Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Extracting representative measures for the post-processing of association rules

This paper deals with finding a minimum set of interestingness measures in the stage of post-processing of asso- ciation rules. These measures, called representative measures, are calculated with the help of a medoid clustering. The main interest of this approach is to deliver a reduced set of measures that is specific and adapted to each dataset tudied. The result obtained also facilitates the validation of the best rules. Furthermore, the approach is applied to a rule-based dataset of 123228 association rules with thirty-six measures. As a result of this dataset, we obtain a reduced set of sixteen representative measures. The paper also summarizes the state-of-the-art post-processing and the relative works about interestingness measures.
Placing natural resource decisions in social and historical contexts: Sociological inquiries into agency communications, management rationalities, and community change

A sociological understanding of natural resource management decisions traces the links between historical change (How does this historical period differ from other periods? ), society (What social relations exist at this time and how do they persist or change? ), and individuals (What types of conduct and discourse prevail in this society and in this period? ). The papers submitted for this dissertation examine the connections between identity, social milieu, and historical change relative to three resource management issues: (1) The promotion of nature play areas as a novel landscape form. Analysis of agency materials suggests that these spaces are advertised as bucolic settings for children’s healthy development. Online and on-site communications about nature play guide both children’s and adults’ conduct according to specific ideas about nature, parenting, and education. (2) The sway of the instrumental rationality inherent in the ecosystem services approach to planning and management. Traditional sociological theory suggests that, for all of its promise to internalize environmental externalities in decision-making, the ecosystem services approach reduces society’s capacity for engaging critically with the forces that shape our world. The recent “nonhuman turn” in social theory offers alternatives to the utilitarian ethic and quiescent character of ecosystem services. (3) The impact of changing demographics in amenity-rich towns on community wellbeing. This resident survey of four Vermont towns experiencing different rates of growth examines the utility of categories such as permanent and seasonal residents, and newcomers and longterm residents, in understanding attitudes toward community development and preservation of natural and cultural resources.
Advances in longitudinal MRI diagnostic tests.

INTRODUCTION The past decade has seen an explosion of functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies in neuroscience. As the technology progresses, it is now possible to carry out longitudinal studies using functional MRI. Such studies can be used to understand the progression of mental and neurological disorders and the effectiveness of different treatments by obtaining direct measures of brain activity as well as markers of tissue health and connectivity. AREAS COVERED We review six popular neuroimaging tools that can be used for longitudinal studies: blood oxygen level-dependent (BOLD)-weighted imaging, BOLD-based functional connectivity, arterial spin labeling, dynamic R2* imaging, voxel-based morphometry, and diffusion tensor imaging. EXPERT OPINION Each of these techniques is targeted to probe a specific feature of brain function or brain structure and can reveal important information about the progression of a pathological condition. We anticipate that in the near future, the MRI techniques discussed here may become standard tools in clinical use and will not be used for research purposes only.
Revealing the multidimensional framework of the Minnesota nicotine withdrawal scale

ABSTRACT Objectives: The version of the Minnesota Nicotine Withdrawal Scale (MNWS) under consideration consists of nine items. No psychometric analyses of this version have been published. The objectives of this investigation were to perform a factor analysis and to further assess the psychometric properties of the MNWS. Research design and methods: Data came from three Phase II clinical trials on varenicline, developed for smoking cessation, in a sample of smokers. Exploratory factor analysis was used to examine the structure of the MNWS in the first completed study ( n = 626) over various time periods. The postulated factor structure was then tested in a set of confirmatory analyses conducted on two subsequent studies ( n = 627, n = 312). The proposed structure was further evaluated through construct validity and reliability analyses. Main outcome measures: The nine items of the MNWS included the following: urge to smoke (craving); depressed mood; irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating; restlessness; increased appetite; difficulty going to sleep; and difficulty staying asleep. Each item was rated by a subject on an ordinal scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extreme). Results: Scree plots and rotated factor patterns from the exploratory factor analyses revealed two multi-item domains – Negative Affect with four items and Insomnia with two items – and three individual items (Craving, Restlessness, Increased Appetite). Confirmatory factor analyses supported the structure with fit indexes exceeding 0.90. The multidimensional framework of the MNWS correlated as expected with health status, depicted an expected course of withdrawal symptoms over time, predicted the sensitivity of withdrawal symptoms on subsequent cessation, and produced internal reliability estimates above 0.70. Conclusions: Evidence is obtained to support the validity and reliability of the multidimensional structure of the nine-item MNWS. The data suggest that the MNWS has individual constructs on Negative Affect (depressed mood; irritability, frustration, or anger; anxiety; difficulty concentrating), Insomnia (difficulty going to sleep; difficulty staying asleep), Craving, Restlessness, and Increased Appetite. As such, analyzing each construct separately would strengthen the analysis of the popular MNWS.
Attention problems in adolescents with congenital hypothyroidism: A multicomponential analysis

Even though early treatment of congenital hypothyroidism (CH) with newborn screening prevents the mental retardation previously seen in cretinism, affected children still exhibit subtle persisting neurocognitive deficits. One of their commonest problems is poor attention, which reflects both early disease severity and later (high) circulating thyroid hormone levels. While attention is currently regarded as multicomponential in nature, with different processing components supported by different brain regions, the specific components of attention affected by CH have not been identified. In light of animal evidence showing that neonatal thyroid hormone deficiencies impede the neurodevelopment of structures important for selective aspects of attention, we proposed a multicomponential approach to study attention in children with CH. This was accomplished via retrospective analysis of existing data on adolescents with CH whose attention was previously evaluated using multiple tests. Results showed significantly poorer overall attention in CH than controls with differences occurring mainly on focus and inhibit indices. However, performance on various indices was associated with different disease parameters. Poor encode and focus were correlated with more severe hypothyroidism and a longer period of thyroid hormone insufficiency and poor select and shift with higher thyroid hormone levels at testing. These results signify that thyroid hormone is important for the development and later regulation of brain structures supporting distinct aspects of attention. (JINS, 2001, 7, 734–744.)
On the Use of Assist Circuits for Improved Coupling Fault Detection in SRAMs

As technology scales down, the density of SRAM devices increases drastically, and their storage capacity grows at the same time. Moreover, SRAMs become more prone to physical defects in each technology node, which therefore increases the need of effective tests with high fault coverage. It has been shown that resistive-bridging defects induce coupling faults that may increase defective parts per million levels if not well covered during manufacturing test. In this work, we study the reuse of read and write assist techniques, commonly applied to improve the functional margins of SRAM core-cells, to improve the coverage of coupling faults. This analysis is based on extensive injection of resistive bridging defects in core-cells of a commercial low-power SRAM. We show that assist circuits can be leveraged to increase the sensitization of defects causing coupling faults by 10-12%, however, they need to be used carefully.
Profiling the Global Tyrosine Phosphorylation State*

Protein tyrosine kinases and protein tyrosine phosphatases play a key role in cell signaling, and the recent success of specific tyrosine kinase inhibitors in cancer treatment strongly validates the clinical relevance of basic research on tyrosine phosphorylation. Functional profiling of the tyrosine phosphoproteome is likely to lead to the identification of novel targets for drug discovery and provide a basis for novel molecular diagnostic approaches. The ultimate aim of current mass spectrometry-based phosphoproteomic approaches is the comprehensive characterization of the phosphoproteome. However, current methods are not yet sensitive enough for routine detection of a large percentage of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins, which are generally of low abundance. In this article, we discuss alternative methods that exploit Src homology 2 (SH2) domains for profiling the tyrosine phosphoproteome. SH2 domains are small protein modules that bind specifically to tyrosine-phosphorylated peptides; there are more than 100 SH2 domains in the human genome, and different SH2 domains bind to different classes of tyrosine-phosphorylated ligands. These domains play a critical role in the propagation of signals in the cell, mediating the relocalization and complex formation of proteins in response to changes in tyrosine phosphorylation. We have developed an SH2 profiling method based on far-Western blotting, in which a battery of SH2 domains is used to probe the global state of tyrosine phosphorylation. Application to the classification of human malignancies suggests that this approach has potential as a molecular diagnostic tool. We also describe ongoing efforts to modify and improve SH2 profiling, including the development of a multiplexed assay system that will allow high-throughput functional profiling of the tyrosine phosphoproteome.
Isoprostanes 8-iPF2α-III: risk markers of premature rupture of fetal membranes?

Aims: Isoprostanes may serve as sensitive and specific markers of in vivo oxidative stress intensity. We wanted to determine, whether or not isoprostane concentration may be considered as a risk marker of premature rupture of fetal membranes (PROM). Methods: On the basis of the presence of PROM and gestational maturity, a total of 128 patients were divided into: (1) preterm PROM (pPROM) group; (2) PROM at term group; (3) control preterm (C1) group and (4) control at term (C2) group. The concentrations of 8-iPF2α-III were determined using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method. Results: The mean free isoprostane concentrations, examined in amniotic fluid and maternal plasma in the PROM at term patients were significantly higher than in C2 individuals (p < 0.01). The mean concentrations of free 8-iPF2α-III measured in blood plasma from women in the C1 group were significantly lower than in patients from the pPROM, PROM at term and C2 groups (p < 0.001, p < 0.00001 and p < 0.00001, respectively). Conclusion: The measurement of free isoprostane concentration in maternal plasma and amniotic fluid may be considered as a laboratory marker of a PROM-risk pregnancy.
Autologous Fat Injection Combined with Palatoplasty and Pharyngoplasty for Velopharyngeal Insufficiency and Cleft Palate

An attempt to bring more evidence-based medicine to the subject of autologous fat transplantation is welcome. Cao and colleagues’ assessment of velopharyngeal closure with lateral radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and nasopharyngoscopy is impressive. However, a number of obstacles can potentially induce bias not only in this study but also in other studies investigating autologous fat transplantation for the treatment of velopharyngeal insufficiency (VPI). In addition, the safety aspects of the technique need to be emphasized.
Genital herpes due to acyclovir‐sensitive herpes simplex virus caused secondary and recurrent herpetic whitlows due to thymidine kinase‐deficient/temperature‐sensitive virus

Herpes simplex virus (HSV)‐2 caused a genital ulcer in a 40‐year‐old allogenic stem cell recipient, and a secondary herpetic whitlow appeared during 2 months of acyclovir (ACV) therapy. Both genital ulcer, and whitlow were cured 3 months later, but 6 months after recovery the whitlow alone recurred. DNA of the genital, first, and recurrent whitlow isolates showed similar endonuclease digestion fragment profiles. The genital virus was ACV‐sensitive, and the two whitlow isolates were ACV‐resistant/thymidine kinase (TK)‐deficient. The TK gene of the whitlow isolates had the same frame shift from the 274th amino acid and termination at the 347th amino acid due to the deletion of a cytosine at the 819th nucleotide. Because the temperature of the thumb is 33/34°C or lower, the temperature sensitivity of the isolates were compared, and both whitlow isolates were significantly more temperature‐sensitive (ts) at 39°C than the genital isolate. The two whitlow isolates showed cutaneous pathogenicity in mouse ear pinna but not midflank, while the genital isolate was pathogenic at both sites, suggesting that temperature adaptation was an important element of pathogenicity in the whitlow. The virus populations of isolates of the genital, and first whitlow were examined by 31, and 82 clones, respectively, and the clones from genital, and whitlow isolates were ACV‐sensitive, and ‐resistant, respectively, showing their homogeneity. The acyclovir‐sensitive genital lesion had spread as a TK‐deficient/ts herpetic whitlow during ACV treatment, and an apparently TK‐deficient virus adapted to the local temperature might have caused the whitlow recurrence. J. Med. Virol. 79:1731–1740, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of a Biological Activity That Supports Maintenance and Proliferation of Pluripotent Cells from the Primitive Ectoderm of the Mouse1

Abstract Pluripotent cell development in the mammalian embryo results in the sequential formation of several developmentally distinct populations, inner cell mass, primitive ectoderm, and the primordial germ lineage. Factors within medium conditioned by HepG2 cells (MEDII) have been implicated in the formation and maintenance of primitive ectoderm from inner cell mass cells both in vitro and in vivo. Here we demonstrate that MEDII, but not LIF, is able to support the maintenance and proliferation in culture of pluripotent cells derived from primitive ectoderm formed in vitro or during embryonic development. This distinguishes primitive ectoderm and inner cell mass (ICM) on the basis of cytokine responsiveness and validates the biological activity proposed for factors within MEDII in primitive ectoderm establishment and maintenance. Further, it potentially provides an alternative technology for the isolation of pluripotent cells from the mammalian embryo.
Novel Genes Affecting Urease Activity inActinobacillus pleuropneumoniae

ABSTRACT Characterization of a series of urease-negative transposon mutations of Actinobacillus pleuropneumoniae revealed that many of the mutants had insertions 2 to 4 kbp upstream of the urease gene cluster. A 5-kbp upstream region of DNA was sequenced and found to contain six open reading frames (ORFs) transcribed in the same orientation as the urease genes. As well, a partial ORF,apuR, 202 bp upstream of these six ORFs, is transcribed in the opposite orientation. The predicted product of this partial ORF shows homology with many members of the LysR family of transcriptional regulators. Five of the ORFs (cbiKLMQO) appear to form an operon encoding a putative nickel and cobalt periplasmic permease system. The cbiM and cbiQ genes encode proteins that have sequence similarity with known cobalt transport membrane proteins, and the cbiO gene encodes a cobalt transport ATP-binding protein homologue. The product of the cbiK gene is predicted to be the periplasmic-binding-protein component of the system, though it does not show any sequence similarity with CbiN, the cobalt-binding periplasmic protein. Escherichia coli clones containing this putative transport operon together with the urease genes of A. pleuropneumoniae were urease positive when grown in unsupplemented Luria-Bertani broth, whereas a clone containing only the minimal urease gene cluster required the addition of high concentrations of NiCl2 for full urease activity. This result supports the hypothesis that nickel is a substrate for this permease system. The sixth ORF, utp, appears to encode an integral membrane protein which has significant sequence identity with mammalian urea transport proteins, though its function in A. pleuropneumoniae remains to be determined.
Hepatitis C and steatosis: a reappraisal

Summary. The overall prevalence of steatosis in patients with Hepatitis C virus (HCV) chronic infection is 55.5% (range 34.8–81.2%). This is a two to threefold increase compared with the prevalence of steatosis in chronic hepatitides because of other aetiologies and of the figures expected on the grounds of a steatosis–HCV chance association. HCV genotype 3 (HCV‐3) has specific epidemiological features; furthermore, as compared with HCV‐non‐3 genotypes, it is associated with a higher prevalence (74.1%vs 47.9%, P < 0.01) and with more severe grades of steatosis (prevalence of grade 3 steatosis 29.6 vs 5.5 P < 0.01). Host and viral factors play a role, although to a variable extent, in the pathogenesis of HCV‐3 and non‐3 steatosis. HCV load and body mass index are associated with steatosis in HCV‐3 and in HCV‐non‐3 patients respectively. Serum cholesterol levels and liver steatosis at baseline follow an inverse relationship in HCV infection. As hypocholesterolaemia corrects only in those sustained responders to antiviral treatment both in genotype 3 and in non‐3 genotypes, the occurrence of a virally induced, acquired and reversible hypobetalipoproteinaemia seems plausible. Steatosis affects the natural course of HCV infection: it is associated with fibrosis, a possible mediator of increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes, it impairs the response to antiviral treatment in HCV‐3 patients and might constitute a risk factor for the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. These observations indicate the need to evaluate the efficacy of combined antiviral and ‘metabolic’ approaches vs standard antiviral regimes in patients with steatosis and HCV chronic infection.
Erlotinib Effectively Inhibits JAK2V617F Activity and Polycythemia Vera Cell Growth*

JAK2V617F, a mutant of tyrosine kinase JAK2, is found in most patients with polycythemia vera (PV) and a substantial proportion of patients with idiopathic myelofibrosis or essential thrombocythemia. The JAK2 mutant displays a much increased kinase activity and generates a PV-like phenotype in mouse bone marrow transplant models. This study shows that the anti-cancer drug erlotinib (Tarceva™) is a potent inhibitor of JAK2V617F activity. In vitro colony culture assays revealed that erlotinib at micro-molar concentrations effectively suppresses the growth and expansion of PV hematopoietic progenitor cells while having little effect on normal cells. Furthermore, JAK2V617F-positive cells from PV patients show greater susceptibility to the inhibitor than their negative counterparts. Similar inhibitory effects were found with the JAK2V617F-positive human erythroleukemia HEL cell line. These data suggest that erlotinib may be used for treatment of JAK2V617F-positive PV and other myeloproliferative disorders.
The Radiologic Prevalence of Patellofemoral Osteoarthritis

The radiographs of 206 knees from 174 consecutive patients were reported blinded regarding joint space narrowing. Minimum joint space was measured using a millimeter ruler on weightbearing posteroanterior and skyline patellofemoral radiographs. Lateral radiographs were reported solely in terms of presence or absence of patellofemoral arthritis. The results showed objective joint space narrowing to less than 3 mm in the patellofemoral compartment of 32.7% of men and 36.1% of women older than 60 years. This high prevalence of patellofemoral disease in men has not been documented before. Arthritic changes occurred in the patellofemoral compartment in isolation in 13.6% of women and 15.4% of men older than 60 years. The lateral radiograph had poor results for detection of patellofemoral osteoarthritis with a sensitivity of 66% and specificity of 83%. The positive predictive value of an abnormal lateral radiograph was 52%. If requests for skyline radiographs had been confined to patients with abnormal patellofemoral joints as assessed on lateral films then 28 normal joints would have been imaged and 14 abnormal joints would have been missed. Osteoarthritis is more common in the patellofemoral joints of men and women than previously documented and only can be properly assessed using a skyline radiograph.
Optimization of stirrer designs in a reverberation chamber

This paper describes an investigation into the key factors which contribute to an effective mode stirrer. The work concentrates on the lower frequency range, since all stirrers have poorer performance at low frequencies. The stirrer's shapes and sizes have been investigated, together with an optimization of the finer details in the stirrer's shape. The modeling of the mode stirred chamber has been performed using the transmission-line matrix (TLM) method. Software has been developed which, for each position of the rotating stirrer, builds the shape of the stirrer using thin, perfectly conducting boundaries. Results indicate that the design of the stirrer's basic shape has a small but significant impact on its performance. A genetic algorithm has been used to optimize certain parameters in the shape of the stirrer, and a fitness factor based on a free space model of the stirrer has been used. The free space model runs 1500 times faster than the model in the chamber. The optimization is shown to improve the stirrer's performance in three different sizes of chamber. Computer modeling has been verified by measurements performed in the chamber at the University of York.
The Implications of Long Range Dependence for Stock Prices

The purpose of this paper is to examine the long memory properties of stock markets in South Asia, namely, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Bangladesh. The semi parametric methodology proposed by Geweke and Porter-Hudak (1983) is employed. The studies of Mandelbrot (1971), Fama and French (1988), Lo and MacKinlay (1988), Liu (2000) have examined the long memory properties of stock markets. Fractional cointegration has been applied to the stock markets of Asia by Chung, Lin and Wu (2000), Sadique and Silvapulle (2001), Cheung and Lai (1995). These studies however, examine the long memory properties of stock markets in East Asia, South East Asia and the Asia-Pacific. This paper contributes to the literature in three ways: first, it employs the fractional cointegration methodology in the context of South Asian stock markets; second, it examines the implications of long range dependence for market efficiency and third, it examines the implications of long memory for South Asia.