Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
SARA: Segment aware rate adaptation algorithm for dynamic adaptive streaming over HTTP

Dynamic adaptive HTTP (DASH) based streaming is steadily becoming the most popular online video streaming technique. DASH streaming provides seamless playback by adapting the video quality to the network conditions during the video playback. A DASH server supports adaptive streaming by hosting multiple representations of the video and each representation is divided into small segments of equal playback duration. At the client end, the video player uses an adaptive bitrate selection (ABR) algorithm to decide the bitrate to be selected for each segment depending on the current network conditions. Currently, proposed ABR algorithms ignore the fact that the segment sizes significantly vary for a given video bitrate. Due to this, even though an ABR algorithm is able to measure the network bandwidth, it may fail to predict the time to download the next segment In this paper, we propose a segment-aware rate adaptation (SARA) algorithm that considers the segment size variation in addition to the estimated path bandwidth and the current buffer occupancy to accurately predict the time required to download the next segment We also developed an open source Python based emulated DASH video player, that was used to compare the performance of SARA and a basic ABR. Our results show that SARA provides a significant gain over the basic algorithm in the video quality delivered, without noticeably impacting the video switching rates.
Receptor‐mediated and protein kinase‐dependent growth enhancement of primary human fibroblasts by platelet activating factor

Chronic inflammation is a recognized risk factor for human cancer, but the causal mechanisms are poorly understood. We previously demonstrated that platelet activating factor (PAF) can induce alterations in the in vitro growth properties of primary rat fibroblasts. In the study reported here, exposure of primary human skin fibroblasts to PAF for 1 h in serum‐free medium was shown to cause sustained proliferation over 50 d in medium containing low serum and anchorage‐independent growth in soft agarose. Both properties could be inhibited by pretreatment with a PAF receptor antagonist, CV3988 (10 μM); a tyrosine‐kinase inhibitor, genistein (1 μg/mL); or a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor, staurosporine (50 nM) but not with a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (200 nM–20 μM). PAF had no effect on doubling time, saturation density, or cell viability under normal monolayer growth conditions in complete medium. Treatment with lyso‐PAF, an inactive metabolite of PAF, had no effect in either of the assays. Control and PAF‐induced cell proliferation in low‐serum medium was inhibited by PAF receptor antagonists present during the extended growth period. The presence of PAF receptor mRNA in human skin fibroblasts was demonstrated by reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction. The presence of a functional receptor was indicated by an early (2 min) transient increase in PKC activity and an increase in fos mRNA after PAF treatment. PAF‐induced PKC activity was blocked by pretreatment with either staurosporine (50 nM) or CV3988 (1 μM). These results suggest that PAF is a mitogenic factor that contributes to the known increase in risk of malignancy associated with chronic inflammatory conditions. Mol. Carcinog. 20:366–375, 1997. © 1997 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Disappearance of epidermal growth factor receptor is essential in the fusion of the nasal epithelium

Epidermal growth factor (EGF) and receptor (-R) signaling pathway is required for epithelial cell growth and differentiation such as the degeneration of the medial edge epithelial cells during the fusion process of secondary palate formation. As epithelial fusion takes place during primary palate formation, we investigated the involvement of the EGF-R in fusion of the medial (MNP) and lateral (LNP) nasal prominences of the mouse embryo was examined. Immunoreactivity of EGF-R was investigated in embryonic day 10 embryos (32–37 somite stages). The EGF-R immunoreactivity was observed in the nasal epithelia of the presumptive fusion area before fusion. It became undetectable just prior to the fusion and faintly reappeared at the time of the fusion. In contrast, the non-fusing epithelial cells of the nasal groove maintained the immunoreactivity throughout these stages. In order to elucidate whether the EGF/EGF-R signaling pathway was involved in nasal epithelial fusion, EGF solution was injected into the exocoelum of explanted mouse embryos, and the embryos were cultured for 18–24 h by whole embryo culture (WEC). This exogenous EGF inhibited fusion of nasal pro-minences in 66.7–81.5% of the embryos. Treatment with EGF for 4–14 h showed that exogenous EGF dis-turbed the EGF-R disappearance and normal alteration of epithelial cell morphology in the fusion area. These results suggest that temporal disappearance of the EGF/EGF-R signaling from presumptive fusion of the nasal prominences is required for morphological change of the epithelial cells leading to the fusion of MNP and LNP.
Creative destruction in clusters: From theory to practice, the role of technology gatekeepers, understanding disruptive innovation in industrial districts

The industrial district (ID) literature assumes that technology gatekeepers (TGs) shape the district learning process and its evolution. However, the analysis of the TGs resilience is absent. Instead, most of the evidence provided is set at a single point in time and considers only one stage of the cluster life cycle (CLC). This paper introduces into the discussion two important influences in order to analyze the dynamics of TGs and the ID evolution: the type of knowledge created (whether it be disruptive or not) in the cluster and the TG resilience across different stages of the CLC. This work responds to the gap that not much is known about the persistence of the TGs across different stages of the CLC. Using qualitative longitudinal case-study research, a world-class ID is analyzed over the last twenty years. The results show that there are new technological gatekeepers when it is a question of bringing in disruptive knowledge. Put differently, incumbent TGs are resilient but unable to create disruptive technologies in order to renew IDs, being more focus on the introduction of sustaining technologies. Results also shed light on the understanding of radical innovation in IDs, a fact almost neglected in the literature.
Maximal unidirectional perturbation bounds for stability of polynomials and matrices *

Given a stable polynomial or matrix, we consider a class of umdirectional perturbations. In this note, we provide a closed form for the maximal perturbation bounds under which stability is preserved. The results are then used to derive a closed form for the maximal stability box around the coefficients of a nominally stable polynomial.
University of Groningen Role of Microbial Modulation in Management of Atopic Dermatitis in Children

The pathophysiology of atopic dermatitis (AD) is multifactorial and is a complex interrelationship between skin barrier, genetic predisposition, immunologic development, skin microbiome, environmental, nutritional, pharmacological, and psychological factors. Several microbial modulations of the intestinal microbiome with preand/or probiotics have been used in AD management, with different clinical out-come (both positive, as well as null findings). This review provides an overview of the clinical evidence from trials in children from 2008 to 2017, aiming to evaluate the effect of dietary interventions with preand/or pro-biotics for the treatment of AD. By searching the PUBMED/MEDLINE, EMBADE, and COCHRANE databases 14 clinical studies were selected and included within this review. Data extraction was independently conducted by two authors. The primary outcome was an improvement in the clinical score of AD severity. Changes of serum immunological markers and/or gastrointestinal symptoms were explored if available. In these studies some dietary interventions with preand/or pro-biotics were beneficial compared to control diets in the management of AD in children, next to treatment with emollients, and/or local corticosteroids. However, heterogeneity between studies was high, making it clear that focused clinical randomized controlled trials are needed to understand the potential role and underlying mechanism of dietary interventions in children with AD.
Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence.

ofnon-significant findings. By convention aPvalue greater than5%(P>005)iscalled "notsignificant. " Randomised controlled clinical trials that donotshowasignificant difference between thetreatments beingcompared areoftencalled "negative. " Thistermwrongly implies that thestudy hasshownthat there isnodifference, whereas usually all that hasbeenshownisanabsence ofevidence ofa difference. These arequite different statements. Thesamplesizeofcontrolled trials isgenerally inadequate, witha consequent lackofpowerto detect real, andclinically worthwhile, differences in treatment. Freiman etalfoundthatonly30%ofa sample of71trials published intheNewEngland Journal ofMedicine in1978-9 withP>0-1werelarge enough tohavea90%chance ofdetecting evena50% difference intheeffectiveness ofthetreatments being compared, andthey found noimprovement inasimilar sample oftrials published in1988.To interpret all these "negative" trials asproviding evidence ofthe ineffectiveness ofnewtreatments isclearly wrongand foolhardy. Theterm"negative" should notbeusedin this context.2 A recent example isgiven bya trial comparing octreotide andsclerotherapy inpatients withvariceal bleeding. ' Thestudy wascarried outonasample of only100despite areported calculation thatsuggested that1800patients wereneeded. Thistrial hadonlya 5%chance ofgetting astatistically significant result if thestated clinically worthwhile treatment difference truly existed. Oneconsequence ofsuchlowstatistical powerwasawideconfidence interval forthetreatment difference. Theauthors concluded thatthetwo treatments wereequally effective despite a 95% confidence interval that included differences between thecurerates ofthetwotreatments ofupto20percentage points. Similar evidence ofthedangers ofmisinterpretation ofnon-significant results isfoundinnumerous metaanalyses (overviews) ofpublished trials, whenfewor noneoftheindividual trials werestatistically large enough. A dramatic example isprovided bythe overview ofclinical trials evaluating fibrinolytic' treatment (mostly streptokinase) forpreventing reinfarction after acutemyocardial infarction. The overview of randomised controlled trials found amodest butclinically worthwhile (andhighly significant) reduction inmortality of22%,4 butonlyfive of the24trials hadshownastatistically significant effect withP<005.Thelackofstatistical significance of mostoftheindividual trials ledtoalongdelay before thetrue value ofstreptokinase wasappreciated.
Posterior Root Avulsion Fracture of the Medial Meniscus in an Adolescent Female Patient with Surgical Reattachment

cus has been shown to be essential in maintaining normal meniscal positioning and function, as well as preventing extrusion of the medial meniscus. Traumatic avulsion fractures of the posterior horn of the medial meniscus, also referred to as meniscal ossicles, have been previously described in case reports. The literature has suggested that meniscal ossicles could arise from multiple causes, including trauma, metaplastic ossification, or a sesamoid bone. Regardless of cause, there has also been no agreement regarding treatment of these meniscal ossicles. A previous review found that the majority of physicians chose to initially treat these cases conservatively; however, many of the cases went on to require arthrotomy or arthroscopy with meniscectomy because of persistent symptoms. To our knowledge, this is only the second case report describing surgical reattachment of a bony avulsion fracture of the posterior horn root of the medial meniscus.
Oxidative Stress in Brain Ischemia

Brain ischemia initiates a complex cascade of metabolic events, several of which involve the generation of nitrogen and oxygen free radicals. These free radicals and related reactive chemical species mediate much of damage that occurs after transient brain ischemia, and in the penumbral region of infarcts caused by permanent ischemia. Nitric oxide, a water‐ and lipid‐soluble free radical, is generated by the action of nitric oxide synthases. Ischemia causes a surge in nitric oxide synthase 1 (NOS 1) activity in neurons and, possibly, glia, increased NOS 3 activity in vascular endothelium, and later an increase in NOS 2 activity in a range of cells including infiltrating neutrophils and macrophages, activated microglia and astrocytes. The effects of ischemia on the activity of NOS 1, a Ca2+‐dependent enzyme, are thought to be secondary to reversal of glutamate reuptake at synapses, activation of NMDA receptors, and resulting elevation of intracellular Ca2+. The up‐regulation of NOS 2 activity is mediated by transcriptional inducers. In the context of brain ischemia, the activity of NOS 1 and NOS 2 is broadly deleterious, and their inhibition or inactivation is neuroprotective. However, the production of nitric oxide in blood vessels by NOS 3, which, like NOS 1, is Ca2+‐dependent, causes vasodilatation and improves blood flow in the penumbral region of brain infarcts. In addition to causing the synthesis of nitric oxide, brain ischemia leads to the generation of superoxide, through the action of nitric oxide synthases, xanthine oxidase, leakage from the mito‐chondrial electron transport chain, and other mechanisms. Nitric oxide and superoxide are themselves highly reactive but can also combine to form a highly toxic an ion, peroxynitrite. The toxicity of the free radicals and peroxynitrite results from their modification of macromolecules, especially DNA, and from the resulting induction of apoptotic and necrotic pathways. The mode of cell death that prevails probably depends on the severity and precise nature of the ischemie injury. Recent studies have emphasized the role of peroxynitrite in causing singlestand breaks in DNA, which activate the DNA repair protein poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP). This catalyzes the cleavage and thereby the consumption of NAD+, the source of energy for many vital cellular processes. Over‐activation of PARP, with resulting depletion of NAD+, has been shown to make a major contribution to brain damage after transient focal ischemia in experimental animals. Neuronal accumulation of poly(ADP‐ribose), the end‐product of PARP activity has been demonstrated after brain ischemia in man. Several therapeutic strategies have been used to try to prevent oxidative damage and its consequences after brain ischemia in man. Although some of the drugs used in early studies were ineffective or had unacceptable side effects, other trials with antioxidant drugs have proven highly encouraging. The findings in recent animal studies are likely to lead to a range of further pharmacological strategies to limit brain injury in stroke patients.
Bovine brucellosis in organized farms of India - an assessment of diagnostic assays and risk factors.

| Bovine brucellosis is a highly contagious ubiquitous reproductive disorder of dairy animals. To assess the diagnostic assays and risk factors associated with bovine brucellosis, a systematic study was conducted in 24 organized farms, containing a total of 1359 dairy animals during the period of 2013-2014. Herd and animal level data were recorded in a structured questionnaire. Of the 1359 samples, 71 (5.22%), 82 (6.03%), 73 (5.37%) and 54 (3.97%) samples were positive by RBPT, iELISA, serum and blood PCRs respectively. Combination of iELISA and serum PCR were found most suitable to declare brucellosis status of the animals. The high brucellosis prevalence was recorded in medium sized farms (26-100 animals) than in small and large farms. Similarly, disease prevalence ranged from 6.13 to 11.42% in the age groups of 2 to 8 yrs. The disease predisposition with respect to breeds revealed that the prevalence varied from 3 to 5% in cross breeds of Holstein Friesian and Jersey, and serological and PCR tests were negative in Indian breeds such as Hallikar and Ongole cattle and Surti buffaloes. Purchase of animals without prior diagnosis, lack of awareness and routine milk testing were found as other potential risk factors for transmission of disease. The study facilitates improvisation of sensitivity of clinical surveillance system for early diagnosis and to prevent the disease transmission.
Worldviews and the Transformation to Sustainable Societies: An exploration of the cultural and psychological dimensions of our global environmental chanllenges

Worldviews and the transformation to sustainable societies addresses one of the most challenging questions of our time. Its unique vantage point is based on the recognition of the crucial importance of worldviews vis-à-vis the urgently needed transformation to sustainable societies. Its purpose is to contribute to such transformation, by generating insight into the nature and structure of worldviews in the contemporary West, and their interface with goals and issues of sustainable development.
Parallel adaptive feedback enhances reliability of the Ca2+ signaling system

Despite large cell-to-cell variations in the concentrations of individual signaling proteins, cells transmit signals correctly. This phenomenon raises the question of what signaling systems do to prevent a predicted high failure rate. Here we combine quantitative modeling, RNA interference, and targeted selective reaction monitoring (SRM) mass spectrometry, and we show for the ubiquitous and fundamental calcium signaling system that cells monitor cytosolic and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ levels and adjust in parallel the concentrations of the store-operated Ca2+ influx mediator stromal interaction molecule (STIM), the plasma membrane Ca2+ pump plasma membrane Ca–ATPase (PMCA), and the ER Ca2+ pump sarco/ER Ca2+–ATPase (SERCA). Model calculations show that this combined parallel regulation in protein expression levels effectively stabilizes basal cytosolic and ER Ca2+ levels and preserves receptor signaling. Our results demonstrate that, rather than directly controlling the relative level of signaling proteins in a forward regulation strategy, cells prevent transmission failure by sensing the state of the signaling pathway and using multiple parallel adaptive feedbacks.
Effects of storage on the physicochemical and antibacterial properties of human milk

Abstract Storage of human milk for limited periods of time is unavoidable in neonatal units and also in the home where increasing numbers of mothers go back to work soon after delivery. Many mothers, convinced of the importance of prolonged exclusive or complementary breast-feeding, often express and store human milk for use during the period of separation. This study examines the effects of different storage methods on the pH and some antibacterial activities of human milk. Portions of milk and colostrum samples from healthy lactating mothers were stored at 4°C and -20°C for periods ranging from one day to 12 weeks. The stored milk samples were analysed for pH, bactericidal and bacteria sequestration activities against a serum-sensitive Escherichia. coli, and compared with freshly collected samples, with and without EDTA. Milk became progressively more acidic during storage. While the bactericidal activities of refrigerated samples diminished rapidly, up to two-thirds of the original activity level was maintained by freezing for up to three months. The ability of milk fat globule membrane to adhere to suspended bacteria was gradually lost in frozen milk samples, while it was greatly enhanced during the first few days in refrigerated samples, before declining sharply. This study shows that loss of bactericidal activity in refrigerated milk is well compensated for by enhanced bacteria sequestration activity, and allays any fears that might arise concerning the suitability of stored human milk for infant consumption.
Effects of vecuronium and rocuronium in antagonistic laryngeal muscles and the anterior tibial muscle in the cat

Background: Adequate vocal cord paralysis and full recovery of laryngeal muscle function are important when muscle relaxants are used perioperatively. This study was designed to compare the effects of vecuronium and rocuronium at the vocal cord abductor and adductor muscles and the anterior tibial muscle in cats.
Utility of recombinant human thyrotropin for augmentation of radioiodine uptake and treatment of nontoxic and toxic multinodular goiters.

OBJECTIVE To report our results in treating 16 patients with low radioiodine uptake (RAIU) multinodular goiter who had obstructive symptoms or suppressed thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH or thyrotropin), indicating mild hyperthyroidism. METHODS Six patients were treated with 0.3 mg of recombinant human thyrotropin (rhTSH) followed by 30 mCi of (131)I 72 hours later. Ten patients were treated with 0.9 mg of rhTSH followed by 30 mCi of (131)I 24 hours later. RESULTS Of the 16 treated patients, all 10 with compressive symptoms and both patients with weight loss had remission or improvement, as did 1 of 2 patients with atrial fibrillation. All patients with suppressed TSH had a return to normal levels or became hypothyroid. During the next 3 to 7 months, estimated gland size reduction was 30 to 40%. Three of the 6 patients who received 0.3 mg of rhTSH and 6 of the 10 patients who received 0.9 mg of rhTSH, in conjunction with (131)I therapy, ultimately had TSH levels indicative of hypothyroidism. Mild radiation thyroiditis developed in only one patient, and no other side effects occurred. CONCLUSION The 0.3-mg dose of rhTSH seemed to be as efficacious as the 0.9-mg dose. The greater than fourfold increase in RAIU at 72 hours after administration of rhTSH in our study is more than twofold higher than the 24-hour RAIU results previously reported in normal subjects and in patients with multinodular goiter. These findings have implications for future expanded studies and alternative dosing regimens in treating patients with both multinodular goiter and subclinical hyperthyroidism.
Hypnotic depth and hypnotic susceptibility: a replicated finding.

Abstract A sample of 398 Ss was tested in groups of from 8 to 20 people on the Harvard Group Scale of Hypnotic Susceptibility, Form A (HGSHS:A) of Shor and E. Orne (1962). Retrospective depth reports for each of the 12 HGSHS:A items were taken in order to extend Tart's findings (1970, 1972) on susceptibility and depth. The Ss were tested over 2 successive years in samples of N = 220 and N = 178. Since results were almost identical for each year (thus constituting a replication), the data were pooled for this report. A remarkable consistency in patterns of subjective depth across the 12 items of HGSHS:A was found, particularly noticeable in Items 7, 8, 9, and 10 for 4 susceptibility groups (high, high-medium, low-medium and low-susceptible Ss) which appeared to reflect differential item difficulties. In addition, all correlations between reported depth and HGSHS:A total scores were high and statistically significant. While the findings are in general accord with those of Tart (1970, 1972), further research.