Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Semiosis and the elusive final interpretant of understanding

Abstract While the conceptual history of the sign, as recounted by John Deely in Four ages of understanding, is immensely enlightening, history is never enough. If, before Augustine, it had occurred to no one that such diverse phenomena as are covered by this term had something in common, and if, in the time of Aquinas, Fonseca, and Poinsot, different usages of the term were in competition, the reason is not simply intellectual confusion, but rather that meaning is of many kinds. In this essay, I have shifted the terrain from socio-history to phylogeny and ontogeny, suggesting that, in the child, as well as in the human species, perception is the primary type of meaning, whereas true signs are acquired much later, followed by signs systems and organism-independent artifacts. The whole point of having a semiotic theory, it is argued, is to be able to account for the differences, and not only the similarities, of different kinds of meaning.
Flexible vehicle scheduling for Urban Last Mile Logistics: The emerging technology of Shared Reception Box

Urban Last Mile Logistics (ULML) has been taking an increasingly important role alongside the development of e-commerce. The common delivery mode in the ULML is the Attended Home Delivery (AHD). However, such a delivery mode lacks flexibility, which means customers have to be waiting at home during certain time periods. Apart from AHD, another promising delivery mode is becoming available, which is the Shared Reception Box (SRB). SRB can release customers from time constraints and compensate the inflexibility of AHD so as to provide a satisfactory delivery. The theoretical research about the application of SRB is still rare, not to mention the integration of AHD and SRB. With this consideration, this paper aims to investigate this emerging technology and propose a mathematical model analyzing the integration effect of AHD and SRB in order to improve the overall efficiency of ULML.
Diffuse large B-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: ESMO clinical recommendations for diagnosis, treatment and follow-up.

Diagnosis should be made on the basis of a surgical specimen/ excisional lymph node or extranodal tissue biopsy providing sufficient material for formalin-fixed samples. Core biopsies may be appropriate in the rare patients requiring emergency treatment. Minimal immunohistochemistry (CD45, CD20 and CD3) is mandatory. The collection of fresh frozen material for molecular characterization is recommended although gene expression profiling remains investigational. To ensure adequate quality, processing by an experienced pathology institute must be guaranteed. The histological report should give the diagnosis according to the World Health Organization classification.
Alterations in the Melanopsin System and Circadian Rhythms in Retinitis Pigmentosa and Parkinson Disease

En esta tesis se describen los diferentes tipos de celulas ganglionares melanopsinicas en la retina de rata y en un modelo animal de retinosis pigmentaria. Ademas, evaluamos los cambios morfologicos y de densidad producidos en estas celulas, y estudiamos los efectos producidos en los patrones circadianos durante la progresiva degeneracion retiniana que ocurre en esta enfermedad. Tambien evaluamos el efecto neuroprotector de la administracion de melatonina exogena. Por ultimo, investigamos si el parkinsonismo inducido por rotenona esta asociado con alteraciones en los ritmos circadianos. El estudio morfologico de la retina en estos animales puso de manifiesto la existencia de 3 tipos de celulas melanopsinicas en rata. Hasta el momento unicamente se habian descritos 2 tipos. Por otro lado, observamos una disminucion y degeneracion en las celulas melanopsinicas asociada a la retinosis pigmentaria. Los resultados obtenidos mediante tecnicas electrorretinograficas y mediante los registros de temperatura corporal y de actividad locomotorora desvelaron que los animales modelo de retinosis pigmentaria y de la enfermedad de Parkinson tenian menor respuesta visual y una alteracion de los ritmos circadianos. Los animales modelo de retinosis pigmentaria tratados con melatonina mostraron mayor respuesta visual y mejor regulacion de los ritmos circadianos que los animales modelo sin tratar. Estos resultados indican que en modelos de retinosis pigmentaria la degeneracion de los fotorreceptores clasicos se acompana de un proceso de remodelacion de la retina interna que afecta al sistema melanopsinico. Deducimos que la alteracion en los ritmos circadianos se manifiesta a partir de las alteraciones observadas en la densidad y en los procesos dendriticos de las celulas ganglionares melanopsinicas. En este sentido, la melatonina parece ejercer un efecto neuroprotector sobre los fotorreceptores en degeneracion, conos, bastones y celulas melanopsinicas de la retina. Por otro lado, demostramos que la degeneracion neuronal asociada a modelos experimentales de la enfermedad de Parkinson se acompana de una alteracion en los ritmos circadianos.
Effect of deletion of SOS‐induced polymerases, pol II, IV, and V, on spontaneous mutagenesis in Escherichia coli mutD5

The E. coli dnaQ gene encodes the ϵ subunit of DNA polymerase III (pol III) responsible for the proofreading activity of this polymerase. The mutD5 mutant of dnaQ chronically expresses the SOS response and exhibits a mutator phenotype. In this study we have constructed a set of E. coli AB1157 mutD5 derivatives deleted in genes encoding SOS‐induced DNA polymerases, pol II, pol IV, and pol V, and estimated the frequency and specificity of spontaneous argE3→Arg+ reversion in exponentially growing and stationary‐phase cells of these strains. We found that pol II exerts a profound effect on the specificity of spontaneous mutation in exponentially growing cells. Analysis of growth‐dependent Arg+ revertants in mutD5 polB+ strains revealed that Arg+ revertants were due to tRNA suppressor formation, whereas those in mutD5 ΔpolB strains arose by back mutation at the argE3 ochre site. In stationary‐phase bacteria, Arg+revertants arose mainly by back mutation, regardless of whether they were proficient or deficient in pol II. Our results also indicate that in a mutD5 background, the absence of pol II led to increased frequency of Arg+ growth‐dependent revertants, whereas the lack of pol V caused its dramatic decrease, especially in mutD5 ΔumuDC and mutD5 ΔumuDC ΔpolB strains. In contrast, the rate of stationary‐phase Arg+revertants increased in the absence of pol IV in the mutD5 ΔdinB strain. We postulate that the proofreading activity of pol II excises DNA lesions in exponentially growing cells, whereas pol V and pol IV are more active in stationary‐phase cultures. Environ. Mol. Mutagen. 43:226–234, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Is there Stylometric Evidence for Q?

Stylometric tests were run to assess whether, in Matthew, Q material differs in style from that of M. Correspondence Analysis was used on larger samples. Then counts of the five most frequent words in smaller samples were tested using three further methods: GLM, Discriminant Analysis and Cluster Analysis. These tests assigned about 80% of the samples to the expected source. This result permits a cautious preference for the Two Source Theory against the theory upheld by Farrer, Goulder and Goodacre.
Prevalence of thyroid diseases and antithyroid antibodies in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

INTRODUCTION Thyroid abnormal function and and/or autoimmune thyroid disease (ATD) are observed in 6% to 33.8% patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVES The aim of the study was to determine whether ATD is more prevalent in patients with RA compared to the control group involving age and sex-matched subjects without RA and whether these patients should be screened for thyroid disease. PATIENTS AND METHODS In 100 patients with RA and 55 patients without RA (control group) hormonal thyroid function and antithyroid antibodies were assessed. RESULTS ATD was more prevalent (16%) in patients with RA than in the control group (9%). The difference was no statistically significant. The RA patients with concomitant ATD had lower RA activity than non-ATD RA patients. Antithyreoglobulin (anti-TG) and antithyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies were present in similar percentage of patients with RA (12% and 15%, respectively) and in the control group (9% and 18%, respectively). The most common thyroid dysfunction observed in both groups was subclinical hypothyroidism. An association between thyroid dysfunction and clinical symptoms suggestive of thyroid disease in RA patients was not demonstrated. In patients with RA low free triiodothyronine concentrations were significantly more common. CONCLUSIONS A higher prevalence of ATD in female RA patients compared with controls indicates the need for screening not only of thyroid function, but also of the presence of anti-TPO antibodies as the ATD marker in RA patients. Their presence does not correlate with the occurrence of thyroid disorders in RA patients. Monitoring of thyroid function is of particular importance since as already shown the course of thyroid disease in RA patients is often asymptomatic.
Study of Temperature Distribution of an One Layer EM-wave Absorber Using a Lossy Magnetic Material under High Power Injection

Utilization of electromagnetic absorbers under high power is increasing, for estimation of performance of high power radars in anechoic chambers. Variation of the absorption characteristics of the absorbers under the condition is expected, due to the generation of heat or temperature change. Absorbers using lossy magnetic materials are used widely because the absorbers are typically thin, compared with absorbers made from lossy dielectric materials. If the absorbing layer is thin, it is considered that the temperature rise is higher because the heat capacity is small. Therefore, to know the temperature distribution of absorbers using lossy magnetic materials under high power injection is important. In this paper, the temperature distribution of a EM-Wave absorber using a lossy magnetic material is calculated by a coupled analysis method we proposed for electromagnetics and all the heat transmissions. The computed result is compared with the measured result. Finally, the calculated and measured results are compared and discussed.
A compact microstructure mechanical property measuring system

In this paper, we introduce a compact measuring system, to analyze microstructure force property. The system is specially designed in which a mechanical test machine, a PCB board based on an USB connection for device driving and data collection, and processing software were contained. This system can be used for measuring deformation characteristics of MEMS structures by bending method. To confirm the feasibility of the system, an experiment was performed on a micro pillar.
ON THE ADMISSIBLE CONVERGENCE CURVES FOR RESTARTED GMRES

Abstract. This paper studies admissible convergence curves for restarted GMRES and their relation to the curves for full GMRES. It shows that stagnation at the end of a restart cycle is mirrored at the beginning of the next cycle. Otherwise, any non-increasing convergence curve is possible and pairs {A, b} are constructed such that when restarted GMRES is applied to Ax = b, prescribed residual norms and Ritz values for the individual cycles are generated. Additionally, A can have any spectrum. The constructed systems lead to full GMRES processes that can be generated with short recurrences and offer some insight into the phenomenon of larger restart lengths being able to result in slower convergence.
Reduced EBF expression underlies loss of B‐cell potential of hematopoietic progenitors with age

Aging is accompanied by a reduction in the generation of B lymphocytes leading to impaired immune responses. In this study, we have investigated whether the decline in B lymphopoiesis is due to age‐related defects in the hematopoietic stem cell compartment. The ability of hematopoietic stem cells from old mice to generate B cells, as measured in vitro, is decreased 2–5‐fold, while myeloid potential remains unchanged. This age‐related decrease in B‐cell potential is more marked in common lymphoid progenitors (CLP) and was associated with reduced expression of the B‐lineage specifying factors, EBF and Pax5. Notably, retrovirus‐mediated expression of EBF complemented the age‐related loss of B‐cell potential in CLP isolated from old mice. Furthermore, transduction of CLP from old mice with a constitutively active form of STAT5 restored both EBF and Pax5 expression and increased B‐cell potential. These results are consistent with a mechanism, whereby reduced expression of EBF with age decreases the frequency with which multipotent hematopoietic progenitors commit to a B‐cell fate, without altering their potential to generate myeloid cells.
A Fast Algorithm for Thermal Transient Multisource Simulation Using Interpolated Zth Functions

This paper presents a very straightforward method to compute the transient thermal response to arbitrary power dissipation profiles in electronic devices with multiple heat sources. Using cubic spline interpolation of simulated or measured unit power step response curves (Zth-functions), additional errors and efforts due to model reduction can be avoided. The simple analytic form of the interpolating splines can be exploited to evaluate the convolution integral of the Zth functions with arbitrary power profiles at low computational costs. For periodic power profiles the speed of the computation can be further enhanced by replacing early pulses with the energy conserving average. An implementation of the algorithm in a spreadsheet program (EXCEL) has demonstrated that the results are in very good agreement with temperature profiles computed by transient finite-element simulation but can be obtained in a fraction of the time.
Eicosanoids and Iso-Eicosanoids: Constitutive, Inducible and Transcellular Biosynthesis in Vascular Disease

Introuduction Current understanding of the mechanisms underlying plaque development (1-3) assigns a key role to oxidative modifications of specific phospholipids that are carried into the subendothelial space with low-density lipoproteins (LDL). These variably oxidized lipids in turn trigger a chronic inflammatory response, largely orchestrated by monocytes/macrophages (1-3). Thrombotic occlusion of a major coronary or cerebral vessel can complicate the sudden fissuring or rupture of a plaque and lead to myocardial infarction or ischemic stroke, respectively. The determinants of lipid oxidation, plaque fragility and of the hemostatic response to plaque rupture, as well as the hemodynamic factors influencing the multifactorial process of atherothrombosis represent targets of pharmacological interventions aimed at reducing the risk of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular complications. The oxidative modifications of the arachidonic acid backbone, that lead to the formation of enzymatic (eicosanoids) and non-enzymatic (iso-eicosanoids) derivatives (Fig. 1), can provide autacoid mechanisms modulating activation of the major cellular players of atherothrombosis, including platelets, endothelial cells, neutrophils and monocytes/macrophages (4-7). The remarkable clinical effects of low-dose aspirin in reducing the risk of stroke and myocardial infarction by 20 to 50% in various clinical settings (8) provide perhaps the most convincing evidence for the pathophysiologic importance of eicosanoid mechanisms in modulating the thrombotic outcome of plaque fissuring. That interference with a single mechanism of amplification of platelet activation, such as that provided by thromboxane (TX) A2-thromboxane receptor (TP) interactions on the platelet membrane, can lead to clinically detectable consequences is perhaps surprising, but certainly encouraging in the search of novel targets for pharmacological intervention. Considerable progress has been made in the eicosanoid field during the last ten years, well beyond the thromboxane/prostacyclin balance hypothesis (9), with the elucidation of at least three distinct modalities of eicosanoid biosynthesis, i.e., constitutive, inducible and transcellular. In this review, we shall discuss the molecular, cellular and pharmacological aspects of eicosanoid and iso-eicosanoid biosynthesis as they relate to the multifactorial process of atherothrombosis, with the aim of suggesting novel pathophysiologic mechanisms as well as potential therapeutic targets.
CCX-CKR Expression in Colorectal Cancer and Patient Survival

Colorectal cancer is one of the most common malignant cancers, with bad prognosis when distal metastasis occurs. The current study aimed to investigate the potential value of using CCX-CKR expression for the prognosis of colorectal cancer patients. The results showed that CCX-CKR expression was a negative predictor of cancer metastasis, and that it was positively correlated to the patients’ survival rate. Finally, we found that CCX-CKR expression in vitro could modulate cellular migration and invasion abilities, potentially via the regulation of other chemotactic factors/receptors.
Lamin B1 overexpression increases nuclear rigidity in autosomal dominant leukodystrophy fibroblasts

The architecture and structural mechanics of the cell nucleus are defined by the nuclear lamina, which is formed by A‐ and B‐type lamins. Recently, gene duplication and protein overexpression of lamin B1 (LB1) have been reported in pedigrees with autosomal dominant leukodystrophy (ADLD). However, how the overexpression of LB1 affects nuclear mechanics and function and how it may result in pathology remain unexplored. Here, we report that in primary human skin fibroblasts derived from ADLD patients, LB1, but not other lamins, is overexpressed at the nuclear lamina and specifically enhances nuclear stiffness. Transient transfection of LB1 in HEK293 and neuronal N2a cells mimics the mechanical phenotype of ADLD nuclei. Notably, in ADLD fibroblasts, reducing LB1 protein levels by shRNA knockdown restores elasticity values to those indistinguishable from control fibroblasts. Moreover, isolated nuclei from ADLD fibroblasts display a reduced nuclear ion channel open probability on voltage‐step application, suggesting that biophysical changes induced by LB1 overexpression may alter nuclear signaling cascades in somatic cells. Overall, the overexpression of LB1 in ADLD cells alters nuclear mechanics and is linked to changes in nuclear signaling, which could help explain the pathogenesis of this disease. —Ferrera, D. , Canale, C. , Marotta, R. , Mazzaro, N. , Gritti, M. , Mazzanti, M. , Capellari, S. , Cortelli, P., Gasparini, L. Lamin B1 overexpression increases nuclear rigidity in autosomal dominant leukodystrophy fibroblasts. FASEB J. 28, 3906‐3918 (2014). www.fasebj. org
Edinburgh Research Explorer Reorientational versus Kerr dark and grey solitary waves using modulation theory

We develop a modulation theory model based on a Lagrangian formulation to investigate the evolution of dark and gray optical spatial solitary waves for both the defocusing nonlinear Schr¨odinger (NLS) equation and the nematicon equations describing nonlinear beams, nematicons, in self-defocusing nematic liquid crystals. Since it has an exact soliton solution, the defocusing NLS equation is used as a test bed for the modulation theory applied to the nematicon equations, which have no exact solitary wave solution. We ﬁnd that the evolution of dark and gray NLS solitons, as well as nematicons, is entirely driven by the emission of diffractive radiation, in contrast to the evolution of bright NLS solitons and bright nematicons. Moreover, the steady nematicon proﬁle is nonmonotonic due to the long-range nonlocality associated with the perturbation of the optic axis. Excellent agreement is obtained with numerical solutions of both the defocusing NLS and nematicon equations. The comparisons for the nematicon solutions raise a number of subtle issues relating to the deﬁnition and measurement of the width of a dark or gray nematicon
Immunological Analysis During Interferon-Free Therapy for Chronic Hepatitis C Virus Infection Reveals Modulation of the Natural Killer Cell Compartment.

BACKGROUND Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a global health problem, resulting in liver failure, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related death. Natural killer (NK) cells are innate immune cells, and their activity is known to correlate to viral treatment response of HCV. In this study, we investigate the immune effects of viral load decline with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) in blood. METHODS Twelve patients with chronic HCV were treated with asunaprevir and daclatasvir, and peripheral blood was analyzed at various time points during therapy. RESULTS In line with previous studies, we confirmed restoration of HCV-specific T-cell frequency upon viral load decline. In addition, we show that serum interferon (IFN)-γ inducible-protein 10, interleukin (IL)-12p40, and IL-18 levels decreased early after start of therapy. Surface expression of activation receptors NKp30, NKp46, and inhibitory receptor NKG2A on blood NK cells reduced during therapy. In addition, the expression of TRAIL on NK cells was reduced during IFN-free therapy, suggesting a decrease in TRAIL-mediated killing by NK cells. CONCLUSIONS We show that viral load decline as a consequence of treatment with novel DAAs in chronic HCV patients reduces serum levels of NK cell-stimulating cytokines and causes correction of the altered NK cell phenotype observed in chronic HCV patients. CLINICAL TRIALS REGISTRATION NCT02282709.
Foucault et la généalogie de la sociologie

Quarante ans apres Surveiller et punir, La Societe punitive montre qu’avec le concept de discipline, Foucault entendait proposer une genealogie de la sociologie, et en particulier du programme durkheimien. Refusant de faire du droit la mise en forme d’exigences immanentes a la conscience collective, il traite la moralisation de la penalite comme une strategie mise en place au XIXe par une bourgeoisie soucieuse de se premunir contre les nouveaux illegalismes suscites par les transformations de la propriete capitaliste. En prenant pour fil conducteur la confrontation avec l’evolutionnisme sociologique qui sous-tend l’histoire de la penalite retracee par Foucault, cet article se propose de mettre en evidence les gains obtenus au moyen de la methode archeologique de dissolution des continuites historiques, mais aussi les apories que rencontre la genealogie pour rendre compte de la formation des sujets politiques modernes non plus a partir des formes de solidarite, mais a partir du principe d’une guerre civile sous-jacente a la societe.
Production measurements on the quadrupole correctors for the new low-beta system for the Tevatron Collider

Each of the low beta systems for the Tevatron Collider requires 12 spool pieces; eight of the spool pieces contain superconducting quadrupoles as part of the low beta insertion as well as standard correction magnets. The remaining four divide correction feeds for the neighboring low beta main quadrupoles. Thirty-two of these new spools have been fabricated. The authors describe the mechanical, cryogenic, and magnetic properties of these new spools as determined in the production test and measurement activities. <<ETX>>