Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Un Modèle de Factorisation de Poisson pour la Recommandation de Points d'Intérêt

L'explosion des volumes de donnees circulant sur les reseaux sociaux geo-localises (LBSN) rend possible l'extraction des preferences des utilisateurs. En particulier ces preferences peuvent etre utilisees pour recommander a l'utilisateur des points d'interet en adequation avec son profil. Aujourd'hui la recommandation de points d'interet est devenue une composante essentielle des LBSN. Malheureusement les methodesde recommandation traditionnelles echouent a s'adapter aux contraintes propres aux LBSN, telles que la sparsite tres elevee des donnees, ou prendre en compte l'influence geographique. Dans ce papier nous presentons un modele de recommandation basee sur la factorisation de Poisson qui offre une solution efficace a ces contraintes. Nous avons teste notre modele via des experimentations sur un jeu de donnees realisteissu du LBSN Foursquare. Ces experiences nous ont permis de demontrer une meilleure qualite de recommandation que 3 modeles de l'etat de l'art.
Effect of beta-lactoglobulin polymorphism and seasonality on bovine milk composition

The objective was to evaluate the effect of β-lactoglobulin (β-lg) polymorphism and seasonality on milk composition (fat, lactose, total solids, milk urea nitrogen, total protein, true protein, casein and somatic cell counts) of Holstein and Girolando cows. Milk and blood samples from 278 Holsteins cows and 156 Girolando cows were taken during two dry seasons and two rainy seasons, for milk composition analysis and to determine β-lg genotypes, respectively. BB genotype was the most frequent for both breeds, followed by AA genotype for Holstein (BB>AA>AB) and by AB for Girolando cows (BB>AB>AA). No differences were found in milk compositional characteristics among genetic variants of β-lg (AA, AB and BB) either between Holstein or Girolando cows. No association between milk composition and β-lg genetic polymorphism was observed. During the dry season, independently of the breed considered, higher contents of lactose, true protein, casein and casein:true protein ratio were found.
Diesel Exhaust

193 Exposure to diesel exhaust continues to be widespread in industrialized and developing countries. Trucks, buses, trains, construction and farm equipment, generators, ships, and some cars have diesel engines. Exhaust from these engines brings a complex mixture of combustion particulates and gases to roadways, cities, farms, and other workplaces. Health concerns about diesel exhaust relate not only to cancer, but also to respiratory and heart diseases.
Energy-efficient Sensor Scheduling to Accommodate Real-time Surveillance Orders

This paper addresses the minimal energy scheduling problem in sensor networks to accommodate real-time surveillance orders. Assume we are given a set of sensors with adjustable sensing ranges and surveillance orders arrive in real time at a base station. Under the constraints that a sensor can deal with one order and an order only need to be handled by one sensor at a time, the base station schedules sensors to perform the orders such that the energy consumption is minimized. Our solution is optimal and simulation results show that our optimal solution performs better than another heuristic scheduling algorithm in terms of both energy consumption and percentage of scenarios in which all surveillance orders are accepted
Evolving fracture patterns: columnar joints, mud cracks and polygonal terrain

When cracks form in a thin contracting layer, they sequentially break the layer into smaller and smaller pieces. A rectilinear crack pattern encodes information about the order of crack formation, as later cracks tend to intersect with earlier cracks at right angles. In a hexagonal pattern, in contrast, the angles between all cracks at a vertex are near 120°. Hexagonal crack patterns are typically seen when a crack network opens and heals repeatedly, in a thin layer, or advances by many intermittent steps into a thick layer. Here, it is shown how both types of pattern can arise from identical forces, and how a rectilinear crack pattern can evolve towards a hexagonal one. Such an evolution is expected when cracks undergo many opening cycles, where the cracks in any cycle are guided by the positions of cracks in the previous cycle but when they can slightly vary their position and order of opening. The general features of this evolution are outlined and compared with a review of the specific patterns of contraction cracks in dried mud, polygonal terrain, columnar joints and eroding gypsum–sand cements.
Brazilian version of the Mattis dementia rating scale: diagnosis of mild dementia in Alzheimer's disease.

OBJECTIVES To verify the diagnostic accuracy of the Brazilian version of the Mattis Dementia Rating Scale (DRS) in the diagnosis of patients with mild dementia in Alzheimer's disease (AD); to verify the interference of the variables age and schooling on the performance of the DRS. METHOD The DRS was administered to 41 patients with mild AD and to 60 controls. In order to analyze the effects of age and schooling on the performance of the tests, patients and controls were separated into three age groups and three levels of schooling. RESULTS The cutoff score of 122 showed a sensitivity of 91.7 % and specificity of 87.8 %. Age and schooling interfered in the DRS total score and in the scores of its subscales. CONCLUSION The DRS showed good diagnostic accuracy in the discrimination of patients with mild AD from the control individuals. In the sample examined, the effects of schooling were more marked than age.
Disordered pancreatic inflammatory responses and inhibition of fibrosis in CD39-null mice.

BACKGROUND & AIMS Extracellular nucleotides are released from injured cells and bind purinergic-type 2 receptors (P2-Rs) that modulate inflammatory responses. Ectonucleotidases, such as CD39/nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolase-1, hydrolyze extracellular nucleotides to integrate purinergic signaling responses. Because the role of extracellular nucleotides and CD39 in mediating inflammation and fibrosis are understood poorly, we studied the impact of CD39 gene deletion in a model of pancreatic disease. METHODS Pancreatitis was induced by cyclosporine pretreatment, followed by cerulein injections (50 mug/kg, 6 intraperitoneal injections/day, 3 times/wk); mice were killed at day 2, week 3, and week 6. Experimental parameters were correlated with cytokine levels in blood, RNA, and protein expression of purinergic and fibrosis markers in tissues. Immunohistochemistry and pancreatic morphometry of fibrosis were performed in wild-type and CD39-null mice. Effects of CD39 deletion on proliferation of primary pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) were investigated in vitro. RESULTS Wild-type mice developed morphologic features of pancreatitis with the anticipated development of parenchymal atrophy and fibrosis. CD39 and P2-R became overexpressed in vascular and adventitious wild-type tissues. In contrast, CD39-null mice had inflammatory reactions but developed only minor pancreatic atrophy and limited fibrosis. Interferon-gamma became significantly increased in tissues and plasma of CD39-null mice. Wild-type PSCs expressed high levels of CD39 and P2-R. CD39-null PSCs showed decreased rates of proliferation and the expression of procollagen-alpha1 was inhibited significantly in vitro (P < .03). CONCLUSIONS CD39 deletion decreases fibrogenesis in experimental pancreatitis. Our data implicate extracellular nucleotides as modulators of PSC proliferation and collagen production in pancreatitis.
Role of the polycytin‐primary cilia complex in bone development and mechanosensing

Pkd1 encodes PC1, a transmembrane receptor‐like protein, and Pkd2 encodes PC2, a calcium channel, which interact to form functional polycystin complexes that are widely expressed in many tissues and cell types. The study of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD), caused by inactivating mutations of PKD1 or PKD2 genes, has elucidated the functions of polycystins and their interdependence on primary cilia in renal epithelial cells. We have found that Pkd1 and Pkd2, as well as primary cilia, are present in osteoblasts and osteocytes. In addition, we have found that loss of polycystin‐1 (Pkd1) function in mice results in abnormal bone development and osteopenia due to the impaired differentiation of osteoblasts. It is likely that the polycytin/primary cilia complex responds to a multitude of environmental clues affecting skeletal development and bone formation postnatally. Overall, polycystins in bone may define a new target for developing anabolic agents to treat osteoporotic disorders.
Transcriptomic evaluation of canine suspension-shipped and pre-plated hepatocytes: comparison to liver

Abstract Introduction: In vitro assays using rat and human hepatocytes are used for hepatotoxicity studies; however, in vitro methods are less established for canine hepatocytes. In particular, little is known about the effects of plating and culture on canine hepatocytes. The goal of this study was to conduct a descriptive analysis of an in vitro canine hepatocyte system to evaluate its utility and limitations. The study objectives were to determine if canine hepatocytes shipped in suspension or pre-plated were transcriptomically different from one another and their liver of origin, and to understand temporal transcriptomic changes. Materials and methods: Frozen canine liver samples were delivered on dry ice; hepatocytes from these livers were delivered in a cell/media suspension (S) or pre-plated (P). Hepatocytes were harvested at arrival and after up to 120 hr of culture in naïve media, or after 48 hr treatment with prototypical enzyme inducing xenobiotics (phenobarbital or rifampin). Results: A global transcriptomic comparison between liver and hepatocyte preparations indicated that the transcriptome was affected post-plating; transporters and genes involved in xenobiotic metabolism were generally down-regulated. Basal mRNA levels of CYP3A12 and CYP2B11 decreased temporally; after 120 hr CYP3A12 levels decreased by 1000-fold. CYP3A12 and CYP2B11 induction after phenobarbital or rifampin treatment was robust in both cell types but stronger in S cells. Conclusions: These results indicate that S and P hepatocytes cultured under the current conditions are appropriate for specific in vitro tests. Further characterization of endpoints should be conducted for a thorough understanding of the model’s limitations.
Tocilizumab in Uveitic Macular Edema Refractory to Previous Immunomodulatory Treatment

ABSTRACT Purpose: To analyze the efficacy of tocilizumab in uveitic macular edema (ME) resistant to various immunomodulatory drugs. Methods: Patients received tocilizumab every 4 weeks intravenously. Central foveal thickness (CFT) was assessed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). Results: Five patients (8 eyes) who were ineffectively pretreated with systemic prednisolone, at least one immunosuppressive drug, and at least one biologic drug for uveitic macular edema were included in the study. At 3 months, a response of ME (≥25% reduction in CFT) was observed in 6 eyes (75.0%) of 5 patients. During follow-up, complete resolution of ME was achieved in 5 eyes (62.5%) of 4 patients. Improvement of BCVA was observed in 3 eyes of 3 patients, and stabilization in 3 eyes of 3 patients. Tocilizumab was well tolerated, and no severe side effects occurred. Conclusions: Treatment with tocilizumab can be considered in chronic uveitic macular edema even if previous immunomodulatory therapy has failed.
Antimicrobial susceptibility pattern of vancomycin resistant enterococci to newer antimicrobial agents

Enterococci are recognized as opportunistic pathogens and are natural inhabitants of the oral cavity, gastrointestinal tract (GIT) and the female genital tract in both humans and animals1. They have emerged as important nosocomial pathogens2. There are two main species Enterococcus faecalis and E. faecium responsible for human enterococcal infections3. The most frequent infections caused by these organisms include urinary tract infections, intra-abdominal and intra-pelvic abscesses. These are increasingly being isolated from bacteraemia and meningitis cases mainly from hospitalized patients4.
The Legitimacy of Data Partnerships for Sustainable Development

This paper critically examines the legitimacy attached to new types of public- private data partnerships occurring in the context of sustainable development. We discuss the input and output legitimacy of two types of data partnerships: open data partnerships where data and/or insights are freely available and hence not restricted to any bilateral and network-based agreements, and closed data partnerships where data and the insights created through the partnership are shared within a network of organizations or through a trusted intermediary. Our findings make two key contributions: First, we develop an analytical framework, which allows to assess the input and output legitimacy of open and closed partnerships. Second, we apply this framework to two cases, the HDX Humanitarian Data Exchange, generating insights for disaster natural settings, (open data partnership) and the Facebook-CIESIN partnership on high-resolution population maps (closed data partnership). Our analysis delivers an initial descriptive .
A nationwide survey of mortality in acromegaly.

CONTEXT Increased mortality in acromegaly has been confined to those with posttreatment basal GH of 2.5 microg/liter or greater, but the impact of IGF-I and pituitary radiotherapy on mortality has remained controversial. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this nationwide survey was to examine the all-cause mortality of patients with acromegaly and evaluate the impact of treatment outcome and mode of treatment on survival. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PATIENTS All-cause mortality of all patients with acromegaly diagnosed during January 1980 and December 1999 in the five university hospitals of Finland was followed up by the end of 2002 (12.5 +/- 5.6 yr) and compared with that of the general population by using age- and gender-adjusted standardized mortality ratios (SMRs). Logistic regression analysis was used to investigate factors related to mortality within the survey population. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE Mortality was the main outcome measure. RESULTS Of the 334 patients, 56 (16.8%) had died during follow-up. SMR of the patients was 1.16 [confidence interval (CI) 0.85-1.54, not significant (NS)]. However, patients with basal serum GH concentration 2.5 microg/liter or greater (SMR 1.63, CI 1.10-2.35, P < 0.001) measured 5.2 +/- 4.4 yr after the initial treatment, and those irradiated (SMR 1.69, CI 1.05-2.58, P < 0.001) showed excess mortality. In a multivariate model, the effect of radiotherapy was of borderline significance only (P = 0.083). Posttreatment IGF-I levels, available for 72.2% of the patients, did not have impact on mortality. CONCLUSIONS The posttreatment basal GH concentration less than 2.5 microg/liter in acromegalic patients is associated with a normal lifespan. Excess mortality is confined to poorly controlled patients and possibly those who have received conventional radiotherapy.
[Effect of ASO Blood Stasis Syndrome Serum on Vascular Endothelial Cell Injury and Regulation of Taohong Siwu Decoction on it].

OBJECTIVE To explore the effect of arteriosclerosis obliterans (ASO) blood stasis syndrome (BSS) serum on vascular endothelial cell injury and to study the regulation of Taohong Siwu Decoction (TSD) on it. METHODS Umbilical vein endothelial cell culture system was established. The serum endothelial cell injury model with ASO BSS was prepared. Low, medium, and high concentrations TSD containing serums were respectively added. The endothelial cell proliferation activity was observed by MTT method. Ultrastructures of endothelial cells were observed under transmission electron microscope. Changes of intracellular calcium ion concentration and the cytoskeleton were observed under laser confocal microscope. Contents of ET, NO, and transforming growth factor beta1 (TGF-beta1) in endothelial cell culture supernatant were detected by ELISA. RESULTS In ASO BSS serum group endothelial cell proliferation activities decreased, the cell structure was obviously destroyed, calcium ion concentration increased, contents of ET, NO and TGF-beta1 increased significantly (P < 0.01), and ET/NO ratio was imbalanced. After incubating with TSD drug containing serum, endothelial cell proliferation activities and injured cell structures were obviously improved; ET, NO and TGF-beta1 levels decreased (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), ET/NO ratios approximated to the normal level. CONCLUSION The main mechanism of TSD for treating ASO ASS lied in improving injured vascular endothelial cells and endocrine disorder.
Effects of fluconazole treatment of mice infected with fluconazole-susceptible and -resistant Candida tropicalis on fungal cell surface hydrophobicity, adhesion and biofilm formation

Background : The incidence of Candida tropicalis less susceptible to fluconazole (FLC) has been reported in many parts of the world. Objectives : The aim of this study was to examine the changes of putative virulence attributes of Candida tropicalis accompanying the development of resistance to FLC in vitro and in vivo. Materials and Methods : A FLC-resistant strain (FLC-R) was obtained after sequential exposure of a clinical isolate FLC-sensitive (FLC-S) to increasing concentrations of the antifungal. The course of infection by both strains was analyzed in BALB/c mice. Analyses of gene expression were performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction PCR. The cell surface hydrophobicity, adhesion and biofilm formation were also determined. Results : Development of resistance to FLC could be observed after 15 days of subculture in azole-containing medium. Overexpression of MDR1 and ERG11 genes were observed in FLC-R, and this strain exhibited enhanced virulence in mice, as assessed by the mortality rate. All mice challenged with the FLC-R died and FLC-treatment caused earlier death in mice infected with this strain. All animals challenged with FLC-S survived the experiment, regardless of FLC-treatment. Overall, FLC-R derivatives strains were significantly more hydrophobic than FLC-S strains and showed greater adherence and higher capacity to form biofilm on polystyrene surface. Conclusions : The expression of virulence factors was higher in FLC-R-C. tropicalis and it was enhanced after FLC-exposure. These data alert us to the importance of identifying microorganisms that show resistance to the antifungals to establish an appropriate management of candidiasis therapy.
Use of pimecrolimus cream 1% (Elidel®) in the treatment of atopic dermatitis in infants and children: the effects of ethnic origin and baseline disease severity on treatment outcome

Background Pimecrolimus cream 1%, a cell‐selective inhibitor of inflammatory cytokines, has been shown to be effective in treating atopic dermatitis (AD). This report examines the effect of ethnic origin and baseline disease severity on treatment outcomes in pediatric patients with AD treated with pimecrolimus cream 1%.
Spatiotemporal Dynamics in a Reaction-Diffusion Epidemic Model with a Time-Delay in Transmission

In this paper, we investigate the effects of time-delay and diffusion on the disease dynamics in an epidemic model analytically and numerically. We give the conditions of Hopf and Turing bifurcations in a spatial domain. From the results of mathematical analysis and numerical simulations, we find that for unequal diffusive coefficients, time-delay and diffusion may induce that Turing instability results in stationary Turing patterns, Hopf instability results in spiral wave patterns, and Hopf–Turing instability results in chaotic wave patterns. Our results well extend the findings of spatiotemporal dynamics in the delayed reaction–diffusion epidemic model, and show that time-delay has a strong impact on the pattern formation of the reaction–diffusion epidemic model.
Pro-B cells sense productive immunoglobulin heavy chain rearrangement irrespective of polypeptide production

B-lymphocyte development is dictated by the protein products of functionally rearranged Ig heavy (H) and light (L) chain genes. Ig rearrangement begins in pro-B cells at the IgH locus. If pro-B cells generate a productive allele, they assemble a pre-B cell receptor complex, which signals their differentiation into pre-B cells and their clonal expansion. Pre-B cell receptor signals are also thought to contribute to allelic exclusion by preventing further IgH rearrangements. Here we show in two independent mouse models that the accumulation of a stabilized μH mRNA that does not encode μH chain protein specifically impairs pro-B cell differentiation and reduces the frequency of rearranged IgH genes in a dose-dependent manner. Because noncoding IgH mRNA is usually rapidly degraded by the nonsense-mediated mRNA decay machinery, we propose that the difference in mRNA stability allows pro-B cells to distinguish between productive and nonproductive Ig gene rearrangements and that μH mRNA may thus contribute to efficient H chain allelic exclusion.
Utility of combinations of biomarkers, cognitive markers, and risk factors to predict conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease in patients in the Alzheimer's disease neuroimaging initiative.

CONTEXT Biomarkers have become increasingly important in understanding neurodegenerative processes associated with Alzheimer disease. Markers include regional brain volumes, cerebrospinal fluid measures of pathological Aβ1-42 and total tau, cognitive measures, and individual risk factors. OBJECTIVE To determine the discriminative utility of different classes of biomarkers and cognitive markers by examining their ability to predict a change in diagnostic status from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease. DESIGN Longitudinal study. PARTICIPANTS We analyzed the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative database to study patients with mild cognitive impairment who converted to Alzheimer disease (n = 116) and those who did not convert (n = 204) within a 2-year period. We determined the predictive utility of 25 variables from all classes of markers, biomarkers, and risk factors in a series of logistic regression models and effect size analyses. SETTING The Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative public database. OUTCOME MEASURES Primary outcome measures were odds ratios, pseudo- R(2)s, and effect sizes. RESULTS In comprehensive stepwise logistic regression models that thus included variables from all classes of markers, the following baseline variables predicted conversion within a 2-year period: 2 measures of delayed verbal memory and middle temporal lobe cortical thickness. In an effect size analysis that examined rates of decline, change scores for biomarkers were modest for 2 years, but a change in an everyday functional activities measure (Functional Assessment Questionnaire) was considerably larger. Decline in scores on the Functional Assessment Questionnaire and Trail Making Test, part B, accounted for approximately 50% of the predictive variance in conversion from mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer disease. CONCLUSIONS Cognitive markers at baseline were more robust predictors of conversion than most biomarkers. Longitudinal analyses suggested that conversion appeared to be driven less by changes in the neurobiologic trajectory of the disease than by a sharp decline in functional ability and, to a lesser extent, by declines in executive function.