Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C infection in U.S. veteran liver transplant recipients: evidence for decreasing relative prevalence of genotype 1B

Objective:The U.S. Veteran population represents a unique patient group to study different HCV genotypes because of geographically diverse exposures. The aim of this study was to characterize the distribution of HCV genotypes in U.S. veterans undergoing liver transplantation (OLT), trace genotypes to modes of acquisition (risk behavior and location), and evaluate the relative prevalence of HCV genotypes according to the time of acquisition.Methods:Between 10/88 and 12/95, 110 primary OLTs were performed in U.S. Veterans at our center. Forty-nine (45%) patients had detectable HCV-RNA by PCR at the time of OLT. Determination of HCV genotypes was performed by restriction fragment length polymorphism of the 5′ noncoding region and classified according to Simmonds et al.Results:Twenty-three of 49 (47%) veterans had 1a, 17 (35%) 1b, two (4%) 2a, three (6%) 2b, two (4%) 3a, two (4%) mixed (1a/2a, 1b/2a). This distribution of HCV genotypes was comparable to the genotypic distribution of a contemporary cohort of nonveteran OLT recipients at the University of Washington. There was a statistically significant association between illicit injection drug use (IDU) and 1a, with 63% of 1a patients having IDU whereas only 14% of 1b patients admitted to IDU (p= 0.03). All patients in whom the mode of acquisition was unknown had genotype 1b (p= 0.04). Intranasal cocaine use was strongly correlated with IDU (p= 0.002). Patients who had tattoos but no history of blood transfusion (BT) or recreational drug use had genotype 1 (2 had 1a, 2 had 1b; p= NS). Twenty-two (45%) patients had serological evidence of prior hepatitis B (HBV) infection. Patients who had genotype 2a, 2b, 3a, or mixed were much more likely to have had HBV (seven of nine, 78%) than patients with genotype 1a or 1b (15 of 40, 37.5%) (p= 0.03). There was no significant correlation between BT, dates, or military branch of service, high risk behavior in Southeast Asia, level of education, ethnicity, and particular genotype(s). Whereas the proportion of 1b accounting for HCV infection in patients with a first exposure before 1968 was 50%, all patients with a first exposure post-1975 were non-1b (p= 0.04), suggesting a change in the epidemiology of HCV in our cohort.Conclusion:In U.S. Veterans undergoing OLT: 1) 45% had PCR-confirmed HCV infection, 2) 1a was the predominant genotype and was associated with IDU, and 3) a significant decrease in the prevalence of genotype 1b from the pre-Vietnam era to post-1975 suggests a changing epidemiology of HCV genotypes.
A General Multivariate Threshold GARCH Model With Dynamic Conditional Correlations

We introduce a new multivariate GARCH model with multivariate thresholds in conditional correlations and develop a two-step estimation procedure that is feasible in large dimensional applications. Optimal threshold functions are estimated endogenously from the data and the model conditional covariance matrix is ensured to be positive definite. We study the empirical performance of our model in two applications using U.S. stock and bond market data. In both applications our model has, in terms of statistical and economic significance, higher forecasting power than several other multivariate GARCH models for conditional correlations.
Achieving the Millennium Development Goals through mainstreaming nutrition: speaking with one voice

At the most recent meeting of the Standing Committee on Nutrition of the UN system in Geneva in March of this year (2006) there was a dramatic shift in the tenor of the opening plenary session. Three very high-ranking officials of three of the largest implementing UN agencies (WHO UNICEF World Bank) along with WFP and FAO produced -- independently of one another -- a clear consistent message focusing on the importance of nutrition for development. In each case this was couched within the comparative advantage of each agency. It was also striking that none of the speakers came from a background of nutrition training -- one economist one public health physician one health economist and one development expert. All had been converted by enthusiastic nutrition colleagues within their particular agency and by long experience in many countries and an expanding evidence base. All referred to the same evidence base -- the Bellagio Child Survival Study Group and subsequent papers published not in nutrition or even public health journals but in medical journals (the Lancet and the British Medical Journal in particular) although the significance of this will not be discussed here. But all were somewhat perplexed as to why nutrition issues were not an automatic component of all national health and development programmes including within each agency. They had clearly used their considerable experience in the public sector to think this through especially the importance of having a common and consistent message. (excerpt)
Assimilation of Typhoon Wind Field Retrieved from Scatterometer and SAR Based on the Huber Norm Quality Control

Observations of sea surface wind field are critical for typhoon prediction. The scatterometer observation is one of the most important sources of sea surface winds, which provides both wind speed and wind direction information. However, the spatial resolution of scatterometer wind is low. Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) can provide a more detailed wind structure of the tropical cyclone. In addition, the cross-polarization observation of SAR can provide more detailed information of high speed wind (>25 m·s − 1 ) than the scatterometer. Nevertheless, due to the narrow swath of SAR, the number of retrieved sea surface wind data used in the data assimilation is limited, and another limitation of SAR wind observation is that it does not provide true wind direction information. In this paper, the joint assimilation of the Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) wind and Sentinel-1 SAR wind was investigated. Another limitation in the current operational typhoon prediction is the inefficient quality control (QC) method used in the data assimilation since a large number of high speed wind observations was rejected by the traditional Gaussian distribution QC. We introduce the Huber norm distribution quality control (QC) into the data assimilation successfully. A numerical simulation experiment of typhoon by Lionrock (2016) is conducted to test the proposed method. The experimental results showed that the new quality control scheme not only greatly increases the availability of wind data in the area of the typhoon center, but also improves the typhoon track prediction, as well as the intensity prediction. The joint assimilation of scatterometer and SAR winds does have a positive impact on the typhoon prediction.
Rectal prolapse: enlightenment of the obscure

Een uitwendige endeldarmverzakking moet vooraf gegaan worden door een inwendige. Een kijkoperatie waarbij de endeldarm wordt opgehangen in originele positie, levert goede resultaten op bij tachtigplussers met een uitwendige endeldarmverzakking en bij patienten met een inwendige endeldarmverzakking. Een rectum prolaps is een endeldarmverzakking. De uitwendige vorm is een bekende aandoening, maar de inwendige variant is minder bekend. Niels Wijffels beschrijft de klachten die passen bij een inwendige endeldarmverzakking, waarbij incontinentie het meest blijkt voor te komen. Gevoelloosheid van de endeldarm, wat voorheen als oorzaak gezien werd voor obstipatie (verstopping), komt zelden voor.
Extracting compact T-S fuzzy models using subtractive clustering and particle swarm optimization

This paper presents a two-stage approach to extract compact Takagi-Sugeno (TS) fuzzy models using subtractive clustering and particle swarm optimization (PSO) from numeric data. On the first stage, the subtractive clustering is employed to partition the input space and extract a fuzzy rules base. On the second stage, the PSO algorithm is used to search the optimal membership functions (MFs), consequent parameters and the rule weights of the crude model obtained on the first stage simultaneously. Simulation results on two benchmark modeling problems show that the proposed approach is effective in finding compact and accurate TS fuzzy models.
Induction of Nitric Oxide Synthase Inhibits Gap Junction Permeability in Cultured Rat Astrocytes

Abstract: Nitric oxide (•NO) synthase (NOS) was induced in cultured rat astrocytes by incubation with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 18 h and gap junction permeability was assessed by the scrape‐loading/Lucifer yellow transfer technique. Induction of NOS was confirmed by determining either the NG‐methyl‐l‐arginine (NMMA)‐inhibitable production of nitrites and nitrates or the conversion of l‐[3H]arginine to l‐[3H]citrulline. Incubation with LPS dose‐dependently inhibited gap junction permeability to 63.3% at 0.05 µg/ml LPS and no further inhibition was observed on increasing the LPS concentration up to 0.5 µg/ml. LPS‐mediated gap junction inhibition was irreversible but was prevented by incubation with the NOS inhibitor NMMA and with the superoxide anion (O2•−) scavenger superoxide dismutase. Incubation of the cells with both the •NO donor S‐nitroso‐N‐acetylpenicillamine and the O2•−‐generating system xanthine/xanthine oxidase inhibited gap junction permeability. These results suggest that the in situ reaction between •NO and O2•−, to form the peroxynitrite anion (ONOO−), may be responsible for the inhibition of gap junction permeability. Scavenging the ONOO− derivative hydroxyl radical (•OH) with either dimethyl sulfoxide or mannitol prevented the LPS‐mediated inhibition of gap junction permeability. Finally, exposure of astrocytes to authentic ONOO− caused a dose‐dependent inhibition of gap junction permeability (65.7% of inhibition at 0.5 mM ONOO−). The pathophysiological relevance of ONOO−‐mediated inhibition of gap junctional communication in astrocytes after NOS induction by LPS is discussed, stressing the possible role played by this mechanism in some neurodegenerative diseases.
Students’ Perceptions of Teacher Feedback and Physical Competence in Physical Education Classes: Gender Effects

Feedback is considered a critical teaching function, and researchers in sport pedagogy have shown interest in verifying its importance in physical education. Many observational studies have found that boys receive more attention and feedback, particularly praise, criticism, and technical information, than girls. Nevertheless, little is known about students’ perceptions of teacher–student interactions. The aim of this study was to investigate whether students’ perceptions of teacher feedbacks are gender-differentiated in physical education, as well as to determine how perceived feedback is related to students’ perceptions of competence. French high school students (N = 450: 200 boys, 250 girls) completed questionnaires assessing their perceptions of their teachers’ feedback and their perceptions of competence. Results indicated gender differences in the set of variables. Furthermore, the influence of teacher feedback on girls’ perceptions of competence was strong, whereas little relationship was found for .
Modelling fishing-induced adaptations and consequences for natural mortality

When trade-offs involving predation and mortality are perturbed by human activities, behaviour and life histor- ies are expected to change, with consequences for natural mortality rates. We present a general life history model for fish in which three common relationships link natural mortality to life history traits and behaviour. First, survival increases with body size. Second, survival declines with growth rate due to risks involved with resource acquisition and allocation. Third, fish that invest heavily in reproduction suffer from decreased survival due to costly reproductive behaviour or mor- phology that makes escapes from predators less successful. The model predicts increased natural mortality rate as an adap- tive response to harvesting. This extends previous models that have shown that harvesting may cause smaller body size, higher growth rates, and higher investment in reproduction. The predicted increase in natural mortality is roughly half the fishing mortality over a wide range of harvest levels and parameter combinations such that fishing two fish kills three after evolutionary adaptations have taken place. Resume´ : Lorsque les compromis entre la predation et la mortalitesont perturbes par les activites humaines, on s'attend a ` ce que les comportements et les cycles biologiques changent, ce qui affecte les taux de mortalitenaturelle. Nous presen- tons un modele general de cycle biologique dans lequel trois relations courantes relient la mortalitenaturelle aux traits du cycle biologique et au comportement. D'abord, la survie augmente en fonction de la taille corporelle. Ensuite, la survie di- minue en fonction du taux de croissance a cause des risques reliesal'acquisition et l'allocation des ressources. Enfin, les poissons qui investissent beaucoup dans la reproduction ont une survie reduite acause des couts associes aux comporte- ments reproducteurs ou ala morphologie qui reduisent le succes de l'evitement des predateurs. Le modele predit un taux de mortalitenaturelle accru comme reaction adaptative ala recolte. Cela elargit les modeles anterieurs qui ont montreque la recolte peut produire des tailles corporelles reduites, des taux de croissance plus eleves et un investissement accru dans la reproduction. L'accroissement predit de la mortalitenaturelle correspond en gros a la moitiede la mortalitedue ala pe ˆ- che sur un large eventail d'intensitesd e recoltes et de combinaisons de parametres, de telle sorte que la peche de deux poissons en elimine trois une fois que les adaptations evolutives ont eu lieu. (Traduit par la Redaction)
Workshop: It's more than coding- using video scenarios to engage students in computing

Studies indicate that students, particularly females, find computing most engaging when it is presented in relation to real-life problems, rather than when it is presented in ways that emphasize computing for the sake of computing. Video scenarios are a novel tool for encouraging students to explore computing in a problem-centric, rather than a code-centric, manner. Video scenarios are short films (2-5 minutes long) that depict individuals facing problems in life-like settings. The scenarios emphasize the diverse and often ill-defined nature of real world problems, and the potential for creative and entrepreneurial computing they present. The video scenarios and their associated discussion/exercise questions are freely available on the web at www.Virt-U.org.
Affective Responses to Repeated Sessions of High-Intensity Interval Training.

PURPOSE Vigorous exercise feels unpleasant, and negative emotions may discourage adherence to regular exercise. We quantified the subjective affective responses to short-term high-intensity interval training (HIT) in comparison with moderate-intensity continuous training (MIT). METHODS Twenty-six healthy middle-age (mean age, 47 ± 5 yr; mean VO2peak, 34.2 ± 4.1 mL·kg⁻¹·min⁻¹) sedentary men were randomized into HIT (n = 13, 4-6 × 30 s of all-out cycling efforts at approximately 180% of peak workload with 4-min recovery) or MIT (n = 13, 40- to 60-min continuous cycling at 60% of peak workload) groups, performing six sessions within two weeks. Perceived exertion, stress, and affective state were recorded before, during, and after each session. RESULTS Perceived exertion and arousal were higher, and affective state, more negative during the HIT than that during MIT sessions (P < 0.001). HIT versus MIT exercise acutely increased the experience of stress, tension, and irritation and decreased positive affect (P < 0.05). In addition, satisfaction was lower and pain and negative affect were higher in the HIT than those in the MIT group (P < 0.05). However, perceived exertion and displeasure experienced during exercise alleviated similarly in response to HIT and MIT over the 6 d of training. Peak oxygen consumption increased (P < 0.001) after intervention (HIT, 34.7 ± 3.9 vs 36.7 ± 4.5; MIT, 33.9 ± 4.6 vs 35.0 ± 4.6) and was not different between HIT and MIT (P = 0.28 for group × training). CONCLUSIONS Short-term HIT and MIT are equally effective in improving aerobic fitness, but HIT increases experience of negative emotions and exertion in sedentary middle-age men. This may limit the adherence to this time-effective training mode, even though displeasure lessens over time and suggests similar mental adaptations to both MIT and HIT.
Case Report — Hysterical Amnesia as an Alternative to Suicide

A case of hysterical amnesia is presented together with psychometric, psychophysiological and behavioural data. In the early stages of the amnesia the patient appeared preoccupied with death which was stress-related as measured by the Dektor Psychological Stress Evaluator. Any attempt to reduce the amnesia made the patient become markedly suicidal. The findings are interpreted as supporting the hypothesis that in certain circumstances dissociative amnesia can be a substitute for suicide.
Stability enhancement in DC distribution systems with constant power controlled converters

DC distribution is becoming more and more a suitable technical solution for medium voltage (MV) distribution systems especially in presence of storage devices and renewable energy sources. Among the different challenging issues concerning the new topological configurations of DC systems, stability represents a topic of paramount importance. The paper presents, by means of numerical continuation method, the stability analysis of two DC distribution systems which supply constant power loads (CPLs) connected to the AC grid with an interface converter. CPLs behavior may provoke voltage instability of the DC systems. The paper presents the approach used to maximize, by means of a feedback action on the interface converter, the stable region of operation of the DC distribution systems.
Distributed reacceleration of cosmic rays.

We develop a model in which cosmic rays, in addition to their initial acceleration by a strong shock, are continuously reaccelerated (e.g., by weak shocks) while propagating through the galaxy. The equations describing this acceleration scheme are solved analytically (approximating ionization losses by a cutoff) and numerically. Solutions for the spectra of primary and secondary cosmic rays are given in a closed analytic form, and they allow a rapid search in parameter space for viable propagation models with distributed reacceleration included. The observed boron-to-carbon ratio can be reproduced by the reacceleration theory over a range of escape parameters, some of them quite different from the standard "leaky box" model. It is also shown that even a very modest amount of reacceleration by strong shocks causes the boron-to carbon ratio to level off at sufficiently high energies, and this effect may be observed in the CRNE data. Several other curiosities in the data may be explained naturally if a modest amount of distributed reacceleration is invoked, including (a) the apparent truncation at low energy in the otherwise exponential pathlength distribution associated with the leaky box model, (b) the sub-iron isotopic anomalies and other effects noted by Silberberg et al., and (c) the discrepancy between the reported 10Be lifetime and the lifetime of cosmic rays in the dense strata of the galactic disk.
CCR5 Signal Transduction in Macrophages by Human Immunodeficiency Virus and Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Envelopes

ABSTRACT The capacity of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) envelopes to transduce signals through chemokine coreceptors on macrophages was examined by measuring the ability of recombinant envelope proteins to mobilize intracellular calcium stores. Both HIV and SIV envelopes mobilized calcium via interactions with CCR5. The kinetics of these responses were similar to those observed when macrophages were treated with MIP-1β. Distinct differences in the capacity of envelopes to mediate calcium mobilization were observed. Envelopes derived from viruses capable of replicating in macrophages mobilized relatively high levels of calcium, while envelopes derived from viruses incapable of replicating in macrophages mobilized relatively low levels of calcium. The failure to efficiently mobilize calcium was not restricted to envelopes derived from CXCR4-utilizing isolates but also included envelopes derived from CCR5-utilizing isolates that fail to replicate in macrophages. We characterized one CCR5-utilizing isolate, 92MW959, which entered macrophages but failed to replicate. A recombinant envelope derived from this virus mobilized low levels of calcium. When macrophages were inoculated with 92MW959 in the presence of MIP-1α, viral replication was observed, indicating that a CC chemokine-mediated signal provided the necessary stimulus to allow the virus to complete its replication cycle. Although the role that envelope-CCR5 signal transduction plays in viral replication is not yet understood, it has been suggested that envelope-mediated signals facilitate early postfusion events in viral replication. The data presented here are consistent with this hypothesis and suggest that the differential capacity of viral envelopes to signal through CCR5 may influence their ability to replicate in macrophages.
Synaptotagmin IX Regulates Ca2+-dependent Secretion in PC12 Cells*

Synaptotagmin (Syt) I-deficient phaeochromocytoma (PC12) cell lines show normal Ca2+-dependent norepinephrine (NE) release (Shoji-Kasai, Y., Yoshida, A., Sato, K., Hoshino, T., Ogura, A., Kondo, S., Fujimoto, Y., Kuwahara, R., Kato, R., and Takahashi, M. (1992) Science 256, 1821–1823). To identify an alternative Ca2+ sensor, we searched for other Syt isoforms in Syt I-deficient PC12 cells and identified Syt IX, an isoform closely related to Syt I, as an abundantly expressed dense-core vesicle protein. Here we show that Syt IX is required for the Ca2+-dependent release of NE from PC12 cells. Antibodies directed against the C2A domain of either Syt IX or Syt I inhibited Ca2+-dependent NE release in permeable PC12 cells indicating that both Syt proteins function in dense-core vesicle exocytosis. Our results support the idea that Syt family proteins that co-reside on secretory vesicles may function cooperatively and redundantly as potential Ca2+ sensors for exocytosis.
Pigmented villonodular synovitis of the MTP joint of the hallux

Sir, I would like to highlight an unusual condition occurring in a rare location. A 46-year-old woman presented to the rheumatologist with a painful swelling of her left big toe of 12-months duration. This caused her a great deal of difficulty in walking. She did not have any history of trauma or other joint pains. Examination revealed swelling and restricted movements of the 1 MTP joint. Plain radiographs revealed signs of bony erosion. Blood investigations, including serum uric acid, were normal except that she had mild elevation of ESR (22) and CRP (12). The differential diagnosis included gout, OA or monoarticular rheumatoid disease. Aspiration of the joint was attempted (no fluid obtained) and intra-articular steroid injected: this did not provide any benefit. After 6 months an excision biopsy was performed. Owing to the size of the lesion and bone changes this was performed as an open procedure. A large, solid multi-nodular pigmented grey and brown coloured tumour spreading extensively around the metatarsophalangeal joint was found. There was erosion of the metatarsal head, the base of the proximal phalanx and the articular surface of the sesamoids. The lesion was thoroughly removed. Histopathology examination reported pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS). The patient made an uneventful recovery and is relieved of pain. At the nine-month follow-up she remains symptom free.