Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Application of a Multiplex Quantitative PCR to Assess Prevalence and Intensity Of Intestinal Parasite Infections in a Controlled Clinical Trial

Background Accurate quantitative assessment of infection with soil transmitted helminths and protozoa is key to the interpretation of epidemiologic studies of these parasites, as well as for monitoring large scale treatment efficacy and effectiveness studies. As morbidity and transmission of helminth infections are directly related to both the prevalence and intensity of infection, there is particular need for improved techniques for assessment of infection intensity for both purposes. The current study aimed to evaluate two multiplex PCR assays to determine prevalence and intensity of intestinal parasite infections, and compare them to standard microscopy. Methodology/Principal Findings Faecal samples were collected from a total of 680 people, originating from rural communities in Timor-Leste (467 samples) and Cambodia (213 samples). DNA was extracted from stool samples and subject to two multiplex real-time PCR reactions the first targeting: Necator americanus, Ancylostoma spp. , Ascaris spp. , and Trichuris trichiura; and the second Entamoeba histolytica, Cryptosporidium spp. , Giardia. duodenalis, and Strongyloides stercoralis. Samples were also subject to sodium nitrate flotation for identification and quantification of STH eggs, and zinc sulphate centrifugal flotation for detection of protozoan parasites. Higher parasite prevalence was detected by multiplex PCR (hookworms 2.9 times higher, Ascaris 1.2, Giardia 1.6, along with superior polyparasitism detection with this effect magnified as the number of parasites present increased (one: 40.2% vs. 38.1%, two: 30.9% vs. 12.9%, three: 7.6% vs. 0.4%, four: 0.4% vs. 0%). Although, all STH positive samples were low intensity infections by microscopy as defined by WHO guidelines the DNA-load detected by multiplex PCR suggested higher intensity infections. Conclusions/Significance Multiplex PCR, in addition to superior sensitivity, enabled more accurate determination of infection intensity for Ascaris, hookworms and Giardia compared to microscopy, especially in samples exhibiting polyparasitism. The superior performance of multiplex PCR to detect polyparasitism and more accurately determine infection intensity suggests that it is a more appropriate technique for use in epidemiologic studies and for monitoring large-scale intervention trials.
How nonlinear system identification can benefit from recent time-varying tools: The time-varying best linear approximation

In the past, the Best Linear Approximation (BLA) has proven to be a good tool for the identification (generation of initial estimates) of several nonlinear model structures. However, in case of high nonlinear distortion levels, the measurement time can become very high (high number of realizations M) to reduce the uncertainty of the BLA to a reasonable level. Moreover, a number of existing methods are based on C (≥ 2) different BLAs (corresponding to C different classes of input signals). The total number of experiments is given by the product MC. In this paper, a novel approach is proposed to reduce the number of experiments to one by combining recently developed tools for linear time-varying systems and (slowly) nonstationary inputs. In particular, it will be shown how an input signal with a time-varying standard deviation (or set point) allows one to extract all corresponding BLAs in a single experiment. These BLAs can be used to generate high-quality initial estimates of nonlinear block-structures. The results are supported by numerical simulation experiments.
Context-specific adaptation of pursuit initiation in humans.

PURPOSE To determine if multiple states for the initiation of pursuit, as assessed by acceleration in the "open-loop" period, can be learned and gated by context. METHODS Four normal subjects were studied. A modified step-ramp paradigm for horizontal pursuit was used to induce adaptation. In an increasing paradigm, target velocity doubled 230 msec after onset; in a decreasing paradigm, it was halved. In the first experiment, vertical eye position (+/-5 degrees ) was used as the context cue, and the training paradigm (increasing or decreasing) changed with vertical eye position. In the second experiment, with vertical position constant, when the target was red, training was decreasing, and when green, increasing. The average eye acceleration in the first 100 msec of tracking was the index of open-loop pursuit performance. RESULTS With vertical position as the cue, pursuit adaptation differed between up and down gaze. In some cases, the direction of adaptation was in exact accord with the training stimuli. In others, acceleration increased or decreased for both up and down gaze but always in correct relative proportion to the training stimuli. In contrast, multiple adaptive states were not induced with color as the cue. CONCLUSIONS Multiple values for the relationship between the average eye acceleration during the initiation of pursuit and target velocity could be learned and gated by context. Vertical position was an effective contextual cue but not target color, implying that useful contextual cues must be similar to those occurring naturally, for example, orbital position with eye muscle weakness.
KECK SPECTROSCOPY OF z>1 FIELD SPHEROIDALS: DYNAMICAL CONSTRAINTS ON THE GROWTH RATE OF RED “NUGGETS”

We present deep Keck spectroscopy for 17 morphologically selected field spheroidals in the redshift range 1.05 < z < 1.60 in order to investigate the continuity in physical properties between the claimed massive compact red galaxies (“nuggets”) at z ≃ 2 and well-established data for massive spheroidal galaxies below z ≃ 1. By combining Keck-based stellar velocity dispersions with Hubble Space Telescope-based sizes, we find that the most massive systems (Mdyn>1011 M☉) grew in size over 0 < z < 1.6 as (1 + z)−0.75±0.10 (i.e., ×2 since z = 1.5) whereas intermediate mass systems (1011 M☉>Mdyn>1010 M☉) did not grow significantly. These trends are consistent with a picture in which more massive spheroidals formed at higher redshift via “wetter” mergers involving greater dissipation. To examine growth under the favored “dry” merger hypothesis, we also examine size growth at a fixed velocity dispersion. This test, uniquely possible with our dynamical data, allows us to consider the effects of “progenitor bias. ” Above our completeness limit (σ>200 km s−1), we find size growth consistent with that inferred for the mass-selected sample, thus ruling out strong progenitor bias. To maintain continuity in the growth of massive galaxies over the past 10 Gyr, our new results imply that size evolution over 1.3 < z < 2.3, a period of 1.9 Gyr, must have been even more dramatic than hitherto claimed if the red sources at z>2 are truly massive and compact.
Ni-Fe Alloys as Perspective Materials for Highly Efficient Magnetostatic Shielding

Magnetostatic shields based on Ni-Fe alloys were obtained via electrochemistry method with different thickness of partial magnetic layers. The experimental researches of the magnetic properties and magnetostatic shielding effectiveness of the single-layer and malty-layer cylindrical sample of the shields based on the electrodeposited Ni80Fe20 and Ni50Fe50 alloy are carried out. It has been shown that shields of gradient type (200 μm Ni50Fe50+200 μm Ni80Fe20 and 100 μm Ni50Fe50+300 μm Ni80Fe20) containing layers with different values of saturation induction (Bs) have a higher shielding efficiency than shield of a symmetric type (400 μm Ni50Fe50 and 400 μm Ni80Fe20). Maximum efficiency of magnetostatic shielding has been noted for 200 μm Ni50Fe50+ 200 μm Ni80Fe20 sample. It opens wide prospects for practical application for protection of the microelectronics devices against permanent magnetic fields.
Coverage in multi-antenna two-tier networks

In two-tier networks comprising a conventional cellular network overlaid with shorter range hotspots (e.g. femtocells, distributed antennas, or wired relays) with universal frequency reuse, the near-far effect from cross-tier interference creates dead spots where reliable coverage cannot be guaranteed to users in either tier. Equipping the macrocell and femtocells with multiple antennas enhances robustness against the near-far problem. This work derives the maximum number of simultaneously transmitting multiple antenna femtocells meeting a per-tier outage probability constraint. Coverage dead zones are presented wherein cross-tier interference bottlenecks cellular and femtocell coverage. Two operating regimes are shown namely 1) a cellular-limited regime in which femtocell users experience unacceptable cross-tier interference and 2) a hotspot-limited regime wherein both femtocell users and cellular users are limited by hotspot interference. Our analysis accounts for the per-tier transmit powers, the number of transmit antennas (single antenna transmission being a special case) and terrestrial propagation such as the Rayleigh fading and the path loss exponents. Single-user (SU) multiple antenna transmission at each tier is shown to provide significantly superior coverage and spatial reuse relative to multiuser (MU) transmission. We propose a decentralized carrier-sensing approach to regulate femtocell transmission powers based on their location. Considering a worst-case cell-edge location, simulations using typical path loss scenarios show that our interference management strategy provides reliable cellular coverage with about 60 femtocells per cell-site.
Adaptation and Re-description in the Context of Geometric Proportional Analogies

Recent research in analogy, metaphor and retrieval in case-based systems has suggested the need to integrate a re-description capability with the creation of mappings. In this paper, we argue that there is also a need for systems that adapt knowledge for reuse to integrate re-description into the process of adaptation. We describe a system called INA which does this while solving geometric proportional analogies. We then discuss the properties a system must have in order to integrate re-description and adaptation. Finally, we compare our work with some other related approaches.
Prevalence of hip osteoarthritis in Iceland

OBJECTIVE To assess the prevalence of primary hip osteoarthritis (OA) in Iceland. To compare the prevalence of primary hip OA in Iceland with published rates of primary hip OA for related Scandinavian populations. METHODS Roentgenographs were examined of 1530 Icelandic people 35 years or older (653 males, 877 females) subjected to colon radiography during the years 1990–1996. The radiographs examined represent approximately 40% of all colon radiographs taken in Iceland during this period. After exclusion of non-primary hip OA cases, the minimum hip joint space was measured with a mm ruler. Presence of hip OA was defined as a minimum joint space of 2.5 mm or less on an anteroposterior radiograph. Intraclass correlation coefficients for inter and intraobserver variability of assessment of mm joint space were 0.91 and 0.95, respectively. RESULTS Of the 1517 people included, 227 hips in 165 patients (77 men, 88 women) were diagnosed as having radiological primary hip OA. The mean age at colon examination for these patients was 68 (35–89) years. The overall prevalence of coxarthrosis among all examined patients 35 years and older was 10.8% (12% for men, 10% for women), rising from 2% at 35–39 years to 35.4% for those 85 years or older. If the population structure (age and sex distribution) for those older than 35 years in Iceland was used to standardise prevalence for both Iceland and south Sweden (using previously published data for south Sweden), the age and sex standardised prevalence of hip OA for those older than 35 years in Iceland was 8%, compared with 1.2% for south Sweden. CONCLUSIONS The prevalence of radiological primary hip OA is very high in Iceland, and in excess of fivefold higher than the prevalence found by using similar techniques in studies on related populations in southern Scandinavia. The rate difference is particularly notable for those younger than 70 years.
Hammel Grandparental Effects on Reproductive Strategizing : Nôbi Villagers in Early Modern Japan

This paper analyzes data from the household registers for two villages in the Nôbi region of central Japan in the late Edo period (1717-1869) to assess how grandparents may have affected reproductive strategizing in stem families. The particulars of the family system fostered a culturally favored set of reproductive goals, in particular, a daughter as eldest child, followed by a son (and heir), coupled with gender alternation in subsequent reproduction and overall gender balance. This reproductive strategy was generally followed during the stem phase of the domestic cycle, when one or both grandparents were present, especially when the family head was in the senior generation. By contrast, a son-first strategy was favored when childbearing began in the conjugal phase of the cycle. This suggests grandparental influence on the junior couple’s reproductive decisions in favor of the cultural ideal. I find that the senior couple’s decision to marry the heir early or late strongly affects the reproductive strategies followed by him after marriage. I show that when a grandmother is present at the onset of childbearing, especially if she is relatively young, the junior couple ends up with more offspring on average. A controlled analysis of infanticiding behavior is interpreted in terms of conjugal power and coalition formation. It appears that a grandmother gets her way only when she and her son gang up on the daughter-in-law, but such a coalition is likely only when her son dominates the conjugal relationship (which in turn reflects the grandmother’s success in binding the son tightly to her emotionally and in delaying his marriage). Otherwise, the grandmother may be shut out from reproductive decision-making by the solidary conjugal coalition. 1 Department of Anthropology, University of California, Davis, 1 Shields Avenue, Davis CA 95616, USA. E-mail: gwskinner@ucdavis.edu Demographic Research – Volume 11, Article 5 112 http://www.demographic-research.org
Antiviral resistance testing

Purpose of review Current genotypic resistance tests fail to amplify drug-resistant minority variants when they are present below 20% of the total virus population. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) addresses this issue and is being introduced into diagnostic laboratories. This review gives an overview of the resistance tests currently used and explores the opportunities and challenges that NGS genotypic resistance tests will bring. Recent findings The technical challenges of NGS, such as PCR and sequence-related errors, are being addressed and various assays are currently undergoing technical validation for clinical use. Although not conclusive, the data seem to suggest that NGS will be valuable for low genetic barrier drugs and certain types of tests such as the HIV-1 tropism test. Clinical validation of the reporting and interpretation of minority variant results are essential when laboratories start reporting these results. Summary The first wave of NGS technology is being rolled out in diagnostic laboratories. Antiviral test benefits include increased sensitivity and eventually cheaper antiviral resistance tests. There is a risk that low percentage minority variants may be over interpreted. This could result in antiviral drugs, which may have been effective, being possibly denied to patients if proper clinical validation studies are not performed.
Current and future management of pediatric venous thromboembolism

Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an increasingly common complication encountered in tertiary care pediatric settings. The purpose of this review is to summarize the epidemiology, current and emerging pharmacotherapeutic options, and management of this disease. Over 70% of VTE occur in children with chronic diseases. Although they are seen in children of all ages, adolescents are at greatest risk. Pediatric VTE is associated with an increased risk of in‐hospital mortality; recurrent VTE and post‐thrombotic syndrome are commonly seen in survivors. In recent years, anticoagulation with low molecular weight heparin has emerged as the mainstay of therapy, but compliance is limited by its onerous subcutaneous administration route. New anticoagulants either already approved for use in adults or in the pipeline offer the possibility of improved dose stability and oral routes of administration. Current recommended anticoagulation course durations are derived from very limited case series and cohort data, or extrapolations from adult literature. However, the pathophysiologic underpinnings of pediatric VTE are dissimilar from those seen in adults and are often variable within groups of pediatric patients. Clinical studies and trials in pediatric VTE are underway which will hopefully improve the quality of evidence from which therapeutic guidelines are derived. Am. J. Hematol. 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A Virtual-Channel Free Mapping for Application-Specific On-Chip Torus Networks

Various types of Networks-on-Chips (NoCs) have been employed light-weight routers compared with those in parallel computers, and a virtual-channel mechanism, which requires additional logic and pipeline stages, is one of the crucial factors for a low cost implementation of an NoC router in the case of simple tile-based architectures. Although a torus network, which exploits wrap-around channels, achieves higher throughput and lower latency than a same-sized mesh, a virtual-channel mechanism is usually required to avoid deadlocks in tori with dimension-order routing. In this paper, we propose a scheme to remove virtual channels in tori by accomplishing the following steps: 1) providing a mechanism which allows wraparound channels to be individually disabled in each router, 2) a task mapping strategy that carefully assigns tasks to a tori, so that as many wrap-around channels as possible are exploited without introducing deadlocks or performance degradation. Additionally, we extend this strategy to avoid deadlocks when application traffic patterns are unknown or incompletely analyzed. Although the proposed mapping does not use virtual channels, it achieves almost the same performance as conventional mapping in tori in ten traces. Moreover, the hardware amount of the proposed router can be decreased to 52.4% of a conventional router providing two virtual channels for tori.
Routing algorithms for content-based publish/subscribe systems

In content-based publish/subscribe systems, messages target a dynamic group of participants whose expressed interests match the contents of the messages. In this generalization of multicasting communication, also dubbed content-based networking, naming, binding and communication are intertwined in the same substrate. Optimal content-based routing uses dissemination trees dynamically pruned to only cover the matching subscribers. It is a complex problem that has motivated significant research efforts. This paper presents a compilation of the main algorithms for routing messages in distributed content-based publish-subscribe systems proposed and published in the last decade. Discussion is focused on the content-based routing problem in respect to optimality, complexity and applicability. Moreover, whenever it is appropriate, the algorithms covered are also matched to similar algorithms familiar to the networking community, setting this paper apart from other surveys on the broad topic of publish/subscribe systems.
Perceptual load manipulation reveals sensitivity of the face-selective N170 to attention

It has been controversial whether the face-sensitive N170 is affected by selective attention. We manipulated attention sensu Lavie's perceptual load theory to short (200 ms) presentations of task-irrelevant unfamiliar faces or houses, while participants identified superimposed target letters ‘X’ versus ‘N’. These targets were strings of either six identical (low load) or six different letters (high load). Under low load, we found a prominent face-selective N170 response. Under high load, however, we not only observed a dramatic reduction of the face N170 but also an unexpected enhancement of the house N170, such that face selectivity was almost completely lost. We conclude that the early stages of face processing indexed by the N170 strongly depend on selective attention.
Regulation of Polyphosphate Kinase Production by Antisense RNA in Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1

ABSTRACT Pseudomonas spp. adapt rapidly to environmental fluctuations. Loss or overproduction of polyphosphate reduces the fitness of Pseudomonas fluorescens Pf0-1, indicating the importance of the fine-tuning of polyphosphate production. An antisense RNA was investigated and shown to regulate the polyphosphate kinase gene (ppk) by a posttranscriptional mechanism reducing ppk transcript abundance.
Maintenance of Discovered Association Rules: When to update?

In this paper, we devise an algorithm with which we can estimate the diierence between the association rules in a database before and after it is updated. The estimated diierence can be used to determine whether we update the mined association rules or not. If the estimated diierence is large, then it is time to update the mined association rules in order to discover and learn the new rules and discard the old ones. If the estimated diierence is small, then the rules in the original database is still a good approximation for those in the updated database. We do not have to spend the resources to update the rules. We can accumulate more updates before actually updating the rules, thereby avoiding the overheads of updating the rules too frequently.
Integration of multi-sensor occupancy grids into automotive ECUs

Occupancy Grids (OGs) are a popular framework for robotic perception. They were recently adopted for performing multisensor fusion and environment mapping for autonomous vehicles. However, high computational requirements strongly hinder their integration into less powerful automotive ECUs. To overcome this problem, we propose an algorithmic improvement for mapping range measurements into OGs. Experiments were conducted on a vehicle equipped with 16 LIDAR scans. Results demonstrate that a single-core ARM cortex A9 can build now in real-time OGs that map urban traffic scenarios of 100m-by-100m.
Identification of a Promoter-specific Transcriptional Activation Domain at the C Terminus of the Wnt Effector Protein T-cell Factor 4*

Wnt growth factors control numerous cell fate decisions in development by altering specific gene expression patterns through the activity of heterodimeric transcriptional activators. These consist of β-catenin and one of the four members of the T-cell factor (TCF) family of DNA-binding proteins. How can the Wnt/β-catenin pathway control various sets of target genes in distinct cellular settings with such a limited number of nuclear effectors? Here we asked whether different TCF proteins could perform specific, nonredundant functions at natural β-catenin/TCF-regulated promoters. We found that TCF4E but not LEF1 supported β-catenin-dependent activation of the Cdx1promoter, whereas LEF1 specifically activated the Siamoispromoter. Deletion of a C-terminal domain of TCF4E preventedCdx1 promoter induction. A chimeric protein consisting of LEF1 and the C terminus of TCF4E was fully functional. Therefore, the TCF4E C terminus harbors a promoter-specific transactivation domain. This domain influences the DNA binding properties of TCF4 and additionally mediates an interaction with the transcriptional coactivator p300. Apparently, the C terminus of TCF4E cooperates with β-catenin and p300 to form a specialized transcription factor complex that specifically supports the activation of the Cdx1promoter.