Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Food and the State: Bioarchaeological Investigations of Diet in the Moche Valley of Perú

The Moche of north coastal Perú were among the earliest New World societies to develop state socio-political organization. The Moche State (AD 200-800) was a centralized hierarchical society that controlled the Moche Valley as well as valleys to the north and south. Prior to the establishment of the state, a series of less hierarchical organizations were present in the valley. Irrigation agriculture has often been cited as central to development of the Moche State. To test this assertion I examined 750 individuals recovered from the largest cemetery at the site of Cerro Oreja. Although the most important occupation of Cerro Oreja was during the Gallinazo phase (AD 1-200), many individuals were interred here during the earlier Salinar period (400 -1 BC). Consequently, the Cerro Oreja collection holds a key to understanding the development of one of the earliest and most extensive states in the Americas. The teeth and/or alveoli of each individual were examined for the presence of dental caries, periodontal disease, abscesses, and antemortem tooth loss. My analysis suggests women and children did increasingly focus their diet on agricultural products. These findings seem to support the hypothesis that increased irrigation and reliance on agricultural production was fundamental to the development of the Moche state. However, men’s diets remained consistent through time. Status seems to have been of little import in determining diet before and during early periods of state development, in dramatic contrast to what we know of its importance during the zenith of the state’s power. I suggest that increasing differentiation of gender roles was important to the development of the state, and that gender differences may have been the most salient force in the transition to political hierarchy and social stratification in the Moche valley.
Innovative WiMAX broadband internet access for rural areas of Vietnam using TV broadcasting ultra-high frequency (UHF) bands

This paper presents a case study of the proposed digital television based WiMAX wireless network to provide broadband Internet service in the suburban/rural area of BacNinh province, Vietnam. Advantages of the combination between digital television and WiMAX in the UHF broadcasting bands are discussed and compared with existing WiMAX in the microwave frequency bands. Commercially available equipments for both base-station and subscriber station are evaluated and incorporated in the link budget study and simulation.
Contact angle measurement techniques on micro-patterned surfaces: a comparative analysis

The study of micro-nano patterned surfaces has become a key area in the last few years. While the principal reason behind this interest is the wide range of applications of these surfaces; adhesion and wetting studies also have turned into important areas of research. This is especially important in applications such as biomimetic surfaces, lab-on-chip devices, etc. The study of the contact angle and surface energy is therefore both interesting and crucial. In this paper, an attempt is made to compute the contact angle of various substrates using four different methods. Apart from the traditional half angle method and goniometry which are quite well-known, image processing methods based on curve fitting and Hough transforms which have been developed by the authors have been considered for this comparative analysis. In this paper, the Hough transforms-based technique has been discussed in detail. While it is difficult to declare any one technique as the universally best, the pros and cons of all the four algorithms have been discussed in the results section. The algorithms were tested on micro-patterned surfaces fabricated over three different materials: poly dimethyl siloxane PDMS, polystyrene and acrylic using laser.
Heliox as a driving gas to atomize inhaled drugs on acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: a prospective clinical study

Background Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (AECOPD) is a common condition, which affects not only the quality of life of patients but also their prognosis. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of an inhaled salbutamol sulfate solution and an inhalation suspension of the glucocorticoid budesonide that were atomized with heliox to treat patients with AECOPD. Methods Twenty‐three patients with AECOPD were divided into a treatment group (He/O2=70%/30%) and a control group (N2/O2=70%/30%). The salbutamol sulfate and budesonide were administered by inhalation twice a day for 7 days. Vital signs, arterial blood gas levels, pulmonary function and the levels of serum myostatin (sMSTN) were measured and lung vibration imaging was performed. Results We found that the PaO2 and PaCO2 values were not significantly different between the two groups at the various time points (P >0.05). There were also no significant differences in any of the parameters of pulmonary function between the two groups. However, after baseline correction, the increase rate of the forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1), the forced vital capacity (FVC), and the maximum minute ventilation (MVV) appeared to be significantly increased at some time points compared with the baseline (before treatment) in both groups (P <0.05). Although the values of quantitative lung distribution (QLD) for different regions and the levels of sMSTN were slightly different between the two groups, the repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) revealed that there were no significant differences between the two groups or within any group (P >0.05). Conclusion Although the use of heliox as a driving gas can improve symptoms and benefit patients with AECOPD, the heliox treatment group did not have significant differences in arterial blood gases, lung function, lung vibration response imaging or the levels of sMSTN compared with the control group. (Chinese Clinical Trial Register Center ChiCTRTRC‐00000273)
Stochastic Complementarity

The Hicksian definition of complementarity and substitutability may not apply in contexts in which agents are not utility maximisers or where price or income variations, whether implicit or explicit, are not available. We look for tools to identify complementarity and substitutability satisfying the following criteria: they are behavioural (based only on observable choice data); model-free (valid whether the agent is rational or not); and they do not rely on price or income variation. We uncover a conflict between properties that it is arguably reasonable for a complementarity notion to possess. We discuss three different possible resolutions of the conflict.
cDNA and amino acid sequences of two members of the human P450IIC gene subfamily.

A human liver library was constructed in the vector Agt 11 (1). Two cDNA clones were isolated by screening the library with rat P450PB1 cDNA (2). The cDNAs were shotgun cloned into M13mplO (3) and subjected to dideoxy sequencing (4). The cDNAs, designated P450IIC1 and P450IIC2 based on the new P450 nomenclature system (5), shared 81 % nucleotide and 77 % amino acid similarities. The rat P450PB1 amino acid sequence was 75 % and 71 % similar to IIC1 and IIC2, respectively. Areas of significant sequence similarities interspersed with more dissimilar regions suggest that recent gene conversion events have taken place in the IIC subfamily. Rescreening of three separate human liver cDNA libraries resulted in the isolation of only IIC1 and IIC2; suggesting that these two mRNAs are very abundant in human liver. Based on comparison with a partial cDNA clone, the IICl may be identical to human P450Mp (6).
The influence of depressive symptomatology on episodic memory functioning among clinically nondepressed older adults.

The authors examined a community-based sample of 303 clinically nondepressed individuals aged 75 through 96 years on 4 recall tasks: free recall of rapidly presented random words, free recall of slowly presented random words, free recall of organizable words, and cued recall of organizable words. Using a classification taxonomy that identified mood- and motivation-related symptoms of depression, it was found that motivation-related symptoms had a negative effect on performance across all tasks, whereas mood-related symptoms had no effects. In addition, motivation-related symptoms negatively influenced the ability to benefit from more study time but had no effect on the ability to make use of item organization or category cues. An analysis of the specific motivation-related symptoms suggested that symptoms that may affect the ability to focus and sustain attention (e.g., concentration difficulties, lack of interest) were most strongly associated with performance deficits.
Effect of hyaluronan on periodontitis: A clinical and histological study

Background: Conventional, non-surgical periodontal therapy consists of supra- and subgingival tooth debridement. However, it is a technically demanding procedure and is not always efficient at eradicating all periodontal pathogens and in reducing inflammation. Therefore, local subgingival application of other chemotherapeutic agents may be used as an adjunct to non-surgical therapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and histological outcomes of local subgingival application of 0.2% hyaluronic acid gel (GENGIGEL®) as an adjunct to scaling and root planing (SRP) in chronic periodontitis patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred and twenty sites were chosen from 26 patients with chronic periodontitis (criteria being periodontal pockets ≥5mm). Experimental sites additionally received HA gel subgingivally at baseline, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd week. Clinical parameters were re-assessed at 4th, 6th, and 12th week. At 4th week recall, a gingival biopsy was obtained from test and control site for histologic examination. Results: Intra-group analysis of all the clinical parameters at all sites from baseline to 4th, 6th, and 12th week showed statistically significant changes. Experimental sites showed statistically significant improvement in Gingival index and Bleeding index at 6th and 12th week when compared with control sites. However, no statistically significant differences were observed in the PPD and RAL between control and experimental sites at 4th, 6th, and 12th week time interval. No statistically significant association was found between the histological grading of the sites that received HA treatment. Conclusion: Subgingival placement of 0.2% HA gel along with SRP provided a significant improvement in gingival parameters. However, no additional benefit was found in periodontal parameters. Histologically, experimental sites showed reduced inflammatory infiltrate, but it was not statistically significant.
Genetic analysis of Ras genes in epidermal development and tumorigenesis

Proliferation and differentiation of epidermal keratinocytes are tightly controlled to ensure proper development and homeostasis of the epidermis. The Ras family of small GTPases has emerged as a central node in the coordination of cell proliferation in the epidermis. Recent genetic evidence from mouse models has revealed that the intensity of Ras signaling modulates the proliferative capacity of epidermal keratinocytes. Interfering with Ras signaling either by combined elimination of the 3 Ras genes from the basal layer of the epidermis or by overexpression of dominant-negative Ras isoforms caused epidermal thinning due to hypoproliferation of keratinocytes. In contrast, overexpression of oncogenic Ras mutants in different epidermal cell layers led to hyperproliferative phenotypes including the development of papillomas and squamous cell carcinomas. Here, we discuss the value of loss- and gain-of-function studies in mouse models to assess the role of Ras signaling in the control of epidermal proliferation.
High‐voltage‐activated calcium channels in Müller cells acutely isolated from tiger salamander retina

Müller cells mediate retinal function by stabilizing the ionic environment and signal glial network activity via calcium waves. Using whole‐cell patch clamp recording, we describe a high‐voltage‐activated, slowly inactivating Ca channel current in isolated salamander Müller cells that has unusual pharmacological properties. The Ca channel current has an activation midpoint of ∼−8 mV and an inactivation midpoint of ∼−26 mV in 10 mM Ba2+. The time constant for inactivation is ∼380 ms at potentials positive to zero. The current is blocked by Cd2+ with an EC50 of <100 nM. nisoldipine (10 μM) blocks ∼50%, while nifedipine (1 μM), diltiazem (20 μM), and verapamil (50 μM) each block one‐third of the current. In contrast to its typical actions, BayK 8644 blocks the current by ∼ 25%. Blockers of other Ca channel subtypes were also tested: ω‐agatoxin IVA (200 nM) blocked only 13% of the Ca channel current, while ω‐conotoxin GVIA (1 μM) blocked 84% of the current. Immnohistochemistry supported the presence of α1A, α1B, α1C, and α1D Ca channel subunits. Mapping of dihydropyridine‐binding sites with DM‐BODIPY revealed a distribution of channels over the entire membrane of the Müller cell with a higher density at the apical region. Overall, these observations suggest either the presence of a mix of L‐ and N‐type Ca channels or a single, unconventional HVA Ca channel subtype sharing L‐ and N‐type Ca channel characteristics. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cost-effectiveness of risk stratification for preventing type 2 diabetes using a multi-marker diabetes risk score

Abstract Background: Personalized medicine requires diagnostic tests that stratify patients into distinct groups that may differentially benefit from targeted treatment approaches. This study compared the costs and benefits of two approaches for identifying those at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes for entry into a diabetes prevention program. The first approach identified high risk patients using impaired fasting glucose (IFG). The second approach used the PreDx Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) to further stratify IFG patients into high-risk and moderate-risk groups. Methods: A Markov model was developed to simulate the incidence and disease progression of diabetes and consequent costs and quality-adjusted life expectancy (QALY), comparing alternative approaches for identifying high-risk patients. We modeled direct medical costs, including the costs of the stratification testing, over a 10-year time horizon from a US payer perspective. Results: Stratification of IFG patients by the DRS method leads to improved identification and prevention among those at highest risk. At 5 years, the number needed to treat (NNT) in the IFG-only approach was 39 patients to prevent one case of diabetes compared to an NNT of 15 in the IFG + DRS approach. When compared to IFG alone, the IFG + DRS approach results in an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $17,100/QALY gained at 5 years and would become cost saving in 10 years. In contrast and as compared to no stratification, the IFG-only approach would produce an ICER of $235,500/QALY gained at 5 years and $94,600/QALY gained at 10 years. The study findings are limited by the generalizability of the DRS validation study and uncertainty regarding the long-term effectiveness of diabetes prevention. Conclusions: The analysis indicates that the cost-effectiveness of diabetes prevention can be improved by better identification of patients at highest risk for diabetes using the DRS.
Immune state networks of wild and laboratory mice

The mammalian immune system protects individuals from infection and disease. It is a complex system of interacting cells and molecules and extensive work, principally with laboratory mice, has investigated its function. Wild and laboratory animals lead very different lives, and this is reflected in there being substantial immunological differences between them. Here we use network analyses to study a unique data set of 120 immune measures of wild and laboratory mice, where immune measures define nodes and correlations of immune measures across individual mice define edges between immune measures. To date, there has only been very limited network analyses of the immune system, which is surprising because such analyses may be important to better understand its organisation and functionality. We found that the immunological networks of wild and laboratory mice were similar in some aspects of their mesoscale structure, particularly concerning cytokine response communities. However, we also identified notable differences in node membership of network communities between the wild and laboratory networks, pointing to how the same immune system acts and interacts differently in wild and in laboratory mice. These results show the utility of network analysis in understanding immune responses and also the importance of studying wild animals in additional to laboratory animals. Author summary The mammalian immune system is a complex system that protects individuals from infection and disease. Most of our understanding of the immune system comes from studies of laboratory animals, particularly mice. However, wild and laboratory animals lead very different lives, potentially leading to substantial immunological differences between them and so possibly limiting the utility of laboratory animals as informative model systems. As a complex interacting set of cells and molecules, the immune system is a biological network. Therefore, we used network analyses to study the immune system, specifically a unique data set of immune measures of wild and laboratory mice, where 120 different immune measures define nodes of the network. We found that the networks of wild and laboratory mice were similar in some aspects of their grouping structure, particularly concerning communities of nodes of cytokine responses. However, we also identified notable differences in node membership of communities between the wild and laboratory networks, pointing to how the same immune system behaves differently in wild and in laboratory mice. These results show the utility of network analysis in understanding immune responses and also the importance of studying wild animals in addition to laboratory animals.
Social networking in Bangladesh: Boon or curse for academic engagement?

Abstract The number of social networking services (SNSs) users in Bangladesh is increasing at an accelerating rate. There are many who argue that SNS usage is destroying the students’ future by diminishing their academic engagement. The authors aim to investigate whether there is any relationship between students’ academic performance and their SNS usage. The study chose Facebook as a representative of SNSs because this is the most popular platform for online social connectivity and conducted a survey regarding the usage of Facebook among students of Business Administration from three private Bangladeshi private universities. The research results show that Facebook can be used for at least 21 academic tasks or goals and that these can be grouped into six major factors. Moreover, students opine that their online socializing does not reduce their study time, instead it helps them get the latest study related information, sharing courses, class schedules etc. After running a regression analysis, the authors conclude that the students’ level of engagement with the academic life through Facebook does not influence their academic results. The reason for this insignificant relation between academic results and academic engagement through SNSs may be due to the non-diversified course curriculum, the traditional way of delivering lectures and evaluating, limited study materials, non-receptiveness to technology-based learning etc. However, the authors propose to include SNSs as a study tool as it is a popular media and to conduct further research to better understand the effective way of using it in the education system.
Hierarchical test pattern generation: a cost model and implementation

A cost model for and implementation of a hierarchical test generation technique are presented. The cost model is based on fundamental test generation activities such as implication, justification, and backtracking. The model shows that the cost of hierarchical test generation grows as G log G under some realistic assumptions, while the cost of gate-level test generation may grow as fast as G/sup 2/, where G is the number of gates in a circuit under test. This implies that hierarchical test generators should be much faster than flat test generators on large circuits. The implementation of the hierarchical test generation is fan-out-oriented and uses a minimal hierarchical representation of the circuit and functional level heuristics to perform implication, propagation, and backtracing with high-level functional models. Experiments with three hierarchically described circuits show that hierarchical test generation is 1.5 to 8.9 faster than flat gate-level generation. >
THE PRODUCTION OF LACTIC ACID BY THE LOCAL IRAQI STRAIN ENTEROCOCCUS FAECIUM

Lactic acid is an important carboxylic acid used in different aspects of life. In this study a pure isolate of homofermentative lactic acid bacteria Enterococcus faecium was isolated , and characterized by morphological examinations with physiological and biochemical tests. The present results have revealed the ability of the isolate to produce Llactic acid in high concentration and low concentration of Dlactic acid in contrast with control. Lactic acid has been extracted and partially purified by Amberlite IRA400 resin column, the obtained extracted parts have been tested by carboxylic acid test in addition to High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis which has showed that the concentration of L-lactic acid was 0.659g/l, while D-lactic acid was 0.174g/l in crude parts with two peaks appeared, one of area 322854 for L while no visible peak appeared for D because of small area 72214 in the figure, whereas the second peak of area 203238 may returned to the interference of D and L-lactic acid . Purified parts have reached to a purity of 72.3% for L-lactic and 38.2% for D-lactic acid also with one sharp peak for L with area of 43639 and no visible peak for D-lactic due to small area of 16713. Bas.J.Vet.Res.Vol.1,No.2. 2014. SIS Impact Factors:0.792 ,ISI Impact Factor:3.259
Chapter 9 Role of Cytogenetic Analysis in the Diagnosis and Classification of Hematopoietic Neoplasms

The malignant cells in many patients who have leukemia, lymphoma, or another hematologic neoplasm have acquired clonal chromosomal abnormalities. Specific cytogenetic abnormalities are closely, and sometimes uniquely, associated with morphologically and clinically distinct subsets of leukemia or lymphoma (1,2). The detection of a cytogenetic abnormality clearly distinguishes between benign reactive lymphoid or myeloid hyperplasia and a malignant proliferation (1). Moreover, the detection of recurring cytogenetic abnormalities may predict the clinical course, and the likelihood of responding to particular treatments, for example, retinoic acid (RA) in acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) (3–5). In many cases, the prognostic information derived from cytogenetic analysis is independent of that provided by other clinical features. Patients with favorable prognostic features may be treated with standard regimens, whereas those with less favorable clinical or cytogenetic characteristics may be better treated with more intensive or investigational therapies (3–5). In addition, the disappearance of a chromosomal abnormality, or an abnormal clone, that was present at diagnosis is an important indicator of complete remission following treatment, and its reappearance invariably heralds relapse of the disease. This chapter focuses on the genetics of the leukemias and lymphomas from primarily a cytogenetic perspective.