Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Towards sustainable food security

Today the world is under the threat of a silent crisis--the crisis of underdevelopment. At the very center of concern about development is the concern of food, agriculture, and people. Combining these three elements into an objective that is fundamental to all else in development is the concept of sustainable food security. Achieving sustainable food security will require more than improving farm productivity and profitability. It requires that not only we look at the aggregate supply of food but also at income and land distribution, at household livelihoods and dietary needs, at food distribution and waste, at women's status and their opportunities, at fertility and population issues, and at the protection and regeneration of the resource base for food production--terrestrial, aquatic, and climatic. This report emphasizes that development work must include real participation of, and ownership by, the beneficiaries of development--entrepreneurs, women, nongovernmental organizations, and local communities. Moreover, linkages among researchers in industrial and developing countries can minimize the time lag between discovery and practical utilization.
Adjuvant therapy of stage III and IV malignant melanoma using granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor.

PURPOSE To evaluate granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) as surgical adjuvant therapy in patients with malignant melanoma who are at high risk of recurrence. PATIENTS AND METHODS Forty-eight assessable patients with stage III or IV melanoma were treated in a phase II trial with long-term, chronic, intermittent GM-CSF after surgical resection of disease. Patients with stage III disease were required to have more than four positive nodes or a more than 3-cm mass. All patients were rendered clinically disease-free by surgery before enrollment. The GM-CSF was administered subcutaneously in 28-day cycles, such that a dose of 125 microg/m(2) was delivered daily for 14 days followed by 14 days of rest. Treatment cycles continued for 1 year or until disease recurrence. Patients were evaluated for toxicity and disease-free and overall survival. RESULTS Overall and disease-free survival were significantly prolonged in patients who received GM-CSF compared with matched historical controls. The median survival duration was 37.5 months in the study patients versus 12.2 months in the matched controls (P <.001). GM-CSF was well tolerated; only one subject discontinued drug due to an adverse event (grade 2 injection site reaction). CONCLUSION GM-CSF may provide an antitumor effect that prolongs survival and disease-free survival in patients with stage III and IV melanoma who are clinically disease-free. These results support institution of a prospective, randomized clinical trial to definitively determine the value of surgical adjuvant therapy with GM-CSF in such patients.
Uncertainty quantification of high‐dimensional complex systems by multiplicative polynomial dimensional decompositions

The central theme of this paper is multiplicative polynomial dimensional decomposition (PDD) methods for solving high‐dimensional stochastic problems. When a stochastic response is dominantly of multiplicative nature, the standard PDD approximation, predicated on additive function decomposition, may not provide sufficiently accurate probabilistic solutions of a complex system. To circumvent this problem, two multiplicative versions of PDD, referred to as factorized PDD and logarithmic PDD, were developed. Both versions involve a hierarchical, multiplicative decomposition of a multivariate function, a broad range of orthonormal polynomial bases for Fourier‐polynomial expansions of component functions, and a dimension‐reduction or sampling technique for estimating the expansion coefficients. Three numerical problems involving mathematical functions or uncertain dynamic systems were solved to corroborate how and when a multiplicative PDD is more efficient or accurate than the additive PDD. The results show that indeed, both the factorized and logarithmic PDD approximations can effectively exploit the hidden multiplicative structure of a stochastic response when it exists. Since a multiplicative PDD recycles the same component functions of the additive PDD, no additional cost is incurred. Finally, the random eigensolutions of a sport utility vehicle comprising 40 random variables were evaluated, demonstrating the ability of the new methods to solve industrial‐scale problems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The effect of patient and injury factors on long-term outcome after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction

BackgroundLong-term follow-up is required for accurate assessment of results after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction and recent years have witnessed the publication of numerous papers detailing long-term outcomes. The primary aim of this systematic review was to determine which patient factors affect long-term clinical and radiographic outcomes based on the current literature. MethodsA comprehensive literature review yielded 18 prospective manuscripts with minimum follow-up ranging from 5-12 years after ACL reconstruction. ResultsLonger follow-up was associated with increased radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis. Increased meniscal or articular cartilage pathology at ACL reconstruction were found to be associated with increased prevalence of radiographic evidence of osteoarthritis at long-term follow-up in most studies. There is currently insufficient evidence to correlate these intra-articular findings with decreases in clinical outcome measures. Further research is needed to determine the effect of body mass index (BMI) on long-term outcome after ACL reconstruction. ConclusionsIntra-articular injuries noted at the time of ACL reconstruction affect long-term results. The effect of BMI and other patient factors is unclear. Long-term follow-up of large multicenter cohorts will provide definitive data on the relative importance of different factors in determining results of ACL reconstruction.
Tourism Planning: Policies, Processes and Relationships

List of figures List of tables List of planning insights List of plates Preface Acknowledgements 1 Inside the 'black box' of tourism planning and policy: Setting a context 2 Tourism planning and policy: Responding to change -- The sustainable imperative 3 The changing dimensions of tourism planning 4 Tourism planning systems: theory, thinking and exorcism 5 The integrated and strategic tourism planning process: dealing with interdependence 6 Tourism planning and policy at the international and supranational levels 7 Tourism planning and policy at the national and sub-national levels 8 Planning destinations: competition and cooperation 9 Planning sites: sustainable design 10 Implementation and instruments: policy and implementation as two sides of the same coin 11 Conclusions and reflections: thinking sustainable planning Bibliography Index
Use of the brain parenchymal fraction to measure whole brain atrophy in relapsing-remitting MS

Background: Episodic inflammation in the CNS during the early stages of MS results in progressive disability years later, presumably due to myelin and axonal injury. MRI demonstrates ongoing disease activity during the early disease stage, even in some patients who are stable clinically. The optimal MRI measure for the destructive pathologic process is uncertain, however. Methods: In this post-hoc study, MRI scans were analyzed from patients with relapsing MS participating in a placebo-controlled trial of interferon β-1a. The brain parenchymal fraction, defined as the ratio of brain parenchymal volume to the total volume within the brain surface contour, was used to measure whole brain atrophy. The relationship between disease features and brain atrophy and effect of interferon β-1a were determined. Results: MS patients had significant brain atrophy that worsened during each of 2 years of observation. In many patients, brain atrophy worsened without clinical disease activity. Baseline clinical and MRI abnormalities were not strongly related to the rate of brain atrophy during the subsequent 2 years. Treatment with interferon β-1a resulted in a reduction in brain atrophy progression during the second year of the clinical trial. Conclusions: Patients with relapsing-remitting MS have measurable amounts of whole brain atrophy that worsens yearly, in most cases without clinical manifestations. The brain parenchymal fraction is a marker for destructive pathologic processes ongoing in relapsing MS patients, and appears useful in demonstrating treatment effects in controlled clinical trials.
A Novel and Practical Screening Tool for the Detection of Silent Myocardial Infarction in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes

Objective: Silent myocardial infarction (MI) is a prevalent finding in patients with type 2 diabetes and is associated with significant mortality and morbidity. Late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) by cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR) is the most validated technique for detection of silent MI, but is time-consuming, costly, and requires administration of intravenous contrast. We therefore planned to develop a simple and low-cost population screening tool to identify those at highest risk of silent MI validated against the CMR reference standard. Methods: A total of 100 asymptomatic patients with type 2 diabetes underwent electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, biomarker assessment, and CMR at 3.0T including assessment of left ventricular ejection fraction and LGE. Global longitudinal strain from two- and four-chamber cines was measured using feature tracking. Results: A total of 17/100 patients with no history of cardiovascular disease had silent MI defined by LGE in an infarct pattern on CMR. Only four patients with silent MI had Q waves on ECG. Patients with silent MI were older (65 vs 60, P = .05), had lower E/A ratio (0.75 vs 0.89, P = .004), lower GLS (–15.2% vs –17.7%, P = .004), and higher amino-terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (106 ng/L vs 52 ng/L, P = .003). A combined risk score derived from these four factors had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.823 (0.734–0.892), P < . 0001. A score of more than 3/5 had 82% sensitivity and 72% specificity for silent MI. Conclusions: Using measures that can be derived in an outpatient clinic setting, we have developed a novel screening tool for the detection of silent MI in type 2 diabetes. The screening tool had significantly superior diagnostic accuracy than current ECG criteria for the detection of silent MI in asymptomatic patients.
Dietary Survey of Finnish Adolescent Diabetics and Non‐Diabetic Controls

Food consumption data of 152 diabetic and 74 non‐diabetic adolescents were collected by means of two 48 h recall interviews. The nutrient density of the diet was systematically higher for the diabetics than the controls. The energy intake from protein was higher for the diabetics (18% vs. 15%), and correspondingly the proportion of fat lower (33% vs. 36%). The ratio of polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acids was higher for the diabetics (0.49 vs. 0.39) and the share of energy from sucrose for the controls (14% vs. 4%). The intra‐individual variation in nutrient intakes was higher for the controls. The diet of the diabetics met reasonably well the recommendations for diabetics and also the general recommendations for a healthy population. However, the differences between the diabetics and controls regarding food consumption, nutrient intake and intra‐individual variation of nutrient intake decreased with age.
Heneman, Robert L., Merit Pay : Linking Pay Increases to Performance Ratings

Montréal. Il a pour mission la promotion et la valorisation de la recherche. Érudit offre des services d'édition numérique de documents scientifiques depuis 1998. Pour communiquer avec les responsables d'Érudit : info@erudit.org Compte rendu Ouvrage recensé : Heneman, Robert L. , Merit Pay : Linking Pay Increases to Performance Ratings par Marcel Bernard Relations industrielles / Industrial Relations, vol. 48, n° 2, 1993, p. 376-378.
Approximation Algorithms for Cell Planning in Heterogeneous Networks

Small cells are introduced to cellular systems to enhance coverage and improve capacity. Densely deploying small cells can not only offload the traffic of macrocells but also provide an energy- and cost-efficient way to meet the sharp increase in traffic demands in mobile networks. However, such a cell deployment paradigm also leads to heterogeneous network (HetNet) infrastructure and raises new challenges for cell planning. In this paper, we study the cell planning issue in the HetNet. Our optimization task is to select a subset of candidate sites to deploy macro or small cells to minimize the total cost of ownership (TCO) or the energy consumption of the cellular system while satisfying practical constraints. We introduce approximation algorithms to cope with two different cell-planning cases, which are both NP-hard. First, we discuss the macrocell-only case. Our proposed algorithm achieves an approximation ratio of <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(\log R)$</tex-math></inline-formula> in this scenario, where <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$R$</tex-math></inline-formula> is the maximum achievable capacity of macrocells. Then, we introduce an <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$O(\log \widetilde{R})$</tex-math></inline-formula>-approximation algorithm to the small-cell scenario, where <inline-formula> <tex-math notation="LaTeX">$\widetilde{R}$</tex-math></inline-formula> is the maximum achievable capacity of a macrocell with small cells overlaid on it. Numerical results indicate that the HetNet can significantly reduce the TCO and the energy consumption of the cellular system.
Influence of phyllosilicates on fault strength in the brittle-ductile transition: insights from rock analogue experiments

Abstract Despite the fact that phyllosilicates are ubiquitous in mature fault and shear zones, little is known about the strength of phyllosilicate-bearing fault rocks under brittle-ductile transitional conditions where cataclasis and solution-transfer processes are active. In this study we explored steady-state strength behaviour of a simulated fault rock, consisting of muscovite and halite, using brine as pore fluid. Samples were deformed in a rotary shear apparatus under conditions where cataclasis and solution transfer are known to dominate the deformation behaviour of the halite. It was found that the steady-state strength of these mixtures is dependent on normal stress and sliding velocity. At low velocities (<0.5 µm s−1) the strength increases with velocity and normal stress, and a strong foliation develops. Comparison with previous microphysical models shows that this is a result of the serial operation of pressure solution in the halite grains accommodating frictional sliding over the phyllosilicate foliation. At high velocities (>1 µm s−1), velocity-weakening frictional behaviour occurs along with the development of a structureless cataclastic microstructure. Revision of previous models for the low-velocity behaviour results in a physically realistic description that fits our data well. This is extended to include the possibility of plastic flow in the phyllosilicates and applied to predict steady-state strength profiles for continental fault zones containing foliated quartz-mica fault rocks. The results predict a significant reduction of strength at mid-crustal depths and may have important implications for crustal dynamics and seismogenesis.
Type D personality and dietary intake: The mediating effects of coping style

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Type D and dietary intake and to determine whether this relationship is mediated by coping. In a cross-sectional study, 187 healthy participants completed a self-report questionnaire measuring Type D personality, dietary intake and coping. Results showed that Type D was associated with maladaptive coping and significantly less healthy food intake, including more consumption of fat and sugar, and significantly less consumption of fruit and vegetables. Regression analyses showed that this relationship was partially mediated by coping. The results suggest that Type D personality may represent a risk factor for unhealthy eating.
Influence of anisotropic conductivity in the skull and white matter on transcranial direct current stimulation via an anatomically realistic finite element head model

To establish safe and efficient transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS), it is of particular importance to understand the electrical effects of tDCS in the brain. Since the current density (CD) and electric field (EF) in the brain generated by tDCS depend on various factors including complex head geometries and electrical tissue properties, in this work, we investigated the influence of anisotropic conductivity in the skull and white matter (WM) on tDCS via a 3D anatomically realistic finite element head model. We systematically incorporated various anisotropic conductivity ratios into the skull and WM. The effects of anisotropic tissue conductivity on the CD and EF were subsequently assessed through comparisons to the conventional isotropic solutions. Our results show that the anisotropic skull conductivity significantly affects the CD and EF distribution: there is a significant reduction in the ratio of the target versus non-target total CD and EF on the order of 12–14%. In contrast, the WM anisotropy does not significantly influence the CD and EF on the targeted cortical surface, only on the order of 1–3%. However, the WM anisotropy highly alters the spatial distribution of both the CD and EF inside the brain. This study shows that it is critical to incorporate anisotropic conductivities in planning of tDCS for improved efficacy and safety.
Ideology and Political Choice: The Search for Freedom, Justice, and Virtue

Part 1 Introduction. Part 2 The British background: a preview the focus on the individual constitutional government and civil rights economic freedom, laissez faire? social Darwinism new liberalism a national consensus? reprise reason, tolerance, and progress. Part 3 Progressive liberalism - the New Deal: the Great Depression laissez faire? Roosevelt's stance New Deal legislation Roosevelt's ideology . Part 4 progressive liberalism - the great society and welfare: the end of ideology expanded New Deal programs food stamps Medicare and Medicaid economic opportunity redistributive? the market Johnson's ideology. Part 5 Progressive liberalism - equal treatment: Jim Crow racial discrimination and the problem of redress the Voting Rights Act of 1965 equal treatment for nonracial groups multiculturalism the environment. Part 6 Progressive liberalism - its nature: liberty equality tolerance and neutrality the role of reason the usefulness of government welfare taxes underlying postulates epilogue. Part 7 Libertarianism: liberty and the market why liberty and the market? collectivism? coercion? social justice? , social responsibility? , uphold virtue? , equality? criticisms of government limited or minimal government welfare and the Welfare State private coercion Robert Nozick anarchocapitalism social rigidities externalities reprise. Part 8 Public choice: assumptions the argument qualifications the prescription critique. Part 9 Conservative conservatism: distrust of rationalism preference for the known change ideology, tradition, and God's will "fusionism,". Part 10 Economic conservatism: hostility to government taxes the seven fat years hostility to regulatory activities equality of opportunity welfare crime reprise. Part 11 Social conservatism - the source of moral rules the program. Part 12 Progressive conservatism: the need for governmental action empowerment enterprise zones housing welfare reform education health care nonpoverty concerns big government? Part 13 Neoconservatism: hostility to communism and support for western values hostility to egalitarianism the Welfare State defending America virtue neos and other conservatives. Part 14 Foreign policies: the terminological muddle anticommunism and the Soviet threat diplomacy, international law, and international organization human rights and democracy isolationism America first conservative conservatism a new world order? Part 15 neoliberalisms: is liberalism discreditable? a neoliberal manifesto the end of equality community a new democrat? Part 16 Concluding observations: a comparison of conceptualizations sources of agreement/disagreement.
Use of Shell-Vial Cell Culture Assay for Isolation of Bacteria from Clinical Specimens: 13 Years of Experience

ABSTRACT The shell-vial culture assay is performed routinely in our laboratory. Recently we revisited our experience of using the shell-vial culture assay for the isolation of microorganisms from various clinical samples. Over a 13-year period, we have isolated 580 bacterial strains (5%) from 11,083 clinical samples tested. Over the same period, 285 isolates of rickettsiae, bartonellae, or Coxiella burnetii were cultured from a total of 7,102 samples tested. These isolates include 55 Rickettsia sp. isolates, 95 Coxiella burnetii isolates, and 135 Bartonella sp. isolates. Based on our experience with the growth of fastidious microorganisms, we have used a centrifugation shell-vial technique called JNSP, for “je ne sais pas” (“I don't know [what I am growing]”) for the isolation of other microorganisms. A total of 173 isolates were cultured from the 3,861 clinical samples tested using the JNSP method. Of these, 40 isolates had not been grown before on usual axenic medium. These include 2 Staphylococcus aureus isolates, 7 isolates of Streptococcus sp. and related genera, 6 Mycobacterium sp. isolates, 1 Nocardia asteroides isolate, 1 Actinomyces sp. isolate, 1 Brucella melitensis isolate, 2 Francisella tularensis isolates, 1 Mycoplasma pneumoniae isolate, and 1 Legionella pneumophila isolate. Using this protocol, we have also cultured intracellular bacteria such as Chlamydia trachomatis and we have performed the first culture and establishment of Trophyrema whipplei. Applied in our laboratory, the shell-vial culture generally exhibits a low rate of success. However, in some cases, this technique allowed microbial diagnosis when classical agar procedure and PCR were negative.
Methionine oxidation induces amyloid fibril formation by full-length apolipoprotein A-I

Apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) is the major protein component of HDL, where it plays an important role in cholesterol transport. The deposition of apoA-I derived amyloid is associated with various hereditary systemic amyloidoses and atherosclerosis; however, very little is known about the mechanism of apoA-I amyloid formation. Methionine residues in apoA-I are oxidized via several mechanisms in vivo to form methionine sulfoxide (MetO), and significant levels of methionine oxidized apoA-I (MetO-apoA-I) are present in normal human serum. We investigated the effect of methionine oxidation on the structure, stability, and aggregation of full-length, lipid-free apoA-I. Circular dichrosim spectroscopy showed that oxidation of all three methionine residues in apoA-I caused partial unfolding of the protein and decreased its thermal stability, reducing the melting temperature (Tm) from 58.7 °C for native apoA-I to 48.2 °C for MetO-apoA-I. Analytical ultracentrifugation revealed that methionine oxidation inhibited the native self association of apoA-I to form dimers and tetramers. Incubation of MetO-apoA-I for extended periods resulted in aggregation of the protein, and these aggregates bound Thioflavin T and Congo Red. Inspection of the aggregates by electron microscopy revealed fibrillar structures with a ribbon-like morphology, widths of approximately 11 nm, and lengths of up to several microns. X-ray fibre diffraction studies of the fibrils revealed a diffraction pattern with orthogonal peaks at spacings of 4.64 Å and 9.92 Å, indicating a cross-β amyloid structure. This systematic study of fibril formation by full-length apoA-I represents the first demonstration that methionine oxidation can induce amyloid fibril formation.