Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Increased platelet activation in patients with stable and acute exacerbation of COPD

Rationale Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is associated with systemic inﬂammation and cardiovascular disease. Interaction between inﬂammatory cells and activated platelets is important in the pathogenesis of atherothrombosis and may contribute to cardiovascular risk in patients with COPD. Objectives To assess platelet-monocyte aggregation in patients with COPD and matched controls, and in patients with an acute exacerbation of COPD. Methods 18 men with COPD and 16 male controls matched for age and cigarette smoke exposure were recruited. A further 12 patients were investigated during and at least 2 weeks after hospitalisation for an acute exacerbation. Platelet-monocyte aggregation and platelet P-selectin expression were determined using ﬂow cytometry. Results Patients with COPD had increased circulating platelet-monocyte aggregates compared with controls (mean (SD) 25.3 (8.3)% vs 19.5 (4.0)%, p ¼ 0.01). Platelet-monocyte aggregation was further increased during an acute exacerbation compared with convalescence (32.0 (11.0)% vs 25.5 (6.4)%, p ¼ 0.03). Platelet P-selectin expression and soluble P-selectin did not differ between groups. Conclusions Patients with stable COPD have increased circulating platelet-monocyte aggregates compared with well-matched controls. Platelet activation is further increased in patients with COPD during an acute exacerbation. These ﬁndings identify a novel mechanism to explain the increased cardiovascular risk in COPD and suggest platelet inhibition as a plausible therapeutic target.
Design and Implementation of Vehicle Data Transmission Protocol Based on PRESENT Algorithm

In order to monitor the operating status of vehicles, it is necessary to collect vehicle operating data in real time through IoT devices and analyze these data. However, the collected data has the characteristics of multi-source heterogeneous, network resources are limited and server performance is poor. It is difficult to truly realize data processing in real time. In addition, data needs to be transmitted over the network, it is particularly important to ensure the safety of data transmission. Considering the above problems, it is necessary to structure the data and define a unified data format to facilitate data transmission and analysis. At the same time, improve the server communication program and improve the server's concurrent processing capabilities. In addition, considering that data needs to be transmitted over the network, in order to ensure that the data is not stolen or tampered with, the PRESENT lightweight encryption algorithm is adopted to ensure the safety of data transmission. Compared with encryption algorithms such as AES, this algorithm has much lower hardware requirements. This article combines the characteristics of the project and uses the number of communication between the device and the server to achieve the dynamic key update which is approximately one-time pad, and greatly improves the security of the data.
DAST: An aggregation scheme for crowdsensed indoor data exploiting sequential long-tail features

In the era of big data, information about the same objects can be gathered and accumulated from multiple sources (i.e., crowdworkers) through so-called crowdsensing. Especially, in the indoor positioning system using Bluetooth fingerprints, multiple crowdworkers are required to collect the information of Bluetooth beacons at the reference points and the corresponding received signal strength indicators (RSSI). Due to the unknown proper and bias of each crowdworker, it is challenging to appropriately estimate the reliability of each worker/source and truthfully aggregate data. Moreover, the collected data possesses two properties: they follow long-tail, where most of the data is gathered by a few sources, i.e., abundant crowdworkers only provide small amount; they have time-sequential feature: the truth about the crowdsensing tasks smoothly evolve with time. In response to the above problem and data features, this paper proposes an accurate data aggregation mechanism incorporating sequential long-tail characteristics, DAST. Specifically, we infer each source's credibility based on the estimated confidence interval using the amount of data historically provided by the source. Meanwhile, in order to capture the sequential characteristics of the data, the accumulated data in previous period is used as a virtual source to obtain the new aggregated value for the current period. Thorough simulations using artificial data and real data demonstrate that the performance of DAST is superior to the existed schemes including Confidence-Aware Truth Discovery (CATD), Precision-Recall (PrecRec) and Dynamic Truth Discovery (DynaTD) in terms of the mean absolute error (MAE) and the root mean square error (RMSE).
Aerobic and Anaerobic Growth of Rifampin-Resistant Denitrifying Bacteria in Soilt

The growth and survival of several rifampin-resistant isolates of denitrifying bacteria were examined under anaerobic (denitrifying) and aerobic conditions. Two isolates added to nonsterile Bruno soil at densities of between 104 and 106 CFU g dry soil-' exhibited an initial period of growth followed by a gradual decline in numbers. After 28 days, both isolates maintained viable populations of between 104 and 105 CFU g dry soil-' under both denitrifying and aerobic conditions. One of the isolates consistently grew better under denitrifying conditions, and the other isolate consistently grew better under aerobic conditions. The relative pattern of denitrifying versus aerobic growth for each organism was not affected by the addition of glucose. The growth yields of the two isolates varied with soil type, but the relative pattern of denitrifying versus aerobic growth was consistent in three soils with greatly different properties. Five of nine isolates introduced into Bruno soil at low population densities (approximately 105 CFU g dry soil-') exhibited better growth after 2 days under denitrifying conditions. It was not possible to predict the prevalence of the denitrifying or aerobic mode of growth in nonsterile soil from the growth characteristics of the isolates in pure cultures or sterile soil.
Study on bacterial pathogens through multiplex polymerase chain reaction system and their antimicrobial resistance pattern in goats presumed with fever and/or diarrhea

Background and Aim: Goat is one of the major livestock species, plays an important role in the economy of Bangladesh. However, the outbreak of different infectious diseases in goats causes high mortality and economic losses due to lack of proper diagnosis and treatment. Conventional culture-based methods for detecting specific pathogens as confirmatory diagnosis are laborious as well as time-consuming in comparison to multiplex polymerase chain reaction (mPCR), by which multiple pathogens can be detected at a time. The present study was aimed to perform faster molecular identification of bacterial pathogens from goats presumed with fever and/or diarrhea and their antimicrobial resistance (AMR) pattern. Materials and Methods: A total of 200 blood samples were collected from goats at S. A. Quaderi Teaching Veterinary Hospital (SAQTVH) in Chattogram Veterinary and Animal Sciences University for the period of July 2017-April 2018. DNA was extracted and subsequently, mPCR assay was performed for the screening of several bacterial pathogens (Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Bacillus cereus, Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter jejuni, Campylobacter coli, Clostridium perfringens, Vibrio cholerae, and Staphylococcus aureus). An antimicrobial susceptibility test against ten antimicrobials for positive samples of each organism was conducted using the Kirby–Bauer Disk-Diffusion Method on selective media. Results: S. aureus, C. perfringens, L. monocytogenes, and Salmonella spp. were detected from collected samples and their overall prevalence was 11.5%, 3.5%, 1%, and 20.5%, respectively. The most common clinical signs were mild fever, nasal discharge, dyspnea, and coughing (39.1%) for S. aureus, diarrhea, convulsion, abdominal pain, and incoordination (57.1%) for C. perfringens, fever, protrusion of tongue, and incoordination (100%) for L. monocytogenes, and fever, anorexia, dehydration with mucous feces (36.6%) for Salmonella spp. infection in goats. AntimGentamicinicrobial diagram of S. aureus showed resistance against Cefotaxime (74%), Cefixime (65%), and Tetracycline (65%); highly sensitive against Amoxicillin (48%), Ciprofloxacin (44%), and Gentamicin (44%). On the other hand, C. perfringens showed highly resistant against Ampicillin (71%), Gentamicin (71%), sensitive against Penicillin (57%), and Cefotaxime (57%). L. monocytogenes were found to be sensitive to Penicillin (100%) and Cefixime (100%) and Salmonella spp. showed resistance to Ampicillin (78%) and Amoxicillin (59%) but sensitive to Ciprofloxacin (54%). Conclusion: This study identified pathogens with their specific clinical signs in goats presumed fever and/or diarrhea through mPCR with their AMR pattern in SAQTVH, Chattogram. Potential risk factors, measuring the strength of association of disease caused by these particular pathogens, were also determined. mPCR may use as an effective tool for rapid detection of pathogens in animal.
AN INVESTIGATION OF ISI AND ICI PROPERTIES FOR A FAMILY OF OFFSET RAMP IMPROVED NYQUIST FILTERS

: We proposed a family of new Nyquist pulses based on an offset ramp method and investigated its performances in terms of ISI error probability. These pulses proposed and studied are employed for OFDM use, to reduce the sensitivity of OFDM systems to frequency offset. The results presented in this paper equal or outperform the recently found pulses in terms of intercarrier interference (ICI) power.
Analyzing the Relation Between Academic Competition and Altruism

Altruistic behavior involves the constant tradeoff between the benefit of the actor and the recipient, whereby behavior can range from purely cooperative (very altruistic) to purely competitive (very un​altruistic). This behavior is known to change depending on social setting and environmental competition, indicating a multifaceted mechanism by which altruism is affected. Little is known, however, about the effect of competition in the academic setting specifically on altruistic behavior and whether this ​academic ​ altruism differs from daily life altruism. Using a validated scale, this study examines the effect of the presence of a daily life altruism cue and varying levels of academic competition on displayed academic altruism. The results indicate that there is no effect cue presence, competition level or the interaction of the two on displayed academic altruism thus suggesting that higher academic competition does not cause students to act less altruistically and provides the possibility that daily life altruism may in fact differ from academic altruism. This study poses questions about the nature of academic altruism and provides a foundation for further study into the interaction between daily life altruism, academic altruism and competition. Keywords​: altruism; academic competition; academic altruism; daily life altruism; altruism scale
Development and Validation of a Ultra Flow Liquid Chromatography Method for the Assay of Boceprevir Using a Quality-by-Design Approach

Quality by design guided. The assay method of Boceprevir is developed in accordance with ICH Q8(R2) guideline with due validation. In this process, the Target analytical pro ile (TAP) of the drug was set and critical method parameters (CMP) were investigated by systematic risk assessment experimentation to control critical Quality Attributes (CQA). In this, A Cause Effect Risk Assessment Matrix with Control-Noise-Experiment (CNX) is used for identifying the high-risk variables i.e Percentage of Organic Modi ier (% methanol), pH of the Buffer and low rate of the mobile phase. The surface response methodology was applied to optimize the critical method parameters (CMP) as well as Critical Quality Attributes (CQA) to ind out the Design space of themethod. The Optimum assaymethod conditionwasmobile phase Acetate Buffer (50mM) pH 5.4: Methanol (11:89), Flow rate: 0.9 ml/min, Lambda Max: 207. The separation was achieved in the Eclip Plus C-18 column (250 × 4.6 mm, 5μm) at ambient temperature. The retention time of Boceprevir was found to be 4.2 min. The method evaluation was performed according to the (Q2R1) ICH guideline.
Epilepsy with auditory features A heterogeneous clinico-molecular disease

Objective: To identify novel genes implicated in epilepsy with auditory features (EAF) in phenotypically heterogeneous families with unknown molecular basis. Methods: We identified 15 probands with EAF in whom an LGI1 mutation had been excluded. We performed electroclinical phenotyping on all probands and available affected relatives. We used whole-exome sequencing (WES) in 20 individuals with EAF (including all the probands and 5 relatives) to identify single nucleotide variants, small insertions/deletions, and copy number variants. Results: WES revealed likely pathogenic variants in genes that had not been previously associated with EAF: a CNTNAP2 intragenic deletion, 2 truncating mutations of DEPDC5 , and a missense SCN1A change. Conclusions: EAF is a clinically and molecularly heterogeneous disease. The association of EAF with CNTNAP2 , DEPDC5 , and SCN1A mutations widens the phenotypic spectrum related to these genes. CNTNAP2 encodes CASPR2, a member of the voltage-gated potassium channel complex in which LGI1 plays a role. The finding of a CNTNAP2 deletion emphasizes the importance of this complex in EAF and shows biological convergence. Neurol Genet 2015;1:e5; doi: 10.1212
Microbial Reduction and Sensory Quality Preservation of Fresh Ginseng Roots Using Nonthermal Processing and Antimicrobial Packaging

Multiple nonthermal intervention treatments and packaging, alone or in combinations, were used to extend the shelf life of fresh ginseng roots. Fresh ginseng roots were treated by gamma irradiation, ultraviolet light, antimicrobial coatings, sanitizer washing and packaged in vacuumed pouches or regular PET boxes. Treated roots were stored at 4C and 60–70% relative humidity for 6 months. Total aerobic bacteria, yeast & mold, weight loss and quality changes were monitored during storage. All treatments significantly reduced microbial loads on roots. However, gamma irradiations and ultraviolet light significantly impacted the sensory quality of roots, resulting in browner color and softer texture as compared with other treatments. The vacuum packaging also negatively impacted the quality of roots. The combination of sanitizer washing, edible coating and box packaging can extend the shelf life of fresh ginseng roots to 6 months. Therefore, this study provided an effective approach to maintaining microbial and quality stability of fresh ginseng. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Fresh root and tuber crops, such as ginseng roots, come from soils, thus easily being contaminated with microorganisms, which would reduce their microbial shelf life and quality. This study demonstrates that the combination of nonthermal processing and packaging can extend the shelf life of fresh ginseng roots to 6 months. This approach will be of value to farmers to expand markets for fresh ginseng or other fresh root and tuber crops.
The genetic basis of hybrid female sterility and Haldane’s

7 Hybrids between diverging populations are often sterile or inviable. These phenotypes 8 are frequently more severe in the heterogametic sex – a pattern known as Haldane’s rule. 9 While the genetic basis of Haldane’s Rule has been extensively studied in systems where 10 the male is the heterogametic sex, the causes of Haldane’s Rule in taxa where the female is 11 heterogametic, such as Lepidoptera and birds, are largely unknown. Here, we study hybrid 12 sterility between allopatric populations of the butterfly Heliconius pardalinus. Although 13 these populations mate freely in captivity, female F1 hybrids in both directions of cross 14 are sterile, in accordance with Haldane’s rule. We find that sterility occurs because devel15 opment of F1 female oocytes is arrested after the oocyte is differentiated from nurse cells, 16 but before yolk deposition. We crossed fertile male F1 hybrids to females from the parental 17 populations, and used the resulting backcrosses to map sterility loci (QTLs) and identify 18 genes differentially expressed in the ovary as a function of oocyte development. We find a 19 1 major effect of the Z chromosome on sterility, similar to the “large X effect” in Drosophila, 20 with strong epistatic interactions between loci at either end of the Z chromosome. In addi21 tion, we provide evidence of Dobzhansky-Muller incompatibilities between Z chromosome 22 and autosomal loci, as well as between autosomal loci on chromosomes 8 and 20. Among 23 loci differentially expressed between females with arrested vs. non-arrested ovary devel24 opment, we identify six candidate genes known from Drosophila melanogaster and Parage 25 aegeria oogenesis. This study represents the first in-depth characterization of hybrid steril26 ity using modern genetic tools in the Lepidoptera. 27 Keywords— Speciation, Haldane’s Rule, hybrid sterility, ZW sex determination, Dobzhansky28 Muller incompatibilities, Lepidoptera 29
WELCOME TO THE CBBA-EUROPE REVIEW !

The PEPP is a EU pension product which is governed by EU law. It can serve as an addition to existing schemes and products. There is no EU law definition of pillars. In this working paper authors argue that a Dutch DC IORP (a Premium Pension Institution) can offer a PEPP in conformity with Dutch and EU law. No amendments to national law seem necessary and the system of mandatory participation in the Nether* At the time of writing the PEPP regulation has not been adopted by the Council. Therefore, this is a non-final version of a paper we will re-publish once the regulation enters into force. 2 Professor International Pension Law Utrecht University 3 Fellow at Utrecht University, EU pensionlaw. lands is not breached. This finding might be helpful in the on-going discussion on the PEPP regulation for DC IORPs in other Member States (inter alia the SEPCAV in Luxembourg).
Discrimination of neuropsychiatric disease using EEG and Neurophysiological Biomarker Toolbox (NBT) with Machine Learning

: Electromyogram (EMG) contamination has been shown to affect electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. Therefore, methods of isolating and removing EMG contamination are a focus of research. One of the most common ways to eliminate this contamination is through independent component analysis (ICA). Also, surface Laplacian (SL) has been proven to isolate the distant sources of EEG signals. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate the effects of EMG contamination on EEG signals using the Neurophysiological Biomarker Toolbox (NBT) and the impact of applying ICA, and ICA + SL on raw data. In this paper, the method for preparing the data is ICA with an auto-pruned method and SL using a flexible spherical spline. Machine learning was used to classify three neuropsychiatric diseases (anxiety, depression, and epilepsy) against control subjects under the three types of data pre-processing and raw data + SL. The data has been split into one second segments and classified according to features extracted from the NBT, which are the amplitude and the normalised amplitude for all frequency bands. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used for reducing the features, and 10-fold cross-validation and artificial neural networking were the methods that has been used for the classification. The results show a high percentage of accuracy in ICA + SL in all frequency bands. However, ICA in general has a percentage quite similar to the raw data, while SL, as well as ICA with a small percentage improved more than ICA and raw data. Overall, the gamma band for both amplitude and normalised amplitude in ICA + SL showed the best results, with accuracy over 87%, when comparing it with all disease classifications. Both results indicate that ICA + SL eliminate and isolate EMG contamination. However, the classification of ICA shows no significant change in the percentage of accuracy.
Rethinking Resource Allocation: Fairness and Computability

In the field of multiagent systems, one important problem is fairly allocating items among a set of agents. The gold standard fairness property is envy-freeness whereby each agent prefers the bundle allocated to them over any other bundle. For indivisible goods, envy-freeness cannot be guaranteed: consider two agents and one item. In the context of indivisible goods, one key fairness notion which has gained significant attention in recent years is the maximin share guarantee (MMS). MMS extends the cut-and-choose protocol to multiple agents by guaranteeing each agent as much value as if they divided items into bundles but chose last. However, MMS is not guaranteed to exist, and even it exists, computing an MMS allocation is computationally hard. Consequently, several approximation techniques were proposed to ensure all agents receive a fraction of their MMS. We propose an orthogonal approximation which aims to guarantee MMS for a fraction of the agents. We construct instances where any optimal approximation algorithm fails to guarantee MMS for most agents. We show how to interpolate between the fraction of agents and the fraction of MMS guaranteed to agents. We prove the existence of allocations which satisfy 2 3 of the agents. Our algorithmic technique immediately implies a polynomial-time algorithm for any number of items when there are less than nine agents. Our results significantly reduce the existence gap of MMS when agents divide the items into 3n 2 bundles. We empirically demonstrate that our algorithm outperforms its worst-case bounds in practice on both synthetic and real-world data. We extend our discussion of maximin share approximations to chores. We extend many of the techniques used for MMS approximations to the chores setting. Using these new techniques, we prove the existence of allocations which satisfy all agents when they expect to divide the workload among 2n 3 agents.
Antidepressant use before and after the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: a longitudinal modeling study

HAL is a multi-disciplinary open access archive for the deposit and dissemination of scientific research documents, whether they are published or not. The documents may come from teaching and research institutions in France or abroad, or from public or private research centers. L’archive ouverte pluridisciplinaire HAL, est destinée au dépôt et à la diffusion de documents scientifiques de niveau recherche, publiés ou non, émanant des établissements d’enseignement et de recherche français ou étrangers, des laboratoires publics ou privés. Antidepressant use before and after the diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: a longitudinal modeling study. Mika Kivimäki, Adam Tabák, Debbie Lawlor, G David Batty, Archana Singh-Manoux, Markus Jokela, Marianna Virtanen, Paula Salo, Tuula Oksanen, Jaana Pentti, et al.