Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Stability analysis for networked control systems based on event-time-driven mode

This article studies the problem of stability analysis for a class of networked control systems (NCS), whose control gain is assumed to be known. A switched delay system model is obtained based on the event-time-driven scheme. To solve the stability problem of the new NCS model, a new approach based on the Lyapunov functional exponential estimation method is introduced. By using this method, sufficient conditions are developed to guarantee exponential stability of the considered system. The results obtained may be less conservative than the existing ones from the perspective of maximum allowable transfer interval because the unavailable time is considered in this article. An example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
1 INTERPRETATION GUIDELINES FOR MITOCHONDRIAL DNA SEQUENCING

Because of the different characteristics of mtDNA compared with nuclear DNA, the application of mtDNA typing and interpretation of results should not in all ways be the same as that routinely practiced for nuclear DNA typing. A higher success rate with typing mtDNA, as opposed to nuclear DNA, from old bones, severely decomposed or charred remains, or single hair shafts is expected and experienced and is due to the high copy number of mtDNA (19). Loci on the nuclear genome typically occur as only two copies per cell, mtDNA, on the other hand, is present in hundreds or thousands of copies per cell.
[Analysis of the clinical and pathological characteristics of sinonasal neoplasms].

OBJECTIVE To investigate the clinical and pathological characteristics of sinonasal neoplasms. METHOD A cohort of 333 patients with sinonasal neoplasm, which were confirmed by surgical pathology, were enrolled in this study. The clinicopathological characteristics, in terms of age, sex, location, and disease constituent ratio were retrospectively reviewed. RESULT (1) In this series of patients, there were 200 males and 133 females, aged from 2 to 84 years, with a median of 54 years. The benign to malignant ratio was 1.1:1. As for their origination, 144 tumors arose from the nasal cavity, while, 191 tumors derived from sinus, including 90 from maxillary sinus, 31 from frontal sinus, 46 from ethmoid sinus, and 24 from sphenoidal sinus. (2) Disease constituent ratio decreased in order of epithelial tissue, soft tissue, lymphohematopoietic tissue, bone and cartilaginous tissue, ectopic intracranial tumors. The five most frequent malignant tumors were squamous carcinoma, lymphoma, adenoid cystic carcinoma, malignant melanoma and esthesioneuroblastoma, while, benign tumors ranked in the top five were papilloma, fibroma, osteoma, angioma and ectopic intracranial tumors,respectively. (3) Of 200 cases arising from epithelium, 118 were benign, 82 were malignant, and the benign to malignant ratio was 1.4:1. Of 68 cases from soft tissue, 37 were benign and 31 were malignant tumors (ratio, 1.2:1). Among the 22 cases from bone and cartilaginous tissue, 17 were benign and 5 were malignant (ratio, 3.4:1). With respect to the 29 cases from lymphohematopoietic tissue, the majority of tumors were malignant (28 cases), with only one benign case. In addition, ectopic intracranial tumors were also observed. Besides the above all, 12 cases of other types were found in this work. CONCLUSION Neoplasms from different parts of nasal cavity and paranasal sinus have specific clinical characteristics. The pathological types of these tumors may be highly diverged. The diagnosis and differential diagnosis depend mainly on pathological examination. Comprehensive treatment, which employs surgery in combination with other modalities, is the main strategy for these tumors.
Technology-mediated Learning Environments for Young English Learners

334 ISSN 1436-4522 (online) and 1176-3647 (print). © International Forum of Educational Technology & Society (IFETS). The authors and the forum jointly retain the copyright of the articles. Permission to make digital or hard copies of part or all of this work for personal or classroom use is granted without fee provided that copies are not made or distributed for profit or commercial advantage and that copies bear the full citation on the first page. Copyrights for components of this work owned by others than IFETS must be honoured. Abstracting with credit is permitted. To copy otherwise, to republish, to post on servers, or to redistribute to lists, requires prior specific permission and/or a fee. Request permissions from the editors at kinshuk@ieee.org. Technology-mediated Learning Environments for Young English Learners (Book Review)
Interindividual variability in social insects – proximate causes and ultimate consequences

Individuals within social groups often show consistent differences in behaviour across time and context. Such interindividual differences and the evolutionary challenge they present have recently generated considerable interest. Social insects provide some of the most familiar and spectacular examples of social groups with large interindividual differences. Investigating these within‐group differences has a long research tradition, and behavioural variability among the workers of a colony is increasingly regarded as fundamental for a key feature of social insects: division of labour. The goal of this review is to illustrate what we know about both the proximate mechanisms underlying behavioural variability among the workers of a colony and its ultimate consequences; and to highlight the many open questions in this research field. We begin by reviewing the literature on mechanisms that potentially introduce, maintain, and adjust the behavioural differentiation among workers. We highlight the fact that so far, most studies have focused on behavioural variability based on genetic variability, provided by e.g. multiple mating of the queen, while other mechanisms that may be responsible for the behavioural differentiation among workers have been largely neglected. These include maturational, nutritional and environmental influences. We further discuss how feedback provided by the social environment and learning and experience of adult workers provides potent and little‐explored sources of differentiation. In a second part, we address what is known about the potential benefits and costs of increased behavioural variability within the workers of a colony. We argue that all studies documenting a benefit of variability so far have done so by manipulating genetic variability, and that a direct test of the effect of behavioural variability on colony productivity has yet to be provided. We emphasize that the costs associated with interindividual variability have been largely overlooked, and that a better knowledge of the cost/benefit balance of behavioural variability is crucial for our understanding of the evolution of the mechanisms underlying the social organization of insect societies. We conclude by highlighting what we believe to be promising but little‐explored avenues for future research on how within‐colony variability has evolved and is maintained. We emphasize the need for comparative studies and point out that, so far, most studies on interindividual variability have focused on variability in individual response thresholds, while the significance of variability in other parameters of individual response, such as probability and intensity of the response, has been largely overlooked. We propose that these parameters have important consequences for the colony response. Much more research is needed to understand if and how interindividual variability is modulated in order to benefit division of labour, homeostasis and ultimately colony fitness in social insects.
Struma lymphomatosa (Hashimoto's thyroiditis) and related thyroidal disorders.

ABSTRACT A clinicopathologic study has been made of 605 cases of thyroiditis of the “Hashimoto” type seen during a 27-year period at the Mayo Clinic. The lesions were divided on a morphologic basis into diffuse thyroiditis (188 cases), thyroiditis with “hyperplastic” epithelium (57 cases) and focal thyroiditis (360 cases). Four histologic subgroups of diffuse thyroiditis were observed, namely, those with extensive epithelial destruction (29 cases), those with oxyphilic epithelium (36 cases), those with varied epithelial changes (106 cases) and those with severe lymphoid infiltration or associated lymphosarcoma (17 cases). These subgroups, as a whole, represent an advanced stage of the disease process. Clinical and laboratory data are provided for these arbitrarily chosen groups, as well as results of thyroidal function studies in a limited number of cases in each category. These 605 cases included 18 cases of associated carcinoma and 12 cases of associated lymphosarcoma. All the carcinomas, both large and.
Comparison of the developmental toxicity of aspirin in rabbits when administered throughout organogenesis or during sensitive windows of development.

BACKGROUND A review of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) literature suggested occurrences of low-level incidences of cardiovascular and midline defects in rabbit fetuses exposed in utero. Aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid, ASA) is a widely used NSAID that irreversibly inhibits cyclooxygenases (COXs) 1 and 2. ASA has been studied extensively in rats and has consistently increased low-incidence cardiovascular malformations and defects in midline closure. The objectives of the current study were to comprehensively define the developmental toxicology profile of ASA in rabbits by using a dosing paradigm encompassing the period of organogenesis and to test the hypothesis that maternal gastrointestinal toxicity after repeated dose administrations hampers the detection of low-incidence malformations with ASA in rabbits by limiting ASA administration to sensitive windows for cardiovascular development and midline closure. METHODS ASA was administered to pregnant New Zealand White rabbits from gestation days (GDs) 7 to 19 at dose levels of 125, 250, and 350 mg/kg per day and as single doses of 500, 750, or 1000 mg/kg on GD 9, 10, or 11. Cesarean sections were performed on GD 29, and the fetuses were examined for external, visceral and skeletal development. RESULTS In the repeated dose study, maternal toxicity was exhibited in the 250- and 350-mg/kg per day groups by mortality and decreased food consumption and body weight gain. In the single dose studies, maternal toxicity was exhibited at all doses by reductions in body weight gain and food consumption for 3 days after treatment. Fetal body weight was significantly reduced in the repeated dose study at 350 mg/kg per day. Fetal weights were not affected by single doses of ASA on GD 9, 10, or 11. There were no treatment-related external, visceral or skeletal malformations associated with ASA administration throughout organogenesis or with single doses administered during critical developmental windows. CONCLUSION These findings supported previous work demonstrating that ASA is not teratogenic in rabbits, as opposed to rats, even when large doses are administered on single days during specific windows of development.
Contribution of nitric oxide in the contraction‐induced rapid vasodilation in young and older adults

We tested the hypothesis that reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability contributes to the attenuated peak and total vasodilation following single muscle contractions in older adults. Young (n=8; 25 ± 2 yr) and older (n=9; 67 ± 2 yr) adults performed single forearm contractions at 10, 20 and 40% of maximum during saline infusion (control) and NO synthase (NOS) inhibition via L‐NMMA. Brachial artery diameter and velocities were measured using Doppler ultrasound and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) was calculated from blood flow (ml/min) and blood pressure (mmHg). Peak and total vasodilator responses (ΔFVC from baseline) were attenuated in older adults at all intensities (P < 0.05). NOS inhibition reduced the peak ΔFVC at 10% (95 ± 13 vs. 59 ± 10), 20% (134 ± 11 vs. 90 ± 12) and 40% (222 ± 30 vs. 143 ± 24) in young subjects (P < 0.05 for all) and in older adults at 10% (61 ± 5 vs. 48 ± 7, P < 0.05) and 20% (90 ± 8 vs. 70 ± 8, P < 0.05), but not 40% (129 ± 13 vs. 105 ± 11, P = 0.12). The relative (%) reduction in peak ΔFVC due to NOS inhibition was greater in young vs. older adults at 20% (−36 ± 5 vs. −22 ± 5%, P < 0.05) and 40% (−35 ± 7 vs. −17 ± 7%, P < 0.05). The reduction in the total vasodilator response (area under the curve) with NOS inhibition was also greater in young vs. older adults at 20 and 40%. Our data suggest that contraction‐induced rapid vasodilation is mediated in part by NO; however, it appears the NO contribution in the response is greater in young adults.
Expansion of Human Cytomegalovirus (HCMV) Immediate-Early 1-Specific CD8+ T Cells and Control of HCMV Replication after Allogeneic Stem Cell Transplantation

ABSTRACT Recovery of human cytomegalovirus (HCMV)-specific T immunity is critical for protection against HCMV disease in the early phase after allogeneic stem cell transplantation (SCT). Using an enzyme-linked immunospot assay with overlapping 15-mer peptides spanning pp65 and immediate-early 1 HCMV proteins, we investigated which HCMV-specific CD8+ gamma interferon-positive (IFN-γ+) T-cell responses against pp65 and IE-1 were associated with control of HCMV replication in 48 recipients of unmanipulated HLA-matched allografts at 3 months (M3) and 6 months (M6) after SCT and in 23 donors. At M3 after SCT, the magnitude of the pp65-specific IFN-γ-producing CD8+ T-cell response was greater in recipients than in donors, regardless of HCMV status. In contrast, expansion of IE-1-specific CD8+ T cells at M3 was associated with protection against HCMV, and no patient with this expansion had HCMV replication at M3. At M6, the number of HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells against both pp65 and IE-1 had expanded in all recipients, regardless of their previous levels of HCMV replication. The recipients' HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells already detectable in related donors were predominantly targeting pp65. In contrast, in 40% of the cases, the HCMV-specific CD8+ T cells in recipients involved new CD8+ T-cell specificities undetectable in their related donors and preferentially targeting IE-1. Taken together, these results showed that the delay in reconstituting IE-1-specific CD8+ T cells is correlated with the lack of protection against HCMV in the first 3 months after SCT. They also show that IE-1 is a major antigenic determinant of the early restoration of protective immunity to HCMV after SCT.
Emergence and Distribution of Plasmids Bearing the blaOXA-51-Like Gene with an Upstream ISAba1 in Carbapenem-Resistant Acinetobacter baumannii Isolates in Taiwan

ABSTRACT The blaOXA-51-like gene with an upstream ISAba1 (ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene) was originally found on the chromosomes of carbapenem-resistant or -susceptible Acinetobacter baumannii isolates. However, a plasmid-borne ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene has recently been identified in Acinetobacter genomic species 13TU and several A. baumannii isolates in Taiwan, and all of the isolates are carbapenem resistant. This study aimed to characterize the plasmids bearing the ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene and their significance in A. baumannii. Among the 117 ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like-harboring isolates collected from 10 hospitals in Taiwan, 58 isolates (49.6%) from 24 clones had the genes located on plasmids that likely originated from a common progenitor. Among the 58 isolates, four had additional copy of the ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene on their chromosomes. Based on the analysis of these four isolates, the plasmid-located ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene appeared to be acquired via one-ended transposition (Tn6080). The isolates with a plasmid bearing the ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene had higher rates of resistance to imipenem (98% versus 46.6%; P < 0.001) and meropenem (98% versus 69%; P = 0.019) than those with the genes chromosomally encoded, which is most likely due to increased gene dosage provided by the higher copy number of associated plasmids. Transformation with a recombinant plasmid harboring only the ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene was enough to confer a high level of carbapenem resistance to A. baumannii, eliminating the possible contribution of other factors on the original plasmids. This study demonstrated that the carbapenem resistance-associated plasmids carrying the ISAba1-blaOXA-51-like gene are widespread in A. baumannii strains in Taiwan.
Effects of Black Raspberry Extract and Protocatechuic Acid on Carcinogen-DNA Adducts and Mutagenesis, and Oxidative Stress in Rat and Human Oral Cells

Effects of black raspberry (BRB) extract and protocatechuic acid (PCA) on DNA adduct formation and mutagenesis induced by metabolites of dibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP) were investigated in rat oral fibroblasts. The DBP metabolites, (±)-anti-11,12-dihydroxy-11,12,-dihydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBP-diol) and 11,12-dihydroxy-13,14-epoxy-11,12,13,14-tetrahydrodibenzo[a,l]pyrene (DBPDE) induced dose-dependent DNA adducts and mutations. DBPDE was considerably more potent, whereas the parent compound had no significant effect. Treatment with BRB extract (BRBE) and PCA resulted in reduced DBP-derived DNA adduct levels and reduced mutagenesis induced by DBP-diol, but only BRBE was similarly effective against (DBPDE). BRBE did not directly inactivate DBPDE, but rather induced a cellular response—enhanced DNA repair. When BRBE was added to cells 1 day after the DBP-diol, the BRBE greatly enhanced removal of DBP-derived DNA adducts. As oxidative stress can contribute to several stages of carcinogenesis, BRBE and PCA were investigated for their abilities to reduce oxidative stress in a human leukoplakia cell line by monitoring the redox indicator, 2′,7′-dichlorodihydrofluorescein diacetate (H2DCF) in cellular and acellular systems. BRBE effectively inhibited the oxidation, but PCA was only minimally effective against H2DCF. These results taken together provide evidence that BRBE and PCA can inhibit initiation of carcinogenesis by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons; and in addition, BRBE reduces oxidative stress. Cancer Prev Res; 9(8); 704–12. ©2016 AACR.
Effect of flaxseed flour incorporation on the physical properties and consumer acceptability of cereal bars

Extensive research has revealed numerous nutritional and health benefits of flaxseed due primarily to its nutrients content. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of flaxseed flour addition on the physical and sensory characteristics of cereal bars. Four formulations of the flaxseed cereal bars were prepared by partially replacing oats with flaxseed flour added at levels of 0 (control), 6%, 12% and 18%. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) in water activity, moisture and firmness values between the flaxseed bars and control. Flaxseed addition significantly (p < 0.05) decreased lightness and increased redness of the bars. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the 12% flax cereal bars and the control with respect to sensory attributes and overall acceptability. The overall acceptability for both 12% flax bars and the control was in between ‘like moderately’ and ‘like slightly’ on the 9-point hedonic scale. The overall acceptability was most highly correlated with flavor acceptability for both control (r = 0.80) and 12% flax (r = 0.82) cereal bars. Flaxseed bars provided 12% dietary fiber of the daily recommended value. These results indicated that flaxseed flour incorporation up to 12% substantially enhanced the nutritional qualities of the cereal bars without affecting their sensory and quality properties.
Effect of Thrombolysis on the Dynamics of Infarct Evolution After Clot Embolism of Middle Cerebral Artery in Mice

Reversible focal ischemia may lead to delayed tissue injury despite primary restoration of blood flow and metabolism. The authors investigated whether such delayed changes also occur after thrombolytic treatment of thromboembolic stroke. Clot embolism of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) was produced in C57/B16J mice by intracarotid injection of heterologous clots. One hour after embolism, one group was treated with intracarotid infusion of rt-PA (10 mg/kg). The untreated control group received an equal amount of vehicle. Just before onset of treatment and after 1, 3, 6, and 24 hours, animals were frozen in situ and cerebral blood flow (CBF), cerebral protein synthesis (CPS), ATP content, and DNA fragmentations (TUNEL) were imaged on cryostat sections using double tracer autoradiography, bioluminescence, and immunohistochemical techniques, respectively. In untreated animals (n = 20), CPS was suppressed in approximately 68% of hemispheric transsection at 1 hour after embolization. The ATP depleted area was smaller (approximately 58%), but between 6 and 24 hours it merged with that of CPS suppression. TUNEL-positive neurons became visible between 6 and 24 hours exclusively in regions with ATP depletion. rt-PA-induced thrombolysis (n = 20) led to the gradual improvement of blood flow. At 24 hours, ATP depletion was fully reversed and the CPS suppression area declined to approximately 16% of hemispheric transsection. Despite progressive metabolic recovery, large numbers of neurons became TUNEL-positive and animals died between 24 and 48 hours. Thrombolysis after clot embolism restores metabolic activity including protein synthesis, but the therapeutic benefit is limited by secondary injury that requires additional treatment to improve final outcome.
Angiogenesis in ectopic ovarian xenotransplantation: Multiparameter characterization of the neovasculature by dynamic contrast‐enhanced MRI

It has been suggested that ovarian cryopreservation and xenotransplantation can be used to preserve oocytes from damage during anticancer treatments. The main obstacle to subsequent ovarian grafting is loss of oocytes due to impaired perfusion. The aim of this study was to characterize angiogenic events following ovary xenotransplantation. Rat ovaries were transplanted into or onto the muscle of immunocompromised CD1‐nude mice. Ovariectomy (OVX) of host mice prior to transplantation supported the resumption of follicular development, as manifested by the prevalence of antral follicles and corpora lutea. Two days after transplantation, the grafts were devoid of blood supply. Functional vessels within the graft were detected by MRI and histology from day 7 and on. By 2–3 weeks, both blood volume fraction and permeability in the graft, as measured with the use of albumin‐based MR contrast material, were significantly elevated relative to the adjacent muscle. Extravasation of contrast material from the graft neovasculature was followed by interstitial convection in the muscle surrounding the graft, and draining toward the proximal popliteal lymph node. Development of the vasculature was monitored noninvasively, providing a time scale for revascularization and recovery of ovarian function following xenotransplantation of ovarian grafts. Magn Reson Med 52:741–750, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Self-similarity of diffusion-limited aggregates and electrodeposition clusters.

Mise en evidence experimentale de l'autosimilarite des amas de zinc bidimensionnels deposes dans la limite de petite concentration ionique et de petite tension avec les dimensions generalisees D q =1,66±0,08. Les amas obtenus dans une simulation numerique de la mise en amas limitee par la diffusion dans une geometrie de bande sont auto-similaires a D q =1,60±0,02. Ces resultats suggerent que les amas electrodeposes et les amas limites par diffusion ont une structure geometrique similaire