Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
¿Cómo cambia el comportamiento del consumidor de carne vacuna a partir de la información que disponen? Impacto sobre la disposición a pagar a partir de un Logit Multivariado

Las enfermedades transmitidas por los alimentos (ETA) constituyen un importante problema de salud publica. El contexto actual de medios masivos de comunicacion y exposicion creciente a la informacion no garantiza consumidores mejor informados, capaces de discernir los riesgos y prevenirlos. Si bien los consumidores asegurarian que su grado de preocupacion acerca de la seguridad de los alimentos que adquieren es muy alto, no siempre se verifican comportamientos de compra congruentes con esta declaracion. Este trabajo indaga sobre las percepciones de los riesgos derivados del consumo de carne vacuna, en particular aquellos asociados a la contaminacion bacteriologica como el Sindrome Uremico Hemolitico y la Escherichia Coli. El analisis se centro en los riesgos derivados del establecimiento de compra y sus caracteristicas que permiten inferir inocuidad: las personas que despachan mercaderia no esten en contacto con el dinero, las herramientas y utensilios empleados en la manipulacion de la carne sean los apropiados y que los diferentes productos carnicos se exhiban en heladeras debidamente separados y ordenados. A partir del empleo de Experimento de Eleccion o Choice Experiment (CE) que consiste en simular la eleccion de las caracteristicas de la carniceria en la que el encuestado realizaria su hipotetica compra, se estima la disposicion a pagar por los diversos atributos relacionados con las practicas de manipulacion realizadas en el lugar de compra. Las elecciones de los consumidores se modelan a traves de un Logit Multivariado (ML) que permite estimar la disposicion a pagar (DAP) promedio por los distintos atributos de la carniceria. Sin embargo, las diferencias en el grado de informacion que poseen los consumidores modificara la utilidad de cada uno de estos atributos y por lo tanto su DAP, por lo que se diferencian las elecciones de acuerdo a su nivel de informacion. Tal como es de esperar, los individuos mejor informados sobre riesgos de contaminacion estan dispuestos a pagar entre un 16% y un 80% mas por los atributos, mientras que los menos informados pagarian entre un 7% y un 35% menos por los mismos atributos.
Personality and Political Predictors of Emotional Reactions to 9/11

People are unlikely to react in an identical fashion to dramatic events such as the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. Among the likely sources of individual differences are personality traits and political orientation. Two days after 9/11, we asked 206 undergraduate students to provide free descriptions of their reactions to the attacks. The descriptions were analyzed for emotional content both by judges’ ratings and by Pennebaker’s LIWC program. Results showed that participants who were sympathetic with the political aims of the terrorists were less sympathetic toward the victims. Participants with liberal political attitudes also expressed less sympathy for the victims of the attacks than did those with conservative political attitudes. Optimism predicted less and Neuroticism predicted more fearful reactions. The Dark Triad, and disagreeable people in general, were more likely to seek punishment of the terrorists and used death-related words. Psychopaths, in particular, sought indiscriminate retaliation. Perspectivetaking predicted more distress and empathic concern but was a negative predictor of punishment seeking. In sum, the examination of various dispositional factors reveals very discrepant reactions to the same terrorist incident.
Combining watershed and graph cuts methods to segment organs at risk in radiotherapy

Computer-aided segmentation of anatomical structures in medical images is a valuable tool for efficient radiation therapy planning (RTP). As delineation errors highly affect the radiation oncology treatment, it is crucial to delineate geometric structures accurately. In this paper, a semi-automatic segmentation approach for computed tomography (CT) images, based on watershed and graph-cuts methods, is presented. The watershed pre-segmentation groups small areas of similar intensities in homogeneous labels, which are subsequently used as input for the graph-cuts algorithm. This methodology does not require of prior knowledge of the structure to be segmented; even so, it performs well with complex shapes and low intensity. The presented method also allows the user to add foreground and background strokes in any of the three standard orthogonal views – axial, sagittal or coronal - making the interaction with the algorithm easy and fast. Hence, the segmentation information is propagated within the whole volume, providing a spatially coherent result. The proposed algorithm has been evaluated using 9 CT volumes, by comparing its segmentation performance over several organs - lungs, liver, spleen, heart and aorta - to those of manual delineation from experts. A Dice´s coefficient higher than 0.89 was achieved in every case. That demonstrates that the proposed approach works well for all the anatomical structures analyzed. Due to the quality of the results, the introduction of the proposed approach in the RTP process will be a helpful tool for organs at risk (OARs) segmentation.
Conformation constraints for efficient viscoelastic fluid simulation

The simulation of high viscoelasticity poses important computational challenges. One is the difficulty to robustly measure strain and its derivatives in a medium without permanent structure. Another is the high stiffness of the governing differential equations. Solutions that tackle these challenges exist, but they are computationally slow. We propose a constraint-based model of viscoelasticity that enables efficient simulation of highly viscous and viscoelastic phenomena. Our model reformulates, in a constraint-based fashion, a constitutive model of viscoelasticity for polymeric fluids, which defines simple governing equations for a conformation tensor. The model can represent a diverse palette of materials, spanning elastoplastic, highly viscous, and inviscid liquid behaviors. In addition, we have designed a constrained dynamics solver that extends the position-based dynamics method to handle efficiently both position-based and velocity-based constraints. We show results that range from interactive simulation of viscoelastic effects to large-scale simulation of high viscosity with competitive performance.
Nonlinear Adaptive Robust Control of Single-Rod Electro-Hydraulic Actuator With Unknown Nonlinear Parameters

In this paper, a nonlinear adaptive robust control method is presented for a single-rod electro-hydraulic actuator with unknown nonlinear parameters. Previous adaptive control methods of hydraulic systems always assume that the system's unknown parameters occur linearly, but, in a practical hydraulic system, unknown nonlinear parameters, which enter the system equations in a nonlinear way, are common; for example, when the original control volumes are unknown or change, uncertain nonlinear parameters will exist. The proposed control method in this paper is to present a nonlinear adaptive controller with adaptation laws to compensate for the uncertain nonlinear parameters due to the varieties of the original control volumes. The main feature of the scheme is that a novel-type Lyapunov function is developed to construct an asymptotically stable adaptive controller and adaptation laws. Furthermore, by combining backstepping techniques and a simple robust control method, the whole system's controller and adaptation laws are presented, which can compensate for all unknown parameters and uncertain nonlinearities. The experimental results show that the nonlinear control algorithm, together with the adaptation scheme, gives a good performance for the specified tracking task in the presence of unknown nonlinear parameters.
Genetic controls and cellular behaviors in branching morphogenesis of the renal collecting system

The mammalian kidney, which at maturity contains thousands of nephrons joined to a highly branched collecting duct (CD) system, is an important model system for studying the development of a complex organ. Furthermore, congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract, often resulting from defects in ureteric bud branching morphogenesis, are relatively common human birth defects. Kidney development is initiated by interactions between the nephric duct and the metanephric mesenchyme, leading to the outgrowth and repeated branching of the ureteric bud epithelium, which gives rise to the entire renal CD system. Meanwhile, signals from the ureteric bud induce the mesenchyme cells to form the nephron epithelia. This review focuses on development of the CD system, with emphasis on the mouse as an experimental system. The major topics covered include the origin and development of the nephric duct, formation of the ureteric bud, branching morphogenesis of the ureteric bud, and elongation of the CDs. The signals, receptors, transcription factors, and other regulatory molecules implicated in these processes are discussed. In addition, our current knowledge of cellular behaviors that are controlled by these genes and underlie development of the collecting system is reviewed. WIREs Dev Biol 2012. doi: 10.1002/wdev.52
Haematological changes in a patient on long-term treatment with a trimethoprim-sulphonamide combination.

TRIMETHOPRIM (TMP) is an antibacterial chemotherapeutic agent of great interest as it is the first folic acid antagonist to be effective in the treatment for human bacterial infections. It is related to the antimalarial drug pyrimethamine, and similarly inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. This enzyme is essential for the incorporation offolate into cell metabolism (see Fig. 1). There are species differ-
Endocrine stress response in jugular-vein cannulated rats upon multiple exposure to either diethyl-ether, halothane/O2/N2O or sham anaesthesia

The main objective of this study was to assess the endocrine stress response to multiple anaesthesia followed by sham anaesthesia in order to detect any memory effects. For this purpose, jugular-vein cannulated rats were subjected to either sham, diethyl-ether or halothane/O2/N2O anaesthesia, and their plasma ACTH, corticosterone, glucose, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels measured. The study had three separate experiments, each consisting of a control and treatment group. In two experiments, the rats were exposed to high or low concentrations (40-15%) of diethyl ether, using either a jar containing cotton soaked in diethyl ether or a vaporizer. In the third experiment, rats were exposed to halothane/O2/N2O. Control animals underwent sham anaesthesia. Blood samples were taken 6 min before and at 5, 15 and 55 min after starting the exposure (t = 0 min). For each variable, the dt5 (level at t = 5 min minus that at t = -6 min) and the cumulative levels over the one-hour period as determined by the area under the curve (AUC) were calculated. Further, the peak levels (Cmax) were determined. The mean time needed to induce anaesthesia was 68, 121 and 55 s for exposure to high and low concentrations of diethyl ether and to halothane/O2/N2O, respectively. Increased noradrenaline and adrenaline dt5 levels were observed only after the first exposure to the high concentration of diethyl ether. Multiple anaesthesia sessions using either diethyl ether or halothane/O2/N2O did not clearly influence adrenaline and noradrenaline levels. Diethyl ether induced a sharp rise in plasma ACTH and glucose levels, irrespective of the concentration used. The response of the ACTH and glucose was similar for single and multiple exposure. An increased response of ACTH, corticosterone and glucose to sham anaesthesia following multiple induction of anaesthesia was observed for the high concentration of diethyl ether only. Halothane/O2/N2O raised plasma glucose without differences between single and multiple anaesthesia sessions. Upon sham anaesthesia following multiple exposures to halothane/O2/N2O, glucose levels were significantly increased. This study indicates that repeated anaesthesia in rats can elicit an increased stress response during subsequent handling and change of environment.
Suppression effects in enzymatic peptide ladder sequencing using ultraviolet ‐ matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization ‐ mass spectrometry

The techniques of enzymatic and chemical peptide ladder sequencing, coupled with ultraviolet ‐ matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization ‐ mass spectrometry (UV‐MALDI‐MS) have been improving continuously in the last five years and have now become important tools for primary structure identification. In this work, signal suppression effects, appearing in UV‐MALDI‐MS (excitation 337 nm) of ladder peptides, were investigated using the 17‐amino acid peptide dynorphin A. We show, with examples of simple “two‐peptide” systems and more complex “multi‐peptide” systems, that suppression effects do in fact exist. The magnitude of the observed suppression is strongly dependent upon both the nature and the amount of the suppressing peptide. Suppression behavior of individual ladder peptides was investigated on equimolar mixtures of ten ladder peptides. Significant signal suppression was recorded for all ladder peptides, with some of them being approximately 170 times lower in signal intensity than the pure, i.e., unsuppressed peptide at the same concentration. For the investigated system — dynorphin A, 4‐hydroxy‐α‐cyanocinnamic acid (4‐HCCA) matrix, UV excitation — a correlation between the extent of suppression and an intractable combination of peptide hydrophobicity and the presence of several basic amino acids can be seen.
ARBs and target organ protection

PREVIEW Recognition of the role of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) in initiating and maintaining hypertension prompted the development of drugs that disrupt the RAAS, notably the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and, more recently, the angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs). This article focuses on the use of ARBs in hypertension management and reviews evidence emerging from clinical trials that ARBs offer target organ protection over and above their antihypertensive activity.
Research on Evaluation Model of Organisational Knowledge Assets

Nowadays, valuation and measurement of knowledge assets has become a challenging problem for many organisations. This paper first introduces the concept of knowledge assets and presents some evaluation models of knowledge assets. Then, based on the methodology of the balanced scorecard, this paper proposes an index system which comprises quantitative indices and qualitative indices and financial indices and non-financial indices which are weighted by the analytical hierarchy process method to evaluate organisational knowledge assets. Thus, the status of organisational knowledge assets management can be estimated by a final score calculated by efficacy coefficient method and professional evaluation method in the model. At last, the paper gives a case study for this model's application. It is hoped that the information accrued from the case study, together with the evaluation model, will help to pave the way for organisations to evaluate their knowledge assets.
LIMIT THEOREMS n FOR THE METHOD OF REPLICATION

The method of replication is frequently used by simulators to estimate steady-state quantities. In this paper, we obtain conditions under which this method yields asymptotically valid confidence intervals for steady-state . means. Accession For NTTS CRA&I DTIC TAB UnancUnced Justificatlon, I By-* . _ Distribution/ Availability Codes Aviil and/or ! Dist I Special AMS (MOS) Subject Classifications: 65C05, 62M09, 68J05 K ,y Words: simulation, steady-state, replication Work Unit Nurnher 5 Optimization and Large Scale Systems-r" c ponsnroi by th. i,nited Stites Army under Contract No. DAAG29-80-C-0041 and . the Nati onal Science Foundation under Giant ECS-8404809.
Characterization of a Rare Nonpathogenic Sequence Variant (c.1905C>T) of the Dihydropyrimidine Dehydrogenase Gene (DPYD)

Background In the era of precision medicine, the suitability of fluoropyrimidine therapies in clinical oncology can be checked by pharmacogenetic investigations of single patients, thus optimizing resources and indicating the appropriate drugs to personalize their chemotherapy. For example, the presence of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase gene (DPYD) polymorphisms in cancer patients may lead to adverse effects when adopting fluoropyrimidine-based therapies. Methods We detected in a cancer patient a rare germline synonymous heterozygous variant of DPYD (c.1905C>T) in proximity to the exon 14 splice donor site. Because in silico analyses hypothesized potential deleterious effects of the splice site, we performed both quantitative and qualitative mRNA analyses to investigate the possible pathogenic nature of the variant. Results We did not detect any alterations in mRNA expression or in the cDNA sequence of DPYD gene transcript. Conclusions Our observations suggest that the c.1905C>T variant of DPYD does not have a pathogenic effect. Therefore, assessment of the clinical significance of rare sequence variants could emphasize the predictive value of DPYD gene alterations in identifying patients at potential risk for fluoropyrimidine-related toxicity.
Vitamin D status in pregnant Indian women across trimesters and different seasons and its correlation with neonatal serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels

The present cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the vitamin D status of pregnant Indian women and their breast-fed infants. Subjects were recruited from the Department of Obstetrics, Armed Forces Clinic and Army Hospital (Research and Referral), Delhi. A total of 541 apparently healthy women with uncomplicated, single, intra-uterine gestation reporting in any trimester were consecutively recruited. Of these 541 women, 299 (first trimester, ninety-seven; second trimester, 125; third trimester, seventy-seven) were recruited in summer (April–October) and 242 (first trimester, fifty-nine, second trimester, ninety-three; third trimester, ninety) were recruited in winter (November–March) to study seasonal variations in vitamin D status. Clinical, dietary, biochemical and hormonal evaluations for the Ca–vitamin D–parathormone axis were performed. A subset of 342 mother–infant pairs was re-evaluated 6 weeks postpartum. Mean serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) of pregnant women was 23·2 (sd 12·2) nmol/l. Hypovitaminosis D (25(OH)D < 50 nmol/l) was observed in 96·3 % of the subjects. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in winter in the second and third trimesters, while serum intact parathormone (iPTH) and alkaline phosphatase levels were significantly higher in winter in all three trimesters. A significant negative correlation was found between serum 25(OH)D and iPTH in mothers (r − 0·367, P = 0·0001) and infants (r − 0·56, P = 0·0001). A strong positive correlation was observed between 25(OH)D levels of mother–infant pairs (r 0·779, P = 0·0001). A high prevalence of hypovitaminosis D was observed in pregnancy, lactation and infancy with no significant inter-trimester differences in serum 25(OH)D levels.
Doherty power amplifier and GaN technology

In this paper, the features of GaN HEMT technology and Doherty Power Amplifier architecture will be investigated, as a possible answer for the stringent requirements of the next generation of wireless systems. In particular, the attention will be focused on the capabilities and the relevant drawbacks of a GaN HEMT technology when designing DPAs. The discussion of the most important DPA's design aspects will be done through the presentation of several hybrid prototypes. Experimental results will be also given to support the theoretical aspects.
Ant Colony and Load Balancing Optimizations for AODV Routing Protocol

In this paper, we propose two methods to improve the Ad-Hoc On-Demand Distance-Vector (AODV) protocol. The main goal in the design of the protocol was to reduce the routing overhead, buffer overflow, end-to-end delay and increase the performance. A multi-path routing protocol is proposed which is based on AODV and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). This protocol is refereed to Multi-Route AODV Ant routing (MRAA). Also we propose a load balancing method that uses all discovered paths simultaneously for transmitting data. In this method, data packets are balanced over discovered paths and energy consumption is distributed across many nodes through network. This protocol is refereed to Load Balanced Multi-Route AODV Ant routing algorithm (LBMRAA).
Molecular mechanisms of retroviral integrase inhibition and the evolution of viral resistance

The development of HIV integrase (IN) strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) and our understanding of viral resistance to these molecules have been hampered by a paucity of available structural data. We recently reported cocrystal structures of the prototype foamy virus (PFV) intasome with raltegravir and elvitegravir, establishing the general INSTI binding mode. We now present an expanded set of cocrystal structures containing PFV intasomes complexed with first- and second-generation INSTIs at resolutions of up to 2.5 Å. Importantly, the improved resolution allowed us to refine the complete coordination spheres of the catalytic metal cations within the INSTI-bound intasome active site. We show that like the Q148H/G140S and N155H HIV-1 IN variants, the analogous S217H and N224H PFV INs display reduced sensitivity to raltegravir in vitro. Crystal structures of the mutant PFV intasomes in INSTI-free and -bound forms revealed that the amino acid substitutions necessitate considerable conformational rearrangements within the IN active site to accommodate an INSTI, thus explaining their adverse effects on raltegravir antiviral activity. Furthermore, our structures predict physical proximity and an interaction between HIV-1 IN mutant residues His148 and Ser/Ala140, rationalizing the coevolution of Q148H and G140S/A mutations in drug-resistant viral strains.
Potential of hybridization methods to reducing the dimensionality for multispectral biological images

We address the problem of unsupervised band reduction in multispectral imagery. We propose to use a new hybridization of dimensionality reduction method by combining two categories of bands selection method with projection method and apply it to multispectral data. The algorithm employs the concepts of fuzziness and belongingness (Fuzzy K-means) to provide a better and more adaptive clustering process. However, the Fuzzy hybridized algorithm is applicable to medical imagery. A cluster validity function associated with Bezdek's partition coefficient is employed for evaluation of the dimension reduction's performance for this multispectral data. Experiments conducted in this paper confirm the feasibility of the new hybridization for multispectral dimensionality reduction and shows the potential of the proposed approach.