Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Effect of thiamine pyrophosphate on retinopathy induced by hyperglycemia in rats: A biochemical and pathological evaluation

Purpose: Information is lacking on the protective effects of thiamine pyrophosphate (TPP) against hyperglycemia-induced retinopathy in rats. This study investigated the biochemical and histopathological aspects of the effect of TPP on hyperglycemia-induced retinopathy induced by alloxan in rats. Materials and Methods: The rats were separated into a diabetic TPP-administered group (DTPG), a diabetes control group (DCG) and a healthy group (HG). While the DTPG was given TPP, the DCG and HG were administered distilled water as a solvent at the same concentrations. This procedure was repeated daily for 3 months. At the end of this period, all of the rats were euthanized under thiopental sodium anesthesia, and biochemical and histopathological analyses of the ocular retinal tissues were performed. The results of the DTPG were compared with those of the DCG and HG. Results: TPP prevented hyperglycemia by increasing the amount of malondialdehyde and decreasing endogen antioxidants, including total glutathione, glutathione reductase, glutathione S-transferase and superoxide dismutase. In addition, the amounts of the DNA oxidation product 8-hydroxyguanine were significantly lower in the retinas of the DTPG compared to the DCG. In the retinas of the DCG, there was a marked increase in vascular structures and congestion, in addition to edema. In contrast, little vascularization and edema were observed in the DTPG, and there was no congestion. The results suggest that TPP significantly reduced the degree of hyperglycemia-induced retinopathy. Conclusions: The results of this study indicate that TPP may be useful for prophylaxis against diabetic retinopathy.
Local Geometry Feature Extraction for Face Sketch Recognition

In this paper, we present a new feature extraction approach for face sketch recognition. Based on the assumption that small image patches in the photo and sketch images form manifold with similar local geometry in two different image spaces, we propose local geometry feature extraction approach to reduce the modality gap between photos and sketches. Considering the impact of different scale to performance, we further propose multi-scale ensemble to improve the performance and avoid scale selection problem. Experimental results on CUFS database show that our method outperforms those state-of-the-art methods. Moreover, it also has a big advantage that it does not need any training procedure.
Algebraic models, Alexander-type invariants, and Green-Lazarsfeld sets

We relate the geometry of the resonance varieties associated to a commutative differential graded algebra model of a space to the finiteness properties of the completions of its Alexander-type invariants. We also describe in simple algebraic terms the non-translated components of the degree-one characteristic varieties for a class of non-proper complex manifolds.
A Hybrid Approach of Classifier and Clustering for Solving the Missing Node Problem

An important area of social network research is identifying missing information which is not explicitly represented in the network or is not visible to all. In this paper, we propose a novel Hybrid Approach of Classifier and Clustering,a which we refer to as HACC, to solve the missing node identification problem in social networks. HACC utilizes a classifier as a preprocessing step in order to integrate all known information into one similarity measure and then uses a clustering algorithm to identify missing nodes. Specifically, we used the information on the network structure, attributes about known users (nodes) and pictorial information to evaluate HACC and found that it performs significantly better than other missing node algorithms. We also argue that HACC is a general approach and domain independent and can be easily applied to other domains. We support this claim by evaluating HACC on a second authorship identification domain as well.
Novel Function of Distal-less as a Gap Gene during Spider Segmentation

Despite many aspects of the regulation of segmentation being conserved among arthropods, the evolution of novel gene functions has played an important role in the evolution of developmental regulation and the emergence of new segmental structures. Moreover the study of such novel gene functions can be informative with respect to the patterns and direction of evolutionary changes in developmental programs. The homeobox gene Distal-less (Dll) is known for its conserved function in appendage development in metazoans. In arthropods, Dll is required for the specification of distal appendage structures. Here we describe a novel and unexpected role of Dll in the spider Achaearanea tepidariorum. We detect At-Dll transcripts not only in the appendages, but unexpectedly also in an anterior domain during early development, prior to the specification of the limb primordia. A similar early Dll domain is present in the distantly related spider Pholcus phalangioides. In A. tepidariorum this early At-Dll expression is required for head segmentation. RNA interference results in spiders that lack either the first or the first and the second walking leg segments. The early At-Dll expression is also required for the activation of the segment polarity genes engrailed and hedgehog in this region. Our work identifies the Distal-less gene as a novel factor in anterior spider segmentation with a gap gene-like function. This novel role of Dll is interesting because Dll expression is reduced in this region in crustaceans and the homologous insect segment, the mandible segment, does not express Dll and does not require this gene for patterning. We therefore discuss the possible implications of our results for understanding the evolution and diversification of the mandible segment.
Applying Semantic Rules to Achieve Dynamic Service Oriented Architectures

As the complexity and tempo of world events increase, command and control (C2) systems must move to a new paradigm that supports the ability to dynamically modify system behavior in complex, changing environments. Historically, the behavior of Department of Defense (DoD) C2 systems has been embedded in executable code, providing static functionality that is difficult to change. We propose the use of semantic models to represent system behaviors abstracted from procedural code, and we demonstrate that this provides a well-defined foundation for dynamic service oriented architectures. This paper describes an implementation that models a military convoy traveling through an unsecured area under changing conditions. The W3C standard Web Ontology Language (OWL) was used to describe the battlespace domain, and the proposed W3C Semantic Web Rule Language (SWRL) was used to capture recommended operating procedures for convoys in theater. In our experiment, two sets of rules were used: one set models rules of engagement for favorable visibility conditions on the battlefield, and the other models rules of engagement for poor visibility conditions. Ontologies and rule sets were translated into integrated knowledge bases that could be consulted as a service to derive alerts and recommendations for the convoy commander. Messages injected over an enterprise service bus (ESB) provide the changing conditions that affect the battlespace. We then were able to show that a dynamic event, such as an unexpected sandstorm, causes the appropriate set of rules of engagement grounded in the ontologies to be applied to the service to guide the convoy to safety. This paper describes the overall approach and the challenges we encountered. We outline the architectural options for constructing dynamic services and describe the semantic-based approach selected. We conclude with our findings and recommendations, including a set of requirements for a standard rule language needed to support agile services
Learning in Campaigns: A Policy Moderating Model of Individual Contributions to House Candidates

Learning in Campaigns: A Policy Moderating Model of Individual Contributions to House Candidates We propose a policy moderating model of individual campaign contributions to House campaigns. Based on a model that implies moderating behavior by voters, we hypothesize that individuals use expectations about the Presidential election outcome when deciding whether to donate money to a House candidate. Using daily campaign contributions data drawn from the FEC Itemized Contributions les for 1984, we estimate a generalized linear model for count data with serially correlated errors. We expand on previous empirical applications of this type of model by comparing standard errors derived from a sandwich estimator to con dence intervals produced by a nonparametric bootstrap.
Sliding is smoother than jumping

The existence of the sliding DFT has been known for some time, but it does not seem to be in wide use, possibly because of its perceived computational cost. In this paper we review the mathematical background, and implementation issues, and then consider the advantages and disadvantages of the Sliding Discrete Fourier Transform (SDFT) as compared with a more traditional FFT algorithm. We also propose a much more efficient Simple Sliding Inverse DFT that makes sliding a serious alternative to jumping between overlapping frames. Finally we assess the quality of transformations based on the SDFT in a Csound implementation.
On the Connectivity and Multihop Delay of Ad Hoc Cognitive Radio Networks

We analyze the multihop delay of ad hoc cognitive radio networks, where the transmission delay of each hop consists of the propagation delay and the waiting time for the availability of the communication channel (i.e., the occurrence of a spectrum opportunity at that hop). Using theories and techniques from continuum percolation and ergodicity, we establish the scaling law of the minimum multihop delay with respect to the source-destination distance. We show the starkly different scaling behavior of the multihop delay in instantaneously connected networks as compared to networks that are only intermittently connected due to the scarcity of spectrum opportunities.
Contribution of Rat Pulmonary Metabolism to the Elimination of Lidocaine, Midazolam, and Nifedipine

The contribution of the lung to drug metabolism was investigated in rats and the possibility of prediction of in vivo metabolism from in vitro studies using rat pulmonary microsomes was assessed. Lidocaine, midazolam, or nifedipine was administered to rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg by the intra-arterial, intravenous, and intraportal routes. The pulmonary extraction ratios of lidocaine, midazolam, and nifedipine, calculated from the area under the time-plasma concentration curve (AUC) after the intra-arterial and intravenous administrations, were 39.0 ± 0.5, 18.3 ± 0.7, and 12.3 ± 0.3%, respectively. The hepatic extraction ratios of lidocaine, midazolam, and nifedipine, calculated from the AUC after the intraportal and intravenous administrations, were 68.0 ± 3.3, 52.6 ± 0.4, and 13.5 ± 0.2%, respectively. These results showed that both the liver and the lung contributed to the metabolism of these drugs. The above in vivo pulmonary extraction ratios correlated with the in vitro intrinsic clearance values, which were corrected with the protein unbound ratio in microsomes and plasma, suggesting that pulmonary extraction ratios can be predicted quantitatively from in vitro data. The pulmonary intrinsic clearance values of lidocaine, midazolam, and nifedipine in rat microsomes were lower than their hepatic intrinsic clearance, showing that there was an organ difference in metabolism between the liver and lung. Our results support the importance of the estimation of pulmonary metabolism to predict the total clearance more accurately.
Health Literacy Mediates the Relationship Between Age and Health Outcomes in Patients With Heart Failure

Background—Previous studies have linked frequent rehospitalizations for heart failure (HF) and increased mortality with older age, higher severity of HF, lack of an evidence-based medication regimen, and inadequate health literacy. However, the pathway between age and health outcomes in patients with HF remains unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to test whether the association between age and health outcomes can be explained by severity of HF, evidence-based medication use, and health literacy in patients with HF. Methods and Results—This was a longitudinal study of 575 rural patients with HF recruited from outpatient clinics and hospitals. Demographics, clinical data, and health literacy were collected at baseline. HF readmissions and cardiac mortality were followed for 2 years; 57% of patients were ≥65 years of age. Older patients with HF were more likely to have low health literacy and less likely to be prescribed angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors or &bgr;-blockers. Using Kaplan–Meier survival curves with log-rank tests, health outcomes were significantly worse in patients who were ≥65 years and in those with low health literacy. Separate Cox regressions revealed that age and health literacy predicted worse health outcomes (P=0.006 and <0.001, respectively). When health literacy was entered into the model, the hazard ratio for age changed from 1.49 to 1.29 (a 41% reduction); age was no longer a significant predictor of health outcomes, but health literacy remained significant (P<0.001), demonstrating mediation. Conclusions—Health literacy mediates the relationship between age and health outcomes in adults with HF. Clinical Trial Registration—URL: http://www.clinicaltrials. gov. Unique identifier: NCT00415545.
Molecular epidemiology of hepatitis C infection in cyprus: Evidence of polyphyletic infection

The genetic diversity of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) in Cyprus is investigated for the first time in this study. Nucleotide sequence analysis of the CORE‐E1 and NS5B regions of the HCV genome was performed on blood plasma samples obtained from 77 HCV patients in Cyprus, collected during 2005–2008. The amplified products were sequenced and compared to reference HCV strains of known genotype and subtype in order to classify the isolates found in this study. Genotype could be determined for all strains, and subtype for all but four isolates. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that 51 patients were genotype 1, of which 38 were subtype 1b, 9 were 1a, and 1 was unclassified, one patient was genotype 2c, 13 were genotype 3a, nine were genotype 4, of which six were subtype 4a, and three were of unclassified subtype, one was genotype 5a, two patients seem to carry a possible 2k/1b recombinant strain, and no genotype 6 strains were found. This study demonstrated a genetic heterogeneity of HCV infection in Cyprus, with five of the six known HCV genotypes on the island, including unclassified isolates in genotypes 1 and 4, and also the apparent introduction of the 2k/1b recombinant strain in intravenous drug users. J. Med. Virol. 81:238–248, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Backflashovers of Transmission Lines Due to Subsequent Lightning Strokes

Lightning overvoltages across insulator strings of existing 138- and 69-kV transmission lines were simulated using the hybrid electromagnetic model. It was found that, though the reduction of tower-footing grounding resistance is very effective to decrease lightning overvoltages caused by first strokes, this reduction is saturated around 750-600 kV for typical currents of subsequent strokes. The lightning performance of these lines was estimated and subsequent strokes were found to be relevant cause of backflashovers in 69-kV lines.
Development of Test Guidance for Compact Tension Fracture Toughness Specimens Containing Notches Instead of Fatigue Pre-Cracks

Structural integrity assessment codes such as R6 and BS7910 provide guidance on the assessment of flaws that are assumed to be infinitely sharp. In many cases, such as fatigue cracks, this assumption is appropriate; however it can be pessimistic for flaws that do not have sharp tips such as lack of fusion, porosity or mechanical damage. Several methods have been proposed in the literature to quantify the additional margins that may be present for non-sharp defects compared to the margins that would be calculated if the defect were assumed to be a sharp crack. A common feature of these methods is the need to understand how the effective toughness, characterised using the J-integral for a notch, varies with notch acuity. No comprehensive guidance currently exists for obtaining J experimentally from specimens containing notches; hence the typical approach is to use equations intended for pre-cracked specimens to calculate J for notched specimens. This paper presents a comprehensive set of test guidance for calculating J from Compact Tension (CT) fracture toughness specimens containing notches instead of fatigue pre-cracks. This has been achieved using 3D Finite Element Analyses to quantify the accuracy of formulae intended for pre-cracked specimens in fracture toughness testing standards ASTM E1820, BS7448-1 and ESIS P2-92 when applied to specimens containing notches. The paper quantifies the accuracy of these equations for notched CT specimens and identifies the conditions under which the equations can lead to inaccurate measurement of J for notched specimens.
Correcting the hub occurrence prediction bias in many dimensions

Data reduction is a common pre-processing step for k-nearest neighbor classification (kNN). The existing prototype selection methods implement different criteria for selecting relevant points to use in classification, which constitutes a selection bias. This study examines the nature of the instance selection bias in intrinsically high-dimensional data. In high-dimensional feature spaces, hubs are known to emerge as centers of influence in kNN classification. These points dominate most kNN sets and are often detrimental to classification performance. Our experiments reveal that different instance selection strategies bias the predictions of the behavior of hub-points in high-dimensional data in different ways. We propose to introduce an intermediate un-biasing step when training the neighbor occurrence models and we demonstrate promising improvements in various hubness-aware classification methods, on a wide selection of high-dimensional synthetic and real-world datasets.
Attention and the Development of Inductive Generalization: Evidence from Recognition Memory

Induction, the ability to generalize knowledge from known to novel instances, is essential for human learning. This study investigates how attention allocation during category learning and induction affects what information is represented and encoded to memory. In Experiment 1 5-year-olds and adults learned rule-based categories. They were then presented with an Induction-then-Recognition task. Similar to previous results with familiar categories, children exhibited better memory for items than adults. In Experiment 2, adults learned similarity-based categories and then were presented with an Induction-then-Recognition task. In this condition, adults’ memory was as good as children’s memory in Experiment 1. These results indicate that the way categories are represented affects the way induction is performed.
Targeting of signal sequenceless proteins for export in Escherichia coli with altered protein translocase.

Most extracytoplasmic proteins are synthesized with an N‐terminal signal sequence that targets them to the export apparatus. Escherichia coli prlA mutants (altered in the secY gene) are able to export cell envelope proteins lacking any signal sequence. In order to understand how such proteins are targeted for export, we isolated mutations in a signal sequenceless version of alkaline phosphatase that block its export in a prlA mutant. The mutations introduce basic amino acyl residues near the N‐terminus of alkaline phosphatase. These changes do not disrupt an N‐terminal export signal in this protein since the first 25 amino acids can be removed without affecting its export competence. These findings suggest that signal sequenceless alkaline phosphatase does not contain a discrete domain that targets it for export and may be targeted simply because it remains unfolded in the cytoplasm. We propose that basic amino acids near the N‐terminus of a signal sequenceless protein affect its insertion into the translocation apparatus after it has been targeted for export. These findings allow the formulation of a model for the entry of proteins into the membrane‐embedded export machinery.
Epithelial organization and cyst lumen expansion require efficient Sec13–Sec31-driven secretion

Epithelial morphogenesis is directed by interactions with the underlying extracellular matrix. Secretion of collagen and other matrix components requires efficient coat complex II (COPII) vesicle formation at the endoplasmic reticulum. Here, we show that suppression of the outer layer COPII component, Sec13, in zebrafish embryos results in a disorganized gut epithelium. In human intestinal epithelial cells (Caco-2), Sec13 depletion causes defective epithelial polarity and organization on permeable supports. Defects are seen in the ability of cells to adhere to the substrate, form a monolayer and form intercellular junctions. When embedded in a three-dimensional matrix, Sec13-depleted Caco-2 cells form cysts but, unlike controls, are defective in lumen expansion. Incorporation of primary fibroblasts within the three-dimensional culture substantially restores normal morphogenesis. We conclude that efficient COPII-dependent secretion, notably assembly of Sec13–Sec31, is required to drive epithelial morphogenesis in both two- and three-dimensional cultures in vitro, as well as in vivo. Our results provide insight into the role of COPII in epithelial morphogenesis and have implications for the interpretation of epithelial polarity and organization assays in cell culture.
Functional Outcome After Common Poststroke Complications Occurring in the First 90 Days

Background and Purpose— The aim of this study was to explore the associations of common medical complications with functional outcome at 90 days post stroke. Methods— Patients with unselected acute stroke were included and observed for 16 predefined complications during the first week. Fifty percent (244 patients) were allocated to follow-up of 13 complications until 90 days and then assessed with the modified Rankin Scale 90. Common complications were defined as complications with frequencies of ≥5%. Ordinal logistic regression (worsened outcome), as well as binary logistic regression for severe dependency and death (modified Rankin Scale score>3) was performed. Results— Seven of the 13 complications occurred at a frequency ≥5%. Recurrent stroke and chest infection were found to have an odds ratio for worsened outcome of 7.45 (95% confidence interval, 2.83–20.96; P<0.0001) and 3.28 (95% confidence interval, 1.16–9.29; P=0.025), respectively. Infections other than chest infections and urinary tract infections had an odds ratio for worsened outcome of 1.59 (95% confidence interval, 1.12–2.24; P=0.009) and falls an odds ratio of 1.43 (95% confidence interval, 1.06 to 1.93; P=0.021). Myocardial infarction, urinary tract infections, and pain were not associated with a worsened outcome in terms of modified Rankin Scale 90. Conclusions— Recurrent stroke and chest infections were strongly associated with a worsened outcome. Other infections and falls were associated with less worsening. For myocardial infarction, urinary tract infections, and pain no association with functional outcome was found. Active strategies for prevention and early treatment of the first 2 complications seem advisable; patient monitoring as part of comprehensive stroke unit care should ensure timely identification and treatment of all complications.