Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
First isolation of Vibrio tapetis and an atypical strain of Aeromonas salmonicida from skin ulcerations in common dab (Limanda limanda) in the North Sea.

Skin ulcerations rank amongst the most prevalent lesions affecting wild common dab (Limanda limanda) with an increase in prevalence of up to 3.5% in the Belgian part of the North Sea. A complex aetiology of these ulcerations is suspected, and many questions remain on the exact factors contributing to these lesions. To construct the aetiological spectrum of skin ulcerations in flatfish, a one-day monitoring campaign was undertaken in the North Sea. Fifteen fish presented with one or more ulcerations on the pigmented and/or non-pigmented side. Pathological features revealed various stages of ulcerations with loss of epidermal and dermal tissue, inflammatory infiltrates and degeneration of the myofibers bordering the ulceration, albeit in varying degrees. Upon bacteriological examination, pure cultures of Vibrio tapetis were retrieved in high numbers from five fish and of Aeromonas salmonicida in one fish. The V. tapetis isolates showed cross-reactivity with the sera against the representative strain of serotype O2 originating form a carpet-shell clam (Ruditapes descussatus). Moreover, the A. salmonicida isolates displayed a previously undescribed vapA gene sequence (A-layer type) with possible specificity towards common dab. Further research is necessary to pinpoint the exact role of these agents in the development of skin ulcerations in common dab.
Learning When to Attend for Neural Machine Translation

In the past few years, attention mechanisms have become an indispensable component of end-to-end neural machine translation models. However, previous attention models always refer to some source words when predicting a target word, which contradicts with the fact that some target words have no corresponding source words. Motivated by this observation, we propose a novel attention model that has the capability of determining when a decoder should attend to source words and when it should not. Experimental results on NIST Chinese-English translation tasks show that the new model achieves an improvement of 0.8 BLEU score over a state-of-the-art baseline.
Children's reading aloud performance: a database and automatic detection of disfluencies

The automatic evaluation of children’s reading performance by detecting and analyzing errors and disfluencies in speech is an important tool to build automatic reading tutors and to complement the current method of manual evaluations of overall reading ability in schools. A large amount of speech from children reading aloud plentiful in errors and disfluencies is needed to train acoustic, disfluency and pronunciation models for an automatic reading assessment system. This paper describes the acquisition and analysis of a read-aloud speech database of European Portuguese from children aged 6-10 from the first to fourth school grades. Towards the goal of detecting all reading errors and disfluencies, we apply a decoding process to the utterances using flexible word level lattices that allow syllable based false starts and repetitions of two or more word sequences. The proposed method proved promising in detecting corrections and repetitions in sentences, and provides an improved alignment of the data, helpful for future annotation tasks. The analysis of the database also shows agreement to government defined curricular goals for reading.
Gradient set splitting in nonconvex nonsmooth numerical optimization

We present a numerical bundle-type method for local minimization of a real function of several variables, which is supposed to be locally Lipschitz. We provide a short survey of some optimization algorithms from the literature, which are able to deal with both nonsmoothness and nonconvexity of the objective function. We focus on possible extensions of classical bundle-type methods, originally conceived to deal with convex nonsmooth optimization. They are all based on a convex cutting plane model which has the property of both minorizing everywhere and interpolating at certain points the objective function. Such properties may be lost whenever nonconvexity is present and the case may be described in terms of possible negative values of certain linearization errors. We describe some alternative ways the problem is dealt with in the literature. Here, on the basis of a classification of the limit points of gradient sequences, we define two distinct cutting plane approximations. We derive an algorithm which uses both such models. In particular, only the convex model is primarily adopted to find a tentative displacement from the current stability centre, while the concave one enters into the play only when the convex model has failed in providing a sufficient decrease step. Termination of the method is proved and the results of some numerical experiments are reported.
A Survey of Occupational Stress Models , Stressors and Relationship to Injuries

The construction industry reports one of the highest incidents of fatal and non-fatal accidents/injuries of workers every year. As a high-risk industry, there is a need to investigate factors that affect the occurrence of these accidents to be able to protect workers. Traditional approaches to workers’ safety in the construction industry have focused on the physical and biomechanical aspects of work by improving tools, equipment, and task completion methods. However, the impact of psychosocial factors, specifically stress as experienced by construction workers is an area of growing research, which is yielding results that suggest that overall work safety on the construction site, should take into account psychosocial aspects of work. This paper will review existing literature on occupational stress, and elements of work that could potentially act as stressors within the construction industry. Also, a model is proposed that can be used to investigate the relationship existing among occupational stressors, psychosocial/physical symptoms and accident/injury/near-miss and workdays lost outcomes as experienced by construction workers engaged in a range of construction occupations.
Identification of microRNAs involved in gefitinib resistance of non-small-cell lung cancer through the insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 signaling pathway

Multiple clinical and experimental studies have suggested that epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) may be effective at treating advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), however, the molecular basis of primary resistance to EGFR-TKIs in NSCLC remains unclear. In the current study, the insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF-1R) gene in the gefitinib-resistant human lung adenocarcinoma epithelial cell line A549 (A549/GR) was silenced using small interfering RNA (siRNA) in order to determine the role of microRNA (miRNA) in the development of resistance against epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in lung adenocarcinoma. The relative gefitinib-resistant capacity in A549 and A549/GR cells was determined using a cell counting kit 8. A549/GR cells were transfected with chemically synthesized siRNA to silence the IGF-1R gene. A total of 48 h after siRNA transfection, IGF-1R expression in A549/GR cells was evaluated using reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and western blotting. miRNA expression in A549/GR cells and A549/GR cells with silenced IGF-1R was analyzed using a miRNA microarray. The microarray results of 10 miRNAs were then compared with the results of RT-qPCR. The results demonstrated that the gefitinib-resistance capacity of A549/GR cells was six times higher than that of A549 cells. Additionally, RT-qPCR and western blotting demonstrated that the IGF-1R gene in A549/GR cells was successfully silenced by siRNA. The highest silencing rate (72%) of the IGF-1R gene was obtained using siRNA-2. The microarray identified 72 miRNAs with significantly different expression in A549/GR cells with silenced IGF-1R compared with A549/GR cells. Of the 72 differentially expressed miRNAs, 13 miRNAs (including miR-497-3p and miR-1273c) were up-regulated and 59 miRNAs (including miR-361-3p and miR-345-3p) were down-regulated in A549/GR cells with silenced IGF-1R compared with A549/GR cells. The changes in the expression of 10 different miRNAs were confirmed by RT-qPCR. Thus, the present study successfully established an A549/GR cell line with silenced IGF-1R. The results suggest that a number of miRNAs associated with the IGF-1R signaling pathway, including miR-497-3p and miR-144-5p, were involved in the development of resistance against EGFR-TKIs in A549 cells. These miRNAs may provide novel targets to treat lung adenocarcinoma exhibiting resistance against EGFR-TKIs.
Fuzzy crash avoidance and coordination between multi mobile robots

In this paper, coordination and crash avoidance algorithm between a group of mobile robots is proposed based on the fuzzy control. Fuzzy control is developed to make the robots move in the predefined trajectories that must not collide. All the robots are coordinated so that they finish their trajectories in the same time, regardless of the length of the individual trajectories or the number of crash avoidance incidences between them. The simulation results obtained with three mobile robots are presented to show the performance of control, coordination and crash avoidance algorithm.
General purpose model and a computer program for combined segregation and path analysis (SEGPATH): Automatically creating computer programs from symbolic language model specifications

A general purpose model and a flexible computer program, called SEGPATH, have been developed to assist in the creation and implementation of a variety of genetic epidemiological models. SEGPATH is a computer program which can be used to generate programs to implement linear models for pedigree data, based upon a flexible, model‐specification syntax. SEGPATH models can perform segregation analysis, path analysis, or combined segregation and path analysis using any user‐specified path model and can be structured to analyze any number of multivariate phenotypes, environmental indices, and/or measured covariate fixed effects (including measured genotypes). Population heterogeneity models, repeated‐measures models, longitudinal models, auto‐regressive models, developmental models, and gene‐by‐environment interaction models can all be created under SEGPATH. Pedigree structures can be defined to be arbitrarily complex, and the data analyzed with programs generated by SEGPATH can have any missing value structure, with entire individuals missing, or missing on one or more measurements. Corrections for ascertainment can be done on a vector of phenotypes and/or other measures. Because the model specification syntax is general, SEGPATH can also be used in non‐genetic applications where there is a hierarchical structure, such as longitudinal, repeated‐measures, time series, or nested models. A variety of applications are demonstrated. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reductions in Diagnostic Imaging With High Deductible Health Plans

Background:Diagnostic imaging utilization grew rapidly over the past 2 decades. It remains unclear whether patient cost-sharing is an effective policy lever to reduce imaging utilization and spending. Materials and Methods:Using 2010 commercial insurance claims data of >21 million individuals, we compared diagnostic imaging utilization and standardized payments between High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) and non-HDHP enrollees. Negative binomial models were used to estimate associations between HDHP enrollment and utilization, and were repeated for standardized payments. A Hurdle model were used to estimate associations between HDHP enrollment and whether an enrollee had diagnostic imaging, and then the magnitude of associations for enrollees with imaging. Models with interaction terms were used to estimate associations between HDHP enrollment and imaging by risk score tercile. All models included controls for patient age, sex, geographic location, and health status. Results:HDHP enrollment was associated with a 7.5% decrease in the number of imaging studies and a 10.2% decrease in standardized imaging payments. HDHP enrollees were 1.8% points less likely to use imaging; once an enrollee had at least 1 imaging study, differences in utilization and associated payments were small. Associations between HDHP and utilization were largest in the lowest (least sick) risk score tercile. Conclusions:Increased patient cost-sharing may contribute to reductions in diagnostic imaging utilization and spending. However, increased cost-sharing may not encourage patients to differentiate between high-value and low-value diagnostic imaging services; better patient awareness and education may be a crucial part of any reductions in diagnostic imaging utilization.
Beyond the continuum: a multi-dimensional phase space for neutral–niche community assembly

Neutral and niche processes are generally considered to interact in natural communities along a continuum, exhibiting community patterns bounded by pure neutral and pure niche processes. The continuum concept uses niche separation, an attribute of the community, to test the hypothesis that communities are bounded by pure niche or pure neutral conditions. It does not accommodate interactions via feedback between processes and the environment. By contrast, we introduce the Community Assembly Phase Space (CAPS), a multi-dimensional space that uses community processes (such as dispersal and niche selection) to define the limiting neutral and niche conditions and to test the continuum hypothesis. We compare the outputs of modelled communities in a heterogeneous landscape, assembled by pure neutral, pure niche and composite processes. Differences in patterns under different combinations of processes in CAPS reveal hidden complexity in neutral–niche community dynamics. The neutral–niche continuum only holds for strong dispersal limitation and niche separation. For weaker dispersal limitation and niche separation, neutral and niche processes amplify each other via feedback with the environment. This generates patterns that lie well beyond those predicted by a continuum. Inferences drawn from patterns about community assembly processes can therefore be misguided when based on the continuum perspective. CAPS also demonstrates the complementary information value of different patterns for inferring community processes and captures the complexity of community assembly. It provides a general tool for studying the processes structuring communities and can be applied to address a range of questions in community and metacommunity ecology.
Adjuvant radiotherapy in carcinomas of the uterine cervix: the prognostic value of hemoglobin levels

Anemia has been associated with a poorer treatment response and reduced survival in women undergoing primary radiotherapy (RT) or radiochemotherapy for advanced cervical carcinoma. This study aimed to determine the influence of anemia on outcome in patients with cervical carcinoma undergoing adjuvant RT. Medical records were reviewed for 183 cervical cancer patients who had received adjuvant RT because of risk factors after radical surgery (n = 109) or inadequate primary surgery (simple hysterectomy; n = 74). Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analyses were used to study hemoglobin levels before and during adjuvant RT in relation to recurrence-free and overall survival. Hemoglobin values ≥11 g/dL were considered normal, while those <11 g/dL indicated anemia. Hemoglobin levels before RT influenced significantly overall survival and recurrence-free survival across the whole group (overall survival—log rankall patients = 7.5; df = 1; P = 0.006). However, subgroup analysis showed that the observed difference was mainly due to the group of women who had undergone inadequate primary surgery (overall survival—log rankinadequate surgery = 10.8; df = 1; P = 0.001). Multifactorial regression analyses comparing hemoglobin before RT with grading and tumor stage confirmed the prognostic value of hemoglobin values. Maintaining normal hemoglobin values before and during adjuvant RT seems to be important, especially in patients who have had inappropriate simple hysterectomy, which may resemble a therapeutic situation.
Monetary valuation of salinity impacts and microbial pollution in the Olifants Water Management Area, South Africa

This paper estimates costs associated with water pollution in the Olifants River Water Management Area (WMA) in South Africa, and, more specifically, the area represented by the Loskop Dam Water User Association. We focus on the impacts of salinisation on commercial irrigated agriculture, and of microbial pollution on the general population of the WMA, many of whom do not have access to municipal water and sanitation services, leaving them vulnerable to microbial pollution in the water resource. Costs associated with salinity are estimates based on the impacts of increased salinity on the value of marginal product of certain irrigated crops. Costs associated with microbial pollution are estimated based on the direct and indirect costs of human health impacts as a result of microbial pollution in the study area. These monetary value estimates give an indication of the magnitude of the cost of water pollution to society in the WMA. It is concluded that the once-off cost required to provide some pollution prevention infrastructure will be lower than the current annual cost burden of pollution on society in the WMA, and that pollution prevention is therefore cost effective.
The Effect of Body Mass Index on Outcome Following Ambulatory High Ligation and Stripping for Lower Varicose Veins: A Prospective Cohort Study

Objectives The effects of body mass index (BMI) on the outcome of high ligation and stripping (HLS) in an ambulatory center remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the outcomes of HLS in an ambulatory center based on BMI in the Chinese population. Design This was a prospective cohort study with mid-term follow-up. Materials and Methods 170 eligible patients were included in the study and the data of Clinical, Etiology, Anatomy, and Pathophysiology (CEAP) classification, Venous Clinical Severity Score (VCSS), Visual Analogue Score (VAS), Aberdeen Varicose Veins Questionnaire (AVVQ), Quality of Recovery (QoR-15), and postoperative complications at predetermined time points were collected. Results A total of 170 patients (236 limbs) with a mean age of 53.87 ± 9.96 years (range, 24–80 years) and a mean BMI of 23.86 ± 2.96 kg/m2 were included. Of the group, 50.6% were women, and 66 patients received bilateral procedures. Through curve fitting, a BMI less than 28 and a BMI of 28 or higher were found to have a negative [−0.1 (−0.3, 0.1) 0.296] and positive [0.7 (0.2, 1.2) 0.006] relationship trend, respectively, with the improvement of VCSS at 6 weeks after surgery. Through smooth curve fitting, BMI was shown to have a negative relationship trend on the improvement of VCSS at 6 months after surgery. After multivariable risk adjustment for potential confounding factors, BMI was not found to be associated with the improvement of VCSS and AVVQ at 6 weeks after surgery, as well as the improvement of AVVQ at 6 months after surgery (all p-values >0.05). Six months after surgery, BMI was shown to have a negative relationship trend on the improvement of VCSS, and obese patients showed lower VCSS improvement than patients of normal BMI [−1.3 (−1.9, −0.7) <0.0001]. Six weeks after surgery, postoperative complications such as paresthesia were found to be significantly higher in the obese group than in the non-obese group (p < 0.05). At 6 months after surgery, the obese group showed significantly higher complications of the legs compared with the normal BMI group (p < 0.05). Conclusions Our results showed that obesity is a risk factor for prognosis and postoperative complications following ambulatory HLS.
Erythematosusfrom Patients with Systemic Lupus by Lymphocytes b Decreased Production of TGF-and

TGF- b has marked inhibitory effects on the immune system but also serves as a costimulatory factor in the development of T cells with down-regulatory activities. This cytokine is secreted as a latent complex and converted extracellularly to its active form. We have recently learned that anti-CD2 is a potent inducer of lymphocyte-derived TGF- b and that NK cells are the predominant source. The objective of this study was to compare levels of constitutive, anti-CD2-induced and cytokine-regulated TGF- b produced by blood lymphocytes from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in comparison with healthy controls. Using a highly sensitive and speciﬁc bioassay to assess TGF- b , we report that unstimulated PBL from SLE patients, especially the NK cell subset, produced decreased levels of active TGF- b . In response to anti-CD2, concentrations of active and total TGF- b were also decreased in SLE. After learning that IL-2 and TNF- a enhance lymphocyte production of active TGF- b , we found that the addition of these cytokines was unable to increase active TGF- b to normal concentrations. Although we observed that IL-10 inhibited the production of active TGF- b , antagonism of this cytokine was unable to completely correct the defect. In two SLE patients with B cell hyperactivity, spontaneous IgG production was almost abolished by the combination of TGF- b and IL-2. Therefore, decreased production of each of these cytokines in SLE could be important in the perpetuation of B cell hyperactivity. The Journal of Immunology, 1998, 160: 2539–2545.
Metasurface characteristic of fractal fishnet structure and closed ring resonator

This paper presents the characteristics of metasurface which is composed of fishnet structure and closed ring resonator on different side of square unit cell. Also, Minkowski fractal pattern is applied on fishnet side structure for metasurface miniaturization. Obviously, the downward tendencies on the both of resonant frequency and effective parameters (permittivity, permeability, refraction index) are observed and performed. For material classification, the metasurface can exhibit three unusual properties around the resonant frequency. They are including of negative permittivity (ENG), negative permeability (MNG), and near-zero refraction index (NZI).