Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Zika virus outbreak on Yap Island, Federated States of Micronesia.

BACKGROUND In 2007, physicians on Yap Island reported an outbreak of illness characterized by rash, conjunctivitis, and arthralgia. Although serum from some patients had IgM antibody against dengue virus, the illness seemed clinically distinct from previously detected dengue. Subsequent testing with the use of consensus primers detected Zika virus RNA in the serum of the patients but no dengue virus or other arboviral RNA. No previous outbreaks and only 14 cases of Zika virus disease have been previously documented. METHODS We obtained serum samples from patients and interviewed patients for information on clinical signs and symptoms. Zika virus disease was confirmed by a finding of Zika virus RNA or a specific neutralizing antibody response to Zika virus in the serum. Patients with IgM antibody against Zika virus who had a potentially cross-reactive neutralizing-antibody response were classified as having probable Zika virus disease. We conducted a household survey to estimate the proportion of Yap residents with IgM antibody against Zika virus and to identify possible mosquito vectors of Zika virus. RESULTS We identified 49 confirmed and 59 probable cases of Zika virus disease. The patients resided in 9 of the 10 municipalities on Yap. Rash, fever, arthralgia, and conjunctivitis were common symptoms. No hospitalizations, hemorrhagic manifestations, or deaths due to Zika virus were reported. We estimated that 73% (95% confidence interval, 68 to 77) of Yap residents 3 years of age or older had been recently infected with Zika virus. Aedes hensilli was the predominant mosquito species identified. CONCLUSIONS This outbreak of Zika virus illness in Micronesia represents transmission of Zika virus outside Africa and Asia. Although most patients had mild illness, clinicians and public health officials should be aware of the risk of further expansion of Zika virus transmission.
Noise figure improvement in semiconductor optical amplifiers by holding beam at transparency scheme

We have studied the noise properties of a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA) under the injection of a pump laser. The laser wavelength is set within the transparency region of SOA. The noise figure (NF) is found to decrease, strongly depending on the relative injection direction of signal and pump (i.e., copropagating or counterpropagating beams). In the copropagating scheme, an improvement in NF is obtained, ranging from 2.5 dB in the low current regime (40 mA, 13-dB chip gain) to 0.5 dB at high currents (150 mA, 23-dB chip gain). In the counterpropagating scheme, NF improvement is less pronounced. We explain the effect by an advantageous carrier redistribution along the SOA under the presence of the pump beam at transparency. A detailed simulation reproduces the observed results.
In Vivo Imaging of β-Cell Mass in Rats Using 18F-FP-(+)-DTBZ: A Potential PET Ligand for Studying Diabetes Mellitus

Recent studies on gene expression of β-cell mass (BCM) in the pancreas showed that vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2) is highly expressed in the BCM (mainly in the islets of Langerhans). Imaging pancreatic BCM may provide an important tool for understanding the relationship between loss of insulin-secreting β-cells and onset of diabetes mellitus. In this article, 9-fluoropropyl-(+)-dihydrotetrabenazine (FP-(+)-DTBZ), which is a VMAT2 imaging agent, was evaluated as a PET agent for estimating BCM in vivo. Methods: Organ biodistribution after an intravenous injection of 18F-FP-(+)-DTBZ (active isomer) and 18F-FP-(−)-DTBZ (inactive isomer) was evaluated in normal rats. The specificity of uptake of 18F-FP-(+)-DTBZ was assessed by a pretreatment (3.8 mg of (+)-DTBZ per kilogram and 3.5 mg of FP-(+)-DTBZ per kilogram, intravenously, 5 min prior) or coadministration (2 mg of (+)-DTBZ per kilogram). PET studies were performed in normal rats. Results: The in vivo biodistribution of 18F-FP-(+)-DTBZ in rats showed the highest uptake in the pancreas (5% dose/g at 30 min after injection), whereas 18F-FP-(−)-DTBZ showed a very low pancreas uptake. Rats pretreated with FP-(+)-DTBZ displayed a 78% blockade of pancreas uptake. PET studies in normal rats demonstrated an avid pancreas uptake of 18F-FP-(+)-DTBZ. Conclusion: The preliminary data obtained with 18F-FP-(+)-DTBZ suggest that this fluorinated derivative of DTBZ shows good pancreas specificity and has the potential to be useful for quantitative measurement of VMAT2 binding sites reflecting BCM in the pancreas.
Inhibiting nitric oxide overproduction during hypotensive sepsis increases local oxygen consumption in rat skeletal muscle*

Objective:Although nitric oxide (NO) is a known regulator of cardiovascular function, the effect of NO overproduction during sepsis on capillary oxygen transport and local tissue oxygen consumption is not well understood. The objectives of this study were to determine whether sepsis-induced NO overproduction increased capillary stopped-flow and modulated tissue oxygen consumption in skeletal muscle. Design:Prospective, controlled laboratory study. Setting:Animal laboratory in a university-affiliated research institute. Subjects:Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 165–180 g body weight. Interventions:Rats were made septic by cecal ligation and perforation (CLP) and were then ventilated and volume resuscitated (saline). The hind limb extensor digitorum longus (EDL) skeletal muscle was blunt dissected for in vivo microvascular imaging. The inducible NO synthase (iNOS) inhibitor L-N6-(1-iminoethyl)lysine dihydrochloride (L-NIL) was infused (3 mg/kg body weight per hour) starting 1 hr post-CLP to maintain arterial blood and EDL tissue NOx− (NO2− + NO3−) at baseline. Measurements and Main Results:Red blood cell hemodynamics, hemoglobin oxygen saturation, capillary geometry, and functional capillary density information were used to calculate capillary oxygen flux (the rate of oxygen diffusion from capillary to tissue) and indices of local oxygen delivery and tissue oxygen consumption. Over the first 5 hrs of septic injury, mean arterial pressure decreased while capillary stopped-flow and capillary oxygen flux both increased (p < .05). Inhibiting iNOS/NO overproduction partially restored mean arterial pressure and increased arterial pH. Within the microcirculation, inhibiting NO increased capillary red cell velocity and increased local tissue oxygen consumption (p < .05). Inhibiting NO failed, however, to prevent capillary stopped-flow. Conclusions:During the onset of sepsis, concurrent with the onset of microvascular dysfunction, there is an iNOS/NO-mediated reduction in local skeletal muscle tissue oxygen consumption.
Assessment of female participation in an employee 20-week walking incentive program at Marshfield Clinic: a large multispecialty group practice.

OBJECTIVE We evaluated the short-term effect of a worksite-based walking incentive program to promote physical activity and well-being in employees of a private healthcare clinic. DESIGN A prospective, observational follow-up study. SETTING The study was conducted at Marshfield Clinic, a large private multispecialty group practice healthcare institution in Marshfield,Wisconsin, USA. PATIENTS Subjects for this study were Marshfield Clinic physicians and staff. METHODS From March 31, 2005 to August 20, 2005, physical activity level, body mass index (BMI) and other well-being characteristics were observed pre- and post-program among 191 female participants from the Marshfield Clinic. A brief Web site-accessible, self-reported survey assessed the effectiveness of the exercise program. RESULTS Our data show a statistically significant (p <0.0001) increase in participants' physical activity level, while a significant (p = 0.021) decrease in mean BMI was observed. However, there was no evidence of our incentive program reducing participants' blood pressure. CONCLUSION Preliminary findings of our study suggest that the goal of worksite programs designed to support employees in their efforts to improve or maintain their level of wellness is potentially achievable. Continuing research is needed to further assess whether persistent health benefits can be induced by worksite wellness programs.
Rubella virus RNA replication is cis-preferential and synthesis of negative- and positive-strand RNAs is regulated by the processing of nonstructural protein.

Rubella virus (RV) genome encodes nonstructural protein (NSP) in a large open reading frame at its 5' end. It is translated into p200 and further processed into p150 and p90. The NSPs are responsible for viral RNA replication, during which a full-length negative-strand RNA serves as the intermediate for the replication of positive-strand genomic RNA and the transcription of subgenomic RNA. Using complementation experiments, we demonstrated that RV negative-strand RNA is synthesized preferentially in cis while positive-strand RNAs can be synthesized both in cis and in trans but with higher efficiency in cis. During virus infection, negative-strand RNA accumulates until 10 hours postinfection (hpi) and remains nearly constant thereafter. In contrast, positive-strand RNAs (both genomic and subgenomic RNA) do not increase much before 10 hpi and accumulate rapidly thereafter. Previously we demonstrated that p200 synthesizes negative- but not positive-strand RNA, whereas cleavage products p150/p90 are required for efficient production of positive-strand RNAs. In this study, we present evidence demonstrating that a higher concentration of p150/p90 is associated with lower production of negative-strand RNA. Our data support the hypothesis that p200 is the principal replicase for negative-strand RNA, as is p150/p90 for positive-strand RNA. The switch from the synthesis of negative- to positive-strand RNA is thus regulated by NSP processing, which not only activates the efficient production of positive-strand RNA, but also disables negative-strand RNA synthesis. A mechanism for NSP translation, processing, and regulation of RV RNA synthesis is proposed.
Study of prosodic feature extraction for multidialectal Odia speech emotion recognition

In this paper a speaker-independent and text-dependent speech emotion recognition system has been presented for the Cuttacki, Sambalpuri and Berhampuri dialects of the Odia language. A dialect is any distinguishable variety of a language spoken by a group of people. Emotions provide naturalness to speech. Here prosodic features are extracted from speech and used for classification of emotions. Prosodic features are represented by pitch, energy, duration, and formant. In order to evaluate the system performance for prosodic features the Orthogonal Forward Selection(OFS) algorithm is used for significant feature selection, and the Gaussian Mixture Model(GMM) and Support Vector Machine(SVM) for classification. The analysis of results, after significant features were found using the OFS algorithm, shows that SVM is a better classification algorithm compared to GMM. The study also shows distinctions between emotions of males and females after feature extractions.
Quantization for Physical Layer Security

We propose a multi-level CSI quantization and key reconciliation scheme for physical layer security. The noisy wireless channel estimates obtained by the users first run through a transformation, prior to the quantization step. This enables the definition of guard bands around the quantization boundaries, tailored for a specific efficiency and not compromising the uniformity required at the output of the quantizer. Our construction results in an better key disagreement and initial key generation rate trade-off when compared to other level-crossing quantization methods.
ADSORPTION, DESORPTION AND MOVEMENT OF ENDOSULFAN IN AGRICULTURAL SOIL

The effect of soil properties like adsorption, desorption, movement and distribution of endosulfan (1, 2, 3, 4, 7, 7-hexachlorobicyclo (2, 2, 1)-2-heptene-5, 6-bisoxymethlene sulfite) in two tropical soils, sandy loam and sandy clay soil from Mysore, Karnataka state were studied respectively. The results indicated that soils with different physico-chemical properties have different effects on the adsorption, movement and distribution of pesticide, especially at higher concentration levels. Two composite soil samples were collected that having diversified physico-chemical properties were analysed. Adsorption coefficient values (K ads) as described by Freundlich’s model ranged from 0.04 to 0.31. Higher adsorption coefficient was measured in Halekesare soils as compared to Hinkal soils. Desorption as attributed to hysteresis was also measured. Desorption coefficient values (K des) were higher than adsorption (K ads) in each study. Movement of endosulfan was restricted to subsurface soil upto 0-15 cm depth only in both the soil types. However, vertical movement of endosulfan was faster in sandy loam soil than sandy clay soil. Results indicated that applied endosulfan retained in the upper layers of soil would be persistent or slow to degrade in the soils studied.
Efficient Password-based Two Factors Authentication in Cloud Computing

Security threats are considered the main barrier that precluded potential users from reaping the compelling benefits of the cloud computing model. Unfortunately, traditional password authentication jeopardizes user privacy. Anonymous password authentication (APA) represents a promising method to maintain users’ privacy. However, the major handicap that faces the deployment of APA is the high computation cost and inherent shortcomings of conventional password schemes. In our proposed scheme, we present a new setting where users do not need to register their passwords to service provider. They are supplied with the necessary credential information from the data owner. Furthermore, for enabling the service provider to know the authorized users, data owner provides the service provider with some secret identity information that is derived from the pair (username/password) of each user. Our approach shows good results in terms of high scalability which makes our scheme more suitable to the cloud environment, strong authentication that withstands different known attacks.
Frequency Diverse Array Antenna: New Opportunities

Phased-array antennas are known for their capability to electronically steer a beam with high effectiveness, but beam steering is fixed in an angle for all range cells. This paper reviews frequency diverse array (FDA) antennas. Different from a phased array, an FDA uses a small frequency increment, as compared with the carrier frequency, across array elements. The use of a frequency increment generates an array factor that is a function of the angle, the time, and the range, allowing the FDA antenna to transmit the energy over the desired range and angle. In addition to analyzing FDA factor characteristics, this paper investigates FDA potential applications in range-dependent energy control and technical challenges in system implementation, with an aim to call for further investigations on the FDA.
Tumor Progression After Preoperative Portal Vein Embolization

Objective:To evaluate tumor growth in a series of patients undergoing liver resection after portal vein embolization (PVE). Background:The regenerative response after PVE leading to compensatory hypertrophy of the nonembolized liver segments potentially enhances tumor growth. Methods:Portal vein embolization was performed in 28 patients diagnosed with colorectal metastases between 2004 and 2011. Tumor volume was measured by computed tomography (CT) volumetry before and after PVE. Tumor growth rate (TGR) was measured by CT volumetry and compared with that of a non-PVE control group with colorectal metastases of whom 30 had 2 CT scans preoperatively. Also, newly diagnosed tumors in the future remnant liver (FRL) after PVE and after resection were analyzed. Results:The median TGR of PVE patients was 0.53 mL/d (interquartile range [IQR], 0.02–1.88) versus 0.09 mL/d (IQR, −0.04 to 0.40; P = 0.03) in non-PVE patients. The TGR was 0.15 (IQR, −0.52 to 0.66) mL/d before PVE and 0.85 (IQR, −0.10 to 1.62) mL/d after PVE in the same patients (P = 0.03). Seven patients (25%) showed new tumor lesions in the FRL after PVE, of whom 3 patients (11%) were not resectable. Patients (8 of 19; 42%) after PVE also showed a higher rate of recurrent metastases in the remnant liver at follow-up than non-PVE patients (1 of 28; 4%). Survival was significantly better for non-PVE patients, with a 3-year survival rate of 77% versus 26% in patients undergoing PVE. Conclusions:Portal vein embolization is associated with increased TGR and new tumor in the FRL and recurrent tumor after resection. Short intervals and interval chemotherapy between PVE and resection are, therefore, advised.
Plantwide control of chemical looping combustion

Passive systems theory is used to develop a general procedure to design the control structure of chemical process networks. A natural storage function, derived from the second law of thermodynamics, is the basis for passivity-based control design. The inventory control laws are implemented locally and individual units become passive. With all units in a chemical processing plant designed to be locally passive, the entire network will be passive and retain desirable properties such as L2 input-output stability and Lyapunov stability. The procedure presented allows for the decomposition of large flowsheets and the design of passivity-based control laws with little process information. The minimum number of controlled inventories to assure passivity of the entire network is identified. Additional degrees of freedom are available for constraint handling, flow control and determining the process load. The chemical looping combustion process is used as an illustrative example for the procedure.
The Role of the Peripheral Enteric Nervous System in the Control of Gut Motility in the Snail Lymnaea stagnalis

In this study, we asked whether neurons of the enteric nervous system (ENS) isolated from the central nervous system (CNS) are competent to mediate ordered autonomous gut motility (i.e. descending peristalsis, which may be functional for food propulsion down the gut) in the snail Lymnaea stagnalis. Firstly, we explored the origin of autonomous gut contraction in the esophagus and crop. Using extracellular recording, we were able to detect excitatory junctional potentials (EJPs) elicited by motor neuron activity in autonomous rhythmic bursts, showing that neurogenic autonomous contractions existed. We also determined the motor neuron as cholinergic from the antagonistic effects of d-tubocurarine (d-TC) on the EJPs. Interestingly, the “pacemaker region”, which drives the rhythm of the automaticity, was found in the crop, which is located distally to the esophagus. Thus, the burst first occurs in the crop and propagates in an ascending direction (i.e. in the opposite direction of the peristalsis) along the esophagus. From the observation of the relationship between the motor neuron activity and the driven motility, proximally decreasing time lag between the neuronal burst and the peak contraction (T-p; Time to peak) was found to be crucial in producing peristalsis. Regional T-p difference was also observed in the electrically evoked contractions in the isolated esophagus. Blocking the motor neuron activity by d-TC attenuated the regional difference. The above suggest that the processes leading up to the elicitation of EJPs by ENS activity contribute to producing the regional T-p difference.
Computer Security Clinical Trials: Lessons Learned from a 4-month Pilot Study

In order for the field of computer security to progress, we need to know the true value of different security technologies and understand how they work in practice. It is important to evaluate their effectiveness as they are being used in an ecologically valid environment. To this end, we postulate that security products could be evaluated by conducting computer security clinical trials. To show the feasibility of such approach, we did a 4-month proof of concept study with 50 users, that aimed to evaluate an anti-malware product. In this paper, we present the study we performed and provide lessons learned and recommendations on the challenges, limitations and considerations of conducting computer security clinical trials.
A virtual reality environment for Web browsing

We present an environment for navigating the Web through a virtual reality space. The two-dimensional Internet space is mapped into virtual worlds according to predefined and/or inferred metaphors. Web and metaphor elements are given a conceptual representation to highlight their similarities, which are used to construct an appropriate mapping. The derived virtual representation is realized through a VR-builder, which generates VRML sources. As a result, a Web site is mapped into a virtual world, allowing naive users to easily navigate the WWW.
Histamine: A putative afferent neurotransmitter in Limulus eyes

Histamine has been proposed as a photoreceptor neurotransmitter in two major groups of arthropods, the insects and the Crustacea. In this study biochemical and immunocytochemical approaches were used to examine the synthesis, endogenous content, and cellular distribution of histamine in the visual system of the horseshoe crab Limulus polyphemus, an ancient chelicerate arthropod. Studies with this animal have been critical to our understanding of the basic processes of vision. High‐voltage paper electrophoresis was used to assay for histamine synthesis in Limulus tissues incubated with radiolabeled histidine; histamine synthesis was detected in the lateral, median, and ventral eyes and optic nerves and in the visual centers in the brain. Endogenous histamine, assayed as its orthophthalaldehyde derivative by high‐performance liquid chromatography and electrochemical detection, was also detected in these tissues. Immunocytochemical analyses, with an antiserum directed against a protein conjugate of histamine, revealed histamine‐like immunoreactivity in the somata of photoreceptors in each of the eyes and in the regions of the brain where the photoreceptors terminate. Histamine‐like immunoreactivity was also intense in the cell bodies and axon collaterals of eccentric cells in the lateral eye and in eccentric cell projections in the brain. These results show that histamine is a major biogenic amine in the Limulus visual system, and they suggest that this amine is involved in transmitting visual information from the eyes to the brain and in lateral inhibition, a fundamental mechanism for processing visual information in the lateral eye.
Analyse comparative de la prosodie entre lecture et parole spontanée chez 28 patients dysarthriques

Dans ce memoire, la lecture et la production spontanee de 28 patients dysarthriques (8 atteints du Syndrome Cerebelleux, 8 de la maladie de Parkinson et 12 de la Sclerose Laterale Amyotrophique) ont ete etudiees dans une analyse perceptive par 11 juges experts et dans une analyse acoustique pour mettre en avant des differences prosodiques entre ces deux tâches de parole. L'analyse acoustique s'avere plus sensible que l'analyse perceptive a la detection de ces differences. L’effet du style depend systematique du locuteur mais varie selon la population pour les parametres prosodiques "f0 mediane" et "variabilite de f0". Une perspective clinique peut etre envisagee quant au choix des tâches de parole a proposer dans l'evaluation des patients dysarthriques, ceci afin d'etablir ou de faciliter le diagnostic differentiel des populations entre elles.