Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Sub/Super-luminal space-time slab: Fundamental scattering symmetries

Space-time (ST) media are regaining interest due to their capability to modify the ST spectra (k-ω) and amplitudes of waves, and their subsequent multiple potential applications. Many fundamental related problems have not been resolved yet, including the scattering of an oblique wave on a superluminal ST slab. Here, we address this problem for the first time and highlight fundamental symmetries in the deflection angles of sub- and super-luminal slabs. An insightful diagrammatic approach, conveying the symmetry information at a glance, is proposed.
Neuronal release and successful astrocyte uptake of aminoacidergic neurotransmitters after spinal cord injury in lampreys

In contrast to mammals, the spinal cord of lampreys spontaneously recovers from a complete spinal cord injury (SCI). Understanding the differences between lampreys and mammals in their response to SCI could provide valuable information to propose new therapies. Unique properties of the astrocytes of lampreys probably contribute to the success of spinal cord regeneration. The main aim of our study was to investigate, in the sea lamprey, the release of aminoacidergic neurotransmitters and the subsequent astrocyte uptake of these neurotransmitters during the first week following a complete SCI by detecting glutamate, GABA, glycine, Hu and cytokeratin immunoreactivities. This is the first time that aminoacidergic neurotransmitter release from neurons and the subsequent astrocytic response after SCI are analysed by immunocytochemistry in any vertebrate. Spinal injury caused the immediate loss of glutamate, GABA and glycine immunoreactivities in neurons close to the lesion site (except for the cerebrospinal fluid‐contacting GABA cells). Only after SCI, astrocytes showed glutamate, GABA and glycine immunoreactivity. Treatment with an inhibitor of glutamate transporters (DL‐TBOA) showed that neuronal glutamate was actively transported into astrocytes after SCI. Moreover, after SCI, a massive accumulation of inhibitory neurotransmitters around some reticulospinal axons was observed. Presence of GABA accumulation significantly correlated with a higher survival ability of these neurons. Our data show that, in contrast to mammals, astrocytes of lampreys have a high capacity to actively uptake glutamate after SCI. GABA may play a protective role that could explain the higher regenerative and survival ability of specific descending neurons of lampreys. GLIA 2014;62:1254–1269
Absence of anti-D alloimmunization in hematologic patients after D-incompatible platelet transfusions.

BACKGROUND Rh antigens are not present on the platelet surface. However, platelet concentrates may contain enough RBCs to elicit an anti-D response. Thus, D status must be considered in platelet transfusion. In immunosuppressed patients, frequencies of D alloimmunization of up to 19 percent have been previously reported. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Here a prospective study is reported in which 22 D- patients with hematologic disease received D+ platelet transfusions. Platelet concentrates were prepared from whole-blood donations according to the buffy coat method and were pooled before administration. The antibody screen test to detect anti-D was performed by LISS- IAT using the gel test. RESULTS Our series comprises 22 immunosuppressed D+ patients with a median age of 56 years (range, 23-79). The patients received 121 D-incompatible pooled platelet transfusions. The mean +/- SD of RBC content was 4.17 +/- 1.74 mL. None of the 22 patients developed detectable anti-D after a median follow-up of 8 weeks (range, 1-37). CONCLUSION The risk of D alloimmunization is low in patients with hematologic disease after D-incompatible platelet transfusions using platelet concentrates prepared by the buffy coat method.
Evidence for a Non-β2-Adrenoceptor Binding Site in Human Lung Tissue for a Subset of β2-Adrenoceptor Agonists

The aim of this study was to compare the binding profile of a range of β2-adrenoceptor (β2-AR) agonists and antagonists in human lung tissue. Radioligand saturation and competition binding experiments were performed by filtration with a β2-AR antagonist ([3H]propranolol) or agonist ([3H]vilanterol) radioligand and membrane fragments generated from lung parenchyma in the presence of 100 μM guanosine 5’-[β,γ-imido]triphosphate (Gpp(NH)p). In membranes prepared from human lung parenchyma, carmoterol, formoterol, ICI118551, propranolol and salbutamol resulted in inhibition of [3H]vilanterol binding to levels that were significantly different from indacaterol, salmeterol and vilanterol (ANOVA, Bonferroni post-test, P 3H]vilanterol binding to levels that were not significantly different from vilanterol (ANOVA, Bonferroni post-test, P > 0.05). Indacaterol, salmeterol and vilanterol resulted in full inhibition of [3H]propranolol binding to levels not significantly different from ICI118551 (ANOVA, Bonferroni post-test, P > 0.05). Indacaterol, salmeterol and vilanterol bind to an additional site in human lung parenchyma membranes that is distinct from the β2-AR.
Climate patriots? Concern over climate change and other environmental issues in Australia

Echoing the anti-pollution and resource conservation campaigns in the United States in the early-to-mid-twentieth century, some scholars advocate mobilising support for environmental issues by harnessing the notion of environmental patriotism. Taking action to reduce the impact of global warming has also been cast as a patriotic cause. Drawing upon quantitative data from a recent national survey, we examine the link between patriotism and environmental attitudes in Australia, focussing upon climate change. We find that patriotism has a largely neutral association with concern over environmental issues, with the exception of climate change and, to a lesser extent, wildlife preservation. Expressing concern over climate change appears to be unpatriotic for some Australians. Even after controlling for political party identification and other important correlates of environmental issue concerns, patriots are less likely than others to prioritise climate change as their most urgent environmental issue and less likely to believe that climate change is actually occurring.
Fast and Accurate Identification of Dermatophytes by Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization–Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry: Validation in the Clinical Laboratory

ABSTRACT The performance of a matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization–time of flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS) workflow using an extensive reference database for dermatophyte identification was evaluated on 176 clinical strains. Using a direct-deposit procedure after 3 incubation days yielded 40% correct identification. Both increasing incubation time and using an extraction procedure resulted in 100% correct identification.
Global expression profiling of globose basal cells and neurogenic progression within the olfactory epithelium

Ongoing, lifelong neurogenesis maintains the neuronal population of the olfactory epithelium in the face of piecemeal neuronal turnover and restores it following wholesale loss. The molecular phenotypes corresponding to different stages along the progression from multipotent globose basal cell (GBC) progenitor to differentiated olfactory sensory neuron are poorly characterized. We used the transgenic expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) and cell surface markers to FACS‐isolate ΔSox2‐eGFP(+) GBCs, Neurog1‐eGFP(+) GBCs and immature neurons, and ΔOMP‐eGFP(+) mature neurons from normal adult mice. In addition, the latter two populations were also collected 3 weeks after olfactory bulb ablation, a lesion that results in persistently elevated neurogenesis. Global profiling of mRNA from the populations indicates that all stages of neurogenesis share a cohort of >2,100 genes that are upregulated compared to sustentacular cells. A further cohort of >1,200 genes are specifically upregulated in GBCs as compared to sustentacular cells and differentiated neurons. The increased rate of neurogenesis caused by olfactory bulbectomy had little effect on the transcriptional profile of the Neurog1‐eGFP(+) population. In contrast, the abbreviated lifespan of ΔOMP‐eGFP(+) neurons born in the absence of the bulb correlated with substantial differences in gene expression as compared to the mature neurons of the normal epithelium. Detailed examination of the specific genes upregulated in the different progenitor populations revealed that the chromatin modifying complex proteins LSD1 and coREST were expressed sequentially in upstream ΔSox2‐eGFP(+) GBCs and Neurog1‐eGFP(+) GBCs/immature neurons. The expression patterns of these proteins are dynamically regulated after activation of the epithelium by methyl bromide lesion. J. Comp. Neurol. 521:833–859, 2013. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Identity Politics and Politicized Identities: Identity Processes and the Dynamics of Protest

Over the last decades, the concept of identity has become increasingly central in the social psychology of protest. Collective identity, politicized collective identity, dual identity, and multiple identities are concepts that help to understand and describe the social psychological dynamics of protest. In this article, I theorize about identity processes in the context of protest participation: how group identification establishes the link between social identity and collective identity, how multiple identities and dual identities influence protest participation, and how collective identity politicizes and radicalizes. I will illustrate my argument with results from research into collective action participation among farmers in the Netherlands and Spain, Turkish, and Moroccan immigrants in the Netherlands and New York, South African citizens, and participants in street demonstrations conducted by my research group at VU-University.
Occluded human action analysis using dynamic manifold model

This paper proposes a novel nonlinear manifold learning method for addressing the ill-posed problem of occluded human action analysis. As we know, a person can perform a broad variety of movements. To capture the multiplicity of a human action, this paper creates a low-dimensional manifold for capturing the intra-path and inter-path contexts of an event. Then, an action path matching scheme can be applied for seeking the best event path for linking the missed information between occluded persons. After that, a recovering scheme is proposed for repairing an occluded object to a complete one. Then, each action can be converted to a series of action primitives through posture analysis. Since occluded objects are handled, there will be many posture-symbol-converting errors. Instead of using a specific symbol, we code a posture using not only its best matched key posture but also its similarities among other key postures. Then, recognition of an action taken from occlude objects can be modeled as a matrix matching problem. With the matrix representation, different actions can be more robustly and effectively matched by comparing their Kullback-Leibler(KL) distances.
Apatite Composition : Tracing Petrogenetic Processes inTranshimalayan

Apatites crystallized from different types of igneous rocks show significant variations in the abundances of some minor and trace elements. In this study, electron probe microanalysis and laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry were used to determine the concentrations of 25 minor and trace elements in apatite separated from three principal rock types of theTranshimalayan igneous plutonic suite: S-type granites, the I-type Gangdese batholith and postcollisional adakites. F, Mn, Sr and rare earth elements (REE) in apatite vary systematically with the composition of the host magma and thus have high potential as petrogenetic tracers. More specifically, the F and Mn contents of apatite can be used as an indicator of magma aluminosity or differentiation index. Combined with Sr and REE data, which show significant variations in apatite from different rock types, these elements are useful for constructing ‘discrimination diagrams’ . This study also reveals that apatite has the capacity to retain geochemical information about the host magma through the course of magmatic evolution. Systematic variations of Sr and REE in apatite with bulk-rock aluminosity are the results of partition competition with pre-existing and coexisting major and accessory minerals in silicate melts, and thus are useful for more detailed investigations of petrogenetic processes such as fractional crystallization and magma mixing, which is signaled by inconsistent Eu anomalies, Sr abundances and REE patterns relative to bulkrock compositions.
Carbohydrate-Binding Specificity of the Escherichia coli Cytolethal Distending Toxin CdtA-II and CdtC-II Subunits

ABSTRACT Intoxication by cytolethal distending toxin depends on assembly of CdtB, the active A component of this AB toxin, with the cell surface-binding (B) component, composed of the CdtA-CdtC heterodimer, to form the active holotoxin. Here we examine the cell surface binding properties of Escherichia coli-derived CdtA-II (CdtA-IIEc) and CdtC-IIEc and their capacity to provide a binding platform for CdtB-IIEc. Using a flow cytometry-based binding assay, we demonstrate that CdtB-IIEc binds to the HeLa cell surface in a CdtA-IIEc- and CdtC-IIEc-dependent manner and that CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc compete for the same structure on the HeLa cell surface. Preincubation of cells with glycoproteins (thyroglobulin and fetuin), but not simple sugars, blocks surface binding of CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc. Moreover, CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc bind immobilized fetuin and thyroglobulin as well as fucose and to a lesser degree N-acetylgalactoseamine and N-acetylglucoseamine. Removal of N- but not O-linked carbohydrates from fetuin and thyroglobulin prevents binding of CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc to these glycoproteins. In addition, removal of N- but not O-linked surface sugar attachments prevents CDT-IIEc intoxication. To characterize the cell surface ligand recognized by CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc, lectins having various carbohydrate specificities were used to block CDT activity and the cell surface binding of CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc. Pretreatment of cells with AAA, SNA-I, STA, UEA-I, GNA, and NPA partially or completely blocked CDT activity. AAA, EEA, and UEA-I lectins, all having specificity for fucose, blocked surface binding of CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc. Together, our data indicate that CdtA-IIEc and CdtC-IIEc bind an N-linked fucose-containing structure on HeLa cells.
Clinical evaluation of an instrument to measure carbon dioxide tension at the oxygenator gas outlet in cardiopulmonary bypass

This paper presents the clinical testing of a new capno-graph designed to measure the carbon dioxide tension at the oxygenator exhaust outlet in cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB). During CPB, there is a need for reliable, accurate and instant estimates of the arterial blood CO2 tension (PaCO2) in the patient. Currently, the standard practice for measuring PaCO2 involves the manual collection of intermittent blood samples, followed by a separate analysis performed by a blood gas analyser. Probes for inline blood gas measurement exist, but they are expensive and, thus, unsuitable for routine use. A well-known method is to measure PexCO2, ie, the partial pressure of CO2 in the exhaust gas output from the oxygenator and use this as an indirect estimate for PaCO2. Based on a commercially available CO2 sensor circuit board, a laminar flow capnograph was developed. A standard sample line with integrated water trap was connected to the oxygenator exhaust port. Fifty patients were divided into six different groups with respect to oxygenator type and temperature range. Both arterial and venous blood gas samples were drawn from the CPB circuit at various temperatures. Alfa-stat corrected pCO2 values were obtained by running a linear regression for each group based on the arterial temperature and then correcting the PexCO2 accordingly. The accuracy of the six groups was found to be (±SD): ±4.3, ±4.8, ±5.7, ±1.0, ±3.7 and ±2.1%. These results suggest that oxygenator exhaust capnography is a simple, inexpensive and reliable method of estimating the PaCO2 in both adult and pediatric patients at all relevant temperatures.
The association between prostate cancer and mood disorders: a nationwide population-based study in Taiwan

ABSTRACT Background: This study identified possible risk factors for newly diagnosed mood disorders, including depressive and bipolar disorders, in prostate cancer patients. Methods: From 2000 to 2006, two cohorts were evaluated on the occurrence of mood disorder diagnosis and treatment. For the first cohort, data of patients diagnosed with prostate cancer was obtained from the Taiwan National Health Insurance (NHI) Research Database. As the second cohort, a cancer-free comparison group was matched for age, comorbidities, geographic region, and socioeconomic status. Results: Final analyses involved 12,872 men with prostate cancer and 12,872 matched patients. Increased incidence of both depressive (IRR 1.52, 95% CI 1.30–1.79, P <0.001) and bipolar disorder (IRR 1.84, 95% CI 1.25–2.74, P = 0.001) was observed among patients diagnosed with prostate cancer. Multivariate matched regression models show that cerebrovascular disease (CVD) and radiotherapy treatment could be independent risk factors for developing subsequent depressive and bipolar disorders. Conclusion: We observed that the risk of developing newly diagnosed depressive and bipolar disorders is higher among Taiwanese prostate cancer patients. Clinicians should be aware of the possibility of increased depressive and bipolar disorders among prostate cancer patients in Taiwan. A prospective study is necessary to confirm these findings.
Clinical tolerance to lactose in children with cow's milk allergy.

OBJECTIVE Adverse reactions following the ingestion of lactose have been reported in children with cow's milk (CM) allergy. Whether this is attributable to the contamination of lactose with CM proteins is unknown. In this paper, we assessed clinical tolerance of lactose derived from CM whey in children hypersensitive to CM from 2 university hospital pediatric departments. DESIGN Twenty-four children (5 girls and 19 boys, median 25 months old; range: 2-107 months) with immediate CM allergy confirmed at history or during double-blind, placebo-controlled food challenge (DBPCFC) were enrolled. DBPCFC with CM could be conducted in 11 of 24 patients. Children with a history of immediate/delayed reactions to soy formula (SF) were excluded. Clinical tolerance to CM, SF, and SF + lactose was assessed by: 1) skin prick test with casein, lactalbumin, soy commercial allergen preparations, fresh CM, SF, SF and lactose, lactose (Official Pharmacopoeia) in 4 concentrations (0.01%, 0.1%, 1%, 10%); 2) specific serum immunoglobulin E determination by CAP system technology; 3) DBPCFC in 8 incremental doses of SF + lactose and using SF as a placebo to make up a total of 240 mL of reconstituted formula. RESULTS With a positive cutoff point of > or = 3 mm wheal diameter at SPT, all patients were sensitized to fresh CM, lactalbumin, and/or casein. Twenty-three of 24 patients (95.8%) were SPT-positive to CM formula, 16 of 24 to lactalbumin (66.6%), 14 of 24 to casein (58.3%), and none to SF, SF + lactose, or lactose alone at all dilutions. Complexed immunoglobulin E determinations were positive for CM in 23 of 24 cases and negative in all cases for soy. Challenge with SF + lactose was negative in all cases. CONCLUSIONS Even children hypersensitive to CM are clinically tolerant to lactose and can safely consume foods and drugs with lactose from bovine sources as an ingredient. Lactose exclusion is unwarranted from soy preparations on grounds of potential allergic reactions to CM protein residue.
Implementation of Discrete Wavelet Transform ( DWT ) for Image Compression Prof

This research paper presents an approach towards VLSI implementation of Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) for image compression. The design follows the JPEG 2000 standard and can be used for both lossy and lossless compression. In order to reduce the complexities of the design, linear algebra view of DWT has been used in this research paper. This design can be used for image compression in a robotic system. In this research paper, Discrete Wavelet Transform (DWT) filter bank is presented. The filter bank implemented here is Daubechies 9/7-tap bi-orthogonal filter bank.
Effective Heuristics for the Set Cover by Pairs Problem

This paper deals with the Set Cover by Pairs Problem (SCPP). This problem is a generalization of the Set Cover Problem (SCP), which, in turn, is known to be NP-hard. The difference between both problems is that, in the SCPP, one element of the universe is admitted to be covered if there are at least two objects chosen to cover it. In this context, three constructive heuristics and one local search algorithm are proposed. The algorithms developed were tested in 560 instances available in the literature and they were capable of achieving optimal solutions for several instances.
Scrider: Using Single Critical Sections to Avoid Deadlocks

We propose a method, called Scrider, to avoid dead-locks before they manifest themselves. When running it together with a multithreaded program, Scrider interferes in thread scheduling to ensure that at any time there is only one thread in the critical state. By this way, Scrider can avoid any dead-lock involving two or more threads. For a self-deadlock that involves only one thread, Scrider captures it as soon as it happens and spits out enough information to support source-level debugging. Scrider is designed to avoid deadlocks caused by mutual exclusive locks or read/write locks in Pthread interface. Scrider is implemented as a pre-loadable library and doesn't require either modifying the source code or recompiling/relinking the target program, so that Scrider can be used directly to avoid deadlocks in current applications. Experiment results with nine benchmarks show that Scrider wokrs well in avoiding deadlocks caused by mutual exclusive locks and read/write locks.