Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Seasonal variation in daily patterns of social contacts in the European badger Meles meles

Social interactions among hosts influence the persistence and spread of infectious pathogens. Daily and seasonal variation in the frequency and type of social interactions will play an important role in disease epidemiology and, alongside other factors, may have an influence on wider disease dynamics by causing seasonal forcing of infection, especially if the seasonal variation experienced by a population is considerable. We explored temporal variation in within- group contacts in a high- density population of European badgers Meles meles naturally infected with Mycobacterium bovis (the causative agent of bovine tuberculosis). Summer contacts were more likely and of longer duration during the daytime, while the frequency and duration of winter contacts did not differ between day and night. In spring and autumn, within- group contacts peaked at dawn and dusk, corresponding with when they were of shortest duration with reduced potential for aerosol transmission of pathogens. Summer and winter could be critical for transmission of M. bovis in badgers, due to the high frequency and duration of contacts during resting periods, and we discuss the links between this result and empirical disease data. This study reveals clear seasonality in daily patterns of contact frequency and duration in species living in stable social groups, suggesting that changes in social contacts could drive seasonal forcing of infection in wildlife populations even when the number of individuals interacting remains similar.
Inference of gene networks associated with the host response to infectious disease

Inspired by the problem of inferring gene networks associated with the host response to infectious diseases, a new framework for discriminative factor models is developed. Bayesian shrinkage priors are employed to impose (near) sparsity on the factor loadings, while non-parametric techniques are utilized to infer the number of factors needed to represent the data. Two discriminative Bayesian loss functions are investigated, i.e. the logistic log-loss and the max-margin hinge loss. Efficient mean-field variational Bayesian inference and Gibbs sampling are implemented. To address large-scale datasets, an online version of variational Bayes is also developed. Experimental results on two realworld microarray-based gene expression datasets show that the proposed framework achieves comparatively superior classification performance, with model interpretation delivered via pathway association analysis.
Knowledge about the presence or absence of miRNA isoforms (isomiRs) can successfully discriminate amongst 32 TCGA cancer types

Abstract Isoforms of human miRNAs (isomiRs) are constitutively expressed with tissue- and disease-subtype-dependencies. We studied 10 271 tumor datasets from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) to evaluate whether isomiRs can distinguish amongst 32 TCGA cancers. Unlike previous approaches, we built a classifier that relied solely on ‘binarized’ isomiR profiles: each isomiR is simply labeled as ‘present’ or ‘absent’. The resulting classifier successfully labeled tumor datasets with an average sensitivity of 90% and a false discovery rate (FDR) of 3%, surpassing the performance of expression-based classification. The classifier maintained its power even after a 15× reduction in the number of isomiRs that were used for training. Notably, the classifier could correctly predict the cancer type in non-TCGA datasets from diverse platforms. Our analysis revealed that the most discriminatory isomiRs happen to also be differentially expressed between normal tissue and cancer. Even so, we find that these highly discriminating isomiRs have not been attracting the most research attention in the literature. Given their ability to successfully classify datasets from 32 cancers, isomiRs and our resulting ‘Pan-cancer Atlas’ of isomiR expression could serve as a suitable framework to explore novel cancer biomarkers.
Plasmodium falciparum gametocytaemia with chloroquine chemotherapy in persistent malaria in an endemic area of India.

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE Gametocyte sex-ratio in Plasmodium falciparum malaria is an important determinant of transmission success and basis of disease epidemiology. Information on ratio of male to female gametocytes after an exposure of antimalarial regimens under field conditions is very limited. In this retrospective study we observed high densities of gametocytes along with high sex-ratio in P. falciparum cases, which may be responsible for persistent malaria transmission in this area. METHODS Laksar PHC of Hardwar district, Uttarakhand State, India was selected because it contributed 90 per cent of the total malaria cases. A total of 568 uncomplicated P. falciparum malaria patients were assessed to investigate prevalence of gametocytes while 339 P. falciparum thick smears containing 5620 gametocytes were screened for measuring the gametocyte density for microgametocyte (male) and macrogametocyte (female). Homology of variance ('F' test) was checked on days 7 and 14 including the variables and risk factors namely fever, parasitaemia, gametocyte carriage in sensitive and resistant chloroquine treated P. falciparum cases. RESULTS Slide positivity rate (SPR) increased drastically from 0.23 to 11.4 per cent with the predominance in P. falciparum infection after 1998. All 568 cases showed gametocytes in their peripheral blood, of which 109 (19%) were infected with rings and gametocytes and 459 (81%) had gametocytes stages in their peripheral blood while 422 (74.3%) cases were infected with ring stages only. Of the 339 P. falciparum positive blood smears, 5620 gametocytes were screened for their sex-ratio. The mean sex-ratio was 0.31 (3.22 female per male). Prevalence of gametocytaemia was significantly higher (P<0.05) in chloroquine (CQ)- resistant than in CQ-sensitive patients with days 7 and 14 follow up. The homology of variance with risk factors for gametocytes on days 7 and 14 were highly significant (P<0.001) in the study period but during the post-exposure period of days 3 and 5, these were insignificantly correlated. INTERPRETATION & CONCLUSION A high density of P. falciparum gametocytes was observed at the time of preparation of blood slide on day 0. Improper chloroquine treatment along with poor patient compliance for radical treatment and the presence of chloroquine resistant P. falciparum malaria may have enhanced the prevalence and density of P. falciparum gametocytes which was instrumental in signaling the persistent malaria in this area.
Reaction time, memory strength, and fMRI activity during memory retrieval: Hippocampus and default network are differentially responsive during recollection and familiarity judgments

Retrieval is often subdivided into recollection and familiarity. Memory strength and reaction time (RT) differ for each, complicating functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) studies of these processes. Recollection leads to greater activity in the hippocampus and default network (DN). Increased DN activity with recollection is thought to reflect self-referential processes, but prior studies have not accounted for varying RT, which modulates DN activity and is consistently faster for recollection than for familiarity. This study examined the influence of RT and memory strength on recollection and familiarity activity. The results show the hippocampus functionally dissociated from DN during retrieval. DN was generally influenced by RT and signal was suppressed when subjects were task-engaged in recollection or familiarity; suppression was greater for slower trials of either type. The hippocampus showed a positive deflection of fMRI activity only for recollection trials; activation was greater for slower recollection trials, but RT did not influence hippocampal activity during familiarity trials.
Genericity versus inheritance

Genericity, as in Ada or ML, and inheritance, as in object-oriented languages, are two alternative techniques for ensuring better extendibility, reusability and compatibility of software components. This article is a comparative analysis of these two methods. It studies their similarities and differences and assesses to what extent each may be simulated in a language offering only the other. It shows what features are needed to successfully combine the two approaches in a statically typed language and presents the main features of the programming language Eiffel, whose design, resulting in part from this study, includes multiple inheritance and limited form of genericity under full static typing.
Aortitis, periaortitis, and retroperitoneal fibrosis, as manifestations of IgG4-related systemic disease

Purpose of reviewIn last few years, there have been significant advances in our understanding of a newly recognized condition known as IgG4-related systemic disease. This review will focus on IgG4-related systemic disease as a cause of thoracic aortitis, inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm or periaortitis, and retroperitoneal fibrosis. Recent findingsA significant fraction of thoracic lymphoplasmacytic aortitis cases, about 40% of inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysms/abdominal periaortitis cases, and a portion of retroperitoneal fibrosis cases are all caused by IgG4-related systemic disease. Assessing pathologic specimens for the fraction of plasma cells that express IgG4 is useful in identifying patients with this disorder. Recently reported data may indicate IgG4-related aortic disease to be more common than widely realized. SummaryIgG4-related systemic disease is a newly recognized disorder that may manifest as thoracic aortitis, inflammatory abdominal aortic aneurysm or retroperitoneal fibrosis. IgG4-related systemic disease should be considered in any patient found to have aortitis or periaortitis. Further studies into diagnostic criteria, disease prevalence, prognosis, therapeutic interventions, and differentiating possible localized hypersensitivity reactions from systemic disease are areas of active investigation. Criteria are presented for the pathologic diagnosis of IgG4-related aortitis.
Increased Binding of Epidermal Growth Factor to Placental Membranes of Intrauterine Growth Restricted Fetal Rats

To examine the relationship between nutrient supply and fetal and placental growth, we examined epidermal growth factor (EGF) binding to membranes prepared from placentas of growthrestricted fetal rats. Intrauterine growth retardation was accomplished by unilateral ligation of the uterine artery; fetal rats on the contralateral uterine horn served as controls. Fetal growth restriction was accompanied by decreased placental wt at 19 and 20 days' gestation and significantly decreased placental glycogen content at 20 and 21 days, 30% and 15%, respectively. Placental DNA content and protein/DNA ratios were similar in the growthrestricted and control groups. Specific binding of 125I-EGF was increased in growth-restricted placentas at 19 and 20 days' gestation by 32% and 16%, respectively. 125I-EGF binding at 20- 21 days increased linearly with the extent of placental growth restriction. Competitive binding experiments yielded linear Scatchard plots with an increased receptor density in growth-restricted placenta at 19 and 20 days' gestation, 74% and 60%, respectively. Binding affinities for the EGF receptor were similar in the two groups. The increased binding of EGF to membranes prepared from growth-restricted fetal rats may serve to enhance nutrient uptake under conditions of decreased uterine blood flow.
Comments on "New Results on Frame-Proof Codes and Traceability Schemes"

The paper "New Results on Frame-Proof Codes and Traceability Schemes" claims to give results for two code classes, frame-proof codes and traceability schemes, in the form of lower bounds on the maximum code size, and explicit code constructions. We will here briefly review the four claims of, noting that the proofs and constructions presented in fail, and that the claims also contradict previously published upper bounds.
A Sector Advanced Technique to improve dynamic response of a Direct Torque Controlled induction motor

Several techniques are available for speed control of induction motor drive. The Direct Torque Control (DTC) method is simple and efficient because of independence of rotor parameters and free from d-q transformation. It is observed that dynamics of DTC drive can be improved by using estimators, observers, and machine intelligence systems. This paper proposes a new technique namely Sector Advancing Technique (SAT) for reducing the response time of the drive for a known torque command. Simulation studies are carried out using MATLAB/SIMULINK and results of DTC with SAT over conventional DTC are presented.
Medialization Thyroplasty Using Autologous Nasal Septal Cartilage for Treating Unilateral Vocal Fold Paralysis

Objectives A persistent insufficiency of glottal closure is mostly a consequence of impaired unilateral vocal fold movement. Functional surgical treatment is required because of the consequential voice, breathing and swallowing impairments. The goal of the study was to determine the functional voice outcomes after medialization thyroplasty with using autologous septal cartilage from the nose. Methods External vocal fold medialization using autologous nasal septal cartilage was performed on 15 patients (6 females and 9 males; age range, 30 to 57 years). Detailed functional examinations were performed for all the patients before and after the surgery and this included perceptual voice assessment, laryngostroboscopic examination and acoustic voice analysis. Results All the patients reported improvement of voice quality post-operatively. Laryngostroboscopy revealed almost complete glottal closure after surgery in the majority of patients. Acoustic and perceptual voice assessment showed significant improvement post-operatively. Conclusion Medialization thyroplasty using an autologous nasal septal cartilage implant offers good tissue tolerability and significant improvement of the subjective and objective functional voice outcomes.
Tla in Pictures Tla in Pictures

The charter of SRC is to advance both the state of knowledge and the state of the art in computer systems. From our establishment in 1984, we h a v e performed basic and applied research to support Digital's business objectives. Our current w ork includes exploring distributed personal computing on multiple platforms, networking, programming technology, system modelling and management techniques, and selected applications. Our strategy is to test the technical and practical value of our ideas by building hardware and software prototypes and using them as daily tools. Interesting systems are too complex to be evaluated solely in the abstract; extended use allows us to investigate their properties in depth. This experience is useful in the short term in rening our designs, and invaluable in the long term in advancing our knowledge. Most of the major advances in information systems have come through this strategy, including personal computing, distributed systems, and the Internet. We also perform complementary work of a more mathematical avor. Some of it is in established elds of theoretical computer science, such as the analysis of algorithms, computational geometry, and logics of programming. Other work explores new ground motivated by problems that arise in our systems research. We h a v e a strong commitment to communicating our results; exposing and testing our ideas in the research and development communities leads to improved understanding. Our research report series supplements publication in professional journals and conferences. We seek users for our prototype systems among those with whom we h a v e common interests, and we encourage collaboration with university researchers. This work may not be copied or reproduced in whole or in part for any commercial purpose. Permission to copy in whole or in part without payment of fee is granted for nonprot educational and research purposes provided that all such whole or partial copies include the following: a notice that such copying is by permission of the Systems Research Center of Digital Equipment Corporation in Palo Alto, California; an acknowledgment of the authors and individual contributors to the work; and all applicable portions of the copyright notice. Copying, reproducing, or republishing for any other purpose shall require a license with payment of fee to the Systems Research Center. All rights reserved. ii Author's Abstract Predicate-action diagrams, which are similar to standard state-transition diagrams, are interpreted as formulas of TLA (the Temporal Logic of Actions). We …
A agroindústria rural como geradora de renda: perscrutando fatores intervenientes

The generation of employment and income is recurring objective of development strategies. The basic strategy for this, in rural areas, used by institutional programs to stimulate rural development, is to enter rural agro-industries (RAs) in the market. However, different types of ARs exist in reality. This study aims to test a set of variables that theoretically influence the placement of RAs in the market to identify those related to the increase in income on the property. It also aims to verify whether the increase in farm income generated by the agriculture industry, is perceived differently by RAs managers, depending on the type of RA considered. It is used as theoretical basis, the New Institutional Economics and Economic Sociology. T he sample was comprised of 40 RAs of two micro-geographical analysis of the state of Santa Catarina. and data were collected through structured interviews, and operationalized by means of statistical correlation. To assess whether the different types of RAs perceive differently, the importance of the increased income, is used to linear regression as operational model. The results show that the process of agro-industrialization is effective in increasing farmers' income, being, however, perceived differently by different types of RAs.
Glucose Transporter 8 (GLUT8) Mediates Fructose-induced de Novo Lipogenesis and Macrosteatosis*

Background: GLUT8 is a facilitative fructose and glucose transporter expressed in liver. Results: GLUT8-deficient mice are resistant to fructose-induced fatty liver disease. Conclusion: Hexose transporters can mediate fructose-induced fatty liver disease. Significance: Hepatic hexose transporters represent a novel class of targets to prevent or modulate non-alcoholic fatty liver disease. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease in the world, and it is thought to be the hepatic manifestation of the metabolic syndrome. Excess dietary fructose causes both metabolic syndrome and NAFLD in rodents and humans, but the pathogenic mechanisms of fructose-induced metabolic syndrome and NAFLD are poorly understood. GLUT8 (Slc2A8) is a facilitative glucose and fructose transporter that is highly expressed in liver, heart, and other oxidative tissues. We previously demonstrated that female mice lacking GLUT8 exhibit impaired first-pass hepatic fructose metabolism, suggesting that fructose transport into the hepatocyte, the primary site of fructose metabolism, is in part mediated by GLUT8. Here, we tested the hypothesis that GLUT8 is required for hepatocyte fructose uptake and for the development of fructose-induced NAFLD. We demonstrate that GLUT8 is a cell surface-localized transporter and that GLUT8 overexpression or GLUT8 shRNA-mediated gene silencing significantly induces and blocks radiolabeled fructose uptake in cultured hepatocytes. We further show diminished fructose uptake and de novo lipogenesis in fructose-challenged GLUT8-deficient hepatocytes. Finally, livers from long term high-fructose diet-fed GLUT8-deficient mice exhibited attenuated fructose-induced hepatic triglyceride and cholesterol accumulation without changes in hepatocyte insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation. GLUT8 is thus essential for hepatocyte fructose transport and fructose-induced macrosteatosis. Fructose delivery across the hepatocyte membrane is thus a proximal, modifiable disease mechanism that may be exploited to prevent NAFLD.
Finding motifs using random projections

Pevzner and Sze [23] considered a precise version of the motif discovery problem and simultaneously issued an algorithmic challenge: find a motif M of length 15, where each planted instance differs from M in 4 positions. Whereas previous algorithms all failed to solve this (15,4)-motif problem. Pevzner and Sze introduced algorithms that succeeded. However, their algorithms failed to solve the considerably more difficult (14,4)-, (16,5)-, and (18,6)-motif problems. We introduce a novel motif discovery algorithm based on the use of random projections of the input's substrings. Experiments on simulated data demonstrate that this algorithm performs better than existing algorithms and, in particular, typically solves the difficult (14,4)-, (16,5)-, and (18,6)-motif problems quite efficiently. A probabilistic estimate shows that the small values of d for which the algorithm fails to recover the planted (l, d)-motif are in all likelihood inherently impossible to solve. We also present experimental results on realistic biological data by identifying ribosome binding sites in prokaryotes as well as a number of known transcriptional regulatory motifs in eukaryotes.
A CAD framework for the characterization and use of memristor models

In the recent years the missing fourth component, the memristor, was successfully synthesized. However, the mathematical complexity and variety of the models behind this component, in addition to the existence of convergence problems in the simulations, make the design of memristor-based applications long and difficult. In this work we present a memristor model characterization framework which supports the automated generation of subcircuit files. The proposed environment allows the designer to choose and parameterize the memristor model that best suits for a given application. The framework carries out characterizing simulations in order to study the possible non-convergence problems, solving the dependence on the simulation conditions and guaranteeing the functionality and performance of the design. Additionally, the occurrence of undesirable effects related to PVT variations is also taken into account. By performing a Monte Carlo or a corner analysis, the designer is aware of the safety margins which assure the correct device operation.
A comparison of nitrogen mustard and vinblastine sulfate in the treatment of patients with Hodgkin's disease.

In a crossover study the effectiveness of intermittent maintenance doses of nitrogen mustard was compared to that of vinblastine sulfate in the treatment of 61 patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease. Forty-five of the patients had had previous radiation therapy. Nine of 29 patients who received nitrogen mustard as the first drug had a complete response and five had a partial response. The comparative results in 32 patients receiving vinblastine sulfate first were nine complete responses and 13 partial responses. The median duration of the complete responses to each drug was 43 weeks. The partial responses were of shorter duration. When the second drug was given in adequate doses, almost as many patients responded with a similar median duration of response.It is concluded that nitrogen mustard and vinblastine sulfate are equally effective single agents in the treatment of patients with advanced Hodgkin's disease and that patient preference would favour vinblastine sulfate because of its negligible side effects.
Soft damper for quick stabilization of soft robotic actuator

The ability to alleviate undesired oscillation of a soft robotic actuator enables the reliable control of its degree of bending. This paper details a conceptual design and prototyping of a soft damper to enable quick stabilization of a rapid actuated soft actuator. A methodology evaluating oscillation attenuation is proposed. The soft damper is also tested under different degrees of bending as a proof of its effective and seamless integration with soft robotics.