Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Treatment of acute uremia by peritoneal lavage; report of a case.

THE treatment of uremia has long been directed toward symptomatic relief, healing of the underlying renal lesion and, in acute and presumably temporary cases, maintenance of life long enough to allow the kidneys to reassume their essential functions. It is toward the last objective that attempts have been made by numerous workers to supply a temporary "substitute" for the kidneys, which would maintain excretion of uremic metabolites, whose retention is fatal to the organism. In a review of the chemical changes known to occur in uremia, Harrison and Mason1 stressed the importance of increased blood and tissue concentrations of urea, .
Comparative study of various classification algorithms combined with K means algorithm for Leaf Identification

Plants play a vital role in our daily life. Plants are a great source of medicine for many diseases. Due to their fewer chances of side effects on human body and also better compatibility with humans, using plant for treating diseases is considered to be safer. Other items like paper, bio-diesel are also obtained by using plant material. Hence identification of plants is a very important task helpful for various areas such as Agriculture, Ayurveda, Botanical research, Biological research, etc. Leaf based features can be used for appropriate results than other parts of the plant in the plant identification. Manual leaf identification is very difficult and time consuming task. To implement automatic leaf identification, classification techniques like Naive Bayes classification, Neural Network, etc can be used. To get the leaf based features, image processing techniques are applied on the image of leaf. After leaf based feature extraction, a plant's leaf is classified based on the leaf features. The main objective of this paper is to present a survey of different classification methods for plant leaf identification. At the end, this paper concludes better classification method with more accuracy when compared to other classification methods.
Local angular spectrum analysis of 2D signals

A new local spectral characterization of 2D signals based on multichannel filter analysis is presented. The class of the employed functions, called harmonic angular (HA) filters, is derived from the concept of radial projections of local polar maps of the image. HA filters perform harmonic decomposition in an angular sense, rather than in the conventional orthogonal reference of the Gabor or wavelet approaches. This allows spectral and positional characterization of the most important image features such as edges, lines, corners, textures, etc. After a survey of the theoretical framework, the application to textured fields analysis is illustrated in some detail. <<ETX>>
Understanding organizational capabilities for effective offshoring

In the current competitive environment, the question is no longer whether or not to go offshore, but in determining what should be offshored and how it should be offshored, while keeping the value proposition for the organization as a whole coherent. The decision to offshore work to locations such as India and China may often be initially driven by the need to leverage the cost differentials when compared to western sites, but evolve to focus on other key value levers such as access to talent and time to market. Given that globalization of product development projects is an organizational reality today, in order to remain competitive, organizations have to develop capabilities to successfully transition to this new way of working. Despite the prevalence of offshoring in large multi-nationals, there is limited understanding of the dynamics of standing up new sites. In this paper, we focus on identifying some of the key capabilities that organizations need to effectively offshore work, through a case study of the transfer of a product from the European site of large-multinational called EuroTel to one of their Chinese sites. Starting with their strategic decision to offshore the development of the product, we study the critical actions undertaken as part of the transfer process and illustrate four types of organizational capabilities- technology (ability to understand and execute the project); process & tools (ways of working both within the organization and with clients); relationship management (ability to govern at both the project-level and at the relationship level); and knowledge management (ability to grow human capital, institutionalize best practices, and codify learning).
A formation maneuvering controller for multiple non-holonomic robotic vehicles

SUMMARY In this paper, we present a new leader–follower type solution to the translational maneuvering problem for formations of multiple, non-holonomic wheeled mobile robots. The solution is based on the graph that models the coordination among the robots being a spanning tree. Our control law incorporates two types of position errors: individual tracking errors and coordination errors for leader–follower pairs in the spanning tree. The control ensures that the robots globally acquire a given planar formation while the formation as a whole globally tracks a desired trajectory, both with uniformly ultimately bounded errors. The control law is first designed at the kinematic level and then extended to the dynamic level. In the latter, we consider that parametric uncertainty exists in the equations of motion. These uncertainties are accounted for by employing an adaptive control scheme. The main contributions of this work are that the proposed control scheme minimizes the number of control links and global position measurements, and accounts for the uncertain vehicle dynamics. The proposed formation maneuvering controls are demonstrated experimentally and numerically.
Energy Sharing Management for Microgrids With PV Prosumers: A Stackelberg Game Approach

For microgrids with photovoltaic (PV) prosumers, the effective energy sharing management (ESM) is important for the operation. In this paper, a Stackelberg game approach for ESM is proposed. First, according to feed-in-tariff of PV energy, a system model of ESM is introduced, which includes the profit model of microgrid operator (MGO) and the utility model of PV prosumers. Moreover, an hour-ahead optimal pricing model of ESM is proposed. The model is designed based on Stackelberg game, where the MGO acts as the leader and all participating prosumers are considered as the followers. With the proof of equilibrium and uniqueness of the Stackelberg equilibrium, the MGO is obligated to coordinate the sharing of PV energy with maximization of the own profit, while the prosumers are autonomous to maximize their utilities with demand response availability. Finally, a billing mechanism is designed to deal with the uncertainty of PV energy and load consumption. By using the collected data from realistic PV-roofed buildings, the effectiveness of the model is verified in terms of the profit of MGO, the utilities of prosumers, and the net energy of the microgrid.
Genomic Nucleotide Sequence of a Wild-Type Shrunken-2 Allele of Zea mays.

The maize (Zea mays) endosperm enzyme, ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase, which produces ADP-glucose from ATP and glucose-l-phosphate, is an important enzyme in the synthesis of starch. ADP-glucose arising from the action of this enzyme is the major, if not sole, donor of glucose for starch biosynthesis. The enzyme is composed of two dissimilar subunits encoded by the two unlinked genes, Shrunken-2 (Sh2) and Brittle-2 (Bt2) (1, 2). The enzyme is allosterically activated by 3-phosphoglyceric acid and inhibited by phosphate (3). Although it remains an open question whether these allosteric properties are physiologically relevant or whether they simply reflect the evolutionary history of the two structural genes (4), there does exist, nevertheless, much interest in determining whether genetic modification of this enzyme could lead to increased rates of starch biosynthesis in the maize endosperm. Because endosperm starch content comprises approximately 70% of the dry weight of the seed, alterations in starch biosynthesis would clearly affect corn yield. As a first step toward such experiments, we have isolated and sequenced genomic clones of Sh2. The structure of the gene (Table I, Fig. 1) is based on sequence analysis of three overlapping clones isolated from a Black Mexican Sweet genomic library. Exonic sequences were defined by comparison with the cDNA sequenced previously (2) and further sequencing of cDNAs subsequently isolated. These sequences correct for the fact that the original cDNA contained some non-Sh2 sequences at its extremities. The exonic genomic and cDNA sequences are nearly 100% identical. The few differences may be due to DNA polymorphisms because these clones were isolated from different corn lines. Placement of the start of the first exon is based on primer extension experiments. In the absence of dideoxynucleotides, four major bands, differing by one nucleotide, were observed. In the presence of dideoxynucleotides, the three large bands were seen in all four sequencing tracks. In each case, the largest band occurred at the same distance from the primer. It is unknown whether this reflects heterogeneity within the normal population of Sh2 transcripts or some laboratory artifact. Nevertheless, the start of transcription can be placed within three base pairs.
On the Performance of Push and Pull Models with the Price-Sensitive Demand

In this paper we study a supply chain in which a supplier sells a single product to an independent retailer facing a price-sensitive demand while the sales price is endogenously determined by the retailer, and compare the performance of supply chain between push and pull model. We prove that for the multiplicative form of end-customer demand, at optimality, the wholesale price, order quantity and the retail price in pull model are greater than in push model, respectively. We further demonstrate that the supplier obtains greater profit in pull model than in push model, but it is opposite to the retailer.
Cellular subtype distribution and developmental regulation of TRPC channel members in the mouse dorsal root ganglion

Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels play essential roles in sensory physiology and their expression in different classes of sensory neurons reflect distinct receptive properties of these neurons. While expression of the TRPV, TRPA, and to a certain degree TRPM classes of channels has been studied in sensory neurons, little is known about the expression and regulation of TRPC channels. In this study we examined the regulation of all TRPC members (TRPC1–C7) throughout embryonic and postnatal development of the dorsal root ganglion (DRG) and nodose ganglion (NG). In adult mice, mRNAs for all channels were present in the DRG, with TRPC1, 3, and 6 being the most abundant, TRPC2, C4, and C5 at lower levels, and TRPC7 at very low levels. While TRPC2 mRNAs were downregulated from high levels at embryonic (E) day 12 and E14 until adult, TRPC4, C5, and C7 expressions increased from E12 to peak levels at E18. TRPC1, C3, and C6, the most abundant TRPC channel mRNAs, increased progressively from E12 to adult. Expression and regulation of TRPC channels mRNAs in the NG were unexpectedly similar to the DRG. TRPC1 and C2 was expressed in the neurofilament‐200 (NF‐200)‐positive large size subclass of neurons, while TRPC3 mRNAs expression, which stained up to 35% of DRG neurons, was almost exclusively present in nonpeptidergic isolectin B4 (IB4)‐positive small size neurons that were largely TRPV1‐negative. Our results suggest important roles of the TRPC family of channels in sensory physiology of both nociceptive as well as nonnociceptive classes of neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 503:35–46, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clumping Factor A Interaction with Complement Factor I Increases C3b Cleavage on the Bacterial Surface of Staphylococcus aureus and Decreases Complement-Mediated Phagocytosis

ABSTRACT The human complement system is important in the immunological control of Staphylococcus aureus infection. We showed previously that S. aureus surface protein clumping factor A (ClfA), when expressed in recombinant form, bound complement control protein factor I and increased factor I cleavage of C3b to iC3b. In the present study, we show that, compared to the results for the wild type, when isogenic ClfA-deficient S. aureus mutants were incubated in serum, they bound less factor I, generated less iC3b on the bacterial surface, and bound fewer C3 fragments. It has been shown previously that two amino acids in ClfA (P336 and Y338) are essential for fibrinogen binding. However, S. aureus expressing ClfA(P336A Y338S) was less virulent than ClfA-deficient strains in animal models. This suggested that ClfA contributed to S. aureus virulence by a mechanism different than fibrinogen binding. In the present study, we showed that S. aureus expressing ClfA(P336A Y338S) was more susceptible to complement-mediated phagocytosis than a ClfA-null mutant or the wild type. Unlike ClfA, ClfA(P336A Y338S) did not enhance factor I cleavage of C3b to iC3b and inhibited the cofactor function of factor H. Fibrinogen enhanced factor I binding to ClfA and the S. aureus surface. Twenty clinical S. aureus strains all expressed ClfA and bound factor I. High levels of factor I binding by clinical strains correlated with poor phagocytosis. In summary, our results suggest that the interaction of ClfA with factor I contributes to S. aureus virulence by a complement-mediated mechanism.
Price Inertia and Policy Ineffectiveness in the United States, 1890-1980

This paper introduces a new approach to the empirical testing of the Lucas-Sargent-Wallace (LSW) "policy ineffectiveness proposition," which compares the LSW hypothesis with an alternative that states that prices respond fully in the long run, but only gradually in the short run, to nominal aggregate demand disturbances. The empirical equations, estimated for a new set of quarterly data extending back to 1890, exhibit uniformly high responses of real output and low responses of price changes to anticipated changes in nominal GNP. The paper compares and tests three alternative methods of introducing "persistence effects" into the LSW framework.
Suppression of autophagy is protective in high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte injury

Hyperglycemia is linked to increased heart failure among diabetic patients. However, the mechanisms that mediate hyperglycemia-induced cardiac damage remain poorly understood. Autophagy is a cellular degradation pathway that plays important roles in cellular homeostasis. Autophagic activity is altered in the diabetic heart, but its functional role has been unclear. In this study, we determined if mimicking hyperglycemia in cultured cardiomyocytes from neonatal rats and adult mice could affect autophagic activity and myocyte viability. High glucose (17 or 30 mM) reduced autophagic flux compared with normal glucose (5.5 mM) as indicated by the difference in protein levels of LC3-II (microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 form II) or the changes of punctate fluorescence patterns of GFP-LC3 and mRFP-LC3 in the absence and presence of the lysosomal inhibitor bafilomycin A1. Unexpectedly, the inhibited autophagy turned out to be an adaptive response that functioned to limit high glucose cardiotoxicity. Indeed, suppression of autophagy by 3-methyladenine or short hairpin RNA-mediated silencing of the Becn1 or Atg7 gene attenuated high glucose-induced cardiomyocyte death. Conversely, upregulation of autophagy with rapamycin or overexpression of Becn1 or Atg7 predisposed cardiomyocytes to high glucose toxicity. Mechanistically, the high glucose-induced inhibition of autophagy was mediated at least partly by increased mTOR signaling that likely inactivated ULK1 through phosphorylation at serine 467. Together, these findings demonstrate that high glucose inhibits autophagy, which is a beneficial adaptive response that protects cardiomyocytes against high glucose toxicity. Future studies are warranted to determine if autophagy plays a similar role in diabetic heart in vivo.
Testing the Implications of Long-Run Neutrality for Monetary Business Cycle Models

This paper compares sample fluctuations of the US business cycle with those predicted by a class of equilibrium monetary business cycle models. The predictions of the models are generated using the long-run neutrality restrictions implicit in the models. By imposing these restrictions on sample data, tests of the ability of the models to replicate the dynamics of the US business cycle are constructed. Although the predictions of the models for real side variables are rejected, there is evidence that the nominal side predictions of the models are not rejected. Copyright 1994 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Psychophysical measurements of referenced and unreferenced motion processing using high-resolution retinal imaging.

BACKGROUND Motion detection thresholds with a stationary frame of reference are significantly lower than unreferenced motion thresholds. To account for this, previous studies have postulated the existence of compensatory mechanisms, driven by the presence of a surround, that cancel the effects of eye movements. In the present study we used an adaptive optics scanning laser ophthalmoscope (AOSLO) to investigate the effects of retinal jitter due to fixation eye movements on referenced and unreferenced motion thresholds. METHODS The stimuli were produced by modulation of the AOSLO imaging beam, so that the absolute retinal position of targets was recorded. In Experiment 1 subjects made up/down motion judgments of a dark horizontal bar presented against a stationary 1-degree bright background. In Experiment 2 unreferenced motion thresholds were measured with isolated bright horizontal bars in otherwise complete darkness. In both experiments, AOSLO images for each trial were analyzed offline to extract retinal jitter and the retinal position of targets. RESULTS For referenced motion, the results were consistent with complete compensation for eye movements by the visual system. In the unreferenced motion case eye movements adversely affected motion judgments, although there was evidence of partial compensation for such eye movements. CONCLUSIONS Compensatory processes completely cancel the effect of fixation jitter for referenced motion but such compensation is partial for unreferenced motion.
A Hybrid Approach to Combining CART and Logistic Regression for Stock Ranking

The performance of a stock relative to a suitable peer group is often influenced by a multitude of factors and their interactions. Traditional parametric models, albeit very useful, are often inadequate in capturing complicated relationships. In contrast, the nonparametric decision tree technique, such as classification and regression trees (CART), is more capable of capturing any nonlinearities and high-order interactions among stock characteristics, with the additional convenience of graphically representing the model, but discontinuous and coarse-grained responses produced by CART are potentially undesirable. In contrast, traditional regression models such as logistic regression produce a smooth response surface, which is more tractable in practice. The authors use a hybrid approach that takes advantage of the strengths in both parametric (logistic regression) and nonparametric models (CART). An application of this sophisticated technique to North American defensive stocks demonstrates its usefulness.
How well can public service motivation connect with occupational intention

Researchers have hypothesized that a person’s public service motivation (PSM) has a positive connection with occupational intention: the greater an individual’s PSM, the more likely he or she is to seek membership in a public organization. However, few empirical studies have tested this proposition. Based on a survey of 584 students from two prestigious universities in eastern China, this study explores how well PSM relates to students’ occupational intention. This study found that not all dimensions of PSM were consistently connected with occupational intention. The self-sacrifice dimension of PSM has a positive relationship with occupational intention, but the commitment to the public interests dimension does not. Moreover, the study found that female students who majored in social sciences and had relatives or parents in the public sector were more likely to choose employment in the public sector. The implications of this study and areas of future research are discussed.Points for practitionersResults .
Decoupling of taxonomic diversity and morphological disparity during decline of the Cambrian trilobite family Pterocephaliidae

Although discordance between taxonomic diversity and morphological disparity is common, little is known about the underlying dynamics that drive this decoupling. Early in the history of the Cambrian trilobite family Pterocephaliidae, there was an increase in taxonomic diversity and morphological diversity. As taxonomic diversity declined in the later history of the clade, range of variation stayed high and disparity continued to increase. However, per‐branch rates of morphological evolution estimated from a recent phylogeny decreased with time. Neither within‐trait nor within‐species variation increased or decreased, suggesting that the declining rates of morphological evolution were more likely related to ecological opportunity or niche partitioning, rather than increasing intrinsic constraints. This is further supported by evidence for increased biofacies associations throughout the time period. Thus, the high disparity seen at low taxonomic diversity late in the history of this clade was due to extinction – either random or targeting mean forms – rather than increased rates of morphological evolution. This pattern also provides a scenario that could account for instances of low taxonomic diversity but high morphological disparity in modern groups.
Interactive multi-physics simulation for endodontic treatment

In this paper we present a novel approach to simulating dental treatment of root canals. Preceding interactive simulation approaches to dental training focus on preparing access cavities and working on the hard dentin of a tooth. Their common goal is to provide haptic feedback necessary to impart manual dexterity to students. In contrast, we focus on learning about the intricate complexity involved in root canal treatment, considering different root canal morphologies, differences in the texture of the pulp tissue as well as the interaction possibilities offered by different dental instruments at individual steps of the procedure. Due to this shift in focus, new computing challenges appropriate for physical interactions emerge. In this paper we elaborate on recent developments in realtime physics simulation and we demonstrate the backend mechanisms needed to drive more complex dental training simulations, amalgamating different representations for real-time physics calculations.