Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Graded Artificial Chemistry in Restricted Boundaries

The question of the origin of life is addressed by artificial life research, particularly in the realm of artificial chemistry. Such artificial chemistry is described by our Graded Autocatalysis Replication Domain (GARD) model. GARD depicts an unorthodox scenario suggested for emergence of life – the 'lipid world'. The model concerns molecular assemblies with mutual catalysis in an environment containing a plethora of molecular species. Many aspects of GARD were amply discussed. Here we concentrate on the importance of size constraints as depicted by the basic model and several of its variants. Occasional fission of a GARD assembly, which restricts the assembly size, is crucial for generating compositional quasistationary states ('composomes'). In a spatial version of GARD, bounded environments yield spontaneous emergence of different ecologies. Limiting the size of a population of GARD assemblies gives rise to a complex population dynamics. The last example, with possible wider impact to chemistry and nano-technology, suggests that size limit can give rise to spontaneous symmetry breaking. This latter result is compared to the classic Frank's model for homo-chirality, which requires explicit inhibition. We conclude that size restrictions are fundamental in the field of origin of life and artificial life, not only in order to facilitate evolutionary processes, as previously suggested, but also, for augmenting the dynamics portrayed by different scenarios and models.
Morphometric evidence of the trophic effect of L-carnitine on human skeletal muscle.

We investigated the effect of long-term i.v. administration of L-carnitine on human muscle fibers using morphometric parameters. We administered 2g/day L-carnitine to patients undergoing hemodialysis for at least 12 months. At the end of this period a marked increase in serum and muscle carnitine levels was observed in all patients, together with hypertrophy and predominance of type 1 fibers. L-carnitine was withheld for 4 months, during which time serum and muscle levels gradually decreased and no changes were observed in muscle fibers. Subsequent addition of L-carnitine to dialysis fluid for another 4 months stabilized lower levels. At the end of this period reduction of diameter of type 1 fibers was observed. Type 2 fibers remained unchanged. Moreover, type 1 fibers remained predominant in all cases. Hence, we suggest that carnitine has a specific trophic effect on type 1 fibers which are characterized by an oxidative metabolism.
US Trends in Rates of Arthroplasty for Inflammatory Arthritis Including Rheumatoid Arthritis, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, and Spondyloarthritis

Although rates of arthroplasty have increased dramatically, rates among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are reported to be decreasing. It is not known if this is also the case among patients with other inflammatory arthritides. This study was undertaken to evaluate rates of arthroplasty due to RA, juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), and a composite group of patients with inflammatory arthritides (IA), compared to arthroplasty rates among patients without inflammatory or autoimmune conditions.
Sorting of a multi-subunit ubiquitin ligase complex in the endolysosome system

The yeast Dsc E3 ligase complex has long been recognized as a Golgi-specific protein ubquitination system. It shares a striking sequence similarity to the Hrd1 complex that plays critical roles in the ER-associated degradation pathway. Using biochemical purification and mass spectrometry, we identified two novel Dsc subunits, which we named as Gld1 and Vld1. Surprisingly, Gld1 and Vld1 do not coexist in the same complex. Instead, they compete with each other to form two functionally independent Dsc subcomplexes. The Vld1 subcomplex takes the AP3 pathway to reach the vacuole membrane, whereas the Gld1 subcomplex travels through the VPS pathway and is cycled between Golgi and endosomes by the retromer. Thus, instead of being Golgi-specific, the Dsc complex can regulate protein levels at three distinct organelles, namely Golgi, endosome, and vacuole. Our study provides a novel model of achieving multi-tasking for transmembrane ubiquitin ligases with interchangeable trafficking adaptors.
Analysis of the Dynamic Wheel Loads in Railway Transition Zones Considering the Moisture Condition of the Ballast and Subballast

Transition zones in railway tracks are the locations with considerable changes in vertical support structures, e.g., near bridges. Due to possible water flow constrictions in transition zone structures, there is frequently an increased moisture level in the ballast/subballast layers, which is a potential source of track degradation. This paper presents results of the moisture condition measured in three transition zones using ground penetrating radar, where the ballast/subballast are analyzed. The relationship between the moisture condition and track degradation in the transition zones is studied by comparing it to the longitudinal track level that is measured by the track inspection coaches. A strong connection is found between the high moisture condition and track degradation in the transition zones. The dynamic behavior of the transition zones with high moisture condition is analyzed using the Finite Element method. Differential stiffness and settlement are taken into consideration in the transition zone model, which is also coupled with a vehicle. The ballast/subballast layers are modelled as solid elements. Increased moisture conditions are considered as a reduction of elastic modulus, according to laboratory findings. Results show that high moisture leads to an increase of dynamic wheel loads in the transition zone, which explains the connection and confirms that the high moisture condition is a source of transition zone problems.
Parents' Knowledge and Beliefs about the Impact of Exposure to Media Violence on Children's Aggression

ABSTRACT The current study aimed to assess Jordanian parents' knowledge and beliefs about the effects of violent media on children's aggressive behavior. A sample of 262 parents of children aged 6–11 years completed a Media Quotient questionnaire about children's media habits, media effects, and children's aggressive behavior. Parents reported that their children spend an average of 4.83 h (SD = 2.12) watching TV, 3.20 h (SD = 2.29) playing video games, 1.07 h (SD = 0.88) listening to music, and only 0.52 min (SD = 0.67) reading for pleasure per day. Parents have a moderate level of knowledge about the media effect (M = 15.49, SD = 3.439). Children of parents who have adequate knowledge about the media effect, spend less time watching TV (r = −.355, p < .001), playing video games (r = −.265, p < .001), and listening to music (r = −.347, p < .001). Ninety-two percent (n = 241) of parents were concerned about the amount of sexual and of violent content their children see in movies or on TV. Children who spend more time playing video games (r = −.201, p = .004) show aggressive relational behavior. This study suggests that increasing parents' knowledge of media of evidence-based programs may have a protective effect on children's behavior.
SpectralNet: Spectral Clustering using Deep Neural Networks

Spectral clustering is a leading and popular technique in unsupervised data analysis. Two of its major limitations are scalability and generalization of the spectral embedding (i.e., out-of-sample-extension). In this paper we introduce a deep learning approach to spectral clustering that overcomes the above shortcomings. Our network, which we call SpectralNet, learns a map that embeds input data points into the eigenspace of their associated graph Laplacian matrix and subsequently clusters them. We train SpectralNet using a procedure that involves constrained stochastic optimization. Stochastic optimization allows it to scale to large datasets, while the constraints, which are implemented using a special-purpose output layer, allow us to keep the network output orthogonal. Moreover, the map learned by SpectralNet naturally generalizes the spectral embedding to unseen data points. To further improve the quality of the clustering, we replace the standard pairwise Gaussian affinities with affinities leaned from unlabeled data using a Siamese network. Additional improvement can be achieved by applying the network to code representations produced, e.g., by standard autoencoders. Our end-to-end learning procedure is fully unsupervised. In addition, we apply VC dimension theory to derive a lower bound on the size of SpectralNet. State-of-the-art clustering results are reported on the Reuters dataset. Our implementation is publicly available at this https URL .
Use of atomic force microscopy to detect wavelength dependent changes in wood veneers, and spin coated lignin and cellulose films exposed to solar radiation

We examined whether spin coated lignin and cellulose films could act as material models for wood exposed to solar radiation. Films and wood were exposed to sunlight under filters that transmitted different parts of solar radiation. Changes in surface roughness, hardness and polarity of the films were analysed with atomic force microscopy and compared with those occurring on wood. All properties changed after exposure and the magnitude depended on the wavelength and substrate. The roughness of wood and lignin films increased after exposure, whereas it decreased on cellulose. The surface hardness of all three substrates increased more after exposure to less energetic radiation. Lignin films became more hydrophilic, whereas polarity changes of wood and cellulose were wavelength dependent. We conclude that lignin and cellulose films can act as material models for wood exposed to solar radiation and discuss how they might be used to develop new photoprotective wood treatments.
Persistent Antigen and Prolonged AKT–mTORC1 Activation Underlie Memory CD8 T Cell Impairment in the Absence of CD4 T Cells

Recall responses by memory CD8 T cells are impaired in the absence of CD4 T cells. Although several mechanisms have been proposed, the molecular basis is still largely unknown. Using a local influenza virus infection in the respiratory tract and the lung of CD4−/− mice, we show that memory CD8 T cell impairment is limited to the lungs and the lung-draining lymph nodes, where viral Ags are unusually persistent and abundant in these mice. Persistent Ag exposure results in prolonged activation of the AKT–mTORC1 pathway in Ag-specific CD8 T cells, favoring their development into effector memory T cells at the expense of central memory T cells, and inhibition of mTORC1 by rapamycin largely corrects the impairment by promoting central memory T cell development. The findings suggest that the prolonged AKT–mTORC1 activation driven by persistent Ag is a critical mechanism underlying the impaired memory CD8 T cell development and responses in the absence of CD4 T cells.
Ocular Surface Reconstitution

1.1 The ocular surface – anatomy and pathology The corneal epithelium, conjunctival epithelium, and the lacrimal system constitute the ocular surface. A healthy corneal epithelium is essential for corneal health and visual function. The corneal epithelium is a 5to 6-cell-thick layer that provides a defensive barrier against pathologic organisms. It exists in a dynamic equilibrium, with superficial cells being constantly shed into the tear film. Populations of pluripotent stem cells reside in the palisades of Vogt at the human corneoscleral limbus and generate transient amplified cells that centripetally migrate toward the central cornea. These transient amplified cells undergo terminal differentiation into epithelial cells and repopulate the corneal epithelium, i.e. the XYZ hypothesis (Thoft et al., 1983). Severe ocular surface disorders, such as infection, keratoconjunctivitis sicca, Stevens-Johnson syndrome, ocular cicatricial pemphigoid or chemical/thermal injuries, can progress to corneal scarring, conjunctivalization, neovascularization, or stromal melts. Depletion of the limbal stem cells may follow, resulting in impaired vision or eventual corneal blindness. According to the World Health Organization, corneal disorders, e.g. trachoma or onchocerciasis, constitute a significant cause of loss of vision and blindness in the world (Thylefors et al., 1995). The conjunctiva is a thin, transparent, mucus membrane, overlying a thin vascular stroma. It is divided into three geographic zones: bulbar, forniceal, and palpebral. The conjunctival nonkeratinized stratified epithelium contains mucin-producing goblet cells, which are important for tear film stability. Additionally, the conjunctiva participates in the ocular surface antimicrobial defense via the conjunctiva-associated lymphoid tissue, as well as secretory antimicrobial peptides, such as defensins (Haynes et al., 1999). Disorders of the conjunctiva include elastotic changes, fibrovascular proliferation, malignancies, and autoimmune conditions such as Stevens-Johnson syndrome or cicatricial pemphigoid. Complications include dysfunctional tear syndrome, keratinization, symblepharon formation, eyelid disfigurement, and eyelash misalignment. Patient discomfort, cosmetic imperfection, increased risk of infection, and visual impairment are some notable concerns. A normal tear film is essential for maintenance of the corneal and conjunctival epithelia. Composed of three layers, mucin, aqueous and lipid layers, the human tripartite tear film has antimicrobial, epitheliotrophic, mechanical, and optical properties. A wide range of physiologic or pathologic conditions, such as biologic aging, hormonal changes, chemical or thermal injuries, chronic inflammation, or autoimmune disorders, may disrupt the tear film and trigger a deleterious cascade, injuring ocular surface epithelia. Furthermore, suboptimal
Comorbidity of Psychiatric Disorders and Parental Psychiatric Disorders in a Sample of Iranian Children With ADHD

Objective: To study the psychiatric comorbidity of a clinical sample of children with ADHD and the psychiatric disorders in their parents. Method: Structured psychiatric interviews assessing lifetime psychiatric disorders by DSM-IV criteria, using the Farsi version of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia. Results: The mean age of the children was 8.7, mothers, 40.1, and fathers, 34.6 years. Only 7.6% of the boys and 21.7% of the girls manifested ADHD without any other psychiatric comorbidity. The most common comorbid disorders were disruptive behavior disorders and anxiety disorders. The prevalence of lifetime ADHD in the parents was 45.8% and 17.7%, respectively. The rate for major depressive disorder in mothers and fathers was 48.1% and 43.0%, respectively. Discussion: The clinical sample of ADHD children typically had at least one other psychiatric disorder, usually oppositional defiant disorder in boys and anxiety disorders in girls. The most common psychiatric disorder in the parents was mood disorder. (J. of Att. Dis. 2008; 12(2) 149-155)
Study of the Weathering Process of Gasoline by eNose

In a fire investigation the rapid detection of the presence of ignitable liquids like gasoline is of great importance as it allows appropriate treatment of the remains, the identification of prevention methods and detects the possible presence of an arsonist. In some cases, analysts cannot access the fire scene in the first few hours due to the dangers involved in the situation and, as a consequence, phenomena such as weathering start. Ignitable liquid weathering is an evaporation process that results in an increase in the abundance of non-volatile compounds relative to volatile compounds, and this process changes the chemical composition. In the present work, the weathering of samples of gasoline at different times (from 0 h to a month) has been studied using an electronic nose (eNose). The influence of the volume used (40 µL and 80 µL) and the type of support (cork, wood, paper and cotton sheet) has been studied. Chemometric tools have been used with the aim of ascertaining the weathering time for which the developed method is capable of detecting the presence of gasoline. The eNose was able to discriminate samples of weathered gasoline. The support used for the samples did not seem to have an influence on the detection and the system.
Assessment of Natural Ventilation Potential for Residential Buildings across Different Climate Zones in Australia

In this study, the natural ventilation potential of residential buildings was numerically investigated based on a typical single-story house in the three most populous climate zones in Australia. Simulations using the commercial simulation software TRNSYS (Transient System Simulation Tool) were performed for all seasons in three representative cities, i.e., Darwin for the hot humid summer and warm winter zone, Sydney for the mild temperate zone, and Melbourne for the cool temperate zone. A natural ventilation control strategy was generated by the rule-based decision-tree method based on the local climates. Natural ventilation hour (NVH) and satisfied natural ventilation hour (SNVH) were employed to evaluate the potential of natural ventilation in each city considering local climate and local indoor thermal comfort requirements, respectively. The numerical results revealed that natural ventilation potential was related to the local climate. The greatest natural ventilation potential for the case study building was observed in Darwin with an annual 4141 SNVH out of 4728 NVH, while the least natural ventilation potential was found in the Melbourne case. Moreover, summer and transition seasons (spring and autumn) were found to be the optimal periods to sustain indoor thermal comfort by utilising natural ventilation in Sydney and Melbourne. By contrast, natural ventilation was found applicable over the whole year in Darwin. In addition, the indoor operative temperature results demonstrated that indoor thermal comfort can be maintained only by utilising natural ventilation for all cases during the whole year, except for the non-natural ventilation periods in summer in Darwin and winter in Melbourne. These findings could improve the understanding of natural ventilation potential in different climates, and are beneficial for the climate-conscious design of residential buildings in Australia.
The utility of the clock drawing test in detection of delirium in elderly hospitalised patients

Objectives: Delirium is common neuropsychiatric condition among elderly inpatients. The clock drawing test (CDT) has been used widely as bedside screening tool in assessing cognitive impairment in elderly people. Previous studies which evaluate its usefulness in delirium reported conflicting results. The objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of CDT to detect delirium in elderly medical patients. Method: Prospective, observational, longitudinal study. All acute medical admissions 70 years of age and above were approached within 72 hours of admission for recruitment. Patients eligible for inclusion were assessed four times, twice weekly during admission. Assessment included Confusion Assessment Method (CAM), Delirium Rating Scale (DRS-98R), Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE) II, and CDT. Data was analysed using a linear mixed effect model. Results: Three hundred and twenty-three assessments with the CDT were performed on 200 subjects (50% male, mean age 81.13; standard deviation: 6.45). The overall rate of delirium (CAM+) during hospitalisation was 23%. There was a significant negative correlation between the CDT and DRS-R98 scores (Pearson correlation r = −0.618, p < 0.001), CDT and CAM (Spearman's rho = −0.402, p < 0.001) and CDT and total MoCA score (Pearson's r = 0.767, p < 0.001). However, when the data were analysed longitudinally controlling for all the factors, we found that cognitive function and age were significant factors associated with CDT scores (p < .0001): neither the presence nor the severity of delirium had an additional significant effect on the CDT. Conclusion: CDT score reflects cognitive impairment, independently of the presence or severity of delirium. The CDT is not a suitable test for delirium in hospitalised elderly patients.
KIAA1549‐BRAF Fusions and IDH Mutations Can Coexist in Diffuse Gliomas of Adults

KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion gene and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH) mutations are considered two mutually exclusive genetic events in pilocytic astrocytomas and diffuse gliomas, respectively. We investigated the presence of the KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion gene in conjunction with IDH mutations and 1p/19q loss in 185 adult diffuse gliomas. Moreover BRAFv600E mutation was also screened. The KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion gene was evaluated by reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and sequencing. We found IDH mutations in 125 out 175 cases (71.4%). There were KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion gene in 17 out of 180 (9.4%) cases and BRAFv600E in 2 out of 133 (1.5%) cases. In 11 of these 17 cases, both IDH mutations and the KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion were present, as independent molecular events. Moreover, 6 of 17 cases showed co‐presence of 1p/19q loss, IDH mutations and KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion. Among the 17 cases with KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion gene 15 (88.2%) were oligodendroglial neoplasms. Similarly, the two cases with BRAFv600E mutation were both oligodendroglioma and one had IDH mutations and 1p/19q co‐deletion. Our results suggest that in a small fraction of diffuse gliomas, KIAA1549‐BRAF fusion gene and BRAFv600E mutation may be responsible for deregulation of the Ras‐RAF‐ERK signaling pathway. Such alterations are more frequent in oligodendroglial neoplasm and may be co‐present with IDH mutations and 1p/19q loss.
UAV ONBOARD PHOTOGRAMMETRY AND GPS POSITIONNING FOR EARTHWORKS

Abstract. Over the last decade, Unmanned Airbone Vehicles (UAVs) have been largely used for civil applications. Airborne photogrammetry has found place in these applications not only for 3D modeling but also as a measurement tool. Vinci-Construction-Terrassement is a private company specialized in public works sector and uses airborn photogrammetry as a mapping solution and metrology investigation tool on its sites. This technology is very efficient for the calculation of stock volumes for instance, or for time tracking of specific areas with risk of landslides. The aim of the present work is to perform a direct georeferencing of images acquired by the camera leaning on an embedded GPS receiver. UAV, GPS receiver and camera used are low-cost models and therefore data processing is adapted to this particular constraint.
Relationship between the System Development Life Cycle and Software Quality Criterions for Achieving a Quality Software Product

To develop a quality software “System development life cycle” is the best technique to be adopted. Software has the ability to map itself on a Quality Model so that its working can be seen on a set of factors along with their criterion. By this correlation better results can be gained from the working of software on every environment. To achieve a quality product it is necessary for the developer to understand how it can be achieved. Theoretical study is the main phase of understanding the performance of software. For achieving a quality product, in this paper the collaboration of SDLC with Criteria of Quality models will be seen for the better working of a software system.