically meaningful subtyping methods that can provide insight into this pathogen's epidemiology and evolution. Development of a multilocus sequence typing (MLST) scheme based on six housekeeping and virulence genes allowed differentiation of 40 sequence types among 50 S. uberis isolates from the United States (n = 30) and The Netherlands (n = 20). MLST was more discriminatory than EcoRI or PvuII ribotyping and provided subtype data with better epidemiological relevance, e.g., by discriminating isolates with identical ribotypes obtained from different farms. Phylogenetic analyses of MLST data revealed indications of reticulate evolution between genes, preventing construction of a core phylogeny based on concatenated DNA sequences. However, all individual gene phylogenies clearly identified a distinct pauA-negative subtaxon of S. uberis for which housekeeping alleles closely resembled those of Streptococcus parauberis. While the average GC content for five genes characterized was between 0.38 and 0.40, pauA showed a considerably lower GC content (0.34), suggesting acquisition through horizontal transfer. pauA also showed a higher nonsynonymous/synonymous rate ratio (dN/dS) (1.2) compared to the other genes sequenced (dN/dS < 0.12), indicating positive selection in this virulence gene. In conclusion, our data show that (i) MLST provides for highly discriminatory and epidemiologically relevant subtyping of S. uberis; (ii) S. uberis has a recombinatorial population structure; (iii) phylogenetic analysis of MLST data reveals an S. uberis subtaxon resembling S. parauberis; and (iv) horizontal gene transfer and positive selection contribute to evolution of certain S. uberis genes, such as the virulence gene pauA.
Accessibility for persons with mobility impairments within an informal trading site: A case study on the markets of Warwick, South Africa

Background There are a number of informal trading sites across cities in sub-Saharan Africa, of which the markets of Warwick is one example. Since the informal economy is an important contributor to a city’s economy as well as a source of employment, it is important for these sites to be accessible for all persons. Whilst the South African government has put structures in place to identify and remove environmental barriers in order to meet the individual needs of persons with mobility impairments and improve their quality of life, persons with mobility impairments still face barriers and restricting environments that prevent them from participating in society and its social and economic activities. Objectives This case study aimed at exploring accessibility within the markets of Warwick for persons with mobility impairments by an ergonomic assessment, augmented by voices of participants within the market. Method A qualitative, instrumental, single case study design was utilised with purposive sampling of the markets of Warwick as the study setting. Multiple sources of data were gathered, such as semi-structured interviews, direct observations of an environmental survey supported by photographs, and the authors’ review of relevant documents. Transcriptions were analysed using NVivo 10 software programme with inductive coding. Results Whilst policies have been in place since 1996 to adjust infrastructure, the markets of Warwick still remain inaccessible to persons with mobility impairments and do not meet the standardised infrastructural design. Conclusion The findings of this study may offer a significant understanding of the complexity of accessibility within an informal trading site and create an awareness of the limitations this has for persons with mobility impairments. Additionally, these findings may assist in effecting a positive change in terms of the infrastructure of the Markets and in continuous advocating for the rights of persons with all disabilities.
A Review on Thermal Exfoliation of Graphene Oxide

Exfoliation, i.e. individual separation of carbon sheets, is of great interest to produce single-layered graphene nanosheets. Chemical or thermal treatments are popular approaches to exfoliate graphite chunks. In general, these conventional methods are assisted with intercalation via covalent or non-covalent functionalization, expansion, and swelling, adsorption of organic molecules in gas phase, solid nanoparticle insertion or direct molecular exfoliation. However, direct covalent modification of graphene is challenging and the zero-band gap of graphene limits its use in field-effect transistors in nanoelectronics. Therefore, the use of a band-gap tunable p-type semiconducting reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is an alternative route. There are several approaches to tune its band gap, including tailoring the chemistry. Critical parameters include the control of oxygen amount determined by the degree and time of oxidation and reduction conditions (e. g. temperature), often leading to nonstoichiometry. This short review therefore highlights the production of rGO focusing primarily on the effect of thermal treatmenton the nature and the role of oxygen during thermal exfoliation of GO. The impact of oxygen functionalization on the modulation of the band gap is also reviewed for chemically and thermally reduced GO, as well as chemically treated rGO followed by a thermal exfoliation.
Improving Quality Assurance with CDIO Self-Evaluation: Experiences From a Nordic Project

The main goal of the Nordic project Quality Assurance in Higher Education was to develop and implement a self-evaluation model in the participating Higher Education Institutes (HEIs) to support their quality as- surance work and continuous curriculum development. Furthermore, the project aimed at strengthening the cooperation of HEIs in quality assurance (QA) and disseminating good practices of QA. The framework of development is based on the CDIO approach and the CDIO self-evaluation process. The main results are a detailed definition of the self-evaluation process, well-documented self-evaluations of the participating degree programmes, and the identification of the main development areas and actions in each participating degree programme. Furthermore, the project has increased the partners’ understanding of other partners and their challenges. Finally, quality assurance has been enhanced in each participating programme and new ideas and support for quality assurance work in other higher education institutes have been produced.
High-Power Filtering Switch With Low Loss and High Isolation Based on Dielectric Resonator

In this paper, a novel method for designing high-power filtering switches using dielectric resonators (DRs) is presented for the first time. The filtering switches consist of DRs and printed circuit boards. The latter are embedded in the metal cavity to enable the integration of p-i-n diodes. The ON- and OFF-states are realized by controlling the p-i-n diodes which are put in the feeding lines or nonresonance nodes (NRNs). Electromagnetic field properties of the DR (at TE $_{11\delta }$ mode) and feeding line (or NRN) are studied and the coupling between them is investigated for guiding coupling control. In the ON-state, the filtering switches are equivalent to bandpass filters with no signal passing through the p-i-n diodes, which avoids additional loss introduced by p-i-n diodes and attains high power handling capability. In the OFF-state, the proposed filtering switches offer enhanced isolations by controlling the coupling of the filtering circuits, which differs from the conventional switches by turning off transistors or diodes. For demonstration, a DR-based filtering single-pole single-throw switch and a filtering single-pole double-throw switch are implemented. High selectivity, low ON-state loss and high OFF-state isolation are observed. The measured $\text{P}_{\mathrm {1dB}}$ is larger than 80 W, featuring high power handling capability.
IN VITRO PLANT REGENERATION IN BREAD WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.)

Callus was induced on immature embryos of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cvs. Sarsabz, Khirman and Soghat-90. The application of different phytohormone concentrations yielded differential behaviour of genotypes for callus induction, mainly due to the genotype and media interaction. Variety Khirman produced highest callus on media (M1). Callus proliferation was also influenced by genotype and media interaction. Best callus proliferation was observed in Khirman on media (M4). Data revealed that Soghat-90 showed weakest interaction with present media compositions used in this study. Similarly regeneration potential was also subjective to media and genotype interaction. Data on chlorophyll mutants were also collected to study the frequency of genetic variation produced by each variety due to media effect. Green plantlets were transplanted in the field after weaning for evaluation of genetic variability.
A systematic review evaluating the impact of online or blended learning vs. face-to-face learning of clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education.

AIM To determine whether the use of an online or blended learning paradigm has the potential to enhance the teaching of clinical skills in undergraduate nursing. BACKGROUND The need to adequately support and develop students in clinical skills is now arguably more important than previously considered due to reductions in practice opportunities. Online and blended teaching methods are being developed to try and meet this requirement, but knowledge about their effectiveness in teaching clinical skills is limited. DESIGN Mixed methods systematic review, which follows the Joanna Briggs Institute User guide version 5. DATA SOURCES Computerized searches of five databases were undertaken for the period 1995-August 2013. REVIEW METHODS Critical appraisal and data extraction were undertaken using Joanna Briggs Institute tools for experimental/observational studies and interpretative and critical research. A narrative synthesis was used to report results. RESULTS Nineteen published papers were identified. Seventeen papers reported on online approaches and only two papers reported on a blended approach. The synthesis of findings focused on the following four areas: performance/clinical skill, knowledge, self-efficacy/clinical confidence and user experience/satisfaction. The e-learning interventions used varied throughout all the studies. CONCLUSION The available evidence suggests that online learning for teaching clinical skills is no less effective than traditional means. Highlighted by this review is the lack of available evidence on the implementation of a blended learning approach to teaching clinical skills in undergraduate nurse education. Further research is required to assess the effectiveness of this teaching methodology.
Design Guidelines for Linear Amplification and Low-insertion Loss in 5-GHz-band SOI Power MOSFETs

This paper describes guidelines for designing thinfilm SOI power MOSFETs for linear-amplification and SPDT-switch applications. A fabricated device shows power-added efficiency of 61% at 5.25 GHz (Vdd @ 3.0 V). For linear-amplification, it is important to suppress the parasitic bipolar effect and reduce the on-resistance. For a SPDT-switch, it is important to reduce Ron and use highresistivity Si substrate.