Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

α-Thalassemia, arising from a defect in α-globin chain synthesis, is often caused by deletions involving one or both of the α-genes on the same allele. With the aim of investigating the prevalence of α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the adult population of Rio Grande do Norte, 713 unrelated individuals, between 18 and 59 years-of-age, were analyzed. Red blood cell indices were electronically determined, and A2 and F hemoglobins evaluated by HPLC. PCR was applied to the molecular investigation of α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion. Eighty (11.2%) of the 713 individuals investigated presented α-thalassemia, of which 79 (11.1%) were heterozygous (-α3.7/αα) deletions and 1 (0.1%) homozygous (-α3.7/-α3.7). Ethnically, heterozygous deletions were higher (24.8%) in Afro-Brazilians. Comparison of hematological parameters between individuals with normal genotype and those with heterozygous α+-thalassemia showed a statistically significant difference in the number of erythrocytes (p < 0.001), MCV (p < 0.001), MCH (p < 0.001) and Hb A2 (p = 0.007). This study is one of the first dedicated to investigating α-thalassemia 3.7 kb deletion in the population of the State Rio Grande do Norte state. Results obtained demonstrate the importance of investigating this condition in order to elucidate the causes of microcytosis and hypochromia.
Cross-linguistic differences in early word form segmentation: a rhythmic-based account

The present paper reviews recent studies on the early segmentation of word forms from fluent speech. After having exposed the importance of this issue from a developmental point of view, we summarize studies conducted on this issue with American English-learning infants. These studies show that segmentation abilities emerge around 8 months, develop during the following months, and rely on infants’ processing of various word boundary cues the relative weight of which changes across development. Given that these studies show that infants mostly use cues that are specific to the language they are acquiring, we underline that the development of these abilities should vary cross-linguistically, and raise the issue of the developmental origin of segmentation abilities. We then offer one solution to both the crosslinguistic differences (also observed in adulthood) and bootstrapping issues in the form of the early rhythmic segmentation hypothesis. This hypothesis states that infants rely on the underlying rhythmic unit of their native language at the onset of segmentation abilities: the trochaic unit for stress-based languages, the syllable for syllable-based languages. After the presentation of various elements on which this hypothesis relies, we present recent data on French infants offering a first validation of this proposal.
Particle Accelerator Using Optical Tweezer for Photodetector Performance Improvement

A photodetector performance improvement technique using a particle accelerator in the modified add-drop optical filter is proposed. An optical tweezer is used to control the electron movement within the device, where an electron (particle) can be accelerated and moved faster than the normal condition, where finally the silicon bulk defects and diode performance degradation can be solved. In simulation, a PANDA microring is configured by a modified add-drop filter that can be used to increase the electron speed. In operation, the trapped electrons in a diode can be trapped, controlled, and transported from anode to cathode contacts. In the design system, the trapping probe can be adjusted to fit the atom size from 200 pm (picometer) to 1.4 nm (nanometer) by controlling the ring parameters. The goal of this paper is to present the use of a PANDA microring for photodetector performance improvement, which can be used for many applications.
Scalable Reinforcement Learning via Trajectory Optimization and Approximate Gaussian Process Regression

Over the last decade, reinforcement learning (RL) has begun to be successfully applied to robotics and autonomous systems. While model-free RL has demonstrated promising results [1, 2, 3], it requires human expert demonstrations and relies on lots of direct interactions with the physical systems. In contrast, model-based RL was developed to address the issue of sample inefficiency by learning dynamics models explicitly from data, which helps to provide better generalization [4, 5]. However, model-based methods suffer from two issues: 1) classical value function approximation methods [6, 7] and modern global policy search methods [5] are computationally inefficient for moderate to high-dimensional problems; and 2) model errors significantly degrade the performance.
Some considerations regarding conditional probabilities

The standard treatment of conditional probability leaves conditional probability undefined when the conditioning proposition has zero probability. Nonetheless, some find the option of extending the scope of conditional probability to include zero-probability conditions attractive or even compelling. This articles reviews some of the pitfalls associated with this move, and concludes that, for the most part, probabilities conditional on zero-probability propositions are more trouble than they are worth. ∗But if you try, sometimes, you find you get what you need.
Adolescent physical activity and bone strength at the proximal femur in adulthood.

INTRODUCTION Physical activity (PA) enhances bone structural strength at the proximal femur in adolescence, but whether these benefits are maintained into early adulthood remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether males and females, described as active, average, and inactive during adolescence, display differences in structural strength at the proximal femur in early adulthood (20-30 yr). METHODS One hundred four participants (55 males and 49 females) from the Pediatric Bone Mineral Accrual Study (PBMAS) were categorized into adolescent PA groupings (inactive, average, and active) using the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents. Cross-sectional area and section modulus (Z) at the narrow neck, intertrochanter, and femoral shaft (S) sites of the proximal femur were assessed using hip structural analysis in young adulthood from femoral neck dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry scans. Group differences were assessed using ANCOVA, controlling for adult height (Ht), adult weight (Wt), adolescent bone geometry, sex, percentage adult total body lean tissue (LTM%), and adult PA levels. RESULTS Active adolescents had significantly greater adjusted bone geometric measures at all sites than their inactive classified peers during adolescence (P < 0.05). In adulthood, when adjusted for Ht, Wt, adolescent bone geometry, sex, LTM%, and adult PA levels, adolescent participants categorized as active had significantly greater adjusted adult bone geometric measures at the proximal femur than adult participants who were classified as inactive during adolescence (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS Skeletal advantages associated with adolescence activity appear to confer greater geometric bone structural strength at the proximal femur in young adulthood.
Minicerebellum, now available for reductionists’ functional study

The cerebellum is a neuronal machine that is composed of numerous uniform modules called “microcomplexes. ” The cerebellum plays an essential role for adaptive motor learning by providing the motor control system with an “internal model. ” The internal models are formed by integration of calculations performed by microcomplexes in which the input-output relationship is adaptively modified by the “error signals” conveyed into Purkinje cells by climbing fibers (1, 2). Despite the long history of the cerebellum research, much of the mechanism on how each microcomplex works and how the calculations of microcomplexes are integrated to form internal models still remains to be studied as this research has been hampered by the difficulty in observing and manipulating a too large number of microcomplexes either at once or individually. One possible way to overcome this difficulty is to take a reductionist approach, i.e., to study the “smallest” cerebellum. In PNAS, the report by Matsui et al. (3), together with recently published works by others (4⇓⇓–7), demonstrates that the tiny cerebellum of the larva of teleost zebrafish (Danio rerio) can be a suitable model for this purpose, because it is much smaller in size with much smaller number of microcomplexes than in mammals and is still amenable to various genetic manipulations. Transparency of larva enables the whole-brain neural activity imaging with single-cell resolution by use of modern cellular activity imaging technology such as two-photon microscopy in combination with various intracellular calcium indicators (3⇓⇓⇓–7).
Regularity properties of planar motions of incompressible rods

This paper treats the quasilinear evolution equations governing the planar motions of incompressible rods. Since incompressibility is here a 2-dimensional phenomenon, a thickness variable enters the governing equations in an essential and novel way. These equations have a mathematical structure strikingly different from that for compressible rods. In contrast to the case for compressible rods, the governing equations admit a priori upper and lower bounds on the stretches without the viscosity becoming singular when these stretches reach their extremes.
A Centralized Approach to Factory Simulation

This paper describes the goals, practices, and methodologies of the Siemens Semiconductor Division's Factory Modeling and Simulation team. The team's charter is to implement performance modeling capability (simulation, capacity analysis, and cost analysis) at factories throughout the division, both wafer fabrication and back-end operations. Findings of recent modeling activities are discussed, along with applications of simulation and a hierarchical modeling approach. The authors wish to use articles such as th is to initiate discussions with other organizations using modeling techniques to analyze factory performance.
Brief Communications Expedited Publication Dysferlin is a surface membrane–associated protein that is absent in Miyoshi myopathy

Dysferlin is a surface membrane–associated protein that is absent in Miyoshi myopathy Article abstract—Recently we reported that mutations in a muscle protein “dysferlin” are present in limb girdle muscular dystrophy–2B and a related, adult-onset, distal dystrophy known as Miyoshi myopathy (MM). We report that antibodies to dysferlin identify a protein of approximately 230 kDa and show that dysferlin is located in the muscle membrane. This protein is absent in MM and LGMD-2B muscle. By contrast, dystrophin and other dystrophinassociated proteins are normal in these patients. Thus, dysferlin is a membrane-associated protein that is not likely to be an integral component of the dystrophin complex. Although it is not essential for initial myogenesis, it appears to be critical for sustained normal function in mature muscle.
Trazodone: properties and utility in multiple disorders

Trazodone is an established antidepressant that is prescribed frequently as an off-label hypnotic with wide acceptance among psychiatrists. Owing to its atypical mixed serotonergic and adrenolytic pharmacology, trazodone has been investigated in a number of disorders besides depression and insomnia, including anxiety disorders, chronic pain, frontal cognitive dysfunctions, erectile dysfunction and others. Clinical studies using subjective and objective measures generally tend to support its efficacy as a hypnotic in depressed subjects. Various other attributes of trazodone, including interaction with adrenergic receptors, formation of an active metabolite with potent serotonergic activity, low abuse potential and putative utility in various disorders, warrant further exploration. The adverse effects of trazodone generally mirror its serotonergic activity and include sedation, headache, sweating, weight changes and gastrointestinal effects such as nausea and vomiting. Clinicians and patients should be cognizant of the risk for potential, but rare, cardiovascular adverse effects of trazodone. The safety and toxicology of trazodone should be examined under current standards of drug development before exposure to new patient populations. This article provides an overview of trazodone with a focus on its clinical pharmacology and opportunities, gaps and scientific strategies in developing it for new indications such as insomnia, anxiety disorders, chronic pain and frontal cognitive dysfunction. Modified release formulations, alternate forms of drug delivery and combination products are discussed as strategies to optimize the efficacy of trazodone and improve its safety profile.
Caustics of weak shock waves

The caustics of weak shock waves are studied through matched asymptotic expansions. It is shown that these caustics are thinner and more intense than those of smooth waves with a comparable amplitude. This difference in scalings solves a paradox that would have the caustics of weak shock waves behave linearly, even though linear theory for discontinuous fronts predicts infinite amplitudes near the caustic and in the reflected wave. With the new scalings, the behavior of shocks both near the caustic and in the far field is described by nonlinear equations. The new scales are robust, in the sense that they survive the addition of a small amount of viscosity to the equations. As a viscous shock approaches the caustic, its intensity amplifies and its width decreases in such a way that the new scalings are actually reinforced. A new paradox arises, however: The nonlinear Tricomi equation which describes the behavior of the fronts near caustics does not appear to admit the triple shock intersections which have .
The Logic of Political Violence

This paper offers a unified approach for studying political violence whether it emerges as repression or civil war. We formulate a model where an incumbent or opposition can use violence to maintain or acquire power to study which political and economic factors drive one-sided or two-sided violence (repression or civil war). The model predicts a hierarchy of violence states from peace via repression to civil war, and suggests a natural empirical approach. Exploiting only within-country variation in the data, we show that violence is associated with shocks that can affect wages and aid. As in the theory, these effects are only present where political institutions are non-cohesive.
The neural correlates of volitional attention: A combined fMRI and ERP study

Studies of visual‐spatial attention typically use instructional cues to direct attention to a relevant location, but in everyday vision, attention is often focused volitionally, in the absence of external signals. Although investigations of cued attention comprise hundreds of behavioral and physiological studies, remarkably few studies of voluntary attention have addressed the challenging question of how spatial attention is initiated and controlled in the absence of external instructions, which we refer to as willed attention. To explore this question, we employed a trial‐by‐trial spatial attention task using electroencephalography and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). The fMRI results reveal a unique network of brain regions for willed attention that includes the anterior cingulate cortex, left middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and the left and right anterior insula (AI). We also observed two event‐related potentials (ERPs) associated with willed attention; one with a frontal distribution occurring 250–350 ms postdecision cue onset (EWAC: Early Willed Attention Component), and another occurring between 400 and 800 ms postdecision‐cue onset (WAC: Willed Attention Component). In addition, each ERP component uniquely correlated across subjects with different willed attention‐specific sites of BOLD activation. The EWAC was correlated with the willed attention‐specific left AI and left MFG activations and the later WAC was correlated only with left AI. These results offer a comprehensive and novel view of the electrophysiological and anatomical profile of willed attention and further illustrate the relationship between scalp‐recorded ERPs and the BOLD response. Hum Brain Mapp 36:2443–2454, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A meta-learning framework for algorithm recommendation in software fault prediction

Software fault prediction is a significant part of software quality assurance and it is commonly used to detect faulty software modules based on software measurement data. Several machine learning based approaches have been proposed for generating predictive models from collected data, although none has become standard given the specificities of each software project. Hence, we believe that recommending the best algorithm for each project is much more important and useful than developing a single algorithm for being used in any project. For achieving that goal, we propose in this paper a novel framework for recommending machine learning algorithms that is capable of automatically identifying the most suitable algorithm according to the software project that is being considered. Our solution, namely SFP-MLF, makes use of the meta-learning paradigm in order to learn the best learner for a particular project. Results show that the SFP-MLF framework provides both the best single algorithm recommendation and also the best ranking recommendation for the software fault prediction problem.
Uraemic toxins and cardiovascular disease.

When renal failure develops, uraemic retention solutes are retained which are normally excreted by the healthy kidneys. If these retention solutes exert biochemicalu biological activity, they are called uraemic toxins. According to their physico-chemical characteristics, they can be subdivided into [1]: (i) small water-soluble compounds (-500 Da, prototype urea); (ii) the larger so-called middle molecules ()500 Da, prototype b2-microglobulin); and (iii) the protein bound solutes. The retention of these uraemic solutes results in the progressive failure of virtually every organ system, in parallel with the failing function of the kidneys. The resulting clinical picture is the uraemic syndrome.
Optimal realizations of floorplans [VLSI layout]

The problem of selecting a realization for each of the blocks in a VLSI chip's floorplan so that the area of the floorplan is minimized is considered. This is done by repeatedly replacing primitive superblocks by equivalent basic blocks. A linear time algorithm to determine all the needed primitive superblocks is developed. Equivalent basic blocks are found by using L. Stockmeyer's (1983) algorithm if the primitive superblock has a slicing structure and by using branch-and-bound if not. Experimental results are provided. >
Short-term effects of a randomized computer-based out-of-school smoking prevention trial aimed at elementary schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND Smoking prevention programs usually run during school hours. In our study, an out-of-school program was developed consisting of a computer-tailored intervention aimed at the age group before school transition (11- to 12-year-old elementary schoolchildren). The aim of this study is to evaluate the additional effect of out-of-school smoking prevention. METHODS One hundred fifty-six participating schools were randomly allocated to one of four research conditions: (a) the in-school condition, an existing seven-lesson program; (b) the out-of-school condition, three computer-tailored letters sent to the students' homes; (c) the in-school and out-of-school condition, a combined approach; (d) the control condition. Pretest and 6 months follow-up data on smoking initiation and continuation, and data on psychosocial variables were collected from 3,349 students. RESULTS Control and out-of-school conditions differed regarding posttest smoking initiation (18.1 and 10.4%) and regarding posttest smoking continuation (23.5 and 13.1%). Multilevel logistic regression analyses showed positive effects regarding the out-of-school program. Significant effects were not found regarding the in-school program, nor did the combined approach show stronger effects than the single-method approaches. CONCLUSIONS The findings of this study suggest that smoking prevention trials for elementary schoolchildren can be effective when using out-of-school computer-tailored interventions.
Flake density of steam-processed sorghum grain alters performance and sites of digestibility by growing-finishing steers.

The effect of several flake densities (FD) of steam-processed sorghum grain on performance, and site and extent of nutrient digestibilities by steers fed growing and finishing diets was determined. The effectiveness of common laboratory methods of starch availability (enzymatic hydrolysis or gelatinization) to provide target specifications for quality control of steam-flaked grains was also measured. In vitro starch availability of the processed grains increased (P < .05) linearly in response to decreased FD. Flake density was more highly correlated with enzymatic measures than with percentage gelatinization (R2 = .87 to .93 vs .36). Using 140 crossbred beef steers (181 kg initial weight), feedlot performance was determined for 112 d with a growing diet (50% grain), followed by 119 d with a finishing diet (78% grain). Each FD treatment (412, 360, 309, and 257 g/L or 32, 28, 24, and 20 lb/bu) was randomly assigned to five pens of seven steers each. Intake of DM by steers decreased linearly (P < .05) as FD decreased (7 and 13%, respectively, for growing and finishing diets). Decreasing FD reduced linearly (P < .05) ADG in the finishing phase and for the entire 231-d trial. With the growing diet only, feed efficiency and estimated diet NEm and NEg responses to decreasing FD were curvilinear (P < .05), with the 360 g/L (28 lb/bu) flake being most efficient. Electrical energy requirements for processing increased linearly (P < .05) as FD decreased. Using four multi-cannulated crossbred steers (275 kg), starch digestibility increased linearly (P < .05) in the rumen (82 to 91%) and total tract (98.2 to 99.2%) as FD decreased. Digestibilities within the small (74%) and large intestines (62%) were not altered by FD. Decreasing FD increased (P < .05) total CP digestibility, but did not consistently alter fiber digestibility or DE content of the diets. In conclusion, enzymatic laboratory methods to evaluate starch availability in processed grains can be used satisfactorily to establish FD criteria for quality control of the steam-flaking process. The greatest improvements in efficiency, estimated diet NE, and starch and protein digestibilities usually occurred when FD was decreased from 412 to 360 g/L (32 to 28 lb/bu). Based on these measures and processing costs, the optimal FD was 360 g/L (28 lb/bu).