Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Inflammatory markers and particulate air pollution: characterizing the pathway to disease.

BACKGROUND Increased concentrations of particles in air have been related to changes in inflammatory markers that in turn are hypothesized in mediating the particle effects on cardiovascular disease. The present work examined this association in an elderly cohort in the Greater Boston area and addresses the relative role of particles from different sources. METHODS The study included 710 subjects, active members of the VA Normative Aging Study cohort with measurements of blood markers. Concentrations of particle number (PN), black carbon (BC), fine particulate matter (PM(2.5)), and sulphates were measured at a central site near the examination site. RESULTS Positive associations were found between traffic-related particles (PN and BC) and inflammatory markers, but only suggestive associations were found with exposures to PM(2.5) and sulphates. The particle effect on the inflammatory markers was greater among subjects older than 78 years and among obese. A suggestion for a greater effect of particles on inflammatory markers among GSTM1-null subjects and non-users of statin drugs was also seen. CONCLUSIONS The findings of the study support the hypothesis that particles can induce cardiovascular disease through inflammatory pathways, suggestive of a greater toxicity of traffic-related particles.
Critical Role of Apoptosis Signal-Regulating Kinase 1 in Aldosterone/Salt-Induced Cardiac Inflammation and Fibrosis

The molecular mechanism underlying aldosterone/salt-induced cardiovascular injury remains to be defined. This work was undertaken to determine the role of apoptosis signal-regulating kinase 1 (ASK1) in the mechanism underlying aldosterone-induced cardiac injury in vivo. We compared the in vivo effects of 4 weeks of aldosterone/salt treatment on wild-type and ASK1-deficient mice. Aldosterone infusion plus high salt intake in wild-type mice significantly increased blood pressure and urinary albumin excretion and decreased plasma potassium concentrations, and these effects of aldosterone/salt were not affected by ASK1 deficiency. Thus, ASK1 seems to play a minor role in aldosterone-induced hypertension and renal injury. ASK1 deficiency also failed to affect aldosterone-induced cardiac hypertrophy. However, ASK1 deficiency markedly ameliorated aldosterone-induced cardiac injury, eg, the enhancement of cardiac macrophage infiltration, monocyte chemotactic protein 1 expression, interstitial fibrosis, perivascular fibrosis, and transforming growth factor-&bgr;1 and collagen type I expressions. Thus, ASK1 participates in aldosterone-induced cardiac inflammation and fibrosis. Furthermore, the enhancement of NADPH oxidase–mediated cardiac oxidative stress caused by aldosterone infusion was markedly lessened by ASK1 deficiency, which was associated with the significant amelioration by ASK1 deficiency of aldosterone-induced cardiac Nox2 upregulation. Furthermore, aldosterone/salt treatment significantly enhanced cardiac expression of the angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensin II type 1 receptor in wild-type mice, whereas the enhancement of these proteins by aldosterone/salt was abolished by ASK1 deficiency. Our results demonstrate that ASK1 is implicated in aldosterone/salt-induced cardiac inflammation and fibrosis through the enhancement of NADPH oxidase-mediated oxidative stress and the upregulation of the cardiac renin-angiotensin system.
Analysis and improvement of damping factor based on virtual synchronous generator control

In virtual synchronous generator (VSG), constant damping factor control method is often used to reduce the active power oscillation. However, constant damping factor control would result in errors in proportional active power sharing when implemented in islanding microgrid because it changes the equivalent droop coefficient of inverter. In this paper, the small-signal models of inverter based on VSG are built first, for both grid-connected mode and islanded mode, to analyze the oscillation of output active power, in order to understand the effect of damping factor. Then this paper analyzes the problem that the constant damping factor control influences the active power sharing. Furthermore, an improved damping control method based on PI regulator is proposed to solve the active power sharing problem. In addition some root locus for the VSG based on improved damping control method are provided to study the effect of the improved damping control on the system stability and dynamic behavior. Simulation results are presented to validate the improved damping control method.
Biped Locomotion and Stability A Practical Approach

Biped locomotion has proven to be a very hard problem to solve. At current date, there exists no humanoid robot that can move as dynamic and robust as humans do. Even though there has been much research and certainly some interesting progress in biped locomotion, there is certainly no single solution that provides robots with the same capabilities as humans. What seems to be especially lacking is a quantitative method for comparing different solutions. In this work a general method for designing a locomotion controller, independent of the type of robot, is presented. Three distinct stages are identified: Designing the nominal gait, finding a proper encoding of the nominal gait and augmenting the nominal gait to provide stabilization. A nominal gait was successfully evolved using Particle Swarm Optimization algorithms. The nominal gait was encoded into a CPG Network which represents the controller as a dynamical system. Furthermore, a general framework of measuring stability, independent of robot and controller is defined. This allows quantitative comparison of controllers, feedback integration and gaits. Within this framework, stability of the nominal gait was compared with integration of feedback into the CPG. A significant improvement of stability under external perturbation was achieved using simple feedback.
Knowledge of Future Job Loss and Implications for Unemployment Insurance

This paper studies the implications of individuals’ knowledge of future job loss for the existence of an unemployment insurance (UI) market. Learning about job loss leads to consumption decreases and spousal labor supply increases. This suggests existing willingness to pay estimates for UI understate its value. But, it yields new estimation methodologies that account for and exploit responses to learning about future job loss. Although my new willingness to pay estimates exceed previous estimates, I estimate much larger frictions imposed by private information. This suggests privately-traded UI policies would be too adversely selected to be profitable, at any price.
Optimized constellations for two-way wireless relaying with physical network coding

We investigate modulation schemes optimized for two-way wireless relaying systems, for which network coding is employed at the physical layer. We consider network coding based on denoise-and-forward (DNF) protocol, which consists of two stages: multiple access (MA) stage, where two terminals transmit simultaneously towards a relay, and broadcast (BC) stage, where the relay transmits towards the both terminals. We introduce a design principle of modulation and network coding, considering the superposed constellations during the MA stage. For the case of QPSK modulations at the MA stage, we show that QPSK constellations with an exclusive-or (XOR) network coding do not always offer the best transmission for the BC stage, and that there are several channel conditions in which unconventional 5-ary constellations lead to a better throughput performance. Through the use of sphere packing, we optimize the constellation for such an irregular network coding. We further discuss the design issue of the modulation in the case when the relay exploits diversity receptions such as multiple-antenna diversity and path diversity in frequency-selective fading. In addition, we apply our design strategy to a relaying system using higher-level modulations of 16QAM in the MA stage. Performance evaluations confirm that the proposed scheme can significantly improve end-to-end throughput for two-way relaying systems.
Design and Analysis of Microarray Experiments for Pharmacogenomics

7.1 Potential uses of biomarkers . 1 7.2 Clinical uses of genetic profiling . 2 7.3 Two stages of pharmacogenomic development . 3 7.4 Multiplicity in pharmacogenomics . 5 7.5 Designing pharmacogenomic studies . 12 7.6 Analyzing microarray data by modeling . 17 7.7 A proof of concept experiment . 19 7.8 Software Implementation . 24
Progressive integration of method components: A case of agile is development methods

Situational Method Engineering aims at constructing methods adapted to a given situation, either by a construction from a set of predefined method components or by a customization of an existing method using different techniques: configuration, extension, reduction, and so on. However, these techniques are still limited in practice, as considered complicated and heavy to implement. In this paper, we describe a practitioner experience of a gradual integration of different method components (issued from agile methods of software development). In a real case of a development company, we have practiced and observed the progressive introduction of agile method components instead of the construction or customization of methods in one go. We discuss the lessons learned from this experience and define different research perspectives.
Gene therapy for myocardial angiogenesis: initial clinical results with direct myocardial injection of phVEGF165 as sole therapy for myocardial ischemia.

BACKGROUND We initiated a phase 1 clinical study to determine the safety and bioactivity of direct myocardial gene transfer of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) as sole therapy for patients with symptomatic myocardial ischemia. METHODS AND RESULTS VEGF gene transfer (GTx) was performed in 5 patients (all male, ages 53 to 71) who had failed conventional therapy; these men had angina (determined by angiographically documented coronary artery disease). Naked plasmid DNA encoding VEGF (phVEGF165) was injected directly into the ischemic myocardium via a mini left anterior thoracotomy. Injections caused no changes in heart rate (pre-GTx=75+/-15/min versus post-GTx=80+/-16/min, P=NS), systolic BP (114+/-7 versus 118+/-7 mm Hg, P=NS), or diastolic BP (57+/-2 versus 59+/-2 mm Hg, P=NS). Ventricular arrhythmias were limited to single unifocal premature beats at the moment of injection. Serial ECGs showed no evidence of new myocardial infarction in any patient. Intraoperative blood loss was 0 to 50 cm3, and total chest tube drainage was 110 to 395 cm3. Postoperative cardiac output fell transiently but increased within 24 hours (preanesthesia=4.8+/-0.4 versus postanesthesia=4.1+/-0.3 versus 24 hours postoperative=6. 3+/-0.8, P=0.02). Time to extubation after closure was 18.4+/-1.4 minutes; average postoperative hospital stay was 3.8 days. All patients had significant reduction in angina (nitroglycerin [NTG] use=53.9+/-10.0/wk pre-GTx versus 9.8+/-6.9/wk post-GTx, P<0.03). Postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was either unchanged (n=3) or improved (n=2, mean increase in LVEF=5%). Objective evidence of reduced ischemia was documented using dobutamine single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)-sestamibi imaging in all patients. Coronary angiography showed improved Rentrop score in 5 of 5 patients. CONCLUSIONS This initial experience with naked gene transfer as sole therapy for myocardial ischemia suggests that direct myocardial injection of naked plasmid DNA, via a minimally invasive chest wall incision, is safe and may lead to reduced symptoms and improved myocardial perfusion in selected patients with chronic myocardial ischemia.
Network Intrusion Detection Using Feature Selection and PROAFTN Classification

Classification and detection of network based intrusion is very critical task. The processing of classification and detection faced a problem of large number of attribute and mixed category of data. Day to day increases diversity of attacker and hacker generates new pattern of file for attack purpose, the process of classification and detection suffered due to this reason. The process of classification of PROAFTN is a combination of fuzzy logic and protein cell classification technique. In PROAFTN classification process all features come to the predefined classes for the classification. Now the process of improvement need some important feature selection process for increasing the classification ratio and process of classification.The particle of swarm optimization is dynamic population based searching technique. In the searching technique of particle of swarm optimization select optimal feature set for the classification process of PROAFTN classification process. The process of optimal selection of feature set increase the classification and detection ratio of modified PROAFTN classification process.For the evaluation of performance of modified PROAFTN classification technique used MATLAB 7.8. 0 software. MATLAB is well known algorithm analysis software. For the analysis of PROAFTN classification process used fuzzy set tools and some standard tools of MATLAB.For the processing of input data used KDDCUP99 dataset. KDDCUP99 dataset is well known dataset for the purpose of network based intrusion detection and classification. Our classification and detection ratio in some attack case achieved 100%
Managing a Stormy Change in IT Outsourcing: Antenarrative Analysis of Integrating Knowledge via Improvisation

Changes in information-technology outsourcing (ITO) are often challenging. Critical to success is integrating knowledge efficiently between the client and vendor. Some of these changes are novel and unpredictable, “stormy” events where past knowledge offers little guidance, and existing practices lose value. Improvisation has been suggested as a complementary means for such situations. However, both the literature on improvisation and the practices identified in the existing ITO literature suggest a need for shared understanding. We present an empirical account of a stormy ITO change that was triggered when the client acquired a business and post-acquisition IT integration was needed. The client’s and the vendor’s story plots point to opposite directions and reveal a lack of shared understanding. Nevertheless, improvisation helped to integrate knowledge and complete the project. We draw on the metaphor of trading zones to understand these findings. Our future research will extend improvisation theory to stormy ITO contexts.
Changes in Land Use/Land Cover Patterns in Indonesia’s Border and their Relation to Population and Poverty

This study analyzes the pattern and change of land use and land cover (LULC) during 2000−2015 and its relation to population and poverty in the semi-arid region of Indonesia in Timor Island, on the country border to Republic Dominica Timor Leste (RDTL). The analyzes employ visual interpretation using GIS to aid classification of Landsat imagery and find 14 classes of LULC. The matrix of LULC change for the 15 years period indicates a substantial deforestation in which 1,309 ha or 13% of the forest in year 2000 has disappeared. In detail, 2 ha (7%) of primary mangrove forest has became mixed farming and 1,307 ha (19%) of secondary forest has become shrub. Within the nonforest classification, 1,288 ha (17%) of shrub in 2000 has turned into savannah, and 15 ha (10%) of shrub swamp has turned into bare land, while at the same time human settlement has expanded by 118% from the settlement area in year 2000. Spatial pattern of LULC changes in the study area for 15 years are dispersed, and tend to remained in the middle area that dominated by mix agriculture. The forest cover is weakly associated with level of poverty and rural population in the study area. However, the two latter variables were not significantly associated with deforestation.
Density or Distinction? The Roles of Data Structure and Group Detection Methods in Describing Adolescent Peer Groups

Despite cross-disciplinary interest in social influence among adolescent peer groups, significant variations in collecting and analyzing peer network data have not been explored, so it is difficult to disentangle substantive and methodological differences in peer influence studies. We analyze two types of network data (self-reported friendships and multi-informant reports of children who “hang around together a lot”) with three methods of identifying group structures (two graph theoretic approaches and principal components analysis) to explore substantive differences in results. We then link these differences back to underlying features of the networks, allowing greater insight into the general problem of identifying groups in network data. We find that different analytic approaches applied to the same network data produced moderately concordant group solutions, with higher concordances for multi-informant data. The same analytic approaches applied to different relational data (on the same nodes) produced weaker concordance, suggesting that the underlying data structure may be more salient than analytic approach in accounting for different results across studies. Behavioral similarity among group members was greatest for approaches that rest directly on density of direct ties.
Coupling-compensated 180° phase shift coupled-Line filters terminated in arbitrary impedances

Coupled-line filters (CLFs) with a 180deg phase shift are analyzed and coupling compensated design equations are derived. They can be applied for arbitrary termination impedances and arbitrary coupling coefficients. To verify the design equations reasonable, a microstrip CLF with a coupling coefficient of -7 dB is fabricated on a substrate (epsivr = 3.5 ,H = 30 mil, tan delta = 0.04) and tested for 100 Omega and 70 Omega termination impedances. The measured results show good agreement with the simulated ones.
A fast rule-based approach for biomedical event extraction

In this paper we present a biomedical event extraction system for the BioNLP 2013 event extraction task. Our system consists of two phases. In the learning phase, a dictionary and patterns are generated automatically from annotated events. In the extraction phase, the dictionary and obtained patterns are applied to extract events from input text. When evaluated on the GENIA event extraction task of the BioNLP 2013 shared task, the system obtained the best results on strict matching and the third best on approximate span and recursive matching, with F-scores of 48.92 and 50.68, respectively. Moreover, it has excellent performance in terms of speed.
Application of the static dephasing regime theory to superparamagnetic iron‐oxide loaded cells

The relaxation rates of iron‐oxide nanoparticles compartmentalized within cells were studied and found to satisfy predictions of the static dephasing (SD) regime theory. THP‐1 cells in cell culture were loaded using two different iron‐oxide nanoparticles (superparamagnetic iron‐oxide (SPIO) and ultrasmall SPIO (USPIO)) with four different iron concentrations (0.05, 0.1, 0.2, and 0.3 mg/ml) and for five different incubation times (6, 12, 24, 36, and 48 hr). Cellular iron‐oxide uptake was assessed using a newly developed imaging version of MR susceptometry, and was found to be linear with both dose and incubation time. R 2* sensitivity to iron‐oxide loaded cells was found to be 70 times greater than for R2, and 3100 times greater than for R1. This differs greatly from uniformly distributed nanoparticles and is consistent with a cellular bulk magnetic susceptibility (BMS) relaxation mechanism. The cellular magnetic moment was large enough that R2′ relaxivity agreed closely with SD regime theory predictions for all cell samples tested where the local magnetic dose (LMD) is the sample magnetization due to the presence of iron‐oxide particles). Uniform suspensions of SPIO and USPIO produced R2′ relaxivities that were a factor of 3 and 8 less, respectively, than SD regime theory predictions. These results are consistent with theoretical estimates of the required mass of iron per compartment needed to guarantee SD‐regime‐dominant relaxivity. For cellular samples, R2 was shown to be dependent on both the concentration and distribution of iron‐oxide particles, while R2′ was sensitive to iron‐oxide concentration alone. This work is an important first step in quantifying cellular iron content and ultimately mapping the density of a targeted cell population. Magn Reson Med 48:52–61, 2002. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The locative web

The concept of location has become very popular in many applications on the Web, in particular for those which aim at connecting the real world with resources on the Web. However, the Web as it is today has no overall location concept, which means that applications have to introduce their own location concepts and have done so in incompatible ways. By turning the Web into a location-aware Web, which we call the "Locative Web", location-oriented applications get better support for their location concepts on the Web, and the Web becomes an information system where location-related information can be more easily shared across different applications and application areas. We describe a location concept for the Web supporting different location types, its embedding into some of the Web's core technologies, and prototype implementations of these concepts in location-enabled Web components.
Integrating code search into the development session

To support rapid and efficient software development, we propose to demonstrate our tool, integrating code search into software development process. For example, a developer, right during writing a module, can find a code piece sharing the same syntactic structure from a large code corpus representing the wisdom of other developers in the same team (or in the universe of open-source code). While there exist commercial code search engines on the code universe, they treat software as text (thus oblivious of syntactic structure), and fail at finding semantically related code. Meanwhile, existing tools, searching for syntactic clones, do not focus on efficiency, focusing on “post-mortem” usage scenario of detecting clones “after” the code development is completed. In clear contrast, we focus on optimizing efficiency for syntactic code search and making this search “interactive” for large-scale corpus, to complement the existing two lines of research. From our demonstration, we will show how such interactive search supports rapid software development, as similarly claimed lately in SE and HCI communities [1], [2]. As an enabling technology, we design efficient index building and traversal techniques, optimized for code corpus and code search workload. Our tool can identify relevant code in the corpus of 1.7 million code pieces in a sub-second response time, without compromising any accuracy obtained by a state-of-the-art tool, as we report our extensive evaluation results in [3].
Outage Capacity of Incremental Relaying at Low Signal-to-Noise Ratios

We present the � -outage capacity of incremental relaying at low signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) in a wireless cooperative network with slow Rayleigh fading channels. The relay performs decode-and-forward and repetition coding is employed in the network, which is optimal in the low SNR regime. We derive an expression on the optimal relay location that maximizes the � -outage capacity. It is shown that this location is independent of the outage probability and SNR but only depends on the channel conditions represented by a path-loss factor. We compare our results to the � -outage capacity of the cut-set bound and demonstrate that the ratio between the � -outage capacity of incremental relaying and the cut-set bound lies within 1/ √ 2 and 1. Furthermore, we derive lower bounds on the � -outage capacity for the case of K relays.