Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Differences in expression of retinal proteins between diabetic and normal rats.

AIM To compare and identify the differences in expression of retinal proteins between normal and diabetic rats, and to analyze the molecular pathogenetic mechanisms of retinal diseases caused by diabetes. METHODS Changes in protein expression of retinal tissues from diabetic and normal rats were observed using 2-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2-DE). Some protein spots exhibiting statistically significant variations (P<0.05) were selected randomly and identified by tandem mass spectrometry and analyzed by bioinformatics. RESULTS 2-DE showed that the expression was up-regulated in 5 retinal proteins, down-regulated in 23 retinal proteins, and disappeared in 8 retinal proteins. Eight spots were identified from the 36 spots by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and analyzed by bioinformatics. Guanylate kinase 1, triosephosphate isomerase 1, ATP synthase subunit d, albumin and dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 2 played an important role in signal transduction. Triosephosphate isomerase 1, crystallin alpha B, ATP synthase subunit d and peroxiredoxin 6 were involved in energy metabolism of retinal tissues. Guanylate kinase 1 played an important role in photoexcitation of retinal rod photoreceptor cells. Whether crystallin beta A1 plays a role in diabetic retinas is unknown so far. CONCLUSION There are differences in expression of retinal proteins between diabetic and normal rats. These proteins may be involved in the mechanisms and prognosis of retinal diseases caused by diabetes.
Towards a better understanding of interactive value formation: Three value outcomes perspective

ABSTRACT The present study utilized netnography to explore specific value dimension(s) that generate three types of value outcomes as a result of interactive value formation (IVF) – value co-creation, value co-destruction and value no-creation – in a tourism accommodation services context. Customer-generated content on TripAdvisor was analyzed. The keywords ‘good’, ‘positive’, ‘excellent’, ‘great’ and ‘nice’ were used to capture visitors’ online narratives linked to the value co-creation outcome of IVF. The following negative emotional words denoted the value co-destruction outcomes of IVF: ‘bad’, ‘negative’, ‘worst’, ‘terrible’ and ‘poor’. The keywords ‘ok’, ‘average’, ‘standard’, ‘decent’ and ‘not good not bad’ were linked to value no-creation. Out of the 1,138 online reviews screened, the study focused on 263 reviews linked to 6 different hotels in Vaasa, Finland. A grounded theory approach was used to analyse the data. The findings were based on only one value dimension that resulted in all three types of value outcomes: hotel breakfast. We suggest that future studies on value should also incorporate the value no-creation dimension for a holistic and realistic understanding of the concept.
Eating disorder examination questionnaire (EDE-Q): norms for undergraduate Japanese women.

The aim of the present study was to provide normative data for the Eating Disorder Examination Questionnaire (EDE-Q) among undergraduate Japanese women and to compare these data to norms obtained from previous studies. Undergraduate Japanese women (n = 289), aged 18-24 years, were administered the EDE-Q. The mean global score in the present study was 1.55 (SD = 1.03). Japanese women reported significantly higher scores of shape concern and weight concern in spite of lower body mass index but a significantly lower score of restraint, compared with women in other normative studies. There were significant differences with respect to the occurrence of some specific eating disorder behaviours between Japanese women and women in the previous studies. Differences in normative data for the EDE-Q between young Japanese women and young women in the previous studies suggest that there may be certain cultural differences in eating disorder psychopathology.
Alphaviruses: Semliki Forest Virus and Sindbis Virus Vectors for Gene Transfer into Neurons

Alphaviral vectors based on Semliki Forest virus and Sindbis virus infect many host cell types, causing rapid and high‐level transgene expression. In the CNS, Semliki Forest virus and Sindbis virus exhibit an outstanding preference for neurons rather than glial cells, compared to other viruses. Generation of high‐titer virus stocks is rapid (less than two days) and typically requires biosafety level 1 or 2 containment. Wild‐type vectors are cytotoxic, permitting short‐term transgene expression. However, mutant vectors with decreased cytotoxicity, to prolong host cell survival, have been developed. They also increase transgene expression and cellular co‐infection, permitting heteromeric protein expression in individual cells. In addition, mutants with temperature‐dependent control of transgene expression and altered host cell preference to target interneurons and astrocytes rather than principal neurons are available. Other alphavirus vectors based on Venezuelan equine encephalitis and Eastern equine encephalitis virus replicons have been engineered, too. Alphavirus vectors have been successfully used not only in neuroscience, but also for other applications including drug discovery, structural biology, vaccine development, and cancer therapy. Curr. Protoc. Neurosci. 57:4.22. 1‐4.22. 27. © 2011 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Dutch EPIC food frequency questionnaire. I. Description of the questionnaire, and relative validity and reproducibility for food groups.

BACKGROUND A self-administered food frequency questionnaire was developed for the Dutch cohort of the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC). Habitual consumption of 178 food items can be calculated from the questionnaire data. METHODS Reproducibility and relative validity for food group intake were investigated in a population of 121 Dutch men and Women. The questionnaire was administered three times at 6-month intervals in order to determine the reproducibility. To assess the relative validity 12 monthly 24-hour recalls served as the reference method. RESULTS Spearman rank order correlation coefficients between estimates of food group intake assessed by repeated questionnaires ranged from 0.45 to 0.92. For men, Spearman correlation coefficients between estimates of food group intake based on the questionnaire and those based on 24-hour recalls ranged from 0.21 for cooked vegetables to 0.78 for sugar and sweet products, with a range of 0.61. For women the median was 0.53, with a minimum of 0.31 for vegetables and a maximum of 0.87 for alcoholic beverages. The photographs in the questionnaire for the estimation of portion sizes contributed little to the relative validity of the ranking of subjects. However, on the group level most median food group estimates based on photographic portion sizes were closer to the median intakes as assessed by 24-hour recalls than those based on standard portion sizes. CONCLUSIONS The questionnaire seems adequate for ranking Dutch EPIC subjects according to intake of most food groups, although the relative validity for some food groups, such as vegetables and fish, remains of concern.
28.1 A 0.46mW 5MHz-BW 79.7dB-SNDR noise-shaping SAR ADC with dynamic-amplifier-based FIR-IIR filter

The successive approximation register (SAR) ADC is the most energy efficient architecture with moderate conversion rate and resolution. However, its comparator noise limits its resolution without sacrificing power efficiency. The delta-sigma modulator (DSM) is the most popular architecture for achieving high SNDR due to its oversampling, but the bulky operational amplifier (op-amp) makes it area inefficient. In LTE Advanced, the bandwidth (BW) of downlink ADCs needs to be configured according to the number of inter-band non-contiguous carrier aggregation (NCCA), which motivates us to combine the benefits of both architectures to reduce area and power consumption simultaneously with high SNDR. The noise-shaping SAR ADC [1] suppresses the comparison and quantization noise in signal BW using a simple cascaded FIR-IIR filter, which obviates the need for a power-hungry low-noise comparator or high-performance op-amp. To some extent, the noise-shaping SAR ADC is a hybrid of DSM and SAR ADCs. Hence, it has the potential to achieve the high resolution and good power efficiency of DSM and SAR ADCs, respectively. However, the passive sampling in an FIR filter introduces considerable thermal noise to the ADC, making it difficult to achieve a high SNR. This work presents an energy-efficient noise-shaping SAR ADC that uses a gain-enhanced dynamic amplifier and some capacitors to construct a low-noise dynamic FIR-IIR filter. The prototype achieves a peak SNDR of 79.74dB over a 5MHz BW with a power consumption of 0.46mW from a 1V supply.
An association between collateral blood flow and myocardial viability in patients with recent myocardial infarction.

BACKGROUND We hypothesized that successful reperfusion of an occluded infarct-related coronary artery even late after acute myocardial infarction would result in improved regional wall motion and that such improvement might be related to the presence of collateral blood flow within the infarct bed. METHODS We assessed regional wall motion by two-dimensional echocardiography at base line and one month after angioplasty was attempted in the occluded infarct-related artery in 43 patients who had had a myocardial infarction two days to five weeks earlier. A wall-motion score was assigned to each patient on a five-point scale (from 1 [normal function] to 5 [dyskinesia]). The percentage of the infarct bed perfused by collateral flow was assessed with myocardial contrast echocardiography. RESULTS In the 41 patients who had abnormal wall motion at base line, improvement in function was noted in 25 (78 percent) of the 32 in whom angioplasty was successful, as compared with only 1 (11 percent) of the 9 in whom it was unsuccessful (P < 0.001). The percentage of the infarct bed supplied by collateral flow at base line was directly correlated with wall function and inversely correlated with the wall-motion score one month after successful angioplasty (r = -0.64, P < 0.001). Among the patients in whom angioplasty was successful, the 23 in whom > 50 percent of the infarct bed was supplied by collateral flow had better wall motion (P < 0.001) and greater improvement in wall motion at one month (P = 0.004) than the 9 in whom < or = 50 percent of the bed was supplied by collateral flow. The degree of improvement in function was not influenced by the length of time between the infarction and the attempted angioplasty. CONCLUSIONS The myocardium remains viable for a prolonged period in many patients with acute infarction and an occluded infarct-related artery. Viability appears to be associated with the presence of collateral blood flow within the infarct bed.
Possibility of Objective Knowledge Level Measurement in Health Sciences Higher Education

Realistic assessment of students' knowledge with traditional questionnaires, tests, worksheets is doubtful. [1] Teacher's subjectivity may occur in educational assessments. [2] "Mathematical and statistical theories, models primarily enable the development of tests as measuring instruments, and also the development of better tests, from which we can deduce indicators which are able to characterize the goodness of tests. " [3, 4, 5, 6, 7]
The evolution of regional capitals in Western Australia: empirical modelling and policy analysis 1984–2014

ABSTRACT There is an emerging international academic and policy-oriented literature that draws on economic evolutionary concepts and resilience thinking. Thus far, the design and implementation of resilience thinking appears to run ahead of clarity and rigorous empirical testing. In this article, we attempt to redress this imbalance by employing contemporary economic models and methods to explore the dynamics of four local economies from diverse locations in Western Australia. These localities have been identified as key regional growth centres by the Western Australian State Government. In the broader context, these localities represent a stress test for concepts developed in a different socio-economic context. The evidence shows that these localities lack resilience, displaying path dependence, with external “shocks” having long-run impacts on their developmental trajectories. Furthermore, there is considerable variability between the four centres in their response to shocks, reinforcing political and popular discourse about the existence of a patchwork economy.
Comparing Optic Nerve Head Analysis Between Confocal Scanning Laser Ophthalmoscopy and Spectral Domain Optical Coherence Tomography

Abstract Purpose/aim of the study: Confocal scanning laser ophthalmoscopy, HRT3, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography (OCT), RTVue-100, are able to give 3-dimensional (3D) topography images of optic nerve head (ONH) and to derive stereometric parameters and sectorial analysis. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the agreement of these two devices and their diagnostic accuracy to discriminate eyes with glaucoma from those without. Materials and methods: Glaucoma patients and healthy control subjects were included. All of them underwent a complete ophthalmological examination, including slit lamp evaluation and visual field (VF) test. After pupil dilatation, HRT3 and RTVue-100 were performed. The following stereometric parameters were recorded: disc area, rim area, rim volume, cup volume, cup area, cup/disk ratio, and the following sectors, superotemporal, superonasal, inferotemporal, inferonasal. Results: Forty-six eyes of 46 glaucoma patients and 58 eyes of 58 healthy subjects were included in the study. In both groups, HRT3 rim area and rim volume were statistically higher than RTVue-100 (glaucomas: 0.95 ± 0.38 versus 0.44 ± 0.33 and 0.19 ± 0.13 versus 0.02 ± 0.03, p < 0.01. controls: 1.41 ± 0.30 versus 1.08 ± 0.37 and 0.37 ± 0.13 versus 0.14 ± 0.11, p < 0.01), while cup area was statistically higher by RTVue-100 (glaucomas: 1.42 ± 0.57 versus 1.14 ± 0.58, p < 0.01. controls: 1.05 ± 1.35 versus 0.65 ± 0.48). Bland and Altman plots confirmed the presence of a fixed bias. The parameters with largest AUROC were rim volume, rim area and cup/disk ratio for both instruments. HRT3 inferotemporal sector had the highest sensitivity (80.43%, at 75.9% specificity), while for RTVue-100, the superotemporal sector had the highest sensitivity (76.1%, at 81% specificity). The agreement was moderate for inferotemporal sector and fair for the others. Conclusions: HRT3 and RTVue-100 are not interchangeable for ONH analysis. They both have good diagnostic accuracy, but RTVue-100 shows slightly better performance, at least with regard to rim area volume.
Membrane Topology of the GluR1 Glutamate Receptor Subunit: Epitope Mapping by Site‐Directed Antipeptide Antibodies

Abstract: In order to define the membrane topology of the GluR1 glutamate receptor subunit, we have examined the location of epitopes. Antibodies were produced against peptides corresponding to putative extracellular and intracellular segments of the rat brain GluR1 glutamate receptor subunit. Immunocytochemistry at the electron microscopic level in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampal formation showed that epitopes for the antiserum to the N‐terminal part of the subunit are located at the extracellular face of the plasma membrane, whereas the antigenic determinants for the antiserum to the C‐terminal part are found at the intracellular face of the postsynaptic membrane. Furthermore, antibodies to the N‐terminal residues 253–267 reacted similarly with both intact and permeabilized synaptosomes, whereas the binding of antibodies to the C‐terminal residues 877–889 increased about 1.6‐fold following permeabilization. Our data suggest that the N‐ and C‐terminal regions are located on the opposite side of the membrane and, therefore, the GluR1 subunit probably has an odd number of membrane spanning segments. The antibody cross‐reactivities in different species and their effect on ligand binding activity were also established.
Smart child rescue system from borewell (SCRS)

In India for past few days, there have been several accidents of children falling into abandoned borewells which is left uncovered and get trapped. Abandoned borewells seems to be death pits for children. These borewells in turn have started to take many innocent lives. In these cases normal operation of child rescue is done by using big machines with large manpower involvement. The rescue process to save the child from bore well is a very long and complicated process. It is time taking process and also risky in various ways. So the aim of the project is to prevent the Children from falling in ton the Borewell. Our Paper implies a new design which has a sensor kept at top of borewell hole which helps to sense the child if he fell inside. If the system senses the child the automatic horizontal closure kept at around five feet depth closes and prevents the children from falling beneath it. It is easy to rescue the child from five feet than five hundred feet. This system also alerts by giving siren and messages to rescue team and concern officials with location. Hence this system will help to prevent children from falling in borewell and get trapped.
[Plasma homocysteine, a risk factor for premature vascular disease. Plasma levels in healthy persons; during pathologic conditions and drug therapy].

Homocysteine is a branch-point metabolite, the biological fate of which is linked to vitamin B12, reduced folates and vitamin B6. Various inborn defects in homocysteine metabolism, among which cystathionine beta-synthase deficiency is most common, lead to the clinical condition homocystinuria. A central feature of this clinical state is premature arteriosclerosis. These patients benefit from agents serving as cofactors in homocysteine metabolism which both reduce the homocysteine levels in plasma and the incidence of vascular episodes. Experimental data point to homocysteine as an arteriosclerotic agent. Homocysteine in human plasma exists mainly as mixed disulfides with albumin (70 per cent) and cysteine. New methods determine total plasma homocysteine which includes all these species. Normal values for plasma homocysteine are lower in premenopausal women than in men and postmenopausal women. Impaired homocysteine metabolism seems to exist in 15-30 per cent of patients with premature cardiovascular disease. Moderate homocysteinemia is as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, independent of conventional risk factors. Apart from homocystinuria, vitamin B12 deficiency causes the most extreme elevations of plasma homocysteine, and it has been established that plasma homocysteine is a more responsive parameter to impaired vitamin B12 function than serum cobalamin. Massive increase in plasma homocysteine level is also observed in folate deficiency, whereas renal failure, some malignant states and psoriasis cause a moderate homocysteinemia. High doses of folic acid reduce plasma homocysteine, and this innocuous mean should be considered as an intervention in patients with increased plasma level. Drugs like methotrexate, some anticonvulsants and 6-azauridine triacetate induce moderate elevation of plasma homocysteine, whereas a reduction is observed after penicillamine administration. (ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Photomosaic Generation by Rearranging Subimages, with GPU Acceleration

The main contribution of this paper is to show a new photomosaic generation method by rearranging subimages of an image. In the photomosaic generation, an input image is divided into small subimages and they are rearranged such that the rearranged image reproduces another image given as a target image. Therefore, this problem can be considered as a combinatorial optimization problem to obtain the rearrangement which reproduces approximate images to the target image. Our new idea is that this rearrangement problem is reduced to a minimum weighted bipartite matching problem. By solving the matching problem, we can obtain the best rearrangement image. Although it can generate the most similar photomosaic image, a lot of computing time is necessary. Hence, we propose an approximation algorithm of the photomosaic generation. This approximation algorithm does not obtain the most similar photomosaic image. However, the computing time can be shortened considerably. Additionally, we accelerate the computation using the GPU (Graphics Processing Unit). The experimental results show that the GPU implementations for the optimization algorithm and the approximation algorithm can accelerate the computation to 40 and 66 times faster than the serial CPU implementation, respectively.
Antifungal prophylaxis for the prevention of neonatal candidiasis?

Background: Randomized controlled trials suggest that prophylactic administration of antifungal agents reduce the rate of colonization and invasive Candida infection in a subgroup of high‐risk very low birth weight (VLBW) neonates. The extent of antifungal prophylaxis use in the United Kingdom and Ireland is unknown.
Physical activity level and its association with metabolic syndrome among an employed population in China

The purpose of the present study was to estimate the association of physical activity level (PAL) with metabolic syndromes among the employed population in China. Using data from the 2002 China National Nutrition and Health Survey, the PAL of 21 834 subjects aged 18–59 years was described, and its relationship with the risk of metabolic syndrome was studied after adjusting for the relative effects of smoking, drinking, diet and socioeconomic status. Information on physical activity was collected by trained investigators using a 1‐year physical activity questionnaire. PAL was classified into four categories: sedentary (PAL 1.00–1.39), low active (PAL 1.40–1.59), active (PAL 1.60–1.89) and very active (PAL 1.90–2.50). The definition of metabolic syndrome by the International Diabetes Federation 2005 was applied. The percentage of people being sedentary, low active, active and very active was 12.3%, 13.7%, 20.1% and 53.9% respectively. The crude prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the sedentary, low active, active and very active groups was 9.7%, 6.9%, 5.6% and 4.9% respectively. After adjusting for the effect of other risk factors, the higher the PAL, the lower the relative risk of metabolic syndrome as well as the individual metabolic abnormalities. The risk of overweight/obesity and metabolic syndrome was 50% and 59% less, respectively, in the adults who were very active and whose dietary fat contributed less than 20% to energy intakes when compared with their counterparts who were sedentary and consumed more fat (≥30% energy). PAL was an independent risk factor for obesity and multiple metabolic syndrome abnormalities among the employed population in China. The high‐risk population were middle‐age males living in large cities with high incomes who drink alcohol.
Agenda Entrance Complexity in International Accounting Standard Setting: The Case of IFRS for SMEs

Features of rational decision making (such as agenda entrance criteria and statement of jurisdiction) barely conceal the complexity of international accounting standard setting. In 2003, when the International Financial Reporting Standard for Small and Mediumâ€ sized Entities (IFRS for SMEs) project achieved agenda entrance, the International Accounting Standards Board's (IASB) jurisdiction was to develop, â€˜a single set of â€¦ accounting standards â€¦ to help participants in the world's capital marketsâ€™. Drawing on interviewees' recollections and other material, this study of how the project achieved agenda entrance finds withinâ€ IASB opposition to the project, arguing it was outside the IASB's jurisdiction that dissolved with the realisation that the IASB's jurisdiction would be changed to encompass the project.