Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Insight knowledge in search based software testing

Software testing can be re-formulated as a search problem, hence search algorithms (e.g., Genetic Algorithms) can be used to tackle it. Most of the research so far has been of empirical nature, in which novel proposed techniques have been validated on software testing benchmarks. However, only little attention has been spent to understand why meta-heuristics can be effective in software testing. This insight knowledge could be used to design novel more successful techniques. Recent theoretical work has tried to fill this gap, but it is very complex to carry out. This has limited its scope so far to only small problems. In this paper, we want to get insight knowledge on a difficult software testing problem. We combine together an empirical and theoretical analysis, and we exploit the benefits of both.
Diagnosis of alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency by DNA analysis of children with liver disease.

BACKGROUND Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is a genetic disorder which is transmitted in a co-dominant, autosomal form. Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency affects mainly the lungs and the liver leading, in the latter case, to neonatal cholestasis, chronic hepatitis or cirrhosis. A precise diagnosis of Alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency may be obtained by biochemical or molecular analysis. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this study was to use DNA analysis to examine the presence of an alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency in 12 children suspected of having this deficiency and who showed laboratory and clinical characteristics of the disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS Twelve patients, aged 3 months to 19 years, who had serum alpha-1-antitrypsin levels lower than normal and/or had hepatic disease of undefined etiology were studied. The mutant alleles S and Z of the alpha-1-antitrypsin gene were investigated in the 12 children. Alpha-1-antitrypsin gene organization was analyzed by amplification of genome through the polymerase chain reaction and digestion with the restriction enzymes Xmnl (S allele) and Taq-1 (Z allele). RESULTS Seven of the 12 patients had chronic liver disease of undefined etiology and the other five patients had low serum levels of alpha-1-antitrypsin as well as a diagnosis of neonatal cholestasis and/or chronic liver disease of undefined etiology. Five of the 12 patients were homozygous for the Z allele (ZZ) and two had the S allele with another allele (*S) different from Z. CONCLUSION These results show that alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency is relatively frequent in children with chronic hepatic disease of undefined etiology and/or low alpha-1-antitrypsin levels (41.6%). A correct diagnosis is important for effective clinical follow-up and for genetic counseling.
Application of Chaotic Optimization Algorithm for current transformer design

This paper presents an approach based on Chaotic Optimization Algorithm (COA) for designing current measuring transformers (CTs). This algorithm determines design parameters of CT to minimize ratio and phase displacement errors in different ratios of rated currents and manufacturing cost regarding some technical data. In comparison to conventional methods of CT designing, which are mostly based on trial and error, this method is of better performance. Effects of burden change have been taken into account and the rated burden of CT to reach the expected measuring accuracy has been obtained. At the end, typical current transformers with different rated values are designed using this method. Results show the effectiveness of proposed approach in optimal design of current transformer.
Cross-Validation of the YMCA Submaximal Cycle Ergometer Test to Predict VO2max

Abstract Maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max) is an important indicator of health-risk status, specifically for coronary heart disease (Blair et al., 1989). Direct measurement of VO2max is considered to be the most accurate means of determining cardiovascular fitness level. Typically, this measurement is taken using a progressive exercise test on a treadmill or cycle ergometer. Unfortunately, this test is costly and time consuming and requires a well equipped laboratory, highly trained personnel, and for some populations medical supervision. Therefore, submaximal exercise test protocols that predict VO2max have been developed (Astrand & Rhyming, 1954; Fitchett, 1985). These tests require less equipment, time and are easily administered without highly skilled personnel.
Effect of vaccination on feline Chlamydia psittaci infection

Experimental ocular infection of specific-pathogen-free cats with the feline pneumonitis strain of Chlamydia psittaci produced an acute, severe conjunctivitis characterized by blepharospasm, conjunctival hyperemia, chemosis, and ocular discharge. Organisms were recovered from the conjunctiva for several weeks, and persistent genital and gastrointestinal infection also resulted from the ocular infection in some cats. Subcutaneous vaccination with live feline pneumonitis C. psittaci 4 weeks before ocular challenge significantly reduced the severity of the conjunctivitis. However, there was no effect on shedding of organisms from the eye or on the transmission of infection to the gastrointestinal and genital tracts. It is suggested that the acute stage of this ocular disease is caused largely by release of pathogenic antigen(s) from chlamydia-infected conjunctival cells, rather than by a direct cytopathic effect of chlamydial replication. Thus, vaccination with whole live organisms reduced the acute disease in experimentally infected cats but did not prevent shedding of the organism. The implications of these findings are discussed.
Cognitive Vision - The Development of a Discipline

In cognitive systems, one often distinguishes between phylogeny and ontogeny. Phylogeny refers to the initial configuration of the system and its evolution from generation to generation. On the other hand, ontogeny refers to the learning and development of a given system during its lifetime. The issue that arises in this context is the requirements for the minimal architecture for a cognitive vision system. There are two perspectives on this, depending on whether one takes a cognitivist stance or an emergent stance. In the cognitivist stance, the issue comes down to the balance between required ‘pre-knowledge’ and acquirable knowledge. Or, put another way, how much does one need to know and to be able to do in order to be capable of learning new things, such as concepts or actions? That is, we need a clear cut set of conditions under which certain learning can take place. In the emergent stance, there is a trade-off between phylogenic configuration and ontogenic development. Phylogeny determines the visuo-motor capability that a system is configured with at the outset and which facilitates the system’s innate behaviours. Ontogenic development gives rise to the cognitive capabilities that we seek. Since we don’t have the luxury of having evolutionary timescales to allow phylogenic emergence of a cognitive system we can’t wait around to evolve a cognitive system from nothing we must somehow identify a minimal phylogenic state of the system. In practice, this means that we must identify and effect visuomotor capabilities for the minimal reflex behaviours that ontogenic development will subsequently build on to achieve cognitive behaviour. Put simply: we need to decide what visual processing capabilities are needed for a minimal emergent cognitive vision system.
SPECTRIN‐LIKE PROTEINS IN PLANT NUCLEI

We analysed the presence and localization of spectrin‐like proteins in nuclei of various plant tissues, using several anti‐erythrocyte spectrin antibodies on isolated pea nuclei and nuclei in cells. Western blots of extracted purified pea nuclei show a cross‐reactive pair of bands at 220–240kDa, typical for human erythrocyte spectrin, and a prominent 60kDa band. Immunolocalization by means of confocal laser scanning microscopy reveals spectrin‐like proteins in distinct spots equally distributed in the nucleoplasm and over the nuclear periphery, independent of the origin of the anti‐spectrin antibodies used. In some nuclei tracks of spectrin‐like proteins are also observed. No signal is present in nucleoli. The amount and intensity of signal increases when nuclei were extracted, successively, with detergents, DNase I and RNase A, and high salt, indicating that the spectrin‐like protein is associated with the nuclear matrix. The labelling is similar in nuclei of various plant tissues. These data are the first that show the presence and localization of spectrin‐like epitopes in plant nuclei, where they may stabilize specific interchromatin domains.
Distinct Phenotypic Differences Associated with Differential Amplification of Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Genes at 4q12 in Glioblastoma

Gene amplification at chromosome 4q12 is a common alteration in human high grade gliomas including glioblastoma, a CNS tumour with consistently poor prognosis. This locus harbours the known oncogenes encoding the receptor tyrosine kinases PDGFRA, KIT, and VEGFR2. These receptors are potential targets for novel therapeutic intervention in these diseases, with expression noted in tumour cells and/or associated vasculature. Despite this, a detailed assessment of their relative contributions to different high grade glioma histologies and the underlying heterogeneity within glioblastoma has been lacking. We studied 342 primary high grade gliomas for individual gene amplification using specific FISH probes, as well as receptor expression in the tumour and endothelial cells by immunohistochemistry, and correlated our findings with specific tumour cell morphological types and patterns of vasculature. We identified amplicons which encompassed PDGFRA only, PDGFRA/KIT, and PDGFRA/KIT/VEGFR2, with distinct phenotypic correlates. Within glioblastoma specimens, PDGFRA amplification alone was linked to oligodendroglial, small cell and sarcomatous tumour cell morphologies, and rare MGMT promoter methylation. A younger age at diagnosis and better clinical outcome in glioblastoma patients is only seen when PDGFRA and KIT are co-amplified. IDH1 mutation was only found when all three genes are amplified; this is a subgroup which also harbours extensive MGMT promoter methylation. Whilst PDGFRA amplification was tightly linked to tumour expression of the receptor, this was not the case for KIT or VEGFR2. Thus we have identified differential patterns of gene amplification and expression of RTKs at the 4q12 locus to be associated with specific phenotypes which may reflect their distinct underlying mechanisms.
Bilinear Dynamics of SDOF Concrete Structures under Sinusoidal Loading

Concrete structures are cracked in tension at working loads. The opening and closing of the existing cracks during load variations renders these structures nonlinear elastic. Under proportional load variations and for single loads, these structures exhibit bilinear mechanical response in the form of discontinuity at origin in their load displacement relations. The typical values of bilinearity ratio, i. e. , the ratio of the two values of stiffness, of common reinforced concrete beams range up to 10. In this paper, the dynamic response of concrete structures under working loads has been studied by modeling them as damped single-degree-of-freedom bilinear systems under the action of sinusoidal forcing function. Using the available techniques of bilinear dynamic analysis of moored buoys developed by Thompson and coworkers, concrete structures has been shown to exhibit sub-harmonic resonance response and extreme sensitivity to initial conditions leading to chaos. The limitations of the current practice of dynamic analysis have been exposed and the practical relevance of the work done has been discussed.
Motor System Interactions in the Beta Band Decrease during Loss of Consciousness

Communication between brain areas and how they are influenced by changes in consciousness are not fully understood. One hypothesis is that brain areas communicate via oscillatory processes, utilizing network-specific frequency bands, that can be measured with metrics that reflect between-region interactions, such as coherence and phase amplitude coupling (PAC). To evaluate this hypothesis and understand how these interactions are modulated by state changes, we analyzed electrophysiological recordings in humans at different nodes of one well-studied brain network: the basal ganglia–thalamocortical loops of the motor system during loss of consciousness induced by anesthesia. We recorded simultaneous electrocorticography over primary motor cortex (M1) with local field potentials from subcortical motor regions (either basal ganglia or thalamus) in 15 movement disorder patients during anesthesia (propofol) induction as a part of their surgery for deep brain stimulation. We observed reduced coherence and PAC between M1 and the subcortical nuclei, which was specific to the beta band (∼18–24 Hz). The fact that this pattern occurs selectively in beta underscores the importance of this frequency band in the motor system and supports the idea that oscillatory interactions at specific frequencies are related to the capacity for normal brain function and behavior.
Precalcaneal Congenital Fibrolipomatous Hamartoma: A Report of Four Cases

Abstract: Four infants had soft, skin‐colored nodules in the midline plantar region of the heels since birth. The lesions were asymptomatic, bilateral, and symmetric, and measured approximately 1 cm in diameter. Their size increased in proportion to the growth of the child. In three infants the lesions persisted at 1 year of age, while in the fourth they remained at age 12 years. The nodules were not associated with any other disease or abnormality. A review of the literature revealed only one Argentinean series comprising four cases, and two communications at international pediatric congresses by French and American authors who reported five and three cases, respectively. We describe four additional cases of precalcaneal congenital fibrolipomatous hamartoma and comment on their histopathologic and ultrastructural characteristics.
Three-dimensional Organization of pKi-67: A Comparative Fluorescence and Electron Tomography Study Using Fluoronanogold

The monoclonal antibody (MAb) Ki-67 is routinely used in clinical studies to estimate the growth fraction of tumors. However, the role of pKi-67, the protein detected by the Ki-67 MAb, remains elusive, although some biochemical data strongly suggest that it might organize chromatin. To better understand the functional organization of pKi-67, we studied its three-dimensional distribution in interphase cells by confocal microscopy and electron tomography. FluoroNanogold, a single probe combining a dense marker with a fluorescent dye, was used to investigate pKi-67 organization at the optical and ultrastructural levels. Observation by confocal microscopy followed by 3D reconstruction showed that pKi-67 forms a shell around the nucleoli. Double labeling experiments revealed that pKi-67 co-localizes with perinucleolar heterochromatin. Electron microscopy studies confirmed this close association and demonstrated that pKi-67 is located neither in the fibrillar nor in the granular components of the nucleolus. Finally, spatial analyses by electron tomography showed that pKi-67 forms cords 250–300 nm in diameter, which are themselves composed of 30–50-nm-thick fibers. These detailed comparative in situ analyses strongly suggest the involvement of pKi-67 in the higher-order organization of perinucleolar chromatin.
Radioisotopic studies of the binding, exchange, and distribution of 5‐hydroxytryptamine synthesized from its radioactivity precursor

1. The synthesis, distribution, storage, and subsequent metabolism of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) produced in mice from the administration of its radioactive precursor, 5‐hydroxytryptophan, has been investigated to form the basis for a similar study to be conducted by radioautography.
Environmental effects in component packaging selection

Design for environment activities in electronics have been focused on issues of product life-cycle at the board design level and to facility-level process and material choices at the semiconductor fabrication level. An important bridge between these two domains has been the influence of component selection, particularly packaging selection, on environmental impacts. Component packaging influences waste generation in two respects. First, packaging type (i.e. DIP, QFP, BGA, etc.) and size dictates direct production waste in stamping, molding and plating operations. The waste streams from these operations include copper, polymerized thermoset plastic, caustic and acidic effluents and also small traces of silver epoxy. Since many waste components are nonrecyclable and/or have high hazardous content, effective management of direct waste emissions is a critical design task. Second, packaging selection indirectly affects waste generation at the printed circuit board (PCB) level through layout and board sizing decisions. The waste streams from board fabrication include composite scrap (usually glass epoxy), metals (copper foil and dissolved solutions) and catalyst wastes (aqueous photoresist, developer and stripper solutions and hole drilling scrap and tooling). The analysis approach undertaken in this study relies on the development of a toolset of unit process models for packaging manufacturing which develops relationships between package parameters, process parameters and waste outputs. By linking a chain of process models, a mathematical description of a packaging production sequence can be estimated. The models are formulated using the line data collected on plastic quad flat package (PQFP) lines. From the process models, a case comparison of the environmental impacts for two alternative packages for components is developed. Two designs, a design that employs almost all small outline integrated circuits (SOICs) and dual in-line packages (DIPs) (except where lead count necessitates PQFPs) vs. the same design that employs all PQFPs are considered. A case study illustrating the corresponding PCB level impacts due to component packaging selection is also presented. The bare board chosen in both cases is a standard FR4 board.
Females increase current reproductive effort when future access to males is uncertain

Trade-offs between current and future reproduction shape life histories of organisms, e.g. increased mortality selects for earlier reproductive effort, and mate limitation has been shown to shape male life histories. Here, we show that female life histories respond adaptively to mate limitation. Female common gobies (Pomatoschistus microps) respond to a female-biased operational sex ratio by strongly increasing the size of their first clutch. The plastic response is predicted by a model that assumes that females use the current competitive situation to predict future difficulties of securing a mating. Because female clutch size decisions are much more closely linked to population dynamics than male life-history traits, plastic responses to mate-finding limitations may be an underappreciated force in population dynamics.
Individual differences in response speed and accuracy are associated to specific brain activities of two interacting systems

The study investigates the neurocognitive stages involved in the speed-accuracy trade-off (SAT). Contrary to previous approach, we did not manipulate speed and accuracy instructions: participants were required to be fast and accurate in a go/no-go task, and we selected post-hoc the groups based on the subjects’ spontaneous behavioral tendency. Based on the reaction times, we selected the fast and slow groups (Speed-groups), and based on the percentage of false alarms, we selected the accurate and inaccurate groups (Accuracy-groups). The two Speed-groups were accuracy-matched, and the two Accuracy-groups were speed-matched. High density electroencephalographic (EEG) and stimulus-locked analyses allowed us to observe group differences both before and after the stimulus onset. Long before the stimulus appearance, the two Speed-groups showed different amplitude of the Bereitschaftspotential (BP), reflecting the activity of the supplementary motor area (SMA); by contrast, the two Accuracy-groups showed different amplitude of the prefrontal negativity (pN), reflecting the activity of the right prefrontal cortex (rPFC). In addition, the post-stimulus event-related potential (ERP) components showed differences between groups: the P1 component was larger in accurate than inaccurate group; the N1 and N2 components were larger in the fast than slow group; the P3 component started earlier and was larger in the fast than slow group. The go minus no-go subtractive wave enhancing go-related processing revealed a differential prefrontal positivity (dpP) that peaked at about 330 ms; the latency and the amplitude of this peak were associated with the speed of the decision process and the efficiency of the stimulus-response mapping, respectively. Overall, data are consistent with the view that speed and accuracy are processed by two interacting but separate neurocognitive systems, with different features in both the anticipation and the response execution phases.
Hexagonal Boron Nitride and Graphite Oxide Reinforced Multifunctional Porous Cement Composites

The synthesis and characterization of multifunctional cement and concrete composites filled with hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) and graphite oxide (GO), is reported and their superior mechanical strength and oil adsorption properties compared to composites devoid of fillers are illustrated. GO is utilized to bridge the cement surfaces while h‐BN is used to mechanically reinforce the composites and adsorb the oil. Introduction of these fillers even at low filler weight fractions increases the compressive strength and toughness properties of pristine cement and of porous concrete significantly, while the porous composite concrete illustrates excellent ability for water separation and crude oil adsorption. Experimental results along with theoretical calculations show that such nanoengineered forms of cement based composites would enable the development of novel forms of multifunctional structural materials with a range of environmental applications.
Microsurgical decompression without laminectomy in lumbar spinal stenosis

Our objectives were to study a/ the clinical results of microsurgical decompression without laminectomy compared to those reported from standard decompression laminectomy in patients with central lumbar spinal stenosis, and b/ if the microsurgical technique could prevent post-operative instability and concomitant symptoms. Twenty-one patients were treated, 11 men and 10 women, aged 47-81 years. Fourteen patients had "pure" stenosis whereas 7 had additional diseases that compounded the symptoms of stenosis. Independent examiners saw the patients pre-operatively and a mean of 27 months post-operatively. Plain X-ray films were taken of 14 patients a mean of 5 years post-operatively to study possible slippage. Among the 14 patients with "pure" stenosis the results were excellent in 13 and fair in 1. Among the 7 with additional diseases the outcome was excellent in 1, fair in 1, unchanged in 3 and worse in 2. The technique did not prevent post-operative slippage, which occurred in 3 of 14 patients. However, the clinical outcome was not related to slippage. We found the microsurgical technique safe and gentle with excellent possibilities for decompression of the complete spinal canal without laminectomy. The results following this procedure were well comparable to or even better than those reported following standard decompression laminectomy.