Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Dinâmica espacial da febre aftosa em bovinos: um modelo matemático

Objetivo: Propoe um modelo matematico que simula a dinâmica espacial da febre aftosa em bovinos e que permte estimar a velocidade minima de propagacao da mesma, bem como a extensao de uma zona de bloqueio vacinal que impede a sua disseminacao, que foi validado anteriormente. Metodo: Utilizou um sistema de equacoes diferenciais que representa a historia natural da doenca em bovinos incorporando a dimensao espacial atraves da utilizacao da equacao de difusao. As determinacoes dos valores das taxas de natalidade, de descarte, do coeficiente de difusao, do coeficiente de transmissibilidade e da capacidade suporte do meio foram realizadas com base nos dados populacionais do rebanho bovino do estado. Os valores das taxas de perda de imunidade, de mortalidade pela doenca e de recuperacao foram obtidos na literatura. Resultados e conclusoes: A extensao da zona de bloqueio vacinal depende da densidade de suscetiveis presentes nessa area e pode ser determinada com base na probabilidade de que um animal infectado entre em contato com um animal suscetivel, o que significa assumir risco conhecido de que isso aconteca. Considerando-se a presenca de apenas 2,28 por cento de suscetiveis nessa zona, a probabilidade de contato entre animais suscetiveis e infectados, para um valor de p=0,60 animal/Km, varia de 0,025 a 0,0001 para uma extensao variando de 10 a 20 Km, respectivamente. O modelo, considerado valido atraves da comparacao do resultado da simulacao em duas dimensoes com os dados reais de uma epidemia de febre aftosa ocorrida no ano de 1990 no Estado de Santa Catarina, foi capaz de simular adequadamente a difusao espacial da epidemia de febre aftosa ocorrida anteriormente na mesma area
The primary health care service experiences and needs of homeless youth: A narrative synthesis of current evidence

Abstract Homeless youth are a growing, vulnerable population with specific primary health care (PHC) requirements. There are no systematic reviews of evidence to guide the delivery of PHC interventions to best address the needs of homeless youth in Australia. We present a narrative synthesis of peer reviewed research designed to determine: (1) the PHC services homeless youth access; (2) experiences of services, reported outcomes and barriers to use; and, (3) the PHC service needs of homeless youth. Findings show that homeless youth access a variety of services and delivery approaches. Increased PHC use is associated with youth who recognise they need help. Street-based clinic linked services and therapy and case management alongside improved housing can positively impact upon mental health and substance use outcomes. Barriers to service use include knowledge; provider attitudes, financial constraints and inappropriate environments. Findings support targetted, co-ordinated networks of PHC and housing services with nurses working alongside community workers.
Impact of a Novel Wellness Group Visit Model on Obesity and Behavior Change

Background: Increasing weight-related illness in the United States has led to 120,000 preventable deaths annually and soaring medical costs. Treating patients in a group setting may be more effective than traditional care (TC) in achieving behavioral change. We studied a wellness-group (WG) model to determine whether it could generate sustained behavioral change and weight loss in a subset of patients. Methods: 99 patients with a body mass index (BMI) >30 kg/m2 from 1 family practice volunteered to participate in a 15-visit WG co-led by a family physician and dietitian. We compared these WG patients with 190 patients who had a BMI >30 kg/m2 and who received TC in the form of an annual physical during the same time period. The patients were mostly white, highly educated, and of middle-to-high-income households. All patients were surveyed on their ability to sustain 12 wellness behaviors 3 months after completing their WG or physical. Patients were not paid to complete the survey. We reviewed medical charts for weight, BMI, blood pressure, lipids, and glycohemoglobin before and at least 1 year after the WG or physical. WG patients’ weights were recorded at the beginning and end of the WG as was the weight from their most recent office visit. Results: WG patients were more likely to report sustaining 12 of 12 wellness behaviors than patients who received TC with an annual physical. At 1 year, WG patients also lost more weight than TC patients (−13.21 pounds for WG vs +1.94 pounds for TC) and achieved greater reduction in their systolic blood pressure (−6.96 mm Hg for WG vs −1.13 mm Hg for TC). Average weight gained after the WG was 6.9 pounds. Among WG patients, 61% lost a clinically relevant amount of weight (>5%). Of the WG patients who lost clinically relevant weight, 71% were able to maintain at least half of their weight loss 3 years later. Conclusions: An observational study of a novel WG model showed that WG patients sustained wellness behaviors and weight loss over time when compared with patients who received TC.
Bidirectional control of arteriole diameter by astrocytes

Astrocytes are the most numerous cells in the CNS. It is a defining feature of brain anatomy that every astrocyte has at least one contact with the vasculature, termed an endfoot. Collectively, all endfeet completely circumscribe all vessels in the brain. This unique anatomical feature has profound functional significance, as astrocyte endfeet have been discovered to release diffusible messengers that communicate directly with underlying smooth muscle cells to change arterial diameter and thereby regulate cerebral blood flow. A growing body of data now demonstrates that astrocytes serve as a bridge, relaying information on the level of neural activity to blood vessels in order to co‐ordinate oxygen and glucose delivery with the energy demands of the tissue. In particular, astrocytes respond to elevations in extracellular glutamate as a consequence of synaptic transmission through the activation of group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptors. These Gq‐coupled receptors elevate intracellular calcium via IP3 signalling, which activates phospholipase A2 and generates arachidonic acid. Arachidonic acid acts as a signalling molecule or is converted to several lipid derivates, including prostaglandin E2 and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids. Each of these lipids acts on vascular smooth muscle cells via different mechanisms to affect vessel diameter. Arachidonic acid initiates the production of 20‐hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid to cause vasoconstriction, whereas prostaglandin E2 and epoxyeicosatrienoic acids cause vasodilatation. Factors that determine whether constrictor or dilatory pathways predominate involve nitric oxide and brain metabolic elements, such as oxygen, lactate and adenosine. Thus, astrocytes are thought to be capable of bidirectional control of arterial diameter, and the type of influence depends on the state of brain activity.
Effects of alpha-lipoic acid on deoxycorticosterone acetate-salt-induced hypertension in rats.

We investigated the potential of natural occurring antioxidant alpha-lipoic acid to prevent hypertension and hypertensive tissue injury induced by deoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and salt in rats. Two weeks after the start of DOCA-salt treatment, the rats were given alpha-lipoic acid (10 or 100 mg/kg/day, s.c.) or its vehicle for 2 weeks. Uninephrectomized rats without DOCA-salt treatment served as sham-operated controls. In vehicle-treated DOCA-salt rats, systolic blood pressure increased markedly after 3-4 weeks. Daily administration of 100 mg/kg alpha-lipoic acid for 2 weeks suppressed the increase in systolic blood pressure, whereas 10 mg/kg alpha-lipoic acid did not affect the progression of DOCA-salt-induced hypertension. When the degree of vascular hypertrophy of the aorta was morphometrically evaluated at 4 weeks, there were significant increases in media cross-sectional area in vehicle-treated DOCA-salt rats compared with sham-operated rats. The development of vascular hypertrophy was markedly suppressed by alpha-lipoic acid at 100 mg/kg but not at 10 mg/kg. Histopathological examination of the kidney in vehicle-treated DOCA-salt rats revealed fibrinoid-like necrosis in glomeruli and thickening of small arteries. In these animals, creatinine clearance decreased, and fractional excretion of Na(+), urinary excretion of protein and N-acetyl-beta-glucosaminidase increased. Such renal lesions and dysfunctions were ameliorated in DOCA-salt rats given alpha-lipoic acid. In addition, a marked increase in endothelin-1 content in both the aorta and kidney was evident in vehicle-treated DOCA-salt rats compared with findings in sham-operated rats. Significant attenuation of this increase occurred in alpha-lipoic acid-treated DOCA-salt rats. These results suggest that administration of alpha-lipoic acid to DOCA-salt hypertensive rats lessens the increased blood pressure and protects against renal and vascular injuries, possibly through the suppression of renal and vascular endothelin-1 overproduction.
Functional disability and socioeconomic and demographic factors in elderly

Objective: to verify the prevalence of functional disability and associated socioeconomic and demographic factors in elderly patients of Campina Grande/PB. Method: cross-sectional study with elderly patients of both genders. The variables associated with functional disability were assessed using Poisson regression. Results: A total of 420 elderly patients were included (68.1% women). The highest prevalence of functional disability were found among females aged 80 or older, white, widowed, of economic classes D/E , who lived alone, with frequency of contacts of up to 224 people and diversity of contacts of up to 14 people. After multivariate analysis, statistically signifi cant association was observed between functional disability, gender and age group. Conclusion: the association between functional disability gender and age group is shown to be an important guidance for health interventions since it will allow health services to plan actions aiming to improve, maintain or restore the functional capacity of the elderly population.
Stroke Risk Factors

Abstract Despite advances in the treatment of acute cerebral infarction, the most effective method of reducing stroke morbidity and mortality is the identification and modification of stroke risk factors. Modifiable stroke risk factors include hypertension, atrial fibrillation, hypercholesterolemia, cigarette smoking, hyperhomocystinemia, and carotid stenosis. Improved identification of individuals at increased stroke risk due to these factors can reduce individual risk and the cost to society of the consequences of stroke.
Pentoxifylline Decreases Up-Regulated Nuclear Factor kappa B Activation and Cytokine Production in the Rat Retina following Transient Ischemia

Aim: To investigate whether pentoxifylline (PTX) could influence the increased cytokine gene expression in the retina flowing transient ischemia, and if so, whether it acts through the modulation of nuclear factor kappa B (NF-ĸB) activation. Methods: Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly divided into three equal groups: control group, saline-treated group, and PTX-treated group. Increased intraocular pressure was applied for 90 min to induce retinal ischemia, and reperfusion was established by lowering the bottle to eye level. The reperfusion period lasted for 48 h. In the PTX-treated group, an initial dose of 20 mg PTX was injected via tail vein at the beginning of reperfusion. Then the rat received infusion of PTX at a rate of 6 mg/kg/h throughout the entire reperfusion period. The retinal tissues were collected at the end of 1, 6, 12, 24, and 48 h of reperfusion, respectively, for biochemical analysis. Histological examination was done on the tissues collected at the end of 48 h after reperfusion. Results: Histological examination revealed reduction of overall retinal thickness and thinning of the inner retinal layer in saline-treated rats after 48-hour reperfusion. However, PTX treatment significantly reduced the loss of overall retinal thickness and thinning of inner retinal layers. Dramatic increase in NF-ĸB activation, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-1β (IL-1β) production and mRNA expression were observed in the saline-treated group after reperfusion, with the peak reached around 12 h. In the PTX-treated group, NF-ĸB activation, TNF-α and IL-1β production and mRNA expression were significantly reduced at each corresponding time point compared to the saline-treated group. Conclusion: PTX decreased the up-regulated activation of NF-ĸB and the expression of proinflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-1β in rat retinas following ischemia/reperfusion. This may contribute to significantly reduce the loss of overall retinal thickness and thinning of inner retinal layers.
Spark-less electrostatic discharge (ESD) on display screens

An electrostatic discharge (ESD) to a display screen may lead to sparking into the phone's structure, e.g., via the glue that connects the different glass layers of the touching panel/LCD, or it may just cause surface charging. The latter is the most likely case for a well-designed display, as the insulation design usually prevents any sparking to the electronics. Even if no spark is visible, strong surface charging occurs. These charges couple via displacement current and via their magnetic field into the display electronics. Most phone and tablet manufacturers currently suffer from damages or upsets caused by this type of spark-less ESD. As far as we know, no data has been published showing the magnitude, rise time and total charge parameters of these surface discharges for displays. In this paper, discharges to different displays have been measured at ±4, ±8, ±10 and ±14 kV. The discharge currents are measured using an F65 current clamp. Five different types of display screens have been tested and the results of transient current discharges are compared in this paper. During the experiments, repeatability of results is investigated. Moreover, the effects of touch position as well as dirty screens (i.e., presence of finger prints, etc) are investigated.
Circulating tissue factor accumulates in thrombi, but not in hemostatic plugs

Many reports have documented the presence of tissue factor (TF) antigen and activity in the blood of human subjects [1], and have linked its levels to various disease states [2]. In addition, TF antigen has been shown to accumulate in developing thrombi in animal models and when blood is flowed over a collagen-bearing surface [3,4]. While the levels of blood-borne TF activity are quite low, the accumulated evidence suggests that this TF can play a role in thrombosis. These findings led many workers to pose the question of whether blood-borne TF might be delivered to a site of injury during hemorrhage, and thus play a role in hemostasis. To address this question, we examined mouse tissues collected during the course of other studies for the presence of TF antigen in thrombotic and hemostatic clots. All animal experiments were conducted under protocols approved by the University of North Carolina Animal Care and Use Committee. In wounding experiments, 3-mm skin punch biopsy wounds were placed on the dorsal skin of C57black mice. The skin tissue containing the wound was collected 1 or 2 days later at the time mice were killed. The skin was fixed in formalin and processed into paraffin. Thrombi were produced by placing a patch of filter paper soaked in 10% ferric chloride on the surface of the saphenous vein for 2 min. Blood flow was monitored by ultrasonic flow probe. After occlusion (defined as loss of flow for 1 min), the tissue block containing the thrombosed vessels was collected, fixed in formalin and processed into paraffin. For immunostaining, tissue sections were dewaxed before heating to 95 C in DakoCytomation Target Retrieval Solution (DakoCytomation, Carpinteria, CA, USA) for 10 min. Endogenous peroxidase activity was blocked by incubation in 3%H2O2 and non-specific binding was blocked withMOM TM
Tissue factor in the antiphospholipid syndrome

Antiphospholipid (aPL) antibodies are clinically important acquired risk factors for thrombosis and pregnancy loss and are thought to have a direct prothrombotic effect in vivo. Data suggest that a major mechanism by which aPL antibodies contribute to thrombophilia is the upregulation of tissue factor (TF) (CD142) on blood cells and vascular endothelium. TF is the physiological trigger of normal blood coagulation and thrombosis in many hypercoagulable conditions. This article reviews the physiology of TF, the molecular regulation of TF expression and the effects of aPL antibodies on intravascular TF regulation and expression. Inhibition of TF and the pathways by which aPL antibodies induce TF expression are potentially attractive therapeutic targets in the antiphospholipid syndrome.
Codes over ℤ4+vℤ4

In this paper we study linear codes over the ring R = ℤ<sub>4</sub> + vℤ<sub>4</sub>, where v<sup>2</sup> = v. Using a Gray map on R we obtain the MacWilliams identities for both Lee and Gray weight enumerators for codes over R. We also briefly discuss self-dual codes over R. We give some construction methods of self-dual and self-orthogonal codes, and illustrate them with some examples.
Classification with SVM in Lorentzian space

Classification is one of the most researched issues in Machine Learning. In this study, the Lorentzian Support Vector Machine (LSVM) method is proposed that performs classification in Lorentzian space. This proposed new classifier forms a hyperplane separating the classes based on the Lorentzian metric and maximize margins between nearest points to the hyperplane according to the Lorentzian distance. Thus, samples from different classes are classified in Lorentzian space. Also, for the purpose of increasing the classification accuracy, a pre-preprocessing is applied. Experimental results taken from LSVT, SONAR, TELESCOPE and WISCONSIN data sets validate the proposed LSVM method.
Deaf and Hearing Parents' Interactions with Eldest Hearing Children

Observational methods were used to gather data from 54 individuals in 9 Deaf-parented families and 9 hearing-parented families whose eldest hearing children were aged 7 to 11 years old. Transcripts of parent/child dyadic interactions during a vacation planning activity were analyzed using Condon, Cooper and Grotevant's (1984) Individuation Code. Repeated measures ANOVAS were conducted with the independent variables of the parent's gender (mother versus fathers) and group membership (Deaf-parented versus hearing-parented families) on the percentage of communication that reflected self-assertion, separateness, permeability, and mutuality. There were no significant differences between children from Deaf-parented families versus children from hearing-parented families. There was a significant main effect for parents in communication reflecting self-assertion; namely hearing parents had a higher percentage of self-assertive communication than Deaf parents.
Conversion électro-optique du signal et découplage actif d'un capteur IRM endoluminal à liaison optique

Une boucle endoluminale radiofrequence (RF) situee a proximite de la zone a examiner permet d'avoir localement un rapport signal sur bruit eleve qui peut etre mis a profit pour augmenter la resolution spatiale des images de RM. Ce type de capteur permet en particulier d'analyser la paroi de l'intestin qui permettrait d'ameliorer le bilan d'extension tumorale [1]. Malheureusement, les câbles coaxiaux, couramment utilises pour transmettre le signal RMN et le courant necessaire au decouplage actif du capteur de reception, peuvent induire des echauffements des tissus compromettant l'utilisation clinique d'un tel capteur. En effet, le champ electrique E z accompagnant le champ magnetique RF B 1 , induit des courants RF le long du câble et augmente ainsi le taux d'absorption specifique (TAS) local [2]. Afin d'assurer la securite du patient, l'utilisation d'une connexion optique est une solution alternative elegante pour supprimer ces risques d'echauffements. La conversion electro-optique (EO) des signaux [3] et le decouplage optique [4] sont demontres sur la base d'un capteur endoluminal.
Cost Benefit Analysis of Using Grafted Transplants for Root-knot Nematode Management in Organic Heirloom Tomato Production

ADDITIONAL INDEX WORDS. sensitivity analysis, partial budget analysis, Meloidogyne sp. , Solanum lycopersicum · S. habrochaites, rootstock, scion SUMMARY. Growers are looking for sustainable alternatives to methyl bromide as a soil fumigant that are effective and economical. Increased demand for organically produced fruits and vegetables has also contributed to the need for environmentally friendly soil-borne disease control methods. Grafting may be a valuable tool for vegetable growers to cope with pest management challenges in production of cucurbits and solanaceous crops; however, there are concerns regarding the higher costs associated with the use of grafted plants in the United States. The main objective of this 2-year study was to determine if grafting with a resistant rootstock could be cost-effective to overcome root-knot nematodes (RKN) (Meloidogyne sp.) and maintain fruit yield in organic heirloom tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) production in Florida’s sandy soils. The heirloom tomato cultivar Brandywine was grafted onto the rootstock ‘Multifort’. Nongrafted and grafted ‘Brandywine’ plants were grown organically in two fields that exhibited different levels of RKN infestations. Grafted and nongrafted transplants were estimated to cost $0.78 and $0.17 per plant, respectively. The cost of rootstock seeds accounted for 36% ($0.28/plant) of the total cost of the grafted transplants and 46% of the cost difference between grafted and nongrafted plants. Sensitivity analyses were conducted using these estimated transplant production costs and crop yield data from the field trials as well as price information for heirloom tomato. Results showed that under severe RKN pressure, grafting may be an economically feasible pest control measure to help maintain a profitable production given that the risk of economic crop losses due to RKN outweighed the higher cost of grafted transplants.
Optimizing Human Learning

Spaced repetition is a technique for efficient memorization which uses repeated, spaced review of content to improve long-term retention. Can we find the optimal reviewing schedule to maximize the benefits of spaced repetition? In this paper, we introduce a novel, flexible representation of spaced repetition using the framework of marked temporal point processes and then address the above question as an optimal control problem for stochastic differential equations with jumps. For two well-known human memory models, we show that the optimal reviewing schedule is given by the recall probability of the content to be learned. As a result, we can then develop a simple, scalable online algorithm, Memorize, to sample the optimal reviewing times. Experiments on both synthetic and real data gathered from Duolingo, a popular language-learning online platform, show that our algorithm may be able to help learners memorize more effectively than alternatives.