Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Blind Regression: Nonparametric Regression for Latent Variable Models via Collaborative Filtering

We introduce the framework of {\em blind regression} motivated by {\em matrix completion} for recommendation systems: given $m$ users, $n$ movies, and a subset of user-movie ratings, the goal is to predict the unobserved user-movie ratings given the data, i.e., to complete the partially observed matrix. Following the framework of non-parametric statistics, we posit that user $u$ and movie $i$ have features $x_1(u)$ and $x_2(i)$ respectively, and their corresponding rating $y(u,i)$ is a noisy measurement of $f(x_1(u), x_2(i))$ for some unknown function $f$. In contrast with classical regression, the features $x = (x_1(u), x_2(i))$ are not observed, making it challenging to apply standard regression methods to predict the unobserved ratings. Inspired by the classical Taylor's expansion for differentiable functions, we provide a prediction algorithm that is consistent for all Lipschitz functions. In fact, the analysis through our framework naturally leads to a variant of collaborative filtering, shedding insight into the widespread success of collaborative filtering in practice. Assuming each entry is sampled independently with probability at least $\max(m^{-1+\delta},n^{-1/2+\delta})$ with $\delta > 0$, we prove that the expected fraction of our estimates with error greater than $\epsilon$ is less than $\gamma^2 / \epsilon^2$ plus a polynomially decaying term, where $\gamma^2$ is the variance of the additive entry-wise noise term. Experiments with the MovieLens and Netflix datasets suggest that our algorithm provides principled improvements over basic collaborative filtering and is competitive with matrix factorization methods.
Exploring the Role of CYP3A4 Mediated Drug Metabolism in the Pharmacological Modulation of Nitric Oxide Production

Nitric-oxide synthase, the enzyme responsible for mammalian nitric oxide generation, and cytochrome P450, the major enzymes involved in drug metabolism, share striking similarities. Therefore, it makes sense that cytochrome P450 drug mediated biotransformations might play an important role in the pharmacological modulation of nitric oxide synthase. In this work, we have undertaken an integrated in vitro assessment of the hepatic metabolism and nitric oxide modulation of previously described dual inhibitors (imidazoles and macrolides) of these enzymes in order assess the implication of CYP450 activities over production of nitric oxide. In vitro systems based in human liver microsomes and activated mouse macrophages were developed for these purposes. Additionally in vitro production the hepatic metabolites of dual inhibitor, roxithromycin, was investigated achieving the identification and isolation of main hepatic biotransformation products. Our results suggested that for some macrolide compounds, the cytochrome P450 3A4 derived drug metabolites have an important effect on nitric oxide production and might critically contribute to the pharmacological immunomodulatory activity observed.
Body after baby: a pilot survey of genital body image and sexual esteem following vaginal birth

Objective The aim of this study was to determine acceptability of the Vaginal Changes Sexual and Body Esteem (VSBE) scale for women post childbirth and explore the association between childbirth events and sexual/body esteem. Design This is a cross-sectional study within the Evaluating Maternal Recovery from Labor and Delivery study. Setting This study was conducted in a community setting. Population The study was conducted in women post first vaginal birth with birth events that posed risk factors for levator ani muscle tears. Methods Survey, magnetic resonance images of levator ani, and physical examination were the data collected 8 months postpartum. Birth variables were collected by hospital chart review. Descriptive analysis of VSBE response rates and distribution of responses was conducted. An exploratory analysis of the potential association of demographic, birth, clinical, and magnetic resonance image characteristics with VSBE scores was conducted. Main outcome measures The outcome measure used in this study is VSBE scale. Results The majority of participants (97%) completed the scale, with responses to most questions skewed toward positive sexual/body esteem, with the exception of sexual enjoyment, where 38% indicated some interference due to genital changes. The scale showed high internal consistency (alpha =0.93). In the exploratory analysis of potential characteristics associated with VSBE, women with episiotomies had lower sexual/body esteem compared to those who did not (median VSBE scores 35 vs 42.5, P=0.01). Anal sphincter tear was not associated with sexual/body esteem (P=0.78). Additional study is indicated to further explore observed trends toward the association of severe levator ani tear, maternal age at childbirth, and forceps with VSBE scores. Conclusion The VSBE is suitable for use to assess sexual/body esteem in women post childbirth. Most women in this sample did not indicate negative genital body image/sexual esteem. However, some indicated that the changes post birth negatively affected their sexual/body esteem, particularly those who had episiotomies.
Intraperitoneal injection of tetracyclines protects mice from lethal endotoxemia downregulating inducible nitric oxide synthase in various organs and cytokine and nitrate secretion in blood

We have tested whether tetracyclines (TETs) are able to protect mice from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced shock, a cytokine-mediated inflammatory reaction. Mice, injected with a single dose of tetracycline base (TETb; 1.5, 10 and 20 mg/kg of body weight) or doxycycline (DOXY; 1.5 mg/kg), were significantly protected from a lethal intraperitoneal injection of LPS (500 micrograms per mouse). TETs acted in early events triggered in response to LSP; in fact, they were no longer significantly protective if injected more than 1 h after the injection of endotoxin. LPS-treated mice protected by TETs showed a significant inhibition of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha), interleukin-1 alpha (IL-1 alpha), and nitrate secretion in the blood, events that were directly related with the survival. In mice treated with TETs a significant decrease of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) activity was observed in spleen and peritoneal cells compared with that detected in mice treated with LPS alone. Furthermore, TETs were found to inhibit NO synthesis by peritoneal macrophages stimulated in vitro with LPS. On the contrary, TETs were unable to decrease the ability of the macrophages to synthesize IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha in vitro. These results indicate that TETs are not able to act directly on the synthesis of these cytokines, but they may modulate other pathways that could in turn be responsible for the inhibition of IL-1 alpha and TNF-alpha synthesis. Altogether, these results indicate that TETs are advantageous candidates for the prophylaxis and treatment of septic shock in mice, having both antimicrobial activity and the ability to inhibit endogenous TNF-alpha, IL-1 alpha, and iNOS, hence, exerting, potent anti-inflammatory effects.
Remodelling of microRNAs in colorectal cancer by hypoxia alters metabolism profiles and 5-fluorouracil resistance

Abstract Solid tumours have oxygen gradients and areas of near and almost total anoxia. Hypoxia reduces sensitivity to 5-fluorouracil (5-FU)-chemotherapy for colorectal cancer (CRC). MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are hypoxia sensors and were altered consistently in six CRC cell lines (colon cancer: DLD-1, HCT116 and HT29; rectal cancer: HT55, SW837 and VACO4S) maintained in hypoxia (1 and 0.2% oxygen) compared with normoxia (20.9%). CRC cell lines also showed altered amino acid metabolism in hypoxia and hypoxia-responsive miRNAs were predicted to target genes in four metabolism pathways: beta-alanine; valine, leucine, iso-leucine; aminoacyl-tRNA; and alanine, aspartate, glutamate. MiR-210 was increased in hypoxic areas of CRC tissues and hypoxia-responsive miR-21 and miR-30d, but not miR-210, were significantly increased in 5-FU resistant CRCs. Treatment with miR-21 and miR-30d antagonists sensitized hypoxic CRC cells to 5-FU. Our data highlight the complexity and tumour heterogeneity caused by hypoxia. MiR-210 as a hypoxic biomarker, and the targeting of miR-21 and miR-30d and/or the amino acid metabolism pathways may offer translational opportunities.
DESIGN OF V-BAND SUBSTRATE INTEGRATED WAVEGUIDE POWER DIVIDER , CIRCULATOR AND COUPLER

Recently there is growing interest in a new technology, substrate integrated waveguide (SIW), it has been applied successfully to the conception of planar compact components for the microwave and millimeter waves applications. In this study, a V-band substrate integrated waveguide power divider, circulator and coupler are conceived and optimized by Ansoft HFSS code. Thus, through this modeling, design considerations and results are discussed and presented. Attractive features including compact size and planar form make these devices structure easily integrated in planar circuits.
Metabolic Disorders and Steatosis in Patients with Chronic Hepatitis C: Metabolic Strategies for Antiviral Treatments

It has been reported that hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is closely associated with hepatic metabolic disorders. Hepatic steatosis and insulin resistance are both relatively common in patients with chronic hepatitis C. Recent investigations suggest that HCV infection changes the expression profile of lipid-metabolism-associated factors in the liver, conferring advantages to the life cycle of HCV. Moreover, insulin resistance and steatosis are independent predictors of impaired response to antiviral treatment in chronic hepatitis C. In this paper, we summarize our current knowledge of hepatic metabolic disorders and describe how HCV leads to and exploits these hepatic disorders. We also discuss the clinical significance of insulin sensitizers used to improve insulin resistance and lipid modulators used to manage lipid metabolism as potential treatment options for chronic hepatitis C.
A Simple Model for the Absorption of Starlight by Dust in Galaxies

We present a new model for computing the effects of dust on the integrated spectral properties of galaxies, based on an idealized description of the main features of the interstellar medium (ISM). The model includes the ionization of H II regions in the interiors of the dense clouds in which stars form and the influence of the finite lifetime of these clouds on the absorption of radiation. We compute the production of emission lines and the absorption of continuum radiation in the H II regions and the subsequent transfer of line and continuum radiation in the surrounding H I regions and the ambient ISM. This enables us to interpret simultaneously all the observations of an ultraviolet-selected sample of nearby starburst galaxies, including the ratio of far-infrared to ultraviolet luminosities, the ratio of Hα to Hβ luminosities, the Hα equivalent width, and the ultraviolet spectral slope. We show that the finite lifetime of stellar birth clouds is a key ingredient for resolving an apparent discrepancy between the attenuation of line and continuum photons in starburst galaxies. In addition, we find that an effective absorption curve proportional to λ-0.7 reproduces the observed relation between the ratio of far-infrared to ultraviolet luminosities and the ultraviolet spectral slope. We interpret this relation most simply as a sequence in the overall dust content of the galaxies. The shallow wavelength dependence of the effective absorption curve is compatible with the steepness of known extinction curves if the dust has a patchy distribution. In particular, we find that a random distribution of discrete clouds with optical depths similar to those in the Milky Way provides a consistent interpretation of all the observations. A noteworthy outcome of our detailed analysis is that the observed mean relations for starburst galaxies can be closely approximated by the following simple recipe: use an effective absorption curve proportional to λ-0.7 to attenuate the line and continuum radiation from each stellar generation, and lower the normalization of the curve, typically by a factor of 3 after 107 yr, to account for the dispersal of the birth clouds. This recipe or our full model for absorption can be incorporated easily into any population synthesis model.
Evolution Through Imitation in a Single Population 1

Kandori, Mailath and Rob [1993] and Young [1993] showed how introducing random innovations into a model of evolutionary adjustment enables selection among Nash equilibria. Key to this result is that poorly performing strategies may be introduced in sufficient numbers that they begin to perform well. We examine imitation as an alternative and more plausible propagation mechanism. If imitation is much more likely than innovation, it is significantly easier to compute long-run equilibrium. The long-run limit contains only pure strategies. Calculations can be made by comparing pairs of pure strategies to see how well they do against one another. A sufficient condition for a profile to be the unique long-run equilibrium is that it beat all others in pairwise contests. A number of examples are considered. Note: this version is preliminary and incomplete. 1 We are grateful to support from National Science Foundation Grants. 2 Departments of Economics UCLA and Princeton.
A 2‐Mb critical region implicated in the microcephaly associated with terminal 1q deletion syndrome

Patients with distal deletions of chromosome 1q have a recognizable syndrome that includes microcephaly, hypoplasia or agenesis of the corpus callosum, and psychomotor retardation. Although these symptoms have been attributed to deletions of 1q42‐1q44, the minimal chromosomal region involved has not been identified. Using microsatellite and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers, we have mapped the deleted regions in seven patients with terminal deletions of chromosome 1q to define a 2.0‐Mb microcephaly critical region including the 1q43‐1q44 boundary and no more than 11 genes. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
“We’ve got our own little ways of doing things here”: Cross-variety variation, change and divergence in the English stative possessive

This paper presents the results of a corpus-based variationist analysis of have, have got and got in British and American English. The study focuses on the variability and ongoing change in the use of these forms for the stative possessive, as in the following examples: 1. … Gussie has two grandchildren and all I 've got is a bum and a letter. [CBLS/61, 18-19] 2. I got more in my pinky finger than he ’s got in his head. [DoaS/24, 22-24] 3. You 've got Leslie to help you now. You 've John and Nora to cheer you up. [AO/125, 20-22] Using parallel, comparable corpora of 36 British (N = 1159) and 38 American (N = 1216) twentieth century plays, this work builds upon previous studies of the possessive (Kroch 1989, Tagliamonte 2003), providing a quantitative, cross-variety perspective using real-time data. Of interest is whether factors conditioning the variation are the same in both varieties of English, or if British and American English are undergoing separate processes of change. Results of comparative and multivariate analysis show that have has become the overwhelmingly favoured form in American English. British English has shifted to a preference for have got, although have remains a competing form. However, cross-variety comparison of grammatical constraints conditioning the variation demonstrates that have shows a consistent preference for generic NP subjects and abstract objects. These constraint hierarchies are also remarkably stable over time across the two varieties, indicating similar paths of change over the last century. Despite different percentages of use for the three forms, British and American English appear to share the same underlying grammatical system for the stative possessive. These results are consistent with the Constant Rate Effect (Kroch 1989, 2001), which predicts that contexts will remain in a stable relationship to one other even as the rate of a change slows down or speeds up (Pintzuk, Tsoulas and Warner 2000: 11-12). As well, Jones and Tagliamonte (2004:119) report that as a form obsolesces, constraint hierarchies remain intact. This is corroborated here by the results for American have got, as the change there to have appears to be heading toward completion. This is in contrast to the claim that constraints acting on a obsolescing form may “display upheaval” (Wolfram and Schilling-Estes 1995: 711).
Teacher/Student Interactions and Classroom Behavior: The Role of Student Temperament and Gender

The purpose of this study was to examine the relationships of student temperament and gender to disruptive classroom behavior in urban primary grade schools. Teacher reports and classroom observations were used. Forty-four teachers and their 152 students participated. A two-step cluster analysis was conducted with teacher reports on their students' temperaments. Three temperament clusters were identified: industrious, intermediate, and high maintenance. ANOVAs revealed that, as compared to students with other temperaments, children who were high maintenance exhibited significantly higher levels of overt aggression toward others, emotional-oppositional behavior, attentional difficulties, and covert disruptive behavior. Teachers reported more difficulty managing the behavior of high maintenance students and were observed to provide more negative feedback to them compared to those who were industrious. Hierarchical and logistic regression analyses demonstrated that temperament mediated the relationship between student gender and disruptive classroom behaviors. Temperament also mediated the association between gender and teachers' difficulty managing students' covert disruptive behavior. Irrespective of gender, students whose temperaments were high maintenance and intermediate were more likely than industrious students to receive negative teacher feedback. Irrespective of students' temperament, teachers were observed to provide more positive feedback to boys than to girls.
Semantic word representations in higher education students with dyslexia

The current study examined verbal fluency and semantic word representations in students with dyslexia. Participants were first-year undergraduate students with (N=57) and without dyslexia (N=72). All participants were native speakers of Dutch. Students were tested for semantic or phonemic fluency. Semantic word representations were measured using different measures such as word frequency, Age of Acquisition (AoA) and Type-Token Ratio (TTR). Results showed evidence that lexical diversity of students with dyslexia was higher than that of students without dyslexia in a semantic fluency task. There was also an effect of AoA for two categories. There were no differences found for phonemic fluency between both groups. These findings indicated that students with dyslexia differed from students without dyslexia in semantic word representations.
Mapping digital journalism: Comparing 48 news websites from six countries

Media organizations throughout the Western world struggle to adjust their practices to rapidly changing conditions. Initially, online journalism was celebrated for potentially revolutionizing political reporting due to its new technological possibilities: According to this, it is able to (1) increase transparency by providing hyperlink sources, (2) increase understanding by providing further background information, and (3) add to deliberation and follow-up communication by providing a platform for interactive exchange. A comparative content analysis of 48 news websites from six countries (France, Italy, Germany, Switzerland, Great Britain, and United States) examines the degree to which these three potential strengths are fully exploited. By mapping the different news outlets in relation to the digital functions, we identify three models prevalent in different countries and organization types. The first model contains outlets promoting the usage of links to make their sources transparent to the reader (‘transparency model’), outlets focusing on the provision of background information to enable their audiences to gain a wider understanding of the reported topic (‘background model’), and outlets that mainly avoid the adoption of new technologies (‘print-oriented model’). These findings show that different structural developments and professional orientations lead to the adaption of different technologies in digital journalism.
Comparison of Cysts in Red and Green Images for Diabetic Macular Edema

ABSTRACT Purpose To investigate whether cysts in diabetic macular edema are better visualized in the red channel of color fundus camera images, as compared with the green channel, because color fundus camera screening methods that emphasize short-wavelength light may miss cysts in patients with dark fundi or changes to outer blood retinal barrier. Methods Fundus images for diabetic retinopathy photoscreening were acquired for a study with Aeon Imaging, EyePACS, University of California Berkeley, and Indiana University. There were 2047 underserved, adult diabetic patients, of whom over 90% self-identified as a racial/ethnic identify other than non-Hispanic white. Color fundus images at nominally 45 degrees were acquired with a Canon Cr-DGi non-mydriatic camera (Tokyo, Japan) then graded by an EyePACS certified grader. From the 148 patients graded to have clinically significant macular edema by the presence of hard exudates in the central 1500 μm of the fovea, we evaluated macular cysts in 13 patients with cystoid macular edema. Age ranged from 33 to 68 years. Color fundus images were split into red, green, and blue channels with custom Matlab software (Mathworks, Natick, MA). The diameter of a cyst or confluent cysts was quantified in the red-channel and green-channel images separately. Results Cyst identification gave complete agreement between red-channel images and the standard full-color images. This was not the case for green-channel images, which did not expose cysts visible with standard full-color images in five cases, who had dark fundi. Cysts appeared more numerous and covered a larger area in the red channel (733 ± 604 μm) than in the green channel (349 ± 433 μm, P < .006). Conclusions Cysts may be underdetected with the present fundus camera methods, particularly when short-wavelength light is emphasized or in patients with dark fundi. Longer wavelength techniques may improve the detection of cysts and provide more information concerning the early stages of diabetic macular edema or the outer blood retinal barrier.