Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Methodological Challenges in Developing a Youth Questionnaire, Life & Health Young People, for Comparative Studies in Thailand and Sweden: About Bridging the Language Gap Between Two Non-English-Speaking Countries

Purpose: To develop a Thai questionnaire ชีวิตและสุขภาพของวัยรุ่นในประเทศไทย (TYQ) to explore girls’ and boys’ living conditions, lifestyles, and self-reported health with special focus on sexuality, based on a Swedish questionnaire, Liv & Hälsa ung (SYQ). Challenges in developing a youth questionnaire for comparative studies are described. Design: A multistep translation, sociocultural adaptation procedure, and a mixed-method validation test were performed using English as a common language within the research group. Three versions of SYQ were used as a pool of questions to develop the questionnaire. Findings: From a field test, unclear questions were identified and minor adjustments made. Life & Health Young People in a Thai version was successfully developed. The English version was used to bridge the language gap. Conclusion: This unique multistep methodology, including mixed-method validation procedure, can be used by researchers in countries where English is not the main language.
The 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/computed tomography in breast cancer

Breast cancer is the most common malignancy diagnosed in women. A number of 231,840 new cases of breast cancer was expected in 2015, and 40,290 women were estimated to die from breast cancer in 2015 . In 2012 in Central Serbia, 3,186 new cases of breast cancer in women were registered and 1,175 cause-related deaths 2, . There is an increasing incidence and mortality of breast cancer in Vojvodina, a northern part of Serbia (Figure 1) . Positron emission tomography (PET) is a modern imaging method which plays an important role in oncology. Ffluorodeoxyglucose (F-FDG) is a radiolabelled glucose analogue presenting a glucose metabolism marker. Since glucose uptake is increased in malignant tumors, F-FDG PET has a major performance in oncology. A quantitative measurement of FDG uptake is expressed by the standardized uptake value (SUV) and is used mostly for diagnosis and response to treatment assessment. In fact, the SUV represents a relative measure of FDG uptake in tissue and is automatically calculated by PET and PET/computed tomography (CT) scanners as follows: SUV= r/(a/w), where r is the radioactivity measured within the region of interest (ROI) in kilobecquerels per millimeter (kBq/mm), a is the decay-corrected amount of injected radiolabeled FDG (kBq), and w is the weight of the patient (g). There are several factors that affect the SUV, such as plasma glucose concentration, the amount of injected FDG, the patient size and, the time from injection to imaging which is perhaps one of the most important factor 4, . F-FDG PET imaging is a so-called metabolic imaging because of the ability to detect malignant metabolism changes. These changes in fact, precede morphologic changes which are visualized by conventional anatomic imaging such as CT and magnetic resonance (MR). In the last decade, PET and combined PET/CT were introduced in imaging of breast cancer. The CT part provides exact anatomic information and is used for attenuation correction of PET images. Comparing these two imaging modalities, PET/CT has been accepted to have better diagnostic accuracy than PET itself .
Combined transscleral diode laser cyclophotocoagulation and Ahmed gonioimplantation in dogs with primary glaucoma: 51 cases (1996-2004).

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the combined diode laser cycloablation procedure and adjunctive Ahmed gonioimplant use in dogs with primary glaucoma. DESIGN Retrospective study. ANIMALS 48 dogs, 51 eyes with primary glaucoma. PROCEDURE Medical records from two large private clinical ophthalmology services were reviewed. Signalment, duration of glaucoma, gonioscopic evaluation, laser power and duration settings, immediate postoperative and final intraocular pressure and visual results, short and long-term visual outcome, and surgical complications were recorded. RESULTS The age range of affected dogs was 3.0-14.0 years, with a mean age of 7.5 +/- 2.6 years. Eleven pure breeds were represented, with the most common being the American Cocker Spaniel. The sex distribution was 22 neutered males, 1 intact male, 23 spayed females, and 2 intact female dogs. The right eye was affected in 33 cases, and the left eye in 18 cases. The average total joules, which was administered with the diode laser, was 109.6 +/- 23.6 J. Immediate surgical complications included fibrin formation in the anterior chamber (15), corneal ulcers (4), hyphema (7), and focal retinal detachment (1). Long-term complications included cataract formation (8 total, 2 of which were significant, vision-threatening), elevated intraocular pressure (IOP) (6), unstable gonioimplant (1), and glaucoma recurrence (14). Additional surgeries performed on the eyes over the course of study included: intrascleral prosthesis (4), enucleation (1), resection of fibrotic scar tissue (5), and repeat laser cycloablation (8). The dogs were examined for a mean follow-up time of 17.6 months (range: 2-83 months postoperatively). Twenty-nine cases were followed greater than one year. Vision was maintained in 42/51 eyes (82%) in the immediate short-term of this study. In all cases included in the study, good control of IOP was achieved in 39/51 (76%) of eyes, and IOP was poor or uncontrolled in 12/51 (24%) of eyes. Twenty out of 41 eyes (49%) maintained fair to excellent vision six months after surgery. Twelve months postoperative observations demonstrated that 12/29 (41%) of the eyes were still visual. CONCLUSIONS In primary glaucoma, the combined procedure of laser diode cyclophotocoagulation and Ahmed valve implant was associated with return or maintenance of vision in 42/51 eyes (82%) in the immediate short-term of this study, and a long-term IOP control in 39/51 (76%) of the cases, with 12/29 eyes (41%) visual after 12 months.
Thymoquinone Is a Potent Superoxide Anion Scavenger

Abstract The antioxidant and pro-oxidant effects of thymoquinone (TQ), a natural main constituent of the volatile oil of Nigella sativa seeds, and a synthetic structurally-related tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ), were examined in vitro. Both TQ and TBHQ efficiently inhibited iron-dependent microsomal lipid peroxidation in a concentration-dependent manner with median inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 16.8 and 14.9 µM, respectively. TBHQ was stronger than TQ as a scavenger of 2,2′-diphenyl-p-picrylhydrazyl radical (DPPH) (IC50 = 5 µM, 200 times more active than TQ) and as a scavenger of hydroxyl radical (OH•) with an IC50 of 4.6 µM (approximately 10 times more active than TQ). TQ was more active than TBHQ as a superoxide anion scavenger with IC50 of 3.35 µM compared to 18.1 µM for TBHQ. Only TBHQ significantly promoted DNA damage in the bleomycin-Fe(III) system. The results suggest that both TQ and TBHQ have strong antioxidant potentials through scavenging ability of different free radicals. Moreover, the data indicate that TQ is acting mainly as a potent superoxide anion scavenger.
Valor predictivo de la activación de código ictus mediante triage enfermero en servicios de urgencias

Objetivo: Caracterizar la poblacion que acude a Urgencias con sospecha de ictus y la adecuacion de la activacion del codigo ictus, asi como su impacto en la estancia, mortalidad y reingreso y tiempo de TAC. Metodos: Se llevo un estudio observacional retrospectivo de seguimiento de una cohorte de casos incidentes de pacientes con ictus en el Hospital Costa del Sol durante 2014. Resultados: Se incluyeron 500 sujetos, de los cuales 256 (51,2%) eran hombres y 244 (48,8%) mujeres, con una edad media de 73,12 (DE: 13,11) anos, con un 54,8% de ictus isquemicos, un 33,2%AIT y un 12% de tipo hemorragico. Se activo el codigo ictus en 33 sujetos (6.6% del total) y se identificaron como adecuadas 492 valoraciones (98,4%). La sensibilidad de la activacion por la enfermera fue del 85.7% (IC95%: 69,74% a 95,19%) y la especificidad del 99,3% (IC95%: 98,13% a 99,87). El tiempo de realizacion del TAC desde la hora de triage era significativamente menor en los pacientes con CI activado: 2.09 (DE: 1.49) versus 3.54 (DE: 2.12) (p<0.0001). Conclusiones: La activacion del codigo ictus en triage por enfermeras de Urgencias se lleva a cabo con una gran adecuacion y tiene importantes efectos en los tiempos de la atencion al ictus.
Viewing and Editing Assembled Sequences Using Consed

Consed is a program for viewing and editing assemblies prepared by the Phrap assembly program. This unit presents a general introduction to Consed. It also provides instructions for identifying problem regions and searching in Consed. Additional protocols describe creating tags, picking primers, correcting joins and adding and removing reads. Instructions are also given for the use of Assembly View, predicting the results of a restriction digestion, the use of Consed in conjunction with PolyPhred, and using Autofinish, as well as a procedure for running Phred and Phrap.
Behavioral and electrophysiological study of spatial pattern discrimination in the rat

Le systeme vibrissal des rongeurs est un modele tres utilise pour l'etude des processus comportementaux et neurobiologiques qui sous-tendent la perception tactile, en particulier pendant l'exploration de la forme d'un objet, sa localisation, ou la rugosite de sa surface. Le but de cette these a ete d'explorer les strategies sensori-motrices impliquees dans une tâche de discrimination tactile, ainsi que l'activite neuronale qui sous-tend ce processus.De facon similaire aux doigts humains scannant un objet, les rongeurs peuvent balayer activement des surfaces avec les vibrisses de leur museau (mouvement appele «whisking»). En laboratoire, les rats discriminent des niveaux de rugosite en faisant du whisking. D'apres leurs conditions de vie naturelles, nous avons fait l'hypothese que ces animaux peuvent discriminer des motifs spatiaux sans whisking. Pour le demontrer, nous avons developpe une nouvelle tâche de discrimination dans laquelle les rats contactent des stimuli en courant a haute vitesse dans un couloir, de sorte a ce qu'il n'y a pas assez de temps pour un cycle de whisking. Les rats ont appris a discriminer des barres verticales regulierement espacees d'une surface sans barres. Les vibrisses et le cortex somatosensoriel primaire sont impliques dans la discrimination. Les animaux ont ete egalement capables de discriminer les barres regulieres de barres irregulieres. Nous avons montre que les rats ne font pas de whisking sur les stimuli, et qu'ils orientent leurs vibrisses du cote du stimulus recompense environ 60ms apres premier contact (Kerekes et al., 2017). Ces resultats montrent que les rats peuvent discriminer des stimuli sans faire de whisking.Dans une deuxieme partie, nous avons analyse les mouvements vibrissaux et reponses neuronales thalamo-corticales evoquees chez le rat anesthesie par le passage des stimuli utilises pendant la tâche. Les resultats preliminaires revelent des mouvements vibrissaux a haute acceleration, encodes differemment par le cortex selon le type de stimulus (barres regulieres ou irregulieres). Quatre rats ont ete enregistres pour cette etude: deux d'entre eux ont ete entraines a la tâche de discrimination, et les deux autres ont ete entraines a une tâche non-tactile sur le meme labyrinthe. Grâce a ces experiences, nous allons rechercher les effets potentiels de l'apprentissage sur le traitement neuronal des informations tactiles. Le developpement combine de la tâche comportementale et des enregistrements neuronaux sur rat anesthesie et eveille vont nous permettre d'explorer de nouvelles questions sur la discrimination tactile, tel que le codage de la regularite de motifs spatiaux, et la modulation de ce codage par l'apprentissage.
Interactive segmentation method with graph cut and SVMs

Medical image segmentation is a prerequisite for visualization and diagnosis. State-of-the-art techniques of image segmentation concentrate on interactive methods which are more robust than automatic techniques and more efficient than manual delineation. In this paper, we present an interactive segmentation method for medical images which relates to graph cut based on Support Vector Machines (SVMs). The proposed method is a hybrid method that combines three aspects. First, the user selects seed points to paint object and background using a "brush", and then the labeled pixels/voxels data including intensity value and gradient of the sampled points are used as training set for SVMs training process. Second, the trained SVMs model is employed to predict the probability of which classifications each unlabeled pixel/voxel belongs to. Third, unlike traditional Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) definition for region properties in graph cut method, negative log-likelihood of the obtained probability of each pixel/voxel from SVMs model is used to define t-links in graph cut method and the classical max-flow/min-cut algorithm is applied to minimize the energy function. Finally, the proposed method is applied in 2D and 3D medical image segmentation. The experiment results demonstrate availability and effectiveness of the proposed method.
Tunnel-Diode Full Binary Adder

A full binary adder utilizing a single tunnel diode and three resistors as its basic components is described, the circuit design criteria is outlined and values for a typical case are computed. The operating rate of the adder was determined analytically to be approximately 3 nsec. Experimental results obtained with a practical circuit that employed a 1N2939 tunnel diode were in good agreement with the analytical findings. The Sum and Carry outputs were 130 mv and 300 mv, respectively. These outputs need to be amplified if used to drive identical stages since there is no gain in this circuit. Since a full binary adder is a multipurpose logic element, a simple, compact, full binary adder that contains few components presents attractive possibilities for new computer logical schemes. This adder offers circuit simplicity and stability and is particularly suitable for application where low-power dissipation and compactness are desired.
Deep Recurrent Neural Network Based Monaural Speech Separation Using Recurrent Temporal Restricted Boltzmann Machines

This paper presents a single-channel speech separation method implemented with a deep recurrent neural network (DRNN) using recurrent temporal restricted Boltzmann machines (RTRBM). Although deep neural network (DNN) based speech separation (denoising task) methods perform quite well compared to the conventional statistical model based speech enhancement techniques, in DNN-based methods, the temporal correlations across speech frames are often ignored, resulting in loss of spectral detail in the reconstructed output speech. In order to alleviate this issue, one RTRBM is employed for modelling the acoustic features of input (mixture) signal and two RTRBMs are trained for the two training targets (source signals). Each RTRBM attempts to model the abstractions present in the training data at each time step as well as the temporal dependencies in the training data. The entire network (consisting of three RTRBMs and one recurrent neural network) can be fine-tuned by the joint optimization of the DRNN with an extra masking layer which enforces a reconstruction constraint. The proposed method has been evaluated on the IEEE corpus and TIMIT dataset for speech denoising task. Experimental results have established that the proposed approach outperforms NMF and conventional DNN and DRNN-based speech enhancement methods.
A fuzzy-based algorithm to remove clock skew and reset from one-way delay measurement [Internet end-to-end performance measurement]

Packet one-way delay (OWD) traces are important measurements for analyzing end-to-end performance in the Internet. Due to the fact that the clocks at the end systems are usually not synchronized, the OWD measurements can be quite inaccurate. For the more challenging case with clock resets, i.e., the clocks are reset to some reference times during the measurement period, the OWD measurements can be even worse. We propose a new algorithm to estimate and remove the relative clock skews and clock resets from measurements, based on fuzzy-clustering analysis. Numerical experiments shows that, compared with existing techniques such as linear programming and the convex-hull approach, the new algorithm is more accurate and robust.
Gene F of plasmid RSF1010 codes for a low-molecular-weight repressor protein that autoregulates expression of the repAC operon.

The repAC operon of plasmid RSF1010 consists of the genes for proteins E, F, RepA (DNA helicase), and RepC (origin-binding initiator protein) and is transcriptionally initiated by a promoter called P4. We have studied the expression of the repAC operon in vivo by using fusions to the lacZ reporter gene. The results show that the product of the second gene, F, autoregulates the operon by inhibiting transcription from P4. To verify its properties postulated from the in vivo studies and to initiate its biochemical characterization, we have purified the F protein from an overproducing E.coli strain constructed in vitro. Purification was based on a gel retardation assay for detection of P4-specific DNA binding. Subsequent DNase footprinting of the F binding sites showed clear protection around two partially symmetric P4 sequences of 16 bp, each of which matches the symmetric consensus sequence, GCGTGAGTACTCACGC, in at least 13 positions. The native repressor, as judged from gel filtration, velocity sedimentation and crosslinking studies, exists as a dimer in dilute solution; its monomeric subunit, as predicted from DNA sequence and N-terminal protein sequence data, consists of 68 amino acids and has a calculated M tau = 7,673.
Bidirectional Optical Amplification in Long-Distance Two-Way Fiber-Optic Time and Frequency Transfer Systems

In this paper, the transmission of the time and/or frequency signals (e.g., 1 pulse per second and 10 MHz) coded on the optical carrier by means of an on-off intensity modulation in the two-way fiber-optic link is considered. It is assumed that the bidirectional optical amplification in the single piece of an erbium-doped fiber is exploited to compensate the attenuation of the optical path. Such configuration of the amplifiers, offering the highest possible symmetry of the propagation conditions in both directions, is well suited for the two-way transfer method exploiting the symmetry of the link. We proposed the method of estimating interfering signals and jitter, which appear at both sides of such bidirectional fiber link because of Rayleigh backscattering and amplified spontaneous emission. This method is further exploited for finding the gains of bidirectional amplifiers, allowing optimization of the performance of the link. The experiments done with 120- and 220-km-long links, incorporating one and three amplifiers, respectively, confirmed theoretical predictions and proved that the single-path bidirectional amplifiers without any components separating the directions are useful for time or RF frequency transfer. During the experiments, both field-deployed telecommunication cables and the fibers spooled in the laboratory were used. Presented methods of analysis and optimization are useful for designing and evaluating the fiber-optic links incorporating single-path bidirectional fiber-optic amplifiers and exploiting intensity modulation for time and/or frequency transfer.
Treatment of Depression Following a Traumatic Brain Injury

Depression following a brain injury constitutes a threat to an optimal recovery. Depressed individuals who have suffered a brain injury are likely to experience poorer outcomes; have lower level of psychosocial functioning; and potentially decline or stagnate in their recovery. In addition, they may be at higher risk for suicide than their non-depressed peers. Timely, effective treatment is essential to maintain functional gains. This article aims to provide an overview of clinical issues that can allow for an early identification of depression and lead to more effective interventions. Moreover, the available treatment strategies which have already garnered a degree of empirical support are discussed. There is some evidence for effective depression treatment utilizing sertraline and other antidepressants. Also there is growing empirical support for many non-medication therapeutic options, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapies, and mindfulness-based protocols. The importance of an integrated, systematic framework to serve as a guide to the treating mental health professionals is highlighted. Review Article
Geosmin and 2-Methylisoborneol from Cyanobacteria in Three Water Supply Systems

Three Oscillatoria strains and one Anabaena species were isolated from three different water supply systems in California that experienced earthy-musty taste and odor problems in their drinking water. Unialgal cultures, free of actinomycetes, were purged using the Grob closed-loop stripping analysis method, and the resulting methylene chloride extracts were analyzed on a gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer. Geosmin was produced by Oscillatoria simplicissima and Anabaena scheremetievi, and 2-methylisoborneol was produced by O. curviceps and O. tenuis. These compounds are the two major causes of earthy-musty tastes and odors in water. In three instances, the major odorant found in culture was previously identified in the water or sediment sample from which the respective organism was isolated. O. curviceps was implicated in a taste and odor episode involving 2-methylisoborneol in a major reservoir. Geosmin and 2-methylisoborneol were easily detected with culture samples of only 4 to 25 ml.
Adjusting service performance criteria based on categorised information from previous reports

This paper uses non-linear least square method for developing stochastic models to fit the historical ordinal data for evaluating service performances. This paper then provides formula to adjust current criteria to a future point, to set criteria to promote performance, and determine criteria to hedge risks. This paper shows that current criteria can be adjusted for a future point by incorporating the trend f and time factors. By evaluating the benefit of achieving the criterion and the loss of missing the criterion, this paper develops the equations to adjust current criteria under different conditions. By setting a downside risk constraint, companies can exclude the criterion choices which are very risky even if the returns are extremely high when they succeed. The paper further describes, by using numerical examples, the impacts of parameters to the downside risk.
Interactions among the three adaptation systems of Bacillus subtilis chemotaxis as revealed by an in vitro receptor‐kinase assay

The Bacillus subtilis chemotaxis pathway employs three systems for sensory adaptation: the methylation system, the CheC/CheD/CheYp system, and the CheV system. Little is known in general about how these three adaptation systems contribute to chemotaxis in B. subtilis and whether they interact with one another. To further understand these three adaptation systems, we employed a quantitative in vitro receptor‐kinase assay. Using this assay, we were able to determine how CheD and CheV affect receptor‐kinase activity as a function of the receptor modification state. CheD was found to increase receptor‐kinase activity, where the magnitude of the increase depends on the modification state of the receptor. The principal new findings concern CheV. Little was known about this protein before now. Our data suggest that this protein has two roles depending on the modification state of the receptor, one for sensory adaptation when the receptors are modified (methylated) and the other for signal amplification when they are unmodified (unmethylated). In addition, our data suggest that methylation of site 630 tunes the strength of the CheV adaptation system. Collectively, our results provide new insight regarding the integrated function of the three adaptation systems in B. subtilis.