Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
QUALITY OF LIFE OF END-STAGE RENAL FAILURE PATIENTS RECEIVING CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL DIALYSIS

Quality of life is an important attribute of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy and it has not, to our knowledge, been studied before in our country. This study describes how 87 patients 45 in endstage renal failure treated conservatively (25 males and 20 females, mean age 59.5 ± 11.9) and 42 on CAPD (24 males and 18 females, mean age 58.5 ± 11.6) perceived their own quality of life. They were all interviewed using the original questionnaire generating fifteen life quality variables: marital status and family relations, employment status, working ability, tiring, sleep, appetite, endurement of cold, wound healing, travelling, sports, socializing, sexual activity, mood, home maintenance, happiness. Differences between groups were assessed with chi-squared test (χ) correction by Mood, Student's t-test and McNemar's test. The results obtained show statistically significant improvement in working ability (p < 0,05) and in tiring (p < 0,05) in CAPD patients compared to those in end-stage renal failure treated conservatively. Positive influence of CAPD treatment was not impressive as expected due to the fact that in our country this treatment modality is still mostly used in old people and people suffering from serious systemic diseases whose general status is already so heavily impaired even before the start of the treatment that it can not be easily repaired.
Verbal working memory and story retelling in school-age children with autism.

PURPOSE This study examined verbal working memory and language ability in 15 school-age children with autism using 3 verbal working memory tasks and 1 story recall task. METHOD Three measures of verbal working memory--nonword repetition, memory for digits span, and sentence imitation--were given to children with autism and age-matched controls. Verbal working memory measures were chosen to reflect increasing levels of cognitive-linguistic complexity. Story retelling was measured using The Renfrew Bus Story (J. Cowley & C. Glasgow, 1994) and was scored for the percentage of propositions recalled and the average utterance length. RESULTS A profile of verbal working memory deficits was seen in children with autism, with poorer performance on more complex verbal memory tasks. Performance on the 3 verbal memory tasks was independent of articulation ability. For the group with autism, receptive vocabulary was associated with sentence imitation and story recall but not with nonword repetition or digits span. Sentence imitation was related to story recall, but the relationship disappeared when the effect of vocabulary was removed. CONCLUSIONS Vocabulary and language processing demands affect the performance of children with autism on tasks of verbal memory and story retelling. Results are viewed within a connectionist framework of verbal working memory.
Analysis of various authentication schemes for passwords using images to enhance network security through online services

In this paper, we survey different authentication schemes for graphical passwords utilized in online services. Click-based graphical password scheme is used to garner click-points or pixel-points from users and to portend the hotspots. CAPTCHA scheme gives protection against spyware attacks. In the case of Face DCAPTCHA scheme, the users must recognize visually-distorted human faces from complex images in an accurate manner. A Password Guessing Resistant Protocol (PGRP) can limit large number of login attempts from unknown remote hosts to resist large-scale online password guessing attacks. An Image Recognition CAPTCHA (IRC) called Cortcha is designed to provide protection against machine learning attacks. In the Pass-Go scheme, the user has to select PassPoints on a grid to input the password. Creation of cryptographic primitives makes the graphical passwords invisible to attackers and hackers. A Hotspot or a PassPoint in an image can be generated as a Captcha as gRaphical Passwords (CaRP) image, which is our proposed work, for reducing security problems occurred by online password guessing attacks, relay attacks, dictionary attacks and shoulder-surfing attacks.
Purification and characterization of RNase P from Clostridium sporogenes

RNase P is a multi‐subunit enzyme responsible for the accurate processing of the 5′ terminus of all tRNAs. The RNA subunit from Clostridium sporogenes has been partially purified and characterized. The RNA is approximately 400 nucleotides long and makes a precise endonucleolytic cleavage at the mature 5′ terminus of tRNA. The RNA requires moderate concentrations of Mg2+ (20mM) and relatively high concentrations of NH4Cl (800mM) for optimal activity. Mn2+ effectively substitutes for Mg2+ at 2mM. Zn2+, Ni2+, Ca2+, and Co2+ are ineffective at stimulating activity. Monovalent ions are, in general, more effective the greater the ionic radius (NH+4Cs>Rb>K>Na). In contrast to the activity of Bacillus subtilis, C. sporogenes RNase P RNA is significant more active in (NH4)2 SO4 than in NH4Cl.
MAGNETOPHORETIC POSITION DETECTION FOR MULTIPLEXED IMMUNOASSAYS USING COLORED MICROSPHERES

This paper presents a new magnetophoretic position detection method for multiplexed immunoassay using colored microspheres for encoding of target analytes and superparamagnetic nanoparticles (SMNPs) for quantitative analysis. Under the magnetic field gradient, reacted microspheres are deflected as much as analytes and SMNPs are conjugated with them. The positions of colored microspheres were correlated with the concentration of each analyte. Three immunoglobuline Gs (IgGs) were used as a model analyte. Detection limits of goat, rabbit and mouse IgG-biotins were estimated to be 10.9, 30.6 and 12.1 fM, respectively. By adjusting flow rate or detection zone, the dynamic range could be controlled.
Nutritional immunity. Host's attempt to withold iron from microbial invaders.

WITHIN the past half century, the doctrine of the biochemical unity of living matter has become well established. Metabolic pathways as well as methods of storage, transfer, and use of energy and of genetic information are found to have strong commonality in the cells of microorganisms, plants, and animals. As a consequence, similar kinds of organic and inorganic components are used in the building of protoplasm by the three forms of life. Moreover, the quantities of inorganic nutrilites needed for cell replication are quite similar. For example, to achieve maximal growth, cultures of cells of microorganisms, plants, and animals each require approximately 1μM solution of iron, 1 mM solution of phosphorus, and 1 mM solution of magnesium. Immunity In view of these similarities, it is remarkable that plants and animals have been able to develop, during evolution, methods for keeping many of their tissues and organs free of microbial invaders.
Xenogeneic DNA immunization in melanoma models for minimal residual disease.

INTRODUCTION DNA immunization with xenogeneic genes encoding homologous antigens protects mice against tumor challenge with syngeneic melanoma in a lung metastasis model. The effect of xenogeneic human TRP-2 (hTRP2) DNA immunization on disease confined to an orthotopic site, the skin, and in a model of minimal residual disease that is relevant to a setting of adjuvant therapy for micrometastatic cancer is reported. METHODS Immunization and tumor challenge with B16F10LM3 melanoma were performed in C57BL/6 mice and in mice genetically deficient in MHC class I or II molecules. A melanoma variant of B16 with a predilection for lung metastasis was selected and used to challenge C57BL/6 mice. Tumor challenge in the footpad with the B16 variant was followed by local tumor growth and lung metastasis. The tumor-bearing distal extremities were surgically resected and mice were randomized to receive hTRP2 DNA immunization or no treatment. Approximately 3-5 weeks after surgical resection, lungs were harvested and metastases counted. RESULTS Xenogeneic DNA immunization with hTRP2 prevented tumor growth in the skin by a mechanism requiring CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells but did not inhibit the growth of established tumors. Adjuvant immunization with hTRP2 DNA after resection significantly reduced lung metastases and decreased local recurrence rates after surgical resection. CONCLUSIONS Xenogeneic DNA immunization with hTRP2 was effective in protecting mice from intradermal tumor challenge. Immunization prevented local recurrence and the development of metastases in a mouse model of minimal residual disease, supporting a role for DNA immunization against melanosomal antigens as an adjuvant to surgery in high-risk primary melanomas.
Further Evidence of Construct and Discriminant Validities for the Malouff and Schutte Belief Scale

Evidence for construct and discriminant validities for the Malouff and Schutte Belief Scale is presented for 83 male and 42 female students who completed the Eysenck Personality Questionnaire-Neuroticism and the Beck Depression Inventory. rs for scores on the Belief Scale were 0.60 and 0.46, respectively, with the Eysenck and Beck scales. rs were significantly different.
Survival Rate and Causes of Mortality in the Elderly with Depression

Objective To compare long-term survival rates and causes of death in community-dwelling elderly with and without depression using the International Research Diagnostic Criteria administered by a psychiatrist. Method From 1985 to 2000, we prospectively examined Japanese persons (N = 920) aged 65 years or older. Cases with depression (n = 158) and a control sample without depression (N = 762) were evaluated. The main outcome variables were survival rates and causes of mortality. Results By 2000, 61% of the subjects with depression had died. By contrast, 48% had died in the control group at the completion of the 15-year follow-up. Using age-adjusted Kaplan-Meier survival analysis, we found a hazard ratio (HR) of 1.49 (95% confidence interval [CI] 1.16-1.89) for mortality in the depressed group compared with controls (p = .0009). Importantly, in female subjects with depression, the HR was 1.55 (95% CI 1.16-2.07; p = .002). In males with depression, by contrast, the HR (1.34) was not significant (95% CI 0.84-2.13; p = .19). Significantly more subjects died of cerebrovascular disorders, malignant tumors, respiratory disorders, or suicide after the onset of depression compared with controls (p < .05). Conclusions Depression appears to be associated with a significant increase in the risk of mortality among elderly Japanese subjects, particularly in females. The elderly with a diagnosis of depression may be at an elevated risk of mortality owing to cerebrovascular disorder, malignant tumors, respiratory disorders, or suicide. These prospective data provide a new quantitative insight on gender differences and the long-term public health significance of depression among the community-dwelling elderly.
Coding for cooperative communications : Topics in distributed source coding and relay channels. (Codage pour les communications coopératives : Codage de source distribué et canaux à relais)

The current wireless data traffic growth cannot be handled by classical multi-hop network protocols as in interference-free wired networks, thus it has been recognized that network nodes need to cooperate in order to take advantage of source and/or channel signal correlations, which is needed to achieve fundamental capacity limits.This thesis first considers a cooperative source coding problem, namely binary source coding with coded side information (CoSI): the helper node has access to a signal that is correlated with the source and may send a compressed version on a separate link to the destination, thus rate can be saved on the main source-destination link. Using a characterization of the Hamming-space Voronoi regions of the quantizer at the helper node, an improved practical scheme based on LDPC codes is proposed.The second part of the thesis considers cooperative channel coding, where helper nodes are relays. The simplest example of such a communication is the relay channel, in which a relay node helps the source to send its message to the destination. Whereas in the source coding problem, the correlation between source and side information is given, in channel coding, the main question is to find the best relaying operation. First, a somewhat dual problem to source coding with CoSI is studied, by considering correlated noises at the relay and destination. Then, various extensions of the relay channel are characterized using upper bounds on capacity and achievable rates: the two-way relay channel with correlated noises at the relay and destinations, where two sources wish to exchange their data with the help of a relay, and the multiway relay channel with direct links, where users, grouped into fully connected clusters (users in a cluster can overhear each others' messages), wish to exchange their messages locally within a cluster with the help of one relay.
Characterization by affinity electrophoresis of an alpha-1,6-glucan-binding protein from Streptococcus sobrinus

Glucan-binding protein 1 (GBP1), the most abundant glucan-binding protein isolated from culture supernatants of Streptococcus sobrinus 6715-49, has been purified by affinity chromatography on Sephadex G-50 followed by gel permeation chromatography with Bio-Gel P-10. The specificity and affinity of GBP1 for glucans were assessed by affinity electrophoresis. GBP1 did not detectably bind to glucans lacking linear arrays of alpha-1,6 linkages. The association constant for the linear alpha-1,6-glucan Dextran T2000 was 3 x 10(7) M-1. Providing small isomaltosaccharide ligands to compete with this dextran indicated that the binding site maximally accommodated isomaltosaccharides with a degree of polymerization of 8. When glucans produced by purified S. sobrinus glucosyltransferases were tested, GBP1 displayed the highest affinity for the glucan from the soluble-product, primer-independent glucosyltransferase.
Analytical methods to assess carbonyl compounds in foods and beverages

Carbonyl compounds, such as aldehydes, are widely found in food products. These compounds can originate from raw materials, alcoholic fermentation or as products of a wide range of chemical reactions. This Review presents studies performed to determine aldehyde contaminants in food products. Among the methods used to evaluate the presence of aldehydes in food and beverages, chromatographic methods are the most commonly cited. Employed chromatographic techniques include high performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet (UV) detection, gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and with mass spectrometry detection. Sampling methods and the potential use of solid phase microextraction for determining chemical substances in foods are also discussed.
Improved modulation techniques for PWM-VSI drives

PWM-VSI based AC motor drives have two main problems. The inverter is nonlinear which causes instability problems in some specific working points of the AC machine and it emits acoustical noise due to the switching frequency. Nonlinearities like dead-time in the power devices, a load dependent DC link voltage ripple and the voltage drop across the switches are modelled and compensated by improved modulation techniques in order to obtain an ideal inverter. Different feedback and feedforward techniques are proposed. The acoustic noise is reduced by using a random modulation strategy. Measurements show a significant improvement by using feedforward and feedback techniques for linearizing the inverter as well as an improvement in reduction of the acoustic noise emission is achieved by using random modulation. It is concluded that a combination of a random modulation strategy and feedforward/feedback techniques gives an almost ideal AC motor drive system. <<ETX>>
Maternal folate deficiency and metabolic dysfunction in offspring

The importance of folate during pregnancy was established more than 80 years ago by Lucy Wills’ ground-breaking studies of tropical macrocytic anaemia. More recently, it has become apparent that the adverse consequences of inadequate nutrient supply during early developmental may be exacerbated by over-nutrition postnatally. The present paper aims to review recent evidence that maternal methyl donor (notably folate) supply peri-conceptually and during pregnancy has long-term effects on offspring (metabolic) health. In addition, we propose the hypothesis that epigenetic mechanisms, especially DNA methylation, may mediate the effects of these early life nutritional insults. We discuss evidence from a natural experiment in human subjects which provides proof of principle for the hypothesis. We describe an attempt to test this hypothesis using a mouse model in which female C57Bl/6 mice were randomised to low or normal folate diets prior to, and during, pregnancy and lactation. Low maternal folate supply resulted in offspring that were more susceptible to detrimental metabolic effects of a high-fat diet fed from weaning, manifested as increased circulating TAG concentration. Interestingly, this metabolic phenotype in adult offspring occurred without any detectable change in adiposity, suggesting a different aetiological origin from the more commonly reported observation that maternal undernutrition leads to increased offspring adiposity and to symptoms of the Metabolic Syndrome. The widespread prevalence of overweight and obesity and of folate deficiency among women of child-bearing age highlights the possibility that this double nutritional insult may exacerbate the risk of metabolic disease in their offspring.
Lung function in mitral stenosis.

OBJECTIVES The aim of this study was to look to for a relationship between pulmonary artery pressure (PAP), left atrial pressure (LAP), mitral valve area (MVA) and transmitral gradient (Gr) on the one hand and the spirometric data on the other, in cases of mitral stenosis. METHODS The spirometry values measured were forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second and as percent of FVC (FEV1, FEV1/FVC%), forced expiratory flow between 25% to 75% of FVC (FEF 25-75%), at 50% of FVC (FEF 50%) 75% of FVC (FEF 75%) and peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR). The PAP, LAP, MVA and Gr were measured at echocardiography and cardiac catheterisation. RESULTS Analysis of results was done of 60 patients in four groups divided on basis of mean PAP: Group 1 with least and group 4 with highest mean PAP. FVC values were reduced in direct proportion to PAP, LAP, MVA and Gr in three out of four groups. FEV1% as a percent of predicted value showed uniform reduction in all the groups, PEFR was moderately affected in group 1 and most severely in group 4. Values of FEV1/FVC% were within normal range in all the groups. FEF 25-75%, and FEF 50% showed serial reduction in values in keeping with the elevation of the PAP. FEF 75% was also moderately affected in group 1 and most severely in group 4. CONCLUSION We found that a moderate restrictive defect and a small airway defect which is found in cases of mitral stenosis, directly correlates to the PAP, LAP, MVA and Gr. There was no significant involvement of the larger airways.
Presynaptic GABAA Receptors Modulate Thalamocortical Inputs in Layer 4 of Rat V1

&NA; Fast inhibitory GABAergic transmission plays a fundamental role in neural circuits. Current theories of cortical function assume that fast GABAergic inhibition acts via GABAA receptors on postsynaptic neurons, while presynaptic effects of GABA depend on GABAB receptor activation. Manipulations of GABAA receptor activity in vivo produced different effects on cortical function, which were generally ascribed to the mode of action of a drug, more than its site of action. Here we show that in rodent primary visual cortex, &agr;4‐containing GABAA receptors can be located on subsets of glutamatergic and GABAergic presynaptic terminals and decrease synaptic transmission. Our data provide a novel mechanistic insight into the effects of changes in cortical inhibition; the ability to modulate inputs onto cortical circuits locally, via presynaptic regulation of release by GABAA receptors.
Genome‐wide analysis reveals artificial selection on coat colour and reproductive traits in Chinese domestic pigs

Pigs from Asia and Europe were independently domesticated from c. 9000 years ago. During this period, strong artificial selection has led to dramatic phenotypic changes in domestic pigs. However, the genetic basis underlying these morphological and behavioural adaptations is relatively unknown, particularly for indigenous Chinese pigs. Here, we performed a genome‐wide analysis to screen 196 regions with selective sweep signals in Tongcheng pigs, which are a typical indigenous Chinese breed. Genes located in these regions have been found to be involved in lipid metabolism, melanocyte differentiation, neural development and other biological processes, which coincide with the evolutionary phenotypic changes in this breed. A synonymous substitution, c.669T>C, in ESR1, which colocalizes with a major quantitative trait locus for litter size, shows extreme differences in allele frequency between Tongcheng pigs and wild boars. Notably, the variant C allele in this locus exhibits high allele frequency in most Chinese populations, suggesting a consequence of positive selection. Five genes (PRM1, PRM2, TNP2, GPR149 and JMJD1C) related to reproductive traits were found to have high haplotype similarity in Chinese breeds. Two selected genes, MITF and EDNRB, are implied to shape the two‐end black colour trait in Tongcheng pig. Subsequent SNP microarray studies of five Chinese white‐spotted breeds displayed a concordant signature at both loci, suggesting that these two genes are responsible for colour variations in Chinese breeds. Utilizing massively parallel sequencing, we characterized the candidate sites that adapt to artificial and environmental selections during the Chinese pig domestication. This study provides fundamental proof for further research on the evolutionary adaptation of Chinese pigs.
Rank aggregation using active learning in meta-searching

Existing methods dealing with the problem of rank aggregation in the context of meta-search in information retrieval are considered as a passive learner machine and suffer in the presence of unreliable ranking lists. This paper proposes a novel approach which selects the most informative features and instances to be labeled from which the model will learn. To train an efficient ranking aggregation model from few labeled instances, we use Multiple Hyperplane Ranker algorithm in an active learning environment. Experimental results on the OHSUMED dataset show that our method outperforms the existing methods.