Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Interest in natural family planning among female family practice patients.

OBJECTIVE Although modern methods of natural family planning (NFP) are effective both to avoid and to achieve pregnancy, relatively few women use these methods. It is not known whether this is due primarily to lack of interest or to other factors. We therefore explored the level of interest in NFP among female family practice patients. METHODS We mailed information about NFP to 400 female patients between ages 21 and 42 and conducted follow-up interviews by telephone. We excluded 162 women for whom we could not obtain accurate addresses or phone numbers, 68 women we could not reach by telephone, 67 women who were not currently at risk of pregnancy, and 15 women for other reasons. Twenty-eight women refused to participate in the study. Sixty women completed telephone interviews. RESULTS Forty-three percent of respondents (n = 60) were interested in learning more about NFP, 24% said they were likely to use NFP to avoid pregnancy, and 32% were likely to use NFP to achieve pregnancy. Younger women and women who were Christian but not Catholic and not of a major Protestant denomination were more interested in NFP. CONCLUSION Some female family practice patients are interested in learning and using NFP.
Understanding the nanoparticle–protein corona using methods to quantify exchange rates and affinities of proteins for nanoparticles

Due to their small size, nanoparticles have distinct properties compared with the bulk form of the same materials. These properties are rapidly revolutionizing many areas of medicine and technology. Despite the remarkable speed of development of nanoscience, relatively little is known about the interaction of nanoscale objects with living systems. In a biological fluid, proteins associate with nanoparticles, and the amount and presentation of the proteins on the surface of the particles leads to an in vivo response. Proteins compete for the nanoparticle “surface,” leading to a protein “corona” that largely defines the biological identity of the particle. Thus, knowledge of rates, affinities, and stoichiometries of protein association with, and dissociation from, nanoparticles is important for understanding the nature of the particle surface seen by the functional machinery of cells. Here we develop approaches to study these parameters and apply them to plasma and simple model systems, albumin and fibrinogen. A series of copolymer nanoparticles are used with variation of size and composition (hydrophobicity). We show that isothermal titration calorimetry is suitable for studying the affinity and stoichiometry of protein binding to nanoparticles. We determine the rates of protein association and dissociation using surface plasmon resonance technology with nanoparticles that are thiol-linked to gold, and through size exclusion chromatography of protein–nanoparticle mixtures. This method is less perturbing than centrifugation, and is developed into a systematic methodology to isolate nanoparticle-associated proteins. The kinetic and equilibrium binding properties depend on protein identity as well as particle surface characteristics and size.
Force-based load balancing in co-located UMTS/GSM networks

Currently UMTS networks are rolled out to compliment existing GSM networks. As most UMTS mobiles will also support GSM, the question of which system to select for a given service emerges. In order to exploit the differences between radio access technologies, common radio resource management (CRRM) is employed, i.e. common management of the whole radio resources such that the assignment of mobiles to different radio technologies is flexible and considers the specific advantages of each system. The focus of the paper is on intelligent algorithms to decide the balancing of the load between the different radio technologies. We study algorithms for optimum assignment of mobiles to a radio technology during call setup as well as during the call. The decision is based on an intelligent evaluation of various aspects of the radio link. Our algorithm is based on an approach previously employed to balance the load of distributed computing systems.
pex 5 Mutants That Differentially Disrupt PTS 1 and PTS 2 Peroxisomal Matrix Protein Import in Arabidopsis 1 [ W ] [ OA ]

PEX5 and PEX7 are receptors required for the import of peroxisome-bound proteins containing one of two peroxisomal targeting signals (PTS1 or PTS2). To better understand the role of PEX5 in plant peroxisomal import, we characterized the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) pex5-10 mutant, which has a T-DNA insertion in exon 5 of the PEX5 gene. Sequencing results revealed that exon 5, along with the T-DNA, is removed in this mutant, resulting in a truncated pex5 protein. The pex5-10 mutant has germination defects and is completely dependent on exogenous Suc for early seedling establishment, based on poor utilization of seed-storage fatty acids. This mutant also has delayed development and reduced fertility, although adult pex5-10 plants appear normal. Peroxisomal metabolism of indole-3-butyric acid, propionate, and isobutyrate also is disrupted. The pex5-10 mutant has reduced import of both PTS1 and PTS2 proteins, and enzymatic processes that occur in peroxisomes are disrupted. To specifically study the import and importance of PTS1 proteins, we made a truncated PEX5 construct lacking the PTS1-binding region (PEX5454). Transformation of this construct into pex5-10 resulted in the rescue of PTS2 import, thereby creating a line with PTS1-specific import defects. The pex5-10 (PEX5454) plants still had developmental defects, although restoring PTS2 import resulted in a less severe mutant phenotype. Comparison of pex5-10 and pex5-10 (PEX5454) phenotypes can separate the import mechanisms for enzymes acting in different peroxisomal processes, including indole-3-butyric acid/ 2,4-dichlorophenoxybutyric acid oxidation, isobutyrate and propionate metabolism, and photorespiration.
Polynomic Curve based Representation System Implemented using FPGAs

A polynomic curve based representation system is a three-dimensional system for rendering images using polynomic curves instead of triangles meshes. This system allows render a scene in a way that the computational cost depends on the image size more than on the scene complexity. Moreover, It allows the user to describe a scene using a minimal amount of data in comparison with traditional methods. According to that, we have implemented a hardware that demonstrates how this kind of applications can be accelerated in a huge grade using the proper solution. The hardware was implemented on a FPGA; thanks to it, the execution times were very reduced, showing a very promising speedup compared against an only software solution.
Detection and prediction of active tuberculosis disease by a whole-blood interferon-gamma release assay in HIV-1-infected individuals.

BACKGROUND The sensitivity of whole-blood interferon-gamma release assays to detect or predict active tuberculosis in individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) has as yet not been determined. Methods. In this prospective, longitudinal, single-center study, 830 HIV-1-infected patients underwent testing with the QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT) assay. Clinical screening for active tuberculosis was performed at least every 3 months for a median follow-up time of 19 months. RESULTS At baseline, the QFT-GIT assay yielded positive or indeterminate results in 44 (5.3%) and 47 (5.7%) of the 830 patients, respectively. A positive QFT-GIT assay result occurred at significantly higher frequencies among black individuals than among white individuals (odds ratio, 4.84; 95% confidence interval, 2.25-9.97; P< .001), among patients from Africa than among patients from Austria (odds ratio, 6.57; 95% confidence interval, 2.99-14.25; P< .001), and among patients from high-prevalence countries than among patients from low-prevalence countries (odds ratio, 5.86; 95% confidence interval, 2.41-13.44; P< .001). In patients with indeterminate QFT-GIT assay results, both median actual and nadir CD4(+) T cell counts were significantly lower than in patients with interpretable QFT-GIT assay results (P< .001). At the time of baseline QFT-GIT screening, active tuberculosis was found in 7 (15.9%) of 44 individuals with a positive result and in 1 (0.1%) of 739 patients with a negative result. During the follow-up period, however, progression to active tuberculosis occurred exclusively in patients with a positive QFT-GIT assay result, at a rate of 8.1% (3 of 37 patients; P< .001). Collectively, the sensitivity of the QFT-GIT assay for active tuberculosis was 90.9% (95% confidence interval, 62.3%-98.4%). CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that the QFT-GIT assay may be a sensitive tool for the detection and prediction of active tuberculosis in HIV-1-infected individuals.
Bone Structure and Perfusion Quantification of Bone Marrow Edema Pattern in the Wrist of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Multimodality Study

Objective. To quantify bone structure and perfusion parameters in regions of bone marrow edema pattern (BMEP), non-edematous bone marrow (NBM), and pannus tissue areas in the wrists of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using 3-Tesla (3T) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and high resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HR-pQCT). Methods. Sixteen subjects fulfilling American College of Rheumatology classification were imaged using a HR-pQCT system and a 3T MRI scanner with an 8-channel wrist coil. Coronal T2-weighted and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE-MRI) images were acquired. BMEP and pannus tissue areas were segmented semiautomatically in T2-weighted images. NBM areas were placed at a similar distance from the joint space as BMEP regions. MR and HR-pQCT images were registered, and bone variables were calculated within the BMEP and NBM regions. Perfusion parameters in BMEP, pannus tissue, and NBM regions were calculated based on the signal-time curve obtained from DCE-MRI. Results. Eighteen BMEP areas were segmented, 15 of them presented proximal to pannus-filled erosions. Significant increases in bone density and trabecular thickness and number were observed in all BMEP regions compared to NMB (p < 0.05). Significantly elevated perfusion measures were observed in both BMEP and pannus tissue regions compared to NBM (p < 0.05). Conclusion. BMEP regions showed significantly increased bone density and structures as well as perfusion measures, suggesting bone remodeling and active inflammation. Combining MRI and HR-pQCT provides a powerful multimodality approach for understanding BMEP and erosions, and for potentially identifying novel imaging markers for disease progression in RA.
Cytokine Expression in Rat Colon During Postnatal Development: Regulation by Glucocorticoids

Objectives: Cytokine expression and regulation by glucocorticoids and retinoic acid were investigated in the colon during postnatal development. Materials and Methods: Gene expression of the transforming growth factors (TGFs) TGF-&bgr;1, TGF-&bgr;2 and TGF-&agr; and the proinflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-&agr; (TNF-&agr;) and interleukin-1&bgr; (IL-1&bgr;) was evaluated by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) in rat colon mucosa during weaning and in adult rats. Protein expression and distribution of TGF-&bgr;s was analysed in the colon from 14- and 60-day-old animals. The effect of hydrocortisone administration on mucosal cytokine transcripts (RT-PCR) and of dexamethasone on the expression of cytokines by the epithelial cell line IEC-18 and 2 subepithelial myofibroblasts (MIC 307-1 and 316) was examined. Results: TGF-&bgr;1 and TGF-&bgr;2 messenger RNAs and proteins decreased in the entire colon from weaning to adult stages, whereas the amount of TGF-&agr; messenger RNA increased in the proximal colon and decreased in the distal part of the colon in adult rats in comparison with weanlings. However, proinflammatory cytokines showed no postnatal changes in the proximal colon but decreased in the distal part in comparison with weaning rats. Hydrocortisone treatment did not affect growth factor expression but decreased proinflammatory cytokines. Likewise, dexamethasone decreased TNF-&agr; and IL-1&bgr; gene expression but did not affect TGF-&bgr;s in either epithelial or myofibroblast cells. Conclusions: During postnatal maturation, the expression of growth factors and proinflammatory cytokines decreased in the distal colon, whereas in the proximal colon, a differential maturation occurs with no changes in proinflammatory cytokines, an increase in TGF-&agr; and a decrease in TGF-&bgr;. Glucocorticoids may control the developmental profile of proinflammatory cytokines.
Factor-Loading Uncertainty and Expected Returns

Firm-specific information can affect expected returns if it affects investor uncertainty about risk-factor loadings. We show that a stock's expected return is decreasing in factor-loading uncertainty, controlling for the average level of its factor loading. When loadings are persistent, learning by investors can induce time-series variation in price-dividend ratios, expected returns, and idiosyncratic volatility, even when the aggregate risk-premium is constant and fundamental shocks are homoscedastic. Consistent with our predictions, we estimate that average annual returns of a firm with the median level of factor-loading uncertainty are 400 to 525 basis points lower than a comparable firm without factor-loading uncertainty. The Author 2012. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of The Society for Financial Studies. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com. , Oxford University Press.
Phenotypic and genotypic characterization of-D-glucuronidase-positive Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli O 157 : H 7 isolates from deer

-Glucuronidase-positive (GUDþ) Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) O157 :H7 was isolated fromboth an asymptomaticwoman and uncooked deermeat in her possession inHokkaido, Japan. The phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the two isolates were identical or closely related, indicating probable transmission of the deer isolate to the woman. Moreover, several other GUDþ STEC O157 :H7 strains investigated belonged to the distinct atypical GUDþ STEC O157 :H7 group that has been identified previously. This is the first report that deer can be a reservoir of GUDþ STEC O157 :H7 in Japan.
Facial recognition under expression variations

Researchers in different fields such as image processing, neural sciences, computer programs and psychophysics have investigated number of problems related to facial recognition by machines and humans since 1975. Automatic recognition of the human emotions using facial expression is an important, but difficult problem. This study introduces a novel and automatic approach to analyze and recognize human facial expressions and emotions using a metaheuristic algorithm, which hybridizes iterated local search and genetic algorithms with backpropagation algorithm (ILSGA-BP). Back-propagation algorithm (BP) was used to train and test the extracted features from the extracted right eye, left eye and mouth using radial curves and Cubic Bézier curves, Metaheuristic algorithm (MA) was used to enhance and optimize the initial weights of the traditional back-propagation algorithm. FEEDTUM facial expression database was used in this study for training and testing processes with seven different emotions namely; surprise, happiness, disgust, neutral, fear, sadness and anger. A comparison of the results obtained using the extracted features from the radial curves, Cubic Bézier curves and the combination of them experiments were conducted. The comparison shows the superiority of the combination of the radial curves and the Cubic Bézier curves with percentage ranges between 87% and 97% over the radial curves alone with a percentage ranges between 80% and 97% and over the Cubic Bézier curves with a percentage ranges between 83% and 97%. Moreover, based on the extracted features using the radial curves, Cubic Bézier curves and the combination of them, the experimental results show that the proposed ILSGA-BP algorithm outperformed the BP algorithm with overall accuracy 88%, 89% and 93.4% respectively, compared to 83%, 82% and 85% respectively using BP
Executive Functions in a Turkish Sample: Associations with Demographic Variables and Normative Data

Attention and executive functions are affected by demographic factors. The study presented in this paper examines the effects of education, gender, and age on the scores of the Color Trail Test (CTT) (D'Elia, Satz, Uchiyama, & White, 1999) and the Visual Verbal Test (VVT) (Feldman & Drasgow, 1959), which are considered to be measures of executive functions such as attention, cognitive flexibility, set shifting, abstraction, and concept formation. This paper also presents the normative data for 611 cognitively intact adult Turkish participants (male:female ratio = 361:250; age range = 20–100 years, mean age = 52.038; education range = 0–25 years, mean education = 9.01). As expected, the effects of age and education were significant and sizeable, but the effect of gender was small. Results showed that the CTT and the VVT performances were lower for higher ages and lower educational levels. Based on these results, the current norms for both tests were stratified for age and education.
Optic nerve hypoplasia and small eyes in presumed amblyopia.

PURPOSE To assess the anatomy of eyes presumed to be amblyopic and their fellow eyes. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred seventy-five patients diagnosed with amblyopia and 88 healthy or glaucomatous subjects. METHODS All subjects underwent complete examinations, including cycloplegic refraction, slit lamp examination, ophthalmoscopy, and retinal imaging. Axial lengths were determined on 263 amblyopic and 88 healthy and glaucomatous subjects by ultrasonic biometry. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Optic disc areas were determined by magnification correction of disc images performed with formulas. Dysversion of the optic disc was determined by simultaneous viewing of disc photographs, digitized images of both eyes, or both. RESULTS The mean disc area of eyes presumed to be amblyopic was 1.72 mm(2) +/- 0. 73 SD and 1.95 mm(2) +/- 0.69 SD for nonamblyopic eyes (P =.0017). The mean disc area for 176 optic discs of glaucomatous and healthy eyes was 2.61 mm(2) +/- 0.95 SD. The mean axial length for eyes in the general population is 23.65 mm +/- 1.35 SD. The healthy and glaucomatous group in this study had a mean axial length of 23.89 mm +/- 1.29 SD. The eyes with poorer vision that were assumed to be amblyopic averaged 22.42 mm +/- 2.01 SD in length, whereas their nonamblyopic fellow eyes averaged 22.83 mm +/- 1.89 SD (P =.022). The differences between eyes in the healthy population and eyes that are presumably amblyopic, as well as the healthy and fellow eyes, are highly significant (P <.0001)(7.0 x 10(-16)). CONCLUSION Vision impairment in presumed amblyopia is associated with optic nerve hypoplasia with relative microphthalmos, which is more notable in those eyes with poorer vision.
Adaptive walking of a 2D biped robot during splitbelt treadmill

There are a lot of research that measure the oxygen uptake, dynamics and kinematics, etc when human walks on the treadmill. Especially in the splitbelt treadmill walking that the speed of the right and left belt is different, a remarkable difference is seen between normal and cerebellar disease subject in kinematics. In the present paper, the splitbelt treadmill walking, which is achieved by the cyclic motion base on the inverted pendulum model and the adaptive control named P-gain adjustment, is described.
Surface-Based Scatterometer Results of Arctic Sea Ice

Radar backscatter measurements were made of shorefast sea ice near Point Barrow, AK, in May 1977, with a surface-based FM-CW scatterometer that swept from 1-2 GHz and from 8.5-17.5 GHz. The 1-2 GHz measurements showed that thick first-year and multiyear ice cannot be distinguished at 10-70° incidence angles, but that undeformed sea ice can be discriminated from pressure ridges and lake ice. Results also indicate that frequencies between 8-18 GHz have the ability to discriminate between thick first-year, multiyear, and lake ice. Cross polarization was found to be a better discriminator than like polarization. In addition, at these latter frequencies the differential scattering cross section ¿° was found to have an approximately linearly increasing frequency response.
Miniaturization of SIW Cavity Filters Through Stub Loading

This article reports on a simple yet efficient miniaturization technique of substrate integrated waveguide cavity resonators through stub loading. The stubs are attached to the cavity side edges and they are coupled with the magnetic fields of the cavity. This setup allows the stub loaded cavity to operate below its fundamental resonant frequency. This miniaturization technique is demonstrated by developing a two pole filter in horizontally and vertically coupled configurations. The potential to incorporate electronic tuning and various possible applications of these miniaturized cavities in low frequency system-in-package designs make them an excellent choice as compared to their conventional counterparts.
Routing-Proofness in Congestion-Prone Networks

We consider the problem of sharing the cost of connecting a large number of atomless agents in a network. The centralized agency elicits the target nodes that agents want to connect, and charges agents based on their demands. We look for a cost-sharing mechanism that satisfies three desirable properties: efficiency which charges agents based on the minimum total cost of connecting them in a network, stand-alone core stability which requires charging agents not more than the cost of connecting by themselves directly, and limit routing-proofness which prevents agents from profitable reporting as several agents connecting from A to C to B instead of A to B. We show that these three properties are not always compatible for any set of cost functions and demands. However, when these properties are compatible, a new egalitarian mechanism is shown to satisfy them. When the properties are not compatible, we find a rule that meets stand-alone core stability, limit routing-proofness and minimizes the budget deficit.
Le développement du réseau de gaz naturel au Caire : une réforme qui pénalise les quartiers informels

Le developpement en cours d'un reseau de gaz naturel au Caire vise a faire realiser a l'Etat des economies budgetaires substantielles tout en ameliorant, en theorie, l'acces a ce service des menages les plus pauvres et son cout. Toutefois, dans la pratique, le cout eleve du raccordement et les contraintes techniques relatives a la largeur des rues et a la securite des edifices, excluent de facto une grande partie des quartiers populaires du Caire. Le modele economique choisi a tres mal evalue la capacite a payer des menages, alors que dans une premiere periode, les quartiers centraux souvent plus aises ont beneficie d'un raccordement tres subventionne. Dans le meme temps, la distribution du gaz en bouteille est sujette a de regulieres crises de penurie, notamment dans les quartiers populaires, en raison d'une tres mauvaise gestion publique de ce commerce, largement laisse au secteur informel. La reforme de la distribution du gaz implique egalement une revision de la tarification conjuguant efficacite financiere et justice sociale en ciblant mieux ses beneficiaires, mais ses modalites sont complexes a mettre en œuvre. L'article plaide, dans le contexte de la revolution, pour une reforme ne se limitant pas aux enjeux economiques et financiers mais impliquant une transformation profonde de l'action publique.