Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Cardiac function in muscular dystrophy associates with abdominal muscle pathology.

BACKGROUND The muscular dystrophies target muscle groups differentially. In mouse models of muscular dystrophy, notably the mdx model of Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, the diaphragm muscle shows marked fibrosis and at an earlier age than other muscle groups, more reflective of the histopathology seen in human muscular dystrophy. METHODS Using a mouse model of limb girdle muscular dystrophy, the Sgcg mouse, we compared muscle pathology across different muscle groups and heart. A cohort of nearly 200 Sgcg mice were studied using multiple measures of pathology including echocardiography, Evans blue dye uptake and hydroxyproline content in multiple muscle groups. Spearman rank correlations were determined among echocardiographic and pathological parameters. FINDINGS The abdominal muscles were found to have more fibrosis than other muscle groups, including the diaphragm muscle. The abdominal muscles also had more Evans blue dye uptake than other muscle groups. The amount of diaphragm fibrosis was found to correlate positively with fibrosis in the left ventricle, and abdominal muscle fibrosis correlated with impaired left ventricular function. Fibrosis in the abdominal muscles negatively correlated with fibrosis in the diaphragm and right ventricles. Together these data reflect the recruitment of abdominal muscles as respiratory muscles in muscular dystrophy, a finding consistent with data from human patients.
A Gaussian beam shooting algorithm for radar propagation simulations

Gaussian beam shooting is proposed as an alternative to the Parabolic Equation method or to ray-based techniques, in order to compute backscattered fields in the context of Non-Line-of-Sight ground-based radar. Propagated fields are represented as a superposition of Gaussian beams, which are launched from the emitting antenna and transformed through successive interactions with obstacles. In this paper, we present an outline of this 3D algorithm and propose a beam re-expansion scheme to address the problem of beam widening. Realistic scenarios will be used to test the ability of Gaussian beam shooting to accommodate typical propagation environments for ground-based UHF radar, including buildings.
Semantic Memory Retrieval: Deadlining the Typicality Effect

Corbett and Wickelgren (1978), employing a speed–accuracy tradeoff method for verifying category membership, found that while the estimated strength of the category–instance association was higher for category examples given more frequently as instances of the category (i.e. higher instance dominance), retrieval dynamics did not vary across levels of instance dominance. The Corbett and Wickelgren data challenged the claims of models of speeded sentence verification that postulated differences in the retrieval processes of high- and low-dominance category-instance associations (e.g. Smith, Shoben, & Rips, 1974). We argued that Corbett and Wickelgren very probably used category instances of debatable membership status in their low-instance dominance category examples, thus making it impossible to decide which responses to these items were correct. This, in turn, rendered their low-instance dominance data uninterpretable. Two partial replications of the Corbett and Wickelgren study were carried out, each with four subjects, and 10 variable lags between the stimulus presentation and the response signal. When care was taken that each category instance clearly belonged to its respective category, an estimate of the rate at which information accumulated towards its asymptote was greater for high-dominance, high-typicality items than for low-dominance, medium-typicality items. However, there were no dominance or typicality differences in the estimates of this asymptotic strength. In contrast, in the study in which low-dominance, low-typicality items were of questionable category membership, the results were similar to those obtained by Corbett and Wickelgren. These data support the idea that there is a continuous accumulation of information in the semantic memory sentence verification task.
A self-adaptive cellular memetic algorithm for the DNA fragment assembly problem

The DNA fragment assembly problem is to re construct a DNA chain from multiple fragments that have previously been sequenced in a laboratory. This is a critical step in any genomic project, since the resulting chains are the basis of all the work. Therefore, the quality of these chains is a prime importance to the correct development of the project. The methods typically applied to this problem usually encounter difficulties on large instances, so more efficient techniques are necessary. In this context, this work proposes a new method combining a general purpose metaheuristic (an advanced cellular genetic algorithm which automatically regulates the intensity of the search) with a local search method specifically designed for this problem (PALS). This local search method (recently published) finds very accurate solutions in very short times. As a result, our proposal is a very accurate and efficient hybrid technique clearly outperforming the other existing ones.
Preferences, Rationality and Welfare in Becker's Extended Utility Approach

The controversial extended utility approach of Gary Becker has been used to argue that even `obvious' irrationalities such as drug addictions are rational behaviour. The present article is a systematic and extensive interpretation of Becker's general approach, introducing a distinction between anticipated time and `objective' time. Using this, I argue that the approach allows us to see even time inconsistency and decisions affected by drug-induced changes in cognition as rational. The philosopher Jon Elster's charges of conceptual incoherence are discussed and shown to rest on a misinterpretation of Becker. The two types of time also have implications for welfare economics and the ways one might try to justify paternalism. Becker's approach becomes difficult to use for welfare economics. Instead, it could be taken to question the wisdom of trying to assess real individuals' welfare through theoretical discussions of rationality.
Design principles for the development of measurement systems for research and development processes

Based on a comprehensive literature review and the activities of numerous case study companies, it is argued in this paper that performance measurement in R&D is a fundamental aspect to quality in R&D and to overall business performance. However, it is apparent from the case companies that many companies still struggle with the issue of R&D performance measurement. Excuses for not measuring are easily found, but there are also empirical examples and literature available with suggestions how it can be done. In this article this literature is reviewed and placed within the context of general performance control and contingency theory. Furthermore, the main measurement system design parameters are discussed and some basic system requirements are described as well as several design principles that can be useful for those who accept the challenge of establishing a meaningful measurement system.
Advances in high-resolution imaging – techniques for three-dimensional imaging of cellular structures

A fundamental goal in biology is to determine how cellular organization is coupled to function. To achieve this goal, a better understanding of organelle composition and structure is needed. Although visualization of cellular organelles using fluorescence or electron microscopy (EM) has become a common tool for the cell biologist, recent advances are providing a clearer picture of the cell than ever before. In particular, advanced light-microscopy techniques are achieving resolutions below the diffraction limit and EM tomography provides high-resolution three-dimensional (3D) images of cellular structures. The ability to perform both fluorescence and electron microscopy on the same sample (correlative light and electron microscopy, CLEM) makes it possible to identify where a fluorescently labeled protein is located with respect to organelle structures visualized by EM. Here, we review the current state of the art in 3D biological imaging techniques with a focus on recent advances in electron microscopy and fluorescence super-resolution techniques.
Blind detection of cyclostationary features in the context of Cognitive Radio

The methods of dynamic access to spectrum developed in Cognitive Radio require efficient and robust spectrum detectors. Most of these detectors suffer from four main limits: the computational cost required for the detection procedure; the need of prior knowledge of Primary User's (PU) signal features; the poor performances obtained in low SNR (Signal to Noise Ratio) environment; finding an optimal detection threshold is a crucial issue. In this paper, we propose a blind detection method based on the cyclostationary features of communication signals to overcome the four limits of spectrum sensors. In order to reduce the computational cost, the FFT Accumulation Method has been adjusted to estimate the cyclic spectrum of the intercepted signal. Then, the spectrum coherence principle is used to catch the periodicity hidden in the cyclic autocorrelation function of this signal. The hidden periodicity is revealed by the crest factor of the cyclic domain profile. The detection of PU's signal is achieved by comparing the embedded periodicity level with a predetermined threshold related to the crest factor. This threshold varies randomly dependent on the SNR. Then, we have modelized the distribution law of the threshold in order to select the optimal value. Using the crest factor of the cyclic domain profile as a detection criterion has permitted to develop a spectrum sensor which is able to work in a blind context. Simulation results corroborate the efficiency and robustness of the proposed detector compared with the classical Energy Detector.
Safety and efficacy of an aroA-deleted live vaccine against avian colibacillosis in a multicentre field trial in broilers in Morocco

The safety and efficacy of an aroA-deleted live vaccine against avian colibacillosis (Poulvac® E. coli) was evaluated in broilers in a multicentre field trial. The trial sites consisted of 18 paired bird houses (randomly assigned to either the vaccination or the control treatment groups) located in 15 farms in three different regions of Morocco. A field dose of vaccine was administered on day of hatch by the spray route. Both clinical and performance parameters were compared between vaccinated and control groups, in which the experimental unit was defined as the individual bird house. No adverse reactions attributable to the vaccine were observed throughout the study. Non-inferiority of the vaccinated bird houses versus the control houses during a 2-week period post vaccination was statistically demonstrated for mortality and average daily weight gain. Vaccine efficacy was confirmed based on significant differences between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups measured for the full duration of the trial, including colibacillosis-like lesions observed at slaughter (1.7 versus 3.5%; P = 0.0054), total mortality (9.3 versus 10.3%; P = 0.0203), average daily weight gain (47.8 versus 46.2 g/day; P = 0.0006), average number of antibiotic treatment days (0.5 versus 2.0; P = 0.0008) and percentage of the birds that was marketed (90.0 versus 89.0%; P = 0.0309). In conclusion, the vaccine was demonstrated to be both safe and efficacious under field conditions.
Splicing Reporter Mice Revealed the Evolutionally Conserved Switching Mechanism of Tissue-Specific Alternative Exon Selection

Since alternative splicing of pre-mRNAs is essential for generating tissue-specific diversity in proteome, elucidating its regulatory mechanism is indispensable to understand developmental process or tissue-specific functions. We have been focusing on tissue-specific regulation of mutually exclusive selection of alternative exons because this implies the typical molecular mechanism of alternative splicing regulation and also can be good examples to elicit general rule of “splice code”. So far, mutually exclusive splicing regulation has been explained by the outcome from the balance of multiple regulators that enhance or repress either of alternative exons discretely. However, this “balance” model is open to questions of how to ensure the selection of only one appropriate exon out of several candidates and how to switch them. To answer these questions, we generated an original bichromatic fluorescent splicing reporter system for mammals using fibroblast growth factor-receptor 2 (FGFR2) gene as model. By using this splicing reporter, we demonstrated that FGFR2 gene is regulated by the “switch-like” mechanism, in which key regulators modify the ordered splice-site recognition of two mutually exclusive exons, eventually ensure single exon selection and their distinct switching. Also this finding elucidated the evolutionally conserved “splice code,” in which combination of tissue-specific and broadly expressed RNA binding proteins regulate alternative splicing of specific gene in a tissue-specific manner. These findings provide the significant cue to understand how a number of spliced genes are regulated in various tissue-specific manners by a limited number of regulators, eventually to understand developmental process or tissue-specific functions.
Knowledge-based and knowledge-lean methods combined in unsupervised word sense disambiguation

Word sense disambiguation (WSD) is an intermediate task within information retrieval and information extraction, attempting to select the proper sense of ambiguous words. For instance, the word cold could either refer to low temperature or viral infection. Due to the scarcity of training data, knowledge-based and knowledge-lean methods receive attention as disambiguation methods. Knowledge-based methods compare the context of the ambiguous word to the information available in a terminological resource, but their main purpose is not word sense disambiguation. Knowledge-lean unsupervised methods rely on term distributions instead of a resource enumerating the possible senses but might be inappropriate when there is a requirement to commit to a terminological resource as a catalog for candidate senses. We present preliminary results of the combination of knowledge-based and knowledge-lean unsupervised methods which improves the performance of knowledge-based methods between 3% and 8%. The evaluation is done on a new word sense disambiguation set which is available to the community.
Effets de masquage dans l'expression d'une représentation sociale

Les recherches sur les representations sociales se font surtout par enquete. Or des travaux recents ont mis en evidence (en parlant de zone muette) le fait que des zones, normativement sensibles presentes dans une representation, peuvent etre masquees, c’est-a-dire non completement exprimees dans les conditions ordinaires d’enquete ; il faut alors recourir a des conditions specifiques pour demasquer ces zones. Une bonne connaissance de ce phenomene est donc necessaire pour eviter certaines erreurs et assurer la validite d’une enquete de representation. L’hypothese centrale est que le masquage / demasquage de ces aspects depend de l’enjeu de la situation, tel qu’il est percu par l’enquete par rapport aux normes impliquees dans la situation. Dans le but de bien montrer l’existence de ce phenomene, on presente quatre experimentations qui font varier l’intensite des effets de masquage ou de demasquage : en jouant sur la nature de la consigne, sur certaines caracteristiques de l’enqueteur, sur le deroulement de l’enquete, sur l’activation prealable du theme contre normatif ; ce ne sont que quelques variables parmi celles qui peuvent etre envisagees. Les objets de representation touchent a des evenements dramatiques tres mediatises (Islam, Musulmans), mais aussi a des themes plus familiers (la femme au travail, le travail masculin/feminin). Prenant pour reference la theorie structurale des representations, on essaiera, in fine, de situer les diverses expressions d’une meme representation dans le cadre de la theorie structurale du noyau central de la representation.
The Constitutive Activity of the Human Muscarinic M3 Receptor Unmasks Differences in the Pharmacology of Anticholinergics

An activator protein 1-driven luciferase reporter assay was developed to monitor the activation of the human muscarinic M3 receptor (hM3-R) and evaluate functional potencies of different anticholinergics in Chinese hamster ovary cells. This assay proved to be superior to previously used functional assays [i.e., inositol phosphate accumulation (J Pharmacol Exp Ther 330:660–668, 2009)], thanks to the longer incubation times that allow reaching of pseudoequilibrium for ligands with slower dissociation kinetics, the long-acting muscarinic antagonists. Interestingly, within this system the hM3-R efficiently signaled in an agonist-independent manner. All the antagonists tested were able to inhibit the hM3-R constitutive activity in a concentration-dependent fashion, behaving as full inverse agonists. Curiously, significant differences in potency as antagonists (against carbachol) and inverse agonists were seen for some compounds (N-methyl scopolamine and tiotropium). Given the potential for inverse agonists to cause receptor up-regulation, the effect of chronic exposure to anticholinergics on the expression levels of hM3-R was also tested. Again, significant differences were seen, with some ligands (e.g., tiotropium) producing less than half of the receptor up-regulation caused by other anticholinergics. This study shows that anticholinergics can exhibit differential behaviors, which depend on the pathway investigated, and therefore provides evidence that the molecular mechanism of inverse agonism is likely to be more complex than the stabilization of a single inactive receptor conformation. In addition, differences in the potential of anticholinergics to induce hM3-R up-regulation might have clinical relevance, because many are on the market or in clinical trials as chronic treatment for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, for example.
A New MPPT Method for Low-Power Solar Energy Harvesting

This paper describes a new maximum-power-point-tracking (MPPT) method focused on low-power (<; 1 W) photovoltaic (PV) panels. The static and dynamic performance is theoretically analyzed, and design criteria are provided. A prototype was implemented with a 500-mW PV panel, a commercial boost converter, and low-power components for the MPPT controller. Laboratory measurements were performed to assess the effectiveness of the proposed method. Tracking efficiency was higher than 99.6%. The overall efficiency was higher than 92% for a PV panel power higher than 100 mW. This is, in part, feasible due to the low power consumption of the MPPT controller, which was kept lower than 350 μW. The time response of the tracking circuit was tested to be around 1 s. Field measurements showed energy gains higher than 10.3% with respect to a direct-coupled solution for an ambient temperature of 26°C. Higher gains are expected for lower temperatures.
Testing Junior High School Mathematics Concepts

FEW classroom teachers of junior high school mathematics would deny that a knowledge of technical words and phrases is indispensable to progress in the study of the subject. Textbooks, tests, and classroom discussions demand that the successful pupil be familiar with certain words associated with algebra, geometry, and arithmetic. Teachers usually are careful to introduce and emphasize the meanings of these words. However, as apparent as the need is, comparatively little has been done to ascertain the "extent of mastery," or the types of meanings which the pupils recognize for the words.
Self-support for drug users in the context of harm reduction policy: A lay expertise defined by drug users’ life skills and citizenship

Abstract This paper focuses on the way drug users (DUs) play an active role in implementing public health policies by their involvement in self-support groups, thus providing new forms of patients’ expertise. Expertise of this nature may seem paradoxical, in that it confers qualities to populations whose practices are unlawful and whose identity is stigmatised. A qualitative method including semi directive interviews (57) and ethnographic observations was used for this research. A thematic content analysis was done from empirical data following an inductive logic. This paper aims to show how a DUs’ organisation finds a place in the social arena in the political context of harm reduction, succeeds in building the French DUs’ health and welfare conditions as a legitimate cause, and elaborates a specific rhetoric centered around life skills and citizenship. The new forms of patients’ expertise, based on life experiences, contribute to enhancing the value of practical, emotional and subjective knowledge that sometimes questions specialist knowledge. This claim for citizenship is often used as a sort of magic incantation, and content may be lacking if public health policies are not accompanied by broader policies that attempt to take into account the political, legal, economical and social conditions of stigmatised social groups like DUs.
Cerebral blood oxygenation changes induced by visual stimulation in humans.

We examined local changes of cerebral oxygenation in response to visual stimuli by means of near infrared spectroscopy. A sharply outlined colored moving stimulus which is expected to evoke a broad activation of the striate and prestriate cortex was presented to sixteen healthy subjects. Six of these subjects were also exposed to a colored stationary and a gray stationary stimulus. In two subjects the colored moving stimulus was tested against the colored stationary with an optode position presumably over area V5/MT. As a control condition, subjects performed a simple finger opposition task. Since the calcarine fissure varies greatly with respect to bony landmarks, optodes were positioned individually according to 3-D reconstructed magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Concentration changes in oxyhemoglobin ([oxy-Hb]) and deoxyhemoglobin ([deoxy-Hb]) were continuously monitored with a temporal resolution of 1 s, using an NIRO 500 (Hamamatsu Photonics, KK, Japan). In response to the visual stimulus, the grand average across all sixteen subjects resulted in a significant increase in [oxy-Hb] of 0.3360. 09 arbitrary units (mean6S.E.M.) mirrored by a significant decrease in [deoxy-Hb] of −0.1860. 02 arbitrary units, while the motor control condition elicited no significant changes in any parameters. When the near infrared spectroscopy probes were positioned over area V5/MT, the drop of [deoxy-Hb] associated with the moving stimulus was significantly more pronounced than with the stationary stimulus in both subjects examined. No significant differences between the visual stimuli were observed at the optode position close to the calcarine fissure. The oxygenation changes observed in this study are consistent with the pattern we have reported for motor activation. They are in line with physiological considerations and functional MRI studies relying on blood oxygenation level-dependent contrast.