Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Challenges and Opportunities for Visualization and Analysis of Graph-Modeled Medical Data

Graphs are largely used in computer science to model relations, or associations, among entities the compose complex systems. More recently, they found a broad field of application in bioinformatics and medical informatics supporting modelling, analysis of many systems. The applications span from representing interactions among molecules within cells, to model the functions of the brains. In order to support research, algorithms from graph theory that are able to extract knowledge from network should be coupled to efficient visualisation techniques. Although the importance of such topic, we retain that many challenges should be faced in the futures, such as automated pathway and network layout to better match biologists’ needs, the developing of a standard able to give more and better choices to represent nodes, edges finally, the developing of automated mechanism able to improve the network navigation methods that help users manage large and complex networks with the goal to improve the usability.
Global gender disparities in science

brought together to support each other to better manage their conditions. Since 2009, we have been involved in the Southampton Initiative for Health, which uses an empowering, problem-solving approach to improve the diets and physical activity levels of Southampton’s most disadvantaged young women and their children. The programme has involved training the staff of the city’s Sure Start Children’s Centres — providers of services such as baby clinics, breastfeeding and weaning support, dentistry, parenting and cookery classes — in having conversations that encourage women to identify problems and generate solutions to change behaviour. Although the data suggest that attending centres staffed by workers using this approach enhances women’s sense of empowerment, to improve their nutritional status we need both to help women to feel more in control of their food choices and to make it easier for them to make better choices. On a small scale, such a multilevel approach has proved effective. Trials in Canada, Australia and the United States demonstrate that the diets of small-town residents can be improved when efforts to enhance people’s sense of empowerment in relation to healthy eating are pursued alongside local media campaigns to promote the benefits of eating well, together with programmes that help people to gain better access to fruits and vegetables and skills in food preparation. The challenge is to scale up such efforts to the wider public-health arena, because this means engaging political and commercial interests, including those of powerful food companies. We believe that the methods used by people working in public health to engage politicians and food companies need to undergo a similar transformation to those being used to engage individuals. So far, public-health advocates have called for regulation and legislation as a means to improve diets — an increased tax on fatty and sugary foods, for instance. Yet this is unlikely to happen because raising the tax on soft drinks, say, is not in the interests of industry, or of politicians, who are sensitive to industry pressures and to a public desire for cheap soft drinks. Instead of wagging fingers, we need to generate consensus. Empowering consumers to call for better access to better food will put pressure on politicians to respond to voters, and on the food industry to please their customers. More than 20 years ago, one of us (D.B.) wrote in this journal that “if more was known about the processes by which the environment in early life influences adult health . the rise in incidence of ‘Western’ disease [might be] minimized. ” Today, we have the knowledge to readily prevent chronic diseases, had we but the will to do so. ■
Creation of the WATCH Forcing Data and Its Use to Assess Global and Regional Reference Crop Evaporation over Land during the Twentieth Century

The Water and Global Change (WATCH) project evaluation of the terrestrial water cycle involves using land surface models and general hydrological models to assess hydrologically important variables including evaporation, soil moisture, and runoff. Such models require meteorological forcing data, and this paper describes the creation of the WATCH Forcing Data for 1958–2001 based on the 40-yr ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA-40) and for 1901–57 based on reordered reanalysis data. It also discusses and analyses model-independent estimates of reference crop evaporation. Global average annual cumulative reference crop evaporation was selected as a widely adopted measure of potential evapotranspiration. It exhibits no significant trend from 1979 to 2001 although there are significant long-term increases in global average vapor pressure deficit and concurrent significant decreases in global average net radiation and wind speed. The near-constant global average of annual reference crop evaporation in the late twentieth century masks significant decreases in some regions (e.g., the Murray–Darling basin) with significant increases in others.
Reactive power pricing in stressed & unstressed condition with system security in deregulated market

Pricing of reactive power and management by Independent System Operator using system security of electricity market in stressed and unstressed condition is presented here. Reactive power pricing market structure is shown here by considering security of the system. First of all, the Total Expected Payment of reactive power generation from every reactive power generator or suppliers by considering all security related to power system are formed by calculating flow of power equations and bid price of the reactive power provider. Secondly, societal advantage function is calculated by using benefits of the reactive power supply. This method of pricing crops by the selected generators by creating bidding between all the reactive power generator and by placing the selected generator into a specified zone as per requirement and calculated zonal price components, which would be a fixed contracts in between the Independent System Operator & selected source of reactive power generator.
Understanding the Characteristics of IT Capability in Delivering a Customer-Focused Strategy: The case of Saudi Bank

The rationale is to address the perceived gap in the existing literature by exploring the relationship between information technology capabilities (ITC) and customer-focused strategies (CFS). It is essential to explore how technologies enable organizations to implement strategies through a more interactive approach to their customers. Thus, the research objective seeks to improve the understanding of the relationship between ITC and the organizational goal of achieving a customer-focused strategy. Identifying the characteristics of ITC makes the organization focus on developing these characteristics, which may help to achieve an appropriate level of customer-focused strategies. The analysis of the data collected indicates five major characteristics of ITC. : 1) The fulfilment of business requirements on time, 2) the automation of business processes, 3) supporting business continuity, 4) the integration of multiple business systems and applications, and 5) the availability of timely and correct information. The conclusion summarizes these characteristics in the context of how they might affect a customer-focused strategy.
Correlation of sensory electroneurographic recordings and myelinated fiber diameters of the superficial peroneal nerve of dogs.

The compound nerve action potential (CNAP) of the superficial peroneal nerve of dogs was investigated to determine: (1) the influence of the stimulation technique on the configuration of the CNAP, with particular attention to late components; (2) the fiber diameter (FD) distribution; and (3) the relationship between FD distribution and CNAP configuration, by reconstruction of CNAP made on the basis of FD distributions. The CNAP were evoked in 9 dogs under halothane anesthesia by 2 stimulation methods: percutaneous needle electrode stimulation and direct stimulation of the exposed superficial peroneal nerve. Recordings were made with percutaneous needle electrodes. Full nerve cross sections of 7 superficial peroneal nerves were prepared for FD morphometric analysis. Reconstruction of CNAP were made on the basis of the FD distributions. Late components of the CNAP could be evoked with either stimulation method, but only with a stimulus intensity of 3 to 5 times maximal for the main (early) component of the CNAP. The FD histograms of 7 analyzed nerves had bimodal distribution. In 5 nerves, peaks were at 4.2 to 4.5 microns and 9.0 to 10.0 microns, with 60% of the fibers in the small-diameter group. In 2 nerves with lower maximal conduction velocities, peaks were shifted toward smaller values. The CNAP reconstructions made by use of FD data closely resembled actual recordings when a fifth-order polynomial function was applied to the relationship between nerve conduction velocity and FD. Reconstructions made by use of 1 or 2 linear functions did not accurately resemble actual recordings. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Multi-objective tradeoffs in the design optimization of synchronous reluctance machines for electric vehicle application

The synchronous reluctance machine (SynRM) can be considered as a viable alternative to permanent-magnet synchronous machines and induction machines. The absence of permanent magnets or excitation windings are advantages. Additionally, higher efficiencies respectively torque densities are possible compared to induction machines. Lower power factors (typically less than 0.7-0.8) and therefore larger inverter currents are one of the major drawbacks of the SynRM. This paper presents a design optimization procedure for synchronous reluctance machines for electric vehicle application and discusses the tradeoffs between the most important design objectives. The optimization problem is solved using a multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (differential evolution) assisted by a surrogate model (Kriging). This work aims at presenting an approach which is more comprehensive than usual due to the consideration of electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical aspects.
Low-Protein Diet Suppresses Serum Insulin-Like Growth Factor-1 and Decelerates the Progression of Growth Hormone-Induced Glomerulosclerosis

A low-protein (LP) diet has been associated with amelioration of renal function in glomerulosclerosis (GS). However, the mechanisms involved are still unclear. We have used a mouse transgenic for bovine growth hormone (GH), which develops progressive GS and exhibits consistently elevated levels of circulating GH and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1, to study the effect of dietary protein restriction. LP (6% protein) and normal-protein (NP, 20% protein) diets were maintained for 30 weeks in mice with established GS of mild/moderate degree. The degree of GS was markedly attenuated in LP compared to NP mice. Quantitative analysis revealed a significantly lower GS index (1.4 ± 0.9 in LP vs. 2.8 ± 0.8 in NP) and glomerular volume (0.8 × 106 ± 0.1 × 106 µm3 in LP vs. 1.2 × 106 ± 0.1 × 106 µm3 in NP) in mice with restricted protein intake. These morphologic changes were accompanied by a significant reduction in renal expression of α1 type-IV collagen (2.4-fold) and tenascin (1.4-fold) in LP mice. Serum IGF-1 decreased by 40% and showed a significant correlation with α1 type-IV collagen expression with the LP diet. The present finding supports the use of the LP diet to decelerate the progression of GS and furthermore suggests that one of the mechanisms involved in this process is the GH/IGF-1 regulation by protein intake.
Normal Pattern of the Cerebral Function Monitor Trace in Term and Preterm Neonates

ABSTRACT. Cerebral Function Monitor (CFM) recordings were performed on 10 term and 19 preterm healthy infants. Term infants were monitored once, while preterm infants were followed serially. Forty‐six recordings were made on 7, 14, 16 and 9 occasions in the age groups 30–31, 32–33, 34–35 and 36–37 weeks. All infants were examined clinically at 18 months of age and found healthy. By drawing weighted lines derived from the lower and upper limits of the CFM traces, mean values of minimum and maximum cerebral activity were calculated for the different age groups. In the term infants different CFM traces were identified corresponding to quiet sleep and active sleep. In the preterm infants a similar cyclic variability of the CFM trace was noted. A gradual increase in the minimum cerebral activity was found with increasing gestational age, resulting in a gradual narrowing of the trace.
Trajectories of Familism Values and the Prosocial Tendencies of Mexican American Adolescents

We examined how the development of familism values from 5th to 10th grade relates to 12th-grade prosocial tendencies (after controlling for 10th-grade prosocial tendencies) using a stratified random sample of 749 Mexican American adolescents (M = 10.42 years of age at 5th grade; 48.9% girls) from 35 culturally and economically diverse neighborhoods. Most of the families (44.3%) were at or below $25,000 in annual income. A 2nd-order linear growth model represented adolescents’ familism values at 5th grade (intercepts) and change in familism values from 5th to 10th grade (slopes), with the vast majority of slopes being negative. Higher intercepts predicted greater compliant and emotional prosocial tendencies, and higher (i.e., more positive or less negative) slopes predicted greater dire (female adolescents only) and public prosocial tendencies at 12th grade. The results underscore the important role of familism values in prosocial development among Mexican American adolescents.
Bone Mineral Density Decrements and Children Diagnosed With Cancer

This integrative literature review is focused on (1) the prevalence of bone mineral density (BMD) decrements in children treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and when these decrements are observed; (2) the risk factors associated with the development of decreased BMD and resultant complications in children treated for ALL; (3) the role, if any, that corticosteroids play in decreasing BMD in children treated for ALL; (4) interventions that can potentially manage bone loss in people treated for ALL during childhood or adolescence. The results showed that people who have been diagnosed with ALL can have decrements in BMD. The etiology of BMD decrements can be attributed to multiple factors including genetic endowment, lifestyle behaviors, the leukemia disease process, and treatment exposures especially to corticosteroids and cranial radiotherapy. Male gender, age greater than 10 years, and physical inactivity are associated with BMD decrements in ALL survivors. The role of pediatric oncology nurses in the management of bone disease in children with cancer across the illness trajectory is discussed.
Luminidependens (LD) is an Arabidopsis protein with prion behavior

Significance Prion proteins provide the best-understood mode for protein-based molecular memory. Since their discovery in mammals, prions have been identified in diverse organisms including fungi, Aplysia, and Drosophila, but not in the plant kingdom. Applying methods we used to uncover yeast prions, we identified nearly 500 Arabidopsis proteins that harbor potential prion-like domains (PrDs). At least one of these domains, Luminidependens PrD, had some of the classical characteristics of prion proteins when tested experimentally in yeast, making it, to our knowledge, the first protein from the plant kingdom with bona fide prion attributes. Importantly, Luminidependens is involved in the process of flowering, a crucial development course that integrates several internal and external cues, including memories of winter, for its regulation. Prion proteins provide a unique mode of biochemical memory through self-perpetuating changes in protein conformation and function. They have been studied in fungi and mammals, but not yet identified in plants. Using a computational model, we identified candidate prion domains (PrDs) in nearly 500 plant proteins. Plant flowering is of particular interest with respect to biological memory, because its regulation involves remembering and integrating previously experienced environmental conditions. We investigated the prion-forming capacity of three prion candidates involved in flowering using a yeast model, where prion attributes are well defined and readily tested. In yeast, prions heritably change protein functions by templating monomers into higher-order assemblies. For most yeast prions, the capacity to convert into a prion resides in a distinct prion domain. Thus, new prion-forming domains can be identified by functional complementation of a known prion domain. The prion-like domains (PrDs) of all three of the tested proteins formed higher-order oligomers. Uniquely, the Luminidependens PrD (LDPrD) fully replaced the prion-domain functions of a well-characterized yeast prion, Sup35. Our results suggest that prion-like conformational switches are evolutionarily conserved and might function in a wide variety of normal biological processes.
Humanized Mice, a New Model To Study the Influence of Drug Treatment on Neonatal Sepsis

ABSTRACT Bacterial infection with group B Streptococcus (GBS) represents a prominent threat to neonates and fetuses in the Western world, causing severe organ damage and even death. To improve current therapeutic strategies and to investigate new approaches, an appropriate in vivo model to study the immune response of a human immune system is needed. Therefore, we introduced humanized mice as a new model for GBS-induced sepsis. Humanized mice feature deficiencies similar to those found in neonates, such as lower immunoglobulin levels and myeloid cell dysfunction. Due to the husbandry in specific-pathogen-free (SPF) facilities, the human immune cells in these mice also exhibit a naive phenotype which mimics the conditions in fetuses/neonates. Following infection, cytokine release and leukocyte trafficking from the bone marrow to the lymphoid organ (spleen) and into the peritoneum (site of infection) as well as bacterial spreading and clearance were traceable in the humanized mice. Furthermore, we investigated the effects of betamethasone and indomethacin treatment using this novel sepsis model. Although both drugs are commonly used in perinatal care, little is known about their effects on the neonatal immune system. Treatment of infected humanized mice not only induced the reduction of human leukocytes in the spleen but also increased the bacterial load in all analyzed organs, including the brain, which did not show infiltration of live GBS in untreated controls. These studies demonstrate the utility of the humanized mice as a new model to study an immature human immune response during bacterial infection and allow the investigation of side effects induced by various treatments.
Oxidative Metabolism

Peroxide production is detected using DCFH‐DA, superoxide anion by hydroethidine; the methods can be combined for simultaneous detection. A support protocol describes calibration of the flow cytometer to permit calculation of the actual H2O2 production per cell. These protocols are applicable to many different cell types, but provide detailed information on using neutrophils, highly reactive cells that produce vast quantities of ROS.
Anaerobic Biodegradation of Eleven Aromatic Compounds to Methane

A range of 11 simple aromatic lignin derivatives are biodegradable to methane and carbon dioxide under strict anaerobic conditions. A serum-bottle modification of the Hungate technique for growing anaerobes was used for methanogenic enrichments on vanillin, vanillic acid, ferulic acid, cinnamic acid, benzoic acid, catechol, protocatechuic acid, phenol, p-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringic acid, and syringaldehyde. Microbial populations acclimated to a particular aromatic substrate can be simultaneously acclimated to other selected aromatic substrates. Carbon balance measurements made on vanillic and ferulic acids indicate that the aromatic ring was cleaved and that the amount of methane produced from these substrates closely agrees with calculated stoichiometric values. These data suggest that more than half of the organic carbon of these aromatic compounds potentially can be converted to methane gas and that this type of methanogenic conversion of simple aromatics may not be uncommon.
Solving 0 - 1 knapsack problem by artificial chemical reaction optimization algorithm with a greedy strategy

This paper proposes a new artificial chemical reaction optimization algorithm with a greedy strategy to solve 0-1 knapsack problem. The artificial chemical reaction optimization (ACROA) inspiring the chemical reaction process is used to implement the local and global search. A new repair operator integrating a greedy strategy and random selection is used to repair the infeasible solutions. The experimental results have proven the superior performance of ACROA compared to genetic algorithm, and quantum-inspired evolutionary algorithm.
Patient‐specific anisotropic model of human trunk based on MR data

There are many ways to generate geometrical models for numerical simulation, and most of them start with a segmentation step to extract the boundaries of the regions of interest. This paper presents an algorithm to generate a patient‐specific three‐dimensional geometric model, based on a tetrahedral mesh, without an initial extraction of contours from the volumetric data. Using the information directly available in the data, such as gray levels, we built a metric to drive a mesh adaptation process. The metric is used to specify the size and orientation of the tetrahedral elements everywhere in the mesh. Our method, which produces anisotropic meshes, gives good results with synthetic and real MRI data. The resulting model quality has been evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively by comparing it with an analytical solution and with a segmentation made by an expert. Results show that our method gives, in 90% of the cases, as good or better meshes as a similar isotropic method, based on the accuracy of the volume reconstruction for a given mesh size. Moreover, a comparison of the Hausdorff distances between adapted meshes of both methods and ground‐truth volumes shows that our method decreases reconstruction errors faster. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Multi-View Product Image Search Using Deep ConvNets Representations

Multi-view product image queries can improve retrieval performance over single view queries significantly. In this paper, we investigated the performance of deep convolutional neural networks (ConvNets) on multi-view product image search. First, we trained a VGG-like network to learn deep ConvNets representations of product images. Then, we computed the deep ConvNets representations of database and query images and performed single view queries, and multi-view queries using several early and late fusion approaches. We performed extensive experiments on the publicly available Multi-View Object Image Dataset (MVOD 5K) with both clean background queries from the Internet and cluttered background queries from a mobile phone. We compared the performance of ConvNets to the classical bag-of-visual-words (BoWs). We concluded that (1) multi-view queries with deep ConvNets representations perform significantly better than single view queries, (2) ConvNets perform much better than BoWs and have room for further improvement, (3) pre-training of ConvNets on a different image dataset with background clutter is needed to obtain good performance on cluttered product image queries obtained with a mobile phone.