Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Lepidopteran Sex Determination: A Cascade of Surprises

Sex determination is a developmental pathway that fixes the sexual fate (male or female) of an individual at early stages of embryonic development. This pathway is ideally suited for evolutionary studies given the astoundingly diverse mechanisms found in the animal kingdom. In particular, insects use multiple different cues to specify the sexual fate of an individual. In this review, we focus on genes and genetic interactions involved in the sex determination of insect species belonging to the order Lepidoptera. Unique features of the lepidopteran sex determination system are discussed.
An open trial of group metacognitive therapy for depression in Norway

Abstract Background: Preliminary data support the implementation of individual metacognitive therapy (MCT) for depression. Given the focus of MCT on transpersonal processes, we hypothesized that this treatment should translate well to a group format. In this study, the effects and feasibility associated with group MCT for depression are reported. Methods: Eleven patients who were consecutively referred by general practitioners to a specialist psychiatric practice in Norway participated in an open trial of the effects and feasibility associated with group MCT for depression. All of the patients met the DSM-IV criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) and were monitored in a baseline period before attending 90-min weekly treatment sessions of group MCT for 10 weeks. The primary symptom outcome measure was severity of depression whilst secondary outcome measures included levels of anxiety, rumination and metacognitive beliefs. We also assessed recovery rates and changes in comorbid Axis I and Axis II diagnoses. Results: Large clinically significant improvements across all measures were detected at post-treatment and these were maintained at follow-up. Based on objectively defined recovery criteria, all patients were classified as recovered at post-treatment and 91% at 6 months follow-up. The intervention was also associated with significant reductions in comorbid diagnoses. Conclusions: These preliminary data indicate that group MCT in the treatment of depression is effective, well accepted and it extends clinical application of MCT for depression to group formats as a potential cost-effective intervention.
Identical Words are Read Differently in Different Languages

It is hypothesized that written languages differ in the preferred grain size of units that emerge during reading acquisition. Smaller units (graphemes, phonemes) are thought to play a dominant role in relatively consistent orthographies (e.g., German), whereas larger units (bodies, rhymes) are thought to be more important in relatively inconsistent orthographies (e.g., English). This hypothesis was tested by having native English and German speakers read identical words and nonwords in their respective languages (zoo-Zoo, sand-Sand, etc.). Although the English participants exhibited stronger body-rhyme effects, the German participants exhibited a stronger length effect for words and nonwords. Thus, identical items were processed differently in different orthographies. These results suggest that orthographic consistency determines not only the relative contribution of orthographic versus phonological codes within a given orthography, but also the preferred grain size of units that are likely to be functional during reading.
The effect of local irradiation on rejection of the transplanted kidney.

From 1905–1973, 54 kidney transplant patients received local radiation to the new kidney because of rejection signs. A tumor dose of 1500 rads was delivered to patients not responding to 600 or 900 rads. Nineteen patients showed reversal of rejection and are alive—median survival 30.9 months. Almost all survivors showed improvement in either BUN, creatinine clearance, or both within 10 days after the last radiation treatment. A dose-response relationship for the dose range used cannot be established. Three patients responded to 1500 rads. Use of irradiation of the transplanted kidney is recommended when signs of rejection occur.
Ethionamide cross- and co-resistance in children with isoniazid-resistant tuberculosis.

BACKGROUND Ethionamide (ETH) is a structural analogue of isoniazid (INH). Both are pro-drugs requiring activation by separate and common enzyme pathways, which could lead to co- and/or cross-resistance. OBJECTIVE To characterise paediatric INH-resistant mycobacterial isolates to investigate the presence of ETH resistance and mutations in the katG gene and the inhA promoter region. METHODS Forty-five INH-resistant and 19 INH-susceptible Mycobacterium tuberculosis control isolates from children from the Western Cape Province, South Africa, were analysed to quantify INH minimal inhibitory concentration, test for ETH resistance and investigate mutations in the katG gene and/or inhA promoter region. RESULTS Among 45 INH-resistant children, ETH resistance was present in 19 of 39 (49%). An inhA promoter mutation was identified in 15 (33.3%); 12/14 (86%) of these isolates were also ETH-resistant. Of the 21 isolates with a katG mutation, six (29%) were ETH-resistant. No isolate had both katG and inhA promoter mutations. Nine (20%) isolates had neither inhA promoter nor katG mutations. Of 15 isolates with inhA promoter mutation, 14 (93%) displayed low- or intermediate-level INH resistance. Among the 19 INH-susceptible isolates, ETH resistance was present in 1/18 (6%) and none showed inhA or katG gene mutations. CONCLUSION We found a high level of cross- and co-resistance with ETH among INH-resistant M. tuberculosis isolates from children in this geographic area.
Identifying systematic heterogeneity patterns in genetic association meta-analysis studies

Progress in mapping loci associated with common complex diseases or quantitative inherited traits has been expedited by large-scale meta-analyses combining information across multiple studies, assembled through collaborative networks of researchers. Participating studies will usually have been independently designed and implemented in unique settings that are potential sources of phenotype, ancestry or other variability that could introduce between-study heterogeneity into a meta-analysis. Heterogeneity tests based on individual genetic variants (e.g. Q, I2) are not suited to identifying locus-specific from more systematic multi-locus or genome-wide patterns of heterogeneity. We have developed and evaluated an aggregate heterogeneity M statistic that combines between-study heterogeneity information across multiple genetic variants, to reveal systematic patterns of heterogeneity that elude conventional single variant analysis. Application to a GWAS meta-analysis of coronary disease with 48 contributing studies uncovered substantial systematic between-study heterogeneity, which could be partly explained by age-of-disease onset, family-history of disease and ancestry. Future meta-analyses of diseases and traits with multiple known genetic associations can use this approach to identify outlier studies and thereby optimize power to detect novel genetic associations.
Craniofacial morphological characteristics in children with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND The authors conducted a systematic review to consolidate the current knowledge regarding craniofacial morphological characteristics associated with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) in nonsyndromic pediatric patients. TYPES OF STUDIES REVIEWED The authors included clinical studies in which participants were younger than 18 years, polysomnography was performed to determine the presence and severity of OSAS and the study group was compared with a control group or normative growth center data. The authors excluded studies with syndromic participants or participants who had received orthodontic treatment, orthognathic treatment or both previously. RESULTS The authors identified nine articles. They conducted a meta-analyses of the data from all but one of the studies to evaluate the eight most common cephalometric variables in children with OSAS. The I(2) values were 79.53 percent for the angle from the basion point to the sella nasion (SN) line, 89.54 percent for the angle between the SN and palatal plane lines and 96.82 percent for the angle between the mandibular plane and SN lines (MP-SN). Therefore, for these three variables, the authors conducted a random-effect model meta-analysis. For the remaining five variables (MP-SN, the angle from SN to Apoint, the angle from SN to B point [SNB], the angle from A point to nasion point to B point [ANB] and the angle from articulare point to gonion point to gnathion point), I(2) values were all less than 40 percent, and therefore the authors conducted a fixed-effects model meta-analysis. Three of the evaluated cephalometric variables (MP-SN, SNB and ANB) had statistically significant differences in comparison with those in a control group. Although the values of these variables were increased in children with OSAS, results of the meta-analysis should be considered cautiously owing to the limited number of cephalometric variables included. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS Dentists who identify patients with a craniofacial morphology consistent with pediatric OSAS (retrusive chin, steep mandibular plane, vertical direction of growth and a tendency toward Class II malocclusion) should inquire further into their patients' medical histories. When the craniofacial morphology is accompanied by a history of snoring, inability to breathe through the nose, significant allergies, asthma or obesity, the dentist should refer the patient to an otolaryngologist for assessment.
Algebraic description and automatic generation of multigrid methods in SPIRAL

SPIRAL is an autotuning, program generation, and code synthesis system that offers a fully automatic generation of highly optimized target codes, customized for the specific execution platform at hand. Initially, SPIRAL was targeted at problem domains in digital signal processing, later also at basic linear algebra. We open SPIRAL up to a new, practically relevant and challenging domain: multigrid solvers. SPIRAL is driven by algebraic transformation rules. We specify a set of such rules for a simple multigrid solver with a Richardson smoother for a discretized square 2D Poisson equation with Dirichlet boundary conditions. We present the target code that SPIRAL generates in static single‐assignment form and discuss its performance. While this example required no changes of or extensions to the SPIRAL system, more complex multigrid solvers may require small adaptations.
Stabilization of gammaretroviral and lentiviral vectors: from production to gene transfer

The low stability of gammaretroviral and lentiviral vectors affects their production, making high quality clinical preparations a difficult goal to achieve. Recently, our laboratory has shown that the main inactivation mechanism for both these vectors is the loss of their capacity to perform reverse transcription. The present study aimed to increase the stability of gammaretroviral and lentiviral at 37 °C and at 4 °C.
Reversible morbidity markers in subclinical hypothyroidism

Abstract Importance. Subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH) is a common clinical entity with a putative role in a wide range of disorders. The impact of SCH on mortality and markers of morbidity has been demonstrated, but studies have shown inconsistent results. Evidence regarding the effect of levothyroxine treatment on reversing morbidity markers is emerging, but the value of treatment is still unclear. Objective. The objectives of this review were to assess recent, high-quality studies evaluating the role of SCH in cardiovascular health, cognition, mood, pregnancy, anemia, and renal disease; to examine the effects of levothyroxine on reducing mortality or reversing markers of morbidity in these conditions; and to consider how new research insights may help guide clinical practice. Evidence review. A PubMed search was conducted (using ‘subclinical hypothyroidism’ [Title/Abstract] AND morbidity [MeSH Subheading] as search criteria) and was restricted to human studies published in the English language between 1990 and 2013. Subsequent searches of retrieved articles yielded further studies, which were included based on quality. Emphasis was given to large observational studies, well-conducted meta-analyses, and randomized controlled trials. Findings. The difficulty of diagnosing SCH, particularly in the elderly, may underlie many of the conflicting results seen in the literature. Increased understanding of the at-risk patient population will result in better selection of study subjects and, likely, unequivocal results. Regardless of the current confusion, emerging evidence suggests that certain markers of morbidity are reversed by levothyroxine therapy across the disorders examined here. Conclusion and relevance. Future large, well-controlled studies will not only clarify the role of SCH but also help identify patients for whom levothyroxine treatment will provide the most benefit.
Stability analysis of discrete-time fuzzy positive systems with time delays

This paper addresses stability analysis for fuzzy positive systems with time delays represented by Takagi-Sugeno type models. Based on the fuzzy linear Lyapunov functions or functionals, we give stability conditions for fuzzy positive systems with constant time delays. Based on the so-called solution trajectory approach, we give stability conditions for fuzzy positive systems with time-varying delays. All the stability results are delay independent and formulated as linear programmings LPs or linear matrix inequalities LMIs that are numerically feasible. This paper also discusses the conservatism for these different approaches. Moreover, this paper proposes some necessary conditions of stability for fuzzy positive systems with time delays.
In-situ broadband soil measurements: Dielectric and magnetic properties

This paper presents an in-situ method for measuring both electric and magnetic properties of Hawaiian volcanic soil for GPR applications in a broad frequency range from 50 MHz to 1GHz. For the in-situ probe, we combined two monopole antennas with parasitic elements into one piece to achieve reflection (S11) and transmission (S21) measurements simultaneously. Finally, the in-situ probe has a shape of a multi-conductor TEM transmission line, which consists of five conducting rods, two ground plates and two coaxial feed connectors. In a typical measurement the in-situ probe is connected to a two ports vector network analyzer and system calibration is then performed to characterize the sample free device. The calibration is based on measurements of the S-parameters for sample free and sample loaded devices. A unique post processing algorithm has been developed to extract accurate constitutive parameters (ε* μ*) from the scattering parameters (S11, S21) of the soil probe, which will be discussed in this paper. The prototype in-situ soil probe and post processing algorithm were also tested by both numerical simulation and actual soils in volcanic red soil. The simulation results showed around 1 % of error over the operational frequencies between 100 MHz and 800 MHz. Actual measurement results conducted by the in-situ probe and developed algorithms were in very good agreement with those obtained by a laboratory method. Simulation and actual measurement data will be presented in this paper.
Feasibility of Breast Conservation after Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy in 58 Patients with Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Using p53 and MDR1 Genes as Predictors of Response

Purpose: The aim of this prospective trial was to eval- uate the feasibility and outcome of breast conservation therapy for patients with locally advanced breast cancer af- ter neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We studied also the value of p53 and MDR1 as predictors to neoadjuvant chemother- apy. Results: The overall response (CR+PR) was 87.9%, with a clinical complete response rate of 29.3%. Six pa- tients had a pathological complete response and 10 pa- tients had only minimal residual disease. Median follow- up from the start of chemotherapy was 24 months (range 6 to 40). Twenty two patients (43%) underwent BCS with actuarial 3-year disease-free and overall survival of 58% and 75% respectively. Cosmetic results were good to ex- cellent in 77.2% of the patients. Modified radical mastec- tomy was done in 29/51 (56.9%) patients with actuarial 3- year disease-free and overall survival of 60% and 78% re- spectively. In 13 out of 58 patients (22.4%), p53 mutations could be identified, including eight point mutations, three
Sequential sampling: two decision problems with linear losses for binomial and normal random variables.

In this paper we provide numerical solutions to the following decision problem. There are two terminal decisions and the states of the world are indexed by a parameter p, 0 < p < 1. The losses (or utilities) are linear in p. It is possible to observe independent and identically distributed random variables x1, x2, . The probability that any xi = 1 is p, if not xi = 0. The cost of observing any xi is a constant. There exists a prior distribution of p which belongs to the beta family. A decision may be made after any number (including zero) of the random variables have been observed either to make one of the two terminal decisions or to observe a further xi. What is the optimum decision function ? The reason for considering this problem is that there are many situations in science and technology where it is possible to observe whether (xi = 1) or not (xi = 0) items possess a certain attribute and where it is necessary to make one of two decisions whose outcomes depend on the proportion p of items possessing the attribute. Under certain conditions the best way to make the decision is to proceed sequentially, that is by looking at the items one at a time, and after each inspection deciding whether to examine further items or to make a terminal decision. After xl, . , Xn have been observed, and writing r = Exi, the likelihood is proportional to pr(l p)n-r. Consequently, it is simplest to use the beta prior distribution (see Raiffa & Schlaifer, 1961). The situation where the utilities are linear also recommends itself for first study. Possible applications of our results are to sampling inspection problems in industry, medical trials, sociological studies and other fields.
El mercado de crédito colombiano, un análisis desde las reformas financieras

Las reformas del Consenso de Washington impactaron, de manera determinante, la estructura economica de los paises de America Latina, en especial, sobre la percepcion de liberalizar los mercados y dejar al juego de oferta y demanda la determinacion de las tasas de interes y los tipos de cambio. Este articulo recoge, en primer lugar, los elementos teoricos del mercado de credito haciendo enfasis en los modelos con asimetrias de informacion; en segunda instancia, enuncia las principales reformas financieras implementadas en la region y su incidencia sobre el mercado de credito; y, por ultimo, extrapola las consecuencias de la region al caso colombiano para describir posibles causas del llamado estancamiento de credito.
Health-related quality of life in urban African Americans with type 2 diabetes

AbstractOBJECTIVE: To examine the association of socioeconomic barriers, familial barriers, and clinical variables with health-related quality of life (HRQL). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted of 186 African Americans with type 2 diabetes recruited from 2 primary care clinics in East Baltimore, Maryland. Physical functioning, social functioning, mental health, and general health were measured using the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item short form. Socioeconomic (money, housing, street crime) and familial (family problems, caretaker responsibilities) barriers were assessed by standardized interview. Insulin use, comorbid disease, and measured abnormalities in body mass index, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), blood pressure, lipids, and renal function were investigated. RESULTS: Mean HRQL scores were: physical functioning, 61±29; social functioning, 76±26; mental health, 69±21; and general health, 48±21. Linear regression analyses revealed that each barrier to care was significantly associated with lower scores in 1 or more HRQL domain. As number of socioeconomic and familial barriers increased from 0 to 5, HRQL scores decreased by 18 for social functioning, 21 for general health, 23 for physical functioning, and 28 for mental health (all P for trend <.01). Clinical variables significantly associated with reduced HRQL were obesity, impaired renal function, insulin use, and comorbid disease. Blood pressure, lipids, and HbA1c were not significantly associated with HRQL. CONCLUSIONS: An independent, graded relationship was found between socioeconomic and familial barriers to care and HRQL. This relationship was at least as strong as the association between HRQL and the clinical variables more likely to be perceived by participants as causing symptomatic distress or impacting lifestyle.
Colorization based on soft segmentation

This paper proposes a new colorization method based on the chrominance blending. The weights for the blending are com- puted by using the random walker algorithm, which is a soft segmen- tation technique that provides sharp probability transition on object boundaries. As a result, the proposed method reduces color bleed- ing and provides improved colorization performances compared to conventional ones. © 2011 SPIE and IS&T. (DOI: 10.1117/1.3565470)
Relationship characteristics and motivations behind agreements among gay male couples: differences by agreement type and couple serostatus

Abstract Gay men in relationships are often overlooked in HIV prevention efforts, yet many engage in sexual behaviors that increase their HIV risk and some seroconvert as a result. While different aspects of gay male relationships have been studied, such as sexual agreements, relationship characteristics, and couple serostatus, little research combines these elements to examine HIV risk for this population. The present study recruited 566 gay male couples from the San Francisco Bay Area to study their sexual agreements, motivations behind making agreements, and other relationship characteristics, such as agreement investment, relationship satisfaction, intimacy, and communication. Participants rated their level of concurrence with a set of reasons for making their agreements. They were also measured on relationship characteristics using standard instruments. Analyses were conducted by agreement type (monogamous, open, and discrepant) and couple serostatus (concordant negative, concordant positive, and discordant). A majority reported explicitly discussing their agreements and nearly equal numbers reported being in monogamous and open relationships. A small number (8%) reported discrepant agreements. Across all agreement type and serostatus groups, HIV prevention as a motivator for agreements fell behind every motivator oriented toward relationship-based factors. Only concordant negative couples endorsed HIV and STD prevention among their top motivators for making an agreement. Mean scores on several relationship characteristics varied significantly. Couples with monogamous agreements had higher scores on most relationship characteristics, although there was no difference in relationship satisfaction between couples with monogamous and open agreements. Scores for concordant positive couples were distinctly lower compared to concordant negative and discordant couples. Agreements, the motivations behind them, and the relationship characteristics associated with them are an important part of gay male relationships. When examined by agreement type and couple serostatus, important differences emerge that must be taken into account to improve the effectiveness of future HIV prevention efforts with gay couples.