Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nonadherence to medical appointments is associated with increased plasma HIV RNA and decreased CD4 cell counts in a community-based HIV primary care clinic

Abstract This study examined the association of appointment nonadherence to markers of disease severity using one year of demographic and health information on 995 individuals with HIV in primary care at an urban community health centre. At the latest visit, 106 of 946 valid cases (11.2%) had a CD4 less than or equal to 200, and 454 of 936 valid cases (48.5%) had detectable plasma HIV RNA (greater than 50 copies/ml). Using logistic regression, appointment nonadherence (number of missed appointments) was a significant predictor (p<.03) of having an AIDS-defining CD4 count over and above the effects of number of kept appointments (p<.0001), and whether or not the patient was taking HAART (p<.002). Appointment nonadherence was also a significant predictor (p<.05) of having a detectable viral load over and above the effects of number of kept appointments (p<.003), HAART (p<.0001) and age (p<.004). Looking only at individuals with a detectable viral load at the earliest visit, the only significant unique predictor of improvement to an undetectable viral load at the latest visit was being on HAART (p<.05). Looking at those only with an undetectable viral load at the earliest visit, the only predictor of declining to a detectable viral load was number of kept appointments (p < 003), and being on HAART (p<.05).
Acquisition and visualization of personal characteristics by haptograph

Artificial acquisition and reproduction of human sensations are basic technologies of communication engineering. For example, auditory information is obtained by a microphone, and a speaker reproduces it by artificial means. Furthermore, a video camera and a television make it possible to transmit visual sensation by broadcasting. On the contrary, since tactile or haptic information is subject to the Newton's "law of action and reaction" in the real world, a device which acquire, transmit, and reproduce the information has not been established. From the point of view, real-world haptics is the key technology for future haptic communication engineering. This paper proposes a novel acquisition method of haptic information named "haptograph". The haptograph visualizes the haptic information like photograph. Since temporal and spatial analyses are conducted to represent haptic information as the haptograph, it is possible to be recognized and to be evaluated intuitively. In this paper, the proposed haptograph is applied to visualization of human motion. It is possible to represent the motion characteristics, the expert's skill and the personal habit, and so on. In other words, a personal encyclopedia is attained. Once such a personal encyclopedia is stored in ubiquitous environment, the future human support technology will be developed.
Platform-Capital’s ‘App-etite’ for Control: A Labour Process Analysis of Food-Delivery Work in Australia

This qualitative case study adopts a labour process analysis to unpack the distinctive features of capital’s control regimes in the food-delivery segment of the Australian platform-economy and assesses labour agency in response to these. Drawing upon worker experiences with the Deliveroo and UberEATS platforms, it is shown how the labour process controls are multi-facetted and more than algorithmic management, with three distinct features standing out: the panoptic disposition of the technological infrastructure, the use of information asymmetries to constrain worker choice, and the obfuscated nature of their performance management systems. Combined with the workers’ precarious labour market positions and the Australian political-economic context, only limited, mainly individual, expressions of agency were found.
Comprehensive mutation profiling by next‐generation sequencing of effusion fluids from patients with high‐grade serous ovarian carcinoma

Mutation analysis for personalized treatment has become increasingly important in the management of different types of cancer. The advent of new DNA extraction protocols and sequencing platforms with reduced DNA input requirements might allow the use of cytology specimens for high‐throughput mutation analysis. In this study, the authors evaluated the use of effusion fluid for next‐generation sequencing‐based, multigene mutation profiling.
Evaluating Outcomes from an Integrated Health Service for Older Patients.

BACKGROUND Hospital-associated disability is the loss of the ability to complete one activity of daily living (ADL), with this decline occurring between the onset of acute illness and discharge from the hospital. Approximately 30% of patients who are >70 years old and admitted to hospitals are discharged with an ADL disability. Comprehensive geriatric assessment (CGA) models use a multidimensional, interdisciplinary process of diagnosis and treatment with the goal of improving outcomes and decreasing lengths of stay. METHODS A retrospective clinical audit of Ipswich Hospital's medical records included patients for random selection who were >75 years of age and had an acute admission to the Older Person Evaluation Review and Assessment (OPERA) or general medicine (GM) service from July 2012 to December 2012. Data were collected for the entire admission period on length of stay, comorbidities, allied health visits, functional ability, and delirium and dementia at admission. RESULTS Of the 267 patients evaluated, 133 were admitted to the OPERA service, and 134 were admitted to the GM service. Patients admitted to the OPERA service were significantly more ill than patients admitted to the GM service as measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index scores (6.53 ± 1.83 vs 6.02 ± 1.96, respectively, P=0.02), Katz Index of Independence in ADL scores (3.77 ± 2.22 vs 4.72 ± 2.00, respectively, P<0.001), presence of delirium at admission (28% vs 15%, respectively, P=0.02), and presence of dementia at admission (42% vs 21%, respectively, P=0.002). However, patients in both groups had a mean acute length of stay of 4 days (P=0.33), the readmission rate was <20% for both groups (P=0.33), and the mortality rate for each group was similar (3%). CONCLUSION By showing that patients admitted to the OPERA service were more ill than patients admitted to the GM service but health outcomes were maintained, researchers hope to justify the need for such CGA models. Additional goals include garnering support for the maintenance and growth of CGA models; decreasing mortality, cost, and readmission rates; and improving the quality of life for older patients.
Online EEG-Based Workload Adaptation of an Arithmetic Learning Environment

In this paper, we demonstrate a closed-loop EEG-based learning environment, that adapts instructional learning material online, to improve learning success in students during arithmetic learning. The amount of cognitive workload during learning is crucial for successful learning and should be held in the optimal range for each learner. Based on EEG data from 10 subjects, we created a prediction model that estimates the learner's workload to obtain an unobtrusive workload measure. Furthermore, we developed an interactive learning environment that uses the prediction model to estimate the learner's workload online based on the EEG data and adapt the difficulty of the learning material to keep the learner's workload in an optimal range. The EEG-based learning environment was used by 13 subjects to learn arithmetic addition in the octal number system, leading to a significant learning effect. The results suggest that it is feasible to use EEG as an unobtrusive measure of cognitive workload to adapt the learning content. Further it demonstrates that a promptly workload prediction is possible using a generalized prediction model without the need for a user-specific calibration.
Triiodothyronine Affects the Phytohemagglutinin to Concanavalin A Proliferative Response Ratio in Sex-Linked Dwarf Chickens 1

Abstract Euthyroid Cornell K strain and sex-linked dwarf (SLD) strain cockerels (which have abnormally low serum triiodothyronine concentrations) were supplemented with either 0,0.01, 0.1, or 1.0 ppm of triiodothyronine (T3) in the diet. Peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL) from these cockerels were obtained by slow-speed centrifugation (slow-spin-prepared PBL). The proliferative response of these PBL to phytohemagglutinin (PHA) and concanavalin A (Con A) was determined when the chicks were 6, 9, and 12 weeks of age. Con A responsiveness was also determined in 12-week-old cockerels using PBL which were separated on Ficoll (Ficoll-prepared PBL). Using slow-spin-prepared PBL, PHA, and Con A responsiveness increased in both strains with increasing levels of T3 supplementation. This enhancing effect of T3 was particularly evident in older cockerels. In 6- and 12-week-old SLD strain cockerels, the PHA: Con A response ratio was significantly (P < 0.05) lower than in K strain cockerels. At 12 weeks of age the PHA:Con A response ratio of the SLD strain was elevated to K strain control levels by T3 supplementation. Therefore, the lower PHA:Con A response ratio in the SLD strain appears to be partially due to the existing peripheral hypothyroidism in this strain. Using Ficoll-prepared PBL, the effects of T3 on Con A responsiveness differed from those observed when slow-spin-prepared PBL were used. From this study we conclude that T3 supplementation affects mitogen responsiveness and the PHA:Con A response ratio. However, the effects of T3 on mitogen responsiveness depend on the age of the chicken, the level of T3 supplemented, the T cell population stimulated, and the method of lymphocyte enrichment.
LIMITS OF PARALLEL PROCESSING: EXCITATORY CONVERGENCE OF DIFFERENT INFORMATION CHANNELS ON SINGLE NEURONS IN STRIATE AND EXTRASTRIATE VISUAL CORTICES

1. It has been postulated that the distinct parallel retinogeniculo‐cortical information channels characterizing visual pathways of virtually all mammals are selectively linked to parallel motion, colour and/or form information processing ‘streams’ distinguishable within the primary visual cortices, extrastriate cortical areas of occipital lobes and the temporal and parietal visual cortices.
Evidence for the role of non‐quantal acetylcholine in the maintenance of the membrane potential of rat skeletal muscle

1. Resting membrane potentials of rat diaphragm muscles cultured in Trowell T8 medium were measured in vitro. After 3 hr in culture the resting membrane potential of muscle fibres within 2·5 mm of nerve section (‘near’) was ‐68·3 ± 0·4 mV (nineteen preparations). This was significantly lower (P < 0·001) than the resting potential (‐74·0 ± 0·4 mV) measured in muscle fibres 8‐10 mm from the site of nerve section (‘far’) in the same preparations. A difference between the ‘near’ and the ‘far’ fibres was maintained in muscles cultured for 6 and 12 hr. Miniature end‐plate potentials were present in both ‘near’ and ‘far’ fibres cultured for 3 and 6 hr and ceased after 12‐15 hr.
Apoptosis of lung epithelial cells in response to TNF-alpha requires angiotensin II generation de novo.

Recent work from this laboratory demonstrated that apoptosis of pulmonary alveolar epithelial cells (AEC) in response to Fas requires angiotensin II (ANGII) generation de novo and binding to its receptor (Wang et al., 1999b, Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 277:L1245-L1250). These findings led us to hypothesize that a similar mechanism might be involved in the induction of AEC apoptosis by TNF-alpha. Apoptosis was detected by assessment of nuclear and chromatin morphology, increased activity of caspase 3, binding of annexin V, and by net cell loss inhibitable by the caspase inhibitor ZVAD-fmk. Purified human TNF-alpha induced dose-dependent apoptosis in primary type II pneumocytes isolated from rats or in the AEC-derived human lung carcinoma cell line A549. Apoptosis in response to TNF-alpha was inhibited in a dose-dependent manner by the nonselective ANGII receptor antagonist saralasin or by the nonthiol ACE inhibitor lisinopril; the inhibition of TNF-induced apoptosis was maximal at 50 microgram/ml saralasin (101% inhibition) and at 0.5 microgram/ml lisinopril (86% inhibition). In both cell culture models, purified TNF-alpha caused a significant increase in the mRNA for angiotensinogen (ANGEN), which was not expressed in unactivated cells. Transfection of primary cultures of rat AEC with antisense oligonucleotides against ANGEN mRNA inhibited the subsequent induction of TNF-stimulated apoptosis by 72% (P < 0.01). Exposure to TNF-alpha increased the concentration of ANGII in the serum-free extracellular medium by fivefold in A549 cell cultures and by 40-fold in primary AEC preparations; further, exposure to TNF-alpha for 40 h caused a net cell loss of 70%, which was completely abrogated by either the caspase inhibitor ZVAD-fmk, lisinopril, or saralasin. Apoptosis in response to TNF-alpha was also completely inhibited by neutralizing antibodies specific for ANGII (P < 0.01), but isotype-matched nonimmune immunoglobulins had no significant effect. These data indicate that the induction of AEC apoptosis by TNF-alpha requires a functional renin/angiotensin system (RAS) in the target cell. They also suggest that therapeutic control of AEC apoptosis in response to TNF-alpha is feasible through pharmacologic manipulation of the local RAS.
Wideband multifunction airborne antennas

Increase of functions and improvement of performance required on board aircrafts, associated to the limited amount of available areas to implement the equipments drive an approach leading to grouping of functions operated in various frequency bands and to reduction of thickness of the antennas. Technical and technology research is being conducted on wideband and multi-band radiating structures, making in particular use of metamaterials and FSS structures, and the overall architecture has to deal with the various requirements.
NCX1 Na/Ca exchanger inhibition by antisense oligonucleotides in mouse distal convoluted tubule cells.

BACKGROUND Plasma membrane NCX1 Na+/Ca2+ exchangers mediate cellular Ca2+ efflux. Renal distal convoluted tubule (DCT) cells express transcripts encoding three alternatively spliced NCX1 isoforms: NACA2 (exons B, C, D), NACA3 (exons B and D), and NACA6 (exons A, C, D). We used antisense oligodeoxynucleotides (ODNs) to determine the function of these NACA isoforms on Na+/Ca2+ exchanger activity and expression in DCT cells. METHODS Sense and antisense ODNs targeting exchanger transcripts were introduced into DCT cells permeabilized with streptolysin O. Na+/Ca2+ exchange activity was assessed by measuring Na+-dependent changes of free intracellular Ca2+ concentration (delta[Ca2+]i), in single cells, when the electrochemical gradient for Na+ was reversed. RESULTS The change of [Ca2+]i in cells treated with antisense ODNs to a downstream or upstream region common to all NCX1 isoforms was 173 nM (-66%) to the downstream region located in the putative ninth transmembrane domain, and 226 nM (-39%) with ODNs to an upstream region located 5' to the variable portion of the intracellular loop. Antisense ODNs to exon B, present in both NACA2 and NACA3, decreased delta[Ca2+]i by 209 nM (-44%), while antisense ODNs specific for NACA6 (exon A) were without effect. Antisense ODNs specific for exon C, present in NACA2 and NACA6, decreased delta[Ca2+]i by 226 nM (-39%). Northern analysis of mRNA prepared from primary cultures of distal tubule cells revealed exon B- but not exon A-containing transcripts. Immunofluorescence analysis using a polyclonal antibody that recognizes NCX1 confirmed that protein expression was inhibited after treatment with the exon B antisense ODNs. CONCLUSION These findings show that Na+-dependent cellular Ca2+ efflux in DCT cells is primarily mediated by NACA2 and NACA3.
Characterization of Conserved Region 2-Deficient Mutants of the Cytomegalovirus Egress Protein pM53

ABSTRACT Dominant-negative (DN) mutants are powerful tools for studying essential protein-protein interactions. A systematic genetic screen of the essential murine cytomegalovirus (MCMV) protein pM53 identified the accumulation of inhibitory mutations within conserved region 2 (CR2) and CR4. The strong inhibitory potential of these CR4 mutants is characterized by a particular phenotype. The DN effect of the small insertion mutations in CR2 was too weak to analyze (M. Popa, Z. Ruzsics, M. Lötzerich, L. Dölken, C. Buser, P. Walther, and U. H. Koszinowski, J. Virol. 84:9035–9046, 2010); therefore, the present study describes the construction of M53 alleles lacking CR2 (either completely or partially) and subsequent examination of the DN effect on MCMV replication upon conditional expression. Overexpression of CR2-deficient pM53 inhibited virus production by about 10,000-fold. This was due to interference with capsid export from the nucleus and viral genome cleavage/packaging. In addition, the fate of the nuclear envelopment complex in the presence of DN pM53 overexpression was analyzed. The CR2 mutants were able to bind to pM50, albeit to a lesser extent than the wild-type protein, and relocalized the wild-type nuclear envelope complex in infected cells. Unlike the CR4 DN, the CR2 DN mutants did not affect the stability of pM50.
Responsables, sostenibles y universitarios como vía de lucha contra el cambio climático: el caso de la Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingeniería de Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural (UPM)

espanolLa universidad responsable juega un rol importante en el cambio climatico. Le compete promover la responsabilidad empresarial, la responsabilidad social cientifica y la responsabilidad social ciudadana, y lo hace a traves de tres enfoques distintos: Gerencial, basado en la rendicion de cuentas a sus grupos de interes; Transformacional, muy comprometida socialmente, a traves de actividades de voluntariado o cooperacion al desarrollo; o Normativo, con el proposito de fortalecer el papel de la educacion superior desde el servicio publico, la relevancia y la Responsabilidad Social Universitaria. En este sentido, la Escuela Tecnica de Ingenieria de Montes, Forestal y del Medio Natural de la Universidad Politecnica de Madrid, primera entidad publica espanola con la validacion de la ISO 26000, se erige como entidad de transformacion, como modelo de actuacion y, especialmente, de lucha contra el cambio climatico, dada la naturaleza de sus ensenanzas y el enfoque de su estrategia RSU: Responsables, Sostenibles y Universitarios. EnglishResponsible universities play an important role in climate change. Corporate responsibility, social responsibility scientific and public social responsibility must be of their competence. They could do so through three different approaches: Managerial approach, based on accountability to its stakeholders; Transformational approach, very committed socially, through volunteer activities or cooperation; and Normative perspective in order to strengthen the role of higher education from public service, the relevance and University Social Responsibility. In this sense, the School of Forestry Engineers (Universidad Politecnica de Madrid in Spain), the first entity who has validate the implementation of ISO 26000, comes to be an transforming organization which is focused on combating climate change, due to the fact of the nature of his degrees and research lines, and the standpoint of its Social Responsibility strategy: Responsible, Sustainable and University.
Rolling horizon planning with engineering activities in semiconductor supply chains

Process improvement activities by engineering lots are crucial to stay competitive in the semiconductor market. Production and engineering lots compete for the same equipment. We discuss two production planning formulations for a simplified semiconductor supply chain. The first formulation assumes reduced available capacity for production, while the second one directly incorporates engineering activities. Additional capacity is considered in this formulation because of learning effects that represent process improvements. The integrated formulation outperforms the conventional formulation in a rolling horizon setting with respect to profit.
Nitrate losses in subsurface drainage from a corn-soybean rotation as affected by fall and spring application of nitrogen and nitrapyrin.

Substantial amounts of NO3 from agricultural crop production systems on poorly drained soils can be transported to surface water via subsurface drainage. A field study was conducted from the fall of 1993 through 2000 on a tile-drained Canisteo clay loam soil (fine-loamy, mixed, superactive, calcareous, mesic Typic Endoaquoll) to determine the influence of fall vs. spring application of N and nitrapyrin [NP; 2-chloro-6-(trichloromethyl) pyridine] on NO3 losses from a corn (Zea mays L.)-soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr. ] rotation. Four anhydrous ammonia treatments (fall N, fall N + NP, spring preplant N, and spring N + NP) were replicated four times and applied at 135 kg N ha(-1) for corn on individual drainage plots. Drainage occurred in all seven years. Seventy-one percent of the annual drainage and 75% of the annual NO3 loss occurred in April, May, and June. Fifty-four percent of the NO3 lost in the drainage occurred during the corn phase and 46% during the soybean phase. Annual flow-weighted NO3-N concentrations for the fall, fall + NP, spring, and spring + NP treatments averaged 14.3, 11.5, 10.7, and 11.3 mg L(-1) during the corn phase but annual NO3-N concentrations were still > or =10 mg L(-1) in three of six years for the spring preplant treatment. Averaged across the six rotation cycles, flow-normalized NO3-N losses ranked in the order: fall N > spring N + NP > fall N + NP > spring N. Under these conditions, NO3 losses in subsurface drainage from a corn-soybean rotation can be reduced 14% by spring N and 10% by late fall N + NP compared with fall-applied N. Nitrate losses were not appreciably reduced by adding NP to spring preplant N.