Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Alternative Strategies for Aggregating Prices in the CPI

The Consumer Price Index does not take into account the fact that consumers alter the composition of their purchases in response to changes in relative prices. This substitution effect will cause the CPI to grow faster than the cost of living. This paper presents new estimates showing that this bias in the CPI averaged 0.3 percentage points per year between December 1986 and December 1995. This bias could be eliminated by using a superlative index to aggregate prices across the item-area strata of the CPI. The paper discusses the practical difficulties in implementing such a calculation and suggests a method for overcoming them. In particular, it shows how to construct an accurate approximation to a superlative price index that can be published with the same timeliness as the CPI.
MYB30 links ROS signaling, root cell elongation, and plant immune responses

Significance Plant roots tune their growth to the environment. An important class of molecules involved in environmental responses as well as in root growth regulation is composed of reactive oxygen species (ROS). By making use of a comprehensive transcriptome atlas capturing ROS responses in different developmental zones of the root, we uncovered a regulatory network that is involved in root-growth regulation and responses to biotic stress. This network is composed of the ROS-responsive transcription factor MYB30, which regulates multiple genes involved in the transport of very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFAs). Overall, our findings show that Arabidopsis uses the same MYB30-dependent regulatory network for root-growth and immunity responses, processes that were considered largely independent of each other. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are known to be important signal molecules that are involved in biotic and abiotic stress responses as well as in growth regulation. However, the molecular mechanisms by which ROS act as a growth regulator, as well as how ROS-dependent growth regulation relates to its roles in stress responses, are not well understood. We performed a time-course microarray analysis of Arabidopsis root tips upon treatment with hydrogen peroxide, which we named “ROS-map. ” Using the ROS-map, we identified an MYB transcription factor, MYB30, which showed a strong response to ROS treatment and is the key regulator of a gene network that leads to the hydrogen peroxide-dependent inhibition of root cell elongation. Intriguingly, this network contained multiple genes involved in very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) transport. Finally, we showed that MYB30 is necessary for root growth regulation during defense responses, thus providing a molecular link between these two ROS-associated processes.
High intratumoural accumulation of stealth® liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx®) in glioblastomas and in metastatic brain tumours

The blood–brain barrier is a major obstacle for the chemotherapeutic drugs to effectively reach primary or secondary brain tumours. Stealth® liposomal drugs are highly accumulated in tumoural tissues. In the present study we investigated the relative accumulation of99mTc-DTPA radiolabelled stealth® liposomal doxorubicin (Caelyx®) in 10 patients with metastatic brain tumours and five patients with brain glioblastoma undergoing radiotherapy. Patients with metastatic brain lesions were treated with 10 consecutive fractions of radiotherapy (whole brain, 3 Gy/fraction, day 1–12) followed by a booster dose of 9 Gy (3 Gy/fraction, day 21–23). Caelyx®, at a dose of 25 mg mg–2was given on day 1 and on day 21. Radiolabelled Caelyx® accumulation was 13–19 times higher in the glioblastomas and 7–13 times higher in the metastatic lesions, as compared to the normal brain. The drug accumulation in the tumoural areas was 40–60% of the accumulation in the bone marrow of the skull bones. The normal brain radioactivity was <4% of the bone marrow, confirming an important shielding effect of the blood–brain barrier in the normal but not in the tumoural tissue. Four of 10 patients with metastatic lesions showed a complete response in CT-scan performed 2 months following therapy. There was no severe toxicity related to radiotherapy or to chemotherapy noted. It is concluded that stealth® liposomal drugs selectively overcome the blood–brain barrier in the tumoural areas. The clinical importance of this observation is now under investigation. © 2000 Cancer Research Campaign
Treatment of Elderly Patients with Colorectal Cancer

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the leading causes of cancer-related deaths worldwide. As society ages, the number of elderly patients with CRC will increase. The percentage of patients with right-sided colon cancer and the incidence of microsatellite instability are higher in elderly than in younger patients with CRC. Moreover, the higher incidence of comorbid diseases in elderly patients indicates the need for less invasive treatment strategies. For example, care should be taken in performing additional surgery after endoscopic submucosal dissection for elderly patients with high-risk T1 CRC. Minimally invasive surgery, such as laparoscopic colectomy, would be preferable for elderly patients with CRC. Chemotherapy for elderly patients requires careful monitoring for adverse events. The aim of this review is to summarize the clinicopathological features of CRC in elderly patients, optical surgical strategies, including endoscopic and laparoscopic resection, and chemotherapeutic strategies, including postoperative adjuvant chemotherapy and systemic chemotherapy for unresectable CRC.
Comparing the Relative Interfacial Affinity of Soft Colloids With Different Crosslinking Densities in Pickering Emulsions

Pickering emulsions prepared by various kinds of soft colloids such as the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM)-based microgels, have been studied for decades in order to fabricate stimuli-responsive emulsions. It has been generally viewed that the interfacial properties of the microgel monolayers and the emulsion stability are dominated by the softness or deformability of the microgel particles. However, there is still no convenient way to characterize the adsorption/desorption energy of the microgels at the interface although this is an essential topic for microgel-stabilized emulsions. This paper presents a novel method for directly comparing the relative interfacial affinity of microgel particles with comparable size but different crosslinking densities, therefore, different softness at the oil/water interface. Typical micron-sized PNIPAM-based microgels were synthesized and used in this study. With advanced fluorescent labeling techniques, we are capable of distinguishing different kinds of microgels in a Pickering emulsion. During vigorous agitation, particles with higher adsorption energy are more likely to be found at the oil/water interface instead of the loosely adsorbed counterparts. By counting the ratio of interfacial area occupied by two microgels, the interfacial affinity of them can be compared. It is found that interfacial affinity of microgels is not only dependent on the softness but also strongly correlated with the core-shell morphology of the microgels, especially the outmost collapsed polymer layer at the interface. This result is consistent with the interfacial morphology model proposed by other researchers. The understanding of the stabilization of such Pickering emulsions can help us to design and develop responsive Pickering emulsions with better controlled stability.
Gene Entropy-Fractal Dimension Informatics with Application to Mouse-Human Translational Medicine

DNA informatics represented by Shannon entropy and fractal dimension have been used to form 2D maps of related genes in various mammals. The distance between points on these maps for corresponding mRNA sequences in different species is used to study evolution. By quantifying the similarity of genes between species, this distance might be indicated when studies on one species (mouse) would tend to be valid in the other (human). The hypothesis that a small distance from mouse to human could facilitate mouse to human translational medicine success is supported by the studied ESR-1, LMNA, Myc, and RNF4 sequences. ID1 and PLCZ1 have larger separation. The collinearity of displacement vectors is further analyzed with a regression model, and the ID1 result suggests a mouse-chimp-human translational medicine approach. Further inference was found in the tumor suppression gene, p53, with a new hypothesis of including the bovine PKM2 pathways for targeting the glycolysis preference in many types of cancerous cells, consistent with quantum metabolism models. The distance between mRNA and protein coding CDS is proposed as a measure of the pressure associated with noncoding processes. The Y-chromosome DYS14 in fetal micro chimerism that could offer protection from Alzheimer's disease is given as an example.
Class Responsiblity Assignment Case: a Viatra-DSE Solution

This paper presents a solution for the Class Responsibility Assignment Case of the 2016 Transformation Tool Contest. The task is to assign features (methods and attributes with dependencies to each other) to classes and optimize a software metric called CRA-Index. The solution utilizes the rule-based design space exploration framework Viatra-DSE with the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) and it extends the framework with a domain-speci c state encoder to identify similar solutions and to obtain better performance. Furthermore, it also uses a domain-speci c mutation operator and a slightly modi ed version of the provided transformation rule.
Exploring Syntactic Features for Native Language Identification: A Variationist Perspective on Feature Encoding and Ensemble Optimization

In this paper, we systematically explore lexicalized and non-lexicalized local syntactic features for the task of Native Language Identification (NLI). We investigate different types of feature representations in single- and cross-corpus settings, including two representations inspired by a variationist perspective on the choices made in the linguistic system. To combine the different models, we use a probabilities-based ensemble classifier and propose a technique to optimize and tune it. Combining the best performing syntactic features with four types of n-grams outperforms the best approach of the NLI Shared Task 2013.
A closer look at the size of the gaze-liking effect: a preregistered replication

ABSTRACT This study is a direct replication of gaze-liking effect using the same design, stimuli and procedure. The gaze-liking effect describes the tendency for people to rate objects as more likeable when they have recently seen a person repeatedly gaze toward rather than away from the object. However, as subsequent studies show considerable variability in the size of this effect, we sampled a larger number of participants (N = 98) than the original study (N = 24) to gain a more precise estimate of the gaze-liking effect size. Our results indicate a much smaller standardised effect size (dz = 0.02) than that of the original study (dz = 0.94). Our smaller effect size was not due to general insensitivity to eye-gaze effects because the same sample showed a clear (dz = 1.09) gaze-cuing effect – faster reaction times when eyes looked toward vs away from target objects. We discuss the implications of our findings for future studies wishing to study the gaze-liking effect.
Production of Recombinant Human DNA Polymerase Delta in a Bombyx mori Bioreactor

Eukaryotic DNA polymerase δ (pol δ) plays a crucial role in chromosomal DNA replication and various DNA repair processes. It is thought to consist of p125, p66 (p68), p50 and p12 subunits. However, rigorous isolation of mammalian pol δ from natural sources has usually yielded two-subunit preparations containing only p125 and p50 polypeptides. While recombinant pol δ isolated from infected insect cells have some problems of consistency in the quality of the preparations, and the yields are much lower. To address these deficiencies, we have constructed recombinant BmNPV baculoviruses using MultiBac system. This method makes the generation of recombinant forms of pol δ containing mutations in any one of the subunits or combinations thereof extremely facile. From about 350 infected larvae, we obtained as much as 4 mg of pol δ four-subunit complex. Highly purified enzyme behaved like the one of native form by rigorous characterization and comparison of its activities on poly(dA)/oligo(dT) template-primer and singly primed M13 DNA, and its homogeneity on FPLC gel filtration. In vitro base excision repair (BER) assays showed that pol δ plays a significant role in uracil-intiated BER and is more likely to mediate LP BER, while the trimer lacking p12 is more likely to mediate SN BER. It seems likely that loss of p12 modulates the rate of SN BER and LP BER during the repair process. Thus, this work provides a simple, fast, reliable and economic way for the large-scale production of human DNA polymerase δ with a high activity and purity, setting up a new platform for our further research on the biochemical properties of pol δ, its regulation and the integration of its functions, and how alterations in pol δ function could contribute to the etiology of human cancer or other diseases that can result from loss of genomic stability.
Genetic loading in familial migraine with aura

Migraine with aura (MA) arises from a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The sibling risk, age at onset, and aura type were compared in 54 MA probands categorised by family history of MA. Three family types were ascertained each having an MA proband and: (1) an MA parent and MA offspring (three generation; n=15), (2) either an MA parent or an MA offspring (two generation; n=20), and (3) neither an MA parent nor an MA offspring (one generation; n=19). The crude recurrence risk to siblings of probands was 2.7-fold higher in three generation compared with two generation MA families (χ2=6.24, p=0.0125) and 4.8-fold higher in three generation compared with one generation MA families (χ2=9.95, p<0.002). The mean age at onset decreased with an increase in genetic load. The MA probands from three generation families were significantly younger than probands from the one generation families (F=5.14, p=0.030). MA probands from three generation families were more likely to report more than one type of aura than MA probands from two generation families (χ2=4.44, p=0.035). The significant difference in genetic loading and the earlier age at onset in the three generation families add further evidence for a genetic basis for MA and the difference in sibling risks demonstrates that the MA population is heterogenous.
Decomposing Data-Centric Storage Query Hot-Spots in Sensor Networks

Arising when a large percentage of queries is accessing data stored in few sensor nodes, query hot-spots reduce the quality of data (QoD) and the lifetime of the sensor network. All current in-network data-centric storage (IN-DCS) schemes fail to deal with query hot-spots resulting from skewed query loads as well as skewed sensor deployments. In this paper, we present two algorithms to locally detect and decompose query hot-spots, namely zone partitioning (ZP) and zone partial replication (ZPR). We build both algorithms on top of the DIM scheme, which has been shown to exhibit the best performance among all INDCS schemes. Experimental evaluation illustrates the efficiency of ZP/ZPR in decomposing query hot-spots while increasing QoD as well as energy savings by balancing energy consumption among sensor nodes
Effect of miR-146a and miR-155 on cardiac xenotransplantation

The aim of the present study was to investigate the expression levels of miR-146a and miR-155 in a cardiac xenograft model treated with the immunosuppressant FK506, and to construct lentiviral vectors to further study the roles of miR-146a and miR-155 in cardiac xenotransplantation. Expression levels of miR-146a and miR-155 were examined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis and protein expression of RelA, which is a member of the nuclear factor-κB family, was examined by western blot analysis. Pre-miR-146a and pre-miR-155 fragments were designed and synthesized according to MiRBase and were cloned into the plasmid pCDH1-MCS1-EF1-copGFP. Recombinant plasmids were identified by enzyme digestion and sequencing. Survival time of cardiac grafts in the FK506 treatment group was significantly increased in comparison with the control group (P<0.05). In addition, the histopathological grading results were significantly decreased in the treatment group (P<0.05). A significant decrease in RelA protein expression levels was observed in the treatment group (P<0.05), along with a significant increase in miR-146a expression levels (P<0.05) and a significant decrease in miR-155 expression levels (P<0.05). Digestion and sequencing findings demonstrated that the insertion of miRNA into the plasmid pCDH1-MCS1-EF1-copGFP conformed with the pre-miRNAs, and the lentiviral vectors were concentrated to a titer of 5×107 IFU/ml. These findings demonstrated that FK506 is able to inhibit the rejection effect in a mouse-to-rat cardiac xenotransplantation model. FK506 treatment altered the expression levels of miR-146a and miR-155, indicating that they may have an important role in regulating the immune response to the rejection effect. miR-146a and miR-155 lentiviral vectors were successfully constructed for further experiments both in vitro and in vivo.
Socioeconomic disadvantage, social participation and networks and the self-rated health of English men and women with mild and moderate intellectual disabilities: cross sectional survey.

BACKGROUND Extremely high rates of mortality and morbidity have been reported among people with intellectual disabilities. Virtually no research has addressed the potential social determinants of health status within this very vulnerable population. METHOD Cross-sectional survey of self-reported health status and indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage and social connectedness in 1273 English adults with mild or moderate intellectual disabilities. RESULTS Indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage accounted for a statistically significant proportion of variation in health status, over and above any variation attributable to the personal characteristics and living circumstances of participants. Indicators of social participation and networks did not add to the explanatory power of the model. Among the indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage, hardship was more strongly associated with variation in health status than either employment status or area-level deprivation. CONCLUSION As in the general population, self-reported health was associated with indicators of socioeconomic disadvantage, especially hardship. In contrast, there was no evidence of any association between health status and social participation and networks.
Multibandwidth Kernel-Based Object Tracking

Object tracking using Mean Shift (MS) has been attracting considerable attention recently. In this paper, we try to deal with one of its shortcoming. Mean shift is designed to find local maxima for tracking objects. Therefore, in large target movement between two consecutive frames, the local and global modes are not the same as previous frames so that Mean Shift tracker may fail in tracking the desired object via localizing the global mode. To overcome this problem, a multibandwidth procedure is proposed to help conventional MS tracker reach the global mode of the density function using any staring points. This gradually smoothening procedure is called Multi Bandwidth Mean Shift (MBMS) which in fact smoothens the Kernel Function through a multiple kernel-based sampling procedure automatically. Since it is important for us to have less computational complexity for real-time applications, we try to decrease the number of iterations to reach the global mode. Based on our results, this proposed version of MS enables us to track an object with the same initial point much faster than conventional MS tracker.
Cross-coupled microstrip hairpin-resonator filters

A new class of cross-coupled planar microwave filters using microstrip hairpin resonators is introduced. The realization of bath the canonical and the cascaded quadruplet (CQ) filters is feasible. Coupling characteristics of four basic coupling structures encountered in this class of filters are investigated in the light of full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulations. A four-pole cross-coupled filter of this type is designed and fabricated. Both the theoretical and experimental performance is presented.
Health insurance status and ambulatory care for children.

BACKGROUND Many children in the United States lack health insurance. We tested the hypothesis that these children are less likely than children with insurance to visit a physician when they have specific conditions for which care is considered to be indicated. METHODS We examined the association between whether children were covered by health insurance and whether they received medical attention from a physician for pharyngitis, acute earache, recurrent ear infections, or asthma. Data were obtained on the subsample of 7578 children and adolescents 1 through 17 years of age who were included in the 1987 National Medical Expenditures Survey, a national probability sample of the civilian, noninstitutionalized population. RESULTS Uninsured children were more likely than children with health insurance to receive no care from a physician for all four conditions (unadjusted odds ratios, 2.38 for pharyngitis; 2.04 for acute earache; 2.84 for recurrent ear infections; and 1.87 for asthma). Multiple logistic-regression analysis was subsequently used to control for age, sex, family size, race or ethnic group, region of the country, place of residence (rural vs. urban), and household income. After adjustment for these factors, uninsured children remained significantly more likely than insured children to go without a visit to a physician for pharyngitis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.72; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.11 to 2.68), acute earache (1.85; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.15 to 2.99), recurrent ear infections (2.12; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.28 to 3.51), and asthma (1.72; 95 percent confidence interval, 1.05 to 2.83). CONCLUSIONS As compared with children with health insurance, children who lack health insurance are less likely to receive medical care from a physician when it seems reasonably indicated and are therefore at risk for substantial avoidable morbidity.