Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Spiral response-cascade hypothesis — Intrapersonal responding-cascade in gaze interaction

A spiral response-cascade hypothesis is proposed to model the mechanism that enables human communication to emerge or be maintained among agents. In this hypothesis, we propose the existence of three cascades each of which indicates intrapersonal or interpersonal mutual facilitation in the formation of someone's feelings about one's communication partners and the exhibition of behaviors in communicating with them, i.e., responding. In this paper, we discuss our examination of an important part of the hypothesis, i.e., what we call an intrapersonal responding cascade, through an experiment where the gaze interactions between a participant and a communication robot were controlled not only by controlling the robot's gaze but also by signaling participants when to shift their gaze. We report that the participants' experiences in responding to the robot enable them to regard the robot as a communicative being, which partially supports the hypothesis of the intrapersonal responding cascade.
Determination of minimal residual disease in leukaemia patients

In patients with acute leukaemia, studies of minimal (i.e. submicroscopic) residual disease (MRD) should improve measurements of treatment response and enable estimates of the residual leukaemic cell burden during clinical remission, thereby improving the selection of therapeutic strategies and, possibly, long-term clinical outcome. The most useful methods for MRD monitoring currently available are polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification of fusion transcripts and rearranged antigen-receptor genes, and flow cytometric detection of aberrant immunophenotypes. Several studies in patients with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia and acute myeloid leukaemia have demonstrated that MRD is a powerful and independent prognostic indicator. The strong association between MRD and risk of relapse was observed in children and adult patients irrespective of the methodology used to detect residual disease. This article discusses the relative advantages and disadvantages of each MRD assay, and reviews the reported correlations between MRD, clinical and biological features of the disease, and outcome.
Distributed Balanced Partitioning via Linear Embedding

Balanced partitioning is often a crucial first step in solving large-scale graph optimization problems: in some cases, a big graph is chopped into pieces that fit on one machine to be processed independently before stitching the results together, leading to certain suboptimality from the interaction among different pieces. In other cases, links between different parts may show up in the running time and/or network communications cost, hence the desire to have small cut size. We study a distributed balanced partitioning problem where the goal is to partition the vertices of a given graph into k pieces, minimizing the total cut size. Our algorithm is composed of a few steps that are easily implementable in distributed computation frameworks, e.g., MapReduce. The algorithm first embeds nodes of the graph onto a line, and then processes nodes in a distributed manner guided by the linear embedding order. We examine various ways to find the first embedding, e.g., via a hierarchical clustering or Hilbert curves. Then we apply four different techniques such as local swaps, minimum cuts on partition boundaries, as well as contraction and dynamic programming. Our empirical study compares the above techniques with each other, and to previous work in distributed algorithms, e.g., a label propagation method, FENNEL and Spinner. We report our results both on a private map graph and several public social networks, and show that our results beat previous distributed algorithms: we notice, e.g., 15-25% reduction in cut size over [UB13]. We also observe that our algorithms allow for scalable distributed implementation for any number of partitions. Finally, we apply our techniques for the Google Maps Driving Directions to minimize the number of multi-shard queries with the goal of saving in CPU usage. During live experiments, we observe an ≈ 40% drop in the number of multi-shard queries when comparing our method with a standard geography-based method.
A Chimeric Arabinogalactan Protein Promotes Somatic Embryogenesis in Cotton Cell Culture1[W][OA]

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) are a family of extracellular plant proteoglycans implicated in many aspects of plant growth and development, including in vitro somatic embryogenesis (SE). We found that specific AGPs were produced by cotton (Gossypium hirsutum) calli undergoing SE and that when these AGPs were isolated and incorporated into tissue culture medium, cotton SE was promoted. When the AGPs were partly or fully deglycosylated, SE-promoting activity was not diminished. Testing of AGPs separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that the SE-promoting activity resided in a hydrophobic fraction. We cloned a full-length complementary DNA (cotton PHYTOCYANIN-LIKE ARABINOGALACTAN-PROTEIN1 [GhPLA1]) that encoded the protein backbone of an AGP in the active fraction. It has a chimeric structure comprising an amino-terminal signal sequence, a phytocyanin-like domain, an AGP-like domain, and a hydrophobic carboxyl-terminal domain. Recombinant production of GhPLA1 in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) cells enabled us to purify and analyze a single glycosylated AGP and to demonstrate that this chimeric AGP promotes cotton SE. Furthermore, the nonglycosylated phytocyanin-like domain from GhPLA1, which was bacterially produced, also promoted SE, indicating that the glycosylated AGP domain was unnecessary for in vitro activity.
A framework for estimating the sensitivity of eDNA surveys

Imperfect sensitivity, or imperfect detection, is a feature of all survey methods that needs to be accounted for when interpreting survey results. Detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) is increasingly being used to infer species distributions, yet the sensitivity of the technique has not been fully evaluated. Sensitivity, or the probability of detecting target DNA given it is present at a site, will depend on both the survey method and the concentration and dispersion of target DNA molecules at a site. We present a model to estimate target DNA concentration and dispersion at survey sites and to estimate the sensitivity of an eDNA survey method. We fitted this model to data from a species‐specific eDNA survey for Oriental weatherloach, Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, at three sites sampled in both autumn and spring. The concentration of target DNA molecules was similar at all three sites in autumn but much higher at two sites in spring. Our analysis showed the survey method had ≥95% sensitivity at sites where target DNA concentrations were ≥11 molecules per litre. We show how these data can be used to compare sampling schemes that differ in the number of field samples collected per site and number of PCR replicates per sample to achieve ≥95% sensitivity at a given target DNA concentration. These models allow researchers to quantify the sensitivity of eDNA survey methods to optimize the probability of detecting target species, and to compare DNA concentrations spatially and temporarily.
Evaluation of an improved sustained-release buprenorphine formulation for use in mice.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate analgesic effects of an improved sustained-release buprenorphine (BUP-SR) formulation administered to mice. ANIMALS 36 male Swiss-Webster mice. PROCEDURES Mice were assigned to each of 3 treatment groups (n = 12 mice/group). Treatments were administered SC (vehicle [control treatment], 1.5 mg of buprenorphine hydrochloride [BUP-HCl]/kg, and 1.5 mg of BUP-SR/kg). Mice were evaluated (total activity, gastrointestinal tract motility, respiratory rate, cataleptic behavior, and tall-flick and hot plate nociception tests) to determine behavioral and physiologic responses at 4, 24, and 48 hours after treatment administration. Body weight and respiratory rate were measured before and at each time point after treatment administration. RESULTS SC administration of BUP-SR resulted in significant antinociception effects for 48 hours for the hot plate and tall-flick nociception tests without substantial adverse effects. Gastrointestinal tract motility and total activity were higher at 4 hours for mice receiving BUP-SR than for mice receiving the vehicle, but values were the same between these groups at 24 and 48 hours. The BUP-SR group had a lower respiratory rate than did the control group at all times after treatment administration. Mice treated with BUP-SR had no significant changes in body weight during the study, whereas mice treated with BUP-HCl had a significant decrease in body weight at 24 and 48 hours. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE BUP-SR administration resulted in antinociception effects for 48 hours. Results of this study indicated that the improved BUP-SR formulation could be safely administered SC and conferred superior analgesia, compared with that for BUP-HCl, in mice.
Effect of three pretreatment techniques on the chemical composition and on the methane yields of Opuntia ficus-indica (prickly pear) biomass

Opuntia ficus-indica (OFI) is an emerging biomass that has the potential to be used as substrate in anaerobic digestion. The goal of this work was to investigate the effect of three pretreatment techniques (thermal, alkaline, acidic) on the chemical composition and the methane yield of OFI biomass. A composite experimental design with three factors and two to three levels was implemented, and regression modelling was employed using a total of 10 biochemical methane potential (BMP) tests. The measured methane yields ranged from 289 to 604 NmL/gVSadded; according to the results, only the acidic pretreatment (HCl) was found to significantly increase methane generation. However, as the experimental values were quite high with regards to the theoretical methane yield of the substrate, this effect still needs to be confirmed via further research. The alkaline pretreatment (NaOH) did not noticeably affect methane yields (an average reduction of 8% was recorded), despite the fact that it did significantly reduce the lignin content. Thermal pretreatment had no effect on the methane yields or the chemical composition. Scanning electron microscopy images revealed changes in the chemical structure after the addition of NaOH and HCl. Modelling of the cumulated methane production by the Gompertz modified equation was successful and aided in understanding kinetic advantages linked to some of the pretreatments. For example, the alkaline treatment (at the 20% dosage) at room temperature resulted to a μmax (maximum specific methane production rate [NmLCH4/(gVSadded·d)]) equal to 36.3 against 18.6 for the control.
The impact of appropriation consensus and cooperative team norms on the adoption of collaborative information systems: An empirical study in Taiwan

Teamwork has become increasingly important in modern businesses, and collaborative information systems (CIS) that support teamwork have become critical tools. Our study investigated the factors involved in team members' decision-making in a team context. We used the technology acceptance model (TAM) as a basis and incorporated the team-level factors of consensus on appropriation (COA) and cooperative team norms (CTN) into the model. Questionnaires were sent to project team members working in mid-sized to large businesses in Taiwan, and 134 valid surveys were collected and analyzed with partial least squares. Our results showed that CTNs have no effect on personal intention to use CIS but that they do affect perceived usefulness of CIS. COA has a direct effect on perceived usefulness as well. Perceived usefulness worked as a mediator between COA/CTN and perceived performance of the system. Perceived performance was strongly affected by perceived usefulness. The paper contributes toward a better understanding of information technology adoption with regard to team-level factors. Implications for future research and management practice are discussed.
Closed-loop neural control of cursor motion using a Kalman filter

Recently, we proposed a Kalman filter method to model the probabilistic relationship between neural firing in motor cortex and hand kinematics. In this paper, we demonstrate on-line, closed-loop, neural control of cursor motion using the Kalman filter. In this task a monkey moves a cursor on a computer monitor using either a manipulandum or their neural activity recorded with a chronically implanted micro-electrode array. A number of advantages of the Kalman filter were explored during the on-line tasks and we found that the Kalman filter had superior performance to previously reported linear regression methods. While the results suggest the applicability of the Kalman filter for neural prosthesis applications, we observed the decoded cursor position was noisier under brain control as compared with manual control using the manipulandum. To smooth the cursor motion without decreasing accuracy we propose a method that smoothes the neural firing rates. This smoothing method is described and its validity is quantitatively evaluated with recorded data.
Comparative Study Between β-Lactam/β-Lactamase Inhibitors as Alternatives for Carbapenems in the Treatment of Extended-Spectrum β-Lactamase–Producing Enterobacteriaceae

Background: In the era of the increase in carbapenem resistance, searching for alternative drugs becomes mandatory. In this study, an in vitro activity of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors against extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Enterobacteriaceae (ESBL-PE) isolated from bloodstream infections was investigated. Methods: Blood samples were collected from patients with bloodstream infections in both pediatric and internal medicine intensive care units of Tanta University Hospitals, Egypt. BacT/ALERT was used, and positive blood cultures were subcultured on MacConkey, blood, chocolate agar and then incubated at 5% to 10% CO2, 37°C for 24 hours. Identification of the bacterial isolateswas performed byVITEK2TMCompact 15. Susceptibility testing was performed for isolated Escherichia coli and Klebsiella species using Kirby-Bauer disk diffusion and minimum inhibitory concentration. E test strips were used for cefoperazone/sulbactam, ceftazidime/ avibactam, and ceftolozane/tazobactam. All isolates that were resistant to third-generation cephalosporins as per Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute recommendations were confirmed for ESBL detection by modified double-disk synergy test, VITEK2 system, and multiplex polymerase chain reaction. Results: One hundred twenty-five Enterobacteriaceaewere isolated; 100 of them (80%) were ESBL positive. The best used β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors were ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolozane/tazobactam with lower minimum inhibitory concentration at which 50% of isolates are inhibited (≤0.016, 0.094 μg/mL, respectively) than that of meropenem (0.125 μg/mL), so they can be used as carbapenem sparers in the treatment of ESBL-PE to decrease the incidence of carbapenem resistance. Conclusions: Ceftazidime/avibactam and ceftolozane/tazobactam can be used as carbapenem sparers in the treatment of ESBL-PE to decrease the incidence of carbapenem resistance.
Low-cycle fatigue of NiTi rotary instruments of various cross-sectional shapes.

AIM To compare the low-cycle fatigue (LCF) behaviour of some commercial NiTi instruments subjected to rotational bending, a deformation mode similar to an engine-file rotating in a curved root canal, using a strain-life analysis, in water. METHODOLOGY A total of 286 NiTi rotary instruments from four manufacturers were constrained into a curvature by three rigid, stainless steel pins whilst rotating at a rate of 250 rpm in deionized water until broken. The number of revolutions was recorded using an optical counter and an electronic break-detection circuit. The surface strain amplitude, calculated from the curvature (from a photograph) and diameter of the fracture cross-section (from a scanning electron micrograph), was plotted against the number of cycles to fracture for each instrument. A regression line was fitted to the LCF lives for each brand; the value was compared with that of others using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). The number of crack origins observed on the fractographic view was examined with chi-square for differences amongst various groups. RESULTS A linear strain-life relationship, on logarithmic scales, was obtained for the LCF region with an apparent fatigue-ductility exponent ranging from -0.40 to -0.56. The number of crack-initiation sites, as observed on the fracture cross-section, differed between brands (chi(2), P < 0.05), but not LCF life (one-way ANOVA, P > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS The LCF life of NiTi instruments declines with an inverse power function dependence on surface strain amplitude, but is not affected by the cross-sectional shape of the instrument.
Characterization of the Cytosolic Tuberin-Hamartin Complex

Tuberous sclerosis (TSC) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by a broad phenotypic spectrum that includes seizures, mental retardation, renal dysfunction and dermatological abnormalities. Mutations to either the TSC1 orTSC2 gene are responsible for the disease. TheTSC1 gene encodes hamartin, a 130-kDa protein without significant homology to other known mammalian proteins. Analysis of the amino acid sequence of tuberin, the 200-kDa product of theTSC2 gene, identified a region with limited homology to GTPase-activating proteins. Previously, we demonstrated direct binding between tuberin and hamartin. Here we investigate this interaction in more detail. We show that the complex is predominantly cytosolic and may contain additional, as yet uncharacterized components alongside tuberin and hamartin. Furthermore, because oligomerization of the hamartin carboxyl-terminal coiled coil domain was inhibited by the presence of tuberin, we propose that tuberin acts as a chaperone, preventing hamartin self-aggregation.
The GREC Named Entity Generation Challenge 2009: Overview and Evaluation Results

The GREC-NEG Task at Generation Challenges 2009 required participating systems to select coreference chains for all people entities mentioned in short encyclopaedic texts about people collected from Wikipedia. Three teams submitted six systems in total, and we additionally created four baseline systems. Systems were tested automatically using a range of existing intrinsic metrics. We also evaluated systems extrinsically by applying coreference resolution tools to the outputs and measuring the success of the tools. In addition, systems were tested in an intrinsic evaluation involving human judges. This report describes the GREC-NEG Task and the evaluation methods applied, gives brief descriptions of the participating systems, and presents the evaluation results.
The demography of Islamic nations.

This report examines the demographic dynamics of the Moslem world, focusing primarily on the causes and consequences of the rapid rate of population growth in those nations in which a significant fraction of the population follows the Islamic faith. The material is presented in short sections with tables and figures. The beginning offers a description of Islam and discusses social relationships including male-female relations, marriage and divorce. Islamic nations are defined and their demographic distinctiveness is discussed. The 40 nations included are those in which the majority of the populations adhere to Islam and another 7 nations in which a significant minority of the population is Moslem. Various information regarding fertility in Islamic nations, such as levels and trends, explanations of fertility levels, and the status of women is then reviewed. Mortality and migration in Islamic nations are also reviewed. Subsumed under the latter topic is a discussion of international migration, urbanization and refugees in Islamic nations. The age and sex composition of Islamic societies is described. The population growth and economic development is presented along with population policies in Islamic nations. There is considerable diversity among Islamic nations; few demographic patterns in Islamic nations appear to be a direct result of religious influence. The high fertility found in many Islamic nations is thought to be a consequence of the recency of social and economic development in nearly all Islamic nations.
Association between Serum Osteocalcin Levels and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Women

Background and Aims: Osteocalcin was found to have a significant role in insulin resistance. Insulin resistance is considered a pathophysiological mechanism of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, the relationship between serum osteocalcin level and NAFLD is not well known. Methods: A total of 7,067 women undergoing abdominal ultrasonography, bone mineral density, and serum osteocalcin level measurement were analyzed. Results: Serum osteocalcin level was independently associated with menopausal status, bone mineral density, calcium, phosphate, alkaline phosphatase, fasting blood glucose, triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, alanine aminotransferase, γ-glutamyltransferase, and NAFLD. When women were grouped according to their menopausal status and bone mineral density, the serum osteocalcin level showed an independent inverse association with NAFLD in premenopausal women without osteopenia or osteoporosis (n = 2,941) [odd ratio (OR): 0.94, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.91-0.96, p < 0.001] and postmenopausal women without osteopenia or osteoporosis (n = 2,155) (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.95-0.98, p < 0.001), however, not in premenopausal (n = 308) or postmenopausal women (n = 1,663) with osteopenia or osteoporosis. Conclusions: The serum osteocalcin level was an independent factor associated with NAFLD, especially for women with normal bone mineral density.
Retarded formation of the hippocampal commissure in embryos from mouse strains lacking a corpus callosum

A precise description of the timing and route traveled by axons traversing the telencephalic midline through the ventral hippocampal commissure (HC) is essential for understanding the role it plays in the formation of the corpus callosum (CC). A normal baseline of HC development was described in B6D2F2 hybrid mice and then compared with two inbred strains of mice displaying callosal agenesis, BALB/cWah1 (50% CC defect) and 129/J (70% CC defect), their F2 hybrid (C129F2—33% CC defect), and a recombinant inbred strain (Rl‐1—100% CC defect) derived from pairs of C129F2 mice. Embryos weighing from 0.25 g to 0.70 g (E14.5–E17) were collected and fixed by perfusion. Axon tracts were labeled using crystals of the lipophilic dyes Dil and DiA inserted into the hippocampal fimbria and cerebral cortex. HC axons in B6D2F2 mice first cross the midline at about 0.350 g body weight (E14.8) by traveling over the dorsal septum and along the pia membrane lining the longitudinal fissure. Earlier crossing was prevented by the presence of a deep cleft formed by the longitudinal fissure extending down into the septal region. Subsequent axons fasciculated along existing axons, gradually building the dorsoventral height of the HC to about 200 μm by 0.600 g. The earliest callosal axons from frontal cortex crossed the midline at 0.620 g and were clearly seen fasciculating along and between existing hippocampal axons at the dorsal surface of the HC as they crossed. In the acallosal strains, HC formation was delayed by the continued presence of the cleft deep in the septal region. This delay in time of crossing was correlated with later CC defect expression. Initial HC crossing occurred at about 0.470 g (E16.25) in BALB mice and about 0.520 g (E16.5) in 129 mice. In the Rl‐1 embryos, first HC crossing was estimated at about 0.750 g (E17.5), although several older embryos showed no crossing. These results show the importance of the HC for successful CC formation and suggest that absent CC arises as a consequence of a developmental defect which affects the formation of the hippocampal commissure prior to arrival of CC axons at midplane. Hippocampus 7:2–14, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.