Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Nitroxyl-Mediated Disulfide Bond Formation Between Cardiac Myofilament Cysteines Enhances Contractile Function

Rationale: In the myocardium, redox/cysteine modification of proteins regulating Ca2+ cycling can affect contraction and may have therapeutic value. Nitroxyl (HNO), the one-electron-reduced form of nitric oxide, enhances cardiac function in a manner that suggests reversible cysteine modifications of the contractile machinery. Objective: To determine the effects of HNO modification in cardiac myofilament proteins. Methods and Results: The HNO-donor, 1-nitrosocyclohexyl acetate, was found to act directly on the myofilament proteins, increasing maximum force (Fmax) and reducing the concentration of Ca2+ for 50% activation (Ca50) in intact and skinned cardiac muscles. The effects of 1-nitrosocyclohexyl acetate are reversible by reducing agents and distinct from those of another HNO donor, Angeli salt, which was previously reported to increase Fmax without affecting Ca50. Using a new mass spectrometry capture technique based on the biotin switch assay, we identified and characterized the formation by HNO of a disulfide-linked actin–tropomyosin and myosin heavy chain–myosin light chain 1. Comparison of the 1-nitrosocyclohexyl acetate and Angeli salt effects with the modifications induced by each donor indicated the actin–tropomyosin and myosin heavy chain–myosin light chain 1 interactions independently correlated with increased Ca2+ sensitivity and force generation, respectively. Conclusions: HNO exerts a direct effect on cardiac myofilament proteins increasing myofilament Ca2+ responsiveness by promoting disulfide bond formation between critical cysteine residues. These findings indicate a novel, redox-based modulation of the contractile apparatus, which positively impacts myocardial function, providing further mechanistic insight for HNO as a therapeutic agent.
Recognizing true H5N1 infections in humans during confirmed outbreaks.

INTRODUCTION The goal of this study was to evaluate whether any characteristics that are evident at presentation for urgent medical attention could be used to differentiate cases of H5N1 in the absence of viral testing. METHODOLOGY Information about exposure to poultry, clinical signs and symptoms, treatments, and outcomes was abstracted from existing data in the global avian influenza registry (www.avianfluregistry.org) using standardized data collection tools for documented and possible cases of H5N1 infection who presented for medical attention between 2005-2011 during known H5N1 outbreaks in Azerbaijan, Indonesia, Pakistan and Turkey. RESULTS Demography, exposure to poultry, and presenting symptoms were compared, with only the common symptoms of fever and headache presenting significantly more frequently in confirmed H5N1 cases than in possible cases. Reported exposure to infected humans was also more common in confirmed cases. In contrast, unexplained respiratory illness, sore throat, excess sputum production, and rhinorrhea were more frequent in possible cases. Overall, oseltamivir treatment showed a survival benefit, with the greatest benefit shown in H5N1 cases who were treated within two days of symptom onset (51% reduction in case fatality). CONCLUSION Since prompt treatment with antivirals conferred a strong survival benefit for H5N1 cases, presumptive antiviral treatment should be considered for all possible cases presenting during an outbreak of H5N1 as a potentially life-saving measure.
Non-Linear Population Firing Rates and Voltage Sensitive Dye Signals in Visual Areas 17 and 18 to Short Duration Stimuli

Visual stimuli of short duration seem to persist longer after the stimulus offset than stimuli of longer duration. This visual persistence must have a physiological explanation. In ferrets exposed to stimuli of different durations we measured the relative changes in the membrane potentials with a voltage sensitive dye and the action potentials of populations of neurons in the upper layers of areas 17 and 18. For durations less than 100 ms, the timing and amplitude of the firing and membrane potentials showed several non-linear effects. The ON response became truncated, the OFF response progressively reduced, and the timing of the OFF responses progressively delayed the shorter the stimulus duration. The offset of the stimulus elicited a sudden and strong negativity in the time derivative of the dye signal. All these non-linearities could be explained by the stimulus offset inducing a sudden inhibition in layers II–III as indicated by the strongly negative time derivative of the dye signal. Despite the non-linear behavior of the layer II–III neurons the sum of the action potentials, integrated from the peak of the ON response to the peak of the OFF response, was almost linearly related to the stimulus duration.
Adults with RRM2B-related mitochondrial disease have distinct clinical and molecular characteristics

Mutations in the nuclear-encoded mitochondrial maintenance gene RRM2B are an important cause of familial mitochondrial disease in both adults and children and represent the third most common cause of multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions in adults, following POLG [polymerase (DNA directed), gamma] and PEO1 (now called C10ORF2, encoding the Twinkle helicase) mutations. However, the clinico-pathological and molecular features of adults with RRM2B-related disease have not been clearly defined. In this multicentre study of 26 adult patients from 22 independent families, including five additional cases published in the literature, we show that extra-ocular neurological complications are common in adults with genetically confirmed RRM2B mutations. We also demonstrate a clear correlation between the clinical phenotype and the underlying genetic defect. Myopathy was a prominent manifestation, followed by bulbar dysfunction and fatigue. Sensorineural hearing loss and gastrointestinal disturbance were also important findings. Severe multisystem neurological disease was associated with recessively inherited compound heterozygous mutations with a mean age of disease onset at 7 years. Dominantly inherited heterozygous mutations were associated with a milder predominantly myopathic phenotype with a later mean age of disease onset at 46 years. Skeletal muscle biopsies revealed subsarcolemmal accumulation of mitochondria and/or cytochrome c oxidase-deficient fibres. Multiple mitochondrial DNA deletions were universally present in patients who underwent a muscle biopsy. We identified 18 different heterozygous RRM2B mutations within our cohort of patients, including five novel mutations that have not previously been reported. Despite marked clinical overlap between the mitochondrial maintenance genes, key clinical features such as bulbar dysfunction, hearing loss and gastrointestinal disturbance should help prioritize genetic testing towards RRM2B analysis, and sequencing of the gene may preclude performance of a muscle biopsy.
PSR J1124–5916: Discovery of a Young Energetic Pulsar in the Supernova Remnant G292.0+1.8

We report the discovery with the Parkes radio telescope of a pulsar associated with the ~1700 yr old oxygen-rich composite supernova remnant G292.0+1.8. The pulsar PSR J1124-5916 has a period of 135 ms and a period derivative of 7.4 × 10-13, implying a characteristic age of 2900 yr, a spin-down luminosity of 1.2 × 1037 ergs s-1, and a surface magnetic field strength of 1.0 × 1013 G. Association between the pulsar and the synchrotron nebula previously identified with Chandra within this supernova remnant is confirmed by the subsequent detection of X-ray pulsations by Hughes et al. The pulsar's flux density at 1400 MHz is very small, S ≈ 80 μJy, but the radio luminosity of Sd2 ~ 2 mJy kpc2 is not especially small, although it is 1 order of magnitude smaller than that of the least luminous young pulsar previously known. This discovery suggests that very deep radio searches should be done for pulsations from pulsar wind nebulae in which the central pulsed source is yet to be detected and possibly from other more exotic neutron stars.
State Estimation for Systems with Implicit Outputs for the Integration of Vision and Inertial Sensors

This paper addressed the state estimation of a system with implicit output. We formulate the problem in the so-called deterministic H∞filtering setting by computing the value of the state that minimizes the induced L2-gain from disturbances to estimation error, while remaining compatible with the past observations. To avoid weihting the distant past as much as the present, a forgetting factor is also introduced. We show that, under appropriate observability assumptions, the optimal estimate converges globally asymptotically to the true value of the state in the absence of noise and disturbance. In the presence of noise, the esimate converges to a nieghborhood of the true value of the state. We apply these result to the estimation of position and attiude of an autonomous vehicle using measurements from an inertial measurement unit (IMU) and a monocular charged-coupled-device (CCD) camera attached to the vehicle.
Teachers ’ Concerns about the Implementation of the VISOLE Pedagogy

VISOLE (Virtual Interactive Student-Oriented Learning Environment) is a constructivist pedagogical approach to empower game-based learning. This approach encompasses the creation of a near real-life online interactive world modeled upon a set of multi-disciplinary domains, in which each student plays a role in this “virtual world” and shapes its development. With sophisticated multi-player simulation contexts and teacher facilitation (scaffolding and debriefing), VISOLE provides opportunities for students to acquire subject-specific knowledge and problem-solving skills through their near real-life game-playing experiences. This paper discusses a quantitative study of the concerns that 28 secondary teachers experienced as they were engaged in the process of implementing the VISOLE pedagogy. A 25-item questionnaire was designed to measure their concerns in five stages (“evaluation”, “information”, “management”, “consequence”, and “refocusing”). Results showed that “management” was the peak concern experienced by the teachers. This finding was supported further with the qualitative data collected during the field observations and in-depth teacher interviews. By understanding teachers’ peak concern, more precise interventions pertinent to their actual needs can be provided to assist them in implementing the VISOLE pedagogy for teaching and learning.
Knowledge management ecological approach: a cross-discipline case study

Purpose The growing needs of interdisciplinary research have been hindered by implementation difficulties because of factors such as the availability and distribution of related knowledge. Knowledge management could be a viable solution to address the problems of interdisciplinary research and further its synergic effect by optimizing the use of knowledge across different disciplines. A knowledge management ecological (KME) approach that facilitates the study of knowledge management in discourses between different disciplines was proposed and applied in a case study within an interdisciplinary environment comprising three disciplines: software development, software business and music education. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with three groups of key informants to examine the knowledge management processes within the environment. Findings The findings reveal the details of knowledge management activities in each of the three disciplines, but the lack of collaboration between them limits the opportunity for a synergistic effect to benefit the cross-discipline environment. Originality/value This study shows how the KME approach can be used to deepen the interdisciplinary understanding of knowledge management within and between different disciplines.
Validating Computational Models

The use of computational models in the social sciences has grown quickly in the past decade. For many these models represent a bewildering and possibly intimidating approach to examining data and developing social and organizational theory. Few researchers have had courses or personal experience in the development and building of computational models and even fewer have an understanding of how to validate such models. And while many papers extort the relative advantages and disadvantages of the computational approach, and many call for the validation of such models, few provide insight into how to validate such models and the issues involved in validation. This paper represents an attempt at redressing this oversight. An overview is provided of computational modeling in the social sciences, types of validation, and some of the issues in doing model validation.
Reporting Violent Victimization to the Police: A Focus on Black, White, Asian and Hispanic Adolescent Victims

Explorations of patterns of why and when citizens report crime to police are an important area of study in the field of criminology and criminal justice. Initial National Crime Survey data suggest that a substantial proportion of crime went unreported to the authorities (i.e., law enforcement reports as reflected by the Uniform Crime Reports). The purpose of this study is to enhance our understanding about reporting violence against adolescents to the police. This research examines the extent and nature of reporting violence against juveniles to the police, and specifically focuses on how reporting differs between white, black, Asian and Hispanic adolescents. This area is important to investigate to ascertain whether all groups have equal access to the benefits of the Criminal Justice system. Additionally, understanding why adolescent victims or their agents fail to engage the criminal justice system in the wake of a violent victimization is relevant to the development of policy addressing weaknesses in the police response and the particular vulnerabilities of minority victims and their communities.
A First Look at Ad Blocking Apps on Google Play

Online advertisers and analytics services (or trackers), are constantly tracking users activities as they access web services either through browsers or a mobile apps. Numerous tools such as browser plugins and specialized mobile apps have been proposed to limit intrusive advertisements and prevent tracking on desktop computing and mobile phones. For desktop computing, browser plugins are heavily studied for their usability and efficiency issues, however, tools that block ads and prevent trackers in mobile platforms, have received the least or no attention. In this paper, we present a first look at 97 Android adblocking apps (or adblockers), extracted from more than 1.5 million apps from Google Play, that promise to block advertisements and analytics services. With our data collection and analysis pipeline of the Android adblockers, we reveal the presences of third-party tracking libraries and sensitive permissions for critical resources on user mobile devices as well as have malware in the source codes. We analyze users' reviews for the in-effectiveness of adblockers in terms of not blocking ads and trackers. We found that a significant fraction of adblockers are not fulfilling their advertised functionality.
Automatic Placement/Arrangement of Underneath Bone Structures for 3D Facial Expressions and Animations

This paper presents a new method for automatically setting the bones in a facial/head model to speed up the rigging process of a human face. To accomplish this, vertices of the face/head are grouped. The average distance between pairs of vertices is used to place the head bones. To set the bones for a face with multi-density, the mean value of the vertices in a group is measured. The method works on any particular person's face/head model quickly and effectively, and provides a powerful means for generating facial expressions and animations. The time saved with the method is significant. Although we focus on human faces in this work, the concepts presented here are flexible enough to be used on non-human characters as well.
HIERFSTAT , a package for R to compute and test hierarchical F -statistics

The package hierfstat for the statistical software r , created by the R Development Core Team, allows the estimate of hierarchical F -statistics from a hierarchy with any numbers of levels. In addition, it allows testing the statistical significance of population differentiation for these different levels, using a generalized likelihood-ratio test. The package hierfstat is available at http://www.unil. ch/popgen/softwares/hierfstat.htm.
Heritability of Venous Biomechanics

Objective—Altered venous biomechanics may contribute to the pathogenesis of venous diseases, and their heritability is less known. Methods and Results—Seventy-eight monozygotic twin pairs (aged 42.4±16.8 years) and 24 same-sex dizygotic twin pairs (aged 50.5±16.1 years) were examined. Anteroposterior and mediolateral diameters of the common femoral vein were measured by ultrasonography. Measurements were made both in supine and in standing body positions, with or without controlled forced expiration (Valsalva test). High correlation of diameter, capacity, and distensibility values was found between twin pairs. The univariate heritability (A), shared (C), and unshared (E) environmental effects model has shown 39.3% genetic component of the variance of low pressure, 37.9% of high-pressure venous capacity, and 36.4% of maximal capacity changes, even after elimination of sex, age, and body weight effects. Bivariate Cholesky analysis revealed substantial covariance of inherited body weight and venous capacity components (57.0%–81.4%). Conclusion—Femoral vein capacity and elasticity depend ≈30% to 40% on genetic factors, and this value in the standing body position can reach 50%. A relatively high genetic covariance was found between weight and femoral vein capacity and elasticity. Our work might yield some new insights into the inheritance of venous diseases that are associated with altered venous biomechanics and help elucidate the involved genes.
Epidemiology and outcome of zygomycosis: a review of 929 reported cases.

BACKGROUND Zygomycosis is an increasingly emerging life-threatening infection. There is no single comprehensive literature review that describes the epidemiology and outcome of this disease. METHODS We reviewed reports of zygomycosis in the English-language literature since 1885 and analyzed 929 eligible cases. We included in the database only those cases for which the underlying condition, the pattern of infection, the surgical and antifungal treatments, and survival were described. RESULTS The mean age of patients was 38.8 years; 65% were male. The prevalence and overall mortality were 36% and 44%, respectively, for diabetes; 19% and 35%, respectively, for no underlying condition; and 17% and 66%, respectively, for malignancy. The most common types of infection were sinus (39%), pulmonary (24%), and cutaneous (19%). Dissemination developed in 23% of cases. Mortality varied with the site of infection: 96% of patients with disseminated disease died, 85% with gastrointestinal infection died, and 76% with pulmonary infection died. The majority of patients with malignancy (92 [60%] of 154) had pulmonary disease, whereas the majority of patients with diabetes (222 [66%] of 337) had sinus disease. Rhinocerebral disease was seen more frequently in patients with diabetes (145 [33%] of 337), compared with patients with malignancy (6 [4%] of 154). Hematogenous dissemination to skin was rare; however, 78 (44%) of 176 cutaneous infections were complicated by deep extension or dissemination. Survival was 3% (8 of 241 patients) for cases that were not treated, 61% (324 of 532) for cases treated with amphotericin B deoxycholate, 57% (51 of 90) for cases treated with surgery alone, and 70% (328 of 470) for cases treated with antifungal therapy and surgery. By multivariate analysis, infection due to Cunninghamella species and disseminated disease were independently associated with increased rates of death (odds ratios, 2.78 and 11.2, respectively). CONCLUSIONS Outcome from zygomycosis varies as a function of the underlying condition, site of infection, and use of antifungal therapy.
A secondary-control based fault current limiter for four-wire three phase inverter-interfaced DGs

Fault current limiters (FCLs) are one class of solutions to cope with the upcoming challenges in microgrid protection. Considering high penetration of distributed generations (DGs) in microgrids, the necessity of designing cheap and effective FCL is getting higher. This paper attempts to fill this gap by proposing an embedded FCL operating based on modifying the secondary control of DGs. As this method is designed for four-wire system, besides cost-effectiveness, it has independency and flexibility to only limit the fault current of DG. In order to validate the proposed method, different types of faults are examined through an extensive simulation study.
Discovery and Dynamic Prediction of User's Interest Based on ARIMA

User's interest is changing over time in online social networks. How to make use of the user's historical data to forecast the user's interest in the future and then to make some individual recommendations with higher accuracy has become a particularly important research problem. To solve this problem, we propose an interesting model based on Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) to discover the user's preference dynamically and combine the Collaborative Filtering(CF) to recommend user's preference hashtags. In order to verify our method, we choose the real world data from Sina Microblog which is the biggest social network in China in two years as the experiment data set. More specifically, the data is divided into 24 periods by month average and extract interesting themes by Sina-users Latent Dirichlet Allocation(LDA) of every period. Then, we compute the users similarity based on Cosine similarity. Thus, we can get the time series of the user's interest for dynamic prediction by ARIMA. As shown in the experiment results, our designed method can not only predict the user's preference dynamically and more accurately than the previous work, but also can improve the sparsity slightly by making use of the content of Sina Microblog and user's hashtag.