Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Twinning across the Developing World

Background Until now, little was known about the variation in incidence of twin births across developing countries, because national representative data was lacking. This study provides the first comprehensive overview of national twinning rates across the developing world on the basis of reliable survey data. Methods Data on incidence of twinning was extracted from birth histories of women aged 15–49 interviewed in 150 Demographic and Health Surveys, held between 1987 and 2010 in 75 low and middle income countries. During the interview, information on all live births experienced by the women was recorded, including whether it was a singleton or multiple birth. Information was available for 2.47 million births experienced by 1.38 million women in a period of ten years before the interview. Twinning incidence was measured as the number of twin births per thousand births. Data for China were computed on the basis of published figures from the 1990 census. Both natural and age-standardized twinning rates are presented. Results/Conclusions The very low natural twinning rates of 6–9 per thousand births previously observed in some East Asian countries turn out to be the dominant pattern in the whole South and South-East Asian region. Very high twinning rates of above 18 per thousand are not restricted to Nigeria (until now seen as the world's twinning champion) but found in most Central-African countries. Twinning rates in Latin America turn out to be as low as those in Asia. Changes over time are small and not in a specific direction. Significance We provide the most complete and comparable overview of twinning rates across the developing world currently possible.
Interaction of a dengue virus NS1‐derived peptide with the inhibitory receptor KIR3DL1 on natural killer cells

Killer immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIRs) interact with human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I ligands and play a key role in the regulation and activation of NK cells. The functional importance of KIR–HLA interactions has been demonstrated for a number of chronic viral infections, but to date only a few studies have been performed in the context of acute self‐limited viral infections. During our investigation of CD8+ T cell responses to a conserved HLA‐B57‐restricted epitope derived from dengue virus (DENV) non‐structural protein‐1 (NS1), we observed substantial binding of the tetrameric complex to non‐T/non‐B lymphocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from a long‐standing clinical cohort in Thailand. We confirmed binding of the NS1 tetramer to CD56dim NK cells, which are known to express KIRs. Using depletion studies and KIR‐transfected cell lines, we demonstrated further that the NS1 tetramer bound the inhibitory receptor KIR3DL1. Phenotypical analysis of PBMC from HLA‐B57+ subjects with acute DENV infection revealed marked activation of NS1 tetramer‐binding natural killer (NK) cells around the time of defervescence in subjects with severe dengue disease. Collectively, our findings indicate that subsets of NK cells are activated relatively late in the course of acute DENV illness and reveal a possible role for specific KIR–HLA interactions in the modulation of disease outcomes.
Modified food guide pyramid for lactovegetarians and vegans.

Health benefits of vegetarian diets include reduced risk of hypertension, type 2 diabetes and certain cancers (1,2), reduced body mass index (3) and lower mortality due to ischemic heart disease (4,5). Although nutrient bioavailability is compromised when meatless diets are consumed (6–8), and nutrient deficiencies have been noted in long-term Western vegetarians (9,10), vegetarian diets can be nutritionally adequate if properly planned. A food guide provides a conceptual framework for diet planning. Food guides translate recommendations on nutrient intakes to types and amounts of foods, which together provide a nutritionally satisfactory diet (11). The nutritional goals utilized in the development of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid were based on the 10th edition of the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDA) and the 1990 Dietary Guidelines for Americans (11). The USDA Food Guide Pyramid is often adapted for use by vegetarians by substituting 2–3 servings of legumes, nuts, seeds or meat alternatives for 2–3 servings of meat, poultry or fish (12–14). However, there are nutrients present in animal products that are not present in certain meat alternatives or plant products, and many of the nutrients present in plant products (e.g., calcium and some trace minerals) are not as bioavailable from vegetarian meals as from meat-containing meals. Furthermore, the nutrient intake recommendations used in the development of the USDA Food Guide Pyramid may not be appropriate for vegetarian diet planning. By definition, the RDA are “amounts intended to be consumed as part of a normal diet,” and can typically be met by “diets that are based on the consumption of a variety of foods from diverse food groups that contain adequate energy” (15). Vegetarian diets omit some or all animal products, and this deviation from the “normal” American diet necessitates careful reconsideration of the organization of a food guide for vegetarians, and specific foods, fortified foods or food groups rich in the less bioavailable or missing nutrients must be emphasized. Haddad et al. (16) provided a conceptual framework for the development of a new and unique food guide for vegetarians based on the input from an international panel of experts in vegetarian nutrition. These experts concurred that the guide should be applicable to diverse vegetarian practices, help reduce risk of chronic disease, meet nutrient recommendations and help persons who want to become vegetarians (16). Also, epidemiologic data should be considered; whole foods should be emphasized; food groups should be utilized, as opposed to a point system, and the graphic format should be the pyramid. We have used this framework to develop a modified food guide pyramid for vegetarians, encompassing both lactovegetarians and vegans (Fig. 1).
User Review Sites as a Resource for Large-Scale Sociolinguistic Studies

Sociolinguistic studies investigate the relation between language and extra-linguistic variables. This requires both representative text data and the associated socio-economic meta-data of the subjects. Traditionally, sociolinguistic studies use small samples of hand-curated data and meta-data. This can lead to exaggerated or false conclusions. Using social media data offers a large-scale source of language data, but usually lacks reliable socio-economic meta-data. Our research aims to remedy both problems by exploring a large new data source, international review websites with user profiles. They provide more text data than manually collected studies, and more meta-data than most available social media text. We describe the data and present various pilot studies, illustrating the usefulness of this resource for sociolinguistic studies. Our approach can help generate new research hypotheses based on data-driven findings across several countries and languages.
The Fluctuation of Intraocular Pressure Measured by a Contact Lens Sensor in Normal-Tension Glaucoma Patients and Nonglaucoma Subjects

Purpose: We compared the fluctuation of intraocular pressure (IOP) in normal-tension glaucoma (NTG) patients and individuals with nonglaucoma eyes. We obtained continuous IOP values using a SENSIMED Triggerfish contact lens sensor. Materials and Methods: The eyes of 12 nonglaucoma subjects and 14 NTG patients were examined. In all 26 subjects, the IOP fluctuation was measured continuously for 24 hours with a contact lens sensor. We evaluated the range of IOP fluctuations over the 24-hour period separately for diurnal IOP and nocturnal IOP and identified each subject’s maximum value. The range of IOP fluctuation were analyzed, cutoff level of IOP fluctuation was calculated using receiver operating characteristic curve analyses. Results: The mean IOP in the NTG eyes was 11.5±2.4 mm Hg and that in the nonglaucoma eyes was 12.7±2.0 mm Hg, a nonsignificantly difference (P=0.175). The 24-hour range of IOP fluctuations in the NTG group was significantly larger than that of the nonglaucoma group (P=0.007). The percentage of NTG patients who had the peak time of IOP fluctuation during nocturnal sleep was 57.1%, whereas the corresponding rate for the nonglaucoma eyes was 91.7%. The cutoff level of IOP fluctuation for glaucoma was 442 mVeq (sensitivity=1.00; specificity=0.571). Conclusions: The range of IOP fluctuation was larger in the eyes with NTG than in the nonglaucoma eyes. This larger fluctuation might be one of the reasons underlying the aggravation of the visual field by NTG. Measurements of 24-hour continuous IOP might be one of the useful methods to distinguish NTG from nonglaucoma eyes.
A Threshold Type Policy of a DTN Node Under Fixed Reward Incentive Mechanisms

The technology of Delay Tolerant Networks (DTN) has been designed to support communication in environments where connectivity is intermittent and communication delays can be very long. We focus on game-theoretic model for DTNs. We consider the model where the source proposes a fixed reward to persuade selfish mobile nodes to participate in relaying messages. The mobile relays can decide to accept or not the packet and then to drop the packet in the future. This game can be modelled as a partially-observable stochastic game. For two relays, we have shown that the optimal policies for the relays relates to the threshold type.
Effectiveness of an Interventional Package on the Level of Anxiety, Depression, and Fatigue among Patients with Cervical Cancer

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of interventional package on the level of anxiety, depression, and fatigue. Methods: The study was conducted in room no. 5, first floor, B Block, Department of Radiotherapy, Nehru Hospital, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh Quasi experimental pretest-posttest design was used in the study. A total of 60 patients receiving radiotherapy/chemotherapy were assigned in two groups of 30 each, through total enumeration sampling technique. The tools used for the study were Zung Anxiety Scale, Beck Depression inventory, and Fatigue Scale. The protocol used for the study includes the Jacobson's Progressive muscle relaxtion technique, counsling and home care techniques. Results: Sociodemographic variables and clinical profile of participants in both groups were comparable. Interventional package significantly reduces the anxiety, depression, and fatigue (P < 0.001 in 3 variables) in experimental group. Conclusions: Interventional package for patients with cervical cancer proved to be an effective modality in reducing the anxiety, depression, and fatigue.
Nutrient Metabolism—research Communication Quinides of Roasted Coffee Enhance Insulin Action in Conscious Rats 1 Materials and Methods

Consumption of large amounts of coffee has been shown to decrease the incidence of type 2 diabetes. However, the specific compounds and mechanisms responsible for this effect are not known. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a decaffeinated coffee extract and a synthetic quinide, representative of those found in roasted coffee, 3,4-diferuloyl-1,5-quinolactone, on insulin-stimulated glucose disposal and muscle glucose uptake. Experiments were performed on conscious rats during hyperinsulinemic, euglycemic clamps receiving gastric infusions of saline, a decaffeinated coffee extract (DECAF) (220 mg/kg), or 3,4-diferuloyl-1,5-quinide (DIFEQ) (110 mg/kg). Following treatment, rats received an intravenous bolus of deoxy-[2-3 H] glucose to assess muscle glucose uptake (R g , ␮mol ⅐ 100 g ؊1 ⅐ min ؊1). Glucose infusions [mg/(kg ⅐ min)] required to maintain euglycemia during the tracer period were higher with DIFEQ (14.6 ؎ 0.7) than with saline (10.8 ؎ 0.7) and DECAF (11.5 ؎ 1.1). Despite increased glucose requirements, R g in skeletal (soleus, gas-trocnemius, superficial vastus lateralis) and cardiac muscle were unchanged. DECAF or DIFEQ did not affect heart rate, blood pressure, plasma nonesterified fatty acids or liver aminotransferase activity. These results demonstrate that DIFEQ increases whole-body glucose disposal independently of skeletal muscle R g. Epidemiologic studies examining coffee consumption indicate that drinking large amounts of coffee drastically reduces the incidence of type 2 diabetes (1,2). These findings, verified by two independent investigations, show that the consumption of 1–3 cups of coffee per day in men resulted in a multivariate risk reduction of 0.93 for type 2 diabetes, whereas consumption of 4 –5 and 6 or more cups of coffee resulted in risk reductions of 0.71 and 0.46, respectively (2). Paradoxically , the consumption of caffeine (5 mg/kg) in coffee results in impaired glucose tolerance in both healthy (3) and obese individuals (4). Further evidence suggests that when coffee and caffeine are consumed in combination, the resultant effect is different from that when each compound is consumed independently. Consumption of caffeine alone results in a greater glucose intolerance in response to an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) compared to an equivalent amount of caffeine consumed in coffee (5). In the same study, consuming decaffeinated coffee before an OGTT resulted in a blunted rise in blood glucose compared with subjects consuming water. Taken together, these results are dichotomous and suggest that the effects of coffee and caffeine are distinct. Although acute coffee consumption may be …
Effect of Facial Cues on Identification

In this work we study factors that may influence the identification of single facial actions (e.g., frown or cheek raising), namely their intensity, dynamics and the application of wrinkles. Results of our evaluation study show that single facial actions are better identified when they are dynamic and with higher intensity. On the other hand, intense expressions of single facial actions are perceived less natural and less realistic. In this paper we also describe our wrinkles model. From our evaluation study, we found that wrinkles did not improve significantly the identification of facial actions.
Effect of Synthesis Parameter on Crystal Structures and Magnetic Properties of Magnesium Nickel Ferrite (Mg0.5Ni0.5Fe2O4) Nanoparticles

Mg0.5Ni0. 5Fe2O4 nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized by using co-precipitation method and varying the synthesis parameter, i.e. synthesis temperature and NaOH concentration. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) pattern showed that nanoparticles have cubic spinel structures with an additional phase of γ-Fe2O3 and particle size varies within the range of 4.3 – 6.7 nm. This variation is due to the effect of various synthesis parameters. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) image showed that the nanoparticles exhibited agglomeration. The observed diffraction ring from selected area electron diffraction showed that the sample was polycrystalline and confirmed the peak appearing in XRD. The coercivities showed an increasing trend with an increase in particle size from 44.7 Oe to 49.6 Oe for variation of NaOH concentration, and a decreasing trend with an increase in particle size from 46.8 to 45.1 Oe for variation of synthesis temperature. The maximum magnetization showed an increasing trend with an increase in the ferrite phase from 3.7 emu/g to 5.4 emu/g possessed in the sample with variations on NaOH concentration. The maximum magnetization for the sample with variations on synthesis temperature varied from 4.4 emu/g to 5.7 emu/g due to its crystal structures.
StripComm: Interference-Resilient Cross-Technology Communication in Coexisting Environments

Cross- Technology Communication (CTC) is an emerging technique to enable the direct communication among different wireless technologies. A main category of the existing proposals on CTC propose to modulate packets at the sender side, and demodulate them into 1 and 0 bits at the receiver side. The performance of those proposals is likely to degrade in a densely coexisting environment. Solely judged according to the received signal strength, a symbol 0 that is modulated as packet absence is generally indistinguishable from dynamic interference. In this paper, we propose StripComm, interference-resilient CTC in coexisting environments. A sender in StripComm adopts an interference-resilient coding scheme that contains both presence and absence of packets in one symbol. The receiver strips the interference from the interested signal by exploiting the self-similarity of StripComm signals. We prototype StripComm with commercial WiFi, ZigBee devices and a software radio platform. The theoretical and experimental evaluation demonstrate that StripComm offers a data rate up to 1.1K bps with a SER (Symbol Error Rate) lower than 0.01 and a data rate of 0.89K bps even against strong interference.
Effect of Mn2+ Additive on the Sinterability and Dielectric Properties of Ba0.55Sr0.4Ca0.05TiO3-MgO Composite Ceramics

Ba0.55Sr0. 4Ca0.05TiO3-MgO (BSCTM) with Mn2+ additive composite ceramics were prepared by the conventional solid state method with BaCO3, SrCO3, CaCO3, MgO and MnCO3 as raw materials and B2O3 and Li2CO3 as sintering agent. The influence of the MnCO3 additive on the sinterability and dielectric properties of BSCTM composite ceramics are investigated. The morphologies were analysized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of ceramics were measured by LCR meter at 1 kHz and 1 MHz. The temperature dependences of dielectric constant were measured by high-low temperature incubator tank and LCR meter at 1 MHz and a temperature range from-55 to 125 °C. The dielectric tunabilities were tested by C-T-V converter and LCR meter at 1 MHz and room temperature (25 °C). SEM results showed that BSCTM ceramics became more compact with the increase of Mn2+ content, because Mn2+ helped to form more oxygen vacancies for accelerating densification process. The addition of Mn2+ largely reduced the dielectric loss while had little effect on dielectric constant. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss of 0.5mol% Mn2+ doped BSCTM ceramics were 222 and 0.001, respectively. The dielectric tunability increased at first and then decreased with the increase of Mn2+ content. The tunability of 0.5mol% Mn2+ doped BSCTM ceramics were 4.04% under a DC electric field of 8.2 kV/cm.
Correlation between KLOTHO gene and mild cognitive impairment in the Uygur and Han populations of Xinjiang

The secretive Klotho protein is an anti-aging regulatory hormone that plays a physiological role in many target organs. The present study aims to investigate the correlation between Klotho gene and mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in Uygur and Han populations in Xinjiang. From July 2008 to April 2014, stratified random multistage cluster sampling was used in combination with the methods of on-site questionnaire and household survey to conduct a cross-sectional MCI investigation on selected Uygur and Han subjects aged over 60 years old in Xinjiang region. 323 Uygur and Han MCI patients were randomly selected and matched with 343 subjects in the normal control group. SNaPshot technique was used to detect the polymorphisms of Klotho gene. A case-control associated analysis was conducted to analyze the genotype and allele frequencies of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the MCI group and the normal control group. The polymorphisms of rs1207568 and rs9536314/rs9527025 loci in Klotho gene were different among MCI populations in Xinjiang, and after group assignments based on ethnic background, the polymorphisms of rs1207568 and rs9536314/rs9527025 loci were associated with the Uygur MCI population and were not relevant to the Han MIC population. The frequencies of mutational alleles of rs9536314/rs9527025 locus in the Uygur population were significantly higher than those in the Han population. The genotype and allele frequencies of rs1207568 locus in the Uygur and Han populations were similar. The polymorphisms of rs1207568 and rs9536314/rs9527025 loci in Klotho gene may be associated with the Uygur MCI population in Xinjiang.
Large Scale Application of Vibration Sensors for Fan Monitoring at Commercial Layer Hen Houses

Continuously monitoring the operation of each individual fan can significantly improve the measurement quality of aerial pollutant emissions from animal buildings that have a large number of fans. To monitor the fan operation by detecting the fan vibration is a relatively new technique. A low-cost electronic vibration sensor was developed and commercialized. However, its large scale application has not yet been evaluated. This paper presents long-term performance results of this vibration sensor at two large commercial layer houses. Vibration sensors were installed on 164 fans of 130 cm diameter to continuously monitor the fan on/off status for two years. The performance of the vibration sensors was compared with fan rotational speed (FRS) sensors. The vibration sensors exhibited quick response and high sensitivity to fan operations and therefore satisfied the general requirements of air quality research. The study proved that detecting fan vibration was an effective method to monitor the on/off status of a large number of single-speed fans. The vibration sensor itself was $2 more expensive than a magnetic proximity FRS sensor but the overall cost including installation and data acquisition hardware was $77 less expensive than the FRS sensor. A total of nine vibration sensors failed during the study and the failure rate was related to the batches of product. A few sensors also exhibited unsteady sensitivity. As a new product, the quality of the sensor should be improved to make it more reliable and acceptable.