Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SVM Based Learning System for F-term Patent Classification

This paper describes our SVM-based system and the techniques we used to adapt the approach for the specifics of the F-term patent classification subtask at NTCIR-6 Patent Retrieval Task. Our system obtained the best results according to two of the three measures used for performance evaluation. Moreover, the results from some additional experiments demonstrate that our system has benefited from the SVM adaptations which we carried out. It also benefited from using the full patent text in addition to using the F-term description as extra training material. However, our results using an SVM variant designed for hierarchical classification were much worse than those achieved with flat SVM classification. At the end of the paper we discuss the possible reasons for this, in the context of the F-term classification task.
Use of neuronavigation and electrophysiology in surgery of subcortically located lesions in the sensorimotor strip

Objectives: Subcortical lesions in the sensorimotor strip are often considered to be inoperable. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of a combined approach for surgery in this region, aided by a robotic neuronavigation system under electrophysiological control. Methods: In a prospective study on 10 patients, space occupying lesions in the sensorimotor central area were removed using the Surgiscope® robotic navigation system and the Nicolet Viking IV® electrophysiological system. Results: Precise tumour localisation with the neuronavigation system and the information on the patient's cortical motor distribution obtained by bipolar cortical stimulation led to postoperative improvement in motor function in all but one patient. Seven of the patients had focal, defined pathology (four metastases; two cavernoma; one aspergilloma). Conclusion: Due to the implementation of two recent technologies, surgery of lesions in the subcortical sensorimotor region can be performed with greater confidence.
Anterior Spinal Artery Syndrome in Two Children With Genetic Thrombotic Disorders

Abstract Background: Spinal cord infarction is a well-described, but rare, etiology of myelopathy, especially in children. The most common syndrome, anterior spinal artery syndrome (ASAS), is caused by interruption of blood flow to the anterior spinal artery, producing ischemia in the anterior two-thirds of the cord, with resulting neurologic deficits. Causes of ASAS include aortic disease, thoracolumbar surgery, sepsis, hypotension, and thromboembolic disorders. Methods: Case reports of 2 patients. Results: Two children developed spinal cord infarctions consistent with ASAS, mostly likely caused by previously undiagnosed thrombotic disorders. A child with prothrombin variant experienced acute bilateral lower limb weakness without any preceding event. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed increased T2 signal in the anterior cord from midthoracic level to the conus medullaris. A child with protein S deficiency developed lower limb weakness 1 day after a posterior thoracolumbar fusion for idiopathic scoliosis. Computed tomography (CT) myelogram revealed no spinal cord compression. The prothrombin variant mutation is associated with a 2-fold risk of thrombotic events. Individuals with protein S deficiency have an 8-fold increased risk of thrombosis. Conclusion: As knowledge of the coagulation pathways grows, it is likely that more patients with spinal cord infarctions will be diagnosed with genetic thrombotic disorders as the etiology of their injury. We review these two disorders, prothrombin variant and protein S deficiency, and the considerations for longterm anticoagulation.
Differential heat shock protein overexpression and its clinical relevance in systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES--To determine which heat shock proteins (hsps) are overexpressed in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and to examine the relevance of these findings to clinical disease activity. METHODS--Hsp levels in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of patients with SLE and normal controls were measured. Levels were analysed with respect to detailed clinical activity scores. Other hsps were also quantified in 30-50% of these samples. RESULTS--There was significant increase of the 90 kilodalton heat shock protein (hsp90) in patients with SLE and active neuropsychiatric (p < 0.005) and cardiorespiratory (p < 0.01) disease. There was also significant increase of the inducible 72 kilodalton member (hsp72), but not the constitutive 73 kilodalton member (hsp73) of the hsp70 family, and no increase of the 60 kilodalton hsp (hsp60) was seen in patients compared with controls. There was no association of hsp72 with disease activity, and no correlation between hsp90 and hsp72 levels was seen in individual patients. CONCLUSION--There may a specific role for hsp90 in distinct, clinically active subsets of patients with SLE.
Program Comprehension: Past, Present, and Future

Program comprehension is the main activity of the software developers. Although there has been substantial research to support the programmer, the high amount of time developers need to understand source code remained constant over thirty years. Beside more complex software, what might be the reason? In this paper, I explore the past of program-comprehension research, discuss the current state, and outline what future research on program comprehension might bring.
Endemicity of leprosy in the Union Territory of Chandigarh and surrounding states.

Data on 603 leprosy patients registered with the Leprosy clinic at the Nehru Hospital attached to Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh was analysed. The sample was collected over a period of 6 years in this area of very low endemicity. The overall average age at onset of the disease was 35.07 years. Majority of the patients had contacted the disease by the age of 39 years. Only 2% patients presented with the disease in the first decade. Males were more often seen with the disease than the females (M:F, 3:6:1). The highest represented type of leprosy was borderline (47.7%) and least represented was lepromatous (24.4%) with tuberculoid group inbetween (27.9%). The most common sites of first lesion were the exposed areas i.e. hand, trunk, feet and forearm. Most of the patients came from high prevalence states of the country. There were, however, 118 Punjabis and 41 Haryanvis who had never been outside their home states to any endemic area. The findings are presented.
When Does Improving Health Raise GDP?

We assess quantitatively the effect of exogenous health improvements on output per capita. Our simulation model allows for a direct effect of health on worker productivity, as well as indirect effects that run through schooling, the size and age-structure of the population, capital accumulation, and crowding of fixed natural resources. The model is parameterized using a combination of microeconomic estimates, data on demographics, disease burdens, and natural resource income in developing countries, and standard components of quantitative macroeconomic theory. We consider both changes in general health, proxied by improvements in life expectancy, and changes in the prevalence of two particular diseases: malaria and tuberculosis. We find that the effects of health improvements on income per capita are substantially lower than those that are often quoted by policy-makers, and may not emerge at all for three decades or more after the initial improvement in health. The results suggest that proponents of efforts to improve health in developing countries should rely on humanitarian rather than economic arguments.
A yearlong exercise intervention decreases CRP among obese postmenopausal women.

PURPOSE To investigate the effect of a yearlong moderate-intensity aerobic exercise intervention on C-reactive protein (CRP), serum amyloid A (SAA), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) among overweight or obese postmenopausal women. METHODS In a randomized controlled trial, 115 postmenopausal, overweight or obese, sedentary women, aged 50-75 yr were randomized to an aerobic exercise intervention of moderate-intensity (60%-75% observed maximal HR), for > or = 45 min x d(-1), 5 d x wk (n = 53), or to a 1-d x wk(-1) stretching control (n = 62), on an intent-to-treat basis. CRP, SAA, and IL-6 were measured at baseline, at 3 months, and at 12 months. RESULTS From baseline to 12 months, CRP decreased 10% in exercisers and increased 12% in controls (P = 0.01); no effects were observed for SAA and IL-6. Among participants at baseline who were obese (body mass index (BMI) > or = 30 kg x m(-2)) or had abdominal obesity (waist circumference (WC) > or = 88 cm), exercise resulted in a more pronounced reduction in CRP (BMI > or = 30 kg x m(-2), P = 0.002; WC > or = 88 cm, P < 0.0001), borderline for SAA (BMI > or = 30 kg x m(-2), P = 0.08; WC > or = 88 cm, P = 0.04); no intervention effects were observed among women who did not have these characteristics. Overall, weight loss was minimal in the exercise intervention ( approximately 1.8 kg). Linear trends were observed between CRP and 12-month changes in aerobic fitness (Ptrend = 0.006), exercise adherence (Ptrend = 0.004), percentage body fat (Ptrend = 0.002), body weight (Ptrend = 0.002), WC (Ptrend = 0.02), and intra-abdominal fat (Ptrend = 0.03). CONCLUSIONS A moderate-intensity exercise intervention reduced CRP for 12 months among women who were obese at baseline. These findings support the role of exercise in modulating inflammatory processes that are related to increased risk of chronic disease among obese women.
Thinking While Walking: Experienced High-Heel Walkers Flexibly Adjust Their Gait

Theories of motor-skill acquisition postulate that attentional demands of motor execution decrease with practice. Hence, motor experts should experience less attentional resource conflict when performing a motor task in their domain of expertise concurrently with a demanding cognitive task. We assessed cognitive and motor performance in high-heel experts and novices who were performing a working memory task while walking in gym shoes or high heels on a treadmill. Surprisingly, neither group showed lower working memory performance when walking than when sitting, irrespective of shoe type. However, high-heel experts adapted walking regularity more flexibly to shoe type and cognitive load than novices, by reducing the variability of time spent in the single-support phase of the gait cycle in high heels when cognitively challenged. We conclude that high-heel expertise is associated with more flexible adjustments of movement patterns. Future research should investigate whether a more demanding walking task (e.g., wearing high heels on uneven surfaces and during gait perturbations) results in expertise-related differences in the simultaneous execution of a cognitive task.
Characterization of intestinal lactobacilli as putative probiotic candidates.

AIMS To use antioxidative activity and antagonistic properties of lactobacilli against selected pathogens and members of the normal microflora as a basis for screening probiotic candidates. METHODS AND RESULTS Antagonistic activity of lactobacilli against target bacteria in both microaerobic and anaerobic environments was tested. Production of antagonistic metabolites (ethanol, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), acetic, lactic and succinic acid) by lactobacilli as well as their total antioxidative activity were assessed. In general, the lactobacilli tested were most effective against Gram-negative bacteria and their antagonistic activity was strain-specific. However, obligately heterofermentative lactobacilli had the strongest activity when tested in a microaerobic environment. Additionally, facultatively heterofermentative lactobacilli were equally effective in either milieu and produced significant levels of acetic and lactic acid. Moreover, obligately homofermentative lactobacilli had high H2O2 production and total antioxidative activity but weak antagonistic activity. CONCLUSIONS Antioxidative and antagonistic activity of intestinal lactobacilli is strain-specific but typically can be related to their fermentation type which may be used for rapidly screening large numbers of lactobacilli for probiotic candidates. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY This study represents the first report on the utilization of group characteristics to screen lactobacilli intended for specific probiotic use. Such uses include the targeting of particular gut niches and pathogens as well as allowing for long-term benefits to the host.
Site-Directed Mutagenesis of Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 Suggests Three Distinct Pathways of Nitroglycerin Biotransformation

To elucidate the mechanism underlying reduction of nitroglycerin (GTN) to nitric oxide (NO) by mitochondrial aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH2), we generated mutants of the enzyme lacking the cysteines adjacent to reactive Cys302 (C301S and C303S), the glutamate that participates as a general base in aldehyde oxidation (E268Q) or combinations of these residues. The mutants were characterized regarding acetaldehyde dehydrogenation, GTN-triggered enzyme inactivation, GTN denitration, NO formation, and soluble guanylate cyclase activation. Lack of the cysteines did not affect dehydrogenase activity but impeded GTN denitration, aggravated GTN-induced enzyme inactivation, and increased NO formation. A triple mutant lacking the cysteines and Glu268 catalyzed sustained formation of superstoichiometric amounts of NO and exhibited slower rates of inactivation. These results suggest three alternative pathways for the reaction of ALDH2 with GTN, all involving formation of a thionitrate/sulfenyl nitrite intermediate at Cys302 as the initial step. In the first pathway, which predominates in the wild-type enzyme and reflects clearance-based GTN denitration, the thionitrate apparently reacts with one of the adjacent cysteine residues to yield nitrite and a protein disulfide. The predominant reaction catalyzed by the single and double cysteine mutants requires Glu268 and results in irreversible enzyme inactivation. Finally, combined lack of the cysteines and Glu268 shifts the reaction toward formation of the free NO radical, presumably through homolytic cleavage of the sulfenyl nitrite intermediate. Although the latter reaction accounts for less than 10% of total turnover of GTN metabolism catalyzed by wild-type ALDH2, it is most likely essential for vascular GTN bioactivation.
Analysing the Hierarchical Fuzzy Rule Based Classification Systems with genetic rule selection

This contribution is focused on the enhancement of the precision for Fuzzy Rule Based Classification Systems by the refinement of the Knowledge Base. Specifically, we make use of a Hierarchical Fuzzy Rule Based Classification System, which consists in the application of a thicker granularity in order to generate the initial Rule Base, and to reinforce those problem subspaces that are specially difficult by means of the application of rules with a higher granularity. Furthermore, we will perform a genetic rule selection process in order to obtain a compact and accurate model. Our experimental results show the goodness of this approach, especially when the number of classes is high, which usually implies a higher difficulty in the separability of the examples. Our conclusions are supported by means of the corresponding statistical tests.
Effect of Triamcinolone Acetonide Injections on Hemiplegic Shoulder Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background and Purpose Hemiplegic shoulder pain is not uncommon after stroke. Its origin is still unknown, and although many different methods of treatment are applied, none have yet been proved to be effective. We sought to study the efficacy of 3 injections of intra-articular triamcinolone acetonide on pain and arm function in stroke patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain. Methods In a multicenter, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial, patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain received either 3 intra-articular injections of 40 mg triamcinolone acetonide or 1 mL physiological saline solution (placebo). Primary outcomes were pain measured according to 3 visual analogue scales (score range, 0 to 10), and arm function was measured by means of the Action Research Arm test and the Fugl-Meyer assessment scale; secondary outcomes were passive external rotation of the shoulder and general functioning measured according to Barthel Index and the Rehabilitation Activities Profile. Results In the triamcinolone group (n=18), the median decrease in pain, 3 weeks after the last injection, was 2.3 (interquartile range, 0.3 to 4.3) versus 0.2 (interquartile range, −0.5 to 2.2) in the placebo group. This result was not statistically significant. The change in the other outcome measures did not differ significantly between the 2 treatment groups. Twenty-five patients reported side effects. Conclusions In the 37 participants included in this study, triamcinolone injections seemed to decrease hemiplegic shoulder pain and to accelerate recovery, but this effect was not statistically significant. Therefore, on the basis of the results of this study, these injections cannot be recommended for the treatment of patients with hemiplegic shoulder pain.
A new receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, icotinib, for patients with lung adenocarcinoma cancer without indication for chemotherapy

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is an important therapeutic target in lung cancer. Gefitinib and erlotinib, two reversible EGFR receptor tyrosine kinases inhibitors (TKIs), have been approved for the treatment of patients with metastatic non small-cell lung cancer. Icotinib, which is a selective EGFR-TKI, provides a similar efficacy to gefitinib. The present study aimed to investigate the survival and safety of icotinib in patients with lung adenocarcinoma with a poor performance status (PS). A total of 42 cases of lung adenocarcinoma, including 35 females and 7 males, were enrolled. Icotinib was used as the first-line of treatment due to poor PS of the patient or a more advanced age. Icotinib (125 mg) was orally administered three times per day. The overall response rate and disease control rates were 33.3 and 85.7%, respectively. The median survival time was 13.0 months (95% CI, 5.6–20.4), The median progression-free survival time was 7.0 months, and the 1-year survival rate was 71.4%. A total of 79% of patients had an improved PS following icotinib treatment. Grade 1 to 2 rashes and diarrhea were the most frequent side effects. One patient succumbed during the study due to interstitial pneumonia. In conclusion, this is the first study indicating that patients with lung adenocarcinoma and poor PS may benefit from first-line icotinib therapy, but should be cautious of the occurrence of interstitial lung disease.
FDI Liberalization as a Source of Comparative Advantage in China

Two features of China's trade patterns suggest that elements beyond factor abundance explain its export performance. The high penetration in world markets of labor-intensive products has been accompanied by: (i) a high share in exports of productivity-advanced foreign-invested enterprises (FIEs) and (ii) a high penetration of FIEs in labor-intensive sectors. We show that FDI liberalization endogenously introduces Ricardian features to an otherwise standard endowment-based trade model, strengthening China's natural comparative advantage in labor-intensive products. We discuss how capital accumulation, productivity growth, rural–urban migration, incentives for foreign investment, and distortions in financial markets affect this bias.
Hepatitis C Virus Seroprevalence in Mongolian Women Assessed by a Novel Multiplex Antibody Detection Assay

Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection causes hepatocellular carcinoma and is an important cause of mortality in both industrialized and developing countries. We developed a single-step high-throughput multiplex serology assay for HCV antibody detection and determined HCV prevalence in a highly endemic country. Methods: Five proteins (Core, NS3, NS4A, NS5A, NS5B) each from the three most common subtypes of HCV (1a, 1b, 2a) were recombinantly expressed and used as antigens in a multiplexed antibody detection assay. Multiplex HCV serology was validated with 432 reference sera whose HCV status was established by commercial ELISA, Western blot, and RNA assays. HCV antibodies were determined in 1,023 sera representative for the adult female population of Mongolia. Results: In reference sera, detection of HCV (mostly Core and NS3) antibodies by multiplex serology showed 100% sensitivity and 99.6% specificity, and was in very good agreement with the commercial diagnostic assays (kappa, 0.96; 95% confidence interval, 0.92–0.99). The role of antibodies to NS4 and NS5 remains to be evaluated. In Mongolia, overall HCV antibody prevalence was 18.9% (17.8% when age-standardized to the world population). HCV seroprevalence increased with age from 10% in women <30 years to 32% in women ≥50 years, but was not related to sexual risk factors. Conclusions: The single-step high-throughput multiplex HCV serology assay performs similarly to conventional HCV antibody screening followed by secondary confirmation assays. A very high HCV seroprevalence was confirmed across all socio-economic groups in the female population of Mongolia. Impact: Multiplex HCV serology facilitates large seroepidemiologic studies of HCV infection. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 24(9); 1360–5. ©2015 AACR.
World Wide Wait: A Study of Internet Scalability and Cache-Based Approaches to Alleviate It

The Internet is growing rapidly in terms of both use and infrastructure. Unfortunately, demand is outpacing the capacity of the infrastructure, as evidenced by unacceptably long response times. To support current load and further growth, we must address this problem. Several caching strategies have been proposed in the literature; many have been implemented to improve the quality of service on the Web. In this paper, we identify the main causes of delay on the Web, and provide a review of the various caching strategies employed to mitigate these delays. We also survey the application of Operations Research/Management Science (OR/MS) techniques to caching on the Web. Finally, we identify several open OR/MS research problems related to Web caching.
Annual amount spent on lobbying by financial and commercial banks

It is well known that banks in countries around the world play a key role in allocating resources that are essential to economic growth and development. It is also well known that banks do not always allocate resources to the most productive projects based on both risk and return considerations. This was the case during the recent global financial crisis when some banks engaged in such excessively risky and less productive activities that they either failed or were bailed out. The severity of the crisis underscores the need for governments to put in place bank regulatory regimes that prevent such deplorable episodes.
A Complexity Metric for Networked System Designs

The systems and networking community lays great store by“simple” system designs. Yet, our rationalization about whether a system meets this goal often relies more on intuition and qualitative discussion than rigorous quantitati ve metrics. In this paper, we develop a prototype metric that seeks to quantify this notion of complexity with regard to the algorithmic component of a networked system design. We evaluate several networked system designs through the lens of our proposed complexity metric and demonstrate that our metric quantitatively assesses solutions in a manner compatible with informally articulated design intuition and anecdotal evidence such as real-world adoption.