Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Tumor necrosis factor‐α gene polymorphism at position −308 and schizophrenia in the Korean population

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to examine the association between the tumor necrosis factor (TNF)‐α gene (A) polymorphism and schizophrenia in a Korean sample of schizophrenic patients and control subjects. Genotyping for the TNFA polymorphism was performed by polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism. Genotype and allele distributions of the TNFA polymorphism between schizophrenic patients and controls were not significantly different. In the light of these results, the TNFA polymorphism seems not to confer susceptibility to the pathogenesis of schizophrenia, at least in the Korean population.
Reactive processing of recycled polycarbonate/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene.

Abstract Front covers of Motorola cellular phones, ground by a knife mill, contain 15.2 wt% metals, 1.9 wt% foams, 1.4 wt% rubbers, and 81.4 wt% thermoplastics with polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene blends. Separation of the thermoplastic scraps was performed using sink-float processes in water and salt solutions and electrostatic processes such as free-fall methods and roll separations. Impact modification of all housing containing six thermoplastic parts was carried out by the addition of a polyolefin elastomer. Unprinted and printed glass fiber-reinforced epoxy circuit boards were finely pulverized using a knife mill and a hammer mill. Ground printed circuit boards, separated by a roll separator, were compounded with desired thermoplastic mixtures. Izod impact strengths at various temperatures, tensile tests, scanning electron microscopy on fracture surfaces, and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy were performed to characterize the alloys and mixtures compounded by a batch mixer and twin screw.
Who dunnit? Metatags and hyperauthorship

Multiple authorship is a topic of growing concern in a number of scientific domains. When, as is increasingly common, scholarly articles and clinical reports have scores or even hundreds of authors - what Cronin (in press) has termed hyperauthorship - the precise nature of each individual's contribution is often masked. A notation that describes collaborators' contributions and allows those contributions to be tracked in, and across, texts (and over time) offers a solution. Such a notation should be useful, easy to use, and acceptable to communities of scientists. Drawing on earlier work, we present a proposal for an XML-like contribution mark-up, and discuss the potential benefits and possible drawbacks
A Language Visualization System

In this thesis, a novel language visualization system is presented that converts natural language text into 3D scenes. The system is capable of understanding some concrete nouns, visualizable adjectives and spatial prepositions from full natural language sentences and generating 3D static scenes using these sentences. It is a rule based system that uses natural language processing tools, 3D model galleries and language resources during the process. Several techniques are shown that deals with the generality and ambiguity of the language in order to visualize the natural language text. A question answering module is built as well to answer certain types of spatial inference questions after the scene generation process is completed. The system demonstrates a new way of solving spatial inference problems by not only using the language itself but with the extra information provided by the visualization process.
Performance of Three-Phase Asymmetric Cascaded Bridge (16 : 4 : 1) Multilevel Inverter

Availability of more number of levels for the same number of switching devices has made asymmetrical topologies superior over symmetrical structures. While the 16 : 4 : 1 configuration is reported as an optimal asymmetry, a detailed performance is not available in literature. This paper presents the performance and control of the 16 : 4 : 1 asymmetrical topology. A new analytical approach is introduced to find the complete information of the available combination of space vectors for any asymmetric ratio. A limit chart is introduced, which represents the number of ways to generate a particular space vector. Asymmetrical hexagonal decomposition technique is used to select the switching devices from the high-, medium-, and low-voltage cells to realize a space vector. The converter is simulated in MATLAB/Simulink. Supporting results from a laboratory prototype have confirmed the usefulness of the 16:4:1 asymmetrical configuration.
Neural network classifier of time series: A case study of symbolic representation preprocessing for Control Chart Patterns

Detecting abnormalities in manufacturing process at an early stage is advantageous. This can be done by monitoring its Control Chart Patterns (CCPs). These patterns can be considered as time series data. Therefore, accurate classification of CCPs is vital in the process control. There have been several types of CCPs classifiers with various degrees of accuracy. This work is concerned with implementation of a CCPs classifier based on neural networks and symbolic representation as its preprocessing method. CCPs are generated by the commonly used Generalized Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (GARH) Model. Several of both feed forward and recurrent networks are investigated for the classifier. The symbolic representation of time series known as Symbolic Aggregate Approximation (SAX) is selected as its application was satisfactory in numerous similar works. In feed forward network, the Multilayer Perceptron network yields the best performance while Time-lag network yields the best performance for recurrent network. The results of neural network classifier which utilizes SAX in preprocessing in this work are superior than previous works which used the same CCPs model.
ATM loss leads to synthetic lethality in BRCA1 BRCT mutant mice associated with exacerbated defects in homology-directed repair

Significance The tumor suppressors BRCA1 and ATM have both been implicated in the early steps of homologous recombination, also termed homology-directed repair (HDR). However, how ATM genetically interacts with BRCA1 in this process is unclear. In mice carrying a breast cancer-derived mutation in the BRCA1 C-terminal (BRCT) domain, we find that ATM becomes essential for supporting the residual levels of HDR necessary to repair a DNA break. ATM-mediated HDR is not affected by the status of 53BP1, an antagonizing factor of BRCA1. ATM loss is associated with synthetic lethality of BRCT mutant mice, which provides insight into the therapeutic potential of utilizing ATM kinase inhibitors in combination with PARP-inhibitor therapy for certain BRCA1-deficient tumors. BRCA1 is essential for homology-directed repair (HDR) of DNA double-strand breaks in part through antagonism of the nonhomologous end-joining factor 53BP1. The ATM kinase is involved in various aspects of DNA damage signaling and repair, but how ATM participates in HDR and genetically interacts with BRCA1 in this process is unclear. To investigate this question, we used the Brca1S1598F mouse model carrying a mutation in the BRCA1 C-terminal domain of BRCA1. Whereas ATM loss leads to a mild HDR defect in adult somatic cells, we find that ATM inhibition leads to severely reduced HDR in Brca1S1598F cells. Consistent with a critical role for ATM in HDR in this background, loss of ATM leads to synthetic lethality of Brca1S1598F mice. Whereas both ATM and BRCA1 promote end resection, which can be regulated by 53BP1, 53bp1 deletion does not rescue the HDR defects of Atm mutant cells, in contrast to Brca1 mutant cells. These results demonstrate that ATM has a role in HDR independent of the BRCA1–53BP1 antagonism and that its HDR function can become critical in certain contexts.
Rapid Physical Predictions from Convolutional Neural Networks

Every day we use intuitive reasoning to make and update predictions about the world. For instance, when playing soccer we must predict the trajectories of the ball but also update those predictions in light of new information. But these predictions must also be rapid – if we turn to see a soccer ball flying at us, we must quickly decide whether or not to duck. What prediction mechanism would allow for such fast and flexible predictions?
A Fully Pipelined Hardware Architecture for Intra Prediction of HEVC

Ultrahigh definition (UHD), such as 4K/8K, is becoming the mainstream of video resolution nowadays. High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) is the emerging video coding standard to process the encoding and decoding of UHD video. This paper first develops multiple techniques that allow the proposed hardware architecture for intra prediction of HEVC working in full pipeline. The proposed techniques include: 1) a novel buffer structure for reference samples; 2) a mode-dependent scanning order; and 3) an inverse method for reference sample extension. The size of the buffer is 3K b for luma component and 3K b for chroma components, providing sufficient accessing to the reference samples. Since the data dependency between two neighboring blocks is addressed by the mode-dependent scanning order, the proposed fully pipelined design can produce 4 pixels/clock cycle. As a result, the throughput of the proposed architecture is capable to support $3840 \times 2160$ videos at 30 frames/s.
Mixed reality educational environment for robotics

This work presents an operational setup for carrying out experiments in robotics using a mixed-reality approach. The objective of this setup is twofold, on one hand it aims to be a useful educational tool for teaching robotics and on the other it is a tool to help in the development and study of embodied evolution. The design represents an intermediate system between a real and a simulated scenario so as to work with real robots and to make easier and simpler the configuration and modification of the rest of the elements of the experiments. The present operational setup consists, mainly, of a video projector to represent the virtual elements projecting them over the arena of the experiment, a zenithal camera to capture the state of real elements moving on the arena, and a computer which monitors and controls the scenario. As a result, both real and virtual elements interact on the arena and their state is updated based on world rules of the experiment and on the state and actions of other elements. The scheme implemented in the main computer to control and structure this environment is based on the one proposed in a previous work for the definition of scenarios in a simulation environment named Waspbed, which was designed for the study of simulated coevolution processes in multiagent systems. Apart from the advantages provided in robotics research when large testing period times are required, this setup is used for getting students from engineering degrees used to deal with robotics and all its associated fields, such as artificial vision, evolutionary robotics, communication protocols, etc. in a very simple, quick and cheap way, which otherwise wouldn't be feasible taking into account the academic constraints of time and resources.
Constitutive resistance to viral infection in human CD141+ dendritic cells

Specialized human dendritic cells that resist viral infection activate T cells by relying on bystander cells for antigen production. See the related Focus by Wong et al. Divided, they conquer Dendritic cells (DCs) play a crucial role in priming T cell–driven antiviral responses. Silvin et al. have examined the paradox of how virus-infected DCs retain the ability to drive adaptive immune responses. In response to endocytic viruses, they found CD1c+ DCs to be susceptible to infection and death, whereas CD141+ DCs were not. They report that viral resistance of CD141+ DCs was conferred by the expression of an endocytic guanosine triphosphatase, RAB15, and that transfer of antigen from infected CD1c+ DCs by CD141+ DCs allowed these virus-resistant DCs to prime T cell responses. By documenting a division of labor between DC subsets that separates antigen acquisition from antigen presentation, Silvin et al. offer a solution to this long-standing puzzle. Dendritic cells (DCs) are critical for the launching of protective T cell immunity in response to viral infection. Viruses can directly infect DCs, thereby compromising their viability and suppressing their ability to activate immune responses. How DC function is maintained in light of this paradox is not understood. By analyzing the susceptibility of primary human DC subsets to viral infections, we report that CD141+ DCs have an innate resistance to infection by a broad range of enveloped viruses, including HIV and influenza virus. In contrast, CD1c+ DCs are susceptible to infection, which enables viral antigen production but impairs their immune functions and survival. The ability of CD141+ DCs to resist infection is conferred by RAB15, a vesicle-trafficking protein constitutively expressed in this DC subset. We show that CD141+ DCs rely on viral antigens produced in bystander cells to launch cross-presentation–driven T cell responses. By dissociating viral infection from antigen presentation, this mechanism protects the functional capacity of DCs to launch adaptive immunity against viral infection.
Multiple clonal abnormalities in the bronchial epithelium of patients with lung cancer.

BACKGROUND Several molecular changes, including loss of heterozygosity (i.e., deletion of one copy of allelic DNA sequences) and alterations in microsatellite DNA, have been detected early in the pathogenesis of lung cancer, even in histologically normal epithelium. In the bronchial epithelium of patients with lung cancer, we have determined the frequency, size, and patterns of molecularly abnormal clonal patches. METHODS We studied formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples from 16 surgically resected lung carcinomas (five squamous cell carcinomas, four small-cell carcinomas, six adenocarcinomas, and one large-cell carcinoma). From each carcinoma, we microdissected foci (each containing about 200 cells) of tumor tissue and equivalent samples of histologically normal and abnormal epithelium. Furthermore, multiple discontinuous foci of bronchial epithelium were analyzed from methanol-fixed samples from three additional patients with lung cancer (two with squamous cell carcinoma and one with adenocarcinoma). We used two-step polymerase chain reaction-based assays involving 12 microsatellite markers at seven chromosomal regions frequently deleted in lung cancer. RESULTS Two hundred eighteen foci of nonmalignant bronchial epithelium (195 of histologically normal or slightly abnormal epithelium and 23 of dysplastic epithelium) were studied from the 19 surgically resected lobectomy specimens. Thirteen (68%) of the 19 specimens had at least one focus of bronchial epithelium with molecular changes. At least one molecular abnormality was detected in 32% of the 195 histologically normal or slightly abnormal foci and in 52% of the 23 dysplastic foci. Extrapolating from our two-dimensional analyses, we estimate that most clonal patches contain approximately 90 000 cells. Although, in a given individual, tumors appeared homogeneous with respect to molecular changes, the clonally altered patches of mildly abnormal epithelium were heterogeneous. CONCLUSIONS Our findings indicate that multiple small clonal or subclonal patches containing molecular abnormalities are present in normal or slightly abnormal bronchial epithelium of patients with lung cancer.
Gay Men and Lesbians in the U.S. Military: Estimates from Census 2000

Using data from Census 2000, this research brief estimates the size of the gay and lesbian population serving in the military and provides a demographic portrait of this often invisible minority. Census data make clear that gay men and lesbians are actively serving in the armed forces now and have served throughout the later part of the 20th century. However, their patterns of service are not precisely the same as those of other men and women. Coupled gay men are less likely to report military service than other men, while coupled lesbians are more likely than other women to serve. [Read the corresponding press release online. ]
Compiling with Types

Abstract : Compilers for monomorphic languages, such as C and Pascal, take advantage of types to determine data representations, alignment, calling conventions, and register selection. However, these languages lack important features including polymorphism, abstract datatypes, and garbage collection. In contrast, modern programming languages such as Standard ML (SML), provide all of these features, but existing implementations fail to take full advantage of types. The result is that performance of SML code is quite bad when compared to C. In this thesis, I provide a general framework, called type-directed compilation, that allows compiler writers to take advantage of types at all stages in compilation. In the framework, types are used not only to determine efficient representations and calling conventions, but also to prove the correctness of the compiler. A key property of typedirected compilation is that all but the lowest levels of the compiler use typed intermediate languages. An advantage of this approach is that it provides a means for automatically checking the integrity of the resulting code. An important contribution of this work is the development of a new, statically-typed intermediate language, called lambda(i)/ML. This language supports dynamic type dispatch, providing a means to select operations based on types at run time. I show how to use dynamic type dispatch to support polymorphism, ad-hoc operators, and garbage collection without having to box or tag values. This allows compilers for SML to take advantage of techniques used in C compilers, without sacrificing language features or separate compilation. To demonstrate the applicability of my approach, I, along with others, have constructed a new compiler for SML called TIL that eliminates most restrictions on the representations of values. The code produced by TIL is roughly twice as fast as code produced by the SML/NJ compiler.
Elbow range of motion and clinical carrying angle in a healthy pediatric population

Many conditions including trauma can affect the range of motion and carrying angle of the elbow in children. The method employed was cross-sectional clinical measurement of 600 elbows (300 patients) range of motion and carrying angle in normal children. We found significant increases in range of motion and carrying angle with age (P<0.01) and significantly increased range of motion and carrying angle in females as compared with males (P<0.01). In conclusion, elbow joint range of motion and carrying angle increase with age. This is the first cross-sectional analysis of range of motion and carrying angle to our knowledge in the pediatric population. Increased elbow extension may contribute to the increased carrying angle seen in females compared with males.
A Novel Function of the Fe65 Neuronal Adaptor in Estrogen Receptor Action in Breast Cancer Cells*

Background: Fe65 is a neuronal adaptor with essential roles in neuronal cells. Results: Fe65 regulates promoter recruitments of the estrogen receptor α and growth response of breast cancers to estrogens and tamoxifen. Conclusion: Fe65 is a positive regulator of estrogen actions in breast cancer cells. Significance: The studies define a novel role for a neuronal adaptor in estrogen actions in breast cancer cells. Fe65 is a multidomain adaptor with established functions in neuronal cells and neurodegeneration diseases. It binds to the C terminus of the Aβ amyloid precursor protein and is involved in regulating gene transcription. The present studies show that Fe65 is expressed in breast cancer (BCa) cells and acts as an ERα transcriptional coregulator that is recruited by 17β-estradiol to the promoters of estrogen target genes. Deletion analyses mapped the ERα binding domain to the phosphotyrosine binding domain 2 (PTB2). Ectopic Fe65 increased the transcriptional activity of the ERα in a PTB2-dependent manner in reporter assays. Fe65 knockdown decreased, whereas its stable expression increased the transcriptional activity of endogenous ERα in BCa cells and the ability of estrogens to stimulate target gene expression, ERα, and coactivator recruitment to target gene promoters and cell growth. Furthermore, Fe65 expression decreased the antagonistic activity of tamoxifen (TAM), suggesting a role for Fe65 in TAM resistance. Overall, the studies define a novel role for the neuronal adaptor in estrogen actions in BCa cells.
Mobile routing architectures in the transformational communication era

With the communication evolution to the all Internet protocol (IP) architecture to support tactical environments using joint tactical radio system (JTRS), significant new IP routing challenges exist. Mobile ad-hoc networking (MANET) has been in development for many years now, however, existing MANET protocols have not been designed to scale to the size or proportions of the transformation communication architecture (TCA) vision. This paper describes a potential IPv6 addressing and routing architecture vision for tactical users in a notional TCA era where satellite and aircraft routing gateways exist. The paper also identifies routing protocol deficiencies that exist in current and planned MANET and traditional routing protocols.
Presence of Noroviruses and Other Enteric Viruses in Sewage and Surface Waters in The Netherlands

ABSTRACT Since virus concentrations in drinking waters are generally below the detection limit, the infectious risk from drinking water consumption requires assessment from the virus concentrations in source waters and removal efficiency of treatment processes. In this study, we estimated from reverse transcription-PCR on 10-fold serially diluted RNA that noroviruses, the most prevalent waterborne gastroenteritis agents, were present at 4 (0.2 to 38) to 4,900 (303 to 4.6 × 104) PCR-detectable units (PDU) per liter of river water (ranges are given in parentheses). These virus concentrations are still high compared with 896 to 7,499 PDU/liter of treated sewage and 5,111 to 850,000 PDU/liter in raw sewage. Sequencing analyses designated human norovirus GGII.4 Lordsdale as the most prevalent strain in the sampling period 1998 to 1999 in both sewage and surface waters. Other GGII strains were also very abundant, indicating that the majority of the virus contamination was derived from urban sewage, although very divergent strains and one animal strain were also detected in the surface and sewage waters. Rotaviruses were also detected in two large rivers (the Maas and the Waal) at 57 to 5,386 PDU/liter. The high virus concentrations determined by PCR may in part be explained by the detection of virus RNA instead of infectious particles. Indeed, reoviruses and enteroviruses that can be cultured were present at much lower levels, of 0.3 to 1 and 2 to 10 PFU/liter, respectively. Assuming 1% of the noroviruses and rotaviruses to be infectious, a much higher disease burden than for other viruses can be expected, not only because of the higher levels but also because of these viruses' higher infectivity and attack rates.
149 A PRELIMINARY STUDY INTO THE EFFECT OF TRANSCENDENTAL MEDITATION ON EMPATHY

Thirty-eight noncounselor subjects were administered a sixty-four item questionnaire to measure empathy (Hogan Empathy Scale) just prior to instruction, and three months following regular practice ofTranscendental Meditation (TM). Encouraging but nonsignificant statistical results were obtainedfor empathy levels for this subject sampling. A second group of seventeen nonrandomized, noncounselor, long-term meditators were also administered the Hogan Empathy Scale. Significant statistical results (p < .001) were obtained when comparing empathy levels of long-term practitioners of TM with both short-term meditators and nonmeditators.