Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Linear and non-linear HRV analysis as methods of cardiovascular risk evaluation in psoriatic and overweight subjects

The analysis of heart rate variability (HRV) has been used as a tool to evaluate the presence of the cardiovascular risks. As described in several studies the psoriasis and cardiovascular risk are strictly related. In our previous study we used the HRV variability for to demonstrate the increase of the cardiovascular risk in the moderate psoriasis. Present study has been designed to test whether it is possible to evaluate this increase of the cardiovascular risk by means new methods of analysis of the HRV in young subjects without conventional cardiovascular risk factors in various normal and pathophysiological conditions (Psoriasis, Overweigth, Psoriasis plus Overweigth). The analysis of heart rate variability was performed with both the classical linear methods (timeand frequency-domain analysis) and with the non-linear methods (Poincaré plot, Detrended Fluctuation Analysis and entropy analysis). Materials and Methods. 26 normal-weight and 11 overweight patients affected by moderate psoriasis were enrolled and each group was compared to a control group of 27 normal-weight and 12 overweigth subjects respectively. Results. Our data indicate that also with non-linear HRV analysis methods it is possible to observe in moderate psoriasis a balanced reduction of the parasympathetic heart modulation associated with an increased sympathetic modulation of sinus node. Our data indicate also that there are no statistically significant differences in HRV analysis (both linear and non linear methods) comparing overweight psoriatic and nonpsoriatic subjects. The non-linear analysis methods are a new easy possibility of to evaluate neurovegetative assessment and, because the increase in sympathetic activity may be associated with an increase in cardiovascular risk, we can conclude that moderate psoriasis might represent a possible independent cardiovascular risk as the overweigth evaluated also with these new methods. Key-Words: Heart rate variability, Linear methods, Non-linear methods, Cardiovascular Risk, Psoriasis, Overweigth
Signaling and Regulation HSP 70 Inhibition by the Small-Molecule 2-Phenylethynesulfonamide Impairs Protein Clearance Pathways in Tumor Cells

The evolutionarily conserved stress-inducible HSP70 molecular chaperone plays a central role in maintaining protein quality control in response to various forms of stress. Constitutively elevated HSP70 expression is a characteristic of many tumor cells and contributes to their survival. We recently identified the smallmolecule 2-phenylethyenesulfonamide (PES) as a novel HSP70 inhibitor. Here, we present evidence that PESmediated inhibition of HSP70 family proteins in tumor cells results in an impairment of the two major protein degradation systems, namely, the autophagy-lysosome system and the proteasome pathway. HSP70 family proteins work closely with the HSP90 molecular chaperone to maintain the stability and activities of their many client proteins, and PES causes a disruption in the HSP70/HSP90 chaperone system. As a consequence, many cellular proteins, including known HSP70/HSP90 substrates, accumulate in detergent-insoluble cell fractions, indicative of aggregation and functional inactivation. Overall, PES simultaneously disrupts several cancer critical survival pathways, supporting the idea of targeting HSP70 as a potential approach for cancer therapeutics. Mol Cancer Res; 9(7); 936–47. 2011 AACR.
A Velhice Pessoal no Imaginário de Estudantes de Enfermagem

Resumo: Para este novo contexto que se apresenta, em face das transformacoes e demandas sociais que emergem a partir do aumento vertiginoso da populacao idosa, ha a necessidade da formacao de recursos humanos, adequadamente qualificados, nas diversas areas do conhecimento, a fim de dar conta das necessidades oriundas deste estrato populacional. Com o objetivo de identificar as expectativas que os estudantes de enfermagem possuem sobre sua velhice realizou-se um estudo descritivo, do tipo exploratorio. Participaram 32 academicos, sendo que a coleta dos dados ocorreu por meio de instrumento, em que os alunos foram convidados a redigir livremente acerca do tema “como imagino minha velhice”. Para a analise das informacoes, os preceitos da analise de conteudo foram adotados. Emergiram expectativas positivas em relacao a velhice como ter situacao financeira estavel, poder manter os vinculos familiares, compartilhar ativamente o espaco domestico, ser uma pessoa saudavel, permanecer independente e com autonomia, podendo usufruir a condicao de ser idoso inserido socialmente e desfrutando sua cidadania. Os estudantes imaginam vivenciar a velhice de forma plena, saudavel, com boa condicao economica, sendo valorizado e, principalmente, mantendo os lacos familiares. Palavras-chave: Velhice. Enfermagem. Idoso. Envelhecimento Humano. Imaginario. Abstract: In this new context, face to changes and social demands that arise from the vertiginous increase of the elderly population, there is needed a human resource foundation, qualified in the different areas of knowledge, with the purpose of handling with the necessities that come from this part of the population. We made this study with the purpose of knowing the expectation that nursing students have about their own oldness. It is a descriptive and exploratory research. Thirty two students were part of the study, and data’s collection happened by instrument. The students were invited to write about the theme “how I imagine my oldness”. For the information’s analysis, we used the content analysis precepts. It emerged positive expectations related to the oldness, like having stable money conditions, maintaining familiars bonds, sharing actively the domestic space, and being a healthy person; keeping themselves independent and with autonomy, and having the possibility of enjoying the condition of being elderly, socially included and desfructing citizenship. The students imagine themselves in the oldness, living it intensively, healthy, in a good economic condition, being appreciated and, mainly, keeping the familiars bonds. Keywords: Oldness. Nursing. Elderly. Human Aging. Imaginary.
Automatic segmentation and clustering of speech using sparse coding and metaheuristic search

We propose a constrained shift and scale invariant sparse coding model for the purpose of unsupervised segmentation and clustering of speech into acoustically relevant sub-word units for automatic speech recognition. We introduce a novel local search algorithm that iteratively improves the acoustic relevance of the automatically-determined sub-word units from a random ini-tialization by repeated alignment and subsequent re-estimation with the training material. We also contribute an associated population-based metaheuristic optimisation procedure related to genetic approaches to achieve a global search for the most acoustically relevant set of sub-word units. A ﬁrst application of this metaheuristic search indicates that it yields an improvement over a corresponding local search. Using a subset of TIMIT for training, we also ﬁnd that some of the automatically-determined sub-word units in our ﬁnal dictionaries exhibit a strong correla-tion with the reference phonetic transcriptions. Furthermore, in some cases our sub-word transcriptions yield a compact set of often-used pronunciations. Informal listening tests indicate that the clustering is robust, and provides optimism that our approach will be suited to the task of generating pronunciation dictionaries that can be used for ASR.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Screening of Woman at High-Risk of Breast Cancer

MRI is an excellent option for detection of breast cancer for some selected groups, including those patients with a high probability to hit the disease. However, the high costs and low availability of the device have led to a decline in the application of imaging MRI. The aim of this study was to review usefulness of MRI as a new complementary way to detect breast cancer in routine annual checkup for women breasts of certain ages and breast mass. A cross-sectional Descriptive MRI study was performed on 105 asymptomatic women with a mean age of 49 years. The study group with at least one risk factor of breast cancer were presenting for routine annual screening or follow up at King Abdulaziz University Hospital in Jeddah. It has been found that, 48 patients had biopsy, they were recommended by magnetic resonance imaging and only 14 had positive results, while magnetic resonance imaging suggested 16 and mammography had 62 positive results. Magnetic resonance imaging is not recommended for the average-risk or the general population either; it had been advised for screening the high-risk women of breast cancer. Sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging has been found to be much higher than of mammography but specificity was generally lower. We propose that it is reasonable to consider MRI as a complement to mammography in screening patients who were at high risk for breast cancer because Magnetic Resonance Imaging can detect small foci that are occult in mammography but we don’t advise to check with the general population.
Toward A Contingent Urban Neoliberalism

Neoliberal governance has recently come to dominate U.S. and U.K. cities. This discussion explores an important idea that British and American urban geographers now grapple with: contingent urban neoliberalism. Four new understandings about these formations in U.S. and U.K. cities are discussed: they exist in historically and geographically specific forms, they are always complex cultural projects, they are enabled by production and use of space, and they are not end states but evolving processes. I suggest that this political project is anything but a "top-down" brute and desensitized imposition on cities. I believe it is best conceptualized as a series of differentiated, keenly negotiating, processural, and space-mobilizing constructions in new political and economic times. These governances, in general principal, are outgrowths of new economic times and circumstances. But they are constituted and reconstituted through the vagaries of the situated social hierarchies, political cultures, economic bases, and cultural understandings that create a patchwork of wildly varying governances.
Moving Text Analysis Tools to the Cloud

Text analysis is an important computational task, as unstructured data including text abound and can potentially provide interesting information and knowledge in a variety of areas. In our collaboration with Digital Humanists, we have started to examine the opportunities that the cloud offers to improving the response times of text-analysis tools so that users can comparatively analyze large text corpora across a variety of dimensions. To that end, we have started migrating existing text analysis tools to the cloud, beginning with TAPoR, the Text Analysis Portal for Research. In this paper, we discuss our experience redesigning and re-implementing four basic TAPoR operations on Hadoop and we report on the performance improvements enabled by the migration.
Principal component analysis of weak lensing surveys

Aims. We study degeneracies between cosmological parameters and measurement errors from cosmic shear surveys. We simulate realistic survey topologies with non-uniform sky coverage, and quantify the effect of survey geometry, depth and noise from intrinsic galaxy ellipticities on the parameter errors. This analysis allows us to optimise the survey geometry. Methods. We carry out a principal component analysis of the Fisher information matrix to assess the accuracy with which linear combinations of parameters can be determined. Using the shear two-point correlation functions and the aperture mass dispersion, which can directly be measured from the shear maps, we study various degeneracy directions in a multi-dimensional parameter space spanned by $\Omega_{\rm m}$, $\Omega_\Lambda$, $\sigma_8$, the shape parameter Γ , the spectral index n s , along with parameters that specify the distribution of source galaxies. Results. A principal component analysis is an effective tool to probe the extent and dimensionality of the error ellipsoid. If only three parameters are to be obtained from weak lensing data, a single principal component is dominant and contains all information about the main parameter degeneracies and their errors. For four or more free parameters, the first two principal components dominate the parameter errors. The degeneracy directions are insensitive against variations in the noise or survey geometry. The variance of the dominant principal component of the Fisher matrix, however, scales with the noise. Further, it shows a minimum for survey strategies which have small cosmic variance and measure the shear correlation up to several degrees. This minimum is less pronounced if external priors are added, rendering the optimisation less effective. The minimisation of the Fisher error ellipsoid can lead to slightly different results than the principal component analysis.
Dynamic grey target decision making method with three-parameter grey numbers

The method of grey target decision making based on dynamic situation with three-parameter grey numbers is studied, which considers both existing state and development trend of alternatives. In the method, the target distance formulae between every alternative and the positive, negative bull's eye in every period are given. Next, the target distance formulae between every change series and the optimal, worst change trend bull's eye are put forward. Furthermore, the comprehensive target distances about the whole expression and change trend of alternatives are separately suggested. In addition, the final target distance is constructed integrating both the two comprehensive distance formulae. Finally, this method is applied to the vendor selection of commercial aircraft industry.
Newest findings on the oldest oncogene; how activated src does it

Oncogenic forms of the non-receptor tyrosine kinase Src alter cell structure, in particular the actin cytoskeleton and the adhesion networks that control cell migration, and also transmit signals that regulate proliferation and cell survival. Recent work indicates that they do so by influencing the RhoA-ROCK pathway that controls contractile actin filament assembly, the STAT family of transcription factors needed for transformation, and the Cbl ubiquitin ligase that controls Src protein levels. These studies also shed light on the role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) downstream of v-Src and other signalling pathways in controlling migration, invasion and survival of transformed cells. Src directly phosphorylates integrins and can also modulate R-Ras activity. Moreover, it stimulates the E-cadherin regulator Hakai, interacts with and phosphorylates the novel podosome-linked adaptor protein Fish, and progressively phosphorylates the gap junction component connexion 43. A recurring theme is the identification of novel and important Src substrates that mediate key biological events associated with transformation.
CONDITIONED SUPPRESSION WITH NO CS-US CONTINGENCY IN THE RAT*

ess were presented to rats licking sucrose after one of several off-the-baseline Pavlovian defense conditioning procedures. Two random procedures in which there was no cs-us contingency were constructed by programming ess and uss on independent random schedules which had either a long or a short variable inter-cs interval (vrn). Because the cs took up more of the session in the short vrn procedure, it contained more cs-us pairings and produced cs-elicited suppression of ticking. Suppression occurred with neither the long vrn group nor with shock alone controls. Conditioning was all-or-none after both classical and random procedures. ACCORDING TO THE CONTINGENCY THEORY of classical conditioning, excit
Automatically Segmenting Oral History Transcripts

Dividing oral histories into topically coherent segments can make them more accessible online. People regularly make judgments about where coherent segments can be extracted from oral histories. But making these judgments can be taxing, so automated assistance is potentially attractive to speed the task of extracting segments from open-ended interviews. When different people are asked to extract coherent segments from the same oral histories, they often do not agree about precisely where such segments begin and end. This low agreement makes the evaluation of algorithmic segmenters challenging, but there is reason to believe that for segmenting oral history transcripts, some approaches are more promising than others. The BayesSeg algorithm performs slightly better than TextTiling, while TextTiling does not perform significantly better than a uniform segmentation. BayesSeg might be used to suggest boundaries to someone segmenting oral histories, but this segmentation task needs to be better defined.
The Politics of League Tables

The article focuses on the political usages of OECD- and IEA-type studies on student achievement, and suggests that we examine in more detail how policy makers use results from international comparisons to advance fundamental school reform at national level. The author categorizes three types of policy reactions to league tables: (1) scandalization, (2) glorification, and (3) indifference. Drawing from media reports and policy debates that emerged right after the release of the results from TIMSS, PISA, and the Civic Education Study, the author points at the different policy reactions that these OECD and IEA studies have had in various national contexts. In Japan, for example, the release of TIMSS led to a self-affirmation or glorification of Japanese methods in science and mathematics, whereas the release of PISA in Germany triggered self-criticism or scandalization, and strengthened existing demands for a fundamental reform of the German educational system. Most striking is the political indifference that the release of the IEA Civic Education encountered in Germany. German students held the last rank in the international league table on attitudes towards immigrants (Civic Education Study), whereas they scored below OECD-average in reading literacy (PISA). The author provides a few tentative explanations for the following question: why was there such a political spectacle about the reading literacy scores of German students given that German students did far worse with regard to xenophobia?
Circulating fibroblast growth factor 21 levels predict progressive kidney disease in subjects with type 2 diabetes and normoalbuminuria.

BACKGROUND Elevated fibroblast growth factor 21 (FGF21) levels have been suggested, from cross-sectional studies, as an indicator of subclinical diabetic nephropathy. We investigated whether serum FGF21 was predictive of the development of diabetic nephropathy. METHOD Baseline serum FGF21 levels were measured in 1136 Chinese type 2 diabetic subjects recruited from the Hong Kong West Diabetes Registry. The role of serum FGF21 in predicting decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) over a median follow-up of 4 years was analyzed using Cox regression analysis. RESULTS At baseline, serum FGF21 levels increased progressively with eGFR category (P for trend <.001). Among 1071 subjects with baseline eGFR ≥ 30 mL/min/1.73 m(2), serum FGF21 levels were significantly higher in those with eGFR decline during follow-up (n = 171) than those without decline (n = 900) (P < .001). In multivariable Cox regression analysis, baseline serum FGF21 was independently associated with eGFR decline (hazard ratio, 1.21; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.01-1.43; P = .036), even after adjustment for baseline eGFR. In a subgroup of 559 subjects with baseline eGFR ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73 m(2) and normoalbuminuria, serum FGF21 level remained an independent predictor of eGFR decline (hazard ratio, 1.36; 95% CI, 1.06-1.76; P = .016). Integrated discrimination improvement (IDI) suggested that the inclusion of baseline serum FGF21 significantly improved the prediction of eGFR decline (IDI, 1%; 95% CI, 0.1-3.0; P = .013) in this subgroup, but not in the initial cohort involving all subjects. CONCLUSIONS Elevated serum FGF21 levels may be a useful biomarker for predicting kidney disease progression, especially in the early stages of diabetic nephropathy.
A Structural Equation Model of the Personalities and Work Achievement of Life Insurance Salespersons: Evidence from Taiwan

The aim of this research is to discuss the personal characters of salespersons that produce higher work achievement. A sample of 384 life insurance salespeople from Taiwan are examined. A structural equation model is used to discuss the direct and positive influence of personalities on work achievement. The research shows that conscientious and extravert characters have direct and positive influences on task performance within work achievement. Neuroticism has direct and negative influence. Being conscientious and agreeable has direct and positive influences on contextual performance. We recommend that insurance companies consider those whose personalities are conscientious, extravert, agreeable, emotional stable, and less anxious for employment. People with these features have better familiarity in core skills and can create better work achievement.
Recognizing Text Plans

Traditional plan recognition systems try to recognize a user’s domain plan from the user’s queries. In contrast, the Interactive Discourse Planner (IDP) tries to recognize an expansion of its own text plan from the user’s queries. During interaction, IDP builds a text plan in reaction to user feedback that it uses as the discourse context. IDP uses this text plan to analyze user questions for indications on how to continue. This discourse model allows IDP to provide explanations that are concise in highly interactive discussions. This paper compares the type of plan recognition that IDP performs to models for traditional plan recognition.
REPEATED DELIBERATE SELF‐HARM IN THE ELDERLY

Previous reports on deliberate self‐harm (DSH) in old age are reviewed and the lack of any study on repetition in this group is pointed out. The study then describes 39 patients over the age of 60 who presented after repeated self‐harm at a district general hospital between 1973 and 1993. They made up 1% of all DSH cases, 28 were female and 11 were male, seven were multiple repeaters. Thirty were suffering from depressive illnesses, six showed significant cognitive impairment, while five (four of them women) gave a history of alcohol abuse. A trend emerged for women to score higher than men on a measure of suicidal intent. Two patients committed suicide during the study period. These findings are discussed together with their implications for the management and prevention of suicidal behaviour in the elderly.
3D Packaging of Embedded Opto-Electronic Die and CMOS IC Based on Wet Etched Silicon Interposer

In this paper, we propose a novel way for 3D packaging of optical and electrical dies for parallel optical interconnections based on wet etched silicon interposer. The process flow of silicon interposer fabrication is demonstrated. Through three steps of deeply wet etching of silicon, a multi-level cavity is formed for embedding and flip-chipping of optical die and electrical die, and the optical through silicon vias for optical I/Os are opened. After flip chip bonding, a designed 50 µm air gap is formed between electronics and optics for thermal isolation. The heat transfer is also simulated to validate the thermal isolation air gap between dies. After fabricating, a 10 Gbps 12-channel receiver is assembled on the silicon interposer, and the sub-module is scaled down to 4 mm by 6 mm. The performance of the fully assembled sub-module is tested on a probe station. Clear eye patterns are captured for each channel. Bit error rate (BER) testing is also performed showing uniform BER with performance matching that of commercial MM receiver.