Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ramblr: Making Reassembly Great Again

Static binary rewriting has many important applications in reverse engineering, such as patching, code reuse, and instrumentation. Binary reassembling is an efficient solution for static binary rewriting. While there has been a proposed solution to the reassembly of binaries, an evaluation on a realworld binary dataset shows that it suffers from some problems that lead to breaking binaries. Those problems include incorrect symbolization of immediates, failure in identifying symbolizable constants, lack of pointer safety checks, and other issues. Failure in addressing those problems makes the existing approach unsuitable for real-world binaries, especially those compiled with optimizations enabled. In this paper, we present a new systematic approach for binary reassembling. Our new approach is implemented in a tool called Ramblr. We evaluate Ramblr on 106 real-world programs on Linux x86 and x86-64, and 143 programs collected from the Cyber Grand Challenge Qualification Event. All programs are compiled to binaries with a set of different compilation flags in order to cover as many real-world scenarios as possible. Ramblr successfully reassembles most of the binaries, which is an improvement over the state-of-the-art approach. It should be noted that our reassembling procedure yields no execution overhead and no size expansion.
Clinical Utility of Routine Postpartum Hemoglobin Determinations

The objective of this paper was to determine if routine postpartum hemoglobin (Hb) determination changes patient management. One thousand patients with a vaginal delivery at Hermann Hospital, Houston, TX, had antepartum Hb testing, and a postpartum Hb for: (1) an antepartum Hb <9.0 mg/dL, (2) an estimated blood loss (EBL) >500 mL, (3) abnormal orthostatic vital signs, and (4) physician discretion. Data collected included: antepartum and postpartum Hb, EBL at delivery, the indication for Hb determination, and orthostatic vital sign results. Three-hundred fifty-eight postpartum hemoglobins were performed, most were "routine. " Patients whose EBL was >500 mL were twice as likely to be anemic after delivery (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.40, 4.08). Orthostatic hypotension had a PPV of only 21% for postpartum anemia. With the exception of an EBL >500 mL, risk factors for postpartum anemia are poorly predictive. Orthostatic vital signs are an insensitive test for the detection of anemia. Minimizing routine Hb testing following vaginal deliveries appears safe without an impact on patient management.
Prp40 and early events in splice site definition

The alternative splicing (AS) of precursor messenger RNA (pre‐mRNA) is a tightly regulated process through which introns are removed to leave the resulting exons in the mRNA appropriately aligned and ligated. The AS of pre‐mRNA is a key mechanism for increasing the complexity of proteins encoded in the genome. In humans, more than 90% of genes undergo AS, underscoring the importance of this process in RNA biogenesis. As such, AS misregulation underlies multiple human diseases. The splicing reaction is catalyzed by the spliceosome, a highly dynamic complex that assembles at or near the intron/exon boundaries and undergoes sequential conformational and compositional changes during splicing. The initial recognition of splice sites defines the exons that are going to be removed, which is a critical step in the highly regulated splicing process. Although the available lines of evidence are increasing, the molecular mechanisms governing AS, including the initial interactions occurring at intron/exon boundaries, and the factors that modulate these critical connections by functioning as a scaffold for active‐site RNAs or proteins, remain poorly understood. In this review, we summarize the major hallmarks of the initial steps in the splicing process and the role of auxiliary factors that contribute to the assembly of the spliceosomal complex. We also discuss the role of the essential yeast Prp40 protein and its mammalian homologs in the specificity of this pre‐mRNA processing event. In addition, we provide the first exhaustive phylogenetic analysis of the molecular evolution of Prp40 family members. WIREs RNA 2016, 7:17–32. doi: 10.1002/wrna.1312
Transient Kinetic Analysis of the 130-kDa Myosin I (MYR-1 Gene Product) from Rat Liver

The 130-kDa myosin I (MI130), product of the myr-1 gene, is one member of the mammalian class I myosins, a group of small, calmodulin-binding mechanochemical molecules of the myosin superfamily that translocate actin filaments. Roles for MI130 are unknown. Our hypothesis is that, as with all myosins, MI130 is designed for a particular function and hence possesses specific biochemical attributes. To test this hypothesis we have characterized the enzymatic properties of MI130 using steady-state and stopped-flow kinetic analyses. Our results indicate that: (i) the Mg2+-ATPase activity is activated in proportion to actin concentration in the absence of Ca2+; (ii) the ATP-induced dissociation of actin-MI130 is much slower for MI130 than has been observed for other myosins (−Ca2+, second order rate constant of ATP binding, 1.7 × 104 m −1s−1; maximal rate constant, 32 s−1); (iii) ADP binds to actin-MI130 with an affinity of ∼10 μm and competes with ATP-induced dissociation of actin-MI130; the rate constant of ADP release from actin-MI130 is 2 s−1; (iv) the rates of the ATP-induced dissociation of actin-MI and ADP release are 2–3 times greater in the presence of CaCl2, indicating a sensitivity of motor activity to Ca2+; and (v) the affinity of MI130 for actin (15 nm) is typical of that observed for other myosins. Together, these results indicate that although MI130 shares some characteristics with other myosins, it is well adapted for maintenance of cortical tension.
Increased expression of Fc gamma receptors on neutrophils and monocytes may reflect ongoing bacterial infection.

The Fc gammaR receptors for IgG, Fc gammaRI, Fc gammaRII and Fc gammaRIII were measured on neutrophils and monocytes from 36 patients suspected of systemic infection. These results were compared with 30 blood donor controls to assess the level of expression as an early indicator of bacterial infection. Fc gammaRI expression on neutrophils was found to be significantly increased from patients with systemic or localised infections, when compared to non-infected patient group, i.e., patients with no cultural evidence of bacterial infections, (p=0.02, p=0.04) or normal controls (p<0.0001, p=0.0005). Fc gammaRI expression on monocytes was also significantly increased in both of the infected groups compared to normal controls (p<0.0001, p=0.001); however, no significant difference could be seen when compared with the non-infected patients. Fc gammaRIII was found to be significantly increased on a subset of monocytes in patients with systemic or localised infections compared to the non-infected group (p=0.009, p=0.006) and compared to the normal controls (p=0.009, p=0.003). Infections caused by gram-negative bacilli induced a higher Fc gammaR response than infection with either streptococci or staphylococci. These data suggest that the measurement of Fc gammaRI on neutrophils and Fc gammaRIII on monocytes may be a useful rapid indicator of bacterial infection.
Nonequiprobable signaling on the Gaussian channel

Signaling schemes for the Gaussian channel based on finite-dimensional lattices are considered. The signal constellation consists of all lattice points within a region R, and the shape of this region determines the average signal power. Spherical signal constellations minimize average signal power, and in the limit as N to infinity , the shape gain of the N-sphere over the N-cube approaches pi e/6 approximately=1.53 dB. A nonequiprobable signaling scheme is described that approaches this full asymptotic shape gain in any fixed dimension. A signal constellation, Omega is partitioned into T subconstellations Omega /sub 0/, . , Omega /sub tau -1/ of equal size by scaling a basic region R. Signal points in the same subconstellation are used equiprobably, and a shaping code selects the subconstellation Omega /sub i/ with frequency f/sub i/. Shaping codes make it possible to achieve any desired fractional bit rate. The schemes presented are compared with equiprobable signaling schemes based on Voronoi regions of multidimensional lattices. For comparable shape gain and constellation expansion ratio, the peak to average power ratio of the schemes presented is superior. Furthermore, a simple table lookup is all that is required to address points in the constellations. It is also shown that it is possible to integrate coding and nonequiprobable signaling within a common multilevel framework. >
Gender-Sensitive Projects for Sustainable Development in Nigeria: A Critical Assessment

Abstract Being one of the contemporary and topical but controversial social problems amidst social inquiry in patriarchal Nigeria, gender has both objective condition and subjective definition in development theories and practices. This paper submits that the concept of ‘Gender’ within African developmental context aligns with discrimination and derogation. Series of approaches and projects have surfaced in Nigeria with the view to combat the threat of gender along the pathways to socio-economic and political development, yet the phenomenon persists. The paper specifically examines the nature and extent of genderism and fictitious and factual forces weaved around gendered and engendered development programmes in Nigeria. It draws attention to Nigeria’s underdevelopmental epidemiology via gender epistemology. Theoretically, the paper argues that the spirit of ‘top-down’ and ‘bottom-up’ are inadequate as separate sceptres for achieving the object of gender-sensitive development in Nigeria, indeed, Africa. Against this backdrop, ‘nomothetic’ method cannot solely drive Nigeria’s development out of its morass in the wake of gender issues. Therefore, the paper recommends that a down-to-earth application of gender-neutrality to all stages of the life cycle of development project. Gender-free integrated participatory development approach and ‘idiographic’ method are suggested as the theoretical and methodical tour de force for Nigeria’s sustainability in development.
ERT following IORT improves survival of patients with resectable pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND/AIMS The clinical course of patients with pancreatic carcinoma remains dismal despite the recent advances of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. One of the main causes is residual carcinoma cells, especially at the retroperitoneal aspect after pancreatectomy. Radiation therapy (RT) [intraoperative radiation therapy (IORT) and external radiation therapy (ERT)] is a therapeutic strategy to conquer the remaining cancer cells. METHODOLOGY Effects of RT were retrospectively examined in 81 patients with pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer together with early and late complications. RESULTS Preoperative clinical data were not different between the RT(+) and RT(-) groups excluding peripheral lymphocyte counts. Postoperative early complications equally occurred including pancreatic fistula. Regarding late complications (>2 months after operation), stomal ulcer, vertebral fracture, pseudoaneurysm, intraabdominal hemorrhage, and liver abscess were present only in patients with RT. Glucose intolerance tended to be more frequent in the RT (+) group, i.e. 12 (63%) of the 19 with RT examined and 14 (42%) of the 33 without RT examined. Follow-up imaging showed recurrence in 27 (71%) of the 38 patients without RT and 13 (52%) of the 25 patients with RT. The sites of the recurrence were not different by the presence or absence of RT. One-year, 3-year and 5-year cumulative survival rates were similar between the RT (-) group (100%, 39%, 21%, respectively) and IORT (+) alone group (100%, 29% and 17%, respectively). The rates in the IORT (+) and ERT (+) group were 100%, 54% and 28%, respectively, which tended to be better than those in the other two groups, but the differences were not statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that only the combination of IORT and ERT somewhat improves the short-term clinical course of patients with resectable pancreatic cancer, although there are some RT-related late complications. It is recommended that ERT be added to IORT after pancreatectomy for pancreatic cancer to improve the clinical course, once IORT has been performed.
Regulation of Surface Localization of the Small Conductance Ca2+-activated Potassium Channel, Sk2, through Direct Phosphorylation by cAMP-dependent Protein Kinase*

Small conductance, Ca2+-activated voltage-independent potassium channels (SK channels) are widely expressed in diverse tissues; however, little is known about the molecular regulation of SK channel subunits. Direct alteration of ion channel subunits by kinases is a candidate mechanism for functional modulation of these channels. We find that activation of cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA) with forskolin (50 μm) causes a dramatic decrease in surface localization of the SK2 channel subunit expressed in COS7 cells due to direct phosphorylation of the SK2 channel subunit. PKA phosphorylation studies using the intracellular domains of the SK2 channel subunit expressed as glutathione S-transferase fusion protein constructs showed that both the amino-terminal and carboxyl-terminal regions are PKA substrates in vitro. Mutational analysis identified a single PKA phosphorylation site within the amino-terminal of the SK2 subunit at serine 136. Mutagenesis and mass spectrometry studies identified four PKA phosphorylation sites: Ser465 (minor site) and three amino acid residues Ser568, Ser569, and Ser570 (major sites) within the carboxyl-terminal region. A mutated SK2 channel subunit, with the three contiguous serines mutated to alanines to block phosphorylation at these sites, shows no decrease in surface expression after PKA stimulation. Thus, our findings suggest that PKA phosphorylation of these three sites is necessary for PKA-mediated reorganization of SK2 surface expression.
Subcellular Localization and Biological Actions of Activated RSK1 Are Determined by Its Interactions with Subunits of Cyclic AMP-Dependent Protein Kinase

ABSTRACT Cyclic AMP (cAMP)-dependent protein kinase (PKA) and ribosomal S6 kinase 1 (RSK1) share several cellular proteins as substrates. However, to date no other similarities between the two kinases or interactions between them have been reported. Here, we describe novel interactions between subunits of PKA and RSK1 that are dependent upon the activation state of RSK1 and determine its subcellular distribution and biological actions. Inactive RSK1 interacts with the type I regulatory subunit (RI) of PKA. Conversely, active RSK1 interacts with the catalytic subunit of PKA (PKAc). Binding of RSK1 to RI decreases the interactions between RI and PKAc, while the binding of active RSK1 to PKAc increases interactions between PKAc and RI and decreases the ability of cAMP to stimulate PKA. The RSK1/PKA subunit interactions ensure the colocalization of RSK1 with A-kinase PKA anchoring proteins (AKAPs). Disruption of the interactions between PKA and AKAPs decreases the nuclear accumulation of active RSK1 and, thus, increases its cytosolic content. This subcellular redistribution of active RSK1 is manifested by increased phosphorylation of its cytosolic substrates tuberous sclerosis complex 2 and BAD by epidermal growth factor along with decreased cellular apoptosis.
Author's Personal Copy Large-scale Cold Water Dispersant Effectiveness Experiments with Alaskan Crude Oils and Corexit 9500 and 9527 Dispersants

In most cases authors are permitted to post their version of the article (e.g. in Word or Tex form) to their personal website or institutional repository. Authors requiring further information regarding Elsevier's archiving and manuscript policies are encouraged to visit: a b s t r a c t There continues to be reluctance in some jurisdictions to use chemical dispersants as a viable countermeasure for accidental oil spills. One argument used by some opponents to dispersant use is that ''chem-ical dispersants do not work effectively in cold water ". To address this issue, the U.S. Minerals Management Service (MMS) funded and conducted two series of large-scale dispersant experiments in McIntyre crude oils and Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 dispersants were used in the two test series. The crude oils were tested both when fresh and after weathering. Results demonstrated that both Corexit 9500 and Corexit 9527 dispersants were 85–99% effective in dispersing the fresh and weathered crude oils tested at cold temperatures. The MMS expects that results from these test series will assist government regulators and responders in making science based decisions on the use of dispersants as a response tool for oil spills in the Arctic. Considerable skepticism exists concerning the viability of using chemical dispersants on crude oils spills in very cold-water conditions. There are regional concerns that dispersants may not be effective on spills of Alaskan crude oils in cold water, especially those that could take place in the colder months and that disper-sants should not be or cannot be used in these conditions. The general misconception is that cold temperatures inhibit dispersant effectiveness (DE). Colder temperatures do increase the viscosity of the spilled oil and dispersant product. Dispersants have been formulated to be relatively non-viscous in cold temperatures and can be successfully applied in cold weather. The viscosity of spilled oil will be higher at low temperature, but possibly not too high for effective chemical dispersion. A number of bench-scale test programs that investigated the effect of cold temperatures on chemical dispersant effectiveness were completed in the 1980s. Tests completed by Harris and Wells (1980) and Mackay et al. (1980) both showed reduced dispersant effectiveness with colder temperatures. Cox et al. (1981) used similar test apparatus and methods and found that cold dispersant applied to warm oil-water systems worked better than warm dispersant and concluded that dispersants could be effective in cold arctic environments. MacKay and …
Adiponectin induces NF-κB activation that leads to suppression of cytokine-induced NF-κB activation in vascular endothelial cells: globular adiponectin vs. high molecular weight adiponectin

Adiponectin circulates in plasma as various isoforms. However, the biological activity of each isoform has not been firmly established. High molecular weight (HMW) adiponectin may be the active form of adiponectin, while a proteolytic cleavage product of adiponectin, known as globular adiponectin (gAd), has recently been shown to activate vascular endothelial cells. We compared HMW adiponectin with gAd to investigate whether they could activate nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and suppress cytokine-induced NF-κB activation in vascular endothelial cells. HMW adiponectin was found to activate NF-κB modestly compared to the activation observed with gAd. HMW adiponectin requires a shorter incubation period to demonstrate inhibition against tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα)-induced NF-κB activation, compared with gAd. gAd strongly activates NF-κB, thereby inducing the expression of various pro-inflammatory and adhesion molecule genes, and requires a longer incubation period to show inhibition against cytokine-induced NF-κB activation. Thus, HMW adiponectin might function to protect against inflammatory stimuli, while cleavage of adiponectin at inflammatory sites might enhance the inflammatory process.
A growth curve analysis of novel word learning by sequential bilingual preschool children*

Longitudinal word learning studies which control for experience can advance understanding of language learning and potential intra- and inter-language relationships in developing bilinguals. We examined novel word learning in both the first (L1) and the second (L2) languages of bilingual children. The rate and shape of change as well as the role of existing vocabulary in new word learning were of primary interest. Participants were 32 three-to-five-year old children. All participants had Hmong as their L1 and English as their L2. A novel word learning paradigm was used to measure children's acquisition of new form–meaning associations in L1 and L2 over eight weekly training sessions (four in each language). Two-level hierarchical linear models were used to analyze change in the comprehension and production of new words in Hmong and English over time. Results showed that there were comparable linear gains in novel word comprehension and production in both the L1 and the L2, despite different starting points. Success in novel word learning was predicted to some extent by existing vocabulary knowledge within each language. Between-language relationships were both positive and negative. These findings are consistent with highly interactive dynamic theories of sequential bilingual language learning.
Flow Cytometry Antifungal Susceptibility Testing of Pathogenic Yeasts other than Candida albicans and Comparison with the NCCLS Broth Microdilution Test

ABSTRACT Candida species other than Candida albicansfrequently cause nosocomial infections in immunocompromised patients. Some of these pathogens have either variable susceptibility patterns or intrinsic resistance against common azoles. The availability of a rapid and reproducible susceptibility-testing method is likely to help in the selection of an appropriate regimen for therapy. A flow cytometry (FC) method was used in the present study for susceptibility testing ofCandida glabrata, Candida guilliermondii,Candida krusei, Candida lusitaniae,Candida parapsilosis, Candida tropicalis, andCryptococcus neoformans based on accumulation of the DNA binding dye propidium iodide (PI). The results were compared with MIC results obtained for amphotericin B and fluconazole using the NCCLS broth microdilution method (M27-A). For FC, the yeast inoculum was prepared spectrophotometrically, the drugs were diluted in either RPMI 1640 or yeast nitrogen base containing 1% dextrose, and yeast samples and drug dilutions were incubated with amphotericin B and fluconazole, respectively, for 4 to 6 h. Sodium deoxycholate and PI were added at the end of incubation, and fluorescence was measured with a FACScan flow cytometer (Becton Dickinson). The lowest drug concentration that showed a 50% increase in mean channel fluorescence compared to that of the growth control was designated the MIC. All tests were repeated once. The MICs obtained by FC for all yeast isolates except C. lusitaniae were in very good agreement (within 1 dilution) of the results of the NCCLS broth microdilution method. Paired ttest values were not statistically significant (P = 0.377 for amphotericin B; P = 0.383 for fluconazole). Exceptionally, C. lusitaniae isolates showed higher MICs (2 dilutions or more) than in the corresponding NCCLS broth microdilution method for amphotericin B. Overall, FC antifungal susceptibility testing provided rapid, reproducible results that were statistically comparable to those obtained with the NCCLS method.