Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Congestion probabilities in OFDM wireless networks with compound Poisson arrivals

The authors study the downlink of an orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) based cell that services calls from different service-classes with various resource requirements. They assume that calls arrive in the cell as batches according to a compound Poisson process. They consider that the batch size is generally distributed while each call of a batch is treated separately from the other calls of the same batch, according to the complete sharing policy. To determine the most important performance metrics, i.e. congestion probabilities and resource utilisation in this OFDM-based cell, they model it as a multirate loss model, show that the steady-state probabilities can be determined via a product form solution (PFS) and propose recursive formulas which reduce the complexity of the calculations. In addition, they study the bandwidth reservation (BR) policy which can be used for the reservation of subcarriers in order to favour service-classes whose calls have high subcarrier requirements. The existence of the BR policy destroys the PFS of the steady-state probabilities. However, they show that there exist recursive formulas for the determination of the various performance measures. Simulation verifies the accuracy of the proposed formulas.
Laparoscopic liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma: review of current status

Despite initial skepticism of laparoscopic liver resection (LLR) due to fears of uncontrolled bleeding, margin involvement resulting from a lack of palpation of laparoscopy, and a steep learning curve, LLR has progressively developed over the past two decades. Through a review of the literature, we compare perioperative and oncologic outcomes of laparoscopic and open liver resection (OLR) for hepatocellular patients, and assess current indications and limitations of laparoscopic liver surgery. Although randomized control trials have not been reported, other data indicate the safety and better short-term outcomes of LLR compared to OLR for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) without compromising oncologic outcomes including resection margin status and long-term survival. Moreover, LLR is associated with reduced postoperative ascites and a lower incidence of liver failure for HCC patients with liver cirrhosis (LC) and facilitates subsequent repeat surgery by reducing operation time due to minimal adhesion formation. Major hepatectomies and resections of unfavorable locations in classic indication are expected to benefit from this approach, overcoming the current limitations.
Study of Thyroid Function in Adolescent Girls with Intellectual Disabilities

Introduction: Thyroxine is an important hormone that ensures proper growth and development throughout life. It has an important role in the development of the reproductive system. Methods: The objective of this study was to evaluate the thyroid status of adolescent girls with disabilities. A survey was undertaken at a residential institution on all adolescent girls with disabilities in 10-19 years age group. There were 21 girls with intellectual disabilities. Their sexual development was noted. Thyroid profile was advised in all subjects. Results: There were 2 girls who had not developed any secondary sexual characters but they showed normal thyroid profile. The thyroid profile was deranged in 1 girl who had Down’s syndrome and another girl had subclinical hypothyroidism. Conclusion: The study concludes that thyroid profile should be done at regular intervals in adolescent girls with intellectual disabilities, especially Down’s syndrome.
Subgroup analysis based on structured mixed-effects models for longitudinal data

ABSTRACT In recent years, subgroup analysis has emerged as an important tool to identify unknown subgroup memberships. However, subgroup analysis is still under-studied for longitudinal data. In this paper, we propose a structured mixed-effects approach for longitudinal data to model subgroup distribution and identify subgroup membership simultaneously. In the proposed structured mixed-effects model, the heterogeneous treatment effect is modeled as a random effect from a two-component mixture model, while the membership of the mixture model is incorporated using a logistic model with respect to some covariates. One advantage of our approach is that we are able to derive the estimation of the treatment effects through an EM-type algorithm which keeps the subgroup membership unchanged over time. Our numerical studies and real data example demonstrate that the proposed model outperforms other competing methods.
Associations between ambient air pollution and daily incidence of pediatric hand, foot and mouth disease in Ningbo, 2014–2016: a distributed lag nonlinear model

Abstract Hand, foot and mouth disease (HFMD) has high prevalence around the world, with serious consequences for children. Due to the long survival period of HFMD virus in ambient air, air pollutants may play a critical role in HFMD epidemics. We collected data on daily cases of HFMD among children aged 0–14 years in Ningbo City between 2014 and 2016. Distributed lag nonlinear models were used to assess the effects of particulate matter (PM2.5), sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and ozone (O3) on the daily incidence of HFMD among children, with analyses stratified by gender and age. Compared with moderate levels of air pollution, high SO2 levels had a relative risk (RR) of 2.32 (95% CI 1.42–3.79) and high NO2 levels had a RR of 2.01 (95% CI 1.22–3.31). The RR of O3 was 2.12 (95% CI 1.47–3.05) and that of PM2.5 was 0.77 (95% CI 0.64–0.92) at moderate levels of air pollution. Specifically, high levels of SO2 and NO2 had RRs of 2.39 (95% CI 1.44–3.96) and 2.02 (95% CI 1.21–3.39), respectively, among 0–4-year-old children, while high O3 had an RR of 2.31 (95% CI 1.09–4.89) among 5–14-year-old children. Our findings suggest significant associations of high SO2 and NO2 levels and moderate O3 levels in HFMD epidemics, and also indicate that air pollution causes lagged effects on HFMD epidemics. Our study provides practical and useful data for targeted prevention and control of HMFD based on environmental evidence.
When should you order a Lyme titer

■ Evidence summary Many Lyme disease serologic tests are ordered inappropriately, often influenced by patient demand. In a prospective, crosssectional survey of Wisconsin physicians, only 20% of ordered tests were appropriate. Tests were classified as inappropriate if ordered (1) for asymptomatic patients, (2) for patients with physician-diagnosed erythema migrans, (3) for patients receiving empiric antibiotic treatment, or (4) as test-of-cure. The positive predictive value of a test (the likelihood that a person who tests positive actually has the disease) depends on the prevalence of that condition. Available Lyme serology tests vary in their sensitivity and specificity. Selecting patients with signs or symptoms of disseminated Lyme disease theoretically increases the pretest probability, thus improving the positive predictive value of the test. In a prospective study of 46 treated patients with culture-proven erythema migrans, 91% had a positive ELISA or immunoglobulin M (IgM) immunoblot result at 8 to 14 days after baseline. Peak IgM antibody levels were seen at this time Strict use of these rules would lead to fewer false positives but would miss atypical forms The use of testing as described in this article is consistent with the recommendations of the CDC, academic infectious disease experts, and insurance companies. Other indications for ordering a Lyme test include the presence of oligoarthritis, cranial neuropathy (facial nerve palsy is most common), heart block, or meningitis. There is significant controversy about testing, treatment, and even defining late Lyme disease. The universe of people with positive Lyme serology who have fatigue, memory impairment, myalgias, and arthralgias far exceeds those with erythema migrans. A quick Google search reveals numerous patient support groups whose mission is to support those unfortunate people who believe they are afflicted with late Lyme disease. Strict use of these lab-ordering rules would lead to fewer false positives but also risks missing persons with forme fruste (atypical or variant forms) of this disease who may benefit from antimicrobial therapy. This is a highly controversial area of medicine and the limited evidence is conflicting. The cost of the Lyme test is not trivial, with a reflex panel (sensitive ELISA followed by specific Western blot) billed at over $250.
Constant-Q Deep Coefficients for Playback Attack Detection

SUMMARY Under the framework of traditional power spectrum based feature extraction, in order to extract more discriminative information for playback attack detection, this paper proposes a feature by making use of deep neural network to describe the nonlinear relationship between power spectrum and discriminative information. Namely, constant-Q deep coe ﬃ - cients (CQDC). It relies on constant-Q transform, deep neural network and discrete cosine transform. In which, constant-Q transform is used to convert signal from the time domain into the frequency domain because it is a long-term transform that can provide more frequency detail, deep neural network is used to extract more discriminative information to discriminate playback speech from genuine speech and discrete cosine transform is used to decorrelate among the feature dimensions. ASVspoof 2017 corpus version 2.0 is used to evaluate the performance of CQDC. The experimental results show that CQDC outperforms the existing power spectrum obtained from constant-Q transform based features, and equal error can reduce from 19.18% to 51.56%. In addition, we found that discriminative information of CQDC hides in all frequency bins, which is di ﬀ erent from commonly used features.
Dynamic properties of the lumbar spine in people with non-specific low back pain

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Increased Serum Cytokines Levels in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus Associated with Arterial Hypertension: A Link to Cardio-Metabolic Risk Factors

Address for Correspondence: Marwan Al-Nimer MD, Al-Mustansiriya University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Pharmacology, Baghdad, Iraq E-mail: alnimermarwan@ymail.com Received: 22/06/2015 Accepted: 18/09/2016 Purpose: Serum levels of cytokines as well as the inflammatory markers are increased in type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients. Few studies mention the association of hypertension with proinflammatory and inflammatory biomarkers in T2D patients. This study aimed to test the hypothesis that there is alteration in serum levels of cytokines in T2D patients with hypertension compared with normotensive T2D patients taking into consideration the cardio-metabolic risk factors, such as obesity and dyslipidemia. Material and Method: A cross-sectional study was carried out in the Center of Diabetes Mellitus in Erbil in cooperation with College of PharmacyHawler Medical University and College of Medicine, Al-Mustansiriya University in Iraq. A total of 180 patients with T2D were classified as normotensive (group 1) and hypertensive (group 2). Cardio-metabolic risk factors were evaluated via measuring body weight, body mass index, waist circumference, blood pressure, fasting serum glucose and lipid profile, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein. Serum interleukin(IL)-1β, IL-17, and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) were measured using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: The measurements of cardio-metabolic risk factors in group 2 were significantly higher than in group 1. Significant high serum levels of IL-1β, IL-17, TNF-α and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein were observed among group 2 patients. Fasting serum triglyceride levels significantly correlated with IL-17 and TNF-α among groups 1 and 2 patients whereas significantly correlated with IL-1β among group 2 patients only. Discussion: Proinflammatory and inflammatory markers are significantly high among patients with T2D with hypertension. There is an inverse relationship between the components of metabolic syndrome and the cytokines levels in group 2 patients.
A simple and affordable kinetic assay of nucleic acids with SYBR Gold gel staining

Labeling substrates or products are paramount in determining enzymatic kinetic parameters. Several options are available; many laboratories use either radioactive or fluorescent labeling because of their high sensitivity. However, those methods have their own drawbacks such as half-life decay, expensive and hazardous. Here, we propose a novel, simple, economical and fast alternative to substrate labeling for studying the kinetics of nucleic acids: post-migration gel staining with SYBR Gold. Cleavage rates similar to the ones reported in the literature for the I-R3 DNA-cleaving DNA enzyme in the presence of zinc chloride are an indication of the quality of the new method. Moreover, the activity of the hammerhead ribozyme was also monitored by our method to illustrate its versatility. This labeling-free method has several advantages such as its ease of use as well as cost effective and versatility with both non-structured and structured RNAs or DNAs.
Aldosterone and the mineralocorticoid receptor in renal injury: A potential therapeutic target in feline chronic kidney disease

Abstract There is a growing body of experimental and clinical evidence supporting mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) activation as a powerful mediator of renal damage in laboratory animals and humans. Multiple pathophysiological mechanisms are proposed, with the strongest evidence supporting aldosterone‐induced vasculopathy, exacerbation of oxidative stress and inflammation, and increased growth factor signalling promoting fibroblast proliferation and deranged extracellular matrix homeostasis. Further involvement of the MR is supported by extensive animal model experiments where MR antagonists (such as spironolactone and eplerenone) abrogate renal injury, including ischaemia‐induced damage. Additionally, clinical trials have shown MR antagonists to be beneficial in human chronic kidney disease (CKD) in terms of reducing proteinuria and cardiovascular events, though current studies have not evaluated primary end points which allow conclusions to made about whether MR antagonists reduce mortality or slow CKD progression. Although differences between human and feline CKD exist, feline CKD shares many characteristics with human disease including tubulointerstitial fibrosis. This review evaluates the evidence for the role of the MR in renal injury and summarizes the literature concerning aldosterone in feline CKD. MR antagonists may represent a promising therapeutic strategy in feline CKD.
Effect of Simulated Temperature and Water Stress on Growth, Physiological and Yield Parameters of Tomato [ Lycopersicon esculentum var: Thilina, ] Grown with Mulch

Understanding the effect of temperature stress on growth and yield of crops, and also identifying suitable management options to sustain the productivity under different changes in the natural environment are of timely importance. The main aim of this research is to compare the growth, yield and quality parameters of Tomato (solanum lycopersicum) variety Thilina grown with mulch when subjected to temperature and water stress if there is global warming. The plants were grown in pots under temperature-controlled poly tunnels. Main plot included two different irrigation applications (no water stress by irrigation to field capacity moisture level and, water stress by irrigating only up to the 50% of the available water capacity). Coir dust and saw dust were used as mulch and sub plots contained 3 different temperature regimes (34°C maximum temperature poly tunnel/32°C maximum temperature polytunnel/Open space-ambient temperature). The treatments were set up in a completely randomized design with 3 replicates. To make sure of the temperature replication, the trials were repeated 3 times. According to the results, there is significant effect of mulch on growth parameters of Tomato plants exposed to water and temperature stresses. Individual water stress showed a highly significant effect on growth, and yield parameters of Tomato. High yield reduction was shown in the high temperature (34°C) and water stressed plants. Mulching of saw dust and coir dust improved the yield even at 34°C temperature treatment. Therefore, Tomato variety Thilina would not be a successful crop in open field condition due to temperature and water stress if there is global warming, but mulching will help to improve the situation.
Survival of white-tailed deer fawns in central Iowa

Understanding demographic parameters such as survival is important for scientifically sound wildlife management. Survival can vary by region, sex, age-class, habitat, and other factors. White-tailed deer fawn survival is highly variable across the species’ range. While recent studies have investigated fawn survival in several Midwestern states, there have been no published estimates from Iowa for 30 years. We radio-collared 48 fawns in central Iowa from 2015–2017 to estimate survival, home range size, and habitat composition and identity causes of mortality. Estimated fawn survival (± SE) was similar to other Midwest studies at 30 (0.78 ± 0.07)) and 60 days (0.69 ± 0.08), but considerably lower at 7 months (0.31 ± 0.02). Survival was positively associated with woodland habitat through 30 and 60 days, but not related to habitat at 7 months. Female fawns avoided agricultural habitat in their home ranges. Fawn 95% kernel density home ranges were smaller than in other studies in the Midwest (21.22 ± 2.74 ha at 30 days, 25.47 ± 2.87 ha at 60 days, and 30.59 ± 2.37 ha at 7 months). The large amount of woodland and grassland (>90%) in our study area meant that fawns did not have to travel far to find suitable cover, which may explain their small home ranges. We recorded 21 mortalities, the leading cause of which was disease (n = 9; 56% epizootic hemorrhagic disease [EHD]) followed by suspected predation (4) and harvest (3). The mortality associated with an outbreak of EHD in 2016, all of which occurred after 60 days post-capture, is the most likely explanation for our low survival estimate at 7 months. While predation, usually early in life, is the leading cause of mortality in most studies, sporadic diseases like EHD can be a major source of mortality in older fawns in some years.
Low Seroprevalence of Anti-CagA Antibodies Inspite of High Seroprevalence of Anti-H.Pylori Antibodies in Rural Egyptian Community

2 Abstract: Helicobacter P ylori( H.pylori ) is one o f the m ost common ba cterial infections worldwide. It is considered a public h ealth pr oblem es pecially in dev eloping countries where t ransmission i s facilitated by poor hy giene and sanitation co nditions. The ai m of the present study was to determine t he seroprevalence of H.pylori infection an d C agA status among a population l iving in r ural and s emi-rural communities in r elation t o t he epidemiological aspects of these co mmunities. The present study was conducted on 605 randomly chosen villagers of eight villages in G uiza G overnorate. All subjects were subjected to full clinical as sessment. Serum samples w ere collected for e stimation of an ti-H.pylori IgG and anti-CagA IgG using enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. Anti-H.pylori IgG was detected in 91.7% of the studied s ubjects, whereas anti-CagA IgG was detected i n onl y 10.6% with n o s ignificant gender differences. T here was a low grade agreement b etween both antibodies. H igh seroprevalence of H.pylori infection was detected among different age g roups with n o s tatistically significant differences. Subjects seropositive for a nti-CagA had a significant hig her m ean age than seronegative ones. S ubjects li ving in rural community had significantly lower frequency of anti-CagA IgG than in s emi-rural ones. In conclusion, results of this study s howed that although H.pylori infection is highly en demic in Egypt, colonization wi th C agA positive st rains is not common. More s tudies on the ep idemiological f actors and routes o f t ransmission of H.pylori infection are needed for fur ther p revention and treatment stra tegies.
Translational read-through promotes aggregation and shapes stop codon identity

Abstract Faithful translation of genetic information depends on the ability of the translational machinery to decode stop codons as termination signals. Although termination of protein synthesis is highly efficient, errors in decoding of stop codons may lead to the synthesis of C-terminally extended proteins. It was found that in eukaryotes such elongated proteins do not accumulate in cells. However, the mechanism for sequestration of C-terminally extended proteins is still unknown. Here we show that 3′-UTR-encoded polypeptides promote aggregation of the C-terminally extended proteins, and targeting to lysosomes. We demonstrate that 3′-UTR-encoded polypeptides can promote different levels of protein aggregation, similar to random sequences. We also show that aggregation of endogenous proteins can be induced by aminoglycoside antibiotics that promote stop codon read-through, by UAG suppressor tRNA, or by knokcdown of release factor 1. Furthermore, we find correlation between the fidelity of termination signals, and the predicted propensity of downstream 3′-UTR-encoded polypeptides to form intrinsically disordered regions. Our data highlight a new quality control mechanism for elimination of C-terminally elongated proteins.