Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Ethnic differences in stroke incidence and case fatality in Auckland, New Zealand.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study compares stroke incidence, 28-day case fatality, and hospital management for Maori, Pacific Islands people ("Pacific people"), and others (mostly Europeans) living in Auckland, New Zealand. METHODS Data come from the Auckland Stroke Study, a population-based study that registered all stroke events occurring among Auckland residents aged 15 years or more during a 1-year period ending February 29, 1992. RESULTS During the study year, 1803 stroke events were registered, including 82 (4.5%) in Maori, 113 (6.3%) in Pacific people, 1572 (87.2%) in Europeans, and 36 (2.0%) in others of Indian or Chinese origin. The mean +/- SD age of stroke patients was 55.0 +/- 16.0 years in Maori, 59.7 +/- 14.9 years in Pacific people, and 73.3 +/- 12.1 years in Europeans. Maori and Pacific people have significantly higher estimated relative risks of stroke compared with Europeans (OR, 1.34; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.05 to 1.67 in Maori; and OR, 1.63; 95% CI, 1.33 to 1.98 in Pacific people). Maori and Pacific people also have higher estimated relative risks of death within 28 days of stroke compared with Europeans, especially men. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that there are important differences in stroke incidence rates and case fatality among the major ethnic groups in Auckland. The reasons for the higher incidence rates in Maori and Pacific people may be related to levels of risk factors, but this requires further investigation. Ongoing monitoring of stroke incidence and outcome should include separate reporting by ethnicity.
Subspace Clustering for Information Retrieval in Urban Scene Databases

We present a comprehensive study of two important subspace clustering algorithms and their contribution to enhance results for the difficult task of matching images of the same object using different devices at different conditions. Our experiments were performed on two distinct databases containing urban scenes which were tested using state-of-the-art matching algorithms. Our start point was the hypothesis that low discriminant local point descriptors lead to misclassification, which can be reduced employing clustering techniques as filters. A significantly amelioration of the results obtained for the two tested databases was achieved, which indicates that subspace clustering techniques have much to contribute at this research area. Another point is whether the occurrence of obstacles like trees and shadows are responsible for misclassification of images.
Calcium Channel Blocker Inhibits Western-Type Diet-Evoked Atherosclerosis Development in ApoE-Deficient Mice

Calcium channel blockers slow the progression of atherosclerosis. The purpose of the present experiments was to examine the action of lacidipine in a condition that accelerates the development of atherosclerosis in order to test the hypothesis that the protective action of lacidipine in atherosclerosis is unrelated to the reduction of blood pressure. Male ApoE-deficient mice (6 weeks old) were exposed either to normal chow (ND) or to a Western-type diet (WD, adjusted calorie diet containing 42% from fat) for 8 weeks. Western-type diet induced a reduction of nitric oxide (NO)-mediated endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine (Max relaxation % = 55.8 ± 2 for ND and 46.6 ± 2 for WD, n = 8, p < 0.05). Dose-relaxation curves to S-nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) NO donor were also significantly rightward-shifted (n = 7, ANOVA, p < 0.01) in WD compared with ND arteries. Chronic treatment of WD mice with lacidipine (1 and 3 mg/kg/day) increased significantly the acetylcholine-evoked relaxation (to 76.6 ± 3.5%, n = 6, ANOVA, p < 0.001) and prevented the loss of responsiveness to SNAP in mice exposed to WD. Plasma renin activity and endothelin-1 plasma levels as well as thiobarbituric acid-reactive substance levels in kidneys were significantly lower in WD mice treated with lacidipine than in untreated ones. In mice exposed to WD lacidipine reduced extension of atherosclerotic lesions, renal injury and increase in blood pressure. Experimental data indicate that inhibition of Western-type diet-evoked alterations is related to both antioxidant and vasoactive properties of lacidipine.
Constrained optimization problem solved by dynamic constrained NSGA-III multiobjective optimizational techniques

This paper proposes dynamic constrained version of NSGA-III to handle constraints for constrained optimization problems (COPs). The methodology first constructs a dynamic constrained multi-objective optimization problem (DCMOP) equivalent to the COP by converting the constraints into some violation objective functions and gradually shrinking the initially broadened boundary to the original one. Then a dynamic constrained version of the state-of-the-art NSGA-III is implemented to solve the DCMOP. Differential evolution (DE) is used as the evolutionary algorithm to generate offspring. Experimental results show that it is competitive to peer algorithm referred in this paper, and has better performance on global search.
GENETIC COMPARISONS OF FRESHLY ISOLATED VERSUS CULTURED SYMBIOTIC DINOFLAGELLATES: IMPLICATIONS FOR EXTRAPOLATING TO THE INTACT SYMBIOSIS

Zooxanthellae, algal symbionts in divergent marine invertebrate hosts, are a genetically heterogeneous group. All species descriptions and most physiological and infectivity studies of zooxanthellae have been conducted using cultured material. However, few studies have attempted to quantify the representation of cultures isolated from cnidarians to the in hospite zooxanthella populations of the individual host or host species from which they were established. RFLPs of small subunit (18S) rDNA, internal transcribed spacer (ITS)‐rDNA sequence data, and microsatellite analyses were conducted to assess the relatedness between cultured zooxanthellae and the in hospite populations of the individual host or host species from which they were isolated. RFLP data demonstrated that cultures may represent either the numerically dominant symbiont or ones present in lower number. ITS‐rDNA sequences from zooxanthella cultures were disconcordant with ITS‐rDNA sequences identified from in hospite zooxanthellae of the same host species, and microsatellites present in in hospite zooxanthella populations were absent from the corresponding cultures. Finally, reexamination of the literature revealed examples of zooxanthella cultures being nonrepresentative of in hospite populations. These data suggest that, in most cases, cultures are a subset of the original in hospite population. Factors such as failing to homogenize bulk cultures before transfer, growth medium used, and the picking of single motile cells may contribute to many zooxanthella cultures being nonrepresentative.
Handbook of Conducting Polymers, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded. M-I Transition in Doped Conducting Polymers

Abstract : The initial impetus for the plethora of work on conduct- ing polymers was generated by the discovery in 1977 1-3 of the increase, by nearly 10 orders of magnitude, in the electrical conductivity (sigma) of polyacetylene when it was doped with iodine or other acceptors. The subsequent demonstration of the important role of nonlinear excitations, solitons, polarons, and bipolarons upon chemical doping or photoexcitation in the semiconducting regime provided a conceptual framework for understanding the electronic structure of these novel polymer semiconductors at low doping levels 4-13. Although there has been impressive progress toward the goal of improving conductivity and achieving truly metallic polymers 14-17, parallel progress toward understanding the transport in the "metallic" state has been limited by the quality of the disordered polymer materials.
2 D-3 D Model Correspondence for Camera Pose Estimation using Sensor Fusion

Augmented reality requires accurate position and orientation estimates of a camera. In our approach inertial and visual data are fused using the conditional probability framework to estimate camera pose. We propose a measurement equation for 2D-3D model correspondence, i.e., detecting known 3D features of the scene in a camera image. The probability density of this measurement equation is investigated and results from a first application are reported.
Synthesis, characterization, and kinetic release study of methotrexate loaded mPEG–PCL polymersomes for inhibition of MCF-7 breast cancer cell line

Abstract In this study, we designed a polymersome system for the controlled release of methotrexate (MTX) as an anticancer drug with the objective of improving the loading efficiency of the drug in polymersomes as well as achievement of an efficient control on the release rate of drug from nanocarriers. We synthesized mono methoxy poly(ethylene glycol)–poly(e-caprolactone) (mPEG–PCL) diblock copolymers. The structure of the copolymers was characterized by proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H NMR), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) techniques. MTX was encapsulated within nanoparticles (NPs) through multiple emulsion method. The resulting NPs were characterized further by various techniques such as atomic force microscopy (AFM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Next, the various kinetic equations were fitted to the release data of MTX from MTX-loaded mPEG–PCL polymersomes. The results showed that the zeta potential of MTX-loaded mPEG–PCL polymersomes was about –5.49 mV and the average size was 49.18 nm. MTX was encapsulated into polymersomes loading capacity of 12 ± 0.09% and encapsulation efficiency of 45.5 ± 0.41%. The metabolic activity assays of void of MTX, mPEG–PCL polymersomes, and MTX-loaded mPEG–PCL polymersomes were compared to each other by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide assay of the treated MCF-7 cell lines. It can be concluded that application of NPs is a better and more effective strategy for controlled and slow release of MTX in the treatment of cancer. Graphical Abstract
Sphingosine 1-phosphate dependence in the regulation of lymphocyte trafficking to the gut epithelium

It is well established that intraepithelial T lymphocytes (IELs) are derived from conventional single-positive (SP) thymocytes, as well as unconventional double-negative (DN) thymocytes and CD103+CD8αβ recent thymic emigrants (RTEs). We show that IELs can be divided into two groups according to their dependency on sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) for trafficking into the intestines. CD4 or CD8αβ naive lymphocytes originating from SP thymocytes express high levels of type 1 S1P receptor (S1P1), and their preferential migration into the large intestine is regulated by S1P. In contrast, RTEs migrate exclusively into the small intestine, whereas DN thymic IEL precursors expressing either TCRαβ or TCRγδ migrate into both the small and large intestines. S1P does not play a role in the migration pathways of these unconventional thymic IEL precursors. Thus, down-regulation of S1P1 expression or disruption of the S1P gradient halted conventional CD4 or CD8αβ IEL trafficking into the intestines, but did not affect the trafficking of unconventional thymic IEL precursors. These data are the first to demonstrate that a lipid-mediated system discriminates IELs originating from conventional and unconventional thymic precursors.
Transcription Factor Nrf2 Protects Renal Dopamine D1 Receptor Function During Oxidative Stress

The renal dopaminergic system plays a significant role in controlling sodium excretion and blood pressure (BP). Overwhelming evidence shows that oxidative stress downregulates renal dopamine receptors (D1R), and antioxidant supplementation protects D1R function. However, the mechanisms for benefits of antioxidants in protecting D1R function are unknown. We investigated the role of nuclear factor E2–related factor 2 (Nrf2), a redox-sensitive transcription factor, in reducing oxidative stress, protecting renal D1R function and lowering BP in rats. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were treated with L-buthionine-sulfoximine (BSO) and sulforaphane for 4 weeks. Rats treated with BSO exhibited significant increase in oxidative stress and BP. BSO treatment reduced renal D1R expression and abolished SKF38393 (a D1R agonist)-induced Na/K-ATPase and Na/H-exchanger (NHE3) inhibition. Also, in these rats, SKF38393 failed to promote sodium excretion. BSO caused an increase in nuclear factor-&kgr;B expression, a modest nuclear translocation of Nrf2 and a moderate activation of phase II antioxidant enzymes. Treatment of rats with sulforaphane alone induced modest activation of Nrf2 and phase II antioxidant enzymes, although having no effect on BP, redox status, or D1R function. However, sulforaphane prevented oxidative stress, protected D1R function, and abrogated hypertension in BSO-treated rats. In these animals, sulforaphane, whereas attenuating nuclear factor-&kgr;B activation, caused a robust stimulation of Nrf2 and phase II antioxidant enzyme pathway. In conclusion, oxidative stress via nuclear factor-&kgr;B activation downregulated D1R function causing a decrease in sodium excretion, which contributed to an increase in BP. Sulforaphane via activation of Nrf2-phase II antioxidant enzyme pathway mitigated oxidative stress and nuclear factor-&kgr;B activation, preserved D1R function, and prevented hypertension.
Information exchange for routing protocols

Distance vector routing is a classic distributed algorithm for obtaining routing tables in a communication network. The algorithm relies on message exchange between neighbor routers. This paper studies the amount of routing data that needs to be stored and exchanged. On a static network, a variation of the algorithm that exchanges routing trees or pseudotrees is slightly more information theoretically efficient than a traditional implementation that exchanges tables. Knowledge of an underlying graph model and proper estimation of parameters allow more efficient coding schemes, including schemes related to Slepian-Wolf coding. Further improvements can be obtained on a dynamic network.
Genetic algorithms with implicit memory

Genetic Algorithms with Implicit Memory Robert P. B. Morris, June 2011 This thesis investigates the workings of genetic algorithms in dynamic optimisation problems where fitness landscapes materialise that are identical to, or resemble in some way, landscapes previously encountered. The objective is to appraise the performances of the various approaches offered by the GAs. Approaches specifically tailored for different kinds of dynamic environment lie outside the remit of the thesis. The main topics that are explored are: genetic redundancy, modularity, neutral evolution, explicit memory, and implicit memory. It is in the matter of implicit memory that the thesis makes the majority of its novel contributions. It is demonstrated via experimental analysis that the pre-existing techniques are deficient, and a new algorithm – the pointer genetic algorithm (pGA) – is expounded and assessed in an attempt to offer an improvement. It is shown that though it outperforms its rivals, it cannot attain the performance levels of an explicit memory algorithm (that is, an algorithm using an external memory bank). The main claims of the thesis are that with regard to memory, the pre-existing implicitmemory algorithms are deficient, the new pointer GA is superior, and that because all of the implicit approaches are inferior to explicit approaches, it is explicit approaches that should be used in real-world problem solving.
Sequential position readout from arrays of micromechanical cantilever sensors

Sequential position readout from a microfabricated array of eight cantilever-type sensors silicon technology! is demonstrated. In comparison with single sensors we find that mechanical disturbances from noise, such as from vibrations, turbulent gas flow, or abrupt pressure changes, can be effectively removed in array sensors by recording difference signals with respect to reference cantilevers. We demonstrate that chemically specific responses can be extracted in a noisy environment using a sensor to detect specific chemical interactions and an uncoated cantilever as reference.
Compression architecture for bit-write reduction in non-volatile memory technologies

This paper proposes a compression-based architecture for bit-write reduction in emerging non-volatile memories (NVMs). Bit-write reduction has many practical benefits, including lower write latency, lower dynamic energy, and enhanced endurance. The proposed architecture, which is integrated into the NVM module, relies on (i) a frequent pattern compression-decompression engine, (ii) a comparator to reduce bit-writes, and (iii) an opportunistic wear leveler to spread writes and enhance memory endurance by reducing the peak bit-writes/cell. Trace-based simulations of the SPEC CPU2006 benchmarks show a 20× reduction in raw bit-writes on average, which corresponds to a 2-3× improvement over state-of-the-art methods and a 27% reduction in peak cell bit-writes.
Numerical Analysis of AHSS Fracture in a Stretch‐bending Test

Advanced High Strength Steels (AHSS) are increasingly used in the automotive industry due to their superior strength and substantial weight reduction advantage. However, their limited ductility gives rise to numerous manufacturing issues. One of them is the so‐called ‘shear fracture’ often observed on tight radii during stamping processes. Since traditional approaches, such as the Forming Limit Diagram (FLD), are unable to predict this type of fracture, efforts have been made to develop failure criteria that can predict shear fractures. In this paper, a recently developed Modified Mohr‐Coulomb (MMC) ductile fracture criterion[1] is adopted to analyze the failure behavior of a Dual Phase (DP) steel sheet during stretch bending operations. The plasticity and ductile fracture of the present sheet are fully characterized by the Hill’48 orthotropic model and the MMC fracture model respectively. Finite Element models with three different element types (3D, shell and plane strain) were built for a Stretch Formin.
Oculomotor Instabilities in Zebrafish Mutant belladonna: A Behavioral Model for Congenital Nystagmus Caused by Axonal Misrouting

A large fraction of homozygous zebrafish mutant belladonna (bel) larvae display a reversed optokinetic response (OKR) that correlates with failure of the retinal ganglion cells to cross the midline and form the optic chiasm. Some of these achiasmatic mutants display strong spontaneous eye oscillations (SOs) in the absence of motion in the surround. The presentation of a stationary grating was necessary and sufficient to evoke SO. Both OKR reversal and SO depend on vision and are contrast sensitive. We built a quantitative model derived from bel fwd (forward) eye behaviors. To mimic the achiasmatic condition, we reversed the sign of the retinal slip velocity in the model, thereby successfully reproducing both reversed OKR and SO. On the basis of the OKR data, and with the support of the quantitative model, we hypothesize that the reversed OKR and the SO can be completely attributed to RGC misrouting. The strong resemblance between the SO and congenital nystagmus (CN) seen in humans with defective retinotectal projections implies that CN, of so far unknown etiology, may be directly caused by a projection defect.
Attachment, Chemotaxis, and Multiplication of Agrobacterium tumefaciens Biovar 1 and Biovar 3 on Grapevine and Pea

Tumorigenic (CG49) and nontumorigenic (CG484) strains of Agrobacterium tumefaciens bv. 3 attached to grape roots at a higher level than did a nonpectinolytic mutant of CG49 (CG50) or a tumorigenic strain of A. tumefaciens bv. 1 (CG628). Strains attached equally well to wounded and unwounded grape roots. Strains responded differently to pea plants in that biovar 3 strains consistently attached to unwounded roots at a lower level than they did to wounded roots, whereas CG628 attached equally well regardless of wounding. The lowest levels of attachment to pea roots were consistently observed for CG50. Population curves were calculated for the strains inoculated into wound sites on grape and pea roots. A. tumefaciens bv. 3 wild-type strains developed greater populations at wound sites on grape roots after 100 h (resulting in root decay) than did CG50 or CG628. Population curves for strains at wound sites on pea roots were different from those on grape roots. There were no significant differences in populations after 100 h, and no strains caused root decay. No differences in the chemotaxis of wild-type and mutant A. tumefaciens bv. 3 strains towards grape roots, crown pieces, or root extracts were observed, but the biovar 1 strain, CG628, always migrated the greatest distance towards all substrates. Polygalacturonase production may affect attachment to grape roots and multiplication of A. tumefaciens bv. 3 at wound sites and thus be associated with the specificity of the bacterium for grape.
The Effects of Rearing Light Level and Duration Differences on the Optic Nerve, Brain, and Associated Structures in Developing Zebrafish Larvae: A Light and Transmission Electron Microscope Study

The ultrastructure of the optic nerve, brain, and some associated structures of larval zebrafish, grown under three different light regimens were studied. Fish grown under cyclic light (control), constant dark (CD), and constant light (CL) were studied for 4 and 8 days postfertilization (dpf). We also studied the control and CD fish at 15 dpf. The brains of the control and CL fish were larger at 4 dpf than at 8 dpf. In all 4 dpf fish, the brain occupied the entire expanse between the two retinas and the optic nerve extended the shortest distance between the retina and the brain. The 15 dpf zebrafish had the smallest brain size. Groups of skeletal muscle cells associated with the optic nerves became visible in all older larvae. In the 15 dpf larvae, bulges and dilations in the optic nerve occurred as it reached the brain and optic chiasms occurred proximal to the brain. Electron microscopy yielded information about myelinated and unmyelinated axons in the optic nerve, the dimensions of neurotubules, neurofilaments, and myofilaments, including a unique variation in actin myofilaments, and a confirmation of reported myosin myofilament changes (but with dimensions). We also describe the ultrastructure of a sheath‐like structure that is confluent over the optic nerve and the brain, which has not been described before in zebrafish. Also presented are images of associated fibroblasts, epithelial cells lining the mouth, cartilage plates, blood vessels, nerve bundles, and skeletal muscle cells, most of which have not been previously described in the literature. Anat Rec,, 2012. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Programmed cell death protein 4 suppresses CDK 1 / cdc 2 via induction of p 21 Waf 1 / Cip 1

Göke, R. , P. Barth, A. Schmidt, B. Samans, and B. LankatButtgereit. Programmed cell death protein 4 suppresses CDK1/cdc2 via induction of p21. Am J Physiol Cell Physiol 287: C1541– C1546, 2004. First published August 18, 2004; doi:10.1152/ajpcell. 00025.2004. —We show that the recently discovered tumor suppressor pdcd4 represses the transcription of the mitosis-promoting factor cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)1/cdc2 via upregulation of p21 Cip1. p21 inhibits CDK4/6 and CDK2. Decrease of CDK4/6 and CDK2 enhances the binding of pRb to E2F/DP, which in turn together bind to and repress the cdc2 promoter. Upregulation of CDK1/cdc2 accompanied by a malignant change was previously reported in colon cancer. We show that expression of pdcd4 as an indirect suppressor of CDK1/cdc2 is lost in progressed carcinomas of lung, breast, colon, and prostate. Furthermore, it seems that localization and expression of pdcd4 directly correlate with tumor progression. Finally, the CDK1/cdc2 inhibitor roscovitine reduces the proliferation of several tumor cell lines, suggesting that inhibition of CDK1/cdc2 may be a useful strategy against malignant transformation. Therefore, pdcd4 might serve as a novel target for antineoplastic therapies.