Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Influence of the preparation methods on the drug release behaviour of loperamide-loaded nanoparticles.

Polylactide (PLA) or poly(lactide-coglycolide) (PLGA) nanoparticles containing loperamide (LPM) were prepared by an incorporation or adsorption method with the objective of developing nanoparticles with a rapid drug release. The use of polymers such as PLA with lower molecular weights and the addition of sorbitan fatty acid esters (SFAE) for the incorporation led to an almost complete entrapment of LPM in nanoparticles. Preparation of PLA nanoparticles by adsorption was performed by addition of LPM methanol solution before, during and after evaporation of dichloromethane from the system. The adsorption of LPM onto the nanoparticles with low molecular weight PLA (m.w. 2000) showed an isotherm with a good correlation to the Langmuir equation. A high amount of LPM can be entrapped or adsorbed in nanoparticles only with low molecular weights of PLA or PLGA. In the incorporation method, the addition of SFAEs increased drug entrapment. However, in the adsorption method they had no effect on nanoparticle drug adsorption. The drug-release profiles from both nanoparticles, prepared by the adsorption and incorporation methods, were biphasic with an initial rapid release and a second slower release phase, although their initial extents of release were different. The release rates were almost the same for both the adsorption and incorporation method without SFAEs. The addition of SFAEs to the adsorption system increased the extent of drug release from nanoparticles. In conclusion, a rapid loperamide release from nanoparticles can be achieved by use of PLA or PLGA with low molecular weights and in the adsorption method by the addition of SFAEs.
Ulinastatin Reduces Cancer Recurrence after Resection of Hepatic Metastases from Colon Cancer by Inhibiting MMP-9 Activation via the Antifibrinolytic Pathway

High recurrence of colon cancer liver metastasis is observed in patients after hepatic surgery, and the cause is believed to be mostly due to the growth of residual microscopic metastatic lesions within the residual liver. Therefore, triggering the progression of occult metastatic foci may be a novel strategy for improving survival from colon cancer liver metastases. In the present study, we identified an anti-recurrence effect of ulinastatin on colon cancer liver metastasis in mice after hepatectomy. Transwell cell invasion assays demonstrated that ulinastatin significantly inhibited the in vitro invasive ability of colon cancer HCT116 cells. Moreover, gelatin zymography and ELISA analysis showed that MMP-9 activity and plasmin activity of colon cancer HCT116 cells were inhibited by ulinastatin, respectively. Furthermore, in vivo BALB/C nu/nu mice model indicated that ulinastatin effectively reduced recurrence after resection of hepatic metastases from colon cancer. The optimum timing for ulinastatin administration was one week after hepatectomy. Taken together, our findings point to the potential of ulinastatin as an effective approach in controlling recurrence of hepatic metastases from colon cancer after hepatectomy via its anti-plasmin activity.
THE EFFECT OF PARENTS' CONVERSATIONAL STYLE AND DISCIPLINARY KNOWLEDGE ON CHILDREN'S OBSERVATION OF BIOLOGICAL PHENOMENA

This study was designed to better understand how children begin to make the transition from seeing the natural world to scientifically observing the natural world during shared family activity in an informal learning environment. Specifically, this study addressed research questions: 1) What is the effect of differences in parent conversational style and disciplinary knowledge on children's observations of biological phenomena? 2) What is the relationship between parent disciplinary knowledge and conversational style to children's observations of biological phenomena? and 3) Can parents, regardless of knowledge, be trained to use a teaching strategy with their children that can be implemented in informal learning contexts? To address these questions, 79 parent-child dyads with children 6-10 years old participated in a controlled study in which half of the parents used their natural conversational style and the other half were trained to use particular conversational strategies during family observations of pollination in a botanical garden. Parents were also assigned to high and low knowledge groups according to their disciplinary knowledge of pollination. Data sources included video recordings of parent-child observations in a garden, pre-post child tasks, and parent surveys. Findings revealed that parents who received training used the conversational strategies more than parents who used their natural conversational style. Parents and children who knew more about pollination at the start of the study exhibited higher levels of disciplinary talk in the garden, which is to be expected. However, the use of the conversational strategies also increased the amount of disciplinary talk in the garden, independent of what families knew about pollination. The extent to which families engaged in disciplinary talk in the garden predicted significant variance in children's post-test scores. In addition to these findings, an Observation Framework (Eberbach & Crowley, 2009) that hypothesizes how everyday observers become scientific observers is proposed.
Assertion-based design exploration of DVS in network processor architectures

With the scaling of technology and higher requirements on performance and functionality, power dissipation is becoming one of the major design considerations in the development of network processors. We use an assertion-based methodology for system-level power/performance analysis to study two dynamic voltage scaling (DVS) techniques, traffic-based DVS and execution-based DVS, in a network processor model. Using the automatically generated distribution analyzers, we analyze the power and performance distributions and study their trade-offs for the two DVS policies with different parameter settings, such as threshold values and window sizes. We discuss the optimal configurations of the two DVS policies under different design requirements. By a set of experiments, we show that the assertion-based trace analysis methodology is an efficient tool that can help a designer easily compare and study optimal architectural configurations in a large design space.
Design and implementation of performance monitor and evaluation middleware in virtual clouds

Cloud computing is an emerging commercial infrastructure paradigm that promises to eliminate the need for maintaining expensive computing facilities. Consequently, more and more cloud systems are designed and deployed to solve large-scale problems in the area of business and science engineering. However, performance monitor and evaluation in cloud environments still remains an open problem, and few efforts are taken to address this issue. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a middleware, which is aiming to provide users and researchers an easy-to-use toolkit to evaluate or monitor their cloud system's runtime performance. It also can be used as a cloud test-bed for performance analysis when new resource management policies or scheduling algorithms are proposed. Extensive experiments are conducted to investigate the effectiveness of the proposed middleware, and the results indicate that its configurable feature is very useful when users are conducting performance comparing under different conditions.
Embedded Processor Virtualization for Broadband Grid Computing

We implemented and evaluated a heterogeneous system architecture that combines a traditional computer cluster with a broadband network of embedded set-top box (STB) devices to provide a distributed computing platform for parallel applications. Our prototype system for broadband grid computing leverages the recent dramatic progress in computational power of STBs. It includes a complete head-end cable system based on the Tru2way standard, a DOCSIS-2.0 network, and an implementation of the Open MPI library running on the STB embedded operating system across 128 devices. An important contribution of our work is a novel method for the virtualization of a large collection of embedded processors within a managed broadband network. This enables the embedded processors to transparently inter-operate with servers in the computer cluster using the message-passing model. To evaluate the interoperability, performance, and scalability of our system we completed a set of experiments with the standard IMB MPI benchmark suite as well as two real parallel applications. The experimental results confirm that there is an important convergence trend between traditional computing and embedded computing and that a broadband network of embedded processors is a promising new platform for a variety of computationally-intensive and data-intensive grid applications.
Lifetime Optimization through Uniform Energy Usage Among Sensors for Generic BS Location

Non-uniform energy usage among sensors due to varying distances from the base station makes some nodes to die early, thereby reducing the network's lifetime drastically leaving considerable amount of residual energy in others. Performance optimization techniques that have recently been proposed include optimal transmission policies and dynamic relocation of the base station within the network area. Here we propose two transmission policies, namely, fixed hop size (FHS) and synchronous variable hop size (SVHS) transmissions considering generic location for the base station. We decompose the transmission distance of traditional multi hop protocol into two parts: ring thickness and hop size, and determine the optimal values of these parameters by formulating network lifetime as an optimization problem. Numerical results show that each of our policies perform substantially better in terms of network lifetime and energy usage distribution than the single hop and multi hop transmission policies irrespective of network size and distance of the base station from the network centre.
Vertical Movement Patterns and Ontogenetic Niche Expansion in the Tiger Shark, Galeocerdo cuvier

Sharks are top predators in many marine ecosystems and can impact community dynamics, yet many shark populations are undergoing severe declines primarily due to overfishing. Obtaining species-specific knowledge on shark spatial ecology is important to implement adequate management strategies for the effective conservation of these taxa. This is particularly relevant concerning highly-mobile species that use wide home ranges comprising coastal and oceanic habitats, such as tiger sharks, Galeocerdo cuvier. We deployed satellite tags in 20 juvenile tiger sharks off northeastern Brazil to assess the effect of intrinsic and extrinsic factors on depth and temperature usage. Sharks were tracked for a total of 1184 d and used waters up to 1112 m in depth. The minimum temperature recorded equaled 4°C. All sharks had a clear preference for surface (< 5 m) waters but variability in depth usage was observed as some sharks used mostly shallow (< 60 m) waters whereas others made frequent incursions into greater depths. A diel behavioral shift was detected, with sharks spending considerably more time in surface (< 10 m) waters during the night. Moreover, a clear ontogenetic expansion in the vertical range of tiger shark habitat was observed, with generalized linear models estimating a ~4-fold increase in maximum diving depth from 150- to 300-cm size-classes. The time spent in the upper 5 m of the water column did not vary ontogenetically but shark size was the most important factor explaining the utilization of deeper water layers. Young-of-the-year tiger sharks seem to associate with shallow, neritic habitats but they progressively move into deeper oceanic habitats as they grow larger. Such an early plasticity in habitat use could endow tiger sharks with access to previously unavailable prey, thus contributing to a wider ecological niche.
The Institution-Based View as a Third Leg for a Strategy Tripod.

This article identifies the emergence of the institution-based view as a third leading perspective in strategic management (the first two being the industry-based and resource-based views). We (a) review the roots of the institution-based view, (b) articulate its two core propositions, and (c) outline how this view contributes to the four fundamental questions in strategy. Overall, we suggest that the institution-based view represents the third leg of a strategy tripod, overcomes the long-standing criticisms of the industry-based and resource-based views' lack of attention to contexts, and contributes significant new insights as part of the broader intellectual movement centered on new institutionalism.
rapid molecular diagnosis of cutaneous leishmaniasis by olorimetric malachite green-loop-mediated isothermal amplification LAMP ) combined with an FTA card as a direct sampling tool

Leishmaniasis remains one of the world’s most neglected diseases, and early detection of the infectious agent, especially in developing countries, will require a simple and rapid test. In this study, we established a quick, one-step, single-tube, highly sensitive loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay for rapid detection of Leishmania DNA from tissue materials spotted on an FTA card. An FTA-LAMP with pre-added malachite green was performed at 64 ◦C for 60 min using a heating block and/or water bath and DNA amplification was detected immediately after incubation. The LAMP assay had high detection
Chinese Event Coreference Resolution: An Unsupervised Probabilistic Model Rivaling Supervised Resolvers

Recent work has successfully leveraged the semantic information extracted from lexical knowledge bases such as WordNet and FrameNet to improve English event coreference resolvers. The lack of comparable resources in other languages, however, has made the design of high-performance non-English event coreference resolvers, particularly those employing unsupervised models, very difficult. We propose a generative model for the under-studied task of Chinese event coreference resolution that rivals its supervised counterparts in performance when evaluated on the ACE 2005 corpus.
Distinguishing Different Stages of Parkinson’s Disease Using Composite Index of Speed and Pen-Pressure of Sketching a Spiral

The speed and pen-pressure while sketching a spiral are lower among Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients with higher severity of the disease. However, the correlation between these features and the severity level (SL) of PD has been reported to be 0.4. There is a need for identifying parameters with a stronger correlation for considering this for accurate diagnosis of the disease. This study has proposed the use of the Composite Index of Speed and Pen-pressure (CISP) of sketching as a feature for analyzing the severity of PD. A total of 28 control group (CG) and 27 PD patients (total 55 participants) were recruited and assessed for Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS). They drew guided Archimedean spiral on an A3 sheet. Speed, pen-pressure, and CISP were computed and analyzed to obtain their correlation with severity of the disease. The correlation of speed, pen-pressure, and CISP with the severity of PD was −0.415, −0.584, and −0.641, respectively. Mann–Whitney U test confirmed that CISP was suitable to distinguish between PD and CG, while non-parametric k-sample Kruskal–Wallis test confirmed that it was significantly different for PD SL-1 and PD SL-3. This shows that CISP during spiral sketching may be used to differentiate between CG and PD and between PD SL-1 and PD SL-3 but not SL-2.
Psychometric evaluation of two scales assessing functional status and peripheral neuropathy associated with chemotherapy for ovarian cancer: a gynecologic oncology group study.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To evaluate the psychometric properties of two adapted scales, one for functional status and one for peripheral neuropathy secondary to neurotoxic chemotherapy. DESIGN Repeated measures methodologic design conducted within a Gynecologic Oncology Group (GOG) phase III clinical trial that randomly assigned patients with advanced epithelial ovarian cancer to cisplatin and cyclophosphamide or cisplatin and paclitaxel. SETTING 8 GOG institutions participating in the GOG clinical trial. SAMPLE 88 evaluable outpatients enrolled in the GOG clinical trial. Sample size at time 1 (T1) was 88 patients and at time 2 (T2) was 67 patients. METHODS All scales were administered at T1 (prior to initiation of chemotherapy) and T2 (after six cycles of chemotherapy but prior to second-look laparotomy). Internal consistency reliability, criterion validity, and construct validity were evaluated, and clinical application was explored. MAIN RESEARCH VARIABLES Self-reported peripheral neuropathy and functional status (comprised of physical function and role function subscales), the GOG performance status scale, and the GOG toxicity criteria. FINDINGS Reliability coefficients at T1 were physical function = 0.83, role function = 0.96, and peripheral neuropathy = 0.91; at T2, they were physical function = 0.83, role function = 0.92, and peripheral neuropathy = 0.89. At T1, physical function and role function correlated positively with performance status. Peripheral neuropathy correlated positively with GOG toxicity criteria used at T2. Principal component factor analysis suggested that the functional status scale had a two-factor structure with factors representing general and specific mobility and that the peripheral neuropathy scale also had a two-factor structure with factors representing foot and hand neuropathy. CONCLUSIONS The physical function, role function, and peripheral neuropathy scales have internal consistency, reliability, criterion validity, and construct validity. However, revision of the scales should address modification of specific questions and consider increasing the Likert scale from a four-point to a five- or seven-point scale to enhance clinical sensitivity and application. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING With minor modifications, these scales should be useful in assessing physical function, role function, and peripheral neuropathy in patients who receive agents that may cause peripheral neuropathy.
In the Eye of the Beholder: Internally Driven Uncertainty of Danger Recruits the Amygdala and Dorsomedial Prefrontal Cortex

Interpretation of emotional context is a pivotal aspect of understanding social situations. A critical component of this process is assessment of danger levels in the surrounding, which may have a direct effect on the organism's survival. The limbic system has been implicated in mediating this assessment. In situations of uncertainty, the evaluation process may also call for greater involvement of prefrontal cortex for decision-making and planning of an appropriate behavioral response. In the following study, morphed face images depicting emotional expressions were used to examine brain correlates of subjective uncertainty and perceptual ambiguity regarding danger. Fear and neutral expressions of 20 faces were morphed, and each of the face videos was divided into three sequences of equal length representing three levels of objective certainty regarding the expressions neutral, fear, and ambiguous. Sixteen subjects were scanned in a 1.5-T scanner while viewing 60 × 6-sec video sequences and were asked to report their subjective certainty regarding the level of danger surrounding the face on a four-level scale combining definite/maybe and danger/no-danger values. The individual responses were recorded and used as the basis for a “subjective protocol” versus an “objective protocol. ” Significant activations of the amygdala, dorsomedial prefrontal cortex, and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex were observed under the subjective protocol of internally driven uncertainty, but not under objective stimuli-based ambiguity. We suggest that this brain network is involved in generating subjective assessment of social affective cues. This study provides further support to the “relevance detector” theory of the amygdala and implicates its importance to behavior relying heavily on subjective assessment of danger, such as in the security domain context.
An Approach of Chunk Parsing and Entity Relation Extracting to Chinese Based on Conditional Random Fields Model

Conditional random fields (CRFs) model is the valid probabilistic model to segment and label sequence data. Comparing with other statistical models, such as HMM, MEHMM, CRFs process the data sequence in terms of the context of data. Chunk analysis is a shallow parsing method to simplify natural language processing. And entity relation extraction is used in establishing relationship between entities. Because full syntax parsing is complexity in Chinese text understanding chunk analysis and relation extraction is important. This paper models these problems to Chinese text. By transforming them into label solution we can use CRFs to realize the chunk analysis and entities relation extraction. In the paper we define the representation of Chinese chunk and entity relation. The features window of the label word is discussed. By training we obtain an optimized CRFs model. It can realize label to chunk and entity relation so as to complete chunk parsing and relation extracting.
Stabilization of a Hierarchical Formation of Unicycle Robots with Velocity and Curvature Constraints

The paper proposes a new geometric approach to the stabilization of a hierarchical formation of unicycle robots. Hierarchical formations consist of elementary leader-follower units disposed on a rooted tree: each follower sees its relative leader as a fixed point in its own reference frame. Robots' linear velocity and trajectory curvature are forced to satisfy some given bounds. The major contribution of the paper is to study the effect of these bounds on the admissible trajectories of the main leader. In particular, we provide recursive formulas for the maximum velocity and curvature allowed for the main leader, so that the robots can achieve the desired formation while respecting their input constraints. An original formation control law is proposed and the asymptotic stabilization is proved. Simulation experiments illustrate the theory and show the effectiveness of the proposed designs.
The Prague Bulletin of Mathematical Linguistics NUMBER ? ? ? FEBRUARY 2009 1 – 11 Improved Minimum Error Rate Training in Moses

We describe an open-source implementation of minimum error rate training (MERT) for statistical machine translation (SMT). This was implemented within the Moses toolkit, although it is essentially standsalone, with the aim of replacing the existing implementation with a cleaner, more flexible design, in order to facilitate further research in weight optimisation. A description of the design is given, as well as experiments to compare performance with the previous implementation and to demonstrate extensibility.