Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Plasmodium vivax Sub-Patent Infections after Radical Treatment Are Common in Peruvian Patients: Results of a 1-Year Prospective Cohort Study

Background There is an increasing body of literature reporting treatment failure of the currently recommended radical treatment of Plasmodium vivax infections. As P. vivax is the main malaria species outside the African continent, emerging tolerance to its radical treatment regime could have major consequences in countries like Peru, where 80% of malaria cases are due to P. vivax. Here we describe the results of a 1-year longitudinal follow up of 51 confirmed P. vivax patients living around Iquitos, Peruvian Amazon, and treated according to the Peruvian national guidelines. Methodology Each month a blood sample for microscopy and later genotyping was systematically collected. Recent exposure to infection was estimated by detecting antibodies against the P. vivax circumsporozoite protein (CSP) and all PCR confirmed P. vivax infections were genotyped with 16 polymorphic microsatellites. Results During a 1-year period, 84 recurrent infections, 22 positive also by microscopy, were identified, with a median survival time to first recurrent infection of 203 days. Most of them (71%) were asymptomatic; in 13 patients the infection persisted undetected by microscopy for several consecutive months. The genotype of mostly recurrent infections differed from that at day 0 while fewer differences were seen between the recurrent infections. The average expected heterozygosity was 0.56. There was strong linkage disequilibrium (IAs = 0.29, p<1.10−4) that remained also when analyzing only the unique haplotypes, suggesting common inbreeding. Conclusion In Peru, the P. vivax recurrent infections were common and displayed a high turnover of parasite genotypes compared to day 0. Plasmodium vivax patients, even when treated according to the national guidelines, may still represent an important parasite reservoir that can maintain transmission. Any elimination effort should consider such a hidden reservoir.
Image Quality Assessment Based on Contourlet and Gradient Structural Similarity

To compensate for the defect of inaccurate evaluation of fuzzy distortion by the SSIM original algorithm, following the existing gradirent structure similarity algorithm, considering the multi-resolution and multidirectional characteristics of the Contourlet transform, an image quality assessment algorithm based on Contourlet and Gradient Structural Similarity (CGSSIM) was proposed. The experimental results show that the CGSSIM algorithm is more suitable for the human visual system characteristics than the PSNR and SSIM algorithm and it can get better image quality evaluation results.
Using Differential Evolution to Solve the Harmonic Elimination Pulse Width Modulation for Five Level Cascaded Multilevel Voltage Source Inverter

Harmonic elimination pulse width modulation (HEPWM) method has been widely applied to remove harmonics due to its superior frequency spectra. It requires the solution of a set of transcendental nonlinear equations. Soft computing (SC) methods are extensively employed to solve this problem because of their effective global search ability. Differential evolution (DE) has surpassed most of the SC methods in diverse fields but it has never been utilized to solve this problem. In this work, DE is utilized to solve the HEPWM problem for five level cascaded multilevel voltage source inverter (MVSI). Simulation results have shown that the discontinuities of the HEPWM angle trajectories are nullified and a wider over-modulation range has been covered, enhancing the utilization of DC link voltages and extending the application of HEPWM for high power applications.
Cancer Detection via Determination of Fractal Cell Dimension

We utilize the fractal dimension of the perimeter surface of cell sections as a new observable to characterize cells of different types. We propose that it is possible to distinguish cancerous from healthy cells with the aid of this new approach. As a first application we show that it is possible to perform this distinction between patients with hairy-cell lymphocytic leukemia and those with normal blood lymphocytes.
Point-of-care C reactive protein for the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection in NHS primary care: a qualitative study of barriers and facilitators to adoption

Objectives Point-of-care (POC) C reactive protein (CRP) is incorporated in National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines for the diagnosis of pneumonia, reduces antibiotic prescribing and is cost effective. Aim To determine the barriers and facilitators to adoption of POC CRP testing in National Health Service (NHS) primary care for the diagnosis of lower respiratory tract infection. Design The study followed a qualitative methodology based on grounded theory. The study was undertaken in 2 stages. Stage 1 consisted of semistructured interviews with 8 clinicians from Europe and the UK who use the test in routine practice, and focused on their subjective experience in the challenges of implementing POC CRP testing. Stage 2 was a multidisciplinary-facilitated workshop with NHS stakeholders to discuss barriers to adoption, impact of adoption and potential adoption scenarios. Emergent theme analysis was undertaken. Participants Participants included general practitioners (including those with commissioning experience), biochemists, pharmacists, clinical laboratory scientists and industry representatives from the UK and abroad. Results Barriers to the implementation of POC CRP exist, but successful adoption has been demonstrated abroad. Analysis highlighted 7 themes: reimbursement and incentivisation, quality control and training, laboratory services, practitioner attitudes and experiences, effects on clinic flow and workload, use in pharmacy and gaps in evidence. Conclusions Successful adoption models from the UK and abroad demonstrate a distinctive pattern and involve collaboration with central laboratory services. Incorporating antimicrobial stewardship into quality improvement frameworks may incentivise adoption. Further research is needed to develop scaling-up strategies to address the resourcing, clinical governance and economic impact of widespread NHS implementation.
A low cost capacitive sensing system for identifying and detecting falls of senior citizens

Care of senior individuals requires spontaneous and precise decisions so that life protecting and lifesaving therapy can be given on time. Research reveals that assistive technology can provide systems, which aid in prevention and detection of injuries to senior patients leading to a faster response. Falls are one of the major injuries occurring among seniors and they are not able to receive proper and timely help. This paper is based on monitoring the movement of individual senior people, living independently in their homes. The paper aims to study, design and develop a low cost reliable capacitance-based sensing system for capturing human position in order to identify them, and the occurrence of fall. The sensor arrangement is done using a matrix of thin planar electrodes beneath the floor. This makes the system untraceable as well as discreet. Shading or darkness do not affect the system and also this system does not need much computing power. Computer vision does not have these advantages. Moreover, there is no need of wearing these devices and also no batteries should be charged. Here, the proposed system measures the variable voltage output in response to a change in capacitance values. Preliminary results have been obtained based on simulation and experimental setup.
Ocular drug delivery targeting the retina and retinal pigment epithelium using polylactide nanoparticles.

PURPOSE To study the kinetics of polylactide (PLA) nanoparticle (NP) localization within the intraocular tissues and to evaluate their potential to release encapsulated material. METHODS A single intravitreous injection (5 micro L) of an NP suspension (2.2 mg/mL) encapsulating either Rh-6G (Rh) or Nile red (Nr) was performed. Animals were killed at various times, and the NPs localization within the intraocular tissues was studied by environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), confocal microscopy, light microscopy histology, fluorescence microscopy, and immunohistochemistry. Eyes injected with blank NPs, free Rh, or PBS solution were used as the control. RESULTS ESEM showed the flow of the NPs from the site of injection into the vitreous cavity and their rapid settling on the internal limiting membrane. Histology demonstrated the anatomic integrity of the injected eyes and showed no toxic effects. A mild inflammatory cell infiltrate was observed in the ciliary body 6 hours after the injection and in the posterior vitreous and retina at 18 to 24 hours. The intensity of inflammation decreased markedly by 48 hours. Confocal and fluorescence microscopy and immunohistochemistry showed that a transretinal movement of the NPs was gradually taking place with a later localization in the RPE cells. Rh encapsulated within the injected NPs diffused and stained the retina and RPE cells. PLA NPs were still present within the RPE cells 4 months after a single intravitreous injection. CONCLUSIONS Intravitreous injection of PLA NPs appears to result in transretinal movement, with a preferential localization in the RPE cells. Encapsulated Rh diffuses from the NPs and stains the neuroretina and the RPE cells. The findings support the idea that specific targeting of these tissues is feasible. Furthermore, the presence of the NPs within the RPE cells 4 months after a single injection shows that a steady and continuous delivery of drugs can be achieved.
Detecting protein complexes using gene expression biclusters

The importance of detecting protein complexes in protein interaction networks originates from the fact that they are key players in most cellular processes. The more complexes we identify, the better we can understand normal as well as abnormal molecular events. Despite the notable performance of the current computational methods for detecting protein complexes, questions arise regarding potential ways to improve them, in addition to ameliorative guidelines to introduce novel approaches. A close interpretation leads to the assent that the way in which protein interaction networks are initially viewed should be adjusted. These networks are dynamic in reality and it is necessary to consider this fact to enhance the detection of complexes. In this paper, we present “DyCluster”, a framework to model dynamic aspect of protein interaction networks by incorporating gene expression data, through biclustering techniques, prior to applying complex-detection algorithms. The experimental results show that DyCluster leads to higher numbers of correctly-detected complexes with better evaluation scores.
Fundamental low phase noise InP-based DHBT VCOs with high output power operating up to 75 GHz

Fundamental low phase noise MMIC VCOs with high output power using InP/InGaAs double heterostructure bipolar transistors (DHBTs) are reported. A first VCO with output buffer has been designed for +70 GHz operation and exhibits oscillation frequencies ranging from 70.9 GHz to 75 GHz. At 74 GHz, the VCO features a minimum phase noise of -97 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency. Within the tuning range, a single ended output power up to 8 dBm was measured, resulting in a total signal power of 11 dBm. The second VCO version without output buffer was targeted for the 44 GHz range. The achieved operation frequencies range from 43.4 GHz to 48 GHz, with up to 2 dBm single-ended output power. At 48 GHz, a minimum phase noise of -102 dBc/Hz at 1 MHz offset frequency is achieved.
A New Anaesthetic Protocol for Adult Zebrafish (Danio rerio): Propofol Combined with Lidocaine

Background The increasing use of zebrafish model has not been accompanied by the evolution of proper anaesthesia for this species in research. The most used anaesthetic in fishes, MS222, may induce aversion, reduction of heart rate, and consequently high mortality, especially during long exposures. Therefore, we aim to explore new anaesthetic protocols to be used in zebrafish by studying the quality of anaesthesia and recovery induced by different concentrations of propofol alone and in combination with different concentrations of lidocaine. Material and Methods In experiment A, eighty-three AB zebrafish were randomly assigned to 7 different groups: control, 2.5 (2.5P), 5 (5P) or 7.5 μg/ml (7.5P) of propofol; and 2.5 μg/ml of propofol combined with 50, (P/50L), 100 (P/100L) or 150 μg/ml (P/150L) of lidocaine. Zebrafish were placed in an anaesthetic water bath and time to lose the equilibrium, reflex to touch, reflex to a tail pinch, and respiratory rate were measured. Time to gain equilibrium was also assessed in a clean tank. Five and 24 hours after anaesthesia recovery, zebrafish were evaluated concerning activity and reactivity. Afterwards, in a second phase of experiments (experiment B), the best protocol of the experiment A was compared with a new group of 8 fishes treated with 100 mg/L of MS222 (100M). Results In experiment A, only different concentrations of propofol/lidocaine combination induced full anaesthesia in all animals. Thus only these groups were compared with a standard dose of MS222 in experiment B. Propofol/lidocaine induced a quicker loss of equilibrium, and loss of response to light and painful stimuli compared with MS222. However zebrafish treated with MS222 recovered quickly than the ones treated with propofol/lidocaine. Conclusion In conclusion, propofol/lidocaine combination and MS222 have advantages in different situations. MS222 is ideal for minor procedures when a quick recovery is important, while propofol/lidocaine is best to induce a quick and complete anaesthesia.
Exploitation of games and virtual environments for e-learning

There has been a significant body of work in recent years in the development of e-learning tools and products. The main focus has been on models that are developed from the constructivist tradition, based on the notion that learners actively construct their own understanding and knowledge from their experiences. The topic of this paper is the possible future use of computer games technologies and games based narrative to support e-learning and as a tool for lifelong learning. Computer games metaphors and underpinning models are inherently constructivist, the gaming format is also chosen for its ability to engage. The gaming format also lends itself to support the known advantages of narrative from oral traditions and fits with the younger generation's interest in current trends in the entertainment industry. The decision to adopt a game-based approach to the development of e-learning follows on from a survey of current state-of-the art support for lifelong learning that was carried out by the authors, a key element of that investigation being the different techniques to improve learning and retention through engagement of the student. The increased availability of high bandwidth connections to support multi-user, graphics-rich environments such as gaming environments supports the use of these gaming technologies for virtual learning environments. The use of storytelling in education provides us with a mechanism to establish a relationship between games and virtual learning environments, there have been numerous trials of the use of on-line games setups suitable for this purpose in the form of simulations, MUDs and adventure games. During the last few years multiple virtual worlds have been developed for general communication between users from different parts of the world, and these can be used to support all the important social aspects of learning. From the perspective of our research we are interested in designing a model for an online games-based leaning environment using narrative models, witch will then be developed as an exemplar of this particular approach
Valuing the Visual Disamenity of Offshore Wind Power Projects at Varying Distances from the Shore: An Application on the Delaware Shoreline

Several offshore wind power projects are under consideration in the United States. A concern with any such project is the visual disamenity it may create. Using a stated preference choice model, we estimated the external costs to residents of the state of Delaware for offshore wind turbines located at different distances from the coast. The annual costs to inland residents was $19, $9, $1, and $0 (2006 dollars) per household for turbines located at 0.9, 3.6, 6, and 9 miles offshore. The cost to residents living near the ocean was $80, $69, $35, and $27 per household for the same increments. (JEL Q42, Q51)
Using Dependency Relations to Improve Test Case Generation from UML Statecharts

In model-based testing the size of the used model has a great impact on the time for computing test cases. In model checking, dependence relations have been used in slicing of specifications in order to obtain reduced models pertinent to criteria of interest. In specifications described using state based formalisms slicing involves the removal of transitions and merging of states thus obtaining a structural modified specification. Using such a specification for model based test case generation where sequences of transitions represent test cases might provide traces that are not valid on a correctly behaving implementation. In order to avoid such trouble, we suggest the use of control, data and communication dependences for identifying parts of the model that can be excluded so that the remaining specification can be safely employed for test case generation. This information is included in test purposes which are then used in the test case generation process. We present also first empirical results obtained by using several models from industry and literature.
"ANFIS" Neuro-Fuzzy Modeling of a Pneumatic Leak Testing System

The Neuro-Fuzzy modeling research of a pneumatic leak testing system based on the construction of a series of models built from data generated using a mathematical model of the system is presented. Sub-problems related with fuzzy modeling such as structure specification, parameter estimation and model evaluation were analyzed. Many alternatives were tested and compared. The model selected can predict the internal pressure in the object to be tested with a little RMS error and achieve an optimal balance between prediction accuracy and model complexity, based on statistical information criteria.
The Four-Loop Dressing Phase of N=4 SYM

We compute the dilatation generator in the su(2) sector of planar N = 4 super Yang-Mills theory at four-loops. We use the known world-sheet scattering matrix to constrain the structure of the generator. The remaining few coefficients can be computed directly from Feynman diagrams. This allows us to confirm previous conjectures for the leading contribution to the dressing phase which is proportional to ζ(3).
Prevalence of HIV and Syphilis Infection among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: A Meta-Analysis

Objectives. To figure out the most current prevalence of HIV and syphilis in MSM in China. Methods. A meta-analysis was conducted on the studies searched through PubMed, CNKI, and Wanfang published between 1 January 2009 and 11 April 2013. Results. Eighty-four eligible studies, either in Chinese or in English, were included in this review. The pooled prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection in MSM in China was 6.5% and 11.2%, respectively. The subgroup analyses indicated that the prevalence of HIV infection was higher in the economically less developed cities than that in the developed cities (7.5% versus 6.1%, P < 0.05). In contrast, the prevalence of syphilis infection was lower in less developed cities than in developed cities (8.6% versus 15.1%). Studies with a sample size smaller than 500 had a lower prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection than those with a sample size greater than 500 (5.9% versus 7.2% for HIV; 11.0% versus 11.5% for syphilis, respectively). Conclusions. HIV and syphilis infection are prevalent in MSM in China. The different prevalence of HIV and syphilis infection between developing and developed cities underscores the need to target prevention strategies based on economic conditions.
PROBABILISTIC INTERVALS OF CONFIDENCE

Abstract: High accuracy should not be the only goal of classification: information concerning probable alternatives diagnoses, probability of these diagnoses, evaluation of confidence in classification, are also important. Neural models are used just to obtain the winner class but do not provide any justification for their recommendations – they work as black boxes. A method which determine confidence intervals and probabilistic confidence intervals is presented here. It helps to evaluate the certainty of the winning class and the importance of alternative classes. Probabilistic intervals are also useful to compare the influence of each feature in classification of a given case, showing changes of the probability of all important classes. Probabilistic confidence intervals help to visualize the class memberships of a given case and its neighborhood.
Knowledge Management Systems Assessment : A Conceptual Framework And A Methodological Proposal

Modern management has discovered in knowledge a never ending source of wealth and competitive advantage for organisations. Nevertheless, for this to be as effective as it promises, a sound conceptual framework and good methodologies for Knowledge Management (KM) are needed. This paper addresses these two critical aspects of KM, focusing on the assessment function of a KM System (KMS). The paper starts describing the conceptual approach adopted, and then continues presenting the methodology proposed, aiming at obtaining a comprehensive profile of a KMS to assess the maturity level of the system. A clear differentiation of system management and operational functions is introduced, to produce a set of indicators that clearly identifies system’s critical resources and functions. These indicators are regarded as key information to start an improvement process of the KMS. The methodological proposal is based on a conceptual model which articulates three theoretical contributions: the feedbacked management cycle inspired in organisational 1 Paper submitted for IAMOT 2000, Conference on Technology Management, Track 15 – Knowledge Management 2 Mario L Vasquez (mvasquez@netcom.ca) is an associate consultant of Xeon Technology Corporation. Systems Engineer from EAFIT University and MSc in Technology Management from UPB University (Medellin, Colombia). He has worked as an IT Business Developer and Consultant for eight years and KM researcher for the last two. 3 Carlos F. Gomez (cgomezj@eeppm.com. ) is an Organisational Planning Specialist from Empresas Publicas de Medellin. Mechanical Engineer and MSc in Technology Management from UPB University. 4 Ana M. Lopez (ana.m.lopez@co.unisys.com) is an Information Technology Consultant from Unisys de Colombia. Systems Engineer from EAFIT University and MSc in Technology Management from UPB University. 5 Dr. Jorge Robledo (jrobledo@logos.upb.edu.co) is the Director of the Technology Management and Policy Research Group, UPB University. He has worked before for Colciencias (the Colombian Institute for the Development of Science and Technology) and for several electrical utilities as consulting engineer. He holds a professional diploma in Mechanical Engineering (National University of Colombia), a MSc in Electrical Generation Systems (Valle University at Cali, Colombia) and Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy Studies (University of Sussex at Brighton, UK).
Software Quality and Management: How the World's Most Powerful Software Makers do it

Abstract Controlling software quality is a major challenge in modern software development projects. This article looks at software development practices at the two largest producers of software, IBM and Microsoft, and compares them against the Software Engineering Institute's (SEI) Capability Maturity Model (CMM). It concludes that rigorous quality controls and the CMM's basic premise for reaching higher maturity are still the best ways to produce quality software.