Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in attainment of lipid goals by general practitioners and specialists in patients at high cardiovascular risk in Hungary during 2004-2008

Introduction Lipid-lowering therapy should achieve target levels. We assessed the change of the achievement of targets and the mean low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels in high-risk Hungarian patients. Material and methods Six studies performed with patients of general practitioners (GPs) and specialists between 2004 and 2008 were evaluated: 9,508 patients from GPs and 2809 from specialist practices (total 12,317). Results During this 4-year period the LDL-C level decreased by 0.73 mmol/l and the LDL-C goal achievement rate increased from 14 to 32% in patients treated by GPs. LDL-C showed a decrease of 0.48 mmol/l and the goal achievement rate changed from 20 to 43% in patients treated by specialists. In the majority of the patients not achieving the LDL-C goal (57% for specialists and 89% for GPs) there was no modification in the current therapy. In addition to emphasizing the priority of LDL-C lowering, we should also strive for residual risk reduction, which means raising high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and lowering triglyceride levels. There was no significant improvement in HDL-C or triglyceride levels during the examined period. Conclusion More attention needs to be paid to changing treatment of patients to achieve target levels.
Good Children with Conversion Disorder: Breaking the Silence

The diagnosis of conversion disorder in childhood is shrouded in uncertainty, a lack of satisfactory explanations, doctor-parent hostility, shame and family silence. Speculations as to the aetiology of conversion symptoms have resulted in hypotheses ranging from malingering, self-deceit, unconscious processes, theories of communication, intolerable predicaments and illness behaviour to hypothesized neurophysiological processes. Of note, is the absence of patient perspectives from the literature, and a tendency for families of ‘good’ children with conversion disorder to respond to inquiries about psychological factors with unease, hostility or silence. The child’s experience of conversion symptoms and illness context are valuable sources of information. This article presents two personal accounts of conversion disorder in children with exemplary premorbid functioning. It aims to demystify the circumstances in which conversion symptoms may present, reestablish dialogue about children’s predicaments and rekindle interest in the developmental trajectories of children presenting with conversion symptoms.
L'Evaluation e´ducationnelle a` la te´le´-universite´

Le pre´sent article veut faire e´tat des travaux de recherche portant sur la Te´le´-Universite´ effectue´s par l'Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, secteur Education en 1974-75 et poursuivis conjointement par ces deux organismes en 1975-77. Ces travaux ont fait l'objet d'un rapport-synthe`se et nous en pre´sentons ici les points saillants.
Mixing Planning and Scheduling to Model Complex Process Environments

In most current APS (Advanced Planning and Scheduling) systems the planning and scheduling tasks are handled separately using different methods and technology from the areas like Artificial Intelligence and Operations Research. Recently, Constraint Programming becomes a roof over several solving technologies that allow us to solve both planning and scheduling tasks within single declarative framework. In the paper, we suggest mixing planning and scheduling tasks within single system that is capable to solve more complicated scheduling problems in complex process environments. We analyse different views of planning and scheduling, identify the similarities and the differences of both tasks and we propose a general structure of scheduler with some planning capabilities. In the second part of the paper, we compare various modelling approaches from the mixed planning and scheduling point of view. We concentrate on capabilities of the models to capture typical problems in complex process environments primarily but the conclusions are applicable to other (non-process) problem areas. The presented results make the basics of a generic scheduling engine that is currently implemented within the VisOpt project.
Developmental trajectory in the relationship between calculation skill and finger dexterity: A longitudinal study

A 2-year longitudinal study of 33 children aged 4–6 years was conducted to clarify the developmental relationship between calculation skill and finger dexterity, as well as the selectivity of the predictive power of finger dexterity on later calculation skill. We examined individual developmental change in the relationship between addition performance and finger dexterity and observed whether children fit a linear developmental pattern. Multiple regression analysis showed that participants' performance on addition tests was strongly predicted by their finger dexterity. However, their performance on vocabulary tests was not strongly influenced by finger dexterity. These findings suggest that calculation skill in children aged 4–6 years is strongly related to finger dexterity.
Análise cognitiva da preposição de do português do Brasil

This paper aims to present an analysis on some occurrences of the Brazilian Portuguese preposition ‘de’, considering for that some theory principles and schema proposed by the Cognition Grammar. The hypothesis I assume is the following: prepositions are linguistic marks, whose evolution might be at least partially mapped through grammaticalization. What I intend to say is that the original spatial meaning of this preposition could reach other values after some derivative process, expressing semantic categories named as NO (Nominal of Origin), NP (Nominal of Part) and NI (Intrinsic Nominal). This research has used a corpus collected from internet files.
Functional analysis of an unusual type IV pilus in the Gram‐positive Streptococcus sanguinis

Type IV pili (Tfp), which have been studied extensively in a few Gram‐negative species, are the paradigm of a group of widespread and functionally versatile nano‐machines. Here, we performed the most detailed molecular characterisation of Tfp in a Gram‐positive bacterium. We demonstrate that the naturally competent Streptococcus sanguinis produces retractable Tfp, which like their Gram‐negative counterparts can generate hundreds of piconewton of tensile force and promote intense surface‐associated motility. Tfp power ‘train‐like’ directional motion parallel to the long axis of chains of cells, leading to spreading zones around bacteria grown on plates. However, S. sanguinis Tfp are not involved in DNA uptake, which is mediated by a related but distinct nano‐machine, and are unusual because they are composed of two pilins in comparable amounts, rather than one as normally seen. Whole genome sequencing identified a locus encoding all the genes involved in Tfp biology in S. sanguinis. A systematic mutational analysis revealed that Tfp biogenesis in S. sanguinis relies on a more basic machinery (only 10 components) than in Gram‐negative species and that a small subset of four proteins dispensable for pilus biogenesis are essential for motility. Intriguingly, one of the piliated mutants that does not exhibit spreading retains microscopic motility but moves sideways, which suggests that the corresponding protein controls motion directionality. Besides establishing S. sanguinis as a useful new model for studying Tfp biology, these findings have important implications for our understanding of these widespread filamentous nano‐machines.
Mechanisms of Obesity-Induced Inflammation and Insulin Resistance: Insights into the Emerging Role of Nutritional Strategies

Obesity and associated chronic inflammation initiate a state of insulin resistance (IR). The secretion of chemoattractants such as MCP-1 and MIF and of cytokines IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β, draw immune cells including dendritic cells, T cells, and macrophages into adipose tissue (AT). Dysfunctional AT lipid metabolism leads to increased circulating free fatty acids, initiating inflammatory signaling cascades in the population of infiltrating cells. A feedback loop of pro-inflammatory cytokines exacerbates this pathological state, driving further immune cell infiltration and cytokine secretion and disrupts the insulin signaling cascade. Disruption of normal AT function is causative of defects in hepatic and skeletal muscle glucose homeostasis, resulting in systemic IR and ultimately the development of type 2 diabetes. Pharmaceutical strategies that target the inflammatory milieu may have some potential; however there are a number of safety concerns surrounding such pharmaceutical approaches. Nutritional anti-inflammatory interventions could offer a more suitable long-term alternative; whilst they may be less potent than some pharmaceutical anti-inflammatory agents, this may be advantageous for long-term therapy. This review will investigate obese AT biology, initiation of the inflammatory, and insulin resistant environment; and the mechanisms through which dietary anti-inflammatory components/functional nutrients may be beneficial.
Compensation of Multiple Access Interference Effects in CDMA-Based Acoustic Positioning Systems

Recently developed acoustic positioning systems operate in a code division multiple access (CDMA) configuration, in which the ranging signals between the nodes are digitally modulated orthogonal codes with the same carrier frequency and overlapping in time. CDMA permits higher position update rate than the alternative time division multiple access, but suffers from multiple access interference (MAI) effects, leading to outliers in the estimated ranges, and potentially large errors in position estimation. In this communication, we present and demonstrate experimentally a subtractive parallel interference cancelation (PIC) method, which achieves a high degree of resistance to MAI effects, and also permits us to compensate the intersymbol interference (ISI) caused by the limited frequency range of acoustic transducers. When evaluated empirically in an acoustic positioning system, the PIC algorithm obtains nearly total outlier cancelation for four operating beacons, and 2/3 reduction of outliers for a seven beacon setup with 32 bits long codes. Outliers are further reduced (down to 2%) by the modified PIC algorithm with ISI compensation. The method outperforms alternative outlier reduction techniques like doubling or quadrupling the signal length, or using power control to adjust the relative amplitudes of the beacon signals, and permits that the system is available for positioning over 95% of the time.
Cyclostationary noise analysis of large RF circuits with multi-tone excitations

This paper introduces a new, efficient technique for analyzing RF noise in large circuits subjected to true multitone excitations. Noise statistics in such circuits are time-varying and are modelled in this work as cyclostationary stochastic processes, characterized in terms of their harmonic power spectral densities (HPSDs). Results from a large RF integrated circuit driven by an LO tone and a strong RF signal are presented. The analysis predicts correctly that the presence of the RF tone affects the noise significantly.
Celos: un ejercicio de interpretación desde la perspectiva del análisis de la conducta

Jealousy is something present in everyday life and in different relational contexts (such as family, school, and work). It is more common and frequently studied in the context of love affairs, being categorized as sexual jealousy or romantic jealousy. In spite of that, our understanding of this phenomenon is still limited. In Brazil, the scientific production on jealousy is limited and essentially based on clinical dada. By contrast, the American scientific production on this subject is more extensive and frequently based on empirical data. Additionally, it is also correct to say that studies on jealousy are rare in context of behavior analysis. Considering that, the purpose of the present paper is to improve a preliminary behavior analytic approach of jealousy presented elsewhere by the first author of this paper in 2005, incorporating Skinner's argumentation on the topic as well as ideas of contemporary behavior analysts such as Tourinho (a Brazilian researcher) and Donahoe and Palmer (North American researchers). Key words: jealousy, behavior analysis, emotional behavior.
On the numerical evaluation of one-loop amplitudes: the gluonic case

We develop an algorithm of polynomial complexity for evaluating one-loop amplitudes with an arbitrary number of external particles. The algorithm is implemented in the Rocket program. Starting from particle vertices given by Feynman rules, tree amplitudes are constructed using recursive relations. The tree amplitudes are then used to build one-loop amplitudes using an integer dimension on-shell cut method. As a first application we considered only three and four gluon vertices calculating the pure gluonic one-loop amplitudes for arbitrary external helicity or polarization states. We compare our numerical results to analytical results in the literature, analyze the time behavior of the algorithm and the accuracy of the results, and give explicit results for fixed phase space points for up to twenty external gluons.
An adaptive knee joint exoskeleton based on biological geometries

This paper presents a dynamic model of a knee joint interacting with a two-link exoskeleton for investigating the effects of different exoskeleton designs on internal joint forces. The closed kinematic chain of the leg and exoskeleton has a significant effect on the joint forces in the knee. A bio-joint model is used to capture this effect by relaxing a commonly made assumption that approximates a knee joint as a perfect engineering pin-joint in exoskeleton design. Based on the knowledge of a knee-joint kinematics, an adaptive knee-joint exoskeleton has been designed by incorporating different kinematic components (such as a pin, slider and cam profile). This design potentially eliminates the negative effects associated with the closed leg/exoskeleton kinematic chain on a human knee. An investigation in the flexion motion of an artificial human knee joint is presented to compare performances of five exoskeleton designs against the case with no exoskeletons. Analytical results that estimate internal forces using the dynamic model (based on the properties of a knee joint) agree well with the experiments. These studies lead to an adaptive mechanism with a slider/cam as an alternative to pin joints for the exoskeleton, and illustrate the application of the model for designing an adaptive mechanism that minimizes internal joint forces due to a human-exoskeleton interaction.
A melanoma cell state distinction influences sensitivity to MAPK pathway inhibitors.

UNLABELLED Most melanomas harbor oncogenic BRAF(V600) mutations, which constitutively activate the MAPK pathway. Although MAPK pathway inhibitors show clinical benefit in BRAF(V600)-mutant melanoma, it remains incompletely understood why 10% to 20% of patients fail to respond. Here, we show that RAF inhibitor-sensitive and inhibitor-resistant BRAF(V600)-mutant melanomas display distinct transcriptional profiles. Whereas most drug-sensitive cell lines and patient biopsies showed high expression and activity of the melanocytic lineage transcription factor MITF, intrinsically resistant cell lines and biopsies displayed low MITF expression but higher levels of NF-κB signaling and the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL. In vitro, these MITF-low/NF-κB-high melanomas were resistant to inhibition of RAF and MEK, singly or in combination, and ERK. Moreover, in cell lines, NF-κB activation antagonized MITF expression and induced both resistance marker genes and drug resistance. Thus, distinct cell states characterized by MITF or NF-κB activity may influence intrinsic resistance to MAPK pathway inhibitors in BRAF(V600)-mutant melanoma. SIGNIFICANCE Although most BRAF(V600)-mutant melanomas are sensitive to RAF and/or MEK inhibitors, a subset fails to respond to such treatment. This study characterizes a transcriptional cell state distinction linked to MITF and NF-κB that may modulate intrinsic sensitivity of melanomas to MAPK pathway inhibitors.
The nature and context of cross-border social work in Ireland

This article is concerned with mapping cross-border social work in Ireland. After a short background section on the nature of the Irish border, it evaluates and assesses the main areas of collaboration in social work. It argues that this type of work has been largely led by special project funding and is dependent on the skills, knowledge and commitment of a small number of individuals who have driven cross-border projects. Whilst there is a clear rationale for collaboration in social work programmes, it is contended that this method of working lacks an overall coherence and is in danger of disappearing when special funding programmes come to an end. The article contends that there is a fundamental desire for close co-operation, but as cross-border social work has not been embedded into the routine business of health boards and trusts the impetus is constantly undermined. It is concluded that cross-border social work programmes will remain marginal and insignificant until they are mainstreamed rather than bolted on as an afterthought to existing programmes.
Hypertension prevalence and blood pressure levels in 6 European countries, Canada, and the United States.

CONTEXT Geographic variations in cardiovascular disease (CVD) and associated risk factors have been recognized worldwide. However, little attention has been directed to potential differences in hypertension between Europe and North America. OBJECTIVE To determine whether higher blood pressure (BP) levels and hypertension are more prevalent in Europe than in the United States and Canada. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS Sample surveys that were national in scope and conducted in the 1990s were identified in Germany, Finland, Sweden, England, Spain, Italy, Canada, and the United States. Collaborating investigators provided tabular data in a consistent format by age and sex for persons at least 35 years of age. Population registries were the main basis for sampling. Survey sizes ranged from 1800 to 23 100, with response rates of 61% to 87.5%. The data were analyzed to provide age-specific and age-adjusted estimates of BP and hypertension prevalence by country and region (eg, European vs North American). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension in Europe, the United States, and Canada. RESULTS Average BP was 136/83 mm Hg in the European countries and 127/77 mm Hg in Canada and the United States among men and women combined who were 35 to 74 years of age. This difference already existed among younger persons (35-39 years) in whom treatment was uncommon (ie, 124/78 mm Hg and 115/75 mm Hg, respectively), and the slope with age was steeper in the European countries. For all age groups, BP measurements were lowest in the United States and highest in Germany. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of hypertension was 28% in the North American countries and 44% in the European countries at the 140/90 mm Hg threshold. The findings for men and women by region were similar. Hypertension prevalence was strongly correlated with stroke mortality (r = 0.78) and more modestly with total CVD (r = 0.44). CONCLUSIONS Despite extensive research on geographic patterns of CVD, the 60% higher prevalence of hypertension in Europe compared with the United States and Canada has not been generally appreciated. The implication of this finding for national prevention strategies should be vigorously explored.
Cytomegalovirus Prostatitis: A Series of 4 Cases

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) prostatitis is very rare with only 1 report of biopsy-proven CMV prostatitis in the literature. The authors report 4 cases, 3 detected on needle biopsy and 1 detected on transurethral resection. Patients were 36, 41, 48, and 71 years old. All patients were immunosuppressed, including 1 with AIDS and 3 undergoing immunosuppressive therapy following organ transplantation. CMV inclusions were seen in secretory cells of the prostatic glands, endothelial cells of small vessels, and prostatic stromal cells associated with a dense lymphoid inflammation. Only very rarely is CMV prostatitis detected on clinical specimens, typically in immunosuppressed hosts undergoing immunosuppressive therapy following organ transplantation. Patients with CMV prostatitis may harbor multiple infections or have other serious medical conditions adversely affecting their prognosis.
La démographie des pays d'Afrique. Revue et synthèse

Résumé Gendreau Francis. La démographie des pays d'Afrique. Revue et synthèse. La première partie passe en revue les principales sources de données et montre les difficultés de définir des concepts par exemple pour l'estimation de l'âge. La deuxième partie fait le point de l'état des connaissances actuelles de la démographie des pays africains en s'appuyant sur les estimations des Nations Unies puis en utilisant des investigations nationales ou localisées ayant conduit à des anaiyses approfondies. L'imprécision de la plupart des chiffres ne permet le plus souvent de donner que des indications grossières sur les effectifs, les structures et l'évolution des populations africaines; mais la très grande diversité des situations apparaît déjà dans la comparaison entre les pays, et se retrouve à l'intérieur de chacun d'eux. La priorité devrait être accordée à la collecte de données de qualité au sein d'une véritable stratégie de la recherche démographique.
Can Almost Everybody be Almost Happy?

We conjecture that PPAD has a PCP-like complete problem, seeking a near equilibrium in which all but very few players have very little incentive to deviate. We show that, if one assumes that this problem requires exponential time, several open problems in this area are settled. The most important implication, proved via a "birthday repetition" reduction, is that the nO(log n) approximation scheme of Lipton et al. [23] for the Nash equilibrium of two-player games is essentially optimum. Two other open problems in the area are resolved once one assumes this conjecture, establishing that certain approximate equilibria are PPAD-complete: Finding a relative approximation of two-player Nash equilibria (without the well-supported restriction of [14]), and an approximate competitive equilibrium with equal incomes [10] with small clearing error and near-optimal Gini coefficient.