Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Comparaison des systèmes de protection sociale : tous les pays nordiques se ressemblent-ils ?

Cet article presente et analyse l’evolution de l’Etat-providence dans les pays nordiques, en les comparant a l’ensemble des vingt-sept pays de l’Union europeenne a partir de donnees sur l’emploi, les depenses de protection sociale, les modes d’accueil et les inegalites sociales. Il montre que le modele nordique prevaut encore mais subit des transformations rapides qui n’en font plus un mode aussi distinctif par rapport aux autres pays europeens. En outre, l’une des pierres angulaires dans le modele des politiques d’activation par l’emploi a evolue vers une importance superieure accordee a une approche par le travail et moins par l’education. La flexicurite est encore, jusqu’a aujourd’hui, davantage de la flexibilite que de la securite.
Foreign body granulomas caused by polymethylmethacrylate microspheres: successful treatment with allopurinol.

A 61-year-old woman was referred to our clinic with livid, red, firm nodules, tender to pressure, along the horizontal and vertical wrinkles of her forehead (Figure 1A). The patient reported significant swelling and redness of her entire forehead and eyelids that had occurred “overnight” about 6 weeks previously and disappeared spontaneously within 2 days. After regression of the swelling, persistent confluent nodules became apparent. The patient had discontinued a yearlong regimen of -blockers without effect because her family physician suspected a drug-induced angioedema. A thorough examination of the patient’s history revealed injections of a polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) and collagen mixture (hereinafter, Artecoll; Rofil Medical International, Breda, the Netherlands) into the forehead area 6 years prior for the correction of wrinkles, initially with 0.5 mL followed by 2.0 mL 4 weeks later. During the first 5 years after injection, the patient showed no symptoms (eg, hardening and pain) and no infections or autoimmune diseases. A biopsy was performed for histopathologic and electron microscopic examination. Since the differential diagnosis included sarcoid granulomas, radiography of the chest, ultrasound examination of the lymph nodes, and measurement of the angiotensin-converting enzyme level in the serum were performed without any abnormal findings. In addition, the results of patch tests with acrylates were negative, excluding delayed-type allergy to PMMA, which is a component of Artecoll in the form of microspheres.
Web-based Stakeholder Participation in Distributed Requirements Elicitation

Today, outsourcing and globally distributed development are common in software engineering industry. This situation raises demands for new forms of stakeholder participation and interaction in requirements elicitation. This poster describes an approach that enables stakeholders to collaboratively participate in requirements elicitation by providing web-based tool support. It combines approaches from research areas such as participatory design, social Web, and semantic collaboration.
A Swell in the Armamentarium of Antiepileptic Drug Targets

Although long granted the status of immune privilege, the central nervous system is not completely isolated from the immune system. Increasing evidence suggests that this system contributes to seizures and epilepsy and that the molecular mediators of inflammation and immunity may serve as appropriate targets in the quest to develop novel antiepileptic drugs that are more efficacious and potentially disease modifying.
Psicología y VIH/SIDA en México : su prevención con base en un modelo psicológico de salud biológica

En este trabajo se revisa brevemente el problema del VIH/SIDA en Mexico y la manera en la que se le ha abordado desde una perspectiva institucional, es decir, desde una epidemiologica y social. Con base en un modelo psicologico de salud biologica se resenan los resultados de diversas investigaciones realizadas en los tres ultimos anos, sugiriendose una serie de criterios a tener en cuenta al momento de disenar e instrumentar programas y estrategias dirigidas a la prevencion de la infeccion por VIH.
Resolution of Multiple Forms of Human Angiotensinogen Isoelectric Focusing Heterogeneity Profile Analysis

SUMMARY Human angiotensinogen, the prohormone of the angiotensin peptides, has been isolated and partially purified from outdated plasma by a combination of classical purification methods and affinity chromatography. Evidence was found for the presence of multiple, electrophoretically distinguishable forms of the protein. High resolution isoelectric focusing resolves four major (and two minor) bands of activity which demonstrate the presence of a discrete number of components. In this paper we examine two questions. First, is the observed heterogeneity present in freshly drawn plasma or is it an artifact of storage or isolation and purification? Second, do variations in angiotensinogen microheterogeneity correlate with pathophysiological changes? To answer the first question, fresh plasma was immediately electrofocused and the resulting heterogeneity pattern was compared with that from outdated plasma. Insignificant differences were found which indicate that the heterogeneity is not an artifact of isolation. To answer the second question, we have begun to define the heterogeneity profile of plasma angiotensinogen using isoelectric focusing. Plasma from normotensives were compared with samples obtained from subjects (1) with essential hypertension, (2) in the third trimester of pregnancy, and (3) with hepatorenal syndrome. Heterogeneity profile analyses of hypertensive plasma samples are quite similar to those of normals with only a slightly greater proportion of more cationic (pH 4.8) forms of human angiotensinogen in the hypertensives. In contrast, the majority of the excess angiotensinogen found in pregnancy plasma represents the most anionic (pH 4.4) form of the prohormone. Despite these minor differences, there is a remarkable conservation both in the distribution and the proportional representation of the forms of angiotensinogen in all the samples examined to date.
Étudiants et universités : un seul profil de réussite ?

Dans cette etude, la reussite a l’universite en premiere annee est analysee en tenant compte des caracteristiques individuelles, du parcours scolaire et du milieu socio-economique de l’etudiant. L’analyse empirique est effectuee sur des donnees contenant les primo-arrivants de l’Universite Libre de Bruxelles (ULB) pour les annees academiques 1997-1998 et 2001-2002. Cette etude de cas se presente donc comme un premier pas vers une analyse exhaustive des facteurs qui influencent la reussite a l’universite en Belgique. Les resultats montrent que le milieu socio-economique influence la reussite de maniere significative. Plus particulierement, le niveau d’etudes de la mere et l’activite professionnelle du pere ont une importance preponderante sur la probabilite de reussir la premiere annee. On constate egalement une difference dans la performance des etudiants qui ont des parcours scolaires distincts : les etudiants issus du systeme traditionnel ont des meilleurs resultats que les etudiants issus de systeme renove. Finalement, en contraste avec les resultats de la litterature, les etrangers et les autochtones ne presentent pas des differences significatives dans la probabilite de reussir leur premiere annee si l’on considere leur milieu socio-economique.
A framework managing quality of service contracts in distributed applications

Designers and implementers of distributed applications have to deal with many difficult problems, such as concurrency control, distributed communication, fault-tolerance, quality of service management. Finding object-oriented solutions to these problems is a very active topic of research and development. Carefully chosen design patterns can help to reverse solutions for distributed application problems. We show how design patterns may allow a designer and developer to manage quality of service issues of distributed object interaction (e.g. when an object invokes a method on another remote object). Interactions between distributed objects (method invocation, remote method execution, result return) may be disturbed by network phenomena such as message losses, variation of transmission latency or bandwidth, link or site crashes. Robust distributed applications must deal with these events in a structured way. We present a contract-based execution framework which helps the application developer in building these mechanisms. To achieve this, we use a reification of the well-known contract notion and provide a set of abstract classes for managing the quality of service. We then describe our framework which provides concrete classes for performing remote method invocations under various distributed execution semantics, e.g. time bounded, atomic execution of a method by a group of objects scattered in the network. As an example of contract based application, we detail the architecture of a distributed interactive virtual space browser built on our framework.
Coherence, Cohesion, and Writing Quality.

A question of continuing interest to researchers in writing is what internal characteristics distinguish essays ranked high and low in overall quality. Empirical research at the college level has for the most part taken two approaches to this question, examining errors1 and syntactic features2 while generally ignoring the features of texts that extend across sentence boundaries.3 Neither the error approach nor the syntactic approach has been entirely satisfactory. For example, Elaine Maimon and Barbara Nodine's sentence-combining experiment suggests that, as is true when other skills and processes are learned, certain kinds of errors accompany certain stages in learning to write.4 Because the sources of error in written discourse are often complex and difficult to trace, researchers can conclude little more than what is obvious: low-rated papers usually contain far more errors than high-rated papers. With regard to syntax, Ann Gebhard found that with few exceptions the syntactic features of highand low-rated essays written by college students are not clearly differentiated. Indeed, research in writing quality based on conventions of written English and on theories of syntax, particularly transformational grammar, has not provided specific directions for the teaching of writing. Such results come as no surprise in light of much current research in written discourse. This research-published in such fields as linguistics, cybernetics, anthropology, psychology, and artificial intelligence-addresses questions, concerned with extended discourse rather than with individual sentences, questions about how humans produce and understand discourse units often referred to as texts.5 One such effort that has attracted the attention of researchers in writing is M. A. K. Halliday and Ruqaiya Hasan's Cohesion in English.6 Although Halliday and Hasan do not propose a theory of text structure or examine how humans produce texts, they do attempt to define the concept of text. To them a text is a semantic unit, the parts of
Transaction Dialogs Based on Short Messages Understanding

The paper proposed the crucial technique in transaction service system via Short Messages (SMs), which is a novel kind of dialog based on SMs understanding. After determining the domain of a new dialog using SPN, the service agent SMartS extracts information from SMs that are parsed by SM parser, part-of-speech tagger, name entities recognizer and semantic parser in turn, and then replies the prompt which could direct the procedure of dialog. An induction algorithm is used to discover automatically most domain-specific parser rules from the corpus which contains original SMs and the predefined case frame which depicts detailed semantic groups. Finally, a real domain application was provided.
The Effect of Posture and Baricity on the Spread of Intrathecal Bupivacaine for Elective Cesarean Delivery

Posture and baricity during induction of spinal anesthesia with intrathecal drugs are believed to be important in determining spread within the cerebrospinal fluid. In this double-blind prospective study, 150 patients undergoing elective cesarean delivery were randomized to receive a hyperbaric, isobaric, or hypobaric intrathecal solution of 10 mg bupivacaine during spinal anesthesia induced in either the sitting or right lateral position. After an intrathecal injection using a combined-spinal technique patients were placed in the supine wedged position. We determined the densities of the three intrathecal solutions from a previously validated formula and measured using a DMA-450 density meter. Data collection included sensory level, motor block, episodes of hypotension, and ephedrine use. Statistical analysis included analysis of variance and Cuzick’s trend. In the lateral position, baricity had no effect on the spread of sensory levels for bupivacaine compared to the sitting position, where there was a statistically significant difference in spread with the hypobaric solution producing higher levels of analgesia than the hyperbaric solution (P = 0.002). However, the overall differences in maximal spread only differed by one dermatome, with the hyperbaric solution achieving a median maximum sensory level to T3 compared with T2 for the isobaric and hypobaric solutions. Motor block was significantly (P = 0.029) reduced with increasing baricity and this trend was significant (P = 0.033) for the lateral position only. Hypotension incidence and ephedrine use increased with decreasing baricity (P = 0.003 and 0.004 respectively), with the hypobaric sitting group having the most frequent incidence of hypotension (76%) as well as cervical blocks (24%; P = 0.032).
Left ventricular hypertrophy in new hemodialysis patients without symptomatic cardiac disease.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Although left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is a characteristic finding in hemodialysis (HD) populations, few risk factors for progressive LVH have been identified. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS, & MEASUREMENTS As part of a multinational, blinded, randomized, controlled trial that demonstrated no effect of hemoglobin targets on LV size, 596 incident HD patients, without symptomatic cardiac disease or cardiac dilation, had baseline echocardiograms within 18 months of starting dialysis and subsequently at 24, 48, and 96 weeks later. A wide array of baseline risk factors were assessed, as were BP and hemoglobin levels during the trial. RESULTS The median age and duration of dialysis were 51.5 years and 9 months, respectively. LV mass index (LVMI) rose substantially during follow-up (114.2 g/m(2) at baseline, 121 at week 48, 123.4 at week 48, and 128.3 at week 96), as did fractional shortening, whereas LV volume (68.7, 70.1, 68.7, and 68.1 ml/m(2)) and E/A ratio remained unchanged. At baseline, the only multivariate associations of LVMI were gender and N terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide. Comparing first and last echocardiograms in those without LVH at baseline, independent predictors of increase in LVMI were higher time-integrated systolic BP and cause of ESRD. An unadjusted association between baseline LVMI and subsequent cardiovascular events or death was eliminated by adjusting for age, diabetes, systolic BP, and N terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide. CONCLUSIONS Progressive concentric LVH and hyperkinesis occur in HD patients, which is partly explained by hypertension but not by a wide array of potential risk factors, including anemia.
Expression and Functional Role of α7 Nicotinic Receptor in Human Cytokine-stimulated Natural Killer (NK) Cells*

The homomeric α7 nicotinic receptor (nAChR) is one of the most abundant nAChRs in the central nervous system where it contributes to cognition, attention, and working memory. α7 nAChR is also present in lymphocytes, dendritic cells (DCs), and macrophages and it is emerging as an important drug target for intervention in inflammation and sepsis. Natural killer (NK) cells display cytotoxic activity against susceptible target cells and modulate innate and adaptive immune responses through their interaction with DCs. We here show that human NK cells also express α7 nAChR. α7 nAChR mRNA is detected by RT-PCR and cell surface expression of α7 nAChR is detected by confocal microscopy and flow cytometry using α-bungarotoxin, a specific antagonist. Both mRNA and protein levels increase during NK stimulation with cytokines (IL-12, IL-18, and IL-15). Exposure of cytokine-stimulated NK cells to PNU-282987, a specific α7 nAChR agonist, increases intracellular calcium concentration ([Ca2+]i) mainly released from intracellular stores, indicating that α7 nAChR is functional. Moreover, its activation by PNU-282987 plus a specific positive allosteric modulator greatly enhances the Ca2+ responses in NK cells. Stimulation of NK cells with cytokines and PNU-282987 decreases NF-κB levels and nuclear mobilization, down-regulates NKG2D receptors, and decreases NKG2D-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity and IFN-γ production. Also, such NK cells are less efficient to trigger DC maturation. Thus, our results demonstrate the anti-inflammatory role of α7 nAChR in NK cells and suggest that modulation of its activity in these cells may constitute a novel target for regulation of the immune response.
Users’ participation and social influence during information spreading on Twitter

Online Social Networks generate a prodigious wealth of real-time information at an incessant rate. In this paper we study the empirical data that crawled from Twitter to describe the topology and information spreading dynamics of Online Social Networks. We propose a measurement with three measures to state the efforts of users on Twitter to get their information spreading, based on the unique mechanisms for information retransmission on Twitter. It is noticed that small fraction of users with special performance on participation can gain great influence, while most other users play a role as middleware during the information propagation. Thus a community analysis is performed and four categories of users are found with different kinds of participation that cause the information dissemination dynamics. These suggest that exiting topological measures alone may reflect little about the influence of individuals and provide new insights for information spreading.
The Relationship Between North Carolina Secondary Agriculture Teachers' Use Of Time Management Practices And the Quality Of The Supervised Agricultural Experience Program Component

Experience plays an important role in properly preparing agriculture students, but without supervision, the experience may do more harm than good. If the practice is incorrect, then the performance is likely to be incorrect (Binkiey & Tulloch, 1981). While this may be stating the obvious, this is the model that has been successfully used in agricultural education from its beginning. The basic problem solving teaching model calls for application of material once it has been taught. Through this experiential learning process, students reinforce information learned in class and generate ideas to apply to new situations which leads to new learning. ‘The value of experiential learning in agricultural education has long been recognized as an important part of the educational process” (Cheek, Arrington, 1990, p. 12).
Chlamydia trachomatis and sperm lipid peroxidation in infertile men.

AIM To relate the presence of anti-Chlamydial trachomatis IgA in semen with sperm lipid membrane peroxidation and changes in seminal parameters. METHODS Semen samples of the male partners of 52 couples assessed for undiagnosed infertility were examined for the presence of IgA antibody against C. trachomatis. The level of sperm membrane lipid peroxidation was estimated by determining the malondialdehyde (MDA) formation. RESULTS Sperm membrane of infertile males with positive IgA antibodies against C. trachomatis showed a higher level of lipid peroxidation than that of infertile males with negative IgA antibody (P<0.05). There was a positive correlation (P<0.01) between the level of C. trachomatis antibody and the magnitude of sperm membrane lipid peroxidation. All the other tested semen parameters were found to be similar in the two groups. CONCLUSION The activation of immune system by C. trachomatis may promote lipid peroxidation of the sperm membrane. This could be the way by which C. trachomatis affects fertility.
The mean does not mean as much anymore: finding sub-groups for tailored therapeutics

Background The genomics revolution is still in its infancy, and there is much to learn about how to transform biological knowledge into useful medicines to further public health. At the bedside, we are asking how and why individual patients respond to different drug treatments in different ways. In addition to genetic mechanisms, there are many clinical markers (e.g. medical history, disease severity) as well as social/environmental factors (e.g. smoking habits) that can be used to identify who may or may not respond to treatment. Purpose This issue has some considerable statistical complexity, and different approaches to the analysis of clinical trials may yield more interesting insights into the problem. Novel applications of statistical methods will be discussed, and examples will be used to demonstrate sub-group identification. Methods In order to evaluate many potential predictors of response, we use recursive partitioning methods to identify predictor variables and their cut-off values to define sub-groups of patients with differential treatment response. Validation of this variable/model selection approach was done using independent data from other clinical trials. Results In one example, a classification tree was developed using baseline measures to define important sub-groups of patients that responded much better than the overall mean response in the study. In a second example, a classification tree was built based on measures of response early in treatment to predict longer-term responders and nonresponders. Limitation Classification algorithms can be prone to over-fitting, and validation of results is an important consideration. Obviously, analyses are limited by the available predictor variables. Conclusions Using classification trees proved to be very useful in evaluating large numbers of potential predictors to find sub-groups of patients with exceptional response. The method is easy to use, and clinicians can easily interpret and implement results. This approach can be helpful in tailoring treatments to individual patients. Clinical Trials 2010; 7: 574—583. http://ctj.sagepub. com