Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
On Determination of Ophthalmic Examinations Using Support Vector Machines

In this paper, a method of determining examination groups is presented for new outpatients visiting the department of ophthalmology, using support vector machines (SVM's). Assuming that interview sheets are divided into four classes, the proposed method copes with the examination determination as the classification of the sheets. The data are generated from handwriting sentences in the sheets, and they are arranged in the form of a matrix. Some nouns and adjectives in the sentences are chosen as elements of the matrix, and are assigned to columns of the matrix. The sentences in the sheets are assigned to rows of the matrix. Frequencies of the chosen words appearing in the sentences are basically given as element values in the matrix, and weighting is applied to element values associated with the words having comparatively high frequencies for sentences belonging to two classes at most. Normal SVM learning constructs a discrimination model, and defines four discriminant functions associated with the model. Since one-versus-all approach is employed, the class of data to be examined is determined according to output values of the four functions. It is established that the determination made by the proposed method achieves as favorable accuracy as the first determination made by an average ophthalmologist.
C‐terminal sequencing method for proteins in polyacrylamide gel by the reaction of acetic anhydride

A successive C‐terminal amino acid truncation reaction with acetic anhydride was applied on proteins in polyacrylamide gel. Protein bands separated by conventional SDS‐PAGE were excised, partially fixed in the gel with glutaraldehyde ethanol solution, dehydrated with ACN and subjected to the truncation reaction with acetic anhydride formamide solution. Pre‐treatment of the gel with pyridine aqueous solution was found to enhance the truncation reaction yields. After the truncation reaction, the products were treated with an aqueous solution of dimethylaminoethanol to hydrolyze oxazolone rings at the C termini of the truncated products and O‐acetylated products of serine, threonine and/or tyrosine. Several commercially available proteins of 10–40 kDa, as determined by SDS‐PAGE, such as myoglobin, trypsin inhibitor, α‐hemolysin, cytochrome c, chymotrypsin C chain, elastase, acylase and histone H4, were subjected to the C‐terminal analysis. The truncated proteins were in‐gel digested with trypsin and the extracted peptides were analyzed by MALDI‐TOF MS, giving rise to a series of molecular mass ions of the C‐terminal truncated fragments corresponding to the C‐terminal amino acid sequence of the relevant protein.
Genetic Tools for Studying Capnocytophaga canimorsus

ABSTRACT Capnocytophaga canimorsus, a commensal bacterium from canine oral flora, has been isolated throughout the world from severe human infections caused by dog bites. Due to the low level of evolutionary relationship to Proteobacteria, genetic methods suitable for the genus Capnocytophaga needed to be established. Here, we show that Tn4351, derived from Bacteroides fragilis, could be introduced by conjugation into C. canimorsus and conferred resistance to erythromycin. By mapping and sequencing a naturally occurring plasmid isolated from a clinical isolate of C. canimorsus, we identified a repA gene that allowed us to construct Escherichia coli-Capnocytophaga shuttle vectors. Most commonly used antibiotic markers were not functional in C. canimorsus, but cefoxitin (cfxA), tetracycline (tetQ), and erythromycin (ermF) resistances could be used as markers for plasmid maintenance in C. canimorsus and even in some other Capnocytophaga spp. Shuttle vectors were introduced into C. canimorsus either by conjugation using the origin of transfer (oriT) of RP4 or by electrotransformation. Taking advantage of the promoter of ermF, an expression vector was constructed. Finally, a method that allows site-directed mutagenesis is described. All these genetic tools pave the way, not only for molecular studies of the pathogenesis of C. canimorsus, but also for studies of other oral Capnocytophaga species.
Disruptive innovation and the creation of social capital in Indonesia’s urban communities

Abstract Existing research on social capital has primarily focused on examining the outcomes of social capital, whether these are about individual, organizational or even societal outcomes. However, much research is still needed in terms of examining how social capital is created. We contribute to filling this gap by examining the ways in which social capital is created in urban communities in an emerging economy. Social capital, in this study, is viewed as being created as a consequence of an organization’s disruptive innovation. We analyse the context of Go-Jek, a rather newly established service firm in Indonesia, and examine how the disruptive innovation of Go-Jek’s service provision influences the creation of social capital in terms of social connectedness, trust, and shared understanding, in Indonesia’s urban communities.
Increased DNA methylation in the HoxA5 promoter region correlates with decreased expression of the gene during tumor promotion

Promoter‐region DNA methylation inhibits transcription. A two‐stage SENCAR (sensitive to mouse carcinogenesis) mouse skin carcinogenicity model was used to examine gene‐specific changes in methylation during skin tumor promotion. Analysis was performed on 7,12‐dimethylbenz[a]anthracene (DMBA)‐initiated skin promoted with 9, 18, 27, or 36 mg cigarette smoke condensate (CSC) for 9 wk, or 27 mg CSC for 9 wk and sacrificed 6 wk afterwards (recovery group). Additionally, tumors arising following promotion with 27 mg CSC for 29 wk were assessed. Gene array analysis identified differentially expressed genes. Expression of HoxA5, a tumor suppressor gene, was decreased following 9 wk of treatment with 27 mg CSC, and returned to control levels during recovery. HoxA5 promoter methylation was measured with the enzymatic regional methylation assay (ERMA). DNA was bisulfite‐modified, PCR‐amplified with primers containing dam sites, incubated with [14C‐methyl] S‐adenosyl‐l‐methionine (SAM) and dam methyltransferase for DNA quantification, then incubated with [3H‐methyl] SAM and SssI methylase to quantify methylation status. Higher 3H/14C ratios indicate increased methylation. The 3H/14C ratios of animals promoted with 27 or 36 mg CSC (48.2 ± 6.9 and 24.2 ± 6.1, respectively) were higher than the control or recovery group ratios (12.3 ± 0.1 and 12.6 ± 0.3, respectively); sequence analysis supported these findings. Increased methylation of p16 or O6 methylguanine methyltranferase (MGMT) was detected in 4/8 (50%) of the tumor samples from mice promoted with 27 mg CSC. These data suggest that increased DNA methylation contributes to the downregulation of HoxA5, and combined with hypermethylation of p16 or MGMT, this might facilitate the clonal expansion of increasingly aberrant cells during promotion. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Monte Carlo Simulation Approach to Forecasting Multi-period Value-at-Risk and Expected Shortfall Using the FIGARCH-skT Specification

In financial literature, Value-at-Risk (VaR) and Expected Shortfall (ES) modelling is focused on producing 1-step ahead conditional variance forecasts. The present paper provides a methodological contribution to the multi-step VaR and ES forecasting through a new adaptation of the Monte Carlo simulation approach for forecasting multi-period volatility to a fractionally integrated GARCH framework for leptokurtic and asymmetrically distributed portfolio returns. Accounting for long memory within the conditional variance process with skewed Student-t (skT) conditionally distributed innovations, accurate 95% and 99% VaR and ES forecasts are calculated for multi-period time horizons. The results show that the FIGARCH-skT model has a superior multi-period VaR and ES forecasting performance.
Hippocampal Involvement in Processing of Indistinct Visual Motion Stimuli

Perception of known patterns results from the interaction of current sensory input with existing internal representations. It is unclear how perceptual and mnemonic processes interact when visual input is dynamic and structured such that it does not allow immediate recognition of obvious objects and forms. In an fMRI experiment, meaningful visual motion stimuli depicting movement through a virtual tunnel and indistinct, meaningless visual motion stimuli, achieved through phase scrambling of the same stimuli, were presented while participants performed an optic flow task. We found that our indistinct visual motion stimuli evoked hippocampal activation, whereas the corresponding meaningful stimuli did not. Using independent component analysis, we were able to demonstrate a functional connectivity between the hippocampus and early visual areas, with increased activity for indistinct stimuli. In a second experiment, we used the same stimuli to test whether our results depended on the participants' task. We found task-independent bilateral hippocampal activation in response to indistinct motion stimuli. For both experiments, psychophysiological interaction analysis revealed a coupling from posterior hippocampus to dorsal visuospatial and ventral visual object processing areas when viewing indistinct stimuli. These results indicate a close functional link between stimulus-dependent perceptual and mnemonic processes. The observed pattern of hippocampal functional connectivity, in the absence of an explicit memory task, suggests that cortical–hippocampal networks are recruited when visual stimuli are temporally uncertain and do not immediately reveal a clear meaning.
Usp 18 deficient mammary epithelial cells create an antitumour environment driven by hypersensitivity to IFN-l and elevated secretion of Cxcl 10

(1) Moores Cancer Center, University of California San USA (2) Division of Cell Biology, La Jolla Institute for Allergy Jolla, CA, USA (3) Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology School, University Hospital Cancer Center, Newark, (4) Department of Pathology, University of California Sa USA (5) Division of Biological Sciences, University of Californ CA, USA *Corresponding author: Tel: þ1 858 822 5372; Fax: þ E-mail: d7zhang@ucsd.edu
Globalisation and Governance in Africa: A Critical Contribution to the Empirics

This study aims to assess the effect of globalisation on governance in 51 African countries for the period 1996-2011. ,Ten bundled and unbundled governance indicators and four globalisation variables are used. The empirical evidence is based on Generalised Method of Moments. ,Firstly, on political governance, while only social globalisation improves political stability, only economic globalisation does not increase voice and accountability and political governance. Secondly, with regard to economic governance: only economic globalisation significantly promotes regulation quality; social globalisation and general globalisation significantly advance government effectiveness; and economic globalisation and general globalisation significantly promote economic governance. Thirdly, with respect to institutional governance, while only social globalisation improves corruption-control, the effects of globalisation dynamics on the rule of law and institutional governance are not significant. Fourthly, the impacts of social globalisation and general globalisation are positive on general governance. ,It follows that political governance is driven by voice and accountability compared to political stability; economic governance is promoted by both regulation quality and government effectiveness from specific globalisation angles; and globalisation does not improve institutional governance for the most part. ,Governance variables are bundled and unbundled to reflect evolving conceptions and definitions of governance. Theoretical contributions and policy implications are discussed.
Intestinal Inflammation-Mediated Clearance of Amebic Parasites Is Dependent on IFN-γ

Intestinal amebiasis is a major cause of diarrhea. However, research on host–amebae interactions has been hampered owing to a lack of appropriate animal models. Recently, a mouse model of intestinal amebiasis was established, and using it, we reported that Entamoeba moshkovskii colonized the intestine in a manner similar to that of the pathogenic Entamoeba histolytica. In this study, we evaluated the protective mechanisms present against amebae using this model. CBA/J mice infected with E. histolytica had a persistent infection without apparent symptoms. In contrast, E. moshkovskii–infected mice rapidly expelled the ameba, which was associated with weight loss, diarrhea, and intestinal damage characterized by apoptosis of intestinal epithelial cells (IECs). Expression of NKG2D on intestinal intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) and IFN-γ–producing cells in Peyer’s patches were significantly induced after infection with E. moshkovskii but not with E. histolytica. IFN-γ–deficient mice infected with E. moshkovskii showed no obvious symptoms. Notably, none of these mice expelled E. moshkovskii, indicating that IFN-γ is responsible not only for intestinal symptoms but also for the expulsion of amebae. Furthermore, apoptosis of IECs and expression of NKG2D on IELs observed in E. moshkovskii–infected mice did not occur in the absence of IFN-γ. In vivo blocking of NKG2D in mice infected with E. moshkovskii enabled ameba to survive longer and remarkably reduced apoptotic IECs. Our results clearly demonstrate a novel protective mechanism exerted by IFN-γ against intestinal amebae, including induction of cytotoxicity of IELs toward IECs.
Detection of Circulating Tumor Cells in Locally Advanced High-risk Prostate Cancer During Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Radical Prostatectomy.

AIM Circulating tumour cells (CTCs) may be prognostic for biochemical recurrence-free survival (bRFS) in patients with locally advanced high-risk prostate cancer (LAPC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemohormonal therapy (NCHT) and radical prostatectomy (RP). PATIENTS AND METHODS CTCs were detected before and after NCHT, after RP and at follow-up using the CellSearch™-System for 59 blood samples (20 ml) from patients with LAPC (n=15) and, additionally, for 15 control samples. RESULTS The median 5-year progression risk was 90%. CTCs (≥1/20 ml) were detected in 53.3% of patients, with a detection rate of 18.6% in sample-adjusted analysis. CTCs were detected at baseline in 20% of patients with LAPC and 6.7% of controls (p=0.6). CTC findings displayed no association with clinicopathological characteristics. The median bRFS of CTC-negative vs. CTC-positive patients was 43.7 (95% confidence interval not reached) vs. 29.2 months (95% confidence interval=26.8-60.6 months), without statistical significance (p=0.76). CONCLUSION During NCHT and RP, longitudinal CTC presence seems to some extent stochastic, although patients with persistant CTCs post-RP developed biochemical recurrence. No significant association with clinicopathological characteristics or bRFS was observed in patients with LAPC, despite a trend for reduced bRFS in patients with detectable CTCs.
Hydrochloride pioglitazone protects diabetic rats against podocyte injury through preserving glomerular podocalyxin expression.

OBJECTIVE We sought to test the effect of different dosages of pioglitazone (PIO) on the glomerular expression of podocalyxin and urinary sediment podocalyxin excretion and to explore the potential renoprotective mechanism. MATERIALS AND METHODS Type 1 diabetes induced with streptozotocin (65 mg/kg) in 36 male Sprague-Dawley rats were randomly allocated to be treated with vehicle or 10, 20, 30 mg/kg/d PIO respectively for 8 weeks. Eight rats were enrolled in the normal control group. RESULTS At 8th week, rats were sacrificed for the observation of kidney injury through electron microscope. Glomerular podocalyxin production including mRNA and protein were determined by RT-PCR and immunohistochemistry respectively. Levels of urinary albumin excretion and urinary sediment podocalyxin, kidney injury index were all significantly increased, whereas expression of glomerular podocalyxin protein and mRNA were decreased significantly in diabetic rats compared to normal control. Dosages-dependent analysis revealed that protective effect of PIO ameliorated the physiopathological changes and reached a peak at dosage of 20 mg/kg/d. CONCLUSION PIO could alleviate diabetic kidney injury in a dose-dependent pattern and the role may be associated with restraining urinary sediment podocalyxin excretion and preserving the glomerular podocalyxin expression.
1×2 SIW power dividers modeling using a rigorous finite element method for V-band applications

Recently, the finite element technique has been so well established that today it is considered to be one of the best methods for solving a wide variety of practical problems efficiently. This paper presents the numerical modeling using the two-dimensional finite element method 2D-FEM. This rigorous technique is applied for the analysis and design for power dividers in substrate integrated waveguide technology employed for V band applications. The CST Microwave studio® software is employed to validate the proposed method. An excellent agreement between the finite element method data and CST simulation is achieved. The perfect comparison results show the success of the 2D-FEM method to analyze SIW power dividers.
Temporal generalization gradients following an interdimensional discrimination protocol

We investigated the effects of interdimensional discrimination training in the temporal generalization gradient. In a matching-to-sample task, pigeons learned to choose key S after a T–s houselight sample and key NS in the absence of the houselight sample. For one group of pigeons, T = 20 s; for another, T = 10 s. Subsequently, houselight duration was varied to obtain temporal generalization gradients. Results showed that (a) proportion S increased as houselight duration ranged from 0 s to T s and then remained high for houselight durations longer than T; (b) the gradients were well described by negative-exponential functions; (c) these non-flat gradients were present from the beginning of testing, and; (d) the average gradients obtained with T = 20 s and T = 10 s overlapped when plotted in relative time. We conclude that temporal control does not require explicit discrimination training along the temporal dimension, and that temporal generalization gradients obtained with an interdimensional protocol show the scalar property of timing. We discuss how these findings challenge current models of timing.
An Engineered Disulfide Bond Reversibly Traps the IgE-Fc3–4 in a Closed, Nonreceptor Binding Conformation*

Background: IgE antibodies bind the high affinity receptor on mast cells and basophils and trigger allergic diseases. Results: An engineered disulfide bond in the IgE-Fc traps a closed conformational state, blocking receptor, but not inhibitor, binding. Conclusion: Disulfide bond trapping reveals different conformational requirements for IgE ligand binding. Significance: Better understanding of IgE conformational dynamics may lead to novel approaches to treating allergic diseases. IgE antibodies interact with the high affinity IgE Fc receptor, FcϵRI, and activate inflammatory pathways associated with the allergic response. The IgE-Fc region, comprising the C-terminal domains of the IgE heavy chain, binds FcϵRI and can adopt different conformations ranging from a closed form incompatible with receptor binding to an open, receptor-bound state. A number of intermediate states are also observed in different IgE-Fc crystal forms. To further explore this apparent IgE-Fc conformational flexibility and to potentially trap a closed, inactive state, we generated a series of disulfide bond mutants. Here we describe the structure and biochemical properties of an IgE-Fc mutant that is trapped in the closed, non-receptor binding state via an engineered disulfide at residue 335 (Cys-335). Reduction of the disulfide at Cys-335 restores the ability of IgE-Fc to bind to its high affinity receptor, FcϵRIα. The structure of the Cys-335 mutant shows that its conformation is within the range of previously observed, closed form IgE-Fc structures and that it retains the hydrophobic pocket found in the hinge region of the closed conformation. Locking the IgE-Fc into the closed state with the Cys-335 mutation does not affect binding of two other IgE-Fc ligands, omalizumab and DARPin E2_79, demonstrating selective blocking of the high affinity receptor binding.
The adequacy of pharmacotherapy in outpatients with obsessive–compulsive disorder

Pharmacotherapy and behavioural treatment are the main treatment options for patients with obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD). Nevertheless, studies on the appropriateness of these treatments are scarce. We aimed to assess the adequacy of treatment in general, and pharmacotherapy in particular, in patients with OCD. Three hundred and thirteen outpatients with OCD were interviewed on admission at the University Medical Center (UMC) Utrecht, The Netherlands. Patients were evaluated for demographic and clinical characteristics. Current treatment was assessed on admission and treatment history was appraised retrospectively. On admission, only one-half of the patients took appropriate medication, of which 7.6% were prescribed maximal effective doses, 11.8% mean effective doses, 15% minimal effective doses and 19.4% ineffective doses. Approximately 35% of patients were prescribed no drugs and 16% inappropriate drugs. Although the majority of the patients had been treated on average three times prior to their current treatment, 24% had never received a serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SRI) or behaviour therapy. For approximately 50% of the total sample, the maximal effective dose of SRIs had never been taken during the course of treatment history. A large proportion of patients with OCD fail to receive adequate treatment. Many patients were prescribed SRIs at doses below those recommended for the guidelines.
Laser-TIG Welding of Titanium Alloys

The article presents the results of investigation the technological opportunity of laser-TIG welding of titanium alloys. The experimental stand for implementation of process with the capability to feed a filler wire was made. The research of the nature of transfer the filler wire into the welding pool has been demonstrated. The influence of distance between the electrode and the surface of the welded plates on the stability of the arc was shown. The relationship between welding velocity, the position of focal plane of the laser beam and the stability of penetration of plates was determined.
A new silver nanochain SERS analytical platform to detect trace hexametaphosphate with a rhodamine S molecular probe.

Using AgNO3 as the precursor, stable silver nanochain (AgNC) sols, orange-red in color, were prepared using hydrazine hydrate. A strong surface plasmon resonance Rayleigh scattering (RRS) peak occurred at 420 nm plus two surface plasmon resonance (SPR) absorption peaks at 410 nm and 510 nm. Rhodamine S (RhS) cationic dye was absorbed on the as-prepared AgNC substrate to obtain a RhS-AgNC surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) nanoprobe that exhibited a strong SERS peak at 1506 cm(-1) and a strong RRS peak at 375 nm. Upon addition of the analyte sodium hexametaphosphate (HP), it reacted with RhS, which resulted in a decrease in the SERS and RRS peaks that was studied in detail. The decreased SERS and RRS intensities correlated linearly with HP concentration in the range of 0.0125-0.3 µmol/L and 0.05-1.0 µmol/L, with a detection limit of 6 nmol/L and 20 nmol/L HP respectively. Due to advantages of high sensitivity, good selectivity and simple operation, the RhS molecular probes were used to determine HP concentration in real samples.