Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
The UK Clinical Aptitude Test: Is it a fair test for selecting medical students?

Background: The United Kingdom Clinical Aptitude Test (UKCAT) is designed to increase diversity and fairness in selection to study medicine. Aim: The aim of this study is to determine if differences in: access to support and advice, in modes of preparation, type of school/college attended, level of achievement in mathematics, gender and age influence candidate performance in the UKCAT and thereby unfairly advantage some candidates over others. Methods: Confidential, self-completed, on-line questionnaire of applicants to study on an undergraduate medical degree course who had taken the UKCAT in 2010. Results: Differentials in access to support and advice, in modes of preparation, type of school/college attended, in level of achievement in mathematics, gender and age were found to be associated with candidate performance in the UKCAT. Conclusion: The findings imply that the UKCAT may disadvantage some candidate groups. This inequity would likely be improved if tutors and career advisors in schools and colleges were more informed about the UKCAT and able to offer appropriate advice on preparation for the test.
Regulation of the 26S proteasome by adenovirus E1A

We have identified the N‐terminus of adenovirus early region 1A (AdE1A) as a region that can regulate the 26S proteasome. Specifically, in vitro and in vivo co‐precipitation studies have revealed that the 19S regulatory components of the proteasome, Sug1 (S8) and S4, bind through amino acids (aa) 4–25 of Ad5 E1A. In vivo expression of wild‐type (wt) AdE1A, in contrast to the N‐terminal AdE1A mutant that does not bind the proteasome, reduces ATPase activity associated with anti‐S4 immunoprecipitates relative to mock‐infected cells. This reduction in ATPase activity correlates positively with the ability of wt AdE1A, but not the N‐terminal deletion mutant, to significantly reduce the ability of HPV16 E6 to target p53 for ubiquitin‐mediated proteasomal degradation. AdE1A/proteasomal complexes are present in both the cytoplasm and the nucleus, suggesting that AdE1A interferes with both nuclear and cytoplasmic proteasomal degradation. We have also demonstrated that wt AdE1A and the N‐terminal AdE1A deletion mutant are substrates for proteasomal‐mediated degradation. AdE1A degradation is not, however, mediated through ubiquitylation, but is regulated through phosphorylation of residues within a C‐terminal PEST region (aa 224–238).
LiveWN, cpu scavenging in the Grid Era

The goal of this research is to introduce an easy and versatile way to provide and use Grid resources without the need of any OS installation or middleware configuration. At the same time we provide an excellent training tool for newer Grid users and people that want to experiment, without enforcing any installation. We have been testing it thoroughly under different circumstances with firm success.
Towards a robust hand-eye calibration using normal flows

Calibrating hand-eye geometry is often based on explicit feature correspondences. This article presents an alternative method that uses the apparent flow induced by the motion of the camera to achieve self-calibration. To make the method more robust against noise, the strategy is to use the orientation of the normal flow field which is more noise-immune, to recover first the direction component of the hand-eye geometry. Outliers in the extracted flow data are identified using some intrinsic properties of the flow field together with the partially recovered hand-eye geometry. The final complete solution is refined using a robust process. The proposed method can also be used for determining the relative geometry of multiple cameras without demanding overlap in the visual fields of the cameras. Experimental results on synthetic data and real image data are shown to illustrate the feasibility of the method.
Effects of antihypertensive agents on arterial baroreceptor reflexes in conscious rats.

The effects of antihypertensive treatment with four currently used agents (trichlormethiazide, atenolol, nicardipine, and enalapril) on the arterial baroreceptor reflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate were investigated in 45 conscious spontaneously hypertensive rats and 37 age-matched Wistar-Kyoto rats. Antihypertensive agents were administered for 2 weeks beginning at 8 weeks of age to treat and prevent the development of hypertension. Blood pressure was reduced to a similar level (-13 +/- 3 mm Hg, p < 0.05) by each antihypertensive agent. Blood pressure, heart rate, and renal sympathetic nerve activity were recorded in the conscious state during phenylephrine and nitroglycerin ramp infusion. The gain in the baroreceptor reflex was determined from the maximum slope of logistic function curves. Untreated spontaneously hypertensive rats exhibited decreased sensitivity of reflex control of renal sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate (-1.78 +/- 0.07% of control/mm Hg and -2.16 +/- 0.05 beats per minute/mm Hg, respectively) compared with untreated Wistar-Kyoto rats (-3.62 +/- 0.18% of control/mm Hg, p < 0.01, and -3.46 +/- 0.11 beats per minute/mm Hg, p < 0.05, respectively). (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging outperforms the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial risk calculator in predicting clinically significant prostate cancer

The Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial risk calculator for high‐grade (PCPTHG) prostate cancer (CaP) was developed to improve the detection of clinically significant CaP. In this study, the authors compared the performance of the PCPTHG against multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (MP‐MRI) in predicting men at risk of CaP.
Fuzzy expert system for determining the human gait phase

This paper describes fuzzy logic expert system (FES) uses data about the Zero Moment Point (ZMP) position for automatically determining the gait phases. Simplified human body model is introduced for computation of ZMP position which is the input to the FES. Information about the type of gait phase is the output of FES. The designed fuzzy-rules based system was tested to evaluate the gait of twenty-two volunteers. Results show that the proposed technique for determining the gait phases is suitable. In the case of identification of double supports, the FES was successful in 73%. In the case of identification of single supports, the FES was successful in 64%. The method for studying ZMP in combination with fuzzy logic could contribute to the design of new control systems of prosthesis. Also, the technique can be used for specific rehabilitation examinations and the diagnosis of disorders of the musculoskeletal system.
Creación de empresas y recuperación económica: el caso de Rio Grande do Sul

En este articulo se analiza la dinamica de la creacion de nuevas empresas en Rio Grande do Sul mediante la tasa de creacion de empresas relativa al conjunto de aquellas ya existentes y la tasa relativa a la fuerza de trabajo. El analisis revela que las tasas de creacion de empresas no son homogeneas a nivel regional ni sectorial. Asimismo, se establece que existe una relacion entre la dinamicidad economica regional y la tasa de creacion de empresas. Esa relacion depende del nivel de renovacion de la base empresarial y, fundamentalmente, del impulso emprendedor de los trabajadores locales, que influye en la convergencia de la tasa de creacion de empresas entre las regiones. Los resultados muestran tambien que un aumento en la tasa de creacion de empresas conduce a un incremento del desempeno regional despues de cierto periodo.
The Effect of School Accountability Systems on the Level and Distribution of Student Achievement

The use of school accountability in the United States to improve student performance began in the separate states during the 1980s and was elevated through the federal No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. Evaluating the impact of accountability is difficult because it applies to entire states and can be confused with other changes in the states. We consider how the differential introduction of accountability across states affects growth in student performance on the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP). Our preliminary analysis finds that: 1) accountability improves scores of all students; 2) there is no significant difference between simply reporting scores and attaching consequences; and, 3) while accountability tends to narrow the Hispanic-White gap, it tends to widen the Black-White gap in scores. The last finding suggests that a single policy instrument cannot be expected to satisfy multiple simultaneous goals. (JEL: I2, H7, J4) Copyright (c) 2004 The European Economic Association.
Degree of compression as a potential process control tool of tablet tensile strength

The current view on the development and manufacturing of pharmaceutical preparations points towards improved control tools that can be implemented in pharmaceutical manufacturing as a means to better control end product properties. The objective of this paper was to investigate the relationship between tablet tensile strength and the degree of bed compression in order to evaluate the suitability of assessing the straining of the powder bed during tableting as a process control tool of tablet tensile strength. Microcrystalline cellulose was used as powder raw material and subjected to wet granulation by different procedures to create agglomerates of different physical and compression properties. The produced agglomerates thus showed a large variation in compressibility and compactibility. However, in terms of the relationship between the degree of compression and the tablet tensile strength, all agglomerates gathered reasonably around a single general relationship. The degree of compression hence appears to be a potential valuable process control tool of the tablet tensile strength that may enable the use of an adaptive tableting process with improved product quality consistency.
Les fusions-acquisitions conduisent-elles à une augmentation du recours à l'intérim ?

Cet article s'interesse au recours des entreprises a l'interim dans un contexte economique particulier : celui des fusions-acquisitions. Il repose sur l'elaboration d'une base de donnees individuelles d'entreprises dont le principal interet est la construction, pour chaque entreprise, de stocks annuels d'effectifs en interim. D'un point de vue descriptif, on observe une hausse du recours a l'interim chez l'entreprise beneficiaire de la fusion-acquisition (l'entreprise acquereuse) au moment de la fusion-acquisition. Afin de corriger les effets de selection, la strategie empirique retenue ici repose sur les doubles differences et les triples differences. Le principe de cette methode est de deduire l'effet des fusions-acquisitions sur le recours a l'interim en comparant les evolutions du groupe des entreprises affectees a un groupe de controle, non affecte par les fusions-acquisitions. Les principaux resultats sont les suivants : la periode apres la fusion-acquisition se caracterise par un pic de recours a l'interim. Ce pic ne se reduit pas a un effet de structure (le recours a l'interim etant croissant avec la taille de l'entreprise et avec le fait d'appartenir a un groupe d'entreprises), ni a un simple transfert des interimaires de la cedante. Cet effet est particulierement significatif pour les petites entreprises.
The expanding role of cytopathology in the diagnosis of HPV‐related squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Confirmation of human papillomavirus (HPV) as a causative agent for a subset of biologically and clinically distinct squamous cell carcinomas of the head and neck (HNSCC) has resulted in a growing need and expectation for HPV testing of head and neck cancers. At the same time, opportunities to obtain tissue samples for HPV testing are diminishing: The sensitivity of HPV‐related HNSCC to chemotherapy and ionizing radiation has limited the role of surgical resection, and diagnostic tissue biopsies/resections may not be available in a substantial portion of patients with small or occult primaries. Into this quandary steps the cytopathologist. Fine needle aspirates of metastatic HNSCCs and brushes of oropharyngeal cancers provide a valuable substrate for HPV analysis. These cytologic specimens are suitable for standard tissue‐based methods of HPV detection such as immunoperoxidase and in situ hybridization, but the expanding demands for biomarker analysis of these limited samples is driving the development of alternative assays that eliminate the requirement for high cellularity and complex specimen processing. Various liquid phase assays already in widespread use for HPV analysis of cervical cancer risk may be directly transferrable to the head and neck context. Implementation of these assays may abrogate the current need for tissue acquisition of HNSCCs via a more aggressive surgical procedure. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2014;42:85–93. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Cross-sectional area and volume compliance of porcine left coronary arteries.

We have determined the cross-sectional area (CSA) compliance of the first several generations of pig coronary arteries and the volume compliance of the coronary arterial tree (vessels >0.5 mm in diameter) using a videodensitometric technique. The coronary arteries of four KCl-arrested maximally vasodilated pig hearts were perfused with iodine and 3% Cab-O-Sil. Because Cab-O-Sil occludes small arteries, the flow can be stopped and the pressure can be maintained while the trunk of the coronary artery and its subbranches are imaged using digital angiography. The coronary arteries were preconditioned several times with cyclic changes in pressure from 0 to 160 mmHg. The pressure was then varied in a triangular pattern, and the absolute CSA of each vessel and the total arterial volume were calculated using videodensitometry in conjunction with digital subtraction angiography. Our results have shown that the pressure-diameter and pressure-volume relationships are linear in the 60-140 mmHg pressure range. Furthermore, the compliance of the coronary arteries is small; i.e., the diameter of the coronary artery changes by <15% in the 80-mmHg pressure range. The compliance data couples the mechanics of the blood vessel wall to the mechanics of blood flow to yield a pressure-flow relationship for each coronary arterial segment.
Host-Based Intrusion Detection for VANETs: A Statistical Approach to Rogue Node Detection

In this paper, an intrusion detection system (IDS) for vehicular ad hoc networks (VANETs) is proposed and evaluated. The IDS is evaluated by simulation in the presence of rogue nodes (RNs) that can launch different attacks. The proposed IDS is capable of detecting a false information attack using statistical techniques effectively and can also detect other types of attacks. First, the theory and implementation of the VANET model that is used to train the IDS is discussed. Then, an extensive simulation and analysis of our model under different traffic conditions is conducted to identify the effects of these parameters in VANETs. In addition, the extensive data gathered in the simulations are presented using graphical and statistical techniques. Moreover, RNs are introduced in the network, and an algorithm is presented to detect these RNs. Finally, we evaluate our system and observe that the proposed application-layer IDS based on a cooperative information exchange mechanism is better for dynamic and fast-moving networks such as VANETs, as compared with other techniques available.
Testing consumer perception of nutrient content claims using conjoint analysis

Abstract Objective The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposes to establish standardized and mandatory criteria upon which front-of-pack (FOP) nutrition labelling must be based. The present study aimed to estimate the relative contribution of declared amounts of different nutrients to the perception of the overall ‘healthfulness’ of foods by the consumer. Design Protein, fibre, vitamin A, vitamin C, calcium and iron were nutrients to encourage. Total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, total and added sugar, and sodium were the nutrients to limit. Two content claims per nutrient used the FDA-approved language. An online consumer panel (n 320) exposed to multiple messages (n 48) rated the healthfulness of each hypothetical food product. Utility functions were constructed using conjoint analysis, based on multiple logistic regression and maximum likelihood estimation. Results Consumer perception of healthfulness was most strongly driven by the declared presence of protein, fibre, calcium and vitamin C and by the declared total absence of saturated fat and sodium. For this adult panel, total and added sugar had lower utilities and contributed less to the perception of healthfulness. There were major differences between women and men. Conclusions Conjoint analysis can lead to a better understanding of how consumers process information about the full nutrition profile of a product, and is a powerful tool for the testing of nutrient content claims. Such studies can help the FDA develop science-based criteria for nutrient profiling that underlies FOP and shelf labelling.
Lossless Commutated Boost Converter applied as a PFC Stage for Uninterruptible Power Supply System without Battery Charger

A lossless commutated boost converter applied as an active PFC stage for uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems is presented in this paper. In this new PFC topology, as the stored commutation energy is delivered to the battery set, a suitable design can be made to avoid the use of a battery charger, therefore, eliminating an additional power stage commonly found in ordinary boost converter structures applied as an active PFC stage for UPS. Thus, one can conclude that a suitable design can provide autonomous UPS systems. Detailed experimental results are presented corroborating with simulations analysis also included in this work. The proposed structure presents good performance, becoming a good candidate for PFC stage of on-line UPS structures. Mathematical analysis and a complete description of the proposed topology operation are also presented.
Antibody cross-competition analysis of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 gp120 exterior envelope glycoprotein

Forty-six monoclonal antibodies (MAbs) able to bind to the native, monomeric gp120 glycoprotein of the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) LAI (HXBc2) strain were used to generate a competition matrix. The data suggest the existence of two faces of the gp120 glycoprotein. The binding sites for the viral receptor, CD4, and neutralizing MAbs appear to cluster on one face, which is presumably exposed on the assembled, oligomeric envelope glycoprotein complex. A second gp120 face, which is presumably inaccessible on the envelope glycoprotein complex, contains a number of epitopes for nonneutralizing antibodies. This analysis should be useful for understanding both the interaction of antibodies with the HIV-1 gp120 glycoprotein and neutralization of HIV-1.
The efficacy of a cefoperazone - danofloxacin combination in the treatment of subclinical mastitis in dairy cows caused by Staphylococcus aureus.

Summary We report on the effectiveness and profitability of a single-dose intramammary administration of cefoperazone and danofloxacin combination (CDC) against subclinical mastitis in lactating cows. The CDC proved to be effective against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), in vitro checkerboard trials. The presence of mastitis examined on the 892 mammary quarters of 223 lactating cows by bacterial cultures and microscopic somatic cell counting (SCC). Selecting the subjects at random from the 223 animals, twenty-two cows (32 quarters) used for treatment and eleven cows (15 quarters) as controls. Milk samples received one week before the start of treatment and on days 0, 14, 21 and 28 of the experiment. Bacteriological cure examined to the treated quarters. Bacteriological cure defined as no signs of S. aureus after treatment of quarters previously confirmed as infected. The SCC remained unchanged 4 weeks after treatment started, but quarters that were cured (spontaneously or by CDC) showed significant differences on days 21 and 28 (P<0.05). There was no S. aureus in 53.1% of the treated quarters with intramammary CDC, while in the controls there was spontaneous cure of the infection in 13.3% of the untreated quarters with significant (P<0.05) difference. These preliminary results suggest the intramammary application of CDC is an effective and profitable therapy in treating S. aureus infection resulting in subclinical mastitis in lactating cows.
Should physiotherapy be part of a multidisciplinary treatment for women with chronic pelvic pain?

‘off target’ effects of torcetrapib have been discussed as a possible explanation and it remains also possible that CETP inhibition per se or abnormal HDL function is part of the problem. Whilst the debate continues, within the concept of global risk reduction elevating blood pressure is clearly ‘off target’ and should not be discounted in future studies no matter the starting levels. ILLUMINATE did not shed any light on the HDL raising hypothesis but 800 million dollars later it did reinforce the philosophy that no risk factor should be judged or addressed in isolation. The HDL light may be dimmed but it is not switched off – time to put global risk reduction back ‘on target’.
A TCART-M — Tuned CARTesian-based error function for multilabel classification with the MLP

In 2006 Zhang and Zhou proposed a multilabel classification model based on the MLP network, which was subsequently improved by Grodzicki et al. This paper further improves both these approaches by introducing a scaling parameter responsible for maintaining a balance between the impacts of particular components of the MLP's error function in the training process. The newly-proposed parameter is autonomously fine-tuned by the system in the nested cross validation process. The proposed approach is tested on a set of well-established benchmarks and demonstrates its superiority over the baseline methods for 16 different error measures used in the experiments. Furthermore, the method proves competitive to 12 other state-of-the-art machine learning approaches which are used for further comparisons. In the combined score composed of ranking positions for all benchmarks and all error functions, the proposed neural network system gains the leading position among all tested methods.
Phytoalexins, stress metabolism, and disease resistance in plants.

Phytoalexins are low-molecular-weight antimicrobial compounds that accu­ mulate in plants as a result of infection or stress. The rapidity and extent of their accumulation is determined by their release or the release of immediate precursors from conjugates andlor de novo synthesis, as well as detoxification as a result of plant or microbial enzymes. The rapidity of phytoalexin accu­ mulation is associated with resistance in plants to diseases caused by fungi and bacteria, although the genetic information for phytoalexin synthesis is found in susceptible and resistant plants. Phytoalexins are only one component of the complex mechanisms for disease resistance in plants. This review considers the contribution of phytoalexins to disease resistance and evaluates molecular and nonmolecular strategies for their biosynthesis as potential tech­ nologies for disease control.