Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Microfilariae of the filarial nematode Litomosoides sigmodontis exacerbate the course of 1 LPS-induced sepsis in mice 2 3

1 Helminths facilitate their own survival by actively modulating the immune systems of 2 their hosts. We investigated the impact different life-cycle stages of the rodent filaria 3 Litomosoides sigmodontis have on the inflammatory responses of mice injected with sub4 lethal doses of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Mice infected with female adult worms from 5 prepatent infections, those which have not yet started to release microfilariae, developed 6 lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the peripheral blood after LPS-challenge 7 compared to sham treated controls, demonstrating that female adult worms can mitigate the 8 innate immune response. The presence of microfilariae in mice, however, through either direct 9 injection or implantation of microfilariae-releasing adult female worms, turned the LPS10 challenge fatal. This lethal outcome was characterized by increased plasma levels of IFNγ, 11 TNFα, IL-12, and IL-6, greater numbers of macrophages and granulocytes in the peripheral 12 blood, and decreased body temperatures in microfilariae-infected mice. Microfilariae-infected 13 mice deficient in IFNγR (interferon-gamma-receptor) and TNFR1 (tumor necrosis factor 14 receptor 1) had an increased survival rate after LPS challenge compared to immune competent 15 mice, suggesting that microfilariae worsen LPS-induced sepsis through actions of IFNγ and 16 TNFα. In summary, we have demonstrated that infection of mice with L. sigmodontis female 17 adult worms from prepatent infections protect mice injected with LPS whereas microfilariae 18 worsen LPS-induced sepsis through the induction of pro-inflammatory cytokines and 19 upregulation of granulocytes, NK cells, and monocytes in the peripheral blood. 20 AC CE PT ED on S etem er 3, 2017 by gest http/iai.asm . rg/ D ow nladed fom
Population variations in the initial treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer.

PURPOSE Dissemination of recommended therapies for non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have not been described comprehensively. We report the patterns of initial therapy focusing on the investigation of differences in receipt of recommended therapies according to multiple clinical and nonclinical patient characteristics. METHODS A population-based random sample of newly diagnosed NSCLC patients diagnosed in 10 separate geographic areas was collected in 1996 (n = 898). Data were obtained from medical records. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the use of recommended therapies. RESULTS Overall, 52% of NSCLC patients received recommended therapy. Approximately 69%, 48%, and 41% of patients with stages I and II, III, or IV NSCLC received recommended therapy, respectively. For all stages combined, the use of recommended therapy was significantly inversely associated with age and stage at diagnosis. Recommended therapy also was more common in white versus black patients, and in married versus single patients. Stage-specific analyses revealed a significant decline in the use of recommended surgery with increasing age at diagnosis for early-stage NSCLC only, and a significantly lower use of recommended therapy (primarily chemoradiotherapy) for stage III black and Hispanic patients compared with white patients. CONCLUSION The overall use of recommended therapies for NSCLC is low. Large variations exist in the use of such therapies according to age, race or ethnicity, and marital status. Research combining medical record reviews with other sources of data is needed to better understand the contributions of both patient preferences and physician judgment to these treatment variations.
PerfMiner Visualizer: uma ferramenta para análise da evolução do atributo de qualidade de desempenho em sistemas de software

A manutencao e a evolucao dos sistemas de software podem trazer varias mudancas de codigo que podem potencialmente reduzir sua qualidade e aumentar sua complexidade. Um atributo de qualidade critico que e afetado ao longo do tempo e o desempenho do sistema. Assim, sem o devido acompanhamento, esse atributo de qualidade pode deixar de ser atendido adequadamente. A area de visualizacao de software propoe o uso de tecnicas cujo objetivo e melhorar o entendimento do software e tornar mais produtivo o seu processo de desenvolvimento. Neste contexto, este trabalho apresenta o PerfMiner Visualizer - uma ferramenta para visualizar e analisar desvios de desempenho em evolucoes subsequentes de um sistema de software. Atraves de visualizacoes de grafos de chamadas e sumarizacao de cenarios, a ferramenta permite que desenvolvedores e arquitetos possam identificar cenarios e metodos que tiveram variacoes no seu desempenho, inclusive as potenciais causas desses desvios atraves dos commits. O trabalho tambem apresenta um estudo empirico que avalia o uso da ferramenta aplicando-a em 10 versoes de evolucao de 2 sistemas open source de dominios diferentes e submetendo questionarios online para obter feedback dos seus desenvolvedores e arquitetos. Os resultados do estudo conduzido trazem evidencias preliminares da eficacia das visualizacoes providas pela ferramenta em comparacao com dados tabulares. Alem disso, o algoritmo de supressao de nos da visualizacao do grafo de chamadas foi capaz de reduzir entre 73,77% e 99,83% a quantidade de nos a serem exibidos para o usuario, permitindo que ele possa identificar mais facilmente as possiveis causas das variacoes.
Sudden death, impaired glucose tolerance, and diabetes in Japanese American men.

BACKGROUND Diabetes and glucose intolerance have been shown to increase the risk of cardiovascular mortality in a number of different populations. Most studies have been based on short follow-up periods, and few have had sufficient numbers to allow researchers to look at sudden death as an outcome. METHODS AND RESULTS The relation of sudden death, defined as unexpected death occurring within either 1 or 24 hours of first symptoms, to glucose intolerance measured by a nonfasting 1-hour postload measurement made in 1965 or history of diabetes was examined by use of 23 years of follow-up on the 8006 participants enrolled in the Honolulu Heart Program. After adjustment for baseline body mass index, hypertension, cholesterol, triglycerides, smoking, alcohol consumption, and left ventricular hypertrophy or strain, the relative risks for sudden death within 24 hours in individuals with high-normal (151 to 224 mg/dL), asymptomatic high glucose values (> or = 225 mg/dL), and diabetes compared with those with lower glucose values (< 151 mg/dL) were 1.59, 2.22, and 2.76, respectively. All these relative risks were statistically significant (P < or = .05). Trends for sudden death in 1 hour were similar. Among men with sudden death < 1 hour after onset of symptoms, the strength of the association between diabetes and sudden death was stronger among those classified as having died of unknown causes who thus were more likely to have died of an arrhythmia than among those classified as having died of coronary heart disease. CONCLUSIONS The relations seen in these analyses indicate that individuals with glucose intolerance or diagnosed diabetes are at increased risk for sudden death.
Cervical cancer as a priority for prevention in different world regions: An evaluation using years of life lost

The relative importance of cancer of the cervix among several important causes of mortality (from cancer and other diseases) has been evaluated by estimating the years of life lost (YLL) by young and middle‐aged women (25–64 years old) in different regions of the world. The life years were weighted to reflect their importance to the individual and to society. On a global basis, cancer of the cervix is responsible for about 2% of the total (weighted) YLL, fewer than for other causes of mortality in this age group. However, it is the most important cause of YLL in Latin America and the Caribbean. It also makes the largest contribution to YLL from cancer in the populous regions of SubSaharan Africa and South‐Central Asia where the actual risk of loss of life from this cause is higher, although overshadowed by noncancer deaths (from AIDS, TB and maternal conditions). The overall picture is not very sensitive to the age weighting function used. The fact that most of the loss of life is preventable, and that simple technologies have been developed that make this practicable, means that cervical cancer has an even higher profile from the perspective of resource allocation in low income settings. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
HRANILNIKI ENERGIJE PRI HIBRIDNIH POGONIH

V nalogi je predstavljeno nacrtovanje, realizacija in vodenje pogonskega sistema hibridnega vozila s poudarkom na superkondenzatorjih kot hranilnikih energije. Laboratorijsko preizkusevalisce hibridnih pogonov je bilo zasnovano z namenom razvoja elektricnega hibridnega pogona za lahko dostavno vozilo. Glede na težo in kategorijo vozila je zahtevana moc pogona v razredu 4-5 kW, kar je bilo izhodisce pri izbiri komponent pogona. Zaradi lažjega testiranja agregata smo se namesto vgradnje v vozilo raje odlocili za gradnjo laboratorijskega preizkusevalisca. Osnova preizkusevalisca sta dva pogonska agregata, motor z notranjim izgorevanjem in voden izmenicni elektromotorni pogon. Mehansko sta oba agregata, motor z notranjim izgorevanjem in elektromotor, povezana v paralelno konfiguracijo s sestevanjem navorov. Za obremenjevanje je uporabljen neodvisno napajan elektricni servopogon, voden po programu z zakonitostmi vožnje vozila. Preizkusevalisce je bilo nadgrajeno se z dodatnimi komponentami, s tem je omogoceno tudi testiranje posameznih komponent hibridnih pogonov. Poudarek pricujocega dela je posvecen razvoju sistema za hranjenje elektricne energije pri elektricnem, oziroma hibridnem vozilu, podrobneje pa je opisan dinamicno visokozmogljiv hranilnik energije s superkondenzatorjem in pripadajocim pretvornikom za povezavo na enosmerno vodilo elektricnega pogona. Z uporabo preizkusevalisca je potrjeno bistveno izboljsanje lastnosti akumulatorskega hranilnika energije potem, ko mu je bila dodana se enota s superkondenzatorjem. Z eksperimentom je potrjena tudi uspesnost vodenja pretoka energije superkondenzatorja na osnovi stabilizacije (izhodne) napetosti enosmernega vodila.
Defining information system characteristics with account of different applications service types

The article considers a single-channel queuing system with losses and one serving device. To describe the functioning of the system, we use the apparatus of semi-Markov processes with a common phase space of states which allows us to remove the assumption on the exponential nature of the random event streams commonly used in the literature. In the simulation, the phase-locking algorithm is used for transition from a system with a continuous phase space of states to a system with discrete states. In contrast to the well-known publications on this topic, where only the expectation was determined, this article determines the function of distributing the idle time of the service device when accounting for the receipt of various types of claims. This distribution function is defined for the general case assuming an arbitrary number of requirement types. Comparison is made between the mathematical expectation obtained in the work of the expectation function for the distribution of the idle time of the servicing device and the mathematical expectation of the same value obtained by the formula known from the literature if there are two different types of requirements in the system. Comparing the simulation results, it was assumed that the random variables characterizing the given system are distributed according to the generalized Erlang law of the second order and have continuous functions and distribution densities.
Um modelo de uso de ferramentas de Inteligência Competitiva

Dentro do Sistema de Ciencia e Tecnologia e Inovacao do Exercito Brasileiro o Centro Tecnologico do Exercito tem como objetivo a obtencao de produtos de defesa. A atual estrutura do Centro Tecnologico do Exercito se utiliza de uma serie de sistemas corporativos com multiplos fins, sendo necessaria a elaboracao de uma proposta de utilizacao de ferramentas de Inteligencia Competitiva para apoio a tomada de decisoes tecnicas. O crescente desenvolvimento dos meios de Tecnologia da Informacao pode constituir a base para a adocao de metodologias de Gestao do Conhecimento e desenvolvimentos de ferramentas de Inteligencia Competitiva de forma a consolidar as informacoes externas e internas em um unico sistema capaz de apoiar a Chefia do Centro em decisoes relativas aos projetos em desenvolvimento.
The RetroX Auditory Implant for High-Frequency Hearing Loss

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyze the subjective satisfaction and measure the hearing gain provided by the RetroX (Auric GmbH, Rheine, Germany), an auditory implant of the external ear. Study Design: We conducted a retrospective case review. Setting: We conducted this study at a tertiary referral center at a university hospital. Subjects: We studied 10 adults with high-frequency sensori-neural hearing loss (ski-slope audiogram). Intervention: The RetroX consists of an electronic unit sited in the postaural sulcus connected to a titanium tube implanted under the auricle between the sulcus and the entrance of the external auditory canal. Implanting requires only minor surgery under local anesthesia. Main Outcome Measures: Main outcome measures were a satisfaction questionnaire, pure-tone audiometry in quiet, speech audiometry in quiet, speech audiometry in noise, and azimuth audiometry (hearing threshold in function of sound source location within the horizontal plane at ear level). Results: Subjectively, all 10 patients are satisfied or even extremely satisfied with the hearing improvement provided by the RetroX. They wear the implant daily, from morning to evening. We observe a statistically significant improvement of pure-tone thresholds at 1, 2, and 4 kHz. In quiet, the speech reception threshold improves by 9 dB. Speech audiometry in noise shows that intelligibility improves by 26% for a signal-to-noise ratio of -5 dB, by 18% for a signal-to-noise ratio of 0 dB, and by 13% for a signal-to-noise ratio of +5 dB. Localization audiometry indicates that the skull masks sound contralateral to the implanted ear. Of the 10 patients, one had acoustic feedback and one presented with a granulomatous reaction to the foreign body that necessitated removing the implant. Conclusion: The RetroX auditory implant is a semi-implantable hearing aid without occlusion of the external auditory canal. It provides a new therapeutic alternative for managing high-frequency hearing loss.
Ordonnancement stochastique de tâches avec impatience

En ordonnancement, il est classique de considerer qu'une tâche est en retard lorsqu'elle se termine apres sa date d'echeance. On parlera alors d'impatience jusqu'en fin de service (IES = Impatience to the End of Service). Cette definition est coherente avec des systemes de production de biens physiques, ou un produit est demande pour une certaine date. Cependant, elle montre ses limites pour des systemes produisant des services. Par exemple, dans le contexte d'un centre d'appel telephonique, un client peut etre considere comme satisfait des lors qu'il est mis en relation avec un charge de clientele. On parlera alors d'impatience jusqu'au debut du service (IBS = Impatience to the Beginning of Service). Nous presentons ici des ordonnancements statiques optimaux pour cette autre definition du retard, ainsi qu'un resultat de la litterature qui reste vrai lorsque l'on relâche une condition.
Geometric Phases, and Optimal Reconfiguration for Multibody Systems

Relative Motion in a system of coupled rigid bodies can yield global reorientation (or phase shift). We give a formula to compute such a phase shift and interpret the same in geometric terms. The theory of connections in principal bundles provides the proper setting for questions of the type addressed in this paper. A related optimal control problem leads to singular riemannian geometry.
Does Feeding by Halyomorpha halys (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) Reduce Soybean Seed Quality and Yield?

ABSTRACT The nonnative brown marmorated stink bug, Halyomorpha halys Stål (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae), has become an abundant pest of mid-Atlantic soybean since its introduction in the mid-1990s. Currently, there is little information indicating how this new pest should be managed in soybean or if economic thresholds developed for native stink bugs should be adjusted. In 2010 and 2011, field cage studies were conducted in Beltsville, MD, and Suffolk, VA, to evaluate H. halys injury to three different soybean reproductive development stages. Cages were infested for 2 wk using densities of zero, one, two, four, or eight stink bugs (fifth instars and adults) per 0.3 row-m. Cage plots were harvested, and subsamples were taken to determine pod losses and seed quality. Feeding injury to soybean caused by H. halys was similar to that of native stink bugs, as evidenced by seed destruction, punctures, and destroyed pods. Densities of four stink bugs per 0.3 row-m resulted in significant seed damage in three of four experiments. The full flowering (R2) soybean development stage was least affected by H. halys feeding. The full pod (R4) and the full seed (R6) stage were similarly sensitive to injury. There was no significant yield loss was associated with stink bug densities at either location, although there were significant differences among stages in two of four experiments. The data do not indicate that threshold densities for H. halys should be different than for the native stink bugs.
Serum leptin levels, skin leptin and leptin receptor expression in psoriasis

Background Recent studies support the relation of psoriasis with obesity and cardiovascular disease. Leptin, a peptide hormone secreted predominantly from adipose tissue, is involved in the regulation of energy intake and expenditure. Recently, it has been shown to have several immunological effects including induction of proinflammatory cytokine production.
Increased levels of serum histone H4 and activated protein C in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES We aimed to examine the levels of serum H4 and activated protein C (APC) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other autoimmune conditions, and investigate the associations between H4 or APC levels and disease activity indicators in RA. METHODS Serum H4 and APC distribution was examined in samples from patients with RA, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), polymyositis (PM), and ankylosing spondylitis (AS), as well as in samples from healthy controls, using commercial ELISA kits. Associations of serum H4 or APC levels with disease variables in patients with RA were evaluated. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed to assess the discriminant capacity of APC against RA and non-RA. RESULTS The patients with RA, PM, and AS showed higher serum levels of H4 and APC than those from the healthy control individuals, while the SLE patients showed higher serum levels of APC only. Moderate positive correlations between H4 levels and absolute neutrophil count (ANC), platelet count (PLT), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), brinogen (FIB), D-dimer (DD), and complement fraction 3 (C3) were observed. Positive correlations between APC levels and PLT, RF, DD, or DAS28 were additionally found. ROC curve analysis revealed that APC discriminated well between RA and non-RA. CONCLUSIONS H4 and APC concentrations are elevated in patients with chronic in ammatory autoimmune diseases. The observed associations between H4 and APC and disease variables in patients with RA support a role for H4 and APC in the in ammatory process of the disease.
Dynamics-based motion de-blurring for a PZT-driven, compliant camera orientation mechanism

This paper proposes a method for removing motion blur from images captured by a fast-moving robot eye. Existing image techniques focused on recovering blurry images due to camera shake with long exposure time. In addition, previous studies relied solely on properties of the images or used external sensors to estimate a blur kernel, or point spread function (PSF). This paper focuses on estimating a latent image from the blur images taken by the robotic camera orientation system. A PZT-driven, compliant camera orientation system was employed to demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach. Discrete switching commands were given to the robotic system to create a rapid point-to-point motion while suppressing the vibration with a faster response. The blurry images were obtained when the robotic system created a rapid point-to-point motion, like human saccadic motion. This paper proposes a method for estimating the PSF in knowledge of system dynamics and input commands, resulting in a faster estimation. The proposed method was investigated under various motion conditions using the single-degree-of-freedom camera orientation system to verify the effectiveness and was compared with other approaches quantitatively and qualitatively. The experiment results show that overall the performance metric of the proposed method was 27.77% better than conventional methods. The computation time of the proposed method was 50 times faster than that of conventional methods.
Des balles magiques de Paul Ehrlich aux anticorps monoclonaux dans le traitement de la polyarthrite rhumatoïde

Au debut du 20e siecle, Paul Ehrlich introduit pour la premiere fois le concept de therapie ciblee, avec des « balles magiques » destinees a traiter la syphilis. En 1975, la decouverte de la technique de preparation des anticorps monoclonaux ouvre la voie a des recherches permettant d’utiliser ces glycoproteines a des fins therapeutiques. Depuis, un certain nombre d’anticorps monoclonaux sont utilises en tant que biotherapies, particulierement dans le traitement des maladies autoimmunes comme la polyarthrite rhumatoide. Cette pathologie frequente est caracterisee par une inflammation chronique des articulations, entrainant des deformations invalidantes en l’absence de medication. Les traitements symptomatiques et de fond habituellement prescrits ne sont pas toujours efficaces, c’est pourquoi le marche des anticorps monoclonaux est en pleine expansion. Certains sont deja utilises pour le traitement, tandis que d’autres sont encore au stade d’essais cliniques. Dans la prise en charge du patient, le pharmacien tient une place importante tant au niveau de son ecoute attentive que de ses conseils concernant les traitements, qui peuvent dans certains cas etre contraignants.
An energy filter for biological electron microscopy

A prism‐mirror‐prism electron energy filter has been inserted into a fixed beam transmission electron microscope. The insertion of the filter has not degraded the spatial resolution of the microscope, while providing an energy resolution of 2.5 eV. The filter greatly reduces the chromatic aberration of the images, increasing resolution in dark field and contrast in bright field. Images of bacteriophage T4 and of polyoma virus indicate that thick unstained and unshadowed biological specimens can now be observed at high resolution in dark field. In addition, the increased contrast and definition observed in bright‐field images of conventional liver sections suggest that it should be possible to obtain sufficient contrast from stains containing atoms of lower atomic numbers than those employed at present.