Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Fast Consistency Checking of Very Large Real-World RCC-8 Constraint Networks Using Graph Partitioning

We present a new reasoner for RCC-8 constraint networks, called gp-rcc8, that is based on the patchwork property of path-consistent tractable RCC-8 networks and graph partitioning. We compare gp-rcc8 with state of the art reasoners that are based on constraint propagation and backtracking search as well as one that is based on graph partitioning and SAT solving. Our evaluation considers very large real-world RCC-8 networks and medium-sized synthetic ones, and shows that gp-rcc8 outperforms the other reasoners for these networks, while it is less efficient for smaller networks.
Balancing Accuracy and Parsimony in Genetic Programming

Genetic programming is distinguished from other evolutionary algorithms in that it uses tree representations of variable size instead of linear strings of fixed length. The flexible representation scheme is very important because it allows the underlying structure of the data to be discovered automatically. One primary difficulty, however, is that the solutions may grow too big without any improvement of their generalization ability. In this article we investigate the fundamental relationship between the performance and complexity of the evolved structures. The essence of the parsimony problem is demonstrated empirically by analyzing error landscapes of programs evolved for neural network synthesis. We consider genetic programming as a statistical inference problem and apply the Bayesian model-comparison framework to introduce a class of fitness functions with error and complexity terms. An adaptive learning method is then presented that automatically balances the model-complexity factor to evolve parsimonious programs without losing the diversity of the population needed for achieving the desired training accuracy. The effectiveness of this approach is empirically shown on the induction of sigma-pi neural networks for solving a real-world medical diagnosis problem as well as benchmark tasks.
Connections analysis of voice traffic over MANETs and their impact on delay variation

Mobile Ad-hoc Networks (MANET) have been initially proposed for short-session exchanges of small data chunks in emergency and tactical missions, where network' infrastructure is inexistent or temporally broken. The quick rise of processing and communication capabilities of mobile devices allows moving toward offering user-friendly and delay-sensitive multimedia services over a MANET. The integration of multimedia services needs a good understanding of the effects of MANETs on the applications running contexts. This work aims at exploring network delay processes of packet voice communications on mobile ad-hoc networks. To do that, a wide range of representative scenarios has been defined and simulated. The gathered traces have been inspected from qualitative and quantitative perspectives in order to discover (1) dependency between up/down path lifetime and delay variation processes, and (2) features of network delay variation at transport-layer.
Plasma miR‐208 as a useful biomarker for drug‐induced cardiotoxicity in rats

Cardiotoxicity is one of the major safety concerns in drug development. Therefore, detecting and monitoring cardiotoxicity throughout preclinical and clinical studies is important for pharmaceutical companies. The present study was conducted in order to explore a plasma miRNA biomarker for cardiotoxicity in rats. As organ specificity is an important factor for a biomarker, we analyzed the miRNA microarray dataset in 55 organs/tissues in normal male rats. Based on this analysis, 5 miRNAs consisting of miR‐208 (heart‐specific), miR‐1, miR‐133a, miR‐133b (heart and skeletal muscle‐specific) and miR‐206 (skeletal muscle‐specific) were selected. Next, we evaluated the usefulness of those 5 miRNAs as circulating biomarkers in rats administered with single‐dose isoproterenol or doxorubicin. Plasma miR‐208 was consistently increased through 24 h after dosing in rats administered with isoproterenol, whereas plasma concentrations of cardiac troponin (cTn) showed transient elevation. In contrast, the plasma levels of miR‐1, miR‐133a, miR‐133a and miR‐206 were elevated after treatment with doxorubicin, probably as a result of skeletal muscle toxicity. Additionally, the plasma miR‐208 level was elevated even after repeat‐dose administration (once daily for 7 days) of isoproterenol under which the pathological condition proceeded to the sub‐chronic phase such as fibrosis. Thus, our data suggest that miR‐208 is a promising plasma biomarker for cardiotoxicity in rats. Monitoring of plasma miR‐208 levels in rats may lead to more accurate evaluation of cardiotoxicity in preclinical studies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The distribution of extremal points of Gaussian scalar fields

We consider the signed density of the extremal points of (two-dimensional) scalar fields with a Gaussian distribution. We assign a positive unit charge to the maxima and minima of the function and a negative one to its saddles. At first, we compute the average density for a field in half-space with Dirichlet boundary conditions. Then we calculate the charge-charge correlation function (without boundary). We apply the general results to random waves and random surfaces. Furthermore, we find a generating functional for the two-point function. Its Legendre transform is the integral over the scalar curvature of a 4-dimensional Riemannian manifold.
Methylation of BRCA1 Promoter Region Is Associated with Unfavorable Prognosis in Women with Early-Stage Breast Cancer

BRCA1-associated breast cancers are associated with particular features such as early onset, poor histological differentiation, and hormone receptor negativity. Previous studies conducted in Taiwanese population showed that the mutation of BRCA1 gene does not play a significant role in the occurrence of breast cancer. The present study explored methylation of BRCA1 promoter and its relationship to clinical features and outcome in Taiwanese breast cancer patients. Tumor specimens from a cohort of 139 early-stage breast cancer patients were obtained during surgery before adjuvant treatment for DNA extraction. Methylation of BRCA1 promoter region was determined by methylation-specific PCR and the results were related to clinical features and outcome of patients using statistical analysis. Methylation of the BRCA1 promoter was detected in 78 (56%) of the 139 tumors. Chi-square analysis indicated that BRCA1 promoter methylation correlated significantly with triple-negative (ER-/PR-/HER2-) status of breast cancer patients (p = 0.041). The Kaplan-Meier method showed that BRCA1 promoter methylation was significantly associated with poor overall survival (p = 0.026) and disease-free survival (p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis which incorporated variables of patients' age, tumor size, grade, and lymph node metastasis revealed that BRCA1 promoter methylation was associated with overall survival (p = 0.27; hazard ratio, 16.38) and disease-free survival (p = 0.003; hazard ratio, 12.19). Our findings underscore the clinical relevance of the methylation of BRCA1 promoter in Taiwanese patients with early-stage breast cancer.
Les milieux granulaires

Sable, riz, sucre, neige, ciment…La matiere en grains nous est familiere et abonde dans nos cuisines, dans la nature et de nombreux procedes industriels. Cet ouvrage presente les proprietes fondamentales des milieux granulaires, discute les differents comportements solide, liquide et gaz qu’ils peuvent avoir, et aborde les problematique geophysiques du transport de sediment et de la geomorphologie.
Uncoupling PR Gene Expression from NPR1 and Bacterial Resistance: Characterization of the Dominant Arabidopsis cpr6-1 Mutant

In Arabidopsis, NPR1 mediates the salicylic acid (SA)–induced expression of pathogenesis-related (PR) genes and systemic acquired resistance (SAR). Here, we report the identification of another component, CPR6, that may function with NPR1 in regulating PR gene expression. The dominant CPR6-1 mutant expresses the SA/NPR1–regulated PR genes (PR-1, BGL2, and PR-5) and displays enhanced resistance to Pseudomonas syringae pv maculicola ES4326 and Peronospora parasitica Noco2 in the absence of SAR induction. cpr6-1–induced PR gene expression is not suppressed in the cpr6-1 npr1-1 double mutant but is suppressed when SA is removed by salicylate hydroxylase. Thus, constitutive PR gene expression in cpr6-1 requires SA but not NPR1. In addition, resistance to P. s. maculicola ES4326 is suppressed in the cpr6-1 npr1-1 double mutant, despite expression of PR-1, BGL2, and PR-5. Resistance to P. s. maculicola ES4326 must therefore be accomplished through unidentified antibacterial gene products that are regulated through NPR1. These results show that CPR6 is an important regulator of multiple signal transduction pathways involved in plant defense.
Surgical complications after robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy: the initial 1000 cases stratified by the clavien classification system.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Complications after robot-assisted prostatectomy are widely reported and varied. Our goal was to determine the incidence of surgical complications resulting from robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) during the initial phase of a new robotics program that was developed by two surgeons without laparoscopic or robotic fellowship training. A secondary goal was to see if experience changed the incidence of complications with this technology. PATIENTS AND METHODS A prospectively maintained database was used to evaluate the first 1000 consecutive patients who were treated with RALP from January 2004 to June 2009. The database was reviewed for evidence of complications in the perioperative period. All patients underwent robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy by two surgeons. Complications were confirmed and supplemented by retrospectively reviewing the departmental morbidity and mortality reports, as well as the hospital records. The Clavien classification system, a standardized and validated scale for complication reporting, was applied to all events. The complication rate was determined per 100 patients treated and tested with logistic regression for a relationship with surgeon experience. RESULTS Ninety-seven (9.7%) patients experienced a total of 116 complications; 81 patients experienced a single complication and 16 patients experienced ≥2 complications. The majority of complications (71%) were either grade I or II. The complication rate decreased with experience when the first 500 cases were compared with the latter 500 cases (P=0.007). All the data were reviewed retrospectively. Involvement of residents/fellows increased as primary surgeon experience improved. CONCLUSIONS Complications after RALP are most commonly minor, requiring expectant or medical management only, even during the initiation of a RALP program. The complication rate improved significantly during the study period.
Hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy using high-dose 5-fluorouracil and cisplatin with or without interferon-α for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma with portal vein tumor thrombosis

Abstract Objective. In this retrospective study, we assessed the efficacy of hepatic arterial infusion chemotherapy (HAIC) using high-dose 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and cisplatin with or without interferon (IFN)-α for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) with portal vein tumor thrombosis. Material and methods. Fifty-two patients were included in the analysis. The patients were treated with 5-FU (750 mg/m2) and cisplatin (25 mg/m2) from Days 1 to 4. IFN-α was administered subcutaneously at a dose of 3 million units from Days 1 to 4, and then every other day for 24 days. Chemotherapy was repeated every 4 weeks. Thirty-one patients were treated with 5-FU, cisplatin and IFN-α (FPI group) and 21 were treated with 5-FU and cisplatin (FP group). Results. An objective tumor response was achieved in six patients (19.4%) in the FPI group. In the FP group, 12 patients (57.1%) achieved an objective tumor response (p = 0.015). The cumulative survival rate was higher in the FP group than the FPI group, but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.353). The median survival time for the 18 responders was 14 months (range 4–25 months), and their 6, 12, and 24-month cumulative survival rates were 89%, 83%, and 25%, respectively. Conclusions. HAIC using high-dose 5-FU plus cisplatin achieved a good tumor response. Adding IFN-α did not show any additional beneficial effects in terms of tumor response rate or survival.
Actin Turnover Is Required for Myosin-Dependent Mitochondrial Movements in Arabidopsis Root Hairs

Background Previous studies have shown that plant mitochondrial movements are myosin-based along actin filaments, which undergo continuous turnover by the exchange of actin subunits from existing filaments. Although earlier studies revealed that actin filament dynamics are essential for many functions of the actin cytoskeleton, there are little data connecting actin dynamics and mitochondrial movements. Methodology/Principal Findings We addressed the role of actin filament dynamics in the control of mitochondrial movements by treating cells with various pharmaceuticals that affect actin filament assembly and disassembly. Confocal microscopy of Arabidopsis thaliana root hairs expressing GFP-FABD2 as an actin filament reporter showed that mitochondrial distribution was in agreement with the arrangement of actin filaments in root hairs at different developmental stages. Analyses of mitochondrial trajectories and instantaneous velocities immediately following pharmacological perturbation of the cytoskeleton using variable-angle evanescent wave microscopy and/or spinning disk confocal microscopy revealed that mitochondrial velocities were regulated by myosin activity and actin filament dynamics. Furthermore, simultaneous visualization of mitochondria and actin filaments suggested that mitochondrial positioning might involve depolymerization of actin filaments on the surface of mitochondria. Conclusions/Significance Base on these results we propose a mechanism for the regulation of mitochondrial speed of movements, positioning, and direction of movements that combines the coordinated activity of myosin and the rate of actin turnover, together with microtubule dynamics, which directs the positioning of actin polymerization events.
Herbal and Nonherbal Alternative Medicine Use in Northwest Ohio

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence and characteristics of herbal and nonherbal alternative medicine use among adults living in northwest Ohio. DESIGN: Cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Three grocery store intercepts in northwest Ohio. SUBJECTS: A consecutive sample of 326 English-speaking persons ≥18 years old. METHODS: A 26-item survey self-administered to participants over a 6-month period. OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence of herbal remedy use. RESULTS: Forty percent of respondents have used an herbal remedy during the last 12 months. The average number of herbs used was 2.3 per person. Herbal remedy use was not associated with specific sociodemographic variables. Desire to improve general health was the most common reason for use of an herbal remedy (16%). Herbal users cited “herbals are natural” as the most common benefit. Magazines (17%), health food stores (16%), and friends (14%) were the most common sources of herbal remedy information. Only 50% of the population informed their physician of such use. Forty-one percent used an herbal remedy sometimes to always to self-treat before seeking medical care from a physician. Fifteen percent of adults treated their children with herbs. Nearly all (86%) respondents believed the herb was helpful or very helpful. CONCLUSIONS: A significant number of the adults surveyed in the Toledo metropolitan area commonly used complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). There were no independent factors associated with herbal remedy use. It is important for healthcare providers to acknowledge this growing trend of CAM therapy use and begin to incorporate open discussion about CAM into the patient—provider relationship.
Obstetric and perinatal outcomes in women with eating disorders.

BACKGROUND We wished to investigate whether women with a history of eating disorders have an increased risk for adverse obstetric and perinatal outcomes. STUDY DESIGN A retrospective study was conducted comparing pregnancy complications in patients with and without eating disorders. Deliveries occurred during the years 1988-2009 in a tertiary medical center. Women lacking prenatal care and with multiple gestations were excluded from the study. Stratified analyses were performed using multivariable logistic regression models. Odds ratios (OR) and their 95% confidence interval (CI) were computed. A p value<0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS During the study period, of 117,875 singleton deliveries, 122 (0.1%) occurred in patients with eating disorders. Eating disorders were significantly associated with fertility treatments (5.7% vs. 2.8%, p=0.047), intrauterine growth restriction (7.4% vs. 2.3%, p<0.001), term low birth weight (<2500 g) (7.4% vs. 2.8%, p=0.002), preterm delivery (15.6% vs. 7.5%, p=0.002), and cesarean delivery (25.4% vs. 15.0%, p=0.001). Using multivariable analyses, low birth weight (OR 2.5, 95% CI 1.3-5.0), preterm delivery (OR 2.2, 95% CI 1.4-3.6), and cesarean section (OR 1.9, 95% CI 1.3-2.9) were significantly associated with eating disorders. CONCLUSIONS Eating disorders are associated with increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. Accordingly, careful surveillance is needed for early detection of possible complications.
First-Year Students’ Initial Motivational Beliefs at University: Predicted by Motivational Beliefs Derived from Within and Out-of-School Experience and Malleable Regardless of the Extent of Students’ Out-of-School Experience

The present study tested how academic self-concept of ability (ASC) and intrinsic task value (ITV) transpose onto novel university programs that depart from traditional subject areas within the framework of expectancy-value theory. The study focused on two potential sources of information used to anticipate one’s ASC and ITV regarding new learning content (here: business administration). First, students’ experiences from secondary school, especially their ASCs and ITVs established in a school subject they consider similar to business administration—mathematics—should predict their business administration-specific ASC and ITV. Second, students may have gained relevant experience in out-of-school settings such as internships with business companies or commercial vocational training prior to entering higher education. ASC and ITV developed from out-of-school experiences was hypothesized to predict students’ business administration-specific ASC and ITV as well. However, the likely mismatch between anticipated and actual experience with new contents should lead to revisions of ASC and ITV after entering university reflected in a presumably lower stability compared to secondary school settings. In addition, the extent of students’ out-of-school experience might act as a moderator. Data were collected from 341 first-year students in higher education in Germany before they began their study program and again 3–4 months later. Confirmatory factor analyses support the discriminant validity of the measures used in the study. Results from structural equation modeling show that students’ ASC/ITV derived from relevant out-of-school experience make an important contribution to their initial business administration-specific ASC and ITV beyond their mathematics-specific ASC/ITV. Furthermore, both business administration-specific ASC and ITV showed significantly lower stability coefficients over the initial study phase than research from secondary school indicating revisions to them via experience. Multiple-group structural equation modeling showed no moderating effect of the extent of students’ out-of-school experience. The discussion focuses on interpretations of the expectancy-value theory that explicitly include motivational beliefs derived from out-of-school settings as antecedents of expectancy and value. With respect to practical implications, results are discussed in the light of student counseling and support to help students develop an adequate picture of a study program’s learning contents and overcome initial motivational setbacks.
Un)Mapping The Contested Geographies Of Urban Knowledge Production During the 2010 World Cup In South Africa

In 2010, South Africa became the first country on the continent of Africa to host a World Cup. This thesis analyzes aspects of the planning process for this mega-event. My analysis focuses on three interrelated phenomena: public order policing and re-branding through the control of public space; policy transfer and the attempt to clone the 'world-class' city in South Africa; and, the influence of consciously planning for an external television audience on the uneven geographies and temporalities of the mega-event. First, in analyzing the processes of public order policing and its connection to city branding in Durban, South Africa during the World Cup, I trace three mechanisms: the regulation of nuisance behaviors, the restriction of social movement activities, and the introduction of welcome ambassadors. I argue that this policing strategy reveals what city planners believe to be appropriate uses of public space as well as a future vision of the city. Second, using “cultural cloning” as a metaphor, I argue that policy mobility and the valorization of “best practices” can reinforce hegemonic conceptions of a 'world class' city that exacerbate already existing social inequalities. Such notions, also, work to foreclose on
Primary Pigmented Nodular Adrenocortical Disease: A Light and Electron Microscopic Study of Eight Cases

Primary pigmented nodular adrenocortical disease (PPNAD) is a rare cause of Cushing's syndrome, which is adrenocorticotropic hormone-independent and involves both adrenal glands. The characteristic pathological features include multiple pigmented cortical nodules and atrophy of the internodular cortex. The adrenal size ranges from small to normal or slightly enlarged. Review of the gross, light microscopic, and ultrastructural features of eight cases seen at the National Institutes of Health revealed several very unusual findings. We observed the following in our patients: macronodules up to 3.0 cm; microscopic foci of necrosis; mitoses; cortical hyperpla-sia rather than internodular atrophy; focal confluence of nodules giving a diffuse pattern of cortical involvement, and a focal trabecular growth pattern. The nodules were composed primarily of eosinophilic, lipid-poor cells similar to those of the zona reticularis. However, lipid-rich cells similar to those of the zona fasciculata were also demonstrated in the nodules by both light and electron microscopy. This suggests that the adrenal cortical nodules of PPNAD may be derived from not only the zona reticularis, but also the zona fasciculata.