Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Outcome Measures for Chronic Cough: A Literature Review

Background: Approximately 9-10 percent of adults experience chronic cough. Chronic cough is a cough that lasts greater than eight weeks, with significant impacts on an individual's quality-oflife in social, psychological, and physical domains. Current treatment is not successful for all patients, and a lack of validated outcome measures makes it challenging to determine the efficacy of experimental chronic cough interventions. Aims: The purpose of this review is to determine the optimal protocols for outcome measures needed to ascertain the efficacy of chronic cough treatment. Main contribution: Inconsistent correlations were found between objective and subjective outcome measures. The strongest outcome measure correlations were found between coughspecific quality-of-life questionnaires and objective cough frequency counting. Methods of objective measures vary and require further investigation. Conclusions: Data from both subjective and objective outcome measures are needed to determine a cough treatment's efficacy due to the different constructs measured by each tool, and the inconsistent correlations found between subjective and objective outcome measures. Additionally, further standardization is needed for subjective outcome tools.
WHAT DOES INDUSTRY 4.0 MEAN FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT?

Sustainable development is an integral part of economic development in all countries, even when attention is driven away from it. The balance between the need of humanity to produce and the desire to not destroy the planet in the process is constantly questioned and shaken. With the disruptive new models that Industry 4.0 has shown to the world, and with the constantly expanding opportunities for technologies, production, and improvement of the way businesses function, the question of sustainability stands. How will the new business models affect sustainable development, and will they manage to put humanity’s future in the spotlight? This paper explores the opportunities to sustainable development, introduced by Industry 4.0.
Adhesion and cell signalling

Adhesion Molecules and Cell Signalling: Biology and Clinical Applications. Edited by Wolfgang Siess, Reinhard Lorenz and Peter C. Weber, 1995, Raven Press, New York. 350 pp. US$76.00. Fundamentals of Enzyme Kinetics (revised edition). By Athel Cornish-Bowden, 1995, Portland Press, London. 352 pp. $pD18.00. US$29.00 (pbk). Molecular Approaches to Parasitology. Edited by John C. Boothroyd and Richard Komuniecki, 1995, John Wiley, Chichester. 560 pp. $pD49.95 (pbk).
Is Sequence Alignment an Art or a Science?

Abstract Aligning multiple nucleotide sequences is a prerequisite for many if not most comparative sequence analyses in evolutionary biology. These alignments are often recognized as representing the homology relations of the aligned nucleotides, but this is a necessary requirement only for phylogenetic analyses. Unfortunately, existing computer programs for sequence alignment are not based explicitly on detecting the homology of nucleotides, and so there is a notable gap in the existing bioinformatics repertoire. If homology is the goal, then current alignment procedures may be more art than science. To resolve this issue, I present a simple conceptual scheme relating the traditional criteria for homology to the features of nucleotide sequences. These relations can then be used as optimization criteria for nucleotide sequence alignments. I point out the way in which current computer programs for multiple sequence alignment relate to these criteria, noting that each of them usually implements only one criterion. This explains the apparent dissatisfaction with computerized sequence alignment in phylogenetics, as any program that truly tried to produce alignments based on homology would need to simultaneously optimize all of the criteria.
Calcium-Dependent and-Independent Adhesion of Normal and Transformed BHK Cells

The adhesive properties of normal BHK cells and of their transformed derivatives (pyBHK) were studied by examining the aggregation kinetics after different treatments for cell dispersion. Cells dispersed with 0.005 % trypsin with EDTA slowly aggregated only in medium with Ca2+. This aggregation was inhibited by cycloheximide. These cells acquired the ability to aggregate in medium without Ca2+ after preincubation in medium with Ca2+. Cells dispersed with lower trypsin concentrations (below 0.001 %) with EDTA aggregated rapidly in the absence, as well as in the presence of divalent cations. Cells prepared by the above two methods did not require Ca2+ for the adhesion process per se (Ca2+-independent adhesion), but did require this cation for recovery of adhesiveness damaged by the earlier trypsin treatment. Cells dispersed with 0.005 % trypsin solution containing Ca2+ aggregated rapidly in the medium with Ca2+, but did not aggregate in medium without Ca2+. The aggregation in Ca2+ was not inhibited by cycloheximide and required the continuous presence of Ca2+ in the assay medium. In this case, the mechanism must have required Ca2+ for adhesion per se (Ca2+-dependent adhesion). Both the Ca2+-independent and-dependent adhesion properties were found also in pyBHK cells, although the degree of Ca2+-independent aggregation was less in pyBHK than BHK cells.
Serological signatures of SARS-CoV-2 infection: Implications for antibody-based diagnostics

Background The antibody response generated following infection with SARS-CoV-2 is expected to decline over time. This may cause individuals with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection to test negative according to serological diagnostic tests in the months and years following symptom onset. Methods A multiplex serological assay was developed to measure IgG and IgM antibody responses to four SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) antigens: spike trimeric ectodomain (Stri), its receptor-binding domain (RBD), spike subunit 1 (S1), and spike subunit 2 (S2). Antibody responses were measured in serum samples from patients in French hospitals with RT-qPCR confirmed infection (n = 259), and negative control serum samples collected before the start of the SARS-CoV-2 epidemic in 2019 (n = 335). The multiplex antibody data was used to train a random forests algorithm for classifying individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. A mathematical model of antibody kinetics informed by prior information from other coronaviruses was used to estimate time-varying antibody responses and assess the potential sensitivity and classification performance of serological diagnostics during the first year following symptom onset. Results IgG antibody responses to one S antigen identified individuals with previous RT-qPCR confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection with 90.3% sensitivity (95% confidence interval (CI); 86.1%, 93.4%) and 99.1% specificity (95% CI; 97.4%, 99.7%). Using a serological signature of IgG to four antigens, it was possible to identify infected individuals with 96.1% sensitivity (95% CI; 93.0%, 97.9%) and 99.1% specificity (95% CI; 97.4%, 99.7%). Antibody responses to SARS-CoV-2 increase rapidly 1-2 weeks after symptom onset, with antibody responses predicted to peak within 2-4 weeks. Informed by prior data from other coronaviruses, one year following symptom onset antibody responses are predicted to decay by approximately 60% from the peak response. Depending on the selection of sero-positivity cutoff, we estimate that the sensitivity of serological diagnostics may reduce to 56%-97% after six months, and to 49%-93% after one year. Conclusion Serological signatures based on antibody responses to multiple antigens can provide more accurate and robust serological classification of individuals with previous SARS-CoV-2 infection. Changes in antibody levels over time may cause reductions in the sensitivity of serological diagnostics leading to an underestimation of sero-prevalence. It is essential that data continue to be collected to evaluate this potential risk.
Macroeconomic Volatility under Alternative Exchange Rate Regimes in Turkey

After the collapse of fixed exchange rate regime in 1980, alternative regimes were adopted in Turkey. The "crawling peg" regime (1980-81) is followed by "managed float" (1981-99), "crawling peg" (1999-2001) and "free floating" (2001-) in "de jure" classification. This paper examines the behavior of the macroeconomic variables in terms of volatility across exchange rate regimes in "de jure " and "de facto" classifications, using monthly data over the period 1980-2006. We find a strong GARCH effect for the real exchange rate, inflation and foreign exchange reserves. The findings of the t-test indicate that the variations in the mean of most of the macroeconomic variables are not statistically different from each other under "de facto" regimes The results of this study suggest the existence of "de facto" regime neutrality.
The Sources of Spanish Regional Growth and Convergence

This article reviews the patterns of growth in Spain and its 17 regions from a long term perspective. It starts with the basic features of growth in Spain, highlighting the poor performance of labour productivity. The analysis confirms that the slow advances of productivity are a common problem for all regions, although with different intensities. This problem is analyzed from two different perspectives: the structure of production by industry; and the decomposition of the sources of growth. We break down the labour factor into quantity and qualification levels, and we consider three types of capital: new technologies (ICT); infrastructures, and the rest of capital (non infrastructures, non ICT). The analysis uses β and σ convergence definitions to examine the degree of regional convergence of productivity and its determinants.
Role of the α-, β-, and γ-Subunits of Epithelial Sodium Channel in a Model of Polygenic Hypertension

The pathophysiological basis of Liddle's syndrome, a rare autosomal dominant form of arterial hypertension, has been found to rest on missense mutations or truncations of the beta- and gamma-subunits of the epithelial sodium channel. The hypothesis has been advanced that molecular variants of these genes might also contribute to the common polygenic forms of hypertension. We tested this hypothesis by performing a cosegregation study in a reciprocal cross between the stroke-prone spontaneously hypertensive rat (SHRSPHD) and a Wistar-Kyoto rat (WKY-1HD) reference strain. We carried out genetic mapping and chromosomal assignment of the alpha-, beta-, and gamma-subunits of the epithelial sodium channel using both linkage analysis and fluorescent in situ hybridization techniques. We demonstrate that in the rat, the beta- and gamma-subunits, as in humans, are in close linkage; they map to rat chromosome 1 and cosegregate with systolic pressure after dietary NaCl (logarithm of the odds [LOD] score, 3.7), although the peak LOD score of 5.0 for this quantitative trait locus was detected 4.4 cM away from the beta-/gamma-subunit locus. The alpha-subunit was mapped to chromosome 4 and exhibited no linkage to blood pressure phenotype. Comparative analysis of the complete coding sequences of all three subunits in the SHRSPHD and WKY-1HD strains revealed no biologically relevant mutations. Furthermore, Northern blot comparison of mRNA levels for all three subunits in the kidney showed no differences between SHRSPHD and WKY-1HD. Our results fail to support a material contribution of the epithelial sodium channel genes to blood pressure regulation in this model of polygenic hypertension.
Proactive Risk Assessment for Preventing Attribute-Forgery Attacks to ABAC Policies

Recently, the use of well-defined, security-relevant pieces of runtime information, a.k. a. , attributes, has emerged as a convenient paradigm for writing, enforcing, and maintaining authorization policies, allowing for extended flexibility and convenience. However, attackers may try to bypass such policies, along with their enforcement mechanisms, by maliciously forging the attributes listed on them, e.g., by compromising the attribute sources : operative systems, software modules, remote services, etc., thus gaining unintended access to protected resources as a result. In such a context, performing a proper risk assessment of authorization policies, taking into account their inner structure: rules, attributes, combining algorithms, etc., along with their corresponding sources, becomes highly convenient to overcome \emphzero-day vulnerabilities, before they can be later exploited by attackers. With this in mind, we introduce \toolname, an automated risk assessment framework for authorization policies, which, besides being inspired by well-established techniques for vulnerability analysis such as symbolic execution, also introduces the very first approach for proactively assessing risks in the context of a series of attacks based on unintended attribute manipulation via forgery. We validate our approach by resorting to a set of case studies we performed on both real-life policies originally written in the English language, as well as a set of policies obtained from the literature, which show not only the convenience of our approach for risk assessment, but also reveal that some of those policies are vulnerable to attribute-forgery attacks by just compromising one or two of their attributes.
CLASSIFICATION OF DIVERSE CALL TYPES USING CLUSTER ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES

ABSTRACT We investigated the problem of categorizing the repertoire of a group of highly varied vocalizations. A set of Weddell seal Leptonychotes weddellim-air calls recorded near Davis, Antarctica, were examined. The repertoire size was estimated by first subjectively assigning each call (based on auditory and spectrographic patterns) to one of a large number of provisional call types. A set of frequency, duration and waveform measurements were made on every call. For each provisional call type, the mean value of each of these measures was calculated. These mean values were used to perform Cluster Analyses of the provisional call types. Beginning with calls clustered closest together, the most similar provisional call types were successively amalgamated until further joining would link two clearly dissimilar vocalizations (rising versus falling frequency sweeps in this case). The Weddell seal repertoire contained 12 call types ranging from long sinusoidal upsweeps to growls. This procedure provides a me.
Linkage mapping for grain iron and zinc content in F2 population derived from the cross between PAU201 and Palman 579 in rice (Oryza sativa L.)

Molecular markers provide novel tools for linkage mapping of QTLs of target traits and can greatly enhance the efficacy of breeding programs to improve mineral (iron and zinc) density in rice. A F2 population derived from the cross between high-yielding (PAU201) and iron-rich (Palman 579) indica rice varieties displayed large variation for various physio-morphological traits including grain yield per plant and iron and zinc contents. Transgressive segregation for grain iron and/or zinc contents was noticed in some F2 individuals with one of the F2 plants having exceptionally higher iron (475.4 μg/g) as well as zinc (157.4 μg/g) contents. Grain iron content showed significant positive correlation (r = 0.523) with grain zinc content indicating the feasibility of improving iron and zinc levels simultaneously in rice grain. Two parental rice varieties displayed polymorphism at 76 of the 100 SSR loci, which were used to map the QTLs associated with mineral content in grains. Composite interval mapping (CIM) an.
The Terminal Segment of the Seminiferous Tubules and the Blood‐Testis Barrier Before and After Efferent Ductule Ligation in the Rat

The ultrastructure of modified Sertoli cells in the terminal segment of the seminiferous tubules in the rat was studied in material fixed by perfusion through the thoracic or the abdominal aorta. The central lumen of the terminal segment was not distinct under normal conditions, but became quite evident with an increased intratesticular pressure caused by efferent ductule ligation. The modified Sertoli cells were characterized by a marked increase in number of microtubules and microfilaments, extensive inter-Sertoli cell junctions, vacuolated cytoplasm, and considerably dilated intercellular spaces. Three types of specialized cell contacts were found between modified Sertoli cells: typical inter-Sertoli cell junctions, desmosome-like devices, and septate-like tight junctions. These specialized cell contacts were efficient in preventing lanthanum to penetrate into the lumen of the terminal segment both before and after efferent ductule ligation. Moreover, it was found that typical inter-Sertoli cell junctions prevented lanthanum penetration into the adluminal compartment of the seminiferous tubules even after efferent ductule ligation.
Enzyme heterozygosity and growth of rainbow trout reared at two rations

The relationship between heterozygosity at nine enzyme loci and both size and growth in rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) reared at either low (LRT) or high (HRT) ration for 84 days is reported. The experimental fish were progeny produced from a pooled mating of 25 female and 25 male rainbow trout captured in spawning condition at the Ganaraska River, Ontario. There is a significant negative regression between the number of heterozygous loci per fish and size (fork length and weight) among fish at the beginning of the experiment. Heterozygotes at two loci, Sod and Mdh3,4, were significantly smaller than homozygotes. A significant negative regression between multilocus heterozygosity and size was detectable among the fish reared at HRT for 84 days but not at LRT. Ration appeared to affect the strength of the association between heterozygosity and growth because at HRT homozygotes at the majority of loci grew faster than heterozygotes, but the reverse was true at LRT.
Repeated sequence markers in pea (Pisum sativum)

SUMMARY Multiple-marker techniques based on PCR are highly informative in genetic analysis. The bulk of many genomes is comprised of repeated sequences, and thus anonymous markers derived from genomic DNA are likely to correspond to repeated DNA sequences. Here we show that repeated-sequence-derived markers can provide information similar in quality to that of other PCR-based markers. Presumably this reflects the abundance of this repeat type in anonymous PCR markers such as RAPDs or AFLPs.
Wasserstein distance error bounds for the multivariate normal approximation of the maximum likelihood estimator

We obtain explicit Wasserstein distance error bounds between the distribution of the multi-parameter MLE and the multivariate normal distribution. Our general bounds are given for possibly high-dimensional, independent and identically distributed random vectors. Our general bounds are of the optimal $\mathcal{O}(n^{-1/2})$ order. We apply our general bounds to derive Wasserstein distance error bounds for the multivariate normal approximation of the MLE in several settings; these being single-parameter exponential families, the normal distribution under canonical parametrisation, and the multivariate normal distribution under non-canonical parametrisation.
Ageing nestling Barn Swallows Hirundo rustica: an illustrated guide and cautionary comments

Ageing is a crucial requisite for any analysis of growth and development. However, ageing by regular nest visits around hatching is time-consuming. Thus, species-specific developmental patterns are used to estimate nestling age at infrequent nest visits during the nestling period. Unfortunately, comprehensive species-specific data on the timing of other developmental traits than body mass and feather growth are rarely published. Here, we present an illustrated guide to ageing nestling Barn Swallows, Hirundo rustica, based on daily observations of 27 broods from hatching to 15 days of age. The occurrence of feather tracts at different parts of the body was the most reliable key to ageing nestlings in the first days of life. Afterwards, the most useful trait was the emergence of feathers from their sheaths. In periods of cold weather, nestling body mass and feather length was significantly lower than that attained in normal weather conditions, especially from day 9 onwards, leading to an ageing bias of one to four days. To ensure accurate estimates of nestling age, ageing should be accomplished as early as possible in the nestling period. This is of special importance if differences in growth and body condition between individuals are key aspects of the study.
Rational dynamical systems, S-units, and
D-finite power series

Let $K$ be an algebraically closed field of characteristic zero and let $G$ be a finitely generated subgroup of the multiplicative group of $K$. We consider $K$-valued sequences of the form $a_n:=f(\varphi^n(x_0))$, where $\varphi\colon X\to X$ and $f\colon X\to\mathbb{P}^1$ are rational maps defined over $K$ and $x_0\in X$ is a point whose forward orbit avoids the indeterminacy loci of $\varphi$ and $f$. Many classical sequences from number theory and algebraic combinatorics fall under this dynamical framework, and we show that the set of $n$ for which $a_n\in G$ is a finite union of arithmetic progressions along with a set of Banach density zero. In addition, we show that if $a_n\in G$ for every $n$ and $X$ is irreducible and the $\varphi$ orbit of $x$ is Zariski dense in $X$ then there are a multiplicative torus $\mathbb{G}_m^d$ and maps $\Psi:\mathbb{G}_m^d \to \mathbb{G}_m^d$ and $g:\mathbb{G}_m^d \to \mathbb{G}_m$ such that $a_n = g\circ \Psi^n(y)$ for some $y\in \mathbb{G}_m^d$. We then obtain results about the coefficients of $D$-finite power series using these facts.
Accurate and efficient splitting methods for dissipative particle dynamics

We study numerical methods for dissipative particle dynamics (DPD), which is a system of stochastic differential equations and a popular stochastic momentum-conserving thermostat for simulating complex hydrodynamic behavior at mesoscales. We show that novel splitting methods are able to substantially improve the accuracy and efficiency of DPD simulations in a wide range of the friction coefficients, particularly in the extremely large friction limit that corresponds to a fluid-like Schmidt number, a key issue in DPD. Various numerical experiments are performed to demonstrate the superiority of the newly proposed methods over popular alternative schemes in the literature.
Collecting big behavioral data for measuring behavior against obesity

Obesity is currently affecting very large portions of the global population. Effective prevention and treatment starts at the early age and requires objective knowledge of population-level behavior on the region/neighborhood scale. To this end, we present a system for extracting and collecting behavioral information on the individual-level objectively and automatically. The behavioral information is related to physical activity, types of visited places, and transportation mode used between them. The system employs indicator-extraction algorithms from the literature which we evaluate on publicly available datasets. The system has been developed and integrated in the context of the EU-funded BigO project that aims at preventing obesity in young populations.
Comparison and Benchmark of Graph Clustering Algorithms

Graph clustering is widely used in analysis of biological networks, social networks and etc. For over a decade many graph clustering algorithms have been published, however a comprehensive and consistent performance comparison is not available. In this paper we benchmarked more than 70 graph clustering programs to evaluate their runtime and quality performance for both weighted and unweighted graphs. We also analyzed the characteristics of ground truth that affects the performance. Our work is capable to not only supply a start point for engineers to select clustering algorithms but also could provide a viewpoint for researchers to design new algorithms.