Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Diagnosis of Central Nervous System Tuberculosis by T-Cell-Based Assays on Peripheral Blood and Cerebrospinal Fluid Mononuclear Cells

ABSTRACT In active tuberculosis (TB), Mycobacterium tuberculosis-specific T cells are compartmentalized more to the site of infection than to the circulating blood. Therefore, an M. tuberculosis-specific enzyme-linked immunospot (ELISPOT) assay with samples from the site of infection may permit a more sensitive or specific diagnosis of active central nervous system (CNS) TB than that achieved by the assay with blood alone. Therefore, we prospectively evaluated the usefulness of circulating and compartmentalized mononuclear cell (MC; i.e., peripheral blood mononuclear cell [PBMC] and cerebrospinal fluid [CSF] MC)-based ELISPOT assays (i.e., the T-SPOT.TB test) for the diagnosis of active TB in patients with suspected CNS TB. The clinical categories of CNS TB were classified as described previously (G. E. Thwaites, T. T. Chau, K. Stepniewska, N. H. Phu, L. V. Chuong, D. X. Sinh, N. J. White, C. M. Parry, and J. J. Farrar, Lancet 360:1287-1292, 2002). Thirty-seven patients with suspected CNS TB were enrolled over a 12-month period. Of these, 31 (84%) showed clinical manifestations of suspected TB meningitis and 6 (16%) gave indications of intracranial tuberculoma with disseminated TB. The final clinical categories of the 37 patients with suspected CNS TB were as follows: 12 (32%) were classified as having CNS TB (7 with confirmed TB, 3 with probable TB, and 2 with possible TB) and 25 (68%) were classified as not having active TB. The sensitivity and specificity of the PBMC ELISPOT assay were 91% (95% confidence interval [CI], 59% to 100%) and 63% (95% CI, 41% to 81%), respectively. By comparison, the sensitivity and specificity of the CSF MC ELISPOT assay were 75% (95% CI, 19% to 99%) and 75% (95% CI, 43% to 95%), respectively. When the ratio of the CSF MC ELISPOT assay results to the PBMC ELISPOT results was 2 or more, the sensitivity and specificity were 50% (95% CI, 7% to 93%) and 100% (95% CI, 74% to 100%), respectively. The ELISPOT assay with PBMCs and CSF MCs is a useful adjunct to the current tests for the diagnosis of CNS TB.
Zinc-α2-Glycoprotein Is Associated With Insulin Resistance in Humans and Is Regulated by Hyperglycemia, Hyperinsulinemia, or Liraglutide Administration

OBJECTIVE Zinc-α2-glycoprotein (ZAG) has been proposed to play a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. Previous studies in humans and in rodents have produced conflicting results regarding the link between ZAG and insulin resistance. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between ZAG and insulin resistance in cross-sectional and interventional studies. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS Serum ZAG (determined with ELISA) was compared with various parameters related to insulin resistance in subjects with normal glucose tolerance, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and in women with or without polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Euglycemic-hyperinsulinemic clamps were performed in healthy and PCOS women. Real-time RT-PCR and Western blotting were used to assess mRNA and protein expression of ZAG. The effect of a glucagon-like peptide-1 agonist on ZAG was studied in a 12-week liraglutide treatment trial. RESULTS Circulating ZAG was lower in patients with IGT and newly diagnosed T2DM than in controls. Circulating ZAG correlated positively with HDL cholesterol and adiponectin, and correlated inversely with BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, body fat percentage, triglycerides, fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, HbA1c, and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). On multivariate analysis, ZAG was independently associated with BMI, HOMA-IR, and adiponectin. ZAG mRNA and protein were decreased in adipose tissue of T2DM patients. Moreover, circulating ZAG levels were lower in women with PCOS than in women with high insulin sensitivity. Liraglutide treatment for 12 weeks significantly increased circulating ZAG levels. CONCLUSIONS We conclude that ZAG may be an adipokine associated with insulin resistance.
Vision impairment and older drivers: who’s driving?

Aim: To establish the association between impaired vision and drivers’ decisions to stop driving, voluntarily restrict driving, and motor vehicle accidents. Methods: Driving related questions were included in a population based study that determined the prevalence and incidence of eye disease. Stratified random cluster samples based on census collector districts were selected from the Melbourne Statistical Division. Eligible participants aged 44 years and over were interviewed and underwent a comprehensive ophthalmic examination. The outcomes of interest were the decision to stop driving, limiting driving in specified conditions, and driving accidents. The associations between these outcomes and the legally prescribed visual acuity (<6/12) for a driver’s licence were investigated. Results: The mean age of the 2594/3040 (85%) eligible participants was 62.5 (range 44–101). People with visual acuity less than 6/12 were no more likely to have an accident than those with better vision (χ2 = 0.175, p>0.9). Older drivers with impaired vision, more so than younger adults, restrict their driving in visually demanding situations (p<0.05). Of the current drivers, 2.6% have vision less than that required to obtain a driver’s licence. The risk of having an accident increased with distance driven (OR 2.57, CL 1.63, 4.04 for distance >31 000 km) but not with age. Conclusion: There was no greater likelihood of self reported driving accidents for drivers with impaired vision than those with good vision. While many older drivers with impaired vision limit their driving in adverse conditions and some drivers with impaired vision stop driving, there are a significant number of current drivers with impaired vision.
Perceived Risk and Self-Efficacy Regarding Internet Security in a Marginalized Community

As part of the ongoing CRISP project (Communicating Risk in Internet Security and Privacy), we conducted a user study in a marginalized community to better understand community members' interactions with computers and the Internet in terms of security and privacy. We used the Health Belief Model to understand what factors affect members' behavior when a potential attack is present. In particular, we focused on two factors, perceived risk and self-efficacy, and interviewed 44 participants about them. In this paper, we report our preliminary quantitative and qualitative findings.
Risk factors for postpartum uterine infections in dairy herds.

The association between some risk factors and the presentation of post-partum uterine infections in dairy cattle has been established. However, this association is not comprehensive and the role of other factors has not been widely studied. Here the importance of age, parity, calving season, dystocia and retained foetal membranes (RFMs) was established as some of the potential risk factors for uterine infections. Cases studied occurred at two English dairy farms: Farm A (n= 463) and Farm B (n=361) that had calved between January and December 2009. It was found that Farm B reported a higher prevalence of uterine infections based on age, parity and calving season (24% vs. 16%). Farm A reported a higher prevalence of uterine infections based on retained foetal membranes (8.9% vs. 5%) and dystocia (11.9% vs. 6.9%). Both farms reported significant effect on age (χ2 = 19.35, df 2, p
Edge-event-based multi-agent consensus with Zeno-free triggers under synchronized/unsynchronized clocks

In this paper, we present novel edge-event-based triggering algorithms to achieve multi-agent consensus with Zeno-free triggers. The control inputs and triggering conditions for each agent are designed based only on relative state measurements in each agent's own local coordinate system. The existence of strictly positive minimal inter-event times guarantees the elimination of Zeno behaviour. Two cases, namely the synchronized clock case and the unsynchronized clock case, are studied. In the synchronized clock case, all agents are activated simultaneously to measure the relative state information over edge links under a global clock. Edge events are defined and their occurrences trigger the update of control inputs for the two agents sharing the link. We show that average consensus can be achieved with our proposed algorithm. In the unsynchronized clock case, each agent executes control algorithms under its own clock which is not synchronized with other agents' clocks. An edge event only triggers control input update for an individual agent. Detailed explanations and analysis are provided to show that all agents will reach consensus in a totally asynchronous manner. Numerical simulations are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed algorithms.
Detection and characterization of Leptospira interrogans isolates from pet rats belonging to a human immunodeficiency virus-positive patient with leptospirosis.

Leptospirosis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease that can be transmitted to humans by direct or indirect contact with the contaminated urine of infected animals (Levett, 2001). Rodents are an important reservoir of Leptospira (Faine et al., 1999; Levett, 2001). In Germany, leptospirosis is a notifiable disease with a low but increasing incidence (0.06 per 100 000 population, from 1998 to 2003) with 30–50 laboratory confirmed cases per year (Jansen et al., 2005). The microagglutination test (MAT) is the standard method for serological diagnosis (Levett, 2001; WHO, 2003), but antibodies are not detectable in blood until 5 to 7 days after the onset of symptoms (Levett, 2003).
Facial expression classification by temporal template features

In this paper, we proposed the facial expression recognition framework for estimating the emotional states by measuring the variations of facial activities under the context of human-machine interaction. The state of the art researches frequently estimate the facial expression by using a still image, which often mistaken recognize the input image as another emotion expression. In this paper, we deal with the problem by modeling the temporal template from the facial image sequences by using Motion History Image (MHI) or Cumulative Change of Feature (CCF), then we apply these features into the conventional linear classifier (EMC) or non-linear classifiers (KEMC and KNN). As a result, the temporal template can describe the facial expression with the fix number of feature dimensions regardless to the expression duration. Implicitly, MHI describes the order of the actions, while CCF displays the facial muscle activation levels.
Oxidation of leucine and alpha-ketoisocaproate to beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate in vivo.

The oxidation of alpha-ketoisocaproate (KIC) to beta-hydroxy-beta-methylbutyrate (HMB) by the enzyme KIC dioxygenase has been previously described in rat and human liver; however, the importance of this pathway in normal leucine metabolism has not yet been assessed. A series of experiments was conducted in young lambs and pigs to determine whether HMB is produced from KIC in vivo and to estimate the importance of this pathway in leucine metabolism. In the first study, lambs were fed a bolus of KIC, and the change in plasma HMB concentration was monitored over a 24-h period. Administration of KIC increased plasma HMB from basal concentrations of 2 to approximately 7 microM 4 h after the supplementation. In the second experiment, lambs were infused with [6,6,6-2H3]KIC into the duodenum, and the appearance of labeled [2H3]HMB was measured. Under basal conditions, a minimum of 18% of the HMB was derived from KIC, but when unlabeled KIC was infused into the duodenum at a rate of 1.6 mumol.kg-1.min-1, plasma HMB concentration doubled, and essentially 100% of the HMB present was derived from KIC. In a third experiment, young pigs were infused with [6,6,6-2H3]leucine. At steady state, [2H3]-leucine and HMB enrichments were nearly identical, indicating that plasma HMB is derived solely from leucine. In a fourth experiment, both lambs and pigs were injected intravenously with 600 mg of HMB daily, and urinary HMB excretion was quantitated. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
D black holes and holomorphic factorization of the 0 A matrix model

In this letter, we relate the free energy of the 0A matrix model to the sum of topological and anti-topological string amplitudes. For arbitrary integer multiples of the matrix model self-dual radius we describe the geometry on which the corresponding topological string propagates. This geometry is not the one that follows from the usual ground ring analysis, but in a sense its “holomorphic square root”. Mixing of terms for different genus in the matrix model free energy yields one-loop terms compatible with type II strings on compact Calabi–Yau target spaces. As an application, we give an explicit example of how to relate the 0A matrix model free energy to that of a four-dimensional black hole in type IIB theory, compactified on a compact Calabi–Yau. Variables, Legendre transforms, and large classical terms on both sides match perfectly.
Long-Term Sickness Absence Due to Burnout: Absentees' Experiences

In the late 1990s, there was a marked increase in Sweden in long-term sickness absence with mental diagnoses. In the extensive research on burnout, little attention has been paid to the link with sickness absence. Our aim in this study was to discover what caused burnout, or such severe stress that it led to long-term sickness absence (> 28 days). We interviewed 32 individuals on long-term sickness absence with a diagnosis of burnout and used grounded theory to analyze the data. We believe that events prior to the sickness absence can be understood as a process of emotional deprivation, and we described the process in terms of a flight of stairs with eight steps: “The Burnout Stairs. ” We argue that the emotion conveying the process of emotional deprivation is unacknowledged shame, which has its basis in poor social relations at work. We discuss the study's limitations and the need for further research in this field.
Product and Service Configuration for the Masses

This paper describes a software system codenamed OfferIt! that we realized during last year to deliver a user-friendly tool for rapid development of product and service configuration systems based on constraint programming. With this tool, personnel with no programming skills can easily develop a full-fledged configuration system quickly and reliably. First, the domain of the configuration is modeled in terms of (i) a structural description, (ii) a set of constraints, and (iii) a set of optimization criteria. Then, the Web-based, internationalized user interface of the configuration system is realized with an integrated WYSIWYG editor. In the first part of this paper, we describe the design rationale behind OfferIt! and we motivate the urge of a similar system. Then, we provide a detailed, yet informal, description of the abstractions that it provides. Finally, we give some hints on how OfferIt! turns a model of a configuration system into a running application ready for end users.
RNA degradation drives stem cell differentiation

The mechanisms by which multi‐potent stem cells switch their program to become functional differentiated cells have intrigued biologists for decades. Most focus has been on transcriptional pathways, but whether they have sufficient dynamic range to cause discrete shifts in cell state is not clear. Because the steady‐state level of RNAs is also dictated by their decay rate, an attractive possibility is that specific RNA decay mechanisms also have a role in promoting differentiation mechanisms. In this issue of The EMBO Journal, Li et al (2015) obtained evidence that a highly conserved RNA degradation pathway called nonsense‐mediated RNA decay (NMD) is critical for the differentiation of embryonic stem (ES) cells.
The ATPase Activity of BfpD Is Greatly Enhanced by Zinc and Allosteric Interactions with Other Bfp Proteins*

Type IV pilus biogenesis, protein secretion, DNA transfer, and filamentous phage morphogenesis systems are thought to possess similar architectures and mechanisms. These multiprotein complexes include members of the PulE superfamily of putative NTPases that have extensive sequence similarity and probably similar functions as the energizers of macromolecular transport. We purified the PulE homologue BfpD of the enteropathogenic Escherichia coli bundle-forming pilus (BFP) biogenesis machine and characterized its ATPase activity, providing new insights into its mode of action. Numerous techniques revealed that BfpD forms hexamers in the presence of nucleotide. Hexameric BfpD displayed weak ATPase activity. We previously demonstrated that the N termini of membrane proteins BfpC and BfpE recruit BfpD to the cytoplasmic membrane. Here, we identified two BfpD-binding sites, BfpE39-76 and BfpE77-114, in the N terminus of BfpE using a yeast two-hybrid system. Isothermal titration calorimetry and protease sensitivity assays showed that hexameric BfpD-ATPγS binds to BfpE77-114, whereas hexameric BfpD-ADP binds to BfpE39-76. Interestingly, the N terminus of BfpC and BfpE77-114 together increased the ATPase activity of hexameric BfpD over 1200-fold to a Vmax of 75.3 μmol of Pi min-1 mg-1, which exceeds by over 1200-fold the activity of other PulE family members. This augmented activity occurred only in the presence of Zn2+. We conclude that allosteric interactions between BfpD and BfpC and BfpE dramatically stimulate its ATPase activity. The differential nucleotide-dependent binding of hexameric BfpD to BfpE39-76 and BfpE77-114 suggests a model for the mechanism by which BfpD transduces mechanical energy to the biogenesis machine.
Rodent problems in range rehabilitation

Author(s): Everett, Richard; Monsen, Steve | Abstract: Seed predation by rodents has limited successful re-establishment of desirable shrubs, forbs, and grasses on degraded western rangelands. We need to develop methods that temporarily reduce rodent numbers or their predation of planted seed if we are to establish diverse rangeland plant communities. Range site conversion treatments of chaining, prescribed burning, spraying, or drilling have not been effective in reducing deer mice populations. However, seed predation has been reduced by adopting seeding strategies that mimic natural seed predation avoidance mechanisms. Seedings have been designed to mimic the "satiation" strategy for plant establishment by providing more seed and sacrifice foods than can be utilized by the resident rodent population. Seed has been planted in the spring when rodent populations are low, seed has been buried to hinder location, and seeded species have been selected for low rodent preference. Chemical repellents and rodenticides have also enhanced seeding success, but environmental concerns have limited their application.
Microsatellites in the Endangered Species Dyckia distachya (Bromeliaceae) and Cross-Amplification in Other Bromeliads

Microsatellite markers were isolated in Dyckia distachya, an endangered bromeliad from southern Brazil, which will be useful to assess the population genetic structure and reproductive success in introduced and natural populations of this species. Twenty microsatellite loci were developed from an enriched genomic library, and nine of these were amplified. The loci were characterized in 43 individuals from introduced and wild D. distachya populations. All nine loci were polymorphic, with four to ten alleles per locus. In an introduced population the observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.136–0.667 and 0.543–0.877, respectively, while in a wild population it ranged from 0.000 to 0.895 and from 0.050 to 0.811, respectively. The development of these microsatellite markers will contribute to investigations of the reproductive potential and viability of introduced populations of D. distachya as well as the single known wild population. Cross-amplification in other Bromeliaceae species was successful, with high rates in four loci, demonstrating the applicability of these microsatellite markers in other taxa.
A 0.6V 6.4fJ/conversion-step 10-bit 150MS/s subranging SAR ADC in 40nm CMOS

A 0.6V 10-bit 150MS/s single-channel asynchronous subranging SAR ADC using a settling-time relief technique is presented. The technique extends the allocated DAC settling time with the assistance of a coarse ADC and minimizes digital loop delay so that it can reach high speed and low power at a 0.6V supply. This ADC consumes 0.264mW at 150MS/s in 40nm CMOS technology. It achieves an SNDR of 50.5dB at Nyquist rate and results in an FoM of 6.4fJ/c. -s. The core circuit only occupies an area of 0.0063 mm2.
The Genetic Architecture of Maize Stalk Strength

Stalk strength is an important trait in maize (Zea mays L.). Strong stalks reduce lodging and maximize harvestable yield. Studies show rind penetrometer resistance (RPR), or the force required to pierce a stalk rind with a spike, is a valid approximation of strength. We measured RPR across 4,692 recombinant inbreds (RILs) comprising the maize nested association mapping (NAM) panel derived from crosses of diverse inbreds to the inbred, B73. An intermated B73×Mo17 family (IBM) of 196 RILs and a panel of 2,453 diverse inbreds from the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station (NCRPIS) were also evaluated. We measured RPR in three environments. Family-nested QTL were identified by joint-linkage mapping in the NAM panel. We also performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) in each panel. Broad sense heritability computed on a line means basis was low for RPR. Only 8 of 26 families had a heritability above 0.20. The NCRPIS diversity panel had a heritability of 0.54. Across NAM and IBM families, 18 family-nested QTL and 141 significant GWAS associations were identified for RPR. Numerous weak associations were also found in the NCRPIS diversity panel. However, few were linked to loci involved in phenylpropanoid and cellulose synthesis or vegetative phase transition. Using an identity-by-state (IBS) relationship matrix estimated from 1.6 million single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and RPR measures from 20% of the NAM panel, genomic prediction by GBLUP explained 64±2% of variation in the remaining RILs. In the NCRPIS diversity panel, an IBS matrix estimated from 681,257 SNPs and RPR measures from 20% of the panel explained 33±3% of variation in the remaining inbreds. These results indicate the high genetic complexity of stalk strength and the potential for genomic prediction to hasten its improvement.
A Conceptual Rhetoric of the Composition.

LET'S ASSUME that the expository paper-the sort of paper most of our students are going to be writing most of the time-has some central, unifying concept to it. Or more realistically, let's assume the instructor wishes there to be some such central concept. It seems to me then that such a concept is analagous to the Topic Sentence of the paragraph, or to the base clause of the sentence-it is the bare necessity of exposition upon which all other structures in some sense depend. But let's go a little bit further. Let's hypothesize a sentence embodying the sort of concept just mentioned, the sentence in its turn serving as the Topic Sentence of a developed, but still rather general paragraph. If we can conceptualize such a structure, we end up, or so it seems to me, conceiving of what ought to be the first paragraph of that sequence of structurally related paragraphs called a composition.