Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of an Internet-Based Monitoring System for Influenza-Like Illness in Sweden

To complement traditional influenza surveillance with data on disease occurrence not only among care-seeking individuals, the Swedish Institute for Communicable Disease Control (SMI) has tested an Internet-based monitoring system (IMS) with self-recruited volunteers submitting weekly on-line reports about their health in the preceding week, upon weekly reminders. We evaluated IMS acceptability and to which extent participants represented the Swedish population. We also studied the agreement of data on influenza-like illness (ILI) occurrence from IMS with data from a previously evaluated population-based system (PBS) with an actively recruited random sample of the population who spontaneously report disease onsets in real-time via telephone/Internet, and with traditional general practitioner based sentinel and virological influenza surveillance, in the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 influenza seasons. We assessed acceptability by calculating the participation proportion in an invited IMS-sample and the weekly reporting proportion of enrolled self-recruited IMS participants. We compared distributions of socio-demographic indicators of self-recruited IMS participants to the general Swedish population using chi-square tests. Finally, we assessed the agreement of weekly incidence proportions (%) of ILI in IMS and PBS with cross-correlation analyses. Among 2,511 invited persons, 166 (6.6%) agreed to participate in the IMS. In each season, 2,552 and 2,486 self-recruited persons participated in the IMS respectively. The weekly reporting proportion among self-recruited participants decreased from 87% to 23% (2011–2012) and 82% to 45% (2012–2013). Women, highly educated, and middle-aged persons were overrepresented among self-recruited IMS participants (p<0.01). IMS (invited and self-recruited) and PBS weekly incidence proportions correlated strongest when no lags were applied (r = 0.71 and r = 0.69, p<0.05). This evaluation revealed socio-demographic misrepresentation and limited compliance among the self-recruited IMS participants. Yet, IMS offered a reasonable representation of the temporal ILI pattern in the community overall during the 2011–2012 and 2012–2013 influenza seasons and could be a simple tool for collecting community-based ILI data.
Automatisierte Methoden zur Unterstützung der Interpretationsforschung

Ein musikalisches Werk wird haufig auf sehr unterschiedliche Weise interpretiert und vorgetragen. Der Kunstler verleiht dem Werk durch seine Interpretation eine personliche Note, ohne die Identitat des Musikstucks anzutasten. So variieren verschiedene Einspielungen eines Musikstucks oft erheblich hinsichtlich musikalischer Aspekte wie Tempo, Phrasierung, Artikulation, Agogik und Lautstarke. Hinzu kommen Unterschiede in der Klangfarbe, der Instrumentierung oder der Raum akustik. Aufgaben der automatisierten Musikverarbeitung bestehen nun darin, zum einen solche musikalischen Parameter zu erfassen und zum anderen auf Basis dieser Parameter die eigentliche Interpretationsanalyse durchzufuhren, bei der dann die Unterschiede oder Gemeinsamkeiten verschiedener Interpretationen zu erklaren sind. In diesem Beitrag werden aktuelle Entwicklungen der automatisierten Musikverarbeitung aus Sicht der Informatik diskutiert. Insbesondere soll aufgezeigt werden, welche Werkzeuge die Informatik den Musikwissenschaften fur die Interpretationsforschung zur Verfugung stellen kann und wo automatisierte Methoden an ihre Grenzen stosen. Die automatisierte Interpretationsanalyse stellt ein aktives Forschungsgebiet dar.1 Hierbei kann man grob zwischen zwei komplementaren Fragestellungen unterscheiden. Zum einen sollen Gemeinsamkeiten zwischen unterschiedlichen Interpretationen gefunden und hieraus allgemeine Interpretationsregeln abgeleitet werden. Zum anderen geht es um die Erfassung von Stilparametern, die die Spielweise eines bestimmten Musikers beschreiben. Wie unterscheidet sich also zum Beispiel das Spiel eines Horowitz von dem anderer Pianisten? 2 Vor der eigentlichen Interpretationsanalyse mussen zunachst geeignete Informationen daruber zur Verfugung gestellt werden, wann und wie die Noten eines
Chest radiograph in acute respiratory infections in children.

BACKGROUND Chest radiography is widely used in children with acute lower respiratory infections, but the benefits are unknown. OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of chest radiography for children with acute lower respiratory infections. SEARCH STRATEGY The searches were updated in November 2004. We searched the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) (The Cochrane Library Issue 1, 2005), MEDLINE (1966 to February, Week 1 2005) and EMBASE (January 1990 to September 2004). We contacted experts in the fields of acute respiratory infections and paediatric radiology to locate additional studies. SELECTION CRITERIA Randomised or quasi-randomised trials of chest radiography in children with acute respiratory infections. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS One reviewer extracted data and assessed trial quality. MAIN RESULTS We identified only one trial of 522 participants, which was performed by the review authors. The participants were ambulatory children aged two months to five years. Forty-six per cent of both radiography and control participants had recovered by seven days (odds ratio (OR) 1.03, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64 to 1.64). Thirty-three per cent of radiography participants and 32% of control participants made a subsequent hospital visit within four weeks (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.48). Three per cent of both radiography and control participants were subsequently admitted to hospital within four weeks (OR 1.02, 95% CI 0.40 to 2.60). There were no deaths in either group. AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS There is no evidence that chest radiography improves outcome in ambulatory children with acute lower respiratory infection. The findings do not exclude a potential effect of radiography, but the potential benefit needs to be balanced against the hazards and expense of chest radiography. The findings apply to ambulatory children only.
Evaluation of a myoelectric hand prosthesis for children with a below-elbow absence

A clinical evaluation of a myoelectric hand prosthesis was carried out within a multicentre trial in three centres in the United Kingdom. The aim was to assess its effectiveness as an acceptable device for young children and to evaluate its technical efficiency. The trial ran for 2¾ years and included 87 children. The methodology used and the results obtained are presented with indications towards future developments.
Plant actin cytoskeleton remodeling by plant parasitic nematodes

Cytoskeleton is an important component in the plant defense mechanisms against attacks of pathogenic organisms. Plants however, are defenseless against parasitic root-knot and cyst nematodes and respond to the invasion by the development of a special feeding site that supplies parasite with nutrients required for the completion of its lifecycle. Surprisingly, recent analysis of the nematode invasion under treatment with cytoskeletal drugs and in the mutant plants, where normal functions of the cytoskeleton have been affected, demonstrates importance of the cytoskeleton in the establishment of the feeding site and successful nematode reproduction. It appears that in case of microfilaments, nematode hijacks the intracellular machinery that regulates actin dynamics and modulates organization and properties of the actin filament network. Intervention with this process reduces the infection efficiency and inhibits parasite’s life cycle. This discovery uncovers a new pathway that can be exploited for the protection of plants against nematodes.
[Efficacy and safety of large volume paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with spontaneous bacterial peritonitis: a randomized prospective study].

BACKGROUND/AIMS Large volume paracentesis (LVP) associated with plasma volume expansion is known to be an effective and safe therapy for tense or refractory ascites in cirrhosis. Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis (SBP) is one of the frequent infections in patients with cirrhosis. We conducted a study to assess the efficacy and safety of large volume paracentesis in cirrhotic patients with SBP. METHODS We randomly assigned 40 patients with cirrhosis and SBP to either treatment with LVP (21 patients) or general management (19 patients). LVP was defined as drainage of ascitic fluid of more than 4 liters in a single tap or loss of shifting dullness after paracentesis. LVP was performed within 48 hours after the diagnosis of SBP in the LVP group. Cefotaxime was given daily in doses that varied according to the serum creatinine level in both groups. Albumin was given at a dose of 6-8 g per 1 liter of removed ascites in the LVP group. RESULTS After seven days of treatments, the blood chemistry test, and WBC (PMN) counts and protein concentration in the ascitic fluid were not different between the two groups. Among them, the WBC (PMN) counts were decreased significantly in both groups and protein concentrations tended to increase. Durations of abdominal tenderness and pain were shorter in the LVP group but the differences were statistically not significant. Admission periods, resolution rates of SBP after seven days of treatment, complication rates and in-hospital mortality rates were not different between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS The two treatment methods demonstrated almost the same effectiveness and safety. The symptoms were improved slightly faster in the LVP group. We concluded that large volume paracentesis is not an absolute contraindication and can be a tolerable and safe therapy in some selected cirrhotic patients with tense ascites and SBP.
Relation between clinical and instrumented measures of motor coordination in traumatically brain injured persons.

Right and left upper extremity motor coordination was evaluated in 40 traumatically brain injured subjects using two different measurement techniques--a conventional clinical evaluation and an instrumented evaluation. The relationship between the results from the clinical evaluation (finger to nose test) and the instrumented evaluation (timed visual-arm coordinated lateral reach) was determined using canonical correlation analysis (Rc). Clinical and instrumented test scores were significantly correlated (Rc = .685, p = .002; Rc = .629, p = .008 for the right and left sides, respectively). The scores obtained by the clinical test had little variance; instrumented scores varied greatly among subjects. Significant differences did not exist between the right and left sides for the instrumented variables of average movement speed, accuracy, and index of coordination (paired t-tests, p = .550, p = .548, p = .627, respectively) or for the clinical variables of time of execution (paired t-test, p = .468) and tremor (Wilcoxon matched-pairs, p = .228). Although meaningful correlations were obtained, they do not conclusively indicate that the two tests measure the same concept of coordination. Therefore, it is suggested that the instrumented evaluation be used to complement the traditional clinical evaluation to increase the degree of objectivity in clinical measurement.
Modelling The Warehous Operations To Reveal The Value Of RFID

Nowadays, the emerging RFID technology has generated a dilemma in a lot of sectors and fields. Especially companies seem to be among the most intricate and affected ones, since important processes related to the upstream and downstream supply chain, as well as in-store ones, can become more accurate and simplified even eliminated, returning crucial profits to them. Indeed, some warehouse processes that imply significant human effort and time can be amplified due to this arisen technology. This paper refers to the mapping and modelling of the four most common warehouse processes, namely receiving, put-away, picking and shipping before and after the RFID implementation.
Studies on the Transcriptional Regulation of Cholesterol 24-Hydroxylase (CYP46A1)

Mammalian CNS contains a disproportionally large and remarkably stable pool of cholesterol. Despite an efficient recycling there is some requirement for elimination of brain cholesterol. Conversion of cholesterol into 24S-hydroxycholesterol by the cholesterol 24-hydroxylase (CYP46A1) is the quantitatively most important mechanism. Based on the protein expression and plasma levels of 24S-hydroxycholesterol, CYP46A1 activity appears to be highly stable in adults. Here we have made a structural and functional characterization of the promoter of the human CYP46A1 gene. No canonical TATA or CAAT boxes were found in the promoter region. Moreover this region had a high GC content, a feature often found in genes considered to have a largely housekeeping function. A broad spectrum of regulatory axes using a variety of promoter constructs did not result in a significant transcriptional regulation. Oxidative stress caused a significant increase in transcriptional activity. The possibility of a substrate-dependent transcriptional regulation was explored in vivo in a sterol-deficient mouse model (Dhcr24 null) in which almost all cholesterol had been replaced with desmosterol, which is not a substrate for CYP46A1. Compared with heterozygous littermates there was no statistically significant difference in the mRNA levels of Cyp46a1. During the first 2 weeks of life in the wild-type mouse, however, a significant increase of Cyp46a1 mRNA levels was found, in parallel with an increase in 24S-hydroxycholesterol level and a reduction of cholesterol synthesis. The failure to demonstrate a significant transcriptional regulation under most conditions is discussed in relation to the turnover of brain and neuronal cholesterol.
Methamphetamine and MDMA (Ecstasy) Neurotoxicity: 'of Mice and Men'

Methamphetamine (METH) and 3,4‐meythylenedioxymethamphetamine (MDMA; 'ecstasy') are currently major drugs of abuse. One of the major concerns of amphetamines abuse is their potential neurotoxic effect on dopaminergic and serotonergic neurons. Although data from human studies are somewhat limited, compelling evidence suggests that these drugs cause neurotoxicity in rodents and primates. Recent studies in transgenic and knockout mice identified the role of dopamine transporters, nitric oxide, apoptotic proteins, and inflammatory cytokines in amphetamines neurotoxicity. Further research into the mechanisms underlying the dopaminergic and serotonergic neurotoxicity and the behavioral corollaries of these neuronal insults could facilitate our understanding of the consequences of human abuse of METH and MDMA on cognition, drug‐seeking behavior, extinction and relapse. IUBMB Life, 56: 249‐255, 2004
Prospective prediction of children's smoking transitions: role of parents' and older siblings' smoking.

AIMS To use a novel social epidemic probability model to investigate longitudinally the extent to which parents' and older siblings' smoking predict children's smoking transitions. DESIGN Parents' and older siblings' smoking status was assessed when children were in 3rd grade (baseline). Three smoking transitions were assessed over the period of child/adolescent smoking acquisition (up to 12th grade): (1) transition from never smoking to trying smoking, (2) transition from trying to monthly smoking and (3) transition from monthly to daily smoking. SETTING Forty Washington State school districts participating in the long term Hutchinson Smoking Prevention Project (HSPP). PARTICIPANTS AND MEASUREMENTS Participants were the 5520 families for whom data on both parents' and older siblings' baseline smoking status, as well as on children's smoking transitions, were available. FINDINGS The probability that a smoking parent influenced their child to make the first transition to trying smoking was 32% (95% CI: 27%, 36%); to make the second transition from trying to monthly smoking, 15% (95% CI: 10%, 19%); and to make the third transition from monthly to daily smoking, 28% (95% CI: 21%, 34%). The probability that an older sibling influenced a child to make the first transition to trying smoking was 29% (95% CI: 17%, 39%); to make the second transition from trying to monthly smoking, 0% (95% CI: 0%, 8%); and to make the third transition from monthly to daily smoking, 20% (95% CI: 4%, 33%). CONCLUSIONS In contrast to previous research, the results provide new evidence suggesting that family smoking influences both initiation and escalation of children's smoking. Results also quantify, in terms of probabilities, the importance of parents' and older siblings' smoking on children's three major smoking transitions. Parents' smoking, as well as older siblings' smoking, are important behaviors to target in preventing adolescents from making smoking transitions.
A Proof of Stake Sharding Protocol for Scalable Blockchains

Cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin has drawn great attention recently. The public ledger blockchain serves as a secure database for cryptocurrencies. However, only 3 to 7 transactions can be processed per second, which means the blockchain does not scale. To address this problem, we propose a new consensus protocol based on sharding and proof of stake. The scalability of our proposed method is expected to increase linearly with the network size. We discuss proposed method from the scalability evaluation, complexity and security view.
NK1.1+ CD4+ CD8‐ thymocytes with specific lymphokine secretion

CD4+8− or CD4−8+ thymocytes have been regarded as direct progenitors of peripheral T cells. However, recently, we have found a novel NK1.1+ subpopulation with skewed T cell antigen receptor (TcR) Vβ family among heat‐stable antigen negative (HSA−) CD4+8− thymocytes. In the present study, we show that these NK1.1+ CD4+8− thymocytes, which represent a different lineage from the major NK1.1− CD4+8− thymocytes or CD4+ lymph node T cells, vigorously secrete interleukin (IL)‐4 and interfron (IFN)‐γ upon stimulation with immobilized anti‐TcR‐αβ antibody. On the other hand, neither NK1.1− CD4+8−thymocytes nor CD4+ lymph node T cells produced substantial amounts of these lymphokines. A similar pattern of lymphokine secretion was observed with the NK1.1+ CD4+ T cells obtained from bone marrow. The present findings elucidate the recent observations that HSA− CD4+8− thymocytes secrete a variety of lymphokines including IFN‐γ, IL‐4, IL‐5 and IL‐10 before the CD4+8− thymocytes are exported from thymus. Our evidence indicates that NK1.1+ CD4+8− thymocytes are totally responsible for the specific lymphokine secretions observed in the HSA‐ CD4+8− thymocytes.
The Role of Extensive Green Roofs in Sustainable Development

As forests, agricultural fields, and suburban and urban lands are replaced with impervious surfaces resulting from development, the necessity to recover green space is becoming increasingly critical to maintain environmental quality. Vegetated or green roofs are one potential remedy for this problem. Establishing plant material on rooftops provides numerous ecological and economic benefits, including stormwater manage- ment, energy conservation, mitigation of the urban heat island effect, and increased longevity of roofing membranes, as well as providing a more aesthetically pleasing environment in which to work and live. Furthermore, the construction and maintenance of green roofs provide business opportunities for nurseries, landscape contractors, irrigation specialists, and other green industry members while addressing the issues of environmental stewardship. This paper is a review of current knowledge regarding the benefits of green roofs, plant selection and culture, and barriers to their acceptance in the United States. Because of building weight restrictions and costs, shallow-substrate extensive roofs are much more common than deeper intensive roofs. Therefore, the focus of this review is primarily on extensive green roofs.
Immunolocalization of noncollagenous bone matrix proteins in lumbar vertebrae from intact and surgically menopausal cynomolgus monkeys

The noncollagenous matrix proteins, composing about 10% of the organic matrix of bone, are considered important for cell matrix organization and regulation of mineralization in bone. In the present study, seven of the major noncollagenous bone matrix proteins were localized immunohistochemically in serial sections of lumbar vertebrae from 24 (12 intact and 12 ovariectomized) adult female cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis). Osteocalcin was the only protein restricted to bone cells and mineralized bone matrix. Bone sialoprotein was present in both bone and calcified cartilage, and all the other proteins were distributed in soft tissues as well as bone. Staining for both osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein was present diffusely throughout the bone matrix, but osteonectin, osteopontin, matrix gla protein, decorin, and biglycan staining was concentrated along bone surfaces. Osteoid was negative for osteocalcin and bone sialoprotein, but all other proteins had areas of positive immunostaining within osteoid. All proteins except biglycan exhibited strong immunostaining of a subset of active osteoblasts, suggesting that they may be markers of osteoblast maturity or state of activation. The pattern of immunostaining in intact and surgically menopausal monkeys was similar, except that staining for matrix proteins concentrated along bone surfaces appeared to be more widely distributed in the surgically menopausal monkeys, probably due to the higher rate of bone formation in these animals.
Effect of nitric oxide on anterior segment physiology in monkeys.

PURPOSE To determine the effect of the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, L-nitro-arginine-methylester (L-NAME), on IOP, mean arterial pressure (MAP), pupil diameter (PD), refraction (Rfx), aqueous humor formation (AHF), and outflow facility (OF) in monkeys. METHODS Monkeys were treated with single or multiple topical treatments of 500 μg SNP or L-NAME to one eye. IOP was determined by Goldmann applanation tonometry, PD with vernier calipers in room light, Rfx by Hartinger coincidence refractometry, AHF by fluorophotometry, and MAP with a blood pressure monitor. OF was determined by two-level constant pressure perfusion following anterior chamber exchange. RESULTS Following four topical treatments with 500 μg SNP, 30 minutes apart, IOP was significantly decreased from 2 to 6 hours compared with the contralateral control with the maximum IOP reduction of 20% at 3 hours (P < 0.001). PD, Rfx, and AHF were unchanged. Effects on MAP were variable. OF after SNP exchange was significantly increased by 77% (P < 0.05) at 10(-3) M. Topical L-NAME had no effect on IOP, PD, Rfx, or MAP. CONCLUSIONS Enhancement of nitric oxide concentration at targeted tissues in the anterior segment may be a useful approach for IOP reduction for glaucoma therapy. Additional studies are warranted before conclusions can be made regarding the effect of NOS inhibition on ocular physiology in nonhuman primates.