Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Causes of Normal Mortality in Commercial Egg-Laying Chickens

SUMMARY In a large population of animals, it is normal to have some die each day from causes not related to disease, which is often referred to as natural causes. In poultry production, this phenomenon is commonly referred to as daily mortality. In egg-producing chickens, many of the natural causes of death are associated with making an egg. The causes of normal mortality in commercial egg-laying chicken flocks have been described very little to date. A commercial chicken egg farm, housing approximately two million single-comb white leghorn chickens (Gallus gallus domesticus) in 16 egg-producing flocks, was visited on a monthly basis to monitor bird health, body conditioning, skeletal integrity, and causes of daily mortality in an attempt to provide early detection of health abnormalities. A representative sample of daily mortality from each flock was necropsied to determine the cause of death. Reported herein is a summary of visits for a period of 38 mo from June 2011 to July 2014. The top 15 causes of normal mortality, in rank order of prevalence, were determined to be the following: egg yolk peritonitis, hypocalcemia, gout, self-induced molt, salpingitis, caught by spur, intussusception or volvulus (twisted intestine), cannibalism (pick out), tracheal plug, septicemia, fatty liver syndrome, internal layer, layer hepatitis, persecution, and prolapsed vent. Other causes noted were hyperthermia (during summer), trauma, coccidiosis, ovarian neoplasia, being egg bound, urolithiasis, peritonitis (not egg yolk induced), leg fracture, caught in the structure, tumor (other than ovarian origin), wing fracture, exsanguination, and cardiomyopathy.
Regulation of Hedgehog Signaling in Chicken Embryonic Stem Cells Differentiation Into Male Germ Cells (Gallus)

The study aims to analyze the key signaling pathways in regulating the process of embryonic stem cells (ESCs) differentiation into spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs). Based on RNA Sequencing result, we further explored the specific regulating mechanisms of Hedgehog (HH) signaling in this process. HH signaling was found to be a crucial signaling pathway participating in the differentiation process of ESCs to SSCs. In Retinoic acid (RA) induced in vitro differentiation assay, the expression of two germ cell marker genes, integrin α6, and integrin β1, was observed to significantly increase, while it decreased dramatically when IHH was knocked down. Fluorescence activated cell sorting analysis showed that the proportion of integrin α6+ and integrin β1+ cells in the RA group was significantly higher than that in the RA + siRNA‐ Indian Hedgehog (IHH) group. In in vivo situations, siRNA‐IHH could stably express in fertilized chicken embryos and significantly down‐regulate the IHH expression. With real‐time quantitative PCR and western blot, we identified that integrin α6 and integrin β1 expression was significantly suppressed along with IHH inhibition in vivo. We concluded that Hedgehog signaling pathway positively regulates the differentiation of ESCs to male germ cells through signal transduction by IHH. J. Cell. Biochem. 118: 1379–1386, 2017. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Functional materials based on PA6/PVP blends

Purpose: The results of investigations of properties of PA6 mixed in state the viscoelasticity from polymer about ability of creating of physical bonds was introduced. The polyvinylpyrrolidone about small molecular weight in this aim was applied (10 ± 2,5 thousand). Design/methodology/approach: Within the work some results of chosen properties of PA with different percentage composition with the addition of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) have been presented. In chance of mixing PA6 with PVP forms solution PVP in PA6, to which proper are large intermolecular influence, in this case hydrogen bond. Findings: The functionalactive material was prepared about sharp tuning sorption ability across physical modification polycapramide mixed from bipolar polyvinylpyrrolidone in batch – free state, which be characterizes high ability complex. The properties of the polymer blends depend significantly on the type of the components. That kind of influence manifests especially in the change of the physical properties. Research limitations/implications: The basis condition for reaching the homogeneity, specific structure and the properties of a polymer material is its mutual miscibility of the polymers. Additional agents that make mixing easier are usually applied; they have reactive effect which results in a chemical modification of output polymer along with the change in its chemical structure and the structure of macrochains. In order to achieve this, the polyvinylpyrrolidone has been used. Practical implications: It is possible to foresee, that under the influences large tangent stresses and intermolecular interaction colloidal solution PVP in PA forms about sure homogeneity, after cooling which does not the inversion of winding phases. Large intermolecular influence among PVP and PA6 are unquestionable with regard on their chemical building. The probability of influence of intermolecular influences with this reason results, the leaders to creation of new centres of crystallization near cooling the polymer material. Originality/value: Received however results show thereon that PA with PVP additions create more stable material. Homogeneous material was got about raised elasticity and mechanical durability with perspective of use in textile industry.
Surface modification to tailor the biological response

Publisher Summary A cell interrogates and signals to its local environment using surface interactions. Within any tissue the massive combined surface area of component cells results in an immense number of specific molecular interactions between cell membrane components and the Extracellular Matrix (ECM). One of the central functions of a tissue engineering scaffold is to mimic the ECM. Therefore, the nature of the interfacial relationship between cells and scaffolds is of great importance. This chapter presents an overview of the biochemistry of cell interactions with the ECM to establish the general principles of natural cell surface interactions. It reviews the broad aims of surface modification of tissue engineering scaffolds. Tissue engineering scaffolds are a complex material type to successfully surface modify. The chapter reviews the general strategies to achieve surface engineering. It also presents some specific examples of surface engineering techniques that have been used with scaffolds.
Peaking-Free Output-Feedback Adaptive Neural Control Under a Nonseparation Principle

High-gain observers have been extensively applied to construct output-feedback adaptive neural control (ANC) for a class of feedback linearizable uncertain nonlinear systems under a nonlinear separation principle. Yet due to static-gain and linear properties, high-gain observers are usually subject to peaking responses and noise sensitivity. Existing adaptive neural network (NN) observers cannot effectively relax the limitations of high-gain observers. This paper presents an output-feedback indirect ANC strategy under a nonseparation principle, where a hybrid estimation scheme that integrates an adaptive NN observer with state variable filters is proposed to estimate plant states. By applying a single Lyapunov function candidate to the entire system, it is proved that the closed-loop system achieves practical asymptotic stability under a relatively low observer gain dominated by controller parameters. Our approach can completely avoid peaking responses without control saturation while keeping favourable noise rejection ability. Simulation results have shown effectiveness and superiority of this approach.
Overview of TREC OpenSearch 2017

In this paper we provide an overview of the TREC 2017 OpenSearch track. The OpenSearch track provides researchers the opportunity to have their retrieval approaches evaluated in a live setting with real users. We focus on the academic search domain with the Social Science Open Access Repository (SSOAR) search engine and report our results
Circulating microRNAs as biomarkers of disease and typification of the atherothrombotic status in antiphospholipid syndrome

We aimed to identify the plasma miRNA profile of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) patients and to investigate the potential role of specific circulating miRNAs as non-invasive disease biomarkers. Ninety APS patients and 42 healthy donors were recruited. Profiling of miRNAs by PCR-array in plasma of APS patients identified a set of miRNAs differentially expressed and collectively involved in clinical features. Logistic regression and ROC analysis identified a signature of 10 miRNA ratios as biomarkers of disease. In addition, miRNA signature was related to fetal loss, atherosclerosis, and type of thrombosis, and correlated with parameters linked to inflammation, thrombosis, and autoimmunity. Hard clustering analysis differentiated 3 clusters representing different thrombotic risk profile groups. Significant differences between groups for several miRNA ratios were found. Moreover, miRNA signature remained stable over time, demonstrated by their analysis three months after the first sample collection. Parallel analysis in two additional cohorts of patients, including thrombosis without autoimmune disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus without antiphospholipid antibodies, each displayed specific miRNA profiles that were distinct from those of APS patients. In vitro, antiphospholipid antibodies of IgG isotype promoted deregulation in selected miRNAs and their potential atherothrombotic protein targets in monocytes and endothelial cells. Taken together, differentially expressed circulating miRNAs in APS patients, modulated at least partially by antiphospholipid antibodies of IgG isotype, might have the potential to serve as novel biomarkers of disease features and to typify patients’ atherothrombotic status, thus constituting a useful tool in the management of the disease.
The contribution of mixed dishes to vegetable intake among US children and adolescents

Abstract Objective To describe the contribution of mixed dishes to vegetable consumption and to estimate vegetable intake according to specific types of vegetables and other foods among US children and adolescents. Design The 2003–2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), a nationally representative probability survey conducted in the USA. Setting Civilian non-institutionalized US population. Subjects All children and adolescents aged 2–18 years who met eligibility criteria (n 9169). Results Approximately 59 % of total vegetable intake came from whole forms of vegetables with 41 % coming from a mixed dish. White potatoes (10·7 (se 0·6) %), fried potatoes (10·2 (se 0·4) %), potato chips (8·6 (se 0·5) %) and other vegetables (9·2 (se 0·5) %) accounted for most vegetables in their whole forms, whereas pasta dishes (9·5 (se 0·4) %), chilli/soups/stews (7·0 (se 0·5) %), pizza/calzones (7·6 (se 0·3) %) and other foods (13·7 (se 0·6) %) accounted for most mixed dishes. Usual mean vegetable intake was 1·02 cup equivalents/d; however, after excluding vegetables from mixed dishes, mean intake fell to 0·54 cup equivalents/d and to 0·32 cup equivalents/d when fried potatoes were further excluded. Conclusions Mixed dishes account for nearly half of overall vegetable intake in US children and adolescents. It is critical for future research to examine various components of vegetable intake carefully in order to inform policy and programmatic efforts aimed at improving dietary intake among children and adolescents.
Endoscopic submucosal dissection for early esophageal cancer in elderly patients with relative indications for endoscopic treatment

Abstract Background According to the Japanese Esophageal Society (JES) guidelines, early esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) involving the muscularis mucosae (M3) or upper submucosal (SM1) layers are relative indications for endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD). Additional esophagectomy or chemoradiotherapy is recommended for patients with relative indications after evaluation. However, elderly patients (≥ 60 years) with relative indications in China often refuse additional treatment because of the debilitating side effects. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long-term outcomes of elderly patients with relative indications who did not undergo additional treatment after ESD. Methods Data from elderly patients with relative indications who underwent ESD for early esophageal SCC between January 2008 and December 2013 were reviewed retrospectively. Stricture and recurrence, and 5-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival rates were compared with patients with absolute indications for ESD. Results 158 elderly patients were included and analyzed (89 in the absolute indications group and 69 in the relative indications group). The baseline characteristics were balanced between the two groups. During 56 months (range 1 – 108) of follow-up, the postoperative stricture rates were similar in the absolute and relative indications groups (21.3 % vs. 31.9 %; P = 0.13). The hazard ratio (HR) for PFS in the absolute vs. the relative indications groups was 1.025 (95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.36 – 2.95; P = 0.96). The 5-year PFS rates were 90.5 % (95 %CI 83.44 – 97.56) and 90.8 % (95 %CI 83.74 – 97.86) for the absolute and relative indications groups, respectively. The HR for overall survival in the absolute vs. the relative indications groups was 0.564 (95 %CI 0.13 – 2.52; P = 0.45). The 5-year overall survival rates were 96.6 % (95 %CI 92.88 – 100) and 95.6 % (95 %CI 90.70 – 100) for the absolute and relative indications groups, respectively. Conclusions Based on this study, regular follow-up without additional treatment may be considered as another choice for elderly patients with early esophageal SCC and relative indications after ESD.
Analytical and experimental sensor node energy modeling in ambient monitoring

Wireless sensor networks are currently being deployed over a vast array of applications to collect, process and reliably transmit data from a source event to a data sink. This in turn requires reliable power supply, mainly in the form of primary or secondary batteries storing energy to supply the various functional discrete components along with accurate prediction of sensor node life time, based on estimated state of charge of the energy source. The paper presents two approaches for energy modeling of sensor node life time in ambient monitoring scenarios concerned with periodical sampling of measurable parameters from the indoor environment. The analytical approach involves modeling the individual components of a sensor node and carrying out simulations in different duty-cycling regimes to obtain an expected life time. Experimental modeling has also been carried out over short and medium term repeatable deployments in order to gather meaningful sets of data suitable for statistical interpretation. Battery discharge characteristics are determined in order to extract high level information used in system design for indoor ambient monitoring. final goal is to incorporate validated experimental results back into simulation approaches and enable a prediction framework for the Memsic IRIS XM2110 motes in order to approach the direct and inverse problem: accurately determine node life time for various sampling and communication regimes or choose optimal configuration parameters for an imposed node life time.
SEMICONDUCTORS AS RADIATION DETECTORS

The most promising type of semiconductor for use as a radiation detector is an n-p juaction in germanium or silicon, which may be preferable at higher temperature. Such a detector has a high intrinsic efficiency for the detection of charged particles and, with suitable coatings, may be used as a detector for fast or slow neutrons. For the detection of gamma radiation cadminm sulfil de crystals or polycrystalline layers are to be preferred. The principal advantage of these detectors lies in their small physical size which permits a spatial resolution at least as good as that obtainable with foil techniques, with the great advantage over foil techniques of providing a direct reading system. (auth)
Plateau Iris Distribution Across Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Defined Subgroups of Subjects With Primary Angle Closure Glaucoma.

Purpose We previously identified three distinct subgroups of patients with primary angle closure glaucoma (PACG) based on anterior segment optical coherence tomography (ASOCT) imaging. Group 1 was characterized by a large iris area with deepest anterior chambers, group 2 by a large lens vault (LV) and shallow anterior chamber depth (ACD), and group 3 displayed intermediate values across iris area, LV, and ACD. The purpose of the present study was to determine the distribution of plateau iris in these subgroups using ultrasound biomicroscopy (UBM) features. Methods UBM images of the 210 subjects who were previously enrolled for the ASOCT subgrouping analysis and had undergone laser peripheral iridotomy were assessed and graded by a single glaucoma fellowship trained clinician. Plateau iris was defined as the presence of all the following UBM criteria in at least two quadrants: anteriorly directed ciliary body, absent ciliary sulcus, iris angulation, flat iris plane, and iridoangle touch. Results Of 210 subjects, 23 were excluded due to poor-quality images. Based on standardized UBM criteria, the overall prevalence of plateau iris was 36.9% (n = 187). The proportion of plateau iris was similar across the three groups (subgroup 1:35.4% (n = 29); subgroup 2:39.0% (n = 32); subgroup 3:34.8% (n = 8), P = 0.87). On multiple logistic regression analysis, iris thickness at 750 μm from the scleral spur (IT750) was the only variable associated with plateau iris (odds ratio: 1.5/100 μm increase in iris thickness [IT], P = 0.04). Conclusions The proportion of plateau iris was similar across the three ASOCT-based PACG subgroups and more than one-third of subjects with PACG were diagnosed with plateau iris based on standardized UBM criteria. In addition, we noted that eyes with increased peripheral IT have an increased likelihood of plateau iris.
Microstructure of Fe-based Alloy Composite Coatings Reinforced by Ti(C、N) Particles Through Laser Cladding Technology

A new in-situ synthesis method is carried out to produce Fe-based alloy composite coating reinforced by Ti(C0.3N0.7)particle on the surface of cast steel through CO2 laser cladding technology.X-ray diffraction(XRD) is used for phase identification that is in the composite coating.The microstructure of laser cladding layer is analyzed by means of electron probe microscopy analyzer(EPMA),scanning electron microscopy(SEM),energy dispersive X-Ray spectrometer(EDX),transmission electron microscopy(TEM) and selected area electron diffraction(SAED). The results show that Ti(C0.3N0.7)particle is introduced by an in-situ metallurgical reaction of TiN particle and graphite powder during laser cladding process.The shape of Ti(C、N) particle is irregular,and they are dispersed evenly in the matrix.Size of particles is within 0.1～6.0 μm. The substrate of laser cladding layer contains martensite microstructure,which is fine dendritic and cell crystal.A new kind of phase named Ti(C0.3N0.7)particles are tightly bonded with α-Fe microstructure with a clean and smooth interface between them.
Cross-Sectional HIV Incidence Surveillance: A Benchmarking of Approaches for Estimating the ‘Mean Duration of Recent Infection’

Abstract The application of biomarkers for ‘recent’ infection in cross-sectional HIV incidence surveillance requires the estimation of critical biomarker characteristics. Various approaches have been employed for using longitudinal data to estimate the Mean Duration of Recent Infection (MDRI) – the average time in the ‘recent’ state. In this systematic benchmarking of MDRI estimation approaches, a simulation platform was used to measure accuracy and precision of over twenty approaches, in thirty scenarios capturing various study designs, subject behaviors and test dynamics that may be encountered in practice. Results highlight that assuming a single continuous sojourn in the ‘recent’ state can produce substantial bias. Simple interpolation provides useful MDRI estimates provided subjects are tested at regular intervals. Regression performs the best – while ‘random effects’ describe the subject-clustering in the data, regression models without random effects proved easy to implement, stable, and of similar accuracy in scenarios considered; robustness to parametric assumptions was improved by regressing ‘recent’/‘non-recent’ classifications rather than continuous biomarker readings. All approaches were vulnerable to incorrect assumptions about subjects’ (unobserved) infection times. Results provided show the relationships between MDRI estimation performance and the number of subjects, inter-visit intervals, missed visits, loss to follow-up, and aspects of biomarker signal and noise.
Fuzzy Keyword Search Method over Ciphertexts supporting Access Control

With the rapid development of cloud computing, more and more data owners are motivated to outsource their data to cloud for various benefits. Due to serious privacy concerns, sensitive data should be encrypted before being outsourced to the cloud. However, this results that effective data utilization becomes a very challenging task, such as keyword search over ciphertexts. Although many searchable encryption methods have been proposed, they only support exact keyword search. Thus, misspelled keywords in the query will result in wrong or no matching. Very recently, a few methods extends the search capability to fuzzy keyword search. Some of them may result in inaccurate search results. The other methods need very large indexes which inevitably lead to low search efficiency. Additionally, the above fuzzy keyword search methods do not support access control. In our paper, we propose a searchable encryption method which achieves fuzzy search and access control through algorithm design and Ciphertext-Policy Attribute-based Encryption (CP-ABE). In our method, the index is small and the search results are accurate. We present word pattern which can be used to balance the search efficiency and privacy. Finally, we conduct extensive experiments and analyze the security of the proposed method.
A new modelling framework over temporal graphs for collaborative mobility recommendation systems

Over the years, collaborative mobility proved to be an important but challenging component of the smart cities paradigm. One of the biggest challenges in the smart mobility domain is the use of data science as an enabler for the implementation of large scale transportation sharing solutions. In particular, the next generation of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) requires the combination of artificial intelligence and discrete simulations when exploring the effects of what-if decisions in complex scenarios with millions of users. In this paper, we address this challenge by presenting an innovative data modelling framework that can be used for ITS related problems. We demonstrate that the use of graphs and time series in multi-dimensional data models can satisfy the requirements of descriptive and predictive analytics in real-world case studies with massive amounts of continuously changing data. The features of the framework are explained in a case study of a complex collaborative mobility system that combines carpooling, carsharing and shared parking. The performance of the framework is tested with a large-scale dataset, performing machine learning tasks and interactive realtime data visualization. The outcome is a fast, efficient and complete architecture that can be easily deployed, tested and used for research as well in an industrial environment.