Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Gibbs sampling method for the Bayesian adaptive elastic net

ABSTRACT This article considers the adaptive elastic net estimator for regularized mean regression from a Bayesian perspective. Representing the Laplace distribution as a mixture of Bartlett–Fejer kernels with a Gamma mixing density, a Gibbs sampling algorithm for the adaptive elastic net is developed. By introducing slice variables, it is shown that the mixture representation provides a Gibbs sampler that can be accomplished by sampling from either truncated normal or truncated Gamma distribution. The proposed method is illustrated using several simulation studies and analyzing a real dataset. Both simulation studies and real data analysis indicate that the proposed approach performs well.
New Experiments for Improved Theoretical Description of Nonlinear Rheology of Entangled Polymers

The present work discusses four types of new experiments that can improve the current theoretical description of nonlinear rheology of entangled polymers. First, a slowly imposed strain is found to result in nonmonotonic evolution of the state of chain entanglement during quiescent relaxation, consistent with the idea of chain disentanglement after step shear. Second, the stress relaxation upon a sizable step strain is found to be identical to that for small step strain, consistent with a molecular scenario that a strained entangled melt has an entropic barrier to resist chain retraction. Third, the ability of a step-strained polymer to undergo elastic recovery is found to be the same up to strain amplitude of unity, and a sample sheared for a period much longer than the Rouse time is shown to still undergo nearly full elastic recovery. Fourth, an entangled melt, stretched at a rate significantly lower than the Rouse relaxation rate, undergoes full elastic recovery until the point of tensile force maximum.
Detecting opinion spammer groups and spam targets through community discovery and sentiment analysis

In this paper we investigate on detecting opinion spammer groups through analyzing how users interact with each other. More specifically, our approaches are based on 1) discovering strong vs. weak implicit communities by mining user interaction patterns, and 2) revealing positive vs. negative communities through sentiment analysis on user interactions. Through extensive experiments over various datasets collected from Amazon, we found that the discovered strong, positive communities are significantly more likely to be opinion spammer groups than other communities. Interestingly, while our approach focused mainly on the characteristics of user interactions, it is comparable to the state of the art content-based classifier that mainly uses various content-based features extracted from user reviews. More importantly, we argue that our approach can be more robust than the latter in that if spammers superficially alter their review contents, our approach can still reliably identify them while the content-based approaches may fail.
Influence of age on outcome of mechanically ventilated patients in an intensive care unit

ObjectiveTo assess the influence of age on the outcome of patients receiving prolonged mechanical ventilation. DesignRetrospective study. SettingIntensive care unit. PatientsA total of 1,141 patients in our ICU during a 32-month period. A total of 536 patients required mechanical ventilation. After exclusion of 171 patients ventilated for <24 hrs after surgery, 365 patients were investigated. Measurements and Main ResultsTwo hundred sixty-six (73%) patients were aged <70 yrs; 99 (27%) patients were ≥70 yrs. There was no significant difference in mortality rate between the younger and the older age groups. There was no significant influence of other important factors, such as severity of illness, duration of mechanical ventilation, or length of ICU stay. The only factor showing a significant influence on patient outcome was the reason for mechanical ventilation. There were more survivors in the group being ventilated because of ventilatory insufficiency than in the group with oxygenation impairment (57.8% vs. 23.9%, p <.001). ConclusionAn influence of age on the outcome of mechanically ventilated patients in the ICU could not be ascertained in this study.
Neuroblast proliferation on the surface of the adult rat striatal wall after focal ependymal loss by intracerebroventricular injection of neuraminidase

The subventricular zone of the striatal wall of adult rodents is an active neurogenic region for life. Cubic multiciliated ependyma separates the subventricular zone from the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and is involved in the control of adult neurogenesis. By injecting neuraminidase from Clostridium perfringens into the right lateral ventricle of the rat, we provoked a partial detachment of the ependyma in the striatal wall. The contralateral ventricle was never affected and was used as the experimental control. Neuraminidase caused widening of the intercellular spaces among some ependymal cells and their subsequent detachment and disintegration in the CSF. Partial ependymal denudation was followed by infiltration of the CSF with macrophages and neutrophils from the local choroid plexus, which ependymal cells never detached after neuraminidase administration. Inflammation extended toward the periventricular parenchyma. The ependymal cells that did not detach and remained in the ventricle wall never proliferated. The lost ependyma was never recovered, and ependymal cells never behaved as neural stem cells. Instead, a scar formed by overlapping astrocytic processes sealed those regions devoid of ependyma. Some ependymal cells at the border of the denudated areas lost contact with the ventricle and became located under the glial layer. Concomitantly with scar formation, some subependymal cells protruded toward the ventricle through the ependymal breaks, proliferated, and formed clusters of rounded ventricular cells that expressed the phenotype of neuroblasts. Ventricular clusters of neuroblasts remained in the ventricle up to 90 days after injection. In the subventricular zone, adult neurogenesis persisted. J. Comp. Neurol. 507:1571–1587, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Privacy Considerations when Designing Social Network Systems to Support Successful Ageing

A number of interventions exist to support older adults in ageing well and these typically involve support for an active and sociable ageing process. We set out to examine the privacy implications of an intervention that would monitor mobility and share lifestyle and health data with a community of trusted others. We took a privacy-by-design approach to the system in the early stages of its development, working with older adults to firstly understand their networks of trust and secondly understand their privacy concerns should information be exchanged across that network. We used a Johari Windows framework in the thematic analysis of our data, concluding that the social sharing of information in later life carried significant risk. Our participants worried about the social signaling associated with data sharing and were cautious about a system that had the potential to disrupt established networks.
Adolescent Self-assessment of Sexual Maturation

Pubertal changes correlate better with sexual maturity ratings than with chronological age. The applicability of sexual maturity ratings to research is impeded by the necessity to disrobe the adolescent. This study demonstrates that a mixed ethnic urban group of adolescent females can self-assess their own developmental stages by using standard photographs of sexual maturity stages. However, males do less well in self-assessment. Self-ratings by 22 female adolescents and 22 male adolescents aged 11 to 18 were compared to physicians' assessment. There was total agreement in 17/22 (r = 0.87) breast stage assessments, 16/22 (r = 0.86) female pubic hair assessments, 10/22 (r = 0.72) male genital assessments and 11/22 (r = 0.69) male pubic hair assessments. The mean differences in sexual maturity ratings between physician and adolescent were 0.32 for female pubic hair assessments, 0.64 for male pubic hair assessments, 0.68 for male genital assessments and 0.28 for breast assessments. This study suggests the feasibility of self-assessment of sexual maturity ratings among black, white, and Hispanic adolescent females, but the need for further research before it is used among adolescent males.
The In Vitro Effect of Adiponectin on Early Bovine Embryonic Development and Transcriptomic Markers of Oocyte Competence

Objectives: The current study aimed to investigate the in vitro effects of physiologic concentration of adiponectin in follicular fluid of pre-ovulatory bovine ovarian follicles on: 1) the bovine oocyte maturation and the early developmental rates of bovine embryos in vitro; 2) the expression profiles of some developmentally important marker genes in the bovine cumulus cells and oocytes. Materials and Methods: The cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) were aspirated from abattoir ovaries and cultured in vitro in the presence/absence of the recombinant human (rh) adiponectin (5 μg/mL) and used for real time RT-QPCR and in vitro embryo production assays. Results: Adiponection had no significant effects on nuclear maturation and cumulus expansion rates (p > 0.05). The expression levels of hyaluronic synthase 2 gene (Has2) was significantly higher in the adiponection group compared to the control group (p = 0.014). However, the early embryonic development was not affected significantly in the presence of adiponectin. Adiponectin did not change the expression rates of adiponectin receptors or other markers of oocyte competence. Also, the expression rates of two important oocyte secreted factors (OSFs), bone morphogenetic protein 15 (Bmp15) and growth/differentiation factor 9 (Gdf9) were not affected (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Adiponection did not affect the bovine oocyte developmental competence and early embryo development in spite of a significant increase in the expression level of Has2 gene, a biomarker of the future oocyte developmental competence.
New Subtype of Cryptosporidium cuniculus Isolated from Rabbits by Sequencing the Gp60 Gene

Abstract: Given the paucity of literature available on rabbits infected with Cryptosporidium in Sichuan Province (China), 290 fecal samples were collected from rabbits in the animal house of Sichuan Agricultural University, China and examined for Cryptosporidium oocysts using the Sheather's sucrose flotation technique and a modified acid-fast staining method. Three samples tested positive (prevalence = 1.03%). The positive isolates were genotyped by sequence analysis of the 18S rRNA, HSP70, COWP, and Cp135 genes and characterized by PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of the 18S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analysis was established using the neighbor-joining (NJ) method. All the isolates were identified as Cryptosporidium cuniculus. Further subtyping of the positive isolates was performed by DNA sequencing of the 60-kDa glycoprotein (gp60) gene. Only 1 subtype family was detected, Va, which was proposed to be a new subtype, VaA31. This study is the first report about the prevalence, genetic identification, and Cp135 gene of C. cuniculus in rabbits in Sichuan Province, China. The obtained results indicate that the C. cuniculus subtype in rabbits in Sichuan Province is unique.
A method of forefoot reconstruction.

1. An operation is described for the relief of irreversible claw toes associated with prominent and painful metatarsal heads. 2. The operation is suggested as an alternative to amputation of the toes. 3. The results of the operation done on twenty patients who have been followed up for a year or longer are reported.
The Prevalence and Management of Hyperglycaemia in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis on Corticosteroid Therapy

Background and Aims: Corticosteroids are commonly used in the treatment of RA. Hyperglycaemia resulting from cortiosteroid use can lead to problems, particularly in those with impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus. We have examined how rheumatology clinics monitored and managed hyperglycaemia at base line and during treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis on corticosteroids. Methods: Case notes of 102 patients with established RA, on long term steroids were reviewed. We recorded a) blood glucose level at base line and whilst on steroids b) when and whether hyperglycaemia was addressed. Results: There were 24 males and 78 females, with mean age of 62 ± 15 years. Patients were on corticosteroids for a median duration of 24 months. Seventy-five per cent of patients were treated with oral prednisolone, the rest, except one patient on deflazacort, were on methyl prednisolone. Blood glucose was measured at baseline in 97% of patients with 37% and 38% being monitored at three months and six months respectively and 36% annually thereafter. Nine patients (8.8%) developed diabetes mellitus during treatment, but one patient was detected and managed. There were six patients with existing diabetes mellitus in whom glycaemic control worsened between three to six months, but only one patient had treatment adjusted. Conclusions and recommendations: Physicians need to be aware that corticosteroids can increase blood glucose, worsen preexisting diabetes and predispose to diabetes mellitus. Patients on long-term corticosteroids should be monitored at regular intervals as corticosteroid induced glycaemic excursions may lead to the development of diabetes mellitus and increased coronary risk.
Rivastigmine in the treatment of dementia with Lewy bodies: preliminary findings from an open trial

The objective of this study was to assess the tolerability and efficacy of rivastigmine in a group of patients with probable dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB), using an open label study. Open label treatment was with rivastigmine up to maximum tolerated dose (mean 9.6 mg daily, range 3–12 mg). Eleven patients with DLB, mean age 78.5 years, were treated with this cholinesterase inhibitor. After 12 weeks of treatment, mean Neuropsychiatric Inventory scores fell by 73% for delusions, 63% for apathy, 45% for agitation and 27% for hallucinations. Five of the patients (45%) experienced very significant clinical improvements that had not been achieved with other treatments, including low dose neuroleptics. Medication was well tolerated and parkinsonian symptoms tended to improve. Cholinesterase inhibition may be a safe and effective alternative to neuroleptic treatment in DLB. Such effects may also prove to be applicable to the management of neuropsychiatric symptoms in Parkinson's disease and Alzheimer's disease. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Costly Collusion in Differentiated Industries

This paper demonstrates that increased product differentiation will make it more difficult to sustain collusion when it is costly to coordinate or maintain collusion. This result holds for a wide range of models, including all those commonly used to model competition between differentiated products. This contrasts with the previous theoretical literature, which shows that, in the absence of these costs, greater differentiation can help foster collusion under some common models of product differentiation but is consistent with the empirical literature, which suggests that collusion tends to occur most among homogeneous firms.
Lifestyle-related risk factors for stomach cancer in northeast Thailand.

BACKGROUND Stomach cancer is not common in Thailand but the life styles of the Thai population are changing to become more Western so that information for planning control programme of stomach cancer is necessary. The highest incidence rates of this neoplasm are found in Eastern Asia, ranging from age-standardized rates of 95.5/105 (men) and 40.1/105 (women) in Yamagata, Japan to 4.1/105 (men) and 2.1/105 (women) in Khon Kaen, Northeast of Thailand. In Thailand, the estimated age-standardized incidence rates in 1993, 1996 were 4.9/105, 4.1/105 in men and 3.0/105 , 2.6/105 in women. Risk factors for stomach cancer in Thai population are unclear, but possibly include low intake of vegetables and fruits, alcohol drinking, tobacco smoking and high intake of salt. OBJECTIVE To investigate various aspects of dietary factors, smoking, and alcohol drinking in determining risk of stomach cancer in Thai population. METHODS A case-control study was conducted in Khon Kaen, Thailand during 2002-2006, to study the role of these factors in stomach cancer. 101 stomach cancer cases and 202 matched controls (case : control = 1:2) by sex, age (? 3 years) and region were recruited from Srinagarind Hospital and Khon Kaen Regional Hospital, in Khon Kaen Province. All of cases were histologically confirmed. Controls had a variety of diseases, the main ones being disease of the eye. Information on dietary habits, alcohol drinking and smoking were collected by a structured questionnaire, blood samples were collected for further study. RESULTS The distribution of the general characteristics by case-control status, the distribution of age and sex were similar in cases and controls. In the final analysis, the factors that found to be higher risk but not statistically significant were long-term filter cigarette smoking (OR=1.9, 95%CI: 0.85-4.50), long-term alcohol consumption (OR=1.2, 95%CI: 0.51-2.60) and low intake of vegetables and fruits (OR=1.2, 95%CI: 0.74-1.96). A high intake of vegetable oil (OR=4.5, 95%CI: 1.00.-20.17) was found to be associated with increased risk, and similar tendencies were noted for pork oil (OR=1.4, 95%CI: 0.63-3.01) and jeaw prik (mainly chilly with plara broth) (OR=1.2, 95%CI: 0 .76- 2.01). CONCLUSION Our study confirmed protective effects of a high intake of fruits and vegetables against stomach cancer development and showed a high intake of sauces to increase risk of stomach cancer as in other countries in Asia.
Macro-Micro Simulation for Polymer Crystallization in Couette Flow

Polymer crystallization in manufacturing is a process where quiescent crystallization and flow-induced crystallization coexists, and heat/mass transfer on a macroscopic level interacts with crystal morphology evolution on a microscopic level. Previous numerical studies on polymer crystallization are mostly concentrated at a single scale; they only calculate macroscale parameters, e.g., temperature and relative crystallinity, or they only predict microstructure details, e.g., crystal morphology and mean size of crystals. The multi-scale numerical works that overcome these disadvantages are unfortunately based on quiescent crystallization, in which flow effects are neglected. The objective of this work is to build up a macro-micro model and a macro-micro algorithm to consider both the thermal and flow effects on the crystallization. Our macro-micro model couples two parts: mass and heat transfer of polymeric flow at the macroscopic level, and nucleation and growth of spherulites and shish-kebabs at the microscopic level. Our macro-micro algorithm is a hybrid finite volume/Monte Carlo method, in which the finite volume method is used at the macroscopic level to calculate the flow and temperature fields, while the Monte Carlo method is used at the microscopic level to capture the development of spherulites and shish-kebabs. The macro-micro model and the macro-micro algorithm are applied to simulate polymer crystallization in Couette flow. The effects of shear rate, shear time, and wall temperature on the crystal morphology and crystallization kinetics are also discussed.
Pomegranate Ellagitannin–Derived Compounds Exhibit Antiproliferative and Antiaromatase Activity in Breast Cancer Cells In vitro

Estrogen stimulates the proliferation of breast cancer cells and the growth of estrogen-responsive tumors. The aromatase enzyme, which converts androgen to estrogen, plays a key role in breast carcinogenesis. The pomegranate fruit, a rich source of ellagitannins (ET), has attracted recent attention due to its anticancer and antiatherosclerotic properties. On consumption, pomegranate ETs hydrolyze, releasing ellagic acid, which is then converted to 3,8-dihydroxy-6H-dibenzo[b,d]pyran-6-one (“urolithin”) derivatives by gut microflora. The purpose of this study was to investigate the antiaromatase activity and inhibition of testosterone-induced breast cancer cell proliferation by ET-derived compounds isolated from pomegranates. A panel of 10 ET-derived compounds including ellagic acid, gallagic acid, and urolithins A and B (and their acetylated, methylated, and sulfated analogues prepared in our laboratory) were examined for their ability to inhibit aromatase activity and testosterone-induced breast cancer cell proliferation. Using a microsomal aromatase assay, we screened the panel of ET-derived compounds and identified six with antiaromatase activity. Among these, urolithin B (UB) was shown to most effectively inhibit aromatase activity in a live cell assay. Kinetic analysis of UB showed mixed inhibition, suggesting more than one inhibitory mechanism. Proliferation assays also determined that UB significantly inhibited testosterone-induced MCF-7aro cell proliferation. The remaining test compounds also exhibited antiproliferative activity, but to a lesser degree than UB. These studies suggest that pomegranate ET–derived compounds have potential for the prevention of estrogen-responsive breast cancers. Cancer Prev Res; 3(1); 108–13
Role of Social Media and Social Networks in Consumer Decision Making : A Case of the Garment Sector

The aim of this research is to examine the role of Social Media (YouTube, Blogs, and Twitter etc.) and Social Networks (Facebook, Google, Linked In) on Consumer Decision Making in context ofthe Apparel Industry. The method of data collection for this research involved the survey of students and faculty of University of Gujrat, Pakistan by distribution of a selfadministered questionnaire among them. Analysis technique employed is Logistic Regression. The research is limited to the students and faculty of University of Gujrat and constituent colleges. The people of different cities and students from both Private and Public sector universities in the country must be surveyed before any generalizations are made in this regard. This research provides input to different companies, particularly to those in the apparel industry, regarding what effect does having a strong social media and networks’ presence has on the customers and their loyalty for the brand. The companies must exhibit an exceptional online presence and engage with customers at a personalized level in order to ensure increased brand awareness and purchase of their brands by the increasingly tech/Internet savvy customers. The research on this particular subject has not yet matured in regard to the impact of Social Media and Social Networks on consumer decision making particularly in Pakistan. This paper contributes significantly to this aspect telling companies as to how much of an online presence is compulsory these days to gain a profitable market share and competitive