Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Automatic management of forums via artificial immune systems

This paper presents a protocol to eliminate the necessity for human moderators in forums, thus automatising the moderation process. The protocol uses a bio-inspired approach: well- and ill-behaving posters are modelled as healthy and infected cells of a living organism. Moderators are modelled as leukocytes that remove infected cells. The identification of infected cells is supported by a feedback mechanism that allows posters to rate both other posters and the performance of the moderators. To achieve an adaptive moderation, an artificial lymphatic system, modifies the group of moderators with the aim of improving the immune response when needed. This paper focuses on ad hoc wireless networks, however the modifications needed to port the protocol to a wireless network using infrastructure mode are described. To evaluate the performance of the protocol, the outcome of a simulation of the forum is presented.
Phylogenetic relationships among six species of Epistylis inferred from 18S-ITS1 sequences

Phylogenetic relationships among six species of Epistylis (i. e. E. plicatilis, E. urceolata, E. chrysemydis, E. hentscheli, E. wenrichi, and E. galea) were investigated using sequences of the first internal transcribed spacer region (ITS-1) of ribosomal DNA (rDNA). Amplified rDNA fragment sequences consisted of 215 or 217 bases of the flanking 18S and 5.8S regions, and the entire ITS-1 region (from 145 to 155 bases). There were more than 33 variable bases between E. galea and the other five species in both the 18S region and the ITS-1 region. The affiliation of them was assessed using Neighbor-joining (NJ), maximum parsimony (MP) and maximum likelihood (ML) analyses. In all the NJ, MP and ML analyses E. galea, whose macronucleic position and shape are distinctly different from those of the other five species, was probably diverged from the ancestor of Epistylis earlier than the other five species. The topology in which E. plicatilis and E. hentscheli formed a strongly supported sister clade to E. urceolata, E. chrysemydis, and E. wenrichi was consistent with variations in the thickness of the peristomial lip. We concluded that the macronucleus and peristomial lip might be the important phylogenetic characteristics within the genus Epistylis.
Antiviral Characteristics of GSK1265744, an HIV Integrase Inhibitor Dosed Orally or by Long-Acting Injection

ABSTRACT GSK1265744 is a new HIV integrase strand transfer inhibitor (INSTI) engineered to deliver efficient antiviral activity with a once-daily, low-milligram dose that does not require a pharmacokinetic booster. The in vitro antiviral profile and mechanism of action of GSK1265744 were established through integrase enzyme assays, resistance passage experiments, and cellular assays with site-directed molecular (SDM) HIV clones resistant to other classes of anti-HIV-1 agents and earlier INSTIs. GSK1265744 inhibited HIV replication with low or subnanomolar efficacy and with a selectivity index of at least 22,000 under the same culture conditions. The protein-adjusted half-maximal inhibitory concentration (PA-EC50) extrapolated to 100% human serum was 102 nM. When the virus was passaged in the presence of GSK1265744, highly resistant mutants with more than a 10-fold change (FC) in EC50 relative to that of the wild-type were not observed for up to 112 days of culture. GSK1265744 demonstrated activity against SDM clones containing the raltegravir (RAL)-resistant Y143R, Q148K, N155H, and G140S/Q148H signature variants (FC less than 6.1), while these mutants had a high FC in the EC50 for RAL (11 to >130). Either additive or synergistic effects were observed when GSK1265744 was tested in combination with representative anti-HIV agents, and no antagonistic effects were seen. These findings demonstrate that, similar to dolutegravir, GSK1265744 is differentiated as a new INSTI, having a markedly distinct resistance profile compared with earlier INSTIs, RAL, and elvitegravir (EVG). The collective data set supports further clinical development of GSK1265744.
Aging impact on the accelerated thermal cycling performance of lead-free BGA solder joints in various stress conditions

Isothermal aging effects on lead-free solders have been extensively investigated in recent studies for both bulk solders and package solder joints. Researches show that aging significantly degrades the mechanical properties of bulk lead-free solders and dynamic performances of lead-free solder joints. There are studies exploring the impact of aging on accelerated thermal cycling (ATC) performance of lead-free solder joints, however, the results are discrepant, some research shows minimal impact of isothermal aging on long term ATC performances since most of the failure mode are not related to intermetallic (IMC) growth which has been impacted more significantly during aging. Some others show significant degradation of the of ATC life due to evidence of weakening of solder joints after aging. This study is intended to explore the factors that may affect the aging impact on the lead-free solder joint fatigue life. The test vehicle is designed with different package types, pitch sizes, and solder alloy metallurgies to capture the impact of affecting factors. The test vehicles have been aged at 100°C and 150°C for different aging durations, ATC test were subsequently performed on the aged samples and with the non aged samples as control. The effects of aging on the fatigue life of lead-free solder joints are extensively explored in this study.
Performance evaluation of an improved relational feature model for pedestrian detection

In this paper, we evaluate a new algorithm for pedestrian detection using a relational feature model (RFM) in combination with histogram similarity functions. For histogram comparison, we use the bhattacharyya distance, histogram intersection, histogram correlation and the chi-square χ2 histogram similarity function. Relational features using the HOG descriptor compute the similarity between histograms of the HOG descriptor. The features are computed for all combinations of extracted histograms from a feature detection algorithm. Our experiments show, that the information of spatial histogram similarities reduces the number of false positives while preserving true positive detections. The detection algorithm is done, using a multi-scale overlapping sliding window approach. In our experiments, we show results for different sizes of the cell size from the HOG descriptor due to the large size of the resulting relational feature vector as well as different results from the mentioned histogram similarity functions. Additionally, the results show the influence of the amount of positive example images and negative example images during training on the classification performance of our approach.
Sulfonamide resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae: DNA sequence of the gene encoding dihydropteroate synthase and characterization of the enzyme

A chromosomal gene of Streptococcus pneumoniae carrying a spontaneous mutation to sulfonamide resistance was identified. Comparison of its DNA sequence with the wild-type sequence showed that the mutation, sul-d, consisted of an insert of 6 base pairs, a repeat of an adjacent 6-base-pair segment. The gene encoded a 34-kilodalton polypeptide, SulA, which as a dimer or trimer constituted the enzyme dihydropteroate synthase. This was shown by enzyme activity measurements, expression in minicells of Bacillus subtilis, and the amino-terminal sequence of the polypeptide product. Subcloning of the gene in an Escherichia coli expression vector allowed purification of the enzyme to 80% homogeneity in a single step and at high yield. Although a deleted plasmid, pLS83, produced the mutant dihydropteroate synthase, it did not confer sulfonamide resistance in vivo. It is suggested that the SulA polypeptide is also a component of an enzyme that acts in another step of folate biosynthesis and that this step is inhibited in vivo by either free or conjugated sulfonamides.
High-speed regular expression matching with pipelined automata

Pattern matching is a complex task which is widely used in network security monitoring applications. With the growing speed of network links, pattern matching architectures have to be improved in order to retain wire-speed processing. Multi-striding is a well-known technique on how to increase throughput of pattern matching architectures. In the paper we provide an analysis of scalability of multi-striding and show that it does not scale well and cannot be used for 100Gbps throughput because utilization of FPGA resources grows exponentially. Therefore, we have designed a new hardware architecture for high-speed pattern matching that combines the multi-striding technique and parallel processing using pipelined finite state machines (FSMs). The architecture shares a single packet buffer for all parallel FSMs. Efficient implementation of the packet buffer reduces the number of BlockRAMs to 18% when compared to simple parallel implementation. Instead of multiplexing input data, the architecture pipelines the states of FSMs. Such pipelined processing with only local communication has a direct positive impact on frequency and throughput and allows us to scale the architecture to hundreds of Gbps.
Psoriasis affects patient's quality of life more seriously in female than in male in Japan.

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to assess the quality of life (QOL) of patients with psoriasis in Japan using Dermatology Life Quality Index (DLQI). Furthermore, we had evaluated the correlation between DLQI and clinical severity of psoriasis. METHODS The Japanese version of DLQI was used to assess the QOL of patients. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) and Itch visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to assess clinical severity of psoriasis. RESULTS The subjects were 102 Japanese patients with mild to severe psoriasis (77 males, 25 females, mean age 55.2 ± 14.2). There were no statistically significant differences in age, PASI, and itch VAS between male and female. The mean DLQI scores in total were 3.6 ± 3.2 in male and 7.2 ± 1.2 in female. The mean total DLQI scores in female were higher than that in male (p = 0.0016). Significant correlation was observed between DLQI scores and PASI score (p < 0.001) or itch VAS score (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS The mean total DLQI scores in female were significantly higher than that in male. Also, we confirmed the correlation between DLQI and clinical severity of psoriasis. These findings suggest that QOL assessment plays a greater role in females than in the males, when assessing the severity of psoriasis.
Carbapenemases in Klebsiella pneumoniae and Other Enterobacteriaceae: an Evolving Crisis of Global Dimensions

SUMMARY The spread of Enterobacteriaceae, primarily Klebsiella pneumoniae, producing KPC, VIM, IMP, and NDM carbapenemases, is causing an unprecedented public health crisis. Carbapenemase-producing enterobacteria (CPE) infect mainly hospitalized patients but also have been spreading in long-term care facilities. Given their multidrug resistance, therapeutic options are limited and, as discussed here, should be reevaluated and optimized. Based on susceptibility data, colistin and tigecycline are commonly used to treat CPE infections. Nevertheless, a review of the literature revealed high failure rates in cases of monotherapy with these drugs, whilst monotherapy with either a carbapenem or an aminoglycoside appeared to be more effective. Combination therapies not including carbapenems were comparable to aminoglycoside and carbapenem monotherapies. Higher success rates have been achieved with carbapenem-containing combinations. Pharmacodynamic simulations and experimental infections indicate that modification of the current patterns of carbapenem use against CPE warrants further attention. Epidemiological data, though fragmentary in many countries, indicate CPE foci and transmission routes, to some extent, whilst also underlining the lack of international collaborative systems that could react promptly and effectively. Fortunately, there are sound studies showing successful containment of CPE by bundles of measures, among which the most important are active surveillance cultures, separation of carriers, and assignment of dedicated nursing staff.
Immunogenicity and safety of investigational vaccine formulations against meningococcal serogroups A, B, C, W, and Y in healthy adolescents

This phase 2 study assessed the immunogenicity, safety, and reactogenicity of investigational formulations of meningococcal ABCWY vaccines, consisting of recombinant proteins (rMenB) and outer membrane vesicle (OMV) components of a licensed serogroup B vaccine, combined with components of a licensed quadrivalent meningococcal glycoconjugate vaccine (MenACWY-CRM). A total of 495 healthy adolescents were randomized to 6 groups to receive 2 doses (Months 0, 2) of one of 4 formulations of rMenB antigens, with or without OMV, combined with MenACWY-CRM, or 2 doses of rMenB alone or one dose of MenACWY-CRM then a placebo. Immunogenicity was assessed by serum bactericidal assay with human complement (hSBA) against serogroups ACWY and serogroup B test strains; solicited reactions and any adverse events (AEs) were assessed. Two MenABCWY vaccinations elicited robust ACWY immune responses, with higher seroresponse rates than one dose of MenACWY-CRM. Bactericidal antibody responses against the rMenB antigens and OMV components were highest in subjects who received 2 doses of OMV-containing MenABCWY formulations, with ≥68% of subjects achieving hSBA titers ≥5 against each of the serogroup B test strains. After the first dose, solicited local reaction rates were higher in the MenABCWY or rMenB groups than the MenACWY-CRM group, but similar across groups after the second dose, consisting mainly of transient injection site pain. Fever (≥38.0°C) was rare and there were no vaccine-related serious AEs. In conclusion, investigational MenABCWY formulations containing OMV components elicited highly immunogenic responses against meningococcal serogroups ACWY, as well as serogroup B test strains, with an acceptable safety profile. [NCT01210885]
Does marriage inhibit antisocial behavior?: An examination of selection vs causation via a longitudinal twin design.

CONTEXT Previous studies have indicated that marriage is negatively associated with male antisocial behavior. Although often interpreted as a causal association, marriage is not a random event. As such, the association may stem from selection processes, whereby men less inclined toward antisocial behavior are more likely to marry. OBJECTIVE To evaluate selection vs causation explanations of the association between marriage and desistence from antisocial behavior. DESIGN Co-twin control analyses in a prospective twin study provided an analogue of the idealized counterfactual model of causation. The co-twin control design uses the unmarried co-twin of a married twin to estimate what the married twin would have looked like had he remained unmarried. Discordant monozygotic (MZ) twins are particularly informative because they share a common genotype and rearing environment. SETTING General community study. PARTICIPANTS Two hundred eighty-nine male-male twin pairs (65.1% MZ) from the Minnesota Twin Family Study underwent assessment at 17, 20, 24, and 29 years of age. None of the participants were married at 17 years of age, and 2.6% were married at 20 years of age. By 29 years of age, 58.8% of the participants were or had been married. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE A tally of criterion C symptoms of DSM-III-R antisocial personality disorder, as assessed via structured clinical interview. RESULTS Mean differences in antisocial behavior across marital status at age 29 years were present even at 17 and 20 years of age, suggesting a selection process. However, the within-pair effect of marriage was significant for MZ twins, such that the married twin engaged in less antisocial behavior following marriage than his unmarried co-twin. Results were equivalent to those in dizygotic twins and persisted when controlling for prior antisocial behavior. CONCLUSIONS Results indicate an initial selection effect, whereby men with lower levels of antisocial behavior are more likely to marry. However, this tendency to refrain from antisocial behavior appears to be accentuated by the state of marriage.
Pharmacological profile of KSG-504, a new cholecystokinin-A-receptor antagonist.

Pharmacological effects of KSG-504, a newly synthetized compound, on the response induced by exogenous CCK-8 were investigated. KSG-504 inhibited 125I-CCK-8 binding to both rat pancreas and cerebral cortex with IC50 values of 2.0 x 10(-7) M and 8.0 x 10(-5) M, respectively. The selectivity ratio of KSG-504 for pancreatic CCK receptor (CCK-A) was estimated as 400. In the isolated pancreatic acini of rats, KSG-504 caused a parallel rightward shift of the concentration-response curve for CCK-8-stimulated amylase release with no change in its maximal response, indicating a competitive antagonism of the drug for the CCK-A receptor (Schild plot analysis; slope = 0.927, pA2 = 6.9). In addition, KSG-504 produced a significant inhibition of CCK-8-induced pancreatic amylase secretion when administered intravenously or intraduodenally to rats (ED50: 52 micrograms/kg/min by the i.v. route and 12.1 mg/kg by the i.d. route). KSG-504 had equipotent inhibitory effects on both CCK-8-stimulated pancreatic secretion and gallbladder contraction in dogs with ED50 values of 0.98 and 0.84 mg/kg, respectively. KSG-504 also inhibited the CCK-8-induced contraction of isolated guinea pig ileum in a concentration-dependent manner (IC50 = 3.0 x 10(-6) M). These results demonstrate that KSG-504 is a competitive and selective CCK-A-receptor antagonist that is effective in vivo after oral administration.
Social Network Types: An Emergency Social Network Approach - A Concept of Possible Inclusion of Emergency Posts in Social Networks through an API

In current digital era, people are staring at their smart phones all the time: checking newest posts and messages of their connections in social network sites. At the same time, global attacks and armed accidents representing menace to public safety occur with continuously increasing frequency. In such times, it is important to use all possible communication channels for effective broadcasting of emergency information. During assaults, involving and threatening broad public, it is important to deliver emergency instructions about how to behave, what to do and which places to avoid, to affected civilians through exploitation of communication channels used by targeted receivers. Such information can save human lives through avoidance of entering dangerous areas and creating the necessary room for security forces to act by leaving the place of the accident free of civilians. This paper aims to propose a concept model of emergency broadcasting by utilizing social network sites for information dissemination. Instead of introducing a new social network type like an emergency network, it proposes a connecting point between the public governmental security forces and the social network sites in form of a first draft of a possible API in high level. The discussion part of this paper intends to highlight viable advantages and stress potential disadvantages of proposed concept.
Do Cardiovascular Responses to Active and Passive Coping Tasks predict Future Blood Pressure over a 10-Month Later?

Abstract The study examined whether cardiovascular responses to active or passive coping tasks and single or multiple tasks predicted changes in resting blood pressure (BP) over a ten-month period. Heart rate (HR), BP, cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were measured at rest, and during mental stress tests (mental arithmetic, speech, and cold pressor tasks). A total of 104 eligible participants participated in the initial study, and 77 (74.04%) normotensive adult participants’ resting BP were re-evaluated at ten-month follow-up. Regression analyses indicated that after adjustment for baseline BP, initial age, gender, body mass index, family history of cardiovascular disease, and current cigarette smoking, heighted systolic blood pressure (SBP) and HR responses to an active coping task (mental arithmetic) were associated with increased future SBP (ΔR 2 = .060, ΔR 2 = .045, respectively). Further, aggregated SBP responsivity (over the three tasks) to the predictor models resulted in significant, but smaller increases in ΔR 2 accounting for . 040 of the variance of follow-up SBP. These findings suggest that cardiovascular responses to active coping tasks predict future SBP. Further, compared with single tasks, the findings revealed that SBP responses to three tasks were less predictive compared to an individual task (i.e., mental arithmetic). Of importance, hemodynamic reactivity (namely CO and TPR) did not predict future BP suggesting that more general psychophysiological processes (e.g., inflammation, platelet aggregation) may be implicated, or that BP, but not hemodynamic reactivity may be a marker of hypertension.
Variability of Bacterial Biofilms of the “Tina” Wood Vats Used in the Ragusano Cheese-Making Process

ABSTRACT Ragusano cheese is a “protected denomination of origin” cheese made in the Hyblean region of Sicily from raw milk using traditional wooden tools, without starter. To explore the Ragusano bacterial ecosystem, molecular fingerprinting was conducted at different times during the ripening and biofilms from the wooden vats called “tinas” were investigated. Raw milks collected at two farm sites, one on the mountain and one at sea level, were processed to produce Ragusano cheese. Raw milk, curd before and after cooking, curd at stretching time (cheese 0 time), and cheese samples (4 and 7 months) were analyzed by PCR-temporal temperature gel electrophoresis (PCR-TTGE) and by classical enumeration microbiology. With the use of universal primers, PCR-TTGE revealed many differences between the raw milk profiles, but also notable common bands identified as Streptococcus thermophilus, Lactobacillus lactis, Lactobacillus delbrueckii, and Enterococcus faecium. After the stretching, TTGE profiles revealed three to five dominant species only through the entire process of ripening. In the biofilms of the two tinas used, one to five species were detected, S. thermophilus being predominant in both. Biofilms from five other tinas were also analyzed by PCR-TTGE, PCR-denaturating gradient gel electrophoresis, specific PCR tests, and sequencing, confirming the predominance of lactic acid bacteria (S. thermophilus, L. lactis, and L. delbrueckii subsp. lactis) and the presence of a few high-GC-content species, like coryneform bacteria. The spontaneous acidification of raw milks before and after contact with the five tinas was followed in two independent experiments. The lag period before acidification can be up to 5 h, depending on the raw milk and the specific tina, highlighting the complexity of this natural inoculation system.