Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Vitamin D status during Pregnancy and Aspects of Offspring Health

Low maternal vitamin D levels during pregnancy have been linked to various health outcomes in the offspring, ranging from periconceptional effects to diseases of adult onset. Maternal and infant cord 25(OH)D levels are highly correlated. Here, we review the available evidence for these adverse health effects. Most of the evidence has arisen from observational epidemiological studies, but randomized controlled trials are now underway. The evidence to date supports that women should be monitored and treated for vitamin D deficiency during pregnancy but optimal and upper limit serum 25(OH)D levels during pregnancy are not known.
Finger taps movement acceleration measurement system for quantitative diagnosis of Parkinson's disease

The purpose of this study was to develop a finger taps acceleration measurement system for the quantitative diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. The system was composed of two 3-axis piezoelectric element accelerometers, a pair of touch sensors made of thin stainless steel sheets, an analog-digital(AD) converter and a personal computer (PC). Fingerstalls,with these sensors, were attached to subject's index finger and thumb. The acceleration and output of the touch sensors were recorded using the PC during the finger taps movements. Intervals between the single finger taps movements were calculated from the measured output of the touch sensors. Velocities during the single finger taps movements were calculated by integrating the measured acceleration. The amplitudes were calculated by integrating the velocities. The standard deviation of the single finger taps intervals, average of maximum single finger taps velocities and average of maximum single finger taps amplitudes were calculated from them. They were used as features for the quantitative diagnosis of Parkinson's disease. The developed system was used to conduct finger taps tests employing 27 normal subjects and 16 Parkinson's diseases subjects. The subjects were asked to execute continuous finger taps movement for 60 s. It was shown that the acceleration and output of the touch sensors could be measured and the features could be extracted.
Measurement of Azygos Venous Blood Flow by a Continuous Thermal Dilution Technique: An Index of Blood Flow Through Gastroesophageal Collaterals in Cirrhosis

A method to quantitate blood flow through the gastroesophageal collaterals in portal hypertensive patients was developed. Since gastroesophageal collaterals drain into the azygos system, it is postulated that measurement of blood flow in the azygos vein should provide a quantitative measurement of gastroesophageal collateral blood flow changes in portal hypertensive patients. Azygos blood flow was measured using a double thermodilution catheter directed under fluoroscopy to the azygos vein. Ten patients with alcoholic cirrhosis were studied. Five of these patients had a history of repeated bleeding from gastroesophageal varices (Group I). The azygos blood flow in these patients was 596 ± 78 ml per min. The other five patients all had decompressive surgery of the portal system (Group II). In these patients the azygos venous blood flow was 305 ± 29 ml per min (p < 0.01). The coefficient of variation of repeated baseline measurements was of 4.4 ± 0.6%. The azygos venous blood flow measurement is a rapid, simple and sensitive method to evaluate blood flow changes in the vessels involved in gastroesophageal bleeding due to portal hypertension.
Integration into the Phage Attachment Site, attB, Impairs Multicellular Differentiation in Stigmatella aurantiaca

ABSTRACT Stigmatella aurantiaca displays a complex developmental life cycle in response to starvation conditions that results in the formation of tree-like fruiting bodies capable of producing spores. The phage Mx8, first isolated from the close relative Myxococcus xanthus, is unable to infect S. aurantiaca cells and integrate into the genome. However, plasmids containing Mx8 fragments encoding the integrase and attP are able to integrate at the attB locus in the S. aurantiaca genome by site-specific recombination. After recombination between attP and attB, the S. aurantiaca cells were incapable of building normal fruiting bodies but formed clumps and fungus-like structures characteristic of intermediate stages of development displayed by the wild type. We identified two tRNA genes, trnD and trnV, encoding tRNAAsp and tRNAVal, respectively, composing an operon at the attB locus of S. aurantiaca. Integration of attP-containing plasmids resulted in the incorporation of the tMx8 terminator sequence, in addition to a short sequence of Mx8 DNA downstream of trnD. The integrant was unable to process the trnD transcript at the normal 3′ processing site and displayed a lower level of expression of the trnVD operon. In addition, several developmentally regulated proteins were no longer produced in mutants following insertion at the attB locus. We hypothesize that the integration of the tMx8 terminator sequence results in reduced levels of mature tRNAAsp and tRNAVal and that altered protein production during development is thereby responsible for the observed phenotype. The trnVD locus thus defines a new developmental checkpoint for Stigmatella aurantiaca.
Leray and LANS-α modelling of turbulent mixing

Mathematical regularization of the nonlinear terms in the Navier–Stokes equations is found to provide a systematic approach to deriving subgrid closures for numerical simulations of turbulent flow. By construction, these subgrid closures imply existence and uniqueness of strong solutions to the corresponding modelled system of equations. We will consider the large-eddy interpretation of two such mathematical regularization principles, i.e. Leray and LANS-α regularization. The Leray principle introduces a smoothed transport velocity as part of the regularized convective nonlinearity. The LANS-α principle extends the Leray formulation in a natural way in which a filtered Kelvin circulation theorem, incorporating the smoothed transport velocity, is explicitly satisfied. These regularization principles give rise to implied subgrid closures which are implemented in large eddy simulations of turbulent mixing. Comparison with filtered direct numerical simulation data and with predictions obtained from popular dynamic eddy-viscosity modelling shows that these mathematical regularization models provide considerably more accuracy at a lower computational cost than the dynamic approaches. In particular, the regularization models perform especially well in capturing the flow features characteristic of the smaller resolved scales. Variations in spatial resolution and Reynolds number establish that the Leray model is more robust but also slightly less accurate than the LANS-α model. The LANS-α model retains more of the small-scale variability in the resolved solution. However, this requires a corresponding increase in the required spatial resolution. When using second-order finite volume discretization, the potential accuracy of the implied LANS-α model is found to be realized by using a grid spacing that is not larger than the length scale α that appears in the definition of this model. This paper is associated with the focus-issue Cascade Dynamics: Fundamentals and Modelling.
Mental Health in Namibia

Psychological distress is inherently constructed within contexts and the unique, cultural meaning systems that have developed to understand mental illness. Moreover, cultures naturally develop their own systems of healing, grounded in traditional practices. Western psychology and psychiatry have, through globalisation and colonial histories, imposed systems of mental health care and definitions of mental illness. In doing so, local understandings and ways of being regarding mental health have often been eclipsed. This is no less true in Namibia. However, much of the existing mental health literature from Namibia explores mental illness from a Western lens of psychopathology. This article discusses the relevant research about mental illness in Namibia and situates this within related literature from other Southern African countries. Several cultural factors across diverse groups in Namibia are important to more fully understand what mental illness and treatment are throughout this country. The cultural role of diverse conceptualisations of mental illness is discussed in order to explore potential areas of growth in Namibian mental health and intervention. The nature of traditional healing in other Southern African contexts is also addressed, given that although traditional healing exists in Namibia, researchers have not yet explored it within the context of psychological distress. Recommendations for mental health and psychological treatment in Namibia are discussed.
Robust Interval Competitive Agglomeration Clustering Algorithm with Outliers

In this study, a novel robust clustering algorithm, robust interval competitive agglomeration (RICA) clustering algorithm, is proposed to overcome the problems of the outliers, the numbers of cluster and the initialization of prototype in the fuzzy C-means (FCM) clustering algorithm for the symbolic interval-values data. In the proposed RICA clustering algorithm, the Euclidean distance measure is considered. Due to the competitive agglomeration is used, the RICA clustering algorithm can be fast converges in a few iterations and to the same optimal partition regardless of its initialization of prototype. Experimentally results show the merits and usefulness of the RICA clustering algorithm for the symbolic interval-values data with outliers.
Cotton dust and endotoxin exposure-response relationships in cotton textile workers.

Endotoxin exposure has been implicated in the etiology of lung disease in cotton workers. We investigated this potential relationship in 443 cotton workers from 2 factories in Shanghai and 439 control subjects from a nearby silk mill. A respiratory questionnaire was administered and pre- and postshift forced expiratory volume (FVC) and flow in one second (FEV1) were determined for each worker. Multiple area air samples were analyzed for total elutriated dust concentration (range: 0.15 to 2.5 mg/m3) and endotoxin (range: 0.002 to 0.55 microgram U.S. Reference Endotoxin/m3). The cotton worker population was stratified by current and cumulative dust or endotoxin exposure. Groups were compared for FEV1, FVC, FEV1/FVC%, % change in FEV1 over the shift (delta FEV1%), and prevalences of chronic bronchitis and byssinosis, and linear and logistic regression models were constructed. No dose-response relationships were demonstrated comparing dust concentration to any pulmonary function or symptom variable. A dose-response trend was seen with the current endotoxin level and FEV1, delta FEV1%, and the prevalence of byssinosis and chronic bronchitis, except for the highest exposure level group in which a reversal of the trend was seen. The regression coefficients for current endotoxin exposure were significant (p less than 0.05) in the models for FEV1 and chronic bronchitis but not in the models for delta FEV1% (i.e., acute change in FEV1) or byssinosis prevalence. The coefficient for dust level was never significant in the models. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Synchronization analysis for synchronized diving videos

The judgements in some sports competitions are subjective tasks, especially in competitions with high requirements on skills, which could lead to unfair results. Synchronized diving is such a skillful competition. Using computer to judge competitions automatically or assist referees to judge can effectively decrease the unfair results. This paper presents a framework for analyzing synchronization for synchronized diving videos. The framework is composed of three steps: (1) silhouette extraction, that can effectively get the diverpsilas silhouette; (2) synchronization feature extraction and representation, that can explicitly achieve synchronization features from synchronized diving videos; (3) synchronization evaluation, that can evaluate synchronization with evaluation function which is constructed by statistic learning method with diving video segments come from different games judged by different referees. The experiment shows that the method can accurately and effectively evaluate the synchronization for synchronized diving videos.
Implementing Cost-Effective Data Collection and Extraction Processes with CollaMine

We present the CollaMine framework which aims to reduce the cost of data collection and data extraction. The framework consists of two keysolutions, namely, a collaborative system for web crawlers, and an automated regular expression diagnosis system for web content extractors. The empirical results show that the systems help to reduce the costs of data collection and extraction.
Computation of the Streamfunction and Velocity Potential for Limited and Irregular Domains

Abstract An algorithm is proposed for the computation of streamfunction and velocity potential from given horizontal velocity vectors based on solving a minimization problem. To guarantee the uniqueness of the solution and computational reliability of the algorithm, a Tikhonov regularization is applied. The solution implies that the obtained streamfunction and velocity potential have minimal magnitude, while the given velocity vectors can be accurately reconstructed from the computed streamfunction and velocity potential. Because the formulation of the minimization problem allows for circumventing the explicit specification of separate boundary conditions on the streamfunction and velocity potential, the algorithm is easily applicable to irregular domains. By using an advanced minimization algorithm with the use of adjoint techniques, the method is computationally efficient and suitable for problems with large dimensions. An example is presented for coastal oceans to illustrate the practical application o.
A Cross-Layer Architecture for Motion-Adaptive Video Transmission over MIMO Channels

In this paper, we study the impact of spatio-temporal variations of a video sequence on wireless MIMO video transmission. In the light of our findings, we propose a cross-layer MIMO video communication architecture for efficient multimedia communication. Existing methods complement Spatial Multiplexing (SM) and Space Time Block Coding (STBC) with enhanced source and channel coding strategies to improve video PSNR at a MIMO receiver. However, these methods ignore the adverse impacts of spatio-temporal content variations on video quality and decoding complexity. We show that the decision to switch between SM and STBC for effective video communication must be based on both channel conditions and motion intensity of a video. We quantify a video's spatio-temporal characteristics using a motion intensity measure, and propose a simple motion-adaptive MIMO video communication technique which can judiciously switch between SM and STBC configurations. Experimental evaluations show that the proposed technique provides significantly better video quality while having very low decoding complexity at the receiver. Based on this technique, we propose a novel cross-layer motion-adaptive architecture for wireless video communication.
18S Ribosomal DNA-Based PCR for Diagnosis ofTrichomonas vaginalis

ABSTRACT Trichomonas vaginalis remains the most common sexually transmitted parasite in the world and is considered a major risk factor in the transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus. A PCR technique using primers targeting a specific region of the 18S rRNA gene of T. vaginalis was developed. The PCR test was standardized using 15 reference strains, giving a single product of 312 bp in all strains. No amplification was observed when DNA from related organisms or human DNA was used as a target. The test was evaluated on 372 vaginal swab specimens and 361 urine samples from women attending infertility and obstetric clinics at two separate hospitals in Lima, Peru. Compared to T. vaginalis culture, the overall sensitivity and specificity of PCR of vaginal swab samples was 100% and 98%, respectively. The PCR of urine samples was 100% sensitive and 99.7% specific compared to culture of vaginal swab, but the sensitivity drops to 83.3% when compared to PCR of vaginal swabs. All culture-positive samples were found to be positive by PCR in either urine or vaginal secretion. None of the PCR-negative samples were positive by culture. The origin of the amplification was confirmed by digestion of PCR products with HaeIII. This PCR assay, which is easy to perform and has a high sensitivity and specificity, should be useful for routine diagnosis of T. vaginalisinfection.
Connectivity of neutral networks and structural conservation in protein evolution

Protein structures are much more conserved than sequences during evolution. Based on this observation, we investigate the consequences of structural conservation on protein evolution. We study seven of the most studied protein folds, finding out that an extended neutral network in sequence space is associated to each of them. Within our model, neutral evolution leads to a non-Poissonian substitution process, due to the broad distribution of connectivities in neutral networks. The observation that the substitution process has non-Poissonian statistics has been used against the original Kimura's neutral theory, while our model shows that this is a generic property of neutral evolution with structural conservation. Our model also predicts that the substitution rate can strongly fluctuate from one branch to another of the evolutionary tree. The average sequence similarity within a neutral network is close to the threshold of randomness, as observed for families of sequences sharing the same fold. Nevertheless, some positions are more difficult to mutate than others. We compare such structurally conserved positions to positions conserved in protein evolution, suggesting that our model can be a valuable tool to distinguish structural from functional conservation in databases of protein families. These results indicate that a synergy between database analysis and structurally-based computational studies can increase our understanding of protein evolution.
A Parallel Approach for Efficiently Visualizing Extremely Large, Time-Varying Datasets

A significant unsolved problem in scientific visualization is how to efficiently visualize extremely large time-varying datasets. Using parallelism provides a promising solution. One drawback of this approach is the high overhead and specialized knowledge often required to create parallel visualization programs. In this paper, we present a parallel visualization system that is scalable, portable and encapsulates parallel programming details for its users. Our approach was to augment an existing visualization system, the visualization toolkit(VTK). Process and communication abstractions were added in order to support task, pipeline and data parallelism. The resulting system allows users to quickly write parallel visualization programs and avoid rewriting these programs when porting to new platforms. The performance of a collection of parallel visualization programs written using this system and run on both a cluster of SGI Origin 2000s and a Linux-based PC cluster is presented. In addition to showing the utility of our approach, the results offer a comparison of the performance of commodity-based computing clusters.
Between Scylla and Charybdis: antipsychotic and other psychotropic medications in older nursing home residents

See related research article by Huybrechts and colleagues at [www.cmaj. ca/cgi/doi/10.1503/cmaj.101406][1]. Restlessness, disruptive vocalizations and physical aggression are among the most distressing manifestations of dementia and may occur in up to 90% of patients with dementia at some time
Validity and Acceptability of Kimberley Mum’s Mood Scale to Screen for Perinatal Anxiety and Depression in Remote Aboriginal Health Care Settings

Background The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS) is widely recommended for perinatal anxiety and depression screening. However, many Aboriginal women find EPDS language complex and confusing, and providers find using it with Aboriginal women challenging. The two part Kimberley Mum’s Mood Scale (KMMS) was developed to improve screening: Part 1 is a Kimberley version of EPDS; Part 2 is a psychosocial tool that enables contextualisation of Part 1 scores. We aimed to determine if KMMS is a valid and acceptable method of identifying Kimberley Aboriginal perinatal women at risk of anxiety or depressive disorders compared to a semi-structured clinical interview. Methods Across 15 sites in the Kimberley, Western Australia, 97 Aboriginal women aged 16 years and older who intended to continue with their pregnancy or had a baby within the previous 12 months were administered the KMMS by trained healthcare providers who provided an overall assessment of no, low, moderate or high risk; 91 participants were then independently assessed by a blinded clinical expert using Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition criteria. A qualitative approach was used to determine KMMS’ acceptability. Results Part 1 had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha, 0.89), and overall KMMS risk equivalence for screening for anxiety or depressive disorders was moderate (sensitivity, 83%; specificity, 87%; positive predictive value, 68%). Participants found the process easy and useful, and healthcare providers found KMMS more useful than EPDS. Part 2 allowed healthcare providers to ask questions that gave participants an opportunity to express themselves, resulting in a deeper understanding between them. Conclusion KMMS is an effective tool for identifying Kimberley Aboriginal perinatal women at risk of anxiety and depressive disorders. Adoption of KMMS with culturally safe training and support is likely to improve screening processes, and with further validation may have broader applicability across remote Australia.
In vivo identification of morphologic retinal abnormalities in neuromyelitis optica

Objective: To assess eyes with neuromyelitis optica (NMO) for morphologic retinal abnormalities utilizing high-definition optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 39 patients with NMO spectrum disorders and 39 age- and sex-matched healthy controls underwent spectral-domain OCT and visual function testing. Results: Microcystic macular edema (MME) of the inner nuclear layer (INL) was identified in 10 of 39 patients (26%) and was exclusively found in eyes with a history of optic neuritis (ON). MME eyes had lower high- and low-contrast letter-acuity scores (100%: p = 0.002; 2.5%: p = 0.002; 1.25%: p = 0.004), lower peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness (p = 0.04), lower macular RNFL thickness (p = 0.004), lower ganglion cell layer + inner plexiform layer (GCIP) thickness (p = 0.007), higher INL thickness (p < 0.001), and a greater number of ON episodes (p = 0.008) relative to non-MME eyes with a history of ON. After adjusting for history of multiple ON episodes, these findings remained significant for macular-RNFL thickness (p = 0.03), INL thickness (p < 0.001), and 100% and 2.5% contrast letter-acuity scores (p = 0.008 and p = 0.03, respectively). NMO spectrum eyes without ON history had lower macular RNFL thickness (p = 0.003), GCIP thickness (p = 0.002), outer nuclear layer thickness (p = 0.02), and low-contrast letter-acuity scores (2.5%: p = 0.03; 1.25%: p = 0.002) compared to healthy controls. Conclusions: We have identified a pattern of retinal morphologic abnormalities in NMO that is associated with severe retinal axonal and neuronal loss and corresponding visual disability. MME may contribute to poor visual outcomes following NMO-associated ON or alternatively represent a marker of ON severity. Additionally, our results support that subclinical involvement of the anterior visual pathway may occur in NMO spectrum disorders.