Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
A Tunable Encryption Scheme and Analysis of Fast Selective Encryption for CAVLC and CABAC in H.264/AVC

Recently, two fast selective encryption methods for context-adaptive variable length coding and context-adaptive binary arithmetic coding in H.264/AVC were proposed by Shahid In this paper, it was demonstrated that these two methods are not as efficient as only encrypting the sign bits of nonzero coefficients. Experimental results showed that without encrypting the sign bits of nonzero coefficients, these two methods can not provide a perceptual scrambling effect. If a much stronger scrambling effect is required, intra prediction modes, and the sign bits of motion vectors can be encrypted together with the sign bits of nonzero coefficients. For practical applications, the required encryption scheme should be customized according to a user's specified requirement on the perceptual scrambling effect and the computational cost. Thus, a tunable encryption scheme combining these three methods is proposed for H.264/AVC. To simplify its implementation and reduce the computational cost, a simple control mechanism is proposed to adjust the control factors. Experimental results show that this scheme can provide different scrambling levels by adjusting three control factors with no or very little impact on the compression performance. The proposed scheme can run in real-time and its computational cost is minimal. The security of the proposed scheme is also discussed. It is secure against the replacement attack when all three control factors are set to one.
Neodymium and Strontium Isotope Evidence for Crustal Contamination of Continental Volcanics

Combined neodymium and strontium isotope studies on Tertiary volcanics from northwest Scotland indicate that their parental mantle isotopic compositions have been substantially modified in many instances by contamination with the Precambrian continental crust through which they were erupted. The occurrence of samarium-neodymium and rubidium-strontium "pseudoisochrons" of different ages in these contaminated continental volcanics indicates that they are artifacts of the contamination processes and have no temporal significance with respect to mantle fractionation events.
Genetic studies of pigmentation of staphylococcus aureus.

Exposure of cells of several strains of Staphylococcus aureus to 50 or 100 μg of N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine for 30 to 60 minutes induced large numbers of mutants with pigment content different from that of the parent. By determination of the amount of pigment as related to the optical density of the cells, four to seven classes of pigmentation mutants could be defined. Mutants with pigment content differing from that of the parent could readily be mutated to other pigmentation states and are thus probable point mutations. In contrast, completely white mutants could not be induced by the mutagen to any degree of pigmentation and possibly represent minor deletions or cumulative single-site mutations in the chromosome. Growth of parent strains in media containing acridine dyes occasionally produced a low frequency (0.01%) of white mutants. Mutants differing in pigment content from that of the parent were unable to produce coagulase during growth, although the parent cultures elaborated considerable.
Stimulating effect of catechin, an active component of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn, on bioactivity of hematopoietic growth factor.

BACKGROUND Hematopoietic growth factor (HGF) is indispensable to hematopoiesis in the body. The proliferation and differentiation of hematopoietic cells must rely on the existence and stimulation of HGF. This study investigated the effect of catechin, an active component extracted from Spatholobus suberectus Dunn (SSD), on bioactivity of granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating activity (GM-CSA), burst-promoting activity (BPA) and megakaryocyte colony-stimulating activity (MK-CSA) in spleen condition medium (SPCM) of mice to clarify the hematopoietic mechanism of catechin and SSD. METHODS Spleen cells of mice were separated and spleen condition medium (SPCM) was prepared from spleen cell culture. Bone marrow cells of mice were separated and cultured in a culture system including 10% (v/v) SPCM (induced by catechin in vivo or ex vivo) for 6 days. Granulocyte-macrophage colony forming units (CFU-GM), erythrocyte burst-colony-forming units (BFU-E) and megakaryocyte colony-forming units (CFU-Meg) formation were employed to assay the effects of different treatment on the bioactivity of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in SPCM. RESULTS SPCM induced by 100 mg/L catechin ex vivo could promote the growth of CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Meg, which indicated that catechin could stimulate the production of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in SPCM. SPCM prepared at the fourth day of spleen cell culture showed the best stimulating activity. The bioactivity of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in the SPCM prepared after intraperitoneally injecting catechin into mice was also increased. The number of CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Meg gradually increased as the dose of catechin increased and the time of administration prolonged. CFU-GM, BFU-E and CFU-Meg of the high-dose catechin group were significantly higher than those of the control group (P < 0.01) and reached the maximum at the seventh day after administration. CONCLUSIONS This study suggests that catechin extracted from the active acetic ether part of Spatholobus suberectus Dunn can regulate hematopoiesis by inducing bioactivity of GM-CSA, BPA and MK-CSA in SPCM of mice. This may be one of the mechanisms for the hematopoietic-supportive effect of catechin and Spatholobus suberectus Dunn.
Age Related Decline in Postural Control Mechanisms

In order to study voluntary and reflexive mechanisms of postural control, young and elderly persons were given large-fast and small-slow ankle-rotation postural disturbances while standing on a movable platform capable of measuring ground reaction forces. Large-fast rotations were employed to activate long-loop reflexes, and small-slow rotations were employed to tap the higher level sensory integration aspects of postural control. Overall, the elderly persons exhibited more perturbation induced sway and showed a slowing in voluntary, as opposed to reflexive mechanisms of correcting postural disturbance. For both age groups, reflexive mechanisms were found to be relatively intact. When small perturbations were given, the elderly persons swayed more than young participants and produced sporadic reflexive activity. Moreover, elderly persons did not adapt to the small perturbations and exhibited increased postural sway to repetitive presentation of the perturbation, whereas young participants substantially decreased their postural sway. These data demonstrate that elderly persons are at some disadvantage when posture is under the control of slower, higher level sensory integrative mechanisms.
R plasmids conferring multiple drug resistance from shigella isolated in Korea

SUMMARY The majority (85%) of shigella isolated in 1980 and 1981 in Korea were Shigella flexneri, the others were Sh. sonnei (14%) with only a small number of Sh. dysenteriae. Only 14 of the 459 strains of shigella isolated were susceptible to all 12 drugs tested, and 445 were resistant to three or more drugs. Strains multiply resistant to the six drugs, chloramphenicol (Cm), tetracycline (Tc), streptomycin (Sm), sulfisomidine (Su), ampicillin (Ap) and trimethoprim (Tp) were most frequently encountered, followed by those resistant to Cm, Tc, Sm, Su and Tp. The complete patterns of resistance to drugs except nalidixic acid and rifampin in approximately 73% of drug-resistant strains were co-transferred to Escherichia coli by conjugation, indicating that the resistance was R plasmid-mediated. Randomly selected R plasmids conferring various patterns of resistance markers were tested for the incompatibility groups, and almost all of them were classified into Inc FII. Two of three R plasmids conferring resistance to Cm, Tc, Sm and Su were classified into Inc B and one to Inc FII. Two R types with resistance markers of Cm, Tc, Sm and Ap were not classified with our standard plasmids used.
Pharmacokinetics and Metabolism of Delamanid, a Novel Anti-Tuberculosis Drug, in Animals and Humans: Importance of Albumin Metabolism In Vivo

Delamanid, a new anti-tuberculosis drug, is metabolized to M1, a unique metabolite formed by cleavage of the 6-nitro-2,3-dihydroimidazo[2,1-b] oxazole moiety, in plasma albumin in vitro. The metabolic activities in dogs and humans are higher than those in rodents. In this study, we characterized the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of delamanid in animals and humans. Eight metabolites (M1–M8) produced by cleavage of the imidazooxazole moiety of delamanid were identified in the plasma after repeated oral administration by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry analysis. Delamanid was initially catalyzed to M1 and subsequently metabolized by three separate pathways, which suggested that M1 is a crucial starting point. The major pathway in humans was hydroxylation of the oxazole moiety of M1 to form M2 and then successive oxidation to the ketone form (M3) mainly by CYP3A4. M1 had the highest exposure among the eight metabolites after repeated oral dosing in humans, which indicated that M1 was the major metabolite. The overall metabolism of delamanid was qualitatively similar across nonclinical species and humans but was quantitatively different among the species. After repeated administration, the metabolites had much higher concentrations in dogs and humans than in rodents. The in vitro metabolic activity of albumin on delamanid probably caused the species differences observed. We determined that albumin metabolism is a key component of the pharmacokinetics and metabolism of delamanid. Nonhepatic formation of M1 and multiple separate pathways for metabolism of M1 suggest that clinically significant drug–drug interactions with delamanid and M1 are limited.
Evaluation of Public Housing Programmes in Nigeria: A Theoretical and Conceptual Approach

The aim of this paper is to develop and test a theoretical and conceptual framework for an alternative approach to evaluation of public housing programmes in Nigeria. It seeks to address limitations of existing approaches where one theory or discipline has the upper hand in evaluating public housing programmes. This paper proposes a broad-based framework for assessing relationships between input, output and outcomes of public housing programmes through a realistic approach to evaluation based on objective-oriented theory, theory-driven evaluation paradigm and conceptual issues. This approach allows for the use of logical framework to explain the complex connections between underlying programme theory and outcomes. The distinct features of this alternative evaluation approach include: an open-ended evaluation approach; housing providers and residents participation; broad-based and a multi-faceted data gathering approaches and analysis in distinguishing the outcome of different housing delivery strategies in public housing programmes.
Atypical neuroleptic malignant syndrome associated with Risperidone treatment in two adolescents

Neuroleptic Malignant Syndrome (NMS) is a known, life threatening, side effect of classical antipsychotic drugs. We report two cases of 16 and 17 year old males, who suffered life-threatening "NMS-Like" syndromes in association with Risperidone treatment. Further controlled studies are needed.
A comparative analysis of strategic alliances and acquisition activity : A test of the substitution hypothesis

We provide a comprehensive comparison of strategic alliances and acquisitions, tackling the question of whether these transactions are substitutes or complements. We find evidence that the decision to enter a strategic alliance rather than an acquisition is determined by firm specific characteristics representing risk, CEO remuneration and external corporate governance mechanisms. Strategic alliances also generate significantly different market returns around the announcement date and, again, we find firm and governance characteristics determine these returns. The findings in this paper demonstrate that these transactions are not perfect substitutes.
Immunosuppressive therapy reduces axonal damage in progressive multiple sclerosis

Background: In progressive multiple sclerosis (PMS), disease-modifying therapies have not been shown to reduce disability progression. Objective: The impact from immunosuppressive therapy in PMS was explored by analyzing cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers of axonal damage (neurofilament light protein, NFL), astrogliosis (glial fibrillary acidic protein, GFAP), and B-cell regulation (CXCL13). Methods: CSF was obtained from 35 patients with PMS before and after 12–24 months of mitoxantrone (n=30) or rituximab (n=5) treatment, and from 14 age-matched healthy control subjects. The levels of NFL, GFAP, and CXCL13 were determined by immunoassays. Results: The mean NFL level decreased by 51% (1781 ng/l, SD 2018 vs. 874 ng/l, SD 694, p=0.007), the mean CXCL13 reduction was 55% (9.71 pg/ml, SD 16.08, vs. 4.37 pg/ml, SD 1.94, p=0.008), while GFAP levels remained unaffected. Subgroup analysis showed that the NFL reduction was confined to previously untreated patients (n=20) and patients with Gd-enhancing lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (n=12) prior to study baseline. Conclusions: Our data imply that 12–24 months of immunosuppressive therapy reduces axonal damage in PMS, particularly in patients with ongoing disease activity. Determination of NFL levels in CSF is a potential surrogate marker for treatment efficacy and as endpoint in phase II trials of MS.
Cigarette smoke extract induces COX-2 expression via a PKC / cSrc / EGFR , PDGFR / PI 3 K / Akt / NF-B pathway and p 300 in tracheal smooth muscle cells

Yang C-M, Lee I-T, Lin C-C, Yang Y-L, Luo S-F, Kou YR, Hsiao L-D. Cigarette smoke extract induces COX-2 expression via a PKC /c-Src/EGFR, PDGFR/PI3K/Akt/NFB pathway and p300 in tracheal smooth muscle cells. Am J Physiol Lung Cell Mol Physiol 297: L892–L902, 2009. First published August 28, 2009; doi:10.1152/ajplung.00151. 2009. —Exposure to cigarette smoke extract (CSE) leads to airway or lung inflammation, which may be mediated through cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) expression and its product prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying CSE-induced COX-2 expression in human tracheal smooth muscle cells (HTSMCs). Here, we describe that COX-2 induction is dependent on PKC /cSrc/EGFR, PDGFR/PI3K/Akt/NFB signaling in HTSMCs. CSE stimulated the phosphorylation of c-Src, EGFR, PDGFR, and Akt, which were inhibited by pretreatment with the inhibitor of PKC (Gö6976 or Gö6983), c-Src (PP1), EGFR (AG1478), PDGFR (AG1296), or PI3K (LY294002). Moreover, CSE induced a significant increase in COX-2 expression, which was reduced by pretreatment with these inhibitors or transfection with siRNA of PKC , Src, or Akt. Furthermore, CSE-stimulated NFB p65 phosphorylation and translocation were also attenuated by pretreatment with Gö6976, PP1, AG1478, AG1296, or LY294002. CSE-induced COX-2 expression was also mediated through the recruitment of p300 associated with NFB in HTSMCs, revealed by coimmunoprecipitation and Western blot analysis. In addition, pretreatment with the inhibitors of NFB (helenalin) and p300 (garcinol) or transfection with p65 siRNA and p300 siRNA markedly inhibited CSE-regulated COX-2 expression. However, CSE-induced PGE2 generation was reduced by pretreatment with the inhibitor of COX-2 (NS-398). These results demonstrated that in HTSMCs, CSE-induced COX-2-dependent PGE2 generation was mediated through PKC /c-Src/EGFR, PDGFR/PI3K/Akt leading to the recruitment of p300 with NFB complex.
Novel sex‐determining genes in fish and sex chromosome evolution

Although the molecular mechanisms underlying many developmental events are conserved across vertebrate taxa, the lability at the top of the sex‐determining (SD) cascade has been evident from the fact that four master SD genes have been identified: mammalian Sry; chicken DMRT1; medaka Dmy; and Xenopus laevis DM‐W. This diversity is thought to be associated with the turnover of sex chromosomes, which is likely to be more frequent in fishes and other poikilotherms than in therian mammals and birds. Recently, four novel candidates for vertebrate SD genes were reported, all of them in fishes. These include amhy in the Patagonian pejerrey, Gsdf in Oryzias luzonensis, Amhr2 in fugu and sdY in rainbow trout. These studies provide a good opportunity to infer patterns from the seemingly chaotic picture of sex determination systems. Here, we review recent advances in our understanding of the master SD genes in fishes. Developmental Dynamics 242:339–353, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Endogenomorphic depression. A conceptual and terminological revision.

This report reviews conflicts in delineating the phenomena of depression with an emphasis on the central criterion role of the symptomatic pattern of the nonprecipitated (endogenous) depression. Depressions with similar symptomatology, regardless of precipitation or severity, are labeled endogenomorphic. A specific causal model is presented that has testable consequences in drug treatment and maintenance studies. This is a mixed model, combining both categorical and dimensional constructs.
Effect of drought stress on yield, chlorophyll contents and photosynthesis in tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum)

Drought stress is one of the major abiotic stresses in agriculture worldwide. This study was carried out to investigate the effect of drought stress on chlorophyll content, photosynthesis and transpiration, stomatal conductance and yield characteristics in two varieties of tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). A pot experiment with three irrigation regimes was carried out in a split-plot block design with four replications. Treatments included control (no drought), drought stress imposed with 7 and 14 days during the beginning-flower stage. All physiological parameters were affected by drought stress. Drought stress significantly decreased chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and total chlorophyll content, but the proline accumulation was increased, and the two varieties showed a similar trend. Photosynthesis, transpiration, stomatal conductance and yield were lower but intercellular CO 2 concentration was higher under drought stress conditions than under control conditions. The drought stress significantly increased POD, SOD and CAT activity and H 2 O 2 content, and endowed plants of tartary buckwheat with the resistance against oxidative stress and adapted to severe condition. Under drought conditions the variety JingQiao-2 gave the highest yield whereas ChuanQiao-1 gave the lowest yield. Drought stress for 14 days reduced seed yield more severe than that for 7 days. The results showed that the variety JingQiao-2 displayed a higher drought resistance than ChuanQiao-1 cultivar.
Expansion of the Phenotypic Spectrum of the CACNA1A T666M Mutation: A Family with Familial Hemiplegic Migraine Type 1, Cerebellar Atrophy and Mental Retardation

Familial hemiplegic migraine (FHM) is a rare and severe autosomal-dominant subtype of migraine with aura (MA) in which attacks are associated with some degree of hemiparesis in addition to other neurological aura symptoms (1). Regarding the frequency and severity of attacks, there is a high degree of phenotypic variability—both interand intraindividually. The aura phase can last from several hours to days or even weeks. Other complications during the attacks include fever (with or without cerebrospinal fluid pleocytosis), confusion, impaired consciousness, coma and epileptic seizures. Genetically, FHM is heterogeneous. Mutations in three different genes have been identified in affected pedigrees: CACNA1A (FHM1; OMIM 141500), encoding the pore-forming a1a subunit of a neuronal, voltage-gated, P/Q-type calcium channel (2, 3), ATP1A2 (FHM2; OMIM 602481), encoding an astrocytic sodium-potassium pump (4), and SCN1A (FHM3; OMIM 609634), encoding the a subunit of a voltage-gated neuronal sodium channel (5, 6). More than 50% of FHM pedigrees are linked to the FHM1 CACNA1A locus, making CACNA1A the most frequent FHM gene. So far, more than 15 missense mutations associated with FHM have been published, the T666M mutation in exon 16 being the most frequent one. Alhough primarily a paroxysmal disorder, FHM can be complicated by permanent neurological symptoms in the interval between attacks, the most frequent one being a cerebellar syndrome (FHMwith ataxia) (2). In addition, mental retardation (MR) has been recognized as part of the phenotypic spectrum. Although observed in several families with FHM2 (4, 7, 8), it has been reported only sporadically in FHM1 (9–11), and it remained unclear whether this was more than a chance co-occurrence. Here, we present clinical, neuropsychological and genetic data of a large German FHM1 family with the previously reported T666M CACNA1A mutation, in which several individuals suffered from early-onset permanent MR in addition to typical attacks of FHM, suggesting that MR can be part of the phenotypic spectrum not only of FHM2, but also of FHM1.
Perceived neighbourhood environmental characteristics and physical activity according to socioeconomic status in adolescent girls

Objective: The purpose of this study was to analyse the associations between physical activity (PA) and several characteristics of the built environment with socioeconomic status (SES) in adolescent girls. Methods: The sample comprised 599 girls (mean age 14.7, SD = 1.6 years) living in the Aveiro Region of Portugal. Questionnaires were used to describe physical activity level and perceived neighbourhood environments. SES was established by maternal education level. Girls were grouped into low, middle or high SES group. Results: Logistic regression analysis showed that girls assigned to the higher SES group were more likely (OR = 2.4; 95%CI = 1.3–4.5) to belong to the active group than their low SES peers. Girls in high (OR = 2.4; 95%CC = 1.3–4.4) and medium (OR = 1.6; 95%CC = 1.14–2.3) SES groups were more likely to have a higher perception of better aesthetics in their neighbourhoods than their low SES peers and higher SES was also associated with better perception of a street connectivity (OR = 2.9; 95%CI = 1.7–5.4). Conclusion: The study showed that girls of higher SES are more active than those of lower SES and that social background might be associated with differences in neighbourhood environmental perceptions.
Survey Measures of Web-Oriented Digital Literacy

This article presents survey measures of web-oriented digital literacy to serve as proxies for observed skill measures, which are much more expensive and difficult to collect for large samples. Findings are based on a study that examined users’ digital literacy through both observations and survey questions, making it possible to check the validity of survey proxy measures. These analyses yield a set of recommendations for what measures work well as survey proxies of people’s observed web-use skills. Some of these survey measures were administered on the General Social Survey 2000 and 2002 Internet modules, making the findings relevant for the use of existing large-scale national data sets. Results suggest that some composite variables of survey knowledge items are better predictors of people’s actual digital literacy based on performance tests than are measures of users’ self-perceived abilities, a proxy traditionally used in the literature on the topic.