Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Conservation of the S10-spc-α Locus within Otherwise Highly Plastic Genomes Provides Phylogenetic Insight into the Genus Leptospira

S10-spc-α is a 17.5 kb cluster of 32 genes encoding ribosomal proteins. This locus has an unusual composition and organization in Leptospira interrogans. We demonstrate the highly conserved nature of this region among diverse Leptospira and show its utility as a phylogenetically informative region. Comparative analyses were performed by PCR using primer sets covering the whole locus. Correctly sized fragments were obtained by PCR from all L. interrogans strains tested for each primer set indicating that this locus is well conserved in this species. Few differences were detected in amplification profiles between different pathogenic species, indicating that the S10-spc-α locus is conserved among pathogenic Leptospira. In contrast, PCR analysis of this locus using DNA from saprophytic Leptospira species and species with an intermediate pathogenic capacity generated varied results. Sequence alignment of the S10-spc-α locus from two pathogenic species, L. interrogans and L. borgpetersenii, with the corresponding locus from the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc showed that genetic organization of this locus is well conserved within Leptospira. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) of four conserved regions resulted in the construction of well-defined phylogenetic trees that help resolve questions about the interrelationships of pathogenic Leptospira. Based on the results of secY sequence analysis, we found that reliable species identification of pathogenic Leptospira is possible by comparative analysis of a 245 bp region commonly used as a target for diagnostic PCR for leptospirosis. Comparative analysis of Leptospira strains revealed that strain H6 previously classified as L. inadai actually belongs to the pathogenic species L. interrogans and that L. meyeri strain ICF phylogenetically co-localized with the pathogenic clusters. These findings demonstrate that the S10-spc-α locus is highly conserved throughout the genus and may be more useful in comparing evolution of the genus than loci studied previously.
Materials and Manufacturing Technologies Available for Production of a Pediatric Bioabsorbable Stent

Transcatheter treatment of children with congenital heart disease such as coarctation of the aorta and pulmonary artery stenosis currently involves the use of metal stents. While these provide good short term results, there are long term complications with their use. Children outgrow metal stents, obligating them to future transcatheter dilations and eventual surgical removal. A bioabsorbable stent, or a stent that goes away with time, would solve this problem. Bioabsorbable stents are being developed for use in coronary arteries, however these are too small for use in pediatric congenital heart disease. A bioabsorbable stent for use in pediatric congenital heart disease needs to be low profile, expandable to a diameter 8 mm, provide sufficient radial strength, and absorb quickly enough to allow vessel growth. Development of absorbable coronary stents has led to a great understanding of the available production techniques and materials such as bioabsorbable polymers and biocorrodable metals. Children with congenital heart disease will hopefully soon benefit from the current generation of bioabsorbable and biocorrodable materials and devices.
Contextual Animation of Gestural Commands

Drawing a mark can be an efficient command input technique when using a pen‐based computer. However, marks are not intrinsically self‐explanatory as are other interactive techniques such as buttons and menus. We present design principles for interaction mechanisms which make marks self explanatory for novices but still allow experts to use efficient command marks. The key notion is that use of the explanation mechanism physically trains a novice to use the efficient command marks. Two novel interaction mechanisms we have developed using these principles are presented.
Genetics of Ectopia Lentis

Abstract Hereditary ectopia lentis or lens subluxation can occur with and without systemic associations. Significant overlap can be found in the genetic mutations and pathogenesis of subluxated lenses in their isolated forms as well as with associated syndromes. Gene mutations have been identified for lens subluxation associated with Marfan syndrome, Weill Marchesani syndrome, Ectopia Lentis simplex, Ectopia Lentis et pupillae, Ehlers Danlos syndrome, homocystinuria, and sulfite oxidase deficiency. Herein we describe the ocular and systemic characteristics found in patients with ectopia lentis, as well as the gene mutations identified thus far.
Large-Scale Physics-Based Terrain Editing Using Adaptive Tiles on the GPU

Physics-based approaches could simplify terrain modeling by increasing its realism. However, most simulations provide only a low level of user control because they fail on large-scale phenomena or focus only on the modeling of limited effects. A new physics-based system for digital terrain editing is suitable for digital-content authors such as game designers, artists, and 3D modelers. It doesn't assume in-depth knowledge about physics-based simulations. Users can load large terrains from external sources, generate them procedurally, or create them manually, and they can edit them at interactive frame rates on a GPU. To allow large-scale editing, the system divides terrain into tiles of different resolutions according to the terrain's complexity, and it stores each tile as a mip-map texture. In addition, the physics-based simulation uses different levels of detail, depending on the terrain-change dynamics. Compared to nonadaptive computation, this approach can achieve 50 percent speedup and use 25 percent less memory. The Web extra is a video that shows how physics-based approaches to modeling can process terrain sizes larger than what was previously possible.
Buuer Size Issues in the Presence of Self-similar Traac

An analytic queueing model of an ATM switch with the N-Burst arrival process, which exhibits self-similar properties, is used to derive statements about the impact of self-similar traac on buuer-overrow probabilities. The cell-arrivals of the N-Burst model are generated by multiplexed ON/OFF sources with Power-Tailed ON-times. The analysis shows that in most cases the buuer-overrow probability decays only very slowly with increasing buuer size, namely by a Power-Law whose exponent is derived. Furthermore, the impact of a Maximum Burst Size, implemented by truncations of the Power-Tail distributions, is discussed qualitatively. In the second part of the paper, the cell-loss probability in an N-Burst/M/1/B s loss-system is compared with the overrow probability in an innnite-buuer backup model: both models qualitatively exhibit the same Power-Law behavior, with the overrow probability in the innnite system being an upper bound to the loss probability. In addition, it is shown that the diierence between overrow and loss probability for the same buuer size can be much more pronounced in the considered self-similar model than it is in an approximating M/G/1 model. Finally, the results of the queueing analysis are used to draw conclusions for network dimen-sioning in the presence of self-similar traac.
An applied model for secure information release between federated military and non-military networks

Classical information flow models focus on maintaining the confidentiality or the integrity of the information objects. The federation of military systems, among themselves and with non-military information systems brings secure information release as a new requirement to consider when implementing the model to use. This paper presents a model for information confidentiality and release based on a combination of secure state transactions and the inverse Role-Based Access Control (R-BAC) paradigm. The hybrid model is then tailored to a multi-domain implementation able to securely release information products among a wide variety of security domains. The outcome is the emulation of an accredited multi-level security domain system, which enables a single information domain across all mission partners, including non-military ones. The implementation is then verified and validated during a military operational exercise, and is considered ready for further industrialization.
Redox Regulation of Ion Channels in the Pulmonary Circulation

Abstract Significance: The pulmonary circulation is a low-pressure, low-resistance, highly compliant vasculature. In contrast to the systemic circulation, it is not primarily regulated by a central nervous control mechanism. The regulation of resting membrane potential due to ion channels is of integral importance in the physiology and pathophysiology of the pulmonary vasculature. Recent Advances: Redox-driven ion conductance changes initiated by direct oxidation, nitration, and S-nitrosylation of the cysteine thiols and indirect phosphorylation of the threonine and serine residues directly affect pulmonary vascular tone. Critical Issues: Molecular mechanisms of changes in ion channel conductance, especially the identification of the sites of action, are still not fully elucidated. Future Directions: Further investigation of the interaction between redox status and ion channel gating, especially the physiological significance of S-glutathionylation and S-nitrosylation, could result in a better understanding of the physiological and pathophysiological importance of these mediators in general and the implications of such modifications in cellular functions and related diseases and their importance for targeted treatment strategies. Antioxid. Redox Signal. 22, 465–485.
Two Birds, One Stone: A Fast, yet Lightweight, Indexing Scheme for Modern Database Systems

Classic database indexes (e.g., B+-Tree), though speed up queries, suffer from two main drawbacks: (1) An index usually yields 5% to 15% additional storage overhead which results in non-ignorable dollar cost in big data scenarios especially when deployed on modern storage devices. (2) Maintaining an index incurs high latency because the DBMS has to locate and update those index pages affected by the underlying table changes. This paper proposes Hippo a fast, yet scalable, database indexing approach. It significantly shrinks the index storage and mitigates maintenance overhead without compromising much on the query execution performance. Hippo stores disk page ranges instead of tuple pointers in the indexed table to reduce the storage space occupied by the index. It maintains simplified histograms that represent the data distribution and adopts a page grouping technique that groups contiguous pages into page ranges based on the similarity of their index key attribute distributions. When a query is issued, Hippo leverages the page ranges and histogram-based page summaries to recognize those pages such that their tuples are guaranteed not to satisfy the query predicates and inspects the remaining pages. Experiments based on real and synthetic datasets show that Hippo occupies up to two orders of magnitude less storage space than that of the B+-Tree while still achieving comparable query execution performance to that of the B+-Tree for 0.1% -- 1% selectivity factors. Also, the experiments show that Hippo outperforms BRIN (Block Range Index) in executing queries with various selectivity factors. Furthermore, Hippo achieves up to three orders of magnitude less maintenance overhead and up to an order of magnitude higher throughput (for hybrid query/update workloads) than its counterparts.
Towards a VMM-based usage control framework for OS kernel integrity protection

Protecting kernel integrity is one of the fundamental security objectives in building a trustworthy operating system (OS). For this end, a variety of approaches and systems have been proposed and developed. However, access control models used in most of these systems are not expressive enough to capture important security requirements such as continuous policy enforcement and mutable process and object attributes. Even worse, most existing protection mechanisms in these systems reside in the same space as the running OS, which unfortunately can be disabled or subverted after an attacker successfully exploits kernel-level vulnerabilities (or features) to compromise the OS kernel. The increasing number of kernel-level root kit attacks clearly demonstrates this threat. In this paper we present a simple but effective usage control model UCONKI with unique properties of decision continuity and attribute mutability for OS kernel integrity protection. Further, to enforce UCONKI security policies, we propose a virtual machine monitor (VMM) based architecture that is isolated and protected from other untrusted processes inside a virtual machine (VM). We have implemented a proof-of-concept prototype in Linux to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach. Our experiments with 18 real-world kernel rootkits show that our approach is able to successfully detect and prevent all kernel integrity violations from them. Beyond kernel integrity protection, we also explore additional opportunities for general OS security, such as the confinement of process activities as well as the protection of system utility programs at the VMM level.
PORCINE PERITONEAL SEPSIS: MODELING FOR CLINICAL RELEVANCE

The characteristics of two types of intraperitoneal (i.p.) soilage sepsis models, autologous fecal inoculum (FEC) and a pure culture of Escherichia coli (EC), were studied in 26 male Yucatan minipigs (20–30 kg). Early (1–4 h) and late (24–72 h) changes were different between the two groups. The EC group was characterized early by hypotension, low cardiac output, and increased systemic and pulmonary vascular resistances, along with leukopenia, hypoglycemia, lactacidemia, and elevated blood urea nitrogen. Of the pigs in the EC group that survived the early effects, there were few significant differences in physiological parameters, compared to control pigs, that would indicate ongoing pathological processes. In contrast, the FEC group pigs demonstrated early hypotension, but with increased cardiac output and reduced systemic vascular resistance. Other parameter changes were similar to those seen in the EC pigs, but to a lesser degree, with the exception of elevations in serum lactate dehydrogenase. Also in contrast to the EC group, most of the changes in the FEC group persisted in later days, and FEC pigs demonstrated leukocytosis. There were also greater elevations in circulating lipopolysaccharide (LPS) concentrations in the EC group that returned later to baseline levels. In the FEC group, there were persistently elevated LPS concentrations over 72 h. These observations suggest that pigs challenged with intraperitoneal E. coli demonstrated an initial acute peritonitis and damaging physiologic effects of high levels of circulating LPS. Survivors in this group improved and were physiologically stable after 24 h. Pigs that received i.p. autologous feces developed an early acute peritonitis phase with lower levels of circulating LPS, and later developed pronounced peritoneal reaction as demonstrated by multiple abdominal abscesses, pyogenic granuloma formation, and adhesions with physiological evidence of developing sepsis over 72 h. These observations indicate that i.p. EC models evoke a systemic response not unlike intravenous administration of LPS or EC, however, the FEC model produced a systemic response akin to a slower developing septic process.
Entropy-Based Dark Frame Subtraction

Noise due to dark current is a serious limitation for taking long exposure time images with a CCD digital camera. Current solutions have serious drawbacks: interpolation of pixels with high dark current leads to smoothing effects or other artifacts – especially if a large number of pixels are corrupted. Due to the exponential temperature dependence of the dark current, dark frame subtraction works best for temperature controlled high end CCD imaging systems. On the physical level, two independent signals (charge generated by photons hitting the CCD and by the dark current) are added. Due to its random distribution, adding (or subtracting) the dark current noise signal increases the entropy of the resulting image. The entropy is minimal if the dark current signal is not present at all. A dark frame is a good representation of the dark current noise. As the generated dark current depends on the temperature equally for all pixels, a noisy image can be cleaned by the subtraction of a scaled dark frame. The scaling factor can be determined in an optimization step which tries to minimize the entropy of the cleaned image. We implemented a software system that effectively removes dark current noise even from highly corrupted images. The resulting images contain almost no visible artifacts since only the noise signal is removed. This extends the range of usable exposure times of digital cameras without temperature control systems by about one to two orders of magnitude.
1 Education , Corruption , and the Distribution of Income *

We examine how the interaction between education and corruption affects institutional reform and economic development. Since institutional reforms are the endogenous outcomes of political processes, our model focuses on the relationship between educational attainment and the effectiveness of political participation. While corruption is well known to reduce average income and education, education is shown to induce dual feedback effects on corruption. Education increases not only output and hence corruption rents, but it also generates more informed electorates that better monitor the actions of the government. In democracies, increases in education may then limit the incentives for corruption of opportunistic politicians, and even induce institutional reforms that eliminate corruption. Feasible paths out of poverty traps are characterized either by initial changes in institutions or education.
On the relationships between social structures and acquired knowledge in societies

Many existing studies on human learning pay almost exclusive attention to how individuals learn. Unlike those studies, we examined influence of social structures on knowledge acquired by societies using computer simulations. We compared four types of social networks, namely regular, random, small world, and scale-free networks. When individual differences and the principle of homophily (i.e., people who have similar beliefs tend to have close relationships with each other) exist in societies, the societies would acquire pareto-optimal knowledge. We also investigated influences of highly connected individuals on knowledge acquired by societies. The results inarguably indicate that highly connected individuals play important roles in social learning, setting the standards for what type of knowledge to be acquired by societies.
The relationship between wellness, emotion regulation, and relapse in adult outpatient substance abuse clients

Relapse prevention is a critical factor in recovery from substance abuse problems (NIDA, 2009). Treatment has been shown to influence positive recovery trajectories, yet relapse is a considerable complication both during and after treatment (Doweiko, 2002; Miller, Zweben, & Johnson, 2005). Identifying specific factors that can reduce relapse and improve the well-being of persons in recovery is a significant need. Based on the existing literature, holistic wellness and the ability to emotionally self-regulate may be powerful factors in decreasing the prevalence and severity of addiction relapse. However, to date, no research has been conducted examining a holistic model of wellness as a predictor of relapse in addictions populations. The aspects of emotion regulation and emotion management strategies that affect relapse are not well understood. The purpose of this study was to address a significant gap in the substance abuse treatment literature by exploring the relationships among wellness, emotion regulation, and relapse. Correlation analyses yielded negative correlations between wellness factors and difficulties in emotion regulation, and wellness factors and relapse. Positive correlations were found between wellness and reappraisal, difficulties in emotion regulation and suppression, and difficulties in emotion regulation and relapse. Logistic regression analyses indicated that Total Wellness, suppression, Social Self wellness, and Physical Self wellness were predictive of whether or not participants relapsed. Total Wellness, reappraisal, suppression, and difficulties in emotion regulation were predictive of total relapse days. Social Self and Physical Self wellness were related to decreased relapse days and Creative Self wellness was associated with increases in relapse days. The hypothesis which stated that difficulties in emotion regulation and emotion regulation strategies would mediate the relationship between wellness and relapse and wellness and total relapse days was not supported. Finally, Total Wellness, difficulties in emotion regulation, and emotion regulation strategies explained variance in total relapse days above and beyond variance accounted for by socio-demographic variables. Future research should further explore the relationships between wellness, emotion regulation, and relapse by examining a variety of substance use behaviors as outcomes, utilizing additional measures of emotion regulation, and incorporating longitudinal research designs.
Compound control of the robotic polishing process basing on the assistant electromagnetic field

Robotic polishing process has been widely used for the metal mould finishing. The quality and the efficiency of the polishing process are important to the lead time and the lifecycle of the mould. In order to improve the robotic polishing process with free abrasive and soft polishing tool, the compound control system made up of compensable path planning module and assistant electromagnetic field is developed in this paper to fit for the common commercial industrial robot, which is hard to be controlled online for its closed control system. The compensable path planning module based on CAM module is developed to generate the uniform robotic polishing path for the complex curvature surface, which can also compensate the elastic deformation and the abrasion of the soft polishing tool. A minitype electromagnet is also connected to the robotic end-effector, which can act on the polishing process along with the robotic moving. The electromagnet is coiled as solenoid that the polishing tool and the electrical spindle can be fixed in the hollow. Experiments are executed to test the influence between the electromagnetic field intensity and the polishing removal efficiency. The result shows that the polished material removal can increase obviously with the increasing of the electromagnetic field intensity.