Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Oculomotor abnormalities in posterior cortical atrophy: are they different from those in Alzheimer's disease after all?

This scientific commentary refers to ‘Abnormalities of fixation, saccade and pursuit in posterior cortical atrophy’, by Shakespeare et al. (doi:10.1093/brain/awv103). Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is a progressive degenerative condition characterized by a gradual loss of visual skills and other posterior cortical functions due to atrophy of parietal, occipital and occipito-temporal brain regions (Lehmann et al. , 2011). It is associated with a relative preservation of memory, language skills and judgement until late in the clinical course. Core features of PCA include partial or complete Balint’s syndrome (simultanagnosia, optic ataxia and ocular apraxia) and Gerstmann’s syndrome (acalculia, agraphia, finger agnosia), along with various combinations of visuo-spatial and visuo-perceptual impairments (Crutch et al. , 2012), apparent despite an otherwise normal ophthalmological examination. In this issue of Brain , Shakespeare et al. (2015) compare and contrast eye movement abnormalities revealed by basic oculomotor tests in patients with PCA, typical Alzheimer’s disease and healthy controls, in order to determine the extent to which abnormalities in basic (lower-order) oculomotor function contribute to visuo-perceptual disturbances in PCA (Shakespeare et al. , 2015). Patients with PCA typically present when they are between 50 and 65 years of age (Crutch et al. , 2012). One of the most important manifestations of PCA is simultanagnosia, an inability to synthesize the overall meaning of a visual scene despite being able to identify its individual elements; this should be suspected when a patient presents with an inability to read pseudo-isochromatic plates, despite intact colour vision (Beh et al. , 2015). The relative rarity of PCA makes it difficult to recruit large cohorts, but recently the number of studies of this disorder, often referred to as the cardinal visual dementia and the most common atypical Alzheimer’s disease phenotype, has been increasing. The study of …
Graphs with E Edges Have Pagenumber O(sqrt(E))

Abstract A book embedding of a graph consists of a linear ordering of the vertices along the spine of a book and an assignment of edges to pages so that edges residing on the same page do not intersect. The minimum number of pages in which a graph can be embedded is its pagenumber. The main results of this paper: (1) any graph with E edges has pagenumber O(√E); (2) there is a d-regular N-vertex graph with pagenumber Ω(√dN1/2-1/d). The first bound is tight in the worst case; the second bound is tight when d > log N. Both results are dramatic improvements over previously known bounds.
Genre et voix en arabe libanais : le cas des femmes avec un oedème de Reinke

Objectif : Les femmes avec œdeme de Reinke (FR) sont souvent prises pour des hommes au telephone. Ainsi, leurs voix masculines sont interessantes pour l’etude des stereotypes de genre dans la voix. L’objectif de cette etude est de verifier leur plainte dans un cadre experimental et de rechercher les parametres acoustiques utilises dans l’identification du genre en se basant sur leurs voix.Materiel et Methode : Une etude d’auto-evaluation met en evidence la perception qu’ont les FR de leurs voix. Une etude de production compare les parametres acoustiques de voyelles et de phrases produites par 10 FR avec ceux des productions de 10 femmes et de 10 hommes aux voix normales (FN et HN). Un jury naif evalue le genre vocal des FR, FN et HN. Resultats : Les FR s’auto-evaluent comme ayant une voix masculine et une personnalite feminine. Les parametres acoustiques qui permettent de distinguer les voix des FR sont lies a la frequence fondamentale, a la pente spectrale, au ratio des harmoniques par rapport au bruit et a la complexite de l’enveloppe spectrale. Le jury naif, surtout les femmes, jugent les voix des FR comme « surement masculines » plus souvent qu’elles ne jugent les voix des FN quelle que soit la production vocale. Conclusions : Les auditeurs et surtout les auditrices evaluent les FR comme ayant une voix « surement masculine » par rapport aux FN. Ce classement est correle a la F0 ainsi qu’a des parametres acoustiques lies a la qualite vocale : CPP, H1H2, HNR05, HNR15 et HNR25. Ces nouvelles informations contribuent a la comprehension de la perception du genre dans la voix et pourraient guider la rehabilitation des personnes se plaignant d’ambiguite du genre vocal.
Lipocortin I gene expression is higher in blood monocytes than in BAL fluid macrophages in patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis.

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF WORK Lipocortin I, induced by corticosteroids in vivo is considered to be related to cell activation and differentiation in mononuclear phagocytes, key cells in the process of epithelioid cell granuloma formation in sarcoidosis. Therefore, we focused on the expression of lipocortin I gene in mononuclear phagocytes in patients with sarcoidosis. METHOD The amounts of transcripts of lipocortin I gene obtained from both BAL fluid macrophages and blood monocytes were measured by RT-PCR and HPLC, and then standardized as the ratio of lipocortin I/beta-actin for comparison. RESULTS 1. Smoking did not affect the expression of lipocortin I gene in BAL fluid macrophages and monocytes. 2. There were no differences in the amounts of expression in BAL fluid macrophages between patient groups (nonsmokers and smokers), or between patients and healthy subjects. 3. The gene expression in BAL fluid macrophages was higher than that in monocytes in patients with IPF (macrophages 1.23 +/- 0.48, vs monocytes 0.50 +/- 0.38, p < 0.05) and healthy subjects (nonsmokers: 1.66 +/- 1.17, vs 0.34 +/- 0.26, p < 0.05, smoker: 1.98 +/- 0.96, vs 0.34 +/- 0.48, p < 0.05, but sarcoidosis patients showed a higher expression of lipocortin I gene even in monocytes (2.62 +/- 1.87, vs 2.66 +/- 2.21). CONCLUSION The increase in lipocortin I gene expression in monocytes was a disease-related finding in sarcoidosis.
screening, in-vitro antioxidant and cardioprotective potential of monochoria vaginalis on doxorubicin induced cardiotoxicity

The present investigations were undertaken to identify photochemical present in the ethanolic leaf extract of Monochoria vaginalis by GC MS/MS, evaluation of the in vitro antioxidant and cardioprotective activity against DOX-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. The invitro antioxidant potential like DPPH radical scavenging activity, Reducing Power, Superoxide anion Scavenging activity and Nitric oxide Radical Scavenging Activity was assessed. The extent of heart damage and effect of the plant extract was assessed by various biochemical parameters like xanthine oxidase phospho lipase, phospho lipid, glycogen and lipid peroxidase were determined. In the monochoria vaginalis extract 16 compounds were identified by GC–MS/MS. Ethanolic extract of Monochoria vaginalis exhibit strong antioxidant activity. The pretreatment with monochoria vaginalis at two doses (250 mg/ kg and 500 mg /kg) to DOX treated rats significantly prevented the altered enzymes phospholipase, xanthine oxidase and lipid peroxides were enhanced following depletion of glycogen and phospholipids . This study showed that the antioxidant and cardioprotective potential of monochoria vaginalis, therefore scientifically embankment the use of this plant in traditional medicine for treatment of heart diseases.
Distributed full-order optimal fusion filters and smoothers for discrete-time stochastic singular systems

The optimal fusion problem for the state estimation of discrete-time stochastic singular systems is considered. The key idea is to convert a stochastic singular system with multiple sensors and correlated noises into an equivalent group of non-singular systems. Based on the state estimation for each local non-singular system, the optimal full-order filters and smoothers with a three-layer fusion structure are obtained for the original system using the optimal weighted fusion algorithms in the linear minimum variance sense. A simulation example shows that the fusion estimator is better than each local one.
Activation of the epstein‐barr virus genome by 5‐aza‐cytidine in latently infected human lymphoid lines

Recent studies indicate that gene expression in higher eukaryotes is accompanied by a decrease in the frequency of 5‐methyl cytosine residues around the activated site (Razin and Riggs, 1980). 5‐aza‐cytidine (5‐aza‐C) is an analogue that reduces cytidine methylation in DNA (Jones and Taylor, 1980) and has been reported to change the differentiation pattern of cultured mouse embryo cells (Taylor and Jones, 1979). We have tested its ability to activate the Epstein‐Barr virus cycle in latently EBV‐infected human lymphoid lines. After an incubation period of 6 to 8 h with the drug, early antigens (EA) were induced in a substantial fraction of the cells in all six lines tested that had a low rate of spontaneous viral antigen production. Optimal conditions for EA induction were defined. The efficiency of 5‐aza‐C was comparable to the inducing effect of iododeoxyuridine. EBV‐DNA and EBNA positive virus‐non‐producer lines did not respond to 5‐aza‐C treatment. The findings are discussed in relation to the possibility that changes in EBV‐gene expression may be related to the state of DNA methylation.
Achievable information rates for channels with insertions, deletions, and intersymbol interference with i.i.d. inputs

We propose to use various trellis structures to characterize different types of insertion and deletion channels. We start with binary independent and identically distributed (i.i.d.) insertion or deletion channels, propose a trellis representation and develop a simulation based algorithm to estimate the corresponding information rates with independent and uniformly distributed inputs. This approach is then generalized to other cases, including channels with additive white Gaussian noise, channels with both insertions and deletions, and channels with intersymbol interference (ISI) where the latter model is motivated by the recent developments on bit-patterned media recording. We demonstrate that the proposed algorithm is an efficient and flexible technique to closely estimate the achievable information rates for channels with insertions and/or deletions with or without intersymbol interference when i.i. d. inputs are employed while we also provide some notes on the achievable information rates when Markov inputs are used. We emphasize that our method is useful for evaluating information rates for channels with insertion/deletions with additional impairments where there does not seem to be a hope of obtaining fully analytical results.
La notation par les administrateurs des composantes de la qualité du processus d'audit

Le conseil d'administration doit arreter les comptes de l'entreprise. Pour ce faire, il s'appuie sur les resultats des travaux d'audit externe. Comme l'ont montre les nombreux scandales comptables intervenus depuis 2001, l'audit par lui-meme ne garantit pas necessairement la qualite des comptes. Il faut s'assurer de la qualite du processus d'audit. A partir d'un travail effectue avec 33 commissaires aux comptes tunisiens, nous avons developpe une grille d'analyse de la qualite du processus d'audit. Celle-ci a ete soumise pour evaluation a 156 administrateurs de societes cotees tunisiennes. Suite a un protocole experimental se basant sur la demarche de Churchill (1979) et l'adaptant au contexte de la recherche, nous avons aboutis a une echelle de mesure mettant en evidence 49 indicateurs de qualite repartis sur 6 etapes du processus. Mais aussi a d'autres elements se rapportant essentiellement a la nature de la relation administrateurs-auditeurs, aux modalites d'evaluation de la mission d'audit et aux types de rapports d'avancement a communiquer aux comites d'audit.
Social Morality : The Cultural Background of RSC

People need to understand why an instance of suffering occurred and what purpose it might have. One widespread account of suffering is a repressive suffering construal (RSC): interpreting suffering as occurring because people deviate from social norms and as having the purpose of reinforcing the social order. Based on the theorizing of Emile Durkheim and others, we propose that RSC is associated with social morality—the belief that society dictates morality—and is encouraged by collectivist (as opposed to individualist) sentiments. Study 1 showed that dispositional collectivism predicts both social morality and RSC. Studies 2–4 showed that priming collectivist (vs. individualist) self-construal increases RSC of various types of suffering and that this effect is mediated by increased social morality (Study 4). Study 5 examined behavioral intentions, demonstrating that parents primed with a collectivist self-construal interpreted children’s suffering more repressively and showed greater support for corporal punishment of children.
Optic pathway gliomas in neurofibromatosis type 1: The effect of presenting symptoms on outcome

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) may present with optic pathway gliomas (OPG) that can progress to visual loss or other neurologic symptoms. These tumors may become evident either as a result of patient signs or symptoms or as an incidental finding on “baseline” neuroimaging studies. In an attempt to determine if there were differences between symptomatic and asymptomatic children with OPG, a retrospective cohort study of ninety children with NF1 and OPG was performed using data from two large NF1 referral centers. Age at diagnosis, presenting symptoms, tumor location, associated features, and clinical response were assessed for children who were initially symptomatic from their OPG (n = 51) and compared to similar data of asymptomatic children whose tumors were incidentally discovered by MRI (n = 39). There were no differences in age at presentation, tumor location, NF1‐associated symptoms, or clinical response between the groups. Initially symptomatic children were much more likely to require treatment (OR: 14.8, 95% CI [1.9–116.7]) than those with incidentally discovered, asymptomatic OPG. Although 36% of OPG were diagnosed in children over the age of 6 years, none received prior neuroimaging and only two children had previously normal eye examinations, suggesting that the vast majority of OPG in this group were longstanding, undiagnosed tumors. Based on these findings, we do not advocate “baseline” MRI in children with NF1, but strongly recommend that all children of the age 10 years and younger with NF1 have complete annual ophthalmologic evaluations. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Exploring Performance Attribution: The Case of Quality Management Standards Adoption and Business Performance

– Accreditation to the ISO 9001 Quality Management Systems Standard has proven to be a persistent and growing phenomenon in services and manufacturing, yet to date little attempt has been made to explore how performance results in cross‐sectional research may be attributed to different causation mechanisms and how their influences may alter over time. This paper aims to fill this gap. , – The paper defines four possible causation mechanisms before searching and analysing the empirical literature on quality management system certification to ISO 9001 and business performance for evidence of their causal influence. , – From the analyses, it is found that the benefit that can safely be attributed to the treatment‐effect of ISO 9001 accreditation is lower waste; while the benefits of lower costs and better quality are less likely unless motives for adoption are developmental rather than externally driven. From an analysis of longitudinal studies a strong selection‐mechanism is found where more profitable firms have a greater propensity to adopt than less profitable firms. From the finding propositions are developed to show how the influence of these mechanisms change over time. , – The existence of the selection‐mechanism has profound implications for interpreting business performance achievements because the benefits that are attributed to the treatment‐effect from adopting quality management system standards are likely to be greatly inflated by the influence of the selection‐mechanism. The author suggests that richer theory is needed that can incorporate bi‐directional influences and new research is needed to explore the underlying causes of the selection effect. , – The paper is believed to be the first to systematically explore attribution of performance in the ISO 9001 literature. Its findings provide new insights into the complexities of attribution of performance in studies of new practices and systems.
Phase 1 and phase 2 proliferative lesions of colonic epithelial cells in diseases leading to colonic cancer

Colonic epithelial cells in man begin to develop some of the characteristics of malignant cells while they still appear normal on conventional morphological examination. The cells pass through specific phases during which they express increasingly abnormal proliferative characteristics. As a Phase 1 proliferative lesion develops, colonic epithelial cells do not repress DNA synthesis during their maturation, and begin to develop an enhanced ability to proliferate. The over‐all kinetics of cell proliferation remain normal, without a net retention or accumulation of cells in the mucosa. As a Phase 2 proliferative lesion forms, the cells begin to develop properties that enable them to be retained in the mucosa in increasing numbers. The over‐all kinetics of cell proliferation become abnormal, and net retention and accumulation of cells begin to be observed. These changes are accompanied by differentiation‐specific molecular errors, resulting in the abnormal persistence of metabolic pathways leading to enhanced DNA synthesis. These proliferative cellular lesions arise in hereditary familial polyposis in man, in individuals in the general population who develop isolated colonic neoplasms, and in rodents after a chemical carcinogen is given, suggesting that they are major steps on a final common molecular pathway leading to malignant transformation. Their expression is accelerated in familial polyposis. The proliferative lesions and increasingly severe degrees of cellular atypia can be screened in familial polyposis, the utility of the screening procedure is being studied. The molecular lesions leading to persistent DNA synthesis, the interaction of suspected carcinogens leading to the appearance of the above changes in model systems, and the development of more effective chemotherapy and immunotherapy against the reactions leading to enhanced DNA synthesis are topics of importance at the present time.
Traditional Midwives, Tetanus Immunization, and Infant Mortality in Rural Haiti

Lessons learned from Haiti's integration of a training program for traditional birth attendants with the maternal and child health and family planning program are reported. The available data on illness and deaths reveal that Haiti has continuing problems of gastroenteritis, malnutrition, tuberculosis, malaria, and tetanus. The latter is of particular interest since neonatal tetanus derived from umbilical cord contamination continues to affect up to 10-20% of Haitian newborns in rural areas lacking health programs. Neonatal tetanus has largely disappeared in the Artibonite Valley due to a mass immunization program for the entire population, including young women, against tetanus. In the Albert Schweitzer Hospital program for indigenous midwives in Artibonite Valley, at least 36 midwives were reached on a regular basis in 1968 -- less than 1/3 of the midwives operating in the Artibonite Valley. There was a rapid decline in neonatal tetanus admissions during the period following 1968. This decline has been attributed to the use of rural health auxiliaries in immunizing the women in the hospital district, but indigenous midwives may have played a role. By 1970, the Albert Schweitzer Hospital program had grown from 36 midwives regularly attending midwife classes to 175 registered with the program during 1970. Although direct supervision proved difficult due to lack of communication and transport to the scene of delivery, some deliveries were observed and indirect supervision by the community became evident. An important finding of the traditional midwife training program of the Albert Schweitzer Hospital was the amount of time required for an indigenous midwife to have referred 50 newborns to the hospital for BCG vaccination. At the end of the 1st year of this program, only 2 midwives reached this goal. Another surprise was the increase in demand for "cord cut" services at the outpatient clinic rather than increased use of the nearby maternity unit. The elimination of neonatal tetanus as a cause of infant mortality was the most important outcome of the maternal and child health component of the community health program.
Estudio de la utilización de nutrientes, de la fermentación y de las comunidades microbianas en el rumen de caprino y en fermentadores de flujo continuo simple. Efecto de la cantidad de concentrado en la dieta

The effect of replacing concentrate with 2 different feed blocks (FB) on ruminal fermentation and microbial growth was evaluated in goats and in single-flow continuous-culture fermenters. Diets consisted of alfalfa hay plus concentrate and alfalfa hay plus concentrate with 1 of the 2 studied FB. Three trials were carried out with 6 rumen-fistulated Granadina goats and 3 incubation runs in 6 single-flow continuousculture fermenters. Experimental treatments were assigned randomly within each run, with 2 repetitions for each diet. At the end of each in vivo trial, the rumen contents were obtained for inoculating the fermenters. For each incubation run, the fermenters were inoculated with ruminal fluid from goats fed the same diet supplied to the corresponding fermenter flask. The average pH values, total and individual VFA, and NH3-N concentrations, and acetate:propionate ratios in the rumen of goats were not affected (P ≥ 0.10) by diet, whereas the microbial N flow (MNF) and efficiency were affected (P ≤ 0.001), with the greatest values observed for the diet without FB. In fermenters, the diet affected pH (P < 0.001), propionate concentrations (P = 0.01), acetate:propionate ratio (P = 0.03), carbohydrate digestibility (P = 0.05), and total (P = 0.02), NH3 (P = 0.005), and non-NH3 (P = 0.02) N flows, whereas the efficiency of VFA production was not affected (P = 0.75). The effect of diet on MNF and efficiency depended on the bacterial pellet used as a reference. An effect (P < 0.05) of diet on the composition of solidand liquid-associated bacteria was observed. The compositions of liquid-associated bacteria in the fermenter contents and effluent were similar (P ≥ 0.05). Differences (P < 0.001) between in vivo and in vitro values for most fermentation variables and bacterial pellet compositions were found. Partial replacement of the concentrate with FB did not greatly compromise carbohydrate fermentation in unproductive goats. However, this was not the case for MNF and efficiency. Differences between the results obtained in vivo and in vitro indicate a need to identify conditions in fermenters that allow better simulation of fermentation, microbial growth, and bacterial pellet composition in vivo. Reduced feeding cost could be achieved with the inclusion of FB in the diets of unproductive goats without altering rumen fermentation.